NASA Johnson Space Center engineer Kimberly A. Hambuchen, Ph.D., recognized for seminal research in developing new methods for making robots more autonomous and usable by humans across a time delay

2024 O’Donnell Award in Technology Innovation goes to NASA's Kimberly A. Hambuchen, Ph.D.

Grant and Award Announcement

TEXAS ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 

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2024 O’DONNELL AWARD IN TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION: NASA'S KIMBERLY A. HAMBUCHEN, PH.D.

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CREDIT: CREDIT TAMEST (TEXAS ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

A true pioneer in space, robotics engineer Kimberly A. Hambuchen, Ph.D., Deputy Chief, Software, Robotics and Simulation Division at NASA Johnson Space Center, is the recipient of the 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Technology Innovation from TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology). She was chosen for her seminal research in developing new methods for making robots more autonomous and usable by humans across a time delay. View a video on Dr. Hambuchen's groundbreaking research here.

Dr. Hambuchen’s research focuses on human-robot systems. As she likes to put it, robots are great for “dull, dirty and dangerous jobs,” so the more humans can control them remotely, the better. The idea is: with a higher level of autonomy, robots are able to get more done.

Her key innovation is called the “affordance template.” It’s a coding of a robotic system’s ability to perform a function autonomously. In her approach, a remote human interacts with the robot as a “supervisor,” making sure that the robot is in a situation where it has the capability to perform a task. The supervisor helps guide the robot to complete certain tasks but does not control every aspect that they do. Dr. Hambuchen’s work expands on the technology exhibited in remote mining operations in the oil and gas industry and autonomous vehicles.

This technology could prove to be especially important for NASA’s space exploration, where there is a significant time delay between the “supervisor” on earth and the robot executing the task in space. On Mars, the time delay is anywhere between seven minutes and 42 minutes roundtrip, so robotics can act as a solution to that temporal problem. Dr. Hambuchen’s affordance template also affords robots the ability to perform many different tasks so that engineers would not have to create a specific robot for each system in outer space. Her work is not only relevant in space, as her innovations with robotics automation in time delay are being tested for deep-sea exploration as well.

“Not only is Dr. Hambuchen an outstanding engineer and innovator providing solutions to the control of robotics, but she is also an exceptional team leader,” said nominator Steven Fredrickson, Ph.D., Chief, Software, Robotics and Simulation Division, NASA Johnson Space Center. “Her work involves hardware, software, electronics and robotics, so it’s a very interdisciplinary and all-encompassing field. It’s not just that she’s a brilliant innovator in the lab in her own right, she also has the ability to lead teams and coordinate different activities seamlessly. Her work is going to prove very valuable as NASA continues its mission to go back to the moon, to Mars and beyond.”

Dr. Hambuchen is one of five Texas-based researchers receiving the TAMEST 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards. Each are chosen for their individual contributions addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.

“The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards bring together a broad group of disciplines and expertise and creates the space to talk about cross-disciplinary approaches to future solutions – and we couldn’t be prouder of this year’s group of innovative recipients,” said Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Committee Chair Oliver Mullins, Ph.D. (NAE), SLB Fellow, SLB. “These researchers are transforming the future of science and innovation in our state, and these awards are an important mechanism for maintaining a link between academia and industry and moving the research needle forward for our society.”

Over $1.5 million has been awarded to more than 75 recipients in the categories of Medicine, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology Innovation since the inception of the O'Donnell Awards in 2006. Sixteen O’Donnell Awards Recipients have gone on to be elected to the National Academies, including four who hold dual academy elections.

Dr. Hambuchen will be recognized at the 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, and will give a presentation on her research on Wednesday morning, February 7, at the TAMEST 2024 Annual Conference: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Austin, Texas, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center.

All are encouraged to attend the ceremony and the TAMEST Conference.

Full list of 2024 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Awards Recipients: 

•  Medicine: Benjamin Deneen, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine

•  Engineering: Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., Rice University

•  Biological Sciences: Vincent Tagliabracci, Ph.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center

•  Physical Sciences: Shengqian Ma, Ph.D., University of North Texas

•  Technology Innovation: Kimberly A. Hambuchen, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Cente

Rice University Engineer Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., recognized for revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible

2024 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Engineering goes to Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., Rice University

Grant and Award Announcement

TEXAS ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

 

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2024 EDITH AND PETER O'DONNELL AWARD IN ENGINEERING: ASHOK VEERARAGHAVAN, PH.D., RICE UNIVERSITY

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CREDIT: CREDIT TAMEST (TEXAS ACADEMY OF MEDICINE, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

Trailblazing engineer Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science, George R. Brown School of Engineering at Rice University, is the recipient of the 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Engineering from TAMEST (Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology). He was chosen for his revolutionary imaging technology that seeks to make the invisible visible. View a video on Dr. Veeraraghavan's groundbreaking research here. 

Imagine taking a pristine picture through fog, smoke and rain. Imagine taking interior images of the human body through skin, bone and other tissue that scatter light and limit human vision. Dr. Veeraraghavan and his team at Rice work on creating imaging systems that use novel multi-dimensional image sensors along with machine learning algorithms to undo the effects of light-scattering and see-through scattering media such as fog, smoke, rain and human tissue.

Recently, with support from researchers at the University of Maryland, his team has developed a new technology dubbed NeuWS, an acronym for “neural wavefront shaping.” At its core, NeuWS is about undoing the effects of light scattering by using wavefront shaping and a novel machine-learning algorithm. Scattering is what makes light, which has a lower wavelength unusable in many scenarios. If you can undo the effects of scattering, imaging can go much further.

Capturing images through rain and fog is certainly interesting, but this technology could have lifesaving applications. Through NeuWS-like technologies, there could be a time in the future where a firefighter entering into a room filled with smoke could be equipped with goggles that allow them to have clear visibility. Automakers could be able to install car headlights that can see through a host of dangerous weather conditions. Surgeons could be able to see blood vessels through the skin tissue without making a single cut. While several further advances are needed to make any of these scenarios possible, their work has made significant progress and make all of this potentially feasible.

“Dr. Veeraraghavan is tackling one of the hardest problems in imaging, what many consider to be a ‘holy grail problem’ of optical engineering,” said nominator Alan Bovik, Ph.D. (NAE), Professor, Cockrell Family Regents Endowed Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. “Every time we improve our ability to see what is unseen, the number of things we can do increases. The NeuWS technology is going to allow us to see things we cannot even imagine today.”

Dr. Veeraraghavan is one of five Texas-based researchers receiving the TAMEST 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards. Each are chosen for their individual contributions addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.

“The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards bring together a broad group of disciplines and expertise and creates the space to talk about cross-disciplinary approaches to future solutions – and we couldn’t be prouder of this year’s group of innovative recipients,” said Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Committee Chair Oliver Mullins, Ph.D. (NAE), SLB Fellow, SLB. “These researchers are transforming the future of science and innovation in our state, and these awards are an important mechanism for maintaining a link between academia and industry and moving the research needle forward for our society.”

Over $1.5 million has been awarded to more than 75 recipients in the categories of Medicine, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology Innovation since the inception of the O'Donnell Awards in 2006. Sixteen O’Donnell Awards Recipients have gone on to be elected to the National Academies, including four who hold dual academy elections.

Dr. Veeraraghavan will be recognized at the 2024 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, and will give a presentation on his research preceding the award ceremony at the TAMEST 2024 Annual Conference: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Austin, Texas, at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center.

All are encouraged to attend the ceremony and the TAMEST Conference.

Full list of 2024 Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award Recipients: 

•  Medicine: Benjamin Deneen, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine

•  Engineering: Ashok Veeraraghavan, Ph.D., Rice University

•  Biological Sciences: Vincent Tagliabracci, Ph.D., UT Southwestern Medical Center

•  Physical Sciences: Shengqian Ma, Ph.D., University of North Texas

•  Technology Innovation: Kimberly A. Hambuchen, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center

About the O’Donnell Awards:

The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards annually recognize rising star Texas researchers who are addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.

Thanks to a $1.15 million gift from the O’Donnell Foundation in 2022, the O’Donnell Awards have expanded to include an additional science award. The awards now recognize recipients in the categories of Medicine, Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology Innovation. (Previously, the TAMEST O’Donnell Awards rotated its science award between physical and biological sciences every year.)

The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards are made possible by the O’Donnell Awards Endowment Fund, established in 2005 through the generous support of several individuals and organizations. View a full list of supporters here.  

About TAMEST:

TAMEST was co-founded in 2004 by the Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison and Nobel Laureates Michael S. Brown, M.D., and Richard E. Smalley, Ph.D. With more than 335 members and 22 member institutions, TAMEST is composed of the Texas-based members of the three National Academies (National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Sciences), the Royal Society and the state’s eight Nobel Laureates. We bring together the state’s brightest minds in medicine, engineering, science and technology to foster collaboration, and to advance research, innovation and business in Texas.

TAMEST’s unique interdisciplinary model has become an effective recruitment tool for top research and development centers across Texas. Since our founding, more than 275 TAMEST members have been inducted into the National Academies or relocated to Texas.

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More siblings mean poorer mental health for teens

Study finds similar results in both China and the U.S.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Teens from larger families have poorer mental health than those with fewer siblings, according to a large analysis of children in the United States and China.

 

The details of the pattern vary depending on factors such as the spacing of sibling ages and the age of the siblings.

 

But the fact that the overall pattern was found in both countries is striking, said Doug Downey, lead author of the study and professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.

 

“Our results couldn’t have been easily predicted before we did the study,” Downey said.

 

“Other studies have shown that having more siblings is associated with some positive effects, so our results were not a given.”

 

Downey conducted the study with Rui Cao, a doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State. Their results were published recently in the Journal of Family Issues.

 

Their Chinese analysis draws on more than 9,400 eighth graders from the China Education Panel Study. In the United States, they analyzed over 9,100 American eighth graders from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Cohort of 1988.

 

The average youth in China has nearly .7 fewer siblings than the average American youth (.89 compared to 1.6).

 

Consistent with what was expected because of China’s One Child Policy, about one-third of Chinese children are only children (34%), compared to just 12.6% of American children.

 

In both countries, researchers asked students (average age of 14) a variety of questions about their mental health, although the questions were different in China and the United States.

 

In China, teens with no siblings showed the best mental health, while in the United States, those with no or one sibling had similar mental health.

 

Some issues could only be analyzed using the U.S. data.

 

Results in the U.S. showed that half and full siblings are both linked to poorer mental health.

 

And having older siblings and siblings closely spaced in age tended to have the worst impacts on well-being, the U.S. data found. Siblings born within one year of each other had the strongest negative association with mental health.

 

Why are more siblings linked with poorer mental health?

 

Downey said the overall findings fits with the “resource dilution” explanation.

 

“If you think of parental resources like a pie, one child means that they get all the pie – all the attention and resources of the parents,” he said.

 

“But when you add more siblings, each child gets fewer resources and attention from the parents, and that may have an impact on their mental health.”

 

The fact that closely spaced siblings have the most negative impact bolsters that explanation. Children who are near the same age will be competing for the same types of parental resources, he said.

 

Another possibility, though, is that the families that have many versus few children are different in other ways that may reduce mental health for their kids – the so-called selectivity explanation.

 

The differences between China and the U.S. do provide some support for the selectivity explanation.  In each country, children from families associated with the most socioeconomic advantage had the best mental health.

 

In China, that was children in one-child families, while in the U.S. it was children with zero or one sibling.

 

But the overall results still suggest that selectivity explanation falls short in accounting for what is happening.

 

“What we found is that when you add all the evidence up, the effect of siblings on mental health is more on the negative side than the positive side,” Downey said.

 

Downey noted that the data doesn’t get at the quality of sibling relationships.  It is likely that higher-quality sibling relationships will be more beneficial to children and may have more positive effects on mental health.

 

While this study shows a negative impact of siblings, other research has shown that having more brothers and sisters is associated with better social skills among kindergarteners and a lower likelihood of divorce among adults.

 

“This combination of results is not easily explained. We still have more to learn about the impact of siblings,” Downey said.

 

“This is particularly important now as the U.S. and other countries have lower fertility rates. Understanding the consequences of growing up with fewer or no brothers and sisters is an increasingly important social issue.”

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JOURNAL

Journal of Family Issues

DOI

10.1177/0192513X231220045 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Number of Siblings and Mental Health Among Adolescents: Evidence From the U.S. and China

 

Towards better informed agricultural decision-making: A European-funded project develops five policy briefs, feeding valuable recommendations for the EU agriculture sector

As a result of the 4-year-long activities for the Horizon 2020 BESTMAP project, five policy briefs were developed and released this year, addressing crucial agricultural aspects.

Meeting Announcement

PENSOFT PUBLISHERS

 

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OFFICIAL BANNER FOR THE "RESEARCH LESSONS TO INFORM FUTURE CAP REFORM" EVENT.

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CREDIT: PENSOFT PUBLISHERS

The EU project BESTMAP has been actively developing a framework focused on modelling the impact of specific agri-environment practices (AEP) in five different case study areas - Humber region in the UK, Catalonia in Spain, the Mulde region in Germany, South Moravia in the Czech Republic and Bačka region in Serbia.

Coordinated by the University of Leeds in the UK, the BESTMAP consortium involved researchers from 13 organisations across 7 European countries. The project aims were to reform the design and monitoring of future EU rural policies. Aligned with BESTMAP's mission for evidence-based decision-making, the designed policy briefs delve into key challenges and opportunities identified within the European agricultural sector in each regional case study. The research objectives include understanding why farmers choose (or not) to participate in AEPs, assessing the impact of AEPs on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and formulating recommendations for the future design of AEPs. Covering environmental considerations and socio-economic impacts, each brief aims to instigate positive changes in its region. BESTMAP's primary exploration in developing the policy briefs centred on the spatial allocation of AEPs, the intricate nature of farmers' decision-making, their preferences regarding AEP adoption, and the resulting impacts on ecosystem services and biodiversity.

Key findings from the Humber study area, for example, highlight several noteworthy observations. Firstly, AEPs are most prevalent on economically large, general cropping farms, with a particular emphasis on cover crops, fallow land, and vegetation buffers. Organic AEPs, in contrast, are distributed across various farm types. Secondly, farmers often opt out of participating in AEPs due to a perceived lack of income surplus and inadequate advisory support. Lastly, while AEPs were found to enhance water quality, soil organic carbon, and biodiversity, they did not exhibit improvements in food and fodder production.

In response to these research insights, the UK policy brief recommends enhancing advisory and financial support for farmers to foster increased AEP adoption. Furthermore, it advocates for clearer communication of AEP objectives and benefits to farmers. Similarly to the UK brief, the remaining four provide an in-depth overview of the Case Studies and offer recommendations, specifically tailored for the local landscapes.

Prof. Guy Ziv, the Coordinator for BESTMAP says: “Through our research combining interviews and modelling, we find some consistent pressures across Europe. We need higher financial support, beyond covering costs, as well as advice to farmers. There needs to be a more radical change to environmental policy in the sector, which possibly can learn from the transition the UK is undertaking in the coming years.”

To enhance the broad reach of engagement of local communities, the briefs are currently available in local languages, prioritising engagement with national stakeholders. As the project concludes, the policy briefs and their English summaries are designed to serve as a legacy of the 4-year long project efforts.

If you want to access the policy briefs, visit the established Policy Corner on BESTMAP’s website. 

BESTMAP is holding a Final Dissemination Event on February 7, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium titled "Research Lessons to Inform Future CAP Reform", under the umbrella of the ForumForAg initiative. This event aims to bring together a diverse audience, including key stakeholders, representatives from different EU organisations and institutions, as well as other interested parties. The ultimate goal is to formulate a set of recommendations, which will be presented at the Forum for the Future of Agriculture in March 2024. To learn more about the event and see the full agenda, follow BESTMAP’s web channels.

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This project received funding from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement N817501.

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the EU nor the EC can be held responsible for them.

 

Study finds high levels of job satisfaction among copy editors, little negative effects from pandemic

Burnout, role overload also low

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS

LAWRENCE — The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted jobs across the workforce, including the editorial sector. But a new study from the University of Kansas found it did not significantly affect how copy editors, proofreaders and fact-checkers felt about their work and that those working in the professions still have high job satisfaction and a passion for their work in a time of declining trust in media.

Researchers surveyed 472 participants in fall 2021 working in news media, book publishing, corporate communications, academic editing and other fields in both full-time and freelance roles. Results showed that most respondents did not feel burned out or overworked and that many did not feel that the pandemic negatively affected their work. They also felt passionate about the importance of their work, according to the study.

Alyssa Appelman, associate professor of journalism & mass communications, studies the effects of journalistic practices and how they influence audience perception of news credibility. Copy editors are often behind-the-scenes types who are not visible to readers, but their work determines how audiences perceive news. Research has shown that typos, grammatical errors and other mistakes affect opinions of news credibility.

“I’m interested in what editors do and how that affects how readers perceive their work. People who do these jobs have a very important role in media, but they don’t tend to be studied as much as writers,” Appelman said. “We were also interested in this group because perceptions of news credibility are low right now and editors are important in ensuring accuracy and credibility. So we wanted to see how they felt about their roles in that part of the industry.”

In addition to the pandemic, industry changes have also hit media especially hard over the years. With layoffs, downsizing, consolidation, transition away from print and other shifts, the researchers wanted to better understand how that affected copy editors' morale.

In the study, participants were asked to rate their levels of job satisfaction, burnout, role overload and perception of work quality as well as their satisfaction with their schedules, salaries and prospects for advancement. They were also asked open-ended questions about the consequences of COVID-19 and industry changes on their work and industry changes.

“The editors had high job satisfaction across these measures. People who are doing this work are happy in their jobs,” Appelman said. “We were happy to see that editors felt a high level of satisfaction in their work.”

Co-written by Kirstie Hettinga of California Lutheran University, the study was published in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. 

Appelman and Hettinga’s hypothesis that copy editors would have above-average job satisfaction was confirmed. However, their hypothesis that the sample would report higher-than-average burnout and role overload was not. That came as a pleasant surprise, Appelman said, though the fact that respondents had more moderate levels of satisfaction with their prospects for advancement and their salaries did not.

Another enlightening finding was that the pandemic did not have a substantial effect on all respondents’ job satisfaction, Appelman said. Several reported having to switch to a remote work setup. But many, especially freelancers, already worked remotely, and many reported they enjoyed the work-life balance they were able to attain via remote work and did not look forward to returning to an office. Freelance editors did report a slightly higher level of job satisfaction than those who worked full-time for one employer, according to study results.

The authors also are journalism educators, and both have worked as copy editors. In addition to understanding perceptions of those in the industry, they are preparing the next generation of editors. In securing a survey sample pool from several professional editing organizations, they found a diverse workforce.

“One of the biggest takeaways for us as educators is just the breadth of this field,” Appelman said. “In our sample, we found people doing this work in book publishing, corporate communications, newspapers, magazines and several other formats. There are opportunities for students with this skill set, and people who do this work report a high level of job satisfaction.”

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JOURNAL

Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly

DOI

10.1177/10776990231206370 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Job Satisfaction in the COVID-19 Era: A Survey of Copy Editors Across Fields

Do individual-level mental health interventions improve employees’ wellbeing?

Peer-Reviewed Publication

WILEY

Many businesses are making efforts to promote workers’ wellbeing, and numerous interventions are available at the individual and organizational levels. New research published in the Industrial Relations Journal found no evidence that individual-level mental wellbeing interventions like mindfulness, resilience and stress management, relaxation classes, and wellbeing apps benefit employees.

The study was based on survey data from 46,336 workers in 233 organizations in the UK. Across multiple subjective wellbeing indicators, participants in individual-level mental wellbeing interventions appeared no better off than other workers.

The study’s author, William Fleming, PhD, of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, noted that organizational interventions—such as changes to scheduling, management practices, staff resources, performance review, or job design—may be more beneficial for improving wellbeing in the workplace.

“There's growing consensus that organizations have to change the workplace and not just the worker,” said Dr. Fleming. “This research investigates wellbeing interventions across hundreds of workplaces, supplementing trials that often take place in single organizations, and the lack of any benefit suggests we need more ambition when it comes to improving employee wellbeing. I hope these results can spur on further research and employer action.”

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irj.12418

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
By focusing on the changing nature, forms, and regulation of the employment relationship, Industrial Relations Journal furthers understanding of industrial relations, labour markets, and the organization and future of work globally. We provide a contemporary analysis of state, capital, and labour relations in periods of crisis and institutional flux. 

About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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JOURNAL

Industrial Relations Journal

DOI

10.1111/irj.12418 

ARTICLE TITLE

Employee wellbeing outcomes from individual-level mental health interventions: Cross-sectional evidence from the UK

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

10-Jan-2024

Dramatic decline in cigarette use among U.S. teens over three decades

 Peer-Reviewed Publication

FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

 

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GRAPH SHOWS CIGARETTE SMOKING TRENDS BY GRADE FROM 1991 TO 2021.

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CREDIT: FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY

Cigarette smoking remains the leading avoidable cause of premature death in the United States, accounting for approximately 500,000 deaths or 1 in 5 deaths annually. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most adults who smoke cigarettes started before age 18, so preventing cigarette smoking in adolescents is important to reducing smoking in adults. 

In a new study, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine and collaborators explored overall trends in cigarette smoking among a large sample of U.S. adolescents in grades nine to 12 from 1991 to 2021. They also explored differences by gender as well as race/ethnicity.

Cigarette smoking measures included: ever tried cigarette smoking, which was defined as taking even one or two puffs; currently smoked cigarettes occasionally; currently smoked cigarettes frequently; and currently smoked cigarettes daily. 

Results of the study, published in Ochsner Journal online ahead of print, show cigarette smoking in all usage categories (ever, occasional, frequent and daily) significantly decreased from 1991 to 2021.

Among the study findings:

• Ever use cigarettes significantly decreased from 70.1 percent in 1991 to 17.8 percent in 2021, an almost fourfold decline.
• Occasional cigarette use significantly decreased from 27.5 percent in 1991 to 3.8 percent in 2021, a greater than sevenfold decline.
• Frequent cigarette use significantly decreased from 12.7 percent to 0.7 percent, a greater than eighteenfold decline.
• Daily cigarette use declined from 9.8 percent in 1991 to 0.6 percent in 2021, a greater than sixteenfold decline.
• Interestingly, while all grades experienced a significant decline in cigarette use, 12th graders consistenly reported the highest percentage of occasional smokers compared to the other school grades, even in 2021. This finding suggests that while smoking has decreased across all age groups, older adolescents might still be more prone to experimenting with cigarettes than their younger counterparts.

“The substantial decrease in cigarette use among U.S. adolescents spanning three decades is an encouraging public health achievement,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, Ph.D., senior author, professor and chair, Department of Population Health and Social Medicine, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “This decrease underscores the importance of continued vigilance, research, and intervention to further reduce tobacco use and its associated harms.”

Overall, inequalities in cigarette use among adolescents by gender have been present for decades. However, by 2021, discrepancies in smoking cigarettes by gender were diminished. 

With respect to race/ethnicity, by 2021, the decreases in cigarette consumption were even more pronounced among Black and Asian adolescents, while the rates among whites and Hispanic/Latino youth remained higher but were still significantly lower than the 1997 rates.

“These results show reassuring trends but they also suggest residual clinical and public health challenges that will require targeted interventions,” said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., Dr.PH, co-author, First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and senior academic advisor, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “Quitting smoking significantly reduces risks of cardiovascular disease beginning within a matter of months and reaching the non-smoker status within a few years, even among older adults. However, for lung and other cancers, reductions do not even begin to emerge for years after quitting, and even after 10 years, remain midway between the continuing smoker and lifelong nonsmoker. Thus, for reducing cardiovascular disease risks it’s never too late to quit, but to reduce risks of cancer, it’s never too early.”

Study co-authors are Maria Mejia, M.D., first author and an associate professor, Baylor College of Medicine; Robert S. Levine, M.D., professor of family and community medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, and an affiliate professor, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine; and Adedamola Adele, a recent biomedical science graduate, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine.

In 2014, Hennekens received the prestigious Ochsner Award for Smoking and Health for reducing premature deaths from cigarettes presented by the American College of Chest Physicians. Hennekens joined other luminaries who previously received the award, including his mentors and colleagues, Sir Richard Doll and Sir Richard Peto. 

- FAU -

About the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine:

FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine is one of approximately 156 accredited medical schools in the U.S. The college was launched in 2010, when the Florida Board of Governors made a landmark decision authorizing FAU to award the M.D. degree. After receiving approval from the Florida legislature and the governor, it became the 134th allopathic medical school in North America. With more than 70 full and part-time faculty and more than 1,300 affiliate faculty, the college matriculates 64 medical students each year and has been nationally recognized for its innovative curriculum. To further FAU’s commitment to increase much needed medical residency positions in Palm Beach County and to ensure that the region will continue to have an adequate and well-trained physician workforce, the FAU Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine Consortium for Graduate Medical Education (GME) was formed in fall 2011 with five leading hospitals in Palm Beach County. The Consortium currently has five Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited residencies including internal medicine, surgery, emergency medicine, psychiatry, and neurology.

 

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

 

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JOURNAL

Ochsner Journal

DOI

10.31486/toj.23.0113 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Trends in Cigarette Smoking Among United States Adolescents

 

Architectures, opportunities, and challenges of Internet-of-batteries for electric Vehicles

Peer-Reviewed Publication

GREEN ENERGY AND INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION

 

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A paper describing the architectures, opportunities, and challenges of the IoB was published in the journal Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation on September 7th, 2023.

 

The present battery technology employed in electric vehicles (EVs) faces several critical challenges. Firstly, the limited operation range of EVs remains a major concern for potential users, as it affects their ability to travel long distances without the need for frequent recharging. Additionally, long charging times are inconvenient for users and can hinder the widespread adoption of EVs. Alongside these limitations, the possibility of battery faults such as thermal runaway, can lead to safety risks including fires or explosions. These factors, including technical concerns about battery health and safety, the need for frequent recharging, and long charging times, could discourage potential users from adopting EVs. Furthermore, EV batteries experience degradation over time, resulting in decreased performance and battery lifespan reduction. It leads to an increase in maintenance and accident risk for EV owners.

 

As a promising solution to these issues, the IoB is a networked system that utilizes the principles of the Internet-of-Things (IoT) to gather data from EV batteries. This data is subsequently transmitted to a cloud server, where it is utilized for battery state estimation, predictive analytics, and fault diagnosis. In contrast to traditional battery management systems (BMS), IoB leverages advanced technologies like IoT, cloud computing, and machine learning to provide intelligent battery management.

 

The IoB can be defined as an integrated system that uses the IoT and cloud computing technology to monitor and manage batteries. IoB systems can collect data from batteries in real-time, such as voltage, current, temperature, and other parameters. This data can be used to analyze battery health and performance, identify potential faults, and optimize battery usage. IoB systems can also be used to remotely control batteries. This can help to improve battery efficiency and extend battery life.

 

The IoB comprises three main components, battery systems, IoT gateway, and cloud platform, and two additional components, i.e. BMS and wireless module, which are integrated inside the battery systems. Firstly, battery systems form the foundational layer of the IoB architecture, particularly within the context of EVs. Secondly, the wireless module is a critical component of the IoB system for EVs. Thirdly, the IoT gateway serves as a bridge between the wireless module and the cloud platform, ensuring safe and efficient transmission of data. Finally, the cloud platform provides a centralized hub for storing, processing, and analyzing battery data collected from various EVs.

 

Machine learning is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IoB systems. By analyzing data and learning from patterns, machine learning can help IoB systems make more informed decisions about battery management, charging, usage, and vehicle management. This can lead to improved battery performance, increased range, and reduced costs for EV owners. Machine learning approaches can be broadly classified into three maincategories: supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning.

The IoB present numerous promising opportunities, particularly for the EV industry. This digital technology promise benefits such as ongoing battery health checks, improved energy management, state estimation, prediction, and faultdiagnosis, significantly transforming the landscape of EV technology.

 

However, implementing the IoB in EVs presents a number of challenges. The innovative integration of IoT technologies within the BMS of EVs presents a wide range of challenging issues that need to be thoroughly addressed for the technology to achieve a reliable state and widespread use. One of the most prominent concerns in the IoB domain is the security of battery data. Another significant challenge lies in the compatibility between different systems. Lastly, the large-scale application of IoB in EVs comes with its own set of technical complexities.

 

In the future, more research and development will be needed to fully realize the potential of the IoB and optimize battery use in EVs. Future efforts should focus on addressing the challenges, such as data security and system compatibility. Additionally, research should explore the potential role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of IoB systems. The IoB has the potential to transform the EV industry, but realizing this potential will depend on addressing these challenges and seizing the opportunities it offers.

 

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Reference

Authors: Heng Li a, Muaaz Bin Kaleem a, Zhijun Liu a, Yue Wu b, Weirong Liu a*, Zhiwu Huang c

 

Affiliations:

a School of Computer Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

b Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark

c School of Automation, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

Title of original paper: IoB: Internet-of-batteries for electric Vehicles–Architectures, opportunities, and challenges

Article link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773153723000646

Journal: Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation

DOI: 10.1016/j.geits.2023.100128.

 

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JOURNAL

Green Energy and Intelligent Transportation

DOI

10.1016/j.geits.2023.100128 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

IoB: Internet-of-batteries for electric Vehicles–Architectures, opportunities, and challenges