Which academic search systems are suitable for systematic reviews or meta-analyses? Evaluating retrieval qualities of Google Scholar, PubMed, and 26 other resources

Machine learning applications in preventive healthcare: A systematic literature review on predictive analytics of disease comorbidity from multiple perspectives

Artificial intelligence is constantly revolutionizing biomedical research and healthcare management. Disease comorbidity is a major threat to the quality of life for susceptible groups, especially middle-aged and elderly patients. The presence of multiple chronic diseases makes precision diagnosis challenging to realize and imposes a heavy burden on the healthcare system and economy. Given an enormous amount of accumulated health data, machine learning techniques show their capability in handling this puzzle. The present study conducts a review to uncover current research efforts in applying these methods to understanding comorbidity mechanisms and making clinical predictions considering these complex patterns. A descriptive metadata analysis of 791 unique publications aims to capture the overall research progression between January 2012 and June 2023. To delve into comorbidity-focused research, 61 of these scientific papers are systematically assessed. Four predictive analytics of tasks are detected: disease comorbidity data extraction, clustering, network, and risk prediction. It is observed that some machine learning-driven applications address inherent data deficiencies in healthcare datasets and provide a model interpretation that identifies significant risk factors of comorbidity development. Based on insights, both technical and practical, gained from relevant literature, this study intends to guide future interests in comorbidity research and draw conclusions about chronic disease prevention and diagnosis with managerial implications.

A bibliometric review of waste management and innovation: Unveiling trends, knowledge structure and emerging research fronts

The pressing challenges in waste management have motivated this comprehensive study examining prior research and contemporary trends concerning innovation and waste management. A meticulous investigation of 2264 documents (1968-2024) was conducted using bibliometrix R-tool to analyse Scopus and Web of Science databases, offering a holistic global perspective. Heightened societal concern about waste management, driven by soaring waste production from consumption patterns, requires urgent exploration of effective waste elimination and transformation systems. This study provides a comprehensive summary of the topic, delving deeply into its complexities. Through thorough analysis of global trends, it constitutes a significant stride towards identifying effective solutions, offering valuable contributions to both scientific understanding and practical applications. This research pioneers a comprehensive synthesis of innovation and waste management issues, showcasing originality and substantial contributions. The identified collaborative networks expose a lack of transnational cooperation, potentially hindering waste management innovation. Future research around waste management innovation should focus on synergies among competitors within the same industry and across industries to minimize waste and maximize resource utilization, 4.0 technologies, global waste chain impacts and challenges along with solutions for developing countries.

Insights into research activities of senior dental students in the Middle East: A multicenter preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of research in undergraduate dental education, limited studies have explored the nature of undergraduate research activities in dental schools in the Middle East region. This study aimed to evaluate the research experience of final year dental students from three dental schools in the Middle East.

METHODS

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year dental students from three institutions, namely Jordan University of Science and Technology, University of Sharjah (UAE), and Oman Dental College. Participants were asked about the nature and scope of their research projects, the processes involved in the research, and their perceived benefits of engaging in research.

RESULTS

A total of 369 respondents completed the questionnaire.  Cross-sectional studies represented the most common research type  (50.4%), with public health (29.3%) and dental education (27.9%) being the predominant domains. More than half of research proposals were developed via discussions with instructors (55.0%), and literature reviews primarily utilized PubMed (70.2%) and Google Scholar (68.5%). Regarding statistical analysis, it was usually carried out with instructor's assistance (45.2%) or using specialized software (45.5%). The students typically concluded their projects with a manuscript (58.4%), finding the discussion section most challenging to write (42.0%). The research activity was considered highly beneficial, especially in terms of teamwork and communication skills, as well as data interpretation skills, with 74.1% of students reporting a positive impact on their research perspectives.

CONCLUSIONS

The research experience was generally positive among surveyed dental students. However, there is a need for more diversity in research domains, especially in qualitative studies, greater focus on guiding students in research activities s, especially in manuscript writing and publication. The outcomes of this study could provide valuable insights for dental schools seeking to improve their undergraduate research activities.

Searching and reporting in Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews: A systematic assessment of current methods

The search methods used in systematic reviews provide the foundation for establishing the body of literature from which conclusions are drawn and recommendations made. Searches should aim to be comprehensive and reporting of search methods should be transparent and reproducible. Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews strive to adhere to the best methodological guidance available for this type of searching. The current work aims to provide an assessment of the conduct and reporting of searches in Campbell Collaboration systematic reviews. Our objectives were to examine how searches are currently conducted in Campbell systematic reviews, how search strategies, search methods and search reporting adhere to the Methodological Expectations of Campbell Collaboration Intervention Reviews (MECCIR) and PRISMA standards, and identify emerging or novel methods used in searching in Campbell systematic reviews. We also investigated the role of information specialists in Campbell systematic reviews. We handsearched the Campbell Systematic Reviews journal tables of contents from January 2017 to March 2024. We included all systematic reviews published since 2017. We excluded other types of evidence synthesis (e.g., evidence and gap maps), updates to systematic reviews when search methods were not changed from the original pre-2017 review, and systematic reviews that did not conduct their own original searches. We developed a data extraction form in part based on the conduct and reporting items in MECCIR and PRISMA. In addition, we extracted information about the general quality of searches based on the use of Boolean operators, keywords, database syntax and subject headings. Data extraction included information about reporting of sources searched, some aspects of search quality, the use and reporting of supplementary search methods, reporting of the search strategy, the involvement of information specialists, date of the most recent search, and citation of the Campbell search methods guidance. Items were rated as fully, partially or not conducted or reported. We cross-walked our data extraction items to the 2019 MECCIR standards and 2020 PRISMA guidelines and provide descriptive analyses of the conduct and reporting of searches in Campbell systematic reviews, indicating level of adherence to standards where applicable. We included 111 Campbell systematic reviews across all coordinating groups published since 2017 up to the search date. Almost all (98%) included reviews searched at least two relevant databases and all reported the databases searched. All reviews searched grey literature and most (82%) provided a full list of grey literature sources. Detailed information about databases such as platform and date range coverage was lacking in 16% and 77% of the reviews, respectively. In terms of search strategies, most used Boolean operators, search syntax and phrase searching correctly, but subject headings in databases with controlled vocabulary were used in only about half of the reviews. Most reviews reported at least one full database search strategy (90%), with 63% providing full search strategies for all databases. Most reviews conducted some supplementary searching, most commonly searching the references of included studies, whereas handsearching of journals and forward citation searching were less commonly reported (51% and 62%, respectively). Twenty-nine percent of reviews involved an information specialist co-author and about 45% did not mention the involvement of any information specialist. When information specialists were co-authors, there was a concomitant increase in adherence to many reporting and conduct standards and guidelines, including reporting website URLs, reporting methods for forward citation searching, using database syntax correctly and using subject headings. No longitudinal trends in adherence to conducting and reporting standards were found and the Campbell search methods guidance published in 2017 was cited in only twelve reviews. We also found a median time lag of 20 months between the most recent search and the publication date. In general, the included Campbell systematic reviews searched a wide range of bibliographic databases and grey literature, and conducted at least some supplementary searching such as searching references of included studies or contacting experts. Reporting of mandatory standards was variable with some frequently unreported (e.g., website URLs and database date ranges) and others well reported in most reviews. For example, database search strategies were reported in detail in most reviews. For grey literature, source names were well reported but search strategies were less so. The findings will be used to identify opportunities for advancing current practices in Campbell reviews through updated guidance, peer review processes and author training and support.

Preregistration in practice: A comparison of preregistered and non-preregistered studies in psychology

Preregistration has gained traction as one of the most promising solutions to improve the replicability of scientific effects. In this project, we compared 193 psychology studies that earned a Preregistration Challenge prize or preregistration badge to 193 related studies that were not preregistered. In contrast to our theoretical expectations and prior research, we did not find that preregistered studies had a lower proportion of positive results (Hypothesis 1), smaller effect sizes (Hypothesis 2), or fewer statistical errors (Hypothesis 3) than non-preregistered studies. Supporting our Hypotheses 4 and 5, we found that preregistered studies more often contained power analyses and typically had larger sample sizes than non-preregistered studies. Finally, concerns about the publishability and impact of preregistered studies seem unwarranted, as preregistered studies did not take longer to publish and scored better on several impact measures. Overall, our data indicate that preregistration has beneficial effects in the realm of statistical power and impact, but we did not find robust evidence that preregistration prevents p-hacking and HARKing (Hypothesizing After the Results are Known).

Does slow oscillation-spindle coupling contribute to sleep-dependent memory consolidation? A Bayesian meta-analysis

The active system consolidation theory suggests that information transfer between the hippocampus and cortex during sleep underlies memory consolidation. Neural oscillations during sleep, including the temporal coupling between slow oscillations (SO) and sleep spindles (SP), may play a mechanistic role in memory consolidation. However, differences in analytical approaches and the presence of physiological and behavioral moderators have led to inconsistent conclusions. This meta-analysis, comprising 23 studies and 297 effect sizes, focused on four standard phase-amplitude coupling measures including coupling phase, strength, percentage, and SP amplitude, and their relationship with memory retention. We developed a standardized approach to incorporate non-normal circular-linear correlations. We found strong evidence supporting that precise and strong SO-fast SP coupling in the frontal lobe predicts memory consolidation. The strength of this association is mediated by memory type, aging, and dynamic spatio-temporal features, including SP frequency and cortical topography. In conclusion, SO-SP coupling should be considered as a general physiological mechanism for memory consolidation.

Loop and Enjoy: A Scoping Review of the Research on the Effects of Processing Fluency on Aesthetic Reactions to Auditory Stimuli

Processing fluency has been shown to affect how people aesthetically evaluate stimuli. While this effect is well documented for visual stimuli, the evidence accumulated for auditory stimuli has not yet been integrated. Our aim was to examine the relevant research on how processing fluency affects the aesthetic appreciation of auditory stimuli and to identify the extant knowledge gaps in this body of evidence. This scoping review of 19 studies reported across 13 articles found that, similarly to visual stimuli, fluency has a positive effect on liking of auditory stimuli. Additionally, we identified certain elements that impede the generalizability of the current research on the relationship between fluency and aesthetic reactions to auditory stimuli, such as a lack of consistency in the number of repeated exposures, the tendency to omit the affective component and the failure to account for personal variables such as musical abilities developed through musical training or the participants' personality or preferences. These results offer a starting point in developing novel and proper processing fluency manipulations of auditory stimuli and suggest several avenues for future research aiming to clarify the impact and importance of processing fluency and disfluency in this domain.

Journal recommended guidelines for systematic review and meta-analyses

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses aggregate research findings across studies and populations, making them a valuable form of research evidence. Over the past decade, studies in medical education using these methods have increased by 630%. However, many manuscripts are not publication-ready due to inadequate planning and insufficient analyses. These guidelines aim to improve the clarity and comprehensiveness of reporting methodologies and outcomes, ensuring high quality and comparability. They align with existing standards like PRISMA, providing examples and best practices. Adhering to these guidelines is crucial for publication consideration in Anatomical Sciences Education.

Bakar AF. Approach in inputs & outputs selection of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) efficiency measurement in hospitals: A systematic review

The efficiency and productivity evaluation process commonly employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as a performance tool in numerous fields, such as the healthcare industry (hospitals). Therefore, this review examined various hospital-based DEA articles involving input and output variable selection approaches and the recent DEA developments. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was utilised to extract 89 English articles containing empirical data between 2014 and 2022 from various databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, and Google Scholar). Furthermore, the DEA model parameters were determined using information from previous studies, while the approaches were identified narratively. This review grouped the approaches into four sections: literature review, data availability, systematic method, and expert judgement. An independent single strategy or a combination with other methods was then applied to these approaches. Consequently, the focus of this review on various methodologies employed in hospitals could limit its findings. Alternative approaches or techniques could be utilised to determine the input and output variables for a DEA analysis in a distinct area or based on different perspectives. The DEA application trend was also significantly similar to that of previous studies. Meanwhile, insufficient data was observed to support the usability of any DEA model in terms of fitting all model parameters. Therefore, several recommendations and methodological principles for DEA were proposed after analysing the existing literature.

Frequency of suicidal ideation inventory: A reliability generalization meta-analysis

The objectives of this reliability generalization meta-analysis were to estimate the overall reliability of the Frequency of Suicidal Ideation Inventory (FSII), a short, easily administered test developed to assess suicidal ideation and to examine possible moderating variables. A systematic search was conducted in five databases from the year of publication (2016) of the FSII until March 2024. All studies that applied the FSII and reported a Cronbach's alpha coefficient were included. Analyses were performed using a random effects model applying Bonett's transformation. Our analysis of 32 studies (k = 39) yielded an overall alpha of .91 (95% CI = .90, .92). We found that the type of administration, population, and language of the FSII moderated its reliability, which is high overall and appropriate for use in both research and clinical settings.

Outcomes of Art-Based Leadership Development: A Qualitative Metasummary

Art-based leadership development, grounded in experiential learning, offers a learner-centered approach to leadership training by integrating relational, aesthetic and embodied dimensions. This systematic review investigates evidence on the outcomes of art-based leadership development, addressing the critical need for empirical validation of its effectiveness. A qualitative metasummary was employed to review 31 empirical studies published between 2008 and 2023. The studies were sourced from databases including Business Source Complete, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science. The Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies (QuADS) tool was used to assess the studies. The analysis revealed that art-based methods significantly enhance reflective and reflexive practices, higher-order cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal competencies. Representing leader development, art-based initiatives facilitate holistic self-discovery and transformative shifts in mindset, offering a valuable complement to conventional skill-based approaches. Despite these promising benefits, the review highlights a need for more rigorous empirical studies, particularly longitudinal and quantitative research, to substantiate the long-term effectiveness of art-based methods.

Searchsmart.org: Guiding researchers to the best databases and search systems for systematic reviews and beyond

When searching for scholarly documents, researchers often stick with the same familiar handful of databases. Yet, just beyond these limited horizons lie dozens of alternatives with which they could search more effectively, whether for quick lookups or thorough searches in systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Searchsmart.org is a free website that guides researchers to particularly suitable search options for their particular disciplines, offering a wide array of resources, including search engines, aggregators, journal platforms, repositories, clinical trials databases, bibliographic databases, and digital libraries. Search Smart currently evaluates the coverage and functionality of more than a hundred leading scholarly databases, including most major multidisciplinary databases and many that are discipline-specific. Search Smart's primary use cases involve database-selection decisions as part of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or bibliometric analyses. Researchers can use up to 583 criteria to filter and sort recommendations of databases and the interfaces through which they can be accessed for user-friendliness, search rigor, or relevance. With specific pre-defined filter settings, researchers can quickly identify particularly suitable databases for Boolean keyword searching and forward or backward citation searching. Overall, Search Smart's recommendations help researchers to discover knowledge more effectively and efficiently by selecting the more suitable databases for their tasks.

Phlebotomine sand fly distribution and abundance in France: A systematic review

Global changes in climate are contributing to modified Phlebotomine sand fly presence and activity, and the distribution of the pathogens they transmit (e.g., Leishmania and Phlebovirus), and are leading to their possible extension toward northern France. To predict the evolution of these pathogens and control their spread, it is essential to identify and characterize the presence and abundance of potential vectors. However, there are no recent publications describing sand fly species distribution in France. Consequently, we carried out a systematic review to provide distribution and abundance maps over time, along with a simplified dichotomous key for species in France. The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines, resulting in 172 relevant capture reports from 168 studies out of the 2646 documents retrieved, of which 552 were read and 228 analyzed. Seven species were recorded and categorized into three groups based on their abundance: low abundance species, abundant but little-studied species, and abundant vector species. Sand flies are certainly present throughout France but there is a greater diversity of species in the Mediterranean region. Phlebotomus perniciosus and Ph. ariasi are the most abundant and widely distributed species, playing a role as vectors of Leishmania. Sergentomyia minuta, though very abundant, remains under-studied, highlighting the need for further research. Phlebotomus papatasi, Ph. perfiliewi, Ph. sergenti, and Ph. mascittii are present in low numbers and are less documented, limiting understanding of their potential role as vectors. This work provides the necessary basis for comparison of field data generated in the future.

Systematic review of approaches to detection and classification of skin cancer using artificial intelligence: Development and prospects

In recent years, there has been a significant improvement in the accuracy of the classification of pigmented skin lesions using artificial intelligence algorithms. Intelligent analysis and classification systems are significantly superior to visual diagnostic methods used by dermatologists and oncologists. However, the application of such systems in clinical practice is severely limited due to a lack of generalizability and risks of potential misclassification. Successful implementation of artificial intelligence-based tools into clinicopathological practice requires a comprehensive study of the effectiveness and performance of existing models, as well as further promising areas for potential research development. The purpose of this systematic review is to investigate and evaluate the accuracy of artificial intelligence technologies for detecting malignant forms of pigmented skin lesions. For the study, 10,589 scientific research and review articles were selected from electronic scientific publishers, of which 171 articles were included in the presented systematic review. All selected scientific articles are distributed according to the proposed neural network algorithms from machine learning to multimodal intelligent architectures and are described in the corresponding sections of the manuscript. This research aims to explore automated skin cancer recognition systems, from simple machine learning algorithms to multimodal ensemble systems based on advanced encoder-decoder models, visual transformers (ViT), and generative and spiking neural networks. In addition, as a result of the analysis, future directions of research, prospects, and potential for further development of automated neural network systems for classifying pigmented skin lesions are discussed.

Quantifying myelin in neonates using magnetic resonance imaging: a systematic literature review

This review aimed to assess the usefulness of various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques for the quantification of neonatal white matter myelination. The Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched to identify studies following the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) statement using quantitative MRI techniques to examine samples collected from neonates to quantify myelin. Twelve studies were ultimately included. The results demonstrated that in validation studies, relaxometry is the most frequently explored approach (83.33%), followed by magnetization transfer imaging (8.33%) and a new automatic segmentation technique (8.33%). Synthetic MRI is recommended for quantifying myelin in neonates because of several advantages that outweigh a few negligible limitations.

Bibliometric analysis of scientific production on university social responsibility in Latin America and the Caribbean

Objective: To evaluate the scientific production on university social responsibility (USR) from institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on documents published in indexed journals in the Scopus database from its inception until April 2023. Eligible documents included those on USR describing experiences carried out by universities in Latin America and the Caribbean. The number of articles per author, average authors per article, average citations per article, and the number of documents with one or more author were described. Bibliometric indicators regarding authors per article, co-authors per article, and institutional collaboration were presented. Bibliometric networks were constructed based on bibliographic coupling analysis of documents by countries and term co-occurrence in titles and abstracts. Results: Of a total of 4075 documents retrieved from Scopus, 150 were included. Documents published between 1997 and 2023 were identified, with an average annual growth rate of 2.7%. A total of 439 authors were identified, 18 articles had a single author, and an average of 0.3 articles per author and a co-authorship index of 3.13 were found. The percentage of international collaborations was 30.7%. Brazil had the highest proportion of publications (26.4%), followed by Chile (17%) and Colombia (13.2%). Opción and Revista de Ciencias Sociales were the journals with the highest number of articles published (13 each). In the analysis of term co-occurrence, recent years showed an increase in the use of terms related to e-learning, information and communication technologies, virtual education, COVID-19, sustainable development goals, and URSULA (initiative on USR in institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean). Conclusions: A growth in scientific production on USR in Latin America and the Caribbean was identified. The interest in USR documents in recent years has been focused on COVID-19 and the challenges of virtual education and sustainable development.

Biosimilars in the Era of Artificial Intelligence-International Regulations and the Use in Oncological Treatments

This research is based on three fundamental aspects of successful biosimilar development in the challenging biopharmaceutical market. First, biosimilar regulations in eight selected countries: Japan, South Korea, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa, represent the four continents. The regulatory aspects of the countries studied are analyzed, highlighting the challenges facing biosimilars, including their complex approval processes and the need for standardized regulatory guidelines. There is an inconsistency depending on whether the biosimilar is used in a developed or developing country. In the countries observed, biosimilars are considered excellent alternatives to patent-protected biological products for the treatment of chronic diseases. In the second aspect addressed, various analytical AI modeling methods (such as machine learning tools, reinforcement learning, supervised, unsupervised, and deep learning tools) were analyzed to observe patterns that lead to the prevalence of biosimilars used in cancer to model the behaviors of the most prominent active compounds with spectroscopy. Finally, an analysis of the use of active compounds of biosimilars used in cancer and approved by the FDA and EMA was proposed.

A systematic review of invasive non-native freshwater bivalves

The introduction of invasive species has become an increasing environmental problem in freshwater ecosystems due to the high economic and ecological impacts it has generated. This systematic review covers publications from 2010 to 2020, focusing on non-native invasive freshwater bivalves, a particularly relevant and widespread introduced taxonomic group in fresh waters. We collected information on the most studied species, the main objectives of the studies, their geographical location, study duration, and type of research. Furthermore, we focused on assessing the levels of ecological evidence presented, the type of interactions of non-native bivalves with other organisms and the classification of their impacts. A total of 397 publications were retrieved. The studies addressed a total of 17 species of non-native freshwater bivalves; however, most publications focused on the species Corbicula fluminea and Dreissena polymorpha, which are recognised for their widespread distribution and extensive negative impacts. Many other non-native invasive bivalve species have been poorly studied. A high geographical bias was also present, with a considerable lack of studies in developing countries. The most frequent studies had shorter temporal periods, smaller spatial extents, and more observational data, were field-based, and usually evaluated possible ecological impacts at the individual and population levels. There were 94 publications documenting discernible impacts according to the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT). However, 41 of these publications did not provide sufficient data to determine an impact. The most common effects of invasive bivalves on ecosystems were structural alterations, and chemical and physical changes, which are anticipated due to their role as ecosystem engineers. Despite a considerable number of studies in the field and advances in our understanding of some species over the past decade, long-term data and large-scale studies are still needed to understand better the impacts, particularly at the community and ecosystem levels and in less-studied geographic regions. The widespread distribution of several non-native freshwater bivalves, their ongoing introductions, and high ecological and economic impacts demand continued research. Systematic reviews such as this are essential for identifying knowledge gaps and guiding future research to enable a more complete understanding of the ecological implications of invasive bivalves, and the development of effective management strategies.

Smart Buildings: A Comprehensive Systematic Literature Review on Data-Driven Building Management Systems

Buildings are complex structures composed of heterogeneous elements; these require building management systems (BMSs) to dynamically adapt them to occupants' needs and leverage building resources. The fast growth of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has transformed the BMS field into a multidisciplinary one. Consequently, this has caused several research papers on data-driven solutions to require examination and classification. This paper provides a broad overview of BMS by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) summarizing current trends in this field. Unlike similar reviews, this SLR provides a rigorous methodology to review current research from a computer science perspective. Therefore, our goal is four-fold: (i) Identify the main topics in the field of building; (ii) Identify the recent data-driven methods; (iii) Understand the BMS's underlying computing architecture (iv) Understand the features of BMS that contribute to the smartization of buildings. The result synthesizes our findings and provides research directions for further research.

How-To Create an Orthopaedic Systematic Review: A Step-by-Step Guide Part I: Study Design

Systematic reviews are conducted through a consistent and reproducible method to search, appraise, and summarize information. Within the evidence-based pyramid, systematic reviews can be at the apex when incorporating high-quality studies, presenting the strongest form of evidence given their synthesis of results from multiple primary studies to level IV evidence, depending on the studies they incorporate. When combined and supplemented with a meta-analysis using statistical methods to pool the results of 3 or more studies, systematic reviews are powerful tools to help answer research questions. The aim of this review is to serve as a guide on how to: (1) design; (2) execute; and (3) publish an orthopaedic arthroplasty systematic review and meta-analysis. In Part I, we discuss how to develop an appropriate research question as well as source and screen databases. To date, commonly used databases to source studies include PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science. Although not all-encompassing, this paper serves as a starting point for those interested in performing and/or critically reviewing lower extremity arthroplasty systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Nano-bio convergence unveiled: Systematic review on quantum dots-protein interaction, their implications, and applications

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals (2-10 nm) with unique optical and electronic properties due to quantum confinement effects. They offer high photostability, narrow emission spectra, broad absorption spectrum, and high quantum yields, making them versatile in various applications. Due to their highly reactive surfaces, QDs can conjugate with biomolecules while being used, produced, or unintentionally released into the environment. This systematic review delves into intricate relationship between QDs and proteins, examining their interactions that influence their physicochemical properties, enzymatic activity, ligand binding affinity, and stability. The research utilized electronic databases like PubMed, WOS, and Proquest, along with manual reviews from 2013 to 2023 using relevant keywords, to identify suitable literature. After screening titles and abstracts, only articles meeting inclusion criteria were selected for full text readings. This systematic review of 395 articles identifies 125 articles meeting the inclusion criteria, categorized into five overarching themes, encompassing various mechanisms of QDs and proteins interactions, including adsorption to covalent binding, contingent on physicochemical properties of QDs. Through a meticulous analysis of existing literature, it unravels intricate nature of interaction, significant influence on nanomaterials and biological entities, and potential for synergistic applications harnessing both specific and nonspecific interactions across various fields.

Potential Use of Tomato Peel, a Rich Source of Lycopene, for Cancer Treatment

Tomatoes are well known for their impressive nutritional value among vegetables. However, the industrial processing of tomatoes generates a significant amount of waste. Specifically, 10% to 18% of the raw materials used in tomato processing become waste. This waste can seriously affect ecosystems, such as freshwater bodies, wetlands, rivers, and other natural environments, if not properly managed. Interestingly, tomato waste, specifically the skin, contains lycopene, a potent antioxidant and antimutagenic that offers a range of health benefits. This makes it a valuable ingredient in industries such as food and cosmetics. In addition, researchers are exploring the potential of lycopene in the treatment of various types of cancer. This systematic review, guided by the PRISMA 2020 methodology, examined studies exploring the possibility of tomato peel as a source of lycopene and carotenoids for cancer treatment. The findings suggest that tomato peel extracts exhibit promising anticancer properties, underscoring the need for further investigation of possible therapeutic applications. The compiled literature reveals significant potential for using tomato peel to create new cancer treatments, which could potentially revolutionize the field of oncology. This underscores the importance of continued research and exploration, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the scientific community's contribution to this promising area of study.

Features of databases that supported searching for rapid evidence synthesis during COVID-19: implications for future public health emergencies

BACKGROUND

As evidence related to the COVID-19 pandemic surged, databases, platforms, and repositories evolved with features and functions to assist users in promptly finding the most relevant evidence. In response, research synthesis teams adopted novel searching strategies to sift through the vast amount of evidence to synthesize and disseminate the most up-to-date evidence. This paper explores the key database features that facilitated systematic searching for rapid evidence synthesis during the COVID-19 pandemic to inform knowledge management infrastructure during future global health emergencies.

METHODS

This paper outlines the features and functions of previously existing and newly created evidence sources routinely searched as part of the NCCMT's Rapid Evidence Service methods, including databases, platforms, and repositories. Specific functions of each evidence source were assessed as they pertain to searching in the context of a public health emergency, including the topics of indexed citations, the level of evidence of indexed citations, and specific usability features of each evidence source.

RESULTS

Thirteen evidence sources were assessed, of which four were newly created and nine were either pre-existing or adapted from previously existing resources. Evidence sources varied in topics indexed, level of evidence indexed, and specific searching functions.

CONCLUSION

This paper offers insights into which features enabled systematic searching for the completion of rapid reviews to inform decision makers within 5-10 days. These findings provide guidance for knowledge management strategies and evidence infrastructures during future public health emergencies.

What is the association between the microbiome and cognition? An umbrella review protocol

INTRODUCTION

Cognitive impairment is reported in a variety of clinical conditions including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and 'long-COVID'. Interestingly, many of these clinical conditions are also associated with microbial dysbiosis. This comanifestation of cognitive and microbiome findings in seemingly unrelated maladies suggests that they could share a common mechanism and potentially presents a treatment target. Although a rapidly growing body of literature has documented this comorbid presentation within specific conditions, an overview highlighting potential parallels across healthy and clinical populations is lacking. The objective of this umbrella review, therefore, is to summarise and synthesise the findings of these systematic reviews.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

On 2 April 2023, we searched MEDLINE (Pubmed), Embase (Ovid), the Web of Science (Core Collection), the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews and Epistemonikos as well as grey literature sources, for systematic reviews on clinical conditions and interventions where cognitive and microbiome outcomes were coreported. An updated search will be conducted before completion of the project if the search-to-publication date is >1 year old. Screening, data abstraction and quality assessment (AMSTAR 2, A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) will be conducted independently and in duplicate, with disagreements resolved by consensus. Evidence certainty statements for each review's conclusions (eg, Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE)) will be extracted or constructed de novo. A narrative synthesis will be conducted and delineated by the review question. Primary study overlap will be visualised using a citation matrix as well as calculated using the corrected covered area method.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

No participant-identifying information will be used in this review. No ethics approval was required due to our study methodology. Our findings will be presented at national and international conferences and disseminated via social media and press releases. We will recruit at least one person living with cognitive impairment to collaborate on writing the plain language summary for the review.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023412903.

Current status of microbial source tracking applications in constructed wetlands serving as nature-based solutions for water management and wastewater treatment

Microbial source tracking (MST) has been recognised as an effective tool for determining the origins and sources of faecal contamination in various terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Thus, it has been widely applied in environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys to define specific animal- and human-associated faecal eDNA. In this context, identification of and differentiation between anthropogenic and zoogenic faecal pollution origins and sources are pivotal for the evaluation of waterborne microbial contamination transport and the associated human, animal, and environmental health risks. These concerns are particularly pertinent to diverse nature-based solutions (NBS) that are being applied specifically to secure water safety and human and ecosystem well-being, for example, constructed wetlands (CWs) for water and wastewater treatment. The research in this area has undergone a constant evolution, and there is a solid foundation of publications available across the world. Hence, there is an early opportunity to synthesise valuable information and relevant knowledge on this specific topic, which will greatly benefit future work by improving NBS design and performance. By selecting 15 representative research reports published over 20 years, we review the current state of MST technology applied for faecal-associated contamination measures in NBS/CWs throughout the world.

Pathways of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction: A global review of empirical evidence

Ecosystems provide valuable services in reducing the risks of disasters through various pathways, which are increasingly recognized as sustainable strategies for disaster management. However, there remains limited information on the underlying ecological processes of risk reduction. This paper addresses this gap by synthesizing ecological mechanisms and evaluating the 'level of evidence' and 'scale of use' through a review of 64 peer-reviewed research articles published between 2015 to 2022. These research articles covered nine types of disasters, predominantly floods (42.19 %), followed by urban heat waves (18.75 %), storm runoff (10.94 %), coastal erosion (9.38 %), tsunamis (4.69 %), and avalanches and landslides (6.25 % each). The level of evidence supporting ecological processes for disaster risk reduction is moderate, as is the 'scale of use'. Results show that there are a few studies describing the mechanism of ecosystem-mediated risk reduction and are mostly limited to the causal relationship. Empirical evidence demonstrates that forest and freshwater ecosystems buffer the risk of urban heat through processes such as transpiration, solar radiation interception, and evaporative cooling, while flood risks are mitigated by enhancing evapotranspiration, reducing water runoff time, and facilitating infiltration rates. Coastal erosion is reduced by dissipating wave energy and through beach nourishment, which facilitates ecological succession. The review underscores that hazard attenuation depends on factors such as forest type (e.g., species composition, age structure, and area), and landscape characteristics (e.g., matrix, composition and configuration). Moreover, the geographic scope of published research is largely confined to developed countries and the global north. Multidisciplinary research involving ecologists and disaster experts is imperative to address existing knowledge gaps and enhance the integration of ecosystem-based adaptation into disaster risk reduction strategies.

Association between health literacy and self-management among middle-aged women: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to review and synthesize the literature on the association between health literacy (HL) and self-management in middle-aged women aged 35-64 years and examine the definitions and measurements of HL.

METHODS

Eleven electronic databases were used for searching specific terms. Experimental and non-experimental studies in English or Korean were included based on the eligibility criteria. Two authors independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment.

RESULTS

One experimental and 13 non-experimental studies were included. Of the 11 studies that defined HL, nine conceptualized it as reflecting multidimensional HL. Four studies measured HL capturing all dimensions of the concept (i.e., accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying) and two studies used context-specific HL measurements. Women with greater HL challenges generally had lower self-management context, process, and outcomes across the health continuum.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhancing HL is a critical strategy for improving self-management in middle-aged women. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of HL interventions on self-management considering multidimensional definitions and measures of HL.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Health professionals should be alert to middle-aged women's HL and implement HL interventions that provide them with opportunities to access, understand, analyze, and utilize health-related information to effectively improve HL and engage in self-management.

Case management interventions seeking to counter radicalisation to violence and related forms of violence: A systematic review

Background

Increasingly, counter-radicalisation interventions are using case management approaches to structure the delivery of tailored services to those at risk of engaging in, or engaged in, violent extremism. This review sets out the evidence on case management tools and approaches and is made up of two parts with the following objectives.

Objectives

Part I: (1) Synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of case management tools and approaches in interventions seeking to counter radicalisation to violence. (2) Qualitatively synthesise research examining whether case management tools and approaches are implemented as intended, and the factors that explain how they are implemented. Part II: (3) Synthesise systematic reviews to understand whether case management tools and approaches are effective at countering non-terrorism related interpersonal or collective forms of violence. (4) Qualitatively synthesise research analysing whether case management tools and approaches are implemented as intended, and what influences how they are implemented. (5) Assess the transferability of tools and approaches used in wider violence prevention work to counter-radicalisation interventions.

Search Methods

Search terms tailored for Part I and Part II were used to search research repositories, grey literature sources and academic journals for studies published between 2000 and 2022. Searches were conducted in August and September 2022. Forward and backward citation searches and consultations with experts took place between September 2022 and February 2023. Studies in English, French, German, Russian, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish were eligible.

Selection Criteria

Part I: Studies had to report on a case management intervention, tool or approach, or on specific stages of the case management process. Only experimental and stronger quasi-experimental studies were eligible for inclusion in the analysis of effectiveness. The inclusion criteria for the analysis of implementation allowed for other quantitative designs and qualitative research. Part II: Systematic reviews examining a case management intervention, tool or approach, or stage(s) of the case management process focused on countering violence were eligible for inclusion.

Data Collection and Analysis

Part I: 47 studies were eligible for Part I. No studies met the inclusion criteria for Objective 1; all eligible studies related to Objective 2. Data from these studies was synthesised using a framework synthesis approach and presented narratively. Risk of bias was assessed using the CASP (for qualitative research) and EPHPP (for quantitative research) checklists. Part I: Eight reviews were eligible for Part II. Five reviews met the inclusion criteria for Objective 3, and seven for Objective 4. Data from the studies was synthesised using a framework synthesis approach and presented narratively. Risk of bias was assessed using the AMSTAR II tool.

Findings

Part I: No eligible studies examined effectiveness of tools and approaches. Seven studies examined the implementation of different approaches, or the assumptions underpinning interventions. Clearly defined theories of change were absent, however these interventions were assessed as being implemented in line with their own underlying logic. Forty-three studies analysed the implementation of tools during individual stages of the case management process, and forty-one examined the implementation of this process as-a-whole. Factors which influenced how individual stages and the case management process as a whole were implemented included strong multi-agency working arrangements; the inclusion of relevant knowledge and expertise, and associated training; and the availability of resources. The absence of these facilitators inhibited implementation. Additional implementation barriers included overly risk-oriented logics; public and political pressure; and broader legislation. Twenty-eight studies identified moderators that shaped how interventions were delivered, including delivery context; local context; standalone interventions; and client challenges. Part II: The effectiveness of two interventions - mentoring and multi-systemic therapy - in reducing violent outcomes were each assessed by one systematic review, whilst three reviews analysed the impact that the use of risk assessment tools (n = 2) and polygraphs (n = 1) had on outcomes. All these reviews reported mixed results. Comparable factors to those identified in Part I, such as staff training and expertise and delivery context, were found to shape implementation. On the basis of this modest sample, the research on interventions to counter non-terrorism related violence was assessed to be transferable to counter-radicalisation interventions.

Authors' Conclusions

The effectiveness of existing case management tools and approaches is poorly understood, and research examining the factors that influence how different approaches are implemented is limited. However, there is a growing body of research on the factors which facilitate or generate barriers to the implementation of case management interventions. Many of the factors and moderators relevant to countering radicalisation to violence also impact how case management tools and approaches used to counter other forms of violence are implemented. Research in this wider field seems to have transferable insights for efforts to counter radicalisation to violence. This review provides a platform for further research to test the impact of different tools, and the mechanisms by which they inform outcomes. This work will benefit from using the case management framework as a way of rationalising and analysing the range of tools, approaches and processes that make up case managed interventions to counter radicalisation to violence.

Behavioral thermoregulation in primates: A review of literature and future avenues

Primates face severe challenges from climate change, with warming expected to increase animals' thermoregulatory demands. Primates have limited long-term options to cope with climate change, but possess a remarkable capacity for behavioral plasticity. This creates an urgency to better understand the behavioral mechanisms primates use to thermoregulate. While considerable information exists on primate behavioral thermoregulation, it is often scattered in the literature in a manner that is difficult to integrate. This review evaluates the status of the available literature on primate behavioral thermoregulation to facilitate future research. We surveyed peer-reviewed publications on primate thermoregulation for N = 17 behaviors across four thermoregulatory categories: activity budgeting, microhabitat use, body positioning, and evaporative cooling. We recorded data on the primate taxa evaluated, support for a thermoregulatory function, thermal variable assessed, and naturalistic/manipulative study conditions. Behavioral thermoregulation was pervasive across primates, with N = 721 cases of thermoregulatory behaviors identified across N = 284 published studies. Most genera were known to utilize multiple behaviors (x ¯  = 4.5 ± 3.1 behaviors/genera). Activity budgeting behaviors were the most commonly encountered category in the literature (54.5% of cases), while evaporative cooling behaviors were the least represented (6.9% of cases). Behavioral thermoregulation studies were underrepresented for certain taxonomic groups, including lemurs, lorises, galagos, and Central/South American primates, and there were large within-taxa disparities in representation of genera. Support for a thermoregulatory function was consistently high across all behaviors, spanning both hot- and cold-avoidance strategies. This review reveals asymmetries in the current literature and avenues for future research. Increased knowledge of the impact thermoregulatory behaviors have on biologically relevant outcomes is needed to better assess primate responses to warming environments and develop early indicators of thermal stress.

Agent-based approaches for biological modeling in oncology: A literature review

CONTEXT

Computational modeling involves the use of computer simulations and models to study and understand real-world phenomena. Its application is particularly relevant in the study of potential interactions between biological elements. It is a promising approach to understand complex biological processes and predict their behavior under various conditions.

METHODOLOGY

This paper is a review of the recent literature on computational modeling of biological systems. Our study focuses on the field of oncology and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and, in particular, agent-based modeling (ABM), between 2010 and May 2023.

RESULTS

Most of the articles studied focus on improving the diagnosis and understanding the behaviors of biological entities, with metaheuristic algorithms being the models most used. Several challenges are highlighted regarding increasing and structuring knowledge about biological systems, developing holistic models that capture multiple scales and levels of organization, reproducing emergent behaviors of biological systems, validating models with experimental data, improving computational performance of models and algorithms, and ensuring privacy and personal data protection are discussed.

Using Parent Report to Measure Vocabulary in Young Bilingual Children: A Scoping Review

A large number of children are exposed to more than one language. One well-established method of assessing early vocabulary development in monolingual children is parent report; however, its use in bilingual/multilingual contexts is less established and brings unique challenges. In this methodological scoping review, we reviewed studies of early vocabulary development using parent report with bilingual/multilingual children (January 1980-March 2022). A total of 576 articles were screened, yielding 101 studies for analysis. The number of studies on bilingual/multilingual vocabulary has grown in the last two decades; yet representation of the world's languages remains sparse. The majority of studies assessed bilingual/multilingual children's vocabulary in each language and used instruments adapted for linguistic and cultural characteristics. However, the field could benefit from standardized reporting practices regarding definitions of bi/multilingualism, selection of reporters, and tool development and is in critical need of studies that develop, validate, and norm parent report instruments specifically for the bilingual/multilingual case.

Adoption of residential rooftop solar PV systems in South Africa: A scoping review of barriers

Global sustainability challenges such as climate change are linked to carbon emissions from fossil fuel powered energy needed for commercial and household consumption. South Africa is highly depended on coal for energy production hence the transition to renewable energy sources such as solar PV is seen as a pathway towards emissions reduction and a sustainable future. Yet, despite the huge potential for solar PV technologies adoption remains very low. This scoping review examines the barriers to household solar PV adoption in South Africa to advance our understanding beyond case study level studies. We analysed all published literature on household solar PV in South Africa as a basis for finding themes, gaps, and trends on solar PV research. Review results show that key barriers can be grouped into financial, personal, institutional, technical and societal barriers, however there were no studies on barriers across an income gradient, a glaring omission given debates on just transitions. Given the complexity of the barriers ranging from personal, societal, to technical barriers, it is not reasonable to expect the government to facilitate transition to solar PV alone. Rather, collective approaches are needed to create enabling conditions for solar PV adoption such as the financial means and information availability. The private sector has a key role to play either in supporting state-initiated programmes or creating the means for solar PV adoption such as power purchase agreements. That said, the state remains a central player in facilitating an enabling economic and political environment to leverage responsiveness from other actors. Without an integrated approach to addressing barriers to solar PV adoption, solar adoption will remain a source of energy for the economically privileged, and the imperative to just transition to renewable energy a pipe dream, in a country characterised by large inequalities among households.

Integration Approaches to Model Bioreactor Hydrodynamics and Cellular Kinetics for Advancing Bioprocess Optimisation

Large-scale bioprocesses are increasing globally to cater to the larger market demands for biological products. As fermenter volumes increase, the efficiency of mixing decreases, and environmental gradients become more pronounced compared to smaller scales. Consequently, the cells experience gradients in process parameters, which in turn affects the efficiency and profitability of the process. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are being widely embraced for their ability to simulate bioprocess performance, facilitate bioprocess upscaling, downsizing, and process optimisation. Recently, CFD approaches have been integrated with dynamic Cell reaction kinetic (CRK) modelling to generate valuable information about the cellular response to fluctuating hydrodynamic parameters inside large production processes. Such coupled approaches have the potential to facilitate informed decision-making in intelligent biomanufacturing, aligning with the principles of "Industry 4.0" concerning digitalisation and automation. In this review, we discuss the benefits of utilising integrated CFD-CRK models and the different approaches to integrating CFD-based bioreactor hydrodynamic models with cellular kinetic models. We also highlight the suitability of different coupling approaches for bioprocess modelling in the purview of associated computational loads.

National Public Health Dashboards: Protocol for a Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of robust public health data systems and the potential utility of data dashboards for ensuring access to critical public health data for diverse groups of stakeholders and decision makers. As dashboards are becoming ubiquitous, it is imperative to consider how they may be best integrated with public health data systems and the decision-making routines of diverse audiences. However, additional progress on the continued development, improvement, and sustainability of these tools requires the integration and synthesis of a largely fragmented scholarship regarding the purpose, design principles and features, successful implementation, and decision-making supports provided by effective public health data dashboards across diverse users and applications.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review aims to provide a descriptive and thematic overview of national public health data dashboards including their purpose, intended audiences, health topics, design elements, impact, and underlying mechanisms of use and usefulness of these tools in decision-making processes. It seeks to identify gaps in the current literature on the topic and provide the first-of-its-kind systematic treatment of actionability as a critical design element of public health data dashboards.

METHODS

The scoping review follows the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. The review considers English-language, peer-reviewed journal papers, conference proceedings, book chapters, and reports that describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of a public health dashboard published between 2000 and 2023. The search strategy covers scholarly databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science) and gray literature sources and uses snowballing techniques. An iterative process of testing for and improving intercoder reliability was implemented to ensure that coders are properly trained to screen documents according to the inclusion criteria prior to beginning the full review of relevant papers.

RESULTS

The search process initially identified 2544 documents, including papers located via databases, gray literature searching, and snowballing. Following the removal of duplicate documents (n=1416), nonrelevant items (n=839), and items classified as literature reviews and background information (n=73), 216 documents met the inclusion criteria: US case studies (n=90) and non-US case studies (n=126). Data extraction will focus on key variables, including public health data characteristics; dashboard design elements and functionalities; intended users, usability, logistics, and operation; and indicators of usefulness and impact reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The scoping review will analyze the goals, design, use, usefulness, and impact of public health data dashboards. The review will also inform the continued development and improvement of these tools by analyzing and synthesizing current practices and lessons emerging from the literature on the topic and proposing a theory-grounded and evidence-informed framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating public health data dashboards.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/52843.

Adoption of ICT4D and its determinants: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify the determinant factors for a better adoption perspective after decades of innovation and dissemination. A systematic review was conducted on published studies that reported adoption rates and determinant factors using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. We used meta-regression and the partial correlation coefficient to estimate the effect size and establish the correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and the adoption of various technologies reported. Fifty-two studies with 32400 participants met the selection criteria and were included in the study. The results revealed an overall pooled adoption rate of 39 %, with the highest adoption rates in developing countries in Africa and South America. Socioeconomic factors such as age, education, gender, and income were found to be the main determinants and should be considered when designing technology for sustainable adoption. The study also found that young farmers were more susceptible to adoption. Moreover, farmers with higher income levels and educational attainment are more likely to use technology linked to agricultural production, market access, and digital advising, implying that high-income farmers with more education are more tech-savvy. However, this does not exclude low-income and low-educated farmers from adopting the technologies, as many models and strategies with socioeconomic considerations were developed. It is one of the reasons behind the underlying enthusiasm for digital agricultural adoption in low and middle-income countries.

On the additive artificial intelligence-based discovery of nanoparticle neurodegenerative disease drug delivery systems

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by slowly progressing neuronal cell death. Conventional drug treatment strategies often fail because of poor solubility, low bioavailability, and the inability of the drugs to effectively cross the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, the development of new neurodegenerative disease drugs (NDDs) requires immediate attention. Nanoparticle (NP) systems are of increasing interest for transporting NDDs to the central nervous system. However, discovering effective nanoparticle neuronal disease drug delivery systems (N2D3Ss) is challenging because of the vast number of combinations of NP and NDD compounds, as well as the various assays involved. Artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) algorithms have the potential to accelerate this process by predicting the most promising NDD and NP candidates for assaying. Nevertheless, the relatively limited amount of reported data on N2D3S activity compared to assayed NDDs makes AI/ML analysis challenging. In this work, the IFPTML technique, which combines information fusion (IF), perturbation theory (PT), and machine learning (ML), was employed to address this challenge. Initially, we conducted the fusion into a unified dataset comprising 4403 NDD assays from ChEMBL and 260 NP cytotoxicity assays from journal articles. Through a resampling process, three new working datasets were generated, each containing 500,000 cases. We utilized linear discriminant analysis (LDA) along with artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms, such as multilayer perceptron (MLP) and deep learning networks (DLN), to construct linear and non-linear IFPTML models. The IFPTML-LDA models exhibited sensitivity (Sn) and specificity (Sp) values in the range of 70% to 73% (>375,000 training cases) and 70% to 80% (>125,000 validation cases), respectively. In contrast, the IFPTML-MLP and IFPTML-DLN achieved Sn and Sp values in the range of 85% to 86% for both training and validation series. Additionally, IFPTML-ANN models showed an area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of approximately 0.93 to 0.95. These results indicate that the IFPTML models could serve as valuable tools in the design of drug delivery systems for neurosciences.

Adaptation of the technology readiness levels for impact assessment in implementation sciences: The TRL-IS checklist

Background

Intervention development is a critical process in implementation research. There are key stages involved in the process to design, pilot, demonstrate and release a technology or an intervention. The Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a globally accepted instrument for assessing the maturity of research development. However, the original levels do not fit all, and some adjustments are required for its applicability in implementation sciences.

Aims

This study aimed to gather the prior knowledge base on TRL in public and population health research; to develop a standard definition of readiness, and to adapt and validate the TRL to an implementation science context (TRL-IS).

Materials and methods

A Mixed methods approach has been followed in this study. A scoping review using the PRISMA extension (PRISMA-ScR) informed a nominal expert panel for developing a standard definition of readiness and to modify the TRL following an ontoterminology approach. Then the maturity of six practical case study examples were rated by ten researchers using the modified TRL to estimate inter-rater reliability, and a group of experts provided final content and face validity and feasibility.This mixed methods study included 1) a scoping review to examine the current literature and develop a knowledge base, identify knowledge gaps and to clarify concepts; 2) the development of a standard definition of 'Readiness' and related terms; and 3) adaptation of the TRL to implementation science and development of a checklist to rate the maturity of applications.A standard definition of readiness and related terms was produced by the core team, and an international nominal group (n = 30) was conducted to discuss and validate the definition and terms, and the location of 'Readiness' in the initiation and early development phases of implementation.Following feedback from the nominal group, the development of the TRL-IS was finalised and a TRL-IS rating checklist was developed to rate the maturity of applications. The TRL-IS checklist was tested using six cases based on real world studies on implementation research.The inter-rater reliability of the TRL-IS was evaluated by ten raters and finally six raters evaluated the content and face validity, and feasibility, of the TRL-IS checklist using the System Usability Scale (SUS).

Results

Few papers (n = 11) utilised the TRL to evaluate the readiness of readiness of health and social science implementation research. The main changes in the adaption of the TRL-IS included the removal of laboratory testing, limiting the use of "operational" environment and a clearer distinction between level 6 (pilot in a relevant environment) and 7 (demonstration in the real world prior to release). The adapted version was considered relevant by the expert panel. The TRL-IS checklist showed evidence of good inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.90 with 95 % confident interval = 0.74-0.98, p < .001) and provides a consistent metric.

Conclusions

In spite of recommendations made by national and international research funding agencies, few health and social science implementation studies include the TRL as part of their evaluation protocol. The TRL-IS offers a high degree of conceptual clarity between scientific maturity phases or readiness levels, and good reliability among raters of varying experience. This study highlights that adoption of the TRL-IS framework in implementation sciences will bolster the scientific robustness and comparability of research maturity in this domain.

Rain, rain, go away, come again another day: do climate variations enhance the spread of COVID-19?

The spread of infectious diseases was further promoted due to busy cities, increased travel, and climate change, which led to outbreaks, epidemics, and even pandemics. The world experienced the severity of the 125 nm virus called the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019. Many investigations revealed a strong correlation between humidity and temperature relative to the kinetics of the virus's spread into the hosts. This study aimed to solve the riddle of the correlation between environmental factors and COVID-19 by applying RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES) with the designed research question. Five temperature and humidity-related themes were deduced via the review processes, namely 1) The link between solar activity and pandemic outbreaks, 2) Regional area, 3) Climate and weather, 4) Relationship between temperature and humidity, and 5) the Governmental disinfection actions and guidelines. A significant relationship between solar activities and pandemic outbreaks was reported throughout the review of past studies. The grand solar minima (1450-1830) and solar minima (1975-2020) coincided with the global pandemic. Meanwhile, the cooler, lower humidity, and low wind movement environment reported higher severity of cases. Moreover, COVID-19 confirmed cases and death cases were higher in countries located within the Northern Hemisphere. The Blackbox of COVID-19 was revealed through the work conducted in this paper that the virus thrives in cooler and low-humidity environments, with emphasis on potential treatments and government measures relative to temperature and humidity. HIGHLIGHTS: • The coronavirus disease 2019 (COIVD-19) is spreading faster in low temperatures and humid area. • Weather and climate serve as environmental drivers in propagating COVID-19. • Solar radiation influences the spreading of COVID-19. • The correlation between weather and population as the factor in spreading of COVID-19.

The Multifaceted Effects of Non-Steroidal and Non-Opioid Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Drugs on Platelets: Current Knowledge, Limitations, and Future Perspectives

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most widely utilized pharmaceuticals worldwide. Besides their recognized anti-inflammatory effects, these drugs exhibit various other pleiotropic effects in several cells, including platelets. Within this article, the multifaceted properties of NSAIDs on platelet functions, activation and viability, as well as their interaction(s) with established antiplatelet medications, by hindering several platelet agonists' pathways and receptors, are thoroughly reviewed. The efficacy and safety of NSAIDs as adjunctive therapies for conditions involving inflammation and platelet activation are also discussed. Emphasis is given to the antiplatelet potential of commonly administered NSAIDs medications, such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen and ketoprofen, alongside non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic medications like paracetamol. This article delves into their mechanisms of action against different pathways of platelet activation, aggregation and overall platelet functions, highlighting additional health-promoting properties of these anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, without neglecting the induced by these drugs' side-effects on platelets' functionality and thrombocytopenia. Environmental issues emerging from the ever-increased subscription of these drugs are also discussed, along with the need for novel water treatment methodologies for their appropriate elimination from water and wastewater samples. Despite being efficiently eliminated during wastewater treatment processes on occasion, NSAIDs remain prevalent and are found at significant concentrations in water bodies that receive effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), since there is no one-size-fits-all solution for removing all contaminants from wastewater, depending on the specific characteristics of the wastewater. Several novel methods have been studied, with adsorption being proposed as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for wastewater purification from such drugs. This article also presents limitations and future prospects regarding the observed antiplatelet effects of NSAIDs, as well as the potential of novel derivatives of these compounds, with benefits in other important platelet functions.

Mental health of veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Research has shown that veterinarians around the world are at high risk of mental health problems, but far less research has examined the mental health of veterinary nurses (VNs) and student veterinary nurses (SVNs). This scoping review aimed to map existing evidence on this topic and identify knowledge gaps.

METHODS

Literature searches of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar were conducted, and a structured screening and selection procedure was applied. To be included, studies had to be peer reviewed, report relevant results specific to VNs and/or SVNs, and provide descriptive statistics if using quantitative methods.

RESULTS

Of the 2118 publications identified, only 13 journal articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings were summarised in five categories: mental health and wellbeing, burnout, stress, compassion fatigue and moral distress. While the findings of five of the studies suggested that some VNs and SVNs experienced some form of poor mental health, these studies lacked generalisability or transferability for multiple reasons. There was also inconsistency and ambiguity in the interpretation of findings, as well as incompatible or oversimplified definitions of mental health problems.

LIMITATIONS

Our review excluded grey literature, such as reports, theses and conference presentations, as a preliminary search found very little empirical research on VNs' and SVNs' mental health in this type of publication.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is needed to address the gaps in the existing evidence supporting our understanding of VN and SVN mental health. This should establish baseline measures and include comparisons with other occupational and national populations.

Investigating the nature of open science practices across complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine journals: An audit

BACKGROUND

Open science practices are implemented across many scientific fields to improve transparency and reproducibility in research. Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) is a growing field that may benefit from adoption of open science practices. The efficacy and safety of CAIM practices, a popular concern with the field, can be validated or refuted through transparent and reliable research. Investigating open science practices across CAIM journals by using the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines can potentially promote open science practices across CAIM journals. The purpose of this study is to conduct an audit that compares and ranks open science practices adopted by CAIM journals against TOP guidelines laid out by the Center for Open Science (COS).

METHODS

CAIM-specific journals with titles containing the words "complementary", "alternative" and/or "integrative" were included in this audit. Each of the eight TOP criteria were used to extract open science practices from each of the CAIM journals. Data was summarized by the TOP guideline and ranked using the TOP Factor to identify commonalities and differences in practices across the included journals.

RESULTS

A total of 19 CAIM journals were included in this audit. Across all journals, the mean TOP Factor was 2.95 with a median score of 2. The findings of this study reveal high variability among the open science practices required by journals in this field. Four journals (21%) had a final TOP score of 0, while the total scores of the remaining 15 (79%) ranged from 1 to 8.

CONCLUSION

While several studies have audited open science practices across discipline-specific journals, none have focused on CAIM journals. The results of this study indicate that CAIM journals provide minimal guidelines to encourage or require authors to adhere to open science practices and there is an opportunity to improve the use of open science practices in the field.

Racism against healthcare users in inpatient care: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Racism in the healthcare system has become a burgeoning focus in health policy-making and research. Existing research has shown both interpersonal and structural forms of racism limiting access to quality healthcare for racialised healthcare users. Nevertheless, little is known about the specifics of racism in the inpatient sector, specifically hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. The aim of this scoping review is therefore to map the evidence on racial discrimination experienced by people receiving treatment in inpatient settings (hospitals and rehabilitation facilities) or their caregivers in high-income countries, focusing specifically on whether intersectional axes of discrimination have been taken into account when describing these experiences.

METHODS

Based on the conceptual framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley, this scoping review surveyed existing research on racism and racial discrimination in inpatient care in high-income countries published between 2013 and 2023. The software Rayyan was used to support the screening process while MAXQDA was used for thematic coding.

RESULTS

Forty-seven articles were included in this review. Specifics of the inpatient sector included different hospitalisation, admission and referral rates within and across hospitals; the threat of racial discrimination from other healthcare users; and the spatial segregation of healthcare users according to ethnic, religious or racialised criteria. While most articles described some interactions between race and other social categories in the sample composition, the framework of intersectionality was rarely considered explicitly during analysis.

DISCUSSION

While the USA continue to predominate in discussions, other high-income countries including Canada, Australia and the UK also examine racism in their own healthcare systems. Absent from the literature are studies from a wider range of European countries as well as of racialised and disadvantaged groups other than refugees or recent immigrants. Research in this area would also benefit from an engagement with approaches to intersectionality in public health to produce a more nuanced understanding of the interactions of racism with other axes of discrimination. As inpatient care exhibits a range of specific structures, future research and policy-making ought to consider these specifics to develop targeted interventions, including training for non-clinical staff and robust, transparent and accessible complaint procedures.

Advances in sample preparation methods for pesticide residue analysis in medicinal plants: A focus on Nepal

Medicinal plant safety is a rising challenge worldwide due to the continued overuse of pesticides to their maximum residue limits. Due to the high demand for medicinal plants, their production is being increased and sometimes protected by pesticide use. The analysis of these residues requires robust analytical methods to ensure the safety and quality of medicinal plants. Developing effective sample preparation for detecting pesticides is challenging, due to their diverse natures, classes, and physico-chemical characteristics. Hence, existing techniques and strategies are needed to improve the reliability of the results. The review discusses the current state of sample preparation techniques, analytical methods, and instrumental technologies employed in pesticide residue analysis in medicinal plants. It highlights the challenges, limitations, and advancements in the field, providing insights into the analytical strategies used to detect and quantify pesticide residues. Reliable, accessible, affordable, and high-resolution analytical procedures are essential to ensure that pesticide levels in medicinal plants are effectively regulated. By understanding the complexities of pesticide residue analysis in medicinal plants, this review article aims to support the conservation of medicinal plant resources, promote public health, and contribute to the development of sustainable strategies for ensuring the safety and quality of medicinal plants in Nepal. The findings of this review will benefit researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in the conservation of medicinal plant resources and the promotion of public health.

Defining human-centricity in Industry 5.0 and assessing the readiness of ergonomics/human factors communities in UK

There is a lack of a clear and consistent definition of human-centricity in Industry 5.0. This study identified the definition of human-centricity in Industry 5.0 through a systematic literature review and used it to assess the readiness of Ergonomics/Human Factors communities in the UK. The assessment of the communities readiness was conducted by reviewing UK accredited courses and events of three professional bodies; and interviewing practitioners (n = 8). Eleven themes were identified as elements of human-centricity from the thematic analysis of 30 publications. Gaps that had to be addressed to better equip UK practitioners to support the realisation of human-centricity in Industry 5.0 were also identified.

Sustainable Development versus Extractivist Deforestation in Tropical, Subtropical, and Boreal Forest Ecosystems: Repercussions and Controversies about the Mother Tree and the Mycorrhizal Network Hypothesis

This research reviews the phenomenon of extractive deforestation as a possible trigger for cascade reactions that could affect part of the forest ecosystem and its biodiversity (surface, aerial, and underground) in tropical, subtropical, and boreal forests. The controversy and disparities in criteria generated in the international scientific community around the hypothesis of a possible link between "mother trees" and mycorrhizal networks in coopetition for nutrients, nitrogen, and carbon are analyzed. The objective is to promote awareness to generate more scientific knowledge about the eventual impacts of forest extraction. Public policies are emphasized as crucial mediators for balanced sustainable development. Currently, the effects of extractive deforestation on forest ecosystems are poorly understood, which requires caution and forest protection. Continued research to increase our knowledge in molecular biology is advocated to understand the adaptation of biological organisms to the new conditions of the ecosystem both in the face of extractive deforestation and reforestation. The environmental impacts of extractive deforestation, such as the loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, altered water cycles, and the contribution of climate change, remain largely unknown. Long-term and high-quality research is essential to ensure forest sustainability and the preservation of biodiversity for future generations.

Semantic Interoperability of Electronic Health Records: Systematic Review of Alternative Approaches for Enhancing Patient Information Availability

Background

Semantic interoperability facilitates the exchange of and access to health data that are being documented in electronic health records (EHRs) with various semantic features. The main goals of semantic interoperability development entail patient data availability and use in diverse EHRs without a loss of meaning. Internationally, current initiatives aim to enhance semantic development of EHR data and, consequently, the availability of patient data. Interoperability between health information systems is among the core goals of the European Health Data Space regulation proposal and the World Health Organization's Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020-2025.

Objective

To achieve integrated health data ecosystems, stakeholders need to overcome challenges of implementing semantic interoperability elements. To research the available scientific evidence on semantic interoperability development, we defined the following research questions: What are the key elements of and approaches for building semantic interoperability integrated in EHRs? What kinds of goals are driving the development? and What kinds of clinical benefits are perceived following this development?

Methods

Our research questions focused on key aspects and approaches for semantic interoperability and on possible clinical and semantic benefits of these choices in the context of EHRs. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review in PubMed by defining our study framework based on previous research.

Results

Our analysis consisted of 14 studies where data models, ontologies, terminologies, classifications, and standards were applied for building interoperability. All articles reported clinical benefits of the selected approach to enhancing semantic interoperability. We identified 3 main categories: increasing the availability of data for clinicians (n=6, 43%), increasing the quality of care (n=4, 29%), and enhancing clinical data use and reuse for varied purposes (n=4, 29%). Regarding semantic development goals, data harmonization and developing semantic interoperability between different EHRs was the largest category (n=8, 57%). Enhancing health data quality through standardization (n=5, 36%) and developing EHR-integrated tools based on interoperable data (n=1, 7%) were the other identified categories. The results were closely coupled with the need to build usable and computable data out of heterogeneous medical information that is accessible through various EHRs and databases (eg, registers).

Conclusions

When heading toward semantic harmonization of clinical data, more experiences and analyses are needed to assess how applicable the chosen solutions are for semantic interoperability of health care data. Instead of promoting a single approach, semantic interoperability should be assessed through several levels of semantic requirements A dual model or multimodel approach is possibly usable to address different semantic interoperability issues during development. The objectives of semantic interoperability are to be achieved in diffuse and disconnected clinical care environments. Therefore, approaches for enhancing clinical data availability should be well prepared, thought out, and justified to meet economically sustainable and long-term outcomes.

In Vitro Toxicological Insights from the Biomedical Applications of Iron Carbide Nanoparticles in Tumor Theranostics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

(1) Background: Despite the encouraging indications regarding the suitability (biocompatibility) of iron carbide nanoparticles (ICNPs) in various biomedical applications, the published evidence of their biosafety is dispersed and relatively sparse. The present review synthesizes the existing nanotoxicological data from in vitro studies relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. (2) Methods: A systematic review was performed in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Wiley Online Library) on December 2023, searching for toxicity assessments of ICNPs of different sizes, coatings, and surface modifications investigated in immortalized human and murine cell lines. The risk of bias in the studies was assessed using the ToxRTool for in vitro studies. (3) Results: Among the selected studies (n = 22), cell viability emerged as the most frequently assessed cellular-level toxicity endpoint. The results of the meta-analysis showed that cell models treated with ICNPs had a reduced cell viability (SMD = -2.531; 95% CI: -2.959 to -2.109) compared to untreated samples. A subgroup analysis was performed due to the high magnitude of heterogeneity (I2 = 77.1%), revealing that ICNP concentration and conjugated ligands are the factors that largely influence toxicity (p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: A dose-dependent cytotoxicity of ICNP exposure was observed, regardless of the health status of the cell, tested organism, and NP size. Inconsistent reporting of ICNP physicochemical properties was noted, which hinders comparability among the studies. A comprehensive exploration of the available in vivo studies is required in future research to assess the safety of ICNPs' use in bioimaging and cancer treatment.

Private groundwater contamination and risk management: A comparative scoping review of similarities, drivers and challenges across two socio-economically developed regions

Consolidation of multi-domain risk management research is essential for strategies facilitating the concerted government (educational) and population-level (behavioural) actions required to reduce microbial private groundwater contamination. However, few studies to date have synthesised this literature or sought to ascertain the causal generality and extent of supply contamination and preventive responses. In light of the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Ontario's high reliance and research focus on private wells and consequent utility for empirical comparison, a scoping review of pertinent literature (1990-2022) from both regions was undertaken. The SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention, Comparison, Evaluation) method was employed to inform literature searches, with Scopus and Web of Science selected as primary databases for article identification. The review identified 65 relevant articles (Ontario = 34, ROI = 31), with those investigating well user actions (n = 22) and groundwater quality (n = 28) the most frequent. A markedly higher pooled proportion of private supplies in the ROI exhibited microbial contamination (38.3 % vs. 4.1 %), despite interregional similarities in contamination drivers (e.g., weather, physical supply characteristics). While Ontarian well users demonstrated higher rates of historical (≥ 1) and annual well testing (90.6 % vs. 71.1 %; 39.1 % vs. 8.6 %) and higher rates of historical well treatment (42.3 % vs. 24.3 %), interregional levels of general supply knowledge were analogous (70.7 % vs. 71.0 %). Financial cost, organoleptic properties and residence on property during supply construction emerged as predictors of cognition and behaviour in both regions. Review findings suggest broad interregional similarities in drivers of supply contamination and individual-level risk mitigation, indicating that divergence in contamination rates may be attributable to policy discrepancies - particularly well testing incentivisation. The paucity of identified intervention-oriented studies further highlights the importance of renewed research and policy agendas for improved, targeted well user outreach and incentivised, convenience-based services promoting routine supply maintenance.