ResearchPod
398 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago -ResearchPod science podcasts connect the research community to a global audience of peers and the public, raising visibility and impact. www.researchpod.org. All content is shared under the Creative Commons CCBY-NC-ND 4.0 licence. For further information, email [email protected]
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Episodes
Food consumption, gender and body types in children's animations
June 29, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutes - 6.99 MBToday's cartoons a different experience from past generations, in which gratuitous violence was the primary concern of worried parents. But what if what they showed was more surreptitious in its influence on child behaviour, such as what cartoon characters ate? Dr Milia Tzoutzou and colleagues have catalogued cartoon characters interact with their food and how they judge each other - and themselves – based on their physical appearance. What they've discovered should concern nutritionists, l...
New theories expand cognition to fungi
June 24, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.59 MBConsciousness and self awareness are tricky things to define in an all-encompassing way, and new research on the intricacies of cellular cognition is reshaping how we think about microorganisms and ourselves. Professor Nicholas Money of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio has argued for a new philosophy of cellular consciousness and suggests that, based on their ability to respond to external stimuli, fungi have minds. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2021.02.001...
Optimizing future well-being with artificial intelligence
June 22, 2022 10:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MBBy leveraging your personal health data with Artificial Intelligence, from blood samples to psychological surveys, it is possible to make accurate predictions on biological age and interventions to keep you at your best. Fedor Galkin and Deepankar Nayak of DeepLongevity, a health data platform that looks to transform approaches to ageing and longevity, discuss the upcoming launch of their mental health support site ‘FuturSelf.ai', models of psychological wellbeing and the importance of d...
K-MEDI Hub: Pioneering preclinical research
June 17, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 7.77 MBA state-of-the-art research and development centre in Daegu, Korea – K-MEDI hub – is creating a medical industry ecosystem for the research and development of new drugs and medical devices. At its Preclinical Research Centre, one strong research focus is evaluating the impact of stress on the welfare of laboratory animals in the context of preclinical research. The aim is to improve international standards and guidelines for experimental conditions in the future, improving both the welfare...
The neuroscience of metabolism
June 15, 2022 10:00 - 54 minutes - 37.6 MBAn estimated 130 million adults are living with diabetes or prediabetes in the United States right now. So it might come as a shock that a fundamental concept of diabetes - that the condition is rooted in the role of the pancreas on blood sugar levels - might not be the whole truth. Dr Michael Schwartz of the University of Washington researches the role of the brain in hunger, metabolism and homeostasis. His work opens new questions around obesity and health, and new treatment prospects fo...
Can deeply religious people be intellectually humble?
June 10, 2022 10:00 - 12 minutes - 8.45 MBIs theism conducive to humility in thought? Can deeply religious people also be intellectually humble? Dr Peter C Hill, professor of psychology at the Rosemead School of Psychology based at Biola University, and a team of colleagues challenge the idea that people who hold strong religious beliefs are low in intellectual humility. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10508619.2021.1916242 Read more in Research Outreach
New technology in blood test risk stratification
June 08, 2022 09:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MBThe move to from a reactive approach in medicine, when diseases or disturbances are treated once they are serious enough to present a problem, to a proactive, patient-centric attitude could be a paradigm shift in health care. Dr. Jürgen Riedel, and Prof Kourosh Saeb-Parsy of Oxford Immune Algorithmics join us to talk about a more precise, personalised, and preventative approach for immune health monitoring when coupled with AI and machine learning technologies. Read the original paper: ht...
Diverse Horizons: Investing globally in social and environmental sustainability
June 03, 2022 10:00 - 11 minutes - 7.9 MBGlobal issues such as climate change, social inequalities, and environmental breakdowns are borderless, meaning no country can tackle them alone. International collaboration will be essential in mitigating some of the worst effects of these pervasive issues. Mr Tony Marshall, the founder, president, and CEO of Diverse Horizons, Inc., aims to build on international sustainable development goals by initiating global facilities for educational, entrepreneurial, and intercultural collaboration...
Training and social resources for harm reduction within medical education
June 01, 2022 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBProf. Stephen Hargarten from Medical College of Wisconsin discusses his experience of working in Emergency Room care, his research into harm reduction, social models to reduce the incidence, and risk and damage of violence in America. This podcast details why violence is not being included in medical education and offers an informed, science-based model, suggesting methods to integrate social training and resources into medical school curricula. Read his original article at: https://doi.o...
Cost-Benefit Analysis and Dementia
May 27, 2022 08:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBProf Robert Brent, Professor of Economics at Fordham University, discusses his new book on interventions for managing dementia, and cost-benefit approaches to life and healthcare. The book, Cost-Benefit Analysis and Dementia, is available here: https://bit.ly/RobertBrent
The New Personality Self-Portrait25
May 25, 2022 10:00 - 12 minutes - 8.61 MBThe New Personality Self-Portrait25, or NPSP25 is the work of psychiatrist John M. Oldham, M.D., in longtime collaboration with mental health journalist and author Lois B. Morris, and more recently, psychologist Alok Madan, PhD. The NPSP25 is an updated, internet-only version of a book first published in a 1990 by Oldham and Morris, called The Personality Self-Portrait: Why You Think, Work, Love, and Act the Way You Do, with the the second edition remaining in print since 1995. Find more...
A parametric framework for multidimensional linear regression
May 20, 2022 12:00 - 10 minutes - 7.01 MBDr Stanley Luck of Vector Analytics LLC has developed a novel parametric framework for multidimensional linear regression, following collaborative research and developments involving the identification of beneficial agronomic variation in maize. Read more in Research Outreach. Read the original article here: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262148
Anthropogenic Hazards Linked to Georesource Exploitation
May 17, 2022 15:00 - 13 minutes - 9.6 MBMining, fracking and other georesource activities pose various environmental hazards - groundwater contamination, air pollution, and even significant earthquakes The EPOS Thematic Core Service for Anthropogenic Hazards (TCS AH) was created to facilitate global-scale open data access and research of anthropogenic hazards related to georesource exploitation. Find more about TCS AH at their website, or in this article: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-020-0429-3
Criminology on Trump - America’s outlaw and racketeer-in-chief
May 13, 2022 08:00 - 10 minutes - 7.49 MBEmeritus Professor Gregg Barak, is co-founder of the Journal of White Collar & Corporate Crime. Barak is also a three-time award-winning author and editor of books on crime, justice, media, violence, criminal law, corporate law, homelessness, and human rights. His book, Criminology on Trump , is available for preorder here Read more in Research Outreach
Financing our anthropocene
May 11, 2022 09:00 - 14 minutes - 9.7 MBThe 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN set out the aims of ensuring the future of life on Planet Earth is clean, healthy, and rich in biodiversity. However, reaching these goals is expensive, requiring around an additional $5 Trillion per year over the next 15–20 years. So the question now is: How to finance our Future? The Tao of Finance initiative from the World Academy of Arts and Sciences proposes outside-the-box solutions to generate the funds needed, utilising distrib...
Do Innovative Firms Communicate More?
May 04, 2022 10:00 - 9 minutes - 6.22 MBInnovation is an important driver for increasing a firms profit margins. However, short-term expenses in the innovation process, with a short product life cycle common among highly innovative leaps, makes it very difficult to predict demand.This can make investors wary. Dr. Sterling Huang and colleagues look into how the balance between a company and its investors can shift with successful innovations, and the changes that has on the company’s internal communication and management Read t...
Exploring the neglected overlap between HIV and substance use disorders
April 27, 2022 08:00 - 13 minutes - 9.15 MBSubstance use disorders (SUD) are common within the population of people with HIV, and this can have a detrimental effect on their progression along the HIV care continuum. Despite this, SUD services are not currently integrated into AIDS service organisations as well as they might be. Dr Bryan Garner at RTI International and his team identified that integrating these services within community-based ASOs is one of the keys to addressing SUDs among people with HIV. Read more in Research Ou...
Digital transformation for higher education post COVID-19
April 20, 2022 10:00 - 12 minutes - 8.69 MBHigher Education Institutions, or HEIs, have been forced to reconfigure their activities as a result of the pandemic. Based on new research, Prof Lloyd George Waller argues that the difference between the institutions’ success or otherwise in moving online depends on their digital readiness and resilience, which in turn depends on their digital transformation strategy. His book, "Digital Transformation for Higher Education Institutions: A Framework for the Future" is available online. Re...
Digital transformation for higher education post COVID-19
April 20, 2022 10:00 - 12 minutes - 8.69 MBHigher Education Institutions, or HEIs, have been forced to reconfigure their activities as a result of the pandemic. Based on new research, Prof Lloyd George Waller argues that the difference between the institutions’ success or otherwise in moving online depends on their digital readiness and resilience, which in turn depends on their digital transformation strategy. His book, "Digital Transformation for Higher Education Institutions: A Framework for the Future" is available online. Re...
Implementing an insolvency framework for micro and small enterprises
April 13, 2022 09:00 - 12 minutes - 8.34 MBMicro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) represent around 90% of businesses and more than 50% of worldwide employment. Despite their economic relevance, most insolvency jurisdictions fail to provide an adequate response for MSMEs in insolvency. Professor Gurrea Martínez of Singapore Management University is an expert in insolvency and business restructuring and his recent work looks at international insolvency frameworks. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1002/iir.1...
The Platform: A novel non-invasive fish monitoring method
April 08, 2022 16:00 - 11 minutes - 7.83 MBEstuaries are incredibly variable environments, which can make fish monitoring using traditional sampling gear difficult. Dr Joseph Merz has developed a new non-invasive sampling system, The Platform, to monitor fish communities and their habitat interactions with fewer potential impacts to sensitive species. Read more in Research Outreach: https://researchoutreach.org/articles/platform-novel-non-invasive-fish-monitoring-method/ Find more from Dr Merz and his team at https://www.fishscien...
Chronic fatigue syndrome / ME insights through molecular biology
April 06, 2022 11:00 - 13 minutes - 9.08 MBChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME) is a complex, long-term, and highly debilitating condition whose causes and mechanisms have been poorly understood until now. The research of Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik sheds new light on the pathological processes underlying ME/CFS – paving the way for future treatments. Read the original research: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-021-02974-4 Read more in Research Features
What constitutes optimal leisure?
March 30, 2022 09:00 - 11 minutes - 7.59 MBAcross history, people have developed multiple ways of occupying their free time through a host of leisure activities. Professor Robert Stebbins at the University of Calgary has provided a seminal framework – called the Serious Leisure Perspective – which synthesises the science of leisure activities, and looks at ways for society to facilitate pursuing optimal lifestyles. Read more in Research Outreach: https://researchoutreach.org/articles/what-constitutes-optimal-leisure/ Read more in ...
Daily adaptive proton therapy
March 23, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutes - 5.73 MBProton therapy is an effective technique for fighting cancer. In order to optimise treatment, it is clear that each patient must be carefully assessed each time and radiation plans must be adapted based on the results. The daily adaptive proton therapy workflow proposed by the Paul Scherrer Institute is an excellent start on the path to achieving this, and there are many more opportunities to improve efficiency and accuracy for treatment. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.108...
Could a serpin antibody help to treat type 1 diabetes?
March 16, 2022 12:00 - 9 minutes - 6.57 MBDr Jan Czyzyk explores the biomolecules serpins, and how serpin activity can affect the inflammation and tissue regeneration of cells in the pancreas. Their research opens the possibility for anti-serpin activity to be used as both a biomarker and an active mechanism of protection for individuals with type 1 diabetes. Read more in Research Outreach Read the original article: https://www.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.abf1587
PNIRS Asia-Pacific: Building bridges between East and West
March 10, 2022 12:00 - 13 minutes - 9.14 MBThe field of psycho-neuroimmunology – the study of relationships between the nervous and immune systems – has pioneered significant discoveries in areas like stress, mindfulness, ancient exercise and dietary interventions. The Psycho-neuroimmunology Research Society (PNIRS) formed a Chinese branch in 2012, and following its success, expanded to include all of Asia-Oceania. Keith W. Kelley of the University of Illinois and collaborators review the growth of this endeavour and recent contri...
Metabolic Syndrome and Breast Cancer risk
March 09, 2022 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.46 MBBreast cancer on the African continent, and in Nigeria especially, is notable for being biologically distinct from those predominantly diagnosed among White populations in the United States and Europe, where most scientific research has occurred to date. Dr. Tomi Akinyemiju at Duke University School of Medicine examines the factors that contribute to especially aggressive breast cancers in Nigeria – providing insights that could meaningfully impact disease prevention and treatment. Read...
Antimicrobial metals: A recycled weapon against bacteria
March 02, 2022 10:00 - 8 minutes - 5.92 MBBefore the development of antibiotics, even a small cut could have fatal results if a bacterial infection took hold. Today, the world faces a the return of untreatable diseases due to antibiotic resistance. Prof Raymond J. Turner at the University of Calgary is working to solve the problem of bacterial resistance to these medicines through revisiting and developing metal-containing antimicrobials. Read the original paper here: https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9120853 Read more in Rese...
Improving seafood shelf life and reducing food waste
February 23, 2022 11:00 - 9 minutes - 6.4 MBTilapia is one of the most popular seafood dishes, with annual production topping top 6 million tonnes globally. However, fish is a highly perishable food, and large quantities of fish meat is discarded due to loss of quality between capture and final consumption. This raises concerns for both the consumer’s health and finances of seafood producers. Dr Maria Lucia Guerra Monteiro at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and colleagues, investigate the effect of a new style of packaging...
Clean technologies from molecular design
February 16, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.69 MBTackling global challenges in sustainable energy production calls for the rational design of new generations of clean materials, coupling efficiency with low environmental impact. Professor Rajan has established a research center at the Department of Materials Design and Innovation, University at Buffalo, New York that explores how to develop ‘quantum signatures’ at a fundamental molecular scale that can guide the rational design of clean materials. Read their original article: htt...
Clean technologies from molecular design
February 16, 2022 11:00 - 12 minutes - 8.69 MBTackling global challenges in sustainable energy production calls for the rational design of new generations of clean materials, coupling efficiency with low environmental impact. Professor Rajan has established a research center at the Department of Materials Design and Innovation, University at Buffalo, New York that explores how to develop ‘quantum signatures’ at a fundamental molecular scale that can guide the rational design of clean materials. Read their original article: htt...
Monitoring toxic pollutants for better air quality
February 09, 2022 11:00 - 10 minutes - 7.16 MBToxic pollutants in the air are not a new phenomenon. But what exactly are the toxic pollutants that can cause severe health issues when present in the air? Professor Guo-Ping Chang-Chien, director of the Super Micro Mass Research and Technology Center at Cheng Shiu University in Taiwan, studies different emission reduction approaches relating to toxic pollutants. Their teams work has massively improved air quality in Taiwan. Read more in Research Outreach Read their original article: ...
Transforming the experience of pain and anxiety in clinical settings
February 02, 2022 10:00 - 11 minutes - 7.64 MBPain and anxiety are some of the most common and distressing symptoms experienced by patients in all clinical settings. Research by Dr Elvira Lang and colleagues found that their self-hypnotic relaxation app, Comfort Talk®, is effective in reducing pain and anxiety in patients through short listening times in the waiting room. Read their original article: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.RVI.0000185418.82287.72 Read more in Research Outreach
Money creation, debt, and justice
January 26, 2022 11:00 - 11 minutes - 8.02 MBMoney plays an essential social role, and its distribution is linked to that of justice. Unfortunately, bias has corroded the mechanisms that govern money creation, resulting in injustices that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor. Peter Dietsch, a philosophy professor at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, says it’s time to re-evaluate the system and consider alternatives. Read their original article: https://doi.org/10.1177/1470594X21999736 Read more in Rese...
BOOSTing breastfeeding rates – a new protocol
January 19, 2022 10:00 - 10 minutes - 6.91 MBDr Yukiko Washio at RTI International and her colleagues at Temple University and Christiana Care have undertaken intervention research to increase breastfeeding in low-income women in the United States. Based on this and two pilot studies in the US and UK, they set up a research project using their new BOOST protocol: using financial incentives to increase breastfeeding among women registered on the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programme. Read the original article: http://doi.org/1...
Climate change adaptation: Reimagining our place in the world
January 12, 2022 10:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBHow society can adapt to climate change is an urgent challenge for the global community. Yet what exactly is that challenge? How can we imagine new ways to respond? Climate change adaptation has long been defined as society’s response to an external, changing environment. Dr Andrea Nightingale at the University of Oslo, however, argues that the global community should be debating key political questions such as, ‘who ought to govern change’, and ‘what knowledges do we need to understand un...
Self-efficacy in non-routine problem solving in STEM education
December 15, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutes - 7.06 MBDr Tanya Evans, Dr Mike Thomas and Dr Sergiy Klymchuk have designed an intervention to examine whether employability prospects for STEM students studying mathematics could be improved. Read their original paper: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1818061 Read more in Research Outreach: https://researchoutreach.org/articles/self-efficacy-non-routine-problem-solving-stem-education/
Self-efficacy in non-routine problem solving in STEM education
December 15, 2021 09:00 - 10 minutes - 7.06 MBDr Tanya Evans, Dr Mike Thomas and Dr Sergiy Klymchuk have designed an intervention to examine whether employability prospects for STEM students studying mathematics could be improved. Read their original paper: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1818061 Read more in Research Outreach: https://researchoutreach.org/articles/self-efficacy-non-routine-problem-solving-stem-education/
Therapies and frameworks to tackle opioid use disorder
December 08, 2021 10:00 - 39 minutes - 27 MBManaging addiction and supporting recovery takes time, training, and legal processes that few can afford alone. Dr Jennifer Potter, Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Dean for Research at UT Health, San Antonio discusses the 'Be Well Texas’ programme of training and technical assistance, and what she sees as the next steps to remedy the drug addiction problems facing the people, and the social fabric, of America. Read the original research here: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234...
The African tectonic retreat that shook Greece and Turkey
December 01, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutes - 7.96 MBThe Earth is a dynamic system. The cold rigid surface (or crust) on which we live is broken into many rigid plates that all move relative to one another in a process known as plate tectonics. At the China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Professor Timothy Kusky is studying the evolution of tectonic plates through Earth history. Along with his colleagues, he has found that a devastating 2020 earthquake in the Aegean Sea resulted from a process known as slab rollback. This process may also ...
Environmental and health impacts of residential wood combustion
November 22, 2021 16:00 - 11 minutes - 7.72 MBWith the rising desire for a cosy and comfortable life full of 'hygge' has come a rising demand for the warm glow of a household fire to gather around. But, at what price does this idyll come at for our health? Dr Mikko Savolahti, senior research scientist at the Finnish Environment Institute, and colleagues published detailed research investigating the emissions from residential wood combustion in Finland. The models demonstrate that the climate impacts of wood burning need to be fully in...
The financial toxicity of multiple sclerosis
November 17, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutes - 9.48 MBMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic autoimmune disease that is a lifelong condition with high medical costs. As a result, many patients do not adhere to treatment plan, which further reduces their quality of life. There are also non-medical costs to consider, such as loss of productivity at work and early retirement. Research led by Professor Carl Asche, at the University of Illinois, explores the financial burdens and advocates for improved strategies to reduce the cost burden of the...
The financial toxicity of multiple sclerosis
November 17, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutes - 9.48 MBMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurologic autoimmune disease that is a lifelong condition with high medical costs. As a result, many patients do not adhere to treatment plan, which further reduces their quality of life. There are also non-medical costs to consider, such as loss of productivity at work and early retirement. Research led by Professor Carl Asche, at the University of Illinois, explores the financial burdens and advocates for improved strategies to reduce the cost burden of the...
Effects of training on blood brain flow
November 10, 2021 10:00 - 30 minutes - 20.9 MBBrains, blood and beating heart are top of the list when it comes to thinking about your body, and your health. Understanding blood flow to and around the brain is part of research into brain ageing, and part of the work of Dr Lucy Beishon and Dr Jatinder Minhas at the Cerebral Haemodynamics in Ageing and Stroke Medicine , or CHIASM, lab in Leicester Royal Infirmary. Today, we’re chatting about some of their research into developing methods to help offset the progression of diseases such a...
Eyewitness testimony: how much alcohol is too much?
November 03, 2021 09:00 - 12 minutes - 8.91 MBAlcohol is widely considered to be the most popular, most harmful drug, often leading to psychological or physical harm to the user and those around them. and with a strong association between alcohol consumption and crime. With a high rate of alcohol intoxication in witnesses, suspects, and even victims of crime, it is critical to understand how police officers perceive and interact with intoxicated individuals. Dr Angelica Hagsand of the University of Gothenburg (Sweden) conducts researc...
Securing Smart Contracts with AI and Machine Learning
October 27, 2021 09:00 - 11 minutes - 8.15 MBBlockchain technology and smart contracts, the backbone of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Doge and more, is a method of recording and storing electronic information, such as financial transactions, in a way that they are either impossible or difficult to alter. In short, a digital permanent record. But if a smart contract has mistakes or bugs in its code that can be exploited, it can result in huge financial losses . Dr. Lingxiao Jiang, an associate professor of Computer Scie...
Transient dynamics in complex systems
October 20, 2021 14:00 - 14 minutes - 10.3 MBWhat is behind phenomena such as the sudden extinction of species in population dynamics? What generates the spiral patterns that appear in density profiles or travelling waves? Professor Meyer-Ortmanns studies complex systems with methods from nonlinear dynamics and statistical physics. One current research topic is heteroclinic dynamics, another one is the impact of stochastic fluctuations. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.043097
Could pollution from sweeteners be souring our environment?
October 13, 2021 10:00 - 11 minutes - 8.03 MBAcesulfame potassium is one of several low- and no-calorie sweeteners used as a healthy alternative to sugar. But what if there is a price to pay for a calorie-free sweetness? Dr Patrick Guiney investigates the environmental fate and effects of sweeteners and applies ecological risk assessment methods to establish their environmental safety profiles. Read more in Research Outreach Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1002/ieam.4248
Preventing opioid addiction in pain management with dopamine co-treatment
October 06, 2021 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBWhat if there was a way to deliver on the painkilling potential of opioids while reducing the likelihood of addiction? Dr Stefan Clemens and Dr Kori Brewers' work at East Carolina University could mark a turning point in pain management and drug addiction. Read the original article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbb.2020.172935
Can mission statement language influence workplace discrimination?
September 27, 2021 09:00 - 13 minutes - 9.24 MBWhether it’s a just few sentences or a full paragraph outlining the way your organisation pursues goals like delivering on time or anticipating customer needs, a mission statement is a guide to how a company operates and the values it holds dear. Research led by Dana Kanze from London Business School now shows that your mission statements can also motivate your employees to embrace or disregard ethical standards—the decisions they choose depend upon the language you use. Read the original ...