MSU researchers identify why 911 calls are delayed, failed, or dropped

Michigan State University

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Mar. 27, 2025

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EAST LANSING, Mich. – An estimated 240 million calls are made to 911 in the U.S. each year, with wireless devices accounting for 80% or more of these calls. Making sure emergency calls connect and stay connected to 911 dispatchers is essential and could have life-threatening consequences. MSU researchers found that in certain situations, 90% of emergency wireless calls failed to connect to 911 within 120 seconds but have developed an app to correct this.

Guan-Hua “Scott” Tu, an associate professor in the College of Engineering, and his team observed that despite sufficient wireless signal coverage, users may still experience prolonged emergency call setup times, call initiation failures, or call drops. 

“The systems and networks that support cellular emergency services are a double-edged sword,” said Tu. “While they allow for widespread access, they are numerous and complex in their interactions, leaving cellular emergency services prone to errors.”

Regulatory authorities like the Federal Communications Commission or FCC in the U.S. and standard organizations such as Third Generation Partnership Project or 3GPP have specifications to enhance the availability and effectiveness of these cellular emergency services. The FCC requires carriers to transmit all 911 calls to a Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP such as a 911 call center, regardless of whether the caller subscribes to them or not. 3GPP allows wireless callers to access emergency services across cellular and Wi-Fi networks. 

The researchers discovered that in locations with weak cellular signals but strong Wi-Fi signals, the problematic network selection can prevent 90% of emergency calls from reaching PSAPs within 2 minutes, compared to just 5.85 seconds for non-emergency calls in the same locations. 

"These locations are more common in indoor environments," said Yiwen Hu, a PhD candidate working with Tu. "Additionally, emergency call failures and drops occur when the user is moving, even with sufficient wireless coverage, due to restrictions in emergency services."

To identify potential design defects that lead to failures or delays in emergency services, Tu and Hu along with Li Xiao and University Foundation Professor Jiliang Tang collaborated with researchers from Purdue University and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan to develop the M911-Verifier, an emergency-specific model-checking tool. 

Tu’s team also developed Emerg-Call-Dialer which is a free app that phone users can download. It helps address issues with cellular and Wi-Fi networks and prevents unnecessary long emergency call setup times.

“In our study, most emergency-specific designs function properly,” Tu said. “Our goal is not to criticize emergency service designs but to push for improvements that make them more reliable.”

The research was published in the Association for Computing Machinery’s digital library as part of MobiCom 2024. MobiCom, the Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking, is a flagship conference on mobile computing and wireless networking, hosted by the Association for Computing Machinery.

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Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for 170 years. One of the world’s leading public research universities, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery to make a better, safer, healthier world for all while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 400 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

For MSU news on the web, go to MSUToday or x.com/MSUnews.

 

The role of journals in medical misconduct

Journals must commit to processes that quickly evaluate allegations of misconduct, correct and retract, if necessary, what they publish

Boston University School of Medicine

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(Boston)—Editors of medical journals deal with allegations of research misconduct, defined by the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) in the U.S. as fabrication, falsification and plagiarism. Research misconduct threatens the validity of science, undermines trust in science and contributes to misinformation and disinformation about science.

 

According to former editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association Howard Bauchner, MD, “it is important that editors have a transparent and consistent process to deal

with these allegations quickly and fairly.“ Journals are the public conduit for research reports, review articles and opinion pieces and play an important role in adjudicating research misconduct. It is important for all journals to have a policy which carefully defines research misconduct and lays out a consistent stepwise approach to deal with allegations of misconduct,” says Bauchner, professor of pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

 

In a commentary in the Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Bauchner and his colleagues describe the responsibilities of editors to deal with allegations of misconduct.

 

They believe journals first need to determine if the allegation is consistent with research misconduct or may simply be an error requiring a correction or an exchange of letters to the editor. After these initial decisions are made, they believe the allegation should be forwarded with as much detail as possible to the corresponding author.

 

Bauchner points out that journals vary on whether the individual making the allegation can remain anonymous from both the journal and the author(s). He believes that it is best if the journal is aware of who is making the allegation, since it is possible that individuals may have their own biases, which could influence how the journal handles the allegation.

 

Bauchner acknowledges concerns on how long it often takes some journals to retract manuscripts. This may be in part because journals do not routinely provide deadlines to authors for a response or due to authors who choose not to respond or are slow to respond to queries about misconduct from a journal. “Delays in retraction occur because authors can be unresponsive, disagree with the allegations, or request repeated extensions. Delays also occur because institutional integrity officers cannot be identified, or if they are identified, they also request extensions. Investigations can involve multiple authors, are sometimes quite complex, and can take months to conduct,” he says.

 

Bauchner stresses that a uniform definition of research misconduct across institutions and journals would be helpful. “We acknowledge how challenging developing such a definition would be, given the various opinions about some concepts of misconduct, for example, undeclared conflicts of interest. Regardless, journals should apply any definition of misconduct consistently, which is easier to do if the definition of misconduct is specific and detailed.”

 

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Journal

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics

DOI

10.1017/jme.2025.35 

Method of Research

Commentary/editorial

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Research Misconduct and Medical Journals

Article Publication Date

27-Mar-2025

 

Electronic Screen Use and Sleep Duration and Timing in Adults

JAMA Network Open

About The Study: 

Daily screen use was associated with later bedtimes and approximately 50 minutes less sleep each week in this study. Associations were greater among those with evening chronotypes, who are at risk for poor sleep due to social jetlag (i.e., misalignment between circadian rhythms and social commitments). These findings confirm disruptions to sleep from electronic screens are not limited to children and adolescents. Further work is needed to understand the best mechanisms for intervention.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Charlie Zhong, PhD, email charlie.zhong@cancer.org.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2493)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

#  #  #

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2493?guestAccessKey=c0957767-f5eb-4d6d-88a4-15c747418b57&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=032725

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

 

We must not ignore eugenics in our genetics curriculum, says professor

Cell Press

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To encourage scientists to speak up when people misuse science to serve political agendas, biology professor Mark Peifer of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill argues that eugenics should be included in college genetics curriculums. In an opinion paper publishing March 27 in the Cell Press journal Trends in Genetics, Peifer explains how he incorporated a discussion of eugenics into his molecular genetics course last year and why understanding the history of the field is critical for up-and-coming scientists. 

“Eugenics is not dead but continues to influence science and policy today,” writes Peifer (@peiferlabunc, @peiferlabunc.bsky.social). “We should include eugenics in our undergraduate classes, reminding students that scientists must speak out when others lie about science and use it to further their political views.” 

In his genetics course, Peifer led his students through the history of eugenics—a term that was coined in 1883 to describe the practice of promoting planned breeding for “racial improvement.” He explained how the idea gained global popularity during the 20th century and was used to justify forced sterilization, racist immigration policies, and genocide in Nazi Germany. The class also covered how eugenics was championed scientifically by some of the founding fathers of genetics and molecular biology—including James Watson, one of the scientists who co-discovered the structure of DNA. 

“The core ideas of eugenics are not things of the past—they fuel current political discourse, as political candidates talk about ‘good genes’ and ‘bad genes’ and suggest immigration is ‘poisoning the blood of our country,’” writes Peifer. “Science provides technology, but society decides how to use it.” 

To illustrate the relevance of eugenics in today’s world, Peifer ended the class by asking the students to discuss a series of questions surrounding in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo screening: Should we allow IVF? Should we allow embryo screening for cystic fibrosis? Should we allow screening for chromosomal sex? Should we allow screening for height?   

“Some might argue that with all the complex topics to cover, we don’t have time for a historical discussion with political overtones on our syllabi,” writes Peifer. “I think the centrality of genetics to society, the lives of our students, and their ability to make thoughtful choices make discussing eugenics critical. Our students will also be citizens and will help friends and family navigate complex decisions with science at their base.” 

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Trends in Genetics, Peifer, “We must not ignore eugenics in our genetics curriculum.” https://www.cell.com/trends/genetics/fulltext/S0168-9525(25)00028-9

Trends in Genetics (@TrendsGenetics), published by Cell Press, is a monthly review journal that provides researchers and students with high-quality, novel reviews, commentaries, and discussions to foster an appreciation for the advances being made on all fronts of genetic research. Visit http://www.cell.com/trends/genetics. To receive Cell Press media alerts please contact press@cell.com. 

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Journal

Trends in Genetics

DOI

10.1016/j.tig.2025.02.002 

Method of Research

Commentary/editorial

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

We must not ignore eugenics in our genetics curriculum

Article Publication Date

27-Mar-2025

 

State Minimum Wage and Food Insecurity Among US Households With Children

JAMA Network Open

About The Study:

 In this pooled cross-sectional study, findings suggest that state legislatures that elected to increase their state minimum wage may have also improved state food security rates among households with children at risk for economic hardship. The findings provide policymakers with actionable evidence to consider in setting minimum wages that could reduce the burden of food insecurity among U.S. children and families.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Megan R. Winkler, PhD, RN, email megan.winkler@emory.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2043)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

#  #  #

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2043?guestAccessKey=c0957767-f5eb-4d6d-88a4-15c747418b57&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=032725

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication. 

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Journal

JAMA Network Open

SCI-FI-TEK

Commercial fusion power plant closer to reality following research breakthrough

AFTER SEVENTY YEARS

Cambridge University Press

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Type One Energy employees at the Bull Run Fossil Plant, soon to be home to the prototype Infinity One

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Credit: Type One Energy

Successfully harnessing the power of fusion energy could lead to cleaner and safer energy for all – and contribute substantially to combatting the climate crisis. Towards this goal, Type One Energy has published a comprehensive, self-consistent, and robust physics basis for a practical fusion pilot power plant.  

This groundbreaking research is presented in a series of six peer-reviewed scientific papers in a special issue of the prestigious Journal of Plasma Physics (JPP), published by Cambridge University Press. 

The articles serve as the foundation for the company’s first fusion power plant project, which Type One Energy is developing with the Tennessee Valley Authority utility in the United States.  

Alex Schekochihin, Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford and Editor of the JPP, spoke with enthusiasm about this development: 

“JPP is very proud to provide a platform for rigorous peer review and publication of the papers presenting the physics basis of the Infinity Two stellarator — an innovative and ground-breaking addition to the expanding family of proposed fusion power plant designs.  

“Fusion science and technology are experiencing a period of very rapid development, driven by both public and private enthusiasm for fusion power. In this environment of creative and entrepreneurial ferment, it is crucial that new ideas and designs are both publicly shared and thoroughly scrutinised by the scientific community — Type One Energy and JPP are setting the gold standard for how this is done (as we did with Commonwealth Fusion Systems 5 years ago for their SPARC physics basis).” 

The new physics design basis for the pilot power plant is a robust effort to consider realistically the complex relationship between challenging, competing requirements that all need to function together for fusion energy to be possible.  

This new physics solution also builds on the operating characteristics of high-performing stellarator fusion technology – a stellarator being a machine that uses complex, helical magnetic fields to confine the plasma, thereby enabling scientists to control it and create suitable conditions for fusion. This technology is already being used with success on the world’s largest research stellarator, the Wendelstein 7-X, located in Germany, but the challenge embraced by Type One Energy’s new design is how to scale it up to a pilot plant. 

Building the future of energy 

Functional fusion technology could offer limitless clean energy. As global energy demands increase and energy security is front of mind, too, this new physics design basis comes at an excellent time.  

Christofer Mowry, CEO of Type One Energy, is cognisant of the landmark nature of his company’s achievement and proud of its strong, real-world foundations. 

“The physics basis for our new fusion power plant is grounded in Type One Energy’s expert knowledge about reliable, economic, electrical generation for the power grid. We have an organisation that understands this isn’t only about designing a science project.” 

This research was developed collaboratively between Type One Energy and a broad coalition of scientists from national laboratories and universities around the world. Collaborating organisations included the US Department of Energy, for using their supercomputers, such as the exascale Frontier machine at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to perform its physics simulations. 

While commercial fusion energy has yet to move from theory into practice, this new research marks an important and promising milestone. Clean and abundant energy may yet become reality.  

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Journal

Journal of Plasma Physics

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Physics basis of the Infinity Two fusion power plant

Article Publication Date

27-Mar-2025

 

Drone experiment reveals how Greenland ice sheet is changing

University of Colorado at Boulder

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A pneumatically launched drone bound for collecting air samples for isotopic analysis at EastGRIP, Greenland.

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Credit: Ole Zeising/Alfred-Wegener-Institute

For the first time, researchers have collected detailed measurements of water vapor high above the surface of the Greenland ice sheet. Their research, aided by a custom-designed drone, could help scientists improve ice loss calculations in rapidly warming polar regions. 
 
“We will be able to understand how water moves in and out of Greenland in the next few years,” said first author Kevin Rozmiarek, a doctoral student at the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at CU Boulder. “As a major freshwater reservoir, we need to understand how Greenland’s environment is going to change in the future.” 
 
The findings were published March 14 in JGR Atmospheres.  
 
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Greenland lost about 55 gigatons of ice and snow between fall 2023 and fall 2024. The island is shedding ice for the 28th year in a row, and scientists estimate that it has lost more than 5 trillion tons of ice since 1992. 
  
The Greenland ice sheet contains about 8% of the planet’s freshwater, and its meltwater could contribute significantly to rising sea levels, changing ocean circulation and ecosystems worldwide.  
 
The majority of ice loss comes from large ice chunks breaking off from glaciers and the melting of surface ice and snow. Sublimation, the process of solids turning into gases without turning into liquids first, may also play a role. Prior studies have suggested that in some parts of Greenland, about 30% of summer surface snow could sublimate to water vapor. 

Tracking water in the sky
 
It is unclear where the water vapor goes, said Rozmiarek. Some might fall back down as snow or recondense on the surface later, but some could leave Greenland’s water system entirely. 
 
Collecting air samples in the Arctic is an expensive and technically challenging task, because it traditionally involves flying a plane to the middle of an ice sheet in harsh weather and carrying air samples back to the laboratory.    
 
Rozmiarek and his team overcame the challenges by loading air sampling equipment on a large drone with a 10-foot wingspan. 

Throughout the summer of 2022, the team flew the drone 104 times from the East Greenland Ice-Core Project camp—managed by the University of Copenhagen— in the island’s interior. The drone collected air samples at different heights of up to nearly 5,000 feet above the ground. 
 
The team aimed to look into the type of hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the air’s water vapor.  Water molecules from different sources contain distinct combinations of hydrogen and oxygen. Scientists call these variations in isotopes.  
 
“Isotopes are water’s fingerprints. By following these fingerprints, we can trace back to the source where the water vapor came from,” Rozmiarek said. Scientists have collected high-quality data on the source of water in Greenland, including water that flows from the tropics, and the sink, which is the surface snow on the Greenland ice sheet. “But we don’t know much about the isotopic composition of water in motion, which is the vapor between the source and sink,” he added. 

When the team compared their drone-based measurements with an existing computer simulation that models the Arctic water cycle, they found the simulation underestimated the amount of precipitation that fell on Greenland. By incorporating the isotopic data observed in the simulation, the model rendered an accurate prediction of how water moves over Greenland.  
 
“It’s really important to be able to predict what’s going to happen to Greenland in the warming world as accurately as possible,” Rozmiarek said. “We demonstrated how useful water vapor isotope data is by successfully improving an existing model.” 

Melting ice sheet
 
About 125,000 years ago, when Earth was warmer than preindustrial levels, Greenland was covered by a significantly smaller ice sheet, and the sea level was as much as 19 feet higher than today. As the planet continues to warm, the Greenland ice sheet could see dramatic changes and even shrink to its size back then, Rozmiarek said. 
 
The Greenland ice sheet contains a massive amount of freshwater, and that water, if leaving the system, could lead to significant increases in global sea level. The United Nations estimated that rising sea levels caused by climate change currently impact 1 billion people worldwide.  
 
Rozmiarek hopes to return to Greenland and other parts of the Arctic to conduct more flights and gather additional data.  
 
“It’s like we just figured out how to discover fingerprints at a crime scene. This is a concrete step forward in understanding where water is going and where it is coming from in this important system at a time when we need it most,” he said. 

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Journal

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

DOI

10.1029/2024JD042719 

 

Research Alert: UC San Diego medical students support tattoo removal for adults impacted by the justice system

University of California - San Diego

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A study by University of California San Diego School of Medicine described a novel medical student service-learning initiative that provides free laser tattoo removal services for justice-impacted adults reintegrating into the community. Medical students who expressed a desire to address social justice issues also benefit by receiving hands-on experience in dermatology. In fact, 100% of students wanted to provide medical care for justice-impacted adults and 83% were interested in dermatology training for a future career.

The initiative — which takes place at the UC San Diego Clean Slate Free Tattoo Removal Program — has been well-received by both students and clinical teams. It enhances medical education, social justice engagement, and patient care in underserved communities. The structured mentorship model allows for continued growth and sustainability of the initiative. Medical students participate in pre- and post-procedure tasks, procedure support and mentoring of incoming students.

The research was led by Victoria D. Ojeda, Ph.D., a professor at the School of Medicine and the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health & Human Longevity Science. The findings were published on March 13, 2025 at the Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Journal.

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Journal

Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

DOI

10.1002/lsm.70005 

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