Progress and Remaining Opportunities to Increase the Use of Animal-free Antibodies in the USA.

The scientific and ethical issues associated with the use of animal-derived antibodies in research can be overcome by the use of animal-free, sequence-defined recombinant antibodies, whose benefits are well documented. Here, we describe progress made following a 2019 expert meeting focused on improving the quality and reproducibility of biomedical research by accelerating the production and use of animal-free recombinant antibodies in the USA. In the five intervening years since the meeting, participants have established multifaceted initiatives to tackle the next steps outlined during the meeting. These initiatives include: prioritising the replacement of ascites-derived and polyclonal antibodies; distributing educational materials describing recombinant antibodies; fostering public-private partnerships to increase access to recombinant antibodies; and increasing the availability of funding for recombinant antibody development. Given the widescale use of antibodies across scientific disciplines, a transition to modern antibody production methods relies on a commitment from government agencies, universities, industry and funding organisations, to initiatives such as those outlined here.

Becoming JEDI Warriors in Physical Therapy Research: A Multifaceted Approach.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent incidents of social injustice exposed the systemic racism and discrimination in health care and clinical research that perpetuate systemic inequities. This perspective utilizes the acronym JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) as a vision for addressing inequities in physical therapy research. The need to go beyond diversity and focus on inclusion, equity, and justice is emphasized to achieve transformation within physical therapy research. The prevailing research paradigms are examined, acknowledging that research can perpetuate inequities and reinforcing the importance of integrating JEDI principles into the research process. The underrepresentation of diverse researchers in physical therapy is discussed, as well as the barriers faced by underrepresented researchers and research participants. Funding disparities are also highlighted, emphasizing the need for JEDI principles in research funding practices. How other health professions' associations are addressing JEDI in research is also explored. The authors propose a framework for action, utilizing the concepts of the socioecological model to identify gaps in JEDI within physical therapy research at different levels of influence and conclude by emphasizing the importance of justice in dismantling inequitable systems and urge the physical therapy research community to become JEDI warriors to bring about transformative change. IMPACT: By championing cultures that value justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, individuals within the physical therapy research community have the potential to ignite a powerful transformation in society. The authors envision a future where JEDI warriors emerge, embracing the spirit of "Do or do not. There is no try," to forge a research community that is inclusive for all.1 Drawing inspiration from this mindset, this perspective seeks to empower individuals to harness the force of a JEDI warrior, fostering cultures that value justice, embrace inclusive methodologies, and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities for researchers and participants.

Orthopedic Research Funding: Assessing the Relationship between Investments and Breakthroughs.

Orthopedic research plays a crucial role in improving patient outcomes for musculoskeletal disorders. This narrative review explores the intricate interplay between funding patterns and the trajectory of breakthroughs achieved in this dynamic field. A meticulous search strategy identified studies illuminating the diverse sources of orthopedic research funding, including public funding (government agencies), philanthropic organizations, private sector investment, and international funding bodies. The review further delved into the spectrum of breakthroughs, encompassing fundamental scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and personalized medicine approaches. Public funding emerged as a significant pillar, supporting foundational research that lays the groundwork for future advancements. Philanthropic organizations addressed specific musculoskeletal disorders, often focusing on patient-centric applications. International funding bodies played a role in supporting research in low- and middle-income countries. Breakthroughs extended beyond cutting-edge prosthetics and minimally invasive surgeries, encompassing fundamental discoveries in areas like gene therapy and biomaterials science. Technological advancements included brain-computer interface prosthetics and 3D-printed implants. Personalized medicine offered the potential for tailored treatments based on individual needs and genetic profiles. This review underscores the complex interplay between funding patterns and breakthroughs in orthopedic research. A multifaceted approach is essential for continued progress. Fostering collaboration, optimizing funding models, and prioritizing both foundational and translational research hold the key to unlocking the true potential of orthopedic research and transforming the lives of patients suffering from musculoskeletal disorders.

Comment on "Sexism in Academia is Bad for Science and a Waste of Public Funding".

A recent comment by Boivin et al. urges academia and governments to address sexism and fight bias at higher education and research institutions as losing female academics is costing science and society too much. Herein, I discuss further underlying reasons of sexism in academia and the importance of a deep dive into the causes of inequity at individual faculty and school levels to develop bespoke and enforceable gender equity plans, the importance of not using basic statistic as the only tool to measure equity/inequity as well as how key performance indicators could be better used to advance gender equity and end sexism in academia.

Trauma care in crisis: war trauma and mental health funding.

Background: Israel is currently under a state of continued unrest and state of war. There has been an influx of financial aid to treat the mental health fallout both from within Israel and abroad. Despite increased research into resilience, treatment and wide-scale interventions, there is a concern that this is not significantly influencing mental health aid allocation.Objective: This letter to the editor aims to describe the current situation and address current difficulties in regard to the relevant literature from recent conflicts and national traumatic events.Method: A consortium of national and international trauma experts pooled together their knowledge to produce a working statement based on evidence from clinical and research findings.Results: As opposed to wider, short-term psychological interventions which have limited long-term proven efficacy, lessons from previous war zones, wide-scale exposure to trauma and current war-torn countries highlight the importance of targeting and assessment, addressing barriers to care, strengthening existing systems and promoting community resilience and care.Conclusions: In addition to acute care, funding should be allocated to long-term care, enhancing treatment accessibility and community follow-up and additionally support long-term research to assess effectiveness and contribute to international knowledge.

Immediately following widescale attacks, national disasters and outbreaks of war there is a tendency for an outpouring of aid, and in recent years, mental health aid.Despite an increase in research in the field there are still significant gaps in the literature and a disconnect between the evidence and economic and philanthropic policy with short-term initiatives often favoured over long-term strategic planning.It is recommended that greater attention be paid to targeting and assessment, addressing barriers to care, strengthening existing systems and promoting community care.

Sepsis Research Using Omics Technology in the European Union and the United Kingdom: Maps, Trends, and Future Implications.

High-throughput omics technologies have become valuable tools for systems science research and clinical management of sepsis. This article analyzes sepsis research using omics technologies in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom from 1990 to May 2023 using bibliometric data from the Web of Science database. Using VOSviewer for network analysis, we examined the distribution patterns, funding characteristics, and collaborations among the states, noting trends of convergence and divergence. The analysis included 2078 articles, revealing an increasing rate of publications on sepsis research using omics approaches. The United Kingdom's research output is notably high, contributing 28.3% of the total research from the EU and United Kingdom combined. Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Italy together account for 56.9% of the publications from the EU member states. The United States is the leading international collaborator, particularly with the United Kingdom, followed by Germany and France. The EU-15 countries have significantly more publication outputs in this domain with growing but limited inclusion of the newer members of the EU. We suggest that the role of EU member states and the United Kingdom in sepsis research using omics technologies can be advanced by facilitating high-value, technology-driven health research, fostering collaboration, convergence, and equity in global health and biomedical research.

NHS-Reimbursed Cannabis Flowers for Cancer Palliative Care and the Management of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: An Autobiographical Case Report.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a debilitating side effect of cancer treatment, affecting many patients. Cannabinoid agonists, such as nabilone and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of Cannabis sativa L., have shown efficacy as antiemetics. Here, we report the case of Michael Roberts (MR), who we believe is the first British patient reimbursed by the National Health Service (NHS) England for the cost of medicinal cannabis flowers to manage CINV. Medical data were obtained from NHS records and individual funding request (IFR) forms. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were collected using validated questionnaires as part of the standard of care at the specialized private clinics where the prescription of medicinal cannabis was initiated. The patient presented with rectosigmoid adenocarcinoma with lung metastases. He received FOLFIRI (folinic acid, fluorouracil, and irinotecan) chemotherapy and underwent an emergency Hartmann's procedure with subsequent second-line FOLFOX (folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy and lung ablation. MR reported severe nausea and vomiting associated with the initial FOLFIRI treatment. Antiemetics metoclopramide and aprepitant demonstrated moderated efficacy. Antiemetics ondansetron, levomepromazine, and nabilone were associated with intolerable side effects. Inhalation of THC-predominant cannabis flowers in association with standard medication improved CINV, anxiety, sleep quality, appetite, overall mood, and quality of life. Our results add to the available evidence suggesting that medicinal cannabis flowers may offer valuable support in cancer palliative care integrated with standard-of-care oncology treatment. The successful individual funding request in this case demonstrates a pathway for other patients to gain access to these treatments, advocating for broader awareness and integration of cannabis-based medicinal products in national healthcare services.

Canadian Health Research Funding Patterns for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations Reflect Exclusion of Women.

Purpose: We explored the funding areas of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (trans), queer or questioning, and intersex individuals (2S/LGBTQI)-specific health research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) mentioned in the grant abstracts. Methods: We analyzed the publicly available database of grant abstracts funded by CIHR from 2009-2020 to examine what types of 2S/LGBTQI-specific health outcomes would be studied and in what populations. Results: We found that 58% of awarded grant abstracts mentioned studying sexually transmitted diseases, the majority of which was on human immunodeficiency virus. Of the funded 2S/LGBTQI grant abstracts that specified the gender of the population to be studied (n=23), less then 9% mentioned studying cisgender women. Almost 40% mentioned including trans women/girls, and 30% mentioned including trans men/boys. None of the studies examined mentioned work with the Two-Spirit community. Conclusion: These results reflect larger social and health inequities that require structural level changes in research to support the 2S/LGBTQI community.

Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice in Grantmaking for Health Care Research: A Pragmatic Review and Framework.

Funders of research have an opportunity to advance health equity and social justice by incorporating principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in their approach to grantmaking. We conducted a pragmatic review to identify opportunities for grantmakers in the health care sector to integrate DEIJ in their funding activities. The resulting framework discusses recommendations within three phases as follows: (1) Organizational Context (i.e., initiate DEIJ efforts within the grantmaking organization, invest in community partnerships, and establish DEIJ goals), (2) Grantmaking Process (i.e., DEIJ-specific practices related to grant design, application, proposal review processes, and support for grantees), and (3) Assessment of Process and Outcomes (i.e., measurement, evaluation, and dissemination to maximize impact of DEIJ efforts). Throughout all grantmaking phases, it is critical to partner with and engage individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized in health care and research. In this article, we describe how adoption of framework practices can leverage grantmaking to advance DEIJ for communities, researchers, and projects.

Funding Health Care for People Experiencing Homelessness: An Examination of Federally Qualified Health Centers' Funding Streams and Homeless Patients Served (2014-2019).

It is estimated that three million people annually experience homelessness, with about a third of the homeless population being served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Thus, FQHCs, dependent on government funding for financial viability, are vital to the infrastructure addressing the complex issues facing people experiencing homelessness. This study examines the relationship between various government funding streams and the number of homeless patients served by FQHCs. Data for this study come from three publicly available databases: the Uniform Data System (UDS), the IRS Core files, and the Area Resource File. Fixed-effects models employed examine changes across six years from 2014 to 2019. The results suggest that, on average, an additional homeless patient served increases the expenses of FQHCs more than other patients and that federal funding, specifically Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) funding, is a vital revenue source for FQHCs. We found that the number of homeless patients served is negatively associated with contemporaneous state and local funding but positively associated with substance use and anxiety disorders. Our findings have important implications for the effective management of FQHCs in the long term and for broader public policy supporting these vital elements of the social safety net.

Funding Innovation and Risk: A Grey-Based Startup Investment Decision.

As found in behavioral decision theory, venture capitalists (VCs) rely on heuristics and bias, owing to their bounded rationality, either by limited alternatives or information and resources. India's booming startup scene challenges VCs in decision-making owing to information overload from numerous evolving ventures, which hinders informed judgment. VC investment behavior, due diligence, and cognitive factors related to decision-making have always drawn the attention of researchers. We provide an alternative approach for an optimal decision by VCs by identifying the attributes that influence investment or funding decisions at an early stage of a venture in tech-based industries. Through a literature review, we identify eight attributes, both on internal and external criteria, that venture investors consider when making investment decisions. Based on interviews with 20 experts, we further identify eight key tech-based sectors. Using grey system theory, we then determine the rankings of eight tech startups for investors' early-stage investment decisions. This study presents a linguistic variable-based approach of grey numbers to decide weights and ratings, the grey possibility degree to compare and rank different tech startups, and based on the results, suggests the ideal tech startup. We find that agritech ranks first; thus, investors should prefer venturing into such startups for early-stage investment. E-commerce and edutech ranked second and third, respectively, followed by electric vehicle infrastructure, insurtech, fintech, space tech, and software as a service.