National Institute

Regu(AI)ting Health: Lessons for Navigating the Complex Code of AI and Healthcare Regulations

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Authors: Stephanie Wong, Amber Ezzell, & Felicity Slater As an increasing number of organizations utilize artificial intelligence (“AI”) in their patient-facing services, health organizations are seizing the opportunity to take advantage of the new wave of AI-powered tools. Policymakers, from United States (“U.S.”) government agencies to the White House, have taken heed of this trend, [?]

Key Points:

Authors: Stephanie Wong, Amber Ezzell, & Felicity Slater As an increasing number of organizations utilize artificial intelligence (“AI”) in their patient-facing services, health organizations are seizing the opportunity to take advantage of the new wave of AI-powered tools. Policymakers, from United States (“U.S.”) government agencies to the White House, have taken heed of this trend, [?]

The zaï technique: how farmers in the Sahel grow crops with little to no water

Retrieved on:

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Well, The Conversation, Ecosystem, Family, Partnership, Sawadogo, Attention, Life, Grain, Livestock, Risk, Agriculture, Seed, Non-governmental organization, Rain, Transplant, Journalism, Into, Farmer, Wind, Manure, ISRA, BCE, Environment, Nutrient, Method, Logic, United, National Institute, Plant, INP, Water, European Journalism Centre, Sorghum, Face, Carbon, Time, Tree, United Nations, Soil, AFP

And what is true for the universe is even truer in the Sahel, the name given to the vast, arid belt that skirts the Sahara and stretches across Africa from east to west.

Key Points:

And what is true for the universe is even truer in the Sahel, the name given to the vast, arid belt that skirts the Sahara and stretches across Africa from east to west.
Overlooked for many years, the secrets of the Sahelian landscape are starting to pique the interest of researchers and decision-makers.

The art of catching rain

They are now a desolate crust where torrential rains are simply swept away as run-off before they have a chance to seep through.
In a barren field in the village of Gourga, Yacouba and his family are hard at work perforating the crusted soil in preparation for the first rain.
Each wielding a daba (which is a traditional tool similar to an adze), they dig down into the red laterite earth.
Into each one, they drop a handful of compost, a few grains of sorghum and a dusting of light soil.

But this expertise, known as zaï, has been honed by the peoples of the Yatenga for centuries.
By virtue of this revolutionary farming technique, they have mastered the art of catching rain.
And so it was that Yacouba, nicknamed “the man who stopped the desert,” restored hope to his whole village.

Ingenious, but costly

Well, while it may seem simple, zaï is actually based on a number of complex ecological mechanisms.
The technique involves concentrating water and manure at one spot, thereby favouring crop growth in a context of scarce, unpredictable rainfall.
Then, when the rain comes, the enriched pocket fills with water and releases nutrients that attract termites of the genus Trinervitermes.
With the promise both of bountiful harvests and of benefits for the ecosystem, zaï is a genuine one-stop solution.

When digging with a daba for four hours each day, it takes one farmer three months to sow a single hectare.
Not only that, three tons of manure must be accumulated or purchased in order to enrich each pocket.

The widespread, manifold forms of zaï

In the 1980s, there were concerted efforts from development aid to tackle desertification in Sahelian regions weakened by heavy drought.
What followed was a whole spectrum of projects and programmes to test, promote and improve zaï in sub-Saharan Africa.

The aim here is to improve sorghum yields while surmounting the major barrier of costly organic matter.
Agronomists are also working on ways to combine cereals inside one seed pocket, for example planting sorghum with legumes such as cowpea.
Lastly, they are testing out zaï on new crops, from maize to cotton, watermelons and horticultural species like aubergines.

An “alternative” way of adapting

From dams to mega-basins to irrigated perimeters, the over-riding policy across the board is to expand watered surfaces by any means necessary.
But although this option fulfils a certain short-term need, it carries with it a serious risk of maladaptation.
Indeed, the hidden trade-off of these large-scale farm water projects is depleting water resources, social injustice and geopolitical tensions.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Philip R. Lane: Disinflation and monetary policy in the euro area

Retrieved on:

Friday, September 29, 2023

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Navigating Privacy-Enhancing Technologies: Key Takeaways from the Inaugural Meeting of the Global PETs Network

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

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Inflation: I've been analysing the Bank of England's forecast over the past two years – here's how they got it wrong

Retrieved on:

Monday, September 25, 2023

Had it done so, it could have reacted more quickly and prevented inflation from rising as high as 11% in autumn 2022.

Key Points:

Had it done so, it could have reacted more quickly and prevented inflation from rising as high as 11% in autumn 2022.
I’ve been doing my own analysis of the BoE’s record by comparing how it has performed relative to other forecasting models.

Different forecasting models

The bank is not completely transparent about how it forecasts inflation, drawing on a number of in-house mathematical models.
It also incorporates oil prices and global geopolitical risk, which tends to be be ignored by forecasting models.
I’ve also calculated a median showing the combined predictions of the models, since this often improves results.
Looking at the bank’s short-term forecasting is important since this relates closely to its medium-term forecasts.

How they compare

Inflation model accuracy Over the entire 15-year period, the BoE forecasts actually top the table.
The median is only marginally behind in second place, followed by model 2.
Yet when you focus on the past two years, the period that really matters because inflation has been so high, a different picture emerges.
Now, first place goes to model 3, whereas the BoE predictions fall to third place.

Thoughts for the future

The latest inflation data, published on September 20, point to 6.8% inflation in the third quarter of 2023.
Be that as it may, the key point is that to predict inflation accurately, it is important to forecast from different models and to combine forecasts.
Relying on a single forecast can often mislead and does no favours to the economics profession.
The BoE could pioneer being open about its inflation model and holding a “prediction tournament” in which the model’s effectiveness would be measured against rivals.

Joint statement on data scraping and data protection

Retrieved on:

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Commissioner, Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertés, ICO, Personal data, Privacy, National Institute, Transparency, Social media, Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner, Agency, Access, Privacy Commissioner, Information commissioner, Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Online shopping, Cryptocurrency, Information, Bolsa de Comercio de Bahía Blanca

The Information Commissioner’s Office and eleven other data protection and privacy authorities from around the world have today published a joint statement calling for the protection of people’s personal data from unlawful data scraping taking place on social media sites.

Key Points:

The Information Commissioner’s Office and eleven other data protection and privacy authorities from around the world have today published a joint statement calling for the protection of people’s personal data from unlawful data scraping taking place on social media sites.
The joint statement published today sets expectations for how social media companies should protect people’s data from unlawful data scraping.
“This joint statement helps provide certainty, and consistency across borders, in how data protection applies to information people post online.
“Social media companies have obligations under UK data protection law to protect the information people post on their platforms.

LGBTQ+ caregivers of people with dementia face unique stresses that lead to poorer physical and mental health

Retrieved on:

Thursday, August 24, 2023

Caring for someone living with dementia can be a stressful experience that harms the physical and mental health of caregivers.

Key Points:

Caring for someone living with dementia can be a stressful experience that harms the physical and mental health of caregivers.
LGBTQ+ caregivers face unique challenges that can magnify these strains.
LGBTQ+ caregivers have experienced discrimination, isolation, stigma and other stressors related to their sexual orientation or gender identity and generally have poorer physical and mental health than non-LGBTQ+ caregivers.

LGBTQ+ caregivers by the numbers

The majority, nearly 80% of LGBTQ+ caregivers, were white, while over a third identified as Latino.
The majority of the LGBTQ+ caregivers, ranging in age from 21 to 72, were millennials ages 38 or younger.
Despite relatively high levels of income among LGBTQ+ caregivers overall, lesbian and bisexual caregivers experienced significantly higher levels of difficulty in paying for everyday basics, and queer caregivers more frequently reported incomes of less than US$30,000.

Higher stress

LGBTQ+ caregivers may be experiencing higher levels of stress than non-LGBTQ+ caregivers because they seek out supportive services less frequently.
We found that 75% of LGBTQ+ caregivers of people with dementia reported moderate to high levels of perceived stress, and 78% experienced depressive symptoms.
For example, bisexual and queer caregivers experienced higher stress than those with other identities.
Racial minority LGBTQ+ caregivers also reported poorer family quality of life and higher levels of depressive symptoms.

An understudied problem

In 2018, the National Institute on Aging funded only seven studies focused on LGBTQ+ aging.
To address the underrepresentation of LGBTQ+ caregivers in aging research, my colleagues and I started the RISE Project.

3 ways higher education can become more hopeful in the post-pandemic, post-AI era

Retrieved on:

Monday, July 31, 2023

From the COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary pressures to generative artificial intelligence (AI) and climate catastrophe, the future of higher education seems murky and fragmented — even gloomy.

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From the COVID-19 pandemic and budgetary pressures to generative artificial intelligence (AI) and climate catastrophe, the future of higher education seems murky and fragmented — even gloomy.
In this context, one outcome of the pandemic has been a rise in discourses about specific, quite narrowly imagined futures of higher education.
Technology companies, consultants and investors, for example, push visions of the future of education as being saved by new technologies.
In many cases, their speculation about the future of education, especially where education technology is concerned, often looks bleak.

It’s about more than technology

But as Jen Ross, senior lecturer in digital education observes, technology doesn’t solve all our problems.
When we think about education futures, technology alone does not automatically help us create better education or healthier societies.
Policymakers and educators should consider technology as one part of a toolkit of responses for making informed decisions about what technologies align with more equitable and just education futures.

Emphasizing connection and diversity

In line with thinking about more than technology, the second theme is a reminder that the future of education is about healthy social connection and social justice.
Researchers emphasize fostering diversity and celebrating diverse expressions of strengths and needs.

Acknowledge the goodness of the present

As two podcast guests, Eamon Costello, professor at Dublin City University and collaborator Lily (Prajakta) Girme, noted, we need to acknowledge the good work of educators and learners in the small wins that happen every day.
At the time of writing, George Veletsianos receives funding from the Canada Research Chairs program, SSHRC, and BCCAT.

Sen. Tuberville's blockade of US military promotions takes a historic tradition to a radical new level – and could go beyond Congress' August break

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

A U.S. senator has the prerogative of placing what is called a hold on a measure, preventing the Senate from acting on that measure.

Key Points:

A U.S. senator has the prerogative of placing what is called a hold on a measure, preventing the Senate from acting on that measure.
Senate Democrats have called him reckless, and more than 550 military families petitioned Tuberville and Senate leaders to end the stalemate.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, has said he does not support a hold on military nominations.

No monopoly on Senate holds

The practice of senators placing holds on legislation has become more frequent in recent decades.
Republican Sen. J. D. Vance of Ohio placed a hold on the confirmation of Justice Department officials to protest the federal indictment of former president Donald J. Trump.
The holds these senators are using make a connection between the agencies the senators want to take an action and the agencies’ nominees.
Tuberville is using a hold to get the Senate to vote on a bill introduced by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire that, if passed, would make the Defense Department’s policy law.

Holding promotions hostage

Perhaps the most obvious cases occurred during the Civil War, when the Republican senators most committed to ending the war and ending slavery dragged their heels over promotions as a way to push that agenda.
General George G. Meade is perhaps best known as the victorious U.S. general at the battle of Gettysburg.
Other army promotions faced similar obstacles.
These cases involve individuals, albeit in high positions, and in many cases political debate over the promotions involved discussions of their presumed support for the destruction of slavery as a war aim.
This public obstruction spotlights how Senate rules, written and unwritten, offer opportunities for individual senators to impede the legislative process until their demands are met.

Medical Research Future Fund has $20 billion to spend. Here’s how we prioritise who gets what

Retrieved on:

Thursday, July 20, 2023

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is a A$20 billion fund to support Australian health and medical research.

Key Points:

The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) is a A$20 billion fund to support Australian health and medical research.
It was set up in 2015 to deliver practical benefits from medical research and innovation to as many Australians as possible.
Unlike the other research funding agencies, such the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), most of the MRFF funding is priority-driven.

Assess gaps in evidence

However, most researchers and institutions will simply argue more funding is needed for their own research.
If the board seeks to satisfy such lobbying, it will produce fragmented funding that aligns poorly with the health needs of Australians.
A better approach would be to systematically assemble evidence about what is known and the key evidence gaps.

Seek public input

A structured framework for engaging with the public is also missing in Australia.
The public’s perspective on research prioritisation has often been overlooked, but as the ultimate consumers of research, they need to be heard.
Research is a highly complex and specialised endeavour, so we can’t expect the public to create sensible priorities alone.

Consider our comparative advantages

A single research grant, even if it involves a few million dollars of funding, is unlikely to lead to a medical breakthrough.
Instead, the MRFF should prioritise areas where Australia has a comparative advantage.
However, there is an area where Australian researchers have an absolute advantage: using research to improve our own health system.
Now that is something the MRFF should consider as a funding priority.