Articles
Can we do more to get college students vaccinated against HPV?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. It can cause genital warts and several types of cancer, including cervical, anal, penile, and throat cancer. Although an effective and safe vaccine against HPV infection has been available since 2006, the vaccination rates in the US remain low. The fact that more than 80% of sexually active people […]
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Showcasing the potential for macroscopically aligned carbon nanotubes
Carbon nanotubes are already widely known for their potential uses across a broad range of technologies. So far, however, their marvellous one-dimensional properties have been proven only at microscopic levels, hindering progress toward real-world applications. Natsumi Komatsu from the laboratory of Professor Junichiro Kono at Rice University, Houston, shows how macroscopic alignment can be achieved in thin films and fibres, […]
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Conceptual change: Learners’ response to contradictory information
Misconceptions can get in the way of teaching efforts and increasingly pose a significant challenge to science teachers. To discern exactly what science education literature can teach us about learners’ response to anomalous data, Professor Patrice Potvin, from the University of Québec in Montréal, Canada, has carried out a critical and systematic review of science education research literature. In this […]
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Foresting Douglas-fir through targeted micropropagation
Conifer trees are in high demand for their aesthetic value and desirable wood, but producing these trees rapidly is challenging because of their long life cycle. Increased effort is underway to use artificial techniques to propagate Douglas-fir. However, this is constrained by a lack of viability and recalcitrance of in vitro cultures. Recent work by Drs Dmytro Yevtushenko and Mariana […]
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Is there equality for students with disabilities when accessing government grants for post-secondary education?
Higher education can strengthen job opportunities for people with disabilities. Mandy Mou, a PhD candidate within the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, Canada, observed a gap in the literature surrounding equality relating to federal and provincial disability grants for post-secondary education. She undertook a critical discourse analysis, highlighting that in Canada, a neoliberalist culture has led […]
Finding a pathway from grief to peace
There is way too much overwhelming grief and loss today as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, wars, and more. We need to find new vital pathways to transform the deep sadness of grief and loss into peace and hope. Kathryn Rossi, a clinical psychologist specialising in the use of therapeutic hypnosis and mind-body healing, shares the process she discovered […]
Ladders4Action: Working for an ethical, inclusive, and collaborative research landscape
Ladders4Action is a nonprofit organisation which works to radically enhance the equality and inclusivity of the UK’s research spaces. It seeks to protect and nurture marginalised voices who might otherwise feel excluded from these spaces, fostering a community of researchers from a diverse array of backgrounds. The organisation recognises that only by translating theory into meaningful action will we create […]
Riding the cardiac wave: The link between incremental pulse wave velocity and cardiovascular risk factors
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health concern. Arterial stiffening is known to be linked to CVD risk; therefore, establishing effective ways to measure this provides a novel way to screen populations and to detect early signs of CVD. Dr P M Nabeel, Dr Jayaraj Joseph, and Professor Mohanasankar Sivaprakasam at the Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre, Indian Institute of Technology […]
Post-pandemic suicide trends in Japan
While health authorities have measured the impact of COVID-19 in terms of infections and deaths, less attention has been given to the mental illness the pandemic has left in its wake. One leading researcher in suicide prevention, Professor Masahito Fushimi, a psychiatrist at the Akita University Health Centre in Akita, Japan, has uncovered a worrying trend in suicidal behaviour sparked […]
Nature as an asset: Natural capital in ‘FutureCity’ Shimokawa
Natural capital provides the goods and services that sustain humankind, but accurately quantifying it remains problematic. Professor Mitsuru Osaki (Hokkaido University) and Mr Takashi Kasuga (NPO FutureForest Institute) have addressed this issue by focusing on Shimokawa, a town in northern Hokkaido, Japan. Shimokawa aims to achieve economic stability by using its forest resources. Quantifying 19 variables related to agriculture and […]
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