Forty years of secondhand smoke research: the gap between discovery and delivery

Vertex-based parameters of hierarchal lattice tube with an application of metric dimension

Architectural metamaterials that span different length scales and are either self-similar or dissimilar to one another make up hierarchical lattices. Comparing hierarchical lattices to traditional ones reveals that they offer superior and customizable properties, which allows for a wide variety of material property manipulation and optimization. Each computer network can be represented as a graph, where nodes alternate as vertices and links are edges. The recent advanced topic of resolvability parameters of a graph involves shaping the entire structure to obtain each nodes' specific position. In this article, we computed the metric, fault metric, and partition dimension of the hierarchal lattic tube. The application of the metric dimension is also covered in this paper.

Mapping the historical development of physical activity and health research: A structured literature review and citation network analysis

Little has been published about the historical development of scientific evidence in the physical activity (PA) and public health research field. The study aimed to examine the evolution of knowledge in this field. A structured literature review using formal citation network analysis methods was conducted in June-2016. Using a list of influential PA publications identified by domain experts, a snowball sampling technique was used to build a compact citation network of 141 publications that represents the backbone of the field. Articles were coded by study type and research team characteristics, then analyzed by visualizing the citation network and identifying research clusters to trace the evolution of the field. The field started in the 1950s, with a health sciences focus and strong North American and European leadership. Health outcome studies appeared most frequently in the network and policy and interventions least. Critical articles on objective measurement and public policy have influenced the progress from an emphasis on health outcomes research at early stages in the field to the more recent emerging built environment and global monitoring foci. There is only modest cross-citation across types of study. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to systematically describe the development of research on PA and public health. The key publications include fundamental ideas that remain citable over time, but notable research and dissemination gaps exist and should be addressed. Increasing collaboration and communication between study areas, encouraging female researchers, and increasing studies on interventions, evaluation of interventions and policy are recommended.

Assessing citation networks for dissemination and implementation research frameworks

BACKGROUND

A recent review of frameworks used in dissemination and implementation (D&I) science described 61 judged to be related either to dissemination, implementation, or both. The current use of these frameworks and their contributions to D&I science more broadly has yet to be reviewed. For these reasons, our objective was to determine the role of these frameworks in the development of D&I science.

METHODS

We used the Web of Science™ Core Collection and Google Scholar™ to conduct a citation network analysis for the key frameworks described in a recent systematic review of D&I frameworks (Am J Prev Med 43(3):337-350, 2012). From January to August 2016, we collected framework data including title, reference, publication year, and citations per year and conducted descriptive and main path network analyses to identify those most important in holding the current citation network for D&I frameworks together.

RESULTS

The source article contained 119 cited references, with 50 published articles and 11 documents identified as a primary framework reference. The average citations per year for the 61 frameworks reviewed ranged from 0.7 to 103.3 among articles published from 1985 to 2012. Citation rates from all frameworks are reported with citation network analyses for the framework review article and ten highly cited framework seed articles. The main path for the D&I framework citation network is presented.

CONCLUSIONS

We examined citation rates and the main paths through the citation network to delineate the current landscape of D&I framework research, and opportunities for advancing framework development and use. Dissemination and implementation researchers and practitioners may consider frequency of framework citation and our network findings when planning implementation efforts to build upon this foundation and promote systematic advances in D&I science.

Translating research into prevention of high-risk behaviors in the presence of complex systems: definitions and systems frameworks

To impact population health, it is critical to collaborate across disciplinary and practice-based silos and integrate resources, experiences, and knowledge to exert positive change. Complex systems shape both the prevention outcomes researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seek to impact and how research is translated and can either impede or support movement from basic scientific discovery to impactful and scaled-up prevention practice. Systems science methods can be used to facilitate designing translation support that is grounded in a richer understanding of the many interacting forces affecting prevention outcomes across contexts. In this paper, we illustrate how one systems science method, system dynamics, could be used to advance research, practice, and policy initiatives in each stage of translation from discovery to translation of innovation into global communities (T0-T5), with tobacco prevention as an example. System dynamics can be applied to each translational stage to integrate disciplinary knowledge and document testable hypotheses to inform translation research and practice.

Internet-Based Approaches to Building Stakeholder Networks for Conservation and Natural Resource Management

Social network analysis (SNA) is based on a conceptual network representation of social interactions and is an invaluable tool for conservation professionals to increase collaboration, improve information flow, and increase efficiency. We present two approaches to constructing internet-based social networks, and use an existing traditional (survey-based) case study to illustrate in a familiar context the deviations in methods and results. Internet-based approaches to SNA offer a means to overcome institutional hurdles to conducting survey-based SNA, provide unique insight into an institution's web presences, allow for easy snowballing (iterative process that incorporates new nodes in the network), and afford monitoring of social networks through time. The internet-based approaches differ in link definition: hyperlink is based on links on a website that redirect to a different website and relatedness links are based on a Google's "relatedness" operator that identifies pages "similar" to a URL. All networks were initiated with the same start nodes [members of a conservation alliance for the Calumet region around Chicago (n = 130)], but the resulting networks vary drastically from one another. Interpretation of the resulting networks is highly contingent upon how the links were defined.

[Translation of knowledge on cervical cancer: is there a gap between research on causes and research on patient care?]

This article constructs a map on the translation of knowledge concerning cervical cancer, based on citation networks analysis and the use of Gene Ontology terms and Medical Subject Headings. We identified two areas of research that are poorly interconnected and differ in structure, content, and evolution. One focuses on causes of cancer and the other on patient care. The first research area showed a knowledge translation process where basic research and clinical research are communicated through a set of articles that consolidate human papillomavirus infection as the necessary cause of cervical cancer. The first area aims to prevent HPV infection and the development of cervical cancer, while the second aims to stage and treat the disease.

Mapping knowledge translation and innovation processes in Cancer Drug Development: the case of liposomal doxorubicin

We explored how the knowledge translation and innovation processes are structured when theyresult in innovations, as in the case of liposomal doxorubicin research. In order to map the processes, a literature network analysis was made through Cytoscape and semantic analysis was performed by GOPubmed which is based in the controlled vocabularies MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and GO (Gene Ontology). We found clusters related to different stages of the technological development (invention, innovation and imitation) and the knowledge translation process (preclinical, translational and clinical research), and we were able to map the historic emergence of Doxil as a paradigmatic nanodrug. This research could be a powerful methodological tool for decision-making and innovation management in drug delivery research.

Liposomes versus metallic nanostructures: differences in the process of knowledge translation in cancer

This research maps the knowledge translation process for two different types of nanotechnologies applied to cancer: liposomes and metallic nanostructures (MNs). We performed a structural analysis of citation networks and text mining supported in controlled vocabularies. In the case of liposomes, our results identify subnetworks (invisible colleges) associated with different therapeutic strategies: nanopharmacology, hyperthermia, and gene therapy. Only in the pharmacological strategy was an organized knowledge translation process identified, which, however, is monopolized by the liposomal doxorubicins. In the case of MNs, subnetworks are not differentiated by the type of therapeutic strategy, and the content of the documents is still basic research. Research on MNs is highly focused on developing a combination of molecular imaging and photothermal therapy.

Biomarkers of tobacco smoke exposure and asthma severity in adults

BACKGROUND

Tobacco biomarkers including serum cotinine and urinary 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) have been used in research settings.

PURPOSE

The goal of the study was to examine the association of cotinine and NNAL with asthma outcomes in the U.S. adult population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2008, with participants aged >20 years with self-reported asthma (N=456). Past-year asthma exacerbations and emergency room/urgent care visits for asthma were examined. Analyses were conducted in 2013.

RESULTS

Among adult asthmatics, 50.3% reported a past-year asthma attack (61.8% smokers, 46.6% nonsmokers, p=0.029). Among these, 24.7% reported a past-year emergency/urgent visit for asthma (34.7% smokers, 20.1% nonsmokers, p=0.034). Median concentrations of cotinine and creatinine-adjusted NNAL (NNAL/Cr) were significantly higher in those with a past-year asthma attack (0.43 ng/mL and 7.28 pg/mL) than in those without (0.06 ng/mL and 2.26 pg/mL), and highest in those with past-year emergency/urgent visits (0.93 ng/mL and 28.14 pg/mL). Among nonsmokers, increasing levels of log cotinine or log NNAL/Cr, adjusted for demographics, were significantly associated with past-year asthma exacerbation (log cotinine OR=1.46 [95% CI=1.1, 1.92]; log NNAL/Cr OR=1.42 [95% CI=1.07, 1.88]) and past-year emergency/urgent visit (log cotinine OR=1.95 [95% CI=1.32, 2.88]; log NNAL/Cr OR=1.58 [95% CI=1.23, 2.02]). Among smokers, increasing biomarker levels were not significantly associated with either outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

In a population-based cross-sectional analysis, increased cotinine and NNAL were found to be associated with asthma exacerbation and healthcare use in nonsmokers with asthma. If these findings are confirmed in prospective studies, these biomarkers might be candidates for clinical indicators of risk of asthma.

Mapping the development of research on physical activity and the built environment

OBJECTIVE

The importance of the built environment for physical activity has been recognized in recent decades, resulting in new research. This study aims to understand the current structure of physical activity and built environment (PABE) research and identify gaps to address as the field continues to rapidly develop.

METHODS

Key PABE articles were nominated by top scholars and a snowball sample of 2764 articles was collected in 2013 using citation network links. Article abstracts were examined to determine research focus and network analysis was used to examine the evolution of scholarship.

RESULTS

The network included 318 PABE articles. Of these, 191 were discovery-focused, examining the relationship between physical activity and built environment; 79 were reviews summarizing previous PABE work; 38 focused on theory and methods for studying PABE; six were delivery-focused, examining PABE interventions; and four addressed other topics.

CONCLUSIONS

Network composition suggested that PABE is in the discovery phase, although may be transitioning given the large number and central position of review documents that summarize existing literature. The small amount of delivery research was not well integrated into the field. PABE delivery researchers may wish to make explicit connections to the discovery literature in order to better integrate the field.

Network interventions

The term "network interventions" describes the process of using social network data to accelerate behavior change or improve organizational performance. In this Review, four strategies for network interventions are described, each of which has multiple tactical alternatives. Many of these tactics can incorporate different mathematical algorithms. Consequently, researchers have many intervention choices at their disposal. Selecting the appropriate network intervention depends on the availability and character of network data, perceived characteristics of the behavior, its existing prevalence, and the social context of the program.

Interpersonal influence among public health leaders in the United States department of health and human services

BACKGROUND

In public health, interpersonal influence has been identified as an important factor in the spread of health information, and in understanding and changing health behaviors. However, little is known about influence in public health leadership. Influence is important in leadership settings, where public health professionals contribute to national policy and practice agendas. Drawing on social theory and recent advances in statistical network modeling, we examined influence in a network of tobacco control leaders at the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

DESIGN AND METHODS

Fifty-four tobacco control leaders across all 11 agencies in the DHHS were identified; 49 (91%) responded to a web-based survey. Participants were asked about communication with other tobacco control leaders, who influenced their work, and general job characteristics. Exponential random graph modeling was used to develop a network model of influence accounting for characteristics of individuals, their relationships, and global network structures.

RESULTS

Higher job ranks, more experience in tobacco control, and more time devoted to tobacco control each week increased the likelihood of influence nomination, as did more frequent communication between network members. Being in the same agency and working the same number of hours per week were positively associated with mutual influence nominations. Controlling for these characteristics, the network also exhibited patterns associated with influential clusters of network members.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from this unique study provide a perspective on influence within a government agency that both helps to understand decision-making and also can serve to inform organizational efforts that allow for more effective structuring of leadership.

Systems science methods in public health: dynamics, networks, and agents

Complex systems abound in public health. Complex systems are made up of heterogeneous elements that interact with one another, have emergent properties that are not explained by understanding the individual elements of the system, persist over time, and adapt to changing circumstances. Public health is starting to use results from systems science studies to shape practice and policy, for example in preparing for global pandemics. However, systems science study designs and analytic methods remain underutilized and are not widely featured in public health curricula or training. In this review we present an argument for the utility of systems science methods in public health, introduce three important systems science methods (system dynamics, network analysis, and agent-based modeling), and provide three case studies in which these methods have been used to answer important public health science questions in the areas of infectious disease, tobacco control, and obesity.

Concordance of randomized and nonrandomized studies was unrelated to translational patterns of two nutrient-disease associations

OBJECTIVE

There are several examples in nutrition of discordance between the results of observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We hypothesized that this discordance is attributable to differences in the translational paths of nutrient-disease associations. Translational paths can be assessed using citation analysis.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We compared the characteristics of citation networks using examples, where RCTs and observational studies agreed (long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [n-3 PUFA]) or disagreed (vitamin E). We performed systematic reviews in each example, constructed citation networks, and compared them with respect to the number of articles and citation relationships between them, as well as the distribution of articles' hub and authority scores.

RESULTS

For n-3 PUFA, meta-analyses of 14 RCTs and 10 observational studies both suggested that higher intake was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality. For vitamin E, the meta-analysis of 14 RCTs excluded a clinically significant effect, whereas 14 observational studies reported a significant inverse association. The respective citation networks consisted of 392 (n-3 PUFA) and 351 (vitamin E) articles. No differences between the characteristics of the two networks were identified. There was no evidence that the observational studies predated RCTs in the translational process in either example.

CONCLUSION

In the two examples, citation network characteristics do not predict concordance in the results of observational studies and RCTs.

Mapping the multidisciplinary field of public health services and systems research

CONTEXT

Public health services and systems research (PHSSR) is the field of study charged with evaluating the public health system. PHSSR currently lacks a clear identity integrating the many theories, approaches, and disciplines contributing to the field.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

Experts in PHSSR were consulted to identify 11 key published PHSSR studies. With these articles as a starting point, a newly developed citation data collection system was used to collect a sample of 2986 documents connected to the key articles through citation linkages. Data were collected in October 2009.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Citation network methods and latent position cluster modeling were used to examine the network of documents. A subset of 108 documents comprising the backbone of the network was identified through main-path analysis. Four unique clusters were identified within the main path. The core cluster consisted of older articles focused on local health department activities, partnerships, and effectiveness. The three non-core clusters focused on public health law, behavioral interventions, and national performance standards. Although all non-core clusters cited the core, there was little crosstalk among the non-core clusters, a pattern consistent with multidisciplinary fields.

CONCLUSIONS

PHSSR appears to be a multidisciplinary field with research happening in silos across different research areas. Developing transdisciplinary research connections across PHSSR is necessary to meet national PHSSR goals.

Adapting research-tested computerized tailored interventions for broader dissemination and implementation

This paper focuses on the process for adapting existing legacy computerized tailored intervention (CTI) programs and implications for future development of CTI to ensure that interventions can be disseminated and implemented in different settings. A significant amount of work is required to adapt existing CTI for new research applications and public health interventions. Most new CTI are still developed from scratch, with minimal re-use of software or message content, even when there are considerable overlaps in functionality. This is largely a function of the substantial technical, organizational, and content-based barriers to adapting and disseminating CTI. CTI developers should thus consider dissemination and re-use early in the design phase of their systems. This is not intended to be a step-by-step guide on how to adopt or disseminate research-tested CTI, but rather a discussion that highlights issues to be considered for adapting and disseminating evidence-based CTI.

Comparison between two five year periods (1998/2002 and 2003/2007) on the production, impact and co-authorship of publications on tobacco and smoking by Spanish authors using the Science Citation Index

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the production, impact and co-authorship of publications by Spanish authors on smoking and tobacco between two time periods (1998/2002 vs 2003/2007) using Science Citation Index (SCI).

METHODS

The literature search was performed in the SCI-Expanded on 20 November 2008. All types of documents by Spanish authors were selected. The search was restricted to the title, and the key words used were "smok*" and "tobac*". The statistical analysis was descriptive (95% CI).

RESULTS

A total of 588 documents were obtained, with 399 (67.85%) original papers, 54 (9.18%) letters to the editor, and 35 (5.95%) editorials. Productivity increased between the 98/02 to 03/07 periods: 234 (39.8%) documents versus 354 (60.2%). We have found significant differences between the two periods (98/02 vs 03/07) in total mean annual documents (47 ± 8 vs 71 ± 16 [p=0.024]) and total mean annual original papers (34 ± 6 vs 46 ± 9 [p=0.041]). The mean number of citations per document was 14.1 ± 2.1 for 98/02 period and 5.6 ± 2.5 for 03/07 period (p=0.003). The co-authorship annual index had increased; with a mean of 6.77 signatures/document for 98/02 period to a mean of 6.87 for 03/07 period. Authors and institution networks collaborations had increased between the two periods.

CONCLUSIONS

Spanish production and co-authorship of documents on smoking and tobacco have increased between these two periods. The earlier period documents received more citations.

Relationship between the Chinese tobacco industry and academic institutions in China

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between the Chinese tobacco industry and academic institutions in China.

METHODS

We searched online databases of journal articles published in both Chinese and English for academic institutions in China conducting research with or sponsored by Chinese tobacco companies. We also searched the websites of tobacco companies, their affiliated institutions and academic institutions for reports of collaborations.

RESULTS

The Chinese tobacco industry, in addition to its own strong tobacco research capacity, maintains close ties with an extensive network of academic research institutions and universities to provide both research and training. The Chinese tobacco industry relies heavily upon academic researchers to advance its research agenda and such reliance has grown over time. Most research deals with farming, manufacturing and management issues, but research on 'reduced harm' and health effects has increased from 1% of projects in 1983-1987 to 4% in 2003-2007.

CONCLUSIONS

Chinese academic institutions should consider the fact that engagement with the tobacco industry, particularly on issues related to health or promotion of tobacco products, could damage their reputations, a concern that has led many leading Western universities to eschew relationships with the tobacco industry. To the extent that the Chinese tobacco industry's involvement in academic institutions affects tobacco control policy making; it violates Article 5.3 of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which China ratified in 2005.

Connecting discovery and delivery: the need for more evidence on effective smoking cessation strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS

Smoking prevalence among the 1.1 million Americans living with HIV/AIDS is 2 to 3 times higher than the 19.8% rate among the general population. Since 1990, scientists have worked toward the discovery of health risks related to smoking in people living with HIV/AIDS; however, few studies have evaluated the delivery of smoking cessation interventions for this population. Increasing linkages between discovery science and delivery science may facilitate a faster transition to delivery of smoking cessation interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS.