Articles
Randomised control trials: Are they really the gold standard?
Randomised control trials (RCTs) have become a dominant methodology in research. However, issues with RCTs, including their failure to take account of history, context, or relevant findings, bring into question the superiority of the method. Professor Naila Kabeer, at the London School of Economics, highlights these issues in her research and discusses how the overfocus on RCT methods has led […]
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From what’s wrong to what’s strong: A guide to community-driven development
There are four main modes of social change: to, for, with, and by. While there is a place for all four within community and economic development, avoiding the pitfalls of traditional ‘aid’ requires a well-delineated approach. As the Managing Director of Nurture Development and a faculty member of the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at DePaul University, Cormac Russell is […]
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Significance of patient positioning guidelines in endoscopic procedures
Patients are placed on an operating table for surgery or, in the event of endoscopic treatment, on a trolley. Surgery may need patient placement that is not at all comfortable, posing challenges for the patient. There are well-established rules for patient positioning during surgical operations, but no such criteria are available for endoscopic treatments. A study conducted by Dr Vera […]
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The role of testosterone in SARS-CoV-2 infection
Data from multiple countries has shown gender imbalances in COVID-19 severity and risk of mortality, with worse outcomes seen in men. To explore why male gender is a major risk factor for more severe disease, Marta Camici, of The Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases (IRCCS), has explored the links between testosterone and COVID-19. Her research findings suggest that […]
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Philosophy and Critical Theory: Shining a light on Saladdin Ahmed’s research
Saladdin Ahmed is a philosopher and critical theorist. His works focus on the philosophy of resistance, antifascism, totalitarianism, and political space. For the last three years, he has been teaching political theory, international relations, and comparative politics at Union College in Schenectady, New York. During that time, he has published, among other works, a book Totalitarian Space and the Destruction […]
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The role of digital health in paediatric obesity treatment
The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents is at high levels. Novel approaches are needed to provide effective care to this population and to minimise the risks of long-term health complications. Digital health has progressed hugely over recent years and offers an attractive option for delivering paediatric weight management interventions. Louise Tully, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences […]
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Asynchronous horizons durable-strategies dynamic games
Professor David Yeung from Shue Yan University, China, and Professor Leon Petrosyan from St Petersburg State University, Russia, are using game theory to understand responses to climate change. They have identified two critical features of real-life problems that involve strategic interactions – durable strategies and participants’ asynchronous horizons – and have developed a new class of dynamic games to solve […]
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Writefull – Advanced academic language feedback
Writefull provides advanced academic and technical writing software that goes well beyond the tools provided by other grammar checkers. Using highly complex algorithms, it offers a full array of language feedback – covering everything from wording, syntax, and grammar – catered specifically to the academic community. Research Outreach caught up with Dr Hilde van Zeeland, Applied Linguist at Writefull, to […]
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The 20-year-old mysteries of nu Octantis: Its almost unbelievable planet – or what?
When observing the light emitted by nearby stars as part of his PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, Dr David Ramm made a discovery that turned astronomers’ understanding of orbital mechanics on its head. With an orbit lying roughly halfway between two very close stars in a binary system, the nu Octantis exoplanet seemed at first glance impossible. […]
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PNIRSAsia–Pacific: Building bridges between East and West
The field of psychoneuroimmunology – 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 Psychoneuroimmunology 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 […]
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