Artificial intelligence (AI) is exerting an increasing influence on Arctic governance, prompting Arctic states and the global community to develop AI technologies and engage in technological competition. This study examines Arctic governance in the AI era, analysing the opportunities and challenges posed by AI and proposing strategies for risk mitigation. We argue that AI offers important opportunities for enhancing predictive accuracy, optimising resource exploration, and facilitating cooperative governance in the Arctic. At the same time, AI presents multiple challenges: algorithmic bias may compromise the fairness of decision-making, technological dependence could contribute to governance imbalances, the black-box nature of many AI systems could undermine transparency, and ethical controversies and questions of public acceptance remain unresolved. Through transparent algorithm design, the establishment of technical standards and ethical guidelines, and the construction of multi-stakeholder governance frameworks, these risks could be mitigated to support more sustainable Arctic governance.

Older adults experience high rates of chronic disease that reduce quality of life and independence. In South Texas, these challenges are compounded by limited access to culturally aligned care and a high burden of chronic conditions. Addressing these disparities requires infrastructure that bridges research and practice to support the translation of evidence into real-world care. This manuscript describes the establishment of the Supporting Older Adults through Research Network (SOARNet), a population-specific practice-based research network (PBRN) and reports early lessons from its development and recruitment strategies. SOARNet employs a multi-level leadership structure and an Advisory Board to guide research priorities, review member-initiated proposals, and facilitate collaboration among clinical, research, and community stakeholders. Recruitment strategies included informational materials, clinic visits, and targeted email outreach. Since inception, SOARNet has enrolled 61 members representing healthcare clinicians (55.7%), researchers (18.0%), community members (32.8%), and organizations (8.2%), with targeted email outreach proving most effective (n = 56). SOARNet has supported a collaborative research study, facilitated member consultations, and contributed to dissemination activities. These findings demonstrate the value of population-specific PBRNs in advancing community-engaged translational research to improve care for older adults. Future priorities focus on expanding partnerships and strengthening culturally responsive, bidirectional research.

This article discusses promising practices used by employees and volunteers in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) in countering the mistreatment of older adults (CMOA). The findings presented here are the result of research on the material and financial actions of NPOs in CMOA, based on multiple case studies in five active Canadian NPOs in the framework of CMOA. The body of data comprises organizational documentation from NPOs, socio-demographic questionnaires and group or individual interviews with 64 participants (management volunteers, employees, field volunteers and accompanied older adults). Themed intra- and intercase analyses were carried out. Some key challenges faced by the active NPOs in CMOA include the continuity of follow-ups, difficulty in reaching older adults and obstacles to requesting help. Promising practices that have been implemented to contribute to the response to these challenges, such as collaboration practices, proactive prevention activities, canvassing and shelter services, are considered.

Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass and strength, is a contributor to frailty and reduced quality of life. Emerging evidence suggests an emerging role of the gut microbiome in modulating skeletal muscle through microbial species and metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), potentially influencing inflammation, nutrient absorption, and glucose and protein metabolism. This review considers the potential of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics as interventions to mitigate sarcopenia based on animal and human studies, while providing a critique of present barriers that need to be addressed. Preclinical models, including germ-free mice and faecal microbiota transplantation, demonstrate that gut microbiota from healthy or young donors may enhance overall muscle health via reductions in inflammatory and muscle atrophy markers. Limited human studies show that probiotics such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium could improve branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) bioavailability and potentially sarcopenia indices, although findings have been inconsistent. Particularly, challenges including inconsistent microbial assessments, lack of dietary control and interindividual variability due to diet, age, genetics, comorbidities and medications may hinder progress in this field. Delivery methods (e.g. capsules, fermented foods or fortified products) could further complicate efficacy through probiotic stability and dietary restrictions in older adults. Standardised protocols [e.g. Strengthening The Organisation and Reporting of Microbiome Studies (STORMS) checklist] and multi-omics approaches may be critical to address these limitations and identify microbial signatures linked to sarcopenia outcomes. While preclinical evidence highlights mechanistic pathways pertinent to amino acid metabolism, translating findings to humans requires rigorous experimental trials.

Despite representing 18% of the world’s population and 20% of the disease burden, only an estimated 2% of global clinical trials include at least one study site in Africa. This underscores the critical need for continued research on how to overcome clinical trial challenges on the continent. In countries with established reputations for clinical trials, Contract Research Organizations (CROs) play a vital role, accounting for half of the research workforce and effectively managing clinical trials for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. In contrast, the potential of CROs in Africa’s clinical trials ecosystem remains largely unexplored. This narrative review discusses the challenges, opportunities, best practices, emerging trends, and prospects of clinical trials in Africa. Major challenges in clinical trial implementation in Africa stem from gaps in financial and human resources, infrastructure, and regulatory systems, while opportunities are linked to Africa’s large population, genetic diversity, disease burden, lower operating costs, positive economic outlook, and growing interest from global health and research players. Emerging trends, such as the decentralization of clinical trials and conducting trials during public health emergencies, offer promising avenues for maintaining research continuity. Ultimately, the paper proposes a context-specific framework, aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of CROs in the continent’s clinical trials ecosystem.

Diabetes mellitus affects about 830 million people worldwide, with 2.5 million diabetes-related deaths per year. The estimated prevalence of diabetes among psychiatric in-patients in the UK is 10%, and the increased risk of poor diabetes-related physical health outcomes among people with a severe mental illness (SMI) is detrimental to their mental health and social functioning. This article uses two fictitious case vignettes inspired by experience in an in-patient psychiatric facility to explore the challenges of managing diabetes in this setting in the UK. The relationship between psychiatric disorders, their symptoms and management of physical health conditions, including health promotion, monitoring and pharmacological therapy, creates a challenge in the optimal management of diabetes. Recommendations for improving diabetes management in people with SMI are divided into those requiring insulin and those not requiring insulin.

Due to climate change, sustainability has become a crucial topic in product development, while addressing it is associated with many challenges. Based on a literature review, those challenges are collected and clustered into nine categories and sub-categories defined for this purpose. Additionally, a research project is analysed. The exhibited challenges such as data availability versus influenceability, a lack of unified sustainability criteria, and decision-making trade-offs underscore the need for refined methodologies and collaboration in sustainability-oriented design. The differently sourced challenges are compared and the new challenges arising from the research project are sorted into the categories. Finally, possible reasons are discussed for why within the project only challenges from four out of nine categories are encountered.