Methodology of a systematic review

Comparing the efficacy of traditional Chinese exercises and general aerobic exercises in university students with sleep disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to compare the impact of traditional Chinese exercise (TCEs) and general aerobic exercise (GAEs) on the sleep quality of university students and to determine which exercise is more effective in improving sleep quality in this specific population.

METHODS

We utilized Review Manager 5.3 to analyze data from 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which included a total of 1252 participants. Effect sizes of TCEs and GAEs were compared using a random-effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted on 3 modulating variables: times per session, frequency per week, and period.

RESULTS

A Meta-analysis of 14 RCTs showed that both TCEs (standard mean difference [SMD] = -0.89, 95% CI: -1.18 to -0.61; P < .00001) and GAEs (SMD = -1.53, 95% CI: -2.10 to -0.97; P < .00001) can significantly improve the sleep of university students, with a significant difference between TCEs and GAEs (P = .05). Both GAEs and TCEs had positive effects on various aspects of sleep quality, including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbance, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. A subgroup analysis of aerobic exercise showed that the effect size was larger in the 40 to 60 minutes group compared to the 60 to 90 minutes group (SMD = -1.89; 95% CI: -2.19 to -1.59; P < .00001). Furthermore, the effect size was larger in the 3 to 5 times per week group compared to the 2 times per week group (SMD = -1.56; 95% CI: -2.33 to -0.80; P < .0001). The effect size was also found to be larger in a period of 2 to 4 weeks compared to 6 to 18 weeks (SMD = -1.85; 95% CI: -2.17 to -1.54; P < .00001).

CONCLUSION

GAEs is more effective than TCEs in improving the sleep quality of university students. An optimal aerobic exercise regimen for enhancing sleep quality among university students involves engaging in sessions lasting 40~60 minutes, 3~5 times per week, over a duration of 4 weeks.

Teaching critical thinking in nutritional sciences: a model course and assignments

Critical thinking is a common and important learning outcome in college curricula. Case-based and problem-based learning can be used to assess and foster critical thinking skills. HNF 250-Contemporary Issues in Human Nutrition is a critical thinking course developed during the redesign of a nutritional sciences major program. Course assignments were designed to assess the course and nutritional sciences major learning outcomes. The nutrition and health claim assignment is scaffolded across the academic semester as three assignments: 1) bibliography assignment; 2) poster presentation; and 3) paper. Course lectures and materials have been designed to prepare students for completion of each assignment. The assignments have been modified over time based on classroom observations and student performance. In 2021, the course learning outcomes were examined by assessing several assignments including the nutrition and health claim poster and paper. Course learning outcome benchmarks using these assessments generally included 80% of students achieving an 80% for each criterion. Results revealed that students were not meeting most of these assessment benchmarks during the 2021 iteration, although benchmark data from other course assessments were more satisfactory. It is possible that the transition from a virtual to an in-person format negatively influenced student performance on these course learning outcomes. This course and the nutrition and health claim assignment example can provide a course design and learning outcome assessment framework for other higher education critical thinking courses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This paper describes how a scaffolded nutrition and health claim assignment is used to teach critical thinking skills among nutritional sciences students and examine the program's learning outcomes. Further, this course example is to serve as an model for STEM majors on how to incorporate case-based and problem-based learning strategies into an undergraduate course.

Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in the study of mental disorder: A systematic review

Dopamine and norepinephrine are implicated in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, but non-invasive study of their neuronal function remains challenging. Recent research suggests that neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) techniques may overcome this limitation by enabling the non-invasive imaging of the substantia nigra (SN)/ ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopaminergic and locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic systems. A review of 19 studies that met the criteria for NM-MRI application in mental disorders found that despite the use of heterogeneous sequence parameters and metrics, nearly all studies reported differences in contrast ratio (CNR) of LC or SN/VTA between patients with mental disorders and healthy controls. These findings suggest that NM-MRI is a valuable tool in psychiatry, but the differences in sequence parameters across studies hinder comparability, and a standardized analysis pipeline is needed to improve the reliability of results. Further research using standardized methods is needed to better understand the role of dopamine and norepinephrine in mental disorders.

Is Pilates effective in improving depressive disorders? A comprehensive overview

Depressive disorders are disabling conditions that account for high social costs. Pilates demonstrated to have several beneficial effects on health. Objective of this manuscript was to systematically review the literature about the effects of Pilates on depressive disorders. A bibliographic search was conducted in the main database sources (Pubmed, Medline, and Scopus). The inclusion criteria consisted of articles written in English language about the effectiveness of Pilates on depressive symptoms. Most of included studies are randomized controlled trials (10 out of 12). The available literature agrees in indicating that Pilates is effective in improving depressive symptoms especially when compared to inactivity and when this practice is administered for a medium-long period (8-16 weeks). In addition, Pilates seems to have at least comparable effectiveness than aerobic exercise. Pilates can be considered a reliable complementary treatment for people with depressive disorders. These findings should be interpreted considering the different types of practice administered as well as the different duration of the programs or rating scales used to assess mood symptoms. Studies with a more homogenous design are needed to confirm and make generalizable the results presented in this review.

Why do patients with urinary diversions have an increased risk of bone fracture? A systematic review on risk factors for osteoporosis and bone mineral density loss in this group of patients

INTRODUCTION

Patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversions (UD) are at increased risk of bone fractures compared to the general population. Although a loss of bone mineral density (BMD) has been described in patients with UD, we still do not know with certainty why these patients follow this tendency.

OBJECTIVE

We performed a systematic review of the available literature to analyze the prevalence of osteoporosis and bone alterations in patients with ileal UD and the possible associated risk factors.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We systematically searched PubMed® and Cochrane Library for original articles published before December 2022 according to PRISMA guidelines.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

A total of 394 publications were identified. We selected 12 studies that met the inclusion criteria with 496 patients included. Six of the twelve studies showed decreased BMD values. Prevalence of osteoporosis was specified in three articles, with values ranging ​​from 0% to 36%. Risk factors such as age, sex, body mass index, metabolic acidosis and renal function appear to have an impact on bone tissue reduction, while type of UD, follow-up, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathormone had less evidence or contradictory data. The heterogeneity of the studies analyzed could led to interpretation bias.

CONCLUSIONS

UD are associated with multiple risk factors for osteoporosis and bone fractures. Identifying patients at highest risk and establishing diagnostic protocols in routine clinical practice are essential to reduce the risk of fractures and the resulting complications.

Coxiella burnetii infections from animals and ticks in South Africa: a systematic review

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic intracellular bacterium that is widely distributed and affects domestic animals, wildlife, humans and non-mammalian species. This systematic review was aimed at synthesizing research findings on C. burnetii in both domestic and wild animals of South Africa. The systematic review protocol was registered with Open Society Foundations of systematic reviews ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8WS ). PRISMA guidelines were followed to collect and evaluate relevant scientific articles published on C. burnetii infecting domestic and wild animals in South Africa. Published articles were sourced from five electronic databases, namely, Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect, EBSCO and Scopus. Results showed 11 eligible studies involving four domestic animals, three wild animals and one ectoparasite species from seven provinces across South Africa. The occurrence of C. burnetii infection was high in Ceratotherium simum (white rhinoceros) (53.9%), medium in sheep (29.0%) and low in pigs (0.9%). Limpopo province (26%) had the most recorded infections followed by KwaZulu-Natal (19%) and Free State (3%) had the least reported occurrence of C. burnetii. The current study discovered that there is scarcity of published research on prevalence and distribution of C. burnetii infecting domestic and wild animals in South Africa, and this is of concern as this bacterium is an important zoonotic pathogen of "One Health" importance.

Writing a Scientific Review Article: Comprehensive Insights for Beginners

Review articles present comprehensive overview of relevant literature on specific themes and synthesise the studies related to these themes, with the aim of strengthening the foundation of knowledge and facilitating theory development. The significance of review articles in science is immeasurable as both students and researchers rely on these articles as the starting point for their research. Interestingly, many postgraduate students are expected to write review articles for journal publications as a way of demonstrating their ability to contribute to new knowledge in their respective fields. However, there is no comprehensive instructional framework to guide them on how to analyse and synthesise the literature in their niches into publishable review articles. The dearth of ample guidance or explicit training results in students having to learn all by themselves, usually by trial and error, which often leads to high rejection rates from publishing houses. Therefore, this article seeks to identify these challenges from a beginner's perspective and strives to plug the identified gaps and discrepancies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to serve as a systematic guide for emerging scientists and to summarise the most important information on how to write and structure a publishable review article.

A systematic literature review of the role of trust and security on Fintech adoption in banking

Fintech's development has amplified cybercrime, prompting trust and security concerns in banking. While earlier research predominantly viewed Fintech adoption through a tech-centric lens, emphasising its benefits, there is a paucity of studies on cognitive resistance arising from Fintech controversies. This review synthesises previous Fintech literature on behavioural intentions in banking, emphasising the role of trust, security, and other factors, and highlights existing research gaps. Utilising the ROSES (RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses) framework, a Systematic Literature Review was conducted, analysing 26 articles from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases (2009-2022). Thematic analysis produces five primary themes (UTAUT2 variables; risk; trust; quality; and other), branching into 24 sub-themes. The weight analysis emphasises the best well-utilised predictors like performance expectancy, trust, security, perceived usefulness, and attitude. In addition, the review identifies research gaps and offers recommendations for future studies using the TCCM (Theory, Context, Constructs, and Method) framework. This research provides insights to Fintech companies and regulatory authorities on the preferred attributes of Fintech services that can enhance their adoption within the banking sector.

Appraising systematic reviews: a comprehensive guide to ensuring validity and reliability

Systematic reviews play a crucial role in evidence-based practices as they consolidate research findings to inform decision-making. However, it is essential to assess the quality of systematic reviews to prevent biased or inaccurate conclusions. This paper underscores the importance of adhering to recognized guidelines, such as the PRISMA statement and Cochrane Handbook. These recommendations advocate for systematic approaches and emphasize the documentation of critical components, including the search strategy and study selection. A thorough evaluation of methodologies, research quality, and overall evidence strength is essential during the appraisal process. Identifying potential sources of bias and review limitations, such as selective reporting or trial heterogeneity, is facilitated by tools like the Cochrane Risk of Bias and the AMSTAR 2 checklist. The assessment of included studies emphasizes formulating clear research questions and employing appropriate search strategies to construct robust reviews. Relevance and bias reduction are ensured through meticulous selection of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Accurate data synthesis, including appropriate data extraction and analysis, is necessary for drawing reliable conclusions. Meta-analysis, a statistical method for aggregating trial findings, improves the precision of treatment impact estimates. Systematic reviews should consider crucial factors such as addressing biases, disclosing conflicts of interest, and acknowledging review and methodological limitations. This paper aims to enhance the reliability of systematic reviews, ultimately improving decision-making in healthcare, public policy, and other domains. It provides academics, practitioners, and policymakers with a comprehensive understanding of the evaluation process, empowering them to make well-informed decisions based on robust data.

Protocol to develop a framework addressing barriers to utilization of elimination of mother- to -child transmission of HIV services among pregnant women and lactating mothers in Gauteng province

Mother-to-child transmission of HIV remains the primary contributor to HIV infections in children, globally. Despite the progress made to reduce new HIV infections in children, barriers to utilization of the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission service remain the bottleneck that affects the program's effectiveness. This study aims to develop a framework to address barriers to the utilization of the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV services among pregnant women and lactating mothers in Gauteng province. A convergent parallel mixed methods design will be employed in phases. Phase 1(a) quantitative will be collected from pregnant women and lactating mothers to describe barriers associated with poor utilization of elimination of mother-to-child transmission services and a potential strategy to facilitate EMTCT utilization; phase 1(b) qualitative data will be collected to explore reasons for poor utilization of EMTCT services and perceived strategy to enhance women's utilization of elimination of mother-to-child transmission services. Quantitative data will be analyzed using Stata software version 14.0 and qualitative data will be analyzed thematically and then results will be integrated. Phase 2: will focus on the development of a framework; Phase 3: will validate the developed framework. The conclusion and recommendations will be based on the findings of the study.

Understanding foot conditions, morphologies and functions in children: a current review

This study provided a comprehensive updated review of the biological aspects of children foot morphology across different ages, sex, and weight, aiming to reveal the patterns of normal and pathological changes in children feet during growth and development. This review article comprised 25 papers in total that satisfied the screening standards. The aim was to investigate how weight changes, age and sex affect foot type, and gain a deeper understanding of the prevalent foot deformities that occur during children growth. Three different foot morphological conditions were discussed, specifically including the effect of sex and age differences, the effect of weight changes, and abnormal foot morphologies commonly documented during growth. This review found that sex, age, and weight changes would affect foot size, bony structure, foot posture, and plantar pressures during child growth. As a result of this biological nature, the children's feet generally exhibit neutral and internally rotated foot postures, which frequently lead to abnormal foot morphologies (e.g., flat foot, pronated foot, etc.). In the future, attention shall be paid to the causal factors leading to specific foot morphologies during the growth and development of children. However, sufficient evidence could not be provided due to a relatively short period of investigation and non-uniformed research methodology in the current literature. A more comprehensive and in-depth exploration is recommended to provide scientific evidence for the discovery of children foot development and personalized growth pattern.

Efficacy and safety of spesolimab for the management of generalized pustular psoriasis: a drug safety evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a rare form of psoriasis (less of 1% of cases). Currently, GPP is recognized as a clinical entity, distinguished from plaque psoriasis. However, there are not guidelines for GPP management and treatments are often derived from plaque psoriasis. Therefore, conventional systemic drugs are usually used as first-line treatment options, and biologics are still used off label. Recently, spesolimab, an anti-IL36 receptor humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody, has been specifically approved for GPP disease, revolutionizing treatment scenario.

AREAS COVERED

The aim of this review is to investigate current literature on the use of spesolimab for GPP management to underline its potential role in GPP and offer a current clinical perspective. Literature research using the Google Scholar, Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Skin, and clinicaltrials.gov databases was performed, selecting the most relevant manuscripts.

EXPERT OPINION

Spesolimab is efficacious and has a consistent and favorable safety profile in patients presenting with a GPP flare. However, despite excellent results in terms of safety and efficacy have been reported by both clinical trials and very limited real-life experiences, long-term data, especially in flare-up prevention, are scant. Thus, while the available data are encouraging, further research is warranted to understand the efficacy, safety, and long-term outcomes associated with spesolimab treatment in GPP.

Digital Therapy: Alleviating Anxiety and Depression in Adolescent Students During COVID-19 Online Learning - A Scoping Review

The learning method has changed from offline to online since Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic cause mental health problems in students such as stress, anxiety, and even depression. Interventions to reduce mental health problems in adolescents need to be carried out digitally to reduce the transmission of Coronavirus Disease 2019. The purpose of this study is to explore methods of digital therapy to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression among students during the Coronavirus Disease 2019. A scoping review study design was used in this study. Database the study from CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus databases. This study used PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) and for quality appraisal used JBI Quality Appraisal. The inclusion criteria for articles in this study are full text, randomized control trial or quasi-experiment research design, English language, students sample, and the publication period during COVID-19 pandemic (2019-2022). There were found 13 articles discussing digital therapy and it was found that the digital therapy model to reduce anxiety and depression includes directions through digital modules, directions via video, and asynchronous discussions via online meeting. The sample range in this study is 37-1986 students. Most of the articles come from developed countries. Delivery services of digital therapy consist of three phases, namely psycho-education, problem-solving, and implementation of problem-solving strategies. The authors found that there are four digital therapy methods, namely Improving psychological abilities, Bias-modification intervention, Self-help intervention, and Mindfulness intervention. The implementation of digital therapy must still pay attention to various aspects that affect students, so that therapists need to pay attention to physical, psychological, spiritual, and cultural aspects. Here we highlight, digital therapy interventions are proven for improving mental health by reducing depression and anxiety levels among students during the COVID-19 pandemic by paying attention to all aspects that affect students.

Metabolic acidosis after ileal urinary diversion and radical cystectomy. Do we know as much as we think we do? A systematic review

Urine contact with the mucosa of the urinary diversion (UD) after radical cystectomy (RC) produces different ion exchanges that favor the development of metabolic acidosis (MA). This phenomenon is a frequent cause of hospital readmission and short/long-term complications. We performed a systematic review of MA in RCs with ileal UD, analyzing its prevalence, diagnosis, risk factors and treatment. We systematically searched Pubmed® and Cochrane Library for original articles published before May 2022 according to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 421 articles were identified. We selected 25 studies that met the inclusion criteria involving 5811 patients. Obtaining precise data on the prevalence of MA is difficult, largely due to the heterogeneity of the diagnostic criteria used given the diversity of studies analyzed. Development of MA is multifactorial. In the early period, MA is more prevalent in patients with UD with longer ileal segments, better urinary continence, and impaired renal function. Age and diabetes are risk factors associated with MA in later periods. MA is the most common cause of second or more hospital readmissions. Prophylaxis with oral bicarbonate for three months in patients at risk could improve these results. Although MA after ileal UD is a well-known condition, this review highlights the need to implement homogeneous criteria for the diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment, in addition to protocolizing prevention/prophylaxis strategies in patients at risk.

The concomitant diagnosis of fibromyalgia and connective tissue disorders: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Anecdotally, fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and connective tissue disorders (hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Hypermobility Spectrum disorders (HSD) and Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH)) manifest overlap in their diagnostic approach and symptomatic features. Understanding this overlap is important for accurate diagnosis and the success of subsequent management. This study therefore aimed to identify the prevalence of concomitant diagnosis of FMS and hEDS/HSD/GJH in adults and their shared symptomatic manifestations using a systematic review.

METHODS

MEDLINE (via EBSCO host) was systematically searched. Observational research (case-control or single group) studies were considered for inclusion, where adults screened for hEDS/HSD/GJH and FMS were compared in terms of diagnostic prevalence, and musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal manifestations. Studies on pediatric populations were excluded. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the National Institute of Health Quality Assessment of Case-Control Studies and Jonna Briggs Critical Appraisal checklist for prevalence studies. The review was registered prospectively in PROSPERO (CRD42020216283).

FINDINGS

The review included eleven studies: nine case-control studies and two single group studies. The prevalence of concomitant diagnosis of hEDS/HSD and FMS ranged from 68%-88.9% and from 8.0 to 64.2% for GJH and FMS. The prevalence and severity of a range of objective and patient-reported features were similar between hEDS/HSD and FMS, including joint pain (duration, persistence, SF-36-pain component score); joint swelling; muscle weakness; neurological problems; multidimensional pain inventory-activity; dysautonomia and total autonomic symptoms burden (including orthostatic intolerance, reflex syncope, vasomotor, gastrointestinal, diarrhea, constipation and pupillomotor domains); function; and quality of life. Shared symptomatic features between GJH and FMS were mean pain level, tender points count, total myalgia score and psychological impact.

INTERPRETATION

There may be overlapping symptomatology and diagnostic prevalence of FMS and hEDS/HSD/GJH. Clinicians should consider both diagnoses to ensure appropriate diagnosis and management.

Micro-RNAs Predict Response to Systemic Treatments in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients: Results from a Systematic Review of the Literature

Locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinomas (mRCCs) account for up to 15% of all kidney cancer diagnoses. Systemic therapies (with or without surgery) represent gold standard treatments, mostly based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors in association with immunotherapy. We provide an overview of the current knowledge of miRNAs as predictors of treatment resistance. A systematic review of the literature was carried out in January 2022 following the PICO methodology. Overall, we included seven studies—four testing plasmatic miRNAs, two exosomal miRNAs, and one urinary miRNA. A total of 789 patients were included (354 for plasmatic miRNAs, 366 for urinary miRNAs, and 69 for exosomal miRNAs). Several miRNAs were tested within the included studies, but six plasmatic (miR9-5-p¸ miR-192, miR193-3p, miR-501-3p¸ miR-221, miR-376b-3p) one urinary (miR-30a-5p), and three exosomal (miR-35-5p, miR-301a-3p, miR-1293) were associated with resistance to systemic treatments or treatment failure in mRCC patients. Results showed a fair accuracy of these biomarkers in predicting treatment resistance and overall survival. However, to date, the biomarkers tested have not been validated and their clinical uses are not recommended. Nevertheless, the literature results are encouraging; future large clinical trials are warranted to validate the effectiveness of these tools in clinical decision-making.

Impacts of Collaborative Partnership on the Performance of Cold Supply Chains of Agriculture and Foods: Literature Review

Collaboration in a supply chain continuously proves its role in increasing the performance of supply chains, which attracts the attention of both academia and practitioners, specifically, how to generate higher impacts of collaborative partnership on the performance of supply chains and measure them. In cold supply chains of agriculture and foods, the vital need for collaboration becomes even more significant to improve the performance. Therefore, this paper reviews relevant articles derived from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Via the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), the research team classifies the types of collaborative partnership in cold agriculture and food supply chains, issues of the literature when analyzing collaboration impacts on the performance of CSCs of agriculture and foods, and finally, the opportunities for the future research to boost the collaboration practices in these cold chains. Following this sequence, 102 articles were eventually extracted for the systematic review to identify themes for not only addressing the review questions but also highlighting future research opportunities for both development of partnership integration and performance of the cold chains of agriculture and foods.

Efficacy of Magnetic Therapy in Pain Reduction in Patients with Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Systematic Review

Chronic pelvic pain (CPP), also known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), is a common and painful condition. However, its treatment is still a challenge. The findings about the beneficial effects of electromagnetic therapy provide a new, potentially valid, therapeutic alternative for the management of patients with CPP. Objectives: to analyze the efficacy of magnetic field therapy in pain reduction in patients with CPP and for other variables, such as urinary symptoms and quality of life, as well as to review the evidence, in order to establish an action protocol. A qualitative systematic review was carried out, based on the PRISMA protocol and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022285428). A search was performed in the PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane, PEDro, BVS, and WOS databases, including those articles in which the patients suffered from CPP; the study variable was pain, and the intervention was based on the application of magnetic fields. Results: Among the 81 articles found, five clinical trials were considered (with an average score of 7.2 in the PEDro scale), with a total of 278 participants, most of whom presented improvements in perceived pain (p ≤ 0.05), as well as in quality of life (p < 0.05) and urinary symptoms (p = 0.05), evaluated through the NIH-CPSI and VAS scales. The therapy was conducted as a monotherapy or in combination with a pharmacological treatment. There was no common protocol among the different articles. Conclusions: Intervention programs through electromagnetic therapy, on their own or with other therapies, can be effective in patients with CPP.

Antidepressants and Vertebral and Hip Risk Fracture: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although antidepressant drugs appear to play an active role in increasing fracture risk, their weight is still unclear. We conducted a PRISMA compliant systematic review and meta-analysis through PubMed/Scopus/Cochrane libraries and registered with PROSPERO (registration number CRD42021254006) to investigate the relationship between antidepressant drugs categories, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and TCAs, and the risk of hip and vertebral fractures. After screening 3122 items, we finally found 26 papers for qualitative analysis and 11 for quantitative synthesis. A total of 15,209,542 adult and elderly patients were identified, with a mean follow-up of 51 months and a major prevalence of women. We identified results largely for SSRIs, with only a small amount of data for SNRIs, TCAs, and NaSSA. No data were found among the most recent categories of antidepressants, such as vortioxetine and esketamine. All included studies reported hip fractures, while three of them also included vertebral fractures. Overall, we observed a significant effect of SSRIs on fracture risk with a mean effect of 0.98 (95% CI = 0.75–1.20). This meta-analysis reveals that the use of SSRIs increases the risk of fractures. Clinicians’ awareness in antidepressant prescription should optimize their potential while reducing this risk.

Possible Applications of Edge Computing in the Manufacturing Industry-Systematic Literature Review

This article presents the results of research with the main goal of identifying possible applications of edge computing (EC) in industry. This study used the methodology of systematic literature review and text mining analysis. The main findings showed that the primary goal of EC is to reduce the time required to transfer large amounts of data. With the ability to analyze data at the edge, it is possible to obtain immediate feedback and use it in the decision-making process. However, the implementation of EC requires investments not only in infrastructure, but also in the development of employee knowledge related to modern computing methods based on artificial intelligence. As the results of the analyses showed, great importance is also attached to energy consumption, both in ongoing production processes and for the purposes of data transmission and analysis. This paper also highlights problems related to quality management. Based on the analyses, we indicate further research directions for the application of edge computing and associated technologies that are required in the area of intelligent resource scheduling (for flexible production systems and autonomous systems), anomaly detection and resulting decision making, data analysis and transfer, knowledge management (for smart designing), and simulations (for autonomous systems).

A Knowledge Review on Integrated Landscape Approaches

Holistic and multi-transdisciplinary approaches, where multiple goals are achieved in order to improve resilience in societies and ecosystems in the short, medium, and long term, are ideal, even utopian. Hence, science has come together with practical experiences that highlight the importance of working at a ‘landscape’ level. Landscapes, as socio-ecological systems, are key for sustainability and sustainable development, and they represent a realistic unit to interconnect local, national, and ultimately global scales. International efforts regarding holistic natural resources management approaches are not new; however, they are currently pointing to an Integrated Landscape Approach (ILA). Based on a documentation review and analysis, the present article review aims to promote the disambiguation of the ILA concept and provide an updated synthesis knowledge on the ILA. Especially for the forest sector, the ILA has been identified as particularly beneficial, strongly highlighted by the scientific literature, and with an infrastructure of organizations that are encouraging it. The paper presents the rationale of the science behind the concept, as well as the main principles, we identified a variety of definitions with some significant points of overlap, we highlight the inclusion of ILAs in the current international arena and the relationship of ILA’s and Jurisdictional Approaches, and we make a review of the ILA in a challenging world of rapid change. Our review recognizes ILAs socio-ecological management strategy to reconcile conservation, development, climate change, and human well-being goals. ILAs naturally have a social and idealistic construction behind it, which might be just as necessary andsignificant as the journey toward sustainability itself.

Systematic Review of Functional MRI Applications for Psychiatric Disease Subtyping

Background: Psychiatric disorders have been historically classified using symptom information alone. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in research interest not only in identifying the mechanisms underlying defined pathologies but also in redefining their etiology. This is particularly relevant for the field of personalized medicine, which searches for data-driven approaches to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment selection for individual patients. Methods: This review aims to provide a high-level overview of the rapidly growing field of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from the perspective of unsupervised machine learning applications for disease subtyping. Following the PRISMA guidelines for protocol reproducibility, we searched the PubMed database for articles describing functional MRI applications used to obtain, interpret, or validate psychiatric disease subtypes. We also employed the active learning framework ASReview to prioritize publications in a machine learning-guided way. Results: From the 20 studies that met the inclusion criteria, five used functional MRI data to interpret symptom-derived disease clusters, four used it to interpret clusters derived from biomarker data other than fMRI itself, and 11 applied clustering techniques involving fMRI directly. Major depression disorder and schizophrenia were the two most frequently studied pathologies (35% and 30% of the retrieved studies, respectively), followed by ADHD (15%), psychosis as a whole (10%), autism disorder (5%), and the consequences of early exposure to violence (5%). Conclusions: The increased interest in personalized medicine and data-driven disease subtyping also extends to psychiatric disorders. However, to date, this subfield is at an incipient exploratory stage, and all retrieved studies were mostly proofs of principle where further validation and increased sample sizes are craved for. Whereas results for all explored diseases are inconsistent, we believe this reflects the need for concerted, multisite data collection efforts with a strong focus on measuring the generalizability of results. Finally, whereas functional MRI is the best way of measuring brain function available to date, its low signal-to-noise ratio and elevated monetary cost make it a poor clinical alternative. Even with technology progressing and costs decreasing, this might incentivize the search for more accessible, clinically ready functional proxies in the future.

Potential prognostic value of miRNAs as biomarker for progression and recurrence after nephrectomy in renal cell carcinoma: a literature review

OBJECTIVES

We provide a systematic literature review on tissue miRNAs in patients with RCC to evaluate and summarize their usefulness as prognostic markers. We undertook a systematic search for articles in English using the PubMed-Medline database from January 2010 to December 2020. Studies were identified and selected according to the PRISMA criteria and the PICO methodology. The population consisted of RCC patients undergoing nephrectomy and the main outcome of interest was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Only studies providing hazard ratios (HRs) from multivariate or univariate analyzes with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and/or area under the curve (AUC) were considered.

CONTENT

All nine included studies (1,541 patients) analyzed the relationship between tissue miRNA expression levels (up or downregulated) and RFS. Some of these found that the methylation status of miR-9-1, miR-9-3 and miR-124 was associated with a high risk of relapse. Moreover, miR-200b overexpression was associated with OS. MiR-210 overexpression indicated a shorter OS than those who were miR-210 negative. Finally, patients with high miR-125b expression had shorter CSS than those with low expression; similarly, patients with low miR-126 expression also had shorter CSS time.

SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK

Several studies tested the usefulness of specific miRNAs to predict RCC recurrence. Some of them showed a fair accuracy and strong relationship between specific miRNA over or under-expression and survival outcomes. However, results from these studies are preliminary and miRNAs use in routine clinical practice is still far to come.

ARGEOS: A New Bioinformatic Tool for Detailed Systematics Search in GEO and ArrayExpress

Simple Summary

A systematic search for datasets of transcriptome data is a hefty task. Therefore, we developed the ARGEOS web tool, which simplifies the search and selection of datasets from various public databases. In addition, the service carries out an advanced analysis of a dataset, including collecting detailed protocols, information on the number of datasets, and providing additional reference information. An example of a cell polarization study exemplifies the effectiveness of the tool.

Abstract

Conduct a reanalysis of transcriptome data for studying intracellular signaling or solving other experimental problems is becoming increasingly popular. Gene expression data are archived as microarray or RNA-seq datasets mainly in two public databases: Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and ArrayExpress (AE). These databases were not initially intended to systematically search datasets, making it challenging to conduct a secondary study. Therefore, we have created the ARGEOS service, which has the following advantages that facilitate the search: (1) Users can simultaneously send several requests that are supposed to be used for systematic searches, and it is possible to correct the requests; (2) advanced analysis of information about the dataset is available. The service collects detailed protocols, information on the number of datasets, analyzes the availability of raw data, and provides other reference information. All this contributes to both rapid data analysis with the search for the most relevant datasets and to the systematic search with detailed analysis of the information of the datasets. The efficiency of the service is shown in the example of analyzing transcriptome data of activated (polarized) cells. We have performed a systematic search of studies of cell polarization (when cells are exposed to different immune stimuli). The web interface for ARGEOS is user-friendly and straightforward. It can be used by a person who is not familiar with database searching.

PROSPERO's systematic review protocols of traditional Chinese medicine for COVID-19: An overview

BACKGROUND

A large number of protocols for Systematic Reviews (SR) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). This study aimed to analyze the innovativeness and rigorousness of the SR protocols and make recommendations for the design and implementation of future SRs on TCM for COVID-19. This effort is likely to enhance the value of the produced information and prevent the futility of the research.

METHODS

PROSPERO was searched comprehensively for identifying SRs of TCM for COVID-19 from the inception of the database to August 2020. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and cross-checked the retrieved information for consistency. The following details were recorded: database, registration time, organizations, types of research included, participants, interventions, and outcome measures. All extracted data were analyzed by an overview. The "P - participants, I - interventions, C - controls, and O - outcomes (PICO)" included in the protocols were compared for similarity. The outcomes of the included SR protocols were compared with the newly published Core Outcome Sets (COSs).

RESULTS

A total of 80 protocols of SR related to TCM for COVID-19 were obtained after a primary search, and finally 71 protocols were included. The majority of the protocols were from China. Thirty-two organizations participated in the protocol registrations, including 11 hospitals and 21 universities/colleges. However, some protocols were not innovative or rigorous enough, as the PICO of some protocols were similar and non-specific, and the searched literature was incomprehensive. In addition, COS is not commonly adopted.

CONCLUSIONS

Registering a protocol of SR is an effective way to ensure the usefulness of the produced information, and to avoid the duplication of research and the wastage of resources. In future SR protocols, it is important to focus on and solve the methodological problems such as non-specific PICO, incomprehensive literature retrieval, and improper outcome measures.

Coping strategies in health care providers as second victims: A systematic review

AIM

To analyze personal and organizational strategies described in the literature for dealing with the second victim phenomenon among healthcare providers.

BACKGROUND

The second victim phenomenon involves many associated signs and symptoms, which can be physical, psychological, emotional, or behavioral. Personal and organizational strategies have been developed to deal with this phenomenon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review was carried out in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, Science Direct, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases, searching for evidence published between 2010 and 2019 in Spanish, English, German, and Portuguese.

RESULTS

Seven hundred and eighty-three articles were identified. After eliminating duplicates, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and critical analysis tools of the Joanna Briggs Institute, 16 research articles were included: 10 quantitative studies (design: descriptive, correlational, systematic, or integrative review) and six qualitative studies (descriptive, systematic review). There are several different personal and organizational strategies for dealing with the second victim phenomenon. Among these, peer support and learning from adverse events are highly valued. In personal strategies stands out the internal analysis of the adverse event that the professional performs to deal with the generated negative feelings. In organizational strategies, the most valued are second victim support programs with rapid response teams and made up of peers.

CONCLUSIONS

The main organizational coping strategies for tackling this phenomenon are online programs in countries such as the United States, Spain, and other European countries. Formal evaluation of these programs and research is required in Latin America.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICIES

Adequately coping with the second victim phenomenon allows health professionals and organizations to learn from adverse events. Furthermore, by supporting health professionals who suffer from the second victim phenomenon, the organization takes care of its most valuable resource, its human capital. This contributes toward building a culture of healthcare quality in organizations, which will reduce adverse events in the future.

Guidelines for developing a systematic literature review for studies related to climate change adaptation

This study proposes a set of GuFSyADD guidelines on steps for developing  suggestions that  enhance of its rigor in systematic literature review (SLR) for studies related to climate change adaptation. The prescribed guidelines are based on the following six steps, (1) guided by review of protocol/publication standard/established guidelines/related published articles, (2) formulation of review questions, (3) systematic searching strategies, (4) appraisal of quality, (5) data extraction and analysis, and (6) data demonstration. Essentially, this set of proposed  guidelines enables researchers to develop an SLR pertaining to climate change adaptation in an organised, transparent, and replicable manner.

Association between Periodontitis and Genetic Polymorphisms in Interleukins among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

There is a perplexity in the association between interleukin (IL) polymorphisms and periodontitis among patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of the present study was to evaluate indexed data regarding the association between periodontitis and genetic polymorphisms in interleukins among patients with and without DM. The addressed question was “Is there an association between periodontitis and polymorphisms in interleukins among patients with and without DM?” Original studies were included. Indexed databases were searched, and the pattern of the present literature review was customized to summaries’ the pertinent information. Eight studies were included and processed for data extraction. Two studies showed that polymorphisms in IL-1B genes aggravate periodontitis in patients with type-2 DM, and two studies showed that IL-1B genes either do not or are less likely to contribute towards the progression of periodontitis in patients with type-2 DM. Two studies reported that IL genes do not show cross-susceptibility with periodontitis and type-2 DM. One study reported that the primary factor that governs the occurrence and progression of periodontitis in patients with and without type-2 DM is poor routine oral hygiene maintenance. Seven studies had a high risk of bias. The role of IL gene polymorphisms in the development and progression of periodontitis in patients with and without DM remains controversial.

Effectiveness of the Advanced Practice Nursing interventions in the patient with heart failure: A systematic review

RATIONALE AND AIM

Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is a specialist who has acquired clinical skills to make complex decisions for a better professional practice. In the United States, this figure has been developed in different ways, but in some European countries, it is not yet fully developed, although it may imply a significant advance in terms of continuity and quality of care in patients with chronic or multiple pathologies, including cardiac ones and, more specifically, heart failure (HF). The follow-up of HF patients in many countries has focused on the medical management of the process, neglecting all the other comprehensive health aspects that contribute to decompensation of HF, worsening quality indicators or patient satisfaction, and there are not updated reviews to clarify the relevance of APN in HF, comparing the results of APN interventions with doctors clinical practice, since the complexity of care that HF patients need makes it difficult to control the disease through regular treatment. For this reason, this systematic review was proposed in order to update the available knowledge on the effectiveness of APN interventions in HF patients, analysing four PICO questions (Patients, Interventions, Comparison and Outcomes): whether APN implies a reduction in the number of hospital readmissions, if it reduces mortality, if it has a positive cost-benefit relationship and if it implies any improvement in the quality of life of HF patients.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A systematic review was performed based on the PRISMA statement, searching at four databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Cuiden. Articles were selected based on the following criteria: English/Spanish language, up to 6 years since publication, and original quantitative studies of experimental, quasi-experimental or observational character. Papers were excluded if they do not comply with CONSORT or STROBE checklists, and if they had not been published in journals indexed in JCR and/or SJR. For the analysis, two separate researchers used the Cochrane Handbook form for systematic reviews of intervention, collecting authorship variables, study methods, risks of bias, intervention and comparison groups, results obtained, PICO question or questions answered, and the main conclusions.

RESULTS

A total of 43,754 patients participated in the 11 included studies for the development of this review, mostly from United States and non-European countries, with a clearly visible lack of European publications. Regarding the results related to first PICO question, researches reviewed proved that APN implied a reduction in the number of hospital readmissions in patients with heart failure (up to 33%). Regarding the second question, mortality was always lower in groups assisted by APN versus in control groups (up to 7.8% vs. 17.7%). Regarding the third question, APN was cost-effective in this type of patient as the cost reduction was eventually calculated in 1.9 million euros. Regarding the last question, quality of life of patients who have been cared for by an APN had notoriously improved, although one of the papers concluded that no significant differences were found. All the questions addressed obtained a positive answer; therefore, APN is a practice that reduced hospital readmissions and mortality in HF patients. The cost-effectiveness is much better with APN than with usual care, and although the quality of life of HF patients seems to improve with APN, more studies are needed to support this focused on this.

Sinus and anterior skull base surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: systematic review, synthesis and YO-IFOS position

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant confusion about healthcare providers’ and patients’ pandemic-specific risks related to surgery. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize recommendations for sinus and anterior skull base surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus and Embase were searched by two independent otolaryngologists from the Young Otolaryngologists of IFOS (YO-IFOS) for studies dealing with sinus and skull base surgery during COVID-19 pandemic. The review also included unpublished guidelines edited by Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery or Neurosurgery societies. Perioperative factors were investigated including surgical indications, preoperative testing of patients, practical management in operating rooms, technical aspects of surgery and postoperative management. The literature review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. The criteria for considering studies or guidelines for the review were based on the population, intervention, comparison, outcome, timing and setting (PICOTS) framework.

Results

15 International publications met inclusion criteria. Five references were guidelines from national societies. All guidelines recommended postponing elective surgeries. An algorithm is proposed that classifies endonasal surgical procedures into three groups based on the risk of postponing surgery. Patients’ COVID-19 status should be preoperatively assessed. Highest level of personal protective equipment (PPE) is recommended, and the use of high-speed powered devices should be avoided. Face-to-face postoperative visits must be limited.

Conclusions

Sinus and skull base surgeries are high-risk procedures due to potential aerosolization of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Protection of health care workers by decreasing exposure and optimizing the use of PPE is essential with sinus and anterior skull base surgery.

Early continence after radical prostatectomy: A systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Urinary incontinence is the adverse effect with more impact on patients' quality of life after undergoing radical prostatectomy. The objective of this study is to review the present evidence that describes the variations on surgical techniques which aim to preserve urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We searched the literature on PubMed, Cochrane, and ScienceDirect according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) statement, using the PICO review protocol. The search terms were urinary continence, urinary incontinence, urinary leakage, radical prostatectomy, open radical prostatectomy, laparoscopic prostatectomy, robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, robotic prostatectomy. We identified 1,603 registers, and 27 articles were reviewed for meeting the inclusion criteria. Six of them are randomized clinical trials and 4 of them, meta-analysis.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The surgical techniques more frequently used to achieve early urinary continence are bladder neck and neurovascular bundles preservation, as well as the reconstruction of the rhabdosphincter. The latter has been presented in three randomized clinical trials. Even though some approaches have obtained improved functional outcomes, the lack of consensus on the definition of urinary incontinence and its measurement methods have not advocated for the creation of technical recommendations based on scientific evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The reconstruction of the rhabdosphincter is the only technique that has shown improved functional results through randomized trials. The current evidence is limited and heterogenous, and more studies with consistent criteria are needed in order to establish a standard surgical technique.