Health-Related Quality of Life in Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer: An Update of a Systematic Review on Methodologic Issues in Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Claassens, Lily; van Meerbeeck, Jan; Coens, Corneel; Quinten, Chantal; Ghislain, Irina; Sloan, Elizabeth K.; Wang, Xin Shelly; Velikova, Galina; Bottomley, Andrew

2011-01-01

Purpose This study is an update of a systematic review of health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) methodology reporting in non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The objective was to evaluate HRQOL methodology reporting over the last decade and its benefit for clinical decision making. Methods A MEDLINE systematic literature review was performed. Eligible RCTs implemented patient-reported HRQOL assessments and regular oncology treatments for newly diagnosed adult patients with NSCLC. Included studies were published in English from August 2002 to July 2010. Two independent reviewers evaluated all included RCTs. Results Fifty-three RCTs were assessed. Of the 53 RCTs, 81% reported that there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS). However, 50% of RCTs that were unable to find OS differences reported a significant difference in HRQOL scores. The quality of HRQOL reporting has improved; both reporting of clinically significant differences and statistical testing of HRQOL have improved. A European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer HRQOL questionnaire was used in 57% of the studies. However, reporting of HRQOL hypotheses and rationales for choosing HRQOL instruments were significantly less than before 2002 (P < .05). Conclusion The number of NSCLC RCTs incorporating HRQOL assessments has considerably increased. HRQOL continues to demonstrate its importance in RCTs, especially in those studies in which no OS difference is found. Despite the improved quality of HRQOL methodology reporting, certain aspects remain underrepresented. Our findings suggest need for an international standardization of HRQOL reporting similar to the CONSORT guidelines for clinical findings. PMID:21464420

Knee arthroscopy versus conservative management in patients with degenerative knee disease: a systematic review.

PubMed

Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Guyatt, Gordon H; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Poolman, Rudolf W; Schandelmaier, Stefan; Chang, Yaping; Sadeghirad, Behnam; Evaniew, Nathan; Vandvik, Per O

2017-05-11

To determine the effects and complications of arthroscopic surgery compared with conservative management strategies in patients with degenerative knee disease. Systematic review. Pain, function, adverse events. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Google Scholar and Open Grey up to August 2016. For effects, randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing arthroscopic surgery with a conservative management strategy (including sham surgery) in patients with degenerative knee disease. For complications, RCTs and observational studies. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias for patient-important outcomes. A parallel guideline committee ( BMJ Rapid Recommendations) provided input on the design and interpretation of the systematic review, including selection of patient-important outcomes. We used the GRADE approach to rate the certainty (quality) of the evidence. We included 13 RCTs and 12 observational studies. With respect to pain, the review identified high-certainty evidence that knee arthroscopy results in a very small reduction in pain up to 3 months (mean difference =5.4 on a 100-point scale, 95% CI 2.0 to 8.8) and very small or no pain reduction up to 2 years (mean difference =3.1, 95% CI -0.2 to 6.4) when compared with conservative management. With respect to function, the review identified moderate-certainty evidence that knee arthroscopy results in a very small improvement in the short term (mean difference =4.9 on a 100-point scale, 95% CI 1.5 to 8.4) and very small or no improved function up to 2 years (mean difference =3.2, 95% CI -0.5 to 6.8). Alternative presentations of magnitude of effect, and associated sensitivity analyses, were consistent with the findings of the primary analysis. Low-quality evidence suggested a very low probability of serious complications after knee arthroscopy. Over the long term, patients who undergo knee arthroscopy versus those who receive conservative management strategies do not have important benefits in pain or function. PROSPERO CRD42016046242. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Knee arthroscopy versus conservative management in patients with degenerative knee disease: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Guyatt, Gordon H; Buchbinder, Rachelle; Poolman, Rudolf W; Chang, Yaping; Sadeghirad, Behnam; Evaniew, Nathan; Vandvik, Per O

2017-01-01

Objective To determine the effects and complications of arthroscopic surgery compared with conservative management strategies in patients with degenerative knee disease. Design Systematic review. Main outcome measures Pain, function, adverse events. Data sources MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Google Scholar and Open Grey up to August 2016. Eligibility criteria For effects, randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing arthroscopic surgery with a conservative management strategy (including sham surgery) in patients with degenerative knee disease. For complications, RCTs and observational studies. Review methods Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias for patient-important outcomes. A parallel guideline committee (BMJ Rapid Recommendations) provided input on the design and interpretation of the systematic review, including selection of patient-important outcomes. We used the GRADE approach to rate the certainty (quality) of the evidence. Results We included 13 RCTs and 12 observational studies. With respect to pain, the review identified high-certainty evidence that knee arthroscopy results in a very small reduction in pain up to 3 months (mean difference =5.4 on a 100-point scale, 95% CI 2.0 to 8.8) and very small or no pain reduction up to 2 years (mean difference =3.1, 95% CI −0.2 to 6.4) when compared with conservative management. With respect to function, the review identified moderate-certainty evidence that knee arthroscopy results in a very small improvement in the short term (mean difference =4.9 on a 100-point scale, 95% CI 1.5 to 8.4) and very small or no improved function up to 2 years (mean difference =3.2, 95% CI −0.5 to 6.8). Alternative presentations of magnitude of effect, and associated sensitivity analyses, were consistent with the findings of the primary analysis. Low-quality evidence suggested a very low probability of serious complications after knee arthroscopy. Conclusions Over the long term, patients who undergo knee arthroscopy versus those who receive conservative management strategies do not have important benefits in pain or function. Trial registration number PROSPERO CRD42016046242. PMID:28495819

Therapeutic benefit of balneotherapy and hydrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a qualitative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Naumann, Johannes; Sadaghiani, Catharina

2014-07-07

In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the effectiveness of different forms of balneotherapy (BT) and hydrotherapy (HT) in the management of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). A systematic literature search was conducted through April 2013 (Medline via Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, and CAMBASE). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Meta-analysis showed moderate-to-strong evidence for a small reduction in pain (SMD -0.42; 95% CI [-0.61, -0.24]; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) with regard to HT (8 studies, 462 participants; 3 low-risk studies, 223 participants), and moderate-to-strong evidence for a small improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQOL; 7 studies, 398 participants; 3 low-risk studies, 223 participants) at the end of treatment (SMD -0.40; 95% CI [-0.62, -0.18]; P = 0.0004; I2 = 15%). No effect was seen at the end of treatment for depressive symptoms and tender point count (TPC). High-quality studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the therapeutic benefit of BT and HT, with focus on long-term results and maintenance of the beneficial effects.

Portable DNA markers tailored for systematic characterization of Gossypium germplasm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many small-scale ad-hoc studies on characterization of Gossypium germplasm have been conducted that use different sets of markers. Coordination with the cotton community is needed to reach a consensus on the appropriate initial set of DNA markers. In consultation with the cotton community, a set o...

An Integrative Concept for Technical, Personnel and Organizational Development for Professional Skill Enhancement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroll, Martin

1997-01-01

Training needed to implement technological and organizational change in small- and medium-sized enterprises is restrained by lack of systematic organization, negative effects of organizational and personnel structures, and different interpretations of managerial tasks. Article suggests that managers should strive to create the necessary…

Body build classes as a method for systematization of age-related anthropometric changes in girls aged 7-8 and 17-18 years.

PubMed

Kasmel, Jaan; Kaarma, Helje; Koskel, Säde; Tiit, Ene-Margit

2004-03-01

A total of 462 schoolgirls aged 7-8 and 17-18 years were examined anthropometrically (45 body measurements and 10 skinfolds) in a cross-sectional study. The data were processed in two age groups: 7-8-year-olds (n = 205) and 17-18-year-olds (n = 257). Relying on average height and weight in the groups, both groups were divided into five body build classes: small, medium, large, pyknomorphous and leptomorphous. In these classes, the differences in all other body measurements were compared, and in both age groups, analogous systematic differences were found in length, width and depth measurements and circumferences. This enabled us to compare proportional changes in body measurements during ten years, using for this ratios of averages of basic measurements and measurement groups in the same body build classes. Statistical analysis by the sign test revealed statistically significant differences between various body build classes in the growth of averages. Girls belonging to the small class differed from the girls of the large class by an essentially greater increase in their measurements. Our results suggest that the growth rate of body measurements of girls with different body build can be studied by the help of body build classification.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of selected toxicities of approved ALK inhibitors in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

Costa, Rubens Barros; Costa, Ricardo L.B.; Talamantes, Sarah M.; Kaplan, Jason B.; Bhave, Manali A.; Rademaker, Alfred; Miller, Corinne; Carneiro, Benedito A.; Mahalingam, Devalingam; Chae, Young Kwang

2018-01-01

Introduction Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors are the mainstay treatment for patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) harboring a rearrangement of the ALK gene or the ROS1 oncogenes. With the recent publication of pivotal trials leading to the approval of these compounds in different indications, their toxicity profile warrants an update. Materials and Methods A systematic literature search was performed in July 2017. Studies evaluating US FDA approved doses of one of the following ALK inhibitors: Crizotinib, Ceritinib, Alectinib or Brigatinib as monotherapy were included. Data were analyzed using random effects meta-analysis for absolute risks (AR), study heterogeneity, publication bias and differences among treatments. Results Fifteen trials with a total of 2,005 patients with evaluable toxicity data were included in this report. There was significant heterogeneity amongst different studies. The pooled AR of death and severe adverse events were 0.5% and 34.5%, respectively. Grade 3/4 nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation were uncommon: 2.6%, 2.5%, 2.7%, 1.2%, respectively. Conclusions ALK inhibitors have an acceptable safety profile with a low risk of treatment-related deaths. Important differences in toxicity profile were detected amongst the different drugs. PMID:29774128

Education and Training that Meets the Needs of Small Business: A Systematic Review of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawe, Susan; Nguyen, Nhi

2007-01-01

Small businesses account for the great majority of businesses and half the private sector employment in Australia, but only one third provide structured training for their employees. This study, a systematic review of existing research, set out to find clear evidence of intervention strategies that meet small business needs in relation to the…

Correction of systematic bias in ultrasound dating in studies of small-for-gestational-age birth: an example from the Iowa Health in Pregnancy Study.

PubMed

Harland, Karisa K; Saftlas, Audrey F; Wallis, Anne B; Yankowitz, Jerome; Triche, Elizabeth W; Zimmerman, M Bridget

2012-09-01

The authors examined whether early ultrasound dating (≤20 weeks) of gestational age (GA) in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses may underestimate gestational duration and therefore the incidence of SGA birth. Within a population-based case-control study (May 2002-June 2005) of Iowa SGA births and preterm deliveries identified from birth records (n = 2,709), the authors illustrate a novel methodological approach with which to assess and correct for systematic underestimation of GA by early ultrasound in women with suspected SGA fetuses. After restricting the analysis to subjects with first-trimester prenatal care, a nonmissing date of the last menstrual period (LMP), and early ultrasound (n = 1,135), SGA subjects' ultrasound GA was 5.5 days less than their LMP GA, on average. Multivariable linear regression was conducted to determine the extent to which ultrasound GA predicted LMP dating and to correct for systematic misclassification that results after applying standard guidelines to adjudicate differences in these measures. In the unadjusted model, SGA subjects required a correction of +1.5 weeks to the ultrasound estimate. With adjustment for maternal age, smoking, and first-trimester vaginal bleeding, standard guidelines for adjudicating differences in ultrasound and LMP dating underestimated SGA birth by 12.9% and overestimated preterm delivery by 8.7%. This methodological approach can be applied by researchers using different study populations in similar research contexts.

Comparison of two independent systematic reviews of trials of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2): the Yale Open Data Access Medtronic Project.

PubMed

Low, Jeffrey; Ross, Joseph S; Ritchie, Jessica D; Gross, Cary P; Lehman, Richard; Lin, Haiqun; Fu, Rongwei; Stewart, Lesley A; Krumholz, Harlan M

2017-02-15

It is uncertain whether the replication of systematic reviews, particularly those with the same objectives and resources, would employ similar methods and/or arrive at identical findings. We compared the results and conclusions of two concurrent systematic reviews undertaken by two independent research teams provided with the same objectives, resources, and individual participant-level data. Two centers in the USA and UK were each provided with participant-level data on 17 multi-site clinical trials of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2). The teams were blinded to each other's methods and findings until after publication. We conducted a retrospective structured comparison of the results of the two systematic reviews. The main outcome measures included (1) trial inclusion criteria; (2) statistical methods; (3) summary efficacy and risk estimates; and (4) conclusions. The two research teams' meta-analyses inclusion criteria were broadly similar but differed slightly in trial inclusion and research methodology. They obtained similar results in summary estimates of most clinical outcomes and adverse events. Center A incorporated all trials into summary estimates of efficacy and harms, while Center B concentrated on analyses stratified by surgical approach. Center A found a statistically significant, but small, benefit whereas Center B reported no advantage. In the analysis of harms, neither showed an increased cancer risk at 48 months, although Center B reported a significant increase at 24 months. Conclusions reflected these differences in summary estimates of benefit balanced with small but potentially important risk of harm. Two independent groups given the same research objectives, data, resources, funding, and time produced broad general agreement but differed in several areas. These differences, the importance of which is debatable, indicate the value of the availability of data to allow for more than a single approach and a single interpretation of the data. PROSPERO CRD42012002040 and CRD42012001907 .

Implementing guidelines in nursing homes: a systematic review.

PubMed

Diehl, Heinz; Graverholt, Birgitte; Espehaug, Birgitte; Lund, Hans

2016-07-25

Research on guideline implementation strategies has mostly been conducted in settings which differ significantly from a nursing home setting and its transferability to the nursing home setting is therefore limited. The objective of this study was to systematically review the effects of interventions to improve the implementation of guidelines in nursing homes. A systematic literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, DARE, HTA, CENTRAL, SveMed + and ISI Web of Science from their inception until August 2015. Reference screening and a citation search were performed. Studies were eligible if they evaluated any type of guideline implementation strategy in a nursing home setting. Eligible study designs were systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials, non-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted-time-series studies. The EPOC risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias in the included studies. The overall quality of the evidence was rated using GRADE. Five cluster-randomised controlled trials met the inclusion criteria, evaluating a total of six different multifaceted implementation strategies. One study reported a small statistically significant effect on professional practice, and two studies demonstrated small to moderate statistically significant effects on patient outcome. The overall quality of the evidence for all comparisons was low or very low using GRADE. Little is known about how to improve the implementation of guidelines in nursing homes, and the evidence to support or discourage particular interventions is inconclusive. More implementation research is needed to ensure high quality of care in nursing homes. PROSPERO 2014: CRD42014007664.

Advice to Stay Active or Structured Exercise in the Management of Sciatica: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fernandez, Matt; Hartvigsen, Jan; Ferreira, Manuela L; Refshauge, Kathryn M; Machado, Aryane F; Lemes, Ítalo R; Maher, Chris G; Ferreira, Paulo H

2015-09-15

A systematic review and meta-analysis. To evaluate the evidence on comparative effectiveness of advice to stay active versus supervised structured exercise in the management of sciatica. Conservative management of sciatica usually includes interventions to promote physical activity in the form of advice to stay active or exercise, but there has been no systematic review directly comparing the effectiveness of these 2 approaches. Data Sources included MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PEDro databases. Studies were randomized controlled trials comparing advice with exercise. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed methodological quality using the PEDro scale. Pain and disability data were extracted for all time points and converted to a common 0 to 100 scale. Data were pooled with a random effects model for short, intermediate, and long-term follow-ups. The GRADE approach was used to summarize the strength of evidence. Five trials were included in the meta-analysis, which showed a significant, although small effect favoring exercise over advice for reducing leg pain intensity in the short term (weighted mean difference: 11.43 [95% confidence interval, 0.71-22.16]) but no difference for disability (weighted mean difference: 1.45 [95% confidence interval, -2.86 to 5.76]). Furthermore, there was no difference at intermediate and long-term follow-ups between advice and exercise for patient-relevant outcomes. There is low-quality evidence (GRADE) that exercise provides small, superior effects compared with advice to stay active on leg pain in the short term for patients experiencing sciatica. However, there is moderate-quality evidence showing no difference between advice to stay active and exercise on leg pain and disability status in people with sciatica in the long term. 1.

A comparison of working in small-scale and large-scale nursing homes: A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

PubMed

Vermeerbergen, Lander; Van Hootegem, Geert; Benders, Jos

2017-02-01

Ongoing shortages of care workers, together with an ageing population, make it of utmost importance to increase the quality of working life in nursing homes. Since the 1970s, normalised and small-scale nursing homes have been increasingly introduced to provide care in a family and homelike environment, potentially providing a richer work life for care workers as well as improved living conditions for residents. 'Normalised' refers to the opportunities given to residents to live in a manner as close as possible to the everyday life of persons not needing care. The study purpose is to provide a synthesis and overview of empirical research comparing the quality of working life - together with related work and health outcomes - of professional care workers in normalised small-scale nursing homes as compared to conventional large-scale ones. A systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. A systematic literature search (April 2015) was performed using the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Web of Science. References and citations were tracked to identify additional, relevant studies. We identified 825 studies in the selected databases. After checking the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine studies were selected for review. Two additional studies were selected after reference and citation tracking. Three studies were excluded after requesting more information on the research setting. The findings from the individual studies suggest that levels of job control and job demands (all but "time pressure") are higher in normalised small-scale homes than in conventional large-scale nursing homes. Additionally, some studies suggested that social support and work motivation are higher, while risks of burnout and mental strain are lower, in normalised small-scale nursing homes. Other studies found no differences or even opposing findings. The studies reviewed showed that these inconclusive findings can be attributed to care workers in some normalised small-scale homes experiencing isolation and too high job demands in their work roles. This systematic review suggests that normalised small-scale homes are a good starting point for creating a higher quality of working life in the nursing home sector. Higher job control enables care workers to manage higher job demands in normalised small-scale homes. However, some jobs would benefit from interventions to address care workers' perceptions of too low social support and of too high job demands. More research is needed to examine strategies to enhance these working life issues in normalised small-scale settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Addressing Systematic Errors in Correlation Tracking on HMI Magnetograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahajan, Sushant S.; Hathaway, David H.; Munoz-Jaramillo, Andres; Martens, Petrus C.

2017-08-01

Correlation tracking in solar magnetograms is an effective method to measure the differential rotation and meridional flow on the solar surface. However, since the tracking accuracy required to successfully measure meridional flow is very high, small systematic errors have a noticeable impact on measured meridional flow profiles. Additionally, the uncertainties of this kind of measurements have been historically underestimated, leading to controversy regarding flow profiles at high latitudes extracted from measurements which are unreliable near the solar limb.Here we present a set of systematic errors we have identified (and potential solutions), including bias caused by physical pixel sizes, center-to-limb systematics, and discrepancies between measurements performed using different time intervals. We have developed numerical techniques to get rid of these systematic errors and in the process improve the accuracy of the measurements by an order of magnitude.We also present a detailed analysis of uncertainties in these measurements using synthetic magnetograms and the quantification of an upper limit below which meridional flow measurements cannot be trusted as a function of latitude.

Water-soluble contrast agent in adhesive small bowel obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic and therapeutic value.

PubMed

Ceresoli, Marco; Coccolini, Federico; Catena, Fausto; Montori, Giulia; Di Saverio, Salomone; Sartelli, Massimo; Ansaloni, Luca

2016-06-01

Adhesive small bowel obstructions are the most common postoperative causes of hospitalization. Several studies investigated the diagnostic and therapeutic role of water-soluble contrast agent (WSCA) in predicting the need for surgery, but there is no consensus. A systematic review and meta-analysis was done of studies on diagnostic and therapeutic role of oral WSCA. WSCA had a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 93% in predicting resolution of obstruction without surgery; diagnostic accuracy increased significantly if abdominal X-rays were taken after 8 hours. The administration of oral WSCA reduced the need for surgery (odds ratio .55, P = .003), length of stay (weighted mean difference -2.18 days, P < .00001), and time to resolution (weighted mean difference -28.25 hours, P < .00001). No differences in terms of morbidity or mortality were recorded. The administration of WSCA is accurate in predicting the need for surgery; the test should be taken after at least 8 hours from administration. WSCA is a proven safe and effective treatment, correlated with a significant reduction in the need for surgery and in the length of hospital stay. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Physique of Elite Female Artistic Gymnasts: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Bacciotti, Sarita; Baxter-Jones, Adam; Gaya, Adroaldo; Maia, José

2017-09-01

It has been suggested that successful young gymnasts are a highly select group in terms of the physique. This review summarizes the available literature on elite female gymnasts' anthropometric characteristics, somatotype, body composition and biological maturation. The main aims were to identify: (i) a common physique and (ii) the differences, if any, among competitive/performance levels. A systematic search was conducted online using five different databases. Of 407 putative papers, 17 fulfilled all criteria and were included in the review. Most studies identified similar physiques based on: physical traits (small size and low body mass), a body type (predominance of ecto-mesomorphy), body composition (low fat mass), and maturity status (late skeletal maturity as well as late age-at-menarche). However, there was no consensus as to whether these features predicted competitive performance, or even differentiated between gymnasts within distinctive competitive levels. In conclusion, gymnasts, as a group, have unique pronounced characteristics. These characteristics are likely due to selection for naturally-occurring inherited traits. However, data available for world class competitions were mostly outdated and sample sizes were small. Thus, it was difficult to make any conclusions about whether physiques differed between particular competitive levels.

Cooperative/Collaborative Learning: Research and Practice (Primarily) at the Collegiate Level, Parts I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, James L.; And Others

1991-01-01

Cooperative learning may be defined as a structured, systematic instructional strategy in which small groups work together toward a common goal. It differs from collaborative learning in its emphasis on highly structured techniques for ensuring positive interdependence within groups and its insistence on individual accountability rather than…

Systematic Validation of Protein Force Fields against Experimental Data

PubMed Central

Eastwood, Michael P.; Dror, Ron O.; Shaw, David E.

2012-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations provide a vehicle for capturing the structures, motions, and interactions of biological macromolecules in full atomic detail. The accuracy of such simulations, however, is critically dependent on the force field—the mathematical model used to approximate the atomic-level forces acting on the simulated molecular system. Here we present a systematic and extensive evaluation of eight different protein force fields based on comparisons of experimental data with molecular dynamics simulations that reach a previously inaccessible timescale. First, through extensive comparisons with experimental NMR data, we examined the force fields' abilities to describe the structure and fluctuations of folded proteins. Second, we quantified potential biases towards different secondary structure types by comparing experimental and simulation data for small peptides that preferentially populate either helical or sheet-like structures. Third, we tested the force fields' abilities to fold two small proteins—one α-helical, the other with β-sheet structure. The results suggest that force fields have improved over time, and that the most recent versions, while not perfect, provide an accurate description of many structural and dynamical properties of proteins. PMID:22384157

Efficacy and Safety of Oral and Transdermal Opioid Analgesics for Musculoskeletal Pain in Older Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Megale, Rodrigo Z; Deveza, Leticia A; Blyth, Fiona M; Naganathan, Vasi; Ferreira, Paulo H; McLachlan, Andrew J; Ferreira, Manuela L

2018-05-01

This systematic review with meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of using opioid analgesics in older adults with musculoskeletal pain. We searched Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, AMED, CINAHL, and LILACS for randomized controlled trials with mean population age of 60 years or older, comparing the efficacy and safety of opioid analgesics with placebo for musculoskeletal pain conditions. Reviewers extracted data, assessed risk of bias, and evaluated the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Random effects models were used to calculate standardized mean differences (when different scales were used across trials), mean differences and odds ratios with respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Meta-regressions were carried out to assess the influence of opioid analgesic daily dose and treatment duration on our main outcomes. We included 23 randomized placebo-controlled trials in the meta-analysis. Opioid analgesics had a small effect on decreasing pain intensity (standardized mean difference = -.27; 95% CI = -.33 to -.20) and improving function (standardized mean difference = -.27, 95% CI = -.36 to -.18), which was not associated with daily dose or treatment duration. The odds of adverse events were 3 times higher (odds ratio = 2.94; 95% CI = 2.33-3.72) and the odds of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events 4 times higher (odds ratio = 4.04; 95% CI = 3.10-5.25) in patients treated with opioid analgesics. The results show that in older adults suffering from musculoskeletal pain, using opioid analgesics had only a small effect on pain and function at the cost of a higher odds of adverse events and treatment discontinuation. For this specific population, the opioid-related risks may outweigh the benefits. The systematic review shows that, in older adults suffering from musculoskeletal conditions, opioid analgesics have only a small effect on pain and disability. Conversely, this population is at higher risk of adverse events. The results may reflect age-related physiological changes in pain processing, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Copyright © 2017 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A multilevel meta-analysis of single-case and small-n research on interventions for reducing challenging behavior in persons with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Heyvaert, M; Maes, B; Van den Noortgate, W; Kuppens, S; Onghena, P

2012-01-01

The effectiveness of different interventions for challenging behavior (CB) in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) was reviewed by means of a two-phase study. First, a systematic review of 137 meta-analyses and reviews on group-study interventions for CB in persons with ID was conducted. Based on this review, hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of divergent interventions for CB and concerning the impact of variables moderating treatment effectiveness were systematically generated. Second, these hypotheses were tested by means of a multilevel meta-analysis of single-case and small-n research. Two hundred and eighty-five studies reporting on 598 individuals were examined. The average treatment effect was large and statistically significant. However, this effect varied significantly over the included studies and participants. Compared to the meta-analyses and reviews focusing on group-studies in this research domain, the results of the present multilevel meta-analysis of single-case and small-n intervention research provided more detailed knowledge on which specific CB and intervention components moderate the interventions' effectiveness. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic Review of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Adolescent Development

PubMed Central

Buckingham-Howes, Stacy; Berger, Sarah Shafer; Scaletti, Laura A.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous research found that prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) may increase children's vulnerability to behavior and cognition problems. Maturational changes in brain and social development make adolescence an ideal time to reexamine associations. The objective was to conduct a systematic review of published studies examining associations between PCE and adolescent development (behavior, cognition/school outcomes, physiologic responses, and brain morphology/functioning). METHODS: Articles were obtained from PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases through July 2012 with search terms: prenatal drug, substance, or cocaine exposure; adolescence/adolescent; and in utero substance/drug exposure. Criteria for inclusion were nonexposed comparison group, human adolescents aged 11 to 19, peer-reviewed, English-language, and adolescent outcomes. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies representing 9 cohorts met the criteria. Four outcome categories were identified: behavior, cognition/school performance, brain structure/function, and physiologic responses. Eleven examined behavior; 7 found small but significant differences favoring nonexposed adolescents, with small effect sizes. Eight examined cognition/school performance; 6 reported significantly lower scores on language and memory tasks among adolescents with PCE, with varying effect sizes varied. Eight examined brain structure/function and reported morphologic differences with few functional differences. Three examined physiologic responses with discordant findings. Most studies controlled for other prenatal exposures, caregiving environment, and violence exposure; few examined mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with findings among younger children, PCE increases the risk for small but significantly less favorable adolescent functioning. Although the clinical importance of differences is often unknown, the caregiving environment and violence exposure pose additional threats. Future research should investigate mechanisms linking PCE with adolescent functioning. PMID:23713107

Modeling dust emission in the Magellanic Clouds with Spitzer and Herschel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chastenet, Jérémy; Bot, Caroline; Gordon, Karl D.; Bocchio, Marco; Roman-Duval, Julia; Jones, Anthony P.; Ysard, Nathalie

2017-05-01

Context. Dust modeling is crucial to infer dust properties and budget for galaxy studies. However, there are systematic disparities between dust grain models that result in corresponding systematic differences in the inferred dust properties of galaxies. Quantifying these systematics requires a consistent fitting analysis. Aims: We compare the output dust parameters and assess the differences between two dust grain models, the DustEM model and THEMIS. In this study, we use a single fitting method applied to all the models to extract a coherent and unique statistical analysis. Methods: We fit the models to the dust emission seen by Spitzer and Herschel in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds (SMC and LMC). The observations cover the infrared (IR) spectrum from a few microns to the sub-millimeter range. For each fitted pixel, we calculate the full n-D likelihood based on a previously described method. The free parameters are both environmental (U, the interstellar radiation field strength; αISRF, power-law coefficient for a multi-U environment; Ω∗, the starlight strength) and intrinsic to the model (YI: abundances of the grain species I; αsCM20, coefficient in the small carbon grain size distribution). Results: Fractional residuals of five different sets of parameters show that fitting THEMIS brings a more accurate reproduction of the observations than the DustEM model. However, independent variations of the dust species show strong model-dependencies. We find that the abundance of silicates can only be constrained to an upper-limit and that the silicate/carbon ratio is different than that seen in our Galaxy. In the LMC, our fits result in dust masses slightly lower than those found in the literature, by a factor lower than 2. In the SMC, we find dust masses in agreement with previous studies.

Let's talk about sleep: a systematic review of psychological interventions to improve sleep in college students.

PubMed

Friedrich, Anja; Schlarb, Angelika A

2018-02-01

Sleep problems are a common occurrence in college students. Insomnia, nightmares and impaired sleep quality lead to several mental health issues, as well as impaired academic performance. Although different sleep programmes exist, a systematic overview comparing their effectiveness is still missing. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of psychological interventions to improve sleep in college students. Seven databases were searched from November to December 2016 (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, PubMed, OpenSigle). The search string included search terms from three different topics: sleep, intervention and college students. Outcome measures included subjective as well as objective measures and focused on sleep, sleep-related and mental health variables. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. They were assigned to four intervention categories: (1) sleep hygiene, (2) cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), (3) relaxation, mindfulness and hypnotherapy and (4) other psychotherapeutic interventions. Fifteen studies were randomized controlled trials. While sleep hygiene interventions provided small to medium effects, the CBTs showed large effects. The variability of the effect sizes was especially large in the relaxation category, ranging from very small to very large effect sizes. Other psychotherapeutic interventions showed medium effects. CBT approaches provided the best effects for the improvement of different sleep variables in college students. Five studies included insomnia patients. The other three intervention categories also showed promising results with overall medium effects. In the future, CBT should be combined with relaxation techniques, mindfulness and hypnotherapy. Furthermore, the interventions should broaden their target group and include more sleep disorders. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Seismic amplitude measurements suggest foreshocks have different focal mechanisms than aftershocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindh, A.; Fuis, G.; Mantis, C.

1978-01-01

The ratio of the amplitudes of P and S waves from the foreshocks and aftershocks to three recent California earthquakes show a characteristic change at the time of the main events. As this ratio is extremely sensitive to small changes in the orientation of the fault plane, a small systematic change in stress or fault configuration in the source region may be inferred. These results suggest an approach to the recognition of foreshocks based on simple measurements of the amplitudes of seismic waves. Copyright ?? 1978 AAAS.

Interventions designed to reduce sedentary behaviours in young people: a review of reviews.

PubMed

Biddle, Stuart J H; Petrolini, Irene; Pearson, Natalie

2014-02-01

Leisure time is increasingly spent in sedentary pursuits such as screen-viewing (eg, television/DVD viewing and computer use), motorised travel, school/work and sitting-based socialising (eg, social media and chatting). Sedentary screen time, particularly TV, appears to play an important role in the aetiology of obesity due to its co-occurrence with other unhealthy behaviours such as snacking on energy-dense foods, low levels of physical activity and inadequate sleep. More information is needed on how to reduce sedentary behaviours. Most interventions have focused on young people and a number of systematic reviews exist on this topic. To synthesise systematic reviews and meta-analyses of interventions aimed at decreasing sedentary behaviours among children and adolescents. Papers were located from computerised and manual searches. Included articles were English language systematic reviews or meta-analyses of interventions aiming at reducing sedentary behaviour in children (<11 years) and adolescents (12-18 years). Ten papers met the inclusion criteria and were analysed. All reviews concluded some level of effectiveness in reducing time spent in sedentary behaviour. When an effect size was reported, there was a small but significant reduction in sedentary time (highest effect size=-0.29; CI -0.35 to -0.22). Moderator analyses showed a trend favouring interventions with children younger than 6 years. Effective strategies include the involvement of family, behavioural interventions and electronic TV monitoring devices. Results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that interventions to reduce children's sedentary behaviour have a small but significant effect. Future research should expand these findings examining interventions targeting different types of sedentary behaviours and the effectiveness of specific behaviour change techniques across different contexts and settings.

Complex Approach to Conceptual Design of Machine Mechanically Extracting Oil from Jatropha curcas L. Seeds for Biomass-Based Fuel Production

PubMed Central

Mašín, Ivan

2016-01-01

One of important sources of biomass-based fuel is Jatropha curcas L. Great attention is paid to the biofuel produced from the oil extracted from the Jatropha curcas L. seeds. A mechanised extraction is the most efficient and feasible method for oil extraction for small-scale farmers but there is a need to extract oil in more efficient manner which would increase the labour productivity, decrease production costs, and increase benefits of small-scale farmers. On the other hand innovators should be aware that further machines development is possible only when applying the systematic approach and design methodology in all stages of engineering design. Systematic approach in this case means that designers and development engineers rigorously apply scientific knowledge, integrate different constraints and user priorities, carefully plan product and activities, and systematically solve technical problems. This paper therefore deals with the complex approach to design specification determining that can bring new innovative concepts to design of mechanical machines for oil extraction. The presented case study as the main part of the paper is focused on new concept of screw of machine mechanically extracting oil from Jatropha curcas L. seeds. PMID:27668259

Are synesthetes exceptional beyond their synesthetic associations? A systematic comparison of creativity, personality, cognition, and mental imagery in synesthetes and controls.

PubMed

Chun, Charlotte A; Hupé, Jean-Michel

2016-08-01

Synesthesia has historically been linked with enhanced creativity, but this had never been demonstrated in a systematically recruited sample. The current study offers a broad examination of creativity, personality, cognition, and mental imagery in a small sample of systematically recruited synesthetes and controls (n = 65). Synesthetes scored higher on some measures of creativity, personality traits of absorption and openness, and cognitive abilities of verbal comprehension and mental imagery. The differences were smaller than those reported in the literature, indicating that previous studies may have overestimated group differences, perhaps due to biased recruitment procedures. Nonetheless, most of our results replicated literature findings, yielding two possibilities: (1) our study was influenced by similar biases, or (2) differences between synesthetes and controls, though modest, are robust across recruitment methods. The covariance among our measures warrants interpretation of these differences as a pattern of associations with synesthesia, leaving open the possibility that this pattern could be explained by differences on a single measured trait, or even a hidden, untested trait. More generally, this study highlights the difficulty of comparing groups of people in psychology, not to mention neuropsychology and neuroimaging studies. The requirements discussed here - systematic recruitment procedures, large battery of tests, and large cohorts - are best fulfilled through collaborative efforts and cumulative science. © 2015 The Authors. British Journal of Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Intraoperative and postoperative feasibility and safety of total tubeless, tubeless, small-bore tube, and standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Lee, Joo Yong; Jeh, Seong Uk; Kim, Man Deuk; Kang, Dong Hyuk; Kwon, Jong Kyou; Ham, Won Sik; Choi, Young Deuk; Cho, Kang Su

2017-06-27

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is performed to treat relatively large renal stones. Recent publications indicate that tubeless and total tubeless (stentless) PCNL is safe in selected patients. We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the feasibility and safety of different PCNL procedures, including total tubeless, tubeless with stent, small-bore tube, and large-bore tube PCNLs. PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE™ databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials published before December 30, 2013. One researcher examined all titles and abstracts found by the searches. Two investigators independently evaluated the full-text articles to determine whether those met the inclusion criteria. Qualities of included studies were rated with Cochrane's risk-of-bias assessment tool. Sixteen studies were included in the final syntheses including pairwise and network meta-analyses. Operation time, pain scores, and transfusion rates were not significantly different between PCNL procedures. Network meta-analyses demonstrated that for hemoglobin changes, total tubeless PCNL may be superior to standard PCNL (mean difference [MD] 0.65, 95% CI 0.14-1.13) and tubeless PCNLs with stent (MD -1.14, 95% CI -1.65--0.62), and small-bore PCNL may be superior to tubeless PCNL with stent (MD 1.30, 95% CI 0.27-2.26). Network meta-analyses also showed that for length of hospital stay, total tubeless (MD 1.33, 95% CI 0.23-2.43) and tubeless PCNLs with stent (MD 0.99, 95% CI 0.19-1.79) may be superior to standard PCNL. In rank probability tests, small-bore tube and total tubeless PCNLs were superior for operation time, pain scores, and hemoglobin changes. For hemoglobin changes, total tubeless and small-bore PCNLs may be superior to other methods. For hospital stay, total tubeless and tubeless PCNLs with stent may be superior to other procedures.

Chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in elderly patients with stage III non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Dawe, David E; Christiansen, David; Swaminath, Anand; Ellis, Peter M; Rothney, Janet; Rabbani, Rasheda; Abou-Setta, Ahmed M; Zarychanski, Ryan; Mahmud, Salaheddin M

2016-09-01

In stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the standard of care in young patients is chemoradiotherapy, but this standard is not as clearly established for older patients. We aimed to determine the efficacy and harm associated with chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in elderly (≥70 years), stage III NSCLC patients through a systematic review. We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science and conference proceedings. Two reviewers independently identified randomized trials (RCT) and extracted trial-level data. Risk of bias was assessed and meta-analysis was conducted looking at survival and safety outcomes. We included three trials and subgroup data from one systematic review. The three RCTs had high risk of bias due primarily to lack of blinding and the systematic review scored 4/11 using the AMSTAR tool. Overall survival (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.53-0.82; I2 0%; 3 trials; 407 patients) and progression-free survival (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.53-0.85; I2 0%; 2 trials; 327 patients) both favored chemoradiotherapy. Risk of treatment-related death and grade 3+ pneumonitis were not significantly different between groups. In conclusion, treatment of stage III NSCLC patients 70 years or older with chemotherapy and radiotherapy is associated with improved overall survival compared to radiotherapy alone. With the exception of increased hematological toxicity, CRT appears to be tolerable in fit elderly patients and represents a reasonable standard of clinical care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of cephalometer misalignment on calculations of facial asymmetry.

PubMed

Lee, Ki-Heon; Hwang, Hyeon-Shik; Curry, Sean; Boyd, Robert L; Norris, Kevin; Baumrind, Sheldon

2007-07-01

In this study, we evaluated errors introduced into the interpretation of facial asymmetry on posteroanterior (PA) cephalograms due to malpositioning of the x-ray emitter focal spot. We tested the hypothesis that horizontal displacements of the emitter from its ideal position would produce systematic displacements of skull landmarks that could be fully accounted for by the rules of projective geometry alone. A representative dry skull with 22 metal markers was used to generate a series of PA images from different emitter positions by using a fully calibrated stereo cephalometer. Empirical measurements of the resulting cephalograms were compared with mathematical predictions based solely on geometric rules. The empirical measurements matched the mathematical predictions within the limits of measurement error (x= 0.23 mm), thus supporting the hypothesis. Based upon this finding, we generated a completely symmetrical mathematical skull and calculated the expected errors for focal spots of several different magnitudes. Quantitative data were computed for focal spot displacements of different magnitudes. Misalignment of the x-ray emitter focal spot introduces systematic errors into the interpretation of facial asymmetry on PA cephalograms. For misalignments of less than 20 mm, the effect is small in individual cases. However, misalignments as small as 10 mm can introduce spurious statistical findings of significant asymmetry when mean values for large groups of PA images are evaluated.

Combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy in the treatment of chronic depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Chronic depression represents a substantial portion of depressive disorders and is associated with severe consequences. This review examined whether the combination of pharmacological treatments and psychotherapy is associated with higher effectiveness than pharmacotherapy alone via meta-analysis; and identified possible treatment effect modifiers via meta-regression-analysis. Methods A systematic search was conducted in the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, BIOSIS, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Primary efficacy outcome was a response to treatment; primary acceptance outcome was dropping out of the study. Only randomized controlled trials were considered. Results We identified 8 studies with a total of 9 relevant comparisons. Our analysis revealed small, but statistically not significant effects of combined therapies on outcomes directly related to depression (BR = 1.20) with substantial heterogeneity between studies (I² = 67%). Three treatment effect modifiers were identified: target disorders, the type of psychotherapy and the type of pharmacotherapy. Small but statistically significant effects of combined therapies on quality of life (SMD = 0.18) were revealed. No differences in acceptance rates and the long-term effects between combined treatments and pure pharmacological interventions were observed. Conclusions This systematic review could not provide clear evidence for the combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. However, due to the small amount of primary studies further research is needed for a conclusive decision. PMID:22694751

The relationship between foot posture and lower limb kinematics during walking: A systematic review.

PubMed

Buldt, Andrew K; Murley, George S; Butterworth, Paul; Levinger, Pazit; Menz, Hylton B; Landorf, Karl B

2013-07-01

Variations in foot posture, such as pes planus (low-arched foot) or pes cavus (high-arched foot), are thought to be an intrinsic risk factor for injury due to altered motion of the lower extremity. Hence, the aim of this systematic review was to investigate the relationship between foot posture and lower limb kinematics during walking. A systematic database search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Embase and Inspec was undertaken in March 2012. Two independent reviewers applied predetermined inclusion criteria to selected articles for review and selected articles were assessed for quality. Articles were then grouped into two broad categories: (i) those comparing mean kinematic parameters between different foot postures, and (ii) those examining associations between foot posture and kinematics using correlation analysis. A final selection of 12 articles was reviewed. Meta-analysis was not conducted due to heterogeneity between studies. Selected articles primarily focused on comparing planus and normal foot postures. Five articles compared kinematic parameters between different foot postures - there was some evidence for increased motion in planus feet, but this was limited by small effect sizes. Seven articles investigated associations between foot posture and kinematics - there was evidence that increasing planus foot posture was positively associated with increased frontal plane motion of the rearfoot. The body of literature provides some evidence of a relationship between pes planus and increased lower limb motion during gait, however this was not conclusive due to heterogeneity between studies and small effect sizes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale structure, dynamics and power conversion efficiency correlations in small molecule and oligomer-based photovoltaic devices

PubMed Central

Szarko, Jodi M.; Guo, Jianchang; Rolczynski, Brian S.; Chen, Lin X.

2011-01-01

Photovoltaic functions in organic materials are intimately connected to interfacial morphologies of molecular packing in films on the nanometer scale and molecular levels. This review will focus on current studies on correlations of nanoscale morphologies in organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials with fundamental processes relevant to photovoltaic functions, such as light harvesting, exciton splitting, exciton diffusion, and charge separation (CS) and diffusion. Small molecule photovoltaic materials will be discussed here. The donor and acceptor materials in small molecule OPV devices can be fabricated in vacuum-deposited, multilayer, crystalline thin films, or spin-coated together to form blended bulk heterojunction (BHJ) films. These two methods result in very different morphologies of the solar cell active layers. There is still a formidable debate regarding which morphology is favored for OPV optimization. The morphology of the conducting films has been systematically altered; using variations of the techniques above, the whole spectrum of film qualities can be fabricated. It is possible to form a highly crystalline material, one which is completely amorphous, or an intermediate morphology. In this review, we will summarize the past key findings that have driven organic solar cell research and the current state-of-the-art of small molecule and conducting oligomer materials. We will also discuss the merits and drawbacks of these devices. Finally, we will highlight some works that directly compare the spectra and morphology of systematically elongated oligothiophene derivatives and compare these oligomers to their polymer counterparts. We hope this review will shed some new light on the morphology differences of these two systems. PMID:22110870

Effectiveness of Pilates exercise in treating people with chronic low back pain: a systematic review of systematic reviews

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Systematic reviews provide clinical practice recommendations that are based on evaluation of primary evidence. When systematic reviews with the same aims have different conclusions, it is difficult to ascertain which review reported the most credible and robust findings. Methods This study examined five systematic reviews that have investigated the effectiveness of Pilates exercise in people with chronic low back pain. A four-stage process was used to interpret findings of the reviews. This process included comparison of research questions, included primary studies, and the level and quality of evidence of systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers assessed the level of evidence and the methodological quality of systematic reviews, using the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence, and the Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews respectively. Any disagreements were resolved by a third researcher. Results A high level of consensus was achieved between the reviewers. Conflicting findings were reported by the five systematic reviews regarding the effectiveness of Pilates in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. Authors of the systematic reviews included primary studies that did not match their questions in relation to treatment or population characteristics. A total of ten primary studies were identified across five systematic reviews. Only two of the primary studies were included in all of the reviews due to different inclusion criteria relating to publication date and status, definition of Pilates, and methodological quality. The level of evidence of reviews was low due to the methodological design of the primary studies. The methodological quality of reviews varied. Those which conducted a meta-analysis obtained higher scores. Conclusion There is inconclusive evidence that Pilates is effective in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. This is due to the small number and poor methodological quality of primary studies. The Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews provides a useful method of appraising the methodological quality of systematic reviews. Individual item scores, however, should be examined in addition to total scores, so that significant methodological flaws of systematic reviews are not missed, and results are interpreted appropriately. (348 words) PMID:23331384

Effectiveness of Pilates exercise in treating people with chronic low back pain: a systematic review of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Wells, Cherie; Kolt, Gregory S; Marshall, Paul; Hill, Bridget; Bialocerkowski, Andrea

2013-01-19

Systematic reviews provide clinical practice recommendations that are based on evaluation of primary evidence. When systematic reviews with the same aims have different conclusions, it is difficult to ascertain which review reported the most credible and robust findings. This study examined five systematic reviews that have investigated the effectiveness of Pilates exercise in people with chronic low back pain. A four-stage process was used to interpret findings of the reviews. This process included comparison of research questions, included primary studies, and the level and quality of evidence of systematic reviews. Two independent reviewers assessed the level of evidence and the methodological quality of systematic reviews, using the National Health and Medical Research Council hierarchy of evidence, and the Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews respectively. Any disagreements were resolved by a third researcher. A high level of consensus was achieved between the reviewers. Conflicting findings were reported by the five systematic reviews regarding the effectiveness of Pilates in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. Authors of the systematic reviews included primary studies that did not match their questions in relation to treatment or population characteristics. A total of ten primary studies were identified across five systematic reviews. Only two of the primary studies were included in all of the reviews due to different inclusion criteria relating to publication date and status, definition of Pilates, and methodological quality. The level of evidence of reviews was low due to the methodological design of the primary studies. The methodological quality of reviews varied. Those which conducted a meta-analysis obtained higher scores. There is inconclusive evidence that Pilates is effective in reducing pain and disability in people with chronic low back pain. This is due to the small number and poor methodological quality of primary studies. The Revised Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews provides a useful method of appraising the methodological quality of systematic reviews. Individual item scores, however, should be examined in addition to total scores, so that significant methodological flaws of systematic reviews are not missed, and results are interpreted appropriately. (348 words).

Nephrostomy tube-free versus nephrostomy tube for renal drainage after percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Shen, Pengfei; Liu, Yong; Wang, Jia

2012-01-01

Historically, percutaneous nephrostomy drainage following percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) has been considered the standard of care. More recently, however, an increasing number of centers are performing tubeless (with insertion of JJ ureteric stent) or totally tubeless (with no internal or external drainage) PNL with impressive outcome data. This systematic review is to compare the clinical therapeutic efficacy and safety of nephrostomy tube-free (NT-free) and standard PNL. We searched PubMed (1966 to April 2011), Embase (1966 to April 2011), and the Cochrane Library without language restriction. All randomized controlled trials that compared NT-free PNL (using a double-J stent) with standard PNL were enrolled in this review. The Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan5.0.2 software was used for statistical analysis. Nine studies involving 547 patients were included. Patients were divided into 4 groups: NT-free group, small tube group (8-9 Fr), middle tube group (16-18 Fr), and large tube group (20-24 Fr). Meta-analysis showed that: (1) with regard to hospital stay (h) and visual analog scale scores for postoperative pain on day 1, there was no significant difference between the NT-free group and the small tube group, but there were differences between the NT-free group versus the middle and large tube groups; (2) for puncture site urinary leakage, no significant difference was found between the NT-free group and the small and middle tube groups; (3) no significant difference was found with regard to transfusion, fever or infection, operative time between the NT-free group and the 3 tube groups. The clinical efficacy and safety of NT-free and small tube are similar in all measurements. Compared with the middle and large tubes, NT-free PNL could reduce hospital stay and postoperative analgesia requirement without increasing other complications. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Global cardiovascular risk assessment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults: systematic review of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Collins, Dylan R J; Tompson, Alice C; Onakpoya, Igho J; Roberts, Nia; Ward, Alison M; Heneghan, Carl J

2017-03-24

To identify, critically appraise and summarise existing systematic reviews on the impact of global cardiovascular risk assessment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults. Systematic review of systematic reviews published between January 2005 and October 2016 in The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE or CINAHL databases, and post hoc analysis of primary trials. Systematic reviews of interventions involving global cardiovascular risk assessment relative to no formal risk assessment in adults with no history of CVD. The primary outcomes of interest were CVD-related morbidity and mortality and all-cause mortality; secondary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), cholesterol and smoking. We identified six systematic reviews of variable but generally of low quality (mean Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 4.2/11, range 0/11 to 7/11). No studies identified by the systematic reviews reported CVD-related morbidity or mortality or all-cause mortality. Meta-analysis of reported randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showed small reductions in SBP (mean difference (MD) -2.22 mm Hg (95% CI -3.49 to -0.95); I 2 =66%; n=9; GRADE: very low), total cholesterol (MD -0.11 mmol/L (95% CI -0.20 to -0.02); I 2 =72%; n=5; GRADE: very low), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD -0.15 mmol/L (95% CI -0.26 to -0.05), I 2 =47%; n=4; GRADE: very low) and smoking cessation (RR 1.62 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.43); I 2 =17%; n=7; GRADE: low). The median follow-up time of reported RCTs was 12 months (range 2-36 months). The quality of existing systematic reviews was generally poor and there is currently no evidence reported in these reviews that the prospective use of global cardiovascular risk assessment translates to reductions in CVD morbidity or mortality. There are reductions in SBP, cholesterol and smoking but they may not be clinically significant given their small effect size and short duration. Resources need to be directed to conduct high-quality systematic reviews focusing on hard patient outcomes, and likely further primary RCTs. CRD42015019821. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Global cardiovascular risk assessment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults: systematic review of systematic reviews

PubMed Central

Tompson, Alice C; Onakpoya, Igho J; Roberts, Nia; Ward, Alison M; Heneghan, Carl J

2017-01-01

Objective To identify, critically appraise and summarise existing systematic reviews on the impact of global cardiovascular risk assessment in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adults. Design Systematic review of systematic reviews published between January 2005 and October 2016 in The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE or CINAHL databases, and post hoc analysis of primary trials. Participants, interventions, outcomes Systematic reviews of interventions involving global cardiovascular risk assessment relative to no formal risk assessment in adults with no history of CVD. The primary outcomes of interest were CVD-related morbidity and mortality and all-cause mortality; secondary outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP), cholesterol and smoking. Results We identified six systematic reviews of variable but generally of low quality (mean Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 4.2/11, range 0/11 to 7/11). No studies identified by the systematic reviews reported CVD-related morbidity or mortality or all-cause mortality. Meta-analysis of reported randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showed small reductions in SBP (mean difference (MD) −2.22 mm Hg (95% CI −3.49 to −0.95); I2=66%; n=9; GRADE: very low), total cholesterol (MD −0.11 mmol/L (95% CI −0.20 to −0.02); I2=72%; n=5; GRADE: very low), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD −0.15 mmol/L (95% CI −0.26 to −0.05), I2=47%; n=4; GRADE: very low) and smoking cessation (RR 1.62 (95% CI 1.08 to 2.43); I2=17%; n=7; GRADE: low). The median follow-up time of reported RCTs was 12 months (range 2–36 months). Conclusions The quality of existing systematic reviews was generally poor and there is currently no evidence reported in these reviews that the prospective use of global cardiovascular risk assessment translates to reductions in CVD morbidity or mortality. There are reductions in SBP, cholesterol and smoking but they may not be clinically significant given their small effect size and short duration. Resources need to be directed to conduct high-quality systematic reviews focusing on hard patient outcomes, and likely further primary RCTs. Trial registration number CRD42015019821. PMID:28341688

Small Nation, Big Difference: How the Norwegian Armed Forces Should Conduct Counterinsurgency Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

of the population naturally lend themselves to the systematic use of public affairs and local proxy sources and channels for conveying messages . It...counterinsurgents with regards to the use of information operations? 3. What is the process of nation-building, and what are the roles of the different...conveying a message to the population. It follows that information operations not only can be used effectively in support of other operations, but

Sensitivity of small myosin II ensembles from different isoforms to mechanical load and ATP concentration.

PubMed

Erdmann, Thorsten; Bartelheimer, Kathrin; Schwarz, Ulrich S

2016-11-01

Based on a detailed crossbridge model for individual myosin II motors, we systematically study the influence of mechanical load and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration on small myosin II ensembles made from different isoforms. For skeletal and smooth muscle myosin II, which are often used in actomyosin gels that reconstitute cell contractility, fast forward movement is restricted to a small region of phase space with low mechanical load and high ATP concentration, which is also characterized by frequent ensemble detachment. At high load, these ensembles are stalled or move backwards, but forward motion can be restored by decreasing ATP concentration. In contrast, small ensembles of nonmuscle myosin II isoforms, which are found in the cytoskeleton of nonmuscle cells, are hardly affected by ATP concentration due to the slow kinetics of the bound states. For all isoforms, the thermodynamic efficiency of ensemble movement increases with decreasing ATP concentration, but this effect is weaker for the nonmuscle myosin II isoforms.

Hyaluronic acid injection therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee: concordant efficacy and conflicting serious adverse events in two systematic reviews.

PubMed

O'Hanlon, Claire E; Newberry, Sydne J; Booth, Marika; Grant, Sean; Motala, Aneesa; Maglione, Margaret A; FitzGerald, John D; Shekelle, Paul G

2016-11-04

The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA)/degenerative joint disease (DJD) is increasing in the USA. Systematic reviews of treatment efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of hyaluronic acid (HA) injections report conflicting evidence about the balance of benefits and harms. We review evidence on efficacy and AEs of intraarticular viscosupplementation with HA in older individuals with knee osteoarthritis and account for differences in these conclusions from another systematic review. We searched PubMed and eight other databases and gray literature sources from 1990 to December 12, 2014. Double-blind placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting functional outcomes or quality-of-life; RCTs and observational studies on delay/avoidance of arthroplasty; RCTs, case reports, and large cohort studies and case series assessing safety; and systematic reviews reporting on knee pain were considered for inclusion. A standardized, pre-defined protocol was applied by two independent reviewers to screen titles and abstracts, review full text, and extract details on study design, interventions, outcomes, and quality. We compared our results with those of a prior systematic review and found them to be discrepant; our analysis of why this discrepancy occurred is the focus of this manuscript. Eighteen RCTs reported functional outcomes: pooled analysis of ten placebo-controlled, blinded trials showed a standardized mean difference of -0.23 (95 % confidence interval (CI) -0.45 to -0.01) favoring HA at 6 months. Studies reported few serious adverse events (SAEs) and no significant differences in non-serious adverse events (NSAEs) (relative risk (RR) [95 % CI] 1.03 [0.93-1.15] or SAEs (RR [95 % CI] 1.39 [0.78-2.47]). A recent prior systematic review reported similar functional outcomes, but significant SAE risk. Differences in SAE inclusion and synthesis accounted for the disparate conclusions. Trials show a small but significant effect of HA on function on which recent systematic reviews agree, but lack of AE synthesis standardization leads to opposite conclusions about the balance of benefits and harms. A limitation of the re-analysis of the prior systematic review is that it required imputation of missing data.

Brain regions involved in subprocesses of small-space episodic object-location memory: a systematic review of lesion and functional neuroimaging studies.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Kathrin; Eschen, Anne

2017-04-01

Object-location memory (OLM) enables us to keep track of the locations of objects in our environment. The neurocognitive model of OLM (Postma, A., Kessels, R. P. C., & Van Asselen, M. (2004). The neuropsychology of object-location memory. In G. L. Allen (Ed.), Human spatial memory: Remembering where (pp. 143-160). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, Postma, A., Kessels, R. P. C., & Van Asselen, M. (2008). How the brain remembers and forgets where things are: The neurocognition of object-location memory. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 32, 1339-1345. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.05.001 ) proposes that distinct brain regions are specialised for different subprocesses of OLM (object processing, location processing, and object-location binding; categorical and coordinate OLM; egocentric and allocentric OLM). It was based mainly on findings from lesion studies. However, recent episodic memory studies point to a contribution of additional or different brain regions to object and location processing within episodic OLM. To evaluate and update the neurocognitive model of OLM, we therefore conducted a systematic literature search for lesion as well as functional neuroimaging studies contrasting small-space episodic OLM with object memory or location memory. We identified 10 relevant lesion studies and 8 relevant functional neuroimaging studies. We could confirm some of the proposals of the neurocognitive model of OLM, but also differing hypotheses from episodic memory research, about which brain regions are involved in the different subprocesses of small-space episodic OLM. In addition, we were able to identify new brain regions as well as important research gaps.

Impact of Group Size on Classroom On-Task Behavior and Work Productivity in Children with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Katie C.; Massetti, Greta M.; Fabiano, Gregory A.; Pariseau, Meaghan E.; Pelham, William E., Jr.

2011-01-01

This study sought to systematically examine the academic behavior of children with ADHD in different instructional contexts in an analogue classroom setting. A total of 33 children with ADHD participated in a reading comprehension activity followed by a testing period and were randomly assigned within days to either small-group instruction,…

General Platform for Systematic Quantitative Evaluation of Small-Molecule Permeability in Bacteria

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The chemical features that impact small-molecule permeability across bacterial membranes are poorly understood, and the resulting lack of tools to predict permeability presents a major obstacle to the discovery and development of novel antibiotics. Antibacterials are known to have vastly different structural and physicochemical properties compared to nonantiinfective drugs, as illustrated herein by principal component analysis (PCA). To understand how these properties influence bacterial permeability, we have developed a systematic approach to evaluate the penetration of diverse compounds into bacteria with distinct cellular envelopes. Intracellular compound accumulation is quantitated using LC-MS/MS, then PCA and Pearson pairwise correlations are used to identify structural and physicochemical parameters that correlate with accumulation. An initial study using 10 sulfonyladenosines in Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Mycobacterium smegmatis has identified nonobvious correlations between chemical structure and permeability that differ among the various bacteria. Effects of cotreatment with efflux pump inhibitors were also investigated. This sets the stage for use of this platform in larger prospective analyses of diverse chemotypes to identify global relationships between chemical structure and bacterial permeability that would enable the development of predictive tools to accelerate antibiotic drug discovery. PMID:25198656

The ICF Core Sets for hearing loss--researcher perspective. Part I: Systematic review of outcome measures identified in audiological research.

PubMed

Granberg, Sarah; Dahlström, Jennie; Möller, Claes; Kähäri, Kim; Danermark, Berth

2014-02-01

To review the literature in order to identify outcome measures used in research on adults with hearing loss (HL) as part of the ICF Core Sets development project, and to describe study and population characteristics of the reviewed studies. A systematic review methodology was applied using multiple databases. A comprehensive search was conducted and two search pools were created, pool I and pool II. The study population included adults (≥ 18 years of age) with HL and oral language as the primary mode of communication. 122 studies were included. Outcome measures were distinguished by 'instrument type', and 10 types were identified. In total, 246 (pool I) and 122 (pool II) different measures were identified, and only approximately 20% were extracted twice or more. Most measures were related to speech recognition. Fifty-one different questionnaires were identified. Many studies used small sample sizes, and the sex of participants was not revealed in several studies. The low prevalence of identified measures reflects a lack of consensus regarding the optimal outcome measures to use in audiology. Reflections and discussions are made in relation to small sample sizes and the lack of sex differentiation/descriptions within the included articles.

Gender differences in walking (for leisure, transport and in total) across adult life: a systematic review.

PubMed

Pollard, Tessa M; Wagnild, Janelle M

2017-04-20

The aim of this systematic review was to examine gender differences in walking for leisure, transport and in total in adults living in high-income countries, and to assess whether gender differences in walking practices change across the life-course. A systematic literature search was conducted of publications dated 1995 to 2015. Papers providing quantitative data on participation in walking of both men and women aged at least 18 years in a high-income country were screened for the quality of the data on gender differences in walking. Data were extracted and results were synthesised using forest plots and narrative summary. Thirty-six studies were included in the review: 18 reported on walking for leisure, 16 on walking for transport (in total, or for particular purposes), and 14 on total walking. Most (33) studies provided data comparing the proportion of men and women who walked (at all or for a minimum duration) over a defined period, usually one week. There was consistent evidence that more women than men walk for leisure, although effect sizes were small. However, this effect varies by age: more younger women than younger men walk for leisure, but the gender difference diminishes with age and appears to reverse in the oldest age groups. Taking all ages together, there was no consistent gender difference in walking for transport or in total walking, although the small number of studies reporting on walking to undertake errands suggested that more women than men walk for this purpose. While there is little evidence that levels of total walking consistently vary by gender, our findings suggest that there are consistent gender differences in participation in walking for some purposes, including for leisure, and that there are gender differences in the impact of age on walking. We conclude that more research is needed to improve our understanding of how walking fits into the lives of women and men across the life-course, especially in relation to gender differences in the impact of aging on walking. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015025961 .

Particle Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Tumors: Where Do We Stand? A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Wink, Krista C. J.; Roelofs, Erik; Solberg, Timothy; Lin, Liyong; Simone, Charles B.; Jakobi, Annika; Richter, Christian; Lambin, Philippe; Troost, Esther G. C.

2014-01-01

This review article provides a systematic overview of the currently available evidence on the clinical effectiveness of particle therapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and summarizes findings of in silico comparative planning studies. Furthermore, technical issues and dosimetric uncertainties with respect to thoracic particle therapy are discussed. PMID:25401087

Sex/Gender Differences in Neural Correlates of Food Stimuli: A Systematic Review of Functional Neuroimaging Studies

PubMed Central

Chao, Ariana M.; Loughead, James; Bakizada, Zayna M.; Hopkins, Christina M.; Geliebter, Allan; Gur, Ruben C.; Wadden, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

Sex and gender differences in food perceptions and eating behaviors have been reported in psychological and behavioral studies. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize studies that examined sex/gender differences in neural correlates of food stimuli, as assessed by functional neuroimaging. Published studies to 2016 were retrieved and included if they used food or eating stimuli, assessed patients with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or positron emission tomography (PET), and compared activation between males and females. Fifteen studies were identified. In response to visual food cues, females, compared to males, showed increased activation in the frontal, limbic, and striatal areas of the brain as well as the fusiform gyrus. Differences in neural response to gustatory stimuli were inconsistent. This body of literature suggests that females may be more reactive to visual food stimuli. However, findings are based on a small number of studies and additional research is needed to establish a more definitive explanation and conclusion. PMID:28371180

Randomised controlled trials of psychological & pharmacological treatments for body dysmorphic disorder: A systematic review.

PubMed

Phillipou, Andrea; Rossell, Susan L; Wilding, Helen E; Castle, David J

2016-11-30

Treatment for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) often involves a combination of psychological and pharmacological interventions. However, only a small number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been undertaken examining the efficacy of different therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to systematically review the RCTs involving psychological and pharmacological interventions for the treatment of BDD. The literature was searched to June 2015, and studies were included if they were written in English, empirical research papers published in peer-review journals, specifically assessed BDD patients, and involved a RCT assessing BDD symptoms pre- and post-intervention. Nine studies were identified: six involving psychological and three involving pharmacological interventions. Cognitive behaviour therapy, metacognitive therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were identified as treatments with potential benefit. The small number of RCTs and the heterogeneity of findings emphasises the need for more high quality RCTs assessing both psychological and pharmacological interventions for BDD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distortion in fingerprints: a statistical investigation using shape measurement tools.

PubMed

Sheets, H David; Torres, Anne; Langenburg, Glenn; Bush, Peter J; Bush, Mary A

2014-07-01

Friction ridge impression appearance can be affected due to the type of surface touched and pressure exerted during deposition. Understanding the magnitude of alterations, regions affected, and systematic/detectable changes occurring would provide useful information. Geometric morphometric techniques were used to statistically characterize these changes. One hundred and fourteen prints were obtained from a single volunteer and impressed with heavy, normal, and light pressure on computer paper, soft gloss paper, 10-print card stock, and retabs. Six hundred prints from 10 volunteers were rolled with heavy, normal, and light pressure on soft gloss paper and 10-print card stock. Results indicate that while different substrates/pressure levels produced small systematic changes in fingerprints, the changes were small in magnitude: roughly the width of one ridge. There were no detectable changes in the degree of random variability of prints associated with either pressure or substrate. In conclusion, the prints transferred reliably regardless of pressure or substrate. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Structure of spherical electric double layers with fully asymmetric electrolytes: a systematic study by Monte Carlo simulations and density functional theory.

PubMed

Patra, Chandra N

2014-11-14

A systematic investigation of the spherical electric double layers with the electrolytes having size as well as charge asymmetry is carried out using density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulations. The system is considered within the primitive model, where the macroion is a structureless hard spherical colloid, the small ions as charged hard spheres of different size, and the solvent is represented as a dielectric continuum. The present theory approximates the hard sphere part of the one particle correlation function using a weighted density approach whereas a perturbation expansion around the uniform fluid is applied to evaluate the ionic contribution. The theory is in quantitative agreement with Monte Carlo simulation for the density and the mean electrostatic potential profiles over a wide range of electrolyte concentrations, surface charge densities, valence of small ions, and macroion sizes. The theory provides distinctive evidence of charge and size correlations within the electrode-electrolyte interface in spherical geometry.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation in Prison.

PubMed

Auty, Katherine M; Cope, Aiden; Liebling, Alison

2017-05-01

This article presents results from a systematic review and two meta-analyses that examine whether prison yoga and meditation programs are significantly related to increased psychological well-being and improvements in the behavioural functioning of prisoners. Comprehensive searches of the empirical literature were conducted up to December 2014. Participants who completed yoga or meditation program in prison experienced a small increase in their psychological well-being (Cohen's d = 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.39, 0.54]) and a small improvement in their behavioural functioning (Cohen's d = 0.30, 95% CI = [0.20, 0.40]). Moderator analyses suggested that there was a significant difference in effect sizes for programs of longer duration and less intensity, compared with those that were shorter and more intensive, for psychological well-being. Programs of longer duration had a slightly larger positive effect on behavioural functioning ( d = 0.424), compared with more intensive programs ( d = 0.418). Overall, the evidence suggests that yoga and meditation have favourable effects on prisoners.

Effective implementation of research into practice: an overview of systematic reviews of the health literature.

PubMed

Boaz, Annette; Baeza, Juan; Fraser, Alec

2011-06-22

The gap between research findings and clinical practice is well documented and a range of interventions has been developed to increase the implementation of research into clinical practice. A review of systematic reviews of the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase the use of research in clinical practice. A search for relevant systematic reviews was conducted of Medline and the Cochrane Database of Reviews 1998-2009. 13 systematic reviews containing 313 primary studies were included. Four strategy types are identified: audit and feedback; computerised decision support; opinion leaders; and multifaceted interventions. Nine of the reviews reported on multifaceted interventions. This review highlights the small effects of single interventions such as audit and feedback, computerised decision support and opinion leaders. Systematic reviews of multifaceted interventions claim an improvement in effectiveness over single interventions, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. This review found that a number of published systematic reviews fail to state whether the recommended practice change is based on the best available research evidence. This overview of systematic reviews updates the body of knowledge relating to the effectiveness of key mechanisms for improving clinical practice and service development. Multifaceted interventions are more likely to improve practice than single interventions such as audit and feedback. This review identified a small literature focusing explicitly on getting research evidence into clinical practice. It emphasizes the importance of ensuring that primary studies and systematic reviews are precise about the extent to which the reported interventions focus on changing practice based on research evidence (as opposed to other information codified in guidelines and education materials).

A polyvalent harmonic coil testing method for small-aperture magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arpaia, Pasquale; Buzio, Marco; Golluccio, Giancarlo; Walckiers, Louis

2012-08-01

A method to characterize permanent and fast-pulsed iron-dominated magnets with small apertures is presented. The harmonic coil measurement technique is enhanced specifically for small-aperture magnets by (1) in situ calibration, for facing search-coil production inaccuracy, (2) rotating the magnet around its axis, for correcting systematic effects, and (3) measuring magnetic fluxes by stationary coils at different angular positions for measuring fast pulsed magnets. This method allows a quadrupole magnet for particle accelerators to be characterized completely, by assessing multipole field components, magnetic axis position, and field direction. In this paper, initially the metrological problems arising from testing small-aperture magnets are highlighted. Then, the basic ideas of the proposed method and the architecture of the corresponding measurement system are illustrated. Finally, experimental validation results are shown for small-aperture permanent and fast-ramped quadrupole magnets for the new linear accelerator Linac4 at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research).

Large scale nanoparticle screening for small molecule analysis in laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Yagnik, Gargey B.; Hansen, Rebecca L.; Korte, Andrew R.; ...

2016-08-30

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been suggested as efficient matrixes for small molecule profiling and imaging by laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), but so far there has been no systematic study comparing different NPs in the analysis of various classes of small molecules. Here, we present a large scale screening of 13 NPs for the analysis of two dozen small metabolite molecules. Many NPs showed much higher LDI efficiency than organic matrixes in positive mode and some NPs showed comparable efficiencies for selected analytes in negative mode. Our results suggest that a thermally driven desorption process is a key factor for metalmore » oxide NPs, but chemical interactions are also very important, especially for other NPs. Furthermore, the screening results provide a useful guideline for the selection of NPs in the LDI-MS analysis of small molecules.« less

Large scale nanoparticle screening for small molecule analysis in laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yagnik, Gargey B.; Hansen, Rebecca L.; Korte, Andrew R.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been suggested as efficient matrixes for small molecule profiling and imaging by laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), but so far there has been no systematic study comparing different NPs in the analysis of various classes of small molecules. Here, we present a large scale screening of 13 NPs for the analysis of two dozen small metabolite molecules. Many NPs showed much higher LDI efficiency than organic matrixes in positive mode and some NPs showed comparable efficiencies for selected analytes in negative mode. Our results suggest that a thermally driven desorption process is a key factor for metalmore » oxide NPs, but chemical interactions are also very important, especially for other NPs. Furthermore, the screening results provide a useful guideline for the selection of NPs in the LDI-MS analysis of small molecules.« less

Short-term memory for responses: the "choose-small" effect.

PubMed Central

Fetterman, J G; MacEwen, D

1989-01-01

Pigeons' short-term memory for fixed-ratio requirements was assessed using a delayed symbolic matching-to-sample procedure. Different choices were reinforced after fixed-ratio 10 and fixed-ratio 40 requirements, and delays of 0, 5, or 20 s were sometimes placed between sample ratios and choice. All birds made disproportionate numbers of responses to the small-ratio choice alternative when delays were interposed between ratios and choice, and this bias increased as a function of delay. Preference for the small fixed-ratio alternative was also observed on "no-sample" trials, during which the choice alternatives were presented without a prior sample ratio. This "choose-small" bias is analogous to results obtained by Spetch and Wilkie (1983) with event duration as the discriminative stimulus. The choose-small bias was attenuated when the houselight was turned on during delays, but overall accuracy was not influenced systematically by the houselight manipulation. PMID:2584917

Prospective motion correction with volumetric navigators (vNavs) reduces the bias and variance in brain morphometry induced by subject motion.

PubMed

Tisdall, M Dylan; Reuter, Martin; Qureshi, Abid; Buckner, Randy L; Fischl, Bruce; van der Kouwe, André J W

2016-02-15

Recent work has demonstrated that subject motion produces systematic biases in the metrics computed by widely used morphometry software packages, even when the motion is too small to produce noticeable image artifacts. In the common situation where the control population exhibits different behaviors in the scanner when compared to the experimental population, these systematic measurement biases may produce significant confounds for between-group analyses, leading to erroneous conclusions about group differences. While previous work has shown that prospective motion correction can improve perceived image quality, here we demonstrate that, in healthy subjects performing a variety of directed motions, the use of the volumetric navigator (vNav) prospective motion correction system significantly reduces the motion-induced bias and variance in morphometry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Talking Science: The Research Evidence on the Use of Small Group Discussions in Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Judith; Hogarth, Sylvia; Lubben, Fred; Campbell, Bob; Robinson, Alison

2010-01-01

This paper reports the findings of two systematic reviews of the use and effects of small group discussions in high school science teaching. Ninety-four studies were included in an overview (systematic map) of work in the area, and 24 studies formed the basis of the in-depth reviews. The reviews indicate that there is considerable diversity in the…

Some aspects of modeling hydrocarbon oxidation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gal, D.; Botar, L.; Danoczy, E.

1981-01-01

A modeling procedure for the study of hydrocarbon oxidation is suggested, and its effectiveness for the oxidation of ethylbenzene is demonstrated. As a first step in modeling, systematization involves compilation of possible mechanisms. Then, by introduction of the concept of kinetic communication, the chaotic set of possible mechanisms is systematized into a network. Experimentation serves both as feedback to the systematic arrangement of information and source of new information. Kinetic treatment of the possible mechanism has been accomplished by two different approaches: by classical inductive calculations starting with a small mechanism and using kinetic approximations, and by computer simulation. Themore » authors have compiled a so-called Main Contributory Mechanism, involving processes - within the possible mechanism - which contribute basically to the formation and consumption of the intermediates, to the consumption of the starting compounds and to the formation of the end products. 24 refs.« less

The landscape of genomic imprinting across diverse adult human tissues

PubMed Central

Baran, Yael; Subramaniam, Meena; Biton, Anne; Tukiainen, Taru; Tsang, Emily K.; Rivas, Manuel A.; Pirinen, Matti; Gutierrez-Arcelus, Maria; Smith, Kevin S.; Kukurba, Kim R.; Zhang, Rui; Eng, Celeste; Torgerson, Dara G.; Urbanek, Cydney; Li, Jin Billy; Rodriguez-Santana, Jose R.; Burchard, Esteban G.; Seibold, Max A.; MacArthur, Daniel G.; Montgomery, Stephen B.; Zaitlen, Noah A.; Lappalainen, Tuuli

2015-01-01

Genomic imprinting is an important regulatory mechanism that silences one of the parental copies of a gene. To systematically characterize this phenomenon, we analyze tissue specificity of imprinting from allelic expression data in 1582 primary tissue samples from 178 individuals from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. We characterize imprinting in 42 genes, including both novel and previously identified genes. Tissue specificity of imprinting is widespread, and gender-specific effects are revealed in a small number of genes in muscle with stronger imprinting in males. IGF2 shows maternal expression in the brain instead of the canonical paternal expression elsewhere. Imprinting appears to have only a subtle impact on tissue-specific expression levels, with genes lacking a systematic expression difference between tissues with imprinted and biallelic expression. In summary, our systematic characterization of imprinting in adult tissues highlights variation in imprinting between genes, individuals, and tissues. PMID:25953952

A Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Single-Case and Small-"n" Research on Interventions for Reducing Challenging Behavior in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heyvaert, M.; Maes, B.; Van den Noortgate, W.; Kuppens, S.; Onghena, P.

2012-01-01

The effectiveness of different interventions for challenging behavior (CB) in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) was reviewed by means of a two-phase study. First, a systematic review of 137 meta-analyses and reviews on group-study interventions for CB in persons with ID was conducted. Based on this review, hypotheses concerning the…

Effectiveness of Training Clinicians' Communication Skills on Patients' Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Oliveira, Vinicius C; Ferreira, Manuela L; Pinto, Rafael Z; Filho, Ruben F; Refshauge, Kathryn; Ferreira, Paulo H

2015-10-01

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the literature on the effectiveness of communication skills training for clinicians on patients' clinical outcomes in primary care and rehabilitation settings. We systematically reviewed the literature for randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness of communication skills training for clinicians on patients' satisfaction with care and on pain and disability in primary care and rehabilitation settings. The search strategy was conducted using AMED, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PEDro, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through June 2015. Methodological quality of included trials was assessed by 2 independent investigators using the PEDro scale, and consensus was used to resolve disagreements. Data were extracted, and meta-analyses were performed. Nineteen randomized controlled trials were included. Of these, 16 investigated communication training for clinicians that emphasized patient participation (eg, shared decision-making approaches). Communication training had small effects on patients' satisfaction with care when compared to control (4.1 points on a 100-point scale, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-7.0). Communication training also had small effects on pain and disability with pooled results showing weighted mean differences of -3.8 points (95% CI, -6.5 to -1.1) and -3.6 (95% CI, -5.4 to -1.7), respectively. Studies show that communication training for clinicians produces small effects in improving patients' satisfaction with care or reducing pain and disability in primary care and rehabilitation settings. Copyright © 2015 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental evidence for convergent evolution of maternal care heuristics in industrialized and small-scale populations.

PubMed

Kushnick, Geoff; Hanowell, Ben; Kim, Jun-Hong; Langstieh, Banrida; Magnano, Vittorio; Oláh, Katalin

2015-06-01

Maternal care decision rules should evolve responsiveness to factors impinging on the fitness pay-offs of care. Because the caretaking environments common in industrialized and small-scale societies vary in predictable ways, we hypothesize that heuristics guiding maternal behaviour will also differ between these two types of populations. We used a factorial vignette experiment to elicit third-party judgements about likely caretaking decisions of a hypothetical mother and her child when various fitness-relevant factors (maternal age and access to resources, and offspring age, sex and quality) were varied systematically in seven populations-three industrialized and four small-scale. Despite considerable variation in responses, we found that three of five main effects, and the two severity effects, exhibited statistically significant industrialized/ small-scale population differences. All differences could be explained as adaptive solutions to industrialized versus small-scale caretaking environments. Further, we found gradients in the relationship between the population-specific estimates and national-level socio-economic indicators, further implicating important aspects of the variation in industrialized and small-scale caretaking environments in shaping heuristics. Although there is mounting evidence for a genetic component to human maternal behaviour, there is no current evidence for interpopulation variation in candidate genes. We nonetheless suggest that heuristics guiding maternal behaviour in diverse societies emerge via convergent evolution in response to similar selective pressures.

Do preschools differ in promoting children's physical activity? An instrument for the assessment of preschool physical activity programmes.

PubMed

Sterdt, Elena; Pape, Natalie; Kramer, Silke; Urban, Michael; Werning, Rolf; Walter, Ulla

2013-09-03

Preschools offer high potential for preventive interventions. However, little is known about the structure of preschool programmes to promote physical activity (PA) in preschoolers although almost all children aged three to six years spend one third of the day at preschool. The aim of this study was to determine whether and to what extent preschools implement systematic PA promotion measures using an instrument specifically developed to assess and systematize preschool PA programmes. In the cross-sectional study a baseline survey of preschool education policies was conducted to identify and assess the type and extent of PA programmes and opportunities in preschools in the State of Lower Saxony, Germany. An assessment instrument was developed to identify preschools with systematic PA programmes (type 1) and those without PA programmes (type 2) based on the following quality criteria: A) written PA policy, B) structured weekly PA offerings for all children; C) at least one qualified physical education teacher; D) PA-friendly indoor and outdoor facilities (exercise room, situational PA opportunities, outdoor areas, play equipment etc.), and E) structured PA promotion in place for at least two years. A third type of preschool that promotes PA in children to some extent (i.e., that meets the criteria partially but not completely) was classified as "preschools with limited PA programmes". 2415 preschools participated in the survey (response rate: 59%). The results show that 26% (n = 554) have a systematic PA programme while 3% (n = 64) have no PA programme. Most (71%, n = 1514) were classified as limited PA programme preschools. All three types of preschools differed significantly (p = .000) from each other in terms of size (small vs. large). Most of the preschools without PA programmes are small half-day preschools. The study investigated an assessment-instrument providing extensive insight into the nature, extent and routine practical implementation of PA promotion in preschools. The criteria used to evaluate preschool PA programmes are well-suited to identify the different preschool PA programme types and target areas in the field of PA promotion in which specific measures (teacher education, structured PA offerings, etc.) can be implemented in future interventions.

Mediastinal lymph node dissection versus mediastinal lymph node sampling for early stage non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Huang, Xiongfeng; Wang, Jianmin; Chen, Qiao; Jiang, Jielin

2014-01-01

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the overall survival, local recurrence, distant metastasis, and complications of mediastinal lymph node dissection (MLND) versus mediastinal lymph node sampling (MLNS) in stage I-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. A systematic search of published literature was conducted using the main databases (MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases) to identify relevant randomized controlled trials that compared MLND vs. MLNS in NSCLC patients. Methodological quality of included randomized controlled trials was assessed according to the criteria from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Review of Interventions (Version 5.1.0). Meta-analysis was performed using The Cochrane Collaboration's Review Manager 5.3. The results of the meta-analysis were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) or risk ratio (RR), with their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). We included results reported from six randomized controlled trials, with a total of 1,791 patients included in the primary meta-analysis. Compared to MLNS in NSCLC patients, there was no statistically significant difference in MLND on overall survival (HR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.08; P = 0.13). In addition, the results indicated that local recurrence rate (RR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.28; P = 0.67), distant metastasis rate (RR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.04; P = 0.15), and total complications rate (RR = 1.10, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.79; P = 0.72) were similar, no significant difference found between the two groups. Results for overall survival, local recurrence rate, and distant metastasis rate were similar between MLND and MLNS in early stage NSCLC patients. There was no evidence that MLND increased complications compared with MLNS. Whether or not MLND is superior to MLNS for stage II-IIIA remains to be determined.

The evidence-practice gap in specialist mental healthcare: systematic review and meta-analysis of guideline implementation studies.

PubMed

Girlanda, Francesca; Fiedler, Ines; Becker, Thomas; Barbui, Corrado; Koesters, Markus

2017-01-01

Clinical practice guidelines are not easily implemented, leading to a gap between research synthesis and their use in routine care. To summarise the evidence relating to the impact of guideline implementation on provider performance and patient outcomes in mental healthcare settings, and to explore the performance of different strategies for guideline implementation. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials and before-and-after studies comparing guideline implementation strategies v. usual care, and different guideline implementation strategies, in patients with severe mental illness. In total, 19 studies met our inclusion criteria. The studies did not show a consistent positive effect of guideline implementation on provider performance, but a more consistent small to modest positive effect on patient outcomes. Guideline implementation does not seem to have an impact on provider performance, nonetheless it may influence patient outcomes positively. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017.

A Statistical Analysis of Reviewer Agreement and Bias in Evaluating Medical Abstracts 1

PubMed Central

Cicchetti, Domenic V.; Conn, Harold O.

1976-01-01

Observer variability affects virtually all aspects of clinical medicine and investigation. One important aspect, not previously examined, is the selection of abstracts for presentation at national medical meetings. In the present study, 109 abstracts, submitted to the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, were evaluated by three “blind” reviewers for originality, design-execution, importance, and overall scientific merit. Of the 77 abstracts rated for all parameters by all observers, interobserver agreement ranged between 81 and 88%. However, corresponding intraclass correlations varied between 0.16 (approaching statistical significance) and 0.37 (p < 0.01). Specific tests of systematic differences in scoring revealed statistically significant levels of observer bias on most of the abstract components. Moreover, the mean differences in interobserver ratings were quite small compared to the standard deviations of these differences. These results emphasize the importance of evaluating the simple percentage of rater agreement within the broader context of observer variability and systematic bias. PMID:997596

Effects of Strength Training Using Unstable Surfaces on Strength, Power and Balance Performance Across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Behm, David G; Muehlbauer, Thomas; Kibele, Armin; Granacher, Urs

2015-12-01

The effectiveness of strength training on unstable surfaces (STU) versus stable surfaces (STS) or a control condition (CON; i.e., no training or regular training only) for strength, power and balance performance across the lifespan has not yet been investigated in a systematic review and meta-analysis. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to determine the general effects of STU versus STS or CON on muscle strength, power and balance in healthy individuals across the lifespan and to investigate whether performance changes following STU are age specific. A computerized systematic literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science from January 1984 up to February 2015. Initially, 209 articles were identified for review. Only controlled trials were included if they investigated STU in healthy individuals and tested at least one measure of maximal strength, strength endurance, muscle power, or static/dynamic balance. In total, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were coded for the following criteria: age, sex, training status, training modality, exercise and test modality. Effect size measures included within-subject standardized mean differences (SMDw) and weighted between-subject standardized mean differences (SMDb). Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using I2 and χ2 statistics. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. Our search failed to identify studies that examined the effects of STU versus STS or CON in children and middle-aged adults. However, four studies were identified that investigated the effects of STU versus CON or STS in adolescents, 15 studies were identified in young adults and three studies were identified in old adults. Compared with CON, STU produced medium effects on maximal strength in young adults and no effects to medium effects in old adults. In addition, large effects were detected on strength endurance in adolescents and in young adults; in old adults, a small effect was found. With regard to muscle power, medium effects were observed in young adults and small effects were observed in old adults. Further, large effects were found for static and dynamic balance in old adults, but only a small effect was found for dynamic balance in young adults. The comparison of STU and STS revealed inconsistent results as indicated by training-induced changes in favour of STU, as well as STS. Small to medium effects were found for maximal strength in adolescents in favour of STS, and small effects were found in young adults in favour of STU. With regard to strength endurance, large effects were found in adolescents in favour of STS and small effects were found in favour of STU. Additionally, we detected small effects in young adults in favour of STU. In terms of muscle power, no effects were observed in adolescents but medium effects were found in favour of STS in young adults. With regard to balance, small effects were detected in adolescents for static and dynamic balance in favour of STU. In young adults, small effects were found for static balance in favour of STS. With regard to dynamic balance, the analysis revealed small effects in young adults in favour of STU. The quality of the included studies was rather low, with mean PEDro scores of 5.8, 4.0 and 5.0 for studies including adolescents, young adults and old adults, respectively. Further, trivial to considerable heterogeneity between studies (i.e., 0% ≤ I2 ≤ 96%) was detected. Compared with CON, STU is effective in improving muscle strength, power and balance in adolescents, young adults and old adults. However, inconsistent results were particularly found in adolescents and young adults when the specific effects of STU were compared with those of STS. We conclude that the performance of STU compared with STS has limited extra effects on muscle strength, power and balance performance in healthy adolescents and young adults. Given that our systematic search did not identify studies that examined the effects of STU versus STS in children, middle-aged adults and old adults, further research of high methodological quality is needed to determine whether there are additive effects of STU as compared with STS in those age groups.

Control strategies of 3-cell Central Pattern Generator via global stimuli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozano, Álvaro; Rodríguez, Marcos; Barrio, Roberto

2016-03-01

The study of the synchronization patterns of small neuron networks that control several biological processes has become an interesting growing discipline. Some of these synchronization patterns of individual neurons are related to some undesirable neurological diseases, and they are believed to play a crucial role in the emergence of pathological rhythmic brain activity in different diseases, like Parkinson’s disease. We show how, with a suitable combination of short and weak global inhibitory and excitatory stimuli over the whole network, we can switch between different stable bursting patterns in small neuron networks (in our case a 3-neuron network). We develop a systematic study showing and explaining the effects of applying the pulses at different moments. Moreover, we compare the technique on a completely symmetric network and on a slightly perturbed one (a much more realistic situation). The present approach of using global stimuli may allow to avoid undesirable synchronization patterns with nonaggressive stimuli.

Modeling Systematic Error Effects for a Sensitive Storage Ring EDM Polarimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, Edward; Imig, Astrid

2009-10-01

The Storage Ring EDM Collaboration has obtained a set of measurements detailing the sensitivity of a storage ring polarimeter for deuterons to small geometrical and rate changes. Various schemes, such as the calculation of the cross ratio [1], can cancel effects due to detector acceptance differences and luminosity differences for states of opposite polarization. Such schemes fail at second-order in the errors, becoming sensitive to geometrical changes, polarization magnitude differences between opposite polarization states, and changes to the detector response with changing data rates. An expansion of the polarimeter response in a Taylor series based on small errors about the polarimeter operating point can parametrize such effects, primarily in terms of the logarithmic derivatives of the cross section and analyzing power. A comparison will be made to measurements obtained with the EDDA detector at COSY-J"ulich. [4pt] [1] G.G. Ohlsen and P.W. Keaton, Jr., NIM 109, 41 (1973).

One Moon, many measurements 1: Radiance values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieters, C. M.; Boardman, J. W.; Ohtake, M.; Matsunaga, T.; Haruyama, J.; Green, R. O.; Mall, U.; Staid, M. I.; Isaacson, P. J.; Yokota, Y.; Yamamoto, S.; Besse, S.; Sunshine, J. M.

2013-09-01

Several modern optical instruments orbited the Moon during 2008 and 2009 onboard the SELENE and Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft and provided a welcomed feast of spectroscopic data to be used for scientific analyses. The different spatial and spectral resolutions of these sensors along with diverse illumination geometry during data acquisition make each set of data unique, and each instrument contributes special value to integrated science analyses. In order to provide the maximum science benefit, we have undertaken a careful cross-validation of radiance data among these orbital instruments and also a set of systematic data acquired using Earth-based telescopes. Most radiance values at 750 nm fall between 0 and 100 W/(m2 μm sr), but a small important fraction can be up to ×2 to ×3 that value, with the largest values occurring at the highest spatial resolution. All instruments are in agreement about overall spectral properties of lunar materials, but small systematic differences are documented between instruments. Lunar radiance values measured with remote sensors for landing sites are all not as high as that estimated from laboratory measurements of returned soil. This is largely because laboratory measurements of lunar soils cannot retain or duplicate the fine structure of lunar regolith found in the natural space environment.

Stakeholders' perspectives on biobank-based genomic research: systematic review of the literature

PubMed Central

Husedzinovic, Alma; Ose, Dominik; Schickhardt, Christoph; Fröhling, Stefan; Winkler, Eva C

2015-01-01

The success of biobank-based genomic research is widely dependent on people's willingness to donate their tissue. Thus, stakeholders' opinions should be considered in the development of best practice guidelines for research and recruiting participants. We systematically analyzed the empirical literature describing different stakeholders' views towards ethical questions with regard to type of consent, data sharing and return of incidental findings. Patients are more open to one-time general consent than the public. Only a small proportion desires recontact if the research aim changed. A broad consent model would prevent only a small proportion of patients from participating in research. Although professionals are concerned about a risk of reidentification, patients and the public support data sharing and find that the benefit of research outweighs the potential risk of reidentification. However, they desire detailed information about the privacy protection measures. Regarding the return of incidental findings, the public and professionals focus on clinically actionable results, whereas patients are interested in receiving as much information as possible. For professionals, concrete guidelines that help managing the return of incidental findings should be warranted. For this it would be helpful addressing the different categories – actionable, untreatable and inheritable diseases – upfront with patients and public. PMID:25735479

A Systematic Study of Dysregulated MicroRNA in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

He, Yuqing; Ding, Yuanlin; Liang, Biyu; Lin, Juanjuan; Kim, Taek-Kyun; Yu, Haibing; Hang, Hanwei; Wang, Kai

2017-02-28

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that modulate the cellular transcriptome at the post-transcriptional level. miRNA plays important roles in different disease manifestation, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Many studies have characterized the changes of miRNAs in T2DM, a complex systematic disease; however, few studies have integrated these findings and explored the functional effects of the dysregulated miRNAs identified. To investigate the involvement of miRNAs in T2DM, we obtained and analyzed all relevant studies published prior to 18 October 2016 from various literature databases. From 59 independent studies that met the inclusion criteria, we identified 158 dysregulated miRNAs in seven different major sample types. To understand the functional impact of these deregulated miRNAs, we performed targets prediction and pathway enrichment analysis. Results from our analysis suggested that the altered miRNAs are involved in the core processes associated with T2DM, such as carbohydrate and lipid metabolisms, insulin signaling pathway and the adipocytokine signaling pathway. This systematic survey of dysregulated miRNAs provides molecular insights on the effect of deregulated miRNAs in different tissues during the development of diabetes. Some of these miRNAs and their mRNA targets may have diagnostic and/or therapeutic utilities in T2DM.

Does cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia improve cognitive performance? A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PubMed

Herbert, Vanessa; Kyle, Simon D; Pratt, Daniel

2018-06-01

Individuals with insomnia report difficulties pertaining to their cognitive functioning. Cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is associated with robust, long-term improvements in sleep parameters, however less is known about the impact of CBT-I on the daytime correlates of the disorder. A systematic review and narrative synthesis was conducted in order to summarise and evaluate the evidence regarding the impact of CBT-I on cognitive functioning. Reference databases were searched and studies were included if they assessed cognitive performance as an outcome of CBT-I, using either self-report questionnaires or cognitive tests. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria, comprising 923 individuals with insomnia symptoms. The standardised mean difference was calculated at post-intervention and follow-up. We found preliminary evidence for small to moderate effects of CBT-I on subjective measures of cognitive functioning. Few of the effects were statistically significant, likely due to small sample sizes and limited statistical power. There is a lack of evidence with regards to the impact of CBT-I on objective cognitive performance, primarily due to the small number of studies that administered an objective measure (n = 4). We conclude that adequately powered randomised controlled trials, utilising both subjective and objective measures of cognitive functioning are required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human Studies of Vertical and Horizontal Alveolar Ridge Augmentation Comparing Different Types of Bone Graft Materials: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Chavda, Suraj; Levin, Liran

2018-02-01

Alveolar ridge augmentation can be completed with various types of bone augmentation materials (autogenous, allograft, xenograft, and alloplast). Currently, autogenous bone is labeled as the "gold standard" because of faster healing times and integration between native and foreign bone. No systematic review has currently determined whether there is a difference in implant success between various bone augmentation materials. The purpose of this article was to systematically review comparative human studies of vertical and horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation comparing different types of bone graft materials (autogenous, allograft, xenograft, and alloplast). A MEDLINE search was conducted under the 3 search concepts of bone augmentation, dental implants, and alveolar ridge augmentation. Studies pertaining to socket grafts or sinus lifts were excluded. Case reports, small case series, and review papers were excluded. A bias assessment tool was applied to the final articles. Overall, 219 articles resulted from the initial search, and 9 articles were included for final analysis. There were no discernible differences in implant success between bone augmentation materials. Generally, patients preferred nonautogenous bone sources as there were fewer hospital days, less pain, and better recovery time. Two articles had industrial support; however, conclusions of whether that support influenced the outcomes could not be determined. Future comparative studies should compare nonautogenous bone sources and have longer follow-up times.

Interplay between efficiency and device architecture for small molecule organic solar cells.

PubMed

Williams, Graeme; Sutty, Sibi; Aziz, Hany

2014-06-21

Small molecule organic solar cells (OSCs) have experienced a resurgence of interest over their polymer solar cell counterparts, owing to their improved batch-to-batch (thus, cell-to-cell) reliability. In this systematic study on OSC device architecture, we investigate five different small molecule OSC structures, including the simple planar heterojunction (PHJ) and bulk heterojunction (BHJ), as well as several planar-mixed structures. The different OSC structures are studied over a wide range of donor:acceptor mixing concentrations to gain a comprehensive understanding of their charge transport behavior. Transient photocurrent decay measurements provide crucial information regarding the interplay between charge sweep-out and charge recombination, and ultimately hint toward space charge effects in planar-mixed structures. Results show that the BHJ/acceptor architecture, comprising a BHJ layer with high C60 acceptor content, generates OSCs with the highest performance by balancing charge generation with charge collection. The performance of other device architectures is largely limited by hole transport, with associated hole accumulation and space charge effects.

Data extraction for complex meta-analysis (DECiMAL) guide.

PubMed

Pedder, Hugo; Sarri, Grammati; Keeney, Edna; Nunes, Vanessa; Dias, Sofia

2016-12-13

As more complex meta-analytical techniques such as network and multivariate meta-analyses become increasingly common, further pressures are placed on reviewers to extract data in a systematic and consistent manner. Failing to do this appropriately wastes time, resources and jeopardises accuracy. This guide (data extraction for complex meta-analysis (DECiMAL)) suggests a number of points to consider when collecting data, primarily aimed at systematic reviewers preparing data for meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis (NMA), multiple outcomes analysis and analysis combining different types of data are considered in a manner that can be useful across a range of data collection programmes. The guide has been shown to be both easy to learn and useful in a small pilot study.

Maternal Antioxidant Levels in Pregnancy and Risk of Preeclampsia and Small for Gestational Age Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Cohen, Jacqueline M; Beddaoui, Margaret; Kramer, Michael S; Platt, Robert W; Basso, Olga; Kahn, Susan R

2015-01-01

Oxidative stress in preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) birth suggests antioxidant supplementation could prevent these conditions. However, it remains unclear whether maternal antioxidant levels are systematically lower in these pregnancies. To conduct a systematic review of the association between maternal antioxidant levels during pregnancy and preeclampsia or SGA. We searched PubMed, Embase, and several other databases from 1970-2013 for observational studies that measured maternal blood levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, and carotenoids) during pregnancy or within 72 hours of delivery. The entire review process was done in duplicate. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and additional questions. We pooled the standardized mean difference (SMD) across studies, stratified by outcome and pregnancy trimester, and investigated heterogeneity using meta-regression. We reviewed 1,882 unique citations and 64 studies were included. Most studies were small with important risk of bias. Among studies that addressed preeclampsia (n = 58) and SGA (n = 9), 16% and 66%, respectively, measured levels prior to diagnosis. The SMDs for vitamins A, C, and E were significantly negative for overall preeclampsia, but not for mild or severe preeclampsia subtypes. Significant heterogeneity was observed in all meta-analyses and most could not be explained. Evidence for lower carotenoid antioxidants in preeclampsia and SGA was limited and inconclusive. Publication bias appears likely. Small, low-quality studies limit conclusions that can be drawn from the available literature. Observational studies inconsistently show that vitamins C and E or other antioxidants are lower in women who develop preeclampsia or SGA. Reverse causality remains a possible explanation for associations observed. New clinical trials are not warranted in light of this evidence; however, additional rigorous observational studies measuring antioxidant levels before clinical detection of preeclampsia and SGA may clarify whether levels are altered at a causally-relevant time of pregnancy.

Maternal Antioxidant Levels in Pregnancy and Risk of Preeclampsia and Small for Gestational Age Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Cohen, Jacqueline M.; Beddaoui, Margaret; Kramer, Michael S.; Platt, Robert W.; Basso, Olga; Kahn, Susan R.

2015-01-01

Background Oxidative stress in preeclampsia and small for gestational age (SGA) birth suggests antioxidant supplementation could prevent these conditions. However, it remains unclear whether maternal antioxidant levels are systematically lower in these pregnancies. Objective To conduct a systematic review of the association between maternal antioxidant levels during pregnancy and preeclampsia or SGA. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, and several other databases from 1970–2013 for observational studies that measured maternal blood levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, and carotenoids) during pregnancy or within 72 hours of delivery. The entire review process was done in duplicate. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and additional questions. We pooled the standardized mean difference (SMD) across studies, stratified by outcome and pregnancy trimester, and investigated heterogeneity using meta-regression. Results We reviewed 1,882 unique citations and 64 studies were included. Most studies were small with important risk of bias. Among studies that addressed preeclampsia (n = 58) and SGA (n = 9), 16% and 66%, respectively, measured levels prior to diagnosis. The SMDs for vitamins A, C, and E were significantly negative for overall preeclampsia, but not for mild or severe preeclampsia subtypes. Significant heterogeneity was observed in all meta-analyses and most could not be explained. Evidence for lower carotenoid antioxidants in preeclampsia and SGA was limited and inconclusive. Publication bias appears likely. Conclusions Small, low-quality studies limit conclusions that can be drawn from the available literature. Observational studies inconsistently show that vitamins C and E or other antioxidants are lower in women who develop preeclampsia or SGA. Reverse causality remains a possible explanation for associations observed. New clinical trials are not warranted in light of this evidence; however, additional rigorous observational studies measuring antioxidant levels before clinical detection of preeclampsia and SGA may clarify whether levels are altered at a causally-relevant time of pregnancy. PMID:26247870

Individual differences in risk taking and endogeneous levels of testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol: A systematic literature search and three independent meta-analyses.

PubMed

Kurath, Jennifer; Mata, Rui

2018-05-03

Hormonal levels have been hypothesized to serve as proximal biological mechanisms underlying individual differences in risk taking. We conducted a systematic literature search and independent meta-analyses to assess the link between endogenous testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol levels and risk-taking related constructs (i.e., risk-taking propensity, impulsivity, sensation seeking, novelty seeking). We found small correlations between risk-taking constructs and testosterone (r = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.08, 0.16, 108 effect sizes, k = 49, N = 9112) as well as estradiol (r = 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.18, 48 effect sizes, k = 17, N = 2900), but not cortisol (r = -0.01, 95% CI = -0.11, 0.09, 60 effect sizes, k = 27, N = 3880). Overall, these results suggest a biological foundation for individual differences in risk taking. We point out some limitations of past studies and make recommendations for future work investigating the hormonal basis of individual differences in risk taking. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mind-Body Interventions for Individuals With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials.

PubMed

Gok Metin, Zehra; Ejem, Deborah; Dionne-Odom, J Nicholas; Turkman, Yasemin; Salvador, Carolina; Pamboukian, Salpy; Bakitas, Marie

2018-03-01

The effects of mind-body interventions (MBIs) (eg, Tai Chi, yoga, meditation) for individuals with heart failure (HF) have not been systematically evaluated. We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining the effects of MBIs in HF. We extracted participant characteristics, MBI procedure, outcomes assessed, and main results of English-language RCTs before October 2016. We identified 24 RCTs (n = 1314 participants) of 9 MBI types: Tai Chi (n = 7), yoga (n = 4), relaxation (n = 4), meditation (n = 2), acupuncture (n = 2), biofeedback (n = 2), stress management (n = 1), Pilates (n = 1), and reflexology (n = 1). Most (n = 22, 95.8%) reported small-to-moderate improvements in quality of life (14/14 studies), exercise capacity (8/9 studies), depression (5/5 studies), anxiety and fatigue (4/4 studies), blood pressure (3/5 studies), heart rate (5/6 studies), heart rate variability (7/9 studies), and B-type natriuretic peptide (3/4 studies). Studies ranged from 4 minutes to 26 weeks and group sizes ranged from 8 to 65 patients per study arm. Although wide variability exists in the types and delivery, RCTs of MBIs have demonstrated small-to-moderate positive effects on HF patients' objective and subjective outcomes. Future research should examine the mechanisms by which different MBIs exert their effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Statistical Analyses of Satellite Cloud Object Data From CERES. Part 4; Boundary-layer Cloud Objects During 1998 El Nino

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Kuan-Man; Wong, Takmeng; Wielicki, Bruce A.; Parker, Lindsay

2006-01-01

Three boundary-layer cloud object types, stratus, stratocumulus and cumulus, that occurred over the Pacific Ocean during January-August 1998, are identified from the CERES (Clouds and the Earth s Radiant Energy System) single scanner footprint (SSF) data from the TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) satellite. This study emphasizes the differences and similarities in the characteristics of each cloud-object type between the tropical and subtropical regions and among different size categories and among small geographic areas. Both the frequencies of occurrence and statistical distributions of cloud physical properties are analyzed. In terms of frequencies of occurrence, stratocumulus clouds dominate the entire boundary layer cloud population in all regions and among all size categories. Stratus clouds are more prevalent in the subtropics and near the coastal regions, while cumulus clouds are relatively prevalent over open ocean and the equatorial regions, particularly, within the small size categories. The largest size category of stratus cloud objects occurs more frequently in the subtropics than in the tropics and has much larger average size than its cumulus and stratocumulus counterparts. Each of the three cloud object types exhibits small differences in statistical distributions of cloud optical depth, liquid water path, TOA albedo and perhaps cloud-top height, but large differences in those of cloud-top temperature and OLR between the tropics and subtropics. Differences in the sea surface temperature (SST) distributions between the tropics and subtropics influence some of the cloud macrophysical properties, but cloud microphysical properties and albedo for each cloud object type are likely determined by (local) boundary-layer dynamics and structures. Systematic variations of cloud optical depth, TOA albedo, cloud-top height, OLR and SST with cloud object sizes are pronounced for the stratocumulus and stratus types, which are related to systematic variations of the strength of inversion with cloud object sizes, produced by large-scale subsidence. The differences in cloud macrophysical properties over small regions are significantly larger than those of cloud microphysical properties and TOA albedo, suggesting a greater control of (local) large-scale dynamics and other factors on cloud object properties. When the three cloud object types are combined, the relative population among the three types is the most important factor for determining the cloud object properties in a Pacific transect where the transition of boundary-layer cloud types takes place.

Delayed reward discounting and addictive behavior: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

MacKillop, James; Amlung, Michael T; Few, Lauren R; Ray, Lara A; Sweet, Lawrence H; Munafò, Marcus R

2011-08-01

Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is a behavioral economic index of impulsivity and numerous studies have examined DRD in relation to addictive behavior. To synthesize the findings across the literature, the current review is a meta-analysis of studies comparing DRD between criterion groups exhibiting addictive behavior and control groups. The meta-analysis sought to characterize the overall patterns of findings, systematic variability by sample and study type, and possible small study (publication) bias. Literature reviews identified 310 candidate articles from which 46 studies reporting 64 comparisons were identified (total N=56,013). From the total comparisons identified, a small magnitude effect was evident (d= .15; p< .00001) with very high heterogeneity of effect size. Based on systematic observed differences, large studies assessing DRD with a small number of self-report items were removed and an analysis of 57 comparisons (n=3,329) using equivalent methods and exhibiting acceptable heterogeneity revealed a medium magnitude effect (d= .58; p< .00001). Further analyses revealed significantly larger effect sizes for studies using clinical samples (d= .61) compared with studies using nonclinical samples (d=.45). Indices of small study bias among the various comparisons suggested varying levels of influence by unpublished findings, ranging from minimal to moderate. These results provide strong evidence of greater DRD in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior in general and particularly in individuals who meet criteria for an addictive disorder. Implications for the assessment of DRD and research priorities are discussed.

Delayed reward discounting and addictive behavior: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Amlung, Michael T.; Few, Lauren R.; Ray, Lara A.; Sweet, Lawrence H.; Munafò, Marcus R.

2011-01-01

Rationale Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is a behavioral economic index of impulsivity and numerous studies have examined DRD in relation to addictive behavior. To synthesize the findings across the literature, the current review is a meta-analysis of studies comparing DRD between criterion groups exhibiting addictive behavior and control groups. Objectives The meta-analysis sought to characterize the overall patterns of findings, systematic variability by sample and study type, and possible small study (publication) bias. Methods Literature reviews identified 310 candidate articles from which 46 studies reporting 64 comparisons were identified (total N=56,013). Results From the total comparisons identified, a small magnitude effect was evident (d=.15; p<.00001) with very high heterogeneity of effect size. Based on systematic observed differences, large studies assessing DRD with a small number of self-report items were removed and an analysis of 57 comparisons (n=3,329) using equivalent methods and exhibiting acceptable heterogeneity revealed a medium magnitude effect (d=.58; p<.00001). Further analyses revealed significantly larger effect sizes for studies using clinical samples (d=.61) compared with studies using nonclinical samples (d=.45). Indices of small study bias among the various comparisons suggested varying levels of influence by unpublished findings, ranging from minimal to moderate. Conclusions These results provide strong evidence of greater DRD in individuals exhibiting addictive behavior in general and particularly in individuals who meet criteria for an addictive disorder. Implications for the assessment of DRD and research priorities are discussed. PMID:21373791

Talking Science: The research evidence on the use of small group discussions in science teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Judith; Hogarth, Sylvia; Lubben, Fred; Campbell, Bob; Robinson, Alison

2010-01-01

This paper reports the findings of two systematic reviews of the use and effects of small group discussions in high school science teaching. Ninety-four studies were included in an overview (systematic map) of work in the area, and 24 studies formed the basis of the in-depth reviews. The reviews indicate that there is considerable diversity in the topics used to promote small group discussions. They also demonstrate that students often struggle to formulate and express coherent arguments, and demonstrate a low level of engagement with tasks. The reviews suggest that groups function more purposefully, and understanding improves most, when specifically constituted such that differing views are represented, when some form of training is provided for students on effective group work, and when help in structuring discussions is provided in the form of "cues". Single-sex groups function more purposefully than mixed-sex groups, though improvements in understanding are independent of gender composition of groups. Finally, the reviews demonstrate very clearly that, for small group discussions to be effective, teachers and students need to be given explicit teaching in the skills associated with the development of arguments and the characteristics associated with effective group discussions. In addition to the substantive findings, the paper also reports on key features of the methods employed to gather and analyse data. Of particular note are the two contrasting approaches to data analysis, one adopting a grounded theory approach and the other drawing on established methods of discourse analysis.

Longer-term effects of home-based exercise interventions on exercise capacity and physical activity in coronary artery disease patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Claes, Jomme; Buys, Roselien; Budts, Werner; Smart, Neil; Cornelissen, Véronique A

2017-02-01

Background Exercise-based cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) improves exercise capacity (EC), lowers cardiovascular risk profile and increases physical functioning in the short term. However, uptake of and adherence to a physically active lifestyle in the long run remain problematic. Home-based (HB) exercise programmes have been introduced in an attempt to enhance long-term adherence to recommended levels of physical activity (PA). The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the longer-term effects of HB exercise programmes with usual care (UC) or centre-based (CB) CR in patients referred for CR. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods Non-randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or randomised trials comparing the effects of HB exercise programmes with UC or CB rehabilitation on EC and/or PA, with a follow-up period of ≥12 months and performed in coronary artery disease patients, were searched in four databases (PubMed, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials (CENTRAL)) from their inception until September 7, 2016. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated and pooled by means of random effects models. Risk of bias, publication bias and heterogeneity among trials were also assessed. Results Seven studies could be included in the meta-analysis on EC, but only two studies could be included in the meta-analysis on PA (total number of 1440 patients). The results showed no significant differences in EC between HB rehabilitation and UC (SMD 0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.13 to 0.33). There was a small but significant difference in EC in favour of HB compared to CB rehabilitation (SMD 0.25, 95% CI 0.02-0.48). No differences were found for PA (SMD 0.37, 95% CI -0.18 to 0.92). Conclusions HB exercise is slightly more effective than CB rehabilitation in terms of maintaining EC. The small number of studies warrants the need for more RCTs evaluating the long-term effects of different CR interventions on EC and PA behaviour, as this is the ultimate goal of CR.

The Effect of T'ai Chi Exercise on Lipid Profiles: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Alenazi, Aqeel M; Alshehri, Mohammed M; Hoover, Jeffrey C; Yabroudi, Mohammad A; Kachanathu, Shaji John; Liu, Wen

2018-03-01

Cardiovascular disease is a common health problem resulting from many factors, including dyslipidemia. T'ai chi is one of the interventions assigned to improve lipid profiles and other physical outcomes. However, conflicting results might be attributed to different study designs and interventional approaches. A systematic review and meta-analysis are needed to evaluate existing evidence. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs) regarding the overall effect of t'ai chi exercise on lipid profiles. Electronic databases (MEDLINE and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) were searched. The authors included only English peer reviewed published RCTs that used a t'ai chi intervention and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) as the primary outcome along with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and/or total cholesterol (TC) as secondary outcomes. The authors identified 37 potentially eligible studies. Only eight RCTs were eligible for their qualitative review, and seven studies were eligible for meta-analysis. The included studies were rated as having a low risk of bias. Despite the overall low risk of bias, all studies failed to blind participants to group assignment and were generally unclear about whether they were selectively reporting data. A fixed effect model (I 2  = 38.16%) demonstrated a small positive effect of t'ai chi on HDL-C (Cohen d = 0.12; standard error [SE] = 0.067; p = 0.037). A random effect model demonstrated a medium effect and small effect for LDL-C (Cohen d = 0.47; SE = 0.347; p = 0.089) and TC (Cohen d = 0.34; SE = 0.225; p = 0.066), respectively. T'ai chi may potentially be beneficial on lipid profiles across different age groups and populations. Although there were conflicting results regarding the effect of t'ai chi on lipid profiles, the majority of studies had at least a small positive effect indicating a potential positive effect of t'ai chi on HDL-C, LDL-C, and/or TC. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm the small positive effect of t'ai chi on lipid profiles found in this review.

The application of quantitative methods for identifying and exploring the presence of bias in systematic reviews: PDE-5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction.

PubMed

Bekkering, G E; Abou-Setta, A M; Kleijnen, J

2008-01-01

A systematic review of PDE-5 inhibitors for erectile dysfunction was performed to evaluate the utility of quantitative methods for identifying and exploring the influence of bias and study quality on pooled outcomes from meta-analyses. We included 123 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methodological quality was poorly reported. All three drugs appeared highly effective. Indirect adjusted analyses showed no differences between the three drugs. Funnel plots and statistical tests showed no evidence of small-study effects for sildenafil whereas there was evidence of such bias for tadalafil and vardenafil. Adjustment for missing studies using trim and fill techniques did not alter the pooled estimates substantially. The exclusion of previous sildenafil nonresponders was associated with larger treatment effects for tadalafil. This investigation was hampered by poor reporting of methodological quality, a low number of studies, heterogeneity and large effect sizes. Despite such limitations, a comprehensive assessment of biases should be a routine in systematic reviews.

The landscape of genomic imprinting across diverse adult human tissues.

PubMed

Baran, Yael; Subramaniam, Meena; Biton, Anne; Tukiainen, Taru; Tsang, Emily K; Rivas, Manuel A; Pirinen, Matti; Gutierrez-Arcelus, Maria; Smith, Kevin S; Kukurba, Kim R; Zhang, Rui; Eng, Celeste; Torgerson, Dara G; Urbanek, Cydney; Li, Jin Billy; Rodriguez-Santana, Jose R; Burchard, Esteban G; Seibold, Max A; MacArthur, Daniel G; Montgomery, Stephen B; Zaitlen, Noah A; Lappalainen, Tuuli

2015-07-01

Genomic imprinting is an important regulatory mechanism that silences one of the parental copies of a gene. To systematically characterize this phenomenon, we analyze tissue specificity of imprinting from allelic expression data in 1582 primary tissue samples from 178 individuals from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. We characterize imprinting in 42 genes, including both novel and previously identified genes. Tissue specificity of imprinting is widespread, and gender-specific effects are revealed in a small number of genes in muscle with stronger imprinting in males. IGF2 shows maternal expression in the brain instead of the canonical paternal expression elsewhere. Imprinting appears to have only a subtle impact on tissue-specific expression levels, with genes lacking a systematic expression difference between tissues with imprinted and biallelic expression. In summary, our systematic characterization of imprinting in adult tissues highlights variation in imprinting between genes, individuals, and tissues. © 2015 Baran et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Ambiguity of non-systematic chemical identifiers within and between small-molecule databases.

PubMed

Akhondi, Saber A; Muresan, Sorel; Williams, Antony J; Kors, Jan A

2015-01-01

A wide range of chemical compound databases are currently available for pharmaceutical research. To retrieve compound information, including structures, researchers can query these chemical databases using non-systematic identifiers. These are source-dependent identifiers (e.g., brand names, generic names), which are usually assigned to the compound at the point of registration. The correctness of non-systematic identifiers (i.e., whether an identifier matches the associated structure) can only be assessed manually, which is cumbersome, but it is possible to automatically check their ambiguity (i.e., whether an identifier matches more than one structure). In this study we have quantified the ambiguity of non-systematic identifiers within and between eight widely used chemical databases. We also studied the effect of chemical structure standardization on reducing the ambiguity of non-systematic identifiers. The ambiguity of non-systematic identifiers within databases varied from 0.1 to 15.2 % (median 2.5 %). Standardization reduced the ambiguity only to a small extent for most databases. A wide range of ambiguity existed for non-systematic identifiers that are shared between databases (17.7-60.2 %, median of 40.3 %). Removing stereochemistry information provided the largest reduction in ambiguity across databases (median reduction 13.7 percentage points). Ambiguity of non-systematic identifiers within chemical databases is generally low, but ambiguity of non-systematic identifiers that are shared between databases, is high. Chemical structure standardization reduces the ambiguity to a limited extent. Our findings can help to improve database integration, curation, and maintenance.

Small-Sided Games: Developmentally Appropriate Applications in Traditional Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Susan; Cruz, Luz

This paper presents a systematic progression of small-sided games within two traditional sports units (soccer and volleyball). Developmentally appropriate guidelines encourage teachers at all levels to incorporate small-sided games (2v2, 3v3, and 4v4). Advantages of small-sided games include: allowing students numerous practice opportunities;…

Systematic development of small molecules to inhibit specific microscopic steps of Aβ42 aggregation in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Habchi, Johnny; Chia, Sean; Limbocker, Ryan; Mannini, Benedetta; Ahn, Minkoo; Perni, Michele; Hansson, Oskar; Arosio, Paolo; Kumita, Janet R; Challa, Pavan Kumar; Cohen, Samuel I A; Linse, Sara; Dobson, Christopher M; Knowles, Tuomas P J; Vendruscolo, Michele

2017-01-10

The aggregation of the 42-residue form of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is a pivotal event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The use of chemical kinetics has recently enabled highly accurate quantifications of the effects of small molecules on specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. Here, we exploit this approach to develop a rational drug discovery strategy against Aβ42 aggregation that uses as a read-out the changes in the nucleation and elongation rate constants caused by candidate small molecules. We thus identify a pool of compounds that target specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. We then test further these small molecules in human cerebrospinal fluid and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of AD. Our results show that this strategy represents a powerful approach to identify systematically small molecule lead compounds, thus offering an appealing opportunity to reduce the attrition problem in drug discovery.

Study protocol: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in first-line treatment of squamous non-small cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There is a high unmet need for effective treatments for patients with squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Eli Lilly and Company is conducting a phase III, randomized, multicenter, open-label study of gemcitabine plus cisplatin plus necitumumab (GC + N) versus gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) for the first-line treatment of patients with stage IV squamous NSCLC. Given GC is not the only treatment commonly used for the treatment of squamous NSCLC, this study was designed to compare the survival, toxicity, and quality of life outcomes of current treatment strategies for squamous NSCLC in the first-line setting. Methods/Design A systematic review and meta-analysis (including indirect comparisons) of treatments used in squamous NSCLC will be conducted to assess the clinical efficacy (overall and progression-free survival), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety (grade 3–4 toxicity) of GC + N compared to other treatments used in squamous NSCLC. PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines will be followed for all aspects of this study. A systematic literature review will be conducted to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating chemotherapy treatment in first-line NSCLC. Eligible articles will be restricted to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) among chemotherapy-naïve advanced NSCLC cancer patients that report outcome data (survival, toxicity, or quality of life) for patients with squamous histology. Following data extraction and validation, data consistency and study heterogeneity will be assessed. A network meta-analysis will be conducted based on the available hazard ratios for overall and progression-free survival, odds ratios for published toxicity data, and mean difference of HRQoL scales. Sensitivity analyses will be conducted. Discussion This is a presentation of the study protocol only. Results and conclusions are pending completion of this study. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42014008968 PMID:25227571

Are interventions for low-income groups effective in changing healthy eating, physical activity and smoking behaviours? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Bull, Eleanor R; Dombrowski, Stephan U; McCleary, Nicola; Johnston, Marie

2014-11-28

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effectiveness of behavioural interventions targeting diet, physical activity or smoking in low-income adults. Systematic review with random effects meta-analyses. Studies before 2006 were identified from a previously published systematic review (searching 1995-2006) with similar but broader inclusion criteria (including non-randomised controlled trials (RCTs)). Studies from 2006 to 2014 were identified from eight electronic databases using a similar search strategy. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, CINAHL, Cochrane Controlled Trials, Cochrane Systematic Review and DARE. RCTs and cluster RCTs published from 1995 to 2014; interventions targeting dietary, physical activity and smoking; low-income adults; reporting of behavioural outcomes. Dietary, physical activity and smoking cessation behaviours. 35 studies containing 45 interventions with 17,000 participants met inclusion criteria. At postintervention, effects were positive but small for diet (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.22, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.29), physical activity (SMD 0.21, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.36) and smoking (relative risk (RR) of 1.59, 95% CI 1.34 to 1.89). Studies reporting follow-up results suggested that effects were maintained over time for diet (SMD 0.16, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.25) but not physical activity (SMD 0.17, 95% CI -0.02 to 0.37) or smoking (RR 1.11, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.34). Behaviour change interventions for low-income groups had small positive effects on healthy eating, physical activity and smoking. Further work is needed to improve the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions for deprived populations. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Clustering Scientific Publications Based on Citation Relations: A Systematic Comparison of Different Methods.

PubMed

Šubelj, Lovro; van Eck, Nees Jan; Waltman, Ludo

2016-01-01

Clustering methods are applied regularly in the bibliometric literature to identify research areas or scientific fields. These methods are for instance used to group publications into clusters based on their relations in a citation network. In the network science literature, many clustering methods, often referred to as graph partitioning or community detection techniques, have been developed. Focusing on the problem of clustering the publications in a citation network, we present a systematic comparison of the performance of a large number of these clustering methods. Using a number of different citation networks, some of them relatively small and others very large, we extensively study the statistical properties of the results provided by different methods. In addition, we also carry out an expert-based assessment of the results produced by different methods. The expert-based assessment focuses on publications in the field of scientometrics. Our findings seem to indicate that there is a trade-off between different properties that may be considered desirable for a good clustering of publications. Overall, map equation methods appear to perform best in our analysis, suggesting that these methods deserve more attention from the bibliometric community.

Clustering Scientific Publications Based on Citation Relations: A Systematic Comparison of Different Methods

PubMed Central

Šubelj, Lovro; van Eck, Nees Jan; Waltman, Ludo

2016-01-01

Clustering methods are applied regularly in the bibliometric literature to identify research areas or scientific fields. These methods are for instance used to group publications into clusters based on their relations in a citation network. In the network science literature, many clustering methods, often referred to as graph partitioning or community detection techniques, have been developed. Focusing on the problem of clustering the publications in a citation network, we present a systematic comparison of the performance of a large number of these clustering methods. Using a number of different citation networks, some of them relatively small and others very large, we extensively study the statistical properties of the results provided by different methods. In addition, we also carry out an expert-based assessment of the results produced by different methods. The expert-based assessment focuses on publications in the field of scientometrics. Our findings seem to indicate that there is a trade-off between different properties that may be considered desirable for a good clustering of publications. Overall, map equation methods appear to perform best in our analysis, suggesting that these methods deserve more attention from the bibliometric community. PMID:27124610

Curative Treatment of Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Patients With Severe COPD: Stereotactic Radiotherapy Outcomes and Systematic Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palma, David, E-mail: david.palma@uwo.ca; Division of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario; Lagerwaard, Frank

2012-03-01

Objectives: Patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a high risk of lung cancer and of postsurgical complications. We studied outcomes after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in patients with severe COPD, as defined by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria, and performed a systematic review of the literature on outcomes after SBRT or surgery in these patients. Methods: A single-institution cohort of 176 patients with COPD GOLD III-IV and Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with SBRT was evaluated. A systematic review identified studies reporting outcomes after SBRT or surgery for Stage I NSCLCmore » in patients with GOLD III-IV or a predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of {<=}40%. Results: In the single-institution cohort, median follow-up was 21 months and median overall survival (OS) was 32 months. Actuarial 3-year local control was 89%, and 1- and 3-year OS were 79% and 47%, respectively. COPD severity correlated with OS (p = 0.01). The systematic review identified four other studies (two surgical, two SBRT, n = 196 patients). SBRT studies were published more recently and included older patients than surgical studies. Mean 30-day mortality was 0% post-SBRT and 10% after surgery. Local or locoregional control was high ({>=}89%) after both treatments. Post-SBRT, actuarial OS was 79-95% at 1 year and 43-70% at 3 years. Postsurgical actuarial OS was 45-86% at 1 year and 31-66% at 3 years. Conclusions: SBRT and surgery differ in risk of 30-day mortality in patients with severe COPD. Despite the negative selection of SBRT patients, survival at 1 and 3 years is comparable between the two treatments.« less

The effect of antenatal education in small classes on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes - a systematic review.

PubMed

Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Lauemøller, Stine Glenstrup; Andersen, Stig Krøger; Due, Pernille; Koushede, Vibeke

2015-02-28

The aims of antenatal education are broad and encompass outcomes related to pregnancy, birth, and parenthood. Both form and content of antenatal education have changed over time without evidence of effects on relevant outcomes. The effect of antenatal education in groups, with participation of a small number of participants, may differ from the effect of other forms of antenatal education due to, for example, group dynamic. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the effects of antenatal education in small groups on obstetric as well as psycho-social outcomes. Bibliographic databases (Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycINFO) were searched. We included randomized and quasi-randomized trials irrespective of language, publication year, publication type, and publication status. Only trials carried out in the Western world were considered in this review. Studies were assessed for bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results are presented as structured summaries of the included trials and as forest plots. We identified 5,708 records. Of these, 17 studies met inclusion criteria. Studies varied greatly in content of the experimental and control condition. All outcomes were only reported in a single or a few trials, leading to limited or uncertain confidence in effect estimates. Given the heterogeneity in interventions and outcomes and also the high risk of bias of studies, we are unable to draw definitive conclusions as to the impact of small group antenatal education on obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. Insufficient evidence exists as to whether antenatal education in small classes is effective in regard to obstetric and psycho-social outcomes. We recommend updating this review following the emergence of well-conducted randomized controlled trials with a low risk of bias. PROSPERO CRD42013004319.

Intercomparison of fast response commercial gas analysers for nitrous oxide flux measurements under field conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rannik, Ü.; Haapanala, S.; Shurpali, N. J.; Mammarella, I.; Lind, S.; Hyvönen, N.; Peltola, O.; Zahniser, M.; Martikainen, P. J.; Vesala, T.

2015-01-01

Four gas analysers capable of measuring nitrous oxide (N2O) concentration at a response time necessary for eddy covariance flux measurements were operated from spring until winter 2011 over a field cultivated with reed canary grass (RCG, Phalaris arundinacea, L.), a perennial bioenergy crop in eastern Finland. The instruments were TGA100A (Campbell Scientific Inc.), CW-TILDAS-CS (Aerodyne Research Inc.), N2O / CO-23d (Los Gatos Research Inc.) and QC-TILDAS-76-CS (Aerodyne Research Inc.). The period with high emissions, lasting for about 2 weeks after fertilization in late May, was characterized by an up to 2 orders of magnitude higher emission, whereas during the rest of the campaign the N2O fluxes were small, from 0.01 to 1 nmol m-2 s-1. Two instruments, CW-TILDAS-CS and N2O / CO-23d, determined the N2O exchange with minor systematic difference throughout the campaign, when operated simultaneously. TGA100A produced the cumulatively highest N2O estimates (with 29% higher values during the period when all instruments were operational). QC-TILDAS-76-CS obtained 36% lower fluxes than CW-TILDAS-CS during the first period, including the emission episode, whereas the correspondence with other instruments during the rest of the campaign was good. The reasons for systematic differences were not identified, suggesting further need for detailed evaluation of instrument performance under field conditions with emphasis on stability, calibration and any other factors that can systematically affect the accuracy of flux measurements. The instrument CW-TILDAS-CS was characterized by the lowest noise level (with a standard deviation of around 0.12 ppb at 10 Hz sampling rate) as compared to N2O / CO-23d and QC-TILDAS-76-CS (around 0.50 ppb) and TGA100A (around 2 ppb). We identified that for all instruments except CW-TILDAS-CS the random error due to instrumental noise was an important source of uncertainty at the 30 min averaging level and the total stochastic error was frequently of the same magnitude as the fluxes when N2O exchange was small at the measurement site. Both instruments based on continuous-wave quantum cascade laser, CW-TILDAS-CS and N2O / CO-23d, were able to determine the same sample of low N2O fluxes with a high mutual coefficient of determination at the 30 min averaging level and with minor systematic difference over the observation period of several months. This enables us to conclude that the new-generation instrumentation is capable of measuring small N2O exchange with high precision and accuracy at sites with low fluxes.

Comorbid depression and associated factors in PNES versus epilepsy: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Walsh, Sean; Levita, Liat; Reuber, Markus

2018-05-24

This systematic review aims to contrast levels, manifestations and associations of depression in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and those with epilepsy. ScienceDirect and Web of Science were searched for primary research reports describing quantitative studies involving separate epilepsy and PNES samples (age 16+) and using a validated measure of depression. While 34 studies were identified, most were of low quality and had small sample sizes. Studies consistently found higher levels of self-reported depression in the PNES than epilepsy groups, with a meta-analysis demonstrating a significant difference between the groups. Although patients with PNES were also more likely to have a clinical diagnosis of depression than those with epilepsy, the difference between the groups was less pronounced in studies based on such diagnoses rather than self-report. Patients with PNES were more likely to report physical symptoms of depression than those with epilepsy. Interpersonal factors explained more variation in depression levels in patients with PNES than those with epilepsy, for whom illness related factors were more influential, but in both patient groups, depression had a significant impact on health related quality of life. This systematic review demonstrates a higher prevalence of depression in patients with PNES compared to patients with epilepsy and suggests differences in the expression and possible causes of depression between these groups. Copyright © 2018 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving GRADE evidence tables part 1: a randomized trial shows improved understanding of content in summary of findings tables with a new format.

PubMed

Carrasco-Labra, Alonso; Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Santesso, Nancy; Neumann, Ignacio; Mustafa, Reem A; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Etxeandia Ikobaltzeta, Itziar; De Stio, Catherine; McCullagh, Lauren J; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Meerpohl, Joerg J; Vandvik, Per Olav; Brozek, Jan L; Akl, Elie A; Bossuyt, Patrick; Churchill, Rachel; Glenton, Claire; Rosenbaum, Sarah; Tugwell, Peter; Welch, Vivian; Garner, Paul; Guyatt, Gordon; Schünemann, Holger J

2016-06-01

The current format of summary of findings (SoFs) tables for presenting effect estimates and associated quality of evidence improve understanding and assist users finding key information in systematic reviews. Users of SoF tables have demanded alternative formats to express findings from systematic reviews. We conducted a randomized controlled trial among systematic review users to compare the relative merits of a new format with the current formats of SoF tables regarding understanding, accessibility of information, satisfaction, and preference. Our primary goal was to show that the new format is not inferior to the current format. Of 390 potentially eligible subjects, 290 were randomized. Of seven items testing understanding, three showed similar results, two showed small differences favoring the new format, and two (understanding risk difference and quality of the evidence associated with a treatment effect) showed large differences favoring the new format [63% (95% confidence interval {CI}: 55, 71) and 62% (95% CI: 52, 71) more correct answers, respectively]. Respondents rated information in the alternative format as more accessible overall and preferred the new format over the current format. While providing at least similar levels of understanding for some items and increased understanding for others, users prefer the new format of SoF tables. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new ultrasonic transducer sample cell for in situ small-angle scattering experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Sudipta; Bleuel, Markus; Schneider, Gerald J.

2018-01-01

Ultrasound irradiation is a commonly used technique for nondestructive diagnostics or targeted destruction. We report on a new versatile sonication device that fits in a variety of standard sample environments for neutron and X-ray scattering instruments. A piezoelectric transducer permits measuring of the time-dependent response of the sample in situ during or after sonication. We use small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to demonstrate the effect of a time-dependent perturbation on the structure factor of micelles formed from sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant molecules. We observe a substantial change in the micellar structure during and after exposure to ultrasonic irradiation. We also observe a time-dependent relaxation to the equilibrium values of the unperturbed system. The strength of the perturbation of the structure factor depends systematically on the duration of sonication. The relaxation behavior can be well reproduced after multiple times of sonication. Accumulation of the recorded intensities of the different sonication cycles improves the signal-to-noise ratio and permits reaching very short relaxation times. In addition, we present SANS data for the micellar form factor on alkyl-poly (ethylene oxide) surfactant molecules irradiated by ultrasound. Due to the flexibility of our new in situ sonication device, different experiments can be performed, e.g., to explore molecular potentials in more detail by introducing a systematic time-dependent perturbation.

Gastrointestinal nematode infection in small ruminants in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Asmare, Kassahun; Sheferaw, Desie; Aragaw, Kassaye; Abera, Mesele; Sibhat, Berhanu; Haile, Aynalem; Kiara, Henry; Szonyi, Barbara; Skjerve, Eystein; Wieland, Barbara

2016-08-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematode infections are a major health challenge affecting productive and reproductive performance of sheep and goats in Ethiopia. However, there is no comprehensive summary on the occurrence and distribution of the infection at national level. This systematic review provides pooled prevalence estimates and assesses potential predictors of the nematode infections in small ruminants, i.e. helpful in planning interventions or control strategies. The review used 50 animal level datasets retrieved from 24 manuscripts. The studies used data collected from 9407 sheep and 3478 goats. A meta-analytical approach was employed to analyze Effect size (ES). The reported GI nematodes represented eleven genera affecting sheep and goats including: Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Teladorsagia/Ostertagia, Strongyloides, Bunostomum, Nematodirus, Chabertia, Trichuris, Cooperia, Skrjabinema and Oesophagostomum. The GI nematodes pooled prevalence estimate in the random effect model was 75.8% (95% CI: 69.6, 80.8). The subgroup analysis revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in the prevalence between different regions and type of diagnostic methods used. 'Postmortem technique' and 'eastern part of the country' were associated with higher GI nematode prevalence and accounted for 68.1% of the between studies heterogeneity. In light of the high parasitic prevalence in all agro-ecologies, the need for strategic intervention is recommended. Meanwhile, data need to be generated for some of the regions where dependable survey reports are lacking. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pain neurophysiology education for the management of individuals with chronic low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Clarke, Clare Louise; Ryan, Cormac Gerard; Martin, Denis J

2011-12-01

Pain neurophysiology education (PNE) is a form of education for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the evidence for PNE in the management of pateints with CLBP. A literature search of MEDLINE, CINAHL and AMED was performed from 1996(01)-2010(09). RCT appraisal and synthesis was assessed using the Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) guidelines. The main outcome measures were pain, physical-function, psychological-function, and social-function. Two moderate quality RCTs (n=122) were included in the final review. According to the CBRG criteria there was very low quality evidence that PNE is beneficial for pain, physical-function, psychological-function, and social-function. Meta-analysis found PNE produced statistically significant but clinically small improvements in short-term pain of 5mm (0, 10.0mm) [mean difference (95%CI)] on the 100mm VAS. This review was limited by the small number of studies (n=2) that met the inclusion criteria and by the fact that both studies were produced by the same group that published the PNE manual. These factors contributed to the relatively low grading of the evidence. There is a need for more studies investigating PNE by different research groups to support early promising findings. Until then firm clinical recommendations cannot be made. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Actin and microtubule networks contribute differently to cell response for small and large strains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kubitschke, H.; Schnauss, J.; Nnetu, K. D.; Warmt, E.; Stange, R.; Kaes, J.

2017-09-01

Cytoskeletal filaments provide cells with mechanical stability and organization. The main key players are actin filaments and microtubules governing a cell’s response to mechanical stimuli. We investigated the specific influences of these crucial components by deforming MCF-7 epithelial cells at small (≤5% deformation) and large strains (>5% deformation). To understand specific contributions of actin filaments and microtubules, we systematically studied cellular responses after treatment with cytoskeleton influencing drugs. Quantification with the microfluidic optical stretcher allowed capturing the relative deformation and relaxation of cells under different conditions. We separated distinctive deformational and relaxational contributions to cell mechanics for actin and microtubule networks for two orders of magnitude of drug dosages. Disrupting actin filaments via latrunculin A, for instance, revealed a strain-independent softening. Stabilizing these filaments by treatment with jasplakinolide yielded cell softening for small strains but showed no significant change at large strains. In contrast, cells treated with nocodazole to disrupt microtubules displayed a softening at large strains but remained unchanged at small strains. Stabilizing microtubules within the cells via paclitaxel revealed no significant changes for deformations at small strains, but concentration-dependent impact at large strains. This suggests that for suspended cells, the actin cortex is probed at small strains, while at larger strains; the whole cell is probed with a significant contribution from the microtubules.

Compensation for Time-Dependent Star Tracker Thermal Deformation on the Aqua Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hashmall, Joseph A.; Natanson, Gregory; Glickman, Jonathan; Sedlak, Joseph

2004-01-01

Analysis of attitude sensor data from the Aqua mission showed small but systematic differences between batch least-squares and extended Kalman filter attitudes. These differences were also found to be correlated with star tracker residuals, gyro bias estimates, and star tracker baseplate temperatures. This paper describes the analysis that shows that these correlations are all consistent with a single cause: time-dependent thermal deformation of star tracker alignments. These varying alignments can be separated into relative and common components. The relative misalignments can be determined and compensated for. The common misalignments can only be determined in special cases.

Gender differences in alcohol demand: a systematic review of the role of prices and taxes.

PubMed

Nelson, Jon P

2014-10-01

Gender differences in drinking patterns are potentially important for public policies, especially policies that rely extensively on higher alcohol taxes and prices. This paper presents a systematic review of alcohol prices and gender differences in drinking and heavy drinking by adults and young adults. Starting with a database of 578 studies of alcohol demand and other outcomes, 15 studies are reviewed of adult drinking including discussion of samples, measurement issues, econometric models, special variables, and key empirical results. A similar discussion is presented for eight studies of drinking by young adults, ages 18-26 years. Four conclusions are obtained from the review. First, adult men have less elastic demands compared with women. Second, there is little or no price response by heavy-drinking adults, regardless of gender. Third, although the sample is small, price might be important for drinking participation by young adults. Fourth, the results strongly suggest that heavy drinking by young adults, regardless of gender, is not easily dissuaded by higher prices. Policy implications, primary study limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effectiveness of weight loss interventions – is there a difference between men and women: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Williams, R L; Wood, L G; Collins, C E; Callister, R

2015-01-01

Effective strategies are required to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity; however, the effectiveness of current weight loss programmes is variable. One contributing factor may be the difference in weight loss success between men and women. A systematic review was conducted to determine whether the effectiveness of weight loss interventions differs between men and women. Randomized controlled trials published up until March 2014 were included. Effect sizes (Hedges' g) were used to examine the difference in weight outcomes between men and women. A total of 58 studies met the eligibility criteria with 49 studies of higher quality included in the final data synthesis. Eleven studies that directly compared weight loss in men and women reported a significant sex difference. Ten of these reported that men lost more weight than women; however, women also lost a significant amount of weight. Analysis of effect sizes found small differences in weight loss favouring men for both diet (g = 0.489) and diet plus exercise (g = 0.240) interventions. There is little evidence from this review to indicate that men and women should adopt different weight loss strategies. Current evidence supports moderate energy restriction in combination with exercise for weight loss in both men and women. PMID:25494712

Inkjet-Printed Small-Molecule Organic Light-Emitting Diodes: Halogen-Free Inks, Printing Optimization, and Large-Area Patterning.

PubMed

Zhou, Lu; Yang, Lei; Yu, Mengjie; Jiang, Yi; Liu, Cheng-Fang; Lai, Wen-Yong; Huang, Wei

2017-11-22

Manufacturing small-molecule organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) via inkjet printing is rather attractive for realizing high-efficiency and long-life-span devices, yet it is challenging. In this paper, we present our efforts on systematical investigation and optimization of the ink properties and the printing process to enable facile inkjet printing of conjugated light-emitting small molecules. Various factors on influencing the inkjet-printed film quality during the droplet generation, the ink spreading on the substrates, and its solidification processes have been systematically investigated and optimized. Consequently, halogen-free inks have been developed and large-area patterning inkjet printing on flexible substrates with efficient blue emission has been successfully demonstrated. Moreover, OLEDs manufactured by inkjet printing the light-emitting small molecules manifested superior performance as compared with their corresponding spin-cast counterparts.

Deficiency of ''Thin'' Stellar Bars in Seyfert Host Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlosman, Isaac; Peletier, Reynier F.; Knapen, Johan

1999-01-01

Using all available major samples of Seyfert galaxies and their corresponding control samples of closely matched non-active galaxies, we find that the bar ellipticities (or axial ratios) in Seyfert galaxies are systematically different from those in non-active galaxies. Overall, there is a deficiency of bars with large ellipticities (i.e., 'fat' or 'weak' bars) in Seyferts, compared to non-active galaxies. Accompanied with a large dispersion due to small number statistics, this effect is strictly speaking at the 2 sigma level. To obtain this result, the active galaxy samples of near-infrared surface photometry were matched to those of normal galaxies in type, host galaxy ellipticity, absolute magnitude, and, to some extent, in redshift. We discuss possible theoretical explanations of this phenomenon within the framework of galactic evolution, and, in particular, of radial gas redistribution in barred galaxies. Our conclusions provide further evidence that Seyfert hosts differ systematically from their non-active counterparts on scales of a few kpc.

Do preschools differ in promoting children’s physical activity? An instrument for the assessment of preschool physical activity programmes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Preschools offer high potential for preventive interventions. However, little is known about the structure of preschool programmes to promote physical activity (PA) in preschoolers although almost all children aged three to six years spend one third of the day at preschool. The aim of this study was to determine whether and to what extent preschools implement systematic PA promotion measures using an instrument specifically developed to assess and systematize preschool PA programmes. Methods In the cross-sectional study a baseline survey of preschool education policies was conducted to identify and assess the type and extent of PA programmes and opportunities in preschools in the State of Lower Saxony, Germany. An assessment instrument was developed to identify preschools with systematic PA programmes (type 1) and those without PA programmes (type 2) based on the following quality criteria: A) written PA policy, B) structured weekly PA offerings for all children; C) at least one qualified physical education teacher; D) PA-friendly indoor and outdoor facilities (exercise room, situational PA opportunities, outdoor areas, play equipment etc.), and E) structured PA promotion in place for at least two years. A third type of preschool that promotes PA in children to some extent (i.e., that meets the criteria partially but not completely) was classified as “preschools with limited PA programmes”. Results 2415 preschools participated in the survey (response rate: 59%). The results show that 26% (n = 554) have a systematic PA programme while 3% (n = 64) have no PA programme. Most (71%, n = 1514) were classified as limited PA programme preschools. All three types of preschools differed significantly (p = .000) from each other in terms of size (small vs. large). Most of the preschools without PA programmes are small half-day preschools. Conclusions The study investigated an assessment-instrument providing extensive insight into the nature, extent and routine practical implementation of PA promotion in preschools. The criteria used to evaluate preschool PA programmes are well-suited to identify the different preschool PA programme types and target areas in the field of PA promotion in which specific measures (teacher education, structured PA offerings, etc.) can be implemented in future interventions. PMID:24005037

At convenience and systematic random sampling: effects on the prognostic value of nuclear area assessments in breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Jannink, I; Bennen, J N; Blaauw, J; van Diest, P J; Baak, J P

1995-01-01

This study compares the influence of two different nuclear sampling methods on the prognostic value of assessments of mean and standard deviation of nuclear area (MNA, SDNA) in 191 consecutive invasive breast cancer patients with long term follow up. The first sampling method used was 'at convenience' sampling (ACS); the second, systematic random sampling (SRS). Both sampling methods were tested with a sample size of 50 nuclei (ACS-50 and SRS-50). To determine whether, besides the sampling methods, sample size had impact on prognostic value as well, the SRS method was also tested using a sample size of 100 nuclei (SRS-100). SDNA values were systematically lower for ACS, obviously due to (unconsciously) not including small and large nuclei. Testing prognostic value of a series of cut off points, MNA and SDNA values assessed by the SRS method were prognostically significantly stronger than the values obtained by the ACS method. This was confirmed in Cox regression analysis. For the MNA, the Mantel-Cox p-values from SRS-50 and SRS-100 measurements were not significantly different. However, for the SDNA, SRS-100 yielded significantly lower p-values than SRS-50. In conclusion, compared with the 'at convenience' nuclear sampling method, systematic random sampling of nuclei is not only superior with respect to reproducibility of results, but also provides a better prognostic value in patients with invasive breast cancer.

Drivers of solar radiation variability in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Obryk, Maciej; Fountain, Andrew G.; Doran, Peter; Lyons, Berry; Eastman, Ryan

2018-01-01

Annually averaged solar radiation in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica has varied by over 20 W m−2 during the past three decades; however, the drivers of this variability are unknown. Because small differences in radiation are important to water availability and ecosystem functioning in polar deserts, determining the causes are important to predictions of future desert processes. We examine the potential drivers of solar variability and systematically eliminate all but stratospheric sulfur dioxide. We argue that increases in stratospheric sulfur dioxide increase stratospheric aerosol optical depth and decrease solar intensity. Because of the polar location of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (77–78°S) and relatively long solar ray path through the stratosphere, terrestrial solar intensity is sensitive to small differences in stratospheric transmissivity. Important sources of sulfur dioxide include natural (wildfires and volcanic eruptions) and anthropogenic emission.

Therapeutic intervention for internalized stigma of severe mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tsang, Hector W H; Ching, S C; Tang, K H; Lam, H T; Law, Peggy Y Y; Wan, C N

2016-05-01

Internalized stigma can lead to pervasive negative effects among people with severe mental illness (SMI). Although prevalence of internalized stigma is high, there is a dearth of interventions and meanwhile a lack of evidence as to their effectiveness. This study aims at unraveling the existence of different therapeutic interventions and the effectiveness internalized stigma reduction in people with SMI via a systematic review and meta-analysis. Five electronic databases were searched. Studies were included if they (1) involved community or hospital based interventions on internalized stigma, (2) included participants who were given a diagnosis of SMI>50%, and (3) were empirical and quantitative in nature. Fourteen articles were selected for extensive review and five for meta-analysis. Nine studies showed significant decrease in internalized stigma and two showed sustainable effects. Meta-analysis showed that there was a small to moderate significant effect in therapeutic interventions (SMD=-0.43; p=0.003). Among the intervention elements, four studies suggested a favorable effect of psychoeducation. Meta-analysis showed that there was small to moderate significant effect (SMD=-0.40; p=0.001). Most internalized stigma reduction programs appear to be effective. This systematic review cannot make any recommendation on which intervention is more effective although psychoeducation seems most promising. More Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) on particular intervention components using standard outcome measures are recommended in future studies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Application of advanced shearing techniques to the calibration of autocollimators with small angle generators and investigation of error sources.

PubMed

Yandayan, T; Geckeler, R D; Aksulu, M; Akgoz, S A; Ozgur, B

2016-05-01

The application of advanced error-separating shearing techniques to the precise calibration of autocollimators with Small Angle Generators (SAGs) was carried out for the first time. The experimental realization was achieved using the High Precision Small Angle Generator (HPSAG) of TUBITAK UME under classical dimensional metrology laboratory environmental conditions. The standard uncertainty value of 5 mas (24.2 nrad) reached by classical calibration method was improved to the level of 1.38 mas (6.7 nrad). Shearing techniques, which offer a unique opportunity to separate the errors of devices without recourse to any external standard, were first adapted by Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) to the calibration of autocollimators with angle encoders. It has been demonstrated experimentally in a clean room environment using the primary angle standard of PTB (WMT 220). The application of the technique to a different type of angle measurement system extends the range of the shearing technique further and reveals other advantages. For example, the angular scales of the SAGs are based on linear measurement systems (e.g., capacitive nanosensors for the HPSAG). Therefore, SAGs show different systematic errors when compared to angle encoders. In addition to the error-separation of HPSAG and the autocollimator, detailed investigations on error sources were carried out. Apart from determination of the systematic errors of the capacitive sensor used in the HPSAG, it was also demonstrated that the shearing method enables the unique opportunity to characterize other error sources such as errors due to temperature drift in long term measurements. This proves that the shearing technique is a very powerful method for investigating angle measuring systems, for their improvement, and for specifying precautions to be taken during the measurements.

Cognitive Motor Interference in Multiple Sclerosis: Insights From a Systematic Quantitative Review.

PubMed

Learmonth, Yvonne C; Ensari, Ipek; Motl, Robert W

2017-06-01

To synthesize the evidence for differences in cognitive motor interference (CMI) between persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and those without MS by using systematic review and meta-analysis. EMBASE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science. Our focused literature search was informed by past systematic reviews of CMI during walking in MS. The key terms searched included Multiple sclerosis and synonyms of motor function (eg, Gait disorders, Gait, Walking, Balance, or Fall) and motor and cognitive functions (eg, Cognitive motor interference or Thinking). From the 116 abstract-identified articles, 13 experimental studies were selected for the final analysis and were rated using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. A meta-analysis was performed for all considered outcomes. The results yielded a small overall effect size (ES) of .08 (SE=.17; 95% confidence interval, -.25 to .40; z=.49; P>.05), which indicated a nonsignificant minimal difference in CMI between persons with MS and those without MS. The moderator analysis for motor task (mobility task: ES, .22; postural task: ES, -.11) was not significantly different between persons with MS and those without MS. The moderator analysis for cognitive task (verbal fluency task: ES, .66; mental tracking task: ES, .04; discrimination and decision-making task: ES, -.30) resulted in a significant difference in CMI between persons with MS and those without MS (P<.05). We provide evidence that overall there is a minimal difference in CMI between persons with MS and those without MS. Copyright © 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Small-Molecule Binding Aptamers: Selection Strategies, Characterization, and Applications

PubMed Central

Ruscito, Annamaria; DeRosa, Maria C.

2016-01-01

Aptamers are single-stranded, synthetic oligonucleotides that fold into 3-dimensional shapes capable of binding non-covalently with high affinity and specificity to a target molecule. They are generated via an in vitro process known as the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment, from which candidates are screened and characterized, and then used in various applications. These applications range from therapeutic uses to biosensors for target detection. Aptamers for small molecule targets such as toxins, antibiotics, molecular markers, drugs, and heavy metals will be the focus of this review. Their accurate detection is needed for the protection and wellbeing of humans and animals. However, the small molecular weights of these targets, including the drastic size difference between the target and the oligonucleotides, make it challenging to select, characterize, and apply aptamers for their detection. Thus, recent (since 2012) notable advances in small molecule aptamers, which have overcome some of these challenges, are presented here, while defining challenges that still exist are discussed. PMID:27242994

Practical comparison of LC columns packed with different superficially porous particles for the separation of small molecules and medium size natural products.

PubMed

Yang, Peilin; McCabe, Terry; Pursch, Matthias

2011-11-01

Commercial C(18) columns packed with superficially porous particles of different sizes and shell thicknesses (Ascentis Express, Kinetex, and Poroshell 120) or sub-2-μm totally porous particles (Acquity BEH) were systematically compared using a small molecule mixture and a complex natural product mixture as text probes. Significant efficiency loss was observed on 2.1-mm id columns even with a low dispersion ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography system. The Kinetex 4.6-mm id column packed with 2.6-μm particles exhibited the best overall efficiency for small molecule separations and the Poroshell 120 column showed better performance for mid-size natural product analytes. The Kinetex 2.1-mm id column packed with 1.7-μm particles did not deliver the expected performance and the possible reasons besides extra column effect have been proved to be frictional heating effect and poor column packing quality. Different column retentivities and selectivities have been observed on the four C(18) columns of different brands for the natural product separation. Column batch-to-batch variability that has been previously observed on the Ascentis Express column was also observed on the Kinetex and Poroshell 120 column. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Seed Placement in Permanent Breast Seed Implant Brachytherapy: Are Concerns Over Accuracy Valid?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morton, Daniel, E-mail: dmorton@bccancer.bc.ca; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia; Hilts, Michelle

Purpose: To evaluate seed placement accuracy in permanent breast seed implant brachytherapy (PBSI), to identify any systematic errors and evaluate their effect on dosimetry. Methods and Materials: Treatment plans and postimplant computed tomography scans for 20 PBSI patients were spatially registered and used to evaluate differences between planned and implanted seed positions, termed seed displacements. For each patient, the mean total and directional seed displacements were determined in both standard room coordinates and in needle coordinates relative to needle insertion angle. Seeds were labeled according to their proximity to the anatomy within the breast, to evaluate the influence of anatomicmore » regions on seed placement. Dosimetry within an evaluative target volume (seroma + 5 mm), skin, breast, and ribs was evaluated to determine the impact of seed placement on the treatment. Results: The overall mean (±SD) difference between implanted and planned positions was 9 ± 5 mm for the aggregate seed population. No significant systematic directional displacements were observed for this whole population. However, for individual patients, systematic displacements were observed, implying that intrapatient offsets occur during the procedure. Mean displacements for seeds in the different anatomic areas were not found to be significantly different from the mean for the entire seed population. However, small directional trends were observed within the anatomy, potentially indicating some bias in the delivery. Despite observed differences between the planned and implanted seed positions, the median (range) V{sub 90} for the 20 patients was 97% (66%-100%), and acceptable dosimetry was achieved for critical structures. Conclusions: No significant trends or systematic errors were observed in the placement of seeds in PBSI, including seeds implanted directly into the seroma. Recorded seed displacements may be related to intrapatient setup adjustments. Despite observed seed displacements, acceptable postimplant dosimetry was achieved.« less

Small Bus Manufacturing Industry

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-01-01

This report is an examination of the small bus manufacturing industry with the objectives of: (1) providing a systematic understanding of the diversity of vehicle types and manufacturers and (2) identifying important economic trends in the industry t...

Explanatory models concerning the effects of small-area characteristics on individual health.

PubMed

Voigtländer, Sven; Vogt, Verena; Mielck, Andreas; Razum, Oliver

2014-06-01

Material and social living conditions at the small-area level are assumed to have an effect on individual health. We review existing explanatory models concerning the effects of small-area characteristics on health and describe the gaps future research should try to fill. Systematic literature search for, and analysis of, studies that propose an explanatory model of the relationship between small-area characteristics and health. Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria. Using various theoretical approaches, almost all of the models are based on a three-tier structure linking social inequalities (posited at the macro-level), small-area characteristics (posited at the meso-level) and individual health (micro-level). No study explicitly defines the geographical borders of the small-area context. The health impact of the small-area characteristics is explained by specific pathways involving mediating factors (psychological, behavioural, biological). These pathways tend to be seen as uni-directional; often, causality is implied. They may be modified by individual factors. A number of issues need more attention in research on explanatory models concerning small-area effects on health. Among them are the (geographical) definition of the small-area context; the systematic description of pathways comprising small-area contextual as well as compositional factors; questions of direction of association and causality; and the integration of a time dimension.

SU-E-T-257: Output Constancy: Reducing Measurement Variations in a Large Practice Group

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hedrick, K; Fitzgerald, T; Miller, R

2014-06-01

Purpose: To standardize output constancy check procedures in a large medical physics practice group covering multiple sites, in order to identify and reduce small systematic errors caused by differences in equipment and the procedures of multiple physicists. Methods: A standardized machine output constancy check for both photons and electrons was instituted within the practice group in 2010. After conducting annual TG-51 measurements in water and adjusting the linac to deliver 1.00 cGy/MU at Dmax, an acrylic phantom (comparable at all sites) and PTW farmer ion chamber are used to obtain monthly output constancy reference readings. From the collected charge reading,more » measurements of air pressure and temperature, and chamber Ndw and Pelec, a value we call the Kacrylic factor is determined, relating the chamber reading in acrylic to the dose in water with standard set-up conditions. This procedure easily allows for multiple equipment combinations to be used at any site. The Kacrylic factors and output results from all sites and machines are logged monthly in a central database and used to monitor trends in calibration and output. Results: The practice group consists of 19 sites, currently with 34 Varian and 8 Elekta linacs (24 Varian and 5 Elekta linacs in 2010). Over the past three years, the standard deviation of Kacrylic factors measured on all machines decreased by 20% for photons and high energy electrons as systematic errors were found and reduced. Low energy electrons showed very little change in the distribution of Kacrylic values. Small errors in linac beam data were found by investigating outlier Kacrylic values. Conclusion: While the use of acrylic phantoms introduces an additional source of error through small differences in depth and effective depth, the new standardized procedure eliminates potential sources of error from using many different phantoms and results in more consistent output constancy measurements.« less

Characterization of LANDSAT-4 TM and MSS Image Quality for Interpretation of Agricultural and Forest Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Degloria, S. D.; Colwell, R. N.

1984-01-01

Systematic analysis of both image and numeric data shows that the overall spectral, spatial, and radiometric quality of the TM data are excellent. Spectral variations in fallow fields are due to the vaiability in soil moisture and surface roughness resulting from the various stages of field preparation for small grains production. Spectrally, the addition of the first TM short wave infrared band (Band 5) significantly enhanced ability to discriminate different crop types. Bands 1, 5, and 6 contain saturated pixels due to high albedo effects, low moisture conditions, and high radiant temperatures of granite and dry, bare soil on south facing slopes, respectively. Spatially, the two fold decrease in interpixel distance and four fold decrease in area per pixel between the TM and MSS allow for improved discrimination of small fields, boundary conditions, road and stream networks in rough terrain, and small forest clearings resulting from various forest management practices.

Systematic investigation of NLTE phenomena in the limit of small departures from LTE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libby, S. B.; Graziani, F. R.; More, R. M.; Kato, T.

1997-04-01

In this paper, we begin a systematic study of Non-Local Thermal Equilibrium (NLTE) phenomena in near equilibrium (LTE) high energy density, highly radiative plasmas. It is shown that the principle of minimum entropy production rate characterizes NLTE steady states for average atom rate equations in the case of small departures form LTE. With the aid of a novel hohlraum-reaction box thought experiment, we use the principles of minimum entropy production and detailed balance to derive Onsager reciprocity relations for the NLTE responses of a near equilibrium sample to non-Planckian perturbations in different frequency groups. This result is a significant symmetry constraint on the linear corrections to Kirchoff's law. We envisage applying our strategy to a number of test problems which include: the NLTE corrections to the ionization state of an ion located near the edge of an otherwise LTE medium; the effect of a monochromatic radiation field perturbation on an LTE medium; the deviation of Rydberg state populations from LTE in recombining or ionizing plasmas; multi-electron temperature models such as that of Busquet; and finally, the effect of NLTE population shifts on opacity models.

Intuitive biological thought: Developmental changes and effects of biology education in late adolescence.

PubMed

Coley, John D; Arenson, Melanie; Xu, Yian; Tanner, Kimberly D

2017-02-01

A large body of cognitive research has shown that people intuitively and effortlessly reason about the biological world in complex and systematic ways. We addressed two questions about the nature of intuitive biological reasoning: How does intuitive biological thinking change during adolescence and early adulthood? How does increasing biology education influence intuitive biological thinking? To do so, we developed a battery of measures to systematically test three components of intuitive biological thought: anthropocentric thinking, teleological thinking and essentialist thinking, and tested 8th graders and university students (both biology majors, and non-biology majors). Results reveal clear evidence of persistent intuitive reasoning among all populations studied, consistent but surprisingly small differences between 8th graders and college students on measures of intuitive biological thought, and consistent but again surprisingly small influence of increasing biology education on intuitive biological reasoning. Results speak to the persistence of intuitive reasoning, the importance of taking intuitive knowledge into account in science classrooms, and the necessity of interdisciplinary research to advance biology education. Further studies are necessary to investigate how cultural context and continued acquisition of expertise impact intuitive biology thinking. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Materials for Slack Diaphragms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Puschmann, Traute

1940-01-01

This report deals with systematic experiments carried out on five diaphragm materials with different pretreatment, for the purpose of ascertaining the suitability of such materials for slack diaphragms. The relationship of deflection and load, temperature and moisture, was recorded. Of the explored materials, synthetic leather, balloon cloth, goldbeaters skin, Igelit and Buna, synthetic leather treated with castor oil is the most suitable material for the small pressure range required. Balloon cloth is nearly as good, while goldbeaters skin, Igelit and Buna were found to be below the required standards.

Reproducibility of corneal astigmatism measurements with a hand held keratometer in preschool children.

PubMed Central

Harvey, E M; Miller, J M; Dobson, V

1995-01-01

AIMS--To evaluate the overall accuracy and reproducibility of the Alcon portable autokeratometer (PAK) measurements in infants and young children. METHODS--The accuracy of the Alcon PAK in measuring toric reference surfaces (1, 3, 5, and 7 D) under various suboptimal measurement conditions was assessed, and the reproducibility of PAK measurements of corneal astigmatism in newborn infants (n = 5), children (n = 19, age 3-5 years), and adults (n = 14) was evaluated. RESULTS--Measurements of toric reference surfaces indicated (a) no significant effect of distance (17-30 mm) on accuracy of measurements, (b) no systematic relation between amount of toricity and accuracy of measurements, (c) no systematic relation between angle of measurement and accuracy, (d) no difference in accuracy of measurements when the PAK is hand held in comparison with when it is mounted, (e) no difference in accuracy of measurements when axis of toricity is oriented obliquely than when it is oriented horizontally, with respect to the PAK, and (f) a small positive bias (+0.16 D) in measurement of spherical equivalent. The PAK did not prove useful for screening newborns. However, measurements were successfully obtained from 18/19 children and 14/14 adults. There was no significant difference in median measurement deviation (deviation of a subject's five measurements from his/her mean) between children (0.21 D) and adults (0.13 D). CONCLUSIONS--The PAK produces accurate measurements of surface curvature under a variety of suboptimal conditions. Variability of PAK measurements in preschool children is small enough to suggest that it would be useful for screening for corneal astigmatism in young children. PMID:8534668

Systematic development of small molecules to inhibit specific microscopic steps of Aβ42 aggregation in Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Habchi, Johnny; Chia, Sean; Limbocker, Ryan; Mannini, Benedetta; Ahn, Minkoo; Perni, Michele; Hansson, Oskar; Arosio, Paolo; Kumita, Janet R.; Challa, Pavan Kumar; Cohen, Samuel I. A.; Dobson, Christopher M.; Knowles, Tuomas P. J.; Vendruscolo, Michele

2017-01-01

The aggregation of the 42-residue form of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ42) is a pivotal event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The use of chemical kinetics has recently enabled highly accurate quantifications of the effects of small molecules on specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. Here, we exploit this approach to develop a rational drug discovery strategy against Aβ42 aggregation that uses as a read-out the changes in the nucleation and elongation rate constants caused by candidate small molecules. We thus identify a pool of compounds that target specific microscopic steps in Aβ42 aggregation. We then test further these small molecules in human cerebrospinal fluid and in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of AD. Our results show that this strategy represents a powerful approach to identify systematically small molecule lead compounds, thus offering an appealing opportunity to reduce the attrition problem in drug discovery. PMID:28011763

The opportunities of mining historical and collective data in drug discovery.

PubMed

Wassermann, Anne Mai; Lounkine, Eugen; Davies, John W; Glick, Meir; Camargo, L Miguel

2015-04-01

Vast amounts of bioactivity data have been generated for small molecules across public and corporate domains. Biological signatures, either derived from systematic profiling efforts or from existing historical assay data, have been successfully employed for small molecule mechanism-of-action elucidation, drug repositioning, hit expansion and screening subset design. This article reviews different types of biological descriptors and applications, and we demonstrate how biological data can outlive the original purpose or project for which it was generated. By comparing 150 HTS campaigns run at Novartis over the past decade on the basis of their active and inactive chemical matter, we highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with cross-project learning in drug discovery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global optimization of small bimetallic Pd-Co binary nanoalloy clusters: a genetic algorithm approach at the DFT level.

PubMed

Aslan, Mikail; Davis, Jack B A; Johnston, Roy L

2016-03-07

The global optimisation of small bimetallic PdCo binary nanoalloys are systematically investigated using the Birmingham Cluster Genetic Algorithm (BCGA). The effect of size and composition on the structures, stability, magnetic and electronic properties including the binding energies, second finite difference energies and mixing energies of Pd-Co binary nanoalloys are discussed. A detailed analysis of Pd-Co structural motifs and segregation effects is also presented. The maximal mixing energy corresponds to Pd atom compositions for which the number of mixed Pd-Co bonds is maximised. Global minimum clusters are distinguished from transition states by vibrational frequency analysis. HOMO-LUMO gap, electric dipole moment and vibrational frequency analyses are made to enable correlation with future experiments.

Timescales for exploratory tactical behaviour in football small-sided games.

PubMed

Ric, Angel; Hristovski, Robert; Gonçalves, Bruno; Torres, Lorena; Sampaio, Jaime; Torrents, Carlota

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to identify the dynamics of tactical behaviour emerging on different timescales in football small-sided games and to quantify short- and long-term exploratory behaviour according to the number of opponents. Two teams of four professional male footballers played small-sided games against two different teams with a variable number of opponents (3, 5 and 7). Data were collected using a combination of systematic observation and a non-differential global positioning system (15 Hz). The temporal diversity and structural flexibility of the players were determined by calculating the dynamic overlap order parameter q, entropy and trapping strength. Analysis of the exploratory dynamics revealed two different timescales, forming a different metastable landscape of action for each constraint. Fast dynamics lasted on average a few seconds and consisted of changes in tactical patterns. The long timescale corresponded to the shared tasks of offence and defence lasting tens of seconds. The players' tactical diversity decreased with an increasing number of opponents, especially in defence. Manipulating numerical imbalance is likely to promote changes in the diversity, unpredictability and flexibility of tactical solutions. The fact that the temporally nested structure of constraints shaped the emergence of tactical behaviour provides a new rationale for practice task design. The manipulation of numerical imbalance on the timescale of a few tens of seconds, on which the exploratory behaviour of players saturates, may help coaches to optimise the exploratory efficiency of the small-sided games.

Effect of interparticle interactions on size determination of zirconia and silica based systems – A comparison of SAXS, DLS, BET, XRD and TEM

PubMed Central

Pabisch, Silvia; Feichtenschlager, Bernhard; Kickelbick, Guido; Peterlik, Herwig

2012-01-01

The aim of this work is a systematic comparison of size characterisation methods for two completely different model systems of oxide nanoparticles, i.e. amorphous spherical silica and anisotropic facet-shaped crystalline zirconia. Size and/or size distribution were determined in a wide range from 5 to 70 nm using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nitrogen sorption (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A nearly perfect coincidence was observed only for SAXS and TEM for both types of particles. For zirconia nanoparticles considerable differences between different measurement methods were observed. PMID:22347721

CO2 Flux Estimation Errors Associated with Moist Atmospheric Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parazoo, N. C.; Denning, A. S.; Kawa, S. R.; Pawson, S.; Lokupitiya, R.

2012-01-01

Vertical transport by moist sub-grid scale processes such as deep convection is a well-known source of uncertainty in CO2 source/sink inversion. However, a dynamical link between vertical transport, satellite based retrievals of column mole fractions of CO2, and source/sink inversion has not yet been established. By using the same offline transport model with meteorological fields from slightly different data assimilation systems, we examine sensitivity of frontal CO2 transport and retrieved fluxes to different parameterizations of sub-grid vertical transport. We find that frontal transport feeds off background vertical CO2 gradients, which are modulated by sub-grid vertical transport. The implication for source/sink estimation is two-fold. First, CO2 variations contained in moist poleward moving air masses are systematically different from variations in dry equatorward moving air. Moist poleward transport is hidden from orbital sensors on satellites, causing a sampling bias, which leads directly to small but systematic flux retrieval errors in northern mid-latitudes. Second, differences in the representation of moist sub-grid vertical transport in GEOS-4 and GEOS-5 meteorological fields cause differences in vertical gradients of CO2, which leads to systematic differences in moist poleward and dry equatorward CO2 transport and therefore the fraction of CO2 variations hidden in moist air from satellites. As a result, sampling biases are amplified and regional scale flux errors enhanced, most notably in Europe (0.43+/-0.35 PgC /yr). These results, cast from the perspective of moist frontal transport processes, support previous arguments that the vertical gradient of CO2 is a major source of uncertainty in source/sink inversion.

Automating Media Centers and Small Libraries: A Microcomputer-Based Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meghabghab, Dania Bilal

Although the general automation process can be applied to most libraries, small libraries and media centers require a customized approach. Using a systematic approach, this guide covers each step and aspect of automation in a small library setting, and combines the principles of automation with field- tested activities. After discussing needs…

An evidence map of yoga for low back pain.

PubMed

Goode, Adam P; Coeytaux, Remy R; McDuffie, Jennifer; Duan-Porter, Wei; Sharma, Poonam; Mennella, Hillary; Nagi, Avishek; Williams, John W

2016-04-01

Yoga is being increasingly studied as a treatment strategy for a variety of different clinical conditions, including low back pain (LBP). We set out to conduct an evidence map of yoga for the treatment, prevention and recurrence of acute or chronic low back pain (cLBP). We searched Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database and ClinicalTrials.gov for randomized controlled trials (RCT), systematic reviews or planned studies on the treatment or prevention of acute back pain or cLBP. Two independent reviewers screened papers for inclusion, extracted data and assessed the quality of included studies. Three eligible systematic reviews were identified that included 10 RCTs (n=956) that evaluated yoga for non-specific cLBP. We did not identify additional RCTs beyond those included in the systematic reviews. Our search of ClinicalTrials.gov identified one small (n=10) unpublished trial and one large (n=320) planned clinical trial. The most recent good quality systematic review indicated significant effects for short- and long-term pain reduction (n=6 trials; standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.48; 95% CI, -0.65 to -0.31; I(2)=0% and n=5; SMD -0.33; 95% CI, -0.59 to -0.07; I(2)=48%, respectively). Long-term effects for back specific disability were also identified (n=5; SMD -0.35; 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.15; I(2)=20%). No studies were identified evaluating yoga for prevention or treatment of acute LBP. Evidence suggests benefit of yoga in midlife adults with non-specific cLBP for short- and long-term pain and back-specific disability, but the effects of yoga for health-related quality of life, well- being and acute LBP are uncertain. Without additional studies, further systematic reviews are unlikely to be informative. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implementing a Systematic Planning Process in Two Very Small Rural Public Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senkevitch, Judith J.

1985-01-01

Describes a pilot project by a regional library system in central New York State to implement systematic planning activities in rural public libraries serving populations under 5,000. Motivations for the adoption of innovation and key elements in the decision making process during implementation are examined. (CLB)

Schizophrenia and weight management: a systematic review of interventions to control weight.

PubMed

Faulkner, G; Soundy, A A; Lloyd, K

2003-11-01

Weight gain is a frequent side effect of antipsychotic medication which has serious implications for a patient's health and well being. This study systematically reviews the literature on the effectiveness of interventions designed to control weight gain in schizophrenia. A systematic search strategy was conducted of major databases in addition to citation searches. Study quality was rated. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Five of eight pharmacological intervention studies reported small reductions in weight (<5% baseline body weight). All behavioural (including diet and/or exercise) interventions reported small reductions in, or maintenance of, weight. Weight loss may be difficult but it is not impossible. Given the inconsistent results, the widespread use of pharmacological interventions cannot be recommended. Both dietary and exercise counselling set within a behavioural modification programme is necessary for sustained weight control.

Plant Secondary Metabolites as Rodent Repellents: a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Hansen, Sabine C; Stolter, Caroline; Imholt, Christian; Jacob, Jens

2016-09-01

The vast number of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) produced by higher plants has generated many efforts to exploit their potential for pest control. We performed a systematic literature search to retrieve relevant publications, and we evaluated these according to PSM groups to derive information about the potential for developing plant-derived rodent repellents. We screened a total of 54 publications where different compounds or plants were tested regarding rodent behavior/metabolism. In the search for widely applicable products, we recommend multi-species systematic screening of PSMs, especially from the essential oil and terpenoid group, as laboratory experiments have uniformly shown the strongest effects across species. Other groups of compounds might be more suitable for the management of species-specific or sex-specific issues, as the effects of some compounds on particular rodent target species or sex might not be present in non-target species or in both sexes. Although plant metabolites have potential as a tool for ecologically-based rodent management, this review demonstrates inconsistent success across laboratory, enclosure, and field studies, which ultimately has lead to a small number of currently registered PSM-based rodent repellents.

ERRATUM: FERMI Large Area Telescope Study of Cosmic-Rays and the Interstellar Medium in Nearby Molecular Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackermann, M.; Ajello, M.; Allafort, A.; Baldini, L.; Ballet, J.; Barbiellini, G.; Bastieri, D.; Bechtol, K.; Bellazzini, R.; Berenji, B.;

Meridional flow in the solar convection zone. I. Measurements from gong data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kholikov, S.; Serebryanskiy, A.; Jackiewicz, J., E-mail: kholikov@noao.edu

2014-04-01

Large-scale plasma flows in the Sun's convection zone likely play a major role in solar dynamics on decadal timescales. In particular, quantifying meridional motions is a critical ingredient for understanding the solar cycle and the transport of magnetic flux. Because the signal of such features can be quite small in deep solar layers and be buried in systematics or noise, the true meridional velocity profile has remained elusive. We perform time-distance helioseismology measurements on several years worth of Global Oscillation Network Group Doppler data. A spherical harmonic decomposition technique is applied to a subset of acoustic modes to measure travel-timemore » differences to try to obtain signatures of meridional flows throughout the solar convection zone. Center-to-limb systematics are taken into account in an intuitive yet ad hoc manner. Travel-time differences near the surface that are consistent with a poleward flow in each hemisphere and are similar to previous work are measured. Additionally, measurements in deep layers near the base of the convection zone suggest a possible equatorward flow, as well as partial evidence of a sign change in the travel-time differences at mid-convection zone depths. This analysis on an independent data set using different measurement techniques strengthens recent conclusions that the convection zone may have multiple 'cells' of meridional flow. The results may challenge the common understanding of one large conveyor belt operating in the solar convection zone. Further work with helioseismic inversions and a careful study of systematic effects are needed before firm conclusions of these large-scale flow structures can be made.« less

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Adverse Birth Outcomes.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Ristovska, Gordana; Dadvand, Payam

2017-10-19

Introduction: Three recent systematic reviews suggested a relationship between noise exposure and adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO) noise guidelines and conduct an updated systematic review of environmental noise, specifically aircraft and road traffic noise and birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, being small for gestational age and congenital malformations. Materials and methods : We reviewed again all the papers on environmental noise and birth outcomes included in the previous three systematic reviews and conducted a systematic search on noise and birth outcomes to update previous reviews. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers published between June 2014 (end date of previous systematic review) and December 2016 using a list of specific search terms. Studies were also screened in the reference list of relevant reviews/articles. Further inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies provided by the WHO expert group were applied. Risk of bias was assessed according to criteria from the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for case-control and cohort studies. Finally, we applied the GRADE principles to our systematic review in a reproducible and appropriate way for judgment about quality of evidence. Results: In total, 14 studies are included in this review, six studies on aircraft noise and birth outcomes, five studies (two with more or less the same population) on road traffic noise and birth outcomes and three related studies on total ambient noise that is likely to be mostly traffic noise that met the criteria. The number of studies on environmental noise and birth outcomes is small and the quality of evidence generally ranges from very low to low, particularly in case of the older studies. The quality is better for the more recent traffic noise and birth outcomes studies. As there were too few studies, we did not conduct meta-analyses. Discussion: This systematic review is supported by previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that suggested that there may be some suggestive evidence for an association between environmental noise exposure and birth outcomes, although they pointed more generally to a stronger role of occupational noise exposure, which tends to be higher and last longer. Very strict criteria for inclusion and exclusion of studies, performance of quality assessment for risk of bias, and finally applying GRADE principles for judgment of quality of evidence are the strengths of this review. We found evidence of very low quality for associations between aircraft noise and preterm birth, low birth weight and congenital anomalies, and low quality evidence for an association between road traffic noise and low birth weight, preterm birth and small for gestational age. Further high quality studies are required to establish such associations. Future studies are recommended to apply robust exposure assessment methods (e.g., modeled or measured noise levels at bedroom façade), disentangle associations for different sources of noise as well as daytime and nighttime noise, evaluate the impacts of noise evens (that stand out of the noise background), and control the analyses for confounding factors, such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors and other environmental factors, especially air pollution.

WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Adverse Birth Outcomes

PubMed Central

Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Ristovska, Gordana; Dadvand, Payam

2017-01-01

Introduction: Three recent systematic reviews suggested a relationship between noise exposure and adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the World Health Organization (WHO) noise guidelines and conduct an updated systematic review of environmental noise, specifically aircraft and road traffic noise and birth outcomes, such as preterm birth, low birth weight, being small for gestational age and congenital malformations. Materials and methods: We reviewed again all the papers on environmental noise and birth outcomes included in the previous three systematic reviews and conducted a systematic search on noise and birth outcomes to update previous reviews. Web of Science, PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers published between June 2014 (end date of previous systematic review) and December 2016 using a list of specific search terms. Studies were also screened in the reference list of relevant reviews/articles. Further inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies provided by the WHO expert group were applied. Risk of bias was assessed according to criteria from the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale for case-control and cohort studies. Finally, we applied the GRADE principles to our systematic review in a reproducible and appropriate way for judgment about quality of evidence. Results: In total, 14 studies are included in this review, six studies on aircraft noise and birth outcomes, five studies (two with more or less the same population) on road traffic noise and birth outcomes and three related studies on total ambient noise that is likely to be mostly traffic noise that met the criteria. The number of studies on environmental noise and birth outcomes is small and the quality of evidence generally ranges from very low to low, particularly in case of the older studies. The quality is better for the more recent traffic noise and birth outcomes studies. As there were too few studies, we did not conduct meta-analyses. Discussion: This systematic review is supported by previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses that suggested that there may be some suggestive evidence for an association between environmental noise exposure and birth outcomes, although they pointed more generally to a stronger role of occupational noise exposure, which tends to be higher and last longer. Very strict criteria for inclusion and exclusion of studies, performance of quality assessment for risk of bias, and finally applying GRADE principles for judgment of quality of evidence are the strengths of this review. Conclusions: We found evidence of very low quality for associations between aircraft noise and preterm birth, low birth weight and congenital anomalies, and low quality evidence for an association between road traffic noise and low birth weight, preterm birth and small for gestational age. Further high quality studies are required to establish such associations. Future studies are recommended to apply robust exposure assessment methods (e.g., modeled or measured noise levels at bedroom façade), disentangle associations for different sources of noise as well as daytime and nighttime noise, evaluate the impacts of noise evens (that stand out of the noise background), and control the analyses for confounding factors, such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle factors and other environmental factors, especially air pollution. PMID:29048350

Portfolios and the market geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eleutério, Samuel; Araújo, Tanya; Vilela Mendes, R.

2014-09-01

A geometric analysis of return time series, performed in the past, implied that most of the systematic information in the market is contained in a space of small dimension. Here we have explored subspaces of this space to find out the relative performance of portfolios formed from companies that have the largest projections in each one of the subspaces. As expected, it was found that the best performance portfolios are associated with some of the small eigenvalue subspaces and not to the dominant dimensions. This is found to occur in a systematic fashion over an extended period (1990-2008).

Ozone profile intercomparison based on simultaneous observations between 20 and 40 km

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aimedieu, P.; Krueger, A. J.; Robbins, D. E.; Simon, P. C.

1983-01-01

The vertical distribution of stratospheric ozone has been simultaneously measured by means of five different instruments carried on the same balloon payload. The launches were performed from Gap during the intercomparison campaign conducted in June 1981 in southern France. Data obtained between altitudes of 20 and 40 km are compared and discussed. Vertical profiles deduced from Electrochemical Concentration Cell sondes launched from the same location by small balloons and from short Umkehr measurements made at Mt Chiran (France) are also included in this comparison. Systematic differences of the order of 20 percent between ozone profiles deduced from solar u.v. absorption and in situ techniques are found.

Case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME): a systematic review

PubMed Central

Brurberg, Kjetil Gundro; Fønhus, Marita Sporstøl; Larun, Lillebeth; Flottorp, Signe; Malterud, Kirsti

2014-01-01

Objective To identify case definitions for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME), and explore how the validity of case definitions can be evaluated in the absence of a reference standard. Design Systematic review. Setting International. Participants A literature search, updated as of November 2013, led to the identification of 20 case definitions and inclusion of 38 validation studies. Primary and secondary outcome measure Validation studies were assessed for risk of bias and categorised according to three validation models: (1) independent application of several case definitions on the same population, (2) sequential application of different case definitions on patients diagnosed with CFS/ME with one set of diagnostic criteria or (3) comparison of prevalence estimates from different case definitions applied on different populations. Results A total of 38 studies contributed data of sufficient quality and consistency for evaluation of validity, with CDC-1994/Fukuda as the most frequently applied case definition. No study rigorously assessed the reproducibility or feasibility of case definitions. Validation studies were small with methodological weaknesses and inconsistent results. No empirical data indicated that any case definition specifically identified patients with a neuroimmunological condition. Conclusions Classification of patients according to severity and symptom patterns, aiming to predict prognosis or effectiveness of therapy, seems useful. Development of further case definitions of CFS/ME should be given a low priority. Consistency in research can be achieved by applying diagnostic criteria that have been subjected to systematic evaluation. PMID:24508851

Is lower hip range of motion a risk factor for groin pain in athletes? A systematic review with clinical applications

PubMed Central

Tak, Igor; Engelaar, Leonie; Gouttebarge, Vincent; Barendrecht, Maarten; Van den Heuvel, Sylvia; Kerkhoffs, Gino; Langhout, Rob; Stubbe, Janine; Weir, Adam

2017-01-01

Background Whether hip range of motion (ROM) is a risk factor for groin pain in athletes is not known. Objectives To systematically review the relationship between hip ROM and groin pain in athletes in cross-sectional/case–control and prospective studies. Study design Systematic review, prospectively registered (PROSPERO) according to PRISMA guidelines. Methods Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus were systematically searched up to December 2015. Two authors performed study selection, data extraction/analysis, quality assessment (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme) and strength of evidence synthesis. Results We identified seven prospective and four case–control studies. The total quality score ranged from 29% to 92%. Heterogeneity in groin pain classification, injury definitions and physical assessment precluded data pooling. There was strong evidence that total rotation of both hips below 85° measured at the pre-season screening was a risk factor for groin pain development. Strong evidence suggested that internal rotation, abduction and extension were not associated with the risk or presence of groin pain. Conclusion Total hip ROM is the factor most consistently related to groin pain in athletes. Screening for hip ROM is unlikely to correctly identify an athlete at risk of developing groin pain because of the small ROM differences found and poor ROM measurement properties. PMID:28432076

Whole grain and body weight changes in apparently healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

PubMed

Pol, Korrie; Christensen, Robin; Bartels, Else M; Raben, Anne; Tetens, Inge; Kristensen, Mette

2013-10-01

Whole grains have received increased attention for their potential role in weight regulation. A high intake has been associated with smaller weight gain in prospective cohort studies, whereas the evidence from randomized controlled studies has been less consistent. We assessed the effects of whole-grain compared with non-whole-grain foods on changes in body weight, percentage of body fat, and waist circumference by using a meta-analytic approach. We conducted a systematic literature search in selected databases. Studies were included in the review if they were randomized controlled studies of whole-grain compared with a non-whole-grain control in adults. A total of 2516 articles were screened for eligibility, and relevant data were extracted from 26 studies. Weighted mean differences were calculated, and a metaregression analysis was performed by using the whole-grain dose (g/d). Data from 2060 participants were included. Whole-grain intake did not show any effect on body weight (weighted difference: 0.06 kg; 95% CI: -0.09, 0.20 kg; P = 0.45), but a small effect on the percentage of body fat was seen (weighted difference: -0.48%; 95% CI: -0.95%, -0.01%; P = 0.04) compared with that for a control. An examination of the impact of daily whole-grain intake could predict differences between groups, but there was no significant association (β = -0.0013 kg × g/d; 95% CI: -0.011, 0.009 kg × g/d). Whole-grain consumption does not decrease body weight compared with control consumption, but a small beneficial effect on body fat may be present. The relatively short duration of intervention studies (≤16 wk) may explain the lack of difference in body weight and fat. Discrepancies between studies may be caused by differences in study design.

Sensitivity subgroup analysis based on single-center vs. multi-center trial status when interpreting meta-analyses pooled estimates: the logical way forward.

PubMed

Alexander, Paul E; Bonner, Ashley J; Agarwal, Arnav; Li, Shelly-Anne; Hariharan, Abishek; Izhar, Zain; Bhatnagar, Neera; Alba, Carolina; Akl, Elie A; Fei, Yutong; Guyatt, Gordon H; Beyene, Joseph

2016-06-01

Prior studies regarding whether single-center trial estimates are larger than multi-center are equivocal. We examined the extent to which single-center trials yield systematically larger effects than multi-center trials. We searched the 119 core clinical journals and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for meta-analyses (MAs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published during 2012. In this meta-epidemiologic study, for binary variables, we computed the pooled ratio of ORs (RORs), and for continuous outcomes mean difference in standardized mean differences (SMDs), we conducted weighted random-effects meta-regression and random-effects MA modeling. Our primary analyses were restricted to MAs that included at least five RCTs and in which at least 25% of the studies used each of single trial center (SC) and more trial center (MC) designs. We identified 81 MAs for the odds ratio (OR) and 43 for the SMD outcome measures. Based on our analytic plan, our primary analysis (core) is based on 25 MAs/241 RCTs (binary outcome) and 18 MAs/173 RCTs (continuous outcome). Based on the core analysis, we found no difference in magnitude of effect between SC and MC for binary outcomes [RORs: 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.83, 1.24; I(2) 20.2%]. Effect sizes were systematically larger for SC than MC for the continuous outcome measure (mean difference in SMDs: -0.13; 95% CI: -0.21, -0.05; I(2) 0%). Our results do not support prior findings of larger effects in SC than MC trials addressing binary outcomes but show a very similar small increase in effect in SC than MC trials addressing continuous outcomes. Authors of systematic reviews would be wise to include all trials irrespective of SC vs. MC design and address SC vs. MC status as a possible explanation of heterogeneity (and consider sensitivity analyses). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlled clinical studies of homeopathy.

PubMed

Mathie, Robert T

2015-10-01

Observations about controlled clinical trials expressed by Max Haidvogl in the book Ultra High Dilution (1994) have been appraised from a perspective two decades later. The present commentary briefly examines changes in homeopathy research evidence since 1994 as regards: the published number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the use of individualised homeopathic intervention, the 'proven efficacy of homeopathy', and the quality of the evidence. The commentary reflects the details of RCTs that are available in a recently published literature review and by scrutiny of systematic reviews of RCTs in homeopathy. The homeopathy RCT literature grew by 309 records in the 18 years that immediately followed Haidvogl's article, with more than a doubling of the proportion that investigated individualised homeopathy. Discounting one prior publication, the entire systematic review literature on homeopathy RCTs post-dates 1994. A total of 36 condition-specific systematic reviews have been identified in the peer-reviewed literature: 16 of them reported positive, or tentatively positive, conclusions about homeopathy's clinical effectiveness; the other 20 were negative or non-conclusive. Reviews typically have been restricted in the strength of their conclusions by the low quality of the original RCT evidence. Three comprehensive systematic reviews concluded, cautiously, that homeopathy may differ from placebo; a fourth such review reached negative conclusions. A recent high-quality meta-analysis concluded that medicines prescribed in individualised homeopathic treatment may have small, specific, effects. Despite important growth in research activity since 1994, concerns about study quality limit the interpretation of available RCT data. The question whether homeopathic intervention differs from placebo awaits decisive answer. Copyright © 2015 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Chloroplast Genomes of Photosynthetic Orchids: Insights into Evolution of the Orchidaceae and Development of Molecular Markers for Phylogenetic Applications

PubMed Central

Niu, Zhi-Tao; Liu, Wei; Xue, Qing-Yun; Ding, Xiao-Yu

2014-01-01

The orchid family Orchidaceae is one of the largest angiosperm families, including many species of important economic value. While chloroplast genomes are very informative for systematics and species identification, there is very limited information available on chloroplast genomes in the Orchidaceae. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genomes of the medicinal plant Dendrobium officinale and the ornamental orchid Cypripedium macranthos, demonstrating their gene content and order and potential RNA editing sites. The chloroplast genomes of the above two species and five known photosynthetic orchids showed similarities in structure as well as gene order and content, but differences in the organization of the inverted repeat/small single-copy junction and ndh genes. The organization of the inverted repeat/small single-copy junctions in the chloroplast genomes of these orchids was classified into four types; we propose that inverted repeats flanking the small single-copy region underwent expansion or contraction among Orchidaceae. The AT-rich regions of the ycf1 gene in orchids could be linked to the recombination of inverted repeat/small single-copy junctions. Relative species in orchids displayed similar patterns of variation in ndh gene contents. Furthermore, fifteen highly divergent protein-coding genes were identified, which are useful for phylogenetic analyses in orchids. To test the efficiency of these genes serving as markers in phylogenetic analyses, coding regions of four genes (accD, ccsA, matK, and ycf1) were used as a case study to construct phylogenetic trees in the subfamily Epidendroideae. High support was obtained for placement of previously unlocated subtribes Collabiinae and Dendrobiinae in the subfamily Epidendroideae. Our findings expand understanding of the diversity of orchid chloroplast genomes and provide a reference for study of the molecular systematics of this family. PMID:24911363

Comparative chloroplast genomes of photosynthetic orchids: insights into evolution of the Orchidaceae and development of molecular markers for phylogenetic applications.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Hou, Bei-Wei; Niu, Zhi-Tao; Liu, Wei; Xue, Qing-Yun; Ding, Xiao-Yu

2014-01-01

The orchid family Orchidaceae is one of the largest angiosperm families, including many species of important economic value. While chloroplast genomes are very informative for systematics and species identification, there is very limited information available on chloroplast genomes in the Orchidaceae. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genomes of the medicinal plant Dendrobium officinale and the ornamental orchid Cypripedium macranthos, demonstrating their gene content and order and potential RNA editing sites. The chloroplast genomes of the above two species and five known photosynthetic orchids showed similarities in structure as well as gene order and content, but differences in the organization of the inverted repeat/small single-copy junction and ndh genes. The organization of the inverted repeat/small single-copy junctions in the chloroplast genomes of these orchids was classified into four types; we propose that inverted repeats flanking the small single-copy region underwent expansion or contraction among Orchidaceae. The AT-rich regions of the ycf1 gene in orchids could be linked to the recombination of inverted repeat/small single-copy junctions. Relative species in orchids displayed similar patterns of variation in ndh gene contents. Furthermore, fifteen highly divergent protein-coding genes were identified, which are useful for phylogenetic analyses in orchids. To test the efficiency of these genes serving as markers in phylogenetic analyses, coding regions of four genes (accD, ccsA, matK, and ycf1) were used as a case study to construct phylogenetic trees in the subfamily Epidendroideae. High support was obtained for placement of previously unlocated subtribes Collabiinae and Dendrobiinae in the subfamily Epidendroideae. Our findings expand understanding of the diversity of orchid chloroplast genomes and provide a reference for study of the molecular systematics of this family.

The local surface plasmon resonance property and refractive index sensitivity of metal elliptical nano-ring arrays

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Weihua, E-mail: linwh-whu@hotmail.com; Wang, Qian; Dong, Anhua

2014-11-15

In this paper, we systematically investigate the optical property and refractive index sensitivity (RIS) of metal elliptical nano-ring (MENR) arranged in rectangle lattice by finite-difference time-domain method. Eight kinds of considered MENRs are divided into three classes, namely fixed at the same outer size, at the same inner size, and at the same middle size. All MENR arrays show a bonding mode local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak in the near-infrared region under longitudinal and transverse polarizations, and lattice diffraction enhanced LSPR peaks emerge, when the LSPR peak wavelength (LSPRPW) matches the effective lattice constant of the array. The LSPRPWmore » is determined by the charge moving path length, the parallel and cross interactions induced by the stable distributed charges, and the moving charges inter-attraction. High RIS can be achieved by small particle distance arrays composed of MENRs with big inner size and small ring-width. On the other hand, for a MENR array, the comprehensive RIS (including RIS and figure of merit) under transverse polarization is superior to that under longitudinal polarization. Furthermore, on condition that compared arrays are fixed at the same lattice constant, the phenomenon that the RIS of big ring-width MENR arrays may be higher than that of small ring-width MENR arrays only appears in the case of compared arrays with relatively small lattice constant and composed of MENRs fixed at the same inner size simultaneously. Meanwhile, the LSPRPW of the former MENR arrays is also larger than that of the latter MENR arrays. Our systematic results may help experimentalists work with this type of systems.« less

Effect of Antihypertensive Medications on the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Khurshid, Kiran; Yabes, Jonathan; Weiss, Patricia M.; Dharia, Sushma; Brown, Lee; Unruh, Mark; Jhamb, Manisha

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for hypertension (HTN). Increasing evidence from animal and human studies suggests that HTN exacerbates OSA. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the effect of anti-hypertensive medications on the severity of OSA. Methods: A literature search of PubMed and Embase was done using search concepts of OSA, HTN, and drug classes used to treat HTN. Studies that reported changes in the severity of OSA objectively by using apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI) were included. Pooled mean difference estimates were calculated. Tests for heterogeneity, publication bias, and subgroup sensitivity analysis were conducted. Results: Of 27,376 studies screened, only 11 met inclusion criteria, including 5 randomized controlled trials and 6 single-arm prospective trials. The pooled mean difference estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]), based on a random-effects model, was −5.69 (95% CI −10.74 to −0.65), consistent with an overall decrease in AHI or RDI attributable to antihypertensive medications. The effect size was even more pronounced, −14.52 (95% CI −25.65 to −3.39), when only studies using diuretics were analyzed. There was no significant heterogeneity or publication bias among the studies. Meta-regression indicated neither age, baseline AHI, nor change in systolic/diastolic blood pressure influenced the results. Conclusions: Collectively, findings from these relatively small, short-term studies tend to support the contention that treatment with antihypertensive agents confers a statistically significant, albeit small, reduction in the severity of OSA, which may be more pronounced with the use of diuretics. Citation: Khurshid K, Yabes J, Weiss PM, Dharia S, Brown L, Unruh M, Jhamb M. Effect of antihypertensive medications on the severity of obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Sleep Med 2016;12(8):1143–1151. PMID:27397663

A systematic review of interventions for co-occurring substance use and borderline personality disorders.

PubMed

Lee, Nicole K; Cameron, Jacqui; Jenner, Linda

2015-11-01

The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review on effective treatment options for co-occurring substance use and borderline personality disorders to examine effective treatments for this group. A systematic review using a narrative analysis approach was undertaken as there were too few studies within each intervention type to undertake a meta-analysis. The inclusion criteria comprised of English language studies (between 1999 and 2014) and a sample of >70% borderline personality disorder, with measurable outcomes for substance use and borderline personality disorder. All abstracts were screened (n = 376) resulting in 49 studies assessed for eligibility, with 10 studies, examining three different treatment types, included in the final review. There were four studies that examined dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), three studies that examined dynamic deconstructive psychotherapy (DDP) and three studies that examined dual-focused schema therapy (DFST). Both DBT and DDP demonstrated reductions in substance use, suicidal/self-harm behaviours and improved treatment retention. DBT also improved global and social functioning. DFST reduced substance use and both DFST and DPP improved treatment utilisation, but no other significant positive changes were noted. Overall, there were a small number of studies with small sample sizes, so further research is required. However, in the absence of a strong evidence base, there is a critical need to respond to this group with co-occurring borderline personality disorder and substance use. Both DBT and DPP showed some benefit in reducing symptoms, with DBT the preferred option given its superior evidence base with women in particular. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Renal Cell Carcinoma: Alternative Nephron-Sparing Treatment Options for Small Renal Masses, a Systematic Review.

PubMed

Prins, Fieke M; Kerkmeijer, Linda G W; Pronk, Anne A; Vonken, Evert-Jan P A; Meijer, Richard P; Bex, Axel; Barendrecht, Maurits M

2017-10-01

The standard treatment of T1 renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is (partial) nephrectomy. For patients where surgery is not the treatment of choice, for example in the elderly, in case of severe comorbidity, inoperability, or refusal of surgery, alternative treatment options are available. These treatment options include active surveillance (AS), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), cryoablation (CA), microwave ablation (MWA), or stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). In the present overview, the efficacy, safety, and outcome of these different options are summarized, particularly focusing on recent developments. Databases of MEDLINE (through PubMed), EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. The search was performed in December 2016, and included a search period from 2010 to 2016. The terms and synonyms used were renal cell carcinoma, active surveillance, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, cryoablation and stereotactic body radiotherapy. The database search identified 2806 records, in total 73 articles were included to assess the rationale and clinical evidence of alternative treatment modalities for small renal masses. The methodological quality of the included articles varied between level 2b and level 4. Alternative treatment modalities, such as AS, RFA, CA, MWA, and SBRT, are treatment options especially for those patients who are unfit to undergo an invasive treatment. There are no randomized controlled trials available comparing surgery and less invasive modalities, leading to a low quality on the reported articles. A case-controlled registry might be an alternative to compare outcomes of noninvasive treatment modalities in the future.

Working hours and the onset of depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Watanabe, Kazuhiro; Imamura, Kotaro; Kawakami, Norito

2016-12-01

: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine whether working beyond the standard working hours was associated with a greater risk of depressive disorder among workers included in published prospective studies. This manuscript was prepared according to the PRISMA guideline checklist. A database search was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed), PsycINFO, and PsycARTICLES using a relevant set of keywords. The eligibility criteria were as follows: (1) participants were adult workers; (2) exposure was defined as overtime work; (3) outcome were depressive disorders clinically diagnosed or assessed by a structured interview and (4) the study design was prospective or cohort. 7 studies were identified in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Overtime work was associated with a small, non-significant, elevated risk of depressive disorder (pooled relative risk=1.075; 95% CI 0.834 to 1.387; p=0.575) in a random effects model. The association tended to be greater for women. The risk of working 50 or more hours per week was slightly but not significantly increased (pooled relative risk=1.241; 95% CI 0.880 to 1.750; p=0.218). The effect of overtime work on depressive disorder remains inconclusive and may be small if not negligible. Sex differences and the effect of longer working hours on depressive disorder should be addressed in the future. Prospero CRD42015020003; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Meta-analysis and systematic review of studies on the effectiveness of HIV stigma reduction programs.

PubMed

Mak, Winnie W S; Mo, Phoenix K H; Ma, Gloria Y K; Lam, Maggie Y Y

2017-09-01

The present study conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review on studies evaluating the effectiveness of stigma reduction programs in improving knowledge and reducing negative attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV). Meta-analysis (k = 42 studies) found significant and small effect sizes in the improvement of the participants' knowledge of HIV/AIDS from interventions with (Cohen's d = 0.48, 95% CI [0.30, 0.66]) and without control groups (Cohen's d = 0.42, 95% CI [0.28, 0.57]). Significant and small effect sizes were found in the improvement of the participants' attitudes toward PLHIV from interventions with (Cohen's d = 0.39, 95% CI [0.23, 0.55]) and without control groups (Cohen's d = 0.25, 95% CI [0.11, 0.39]). Significant and small effect sizes were sustained at the follow-up assessments. Subgroup analysis showed that number of intervention sessions, intervention settings, and sample type significantly moderated the effect sizes in the meta-analysis. Findings from the systematic review of 35 studies indicated that most of the included studies showed positive results in reducing negative attitudes toward PLHIV and improving HIV-related knowledge. Most of the included studies tended to have low methodological quality. The present meta-analysis and systematic review indicated that the studies generally found small improvement in HIV-related knowledge and reduction in negative attitudes towards PLHIV among the stigma reduction programs being evaluated. High-quality stigma reduction programs with multidimensional stigma indicators and psychometrically sound outcome measures are highly warranted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness studies of telemedicine, electronic, and mobile health systems in the literature: a systematic review.

PubMed

de la Torre-Díez, Isabel; López-Coronado, Miguel; Vaca, Cesar; Aguado, Jesús Saez; de Castro, Carlos

2015-02-01

A systematic review of cost-utility and cost-effectiveness research works of telemedicine, electronic health (e-health), and mobile health (m-health) systems in the literature is presented. Academic databases and systems such as PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore were searched, using different combinations of terms such as "cost-utility" OR "cost utility" AND "telemedicine," "cost-effectiveness" OR "cost effectiveness" AND "mobile health," etc. In the articles searched, there were no limitations in the publication date. The search identified 35 relevant works. Many of the articles were reviews of different studies. Seventy-nine percent concerned the cost-effectiveness of telemedicine systems in different specialties such as teleophthalmology, telecardiology, teledermatology, etc. More articles were found between 2000 and 2013. Cost-utility studies were done only for telemedicine systems. There are few cost-utility and cost-effectiveness studies for e-health and m-health systems in the literature. Some cost-effectiveness studies demonstrate that telemedicine can reduce the costs, but not all. Among the main limitations of the economic evaluations of telemedicine systems are the lack of randomized control trials, small sample sizes, and the absence of quality data and appropriate measures.

Developmentally dynamic genome: Evidence of genetic influences on increases and decreases in conduct problems from early childhood to adolescence

PubMed Central

Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Zheng, Yao; Plomin, Robert; Viding, Essi

2015-01-01

The development of conduct problems in childhood and adolescence is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, including psychiatric morbidity. Although genes constitute a proven factor of stability in conduct problems, less is known regarding their role in conduct problems’ developmental course (i.e. systematic age changes, for instance linear increases or decreases).Mothers rated conduct problems from age 4 to 16 years in 10,038 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study. Individual differences in the baseline level (.78; 95% CI: .68-.88) and the developmental course of conduct problems (.73; 95% CI: .60-.86) were under high and largely independent additive genetic influences. Shared environment made a small contribution to the baseline level but not to the developmental course of conduct problems. These results show that genetic influences not only contribute to behavioural stability but also explain systematic change in conduct problems. Different sets of genes may be associated with the developmental course versus the baseline level of conduct problems. The structure of genetic and environmental influences on the development of conduct problems suggests that repeated preventive interventions at different developmental stages might be necessary to achieve a long-term impact. PMID:25944445

Developmentally dynamic genome: Evidence of genetic influences on increases and decreases in conduct problems from early childhood to adolescence.

PubMed

Pingault, Jean-Baptiste; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Zheng, Yao; Plomin, Robert; Viding, Essi

2015-05-06

The development of conduct problems in childhood and adolescence is associated with adverse long-term outcomes, including psychiatric morbidity. Although genes constitute a proven factor of stability in conduct problems, less is known regarding their role in conduct problems' developmental course (i.e. systematic age changes, for instance linear increases or decreases).Mothers rated conduct problems from age 4 to 16 years in 10,038 twin pairs from the Twins Early Development Study. Individual differences in the baseline level (.78; 95% CI: .68-.88) and the developmental course of conduct problems (.73; 95% CI: .60-.86) were under high and largely independent additive genetic influences. Shared environment made a small contribution to the baseline level but not to the developmental course of conduct problems. These results show that genetic influences not only contribute to behavioural stability but also explain systematic change in conduct problems. Different sets of genes may be associated with the developmental course versus the baseline level of conduct problems. The structure of genetic and environmental influences on the development of conduct problems suggests that repeated preventive interventions at different developmental stages might be necessary to achieve a long-term impact.

Creation of 0.10-cm-1 resolution quantitative infrared spectral libraries for gas samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpe, Steven W.; Sams, Robert L.; Johnson, Timothy J.; Chu, Pamela M.; Rhoderick, George C.; Guenther, Franklin R.

2002-02-01

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) are independently creating quantitative, approximately 0.10 cm-1 resolution, infrared spectral libraries of vapor phase compounds. The NIST library will consist of approximately 100 vapor phase spectra of volatile hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and suspected greenhouse gases. The PNNL library will consist of approximately 400 vapor phase spectra associated with DOE's remediation mission. A critical part of creating and validating any quantitative work involves independent verification based on inter-laboratory comparisons. The two laboratories use significantly different sample preparation and handling techniques. NIST uses gravimetric dilution and a continuous flowing sample while PNNL uses partial pressure dilution and a static sample. Agreement is generally found to be within the statistical uncertainties of the Beer's law fit and less than 3 percent of the total integrated band areas for the 4 chemicals used in this comparison. There does appear to be a small systematic difference between the PNNL and NIST data, however. Possible sources of the systematic difference will be discussed as well as technical details concerning the sample preparation and the procedures for overcoming instrumental artifacts.

Incidence and Factors Associated with Burnout in Anesthesiology: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Sanfilippo, Filippo; Noto, Alberto; Foresta, Grazia; Santonocito, Cristina; Palumbo, Gaetano J; Arcadipane, Antonio; Maybauer, Dirk M; Maybauer, Marc O

2017-01-01

Burnout syndrome has reached epidemic levels among physicians (reported around 50%). Anesthesiology is among the most stressful medical disciplines but there is paucity of literature as compared with others. Analysis of burnout is essential because it is associated with safety and quality of care. We summarize evidence on burnout in anesthesiology. We conducted a systematic review (MEDLINE up to 30.06.2017). We included studies reporting burnout in anesthesiology with no restriction on role or screening test used. Fifteen surveys/studies described burnout in anesthesiology, including different workers profiles (nurses, residents, consultants, and directors). All studies used the Maslach Burnout Inventory test but with significant differences for risk stratification. Burnout prevalence greatly varied across studies (10%-41% high risk, up to 59% at least moderate risk). Factors most consistently associated with burnout were strained working pattern, working as younger consultant, and having children. There was no consistent relationship between burnout and hospital characteristics, gender, or marital status. Burnout prevalence among anesthesiologists is relatively high across career stages, and some risk factors are reported frequently. However, the small number of studies as well as the large differences in their methodology and in reporting approach warrants further research in this field.

Effect of MLC leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bai, Sen; Li, Guangjun; Wang, Maojie

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. To compare dosimetric differences between the simulating plans and the clinical plans with evaluation parameters, 6 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were selected for simulation of systematic and random MLC leaf position errors, collimator rotation angle errors, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors. There was a high sensitivity to dose distribution for systematic MLC leaf position errors in response to field size. When the systematic MLC position errors weremore » 0.5, 1, and 2 mm, respectively, the maximum values of the mean dose deviation, observed in parotid glands, were 4.63%, 8.69%, and 18.32%, respectively. The dosimetric effect was comparatively small for systematic MLC shift errors. For random MLC errors up to 2 mm and collimator and gantry rotation angle errors up to 0.5°, the dosimetric effect was negligible. We suggest that quality control be regularly conducted for MLC leaves, so as to ensure that systematic MLC leaf position errors are within 0.5 mm. Because the dosimetric effect of 0.5° collimator and gantry rotation angle errors is negligible, it can be concluded that setting a proper threshold for allowed errors of collimator and gantry rotation angle may increase treatment efficacy and reduce treatment time.« less

Cell targeting peptides as smart ligands for targeting of therapeutic or diagnostic agents: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mousavizadeh, Ali; Jabbari, Ali; Akrami, Mohammad; Bardania, Hassan

2017-10-01

Cell targeting peptides (CTP) are small peptides which have high affinity and specificity to a cell or tissue targets. They are typically identified by using phage display and chemical synthetic peptide library methods. CTPs have attracted considerable attention as a new class of ligands to delivery specifically therapeutic and diagnostic agents, because of the fact they have several advantages including easy synthesis, smaller physical sizes, lower immunogenicity and cytotoxicity and their simple and better conjugation to nano-carriers and therapeutic or diagnostic agents compared to conventional antibodies. In this systematic review, we will focus on the basic concepts concerning the use of cell-targeting peptides (CTPs), following the approaches of selecting them from peptide libraries. We discuss several developed strategies for cell-specific delivery of different cargos by CTPs, which are designed for drug delivery and diagnostic applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Light and Laser Modalities in the Treatment of Cutaneous Sarcoidosis: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Lima, Ana Luiza; Goetze, Steven; Illing, Tanja; Elsner, Peter

2018-04-27

Sarcoidosis is a systemic non-caseating granulomatous disease of unknown aetiology. Cutaneous manifestations are present in approximately 10-30% of the patients with the systemic form. Therapy is indicated in case of disabling symptoms, organ dysfunction or cosmetically distressing manifestation. Despite different therapeutic possibilities, cutaneous sarcoidosis remains exceptionally difficult to treat. Light and laser therapy may be a promising alternative. In this systematic review, we summarised the available treatments according to the literature concerning light and laser therapy for cutaneous sarcoidosis. Publications written in English and German, published between January 1990 and July 2016 in the database PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus were analysed. Light therapy with intense pulsed light, photodynamic therapy, and ultraviolet A light therapy, as well as laser therapy with pulsed dye laser, YAG laser, and Q-switched ruby laser were described. The results are based on individual case reports and small case series. Randomised controlled studies are lacking.

Bioinformatic analysis of microRNA biogenesis and function related proteins in eleven animal genomes.

PubMed

Liu, Xiuying; Luo, GuanZheng; Bai, Xiujuan; Wang, Xiu-Jie

2009-10-01

MicroRNAs are approximately 22 nt long small non-coding RNAs that play important regulatory roles in eukaryotes. The biogenesis and functional processes of microRNAs require the participation of many proteins, of which, the well studied ones are Dicer, Drosha, Argonaute and Exportin 5. To systematically study these four protein families, we screened 11 animal genomes to search for genes encoding above mentioned proteins, and identified some new members for each family. Domain analysis results revealed that most proteins within the same family share identical or similar domains. Alternative spliced transcript variants were found for some proteins. We also examined the expression patterns of these proteins in different human tissues and identified other proteins that could potentially interact with these proteins. These findings provided systematic information on the four key proteins involved in microRNA biogenesis and functional pathways in animals, and will shed light on further functional studies of these proteins.

Biodegradable stents for the treatment of refractory or recurrent benign esophageal stenosis.

PubMed

Imaz-Iglesia, Iñaki; García-Pérez, Sonia; Nachtnebel, Anna; Martín-Águeda, Belén; Sánchez-Piedra, Carlos; Karadayi, Bilgehan; Demirbaş, Ali Rıza

2016-06-01

Esophageal stents are used for the treatment of refractory and recurrent dyphagias. In 2007, esophageal biodegradable stents (EBS) were authorised as an alternative to existing metal and plastic stents in Europe. The advantages claimed for EBS are fewer complications concerning tissue ingrowth, stent migration and stent removal. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EBS compared to fully-covered self-expanding metal stents, self-expanding plastic stents, and esophageal dilation for the treatment of refractory or recurrent benign esophageal stenosis. Three comparative studies (one randomized controlled trial and two cohort studies) were assessed. The studies used different inclusion criteria, had a very small (sample) size and the quality of the evidence was very low. Expert commentary: The current evidence is insufficient to determine the relative efficacy or safety of esophageal biodegradable stents. The results of this systematic review should be updated once new evidence is available.

Generalisation benefits of output gating in a model of prefrontal cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kriete, Trent; Noelle, David C.

2011-06-01

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a central role in flexible cognitive control, including the suppression of habitual responding in favour of situation-appropriate behaviours that can be quite novel. PFC provides a kind of working memory, maintaining the rules, goals, and/or actions that are to control behaviour in the current context. For flexible control, these PFC representations must be sufficiently componential to support systematic generalisation to novel situations. The anatomical structure of PFC can be seen as implementing a componential 'slot-filler' structure, with different components encoded over isolated pools of neurons. Previous PFC models have highlighted the importance of a dynamic gating mechanism to selectively update individual 'slot' contents. In this article, we present simulation results that suggest that systematic generalisation also requires an 'output gating' mechanism that limits the influence of PFC on more posterior brain areas to reflect a small number of representational components at any one time.

What implementation interventions increase cancer screening rates? a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Appropriate screening may reduce the mortality and morbidity of colorectal, breast, and cervical cancers. However, effective implementation strategies are warranted if the full benefits of screening are to be realized. As part of a larger agenda to create an implementation guideline, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate interventions designed to increase the rate of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The interventions considered were: client reminders, client incentives, mass media, small media, group education, one-on-one education, reduction in structural barriers, reduction in out-of-pocket costs, provider assessment and feedback interventions, and provider incentives. Our primary outcome, screening completion, was calculated as the overall median post-intervention absolute percentage point (PP) change in completed screening tests. Methods Our first step was to conduct an iterative scoping review in the research area. This yielded three relevant high-quality systematic reviews. Serving as our evidentiary foundation, we conducted a formal update. Randomized controlled trials and cluster randomized controlled trials, published between 2004 and 2010, were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE and PSYCHinfo. Results The update yielded 66 studies new eligible studies with 74 comparisons. The new studies ranged considerably in quality. Client reminders, small media, and provider audit and feedback appear to be effective interventions to increase the uptake of screening for three cancers. One-on-one education and reduction of structural barriers also appears effective, but their roles with CRC and cervical screening, respectively, are less established. More study is required to assess client incentives, mass media, group education, reduction of out-of-pocket costs, and provider incentive interventions. Conclusion The new evidence generally aligns with the evidence and conclusions from the original systematic reviews. This review served as the evidentiary foundation for an implementation guideline. Poor reporting, lack of precision and consistency in defining operational elements, and insufficient consideration of context and differences among populations are areas for additional research. PMID:21958556

Relational mechanisms and psychological outcomes in couples affected by breast cancer: a systematic narrative analysis of the literature.

PubMed

Hubbard, Gill; Menzies, Sandra; Flynn, Pamela; Adams, Sally; Haseen, Farhana; Thomas, Ian; Scanlon, Karen; Reed, Liz; Forbat, Liz

2013-09-01

Relationships are a significant dimension of illness experience. At the couple level, partners will respond to illness as an interpersonal unit rather than individuals in isolation. Research adopting a relational perspective have focused on communication, relational coping and relationship functioning and satisfaction. To our knowledge, there is no published systematic review of literature that reports associations between a couple's relationship and psychological outcomes of patients and partners affected by breast cancer. To review studies that examine the impact of relational mechanisms on psychological outcomes in couples affected by breast cancer and thereby improve understanding of the connections between patient, disease and family. A systematic search for literature was conducted, which was followed by a thematic analysis of study findings and a narrative synthesis. Sixteen papers were included. Papers were published relatively recently between 1988 and 2010. Three relational components were identified: (i) couple coping, (ii) relationship functioning and satisfaction, (iii) communication. While the literature indicates associations between relational and psychological variables, with such a small evidence base, the use of different terminology and different theoretical frameworks makes it almost impossible to draw definitive conclusions about which relational component holds greatest potential for effecting change on psychological well-being. While there remain many opportunities for contributing to the theoretical and empirical work in this field, there is sufficient evidence to propose a relational approach to supporting people affected by cancer.

Evaluation of NMME temperature and precipitation bias and forecast skill for South Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cash, Benjamin A.; Manganello, Julia V.; Kinter, James L.

2017-08-01

Systematic error and forecast skill for temperature and precipitation in two regions of Southern Asia are investigated using hindcasts initialized May 1 from the North American Multi-Model Ensemble. We focus on two contiguous but geographically and dynamically diverse regions: the Extended Indian Monsoon Rainfall (70-100E, 10-30 N) and the nearby mountainous area of Pakistan and Afghanistan (60-75E, 23-39 N). Forecast skill is assessed using the Sign test framework, a rigorous statistical method that can be applied to non-Gaussian variables such as precipitation and to different ensemble sizes without introducing bias. We find that models show significant systematic error in both precipitation and temperature for both regions. The multi-model ensemble mean (MMEM) consistently yields the lowest systematic error and the highest forecast skill for both regions and variables. However, we also find that the MMEM consistently provides a statistically significant increase in skill over climatology only in the first month of the forecast. While the MMEM tends to provide higher overall skill than climatology later in the forecast, the differences are not significant at the 95% level. We also find that MMEMs constructed with a relatively small number of ensemble members per model can equal or outperform MMEMs constructed with more members in skill. This suggests some ensemble members either provide no contribution to overall skill or even detract from it.

The low noise limit in gene expression

DOE PAGES

Dar, Roy D.; Weinberger, Leor S.; Cox, Chris D.; ...

2015-10-21

Protein noise measurements are increasingly used to elucidate biophysical parameters. Unfortunately noise analyses are often at odds with directly measured parameters. Here we show that these inconsistencies arise from two problematic analytical choices: (i) the assumption that protein translation rate is invariant for different proteins of different abundances, which has inadvertently led to (ii) the assumption that a large constitutive extrinsic noise sets the low noise limit in gene expression. While growing evidence suggests that transcriptional bursting may set the low noise limit, variability in translational bursting has been largely ignored. We show that genome-wide systematic variation in translational efficiencymore » can-and in the case of E. coli does-control the low noise limit in gene expression. Therefore constitutive extrinsic noise is small and only plays a role in the absence of a systematic variation in translational efficiency. Lastly, these results show the existence of two distinct expression noise patterns: (1) a global noise floor uniformly imposed on all genes by expression bursting; and (2) high noise distributed to only a select group of genes.« less

Inference With Difference-in-Differences With a Small Number of Groups: A Review, Simulation Study, and Empirical Application Using SHARE Data.

PubMed

Rokicki, Slawa; Cohen, Jessica; Fink, Günther; Salomon, Joshua A; Landrum, Mary Beth

2018-01-01

Difference-in-differences (DID) estimation has become increasingly popular as an approach to evaluate the effect of a group-level policy on individual-level outcomes. Several statistical methodologies have been proposed to correct for the within-group correlation of model errors resulting from the clustering of data. Little is known about how well these corrections perform with the often small number of groups observed in health research using longitudinal data. First, we review the most commonly used modeling solutions in DID estimation for panel data, including generalized estimating equations (GEE), permutation tests, clustered standard errors (CSE), wild cluster bootstrapping, and aggregation. Second, we compare the empirical coverage rates and power of these methods using a Monte Carlo simulation study in scenarios in which we vary the degree of error correlation, the group size balance, and the proportion of treated groups. Third, we provide an empirical example using the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. When the number of groups is small, CSE are systematically biased downwards in scenarios when data are unbalanced or when there is a low proportion of treated groups. This can result in over-rejection of the null even when data are composed of up to 50 groups. Aggregation, permutation tests, bias-adjusted GEE, and wild cluster bootstrap produce coverage rates close to the nominal rate for almost all scenarios, though GEE may suffer from low power. In DID estimation with a small number of groups, analysis using aggregation, permutation tests, wild cluster bootstrap, or bias-adjusted GEE is recommended.

Toward Quantitative Small Animal Pinhole SPECT: Assessment of Quantitation Accuracy Prior to Image Compensations

PubMed Central

Chen, Chia-Lin; Wang, Yuchuan; Lee, Jason J. S.; Tsui, Benjamin M. W.

2011-01-01

Purpose We assessed the quantitation accuracy of small animal pinhole single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) under the current preclinical settings, where image compensations are not routinely applied. Procedures The effects of several common image-degrading factors and imaging parameters on quantitation accuracy were evaluated using Monte-Carlo simulation methods. Typical preclinical imaging configurations were modeled, and quantitative analyses were performed based on image reconstructions without compensating for attenuation, scatter, and limited system resolution. Results Using mouse-sized phantom studies as examples, attenuation effects alone degraded quantitation accuracy by up to −18% (Tc-99m or In-111) or −41% (I-125). The inclusion of scatter effects changed the above numbers to −12% (Tc-99m or In-111) and −21% (I-125), respectively, indicating the significance of scatter in quantitative I-125 imaging. Region-of-interest (ROI) definitions have greater impacts on regional quantitation accuracy for small sphere sources as compared to attenuation and scatter effects. For the same ROI, SPECT acquisitions using pinhole apertures of different sizes could significantly affect the outcome, whereas the use of different radii-of-rotation yielded negligible differences in quantitation accuracy for the imaging configurations simulated. Conclusions We have systematically quantified the influence of several factors affecting the quantitation accuracy of small animal pinhole SPECT. In order to consistently achieve accurate quantitation within 5% of the truth, comprehensive image compensation methods are needed. PMID:19048346

A Study on the Models for Corporate Social Responsibility of Small and Medium Enterprises

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jun

The role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in corporate social responsibility (CSR) has attracted increasing attention and interest in recent years. The purpose of this study is to build some relevant models of CSR which are the foundations of empirical study later. The paper begins by an overview of the CSR literature in the context of seven step model for CSR and differences between corporate and small businesses. Noting the general lack of theoretical framework in the literature, the paper then presents relevant theoretical models of CSR that could be useful in conducting further research on CSR and SMEs. The study is qualitative in nature, capitalizing on a comparative research design to highlight differences in CSR orientations between SMEs and MNCs. The research is presented and implications are drawn regarding the peculiar relational attributes of SMEs in the context of CSR generally, and developing countries more specifically, and how this inclination can be further nurtured and leveraged. Further research can seek to highlight how to leverage this natural affinity to CSR among SMEs detected in this study in pursuit of more systematic engagement and more benefits.

Highlighted Steps of the Management Algorithm in Acute Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding - Case Reports and Literature Review.

PubMed

Andrei, Gabriel Nicolae; Popa, Bogdan; Gulie, Laurentiu; Diaconescu, Bogdan Ionut; Martian, Bogdan Valeriu; Bejenaru, Mircea; Beuran, Mircea

2016-01-01

Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is a major problem worldwide, being a rare and life threatening condition, with a mortality rate situated between 2 and 4%. Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is solvent for 1 - 2% of the entire hospital emergencies, 15% presenting as massive bleeding and up to 5% requiring surgery. Lower gastrointestinal bleeding can be classified depending on their location in the small or large intestine. The small bowel is the rarest site of lower gastrointestinal bleeding, at the same time being the commonest cause of obscure bleeding. 5% of total lower GI bleeding appears in the small bowel. When endoscopic therapy associated with medical treatment are insufficient, endovascular intervention can be lifesaving. Unfortunately in some rare cases of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding with hemo-dynamic instability and the angiography performed being unable to locate the source of bleeding, the last therapeutic resource remains surgery. In the following we exemplify two cases of acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding which were resolved in different ways, followed by a thorough description of the different types of available treatment and finally, in the conclusions, we systematize the most important stages of the management algorithm in acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Celsius.

Statistics and Discoveries at the LHC (1/4)

ScienceCinema

Cowan, Glen

2018-02-09

The lectures will give an introduction to statistics as applied in particle physics and will provide all the necessary basics for data analysis at the LHC. Special emphasis will be placed on the the problems and questions that arise when searching for new phenomena, including p-values, discovery significance, limit setting procedures, treatment of small signals in the presence of large backgrounds. Specific issues that will be addressed include the advantages and drawbacks of different statistical test procedures (cut-based, likelihood-ratio, etc.), the look-elsewhere effect and treatment of systematic uncertainties.

Statistics and Discoveries at the LHC (3/4)

ScienceCinema

Cowan, Glen

2018-02-19

The lectures will give an introduction to statistics as applied in particle physics and will provide all the necessary basics for data analysis at the LHC. Special emphasis will be placed on the the problems and questions that arise when searching for new phenomena, including p-values, discovery significance, limit setting procedures, treatment of small signals in the presence of large backgrounds. Specific issues that will be addressed include the advantages and drawbacks of different statistical test procedures (cut-based, likelihood-ratio, etc.), the look-elsewhere effect and treatment of systematic uncertainties.

Statistics and Discoveries at the LHC (4/4)

ScienceCinema

Cowan, Glen

2018-05-22

The lectures will give an introduction to statistics as applied in particle physics and will provide all the necessary basics for data analysis at the LHC. Special emphasis will be placed on the the problems and questions that arise when searching for new phenomena, including p-values, discovery significance, limit setting procedures, treatment of small signals in the presence of large backgrounds. Specific issues that will be addressed include the advantages and drawbacks of different statistical test procedures (cut-based, likelihood-ratio, etc.), the look-elsewhere effect and treatment of systematic uncertainties.

Statistics and Discoveries at the LHC (2/4)

ScienceCinema

Cowan, Glen

2018-04-26

The lectures will give an introduction to statistics as applied in particle physics and will provide all the necessary basics for data analysis at the LHC. Special emphasis will be placed on the the problems and questions that arise when searching for new phenomena, including p-values, discovery significance, limit setting procedures, treatment of small signals in the presence of large backgrounds. Specific issues that will be addressed include the advantages and drawbacks of different statistical test procedures (cut-based, likelihood-ratio, etc.), the look-elsewhere effect and treatment of systematic uncertainties.

Small-Area Estimation of Spatial Access to Care and Its Implications for Policy.

PubMed

Gentili, Monica; Isett, Kim; Serban, Nicoleta; Swann, Julie

2015-10-01

Local or small-area estimates to capture emerging trends across large geographic regions are critical in identifying and addressing community-level health interventions. However, they are often unavailable due to lack of analytic capabilities in compiling and integrating extensive datasets and complementing them with the knowledge about variations in state-level health policies. This study introduces a modeling approach for small-area estimation of spatial access to pediatric primary care that is data "rich" and mathematically rigorous, integrating data and health policy in a systematic way. We illustrate the sensitivity of the model to policy decision making across large geographic regions by performing a systematic comparison of the estimates at the census tract and county levels for Georgia and California. Our results show the proposed approach is able to overcome limitations of other existing models by capturing patient and provider preferences and by incorporating possible changes in health policies. The primary finding is systematic underestimation of spatial access, and inaccurate estimates of disparities across population and across geography at the county level with respect to those at the census tract level with implications on where to focus and which type of interventions to consider.

Using modeling tools for implementing feasible land use and nature conservation governance systems in small islands - The Pico Island (Azores) case-study.

PubMed

Fernandes, J P; Freire, M; Guiomar, N; Gil, A

2017-03-15

The present study deals with the development of systematic conservation planning as management instrument in small oceanic islands, ensuring open systems of governance, and able to integrate an informed and involved participation of the stakeholders. Marxan software was used to define management areas according a set of alternative land use scenarios considering different conservation and management paradigms. Modeled conservation zones were interpreted and compared with the existing protected areas allowing more fused information for future trade-outs and stakeholder's involvement. The results, allowing the identification of Target Management Units (TMU) based on the consideration of different development scenarios proved to be consistent with a feasible development of evaluation approaches able to support sound governance systems. Moreover, the detailed geographic identification of TMU seems to be able to support participated policies towards a more sustainable management of the entire island. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tantalum induced butterfly-like clusters on Si (111)-7 × 7 surface: STM/STS study at low coverage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukrynau, Pavel; Mutombo, Pingo; Švec, Martin; Hietschold, Michael; Cháb, Vladimír

2012-02-01

The adsorption of the small amounts of tantalum on Si (111)-7 × 7 reconstructed surface is investigated systematically using scanning tunneling microscopy and tunneling spectroscopy combined with first-principles density functional theory calculations. We find out that the moderate annealing of the Ta covered surface results in the formation of clusters of the butterfly-like shape. The clusters are sporadically distributed over the surface and their density is metal coverage dependent. Filled and empty state STM images of the clusters differ strongly suggesting the existence of covalent bonds within the cluster. Tunneling spectroscopy measurements reveal small energy gap, showing semiconductor-like behavior of the constituent atoms. The cluster model based on experimental images and theoretical calculations has been proposed and discussed. Presented results show that Ta joins the family of adsorbates, that are known to form magic clusters on Si (111)-7 × 7, but its magic cluster has the structural and electronic properties that are different from those reported before.

Cosmological Parameters From Pre-Planck CMB Measurements: A 2017 Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calabrese, Erminia; Hlolzek, Renee A.; Bond, J. Richard; Devlin, Mark J.; Dunkley, Joanna; Halpern, Mark; Hincks, Adam D.; Irwin, Kent D.; Kosowsky, Arthur; Moodley, Kavilan;

Constraining the physics of jet quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renk, Thorsten

2012-04-01

Hard probes in the context of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions represent a key class of observables studied to gain information about the QCD medium created in such collisions. However, in practice, the so-called jet tomography has turned out to be more difficult than expected initially. One of the major obstacles in extracting reliable tomographic information from the data is that neither the parton-medium interaction nor the medium geometry are known with great precision, and thus a difference in model assumptions in the hard perturbative Quantum Choromdynamics (pQCD) modeling can usually be compensated by a corresponding change of assumptions in the soft bulk medium sector and vice versa. The only way to overcome this problem is to study the full systematics of combinations of parton-medium interaction and bulk medium evolution models. This work presents a meta-analysis summarizing results from a number of such systematical studies and discusses in detail how certain data sets provide specific constraints for models. Combining all available information, only a small group of models exhibiting certain characteristic features consistent with a pQCD picture of parton-medium interaction is found to be viable given the data. In this picture, the dominant mechanism is medium-induced radiation combined with a surprisingly small component of elastic energy transfer into the medium.

Melatonin as a treatment for mood disorders: a systematic review.

PubMed

De Crescenzo, F; Lennox, A; Gibson, J C; Cordey, J H; Stockton, S; Cowen, P J; Quested, D J

2017-12-01

Melatonin has been widely studied in the treatment of sleep disorders and evidence is accumulating on a possible role for melatonin influencing mood. Our aim was to determine the efficacy and acceptability of melatonin for mood disorders. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review of randomized clinical trials on patients with mood disorders, comparing melatonin to placebo. Eight clinical trials were included; one study in bipolar, three in unipolar depression and four in seasonal affective disorder. We have only a small study on patients with bipolar disorder, while we have more studies testing melatonin as an augmentation strategy for depressive episodes in major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder. The acceptability and tolerability were good. We analyzed data from three trials on depressive episodes and found that the evidence for an effect of melatonin in improving mood symptoms is not significant (SMD = 0.37; 95% CI [-0.05, 0.37]; P = 0.09). The small sample size and the differences in methodology of the trials suggest that our results are based on data deriving from investigations occurring early in this field of study. There is no evidence for an effect of melatonin on mood disorders, but the results are not conclusive and justify further research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teaching musculoskeletal clinical skills to medical trainees and physicians: a Best Evidence in Medical Education systematic review of strategies and their effectiveness: BEME Guide No. 18.

PubMed

O'Dunn-Orto, Alexandra; Hartling, Lisa; Campbell, Sandra; Oswald, Anna E

2012-01-01

Musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints make up 12-20% of primary health visits and are a source of significant expenditures and morbidity. Despite this, MSK examination is an area of weakness among practising physicians. Several studies have highlighted the need for increased MSK physical exam teaching. However, increased teaching time alone does not guarantee improvement in these skills. Thus, we aimed to identify interventions that are effective in promoting transfer of MSK clinical skills. The review protocol was approved by the Best Evidence in Medical Education (BEME) organization. A comprehensive search was conducted and systematic review methods were applied. Data were not pooled statistically due to heterogeneity. About 5089 titles were screened; 24 studies were included. Eighteen of 24 studies focused on undergraduate medical education. Five of nine studies favoured patient educator. Five of six studies favoured interactive small groups, two of four studies favoured computer-assisted learning, and two of two studies favoured peer learning. Individual studies demonstrated effectiveness of reminder sheets and Gait Arms Legs Spine teaching, respectively. This study supports the use of different instructional methods that engage learners and provide meaningful learning contexts. The majority of the studies support patient educators and interactive small group teaching.

Effects of sleep manipulation on cognitive functioning of adolescents: A systematic review.

PubMed

de Bruin, Eduard J; van Run, Chris; Staaks, Janneke; Meijer, Anne Marie

2017-04-01

Adolescents are considered to be at risk for deteriorated cognitive functioning due to insufficient sleep. This systematic review examined the effects of experimental sleep manipulation on adolescent cognitive functioning. Sleep manipulations consisted of total or partial sleep restriction, sleep extension, and sleep improvement. Only articles written in English, with participants' mean age between 10 and 19 y, using objective sleep measures and cognitive performance as outcomes were included. Based on these criteria 16 articles were included. The results showed that the sleep manipulations were successful. Partial sleep restriction had small or no effects on adolescent cognitive functioning. Sleep deprivation studies showed decrements in the psychomotor vigilance task as most consistent finding. Sleep extension and sleep improvement contributed to improvement of working memory. Sleep directly after learning improved memory consolidation. Due to the great diversity of tests and lack of coherent results, decisive conclusions could not be drawn about which domains in particular were influenced by sleep manipulation. Small number of participants, not accounting for the role of sleep quality, individual differences in sleep need, compensatory mechanisms in adolescent sleep and cognitive functioning, and the impurity problem of cognitive tests might explain the absence of more distinct results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic approach identifies RHOA as a potential biomarker therapeutic target for Asian gastric cancer.

PubMed

Chang, Hae Ryung; Nam, Seungyoon; Lee, Jinhyuk; Kim, Jin-Hee; Jung, Hae Rim; Park, Hee Seo; Park, Sungjin; Ahn, Young Zoo; Huh, Iksoo; Balch, Curt; Ku, Ja-Lok; Powis, Garth; Park, Taesung; Jeong, Jin-Hyun; Kim, Yon Hui

2016-12-06

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, in dire need of specific, biomarker-driven cancer therapies. While the accumulation of cancer "Big Data" has propelled the search for novel molecular targets for GC, its specific subpathway and cellular functions vary from patient to patient. In particular, mutations in the small GTPase gene RHOA have been identified in recent genome-wide sequencing of GC tumors. Moreover, protein overexpression of RHOA was reported in Chinese populations, while RHOA mutations were found in Caucasian GC tumors. To develop evidence-based precision medicine for heterogeneous cancers, we established a systematic approach to integrate transcriptomic and genomic data. Predicted signaling subpathways were then laboratory-validated both in vitro and in vivo, resulting in the identification of new candidate therapeutic targets. Here, we show: i) differences in RHOA expression patterns, and its pathway activity, between Asian and Caucasian GC tumors; ii) in vitro and in vivo perturbed RHOA expression inhibits GC cell growth in high RHOA-expressing cell lines; iii) inverse correlation between RHOA and RHOB expression; and iv) an innovative small molecule design strategy for RHOA inhibitors. In summary, RHOA, and its oncogenic signaling pathway, represent a strong biomarker-driven therapeutic target for Asian GC. This comprehensive strategy represents a promising approach for the development of "hit" compounds.

Assessing the order of magnitude of outcomes in single-arm cohorts through systematic comparison with corresponding cohorts: An example from the AMOS study

PubMed Central

Hamre, Harald J; Glockmann, Anja; Tröger, Wilfried; Kienle, Gunver S; Kiene, Helmut

2008-01-01

Background When a therapy has been evaluated in the first clinical study, the outcome is often compared descriptively to outcomes in corresponding cohorts receiving other treatments. Such comparisons are often limited to selected studies, and often mix different outcomes and follow-up periods. Here we give an example of a systematic comparison to all cohorts with identical outcomes and follow-up periods. Methods The therapy to be compared (anthroposophic medicine, a complementary therapy system) had been evaluated in one single-arm cohort study: the Anthroposophic Medicine Outcomes Study (AMOS). The five largest AMOS diagnosis groups (A-cohorts: asthma, depression, low back pain, migraine, neck pain) were compared to all retrievable corresponding cohorts (C-cohorts) receiving other therapies with identical outcomes (SF-36 scales or summary measures) and identical follow-up periods (3, 6 or 12 months). Between-group differences (pre-post difference in an A-cohort minus pre-post difference in the respective C-cohort) were divided with the standard deviation (SD) of the baseline score of the A-cohort. Results A-cohorts (5 cohorts with 392 patients) were similar to C-cohorts (84 cohorts with 16,167 patients) regarding age, disease duration, baseline affection and follow-up rates. A-cohorts had ≥ 0.50 SD larger improvements than C-cohorts in 13.5% (70/517) of comparisons; improvements of the same order of magnitude (small or minimal differences: -0.49 to 0.49 SD) were found in 80.1% of comparisons; and C-cohorts had ≥ 0.50 SD larger improvements than A-cohorts in 6.4% of comparisons. Analyses stratified by diagnosis had similar results. Sensitivity analyses, restricting the comparisons to C-cohorts with similar study design (observational studies), setting (primary care) or interventions (drugs, physical therapies, mixed), or restricting comparisons to SF-36 scales with small baseline differences between A- and C-cohorts (-0.49 to 0.49 SD) also had similar results. Conclusion In this descriptive analysis, anthroposophic therapy was associated with SF-36 improvements largely of the same order of magnitude as improvements following other treatments. Although these non-concurrent comparisons cannot assess comparative effectiveness, they suggest that improvements in health status following anthroposophic therapy can be clinically meaningful. The analysis also demonstrates the value of a systematic approach when comparing a therapy cohort to corresponding therapy cohorts. PMID:18366683

High-Accuracy Measurement of Small Movement of an Object behind Cloth Using Airborne Ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoshiba, Kotaro; Hirata, Shinnosuke; Hachiya, Hiroyuki

2013-07-01

The acoustic measurement of vital information such as breathing and heartbeat in the standing position whilst the subject is wearing clothes is a difficult problem. In this paper, we present the basic experimental results to measure small movement of an object behind cloth. We measured acoustic characteristics of various types of cloth to obtain the transmission loss through cloth. To observe the relationship between measurement error and target speed under a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), we tried to measure the movement of an object behind cloth. The target was placed apart from the cloth to separate the target reflection from the cloth reflection. We found that a small movement of less than 6 mm/s could be observed using the M-sequence, moving target indicator (MTI) filter, and tracking phase difference, when the SNR was less than 0 dB. We also present the results of theoretical error analysis in the MTI filter and phase tracking for high-accuracy measurement. Characteristics of the systematic error were clarified.

Implications of High Molecular Divergence of Nuclear rRNA and Phylogenetic Structure for the Dinoflagellate Prorocentrum (Dinophyceae, Prorocentrales).

PubMed

Boopathi, Thangavelu; Faria, Daphne Georgina; Cheon, Ju-Yong; Youn, Seok Hyun; Ki, Jang-Seu

2015-01-01

The small and large nuclear subunit molecular phylogeny of the genus Prorocentrum demonstrated that the species are dichotomized into two clades. These two clades were significantly different (one-factor ANOVA, p < 0.01) with patterns compatible for both small and large subunit Bayesian phylogenetic trees, and for a larger taxon sampled dinoflagellate phylogeny. Evaluation of the molecular divergence levels showed that intraspecies genetic variations were significantly low (t-test, p < 0.05), than those for interspecies variations (> 2.9% and > 26.8% dissimilarity in the small and large subunit [D1/D2], respectively). Based on the calculated molecular divergence, the genus comprises two genetically distinct groups that should be considered as two separate genera, thereby setting the pace for major systematic changes for the genus Prorocentrum sensu Dodge. Moreover, the information presented in this study would be useful for improving species identification, detection of novel clades from environmental samples. © 2015 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2015 International Society of Protistologists.

Systematic investigation of non-Boussinesq effects in variable-density groundwater flow simulations.

PubMed

Guevara Morel, Carlos R; van Reeuwijk, Maarten; Graf, Thomas

2015-12-01

The validity of three mathematical models describing variable-density groundwater flow is systematically evaluated: (i) a model which invokes the Oberbeck-Boussinesq approximation (OB approximation), (ii) a model of intermediate complexity (NOB1) and (iii) a model which solves the full set of equations (NOB2). The NOB1 and NOB2 descriptions have been added to the HydroGeoSphere (HGS) model, which originally contained an implementation of the OB description. We define the Boussinesq parameter ερ=βω Δω where βω is the solutal expansivity and Δω is the characteristic difference in solute mass fraction. The Boussinesq parameter ερ is used to systematically investigate three flow scenarios covering a range of free and mixed convection problems: 1) the low Rayleigh number Elder problem (Van Reeuwijk et al., 2009), 2) a convective fingering problem (Xie et al., 2011) and 3) a mixed convective problem (Schincariol et al., 1994). Results indicate that small density differences (ερ≤ 0.05) produce no apparent changes in the total solute mass in the system, plume penetration depth, center of mass and mass flux independent of the mathematical model used. Deviations between OB, NOB1 and NOB2 occur for large density differences (ερ>0.12), where lower description levels will underestimate the vertical plume position and overestimate mass flux. Based on the cases considered here, we suggest the following guidelines for saline convection: the OB approximation is valid for cases with ερ<0.05, and the full NOB set of equations needs to be used for cases with ερ>0.10. Whether NOB effects are important in the intermediate region differ from case to case. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term changes after brief dynamic psychotherapy: symptomatic versus dynamic assessments.

PubMed

Høglend, P; Sørlie, T; Sørbye, O; Heyerdahl, O; Amlo, S

1992-08-01

Dynamic change in psychotherapy, as measured by theory-related or mode-specific instruments, have been criticized for being too intercorrelated with symptomatic change measures. In this study, long-term changes after brief dynamic psychotherapy were studied in 45 moderately disturbed neurotic patients by a reliable outcome battery. The factor structure of all the change variables suggested that they tapped 2 distinct and stable sources of variance: dynamic and symptomatic change. The categories of overall dynamic change were different from categories of change on the Global Assessment Scale. A small systematic difference was found between the categories of overall dynamic change and the categories of target complaints change also, due to false solutions of dynamic conflicts.

Correlation Study of PVDF Membrane Morphology with Protein Adsorption: Quantitative Analysis by FTIR/ATR Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ideris, N.; Ahmad, A. L.; Ooi, B. S.; Low, S. C.

2018-05-01

Microporous PVDF membranes were used as protein capture matrices in immunoassays. Because the most common labels in immunoassays were detected based on the colour change, an understanding of how protein concentration varies on different PVDF surfaces was needed. Herein, the correlation between the membrane pore size and protein adsorption was systematically investigated. Five different PVDF membrane morphologies were prepared and FTIR/ATR was employed to accurately quantify the surface protein concentration on membranes with small pore sizes. SigmaPlot® was used to find a suitable curve fit for protein adsorption and membrane pore size, with a high correlation coefficient, R2, of 0.9971.

Sub-50 nm metrology on extreme ultra violet chemically amplified resist—A systematic assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maas, D. J., E-mail: diederik.maas@tno.nl; Herfst, R.; Veldhoven, E. van

2015-10-15

With lithographic patterning dimensions decreasing well below 50 nm, it is of high importance to understand metrology at such small scales. This paper presents results obtained from dense arrays of contact holes (CHs) with various Critical Dimension (CD) between 15 and 50 nm, as patterned in a chemically amplified resist using an ASML EUV scanner and measured at ASML and TNO. To determine the differences between various (local) CD metrology techniques, we conducted an experiment using optical scatterometry, CD-Scanning Electron Microscopy (CD-SEM), Helium ion Microscopy (HIM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). CD-SEM requires advanced beam scan strategies to mitigate samplemore » charging; the other tools did not need that. We discuss the observed main similarities and differences between the various techniques. To this end, we assessed the spatial frequency content in the raw images for SEM, HIM, and AFM. HIM and AFM resolve the highest spatial frequencies, which are attributed to the more localized probe-sample interaction for these techniques. Furthermore, the SEM, HIM, and AFM waveforms are analyzed in detail. All techniques show good mutual correlation, albeit the reported CD values systematically differ significantly. HIM systematically reports a 25% higher CD uniformity number than CD-SEM for the same arrays of CHs, probably because HIM has a higher resolution than the CD-SEM used in this assessment. A significant speed boost for HIM and AFM is required before these techniques are to serve the demanding industrial metrology applications like optical critical dimension and CD-SEM do nowadays.« less

Economic evaluations of trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: a systematic review and critique.

PubMed

Parkinson, Bonny; Pearson, Sallie-Anne; Viney, Rosalie

2014-01-01

Published economic evaluations of trastuzumab for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer have arrived at different conclusions regarding the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab, despite comparative efficacy being demonstrated by a small set of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). This article aims to provide insight into the quality of the evaluations and explore the possible drivers of the conflicting conclusions. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all published economic evaluations that compared the incremental costs and outcomes of trastuzumab versus a comparator. Fifteen economic evaluations were identified. In the evaluations that estimated efficacy using an RCT, the key drivers of the conclusions regarding cost-effectiveness were: the approach used to estimate overall survival in the control group given crossover to trastuzumab following progression in the trials; the inclusion of treatment beyond progression; inclusion of wastage due to unused vial portions, adverse events, and the cost of HER2 testing. Four evaluations used non-randomised approaches to estimate efficacy, thus introducing the potential for confounding. As a result these evaluations reported relatively optimistic estimates of comparative effectiveness. Finally the evaluations used different thresholds to determine whether treatment with trastuzumab was cost-effective. There were numerous drivers of the different conclusions regarding the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab, many of which are due to judgements made by the authors when translating data from RCTs. Many of the potential drivers were not identified by the published systematic reviews of economic evaluations and perhaps more remain unidentified because of inconsistent and limited reporting.

Sub-50 nm metrology on extreme ultra violet chemically amplified resist—A systematic assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maas, D. J.; Fliervoet, T.; Herfst, R.; van Veldhoven, E.; Meessen, J.; Vaenkatesan, V.; Sadeghian, H.

2015-10-01

With lithographic patterning dimensions decreasing well below 50 nm, it is of high importance to understand metrology at such small scales. This paper presents results obtained from dense arrays of contact holes (CHs) with various Critical Dimension (CD) between 15 and 50 nm, as patterned in a chemically amplified resist using an ASML EUV scanner and measured at ASML and TNO. To determine the differences between various (local) CD metrology techniques, we conducted an experiment using optical scatterometry, CD-Scanning Electron Microscopy (CD-SEM), Helium ion Microscopy (HIM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). CD-SEM requires advanced beam scan strategies to mitigate sample charging; the other tools did not need that. We discuss the observed main similarities and differences between the various techniques. To this end, we assessed the spatial frequency content in the raw images for SEM, HIM, and AFM. HIM and AFM resolve the highest spatial frequencies, which are attributed to the more localized probe-sample interaction for these techniques. Furthermore, the SEM, HIM, and AFM waveforms are analyzed in detail. All techniques show good mutual correlation, albeit the reported CD values systematically differ significantly. HIM systematically reports a 25% higher CD uniformity number than CD-SEM for the same arrays of CHs, probably because HIM has a higher resolution than the CD-SEM used in this assessment. A significant speed boost for HIM and AFM is required before these techniques are to serve the demanding industrial metrology applications like optical critical dimension and CD-SEM do nowadays.

Anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Akioyamen, Leo E; Genest, Jacques; Shan, Shubham D; Inibhunu, Happy; Chu, Anna; Tu, Jack V

2018-06-01

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disease predisposing affected individuals to a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, considerable uncertainty exists regarding its impact on psychosocial wellbeing. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the association between FH and symptoms of anxiety and depression, and health-related quality of life (HRQL). We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and PubMed for peer-reviewed literature published in English between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 2018. Quantitative and qualitative studies were eligible if they included patients with confirmed FH and evaluated its association with symptoms of anxiety or depression, or HRQL. We performed a narrative synthesis of studies, including thematic analysis of qualitative studies, and where data permitted, random-effects meta-analysis reporting standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals. We found 10 eligible studies measuring HRQL, depression and anxiety. Random-effects meta-analysis of 4 (n = 4293) and 5 studies (n = 5098), respectively, showed that patients with FH had slightly lower symptoms of anxiety (SMD: -0.29 [95% CI: -0.53, -0.04]) and mental HRQL (SMD: -0.10 [95% -0.20, -0.00]) relative to general population controls. No significant differences existed in depressive symptoms (SMD: 0.04 [95% CI: -0.12, 0.19]) or physical HRQL scores (SMD: 0.02 [95% CI: -0.09, 0.12]). Our systematic review suggests that patients with FH may report small but measurable differences in anxiety symptoms and mental HRQL. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of dietary fibre on subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Wanders, A J; van den Borne, J J G C; de Graaf, C; Hulshof, T; Jonathan, M C; Kristensen, M; Mars, M; Schols, H A; Feskens, E J M

2011-09-01

Dietary fibres are believed to reduce subjective appetite, energy intake and body weight. However, different types of dietary fibre may affect these outcomes differently. The aim of this review was to systematically investigate the available literature on the relationship between dietary fibre types, appetite, acute and long-term energy intake, and body weight. Fibres were grouped according to chemical structure and physicochemical properties (viscosity, solubility and fermentability). Effect rates were calculated as the proportion of all fibre-control comparisons that reduced appetite (n = 58 comparisons), acute energy intake (n = 26), long-term energy intake (n = 38) or body weight (n = 66). For appetite, acute energy intake, long-term energy intake and body weight, there were clear differences in effect rates depending on chemical structure. Interestingly, fibres characterized as being more viscous (e.g. pectins, β-glucans and guar gum) reduced appetite more often than those less viscous fibres (59% vs. 14%), which also applied to acute energy intake (69% vs. 30%). Overall, effects on energy intake and body weight were relatively small, and distinct dose-response relationships were not observed. Short- and long-term effects of dietary fibres appear to differ and multiple mechanisms relating to their different physicochemical properties seem to interplay. This warrants further exploration. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Uncertainty Analysis and Order-by-Order Optimization of Chiral Nuclear Interactions

DOE PAGES

Carlsson, Boris; Forssen, Christian; Fahlin Strömberg, D.; ...

2016-02-24

Chiral effective field theory ( ΧEFT) provides a systematic approach to describe low-energy nuclear forces. Moreover, EFT is able to provide well-founded estimates of statistical and systematic uncertainties | although this unique advantage has not yet been fully exploited. We ll this gap by performing an optimization and statistical analysis of all the low-energy constants (LECs) up to next-to-next-to-leading order. Our optimization protocol corresponds to a simultaneous t to scattering and bound-state observables in the pion-nucleon, nucleon-nucleon, and few-nucleon sectors, thereby utilizing the full model capabilities of EFT. Finally, we study the effect on other observables by demonstrating forward-error-propagation methodsmore » that can easily be adopted by future works. We employ mathematical optimization and implement automatic differentiation to attain e cient and machine-precise first- and second-order derivatives of the objective function with respect to the LECs. This is also vital for the regression analysis. We use power-counting arguments to estimate the systematic uncertainty that is inherent to EFT and we construct chiral interactions at different orders with quantified uncertainties. Statistical error propagation is compared with Monte Carlo sampling showing that statistical errors are in general small compared to systematic ones. In conclusion, we find that a simultaneous t to different sets of data is critical to (i) identify the optimal set of LECs, (ii) capture all relevant correlations, (iii) reduce the statistical uncertainty, and (iv) attain order-by-order convergence in EFT. Furthermore, certain systematic uncertainties in the few-nucleon sector are shown to get substantially magnified in the many-body sector; in particlar when varying the cutoff in the chiral potentials. The methodology and results presented in this Paper open a new frontier for uncertainty quantification in ab initio nuclear theory.« less

Effectiveness of befriending interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Siette, Joyce; Cassidy, Megan; Priebe, Stefan

2017-01-01

Objective Befriending is an emotional supportive relationship in which one-to-one companionship is provided on a regular basis by a volunteer. It is commonly and increasingly offered by the voluntary sector for individuals with distressing physical and mental conditions. However, the effectiveness of this intervention on health outcomes is largely unknown. We aim to conduct a systematic review of the benefits of befriending. Design Systematic review. Methods A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental trials of befriending for a range of physical and mental health indications including depression, anxiety, mental illness, cancer, physical illness and dementia. Main outcomes included patient-relevant and disease-specific outcomes, such as depression, loneliness, quality of life, self-esteem, social support and well-being. Results A total of 14 trials (2411 participants) were included; 7 were judged at low risk of bias. Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with befriending but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials. Befriending was significantly associated with better patient-reported outcomes across primary measures (standardised mean difference 0.18 (95% CI, −0.002 to 0.36, I2=26%, seven trials)). However, there was no significant benefit on single outcomes, including depression, quality of life, loneliness ratings, self-esteem measures, social support structures and well-being. Conclusions There was moderate quality evidence to support the use of befriending for the treatment of individuals with different physical and mental health conditions. This evidence refers to an overall improvement benefit in patient-reported primary outcomes, although with a rather small effect size. The current evidence base does not allow for firm conclusions on more specific outcomes. Future trials should hypothesise a model for the precise effects of befriending and use specified inclusion and outcome criteria. PMID:28446525

Virtual Reality Therapy for Adults Post-Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Exploring Virtual Environments and Commercial Games in Therapy

PubMed Central

Lohse, Keith R.; Hilderman, Courtney G. E.; Cheung, Katharine L.; Tatla, Sandy; Van der Loos, H. F. Machiel

2014-01-01

Background The objective of this analysis was to systematically review the evidence for virtual reality (VR) therapy in an adult post-stroke population in both custom built virtual environments (VE) and commercially available gaming systems (CG). Methods MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PSYCInfo, DARE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched from the earliest available date until April 4, 2013. Controlled trials that compared VR to conventional therapy were included. Population criteria included adults (>18) post-stroke, excluding children, cerebral palsy, and other neurological disorders. Included studies were reported in English. Quality of studies was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). Results Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. For body function outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy compared to conventional therapy controls, G = 0.48, 95% CI = [0.27, 0.70], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.38). For activity outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy, G = 0.58, 95% CI = [0.32, 0.85], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.66). For participation outcomes, the overall effect size was G = 0.56, 95% CI = [0.02, 1.10]. All participation outcomes came from VE studies. Discussion VR rehabilitation moderately improves outcomes compared to conventional therapy in adults post-stroke. Current CG interventions have been too few and too small to assess potential benefits of CG. Future research in this area should aim to clearly define conventional therapy, report on participation measures, consider motivational components of therapy, and investigate commercially available systems in larger RCTs. Trial Registration Prospero CRD42013004338 PMID:24681826

Virtual reality therapy for adults post-stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis exploring virtual environments and commercial games in therapy.

PubMed

Lohse, Keith R; Hilderman, Courtney G E; Cheung, Katharine L; Tatla, Sandy; Van der Loos, H F Machiel

2014-01-01

The objective of this analysis was to systematically review the evidence for virtual reality (VR) therapy in an adult post-stroke population in both custom built virtual environments (VE) and commercially available gaming systems (CG). MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PSYCInfo, DARE, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were systematically searched from the earliest available date until April 4, 2013. Controlled trials that compared VR to conventional therapy were included. Population criteria included adults (>18) post-stroke, excluding children, cerebral palsy, and other neurological disorders. Included studies were reported in English. Quality of studies was assessed with the Physiotherapy Evidence Database Scale (PEDro). Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. For body function outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy compared to conventional therapy controls, G = 0.48, 95% CI = [0.27, 0.70], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.38). For activity outcomes, there was a significant benefit of VR therapy, G = 0.58, 95% CI = [0.32, 0.85], and no significant difference between VE and CG interventions (P = 0.66). For participation outcomes, the overall effect size was G = 0.56, 95% CI = [0.02, 1.10]. All participation outcomes came from VE studies. VR rehabilitation moderately improves outcomes compared to conventional therapy in adults post-stroke. Current CG interventions have been too few and too small to assess potential benefits of CG. Future research in this area should aim to clearly define conventional therapy, report on participation measures, consider motivational components of therapy, and investigate commercially available systems in larger RCTs. Prospero CRD42013004338.

A subcontinental view of forest plant invasions

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Songlin Fei; Qinfeng Guo; Basil V. Iannone III; Sonja N. Oswalt; Bryan C. Pijanowski; Kevin M. Potter

2015-01-01

Over the last few decades, considerable attention has focused on small-scale studies of invasive plants and invaded systems. Unfortunately, small scale studies rarely provide comprehensive insight into the complexities of biological invasions at macroscales. Systematic and repeated monitoring of biological invasions at broad scales are rare. In this report, we...

Quantifying systematics from the shear inversion on weak-lensing peak counts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chieh-An; Kilbinger, Martin

2018-06-01

Weak-lensing peak counts provide a straightforward way to constrain cosmology by linking local maxima of the lensing signal to the mass function. Recent applications to data have already been numerous and fruitful. However, the importance of understanding and dealing with systematics increases as data quality reaches an unprecedented level. One of the sources of systematics is the convergence-shear inversion. This effect, inevitable when carrying out a convergence field from observations, is usually neglected by theoretical peak models. Thus, it could have an impact on cosmological results. In this paper, we study the bias from neglecting (mis-modeling) the inversion. Our tests show a small but non-negligible bias. The cosmological dependence of this bias seems to be related to the parameter Σ8 ≡ (Ωm/(1 - α))1 - α(σ8/α)α, where α = 2/3. When this bias propagates to the parameter estimation, we discovered that constraint contours involving the dark energy equation of state can differ by 2σ. Such an effect can be even larger for future high-precision surveys and we argue that the inversion should be properly modeled for theoretical peak models.

Effects of Aquatic Therapy and Land-Based Therapy versus Land-Based Therapy Alone on Range of Motion, Edema, and Function after Hip or Knee Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gibson, Alison J; Shields, Nora

2015-01-01

To determine whether aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy improves patient outcomes after hip or knee arthroplasty compared with land-based therapy alone. For this systematic review, six online databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE, Cochrane, and PEDro) were searched from the earliest date available until September 2013. Controlled trials published in English in a peer-reviewed journal that compared aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy with land-based therapy alone were included; trial quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Data were presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs), their associated 95% CIs, and meta-analyses. Three small trials of moderate quality were included in the qualitative analysis. Meta-analysis of two of these studies found moderate-quality evidence that aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy improves functional outcomes (SMD=0.53; 95% CI, 0.03-1.03), knee range of motion (measured in knee or hip arthroplasty; SMD=0.78; 95% CI, 0.27-1.29), and edema (SMD=-0.66; 95% CI, -1.16 to -0.15) compared with land-based therapy alone. The results for improved functional outcomes were not considered clinically significant. It is not possible to draw confident conclusions from this review because of the small number of studies of limited quality and the modest differences found. Further studies of sound methodological quality are required to confirm the results. Economic analysis alongside randomized controlled trials is needed to examine the cost-effectiveness of these clinical outcomes.

The effect of the number of consecutive night shifts on diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and heart rate variability (HRV): a systematic review of field studies.

PubMed

Jensen, Marie Aarrebo; Garde, Anne Helene; Kristiansen, Jesper; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Hansen, Åse Marie

2016-05-01

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current knowledge from field studies on how many consecutive night shifts are required for adaptation of diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and heart rate variability (HRV) to night work. A systematic search of the databases PubMed and Web of Science resulted in 18 studies selected for review. Cortisol was measured in five studies, melatonin in 11 studies and HRV in four studies. Diurnal rhythms were assessed by use of several different measures based on three to eight samples per day for cortisol and melatonin and 24-h recordings for HRV. Most of the studies in the review were small studies with less than 30 participants, and most studies evaluated diurnal rhythms after only two consecutive night shifts whereas only six studies used seven or more consecutive night shifts. The majority of studies found that adaptation to night work had not occurred after two consecutive night shifts, whereas a small number found evidence for full adaptation after seven consecutive night shifts based on diurnal rhythms in cortisol and melatonin. There are methodological differences in the field studies analyzing diurnal rhythms and large diversity in the occupational fields studied. Nevertheless, we conclude that diurnal rhythms in cortisol, melatonin and HRV are not adapted to night work after 1-3 consecutive night shifts. Studies are needed to establish how many consecutive night shifts are needed for full adaptation of diurnal rhythms to night work.

Clarifying the abstracts of systematic literature reviews*

PubMed Central

Hartley, James

2000-01-01

Background: There is a small body of research on improving the clarity of abstracts in general that is relevant to improving the clarity of abstracts of systematic reviews. Objectives: To summarize this earlier research and indicate its implications for writing the abstracts of systematic reviews. Method: Literature review with commentary on three main features affecting the clarity of abstracts: their language, structure, and typographical presentation. Conclusions: The abstracts of systematic reviews should be easier to read than the abstracts of medical research articles, as they are targeted at a wider audience. The aims, methods, results, and conclusions of systematic reviews need to be presented in a consistent way to help search and retrieval. The typographic detailing of the abstracts (type-sizes, spacing, and weights) should be planned to help, rather than confuse, the reader. PMID:11055300

Got Power? A Systematic Review of Sample Size Adequacy in Health Professions Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, David A.; Hatala, Rose

2015-01-01

Many education research studies employ small samples, which in turn lowers statistical power. We re-analyzed the results of a meta-analysis of simulation-based education to determine study power across a range of effect sizes, and the smallest effect that could be plausibly excluded. We systematically searched multiple databases through May 2011,…

Clinical effectiveness of garlic (Allium sativum).

PubMed

Pittler, Max H; Ernst, Edzard

2007-11-01

The objective of this review is to update and assess the clinical evidence based on rigorous trials of the effectiveness of garlic (A. sativum). Systematic searches were carried out in Medline, Embase, Amed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Natural Standard, and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (search date December 2006). Our own files, the bibliographies of relevant papers and the contents pages of all issues of the review journal FACT were searched for further studies. No language restrictions were imposed. To be included, trials were required to state that they were randomized and double blind. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of garlic were included if based on the results of randomized, double-blind trials. The literature searches identified six relevant systematic reviews and meta-analysis and double-blind randomized trials (RCT) that were published subsequently. These relate to cancer, common cold, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, peripheral arterial disease and pre-eclampsia. The evidence based on rigorous clinical trials of garlic is not convincing. For hypercholesterolemia, the reported effects are small and may therefore not be of clinical relevance. For reducing blood pressure, few studies are available and the reported effects are too small to be clinically meaningful. For all other conditions not enough data are available for clinical recommendations.

Evaluating the evidence for motor-based interventions in developmental coordination disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Smits-Engelsman, Bouwien; Vinçon, Sabine; Blank, Rainer; Quadrado, Virgínia H; Polatajko, Helene; Wilson, Peter H

2018-03-01

As part of the process of creating an update of the clinical practice guidelines for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) (Blank, Smits-Engelsman, Polatajko, & Wilson, 2012), a systematic review of intervention studies, published since the last guidelines statement was conducted. The aim of this study was to 1) systematically review the evidence published from January 2012 to February 2017 regarding the effectiveness of motor based interventions in individuals with DCD, 2) quantify treatment effects using a meta-analysis, 3) examine the available information on different aspects of delivery including use of group intervention, duration and frequency of therapy, and 4) identify gaps in the literature and make recommendations for future intervention research. An electronic search of 5 databases (PubMed, Embase, Pedro, Scopus and Cochrane) was conducted for studies that evaluated motor-based interventions to improve performance for individuals with DCD. Thirty studies covering 25 datasets were included, 19 of which provided outcomes on standardized measures of motor performance. The overall effect size (Cohen's d) across intervention studies was large (1.06), but the range was wide: for 11 interventions, the observed effect was large (>0.80), in eight studies moderate (>0.50), and in five it was small or negligible (<0.50). Positive benefits were evident for activity-oriented approaches, body function-oriented combined with activities, active video games, and small group programs. Results showed that activity-oriented and body function oriented interventions can have a positive effect on motor function and skills. However, given the varied methodological quality and the large confidence intervals of some studies, the results should be interpreted with caution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is there an increased risk of cancer among spouses of patients with an HPV-related cancer: A systematic review.

PubMed

Mirghani, Haitham; Sturgis, Erich M; Aupérin, Anne; Monsonego, Joseph; Blanchard, Pierre

2017-04-01

High-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPV) are the cause of most ano-genital cancers and a fast growing subset of oropharyngeal cancer. As these malignancies occur as a result of an HPV- infection transmitted through intimate contact, many patients with HPV- induced cancer and their partners are concerned about HPV-transmission and the potential partners' cancer risk. Few studies have addressed this issue and whether the HPV-related cancer risk of partners of patients with HPV-related cancers is comparable to or greater than that of the general population. We performed a systematic review of the published literature addressing this issue. Out of 1055 references screened, 53 articles were found eligible for inclusion. Regarding the issue of coincidence of HPV-induced oropharyngeal and/or anogenital cancers in couples, 13 case-reports or case-series were reported and 9 larger studies based on population-registries. Four of these registry studies showed an increased risk of cervical cancer in the partner while four did not. Among the four positive studies, odds ratios for the development of HPV-related cancer among spouses were between 2.6 and 6.7. One study showed an increased risk of tongue or tonsil cancer among husbands of women with cervical dysplasia or cancer. Overall the absolute risk increase in all these studies was small, on the order of 1-3%, although potentially underestimated. Indeed, all these studies have assessed partner's cancer risk at only one anatomical site whereas HPV- related malignancies can affect different locations. This systematic review suggests a small trend of increase risk in HPV-associated cancers among spouses of patients with HPV-related cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progressive resistance training in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Saltychev, Mikhail; Bärlund, Esa; Paltamaa, Jaana; Katajapuu, Niina; Laimi, Katri

2016-01-01

Objectives To investigate if there is evidence on effectiveness of progressive resistance training in rehabilitation of Parkinson disease. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: Central, Medline, Embase, Cinahl, Web of Science, Pedro until May 2014. Randomised controlled or controlled clinical trials. The methodological quality of studies was assessed according to the Cochrane Collaboration's domain-based evaluation framework. Data synthesis: random effects meta-analysis with test for heterogeneity using the I² and pooled estimate as the raw mean difference. Participants Adults with primary/idiopathic Parkinson's disease of any severity, excluding other concurrent neurological condition. Interventions Progressive resistance training defined as training consisting of a small number of repetitions until fatigue, allowing sufficient rest between exercises for recovery, and increasing the resistance as the ability to generate force improves. Comparison Progressive resistance training versus no treatment, placebo or other treatment in randomised controlled or controlled clinical trials. Primary and secondary outcome measures Any outcome. Results Of 516 records, 12 were considered relevant. Nine of them had low risk of bias. All studies were randomised controlled trials conducted on small samples with none or 1 month follow-up after the end of intervention. Of them, six were included in quantitative analysis. Pooled effect sizes of meta-analyses on fast and comfortable walking speed, the 6 min walking test, Timed Up and Go test and maximal oxygen consumption were below the level of minimal clinical significance. Conclusions There is so far no evidence on the superiority of progressive resistance training compared with other physical training to support the use of this technique in rehabilitation of Parkinson's disease. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO 2014:CRD42014009844. PMID:26743698

Evidence-based practice: extending the search to find material for the systematic review

PubMed Central

Helmer, Diane; Savoie, Isabelle; Green, Carolyn; Kazanjian, Arminée

2001-01-01

Background: Cochrane-style systematic reviews increasingly require the participation of librarians. Guidelines on the appropriate search strategy to use for systematic reviews have been proposed. However, research evidence supporting these recommendations is limited. Objective: This study investigates the effectiveness of various systematic search methods used to uncover randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for systematic reviews. Effectiveness is defined as the proportion of relevant material uncovered for the systematic review using extended systematic review search methods. The following extended systematic search methods are evaluated: searching subject-specific or specialized databases (including trial registries), hand searching, scanning reference lists, and communicating personally. Methods: Two systematic review projects were prospectively monitored regarding the method used to identify items as well as the type of items retrieved. The proportion of RCTs identified by each systematic search method was calculated. Results: The extended systematic search methods uncovered 29.2% of all items retrieved for the systematic reviews. The search of specialized databases was the most effective method, followed by scanning of reference lists, communicating personally, and hand searching. Although the number of items identified through hand searching was small, these unique items would otherwise have been missed. Conclusions: Extended systematic search methods are effective tools for uncovering material for the systematic review. The quality of the items uncovered has yet to be assessed and will be key in evaluating the value of the systematic search methods. PMID:11837256

Lessons learned from small store programs to increase healthy food access.

PubMed

Gittelsohn, Joel; Laska, Melissa N; Karpyn, Allison; Klingler, Kristen; Ayala, Guadalupe X

2014-03-01

To document implementation challenges and opportunities associated with small store interventions. Case study analysis of small store interventions conducted in 4 regions of the US. We systematically generated matrices to compare and contrast lessons learned to advance implementation science. Seven thematic areas were identified including: establishing relationships with stores, store owner and customer relationships, selection of intervention approaches, stocking healthier foods, evaluation, maintenance of changes, and dissemination. This information provides guidance to researchers and practitioners wishing to design, implement, and evaluate small store interventions.

Pathways to naturally small Dirac neutrino masses

DOE PAGES

Ma, Ernest; Popov, Oleg

2016-11-18

If neutrinos are truly Dirac fermions, the smallness of their masses may still be natural if certain symmetries exist beyond those of the standard model of quarks and leptons. We perform a systematic study of how this may occur at tree level and in one loop. As a result, we also propose a scotogenic version of the left-right gauge model with naturally small Dirac neutrino masses in one loop.

The effect of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Zeng, Xianglong; Chiu, Cleo P K; Wang, Rong; Oei, Tian P S; Leung, Freedom Y K

2015-01-01

While it has been suggested that loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is an effective practice for promoting positive emotions, the empirical evidence in the literature remains unclear. Here, we provide a systematic review of 24 empirical studies (N = 1759) on LKM with self-reported positive emotions. The effect of LKM on positive emotions was estimated with meta-analysis, and the influence of variations across LKM interventions was further explored with subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The meta-analysis showed that (1) medium effect sizes for LKM interventions on daily positive emotions in both wait-list controlled RCTs and non-RCT studies; and (2) small to large effect sizes for the on-going practice of LKM on immediate positive emotions across different comparisons. Further analysis showed that (1) interventions focused on loving-kindness had medium effect size, but interventions focused on compassion showed small effect sizes; (2) the length of interventions and the time spent on meditation did not influence the effect sizes, but the studies without didactic components in interventions had small effect sizes. A few individual studies reported that the nature of positive emotions and individual differences also influenced the results. In sum, LKM practice and interventions are effective in enhancing positive emotions, but more studies are needed to identify the active components of the interventions, to compare different psychological operations, and to explore the applicability in clinical populations.

The effect of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions: a meta-analytic review

PubMed Central

Zeng, Xianglong; Chiu, Cleo P. K.; Wang, Rong; Oei, Tian P. S.; Leung, Freedom Y. K.

2015-01-01

While it has been suggested that loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is an effective practice for promoting positive emotions, the empirical evidence in the literature remains unclear. Here, we provide a systematic review of 24 empirical studies (N = 1759) on LKM with self-reported positive emotions. The effect of LKM on positive emotions was estimated with meta-analysis, and the influence of variations across LKM interventions was further explored with subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The meta-analysis showed that (1) medium effect sizes for LKM interventions on daily positive emotions in both wait-list controlled RCTs and non-RCT studies; and (2) small to large effect sizes for the on-going practice of LKM on immediate positive emotions across different comparisons. Further analysis showed that (1) interventions focused on loving-kindness had medium effect size, but interventions focused on compassion showed small effect sizes; (2) the length of interventions and the time spent on meditation did not influence the effect sizes, but the studies without didactic components in interventions had small effect sizes. A few individual studies reported that the nature of positive emotions and individual differences also influenced the results. In sum, LKM practice and interventions are effective in enhancing positive emotions, but more studies are needed to identify the active components of the interventions, to compare different psychological operations, and to explore the applicability in clinical populations. PMID:26579061

Moment Magnitudes and Local Magnitudes for Small Earthquakes: Implications for Ground-Motion Prediction and b-values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltay, A.; Hanks, T. C.; Vernon, F.

2016-12-01

We illustrate two essential consequences of the systematic difference between moment magnitude and local magnitude for small earthquakes, illuminating the underlying earthquake physics. Moment magnitude, M 2/3 log M0, is uniformly valid for all earthquake sizes [Hanks and Kanamori, 1979]. However, the relationship between local magnitude ML and moment is itself magnitude dependent. For moderate events, 3< M < 7, M and M­L are coincident; for earthquakes smaller than M3, ML log M0 [Hanks and Boore, 1984]. This is a consequence of the saturation of the apparent corner frequency fc as it becoming greater than the largest observable frequency, fmax; In this regime, stress drop no longer controls ground motion. This implies that ML and M differ by a factor of 1.5 for these small events. While this idea is not new, its implications are important as more small-magnitude data are incorporated into earthquake hazard research. With a large dataset of M<3 earthquakes recorded on the ANZA network, we demonstrate striking consequences of the difference between M and ML. ML scales as the log peak ground motions (e.g., PGA or PGV) for these small earthquakes, which yields log PGA log M0 [Boore, 1986]. We plot nearly 15,000 records of PGA and PGV at close stations, adjusted for site conditions and for geometrical spreading to 10 km. The slope of the log of ground motion is 1.0*ML­, or 1.5*M, confirming the relationship, and that fc >> fmax. Just as importantly, if this relation is overlooked, prediction of large-magnitude ground motion from small earthquakes will be misguided. We also consider the effect of this magnitude scale difference on b-value. The oft-cited b-value of 1 should hold for small magnitudes, given M. Use of ML necessitates b=2/3 for the same data set; use of mixed, or unknown, magnitudes complicates the matter further. This is of particular import when estimating the rate of large earthquakes when one has limited data on their recurrence, as is the case for induced earthquakes in the central US.

Subchondral drilling for articular cartilage repair: a systematic review of translational research.

PubMed

Gao, Liang; Goebel, Lars K H; Orth, Patrick; Cucchiarini, Magali; Madry, Henning

2018-05-03

Articular cartilage defects may initiate osteoarthritis. Subchondral drilling, a widely applied clinical technique to treat small cartilage defects, does not yield cartilage regeneration. Various translational studies aiming to improve the outcome of drilling have been performed, however, a robust systematic analysis of its translational evidence has been still lacking. Here, we performed a systematic review of the outcome of subchondral drilling for knee cartilage repair in translational animal models. A total of 12 relevant publications studying 198 animals were identified, detailed study characteristics were extracted, and methodological quality and risk of bias were analyzed. Subchondral drilling was superior to defects untreated or treated with abrasion arthroplasty for cartilage repair in multiple translational models. Considerable subchondral bone changes were observed, including subchondral bone cysts and intralesional osteophytes. Furthermore, extensive alterations of the subchondral bone microarchitecture appeared in a temporal pattern in small and large animal models, together with specific topographic aspects of repair. Moreover, variable technical aspects directly affected the outcomes of osteochondral repair. The data from this systematic review indicate that subchondral drilling yields improved short-term structural articular cartilage repair compared with spontaneous repair in multiple small and large animal models. These results have important implications for future investigations aimed at an enhanced translation into clinical settings for the treatment of cartilage defects, highlighting the importance of considering specific aspects of modifiable variables such as improvements in the design and reporting of preclinical studies, together with the need to better understand the underlying mechanisms of cartilage repair following subchondral drilling. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology.

PubMed

Elhai, Jon D; Dvorak, Robert D; Levine, Jason C; Hall, Brian J

2017-01-01

Research literature on problematic smartphone use, or smartphone addiction, has proliferated. However, relationships with existing categories of psychopathology are not well defined. We discuss the concept of problematic smartphone use, including possible causal pathways to such use. We conducted a systematic review of the relationship between problematic use with psychopathology. Using scholarly bibliographic databases, we screened 117 total citations, resulting in 23 peer-reviewer papers examining statistical relations between standardized measures of problematic smartphone use/use severity and the severity of psychopathology. Most papers examined problematic use in relation to depression, anxiety, chronic stress and/or low self-esteem. Across this literature, without statistically adjusting for other relevant variables, depression severity was consistently related to problematic smartphone use, demonstrating at least medium effect sizes. Anxiety was also consistently related to problem use, but with small effect sizes. Stress was somewhat consistently related, with small to medium effects. Self-esteem was inconsistently related, with small to medium effects when found. Statistically adjusting for other relevant variables yielded similar but somewhat smaller effects. We only included correlational studies in our systematic review, but address the few relevant experimental studies also. We discuss causal explanations for relationships between problem smartphone use and psychopathology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Outcomes of physical therapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy for people with motor neuron disease: a systematic review.

PubMed

Morris, Meg E; Perry, Alison; Bilney, Belinda; Curran, Andrea; Dodd, Karen; Wittwer, Joanne E; Dalton, Gregory W

2006-09-01

This article describes a systematic review and critical evaluation of the international literature on the effects of physical therapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy for people with motor neuron disease (PwMND). The results were interpreted using the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. This enabled us to summarize therapy outcomes at the level of body structure and function, activity limitations, participation restrictions, and quality of life. Databases searched included MEDLINE, PUBMED, CINAHL, PSYCInfo, Data base of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE), The Physiotherapy Evidence data base (PEDro), Evidence Based Medicine Reviews (EMBASE), the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. Evidence was graded according to the Harbour and Miller classification. Most of the evidence was found to be at the level of "clinical opinion" rather than of controlled clinical trials. Several nonrandomized small group and "observational studies" provided low-level evidence to support physical therapy for improving muscle strength and pulmonary function. There was also some evidence to support the effectiveness of speech pathology interventions for dysarthria. The search identified a small number of studies on occupational therapy for PwMND, which were small, noncontrolled pre-post-designs or clinical reports.

Incidence and Factors Associated with Burnout in Anesthesiology: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Sanfilippo, Filippo; Noto, Alberto; Foresta, Grazia; Santonocito, Cristina; Palumbo, Gaetano J.; Arcadipane, Antonio; Maybauer, Dirk M.

2017-01-01

Background Burnout syndrome has reached epidemic levels among physicians (reported around 50%). Anesthesiology is among the most stressful medical disciplines but there is paucity of literature as compared with others. Analysis of burnout is essential because it is associated with safety and quality of care. We summarize evidence on burnout in anesthesiology. Methods We conducted a systematic review (MEDLINE up to 30.06.2017). We included studies reporting burnout in anesthesiology with no restriction on role or screening test used. Results Fifteen surveys/studies described burnout in anesthesiology, including different workers profiles (nurses, residents, consultants, and directors). All studies used the Maslach Burnout Inventory test but with significant differences for risk stratification. Burnout prevalence greatly varied across studies (10%–41% high risk, up to 59% at least moderate risk). Factors most consistently associated with burnout were strained working pattern, working as younger consultant, and having children. There was no consistent relationship between burnout and hospital characteristics, gender, or marital status. Conclusions Burnout prevalence among anesthesiologists is relatively high across career stages, and some risk factors are reported frequently. However, the small number of studies as well as the large differences in their methodology and in reporting approach warrants further research in this field. PMID:29318155

Cost-Utility and Cost-Effectiveness Studies of Telemedicine, Electronic, and Mobile Health Systems in the Literature: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

López-Coronado, Miguel; Vaca, Cesar; Aguado, Jesús Saez; de Castro, Carlos

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: A systematic review of cost-utility and cost-effectiveness research works of telemedicine, electronic health (e-health), and mobile health (m-health) systems in the literature is presented. Materials and Methods: Academic databases and systems such as PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore were searched, using different combinations of terms such as “cost-utility” OR “cost utility” AND “telemedicine,” “cost-effectiveness” OR “cost effectiveness” AND “mobile health,” etc. In the articles searched, there were no limitations in the publication date. Results: The search identified 35 relevant works. Many of the articles were reviews of different studies. Seventy-nine percent concerned the cost-effectiveness of telemedicine systems in different specialties such as teleophthalmology, telecardiology, teledermatology, etc. More articles were found between 2000 and 2013. Cost-utility studies were done only for telemedicine systems. Conclusions: There are few cost-utility and cost-effectiveness studies for e-health and m-health systems in the literature. Some cost-effectiveness studies demonstrate that telemedicine can reduce the costs, but not all. Among the main limitations of the economic evaluations of telemedicine systems are the lack of randomized control trials, small sample sizes, and the absence of quality data and appropriate measures. PMID:25474190

The FDA alert on suicidality and antiepileptic drugs: Fire or false alarm?

PubMed

Hesdorffer, Dale C; Kanner, Andres M

2009-05-01

In January 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert about an increased risk for suicidality in 199 clinical trials of 11 antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for three different indications, including epilepsy. An advisory panel voted against a black-box warning on AED labels, and the FDA has accepted this recommendation. We discuss three potential problems with the alert. First, adverse event data were used rather than systematically collected data. Second, the 11 drugs grouped together as a single class of AEDs have different mechanisms of action and very different relative risks, many of which were not statistically significant and some of which were smaller than one. These facts suggest that they should not be grouped as a class. Third, the risk of adverse effects from uncontrolled seizures almost certainly outweighs the small risk of suicidality. We place our comments in the context of a review of the literature on suicidality and depression in epilepsy and the sparse literature on AEDs and suicidality. We recommend that all patients with epilepsy be routinely evaluated for depression, anxiety, and suicidality, and that future clinical trials include validated instruments to systematically assess these conditions to determine whether the possible signal observed by the FDA is real.

Multi-scale comparison of source parameter estimation using empirical Green's function approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Cheng, Y.

2015-12-01

Analysis of earthquake source parameters requires correction of path effect, site response, and instrument responses. Empirical Green's function (EGF) method is one of the most effective methods in removing path effects and station responses by taking the spectral ratio between a larger and smaller event. Traditional EGF method requires identifying suitable event pairs, and analyze each event individually. This allows high quality estimations for strictly selected events, however, the quantity of resolvable source parameters is limited, which challenges the interpretation of spatial-temporal coherency. On the other hand, methods that exploit the redundancy of event-station pairs are proposed, which utilize the stacking technique to obtain systematic source parameter estimations for a large quantity of events at the same time. This allows us to examine large quantity of events systematically, facilitating analysis of spatial-temporal patterns, and scaling relationship. However, it is unclear how much resolution is scarified during this process. In addition to the empirical Green's function calculation, choice of model parameters and fitting methods also lead to biases. Here, using two regional focused arrays, the OBS array in the Mendocino region, and the borehole array in the Salton Sea geothermal field, I compare the results from the large scale stacking analysis, small-scale cluster analysis, and single event-pair analysis with different fitting methods to systematically compare the results within completely different tectonic environment, in order to quantify the consistency and inconsistency in source parameter estimations, and the associated problems.

Carbon monoxide emission from small galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thronson, Harley A., Jr.; Bally, John

1987-01-01

A search was conducted for J = 1 yields 0 CO emission from 22 galaxies, detecting half, as part of a survey to study star formation in small to medium size galaxies. Although substantial variation was found in the star formation efficiencies of the sample galaxies, there is no apparent systematic trend with galaxy size.

Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers, 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wynar, Bohdan S., Ed.

This annual review source is designed to assist smaller libraries in the systematic selection of suitable reference materials for their collections. Approximately 500 unabridged reviews, written by over 250 practicing librarians and subject specialists, identify and describe the most useful and affordable reference sources available for small and…

Energy Distributions in Small Populations: Pascal versus Boltzmann

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kugel, Roger W.; Weiner, Paul A.

2010-01-01

The theoretical distributions of a limited amount of energy among small numbers of particles with discrete, evenly-spaced quantum levels are examined systematically. The average populations of energy states reveal the pattern of Pascal's triangle. An exact formula for the probability that a particle will be in any given energy state is derived.…

Interventions to promote healthy eating choices when dining out: A systematic review of reviews.

PubMed

Wright, Breanna; Bragge, Peter

2018-05-01

To synthesize review research pertaining to the effectiveness of interventions in dining-out settings to reduce food/calorie consumption. A rapid review methodology was employed to focus on synthesized research. A comprehensive search for peer-reviewed systematic reviews from 2010 to 2015 yielded 1,847 citations. Following screening, ten systematic reviews were included. The 10 included systematic reviews identified 183 primary studies evaluating evidence in three behavioural intervention areas: social models/norms, manipulation of size, and provision of health information. Three systematic reviews evaluating the use of social models/norms found this was an effective intervention for influencing food intake. Five systematic reviews that assessed manipulation of portion/dishware/cutlery size found a small-to-moderate effect on food consumption. Three systematic reviews looked at the provision of health information, which was not effective alone; however, in combination with contextual or interpretive material such as traffic lights or exercise equivalence, this was shown to reduce calorie consumption. One systematic review covered two topic areas. The results indicate that policies or interventions that aim to improve healthy choices or consumption when dining out would benefit from harnessing social norms and positive positioning of social identity. Furthermore, provision of health information should always be accompanied by an interpretative guide, such as traffic lights. Manipulation of plate/portion/cutlery size may be effective; however, the effect size is small and further research is required to investigate whether this effect is retained in overweight or obese populations. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Eating behaviours (food choices, consumption) have played a role in the obesity epidemic. Behavioural 'nudges' have tried to increase healthier eating choices. What does this study add? Social norms and modelling have a strong influence in both directions on how much people consume. Provision of nutritional information needs to be paired with interpretative aids (e.g., traffic lights). Manipulation of portion size is less effective in overweight populations. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Effect of different tropospheric mapping functions on the TRF, CRF and position time-series estimated from VLBI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesmer, Volker; Boehm, Johannes; Heinkelmann, Robert; Schuh, Harald

2007-06-01

This paper compares estimated terrestrial reference frames (TRF) and celestial reference frames (CRF) as well as position time-series in terms of systematic differences, scale, annual signals and station position repeatabilities using four different tropospheric mapping functions (MF): The NMF (Niell Mapping Function) and the recently developed GMF (Global Mapping Function) consist of easy-to-handle stand-alone formulae, whereas the IMF (Isobaric Mapping Function) and the VMF1 (Vienna Mapping Function 1) are determined from numerical weather models. All computations were performed at the Deutsches Geodätisches Forschungsinstitut (DGFI) using the OCCAM 6.1 and DOGS-CS software packages for Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) data from 1984 until 2005. While it turned out that CRF estimates only slightly depend on the MF used, showing small systematic effects up to 0.025 mas, some station heights of the computed TRF change by up to 13 mm. The best agreement was achieved for the VMF1 and GMF results concerning the TRFs, and for the VMF1 and IMF results concerning scale variations and position time-series. The amplitudes of the annual periodical signals in the time-series of estimated heights differ by up to 5 mm. The best precision in terms of station height repeatability is found for the VMF1, which is 5 7% better than for the other MFs.

Variables affecting resolution of lung phospholipids in one-dimensional thin-layer chromatography.

PubMed

Krahn, J

1987-01-01

Resolution of the confusion in the literature about the separation of lung phospholipids in thin-layer chromatographic systems has awaited a systematic study of the variables that potentially affect this separation. In this study I show that: incorporation of ammonium sulfate into silica gel "GHL" has a dramatic effect on separation of lung phospholipids; this effect is equally dramatic but different in activated and nonactivated gels; when it picks up moisture, ammonium sulfate-activated gel very rapidly loses its ability to resolve lecithin from phosphatidylinositol; in gel containing ammonium sulfate, small amounts of phosphatidylethanolamine are hydrolyzed to lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine.

Technology-enhanced simulation in emergency medicine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ilgen, Jonathan S; Sherbino, Jonathan; Cook, David A

2013-02-01

Technology-enhanced simulation is used frequently in emergency medicine (EM) training programs. Evidence for its effectiveness, however, remains unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-enhanced simulation for training in EM and identify instructional design features associated with improved outcomes by conducting a systematic review. The authors systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsychINFO, Scopus, key journals, and previous review bibliographies through May 2011. Original research articles in any language were selected if they compared simulation to no intervention or another educational activity for the purposes of training EM health professionals (including student and practicing physicians, midlevel providers, nurses, and prehospital providers). Reviewers evaluated study quality and abstracted information on learners, instructional design (curricular integration, feedback, repetitive practice, mastery learning), and outcomes. From a collection of 10,903 articles, 85 eligible studies enrolling 6,099 EM learners were identified. Of these, 56 studies compared simulation to no intervention, 12 compared simulation with another form of instruction, and 19 compared two forms of simulation. Effect sizes were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity among these studies was large (I(2) ≥ 50%). Among studies comparing simulation to no intervention, pooled effect sizes were large (range = 1.13 to 1.48) for knowledge, time, and skills and small to moderate for behaviors with patients (0.62) and patient effects (0.43; all p < 0.02 except patient effects p = 0.12). Among comparisons between simulation and other forms of instruction, the pooled effect sizes were small (≤ 0.33) for knowledge, time, and process skills (all p > 0.1). Qualitative comparisons of different simulation curricula are limited, although feedback, mastery learning, and higher fidelity were associated with improved learning outcomes. Technology-enhanced simulation for EM learners is associated with moderate or large favorable effects in comparison with no intervention and generally small and nonsignificant benefits in comparison with other instruction. Future research should investigate the features that lead to effective simulation-based instructional design. © 2013 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Tract Sizes in Miniaturized Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Systematic Review from the European Association of Urology Urolithiasis Guidelines Panel.

PubMed

Ruhayel, Yasir; Tepeler, Abdulkadir; Dabestani, Saeed; MacLennan, Steven; Petřík, Aleš; Sarica, Kemal; Seitz, Christian; Skolarikos, Andreas; Straub, Michael; Türk, Christian; Yuan, Yuhong; Knoll, Thomas

2017-08-01

Miniaturized instruments for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), utilizing tracts sized ≤22 Fr, have been developed in an effort to reduce the morbidity and increase the efficiency of stone removal compared with standard PNL (>22 Fr). We systematically reviewed all available evidence on the efficacy and safety of miniaturized PNL for removing renal calculi. The review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. Since it was not possible to perform a meta-analysis, the data were summarized in a narrative synthesis. After screening 2945 abstracts, 18 studies were included (two randomized controlled trials [RCTs], six nonrandomized comparative studies, and 10 case series). Thirteen studies were full-text articles and five were only available as congress abstracts. The size of tracts used in miniaturized procedures ranged from 22 Fr to 4.8 Fr. The largest mean stone size treated using small instruments was 980mm 2 . Stone-free rates were comparable in miniaturized and standard PNL procedures. Procedures performed with small instruments tended to be associated with significantly lower blood loss, while the procedure duration tended to be significantly longer. Other complications were not notably different between PNL types. Study designs and populations were heterogeneous. Study limitations included selection and outcome reporting bias, as well as a lack of information on relevant confounding factors. The studies suggest that miniaturized PNL is at least as efficacious and safe as standard PNL for the removal of renal calculi. However, the quality of the evidence was poor, drawn mainly from small studies, the majority of which were single-arm case series, and only two of which were RCTs. Furthermore, the tract sizes used and types of stones treated were heterogeneous. Hence, the risks of bias and confounding were high, highlighting the need for more reliable data from RCTs. Removing kidney stones via percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) using smaller sized instruments (mini-PNL) appears to be as effective and safe as using larger (traditional) instruments, but more clinical research is needed. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Small population size of Pribilof Rock Sandpipers confirmed through distance-sampling surveys in Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruthrauff, Daniel R.; Tibbitts, T. Lee; Gill, Robert E.; Dementyev, Maksim N.; Handel, Colleen M.

2012-01-01

The Rock Sandpiper (Calidris ptilocnemis) is endemic to the Bering Sea region and unique among shorebirds in the North Pacific for wintering at high latitudes. The nominate subspecies, the Pribilof Rock Sandpiper (C. p. ptilocnemis), breeds on four isolated islands in the Bering Sea and appears to spend the winter primarily in Cook Inlet, Alaska. We used a stratified systematic sampling design and line-transect method to survey the entire breeding range of this population during springs 2001-2003. Densities were up to four times higher on the uninhabited and more northerly St. Matthew and Hall islands than on St. Paul and St. George islands, which both have small human settlements and introduced reindeer herds. Differences in density, however, appeared to be more related to differences in vegetation than to anthropogenic factors, raising some concern for prospective effects of climate change. We estimated the total population at 19 832 birds (95% CI 17 853–21 930), ranking it among the smallest of North American shorebird populations. To determine the vulnerability of C. p. ptilocnemis to anthropogenic and stochastic environmental threats, future studies should focus on determining the amount of gene flow among island subpopulations, the full extent of the subspecies' winter range, and the current trajectory of this small population.

Music acquisition: effects of enculturation and formal training on development.

PubMed

Hannon, Erin E; Trainor, Laurel J

2007-11-01

Musical structure is complex, consisting of a small set of elements that combine to form hierarchical levels of pitch and temporal structure according to grammatical rules. As with language, different systems use different elements and rules for combination. Drawing on recent findings, we propose that music acquisition begins with basic features, such as peripheral frequency-coding mechanisms and multisensory timing connections, and proceeds through enculturation, whereby everyday exposure to a particular music system creates, in a systematic order of acquisition, culture-specific brain structures and representations. Finally, we propose that formal musical training invokes domain-specific processes that affect salience of musical input and the amount of cortical tissue devoted to its processing, as well as domain-general processes of attention and executive functioning.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aydin, M.E.; Yildirim, I.; Dogan, M.Z.

The Istanbul Region coals are characterized by high moisture contents (avg. 35%), high volatile matter values (avg. 45%), and more importantly high levels of sulfur in the range of 1 to 5%. These lignitic coals generally have relatively low ash (10%), and higher levels of calorific values over 5,000 Kcal/kg. The Multi-Gravity Separator (MGS), a new fine size gravity separation equipment, was tested to evaluate its potential for the desulfurization of these low-rank coals. Systematic tests conducted on two different samples of minus 1 mm size indicate that despite the finely distributed nature of coal and relatively small difference betweenmore » coal and its associated gangue minerals, the degree of pyritic sulfur removal is 65.7% and 85.9% for the respective coals.« less

147Sm-143Nd systematics of Earth are inconsistent with a superchondritic Sm/Nd ratio

PubMed Central

Huang, Shichun; Jacobsen, Stein B.; Mukhopadhyay, Sujoy

2013-01-01

The relationship between the compositions of the Earth and chondritic meteorites is at the center of many important debates. A basic assumption in most models for the Earth’s composition is that the refractory elements are present in chondritic proportions relative to each other. This assumption is now challenged by recent 142Nd/144Nd ratio studies suggesting that the bulk silicate Earth (BSE) might have an Sm/Nd ratio 6% higher than chondrites (i.e., the BSE is superchondritic). This has led to the proposal that the present-day 143Nd/144Nd ratio of BSE is similar to that of some deep mantle plumes rather than chondrites. Our reexamination of the long-lived 147Sm-143Nd isotope systematics of the depleted mantle and the continental crust shows that the BSE, reconstructed using the depleted mantle and continental crust, has 143Nd/144Nd and Sm/Nd ratios close to chondritic values. The small difference in the ratio of 142Nd/144Nd between ordinary chondrites and the Earth must be due to a process different from mantle-crust differentiation, such as incomplete mixing of distinct nucleosynthetic components in the solar nebula. PMID:23479630

Systematic approach identifies RHOA as a potential biomarker therapeutic target for Asian gastric cancer

PubMed Central

Jung, Hae Rim; Park, Hee Seo; Park, Sungjin; Ahn, Young Zoo; Huh, Iksoo; Balch, Curt; Ku, Ja-Lok; Powis, Garth; Park, Taesung; Jeong, Jin-Hyun; Kim, Yon Hui

2016-01-01

Gastric cancer (GC) is a highly heterogeneous disease, in dire need of specific, biomarker-driven cancer therapies. While the accumulation of cancer “Big Data” has propelled the search for novel molecular targets for GC, its specific subpathway and cellular functions vary from patient to patient. In particular, mutations in the small GTPase gene RHOA have been identified in recent genome-wide sequencing of GC tumors. Moreover, protein overexpression of RHOA was reported in Chinese populations, while RHOA mutations were found in Caucasian GC tumors. To develop evidence-based precision medicine for heterogeneous cancers, we established a systematic approach to integrate transcriptomic and genomic data. Predicted signaling subpathways were then laboratory-validated both in vitro and in vivo, resulting in the identification of new candidate therapeutic targets. Here, we show: i) differences in RHOA expression patterns, and its pathway activity, between Asian and Caucasian GC tumors; ii) in vitro and in vivo perturbed RHOA expression inhibits GC cell growth in high RHOA-expressing cell lines; iii) inverse correlation between RHOA and RHOB expression; and iv) an innovative small molecule design strategy for RHOA inhibitors. In summary, RHOA, and its oncogenic signaling pathway, represent a strong biomarker-driven therapeutic target for Asian GC. This comprehensive strategy represents a promising approach for the development of “hit” compounds. PMID:27806312

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic and therapeutic role of water-soluble contrast agent in adhesive small bowel obstruction.

PubMed

Branco, B C; Barmparas, G; Schnüriger, B; Inaba, K; Chan, L S; Demetriades, D

2010-04-01

This meta-analysis assessed the diagnostic and therapeutic role of water-soluble contrast agent (WSCA) in adhesive small bowel obstruction (SBO). PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched systematically. The primary outcome in the diagnostic role of WSCA was its ability to predict the need for surgery. In the therapeutic role, the following were evaluated: resolution of SBO without surgery, time from admission to resolution, duration of hospital stay, complications and mortality. To assess the diagnostic role of WSCA, pooled estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratios were derived. For the therapeutic role of WSCA, weighted odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) were obtained. Fourteen prospective studies were included. The appearance of contrast in the colon within 4-24 h after administration had a sensitivity of 96 per cent and specificity of 98 per cent in predicting resolution of SBO. WSCA administration was effective in reducing the need for surgery (OR 0.62; P = 0.007) and shortening hospital stay (WMD -1.87 days; P < 0.001) compared with conventional treatment. Water-soluble contrast was effective in predicting the need for surgery in patients with adhesive SBO. In addition, it reduced the need for operation and shortened hospital stay. Copyright (c) 2010 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How do binary separations depend on cloud initial conditions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sterzik, M. F.; Durisen, R. H.; Zinnecker, H.

2003-11-01

We explore the consequences of a star formation scenario in which the isothermal collapse of a rotating, star-forming core is followed by prompt fragmentation into a cluster containing a small number (N <~ 10) of protostars and/or substellar objects. The subsequent evolution of the cluster is assumed to be dominated by dynamical interactions among cluster members, and this establishes the final properties of the binary and multiple systems. The characteristic scale of the fragmenting core is determined by the cloud initial conditions (such as temperature, angular momentum and mass), and we are able to relate the separation distributions of the final binary population to the properties of the star-forming core. Because the fragmentation scale immediately after the isothermal collapse is typically a factor of 3-10 too large, we conjecture that fragmentation into small clusters followed by dynamical evolution is required to account for the observed binary separation distributions. Differences in the environmental properties of the cores are expected to imprint differences on the characteristic dimensions of the binary systems they form. Recent observations of hierarchical systems, differences in binary characteristics among star forming regions and systematic variations in binary properties with primary mass can be interpreted in the context of this scenario.

Uncertainty budgets for liquid waveguide CDOM absorption measurements.

PubMed

Lefering, Ina; Röttgers, Rüdiger; Utschig, Christian; McKee, David

2017-08-01

Long path length liquid waveguide capillary cell (LWCC) systems using simple spectrometers to determine the spectral absorption by colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) have previously been shown to have better measurement sensitivity compared to high-end spectrophotometers using 10 cm cuvettes. Information on the magnitude of measurement uncertainties for LWCC systems, however, has remained scarce. Cross-comparison of three different LWCC systems with three different path lengths (50, 100, and 250 cm) and two different cladding materials enabled quantification of measurement precision and accuracy, revealing strong wavelength dependency in both parameters. Stable pumping of the sample through the capillary cell was found to improve measurement precision over measurements made with the sample kept stationary. Results from the 50 and 100 cm LWCC systems, with higher refractive index cladding, showed systematic artifacts including small but unphysical negative offsets and high-frequency spectral perturbations due to limited performance of the salinity correction. In comparison, the newer 250 cm LWCC with lower refractive index cladding returned small positive offsets that may be physically correct. After null correction of measurements at 700 nm, overall agreement of CDOM absorption data at 440 nm was found to be within 5% root mean square percentage error.

Interformat reliability of digital psychiatric self-report questionnaires: a systematic review.

PubMed

Alfonsson, Sven; Maathz, Pernilla; Hursti, Timo

2014-12-03

Research on Internet-based interventions typically use digital versions of pen and paper self-report symptom scales. However, adaptation into the digital format could affect the psychometric properties of established self-report scales. Several studies have investigated differences between digital and pen and paper versions of instruments, but no systematic review of the results has yet been done. This review aims to assess the interformat reliability of self-report symptom scales used in digital or online psychotherapy research. Three databases (MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO) were systematically reviewed for studies investigating the reliability between digital and pen and paper versions of psychiatric symptom scales. From a total of 1504 publications, 33 were included in the review, and interformat reliability of 40 different symptom scales was assessed. Significant differences in mean total scores between formats were found in 10 of 62 analyses. These differences were found in just a few studies, which indicates that the results were due to study effects and sample effects rather than unreliable instruments. The interformat reliability ranged from r=.35 to r=.99; however, the majority of instruments showed a strong correlation between format scores. The quality of the included studies varied, and several studies had insufficient power to detect small differences between formats. When digital versions of self-report symptom scales are compared to pen and paper versions, most scales show high interformat reliability. This supports the reliability of results obtained in psychotherapy research on the Internet and the comparability of the results to traditional psychotherapy research. There are, however, some instruments that consistently show low interformat reliability, suggesting that these conclusions cannot be generalized to all questionnaires. Most studies had at least some methodological issues with insufficient statistical power being the most common issue. Future studies should preferably provide information about the transformation of the instrument into digital format and the procedure for data collection in more detail.

Asymptotic methods for internal transonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adamson, T. C., Jr.; Messiter, A. F.

1989-01-01

For many internal transonic flows of practical interest, some of the relevant nondimensional parameters typically are small enough that a perturbation scheme can be expected to give a useful level of numerical accuracy. A variety of steady and unsteady transonic channel and cascade flows is studied with the help of systematic perturbation methods which take advantage of this fact. Asymptotic representations are constructed for small changes in channel cross-section area, small flow deflection angles, small differences between the flow velocity and the sound speed, small amplitudes of imposed oscillations, and small reduced frequencies. Inside a channel the flow is nearly one-dimensional except in thin regions immediately downstream of a shock wave, at the channel entrance and exit, and near the channel throat. A study of two-dimensional cascade flow is extended to include a description of three-dimensional compressor-rotor flow which leads to analytical results except in thin edge regions which require numerical solution. For unsteady flow the qualitative nature of the shock-wave motion in a channel depends strongly on the orders of magnitude of the frequency and amplitude of impressed wall oscillations or fluctuations in back pressure. One example of supersonic flow is considered, for a channel with length large compared to its width, including the effect of separation bubbles and the possibility of self-sustained oscillations. The effect of viscosity on a weak shock wave in a channel is discussed.

The effect of footwear on running performance and running economy in distance runners.

PubMed

Fuller, Joel T; Bellenger, Clint R; Thewlis, Dominic; Tsiros, Margarita D; Buckley, Jonathan D

2015-03-01

The effect of footwear on running economy has been investigated in numerous studies. However, no systematic review and meta-analysis has synthesised the available literature and the effect of footwear on running performance is not known. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of footwear on running performance and running economy in distance runners, by reviewing controlled trials that compare different footwear conditions or compare footwear with barefoot. The Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), EMBASE, AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), CINAHL and SPORTDiscus databases were searched from inception up until April 2014. Included articles reported on controlled trials that examined the effects of footwear or footwear characteristics (including shoe mass, cushioning, motion control, longitudinal bending stiffness, midsole viscoelasticity, drop height and comfort) on running performance or running economy and were published in a peer-reviewed journal. Of the 1,044 records retrieved, 19 studies were included in the systematic review and 14 studies were included in the meta-analysis. No studies were identified that reported effects on running performance. Individual studies reported significant, but trivial, beneficial effects on running economy for comfortable and stiff-soled shoes [standardised mean difference (SMD) <0.12; P < 0.05), a significant small beneficial effect on running economy for cushioned shoes (SMD = 0.37; P < 0.05) and a significant moderate beneficial effect on running economy for training in minimalist shoes (SMD = 0.79; P < 0.05). Meta-analysis found significant small beneficial effects on running economy for light shoes and barefoot compared with heavy shoes (SMD < 0.34; P < 0.01) and for minimalist shoes compared with conventional shoes (SMD = 0.29; P < 0.01). A significant positive association between shoe mass and metabolic cost of running was identified (P < 0.01). Footwear with a combined shoe mass less than 440 g per pair had no detrimental effect on running economy. Certain models of footwear and footwear characteristics can improve running economy. Future research in footwear performance should include measures of running performance.

Hip Strength Deficits in People With Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Deasy, Margaret; Leahy, Edmund; Semciw, Adam Ivan

2016-08-01

Study Design Systematic review with meta-analysis. Background A complete understanding of impairments associated with knee osteoarthritis would optimize exercise interventions for people with knee osteoarthritis. Our current understanding of hip strength deficits in this population is based on studies with conflicting findings and small samples. There is a need to systematically review and pool current evidence. Objectives To determine whether hip strength deficits exist in people with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. Methods Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO) were searched through February 2016. Studies comparing hip strength in people diagnosed with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis to healthy control participants were included in the review. A meta-analysis with random effects was applied to relevant data from included studies and a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was used to evaluate the quality of evidence for each pooled analysis. Results Five studies were included in the review. Meta-analysis revealed moderate-quality evidence of weaker isometric and isokinetic hip abduction strength in people with knee osteoarthritis (moderate difference: 7% to 24% weaker) and very low-quality evidence of no difference in isometric hip adduction strength. There was very low- to moderate-quality evidence of weaker isokinetic hip strength in the remaining planes of motion (moderate to large differences: 14% to 55% weaker). Conclusion Significant hip strength deficits exist in people with knee osteoarthritis. Hip strength assessment should be considered in clinical practice and may assist with directing targeted management strategies. Level of Evidence Symptom prevalence, level 1a-. J Orthop Sports PhysTher 2016;46(8):629-639. Epub3 Jul 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6618.

Impact of Diabetes Care by Pharmacists as Part of Health Care Team in Ambulatory Settings: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fazel, Maryam T; Bagalagel, Alaa; Lee, Jeannie K; Martin, Jennifer R; Slack, Marion K

2017-10-01

To conduct a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analyses examining the impact of pharmacist interventions as part of health care teams on diabetes therapeutic outcomes in ambulatory care settings. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, Web of Science, Scopus, WHO's Global Health Library, ClinicalTrials.gov , and Google Scholar were searched (1995 to February 2017). Search terms included pharmacist, team, and diabetes. Full-text articles published in English with comparative designs, including randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, and pretest-posttest studies evaluating hemoglobin A 1C (A1C), were assessed. Two reviewers independently screened for study inclusion and extracted data. Quality of the studies was assessed using tools developed based on the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration's recommendations. A total of 1908 studies were identified from the literature and reference searches; 42 studies were included in the systematic review (n = 10 860) and 35 in the meta-analyses (n = 7417). Mean age ranged from 42 to 73 years, and 8% to 100% were male. The overall standardized mean difference (SMD) for A1C for pharmacist care versus comparison was 0.57 ( P < 0.01), a moderate effect representing a mean difference of 1.1% (95% CI = 0.88-1.27). The effects for systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were between small and moderate (SMD = 0.31 and 0.32; P < 0.01). The heterogeneity was high for all outcomes (>83%), indicating functional differences among the studies. No publication bias was detected. Pharmacists' interventions as part of the patient's health care team improved diabetes therapeutic outcomes, substantiating the important role of pharmacists in team-based diabetes management.

Lessons Learned From Small Store Programs to Increase Healthy Food Access

PubMed Central

Gittelsohn, Joel; Laska, Melissa N.; Karpyn, Allison; Klingler, Kristen; Ayala, Guadalupe X.

2013-01-01

Objectives To document implementation challenges and opportunities associated with small store interventions. Methods Case study analysis of small store interventions conducted in 4 regions of the US. We systematically generated matrices to compare and contrast lessons learned to advance implementation science. Results Seven thematic areas were identified including: establishing relationships with stores, store owner and customer relationships, selection of intervention approaches, stocking healthier foods, evaluation, maintenance of changes, and dissemination. Conclusions This information provides guidance to researchers and practitioners wishing to design, implement, and evaluate small store interventions. PMID:24629559

Chlorambucil for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

PubMed

Vidal, Liat; Gurion, Ronit; Ram, Ron; Raanani, Pia; Bairey, Osnat; Robak, Tadeusz; Gafter-Gvili, Anat; Shpilberg, Ofer

2016-09-01

Randomized clinical trials that compared chlorambucil to different regimens, for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) do not support an overall survival (OS) benefit. To assess the efficacy and safety of chlorambucil as frontline treatment, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. OS was the primary outcome. Meta-analysis of 18 trials that compared purine analogs, alkylators, alemtuzumab and ibrutinib to chlorambucil demonstrated no OS benefit for therapy without chlorambucil over chlorambucil (pooled HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.91-1.08; 4133 patients). PFS was longer with purine analogs compared with chlorambucil with an increased risk of infection. The risk of secondary malignancies was not increased with chlorambucil. In conclusion, our study showed that chlorambucil is an acceptable chemotherapy backbone for unfit patients with CLL. Purine analogs should be preferred in fit younger patients because of longer PFS. Future trials should focus on unfit patients who are underrepresented in clinical trials.

Systematics for checking geometric errors in CNC lathes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araújo, R. P.; Rolim, T. L.

2015-10-01

Non-idealities presented in machine tools compromise directly both the geometry and the dimensions of machined parts, generating distortions in the project. Given the competitive scenario among different companies, it is necessary to have knowledge of the geometric behavior of these machines in order to be able to establish their processing capability, avoiding waste of time and materials as well as satisfying customer requirements. But despite the fact that geometric tests are important and necessary to clarify the use of the machine correctly, therefore preventing future damage, most users do not apply such tests on their machines for lack of knowledge or lack of proper motivation, basically due to two factors: long period of time and high costs of testing. This work proposes a systematics for checking straightness and perpendicularity errors in CNC lathes demanding little time and cost with high metrological reliability, to be used on factory floors of small and medium-size businesses to ensure the quality of its products and make them competitive.

Interventions to modify the progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus in women with gestational diabetes: a systematic review of literature.

PubMed

Morton, Suzanna; Kirkwood, Samantha; Thangaratinam, Shakila

2014-12-01

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the mother. We undertook a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of interventions that delay or prevent the onset of T2DM in women with previous gestational diabetes. Diet and lifestyle interventions show differing effects on women with GDM and their long-term risk of T2DM. Pharmacological interventions, such as metformin, appear to have a beneficial role. Breastfeeding may have a protective role by reducing the risk of progression to T2DM. The findings were limited by the small number of heterogeneous studies that varied in their population, intervention, outcome and duration of follow-up. Women with GDM should be informed about the future risk of T2DM and the potential benefit with lifestyle interventions. Further studies are needed prior to routine use of metformin as a preventive strategy for T2DM in women with GDM.

Treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review

PubMed Central

O'Horo, J. C.; Jindai, K.; Kunzer, B.; Safdar, N.

2014-01-01

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) recurs in nearly one-third of patients who develop an initial infection. Recurrent CDI (RCDI) is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and cost. Treatment for RCDI has not been not well examined. Methods A systematic review. Results Sixty-four articles were identified evaluating eight different treatment approaches: metronidazole, vancomycin, fidaxomicin, nitazoxanide, rifampin, immunoglobulins, probiotics, and fecal bacteriotherapy. The meta-analysis found vancomycin to have a similar efficacy to metronidazole, although studies used varying doses and durations of therapy. Fidaxomicin was slightly more efficacious than vancomycin, though the number of studies was small. Good evidence for probiotics was limited. Fecal bacteriotherapy was found to be highly efficacious in a single randomized trial. Conclusion Metronidazole and vancomycin have good evidence for use in RCDI but heterogeneity in treatment duration and dose precludes robust conclusions. Fidaxomicin may have a role in treatment, but evidence is limited to subgroup analyses. Fecal bacteriotherapy was the most efficacious. Saccharomyces boulardii may have a role as adjunctive treatment. PMID:23839210

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing Carer Focused and Dyadic Multicomponent Interventions for Carers of People With Dementia

PubMed Central

Laver, Kate; Milte, Rachel; Dyer, Suzanne; Crotty, Maria

2016-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two approaches: multicomponent interventions that focus on working with the carer and dyadic interventions that work with both the carer and the person with dementia. Method: A systematic review involving a search of Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO in October 2015 was performed. Randomized controlled trials involving carers of people with dementia and comparing multicomponent interventions with usual care were included. Results: Pooling of all studies demonstrated that multicomponent interventions can reduce depressive symptoms, improve quality of life, reduce carer impact, and reduce behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia as well as caregiver upset with these symptoms. We were unable to find a significant difference in the effects of dyadic interventions in comparison with carer focused interventions for these outcomes. Discussion: Although effect sizes associated with intervention are small, multicomponent interventions are relatively inexpensive to deliver, acceptable, and widely applicable. PMID:27458254

Local systematic differences in 2MASS positions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bustos Fierro, I. H.; Calderón, J. H.

2018-01-01

We have found that positions in the 2MASS All-sky Catalog of Point Sources show local systematic differences with characteristic length-scales of ˜ 5 to ˜ 8 arcminutes when compared with several catalogs. We have observed that when 2MASS positions are used in the computation of proper motions, the mentioned systematic differences cause systematic errors in the resulting proper motions. We have developed a method to locally rectify 2MASS with respect to UCAC4 in order to diminish the systematic differences between these catalogs. The rectified 2MASS catalog with the proposed method can be regarded as an extension of UCAC4 for astrometry with accuracy ˜ 90 mas in its positions, with negligible systematic errors. Also we show that the use of these rectified positions removes the observed systematic pattern in proper motions derived from original 2MASS positions.

Effectiveness of psychological and/or educational interventions to prevent the onset of episodes of depression: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Bellón, Juan Ángel; Moreno-Peral, Patricia; Motrico, Emma; Rodríguez-Morejón, Alberto; Fernández, Ana; Serrano-Blanco, Antoni; Zabaleta-del-Olmo, Edurne; Conejo-Cerón, Sonia

2015-07-01

To determine the effectiveness of psychological and/or educational interventions to prevent the onset of episodes of depression. Systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SR/MA). We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, OpenGrey, and PROSPERO from their inception until February 2014. Two reviewers independently evaluated the eligibility criteria of all SR/MA, abstracted data, and determined bias risk (AMSTAR). Twelve SR/MA (156 non-repeated trials and 56,158 participants) were included. Of these, 142 (91%) were randomized-controlled, 13 (8.3%) controlled trials, and 1 (0.6%) had no control group. Five SR/MA focused on children and adolescents, four on specific populations (women after childbirth, of low socioeconomic status, or unfavorable circumstances; patients with severe traumatic physical injuries or stroke) and three addressed the general population. Nine (75%) SR/MA concluded that interventions to prevent depression were effective. Of the 156 trials, 137 (87.8%) reported some kind of effect size calculation. Effect sizes were small in 45 (32.8%), medium in 26 (19.1%), and large in 25 (18.2%) trials; 41 (29.9%) trials were not effective. Of the 141 trials for which follow-up periods were available, only 34 (24.1%) exceeded 12 months. Psychological and/or educational interventions to prevent onset of episodes of depression were effective, although most had small or medium effect sizes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Shear-induced Long Range Order in Diblock Copolymer Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Xuan; Russell, Thomas

2007-03-01

Shear is a well-established means of aligning block copolymer micro-domains in bulk; cylinder-forming block copolymers respond by orienting cylinder axes parallel to the flow direction, and macroscopic specimens with near-single-crystal texture can be obtained. A stepper motor is a brushless, synchronous electric motor that can divide a full rotation into a large number of steps. With the combination of a stepper motor and several gear boxes in our experiment, we can control the rotating resolution to be as small as 1 x10-4 degree/step. Also, with the help of a customized computer program we can control the motor speed in a very systematical way. By changing parameters such as the weight (or the uniform pressure) and the lateral force we can carry on experiment to examine the effect of lateral shear on different polymer systems such as PS-b-PEO (large χ) and PS-b-P2VP (small χ).

Identification of very small open reading frames in the genomes of Holmes Jungle virus, Ord River virus, and Wongabel virus of the genus Hapavirus, family Rhabdoviridae.

PubMed

Gubala, Aneta; Walsh, Susan; McAllister, Jane; Weir, Richard; Davis, Steven; Melville, Lorna; Mitchell, Ian; Bulach, Dieter; Gauci, Penny; Skvortsov, Alex; Boyle, David

2017-01-01

Viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae infect a broad range of hosts from a variety of ecological and geographical niches, including vertebrates, arthropods, and plants. The arthropod-transmitted members of this family display considerable genetic diversity and remarkable genomic flexibility that enable coding for various accessory proteins in different locations of the genome. Here, we describe the genome of Holmes Jungle virus, isolated from Culex annulirostris mosquitoes collected in northern Australia, and make detailed comparisons with the closely related Ord River and Wongabel viruses, with a focus on identifying very small open reading frames (smORFs) in their genomes. This is the first systematic prediction of smORFs in rhabdoviruses, emphasising the intricacy of the rhabdovirus genome and the knowledge gaps. We speculate that these smORFs may be of importance to the life cycle of the virus in the arthropod vector.

An investigation of the effect of processing conditions on the lamellar and spherulitic morphology of polyhydroxyalkanoates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yuping; Akpalu, Yvonne A.

2007-03-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) have recently attracted much interest because of their biodegradability and biocompatibility. Since the ultimate properties of polymers can be controlled by processing conditions, particularly cooling rates, the systematic and thorough understanding of the effects of cooling rates on the final morphology and the resulting mechanical properties of PHAs is necessary and important. In this presentation, the lamellar (tens of nanometers), fibrillar (several hundred nanometers) and spherulitic (˜μm) morphologies of poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) and the copolymer poly (3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) (PHBV) crystallized under different cooling rates were studied using small angle X-ray scattering, ultra small angle X-ray scattering, and polarized optical microscopy, respectively. The morphology was observed to depend strongly on cooling rate. The influence of cooling rate on the morphology and mechanical properties such as toughness, tensile strength and overall stress-strain behavior will be discussed.

A geometrically nonlinear theory of elastic plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodges, Dewey H.; Atilgan, Ali R.; Danielson, D. A.

1992-01-01

A set of kinematic and intrinsic equilibrium equations is derived for plates undergoing large deflection and rotation but with small strain. The large rotation is treated by the general finite rotation of a frame in which the material points that are originally along a normal line in the undeformed plate undergo only small displacements. Exact intrinsic virtual strain-displacement relations are derived; using a reduced 2-D strain energy function from which the warping has been systematically eliminated, a set of intrinsic equilibrium equations follows. It is demonstrated that only five equilibrium equations can be derived in this way, because the component of virtual rotation about the normal is not independent. These equations include terms which cannot be obtained without the use of a finite rotation vector which contains three nonzero components. These extra terms correspond to the difference of in-plane shear stress resultants in other theories.

Late glaucoma after interstitial keratitis.

PubMed

Grant, W M

1975-01-01

In a systematic study of 45 patients who had syphilitic interstitial keratitis early in life and, many years later, were discovered to have glaucoma, there was evidence of two different but equally common mechanisms. In one group of patients, a deep-chamber type of glaucoma was superimposed on old inflammatory changes, was characteristically refractory to medical treatment, but did well with filtering surgery. The other group of patients had reversible angle-closure glaucoma associated with anatomically small anterior segments, and typically responded well to iridectomy. The late, refractory, deep-chamber type of glaucoma may involve endothelialization and formation of glass membrane in the angle, as seen in one excised eye. Occurrence of the shallow-chamber, reversible angle-closure type of glaucoma after interstitial keratitis may be coincidental, since no other evidence supports the idea that small anterior segments might be particularly prevalent among patients who have had congenital syphilis or interstitial keratitis.

Effectiveness of aquatic exercise and balneotherapy: a summary of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials of water immersion therapies.

PubMed

Kamioka, Hiroharu; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Okuizumi, Hiroyasu; Mutoh, Yoshiteru; Ohta, Miho; Handa, Shuichi; Okada, Shinpei; Kitayuguchi, Jun; Kamada, Masamitsu; Shiozawa, Nobuyoshi; Honda, Takuya

2010-01-01

The objective of this review was to summarize findings on aquatic exercise and balneotherapy and to assess the quality of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials. Studies were eligible if they were systematic reviews based on randomized clinical trials (with or without a meta-analysis) that included at least 1 treatment group that received aquatic exercise or balneotherapy. We searched the following databases: Cochrane Database Systematic Review, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, JDream II, and Ichushi-Web for articles published from the year 1990 to August 17, 2008. We found evidence that aquatic exercise had small but statistically significant effects on pain relief and related outcome measures of locomotor diseases (eg, arthritis, rheumatoid diseases, and low back pain). However, long-term effectiveness was unclear. Because evidence was lacking due to the poor methodological quality of balneotherapy studies, we were unable to make any conclusions on the effects of intervention. There were frequent flaws regarding the description of excluded RCTs and the assessment of publication bias in several trials. Two of the present authors independently assessed the quality of articles using the AMSTAR checklist. Aquatic exercise had a small but statistically significant short-term effect on locomotor diseases. However, the effectiveness of balneotherapy in curing disease or improving health remains unclear.

Estimating terrestrial aboveground biomass estimation using lidar remote sensing: a meta-analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolkos, S. G.; Goetz, S. J.; Dubayah, R.

2012-12-01

Estimating biomass of terrestrial vegetation is a rapidly expanding research area, but also a subject of tremendous interest for reducing carbon emissions associated with deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). The accuracy of biomass estimates is important in the context carbon markets emerging under REDD, since areas with more accurate estimates command higher prices, but also for characterizing uncertainty in estimates of carbon cycling and the global carbon budget. There is particular interest in mapping biomass so that carbon stocks and stock changes can be monitored consistently across a range of scales - from relatively small projects (tens of hectares) to national or continental scales - but also so that other benefits of forest conservation can be factored into decision making (e.g. biodiversity and habitat corridors). We conducted an analysis of reported biomass accuracy estimates from more than 60 refereed articles using different remote sensing platforms (aircraft and satellite) and sensor types (optical, radar, lidar), with a particular focus on lidar since those papers reported the greatest efficacy (lowest errors) when used in the a synergistic manner with other coincident multi-sensor measurements. We show systematic differences in accuracy between different types of lidar systems flown on different platforms but, perhaps more importantly, differences between forest types (biomes) and plot sizes used for field calibration and assessment. We discuss these findings in relation to monitoring, reporting and verification under REDD, and also in the context of more systematic assessment of factors that influence accuracy and error estimation.

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of twisted trilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Wei-Jie; Qiao, Jia-Bin; Ma, Dong-Lin; Yin, Long-Jing; Sun, Gan; Zhang, Jun-Yang; Guan, Li-Yang; He, Lin

2018-01-01

Twist, as a simple and unique degree of freedom, could lead to enormous novel quantum phenomena in bilayer graphene. A small rotation angle introduces low-energy van Hove singularities (VHSs) approaching the Fermi level, which result in unusual correlated states in the bilayer graphene. It is reasonable to expect that the twist could also affect the electronic properties of few-layer graphene dramatically. However, such an issue has remained experimentally elusive. Here, by using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), we systematically studied a twisted trilayer graphene (TTG) with two different small twist angles between adjacent layers. Two sets of VHSs, originating from the two twist angles, were observed in the TTG, indicating that the TTG could be simply regarded as a combination of two different twisted bilayers of graphene. By using high-resolution STS, we observed a split of the VHSs and directly imaged the spatial symmetry breaking of electronic states around the VHSs. These results suggest that electron-electron interactions play an important role in affecting the electronic properties of graphene systems with low-energy VHSs.

Exploring the public-private and company size differences in employees' work characteristics and burnout: data analysis of a nationwide survey in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yeh, Wan-Yu; Yeh, Ching-Ying; Chen, Chiou-Jong

2018-05-15

Distinct differences exist between public-private sector organizations with respect to the market environment and operational objectives; furthermore, among private sector businesses, organizational structures and work conditions often vary between large- and small-sized companies. Despite these obvious structural distinctions, however, sectoral differences in employees' psychosocial risks and burnout status in national level have rarely been systematically investigated. Based on 2013 national employee survey data, 15,000 full-time employees were studied. Sector types were classified into "public," "private enterprise-large (LE)," and "private enterprise-small and medium (SME);" based on the definition of SMEs by Taiwan Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the associations of sector types with self-reported burnout status (measured by the Chinese version of Copenhagen Burnout Inventory) were examined, taking into account other work characteristics and job instability indicators. Significantly longer working hours and higher perceived job insecurity were found among private sector employees than their public sector counterparts. With further consideration of company size, greater dissatisfaction of job control and career prospect were found among SME employees than the other two sector type workers. This study explores the pattern of public-private differences in work conditions and employees' stress-related problems to have policy implications for supporting mechanism for disadvantaged workers in private sectors.

Is the SNARC effect related to the level of mathematics? No systematic relationship observed despite more power, more repetitions, and more direct assessment of arithmetic skill.

PubMed

Cipora, Krzysztof; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2013-01-01

The SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) described that larger numbers are responded faster with the right hand and smaller numbers with the left hand. It is held in the literature that arithmetically skilled and nonskilled adults differ in the SNARC. However, the respective data are descriptive, and the decisive tests are nonsignificant. Possible reasons for this nonsignificance could be that in previous studies (a) very small samples were used, (b) there were too few repetitions producing too little power and, consequently, reliabilities that were too small to reach conventional significance levels for the descriptive skill differences in the SNARC, and (c) general mathematical ability was assessed by the field of study of students, while individual arithmetic skills were not examined. Therefore we used a much bigger sample, a lot more repetitions, and direct assessment of arithmetic skills to explore relations between the SNARC effect and arithmetic skills. Nevertheless, a difference in SNARC effect between arithmetically skilled and nonskilled participants was not obtained. Bayesian analysis showed positive evidence of a true null effect, not just a power problem. Hence we conclude that the idea that arithmetically skilled and nonskilled participants generally differ in the SNARC effect is not warranted by our data.

The Complexity of Dynamics in Small Neural Circuits

PubMed Central

Panzeri, Stefano

2016-01-01

Mean-field approximations are a powerful tool for studying large neural networks. However, they do not describe well the behavior of networks composed of a small number of neurons. In this case, major differences between the mean-field approximation and the real behavior of the network can arise. Yet, many interesting problems in neuroscience involve the study of mesoscopic networks composed of a few tens of neurons. Nonetheless, mathematical methods that correctly describe networks of small size are still rare, and this prevents us to make progress in understanding neural dynamics at these intermediate scales. Here we develop a novel systematic analysis of the dynamics of arbitrarily small networks composed of homogeneous populations of excitatory and inhibitory firing-rate neurons. We study the local bifurcations of their neural activity with an approach that is largely analytically tractable, and we numerically determine the global bifurcations. We find that for strong inhibition these networks give rise to very complex dynamics, caused by the formation of multiple branching solutions of the neural dynamics equations that emerge through spontaneous symmetry-breaking. This qualitative change of the neural dynamics is a finite-size effect of the network, that reveals qualitative and previously unexplored differences between mesoscopic cortical circuits and their mean-field approximation. The most important consequence of spontaneous symmetry-breaking is the ability of mesoscopic networks to regulate their degree of functional heterogeneity, which is thought to help reducing the detrimental effect of noise correlations on cortical information processing. PMID:27494737

Applying Thienyl Side Chains and Different π-Bridge to Aromatic Side-Chain Substituted Indacenodithiophene-Based Small Molecule Donors for High-Performance Organic Solar Cells.

PubMed

Wang, Jin-Liang; Liu, Kai-Kai; Liu, Sha; Liu, Feng; Wu, Hong-Bin; Cao, Yong; Russell, Thomas P

2017-06-14

A pair of linear tetrafluorinated small molecular donors, named as ThIDTTh4F and ThIDTSe4F, which are with tetrathienyl-substituted IDT as electron-rich central core, electron-deficient difluorobenzothiadiazole as acceptor units, and donor end-capping groups, but having differences in the π-bridge (thiophene and selenophene), were successfully synthesized and evaluated as donor materials in organic solar cells. Such π-bridge and core units in these small molecules play a decisive role in the formation of the nanoscale separation of the blend films, which were systematically investigated through absorption spectra, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction pattern, transmission electron microscopy images, resonant soft X-ray scattering profiles, and charge mobility measurement. The ThIDTSe4F (with selenophene π-bridge)-based device exhibited superior performance than devices based on ThIDTh4F (with thiophene π-bridge) after post annealing treatment owing to optimized film morphology and improved charge transport. Power conversion efficiency of 7.31% and fill factor of ∼0.70 were obtained by using a blend of ThIDTSe4F and PC 71 BM with thermal annealing and solvent vapor annealing treatments, which is the highest PCE from aromatic side-chain substituted IDT-based small molecular solar cells. The scope of this study is to reveal the structure-property relationship of the aromatic side-chain substituted IDT-based donor materials as a function of π-bridge and the post annealing conditions.

Effects of Aquatic Therapy and Land-Based Therapy versus Land-Based Therapy Alone on Range of Motion, Edema, and Function after Hip or Knee Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Shields, Nora

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine whether aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy improves patient outcomes after hip or knee arthroplasty compared with land-based therapy alone. Methods: For this systematic review, six online databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE, Cochrane, and PEDro) were searched from the earliest date available until September 2013. Controlled trials published in English in a peer-reviewed journal that compared aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy with land-based therapy alone were included; trial quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Data were presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs), their associated 95% CIs, and meta-analyses. Results: Three small trials of moderate quality were included in the qualitative analysis. Meta-analysis of two of these studies found moderate-quality evidence that aquatic therapy in combination with land-based therapy improves functional outcomes (SMD=0.53; 95% CI, 0.03–1.03), knee range of motion (measured in knee or hip arthroplasty; SMD=0.78; 95% CI, 0.27–1.29), and edema (SMD=−0.66; 95% CI, −1.16 to −0.15) compared with land-based therapy alone. The results for improved functional outcomes were not considered clinically significant. Conclusions: It is not possible to draw confident conclusions from this review because of the small number of studies of limited quality and the modest differences found. Further studies of sound methodological quality are required to confirm the results. Economic analysis alongside randomized controlled trials is needed to examine the cost-effectiveness of these clinical outcomes. PMID:25931664

Efficacy of mindfulness meditation for smoking cessation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Maglione, Margaret A; Maher, Alicia Ruelaz; Ewing, Brett; Colaiaco, Benjamin; Newberry, Sydne; Kandrack, Ryan; Shanman, Roberta M; Sorbero, Melony E; Hempel, Susanne

2017-06-01

Smokers increasingly seek alternative interventions to assist in cessation or reduction efforts. Mindfulness meditation, which facilitates detached observation and paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity, and acceptance, has recently been studied as a smoking cessation intervention. This review synthesizes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness meditation (MM) interventions for smoking cessation. Five electronic databases were searched from inception to October 2016 to identify English-language RCTs evaluating the efficacy and safety of MM interventions for smoking cessation, reduction, or a decrease in nicotine cravings. Two independent reviewers screened literature using predetermined eligibility criteria, abstracted study-level information, and assessed the quality of included studies. Meta-analyses used the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman method for random-effects models. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Ten RCTs of MM interventions for tobacco use met inclusion criteria. Intervention duration, intensity, and comparison conditions varied considerably. Studies used diverse comparators such as the American Lung Association's Freedom from Smoking (FFS) program, quitline counseling, interactive learning, or treatment as usual (TAU). Only one RCT was rated as good quality and reported power calculations indicating sufficient statistical power. Publication bias was detected. Overall, mindfulness meditation did not have significant effects on abstinence or cigarettes per day, relative to comparator groups. The small number of studies and heterogeneity in interventions, comparators, and outcomes precluded detecting systematic differences between adjunctive and monotherapy interventions. No serious adverse events were reported. MM did not differ significantly from comparator interventions in their effects on tobacco use. Low-quality evidence, variability in study design among the small number of existing studies, and publication bias suggest that additional, high-quality adequately powered RCTs should be conducted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human papilloma virus in non-small cell lung cancer in never smokers: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Yoshikazu; Ando, Masahiko; Kubo, Akihito; Isa, Shun-Ichi; Yamamoto, Satomi; Tsujino, Kazuyuki; Kurata, Takayasu; Ou, Sai-Hong I; Takada, Minoru; Kawaguchi, Tomoya

2014-01-01

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in never smokers has emerged as a global public health issue. The cause is still unclear, and few studies have focused on the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the never smokers. We performed a systematic search of PubMed for articles of HPV infection in human subjects with NSCLC up to September 2012. Although smoking status was not fully reported in all studies, we contacted the authors by e-mail to supplement this information. Differences in the distribution of patients with and without HPV infection were tested with the Chi squared test. We identified 46 eligible articles, including 23 from Asian countries (N=2337 NSCLC cases), 19 from European countries (N=1553) and 4 from North and South America (N=160). The HPV prevalence was 28.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 26.6-30.3%), 8.4% (95% CI 7.1-9.9%) and 21.3% (95% CI 15.2-28.4%), respectively. Eleven studies from East Asia (N=1110) and 4 from Europe (N=569) provided information on smoking status. The number of never smoker was 392 patients (33.9%) in East Asia and 54 patients (14.8%) in Europe. The HPV prevalence in East Asian countries was similar between never and ever smokers (33.9% vs 39.2%, P=0.080). Based on the literature confirming the presence of HPV in lung cancer in never smokers, the virus plays a role in carcinogenesis in the disease. There were different patterns of HPV prevalence between Asian and European countries in the never smokers as well as in ever smokers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paramedian vertical palatal bone height for mini-implant insertion: a systematic review.

PubMed

Winsauer, H; Vlachojannis, C; Bumann, A; Vlachojannis, J; Chrubasik, S

2014-10-01

Paramedian insertion of orthodontic mini-implants is increasingly used to anchor molar distalizers. The aim of this review was to systematically examine the available measurements of vertical palatal bone height (VBH). PUBMED, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched using specific search terms. Hand searches of bibliographies of articles were also performed to identify studies measuring VBH or bone thickness in the human palate. Sixteen studies were included, arising from 19 published articles. Repeat presentations were excluded. Ten of the 11 computed tomogram (CT)-based studies presented data from 956 orthodontic patients on average VBH and its variation at a range of palatal sites. Individual data were not available, and pooling of data was not feasible because of heterogeneity of subjects, different measurement sites, different CT methods and their associated software. The compilation of data did indicate that the region 3-4mm behind the incisive foramen and 3-9mm lateral to the midpalatal suture should normally provide sufficient VBH to anchor molar distalizers. The risks of unwanted effects during distalization should be small, but the limitations listed above and the small numbers of studies available impair the precision of the estimates and do not allow the results to be generalized. Paramedian anchorage in the anterior palate can be recommended for molar distalization but, given the great inter-individual variability of the palatal bone height, it must be preceded by reliable CT-based imaging in patients identified by routine investigations as being at risk. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Orthodontic Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Antimicrobial drugs for persistent diarrhoea of unknown or non-specific cause in children under six in low and middle income countries: systematic review of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background A high proportion of children with persistent diarrhoea in middle and low income countries die. The best treatment is not clear. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of antimicrobial drug treatment for persistent diarrhoea of unknown or non-specific cause. Methods We included randomized comparisons of antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of persistent diarrhoea of unknown or non-specific cause in children under the age of six years in low and middle income countries. We searched the electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, WEB OF SCIENCE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) to May 2008 for relevant randomized or quasi randomized controlled trials. We summarised the characteristics of the eligible trials, assessed their quality using standard criteria, and extracted relevant outcomes data. Where appropriate, we combined the results of different trials. Results Three trials from South East Asia and one from Guatemala were included, all were small, and three had adequate allocation concealment. Two were in patients with diarrhoea of unknown cause, and two were in patients in whom known bacterial or parasitological causes of diarrhoea had been excluded. No difference was demonstrated for oral gentamicin compared with placebo (presence of diarrhoea at 6 or 7 days; 2 trials, n = 151); and for metronidazole compared with placebo (presence of diarrhoea at 3, 5 and 7 days; 1 trial, n = 99). In one small trial, sulphamethoxazole-trimethoprim appeared better than placebo in relation to diarrhoea at seven days and total stool volume (n = 55). Conclusion There is little evidence as to whether or not antimicrobials help treat persistent diarrhoea in young children in low and middle income countries. PMID:19257885

Effectiveness of health and safety in small enterprises: a systematic review of quantitative evaluations of interventions.

PubMed

Breslin, F Curtis; Kyle, Natasha; Bigelow, Philip; Irvin, Emma; Morassaei, Sara; MacEachen, Ellen; Mahood, Quenby; Couban, Rachel; Shannon, Harry; Amick, Benjamin C

2010-06-01

This systematic review was conducted to identify effective occupational health and safety interventions for small businesses. The review focused on peer-reviewed intervention studies conducted in small businesses with 100 or fewer employees, that were published in English and several other languages, and that were not limited by publication date. Multidisciplinary members of the review team identified relevant articles and assessed their quality. Studies assessed as medium or high quality had data extracted, which was then synthesized. Five studies were deemed of medium or high quality, and proceeded to data extraction and evidence synthesis. The types of interventions identified: a combination of training and safety audits; and a combination of engineering, training, safety audits, and a motivational component, showed a limited amount of evidence in improving safety outcomes. Overall, this evidence synthesis found a moderate level of evidence for intervention effectiveness, and found no evidence that any intervention had adverse effects. Even though there were few studies that adequately evaluated small business intervention, several studies demonstrate that well-designed evaluations are possible with small businesses. While stronger levels of evidence are required to make recommendations, these interventions noted above were associated with positive changes in safety-related attitudes and beliefs and workplace parties should be aware of them.

Does the Use of Platelet-Rich Plasma at the Time of Surgery Improve Clinical Outcomes in Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair When Compared With Control Cohorts? A Systematic Review of Meta-analyses.

PubMed

Saltzman, Bryan M; Jain, Akshay; Campbell, Kirk A; Mascarenhas, Randy; Romeo, Anthony A; Verma, Nikhil N; Cole, Brian J

2016-05-01

The aims of the study were as follows: (1) to perform a systematic review of meta-analyses evaluating platelet-rich plasma (PRP) use at the time of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery and to determine its effect on retear rates and clinical outcomes; (2) to provide a framework for the analysis and interpretation of the best currently available evidence; and (3) to identify gaps within the literature where suggestions for continued investigational efforts would be valid. Literature searches were performed to identify meta-analyses examining arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs augmented with PRP versus control (no PRP). Clinical data were extracted and meta-analysis quality was assessed using the Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses and Oxman-Guyatt scales. Seven meta-analyses met inclusion and exclusion criteria. All were considered as being of similar quality with Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses scores >15 and Oxman scores of 7. A total of 3,193 overlapping patients treated were included with mean follow-up from 12 to 31 months. When compared with control patients, use of PRP at the time of rotator cuff repair did not result in significantly lower overall retear rates or improved clinical outcome scores. The following postoperative functional scores comparing PRP versus control were reported: Constant (no significant difference demonstrated with PRP use in 5 of 6 reporting meta-analyses), University of California - Los Angeles (no difference, 6 of 6), American Shoulder and Elbow Society (no difference, 4 of 4), and Simple Shoulder Test (no difference, 3 of 5). Subgroup analysis performed by 3 meta-analyses showed evidence of improved outcomes with solid PRP matrix versus liquid, small- and/or medium-sized versus large and/or massive tears, PRP application at the tendon-bone interface versus over tendon, and in the setting of double-row versus single-row rotator cuff. The current highest level of evidence suggests that PRP use at the time of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair does not universally improve retear rates or affect clinical outcome scores. However, the effects of PRP use on retear rates trend toward beneficial outcomes if evaluated in the context of the following specific variables: use of a solid PRP matrix; application of PRP at the tendon-bone interface; in double-row repairs; and with small- and/or medium-sized rotator cuff tears. Level III, systematic review of Level II and III studies. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp studies.

PubMed

Cassar, Samantha; Misso, Marie L; Hopkins, William G; Shaw, Christopher S; Teede, Helena J; Stepto, Nigel K

2016-11-01

What is the degree of intrinsic insulin resistance (IR) in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and the relative contribution of BMI to overall IR based on meta-analysis of gold standard insulin clamp studies? We report an inherent reduction (-27%) of insulin sensitivity (IS) in PCOS patients, which was independent of BMI. PCOS is prevalent, complex and underpinned by IR but controversies surround the degree of intrinsic IR in PCOS, the effect of BMI and the impact of the different diagnostic criteria (NIH versus Rotterdam) in PCOS. A systematic review and meta-analysis of Medline and All EBM databases was undertaken of studies published up to 30 May 2015. Studies were included if premenopausal women diagnosed with PCOS were compared with a control group for IS, measured by the gold standard euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp. The systematic review adheres to the principles of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Meta-analyses were performed using mixed modelling and magnitude-based inferences expressed as mean effect ±99% CI. We inferred the effect was small, moderate or large relative to a smallest important change of -3.7% or 3.8% derived by standardisation. Effects were deemed unclear when the CI overlapped smallest important positive and negative values. Effects were qualified with probabilities reflecting uncertainty in the magnitude of the true value (likely, 75-95%; very likely, 95-99.5%; most likely, >99.5%). A total of 4881 articles were returned from the search. Of these, 28 articles were included in the meta-analysis. Overall IS was lower in women with PCOS compared with controls (mean effect -27%, 99% CI ±6%; large, most likely lower). A higher BMI exacerbated the reduction in IS by -15% (±8%; moderate, most likely lower) in PCOS compared with control women. There was no clear difference in IS between women diagnosed by the original National Institutes of Health  (NIH) criteria alone compared with those diagnosed by the Rotterdam criteria. Low levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were associated with reduced levels of IS (-10%, ±10%; small, very likely negative), which was not confounded by BMI. This systematic review and meta-analysis inherited the confounding problems of small sample sizes, missing data (e.g. some hormones, waist and hip girths) and the lack of Rotterdam criteria phenotype reporting, limiting the evidence synthesis and meta-analysis. BMI has a greater impact on IS in PCOS than in controls. SHBG appears a potentially valuable marker of IR in PCOS, whereas testosterone after adjustment for BMI demonstrated an unexpected interplay with IS which warrants further investigation. This work was supported by grants from the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC), grant number 606553 (H.J.T., N.K.S.), as well as Monash University. H.J.T. is an NHMRC Research Fellow. N.K.S. is supported through the Australian Government's Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) programme. The funding bodies played no role in the design, methods, data management or analysis or in the decision to publish. All authors declare no conflict of interests. N/A. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Prevalence of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Chronic Liver Disease.

PubMed

Shah, Ayesha; Shanahan, Erin; Macdonald, Graeme A; Fletcher, Linda; Ghasemi, Pegah; Morrison, Mark; Jones, Mike; Holtmann, Gerald

2017-11-01

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and controls. Using the search terms "small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)" and "chronic liver disease (CLD)" or "cirrhosis," 19 case-control studies were identified. Utilizing breath tests, the prevalence of SIBO in CLD was 35.80% (95% CI, 32.60-39.10) compared with 8.0% (95% CI, 5.70-11.00) in controls. Using culture techniques, the prevalence was 68.31% (95% CI, 59.62-76.00) in CLD patients as compared with 7.94% (95% CI, 3.44-12.73) in controls. No difference between cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients was found. SIBO is significantly more frequent in CLD patients as compared with controls. The association of SIBO and CLD was not confined to patients with advanced CLD, suggesting that SIBO is not a consequence of advanced liver disease but may play a role in the progression of CLD. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Population size predicts technological complexity in Oceania

PubMed Central

Kline, Michelle A.; Boyd, Robert

2010-01-01

Much human adaptation depends on the gradual accumulation of culturally transmitted knowledge and technology. Recent models of this process predict that large, well-connected populations will have more diverse and complex tool kits than small, isolated populations. While several examples of the loss of technology in small populations are consistent with this prediction, it found no support in two systematic quantitative tests. Both studies were based on data from continental populations in which contact rates were not available, and therefore these studies do not provide a test of the models. Here, we show that in Oceania, around the time of early European contact, islands with small populations had less complicated marine foraging technology. This finding suggests that explanations of existing cultural variation based on optimality models alone are incomplete because demography plays an important role in generating cumulative cultural adaptation. It also indicates that hominin populations with similar cognitive abilities may leave very different archaeological records, a conclusion that has important implications for our understanding of the origin of anatomically modern humans and their evolved psychology. PMID:20392733

Effects of waveform model systematics on the interpretation of GW150914

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Barayoga, J. C.; E Barclay, S.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bavigadda, V.; Bazzan, M.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Belgin, M.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Braginsky, V. B.; Branchesi, M.; E Brau, J.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; E Broida, J.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brown, N. M.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerboni Baiardi, L.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; E Cowan, E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; E Creighton, J. D.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Danilishin, S. L.; D'Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; Day, R.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Debreczeni, G.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; DeSalvo, R.; Devenson, J.; Devine, R. C.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Virgilio, A.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Drever, R. W. P.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; E Dwyer, S.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Everett, R.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernández Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glaefke, A.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gondan, L.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; E Gossan, S.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; E Gushwa, K.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hacker, J. J.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Hartman, M. T.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; E Holz, D.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Isogai, T.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kelley, D. B.; Kennedy, R.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, Whansun; Kim, W.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Klein, B.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Lackey, B. D.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lebigot, E. O.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leong, J. R.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lockerbie, N. A.; Lombardi, A. L.; London, L. T.; E Lord, J.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Malvezzi, V.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; E McClelland, D.; McCormick, S.; McGrath, C.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mendoza-Gandara, D.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; E Mikhailov, E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mirshekari, S.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Mytidis, A.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; E Pace, A.; Page, J.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Re, V.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Rhoades, E.; Ricci, F.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, J. D.; Romano, R.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, E.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Setyawati, Y.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, A.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singh, R.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; E Smith, R. J.; Son, E. J.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stephens, B. C.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Strain, K. A.; Straniero, N.; Stratta, G.; E Strigin, S.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Taylor, R.; Theeg, T.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tippens, T.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tomlinson, C.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trifirò, D.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Turconi, M.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Voss, D. V.; Vousden, W. D.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; E Wade, L.; Wade, M.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, M.; Wang, Y.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Weßels, P.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadrożny, A.; Zangrando, L.; Zanolin, M.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; E Zucker, M.; Zweizig, J.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration; Boyle, M.; Chu, T.; Hemberger, D.; Hinder, I.; E Kidder, L.; Ossokine, S.; Scheel, M.; Szilagyi, B.; Teukolsky, S.; Vano Vinuales, A.

2017-05-01

Parameter estimates of GW150914 were obtained using Bayesian inference, based on three semi-analytic waveform models for binary black hole coalescences. These waveform models differ from each other in their treatment of black hole spins, and all three models make some simplifying assumptions, notably to neglect sub-dominant waveform harmonic modes and orbital eccentricity. Furthermore, while the models are calibrated to agree with waveforms obtained by full numerical solutions of Einstein’s equations, any such calibration is accurate only to some non-zero tolerance and is limited by the accuracy of the underlying phenomenology, availability, quality, and parameter-space coverage of numerical simulations. This paper complements the original analyses of GW150914 with an investigation of the effects of possible systematic errors in the waveform models on estimates of its source parameters. To test for systematic errors we repeat the original Bayesian analysis on mock signals from numerical simulations of a series of binary configurations with parameters similar to those found for GW150914. Overall, we find no evidence for a systematic bias relative to the statistical error of the original parameter recovery of GW150914 due to modeling approximations or modeling inaccuracies. However, parameter biases are found to occur for some configurations disfavored by the data of GW150914: for binaries inclined edge-on to the detector over a small range of choices of polarization angles, and also for eccentricities greater than  ˜0.05. For signals with higher signal-to-noise ratio than GW150914, or in other regions of the binary parameter space (lower masses, larger mass ratios, or higher spins), we expect that systematic errors in current waveform models may impact gravitational-wave measurements, making more accurate models desirable for future observations.

Planck intermediate results: XLVI. Reduction of large-scale systematic effects in HFI polarization maps and estimation of the reionization optical depth

DOE PAGES

Aghanim, N.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; ...

2016-12-12

This study describes the identification, modelling, and removal of previously unexplained systematic effects in the polarization data of the Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) on large angular scales, including new mapmaking and calibration procedures, new and more complete end-to-end simulations, and a set of robust internal consistency checks on the resulting maps. These maps, at 100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz, are early versions of those that will be released in final form later in 2016. The improvements allow us to determine the cosmic reionization optical depth τ using, for the first time, the low-multipole EE data from HFI, reducingmore » significantly the central value and uncertainty, and hence the upper limit. Two different likelihood procedures are used to constrain τ from two estimators of the CMB E- and B-mode angular power spectra at 100 and 143 GHz, after debiasing the spectra from a small remaining systematic contamination. These all give fully consistent results. A further consistency test is performed using cross-correlations derived from the Low Frequency Instrument maps of the Planck 2015 data release and the new HFI data. For this purpose, end-to-end analyses of systematic effects from the two instruments are used to demonstrate the near independence of their dominant systematic error residuals. The tightest result comes from the HFI-based τ posterior distribution using the maximum likelihood power spectrum estimator from EE data only, giving a value 0.055 ± 0.009. Finally, in a companion paper these results are discussed in the context of the best-fit PlanckΛCDM cosmological model and recent models of reionization.« less

Planck intermediate results: XLVI. Reduction of large-scale systematic effects in HFI polarization maps and estimation of the reionization optical depth

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aghanim, N.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.

This study describes the identification, modelling, and removal of previously unexplained systematic effects in the polarization data of the Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) on large angular scales, including new mapmaking and calibration procedures, new and more complete end-to-end simulations, and a set of robust internal consistency checks on the resulting maps. These maps, at 100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz, are early versions of those that will be released in final form later in 2016. The improvements allow us to determine the cosmic reionization optical depth τ using, for the first time, the low-multipole EE data from HFI, reducingmore » significantly the central value and uncertainty, and hence the upper limit. Two different likelihood procedures are used to constrain τ from two estimators of the CMB E- and B-mode angular power spectra at 100 and 143 GHz, after debiasing the spectra from a small remaining systematic contamination. These all give fully consistent results. A further consistency test is performed using cross-correlations derived from the Low Frequency Instrument maps of the Planck 2015 data release and the new HFI data. For this purpose, end-to-end analyses of systematic effects from the two instruments are used to demonstrate the near independence of their dominant systematic error residuals. The tightest result comes from the HFI-based τ posterior distribution using the maximum likelihood power spectrum estimator from EE data only, giving a value 0.055 ± 0.009. Finally, in a companion paper these results are discussed in the context of the best-fit PlanckΛCDM cosmological model and recent models of reionization.« less

Promoting physical activity for children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: An umbrella systematic review: A review on promoting physical activity in LMIC.

PubMed

Barbosa Filho, Valter Cordeiro; Minatto, Giseli; Mota, Jorge; Silva, Kelly Samara; de Campos, Wagner; Lopes, Adair da Silva

2016-07-01

It is unknown how much previous reviews on promoting physical activity (PA) for children and adolescents (aged 6-18years) take into account studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC, based on the World Bank definition) and the level of evidence of the effect of PA interventions in this population. This study aims to answer such questions using an umbrella systematic review approach. We searched for peer-reviewed systematic reviews and original studies in eight electronic databases, screening of reference lists and expert contacts. Information in systematic reviews on PA interventions for children and adolescents from LMIC was discussed. Original studies on PA interventions (randomized-controlled trials [RCT], cluster-RCT and non-RCT) with children and adolescents from LMIC were eligible. We assessed the methodological quality in all studies, and the evidence level of effect on PA in intervention studies. Fifty systematic reviews (nine meta-analyses) and 25 original studies (20 different interventions) met eligibility criteria. Only 3.1% of mentioned studies in previous reviews were from LMIC. Strong and LMIC-specific evidence was found that school-based, multicomponent, and short-term (up to six months) interventions, focused on adolescents primarily (aged 13-18years), can promote PA in children and adolescents from LMIC. Other intervention characteristics had inconclusive evidence due to the low number of studies, low methodological quality, and/or small sample size. A minimal part of PA interventions mentioned in previous reviews are from LMIC. Our LMIC-specific analyses showed priorities of implementation and practical implication that can be used in public policies for PA promotion in LMIC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Planck intermediate results. XLVI. Reduction of large-scale systematic effects in HFI polarization maps and estimation of the reionization optical depth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Planck Collaboration; Aghanim, N.; Ashdown, M.; Aumont, J.; Baccigalupi, C.; Ballardini, M.; Banday, A. J.; Barreiro, R. B.; Bartolo, N.; Basak, S.; Battye, R.; Benabed, K.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bersanelli, M.; Bielewicz, P.; Bock, J. J.; Bonaldi, A.; Bonavera, L.; Bond, J. R.; Borrill, J.; Bouchet, F. R.; Boulanger, F.; Bucher, M.; Burigana, C.; Butler, R. C.; Calabrese, E.; Cardoso, J.-F.; Carron, J.; Challinor, A.; Chiang, H. C.; Colombo, L. P. L.; Combet, C.; Comis, B.; Coulais, A.; Crill, B. P.; Curto, A.; Cuttaia, F.; Davis, R. J.; de Bernardis, P.; de Rosa, A.; de Zotti, G.; Delabrouille, J.; Delouis, J.-M.; Di Valentino, E.; Dickinson, C.; Diego, J. M.; Doré, O.; Douspis, M.; Ducout, A.; Dupac, X.; Efstathiou, G.; Elsner, F.; Enßlin, T. A.; Eriksen, H. K.; Falgarone, E.; Fantaye, Y.; Finelli, F.; Forastieri, F.; Frailis, M.; Fraisse, A. A.; Franceschi, E.; Frolov, A.; Galeotta, S.; Galli, S.; Ganga, K.; Génova-Santos, R. T.; Gerbino, M.; Ghosh, T.; González-Nuevo, J.; Górski, K. M.; Gratton, S.; Gruppuso, A.; Gudmundsson, J. E.; Hansen, F. K.; Helou, G.; Henrot-Versillé, S.; Herranz, D.; Hivon, E.; Huang, Z.; Ilić, S.; Jaffe, A. H.; Jones, W. C.; Keihänen, E.; Keskitalo, R.; Kisner, T. S.; Knox, L.; Krachmalnicoff, N.; Kunz, M.; Kurki-Suonio, H.; Lagache, G.; Lamarre, J.-M.; Langer, M.; Lasenby, A.; Lattanzi, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Le Jeune, M.; Leahy, J. P.; Levrier, F.; Liguori, M.; Lilje, P. B.; López-Caniego, M.; Ma, Y.-Z.; Macías-Pérez, J. F.; Maggio, G.; Mangilli, A.; Maris, M.; Martin, P. G.; Martínez-González, E.; Matarrese, S.; Mauri, N.; McEwen, J. D.; Meinhold, P. R.; Melchiorri, A.; Mennella, A.; Migliaccio, M.; Miville-Deschênes, M.-A.; Molinari, D.; Moneti, A.; Montier, L.; Morgante, G.; Moss, A.; Mottet, S.; Naselsky, P.; Natoli, P.; Oxborrow, C. A.; Pagano, L.; Paoletti, D.; Partridge, B.; Patanchon, G.; Patrizii, L.; Perdereau, O.; Perotto, L.; Pettorino, V.; Piacentini, F.; Plaszczynski, S.; Polastri, L.; Polenta, G.; Puget, J.-L.; Rachen, J. P.; Racine, B.; Reinecke, M.; Remazeilles, M.; Renzi, A.; Rocha, G.; Rossetti, M.; Roudier, G.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Ruiz-Granados, B.; Salvati, L.; Sandri, M.; Savelainen, M.; Scott, D.; Sirri, G.; Sunyaev, R.; Suur-Uski, A.-S.; Tauber, J. A.; Tenti, M.; Toffolatti, L.; Tomasi, M.; Tristram, M.; Trombetti, T.; Valiviita, J.; Van Tent, F.; Vibert, L.; Vielva, P.; Villa, F.; Vittorio, N.; Wandelt, B. D.; Watson, R.; Wehus, I. K.; White, M.; Zacchei, A.; Zonca, A.

2016-12-01

This paper describes the identification, modelling, and removal of previously unexplained systematic effects in the polarization data of the Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) on large angular scales, including new mapmaking and calibration procedures, new and more complete end-to-end simulations, and a set of robust internal consistency checks on the resulting maps. These maps, at 100, 143, 217, and 353 GHz, are early versions of those that will be released in final form later in 2016. The improvements allow us to determine the cosmic reionization optical depth τ using, for the first time, the low-multipole EE data from HFI, reducing significantly the central value and uncertainty, and hence the upper limit. Two different likelihood procedures are used to constrain τ from two estimators of the CMB E- and B-mode angular power spectra at 100 and 143 GHz, after debiasing the spectra from a small remaining systematic contamination. These all give fully consistent results. A further consistency test is performed using cross-correlations derived from the Low Frequency Instrument maps of the Planck 2015 data release and the new HFI data. For this purpose, end-to-end analyses of systematic effects from the two instruments are used to demonstrate the near independence of their dominant systematic error residuals. The tightest result comes from the HFI-based τ posterior distribution using the maximum likelihood power spectrum estimator from EE data only, giving a value 0.055 ± 0.009. In a companion paper these results are discussed in the context of the best-fit PlanckΛCDM cosmological model and recent models of reionization.

Petrological systematics of mid-ocean ridge basalts: Constraints on melt generation beneath ocean ridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langmuir, Charles H.; Klein, Emily M.; Plank, Terry

Mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) are a consequence of pressure-release melting beneath ocean ridges, and contain much information concerning melt formation, melt migration and heterogeneity within the upper mantle. MORB major element chemical systematics can be divided into global and local aspects, once they have been corrected for low pressure fractionation and interlaboratory biases. Regional average compositions for ridges unaffected by hot spots ("normal" ridges) can be used to define the global correlations among normalized Na2O, FeO, TiO2 and SiO2 contents, CaO/Al2O3 ratios, axial depth and crustal thickness. Back-arc basins show similar correlations, but are offset to lower FeO and TiO2 contents. Some hot spots, such as the Azores and Galapagos, disrupt the systematics of nearby ridges and have the opposite relationships between FeO, Na2O and depth over distances of 1000 km. Local variations in basalt chemistry from slow- and fast-spreading ridges are distinct from one another. On slow-spreading ridges, correlations among the elements cross the global vector of variability at a high angle. On the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise (EPR), correlations among the elements are distinct from both global and slow-spreading compositional vectors, and involve two components of variation. Spreading rate does not control the global correlations, but influences the standard deviations of axial depth, crustal thickness, and MgO contents of basalts. Global correlations are not found in very incompatible trace elements, even for samples far from hot spots. Moderately compatible trace elements for normal ridges, however, correlate with the major elements. Trace element systematics are significantly different for the EPR and the mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR). Normal portions of the MAR are very depleted in REE, with little variability; hot spots cause large long wavelength variations in REE abundances. Normal EPR basalts are significantly more enriched than MAR basalts from normal ridges, and still more enriched basalts can erupt sporadically along the entire length of the EPR. This leads to very different histograms of distribution for the data sets as a whole, and a very different distribution of chemistry along strike for the two ridges. Despite these differences, the mean Ce/Sm ratios from the two ridges are identical. Existing methods for calculating the major element compositions of mantle melts [Klein and Langmuir, 1987; McKenzie and Bickle, 1988; Niu and Batiza, 1991] are critically examined. New quantitative methods for mantle melting and high pressure fractionation are developed to evaluate the chemical consequences of melting and fractionation processes and mantle heterogeneity. The new methods rely on new equations for partition coefficients for the major elements between mantle minerals and melts. The melting calculations can be used to investigate the chemical compositions produced by small extents of melting or high pressures of melting that cannot yet be determined experimentally. Application of the new models to the observations described above leads to two major conclusions: (1) The global correlations for normal ridges are caused by variations in mantle temperature, as suggested by Klein and Langmuir [1987] and not by mantle heterogeneity. (2) Local variations are caused by melting processes, but are not yet quantitatively accounted for. On slower spreading ridges, local variations are controlled by the melting regime in the mantle. On the EPR, local variations are predominantly controlled by ubiquitous, small scale heterogeneites. Volatile content may be an important and as yet undetermined factor in affecting the observed variations in major elements. We propose a hypothesis, similar to one proposed by Allegre et al [1984] for isotopic data, to explain the differences between the Atlantic and Pacific local trends, and the trace element systematics of the two ocean basins, as consequences of spreading rate and a different distribution of enriched components from hot spots in the two ocean basins. In the Atlantic, the hot spot influence is in discrete areas, and produces clear depth and chemical anomalies. Ridge segments far from hot spots do not contain enriched basalts. Melting processes associated with slow-spreading ridges vary substantially over short distances along strike and lead to the local trends discussed above, irrespective of hot spot influence. In the Pacific, enriched components appear to have been more thoroughly mixed into the mantle, leading to ubiquitous small scale heterogeneities. Melting processes do not vary appreciably along strike, so local chemical variations are dominated by the relative contribution of enriched component on short time and length scales. Thus the extent of mixing and distribution of enriched components influences strongly the contrasting local major element trends. Despite the difference in the distribution of enriched components, the mean compositions of each data set are equivalent. This suggests that the hot spot influence is similar in the two ocean basins, but its distribution in the upper mantle is different. These contrasting relationships between hot spots and ridges may result from differences in both spreading rate and tectonic history. Unrecognized hot spots may play an important role in diverse aspects of EPR volcanism, and in the chemical systematics of the erupted basalts. The observations and successful models have consequences for melt formation and segregation. (1) The melting process must be closer to fractional melting than equilibrium melting. This result is in accord with inferences from abyssal peridotites [Johnson et al., 1990]. (2) Small melt fractions generated over a range of pressures must be extracted rapidly and efficiently from high pressures within the mantle without experiencing low pressure equilibration during ascent. This requires movement in large channels, and possibly more efficient extraction mechanisms than nonnally envisaged in porous flow models with small residual porosity. (3) Diverse melts from the melting regime produce variations in basalts that are observable at the surface. (4) Basalt data can be used to constrain the melting process (e.g. active vs. passive upwelling) and its relationship to segmentation. The data cannot be used to constrain the shape of the melting regime, however, for many shapes lead to similar chemical results. (5) Highly incompatible elements and U-series disequilibria results appear not yet to be explained by melting models, and may require additional processes not yet clearly envisaged.

Reactivity to interpersonal stress in patients with eating disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using an experimental paradigm.

PubMed

Monteleone, Alessio Maria; Treasure, Janet; Kan, Carol; Cardi, Valentina

2018-04-01

Reactivity to interpersonal stress in patients with eating disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using an experimental paradigm. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XXX-XXX, 2018.- Social difficulties have been implicated in the development and maintenance of eating disorder symptoms. The aim of this work was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies testing patientsö reactivity to interpersonal stress, compared to healthy controls. Thirty-four studies were included. Meta-analyses were conducted on 16 studies and on following outcomes: attention bias and interference to threatening faces, cortisol, heart rate and negative affect before and after exposure to interpersonal stress. Patients showed heightened attention bias and interference to threatening faces. Lower heart rate after exposure to interpersonal stress and greater negative affect before and after interpersonal stress were observed in the clinical group compared to controls. Surprisingly, only a small minority of studies included measures of abnormal eating behaviour and attitudes. This seems a missed opportunity for testing the causal and maintaining role that abnormalities in interpersonal stress response play in eating disorders. Nonetheless, findings corroborate the hypothesis that patients' response to interpersonal stress differs from that of healthy controls. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Signal Quality Improvement Algorithms for MEMS Gyroscope-Based Human Motion Analysis Systems: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Du, Jiaying; Gerdtman, Christer; Lindén, Maria

2018-04-06

Motion sensors such as MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers are characterized by a small size, light weight, high sensitivity, and low cost. They are used in an increasing number of applications. However, they are easily influenced by environmental effects such as temperature change, shock, and vibration. Thus, signal processing is essential for minimizing errors and improving signal quality and system stability. The aim of this work is to investigate and present a systematic review of different signal error reduction algorithms that are used for MEMS gyroscope-based motion analysis systems for human motion analysis or have the potential to be used in this area. A systematic search was performed with the search engines/databases of the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Scopus. Sixteen papers that focus on MEMS gyroscope-related signal processing and were published in journals or conference proceedings in the past 10 years were found and fully reviewed. Seventeen algorithms were categorized into four main groups: Kalman-filter-based algorithms, adaptive-based algorithms, simple filter algorithms, and compensation-based algorithms. The algorithms were analyzed and presented along with their characteristics such as advantages, disadvantages, and time limitations. A user guide to the most suitable signal processing algorithms within this area is presented.

Signal Quality Improvement Algorithms for MEMS Gyroscope-Based Human Motion Analysis Systems: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Gerdtman, Christer

2018-01-01

Motion sensors such as MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers are characterized by a small size, light weight, high sensitivity, and low cost. They are used in an increasing number of applications. However, they are easily influenced by environmental effects such as temperature change, shock, and vibration. Thus, signal processing is essential for minimizing errors and improving signal quality and system stability. The aim of this work is to investigate and present a systematic review of different signal error reduction algorithms that are used for MEMS gyroscope-based motion analysis systems for human motion analysis or have the potential to be used in this area. A systematic search was performed with the search engines/databases of the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Scopus. Sixteen papers that focus on MEMS gyroscope-related signal processing and were published in journals or conference proceedings in the past 10 years were found and fully reviewed. Seventeen algorithms were categorized into four main groups: Kalman-filter-based algorithms, adaptive-based algorithms, simple filter algorithms, and compensation-based algorithms. The algorithms were analyzed and presented along with their characteristics such as advantages, disadvantages, and time limitations. A user guide to the most suitable signal processing algorithms within this area is presented. PMID:29642412

Bioinformatics approach reveals systematic mechanism underlying lung adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Wu, Xiya; Zhang, Wei; Hu, Yunhua; Yi, Xianghua

2015-01-01

The purpose of this work was to explore the systematic molecular mechanism of lung adenocarcinoma and gain a deeper insight into it. Comprehensive bioinformatics methods were applied. Initially, significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed from the Affymetrix microarray data (GSE27262) deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Subsequently, gene ontology (GO) analysis was performed using online Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integration Discovery (DAVID) software. Finally, significant pathway crosstalk was investigated based on the information derived from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. According to our results, the N-terminal globular domain of the type X collagen (COL10A1) gene and transmembrane protein 100 (TMEM100) gene were identified to be the most significant DEGs in tumor tissue compared with the adjacent normal tissues. The main GO categories were biological process, cellular component and molecular function. In addition, the crosstalk was significantly different between non-small cell lung cancer pathways and inositol phosphate metabolism pathway, focal adhesion signal pathway, vascular smooth muscle contraction signal pathway, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway in tumor. Dysfunctional genes and pathways may play key roles in the progression and development of lung adenocarcinoma. Our data provide a systematic perspective for understanding this mechanism and may be helpful in discovering an effective treatment for lung adenocarcinoma.

Natural language processing systems for capturing and standardizing unstructured clinical information: A systematic review.

PubMed

Kreimeyer, Kory; Foster, Matthew; Pandey, Abhishek; Arya, Nina; Halford, Gwendolyn; Jones, Sandra F; Forshee, Richard; Walderhaug, Mark; Botsis, Taxiarchis

2017-09-01

We followed a systematic approach based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses to identify existing clinical natural language processing (NLP) systems that generate structured information from unstructured free text. Seven literature databases were searched with a query combining the concepts of natural language processing and structured data capture. Two reviewers screened all records for relevance during two screening phases, and information about clinical NLP systems was collected from the final set of papers. A total of 7149 records (after removing duplicates) were retrieved and screened, and 86 were determined to fit the review criteria. These papers contained information about 71 different clinical NLP systems, which were then analyzed. The NLP systems address a wide variety of important clinical and research tasks. Certain tasks are well addressed by the existing systems, while others remain as open challenges that only a small number of systems attempt, such as extraction of temporal information or normalization of concepts to standard terminologies. This review has identified many NLP systems capable of processing clinical free text and generating structured output, and the information collected and evaluated here will be important for prioritizing development of new approaches for clinical NLP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of Spanish studies regarding the association between maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and perinatal outcomes.

PubMed

Martínez-Domínguez, Samuel J; Tajada, Mauricio; Chedraui, Peter; Pérez-López, Faustino R

2018-05-29

This systematic review and meta-analysis of Spanish studies assessed the association of maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels on perinatal outcomes. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science research databases were searched from inception through December 30 2017 using the terms 'vitamin D', 'pregnancy', and 'Spain'. Studies that compared first or second half of pregnancy normal 25(OH)D (≥30.0 ng/mL) versus insufficient (20.0-29.9 ng/mL) or deficient (<20.0 ng/mL) circulating levels and perinatal outcomes were systematically extracted. Data are presented as pooled odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for categorical variables or mean differences and CIs for continuous variables. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Five cohort studies met inclusion criteria. The risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and small-for-gestational-age infants, and birthweight was not influenced by first half of pregnancy maternal 25(OH)D levels. In addition, second half of pregnancy 25(OH) levels did not affect birthweight. Maternal 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy did not affect studied perinatal outcomes and birthweight.

Digital Interventions for Problematic Cannabis Users in Non-Clinical Settings: Findings from a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Hoch, Eva; Preuss, Ulrich W; Ferri, Marica; Simon, Roland

2016-01-01

Existing cannabis treatment programs reach only a very limited proportion of people with cannabis-related problems. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of digital interventions applied outside the health care system in reducing problematic cannabis use. We systematically searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2015), PubMed (2009-2015), Medline (2009-2015), Google Scholar (2015) and article reference lists for potentially eligible studies. Randomized controlled trials examining the effects of internet- or computer-based interventions were assessed. Study effects were estimated by calculating effect sizes (ESs) using Cohen's d and Hedges' g bias-corrected ES. The primary outcome assessed was self-reported cannabis use, measured by a questionnaire. Fifty-two studies were identified. Four studies (including 1,928 participants) met inclusion criteria. They combined brief motivational interventions and cognitive behavioral therapy delivered online. All studies were of good quality. The pooled mean difference (x0394; = 4.07) and overall ES (0.11) give evidence of small effects at 3-month follow-up in favor of digital interventions. Digital interventions can help to successfully reduce problematic cannabis use outside clinical settings. They have some potential to overcome treatment barriers and increase accessibility for at-risk cannabis users. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The effect of vision on knee biomechanics during functional activities - A systematic review.

PubMed

Louw, Quinette; Gillion, Nadia; van Niekerk, Sjan-Mari; Morris, Linzette; Baumeister, Jochen

2015-07-01

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of occluded vision on lower limb kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint during functional tasks including drop landing (single or double leg), squatting (single or double leg), stepping down, cutting movement and hopping in healthy individuals, or individuals who had an ACL reconstruction or deficiency with no vision impairments. A systematic review was conducted. A systematic review was conducted and electronic databases were searched between March 2012 and April 2013 for eligible papers. Methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Downs and Black revised checklist. Six studies met the eligibility criteria and a wide variation in methodological approaches was reported. This small evidence base indicated equivocal evidence about the effect of vision on knee biomechanics in individuals with healthy and compromised somatosensory function post an ACL reconstruction or injury. Clinicians should consider innovative, individualised ACL rehabilitation strategies when prescribing exercises which involve visual occlusion. Further research to increase the relatively small evidence base for the effect of vision on knee biomechanics is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Sports Medicine Australia. All rights reserved.

NOTE: Optimization of megavoltage CT scan registration settings for thoracic cases on helical tomotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodford, Curtis; Yartsev, Slav; Van Dyk, Jake

2007-08-01

This study aims to investigate the settings that provide optimum registration accuracy when registering megavoltage CT (MVCT) studies acquired on tomotherapy with planning kilovoltage CT (kVCT) studies of patients with lung cancer. For each experiment, the systematic difference between the actual and planned positions of the thorax phantom was determined by setting the phantom up at the planning isocenter, generating and registering an MVCT study. The phantom was translated by 5 or 10 mm, MVCT scanned, and registration was performed again. A root-mean-square equation that calculated the residual error of the registration based on the known shift and systematic difference was used to assess the accuracy of the registration process. The phantom study results for 18 combinations of different MVCT/kVCT registration options are presented and compared to clinical registration data from 17 lung cancer patients. MVCT studies acquired with coarse (6 mm), normal (4 mm) and fine (2 mm) slice spacings could all be registered with similar residual errors. No specific combination of resolution and fusion selection technique resulted in a lower residual error. A scan length of 6 cm with any slice spacing registered with the full image fusion selection technique and fine resolution will result in a low residual error most of the time. On average, large corrections made manually by clinicians to the automatic registration values are infrequent. Small manual corrections within the residual error averages of the registration process occur, but their impact on the average patient position is small. Registrations using the full image fusion selection technique and fine resolution of 6 cm MVCT scans with coarse slices have a low residual error, and this strategy can be clinically used for lung cancer patients treated on tomotherapy. Automatic registration values are accurate on average, and a quick verification on a sagittal MVCT slice should be enough to detect registration outliers.

Remote sensing with simulated unmanned aircraft imagery for precision agriculture applications

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, E. Raymond; Daughtry, Craig S.T.; Mirsky, Steven B.; Hively, W. Dean

2014-01-01

An important application of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) may be remote-sensing for precision agriculture, because of its ability to acquire images with very small pixel sizes from low altitude flights. The objective of this study was to compare information obtained from two different pixel sizes, one about a meter (the size of a small vegetation plot) and one about a millimeter. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) was planted at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center for a winter cover crop with fall and spring fertilizer applications, which produced differences in biomass and leaf chlorophyll content. UAS imagery was simulated by placing a Fuji IS-Pro UVIR digital camera at 3-m height looking nadir. An external UV-IR cut filter was used to acquire true-color images; an external red cut filter was used to obtain color-infrared-like images with bands at near-infrared, green, and blue wavelengths. Plot-scale Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was correlated with dry aboveground biomass ( ${mbi {r}} = 0.58$ ), whereas the Triangular Greenness Index (TGI) was not correlated with chlorophyll content. We used the SamplePoint program to select 100 pixels systematically; we visually identified the cover type and acquired the digital numbers. The number of rye pixels in each image was better correlated with biomass ( ${mbi {r}} = 0.73$ ), and the average TGI from only leaf pixels was negatively correlated with chlorophyll content ( ${mbi {r}} = -0.72$ ). Thus, better information for crop requirements may be obtained using very small pixel sizes, but new algorithms based on computer vision are needed for analysis. It may not be necessary to geospatially register large numbers of photographs with very small pixel sizes. Instead, images could be analyzed as single plots along field transects.

Systematic Design of High-performance Hybrid Feedback Algorithms

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-24

Automatic Control, vol. 59, no. 9, pp. 2426- 2441 , 2014. J6. Liberzon, D.; Nešić, D.; Teel, A.R., “Lyapunov-based small-gain theorems for hybrid...on Automatic Control, vol. 59, no. 9, pp. 2426- 2441 , 2014. J6. Liberzon, D.; Nešić, D.; Teel, A.R., “Lyapunov-based small-gain theorems for hybrid

Effect of breast feeding in infancy on blood pressure in later life: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Owen, Christopher G; Whincup, Peter H; Gilg, Julie A; Cook, Derek G

2003-11-22

To determine whether breast feeding in infancy compared with bottle feeding formula milk is associated with lower mean blood pressure at different ages. Systematic review. Embase, Medline, and Web of Science databases. Studies showing the effects of feeding in infancy on blood pressure at different ages. Pooled mean differences in blood pressure between breast fed infants and those bottle fed formula milk, based on random effects models. The pooled mean difference in systolic blood pressure was -1.10 mm Hg (95% confidence interval -1.79 to -0.42 mm Hg) but with significant heterogeneity between estimates (P < 0.001). The difference was largest in studies of < 300 participants (-2.05 mm Hg, -3.30 to -0.80 mm Hg), intermediate in studies of 300-1000 participants (1.13 mm Hg, -2.53 to 0.27 mm Hg), and smallest in studies of > 1000 participants (-0.16 mm Hg, -0.60 to 0.28 mm Hg). An Egger test but not Begg test was statistically significant for publication bias. The difference was unaltered by adjustment for current size and was independent of age at measurement of blood pressure and year of birth. Diastolic blood pressure was not significantly related to type of feeding in infancy. Selective publication of small studies with positive findings may have exaggerated claims that breast feeding in infancy reduces systolic blood pressure in later life. The results of larger studies suggest that feeding in infancy has at most a modest effect on blood pressure, which is of limited clinical or public health importance.

Telemedicine Use Among Caregivers of Cancer Patients: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Marzorati, Chiara; Renzi, Chiara; Russell-Edu, Samuel William; Pravettoni, Gabriella

2018-06-18

The number of published studies and systematic reviews examining different telehealth interventions targeting patients and their effects on patients' well-being and quality of life have grown in recent decades. However, the use of telemedicine tools aimed at the family members and caregivers of adult cancer patients is less defined. We aimed to conduct a systematic review to provide a more complete picture regarding telemedicine tools for informal caregivers (usually family members or close friends) implemented in all phases of cancer care. More specifically, the review aimed to better describe the study samples' characteristics, to analyze measured outcomes and the specific questionnaires used to assess them, and to describe in depth the implemented interventions and their formats. Finally, we examined the role of telehealth, and usability and feasibility trends in supporting patients' caregivers. We systematically searched the literature in the following databases: Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO. Inclusion criteria were being written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, describing a telehealth-implemented intervention, and focusing on caregivers of adult cancer patients at any stage of the disease. We selected studies published up to November 2017. We critically appraised included articles using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and graded the quality of evidence by outcome using the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine framework. We included 24 studies in the final selection. In 21 of the 24 studies, the patient-caregiver dyad was analyzed, and the study population dealt with different types of cancer at different stages. Included studies considered the caregiver's condition from both an individual and a relational point of view. Along with psychosocial variables, some studies monitored engagement and user satisfaction regarding Web-based platforms or telehealth interventions. All studies reported significant improvements in some of the investigated areas, but they often showed small effect sizes. Two types of telehealth intervention formats were used: Web-based platforms and telephone calls. Some of the included studies referred to the same project, but on study samples with different cancer diagnoses or with new versions of previously developed interventions. Reported outcomes seem to suggest that we are in an exploratory phase. More detailed and targeted research hypotheses are still needed. Clarifying caregivers' needs related to telehealth tools and better defining outcome measures may yield more significant results. ©Chiara Marzorati, Chiara Renzi, Samuel William Russell-Edu, Gabriella Pravettoni. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.06.2018.

Appraisal of systematic reviews on the management of peri-implant diseases with two methodological tools.

PubMed

Faggion, Clovis Mariano; Monje, Alberto; Wasiak, Jason

2018-06-01

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the performance of two methodological instruments to appraise systematic reviews and to identify potential disagreements of systematic review authors regarding risk of bias (RoB) evaluation of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) included in systematic reviews on peri-implant diseases. We searched Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar for systematic reviews on peri-implant diseases published before July 11, 2017. Two authors independently evaluated the RoB and methodological quality of the systematic reviews by applying the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) tool and Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) checklist, respectively. We assessed the RoB scores of the same RCTs published in different systematic reviews. Of the 32 systematic reviews identified, 23 reviews addressed the clinical topic of peri-implantitis. A high RoB was detected for most systematic reviews (n=25) using ROBIS, whilst five systematic reviews displayed low methodological quality by AMSTAR. Almost 30% of the RoB comparisons (for the same RCTs) had different RoB ratings across systematic reviews. The ROBIS tool appears to provide more conservative results than AMSTAR checklist. Considerable disagreement was found among systematic review authors rating the same RCT included in different systematic reviews. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for major depressive disorder: review of systematic reviews

PubMed Central

Gartlehner, Gerald; Wagner, Gernot; Matyas, Nina; Titscher, Viktoria; Greimel, Judith; Lux, Linda; Gaynes, Bradley N; Viswanathan, Meera; Patel, Sheila; Lohr, Kathleen N

2017-01-01

Objectives This study aims to summarise the evidence on more than 140 pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options for major depressive disorder (MDD) and to evaluate the confidence that patients and clinicians can have in the underlying science about their effects. Design This is a review of systematic reviews. Data sources This study used MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and Epistemonikos from 2011 up to February 2017 for systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials in adult patients with acute-phase MDD. Methods We dually reviewed abstracts and full-text articles, rated the risk of bias of eligible systematic reviews and graded the strength of evidence. Results Nineteen systematic reviews provided data on 28 comparisons of interest. For general efficacy, only second-generation antidepressants were supported with high strength evidence, presenting small beneficial treatment effects (standardised mean difference: −0.35; 95% CI −0.31 to −0.38), and a statistically significantly higher rate of discontinuation because of adverse events than patients on placebo (relative risk (RR) 1.88; 95% CI 1.0 to 3.28). Only cognitive behavioural therapy is supported by reliable evidence (moderate strength of evidence) to produce responses to treatment similar to those of second-generation antidepressants (45.5% vs 44.2%; RR 1.10; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.30). All remaining comparisons of non-pharmacological treatments with second-generation antidepressants either led to inconclusive results or had substantial methodological shortcomings (low or insufficient strength of evidence). Conclusions In contrast to pharmacological treatments, the majority of non-pharmacological interventions for treating patients with MDD are not evidence based. For patients with strong preferences against pharmacological treatments, clinicians should focus on therapies that have been compared directly with antidepressants. Trial registration number International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number: 42016035580. PMID:28615268

The impact of cosmetic breast implants on breastfeeding: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cosmetic breast augmentation (breast implants) is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures worldwide and uptake in high income countries has increased in the last two decades. Women need information about all associated outcomes in order to make an informed decision regarding whether to undergo cosmetic breast surgery. We conducted a systematic review to assess breastfeeding outcomes among women with breast implants compared to women without. Methods A systematic literature search of Medline, Pubmed, CINAHL and Embase databases was conducted using the earliest inclusive dates through December 2013. Eligible studies included comparative studies that reported breastfeeding outcomes (any breastfeeding, and among women who breastfed, exclusive breastfeeding) for women with and without breast implants. Pairs of reviewers extracted descriptive data, study quality, and outcomes. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were pooled across studies using the random-effects model. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was used to critically appraise study quality, and the National Health and Medical Research Council Level of Evidence Scale to rank the level of the evidence. This systematic review has been registered with the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42014009074. Results Three small, observational studies met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was fair (NOS 4-6) and the level of evidence was low (III-2 - III-3). There was no significant difference in attempted breastfeeding (one study, RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76, 1.17). However, among women who breastfed, all three studies reported a reduced likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding amongst women with breast implants with a pooled rate ratio of 0.60 (95% CI 0.40, 0.90). Conclusions This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that women with breast implants who breastfeed were less likely to exclusively feed their infants with breast milk compared to women without breast implants. PMID:25332722

Is chocolate consumption associated with health outcomes? An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Veronese, Nicola; Demurtas, Jacopo; Celotto, Stefano; Caruso, Maria Gabriella; Maggi, Stefania; Bolzetta, Francesco; Firth, Joseph; Smith, Lee; Schofield, Patricia; Koyanagi, Ai; Yang, Lin; Solmi, Marco; Stubbs, Brendon

2018-06-01

The literature regarding the potential health benefits of chocolate consumption are unclear and the epidemiological credibility has not been systematically scrutinized, while the strength of the evidence is undetermined. We therefore aimed to map and grade the diverse health outcomes associated with chocolate consumption using an umbrella review of systematic reviews. Umbrella review of systematic reviews of observational and intervention studies (randomized placebo-controlled trials, RCTs). For each association, random-effects summary effect size, 95% confidence interval, and 95% prediction interval were estimated. We also assessed heterogeneity, evidence for small-study effect and evidence for excess significance bias. For significant outcomes of the RCTs, the GRADE assessment was furtherly used. From 240 articles returned, 10 systematic reviews were included (8 of which included a meta-analysis), including a total of 84 studies (36 prospective observational studies and 48 interventional). Nineteen different outcomes were included. Among observational studies, including a total of 1,061,637 participants, the best available evidence suggests that chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) death (n = 4 studies), acute myocardial infarction (n = 6), stroke (n = 5) and diabetes (n = 6), although this was based on a weak evidence of credibility. Across meta-analyses of intervention studies, chocolate consumption was positively associated with flow-mediated dilatation at 90-150 min (n = 3) and at 2-18 weeks (n = 3), and insulin resistance markers (n = 2). However, using the GRADE assessment, the evidence for these outcomes was low or very low. Data from two systematic reviews, reported that chocolate consumption was not associated with better depressive mood or cognitive function. There is weak evidence to suggest that chocolate consumption may be associated with favorable health outcomes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Inequity in childhood immunization in India: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mathew, Joseph L

2012-03-01

Despite a reduction in disease burden of vaccine preventable diseases through childhood immunization, considerable progress needs to be made in terms of ensuring efficiency and equity of vaccination coverage. To conduct a systematic review to identify and explore factors associated with inequities in routine vaccination of children in India. Publications reporting vaccination inequity were retrieved through a systematic search of Medline and websites of the WHO, UNICEF and demographic health surveys in India. No restrictions were applied in terms of study designs. The primary outcome measure was complete vaccination or immunization defined as per the standard WHO definition. There were three nationwide data sets viz. the three National Family Health Surveys (NFHS), a research study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and a UNICEF coverage evaluation survey. In addition, several publications representing different population groups or geographic regions were available. A small number of publications were reanalyses of data from the NFHS series. There is considerable inequity in vaccination coverage in different states. Within states, traditionally poor performing states have greater inequities, although there are significant inequities even within better performing states. There are significant inequities in childhood vaccination based on various factors related to individual (gender, birth order), family (area of residence, wealth, parental education), demography (religion, caste), and the society (access to health-care, community literacy level) characteristics. Girls fare uniformly worse than boys and higher birth order infants have lower vaccination coverage. Urban infants have higher coverage than rural infants and those living in urban slums. There is an almost direct relationship between household wealth and vaccination rates. The vaccination rates are lower among infants with mothers having no or low literacy, and families with insufficient empowerment of women. Paternal literacy has an inconsistent positive relationship with infant vaccination. There is a relationship between religion and caste and childhood vaccination. Access to health services and other infrastructure, is associated with better vaccination coverage of infants. The precise impact of specific risk factors operating singly or in combination cannot be calculated from this systematic review. This systematic review identifies and explores factors associated with inequity in childhood immunization in India; and provides information for urgent action to redress the imbalances.

Methodological Flaws, Conflicts of Interest, and Scientific Fallacies: Implications for the Evaluation of Antidepressants' Efficacy and Harm.

PubMed

Hengartner, Michael P

2017-01-01

In current psychiatric practice, antidepressants are widely and with ever-increasing frequency prescribed to patients. However, several scientific biases obfuscate estimates of antidepressants' efficacy and harm, and these are barely recognized in treatment guidelines. The aim of this mini-review is to critically evaluate the efficacy and harm of antidepressants for acute and maintenance treatment with respect to systematic biases related to industry funding and trial methodology. Narrative review based on a comprehensive search of the literature. It is shown that the pooled efficacy of antidepressants is weak and below the threshold of a minimally clinically important change once publication and reporting biases are considered. Moreover, the small mean difference in symptom reductions relative to placebo is possibly attributable to observer effects in unblinded assessors and patient expectancies. With respect to trial dropout rates, a hard outcome not subjected to observer bias, no difference was observed between antidepressants and placebo. The discontinuation trials on the efficacy of antidepressants in maintenance therapy are systematically flawed, because in these studies, spontaneous remitters are excluded, whereas half of all patients who remitted on antidepressants are abruptly switched to placebo. This can cause a severe withdrawal syndrome that is easily misdiagnosed as a relapse when assessed on subjective symptom rating scales. In accordance, the findings of naturalistic long-term studies suggest that maintenance therapy has no clear benefit, and non-drug users do not show increased recurrence rates. Moreover, a growing body of evidence from hundreds of randomized controlled trials suggests that antidepressants cause suicidality, but this risk is underestimated because data from industry-funded trials are systematically flawed. Unselected, population-wide observational studies indicate that depressive patients who use antidepressants are at an increased risk of suicide and that they have a higher rate of all-cause mortality than matched controls. The strong reliance on industry-funded research results in an uncritical approval of antidepressants. Due to several flaws such as publication and reporting bias, unblinding of outcome assessors, concealment and recoding of serious adverse events, the efficacy of antidepressants is systematically overestimated, and harm is systematically underestimated. Therefore, I conclude that antidepressants are largely ineffective and potentially harmful.

Tensions and Paradoxes in Electronic Patient Record Research: A Systematic Literature Review Using the Meta-narrative Method

PubMed Central

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Potts, Henry W W; Wong, Geoff; Bark, Pippa; Swinglehurst, Deborah

2009-01-01

Context: The extensive research literature on electronic patient records (EPRs) presents challenges to systematic reviewers because it covers multiple research traditions with different underlying philosophical assumptions and methodological approaches. Methods: Using the meta-narrative method and searching beyond the Medline-indexed literature, this review used “conflicting” findings to address higher-order questions about how researchers had differently conceptualized and studied the EPR and its implementation. Findings: Twenty-four previous systematic reviews and ninety-four further primary studies were considered. Key tensions in the literature centered on (1) the EPR (“container” or “itinerary”); (2) the EPR user (“information-processer” or “member of socio-technical network”); (3) organizational context (“the setting within which the EPR is implemented” or “the EPR-in-use”); (4) clinical work (“decision making” or “situated practice”); (5) the process of change (“the logic of determinism” or “the logic of opposition”); (6) implementation success (“objectively defined” or “socially negotiated”); and (7) complexity and scale (“the bigger the better” or “small is beautiful”). Conclusions: The findings suggest that EPR use will always require human input to recontextualize knowledge; that even though secondary work (audit, research, billing) may be made more efficient by the EPR, primary clinical work may be made less efficient; that paper may offer a unique degree of ecological flexibility; and that smaller EPR systems may sometimes be more efficient and effective than larger ones. We suggest an agenda for further research. PMID:20021585

The use of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) traditional varieties and their mixtures with commercial varieties to manage bean fly (Ophiomyia spp.) infestations in Uganda.

PubMed

Ssekandi, W; Mulumba, J W; Colangelo, P; Nankya, R; Fadda, C; Karungi, J; Otim, M; De Santis, P; Jarvis, D I

The bean fly ( Ophiomyia spp.) is considered the most economically damaging field insect pest of common beans in Uganda. Despite the use of existing pest management approaches, reported damage has remained high. Forty-eight traditional and improved common bean varieties currently grown in farmers' fields were evaluated for resistance against bean fly. Data on bean fly incidence, severity and root damage from bean stem maggot were collected. Generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) revealed significant resistance to bean fly in the Ugandan traditional varieties. A popular resistant traditional variety and a popular susceptible commercial variety were selected from the 48 varieties and evaluated in pure and mixed stands. The incidence of bean fly infestation on both varieties in mixtures with different arrangements (systematic random versus rows), and different proportions within each of the two arrangements, was measured and analysed using GLMMs. The proportion of resistant varieties in a mixture and the arrangement type significantly decreased bean fly damage compared to pure stands, with the highest decrease in damage registered in the systematic random mixture with at least 50 % of resistant variety. The highest reduction in root damage, obvious 21 days after planting, was found in systematic random mixtures with at least 50 % of the resistant variety. Small holder farmers in East Africa and elsewhere in the world have local preferences for growing bean varieties in genetic mixtures. These mixtures can be enhanced by the use of resistant varieties in the mixtures to reduce bean fly damage on susceptible popular varieties.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of educational interventions for children and adolescents with acquired brain injury.

PubMed

Linden, Mark A; Glang, Ann E; McKinlay, Audrey

2018-01-01

Children with brain injuries face significant challenges in their recovery. One of the greatest is transitioning from hospital/home to school where they face issues such as reintegration, lack of understanding and catching up with missed work. Many children struggle with their altered circumstances and require additional supports to meet the academic demands of systems which are ill equipped to teach them. To summarise the best available evidence for the use of educational interventions to improve academic attainment in childhood survivors of acquired brain injury (ABI). Six electronic databases (Cinahl, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, Pubmed, & Web of Science) were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials published between 1980 and 2017. Two authors independently reviewed these studies and extracted data on type of intervention, characteristics of participants, outcome measures, findings and recommendations. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool was used to assess systematic error in the included studies. Four studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 296 children and adolescents). Three studies (n = 287) were included in meta-analysis for the primary outcome which showed no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control conditions on academic attainment (SMD 1.31, 95% CI -0.06 to 2.68, p = 0.06). No statistically significant differences were found which favoured the intervention for the secondary outcomes of attention, internalising or externalising behavior. All effect sizes were considered as small. This review suggests that no currently effective educational interventions exist for children with ABI. Greater efforts are required to produce effective and rigorously tested interventions to improve outcomes for these children.

Disparities in Outcomes for Blacks versus Whites Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Literature Review.

PubMed

Mehta, Bella Y; Bass, Anne R; Goto, Rie; Russell, Linda A; Parks, Michael L; Figgie, Mark P; Goodman, Susan M

2018-05-01

Total hip replacement (THA) surgery is a successful procedure, yet blacks in the United States undergo THA less often and reflect poorer outcomes than whites. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature on health-related quality of life after THA, comparing blacks and whites. A librarian-assisted search was performed in Medline through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library on February 27, 2017. Original cohort studies examining pain, function, and satisfaction in blacks and whites 1 year after elective THA were included. Using the Patient/Population-Intervention-Comparison/Comparator-Outcome (PICO) process format, our population of interest was US black adults, our intervention was elective THA, our comparator was white adults, and our outcomes of interest were pain, function, and satisfaction after elective THA. The protocol was registered under the PROSPERO international register, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Of the articles, 4739 were screened by title, 180 by abstract, 25 by full text, and 4 remained for analysis. The studies represented 1588 THA patients, of whom 240 (15%) were black. All studies noted more pain and worse function for blacks; although differences were statistically significant, they were not clinically significant. One study sought and identified less satisfaction for blacks after THA, and 1 study showed worse fear and anxiety scores in blacks. When measured, there are small differences in THA outcomes between blacks and whites, but most studies do not analyze/collect race. Future studies should address the effect of race and socioeconomic factors on healthcare disparities.

Effect of Graft Thickness on Visual Acuity After Descemet Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Wacker, Katrin; Bourne, William M; Patel, Sanjay V

2016-03-01

To assess the relationship between graft thickness and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after Descemet stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK). Systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and conference abstracts were searched for studies published up to October 2015 with standard systematic review methodology. Eligibility criteria included studies evaluating graft thickness in primary DSEK and visual outcomes. There were no restrictions to study design, study population, or language. Correlation coefficients were pooled using random-effects models. Of 480 articles and conference abstracts, 31 met inclusion criteria (2214 eyes) after full-text review. Twenty-three studies assessed correlations between BCVA and graft thickness, and 8 studies used different statistical methods. All associations were reported dimensionless. Studies generally had small sample sizes and were heterogeneous, especially with respect to data and analysis quality (P = .02). Most studies did not measure BCVA in a standardized manner. The pooled correlation coefficient for graft thickness vs BCVA was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.14-0.26) for 17 studies without data concerns; this did not include 7 studies (815 eyes) that used different statistical methods and did not find significant associations. There is insufficient evidence that graft thickness is clinically important with respect to BCVA after DSEK, with meta-analysis suggesting a weak relationship. Although well-designed longitudinal studies with standardized measurements of visual acuity and graft thickness are necessary to better characterize this relationship, current evidence suggests that graft thickness is not important for surgical planning. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy and safety of statins and exercise combination therapy compared to statin monotherapy in patients with dyslipidaemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gui, Ya-Jun; Liao, Cai-Xiu; Liu, Qiong; Guo, Yuan; Yang, Tao; Chen, Jing-Yuan; Wang, Ya-Ting; Hu, Jia-Hui; Xu, Dan-Yan

2017-06-01

Background Statin treatment in association with physical exercise can substantially reduce mortality in dyslipidaemic individuals. However, the available data to compare the efficacy and safety of statins and exercise combination therapy with statin monotherapy are limited. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library from database inception until December 2016. We included randomised and non-randomised studies that compared the efficacy and safety of statins and exercise combination therapy with statin monotherapy in patients with dyslipidaemia. Standardised mean differences were calculated and pooled by means of fixed effects models. The risk of bias and heterogeneity among trials was also assessed. Seven articles were assessed in terms of the efficacy of therapy and 13 from the viewpoint of therapeutic safety. Results In terms of efficacy, statins and exercise combination decreased the incidence of diabetes mellitus, improved insulin sensitivity and inflammation, but caused no change in lipid profile compared to statins alone. In terms of safety, statins and exercise combination increased peak oxygen uptake (standardised mean difference 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 1.57) compared to statins alone. In contrast to statin-induced myopathy, chronic exercise training prior to statin treatment could counteract statin-induced adverse effects in skeletal muscle. Conclusion Statins and exercise combination therapy is more effective than statin monotherapy in terms of insulin sensitivity, inflammation and exercise capacity. The small number of studies warrants the need for more randomised controlled trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of combination therapy.

Small-World Network Spectra in Mean-Field Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grabow, Carsten; Grosskinsky, Stefan; Timme, Marc

2012-05-01

Collective dynamics on small-world networks emerge in a broad range of systems with their spectra characterizing fundamental asymptotic features. Here we derive analytic mean-field predictions for the spectra of small-world models that systematically interpolate between regular and random topologies by varying their randomness. These theoretical predictions agree well with the actual spectra (obtained by numerical diagonalization) for undirected and directed networks and from fully regular to strongly random topologies. These results may provide analytical insights to empirically found features of dynamics on small-world networks from various research fields, including biology, physics, engineering, and social science.

Exploring biology with small organic molecules

PubMed Central

Stockwell, Brent R.

2011-01-01

Small organic molecules have proven to be invaluable tools for investigating biological systems, but there is still much to learn from their use. To discover and to use more effectively new chemical tools to understand biology, strategies are needed that allow us to systematically explore ‘biological-activity space’. Such strategies involve analysing both protein binding of, and phenotypic responses to, small organic molecules. The mapping of biological-activity space using small molecules is akin to mapping the stars — uncharted territory is explored using a system of coordinates that describes where each new feature lies. PMID:15602550

The effect of coloured overlays and lenses on reading: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Griffiths, Philip G; Taylor, Robert H; Henderson, Lisa M; Barrett, Brendan T

2016-09-01

There are many anecdotal claims and research reports that coloured lenses and overlays improve reading performance. Here we present the results of a systematic review of this literature and examine the quality of the evidence. We systematically reviewed the literature concerning the effect of coloured lenses or overlays on reading performance by searching the PsychInfo, Medline and Embase databases. This revealed 51 published items (containing 54 data sets). Given that different systems are in use for issuing coloured overlays or lenses, we reviewed the evidence under four separate system headings (Intuitive, Irlen, Harris/Chromagen and Other), classifying each published item using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Although the different colour systems have been subjected to different amounts of scientific scrutiny, the results do not differ according to the system type, or whether the sample under investigation was classified as having visual stress (or a similarly defined condition), reading difficulty, or both. The majority of studies are subject to 'high' or 'uncertain' risk of bias in one or more key aspects of study design or outcome, with studies at lower risk from bias providing less support for the benefit of coloured lenses/overlays on reading ability. While many studies report improvements with coloured lenses, the effect size is generally small and/or similar to the improvement found with a placebo condition. We discuss the strengths and shortcomings of the published literature and, whilst acknowledging the difficulties associated with conducting trials of this type, offer some suggestions about how future trials might be conducted. Consistent with previous reviews and advice from several professional bodies, we conclude that the use of coloured lenses or overlays to ameliorate reading difficulties cannot be endorsed and that any benefits reported by individuals in clinical settings are likely to be the result of placebo, practice or Hawthorne effects. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

Effect of ethnicity on HbA1c levels in individuals without diabetes: Systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Freitas, Priscila Aparecida Correa; Gross, Jorge Luiz

2017-01-01

Aims/Hypothesis Disparities in HbA1c levels have been observed among ethnic groups. Most studies were performed in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), which may interfere with results due to the high variability of glucose levels. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effect of ethnicity on HbA1c levels in individuals without DM. Methods This is a systematic review with meta-analysis. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE up to September 2016. Studies published after 1996, performed in adults without DM, reporting HbA1c results measured by certified/standardized methods were included. A random effects model was used and the effect size was presented as weighted HbA1c mean difference (95% CI) between different ethnicities as compared to White ethnicity. Results Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, totalling data from 49,238 individuals. There were significant differences between HbA1c levels in Blacks [0.26% (2.8 mmol/mol); 95% CI 0.18 to 0.33 (2.0 to 3.6), p <0.001; I2 = 90%, p <0.001], Asians [0.24% (2.6 mmol/mol); 95% CI 0.16 to 0.33 (1.7 to 3.6), p <0.001; I2 = 80%, p = 0.0006] and Latinos [0.08% (0.9 mmol/mol); IC 95% 0.06 to 0.10 (0.7 to 1.1); p <0.001; I2 = 0%; p = 0.72] when compared to Whites. Conclusions/Interpretation This meta-analysis shows that, in individuals without DM, HbA1c values are higher in Blacks, Asians, and Latinos when compared to White persons. Although small, these differences might have impact on the use of a sole HbA1c point to diagnose DM in all ethnic populations. PMID:28192447

Placebo effects in trials evaluating 12 selected minimally invasive interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Holtedahl, Robin; Brox, Jens Ivar; Tjomsland, Ole

2015-01-01

Objectives To analyse the impact of placebo effects on outcome in trials of selected minimally invasive procedures and to assess reported adverse events in both trial arms. Design A systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources and study selection We searched MEDLINE and Cochrane library to identify systematic reviews of musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiac conditions published between January 2009 and January 2014 comparing selected minimally invasive with placebo (sham) procedures. We searched MEDLINE for additional randomised controlled trials published between January 2000 and January 2014. Data synthesis Effect sizes (ES) in the active and placebo arms in the trials’ primary and pooled secondary end points were calculated. Linear regression was used to analyse the association between end points in the active and sham groups. Reported adverse events in both trial arms were registered. Results We included 21 trials involving 2519 adult participants. For primary end points, there was a large clinical effect (ES≥0.8) after active treatment in 12 trials and after sham procedures in 11 trials. For secondary end points, 7 and 5 trials showed a large clinical effect. Three trials showed a moderate difference in ES between active treatment and sham on primary end points (ES ≥0.5) but no trials reported a large difference. No trials showed large or moderate differences in ES on pooled secondary end points. Regression analysis of end points in active treatment and sham arms estimated an R2 of 0.78 for primary and 0.84 for secondary end points. Adverse events after sham were in most cases minor and of short duration. Conclusions The generally small differences in ES between active treatment and sham suggest that non-specific mechanisms, including placebo, are major predictors of the observed effects. Adverse events related to sham procedures were mainly minor and short-lived. Ethical arguments frequently raised against sham-controlled trials were generally not substantiated. PMID:25636794

An approximate fluvial equilibrium topography for the Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stüwe, K.; Hergarten, S.

2012-04-01

This contribution addresses the question whether the present topography of the Alps can be approximated by a fluvial equilibrium topography and whether this can be used to determine uplift rates. Based on a statistical analysis of the present topography we use a stream-power approach for erosion where the erosion rate is proportional to the square root of the catchment size for catchment sizes larger than 12 square kilometers and a logarithmic dependence to mimic slope processes at smaller catchment sizes. If we assume a homogeneous uplift rate over the entire region (block uplift), the best-fit fluvial equilibrium topography differs from the real topography by about 500 m RMS (root mean square) with a strong systematic deviation. Regions of low elevation are too high in the equilibrium topography, while high-mountain regions are too low. The RMS difference significantly decreases if a spatially variable uplift function is allowed. If a strong variation of the uplift rate on a scale of 5 km is allowed, the systematic deviation becomes rather small, and the RMS difference decreases to about 150 m. A significant part of the remaining deviation apparently arises from glacially-shaped valleys, while another part may result from prematurity of the relief (Hergarten, Wagner & Stüwe, EPSL 297:453, 2010). The best-fit uplift function can probably be used for forward or backward simulation of the landform evolution.

Quality of life in survivors of a primary bone tumour: a systematic review.

PubMed

Eiser, C; Grimer, R J

1999-01-01

Purpose. We conducted a systematic search of published literature, to assess (i) quality of life (QoL) for survivors of a bone tumour compared with the normal population; (ii) QoL implications following amputation, successful or failed limb salvage; (iii) adaptation of young children to amputation compared with older children or adolescents.Methods. Electronic databases were searched including Medline, PsycLIT and Cinahl covering the years 1982- 1998.Results. We identified 11 studies. Regardless of treatment, physical functioning was poor compared with population norms or healthy siblings.There was less consistent evidence regarding emotional functioning. Seven studies compared functioning in amputees and limb salvage patients.Two reported advantages in physical function for the limb salvage group, one for the amputees and the rest no differences. Evidence about social functioning or marriage is inconclusive, but there are suggestions that amputees report more job discrimination.Discussion. The literature is inconclusive, largely because of methodological problems. These include small and non-representative samples, and lack of sensitive and appropriate measures. Specific gaps in the literature include very little work concerned with psychological outcomes for children, or for those experiencing failed limb salvage. More attention needs to be given to gender differences in emotional response to traumatic surgery.The implications of the results for helping families balance the merits of different treatments are discussed.

A photometric study of the Orion OB 1 association. 3: Subgroup analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, W. H., Jr.; Hesser, J. E.

1977-01-01

The four principal subgroups of the association were examined in detail using individual distances and reddening values determined for their B type members. Subgroup 1a appeared not to show a spread in age nor did it show a systematic distance increase with right ascension when fainter members were considered. An eastwardly increase in distance was found for subgroup 1b but the reddening law for the east Belt appeared normal. Small subclusterings in the vicinity of the Orion Nebula appeared not to differ in the evolutionary state but their ages were considerably greater than those of stars in the nebulae and its associated cluster.

An ab initio study of the electronic structure of indium and gallium chalcogenide bilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayadi, T.; Debbichi, L.; Said, M.; Lebègue, S.

2017-09-01

Using first principle calculations, we have studied the structural and electronic properties of two dimensional bilayers of indium and gallium chalcogenides. With density functional theory corrected for van der Waals interactions, the different modes of stacking were investigated in a systematic way, and several of them were found to compete in energy. Then, their band structures were obtained with the GW approximation and found to correspond to indirect bandgap semiconductors with a small dependency on the mode of stacking. Finally, by analysing the electron density, it appeared that GaSe-InS is a promising system for electron-hole separation.

Comprehensive Characterization of Molecular Differences in Cancer between Male and Female Patients

PubMed Central

Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Lingxiang; Chen, Hu; Wang, Yumeng; Xu, Yanxun; Mao, Huzhang; Li, Jun; Mills, Gordon B.; Shu, Yongqian; Li, Liang; Liang, Han

2016-01-01

Summary An individual’s sex has been long recognized as a key factor affecting cancer incidence, prognosis and treatment responses. However, the molecular basis for sex disparities in cancer remains poorly understood. We performed a comprehensive analysis of molecular differences between male and female patients in 13 cancer types of The Cancer Genome Atlas and revealed two sex-effect groups associated with distinct incidence and mortality profiles. One group contains a small number of sex-affected genes, whereas the other shows much more extensive sex-biased molecular signatures. Importantly, 53% of clinically actionable genes (60/114) show sex-biased signatures. Our study provides a systematic molecular-level understanding of sex effects in diverse cancers and suggests a pressing need to develop sex-specific therapeutic strategies in certain cancer types. PMID:27165743

The building stones of ancient Egypt a gift of its geology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klemm, Dietrich D.; Klemm, Rosemarie

2001-08-01

Building stones and clay-rich Nile mud were ancient Egypt's main raw construction materials. While the mud was easily accessible along the Nile river valley, the immense quantities of the different stone materials used for construction of the famous pyramids, precious temples and tombs needed a systematic quarrying organization, well arranged transport logistics over extreme distances and a high standard of stone masonry. The petrography, occurrence, and main applications of the 11 most popular stone types used in ancient Egypt are described in this contribution. Rough estimates of the scale of this mining activity, based on the volume of many different ancient quarry sites, all over Egypt, reveal that the monuments known today represent only a small fraction of the amount of building stones mined during the long, ancient Egyptian history.

First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe(WMAP) Observations: Data Processing Methods and Systematic Errors Limits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinshaw, G.; Barnes, C.; Bennett, C. L.; Greason, M. R.; Halpern, M.; Hill, R. S.; Jarosik, N.; Kogut, A.; Limon, M.; Meyer, S. S.

2003-01-01

We describe the calibration and data processing methods used to generate full-sky maps of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from the first year of Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) observations. Detailed limits on residual systematic errors are assigned based largely on analyses of the flight data supplemented, where necessary, with results from ground tests. The data are calibrated in flight using the dipole modulation of the CMB due to the observatory's motion around the Sun. This constitutes a full-beam calibration source. An iterative algorithm simultaneously fits the time-ordered data to obtain calibration parameters and pixelized sky map temperatures. The noise properties are determined by analyzing the time-ordered data with this sky signal estimate subtracted. Based on this, we apply a pre-whitening filter to the time-ordered data to remove a low level of l/f noise. We infer and correct for a small (approx. 1 %) transmission imbalance between the two sky inputs to each differential radiometer, and we subtract a small sidelobe correction from the 23 GHz (K band) map prior to further analysis. No other systematic error corrections are applied to the data. Calibration and baseline artifacts, including the response to environmental perturbations, are negligible. Systematic uncertainties are comparable to statistical uncertainties in the characterization of the beam response. Both are accounted for in the covariance matrix of the window function and are propagated to uncertainties in the final power spectrum. We characterize the combined upper limits to residual systematic uncertainties through the pixel covariance matrix.

Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials.

PubMed

Lee, M S; Pittler, M H; Ernst, E

2008-06-01

The aim of this systematic review is to summarise and critically evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of reiki. We searched the literature using 23 databases from their respective inceptions through to November 2007 (search again 23 January 2008) without language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad score. The searches identified 205 potentially relevant studies. Nine randomised clinical trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria. Two RCTs suggested beneficial effects of reiki compared with sham control on depression, while one RCT did not report intergroup differences. For pain and anxiety, one RCT showed intergroup differences compared with sham control. For stress and hopelessness a further RCT reported effects of reiki and distant reiki compared with distant sham control. For functional recovery after ischaemic stroke there were no intergroup differences compared with sham. There was also no difference for anxiety between groups of pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis. For diabetic neuropathy there were no effects of reiki on pain. A further RCT failed to show the effects of reiki for anxiety and depression in women undergoing breast biopsy compared with conventional care. In total, the trial data for any one condition are scarce and independent replications are not available for each condition. Most trials suffered from methodological flaws such as small sample size, inadequate study design and poor reporting. In conclusion, the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition. Therefore the value of reiki remains unproven.

Validation of a New Small-Volume Sodium Citrate Collection Tube for Coagulation Testing in Critically Ill Patients with Coagulopathy.

PubMed

Adam, Elisabeth H; Zacharowski, Kai; Hintereder, Gudrun; Raimann, Florian; Meybohm, Patrick

2018-06-01

Blood loss due to phlebotomy leads to hospital-acquired anemia and more frequent blood transfusions that may be associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Multiple blood conservation strategies have been proposed in the context of patient blood management to minimize blood loss. Here, we evaluated a new small-volume sodium citrate collection tube for coagulation testing in critically ill patients. In 46 critically adult ill patients admitted to an interdisciplinary intensive care unit, we prospectively compared small-volume (1.8 mL) sodium citrate tubes with the conventional (3 mL) sodium citrate tubes. The main inclusion criterium was a proven coagulopathy (Quick < 60% and/or aPTT > 40 second) due to anticoagulation therapy or perioperative coagulopathy. In total, 92 coagulation analyses were obtained. Linear correlation analysis detected a positive relationship for 7 coagulation parameters (Prothrombin Time, r = 0.987; INR, r = 0.985; activated Partial Thromboplastin Time, r = 0.967; Thrombin Clotting Time, r = 0.969; Fibrinogen, r = 0.986; Antithrombin, r = 0.988; DDimer, r = 0.969). Bland-Altman analyses revealed an absolute mean of differences of almost zero. Ninety-five percent of data were within two standard deviations of the mean difference suggesting interchangeability. As systematic deviations between measured parameters of the two tubes were very unlikely, test results of small-volume (1.8 mL) sodium citrate tubes were equal to conventional (3 mL) sodium citrate tubes and can be considered interchangeable. Small-volume sodium citrate tubes reduced unnecessary diagnostic-related blood loss by about 40% and, therefore, should be the new standard of care for routine coagulation analysis in critically ill patients.

MOPITT

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2017-04-13

... a consortium of Canadian companies and funded by the Space Science Division of the Canadian Space Agency.   MOPITT measurements ... request only. Please contact User Services . News:  April 2012 A small systematic error in the MOPITT ...

Spatial Variability of Snowpack Properties On Small Slopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pielmeier, C.; Kronholm, K.; Schneebeli, M.; Schweizer, J.

The spatial variability of alpine snowpacks is created by a variety of parameters like deposition, wind erosion, sublimation, melting, temperature, radiation and metamor- phism of the snow. Spatial variability is thought to strongly control the avalanche initi- ation and failure propagation processes. Local snowpack measurements are currently the basis for avalanche warning services and there exist contradicting hypotheses about the spatial continuity of avalanche active snow layers and interfaces. Very little about the spatial variability of the snowpack is known so far, therefore we have devel- oped a systematic and objective method to measure the spatial variability of snowpack properties, layering and its relation to stability. For a complete coverage, the analysis of the spatial variability has to entail all scales from mm to km. In this study the small to medium scale spatial variability is investigated, i.e. the range from centimeters to tenths of meters. During the winter 2000/2001 we took systematic measurements in lines and grids on a flat snow test field with grid distances from 5 cm to 0.5 m. Fur- thermore, we measured systematic grids with grid distances between 0.5 m and 2 m in undisturbed flat fields and on small slopes above the tree line at the Choerbschhorn, in the region of Davos, Switzerland. On 13 days we measured the spatial pattern of the snowpack stratigraphy with more than 110 snow micro penetrometer measure- ments at slopes and flat fields. Within this measuring grid we placed 1 rutschblock and 12 stuffblock tests to measure the stability of the snowpack. With the large num- ber of measurements we are able to use geostatistical methods to analyse the spatial variability of the snowpack. Typical correlation lengths are calculated from semivari- ograms. Discerning the systematic trends from random spatial variability is analysed using statistical models. Scale dependencies are shown and recurring scaling patterns are outlined. The importance of the small and medium scale spatial variability for the larger (kilometer) scale spatial variability as well as for the avalanche formation are discussed. Finally, an outlook on spatial models for the snowpack variability is given.

Can exercise improve self esteem in children and young people? A systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

PubMed

Ekeland, E; Heian, F; Hagen, K B

2005-11-01

A systematic review to determine if exercise alone or as part of a comprehensive intervention can improve self esteem in children and young people is described. Twenty three randomised controlled trials were analysed. A synthesis of several small, low quality trials indicates that exercise may have short term beneficial effects on self esteem in children and adolescents. However, high quality research on defined populations with adequate follow up is needed.

Effectiveness of Aquatic Exercise and Balneotherapy: A Summary of Systematic Reviews Based on Randomized Controlled Trials of Water Immersion Therapies

PubMed Central

Kamioka, Hiroharu; Tsutani, Kiichiro; Okuizumi, Hiroyasu; Mutoh, Yoshiteru; Ohta, Miho; Handa, Shuichi; Okada, Shinpei; Kitayuguchi, Jun; Kamada, Masamitsu; Shiozawa, Nobuyoshi; Honda, Takuya

2010-01-01

Background The objective of this review was to summarize findings on aquatic exercise and balneotherapy and to assess the quality of systematic reviews based on randomized controlled trials. Methods Studies were eligible if they were systematic reviews based on randomized clinical trials (with or without a meta-analysis) that included at least 1 treatment group that received aquatic exercise or balneotherapy. We searched the following databases: Cochrane Database Systematic Review, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, JDream II, and Ichushi-Web for articles published from the year 1990 to August 17, 2008. Results We found evidence that aquatic exercise had small but statistically significant effects on pain relief and related outcome measures of locomotor diseases (eg, arthritis, rheumatoid diseases, and low back pain). However, long-term effectiveness was unclear. Because evidence was lacking due to the poor methodological quality of balneotherapy studies, we were unable to make any conclusions on the effects of intervention. There were frequent flaws regarding the description of excluded RCTs and the assessment of publication bias in several trials. Two of the present authors independently assessed the quality of articles using the AMSTAR checklist. Conclusions Aquatic exercise had a small but statistically significant short-term effect on locomotor diseases. However, the effectiveness of balneotherapy in curing disease or improving health remains unclear. PMID:19881230

Knee mechanics during planned and unplanned sidestepping: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Brown, Scott R; Brughelli, Matt; Hume, Patria A

2014-11-01

Knee joint mechanics during sidestepping are associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury. Unplanned sidestepping more closely emulates game scenarios when compared with planned sidestepping by limiting decision time, increasing knee loading and challenging the integrity of soft-tissue structures in the knee. It is important to quantify the loads that may challenge the integrity of the knee during planned and unplanned sidestepping. Our objective was to review literature on knee mechanics during planned and unplanned phases of sidestepping. PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE (EBSCO), SPORTDiscus and Web of Science were searched using the terms knee mechanics OR knee kine*, AND plan*, unplan*, anticipat*, unanticipat*, side*, cut* or chang*. A systematic approach was used to evaluate 4,629 records. Records were excluded when not available in English, only available in abstract of conference proceedings, not involving a change-of-direction sidestep, not comparing planned and unplanned or maintaining a running velocity greater than 2 m s(−1). Included studies were evaluated independently by two authors using a custom-designed methodological quality assessment derived from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and then confirmed by a third author. Only six studies met the inclusion criteria and were retained for meta-analysis. Magnitude-based inferences were used to assess the standardised effect of the differences between planned and unplanned sidestepping. Knee angles and knee moments were extracted and reported for flexion/extension, abduction/adduction and internal/external rotation for initial contact, weight acceptance, peak push-off and final push-off phases of sidestepping. For kinematic variables, unplanned sidestepping produced a wide range of small to large increases in knee extension angles, small and moderate increases in knee abduction angles and a small increase in internal rotation angle relative to planned sidestepping during the sidestepping manoeuvre. For kinetic variables, unplanned sidestepping produced mostly small (small to large) increases in knee flexor moments, small to moderate increases in knee abductor moments and mostly moderate (small to large) increases in internal rotator moments relative to planned sidestepping. Approach velocity constraints during the sidestepping manoeuvre were lifted due to the low number of eligible studies. The varying approach velocities included (ranging from 3.0 to 5.5 m s(−1)) may impact the kinematic and kinetic variables examined in this review. Differences in knee mechanics between planned and unplanned sidestepping exist. The most substantial effects occurred during the weight acceptance phase of sidestepping. It seems that biomechanical factors commonly associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury risk are affected the most during the loading phase compared with peak push-off; made evident in the coronal (abductor) and transverse (internal rotator) knee kinetic data presented in this review. The authors of this review propose a rationale for the incorporation of unplanned sport tasks in the development of anterior cruciate ligament injury screening and in prophylactic training programmes.

The effect of grinding on the mechanical behavior of Y-TZP ceramics: A systematic review and meta-analyses.

PubMed

Pereira, G K R; Fraga, S; Montagner, A F; Soares, F Z M; Kleverlaan, C J; Valandro, L F

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature to assess the effect of grinding on the mechanical properties, structural stability and superficial characteristics of Y-TZP ceramics. The MEDLINE via PubMed and Web of Science (ISI - Web of Knowledge) electronic databases were searched with included peer-reviewed publications in English language and with no publication year limit. From 342 potentially eligible studies, 73 were selected for full-text analysis, 30 were included in the systematic review with 20 considered in the meta-analysis. Two reviewers independently selected the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.1, with random effects model, at a significance level of 0.05. A descriptive analysis considering phase transformation, Y-TZP grain size, Vickers hardness, residual stress and aging of all included studies were executed. Four outcomes were considered in the meta-analyses (factor: grinding x as-sintered) in global and subgroups analyses (grinding tool, grit-size and cooling) for flexural strength and roughness (Ra) data. A significant difference (p<0.05) was observed in the global analysis for strength, favoring as-sintered; subgroup analyses revealed that different parameters lead to different effects on strength. In the global analysis for roughness, a significant difference (p<0.05) was observed between conditions, favoring grinding; subgroup analyses revealed that different parameters also lead to different effects on roughness. High heterogeneity was found in some comparisons. Generally grinding promotes decrease in strength and increase in roughness of Y-TZP ceramics. However, the use of a grinding tool that allows greater accuracy of the movement (i.e. contra angle hand-pieces coupled to slowspeed turbines), small grit size (<50μm) and the use of plenty coolant seem to be the main factors to decrease the defect introduction and allow the occurrence of the toughening transformation mechanism, decreasing the risk of deleterious impact on Y-TZP mechanical properties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-Isothermal Calorimetric Studies of the Crystallization of Lithium Disilicate Glass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, C. S.; Day, D. E.; Huang, W.; Narayan, K. Lakshmi; Cull, T. S.; Kelton, K. F.

1996-01-01

The influence of preannealing treatments on the polymorphic crystallization of lithium disilicate glasses is examined. As expected, glasses heated at different rates through the temperature range where there is significant nucleation develop widely different numbers of nuclei. This can dramatically influence the stability and transformation characteristics of the annealed glass. Non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) measurements are demonstrated to be useful to probe the nucleation behavior. The first systematic investigations of particle size effects on the non-isothermal transformation behavior are presented and discussed. Based on DTA and microscopy experiments, we show that small particles of lithium disilicate glasses crystallize primarily by surface crystallization. The relative importance of surface versus volume crystallization is examined by varying particle size, by introducing nucleating agents and by exposing glasses to atmospheres of different water content. These data are analyzed quantitatively using a numerical model developed in a second paper following in this volume.

Identification of the critical residues responsible for differential reactivation of the triosephosphate isomerases of two trypanosomes

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Bolaños, Monica; Cabrera, Nallely

2016-01-01

The reactivation of triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) from unfolded monomers induced by guanidine hydrochloride involves different amino acids of its sequence in different stages of protein refolding. We describe a systematic mutagenesis method to find critical residues for certain physico-chemical properties of a protein. The two similar TIMs of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi have different reactivation velocities and efficiencies. We used a small number of chimeric enzymes, additive mutants and planned site-directed mutants to produce an enzyme from T. brucei with 13 mutations in its sequence, which reactivates fast and efficiently like wild-type (WT) TIM from T. cruzi, and another enzyme from T. cruzi, with 13 slightly altered mutations, which reactivated slowly and inefficiently like the WT TIM of T. brucei. Our method is a shorter alternative to random mutagenesis, saturation mutagenesis or directed evolution to find multiple amino acids critical for certain properties of proteins. PMID:27733588

Refined genetic maps reveal sexual dimorphism in human meiotic recombination at multiple scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhérer, Claude; Campbell, Christopher L.; Auton, Adam

2017-04-01

In humans, males have lower recombination rates than females over the majority of the genome, but the opposite is usually true near the telomeres. These broad-scale differences have been known for decades, yet little is known about differences at the fine scale. By combining data sets, we have collected recombination events from over 100,000 meioses and have constructed sex-specific genetic maps at a previously unachievable resolution. Here we show that, although a substantial fraction of the genome shows some degree of sexually dimorphic recombination, the vast majority of hotspots are shared between the sexes, with only a small number of putative sex-specific hotspots. Wavelet analysis indicates that most of the differences can be attributed to the fine scale, and that variation in rate between the sexes can mostly be explained by differences in hotspot magnitude, rather than location. Nonetheless, known recombination-associated genomic features, such as THE1B repeat elements, show systematic differences between the sexes.

End-Point Variability Is Not Noise in Saccade Adaptation

PubMed Central

Herman, James P.; Cloud, C. Phillip; Wallman, Josh

2013-01-01

When each of many saccades is made to overshoot its target, amplitude gradually decreases in a form of motor learning called saccade adaptation. Overshoot is induced experimentally by a secondary, backwards intrasaccadic target step (ISS) triggered by the primary saccade. Surprisingly, however, no study has compared the effectiveness of different sizes of ISS in driving adaptation by systematically varying ISS amplitude across different sessions. Additionally, very few studies have examined the feasibility of adaptation with relatively small ISSs. In order to best understand saccade adaptation at a fundamental level, we addressed these two points in an experiment using a range of small, fixed ISS values (from 0° to 1° after a 10° primary target step). We found that significant adaptation occurred across subjects with an ISS as small as 0.25°. Interestingly, though only adaptation in response to 0.25° ISSs appeared to be complete (the magnitude of change in saccade amplitude was comparable to size of the ISS), further analysis revealed that a comparable proportion of the ISS was compensated for across conditions. Finally, we found that ISS size alone was sufficient to explain the magnitude of adaptation we observed; additional factors did not significantly improve explanatory power. Overall, our findings suggest that current assumptions regarding the computation of saccadic error may need to be revisited. PMID:23555763

Evidence for plant-derived xenomiRs based on a large-scale analysis of public small RNA sequencing data from human samples.

PubMed

Zhao, Qi; Liu, Yuanning; Zhang, Ning; Hu, Menghan; Zhang, Hao; Joshi, Trupti; Xu, Dong

2018-01-01

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have reported the presence of plant miRNAs in human samples, which resulted in a hypothesis asserting the existence of plant-derived exogenous microRNA (xenomiR). However, this hypothesis is not widely accepted in the scientific community due to possible sample contamination and the small sample size with lack of rigorous statistical analysis. This study provides a systematic statistical test that can validate (or invalidate) the plant-derived xenomiR hypothesis by analyzing 388 small RNA sequencing data from human samples in 11 types of body fluids/tissues. A total of 166 types of plant miRNAs were found in at least one human sample, of which 14 plant miRNAs represented more than 80% of the total plant miRNAs abundance in human samples. Plant miRNA profiles were characterized to be tissue-specific in different human samples. Meanwhile, the plant miRNAs identified from microbiome have an insignificant abundance compared to those from humans, while plant miRNA profiles in human samples were significantly different from those in plants, suggesting that sample contamination is an unlikely reason for all the plant miRNAs detected in human samples. This study also provides a set of testable synthetic miRNAs with isotopes that can be detected in situ after being fed to animals.

Additions to the reptile fauna of Paraguay with notes on a small herpetological collection from Amambay

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDiarmid, Roy W.; Foster, Mercedes S.

1987-01-01

Specimens in a small collections of reptiles and amphibians from Parque Nacional Cerro Cora, Departamento Amambay, Paraguay are reported. Included are the first records of Bachia bresslaui, Phrynops gibbus, and Ololygon fuscomarginata for that country. Brief notes on morphology, distribution, and natural history of species collected are included. The systematic status of Phrynops tuberculatus vanderhaegei is evaluated.

Education and Training that Meets the Needs of Small Business: List of 198 Studies with Abstracts and Reasons for Exclusion. Support Document

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawe, Susan; Naidu, Radhika; Harris, Lee-Ann

2007-01-01

This document lists 198 studies with abstracts and reasons for exclusion in support of the main report, "Education and Training that Meets the Needs of Small Business: A Systematic Review of Research" (ED499699). [This work has been produced with funding provided through the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training. For a…

Ultrasound-assisted facile synthesis of a new tantalum(V) metal-organic framework nanostructure: Design, characterization, systematic study, and CO{sub 2} adsorption performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sargazi, Ghasem, E-mail: g.sargazi@gmail.com; Young Researchers Society, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran; Afzali, Daryoush, E-mail: daryoush_afzali@yahoo.com

2017-06-15

This work presents a fast route for the preparation of a new Ta(V) metal-organic framework nanostructure with high surface area, significant porosity, and small size distribution. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transition electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), CHNS/O elemental analyser, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis were applied to characterize the synthesized product. Moreover, the influences of ultrasonic irradiation including temperature, time, and power on different features of the final products were systematically studied using 2{sup k-1} factorial design experiments, and the response surfacemore » optimization was used for determining the best welding parameter combination. The results obtained from analyses of variances showed that ultrasonic parameters affected the size distribution, thermal behaviour, and surface area of Ta-MOF samples. Based on response surface methodology, Ta-MOF could be obtained with mean diameter of 55 nm, thermal stability of 228 °C, and high surface area of 2100 m{sup 2}/g. The results revealed that the synthesized products could be utilized in various applications such as a novel candidate for CO{sub 2} adsorption. - Graphical abstract: A facile route was used for fabrication of a new metal -organic framework based on tantalum nanostructures that have high surface area, considerable porosity, homogenous morphology, and small size distribution.« less

Endometriosis and obstetrics complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zullo, Fabrizio; Spagnolo, Emanuela; Saccone, Gabriele; Acunzo, Miriam; Xodo, Serena; Ceccaroni, Marcello; Berghella, Vincenzo

2017-10-01

To evaluate the effect of endometriosis on pregnancy outcomes. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Not applicable. Women with or without endometriosis. Electronic databases searched from their inception until February 2017 with no limit for language and with all cohort studies reporting the incidence of obstetric complications in women with a diagnosis of endometriosis compared with a control group (women without a diagnosis of endometriosis) included. Primary outcome of incidence of preterm birth at <37 weeks with meta-analysis performed using the random effects model of DerSimonian and Laird to produce an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Twenty-four studies were analyzed comprising 1,924,114 women. In most of them, the diagnosis of endometriosis was made histologically after surgery. Women with endometriosis had a statistically significantly higher risk of preterm birth (OR 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.01), miscarriage (OR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.29-2.37), placenta previa (OR 3.03; 95% CI, 1.50-6.13), small for gestational age (OR 1.27; 95% CI, 1.03-1.57), and cesarean delivery (OR 1.57; 95% CI, 1.39-1.78) compared with the healthy controls. No differences were found in the incidence of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Women with endometriosis have a statistically significantly higher risk of preterm birth, miscarriage, placenta previa, small for gestational age infants, and cesarean delivery. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of population-level physical activity interventions: a systematic review.

PubMed

Laine, Johanna; Kuvaja-Köllner, Virpi; Pietilä, Eija; Koivuneva, Mikko; Valtonen, Hannu; Kankaanpää, Eila

2014-01-01

This systematic review synthesizes the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of population-level interventions to promote physical activity. A systematic literature search was conducted between May and August 2013 in four databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. Only primary and preventive interventions aimed at promoting and maintaining physical activity in wide population groups were included. An economic evaluation of both effectiveness and cost was required. Secondary interventions and interventions targeting selected population groups or focusing on single individuals were excluded. Interventions were searched for in six different categories: (1) environment, (2) built environment, (3) sports clubs and enhanced access, (4) schools, (5) mass media and community-based, and (6) workplace. The systematic search yielded 2058 articles, of which 10 articles met the selection criteria. The costs of interventions were converted to costs per person per day in 2012 U.S. dollars. The physical activity results were calculated as metabolic equivalent of task hours (MET-hours, or MET-h) gained per person per day. Cost-effectiveness ratios were presented as dollars per MET-hours gained. The intervention scale and the budget impact of interventions were taken into account. The most efficient interventions to increase physical activity were community rail-trails ($.006/MET-h), pedometers ($.014/MET-h), and school health education programs ($.056/MET-h). Improving opportunities for walking and biking seems to increase physical activity cost-effectively. However, it is necessary to be careful in generalizing the results because of the small number of studies. This review provides important information for decision makers.

Determination of the influence of dispersion pattern of pesticide-resistant individuals on the reliability of resistance estimates using different sampling plans.

PubMed

Shah, R; Worner, S P; Chapman, R B

2012-10-01

Pesticide resistance monitoring includes resistance detection and subsequent documentation/ measurement. Resistance detection would require at least one (≥1) resistant individual(s) to be present in a sample to initiate management strategies. Resistance documentation, on the other hand, would attempt to get an estimate of the entire population (≥90%) of the resistant individuals. A computer simulation model was used to compare the efficiency of simple random and systematic sampling plans to detect resistant individuals and to document their frequencies when the resistant individuals were randomly or patchily distributed. A patchy dispersion pattern of resistant individuals influenced the sampling efficiency of systematic sampling plans while the efficiency of random sampling was independent of such patchiness. When resistant individuals were randomly distributed, sample sizes required to detect at least one resistant individual (resistance detection) with a probability of 0.95 were 300 (1%) and 50 (10% and 20%); whereas, when resistant individuals were patchily distributed, using systematic sampling, sample sizes required for such detection were 6000 (1%), 600 (10%) and 300 (20%). Sample sizes of 900 and 400 would be required to detect ≥90% of resistant individuals (resistance documentation) with a probability of 0.95 when resistant individuals were randomly dispersed and present at a frequency of 10% and 20%, respectively; whereas, when resistant individuals were patchily distributed, using systematic sampling, a sample size of 3000 and 1500, respectively, was necessary. Small sample sizes either underestimated or overestimated the resistance frequency. A simple random sampling plan is, therefore, recommended for insecticide resistance detection and subsequent documentation.

Topology of Large-Scale Structures of Galaxies in two Dimensions—Systematic Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Appleby, Stephen; Park, Changbom; Hong, Sungwook E.; Kim, Juhan

2017-02-01

We study the two-dimensional topology of galactic distribution when projected onto two-dimensional spherical shells. Using the latest Horizon Run 4 simulation data, we construct the genus of the two-dimensional field and consider how this statistic is affected by late-time nonlinear effects—principally gravitational collapse and redshift space distortion (RSD). We also consider systematic and numerical artifacts, such as shot noise, galaxy bias, and finite pixel effects. We model the systematics using a Hermite polynomial expansion and perform a comprehensive analysis of known effects on the two-dimensional genus, with a view toward using the statistic for cosmological parameter estimation. We find that the finite pixel effect is dominated by an amplitude drop and can be made less than 1% by adopting pixels smaller than 1/3 of the angular smoothing length. Nonlinear gravitational evolution introduces time-dependent coefficients of the zeroth, first, and second Hermite polynomials, but the genus amplitude changes by less than 1% between z = 1 and z = 0 for smoothing scales {R}{{G}}> 9 {Mpc}/{{h}}. Non-zero terms are measured up to third order in the Hermite polynomial expansion when studying RSD. Differences in the shapes of the genus curves in real and redshift space are small when we adopt thick redshift shells, but the amplitude change remains a significant ˜ { O }(10 % ) effect. The combined effects of galaxy biasing and shot noise produce systematic effects up to the second Hermite polynomial. It is shown that, when sampling, the use of galaxy mass cuts significantly reduces the effect of shot noise relative to random sampling.

Musician earplugs: Appreciation and protection

PubMed Central

Bockstael, Annelies; Keppler, Hannah; Botteldooren, Dick

2015-01-01

Recreational music exposure is a potential risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Augmented hearing protectors have been designed with modified attenuation characteristics to combine hearing protection and listening comfort. However, to date, only a few independent studies have assessed the performance of those augmented protectors in realistic exposure conditions. This study compares the listening experience and temporary effects on cochlear status with different types of earplugs after exposure to contemporary club music. Five different types of commercially available hearing protectors were worn, all commonly used during leisure-time music exposure. Four of them were augmented premolded earplugs and the fifth type was an inexpensive, standard earplug frequently distributed for free at music events. During five different test sessions of 30 min each, participants not professionally involved in music wore one particular type of protector. Contemporary club music was played at sound pressure levels (SPLs) representative of concerts and bars. After each listening session, a questionnaire on sound quality and general appreciation was completed. In addition, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) were measured directly before and after music exposure. The reported appreciation clearly differed depending on the addressed characteristics and the specific earplug type. In this test group, the reported appreciation mainly depended on comfort and looks, while differences in sound quality were less noticeable. The changes in OAE amplitude before and after noise exposure were small in terms of clinical standards. Nevertheless, the observed temporary shifts differed systematically for the different types of hearing protectors, with two types of musician earplug showing a more systematic decline than the others. Further research with respect to actual use and achieved protection for real, unsupervised music exposure is warranted. PMID:26168950

Musician earplugs: Appreciation and protection.

PubMed

Bockstael, Annelies; Keppler, Hannah; Botteldooren, Dick

2015-01-01

Recreational music exposure is a potential risk factor for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Augmented hearing protectors have been designed with modified attenuation characteristics to combine hearing protection and listening comfort. However, to date, only a few independent studies have assessed the performance of those augmented protectors in realistic exposure conditions. This study compares the listening experience and temporary effects on cochlear status with different types of earplugs after exposure to contemporary club music. Five different types of commercially available hearing protectors were worn, all commonly used during leisure-time music exposure. Four of them were augmented premolded earplugs and the fifth type was an inexpensive, standard earplug frequently distributed for free at music events. During five different test sessions of 30 min each, participants not professionally involved in music wore one particular type of protector. Contemporary club music was played at sound pressure levels (SPLs) representative of concerts and bars. After each listening session, a questionnaire on sound quality and general appreciation was completed. In addition, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) were measured directly before and after music exposure. The reported appreciation clearly differed depending on the addressed characteristics and the specific earplug type. In this test group, the reported appreciation mainly depended on comfort and looks, while differences in sound quality were less noticeable. The changes in OAE amplitude before and after noise exposure were small in terms of clinical standards. Nevertheless, the observed temporary shifts differed systematically for the different types of hearing protectors, with two types of musician earplug showing a more systematic decline than the others. Further research with respect to actual use and achieved protection for real, unsupervised music exposure is warranted.

Survival benefits from follow-up of patients with lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Calman, Lynn; Beaver, Kinta; Hind, Daniel; Lorigan, Paul; Roberts, Chris; Lloyd-Jones, Myfanwy

2011-12-01

The burden of lung cancer is high for patients and carers. Care after treatment may have the potential to impact on this. We reviewed the published literature on follow-up strategies intended to improve survival and quality of life. We systematically reviewed studies comparing follow-up regimes in lung cancer. Primary outcomes were overall survival (comparing more intensive versus less intensive follow-up) and survival comparing symptomatic with asymptomatic recurrence. Quality of life was identified as a secondary outcome measure. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals from eligible studies were synthesized. Nine studies that examined the role of more intensive follow-up for patients with lung cancer were included (eight observational studies and one randomized controlled trial). The studies of curative resection included patients with non-small cell lung cancer Stages I to III disease, and studies of palliative treatment follow-up included limited and extensive stage patients with small cell lung cancer. A total of 1669 patients were included in the studies. Follow-up programs were heterogeneous and multifaceted. A nonsignificant trend for intensive follow-up to improve survival was identified, for the curative intent treatment subgroup (HR: 0.83; 95% confidence interval: 0.66-1.05). Asymptomatic recurrence was associated with increased survival, which was statistically significant HR: 0.61 (0.50-0.74) (p < 0.01); quality of life was only assessed in one study. This meta-analysis must be interpreted with caution due to the potential for bias in the included studies: observed benefit may be due to systematic differences in outcomes rather than intervention effects. Some benefit was noted from intensive follow-up strategies. More robust data, in the form of randomized controlled trials, are needed to confirm these findings as the review is based primarily on observational studies. Future research should also include patient-centered outcomes to investigate the impact of follow-up regimes on living with lung cancer and psychosocial well-being.

Dose assessment in contrast enhanced digital mammography using simple phantoms simulating standard model breasts.

PubMed

Bouwman, R W; van Engen, R E; Young, K C; Veldkamp, W J H; Dance, D R

2015-01-07

Slabs of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or a combination of PMMA and polyethylene (PE) slabs are used to simulate standard model breasts for the evaluation of the average glandular dose (AGD) in digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). These phantoms are optimized for the energy spectra used in DM and DBT, which normally have a lower average energy than used in contrast enhanced digital mammography (CEDM). In this study we have investigated whether these phantoms can be used for the evaluation of AGD with the high energy x-ray spectra used in CEDM. For this purpose the calculated values of the incident air kerma for dosimetry phantoms and standard model breasts were compared in a zero degree projection with the use of an anti scatter grid. It was found that the difference in incident air kerma compared to standard model breasts ranges between -10% to +4% for PMMA slabs and between 6% and 15% for PMMA-PE slabs. The estimated systematic error in the measured AGD for both sets of phantoms were considered to be sufficiently small for the evaluation of AGD in quality control procedures for CEDM. However, the systematic error can be substantial if AGD values from different phantoms are compared.

Programmable shunt valves for the treatment of hydrocephalus: a systematic review.

PubMed

Xu, H; Wang, Z X; Liu, F; Tan, G W; Zhu, H W; Chen, D H

2013-09-01

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of programmable valves compared with non-programmable valves of hydrocephalus. In this paper, the authors report a systematic review and meta-analysis of complications and revision rate for programmable valves and non-programmable implantation. Randomized or non-randomized controlled trials of hydrocephalus treated by programmable and non-programmable valves were considered for inclusion. Seven published reports of eligible studies involving 1702 participants meet the inclusion criteria. Compared with non-programmable, programmable valves had no significant difference in catheter-related complications [RR = 0.88, 95%CI (0.66,1.19), p = 0.10] and infection rate [RR = 1.25, 95%CI (0.92,1.69), p = 1.00]. There were significant differences in overall complications [RR = 0.80, 95%CI (0.67,0.96), p < 0.01], over-drainage or under-drainage complications [RR = 0.44, 95%CI (0.31,0.63), p < 0.01] and revision rate [RR = 0.56, 95%CI (0.45,0.69), p < 0.01] in favor of programmable valves. Although the studies seem to demonstrate a small advantage for the programmable shunts, the probable bias and the difficulties in patient selection are too important to make a general conclusion. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

On the basis set convergence of electron–electron entanglement measures: helium-like systems

PubMed Central

Hofer, Thomas S.

2013-01-01

A systematic investigation of three different electron–electron entanglement measures, namely the von Neumann, the linear and the occupation number entropy at full configuration interaction level has been performed for the four helium-like systems hydride, helium, Li+ and Be2+ using a large number of different basis sets. The convergence behavior of the resulting energies and entropies revealed that the latter do in general not show the expected strictly monotonic increase upon increase of the one–electron basis. Overall, the three different entanglement measures show good agreement among each other, the largest deviations being observed for small basis sets. The data clearly demonstrates that it is important to consider the nature of the chemical system when investigating entanglement phenomena in the framework of Gaussian type basis sets: while in case of hydride the use of augmentation functions is crucial, the application of core functions greatly improves the accuracy in case of cationic systems such as Li+ and Be2+. In addition, numerical derivatives of the entanglement measures with respect to the nucleic charge have been determined, which proved to be a very sensitive probe of the convergence leading to qualitatively wrong results (i.e., the wrong sign) if too small basis sets are used. PMID:24790952

On the basis set convergence of electron-electron entanglement measures: helium-like systems.

PubMed

Hofer, Thomas S

2013-01-01

A systematic investigation of three different electron-electron entanglement measures, namely the von Neumann, the linear and the occupation number entropy at full configuration interaction level has been performed for the four helium-like systems hydride, helium, Li(+) and Be(2+) using a large number of different basis sets. The convergence behavior of the resulting energies and entropies revealed that the latter do in general not show the expected strictly monotonic increase upon increase of the one-electron basis. Overall, the three different entanglement measures show good agreement among each other, the largest deviations being observed for small basis sets. The data clearly demonstrates that it is important to consider the nature of the chemical system when investigating entanglement phenomena in the framework of Gaussian type basis sets: while in case of hydride the use of augmentation functions is crucial, the application of core functions greatly improves the accuracy in case of cationic systems such as Li(+) and Be(2+). In addition, numerical derivatives of the entanglement measures with respect to the nucleic charge have been determined, which proved to be a very sensitive probe of the convergence leading to qualitatively wrong results (i.e., the wrong sign) if too small basis sets are used.

Performance analysis for minimally nonlinear irreversible refrigerators at finite cooling power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Rui; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei

2018-04-01

The coefficient of performance (COP) for general refrigerators at finite cooling power have been systematically researched through the minimally nonlinear irreversible model, and its lower and upper bounds in different operating regions have been proposed. Under the tight coupling conditions, we have calculated the universal COP bounds under the χ figure of merit in different operating regions. When the refrigerator operates in the region with lower external flux, we obtained the general bounds (0 < ε <(√{ 9 + 8εC } - 3) / 2) under the χ figure of merit. We have also calculated the universal bounds for maximum gain in COP under different operating regions to give a further insight into the COP gain with the cooling power away from the maximum one. When the refrigerator operates in the region located between maximum cooling power and maximum COP with lower external flux, the upper bound for COP and the lower bound for relative gain in COP present large values, compared to a relative small loss from the maximum cooling power. If the cooling power is the main objective, it is desirable to operate the refrigerator at a slightly lower cooling power than at the maximum one, where a small loss in the cooling power induces a much larger COP enhancement.

Coupled Mo-U abundances and isotopes in a small marine euxinic basin: Constraints on processes in euxinic basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bura-Nakić, Elvira; Andersen, Morten B.; Archer, Corey; de Souza, Gregory F.; Marguš, Marija; Vance, Derek

2018-02-01

Sedimentary molybdenum (Mo) and uranium (U) abundances, as well as their isotope systematics, are used to reconstruct the evolution of the oxygenation state of the surface Earth from the geological record. Their utility in this endeavour must be underpinned by a thorough understanding of their behaviour in modern settings. In this study, Mo-U concentrations and their isotope compositions were measured in the water column, sinking particles, sediments and pore waters of the marine euxinic Lake Rogoznica (Adriatic Sea, Croatia) over a two year period, with the aim of shedding light on the specific processes that control Mo-U accumulation and isotope fractionations in anoxic sediment. Lake Rogoznica is a 15 m deep stratified sea-lake that is anoxic and euxinic at depth. The deep euxinic part of the lake generally shows Mo depletions consistent with near-quantitative Mo removal and uptake into sediments, with Mo isotope compositions close to the oceanic composition. The data also, however, show evidence for periodic additions of isotopically light Mo to the lake waters, possibly released from authigenic precipitates formed in the upper oxic layer and subsequently processed through the euxinic layer. The data also show evidence for a small isotopic offset (∼0.3‰ on 98Mo/95Mo) between particulate and dissolved Mo, even at highest sulfide concentrations, suggesting minor Mo isotope fractionation during uptake into euxinic sediments. Uranium concentrations decrease towards the bottom of the lake, where it also becomes isotopically lighter. The U systematics in the lake show clear evidence for a dominant U removal mechanism via diffusion into, and precipitation in, euxinic sediments, though the diffusion profile is mixed away under conditions of increased density stratification between an upper oxic and lower anoxic layer. The U diffusion-driven precipitation is best described with an effective 238U/235U fractionation of +0.6‰, in line with other studied euxinic basins. Combining the Mo and U systematics in Lake Rogoznica and other euxinic basins, it is apparent that the two different uptake mechanisms of U and Mo can lead to spatially and temporally variable Mo/U and Mo-U isotope systematics that depend on the rate of water renewal versus removal to sediment, the sulfide concentration, and the geometry of the basin. This study further emphasises the potential of combining multiple observations, from Mo-U enrichment and isotope systematics, for disentangling the various processes via which redox conditions control the chemistry of modern and ancient sediments.

A proteome-scale map of the human interactome network

PubMed Central

Rolland, Thomas; Taşan, Murat; Charloteaux, Benoit; Pevzner, Samuel J.; Zhong, Quan; Sahni, Nidhi; Yi, Song; Lemmens, Irma; Fontanillo, Celia; Mosca, Roberto; Kamburov, Atanas; Ghiassian, Susan D.; Yang, Xinping; Ghamsari, Lila; Balcha, Dawit; Begg, Bridget E.; Braun, Pascal; Brehme, Marc; Broly, Martin P.; Carvunis, Anne-Ruxandra; Convery-Zupan, Dan; Corominas, Roser; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin; Dann, Elizabeth; Dreze, Matija; Dricot, Amélie; Fan, Changyu; Franzosa, Eric; Gebreab, Fana; Gutierrez, Bryan J.; Hardy, Madeleine F.; Jin, Mike; Kang, Shuli; Kiros, Ruth; Lin, Guan Ning; Luck, Katja; MacWilliams, Andrew; Menche, Jörg; Murray, Ryan R.; Palagi, Alexandre; Poulin, Matthew M.; Rambout, Xavier; Rasla, John; Reichert, Patrick; Romero, Viviana; Ruyssinck, Elien; Sahalie, Julie M.; Scholz, Annemarie; Shah, Akash A.; Sharma, Amitabh; Shen, Yun; Spirohn, Kerstin; Tam, Stanley; Tejeda, Alexander O.; Trigg, Shelly A.; Twizere, Jean-Claude; Vega, Kerwin; Walsh, Jennifer; Cusick, Michael E.; Xia, Yu; Barabási, Albert-László; Iakoucheva, Lilia M.; Aloy, Patrick; De Las Rivas, Javier; Tavernier, Jan; Calderwood, Michael A.; Hill, David E.; Hao, Tong; Roth, Frederick P.; Vidal, Marc

2014-01-01

SUMMARY Just as reference genome sequences revolutionized human genetics, reference maps of interactome networks will be critical to fully understand genotype-phenotype relationships. Here, we describe a systematic map of ~14,000 high-quality human binary protein-protein interactions. At equal quality, this map is ~30% larger than what is available from small-scale studies published in the literature in the last few decades. While currently available information is highly biased and only covers a relatively small portion of the proteome, our systematic map appears strikingly more homogeneous, revealing a “broader” human interactome network than currently appreciated. The map also uncovers significant inter-connectivity between known and candidate cancer gene products, providing unbiased evidence for an expanded functional cancer landscape, while demonstrating how high quality interactome models will help “connect the dots” of the genomic revolution. PMID:25416956

Causal learning with local computations.

PubMed

Fernbach, Philip M; Sloman, Steven A

2009-05-01

The authors proposed and tested a psychological theory of causal structure learning based on local computations. Local computations simplify complex learning problems via cues available on individual trials to update a single causal structure hypothesis. Structural inferences from local computations make minimal demands on memory, require relatively small amounts of data, and need not respect normative prescriptions as inferences that are principled locally may violate those principles when combined. Over a series of 3 experiments, the authors found (a) systematic inferences from small amounts of data; (b) systematic inference of extraneous causal links; (c) influence of data presentation order on inferences; and (d) error reduction through pretraining. Without pretraining, a model based on local computations fitted data better than a Bayesian structural inference model. The data suggest that local computations serve as a heuristic for learning causal structure. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Methodology for astronaut reconditioning research.

PubMed

Beard, David J; Cook, Jonathan A

2017-01-01

Space medicine offers some unique challenges, especially in terms of research methodology. A specific challenge for astronaut reconditioning involves identification of what aspects of terrestrial research methodology hold and which require modification. This paper reviews this area and presents appropriate solutions where possible. It is concluded that spaceflight rehabilitation research should remain question/problem driven and is broadly similar to the terrestrial equivalent on small populations, such as rare diseases and various sports. Astronauts and Medical Operations personnel should be involved at all levels to ensure feasibility of research protocols. There is room for creative and hybrid methodology but careful systematic observation is likely to be more achievable and fruitful than complex trial based comparisons. Multi-space agency collaboration will be critical to pool data from small groups of astronauts with the accepted use of standardised outcome measures across all agencies. Systematic reviews will be an essential component. Most limitations relate to the inherent small sample size available for human spaceflight research. Early adoption of a co-operative model for spaceflight rehabilitation research is therefore advised. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of water-soluble contrast medium (gastrografin) does not decrease the need for operative intervention nor the duration of hospital stay in uncomplicated acute adhesive small bowel obstruction? A multicenter, randomized, clinical trial (Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Study) and systematic review.

PubMed

Scotté, Michel; Mauvais, Francois; Bubenheim, Michael; Cossé, Cyril; Suaud, Leslie; Savoye-Collet, Celine; Plenier, Isabelle; Péquignot, Aurelien; Yzet, Thierry; Regimbeau, Jean Marc

2017-05-01

This study evaluated the association between oral gastrografin administration and the need for operative intervention in patients with presumed adhesive small bowel obstruction. Between October 2006 and August 2009, 242 patients with uncomplicated acute adhesive small bowel obstruction were included in a randomized, controlled trial (the Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction Study, NCT00389116) and allocated to a gastrografin arm or a saline solution arm. The primary end point was the need for operative intervention within 48 hours of randomization. The secondary end points were the resection rate, the time interval between the initial computed tomography and operative intervention, the time interval between oral refeeding and discharge, risk factors for the failure of nonoperative management, in-hospital mortality, duration of stay, and recurrence or death after discharge. We performed a systematic review of the literature in order to evaluate the relationship between use of gastrografin as a diagnostic/therapeutic measure, the need for operative intervention, and the duration of stay. In the gastrografin and saline solution arms, the rate of operative intervention was 24% and 20%, respectively, the bowel resection rate was 8% and 4%, the time interval between the initial computed tomography and operative intervention, and the time interval between oral refeeding and discharge were similar in the 2 arms. Only age was identified as a potential risk factor for the failure of nonoperative management. The in-hospital mortality was 2.5%, the duration of stay was 3.8 days for patients in the gastrografin arm and 3.5 days for those in the saline solution arm (P = .19), and the recurrence rate of adhesive small bowel obstruction was 7%. These results and those of 10 published studies suggest that gastrografin did not decrease either the rate of operative intervention (21% in the saline solution arm vs 26% in the gastrografin arm) or the number of days from the initial computed tomography to discharge (3.5 vs 3.5; P = NS for both). The results of the present study and those of our systematic review suggest that gastrografin administration is of no benefit in patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Performance assessment of small-package-class nonintrusive inspection systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spradling, Michael L.; Hyatt, Roger

1997-02-01

The DoD Counterdrug Technology Development Program has addressed the development and demonstration of technology to enhance nonintrusive inspection of small packages such as passenger baggage, commercially delivered parcels, and breakbulk cargo items. Within the past year they have supported several small package-class nonintrusive inspection system performance assessment activities. All performance assessment programs involved the use of a red/blue team concept and were conducted in accordance with approved assessment protocols. This paper presents a discussion related to the systematic performance assessment of small package-class nonintrusive inspection technologies, including transmission, backscatter and computed tomography x-ray imaging, and protocol-related considerations for the assessment of these systems.

Is the treatment of the small saphenous veins with foam sclerotherapy at risk of deep vein thrombosis?

PubMed

Gillet, J L; Lausecker, M; Sica, M; Guedes, J M; Allaert, F A

2014-10-01

To assess the deep vein thrombosis risk of the treatment of the small saphenous veins depending on the anatomical pattern of the veins. A multicenter, prospective and controlled study was carried out in which small saphenous vein trunks were treated with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy. The anatomical pattern (saphenopopliteal junction, perforators) was assessed by Duplex ultrasound before the treatment. All patients were systematically checked by Duplex ultrasound 8 to 30 days after the procedure to identify a potential deep vein thrombosis. Three hundred and thirty-one small saphenous veins were treated in 22 phlebology clinics. No proximal deep vein thrombosis occurred. Two (0.6%) medial gastrocnemius veins thrombosis occurred in symptomatic patients. Five medial gastrocnemius veins thrombosis and four cases of extension of the small saphenous vein sclerosis into the popliteal vein, which all occurred when the small saphenous vein connected directly into the popliteal vein, were identified by systematic Duplex ultrasound examination in asymptomatic patients. Medial gastrocnemius veins thrombosis were more frequent (p = 0.02) in patients with medial gastrocnemius veins perforator. A common outlet or channel between the small saphenous vein and the medial gastrocnemius veins did not increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis after foam sclerotherapy of the small saphenous vein are very rare. Only 0.6% medial gastrocnemius veins thrombosis occurred in symptomatic patients. However, the anatomical pattern of the small saphenous vein should be taken into account and patients with medial gastrocnemius veins perforators and the small saphenous vein connected directly into the popliteal vein should be checked by Duplex ultrasound one or two weeks after the procedure. Recommendations based on our everyday practice and the findings of this study are suggested to prevent and treat deep vein thrombosis. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Evaluating morphometric body mass prediction equations with a juvenile human test sample: accuracy and applicability to small-bodied hominins.

PubMed

Walker, Christopher S; Yapuncich, Gabriel S; Sridhar, Shilpa; Cameron, Noël; Churchill, Steven E

2018-02-01

Body mass is an ecologically and biomechanically important variable in the study of hominin biology. Regression equations derived from recent human samples allow for the reasonable prediction of body mass of later, more human-like, and generally larger hominins from hip joint dimensions, but potential differences in hip biomechanics across hominin taxa render their use questionable with some earlier taxa (i.e., Australopithecus spp.). Morphometric prediction equations using stature and bi-iliac breadth avoid this problem, but their applicability to early hominins, some of which differ in both size and proportions from modern adult humans, has not been demonstrated. Here we use mean stature, bi-iliac breadth, and body mass from a global sample of human juveniles ranging in age from 6 to 12 years (n = 530 age- and sex-specific group annual means from 33 countries/regions) to evaluate the accuracy of several published morphometric prediction equations when applied to small humans. Though the body proportions of modern human juveniles likely differ from those of small-bodied early hominins, human juveniles (like fossil hominins) often differ in size and proportions from adult human reference samples and, accordingly, serve as a useful model for assessing the robustness of morphometric prediction equations. Morphometric equations based on adults systematically underpredict body mass in the youngest age groups and moderately overpredict body mass in the older groups, which fall in the body size range of adult Australopithecus (∼26-46 kg). Differences in body proportions, notably the ratio of lower limb length to stature, influence predictive accuracy. Ontogenetic changes in these body proportions likely influence the shift in prediction error (from under- to overprediction). However, because morphometric equations are reasonably accurate when applied to this juvenile test sample, we argue these equations may be used to predict body mass in small-bodied hominins, despite the potential for some error induced by differing body proportions and/or extrapolation beyond the original reference sample range. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Low-Cost Environmental Monitoring System: How to Prevent Systematic Errors in the Design Phase through the Combined Use of Additive Manufacturing and Thermographic Techniques.

PubMed

Salamone, Francesco; Danza, Ludovico; Meroni, Italo; Pollastro, Maria Cristina

2017-04-11

nEMoS (nano Environmental Monitoring System) is a 3D-printed device built following the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach. It can be connected to the web and it can be used to assess indoor environmental quality (IEQ). It is built using some low-cost sensors connected to an Arduino microcontroller board. The device is assembled in a small-sized case and both thermohygrometric sensors used to measure the air temperature and relative humidity, and the globe thermometer used to measure the radiant temperature, can be subject to thermal effects due to overheating of some nearby components. A thermographic analysis was made to rule out this possibility. The paper shows how the pervasive technique of additive manufacturing can be combined with the more traditional thermographic techniques to redesign the case and to verify the accuracy of the optimized system in order to prevent instrumental systematic errors in terms of the difference between experimental and actual values of the above-mentioned environmental parameters.

Virtual Reality and Medical Inpatients: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Dascal, Julieta; Reid, Mark; IsHak, Waguih William; Spiegel, Brennan; Recacho, Jennifer; Rosen, Bradley

2017-01-01

Objective: We evaluated the evidence supporting the use of virtual reality among patients in acute inpatient medical settings. Method: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials conducted that examined virtual reality applications in inpatient medical settings between 2005 and 2015. We used PsycINFO, PubMed, and Medline databases to identify studies using the keywords virtual reality, VR therapy, treatment, and inpatient. Results: We identified 2,024 citations, among which 11 met criteria for inclusion. Studies addressed three general areas: pain management, eating disorders, and cognitive and motor rehabilitation. Studies were small and heterogeneous and utilized different designs and measures. Virtual reality was generally well tolerated by patients, and a majority of studies demonstrated clinical efficacy. Studies varied in quality, as measured by an evaluation metric developed by Reisch, Tyson, and Mize (average quality score=0.87; range=0.78–0.96). Conclusion: Virtual reality is a promising intervention with several potential applications in the inpatient medical setting. Studies to date demonstrate some efficacy, but there is a need for larger, well-controlled studies to show clinical and cost-effectiveness. PMID:28386517

Family interventions in traumatized immigrants and refugees: A systematic review.

PubMed

Slobodin, Ortal; de Jong, Joop T V M

2015-12-01

The importance of the family as a unit in the aftermath of trauma necessitates the use of family interventions among immigrants and refugees. While abundant clinical material suggests that family-based trauma interventions are applicable across cultures, very little is known about the extent to which family treatment modalities are effective for immigrants and refugees. We conducted a systematic review of intervention studies that have been designed or modified specifically for traumatized immigrant and refugee families. The terms "trauma," "family," and "immigrants/refugees/culture" were used along with different terms for "intervention." Studies with no research methodology were excluded. Only 6 experimental studies met our inclusion criteria; 4 of them describe school-based interventions and 2 present multifamily support groups. The shortage of research in this area does not allow clear conclusions about the effectiveness of family interventions for traumatized immigrants or refugees. The complexity of employing methodologically rigorous research in small communities is discussed. Future trials should go beyond the individualistic approach and focus on posttraumatic stress disorder to address family-level processes, such as family relationship, communication, and resilience. © The Author(s) 2015.

Virtual Reality and Medical Inpatients: A Systematic Review of Randomized, Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Dascal, Julieta; Reid, Mark; IsHak, Waguih William; Spiegel, Brennan; Recacho, Jennifer; Rosen, Bradley; Danovitch, Itai

2017-01-01

Objective: We evaluated the evidence supporting the use of virtual reality among patients in acute inpatient medical settings. Method: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials conducted that examined virtual reality applications in inpatient medical settings between 2005 and 2015. We used PsycINFO, PubMed, and Medline databases to identify studies using the keywords virtual reality , VR therapy , treatment , and inpatient. Results: We identified 2,024 citations, among which 11 met criteria for inclusion. Studies addressed three general areas: pain management, eating disorders, and cognitive and motor rehabilitation. Studies were small and heterogeneous and utilized different designs and measures. Virtual reality was generally well tolerated by patients, and a majority of studies demonstrated clinical efficacy. Studies varied in quality, as measured by an evaluation metric developed by Reisch, Tyson, and Mize (average quality score=0.87; range=0.78-0.96). Conclusion: Virtual reality is a promising intervention with several potential applications in the inpatient medical setting. Studies to date demonstrate some efficacy, but there is a need for larger, well-controlled studies to show clinical and cost-effectiveness.

More reliable inference for the dissimilarity index of segregation

PubMed Central

Allen, Rebecca; Burgess, Simon; Davidson, Russell; Windmeijer, Frank

2015-01-01

Summary The most widely used measure of segregation is the so‐called dissimilarity index. It is now well understood that this measure also reflects randomness in the allocation of individuals to units (i.e. it measures deviations from evenness, not deviations from randomness). This leads to potentially large values of the segregation index when unit sizes and/or minority proportions are small, even if there is no underlying systematic segregation. Our response to this is to produce adjustments to the index, based on an underlying statistical model. We specify the assignment problem in a very general way, with differences in conditional assignment probabilities underlying the resulting segregation. From this, we derive a likelihood ratio test for the presence of any systematic segregation, and bias adjustments to the dissimilarity index. We further develop the asymptotic distribution theory for testing hypotheses concerning the magnitude of the segregation index and show that the use of bootstrap methods can improve the size and power properties of test procedures considerably. We illustrate these methods by comparing dissimilarity indices across school districts in England to measure social segregation. PMID:27774035

A Systematic Review of the Literature on Cystic Echinococcosis Frequency Worldwide and Its Associated Clinical Manifestations

PubMed Central

Budke, Christine M.; Carabin, Hélène; Ndimubanzi, Patrick C.; Nguyen, Hai; Rainwater, Elizabeth; Dickey, Mary; Bhattarai, Rachana; Zeziulin, Oleksandr; Qian, Men-Bao

2013-01-01

A systematic literature review of cystic echinoccocosis (CE) frequency and symptoms was conducted. Studies without denominators, original data, or using one serological test were excluded. Random-effect log-binomial models were run for CE frequency and proportion of reported symptoms where appropriate. A total of 45 and 25 articles on CE frequency and symptoms met all inclusion criteria. Prevalence of CE ranged from 1% to 7% in community-based studies and incidence rates ranged from 0 to 32 cases per 100,000 in hospital-based studies. The CE prevalence was higher in females (Prevalence Proportion Ratio: 1.35 [95% Bayesian Credible Interval: 1.16–1.53]) and increased with age. The most common manifestations of hepatic and pulmonary CE were abdominal pain (57.3% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.3–76.1%]) and cough (51.3% [95% CI: 35.7–66.7%]), respectively. The results are limited by the small number of unbiased studies. Nonetheless, the age/gender prevalence differences could be used to inform future models of CE burden. PMID:23546806

A systematic review of the literature on cystic echinococcosis frequency worldwide and its associated clinical manifestations.

PubMed

Budke, Christine M; Carabin, Hélène; Ndimubanzi, Patrick C; Nguyen, Hai; Rainwater, Elizabeth; Dickey, Mary; Bhattarai, Rachana; Zeziulin, Oleksandr; Qian, Men-Bao

2013-06-01

A systematic literature review of cystic echinoccocosis (CE) frequency and symptoms was conducted. Studies without denominators, original data, or using one serological test were excluded. Random-effect log-binomial models were run for CE frequency and proportion of reported symptoms where appropriate. A total of 45 and 25 articles on CE frequency and symptoms met all inclusion criteria. Prevalence of CE ranged from 1% to 7% in community-based studies and incidence rates ranged from 0 to 32 cases per 100,000 in hospital-based studies. The CE prevalence was higher in females (Prevalence Proportion Ratio: 1.35 [95% Bayesian Credible Interval: 1.16-1.53]) and increased with age. The most common manifestations of hepatic and pulmonary CE were abdominal pain (57.3% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 37.3-76.1%]) and cough (51.3% [95% CI: 35.7-66.7%]), respectively. The results are limited by the small number of unbiased studies. Nonetheless, the age/gender prevalence differences could be used to inform future models of CE burden.

A Low-Cost Environmental Monitoring System: How to Prevent Systematic Errors in the Design Phase through the Combined Use of Additive Manufacturing and Thermographic Techniques

PubMed Central

Salamone, Francesco; Danza, Ludovico; Meroni, Italo; Pollastro, Maria Cristina

2017-01-01

nEMoS (nano Environmental Monitoring System) is a 3D-printed device built following the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach. It can be connected to the web and it can be used to assess indoor environmental quality (IEQ). It is built using some low-cost sensors connected to an Arduino microcontroller board. The device is assembled in a small-sized case and both thermohygrometric sensors used to measure the air temperature and relative humidity, and the globe thermometer used to measure the radiant temperature, can be subject to thermal effects due to overheating of some nearby components. A thermographic analysis was made to rule out this possibility. The paper shows how the pervasive technique of additive manufacturing can be combined with the more traditional thermographic techniques to redesign the case and to verify the accuracy of the optimized system in order to prevent instrumental systematic errors in terms of the difference between experimental and actual values of the above-mentioned environmental parameters. PMID:28398225

Form and Objective of the Decision Rule in Absolute Identification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balakrishnan, J. D.

1997-01-01

In several conditions of a line length identification experiment, the subjects' decision making strategies were systematically biased against the responses on the edges of the stimulus range. When the range and number of the stimuli were small, the bias caused the percentage of correct responses to be highest in the center and lowest on the extremes of the range. Two general classes of decision rules that would explain these results are considered. The first class assumes that subjects intend to adopt an optimal decision rule, but systematically misrepresent one or more parameters of the decision making context. The second class assumes that subjects use a different measure of performance than the one assumed by the experimenter: instead of maximizing the chances of a correct response, the subject attempts to minimize the expected size of the response error (a "fidelity criterion"). In a second experiment, extended experience and feedback did not diminish the bias effect, but explicitly penalizing all response errors equally, regardless of their size, did reduce or eliminate it in some subjects. Both results favor the fidelity criterion over the optimal rule.

Challenging mental health related stigma in China: Systematic review and meta-analysis. I. Interventions among the general public.

PubMed

Xu, Ziyan; Rüsch, Nicolas; Huang, Fangfang; Kösters, Markus

2017-09-01

Mental illness stigma is widely endorsed by the general public in China. Evidence-based anti-stigma interventions to reduce public stigma are needed. However, most studies on the efficacy of anti-stigma interventions took place in Western countries and existing Chinese studies were often not included in recent systematic reviews. This review evaluates the efficacy of anti-stigma interventions among the general population in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. Eight databases in English and Chinese were searched for randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. Subgroup analyses compared interventions with and without consumer contact. Standardized mean differences were calculated from eligible studies where possible. We included 9 trials involving 2041 participants. Interventions yielded a small effect on stereotypes reduction and a similar effect on improving mental health literacy. No study assessed discrimination outcomes. Interventions with consumer contact were not superior to those without. There were insufficient data on medium and long term effects. Heterogeneity across studies was moderate. Quality of studies was modest. Further research using rigorous methods is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Swallowing function and chronic respiratory diseases: Systematic review.

PubMed

Ghannouchi, Ines; Speyer, Renée; Doma, Kenji; Cordier, Reinie; Verin, Eric

2016-08-01

The precise coordination between breathing and swallowing is an important mechanism to prevent pulmonary aspiration. Factors that alter breathing patterns and ventilation, such as chronic respiratory diseases, may influence that precise coordination of breathing and swallowing. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the effects of chronic respiratory diseases on swallowing function. Literature searches were performed using the electronic databases PubMed and Embase. All articles meeting the eligibility criteria up to March 2016 were included. All articles included studied Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); no studies involving other respiratory diseases were found. A total of 1069 abstracts were retrieved, of which twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria; eleven studies dealt with OSA and fifteen studies dealt with COPD. The outcome data indicate that chronic respiratory diseases increase the prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) in patients. However, the relative small number of studies, differences in selection criteria, definitions and assessment techniques used for diagnosing OSA, COPD, and OD point to the need for further research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Erratum: Measurement of azimuthal asymmetries in inclusive production of hadron pairs in e⁺e⁻ annihilation at √s=10.58 GeV [Phys. Rev. D 78, 032011 (2008)

DOE PAGES

Seidl, R.; Grosse Perdekamp, M.; Ogawa, A.; ...

2012-08-09

In the original article, it was found in Monte Carlo simulations that the reconstructed A₀ results are roughly consistent with the generated asymmetries, while the A₁₂ results systematically underestimate the generated asymmetries. This underestimation can be attributed to the difference between the reconstructed thrust axis and the original quark-antiquark axis. The corresponding correction factors are 1.6 ± 0.04 for the A₁₂ results and 1.11 ± 0.05 for the A₀ results. Because of a flaw in the original analysis program, these correction factors were not applied to the A UC-type asymmetries in Table V as well as in some figures. Inmore » addition, a small mistake in the error propagation in the charm correction resulted in slightly underestimated statistical uncertainties. These omissions affect all but the charm asymmetry results. The correct central values are therefore given in Tables IV and V of this Erratum. The systematic uncertainties of the original publication remain unchanged.« less

Does providing dental services reduce overall health care costs?: A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Elani, Hawazin W; Simon, Lisa; Ticku, Shenam; Bain, Paul A; Barrow, Jane; Riedy, Christine A

2018-06-01

The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature to assess the impact of dental treatment on overall health care costs for patients with chronic health conditions and patients who were pregnant. The authors searched multiple databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source from the earliest date available through May 2017. Two reviewers conducted the initial screening of all retrieved titles and abstracts, read the full text of the eligible studies, and conducted data extraction and quality assessment of included studies. The authors found only 3 published studies that examined the effect of periodontal treatment on health care costs using medical and dental claims data from different insurance databases. Findings from the qualitative synthesis of those studies were inconclusive as 1 of the 3 studies showed a cost increase, whereas 2 studies showed a decrease. The small number of studies and their mixed outcomes demonstrate the need for high-quality studies to evaluate the effect of periodontal intervention on overall health care costs. Copyright © 2018 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adsorption configurations and scanning voltage determined STM images of small hydrogen clusters on bilayer graphene.

PubMed

Cao, Teng Fei; Huang, Liang Feng; Zheng, Xiao Hong; Zhou, Wang Huai; Zeng, Zhi

2013-11-21

By density functional theory calculations, the scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of various hydrogen clusters adsorbed on bilayer-graphene are systematically simulated. The hydrogen configurations of the STM images observed in the experiments have been thoroughly figured out. In particular, two kinds of hydrogen dimers (ortho-dimer, para-dimer) and two kinds of tetramers (tetramer-A, -B) are determined to be the hydrogen configurations corresponding to the ellipsoidal-like STM images with different structures and sizes. One particular hexamer (hexamer-B) is the hydrogen configuration generating the star-like STM images. For each hydrogen cluster, the simulated STM images show unique voltage-dependent features, which provides a feasible way to determine hydrogen adsorption states on graphene or graphite surface in the experiments by varying-voltage measurements. Stability analysis proves that the above determined hydrogen configurations are quite stable on graphene, hence they are likely to be detected in the STM experiments. Consequently, through systematic analysis of the STM images and the stability of hydrogen clusters on bilayer graphene, many experimental observations have been consistently explained.

CRISPR Approaches to Small Molecule Target Identification. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

A long-standing challenge in drug development is the identification of the mechanisms of action of small molecules with therapeutic potential. A number of methods have been developed to address this challenge, each with inherent strengths and limitations. We here provide a brief review of these methods with a focus on chemical-genetic methods that are based on systematically profiling the effects of genetic perturbations on drug sensitivity.

NATpipe: an integrative pipeline for systematical discovery of natural antisense transcripts (NATs) and phase-distributed nat-siRNAs from de novo assembled transcriptomes

PubMed Central

Yu, Dongliang; Meng, Yijun; Zuo, Ziwei; Xue, Jie; Wang, Huizhong

2016-01-01

Nat-siRNAs (small interfering RNAs originated from natural antisense transcripts) are a class of functional small RNA (sRNA) species discovered in both plants and animals. These siRNAs are highly enriched within the annealed regions of the NAT (natural antisense transcript) pairs. To date, great research efforts have been taken for systematical identification of the NATs in various organisms. However, developing a freely available and easy-to-use program for NAT prediction is strongly demanded by researchers. Here, we proposed an integrative pipeline named NATpipe for systematical discovery of NATs from de novo assembled transcriptomes. By utilizing sRNA sequencing data, the pipeline also allowed users to search for phase-distributed nat-siRNAs within the perfectly annealed regions of the NAT pairs. Additionally, more reliable nat-siRNA loci could be identified based on degradome sequencing data. A case study on the non-model plant Dendrobium officinale was performed to illustrate the utility of NATpipe. Finally, we hope that NATpipe would be a useful tool for NAT prediction, nat-siRNA discovery, and related functional studies. NATpipe is available at www.bioinfolab.cn/NATpipe/NATpipe.zip. PMID:26858106

Using Multiple Types of Studies in Systematic Reviews of Health Care Interventions – A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Peinemann, Frank; Tushabe, Doreen Allen; Kleijnen, Jos

2013-01-01

Background A systematic review may evaluate different aspects of a health care intervention. To accommodate the evaluation of various research questions, the inclusion of more than one study design may be necessary. One aim of this study is to find and describe articles on methodological issues concerning the incorporation of multiple types of study designs in systematic reviews on health care interventions. Another aim is to evaluate methods studies that have assessed whether reported effects differ by study types. Methods and Findings We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Methodology Register on 31 March 2012 and identified 42 articles that reported on the integration of single or multiple study designs in systematic reviews. We summarized the contents of the articles qualitatively and assessed theoretical and empirical evidence. We found that many examples of reviews incorporating multiple types of studies exist and that every study design can serve a specific purpose. The clinical questions of a systematic review determine the types of design that are necessary or sufficient to provide the best possible answers. In a second independent search, we identified 49 studies, 31 systematic reviews and 18 trials that compared the effect sizes between randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials, which were statistically different in 35%, and not different in 53%. Twelve percent of studies reported both, different and non-different effect sizes. Conclusions Different study designs addressing the same question yielded varying results, with differences in about half of all examples. The risk of presenting uncertain results without knowing for sure the direction and magnitude of the effect holds true for both nonrandomized and randomized controlled trials. The integration of multiple study designs in systematic reviews is required if patients should be informed on the many facets of patient relevant issues of health care interventions. PMID:24416098

Measurement of high-degree solar oscillation frequencies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachmann, K. T.; Duvall, T. L., Jr.; Harvey, J. W.; Hill, F.

1995-01-01

We present m-averaged solar p- and f-mode oscillation frequencies over the frequency range nu greater than 1.8 and less than 5.0 mHz and the spherical harmonic degree range l greater than or equal to 100 and less than or equal to 1200 from full-disk, 1000 x 1024 pixel, Ca II intensity images collected 1993 June 22-25 with a temporal cadence of 60 s. We itemize the sources and magnitudes of statistical and systematic uncertainties and of small frequency corrections, and we show that our frequencies represent an improvement in accuracy and coverage over previous measurements. Our frequencies agree at the 2 micro Hz level with Mount Wilson frequencies determined for l less than or equal to 600 from full-disk images, and we find systematic offsets of 10-20 micro Hz with respect to frequencies measured from Big Bear and La Palma observations. We give evidence that these latter offsets are indicative of spatial scaling uncertainties associated with the analysis of partial-disk images. In comparison with theory, our p-mode frequencies agree within 10 micro Hz of frequencies predicted by the Los Alamos model but are as much as 100 micro Hz smaller than frequencies predicted by the Denmark and Yale models at degrees near 1000. We also find systematic differences between our n = 0 frequencies and the frequencies closely agreed upon by all three models.

The effect of exercise on fatigue and physical functioning in breast cancer patients during and after treatment and at 6 months follow-up: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Juvet, L K; Thune, I; Elvsaas, I K Ø; Fors, E A; Lundgren, S; Bertheussen, G; Leivseth, G; Oldervoll, L M

2017-06-01

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer in women worldwide. Exercise interventions may improve physical and psychological factors during and after active breast cancer treatment. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the current knowledge regarding the efficacy of physical exercise with respect to fatigue and self-reported physical functioning. Systematic searches in Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, Cinahl, PsycINFO, AMED and PEDro. After assessing the quality of the studies, we identified 25 randomized controlled trials that included 3418 breast cancer patients. An increase in physical functioning and a decrease in fatigue were observed after a physical exercise intervention, with an SMD of 0.27 (0.12, 0.41) and -0.32 (-0.49, - 0.14), respectively. There were slightly higher improvements in physical functioning and fatigue when the patients received the intervention after adjuvant breast cancer treatment. The 6-month follow-up data showed a small favourable difference for the physical exercise group for both physical functioning and fatigue. This systematic review found that an exercise intervention program can produce short-term improvements in physical functioning and can reduce fatigue in breast cancer patients. However, more studies are needed to confirm the time-dependent observations in this study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Systematics in Telescope Time Allocation at ESO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patat, F.

2016-09-01

The results of a comprehensive statistical analysis of gender systematics in the time allocation process at ESO are presented. The sample on which the study is based includes more than 13 000 Normal and Short proposals, submitted by about 3000 principal investigators (PI) over eight years. The genders of PIs, and of the panel members of the Observing Programmes Committee (OPC), were used, together with their career level, to analyse the grade distributions and the proposal success rates. Proposals submitted by female PIs show a significantly lower probability of being allocated time. The proposal success rates (defined as number of top ranked runs over requested runs) are 16.0 ± 0.6% and 22.0 ± 0.4% for females and males, respectively. To a significant extent the disparity is related to different input distributions in terms of career level. The seniority of male PIs is significantly higher than that of female PIs, with only 34% of the female PIs being professionally employed astronomers (compared to 53% for male PIs). A small, but statistically significant, gender-dependent behaviour is measured for the OPC referees: both genders show the same systematics, but they are larger for males than females. The PI female/male fraction is very close to 30/70; although far from parity, the fraction is higher than that observed, for instance, among IAU membership.

Risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in bipolar disorder: a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Prieto, M.L.; Cuéllar-Barboza, A.B.; Bobo, W.V.; Roger, V.L.; Bellivier, F.; Leboyer, M.; West, C.P.; Frye, M.A.

2016-01-01

Objective To review the evidence on and estimate the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in bipolar disorder. Method A systematic search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and bibliographies (1946 – May, 2013) was conducted. Case-control and cohort studies of bipolar disorder patients age 15 or older with myocardial infarction or stroke as outcomes were included. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed quality. Estimates of effect were summarized using random-effects meta-analysis. Results Five cohort studies including 13 115 911 participants (27 092 bipolar) were included. Due to the use of registers, different statistical methods, and inconsistent adjustment for confounders, there was significant methodological heterogeneity among studies. The exploratory meta-analysis yielded no evidence for a significant increase in the risk of myocardial infarction: [relative risk (RR): 1.09, 95% CI 0.96–1.24, P = 0.20; I2 = 6%]. While there was evidence of significant study heterogeneity, the risk of stroke in bipolar disorder was significantly increased (RR 1.74, 95% CI 1.29–2.35; P = 0.0003; I2 = 83%). Conclusion There may be a differential risk of myocardial infarction and stroke in patients with bipolar disorder. Confidence in these pooled estimates was limited by the small number of studies, significant heterogeneity and dissimilar methodological features. PMID:24850482

Multivariate Analysis of Two-Dimensional 1H, 13C Methyl NMR Spectra of Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics To Facilitate Assessment of Higher Order Structure.

PubMed

Arbogast, Luke W; Delaglio, Frank; Schiel, John E; Marino, John P

2017-11-07

Two-dimensional (2D) 1 H- 13 C methyl NMR provides a powerful tool to probe the higher order structure (HOS) of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), since spectra can readily be acquired on intact mAbs at natural isotopic abundance, and small changes in chemical environment and structure give rise to observable changes in corresponding spectra, which can be interpreted at atomic resolution. This makes it possible to apply 2D NMR spectral fingerprinting approaches directly to drug products in order to systematically characterize structure and excipient effects. Systematic collections of NMR spectra are often analyzed in terms of the changes in specifically identified peak positions, as well as changes in peak height and line widths. A complementary approach is to apply principal component analysis (PCA) directly to the matrix of spectral data, correlating spectra according to similarities and differences in their overall shapes, rather than according to parameters of individually identified peaks. This is particularly well-suited for spectra of mAbs, where some of the individual peaks might not be well resolved. Here we demonstrate the performance of the PCA method for discriminating structural variation among systematic sets of 2D NMR fingerprint spectra using the NISTmAb and illustrate how spectral variability identified by PCA may be correlated to structure.

Maternal mortality as a Millennium Development Goal of the United Nations: a systematic assessment and analysis of available data in threshold countries using Indonesia as example

PubMed Central

Reinke, Evelyn; Supriyatiningsih; Haier, Jörg

2017-01-01

Background In 2015 the proposed period ended for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of the United Nations targeting to lower maternal mortality worldwide by ~ 75%. 99% of these cases appear in developing and threshold countries; but reports mostly rely on incomplete or unrepresentative data. Using Indonesia as example, currently available data sets for maternal mortality were systematically reviewed. Methods Besides analysis of international and national data resources, a systematic review was carried out according to Cochrane methodology to identify all data and assessments regarding maternal mortality. Results Overall, primary data on maternal mortality differed significantly and were hardly comparable. For 1990 results varied between 253/100 000 and 446/100 000. In 2013 data appeared more conclusive (140–199/100 000). An annual reduction rate (ARR) of –2.8% can be calculated. Conclusion Reported data quality of maternal mortality in Indonesia is very limited regarding comprehensive availability and methodology. This limitation appears to be of general importance for the targeted countries of the MDG. Primary data are rare, not uniformly obtained and not evaluated by comparable methods resulting in very limited comparability. Continuous small data set registration should have high priority for analysis of maternal health activities. PMID:28400953

Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Medicinal Herbs for the Treatment of Hyperuricemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Lin, Jianping; Chen, Shaoqing; Li, Shuzhen; Lu, Meili

2016-01-01

Background. Chinese medicinal herbs may be useful for the treatment of hyperuricemia, but there has been no systematic assessment of their efficacy and safety. Objectives. To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicinal herbs for the treatment of hyperuricemia. Methods. Six electronic databases were searched from their inception to December 2015. Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were included. Cochrane criteria were applied to assess the risk of bias. Data analysis was performed using RevMan software version 5.2. Results. Eleven RCTs with 838 patients were included. There was no significant difference in serum uric acid between Chinese medicinal herbs and traditional Western medicine (SME: 0.19, 95% CI: −0.04 to 0.43; p = 0.10). In terms of overall efficacy, the Chinese medicinal herbs were significantly superior to Western medicine (RR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.17; p = 0.0007). The Chinese medicinal herbs were better than Western medicine in reducing the adverse reactions (RR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.62; p = 0.001). And all these funnel plots showed unlikelihood of publishing bias. Conclusions. The results indicate that Chinese medicinal herbs may have greater overall efficacy with fewer adverse drug reactions, although the evidence is weak owing to the low methodological quality and the small number of the included trials. PMID:27818696

The effectiveness of individual interpersonal psychotherapy as a treatment for major depressive disorder in adult outpatients: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Hees, Madelon L J M; Rotter, Thomas; Ellermann, Tim; Evers, Silvia M A A

2013-01-11

This systematic review describes a comparison between several standard treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) in adult outpatients, with a focus on interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Systematic searches of PubMed and PsycINFO studies between January 1970 and August 2012 were performed to identify (C-)RCTs, in which MDD was a primary diagnosis in adult outpatients receiving individual IPT as a monotherapy compared to other forms of psychotherapy and/or pharmacotherapy. 1233 patients were included in eight eligible studies, out of which 854 completed treatment in outpatient facilities. IPT combined with nefazodone improved depressive symptoms significantly better than sole nefazodone, while undefined pharmacotherapy combined with clinical management improved symptoms better than sole IPT. IPT or imipramine hydrochloride with clinical management showed a better outcome than placebo with clinical management. Depressive symptoms were reduced more in CBASP (cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy) patients in comparison with IPT patients, while IPT reduced symptoms better than usual care and wait list condition. The differences between treatment effects are very small and often they are not significant. Psychotherapeutic treatments such as IPT and CBT, and/or pharmacotherapy are recommended as first-line treatments for depressed adult outpatients, without favoring one of them, although the individual preferences of patients should be taken into consideration in choosing a treatment.

Probiotics in management of hepatic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Sharma, Barjesh Chander; Singh, Jatinderpal

2016-12-01

Gut microflora leads to production of ammonia and endotoxins which play important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). There is relationship between HE and absorption of nitrogenous substances from the intestines. Probiotics play a role in treatment of HE by causing alterations in gut flora by decreasing the counts of pathogen bacteria, intestinal mucosal acidification, decrease in production and absorption of ammonia, alterations in permeability of gut, decreased endotoxin levels and changes in production of short chain fatty acids. Role of gut microbiota using prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics have been evaluated in the management of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), overt HE and prevention of HE. Many studies have shown efficacy of probiotics in reduction of blood ammonia levels, treatment of MHE and prevention of HE. However these trials have problems like inclusion of small number of patients, short treatment durations, variability in HE/MHE related outcomes utilized and high bias risk, errors of systematic and random types. Systematic reviews also have shown different results with one systematic review showing clinical benefits whereas another concluded that probiotics do not have any role in treatment of MHE or HE. Also practical questions on optimal dose, ideal combination of organisms, and duration of treatment and persistence of benefits on long term follow-up are still to be clarified. At present, there are no recommendations for use of probiotics in patients with HE.

Methodological quality evaluation of systematic reviews or meta-analyses on ERCC1 in non-small cell lung cancer: a systematic review.

PubMed

Tao, Huan; Zhang, Yueyuan; Li, Qian; Chen, Jin

2017-11-01

To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) or meta-analysis concerning the predictive value of ERCC1 in platinum chemotherapy of non-small cell lung cancer. We searched the PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane library, international prospective register of systematic reviews, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang and VIP database for SRs or meta-analysis. The methodological quality of included literatures was evaluated by risk of bias in systematic review (ROBIS) scale. Nineteen eligible SRs/meta-analysis were included. The most frequently searched databases were EMbase (74%), PubMed, Medline and CNKI. Fifteen SRs did additional retrieval manually, but none of them retrieved the registration platform. 47% described the two-reviewers model in the screening for eligible original articles, and seven SRs described the two reviewers to extract data. In methodological quality assessment, inter-rater reliability Kappa was 0.87 between two reviewers. Research question were well related to all SRs in phase 1 and the eligibility criteria was suitable for each SR, and rated as 'low' risk bias. But the 'high' risk bias existed in all the SRs regarding methods used to identify and/or select studies, and data collection and study appraisal. More than two-third of SRs or meta-analysis were finished with high risk of bias in the synthesis, findings and the final phase. The study demonstrated poor methodological quality of SRs/meta-analysis assessing the predictive value of ERCC1 in chemotherapy among the NSCLC patients, especially the high performance bias. Registration or publishing the protocol is recommended in future research.

Effect of breast feeding in infancy on blood pressure in later life: systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Owen, Christopher G; Whincup, Peter H; Gilg, Julie A; Cook, Derek G

2003-01-01

Objective To determine whether breast feeding in infancy compared with bottle feeding formula milk is associated with lower mean blood pressure at different ages. Design Systematic review. Data sources Embase, Medline, and Web of Science databases. Study selection Studies showing the effects of feeding in infancy on blood pressure at different ages. Data extraction Pooled mean differences in blood pressure between breast fed infants and those bottle fed formula milk, based on random effects models. Data synthesis The pooled mean difference in systolic blood pressure was -1.10 mm Hg (95% confidence interval -1.79 to -0.42 mm Hg) but with significant heterogeneity between estimates (P < 0.001). The difference was largest in studies of < 300 participants (-2.05 mm Hg, -3.30 to -0.80 mm Hg), intermediate in studies of 300-1000 participants (1.13 mm Hg, -2.53 to 0.27 mm Hg), and smallest in studies of > 1000 participants (-0.16 mm Hg, -0.60 to 0.28 mm Hg). An Egger test but not Begg test was statistically significant for publication bias. The difference was unaltered by adjustment for current size and was independent of age at measurement of blood pressure and year of birth. Diastolic blood pressure was not significantly related to type of feeding in infancy. Conclusions Selective publication of small studies with positive findings may have exaggerated claims that breast feeding in infancy reduces systolic blood pressure in later life. The results of larger studies suggest that feeding in infancy has at most a modest effect on blood pressure, which is of limited clinical or public health importance. PMID:14630752

Eye Movements to Natural Images as a Function of Sex and Personality

PubMed Central

Mercer Moss, Felix Joseph; Baddeley, Roland; Canagarajah, Nishan

2012-01-01

Women and men are different. As humans are highly visual animals, these differences should be reflected in the pattern of eye movements they make when interacting with the world. We examined fixation distributions of 52 women and men while viewing 80 natural images and found systematic differences in their spatial and temporal characteristics. The most striking of these was that women looked away and usually below many objects of interest, particularly when rating images in terms of their potency. We also found reliable differences correlated with the images' semantic content, the observers' personality, and how the images were semantically evaluated. Information theoretic techniques showed that many of these differences increased with viewing time. These effects were not small: the fixations to a single action or romance film image allow the classification of the sex of an observer with 64% accuracy. While men and women may live in the same environment, what they see in this environment is reliably different. Our findings have important implications for both past and future eye movement research while confirming the significant role individual differences play in visual attention. PMID:23248740

A systematic review of probable posttraumatic stress disorder in first responders following man-made mass violence.

PubMed

Wilson, Laura C

2015-09-30

The current study was a systematic review examining probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in first responders following man-made mass violence. A systematic literature search yielded 20 studies that fit the inclusion criteria. The prevalence rates of probable PTSD across all 20 studies ranged from 1.3% to 22.0%. Fifteen of the 20 articles focused on first responders following the September 11th terrorist attacks and many of the studies used the same participant recruitment pools. Overall, the results of the systematic review described here suggest that our understanding of PTSD in first responders following man-made mass violence is based on a very small set of articles that have focused on a few particular events. This paper is meant to serve as a call for additional research and to encourage more breadth in the specific incidents that are examined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Excitation energy shift and size difference of low-energy levels in p -shell Λ hypernuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanada-En'yo, Yoshiko

2018-02-01

Structures of low-lying 0 s -orbit Λ states in p -shell Λ hypernuclei (ZAΛ) are investigated by applying microscopic cluster models for nuclear structure and a single-channel folding potential model for a Λ particle. For A >10 systems, the size reduction of core nuclei is small, and the core polarization effect is regarded as a higher-order perturbation in the Λ binding. The present calculation qualitatively describes the systematic trend of experimental data for excitation energy change from Z-1A to ZAΛ, in A >10 systems. The energy change shows a clear correlation with the nuclear size difference between the ground and excited states. In Li7Λ and Be9Λ, the significant shrinkage of cluster structures occurs consistently with the prediction of other calculations.

Between-individual comparisons in performance evaluation: a perspective from prospect theory.

PubMed

Wong, Kin Fai Ellick; Kwong, Jessica Y Y

2005-03-01

This article examines how between-individual comparisons influence performance evaluations in rating tasks. The authors demonstrated a systematic change in the perceived difference across ratees as a result of changing the way performance information is expressed. Study 1 found that perceived performance difference between 2 individuals was greater when their objective performance levels were presented with small numbers (e.g., absence rates of 2% vs. 5%) than when they were presented with large numbers (e.g., attendance rates of 98% vs. 95%). Extending this finding to situations involving trade-offs between multiple performance attributes across ratees, Study 2 showed that the relative preference for 1 ratee over another actually reversed when the presentation format of the performance information changed. The authors draw upon prospect theory to offer a theoretical framework describing the between-individual comparison aspect of performance evaluation.

Turbulent convection in liquid metal with and without rotation

PubMed Central

King, Eric M.; Aurnou, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

The magnetic fields of Earth and other planets are generated by turbulent, rotating convection in liquid metal. Liquid metals are peculiar in that they diffuse heat more readily than momentum, quantified by their small Prandtl numbers, . Most analog models of planetary dynamos, however, use moderate fluids, and the systematic influence of reducing is not well understood. We perform rotating Rayleigh–Bénard convection experiments in the liquid metal gallium over a range of nondimensional buoyancy forcing and rotation periods (E). Our primary diagnostic is the efficiency of convective heat transfer . In general, we find that the convective behavior of liquid metal differs substantially from that of moderate fluids, such as water. In particular, a transition between rotationally constrained and weakly rotating turbulent states is identified, and this transition differs substantially from that observed in moderate fluids. This difference, we hypothesize, may explain the different classes of magnetic fields observed on the Gas and Ice Giant planets, whose dynamo regions consist of and fluids, respectively. PMID:23569262

Quantification of free convection effects on 1 kg mass standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiber, M.; Emran, M. S.; Fröhlich, T.; Schumacher, J.; Thess, A.

2015-12-01

We determine the free-convection effects and the resulting mass differences in a high-precision mass comparator for cylindrical and spherical 1 kg mass standards at different air pressures. The temperature differences are chosen in the millikelvin range and lead to microgram updrafts. Our studies reveal a good agreement between the measurements and direct numerical simulations of the Boussinesq equations of free thermal convection. A higher sensitivity to the free convection effects is found for the spherical case compared to the cylindrical one. We also translate our results on the free convection effects into a form which is used in fluid mechanics: a dimensionless updraft coefficient as a function of the dimensionless Grashof number Gr that quantifies the thermal driving due to temperature differences. This relation displays a unique scaling behavior over nearly four decades in Gr and levels off into geometry-specific constants for the very small Grashof numbers. The obtained results provide a rational framework for estimating systematic errors in mass metrology due to the effects of free convection.

Identification of very small open reading frames in the genomes of Holmes Jungle virus, Ord River virus, and Wongabel virus of the genus Hapavirus, family Rhabdoviridae

PubMed Central

Gubala, Aneta; Walsh, Susan; McAllister, Jane; Weir, Richard; Davis, Steven; Melville, Lorna; Mitchell, Ian; Bulach, Dieter; Gauci, Penny; Skvortsov, Alex; Boyle, David

2017-01-01

Viruses of the family Rhabdoviridae infect a broad range of hosts from a variety of ecological and geographical niches, including vertebrates, arthropods, and plants. The arthropod-transmitted members of this family display considerable genetic diversity and remarkable genomic flexibility that enable coding for various accessory proteins in different locations of the genome. Here, we describe the genome of Holmes Jungle virus, isolated from Culex annulirostris mosquitoes collected in northern Australia, and make detailed comparisons with the closely related Ord River and Wongabel viruses, with a focus on identifying very small open reading frames (smORFs) in their genomes. This is the first systematic prediction of smORFs in rhabdoviruses, emphasising the intricacy of the rhabdovirus genome and the knowledge gaps. We speculate that these smORFs may be of importance to the life cycle of the virus in the arthropod vector. PMID:28747815

Operational momentum in large-number addition and subtraction by 9-month-olds.

PubMed

McCrink, Koleen; Wynn, Karen

2009-08-01

Recent studies on nonsymbolic arithmetic have illustrated that under conditions that prevent exact calculation, adults display a systematic tendency to overestimate the answers to addition problems and underestimate the answers to subtraction problems. It has been suggested that this operational momentum results from exposure to a culture-specific practice of representing numbers spatially; alternatively, the mind may represent numbers in spatial terms from early in development. In the current study, we asked whether operational momentum is present during infancy, prior to exposure to culture-specific representations of numbers. Infants (9-month-olds) were shown videos of events involving the addition or subtraction of objects with three different types of outcomes: numerically correct, too large, and too small. Infants looked significantly longer only at those incorrect outcomes that violated the momentum of the arithmetic operation (i.e., at too-large outcomes in subtraction events and too-small outcomes in addition events). The presence of operational momentum during infancy indicates developmental continuity in the underlying mechanisms used when operating over numerical representations.

Engineering prokaryotic transcriptional activators as metabolite biosensors in yeast.

PubMed

Skjoedt, Mette L; Snoek, Tim; Kildegaard, Kanchana R; Arsovska, Dushica; Eichenberger, Michael; Goedecke, Tobias J; Rajkumar, Arun S; Zhang, Jie; Kristensen, Mette; Lehka, Beata J; Siedler, Solvej; Borodina, Irina; Jensen, Michael K; Keasling, Jay D

2016-11-01

Whole-cell biocatalysts have proven a tractable path toward sustainable production of bulk and fine chemicals. Yet the screening of libraries of cellular designs to identify best-performing biocatalysts is most often a low-throughput endeavor. For this reason, the development of biosensors enabling real-time monitoring of production has attracted attention. Here we applied systematic engineering of multiple parameters to search for a general biosensor design in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on small-molecule binding transcriptional activators from the prokaryote superfamily of LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs). We identified a design supporting LTTR-dependent activation of reporter gene expression in the presence of cognate small-molecule inducers. As proof of principle, we applied the biosensors for in vivo screening of cells producing naringenin or cis,cis-muconic acid at different levels, and found that reporter gene output correlated with production. The transplantation of prokaryotic transcriptional activators into the eukaryotic chassis illustrates the potential of a hitherto untapped biosensor resource useful for biotechnological applications.

Characterization of white poplar and eucalyptus after ionic liquid pretreatment as a function of biomass loading using X-ray diffraction and small angle neutron scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuan, Xueming; Duan, Yonghao; He, Lilin

A systematic study was done to understand interactions among biomass loading during ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment, biomass type and biomass structures. White poplar and eucalyptus samples were pretreated using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimOAc) at 110 °C for 3 h at biomass loadings of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt%. All of the samples were chemically characterized and tested for enzymatic hydrolysis. Physical structures including biomass crystallinity and porosity were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), respectively. SANS detected pores of radii ranging from ~25 to 625 Å, enabling assessment of contributions of pores with different sizes to increased porositymore » after pretreatment. Contrasting dependences of sugar conversion on white poplar and eucalyptus as a function of biomass loading were observed and cellulose crystalline structure was found to play an important role.« less

Sensory Guillain-Barré syndrome and related disorders: an attempt at systematization.

PubMed

Uncini, Antonino; Yuki, Nobuhiro

2012-04-01

The possibility that some patients diagnosed with an acute sensory neuropathy could actually have Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been repeatedly advanced in the literature, but the number of cases reported is small. The reports have shown different clinical presentations and electrophysiological findings and are variously named, thus generating terminological and nosological confusion. We operatively defined sensory GBS as an acute, monophasic, widespread neuropathy characterized clinically by exclusive sensory symptoms and signs that reach their nadir in a maximum of 6 weeks without related systemic disorders and other diseases or conditions. We reviewed the literature through searches of PubMed from 1980 to March 2011 and our own files. On the basis of the size of fibers involved and the possible site of primary damage, we propose tentatively classifying sensory GBS and related disorders into three subtypes: acute sensory demyelinating polyneuropathy; acute sensory large-fiber axonopathy-ganglionopathy; and acute sensory small-fiber neuropathy-ganglionopathy. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ϕ Meson Measurements at RHIC with the PHENIX Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarsour, Murad

2018-02-01

The measurement of ϕ mesons provides key information on the phase of the hot and dense medium created in the relativistic heavy ion collisions. It has a relatively small hadronic interaction cross section and is sensitive to the increase of strangeness (strangeness enhancement), a phenomenon associated with soft particles in bulk matter. Measurements in the dilepton channels are especially interesting since leptons interact only electromagnetically, thus carrying the information from their production phase directly to the detector. Measurements in different nucleus-nucleus collisions allow us to perform a systematic study of the nuclear medium effects on ϕ meson production. The PHENIX detector provides the capabilities to measure the ϕ meson production in a wide range of transverse momentum and rapidity to study these effects. In this proceeding, we present measurements of the ϕ mesons in a variety of collision systems at = 200 GeV. In case of small systems, the data are compared with AMPT calculations to study the various cold nuclear medium effects involved in ϕ meson production.

A Small Mission Featuring an Imaging X-ray Polarimeter with High Sensitivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisskopf, Martin C.; Baldini, Luca; Bellazini, Ronaldo; Brez, Alessandro; Costa, Enrico; Dissley, Richard; Elsner, Ronald; Fabiani, Sergio; Matt, Giorgio; Minuti, Massimo;

Characterization of white poplar and eucalyptus after ionic liquid pretreatment as a function of biomass loading using X-ray diffraction and small angle neutron scattering.

PubMed

Yuan, Xueming; Duan, Yonghao; He, Lilin; Singh, Seema; Simmons, Blake; Cheng, Gang

2017-05-01

A systematic study was performed to understand interactions among biomass loading during ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment, biomass type and biomass structures. White poplar and eucalyptus samples were pretreated using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EmimOAc) at 110°C for 3h at biomass loadings of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25wt%. All of the samples were chemically characterized and tested for enzymatic hydrolysis. Physical structures including biomass crystallinity and porosity were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS), respectively. SANS detected pores of radii ranging from ∼25 to 625Å, enabling assessment of contributions of pores with different sizes to increased porosity after pretreatment. Contrasting dependences of sugar conversion on white poplar and eucalyptus as a function of biomass loading were observed and cellulose crystalline structure was found to play an important role. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kolodrubetz, Daniel W.; Pietrulewicz, Piotr; Stewart, Iain W.

To predict the jet mass spectrum at a hadron collider it is crucial to account for the resummation of logarithms between the transverse momentum of the jet and its invariant mass m J . For small jet areas there are additional large logarithms of the jet radius R, which affect the convergence of the perturbative series. We present an analytic framework for exclusive jet production at the LHC which gives a complete description of the jet mass spectrum including realistic jet algorithms and jet vetoes. It factorizes the scales associated with m J , R, and the jet veto, enablingmore » in addition the systematic resummation of jet radius logarithms in the jet mass spectrum beyond leading logarithmic order. We discuss the factorization formulae for the peak and tail region of the jet mass spectrum and for small and large R, and the relations between the different regimes and how to combine them. Regions of experimental interest are classified which do not involve large nonglobal logarithms. We also present universal results for nonperturbative effects and discuss various jet vetoes.« less

Can Grafts Provide Superior Tendon Healing and Clinical Outcomes After Rotator Cuff Repairs?

PubMed Central

Ono, Yohei; Dávalos Herrera, Diego Alejandro; Woodmass, Jarret M.; Boorman, Richard S.; Thornton, Gail M.; Lo, Ian K. Y.

2016-01-01

Background: Arthroscopic repair of large to massive rotator cuff tears commonly retear. To improve healing rates, a number of different approaches have been utilized, including the use of grafts, which may enhance the biomechanical and biologic aspects of the repair construct. However, the outcomes after the use of grafts are diverse. Purpose: To systematically review the literature for large to massive rotator cuff tears to determine whether the use of grafts generally provides superior tendon healing and clinical outcomes to the repairs without grafts. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed. Clinical studies comparing the repairs with (graft group) and without grafts (control group) were included and analyzed. The primary outcome was tendon healing on either magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound. The secondary outcome measures included visual analog scale for pain, University of California at Los Angles (UCLA) score, and forward elevation range. Differences between groups in all outcome measures were statistically analyzed. Results: Six comparative studies (level of evidence 2 or 3) with 13 study groups were included. A total of 242 repairs in the graft group (mean age, 62.5 ± 4.6 years) and 185 repairs in the control group (mean age, 62.5 ± 5.0 years) were analyzed. The graft types utilized included autograft (fascia lata) in 1 study, allograft (human dermis) in 2 studies, xenograft (bovine pericardium, porcine small intestine submucosa) in 2 studies, synthetic graft (polypropylene) in 1 study, and a combination of autograft (the long head of biceps) and synthetic graft (polypropylene) in 1 study. The overall mean follow-up time was 28.4 ± 9.0 months. When 1 or 2 studies/study groups were excluded due to practical or statistical reasons, the graft group demonstrated significantly improved healing (odds ratio, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.58-3.90; P < .0001) and all clinical outcome measures at final follow-up (P ≤ .02). Conclusion: The use of grafts generally provides superior tendon healing and clinical outcomes compared to repairs without grafts, except for some specific graft types (eg, porcine small intestine submucosa, bovine pericardium). Further investigations are required to determine the benefits of the use of grafts. PMID:28203585

The role of social support on physical activity behaviour in adolescent girls: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Laird, Yvonne; Fawkner, Samantha; Kelly, Paul; McNamee, Lily; Niven, Ailsa

2016-07-07

Adolescent girls have been targeted as a priority group for promoting physical activity levels however it is unclear how this can be achieved. There is some evidence to suggest that social support could impact the physical activity levels of adolescent girls, although the relationship is complex and not well understood. We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyse the relationship between social support and physical activity in adolescent girls, exploring how different types and providers of social support might influence the relationship. Articles were identified through a systematic search of the literature using 14 electronic databases, personal resources, grey literature, and reference lists of included studies and previous reviews. Search terms representing social support, physical activity and adolescent girls were identified and used in various combinations to form a search strategy which was adapted for different databases. Cross-sectional or longitudinal articles published in English that reported an association between social support and physical activity in adolescent girls between the ages of 10 to 19 years were included. Studies that focused only on clinical or overweight populations were excluded. Data extraction was carried out by one reviewer using an electronic extraction form. A random 25 % of included articles were selected for data extraction by a second reviewer to check fidelity. Risk of bias was assessed using a custom tool informed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Cohort Study Checklist in conjunction with data extraction. Cross-sectional results were meta-analysed and longitudinal results were presented narratively. Small but significant associations between all available providers of total social support (except teachers) and physical activity were found (r = .14-.24). Small but significant associations were also identified for emotional, instrumental and modelling support for some providers of support (r = .10-.21). Longitudinal research supported the cross-sectional analyses. Many of the meta-analysis results suggested high heterogeneity and there was some evidence of publication bias, therefore, the meta-analysis results should be interpreted with caution. In conclusion, the meta-analysis results suggest that social support is not a strong predictor of physical activity in adolescent girls though parents and friends may have a role in enhancing PA. PROSPERO 2014: CRD42014006738.

Interventions for non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: systematic review and pooled analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Lansbury, Louise; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Perkins, William; Stanton, Wendy; Leonardi-Bee, Jo

2013-11-04

To assess the effects of treatments for non-metastatic invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin using evidence from observational studies, given the paucity of evidence from randomised controlled trials. Systematic review of observational studies. Medline, Embase, to December 2012. Observational studies of interventions for primary, non-metastatic, invasive, SCC of the skin that reported recurrence during follow-up, quality of life, initial response to treatment, adverse events, cosmetic appearance, or death from disease. Studies were excluded if data for primary cutaneous SCC was not separable from other data. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Meta-analysis was performed where appropriate using a random effects model to estimate the pooled proportion of an event with 95% confidence intervals. 118 publications were included, covering seven treatment modalities. Pooled estimates of recurrence of SCCs were lowest after cryotherapy (0.8% (95% confidence interval 0.1% to 2%)) and curettage and electrodesiccation (1.7% (0.5% to 3.4%)), but most treated SCCs were small, low risk lesions. After Mohs micrographic surgery, the pooled estimate of local recurrence during variable follow-up periods from 10 studies was 3.0% (2.2% to 3.9%), which was non-significantly lower than the pooled average local recurrence of 5.4% (2.5% to 9.1%) after standard surgical excision (12 studies), and 6.4% (3.0% to 11.0%) after external radiotherapy (7 studies). After an apparently successful initial response of SCCs to photodynamic therapy, pooled average recurrence of 26.4% (12.3% to 43.7%; 8 studies) was significantly higher than other treatments. Evidence was limited for laser treatment (1 study) and for topical and systemic treatments (mostly single case reports or small non-comparative series with limited follow-up). Many observational studies have looked at different treatment modalities for SCC, but the evidence base for the effectiveness of these interventions is poor. Comparison of outcomes after different treatments should be interpreted cautiously owing to biases inherent in the types of study included, and lack of direct comparisons to enable the estimation of relative treatment effect. Further evidence is needed to develop a prognostic model and stratify individuals at high risk of developing SCC, to improve the evidence base for this common cancer and to optimise clinical management. International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number CRD42011001450.

Therapeutic benefit of balneotherapy and hydrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a qualitative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction In the present systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the effectiveness of different forms of balneotherapy (BT) and hydrotherapy (HT) in the management of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Methods A systematic literature search was conducted through April 2013 (Medline via Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, and CAMBASE). Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Results Meta-analysis showed moderate-to-strong evidence for a small reduction in pain (SMD −0.42; 95% CI [−0.61, −0.24]; P < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) with regard to HT (8 studies, 462 participants; 3 low-risk studies, 223 participants), and moderate-to-strong evidence for a small improvement in health-related quality of life (HRQOL; 7 studies, 398 participants; 3 low-risk studies, 223 participants) at the end of treatment (SMD −0.40; 95% CI [−0.62, −0.18]; P = 0.0004; I2 = 15%). No effect was seen at the end of treatment for depressive symptoms and tender point count (TPC). BT in mineral/thermal water (5 studies, 177 participants; 3 high-risk and 2 unclear risk studies) showed moderate evidence for a medium-to-large size reduction in pain and TPC at the end of treatment: SMD −0.84; 95% CI [−1.36, −0.31]; P = 0.002; I2 = 63% and SMD −0.83; 95% CI [−1.42, −0.24]; P = 0.006; I2 = 71%. After sensitivity analysis, and excluding one study, the effect size for pain decreased: SMD −0.58; 95% CI [−0.91, −0.26], P = 0.0004; I2 = 0. Moderate evidence is given for a medium improvement of HRQOL (SMD −0.78; 95% CI [−1.13, −0.43]; P < 0.0001; I2 = 0%). A significant effect on depressive symptoms was not found. The improvements for pain could be maintained at follow-up with smaller effects. Conclusions High-quality studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the therapeutic benefit of BT and HT, with focus on long-term results and maintenance of the beneficial effects. PMID:25000940

[Audit and feedback, and continuous quality improvement strategies to improve the quality of care for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of literature].

PubMed

Vecchi, Simona; Agabiti, Nera; Mitrova, Susanna; Cacciani, Laura; Amato, Laura; Davoli, Marina; Bargagli, Anna Maria

2016-01-01

we analysed evidence on effective interventions to improve the quality of care and management in patients with diabetes type 2. This review focuses particularly on audit and feedback intervention, targeted to healthcare providers, and continuous quality improvement (CQI) involving health professionals and health care systems, respectively. we searched The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMBASE (search period: January 2005-December 2015) to identify systematic reviews (SR) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) considering patients' outcomes and process measures as quality indicators in diabetes care. Selection of studies and data extraction were carried out independently by two reviewers. Methodological quality of individual studies was assessed using the checklist «Assessment of methodological quality of systematic review» (AMSTAR) and the Cochrane's tool, respectively. We produced summaries of results for each study design. the search process resulted in 810 citations. One SR and 7 RCTs that compared any intervention in which audit and feedback and CQI was a component vs. other interventions were selected. The SR found that audit and feedback activity was associated with improvements of glycaemic (mean difference: 0.26; 95%CI 0.08;0.44) and cholesterol control (mean difference: 0.03; 95%CI -0.04;0.10). CQI interventions were not associated with an improvement of quality of diabetes care. The RCTs considered in this review compared a broad range of interventions including feedback as unique activity or as part of more complex strategies. The methodological quality was generally poor in all the included trials. the available evidence suggests that audit and feedback and CQI improve quality of care in diabetic patients, although the effect is small and heterogeneous among process and outcomes indicators.

The effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Cui, Dong; Han, GuangWei; Shang, YongGang; Mu, LiJun; Long, QingZhi; Du, YueFeng

2015-01-01

Prostatitis is a common disease in urology departments. Prostatic zinc accumulation is connected with the secretory function of the prostate, and zinc concentrations present in prostatic diseases differ greatly from the normal level. Studies have investigated the effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma, but have shown inconsistent results. Hence, we performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of chronic prostatitis on the zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma. Systematic literature searches were conducted with PubMed, Embase, Science Direct/Elsevier, CNKI and the Cochrane Library up to March 2015 for case-control studies that involved the relationship between chronic prostatitis and zinc concentration of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma. Meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager and Stata software. Standard mean differences (SMDs) of zinc concentration were identified with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) in a random- or fixed-effects model. Our results illustrated that the zinc concentrations in prostatic fluid and seminal plasma from chronic prostatitis patients were significantly lower than normal controls (SMD [95% CI] -246.71 [-347.97, -145.44], -20.74 [-35.11, -6.37], respectively). The sample size of each study was relatively small, and a total of 731 chronic prostatitis patients and 574 normal controls were investigated in all fourteen studies. Several studies related to the subject were excluded due to lack of control data or means and standard deviations. The present study illustrates that there was a significant negative effect of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentrations of prostatic fluid and seminal plasma. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to better illuminate the negative impact of chronic prostatitis on zinc concentrations.

Temperature equilibration rate with Fermi-Dirac statistics.

PubMed

Brown, Lowell S; Singleton, Robert L

2007-12-01

We calculate analytically the electron-ion temperature equilibration rate in a fully ionized, weakly to moderately coupled plasma, using an exact treatment of the Fermi-Dirac electrons. The temperature is sufficiently high so that the quantum-mechanical Born approximation to the scattering is valid. It should be emphasized that we do not build a model of the energy exchange mechanism, but rather, we perform a systematic first principles calculation of the energy exchange. At the heart of this calculation lies the method of dimensional continuation, a technique that we borrow from quantum field theory and use in a different fashion to regulate the kinetic equations in a consistent manner. We can then perform a systematic perturbation expansion and thereby obtain a finite first-principles result to leading and next-to-leading order. Unlike model building, this systematic calculation yields an estimate of its own error and thus prescribes its domain of applicability. The calculational error is small for a weakly to moderately coupled plasma, for which our result is nearly exact. It should also be emphasized that our calculation becomes unreliable for a strongly coupled plasma, where the perturbative expansion that we employ breaks down, and one must then utilize model building and computer simulations. Besides providing different and potentially useful results, we use this calculation as an opportunity to explain the method of dimensional continuation in a pedagogical fashion. Interestingly, in the regime of relevance for many inertial confinement fusion experiments, the degeneracy corrections are comparable in size to the subleading quantum correction below the Born approximation. For consistency, we therefore present this subleading quantum-to-classical transition correction in addition to the degeneracy correction.

Anxiety and depression comorbidities in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fond, Guillaume; Loundou, Anderson; Hamdani, Nora; Boukouaci, Wahid; Dargel, Aroldo; Oliveira, José; Roger, Matthieu; Tamouza, Ryad; Leboyer, Marion; Boyer, Laurent

2014-12-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has been associated with high prevalence of psychological disorders. However, it remains unclear whether IBS and each of its subtypes (predominant diarrhea IBS-D, constipation IBS-C, mixed IBS-M) are associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms levels. This study aimed to determine the associations of IBS and each of its subtypes with anxiety and/or depression. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using five electronic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, BIOSIS, Science Direct, and Cochrane CENTRAL). We selected case-control studies comparing anxiety and depression levels of patients with IBS to healthy controls, using standardized rating scales. Outcomes were measured as random pooled standardized mean differences (SMD). Ten studies were included in our analysis (885 patients and 1,384 healthy controls). Patients with IBS had significant higher anxiety and depression levels than controls (respectively, SMD = 0.76, 95 % CI 0.47; 0.69, p < 0.01, I2 = 81.7 % and SMD = 0.80, 95 % CI 0.42; 1.19, p < 0.01, I2 = 90.7 %). This significant difference was confirmed for patients with IBS-C and -D subtypes for anxiety, and only in IBS-D patients for depression. However, other IBS subtypes had a statistical trend to be associated with both anxiety and depressive symptomatology, which suggests a lack of power due to the small number of studies included. Patients with IBS had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression than healthy controls. Anxiety and depression symptomatology should be systematically checked and treated in IBS patients, as psychological factors are important moderators of symptom severity, symptom persistence, decisions to seek treatment, and response to treatment.

Tailored Web-Based Interventions for Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Martorella, Geraldine; Boitor, Madalina; Berube, Melanie; Fredericks, Suzanne; Le May, Sylvie; Gélinas, Céline

2017-11-10

Efforts have multiplied in the past decade to underline the importance of pain management. For both acute and chronic pain management, various barriers generate considerable treatment accessibility issues, thereby providing an opportunity for alternative intervention formats to be implemented. Several systematic reviews on Web-based interventions with a large emphasis on chronic pain and cognitive behavioral therapy have been recently conducted to explore the influence of these interventions on pain management However, to our knowledge, the specific contribution of tailored Web-based interventions for pain management has not been described and their effect on pain has not been evaluated. The primary aim of this systematic review was to answer the following research question: What is the effect of tailored Web-based pain management interventions for adults on pain intensity compared with usual care, face-to-face interventions, and standardized Web-based interventions? A secondary aim was to examine the effects of these interventions on physical and psychological functions. We conducted a systematic review of articles published from January 2000 to December 2015. We used the DerSimonian-Laird random effects models with 95% confidence intervals to calculate effect estimates for all analyses. We calculated standardized mean differences from extracted means and standard deviations, as outcome variables were measured on different continuous scales. We evaluated 5 different outcomes: pain intensity (primary outcome), pain-related disability, anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing. We assessed effects according to 3 time intervals: short term (<1 month), medium term (1-6 months), and long term (6-12 months). After full-text review, we excluded 31 articles, resulting in 17 eligible studies. Only 1 study concerned acute pain and was removed from the meta-analysis, resulting in 16 studies available for quantitative assessment. Compared with standard care or a waiting list, tailored Web-based intervention showed benefits immediately after, with small effect sizes (<0.40) for pain intensity (10 randomized controlled trials [RCTs], n=1310, P=.003) and pain-related disability (6 RCTs, n=953, P<.001). No other improvements were observed at follow-up in the medium and long terms. Compared with the active control group, no improvements were found for the primary outcome (pain intensity) or any of the outcomes except for a small effect size on pain catastrophizing (2 RCTs, n=333, P<.001) immediately after the intervention. Tailored Web-based interventions did not prove to be more efficacious than standardized Web-based interventions in terms of pain intensity, pain-related disability, anxiety, and depression. An interesting finding was that some efficacy was shown on pain catastrophizing compared with active control interventions. Considering the diversity of approaches used in tailored Web-based interventions for chronic pain management, their efficacy is yet to be explored. Moreover, their contribution to acute pain management is embryonic. International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42015027669; http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42015027669 (Archived by WebCite at http://www. webcitation.org/6uneWAuyR). ©Geraldine Martorella, Madalina Boitor, Melanie Berube, Suzanne Fredericks, Sylvie Le May, Céline Gélinas. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 10.11.2017.

Analysis of the regulation of viral transcription.

PubMed

Gloss, Bernd; Kalantari, Mina; Bernard, Hans-Ulrich

2005-01-01

Despite the small genomes and number of genes of papillomaviruses, regulation of their transcription is very complex and governed by numerous transcription factors, cis-responsive elements, and epigenetic phenomena. This chapter describes the strategies of how one can approach a systematic analysis of these factors, elements, and mechanisms. From the numerous different techniques useful for studying transcription, we describe in detail three selected protocols of approaches that have been relevant in shaping our knowledge of human papillomavirus transcription. These are DNAse I protection ("footprinting") for location of transcription-factor binding sites, electrophoretic mobility shifts ("gelshifts") for analysis of bound transcription factors, and bisulfite sequencing for analysis of DNA methylation as a prerequisite for epigenetic transcriptional regulation.

Extending the ICRF into the Infrared: 2MASS - UCAC Astrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zacharias, Norbert; McCallon, Howard L.; Kopan, Eugene; Cutri, Roc M.

2000-01-01

An external comparison between the infrared 2MASS and the optical UCAC positions was performed, both being on the same system, the ICRS. About 48 million sources in common were identified. Random errors of the 2MASS catalog positions are about 60 to 70 mas per coordinate for the Ks = 4 to 14 range, increasing to about 100 to 150 mas for saturated and very faint stars. Systematic position differences between the 2 catalogs are very small, about 5 to 10 mas as a function of magnitude and color, with somewhat larger errors as a function of right ascension and declination. The extension of the ICRF into the infrared has become a reality.

Identifying relationships between unrelated pharmaceutical target proteins on the basis of shared active compounds.

PubMed

Miljković, Filip; Kunimoto, Ryo; Bajorath, Jürgen

2017-08-01

Computational exploration of small-molecule-based relationships between target proteins from different families. Target annotations of drugs and other bioactive compounds were systematically analyzed on the basis of high-confidence activity data. A total of 286 novel chemical links were established between distantly related or unrelated target proteins. These relationships involved a total of 1859 bioactive compounds including 147 drugs and 141 targets. Computational analysis of large amounts of compounds and activity data has revealed unexpected relationships between diverse target proteins on the basis of compounds they share. These relationships are relevant for drug discovery efforts. Target pairs that we have identified and associated compound information are made freely available.

Ellipsoidal geometry in asteroid thermal models - The standard radiometric model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. H.

1985-01-01

The major consequences of ellipsoidal geometry in an othewise standard radiometric model for asteroids are explored. It is shown that for small deviations from spherical shape a spherical model of the same projected area gives a reasonable aproximation to the thermal flux from an ellipsoidal body. It is suggested that large departures from spherical shape require that some correction be made for geometry. Systematic differences in the radii of asteroids derived radiometrically at 10 and 20 microns may result partly from nonspherical geometry. It is also suggested that extrapolations of the rotational variation of thermal flux from a nonspherical body based solely on the change in cross-sectional area are in error.

Near ground level sensing for spatial analysis of vegetation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, Tom; Rasure, John; Gage, Charlie

1991-01-01

Measured changes in vegetation indicate the dynamics of ecological processes and can identify the impacts from disturbances. Traditional methods of vegetation analysis tend to be slow because they are labor intensive; as a result, these methods are often confined to small local area measurements. Scientists need new algorithms and instruments that will allow them to efficiently study environmental dynamics across a range of different spatial scales. A new methodology that addresses this problem is presented. This methodology includes the acquisition, processing, and presentation of near ground level image data and its corresponding spatial characteristics. The systematic approach taken encompasses a feature extraction process, a supervised and unsupervised classification process, and a region labeling process yielding spatial information.

A fundamental approach to adhesion: Synthesis, surface analysis, thermodynamics and mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwight, D. W.; Wightman, J. P.

1977-01-01

The ability of SEM/EDAX to determine the physical and chemical composition of very small areas was used to study several diverse types of samples representative of NASA-LaRC technology. More systematic investigation was carried out on differences in the results of grit-blasting Ti 6-4 adherends and the presence of extraneous elements, primarily silicon, in some polymer/HT-S fiber composites. Initial results were obtained from a fractured (ILS) short-beam shear specimen, and from Ti 6-4 alloy, before and after a proprietary Boeing anodizing surface preparation for adhesive bonding. Photomicrographs and EDAX spectra were also obtained from new, fractured lap shear strength specimens that employed PPQ and LARC-13 adhesives.

Progress and Challenges in Developing Aptamer-Functionalized Targeted Drug Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Jiang, Feng; Liu, Biao; Lu, Jun; Li, Fangfei; Li, Defang; Liang, Chao; Dang, Lei; Liu, Jin; He, Bing; Badshah, Shaikh Atik; Lu, Cheng; He, Xiaojuan; Guo, Baosheng; Zhang, Xiao-Bing; Tan, Weihong; Lu, Aiping; Zhang, Ge

2015-10-09

Aptamers, which can be screened via systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), are superior ligands for molecular recognition due to their high selectivity and affinity. The interest in the use of aptamers as ligands for targeted drug delivery has been increasing due to their unique advantages. Based on their different compositions and preparation methods, aptamer-functionalized targeted drug delivery systems can be divided into two main categories: aptamer-small molecule conjugated systems and aptamer-nanomaterial conjugated systems. In this review, we not only summarize recent progress in aptamer selection and the application of aptamers in these targeted drug delivery systems but also discuss the advantages, challenges and new perspectives associated with these delivery systems.

Nonlinear effects of locally heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields on regional stream-aquifer exchanges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, J.; Winter, C. L.; Wang, Z.

2015-11-01

Computational experiments are performed to evaluate the effects of locally heterogeneous conductivity fields on regional exchanges of water between stream and aquifer systems in the Middle Heihe River basin (MHRB) of northwestern China. The effects are found to be nonlinear in the sense that simulated discharges from aquifers to streams are systematically lower than discharges produced by a base model parameterized with relatively coarse effective conductivity. A similar, but weaker, effect is observed for stream leakage. The study is organized around three hypotheses: (H1) small-scale spatial variations of conductivity significantly affect regional exchanges of water between streams and aquifers in river basins, (H2) aggregating small-scale heterogeneities into regional effective parameters systematically biases estimates of stream-aquifer exchanges, and (H3) the biases result from slow paths in groundwater flow that emerge due to small-scale heterogeneities. The hypotheses are evaluated by comparing stream-aquifer fluxes produced by the base model to fluxes simulated using realizations of the MHRB characterized by local (grid-scale) heterogeneity. Levels of local heterogeneity are manipulated as control variables by adjusting coefficients of variation. All models are implemented using the MODFLOW (Modular Three-dimensional Finite-difference Groundwater Flow Model) simulation environment, and the PEST (parameter estimation) tool is used to calibrate effective conductivities defined over 16 zones within the MHRB. The effective parameters are also used as expected values to develop lognormally distributed conductivity (K) fields on local grid scales. Stream-aquifer exchanges are simulated with K fields at both scales and then compared. Results show that the effects of small-scale heterogeneities significantly influence exchanges with simulations based on local-scale heterogeneities always producing discharges that are less than those produced by the base model. Although aquifer heterogeneities are uncorrelated at local scales, they appear to induce coherent slow paths in groundwater fluxes that in turn reduce aquifer-stream exchanges. Since surface water-groundwater exchanges are critical hydrologic processes in basin-scale water budgets, these results also have implications for water resources management.

Exercise and nutrition interventions in advanced lung cancer: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Payne, C.; Larkin, P.J.; McIlfatrick, S.; Dunwoody, L.; Gracey, J.H.

2013-01-01

In this systematic review, we sought to evaluate the effect of physical activity or nutrition interventions (or both) in adults with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (nsclc). Methods A systematic search for relevant clinical trials was conducted in 6 electronic databases, by hand searching, and by contacting key investigators. No limits were placed on study language. Information about recruitment rates, protocol adherence, patient-reported and clinical outcome measures, and study conclusions was extracted. Methodologic quality and risk of bias in each study was assessed using validated tools. Main Results Six papers detailing five studies involving 203 participants met the inclusion criteria. Two of the studies were single-cohort physical activity studies (54 participants), and three were controlled nutrition studies (149 participants). All were conducted in an outpatient setting. None of the included studies combined physical activity with nutrition interventions. Conclusions Our systematic review suggests that exercise and nutrition interventions are not harmful and may have beneficial effects on unintentional weight loss, physical strength, and functional performance in patients with advanced nsclc. However, the observed improvements must be interpreted with caution, because findings were not consistent across the included studies. Moreover, the included studies were small and at significant risk of bias. More research is required to ascertain the optimal physical activity and nutrition interventions in advanced inoperable nsclc. Specifically, the potential benefits of combining physical activity with nutrition counselling have yet to be adequately explored in this population. PMID:23904771

Psychosocial Interventions for Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms in Individuals with Chronic Kidney Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Pascoe, Michaela C.; Thompson, David R.; Castle, David J.; McEvedy, Samantha M.; Ski, Chantal F.

2017-01-01

Purpose: Depressive and anxiety symptoms are common amongst individuals with chronic kidney disease and are known to affect quality of life adversely. Psychosocial interventions have been shown to decrease depressive and anxiety symptoms in various chronic diseases, but few studies have examined their efficacy in people with chronic kidney disease and no meta-analysis has been published. Thus, the aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of psychosocial interventions on depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as quality of life in individuals diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and/or their carers. Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we included published randomized controlled trials comparing psychosocial interventions versus usual care for impacting depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality of life. Results: Eight studies were included in the systematic review and six of these were subjected to meta-analysis. Psychosocial interventions were associated with a medium effect size for reduction in depressive symptoms and a small effect size for improved quality of life in the in individuals with chronic-kidney-disease and their carers. Some evidence suggested a reduction in anxiety. Conclusion: Psychosocial interventions appear to reduce depressive symptoms and improve quality of life in patients with chronic-kidney-disease and their carers and to have some beneficial impact on anxiety. However, the small number of identified studies indicates a need for further research in this field. PMID:28659852

AGUACLARA: CLEAN WATER FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

We will systematically evaluate commercially available solar thermal collectors and thermal storage systems for use in residential scale co-generative heat and electrical power systems. Currently, reliable data is unavailable over the range of conditions and installations thes...

Wireless Sensor Networks for Oceanographic Monitoring: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Albaladejo, Cristina; Sánchez, Pedro; Iborra, Andrés; Soto, Fulgencio; López, Juan A.; Torres, Roque

2010-01-01

Monitoring of the marine environment has come to be a field of scientific interest in the last ten years. The instruments used in this work have ranged from small-scale sensor networks to complex observation systems. Among small-scale networks, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are a highly attractive solution in that they are easy to deploy, operate and dismantle and are relatively inexpensive. The aim of this paper is to identify, appraise, select and synthesize all high quality research evidence relevant to the use of WSNs in oceanographic monitoring. The literature is systematically reviewed to offer an overview of the present state of this field of study and identify the principal resources that have been used to implement networks of this kind. Finally, this article details the challenges and difficulties that have to be overcome if these networks are to be successfully deployed. PMID:22163583

Yoga in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and results of a pilot study.

PubMed

Lynton, Holly; Kligler, Benjamin; Shiflett, Samuel

2007-01-01

This article presents a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the use of yoga in stroke rehabilitation. In addition, we present the results of a small pilot study designed to explore the hypothesis that a Kundalini yoga practice of 12 weeks would lead to an improvement in aphasia as well as in fine motor coordination in stroke patients. The 3 participants attended yoga classes twice a week for 12 weeks, before and after which they were tested on the O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity test, a timed test where the participant places pins in a Peg-Board with tweezers, and the Boston Aphasia Exam for speech. All 3 participants showed improvement on both measures. The small sample size makes it impossible to draw definite conclusions, but the positive trends in this study suggest that further research should be done to examine the effects of Kundalini yoga on specific illnesses or medical conditions.

Systematic coarse-grained modeling of complexation between small interfering RNA and polycations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, Zonghui; Luijten, Erik, E-mail: luijten@northwestern.edu; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations can provide insight into the properties of polymeric gene-delivery carriers by elucidating their interactions and detailed binding patterns with nucleic acids. However, to explore nanoparticle formation through complexation of these polymers and nucleic acids and study their behavior at experimentally relevant time and length scales, a reliable coarse-grained model is needed. Here, we systematically develop such a model for the complexation of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and grafted polyethyleneimine copolymers, a promising candidate for siRNA delivery. We compare the predictions of this model with all-atom simulations and demonstrate that it is capable of reproducing detailed bindingmore » patterns, charge characteristics, and water release kinetics. Since the coarse-grained model accelerates the simulations by one to two orders of magnitude, it will make it possible to quantitatively investigate nanoparticle formation involving multiple siRNA molecules and cationic copolymers.« less

Psychological interventions for coronary heart disease: cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Whalley, Ben; Thompson, David R; Taylor, Rod S

2014-02-01

Depression and anxiety are common in cardiac patients, and psychological interventions may also be used as part of general cardiac rehabilitation programs. This study aims to estimate effects of psychological interventions on mortality and psychological symptoms in this group, updating an existing Cochrane Review. Systematic review and meta-regression analyses of randomized trials evaluating a psychological treatment delivered by trained staff to patients with a diagnosed cardiac disease, with a follow-up of at least 6 months, were used. There was no strong evidence that psychological intervention reduced total deaths, risk of revascularization, or non-fatal infarction. Psychological intervention did result in small/moderate improvements in depression and anxiety, and there was a small effect for cardiac mortality. Psychological treatments appear effective in treating patients with psychological symptoms of coronary heart disease. Uncertainty remains regarding the subgroups of patients who would benefit most from treatment and the characteristics of successful interventions.

Disentangling gaze shifts from preparatory ERP effects during spatial attention

PubMed Central

Kennett, Steffan; van Velzen, José; Eimer, Martin; Driver, Jon

2007-01-01

After a cue directing attention to one side, anterior event-related potentials (ERPs) show contralateral negativity (Anterior Directing Attention Negativity, ADAN). It is unclear whether ADAN effects are contaminated by contralateral negativity arising from residual gaze shifts. Conversely, it is possible that ADAN-related potentials contaminate the horizontal electrooculogram (HEOG), via volume conduction. To evaluate these possibilities, we used high-resolution infrared eye tracking, while recording EEG and HEOG in a cued spatial-attention task. We found that, after conventional ERP and HEOG pre-processing exclusions, small but systematic residual gaze shifts in the cued direction can remain, as revealed by the infrared measure. Nevertheless, by using this measure for more stringent exclusion of small gaze shifts, we confirmed that reliable ADAN components remain for preparatory spatial attention in the absence of any systematic gaze shifts toward the cued side. PMID:17241141

The effect of alcohol consumption on the adolescent brain: A systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies of alcohol-using youth

PubMed Central

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.; Sakhardande, Ashok; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2014-01-01

Background A large proportion of adolescents drink alcohol, with many engaging in high-risk patterns of consumption, including binge drinking. Here, we systematically review and synthesize the existing empirical literature on how consuming alcohol affects the developing human brain in alcohol-using (AU) youth. Methods For this systematic review, we began by conducting a literature search using the PubMED database to identify all available peer-reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of AU adolescents (aged 19 and under). All studies were screened against a strict set of criteria designed to constrain the impact of confounding factors, such as co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Results Twenty-one studies (10 MRI and 11 fMRI) met the criteria for inclusion. A synthesis of the MRI studies suggested that overall, AU youth showed regional differences in brain structure as compared with non-AU youth, with smaller grey matter volumes and lower white matter integrity in relevant brain areas. In terms of fMRI outcomes, despite equivalent task performance between AU and non-AU youth, AU youth showed a broad pattern of lower task-relevant activation, and greater task-irrelevant activation. In addition, a pattern of gender differences was observed for brain structure and function, with particularly striking effects among AU females. Conclusions Alcohol consumption during adolescence was associated with significant differences in structure and function in the developing human brain. However, this is a nascent field, with several limiting factors (including small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, presence of confounding factors) within many of the reviewed studies, meaning that results should be interpreted in light of the preliminary state of the field. Future longitudinal and large-scale studies are critical to replicate the existing findings, and to provide a more comprehensive and conclusive picture of the effect of alcohol consumption on the developing brain. PMID:26958467

Pharmacologic and behavioral interventions to improve cardiovascular risk factors in adults with serious mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Gierisch, Jennifer M; Nieuwsma, Jason A; Bradford, Daniel W; Wilder, Christine M; Mann-Wrobel, Monica C; McBroom, Amanda J; Hasselblad, Vic; Williams, John W

2014-05-01

Individuals with serious mental illness have high rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and mortality. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate pharmacologic and behavioral interventions to reduce CVD risk in adults with serious mental illness. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched from January 1980 to July 2012 for English language studies. Examples of search terms used include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, antipsychotics, weight, glucose, lipid, and cardiovascular disease. Two reviewers independently screened citations and identified 33 randomized controlled trials of at least 2 months' duration that enrolled adults with serious mental illness and evaluated pharmacologic or behavioral interventions targeting weight, glucose, or lipid control. Reviewers extracted data, assessed applicability, and evaluated study quality; the team jointly graded overall strength of evidence. We included 33 studies. Most studies targeted weight control (28 studies). Compared with control groups, weight control was improved with behavioral interventions (mean difference = -3.13 kg; 95% CI, -4.21 to -2.05), metformin (mean difference = -4.13 kg; 95% CI, -6.58 to -1.68), anticonvulsive medications topiramate and zonisamide (mean difference = -5.11 kg; 95% CI, -9.48 to -0.74), and adjunctive or antipsychotic switching to aripiprazole (meta-analysis not possible). Evidence was insufficient for all other interventions and for effects on glucose and lipid control. The small number of studies precluded analyses of variability in treatment effects by patient characteristics. Few studies have evaluated interventions addressing 1 or more CVD risk factors in people with serious mental illness. Glucose- and lipid-related results were mainly reported as secondary outcome assessments in studies of weight-management interventions. Comparative effectiveness studies are needed to test multimodal strategies, agents known to be effective in nonserious mental illness populations, and antipsychotic-management strategies. © Copyright 2014 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

The effect of alcohol consumption on the adolescent brain: A systematic review of MRI and fMRI studies of alcohol-using youth.

PubMed

Ewing, Sarah W Feldstein; Sakhardande, Ashok; Blakemore, Sarah-Jayne

2014-01-01

A large proportion of adolescents drink alcohol, with many engaging in high-risk patterns of consumption, including binge drinking. Here, we systematically review and synthesize the existing empirical literature on how consuming alcohol affects the developing human brain in alcohol-using (AU) youth. For this systematic review, we began by conducting a literature search using the PubMED database to identify all available peer-reviewed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of AU adolescents (aged 19 and under). All studies were screened against a strict set of criteria designed to constrain the impact of confounding factors, such as co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Twenty-one studies (10 MRI and 11 fMRI) met the criteria for inclusion. A synthesis of the MRI studies suggested that overall, AU youth showed regional differences in brain structure as compared with non-AU youth, with smaller grey matter volumes and lower white matter integrity in relevant brain areas. In terms of fMRI outcomes, despite equivalent task performance between AU and non-AU youth, AU youth showed a broad pattern of lower task-relevant activation, and greater task-irrelevant activation. In addition, a pattern of gender differences was observed for brain structure and function, with particularly striking effects among AU females. Alcohol consumption during adolescence was associated with significant differences in structure and function in the developing human brain. However, this is a nascent field, with several limiting factors (including small sample sizes, cross-sectional designs, presence of confounding factors) within many of the reviewed studies, meaning that results should be interpreted in light of the preliminary state of the field. Future longitudinal and large-scale studies are critical to replicate the existing findings, and to provide a more comprehensive and conclusive picture of the effect of alcohol consumption on the developing brain.

Cardiometabolic risks of blonanserin and perospirone in the management of schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Kishi, Taro; Matsuda, Yuki; Iwata, Nakao

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate cardiometabolic risks [weight gain, blood lipid levels (total cholesterol and triglycerides), blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, and corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation] associated with the use of blonanserin and perospirone versus other antipsychotics in the management of patients with schizophrenia. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of patient data from randomized controlled trials comparing blonanserin or perospirone with other antipsychotics. In total, 4 blonanserin studies (n = 1080) were identified [vs. risperidone (2 studies, n = 508); vs. haloperidol (2 studies, n = 572)]. Blonanserin produced less weight gain compared with risperidone (weighted mean difference = -0.86, 95% confidence intervals = -1.36 to -0.36, p = 0.0008; 2 studies, 480 patients). However, no significant differences were observed in blood lipid, glucose, and HbA1c levels or QTc prolongation between blonanserin and risperidone or haloperidol. For perospirone studies, 5 studies [562 adult patients with schizophrenia randomized to perospirone (n = 256), olanzapine (n = 20), quetiapine (n = 28), risperidone (n = 53), aripiprazole (n = 49), haloperidol (n = 75), or mosapramine (n = 81)] were identified. Perospirone did not differ from other antipsychotics with regard to weight gain and total cholesterol levels. Our results suggest that blonanserin is associated with a lower of weight gain compared with other antipsychotics. Because the number of studies was small, additional controlled clinical trials with larger number of patients are indicated.

Will smaller plates lead to smaller waists? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect that experimental manipulation of dishware size has on energy consumption.

PubMed

Robinson, E; Nolan, S; Tudur-Smith, C; Boyland, E J; Harrold, J A; Hardman, C A; Halford, J C G

2014-10-01

It has been suggested that providing consumers with smaller dishware may prove an effective way of helping people eat less and preventing weight gain, but experimental evidence supporting this has been mixed. The objective of the present work was to examine the current evidence base for whether experimentally manipulated differences in dishware size influence food consumption. We systematically reviewed studies that experimentally manipulated the dishware size participants served themselves at a meal with and measured subsequent food intake. We used inverse variance meta-analysis, calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) in food intake between smaller and larger dishware size conditions. Nine experiments from eight publications were eligible for inclusion. The majority of experiments found no significance difference in food intake when participants ate from smaller vs. larger dishware. With all available data included, analysis indicated a marginal effect of dishware size on food intake, with larger dishware size associated with greater intake. However, this effect was small and there was a large amount of heterogeneity across studies (SMD: -0.18, 95% confidence interval: -0.35, 0.00, I(2) = 77%). Evidence to date does not show that dishware size has a consistent effect on food intake, so recommendations surrounding the use of smaller plates/dishware to improve public health may be premature. © 2014 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2014 World Obesity.

Effectiveness of functional training on cardiorespiratory parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Rezende Barbosa, Marianne Penachini da Costa de; Oliveira, Vinicius Cunha; Silva, Anne Kastelianne França da; Pérez-Riera, Andrés Ricardo; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos

2017-07-28

Functional training is a new training vision that was prepared from the gesture imitation of daily activities. Although your use has become popular in clinical practice, the influence of the several cardiorespiratory adjustments performed during the functional training in different populations and conditions is unknown. So, the aim of this systematic review was to gather information in the literature regarding the influence of functional training on cardiorespiratory parameters. We conducted search strategies on MEDLINE, PEDro, EMBASE, SportDiscus and Cochrane to identify randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of functional training on cardiorespiratory parameters. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro scale. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) summarized the evidence. Five original studies were included. Effects favoured functional training on oxygen consumption (VO 2 ) at intermediate-term follow-up: weighted mean difference -1·0 (95% CI: 5·4-3·3), P = 0·642, and a small and not clinically important effect observed on VO 2 favouring control at intermediate-term follow-up (i.e. mean difference of 1·30 (95% CI 1·07-1·53), P<0·001). According to the GRADE system, there is very low quality evidence that functional training is better than other interventions to improve cardiovascular parameters. This result encourages new searches about the theme. © 2017 Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Systematic Variation in Size and Surface Coating of Silver Nanoparticles on Their In Vitro Toxicity to Macrophage RAW 264.7 Cells.

PubMed

Makama, Sunday; Kloet, Samantha K; Piella, Jordi; van den Berg, Hans; de Ruijter, Norbert C A; Puntes, Victor F; Rietjens, Ivonne M C M; van den Brink, Nico W

2018-03-01

In literature, varying and sometimes conflicting effects of physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) are reported on their uptake and effects in organisms. To address this, small- and medium-sized (20 and 50 nm) silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with specified different surface coating/charges were synthesized and used to systematically assess effects of NP-properties on their uptake and effects in vitro. Silver nanoparticles were fully characterized for charge and size distribution in both water and test media. Macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) were exposed to these AgNPs at different concentrations (0-200 µg/ml). Uptake dynamics, cell viability, induction of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, ATP production, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were assessed. Microscopic imaging of living exposed cells showed rapid uptake and subcellular cytoplasmic accumulation of AgNPs. Exposure to the tested AgNPs resulted in reduced overall viability. Influence of both size and surface coating (charge) was demonstrated, with the 20-nm-sized AgNPs and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-coated (negatively charged) AgNPs being slightly more toxic. On specific mechanisms of toxicity (TNF-α and ROS production) however, the AgNPs differed to a larger extent. The highest induction of TNF-α was found in cells exposed to the negatively charged AgNP_BSA, both sizes (80× higher than control). Reactive oxygen species induction was only significant with the 20 nm positively charged AgNP_Chit.

EEG correlates of finger movements with different inertial load conditions as revealed by averaging techniques.

PubMed

Slobounov, S; Tutwiler, R; Rearick, M; Challis, J H

1999-10-01

The present study was aimed to further address the general empirical question regarding the sensitivity of EEG correlates toward specific kinematic and/or kinetic movement parameters. In particular, we examined whether adding different inertial loads to the index finger, while a subject produced various amplitudes of discrete finger movements, influenced the movement-related potentials (MRP). Our experimental design systematically controlled the angular displacement, velocity and acceleration (kinematic) profiles of finger movement while torque (kinetics) was varied by adding different external loads opposing finger flexion movement. We applied time-domain averaging of EEG single trials in order to extract three movement-related potentials (BP-600 to -500 BP-100 to 0 and N0 to 100) preceding and accompanying 25, 50 and 75 degrees unilateral finger movements with no inertial load, small (100 g) and large (200 g) loading. It was shown that both inertial load and the degree of angular displacement of index finger flexion increased the amplitude of late components of MRP (BP-100 to 0 and N0 to 100) over frontal and precentral areas. In contrast, the external load and movement amplitude manipulations did not influence the earlier component of the MRP (BP- 600 to -500). Overall, the data demonstrate that adding inertial load to the finger with larger angular displacements involves systematic increase in activation across frontal and precentral areas that are related to movement initiation as reflected in BP-100 to 0 and N0 to 100.

5-HTTLPR and gender differences in affective disorders: A systematic review.

PubMed

Gressier, F; Calati, R; Serretti, A

2016-01-15

Serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) variants have been extensively studied in psychiatric disorders. Although gender effects have been reported, they have not been comprehensively reviewed. The aim of our study was to summarize literature findings on 5-HTTLPR and gender differences in affective disorders. A systematic search of PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and PsycINFO databases was performed for dates until January 2015. The included articles (n=78) analyzed the association between 5-HTTLPR and affective spectrum disorders, taking into account gender. The quality of each study was assessed through STROBE and CONSORT. 5-HTTLPR modulation of affective disorders varied by gender. The S allele (or SS genotype) seemed to be differently associated with an increased risk of depression, depressive symptoms, anxiety traits and symptoms, and symptoms of internalizing behavior among women and an increased risk of aggressiveness, conduct disorder and symptom counts of externalizing behavior among men. Moreover, the presence of stressful life events reinforced the association. Interestingly, these differences seemed to begin with adolescence and were not consistent among the elderly, suggesting a plausible role of hormonal fluctuations. The review is limited by the small number of included papers, due to the paucity of information in the literature regarding 5-HTTLPR and gender. 5-HTTLPR variants may exert a differential modulation on a number of features depending on gender. Further studies are needed to more deeply investigate the effect of 5-HTTLPR×gender on the modulation of affective disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using a systematic approach to select flagship species for bird conservation.

PubMed

Veríssimo, Diogo; Pongiluppi, Tatiana; Santos, Maria Cintia M; Develey, Pedro F; Fraser, Iain; Smith, Robert J; MacMilan, Douglas C

2014-02-01

Conservation marketing campaigns that focus on flagship species play a vital role in biological diversity conservation because they raise funds and change people's behavior. However, most flagship species are selected without considering the target audience of the campaign, which can hamper the campaign's effectiveness. To address this problem, we used a systematic and stakeholder-driven approach to select flagship species for a conservation campaign in the Serra do Urubu in northeastern Brazil. We based our techniques on environmental economic and marketing methods. We used choice experiments to examine the species attributes that drive preference and latent-class models to segment respondents into groups by preferences and socioeconomic characteristics. We used respondent preferences and information on bird species inhabiting the Serra do Urubu to calculate a flagship species suitability score. We also asked respondents to indicate their favorite species from a set list to enable comparison between methods. The species' traits that drove audience preference were geographic distribution, population size, visibility, attractiveness, and survival in captivity. However, the importance of these factors differed among groups and groups differed in their views on whether species with small populations and the ability to survive in captivity should be prioritized. The popularity rankings of species differed between approaches, a result that was probably related to the different ways in which the 2 methods measured preference. Our new approach is a transparent and evidence-based method that can be used to refine the way stakeholders are engaged in the design of conservation marketing campaigns. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Do older adults with chronic low back pain differ from younger adults in regards to baseline characteristics and prognosis?

PubMed

Manogharan, S; Kongsted, A; Ferreira, M L; Hancock, M J

2017-05-01

Low back pain (LBP) in older adults is poorly understood because the vast majority of the LBP research has focused on the working aged population. The aim of this study was to compare older adults consulting with chronic LBP to middle aged and young adults consulting with chronic LBP, in terms of their baseline characteristics, and pain and disability outcomes over 1 year. Data were systematically collected as part of routine care in a secondary care spine clinic. At initial presentation patients answered a self-report questionnaire and underwent a physical examination. Patients older than 65 were classified as older adults and compared to middle aged (45-65 years old) and younger adults (17-44 years old) for 10 baseline characteristics. Pain intensity and disability were collected at 6 and 12 month follow-ups and compared between age groups. A total of 14,479 participants were included in the study. Of these 3087 (21%) patients were older adults, 6071 (42%) were middle aged and 5321 (37%) were young adults. At presentation older adults were statistically different to the middle aged and younger adults for most characteristics measured (e.g. less intense back pain, more leg pain and more depression); however, the differences were small. The change in pain and disability over 12 months did not differ between age groups. This study found small baseline differences in older people with chronic LBP compared to middle aged and younger adults. There were no associations between age groups and the clinical course. Small baseline differences exist in older people with chronic low back pain compared to middle aged and younger adults referred to secondary care for chronic low back pain. Older adults present with slightly less intense low back pain but slightly more intense leg pain. Changes in pain intensity and disability over a 12 month period were similar across all age groups. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Leptospirosis in sheep and goats under tropical conditions.

PubMed

Martins, Gabriel; Lilenbaum, Walter

2014-01-01

Inadequate management practices and poor reproductive performance have been reported as fundamental factors on reducing the levels of productivity in livestock. Different pathogens have been reported in small ruminants' herds/flocks with reproductive failures. The aim of the present study was to review aspects of leptospirosis in small ruminants, mainly its impact on reproduction and consequently on productivity of the herds/flocks under tropical conditions. Leptospiral infection in goats and sheep is common in several countries, and those species can also act as carriers of leptospires. Severe disease is often associated to young animals and is frequently associated to incidental serovars. In contrast, subclinical infection is mainly characterized by reproductive problems, such as infertility, abortion, occurrence of stillbirths, and weak lambs/goat kids. Moreover, laboratorial tests are essential to achieve an accurate diagnosis of the infection. Microscopic agglutination test is the most common indirect test of leptospirosis, being used worldwide. In small ruminants, PCR consists on a recommendable method for diagnosing animals that carry leptospires. Control of leptospirosis in small ruminants involves measures such as the identification and treatment of the carriers and other sources of infection, quarantine in acquired animals, and systematic immunization with commercial vaccines containing the circulating serovars in the herd/flock. Productivity of small ruminant breeding can dramatically increase with adequate sanitary conditions and control of leptospirosis. Immunization of all the animals combined to the treatment of carriers may successfully control the infection and importantly reduce the economic reproductive hazards that are observed under tropical conditions.

Inference from the small scales of cosmic shear with current and future Dark Energy Survey data

DOE PAGES

MacCrann, N.; Aleksić, J.; Amara, A.; ...

2016-11-05

Cosmic shear is sensitive to fluctuations in the cosmological matter density field, including on small physical scales, where matter clustering is affected by baryonic physics in galaxies and galaxy clusters, such as star formation, supernovae feedback and AGN feedback. While muddying any cosmological information that is contained in small scale cosmic shear measurements, this does mean that cosmic shear has the potential to constrain baryonic physics and galaxy formation. We perform an analysis of the Dark Energy Survey (DES) Science Verification (SV) cosmic shear measurements, now extended to smaller scales, and using the Mead et al. 2015 halo model tomore » account for baryonic feedback. While the SV data has limited statistical power, we demonstrate using a simulated likelihood analysis that the final DES data will have the statistical power to differentiate among baryonic feedback scenarios. We also explore some of the difficulties in interpreting the small scales in cosmic shear measurements, presenting estimates of the size of several other systematic effects that make inference from small scales difficult, including uncertainty in the modelling of intrinsic alignment on nonlinear scales, `lensing bias', and shape measurement selection effects. For the latter two, we make use of novel image simulations. While future cosmic shear datasets have the statistical power to constrain baryonic feedback scenarios, there are several systematic effects that require improved treatments, in order to make robust conclusions about baryonic feedback.« less

Susceptibility to fraud in systematic reviews: lessons from the Reuben case.

PubMed

Marret, Emmanuel; Elia, Nadia; Dahl, Jørgen B; McQuay, Henry J; Møiniche, Steen; Moore, R Andrew; Straube, Sebastian; Tramèr, Martin R

2009-12-01

Dr. Scott Reuben allegedly fabricated data. The authors of the current article examined the impact of Reuben reports on conclusions of systematic reviews. The authors searched in ISI Web of Knowledge systematic reviews citing Reuben reports. Systematic reviews were grouped into one of three categories: I, only cited but did not include Reuben reports; II, retrieved and considered, but eventually excluded Reuben reports; III, included Reuben reports. For quantitative systematic reviews (i.e., meta-analyses), a relevant difference was defined as a significant result becoming nonsignificant (or vice versa) by excluding Reuben reports. For qualitative systematic reviews, each author decided independently whether noninclusion of Reuben reports would have changed conclusions. Twenty-five systematic reviews (5 category I, 6 category II, 14 category III) cited 27 Reuben reports (published 1994-2007). Most tested analgesics in surgical patients. One of 6 quantitative category III reviews would have reached different conclusions without Reuben reports. In all 6 (30 subgroup analyses involving Reuben reports), exclusion of Reuben reports never made any difference when the number of patients from Reuben reports was less than 30% of all patients included in the analysis. Of 8 qualitative category III reviews, all authors agreed that one would certainly have reached different conclusions without Reuben reports. For another 4, the authors' judgment was not unanimous. Carefully performed systematic reviews proved robust against the impact of Reuben reports. Quantitative systematic reviews were vulnerable if the fraudulent data were more than 30% of the total. Qualitative systematic reviews seemed at greater risk than quantitative.

Controlled Assembly of Biocompatible Metallic Nanoaggregates Using a Small Molecule Crosslinker

PubMed Central

Van Haute, Desiree; Longmate, Julia M.; Berlin, Jacob M.

2015-01-01

By introducing a capping step and controlling reaction parameters, the assembly of metallic nanoparticle aggregates can be achieved using a small molecule crosslinker. Aggregates can be assembled from particles of varied size and composition and the size of the aggregates can be systematically adjusted. Following cell uptake of 60 nm aggregates, the aggregates are stable and non-toxic to macrophage cells up to 55mM Au. PMID:26208123

Antenatal interventions to reduce preterm birth: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Several factors are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB); therefore, various interventions might have the potential to influence it. Due to the large number of interventions that address PTB, the objective of this overview is to summarise evidence from Cochrane reviews regarding the effects and safety of these different interventions. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Included reviews should be based on randomised controlled trials comparing antenatal non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions that directly or indirectly address PTB with placebo/no treatment or routine care in pregnant women at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation without signs of threatened preterm labour. We considered PTB at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation as the primary outcome. Results We included 56 Cochrane systematic reviews. Three interventions increased PTB risk significantly. Twelve interventions led to a statistically significant lower incidence of PTBs. However, this reduction was mostly observed in defined at-risk subgroups of pregnant women. The remaining antenatal interventions failed to prove a significant effect on PTB < 37 weeks, but some of them at least showed a positive effect in secondary outcomes (e.g., reduction in early PTBs). As an unintended result of this review, we identified 28 additional Cochrane reviews which intended to report on PTB < 37 weeks, but were not able to find any RCTs reporting appropriate data. Conclusions The possible effects of a diverse range of interventions on PTB have been evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews. Few interventions have been demonstrated to be effective and a small number have been found to be harmful. For around half of the interventions evaluated, the Cochrane review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide sound recommendations for clinical practice. No RCT evidence is available for a number of potentially relevant interventions. PMID:24758148

Antenatal interventions to reduce preterm birth: an overview of Cochrane Systematic Reviews.

PubMed

Piso, Brigitte; Zechmeister-Koss, Ingrid; Winkler, Roman

2014-04-23

Several factors are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB); therefore, various interventions might have the potential to influence it. Due to the large number of interventions that address PTB, the objective of this overview is to summarise evidence from Cochrane reviews regarding the effects and safety of these different interventions. We conducted a systematic literature search in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Included reviews should be based on randomised controlled trials comparing antenatal non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions that directly or indirectly address PTB with placebo/no treatment or routine care in pregnant women at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation without signs of threatened preterm labour. We considered PTB at less than 37 completed weeks of gestation as the primary outcome. We included 56 Cochrane systematic reviews. Three interventions increased PTB risk significantly. Twelve interventions led to a statistically significant lower incidence of PTBs. However, this reduction was mostly observed in defined at-risk subgroups of pregnant women. The remaining antenatal interventions failed to prove a significant effect on PTB < 37 weeks, but some of them at least showed a positive effect in secondary outcomes (e.g., reduction in early PTBs). As an unintended result of this review, we identified 28 additional Cochrane reviews which intended to report on PTB < 37 weeks, but were not able to find any RCTs reporting appropriate data. The possible effects of a diverse range of interventions on PTB have been evaluated in Cochrane systematic reviews. Few interventions have been demonstrated to be effective and a small number have been found to be harmful. For around half of the interventions evaluated, the Cochrane review concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide sound recommendations for clinical practice. No RCT evidence is available for a number of potentially relevant interventions.

Pain assessment for people with dementia: a systematic review of systematic reviews of pain assessment tools.

PubMed

Lichtner, Valentina; Dowding, Dawn; Esterhuizen, Philip; Closs, S José; Long, Andrew F; Corbett, Anne; Briggs, Michelle

2014-12-17

There is evidence of under-detection and poor management of pain in patients with dementia, in both long-term and acute care. Accurate assessment of pain in people with dementia is challenging and pain assessment tools have received considerable attention over the years, with an increasing number of tools made available. Systematic reviews on the evidence of their validity and utility mostly compare different sets of tools. This review of systematic reviews analyses and summarises evidence concerning the psychometric properties and clinical utility of pain assessment tools in adults with dementia or cognitive impairment. We searched for systematic reviews of pain assessment tools providing evidence of reliability, validity and clinical utility. Two reviewers independently assessed each review and extracted data from them, with a third reviewer mediating when consensus was not reached. Analysis of the data was carried out collaboratively. The reviews were synthesised using a narrative synthesis approach. We retrieved 441 potentially eligible reviews, 23 met the criteria for inclusion and 8 provided data for extraction. Each review evaluated between 8 and 13 tools, in aggregate providing evidence on a total of 28 tools. The quality of the reviews varied and the reporting often lacked sufficient methodological detail for quality assessment. The 28 tools appear to have been studied in a variety of settings and with varied types of patients. The reviews identified several methodological limitations across the original studies. The lack of a 'gold standard' significantly hinders the evaluation of tools' validity. Most importantly, the samples were small providing limited evidence for use of any of the tools across settings or populations. There are a considerable number of pain assessment tools available for use with the elderly cognitive impaired population. However there is limited evidence about their reliability, validity and clinical utility. On the basis of this review no one tool can be recommended given the existing evidence.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Juan; Beltran, Chris J., E-mail: beltran.chris@mayo.edu; Herman, Michael G.

Purpose: To quantitatively and systematically assess dosimetric effects induced by spot positioning error as a function of spot spacing (SS) on intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plan quality and to facilitate evaluation of safety tolerance limits on spot position. Methods: Spot position errors (PE) ranging from 1 to 2 mm were simulated. Simple plans were created on a water phantom, and IMPT plans were calculated on two pediatric patients with a brain tumor of 28 and 3 cc, respectively, using a commercial planning system. For the phantom, a uniform dose was delivered to targets located at different depths from 10 tomore » 20 cm with various field sizes from 2{sup 2} to 15{sup 2} cm{sup 2}. Two nominal spot sizes, 4.0 and 6.6 mm of 1 σ in water at isocenter, were used for treatment planning. The SS ranged from 0.5 σ to 1.5 σ, which is 2–6 mm for the small spot size and 3.3–9.9 mm for the large spot size. Various perturbation scenarios of a single spot error and systematic and random multiple spot errors were studied. To quantify the dosimetric effects, percent dose error (PDE) depth profiles and the value of percent dose error at the maximum dose difference (PDE [ΔDmax]) were used for evaluation. Results: A pair of hot and cold spots was created per spot shift. PDE[ΔDmax] is found to be a complex function of PE, SS, spot size, depth, and global spot distribution that can be well defined in simple models. For volumetric targets, the PDE [ΔDmax] is not noticeably affected by the change of field size or target volume within the studied ranges. In general, reducing SS decreased the dose error. For the facility studied, given a single spot error with a PE of 1.2 mm and for both spot sizes, a SS of 1σ resulted in a 2% maximum dose error; a SS larger than 1.25 σ substantially increased the dose error and its sensitivity to PE. A similar trend was observed in multiple spot errors (both systematic and random errors). Systematic PE can lead to noticeable hot spots along the field edges, which may be near critical structures. However, random PE showed minimal dose error. Conclusions: Dose error dependence for PE was quantitatively and systematically characterized and an analytic tool was built to simulate systematic and random errors for patient-specific IMPT. This information facilitates the determination of facility specific spot position error thresholds.« less

Potential and use of bacterial small RNAs to combat drug resistance: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiaodong; Zhang, Lin; Wong, Sunny Hei; Chan, Matthew TV; Wu, William KK

2017-01-01

Background Over the decades, new antibacterial agents have been developed in an attempt to combat drug resistance, but they remain unsuccessful. Recently, a novel class of bacterial gene expression regulators, bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs), has received increasing attention toward their involvement in antibiotic resistance. This systematic review aimed to discuss the potential of these small molecules as antibacterial drug targets. Methods Two investigators performed a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EmBase, and ISI Web of Knowledge from inception to October 2016, without restriction on language. We included all in vitro and in vivo studies investigating the role of bacterial sRNA in antibiotic resistance. Risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by a modified guideline of Systematic Review Center for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE). Results Initial search yielded 432 articles. After exclusion of non-original articles, 20 were included in this review. Of these, all studies examined bacterial-type strains only. There were neither relevant in vivo nor clinical studies. The SYRCLE scores ranged from to 5 to 7, with an average of 5.9. This implies a moderate risk of bias. sRNAs influenced the antibiotics susceptibility through modulation of gene expression relevant to efflux pumps, cell wall synthesis, and membrane proteins. Conclusion Preclinical studies on bacterial-type strains suggest that modulation of sRNAs could enhance bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics. Further studies on clinical isolates and in vivo models are needed to elucidate the therapeutic value of sRNA modulation on treatment of multidrug-resistant bacterial infection. PMID:29290689

The effect of disorder of small spheres on the photonic properties of the inverse binary NaCl-like structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattabhiraman, Harini; Dijkstra, Marjolein

2017-09-01

Inverse opal structures are experimentally realisable photonic band gap materials. They suffer from the drawback of possessing band gaps that are extremely susceptible to structural disorders. A binary colloidal NaCl lattice, which is also experimentally realisable, is a promising alternative to these opals. In this work, we systematically analyse the effect of structural disorder of the small spheres on the photonic properties of an inverse binary NaCl lattice with a size ratio of 0.30 between the small and large spheres. The types of structural disorders studied include the position of the small spheres in the octahedral void of the large spheres, polydispersity in size of the small spheres, and the fraction of small spheres in the crystal. We find a low susceptibility of the band gap of the inverse NaCl lattice to the disorder of the small spheres.

Dosimetric comparison of intensity modulated radiotherapy and three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in patients with gynecologic malignancies: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To quantitatively evaluate the safety and related-toxicities of intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) dose–volume histograms (DVHs), as compared to the conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), in gynecologic malignancy patients by systematic review of the related publications and meta-analysis. Methods Relevant articles were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases up to August 2011. Two independent reviewers assessed the included studies and extracted data. Pooled average percent irradiated volumes of adjacent non-cancerous tissues were calculated and compared between IMRT and 3D-CRT for a range of common radiation doses (5-45Gy). Results In total, 13 articles comprised of 222 IMRT-treated and 233 3D-CRT-treated patients were included. For rectum receiving doses ≥30 Gy, the IMRT pooled average irradiated volumes were less than those from 3D-CRT by 26.40% (30 Gy, p = 0.004), 27.00% (35 Gy, p = 0.040), 37.30% (40 Gy, p = 0.006), and 39.50% (45 Gy, p = 0.002). Reduction in irradiated small bowel was also observed for IMRT-delivered 40 Gy and 45 Gy (by 17.80% (p = 0.043) and 17.30% (p = 0.012), respectively), as compared with 3D-CRT. However, there were no significant differences in the IMRT and 3D-CRT pooled average percent volumes of irradiated small bowel or rectum from lower doses, or in the bladder or bone marrow from any of the doses. IMRT-treated patients did not experience more severe acute or chronic toxicities than 3D-CRT-treated patients. Conclusions IMRT-delivered high radiation dose produced significantly less average percent volumes of irradiated rectum and small bowel than 3D-CRT, but did not differentially affect the average percent volumes in the bladder and bone marrow. PMID:23176540

Lateral Wedge Insoles for Reducing Biomechanical Risk Factors for Medial Knee Osteoarthritis Progression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Arnold, John B; Wong, Daniel X; Jones, Richard K; Hill, Catherine L; Thewlis, Dominic

2016-07-01

Lateral wedge insoles are intended to reduce biomechanical risk factors of medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) progression, such as increased knee joint load; however, there has been no definitive consensus on this topic. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to establish the within-subject effects of lateral wedge insoles on knee joint load in people with medial knee OA during walking. Six databases were searched from inception until February 13, 2015. Included studies reported on the immediate biomechanical effects of lateral wedge insoles during walking in people with medial knee OA. Primary outcomes of interest relating to the biomechanical risk of disease progression were the first and second peak external knee adduction moment (EKAM) and knee adduction angular impulse (KAAI). Eligible studies were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Eighteen studies were included with a total of 534 participants. Lateral wedge insoles resulted in a small but statistically significant reduction in the first peak EKAM (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.19; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] -0.23, -0.15) and second peak EKAM (SMD -0.25; 95% CI -0.32, -0.19) with a low level of heterogeneity (I(2)  = 5% and 30%, respectively). There was a favorable but small reduction in the KAAI with lateral wedge insoles (SMD -0.14; 95% CI -0.21, -0.07, I(2)  = 31%). Risk of methodologic bias scores (quality index) ranged from 8 to 13 out of 16. Lateral wedge insoles cause small reductions in the EKAM and KAAI during walking in people with medial knee OA. Current evidence demonstrates that lateral wedge insoles appear ineffective at attenuating structural changes in people with medial knee OA as a whole and may be better suited to targeted use in biomechanical phenotypes associated with larger reductions in knee load. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Intrafraction Motion in Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Versus Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rossi, Maddalena M.G.; Peulen, Heike M.U.; Belderbos, Josè S.A.

Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early-stage inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients delivers high doses that require high-precision treatment. Typically, image guidance is used to minimize day-to-day target displacement, but intrafraction position variability is often not corrected. Currently, volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is replacing intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in many departments because of its shorter delivery time. This study aimed to evaluate whether intrafraction variation in VMAT patients is reduced in comparison with patients treated with IMRT. Methods and Materials: NSCLC patients (197 IMRT and 112 VMAT) treated with a frameless SBRT technique to amore » prescribed dose of 3 × 18 Gy were evaluated. Image guidance for both techniques was identical: pretreatment cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) (CBCT{sub precorr}) for setup correction followed immediately before treatment by postcorrection CBCT (CBCT{sub postcorr}) for verification. Then, after either a noncoplanar IMRT technique or a VMAT technique, a posttreatment (CBCT{sub postRT}) scan was acquired. The CBCT{sub postRT} and CBCT{sub postcorr} scans were then used to evaluate intrafraction motion. Treatment delivery times, systematic (Σ) and random (σ) intrafraction variations, and associated planning target volume (PTV) margins were calculated. Results: The median treatment delivery time was significantly reduced by 20 minutes (range, 32-12 minutes) using VMAT compared with noncoplanar IMRT. Intrafraction tumor motion was significantly larger for IMRT in all directions up to 0.5 mm systematic (Σ) and 0.7 mm random (σ). The required PTV margins for IMRT and VMAT differed by less than 0.3 mm. Conclusion: VMAT-based SBRT for NSCLC was associated with significantly shorter delivery times and correspondingly smaller intrafraction motion compared with noncoplanar IMRT. However, the impact on the required PTV margin was small.« less

Psychological and support interventions to reduce levels of stress, anxiety or depression on women’s subsequent pregnancy with a history of miscarriage: an empty systematic review

PubMed Central

Meaney, Sarah; McNamara, Karen; O'Donoghue, Keelin

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effect of interventions to reduce stress in pregnant women with a history of miscarriage. Design A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Data source A total of 13 medical, psychological and social electronic databases were searched from January 1995 to April 2016 including PUBMED, CENTRAL, Web of Science and EMBASE. Eligibility criteria This review focused on women in their subsequent pregnancy following miscarriage. All published RCTs which assessed the effect of non-medical interventions such as counselling or support interventions on psychological and mental health outcomes such as stress, anxiety or depression when compared with a control group were included. Stress, anxiety or depression had to be measured at least preintervention and postintervention. Results This systematic review found no RCT which met our initial inclusion criteria. Of the 4140 titles screened, 17 RCTs were identified. All of them were excluded. One RCT, which implemented a caring-based intervention, included pregnant women in their subsequent pregnancy; however, miscarriage was analysed as a composite variable among other pregnancy losses such as stillbirth and neonatal death. Levels of perceived stress were measured by four RCTs. Different types of non-medical interventions, time of follow-up and small sample sizes were found. Conclusion Cohort studies and RCTs in non-pregnant women suggest that support and psychological interventions may improve pregnant women’s psychological well-being after miscarriage. This improvement may reduce adverse pregnancy-related outcomes in subsequent pregnancies. However, this review found no RCTs which met our criteria. There is a need for targeted RCTs that can provide reliable and conclusive results to determine effective interventions for this vulnerable group. PMID:28882928

Are most samples of animals systematically biased? Consistent individual trait differences bias samples despite random sampling.

PubMed

Biro, Peter A

2013-02-01

Sampling animals from the wild for study is something nearly every biologist has done, but despite our best efforts to obtain random samples of animals, 'hidden' trait biases may still exist. For example, consistent behavioral traits can affect trappability/catchability, independent of obvious factors such as size and gender, and these traits are often correlated with other repeatable physiological and/or life history traits. If so, systematic sampling bias may exist for any of these traits. The extent to which this is a problem, of course, depends on the magnitude of bias, which is presently unknown because the underlying trait distributions in populations are usually unknown, or unknowable. Indeed, our present knowledge about sampling bias comes from samples (not complete population censuses), which can possess bias to begin with. I had the unique opportunity to create naturalized populations of fish by seeding each of four small fishless lakes with equal densities of slow-, intermediate-, and fast-growing fish. Using sampling methods that are not size-selective, I observed that fast-growing fish were up to two-times more likely to be sampled than slower-growing fish. This indicates substantial and systematic bias with respect to an important life history trait (growth rate). If correlations between behavioral, physiological and life-history traits are as widespread as the literature suggests, then many animal samples may be systematically biased with respect to these traits (e.g., when collecting animals for laboratory use), and affect our inferences about population structure and abundance. I conclude with a discussion on ways to minimize sampling bias for particular physiological/behavioral/life-history types within animal populations.

Death in the Digital Age: A Systematic Review of Information and Communication Technologies in End-of-Life Care.

PubMed

Ostherr, Kirsten; Killoran, Peter; Shegog, Ross; Bruera, Eduardo

2016-04-01

End-of-life (EOL) communication plays a critical role in ensuring that patients receive care concordant with their wishes and experience high quality of life. As the baby boomer population ages, scalable models of end-of-life communication will be needed to ensure that patients receive appropriate care. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) may help address the needs of this generation; however, few resources exist to guide the use of ICTs in EOL care. The primary objective was to identify the ICTs being used in EOL communication. The secondary objective was to compare the effectiveness of different ICTs in EOL communication. The study was a systematic review, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We systematically searched seven databases for experimental and observational studies on EOL communication between doctors and patients using ICTs, published in 1997-2013. The review identified 38 relevant articles. Eleven types of technology were identified: video, website, telephone, videoconferencing, e-mail, telemonitoring, Internet search, compact disc, fax, PalmPilot, and short message service (SMS) text messaging. ICTs were most commonly used to provide information or education, serve as decision aids, promote advance care planning (ACP), and relieve physical symptom distress. The use of ICTs in EOL care is a small but growing field of research. Additional research is needed to adapt older, analog technologies for use in the digital age. Many of the interventions discussed in this review do not take full advantage of the affordances of mobile, connected health ICTs. The growing evidence base for e-health applications in related fields should guide future interventions in EOL care.

Selection of representative emerging micropollutants for drinking water treatment studies: a systematic approach.

PubMed

Jin, Xiaohui; Peldszus, Sigrid

2012-01-01

Micropollutants remain of concern in drinking water, and there is a broad interest in the ability of different treatment processes to remove these compounds. To gain a better understanding of treatment effectiveness for structurally diverse compounds and to be cost effective, it is necessary to select a small set of representative micropollutants for experimental studies. Unlike other approaches to-date, in this research micropollutants were systematically selected based solely on their physico-chemical and structural properties that are important in individual water treatment processes. This was accomplished by linking underlying principles of treatment processes such as coagulation/flocculation, oxidation, activated carbon adsorption, and membrane filtration to compound characteristics and corresponding molecular descriptors. A systematic statistical approach not commonly used in water treatment was then applied to a compound pool of 182 micropollutants (identified from the literature) and their relevant calculated molecular descriptors. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to summarize the information residing in this large dataset. D-optimal onion design was then applied to the PCA results to select structurally representative compounds that could be used in experimental treatment studies. To demonstrate the applicability and flexibility of this selection approach, two sets of 22 representative micropollutants are presented. Compounds in the first set are representative when studying a range of water treatment processes (coagulation/flocculation, oxidation, activated carbon adsorption, and membrane filtration), whereas the second set shows representative compounds for ozonation and advanced oxidation studies. Overall, selected micropollutants in both lists are structurally diverse, have wide-ranging physico-chemical properties and cover a large spectrum of applications. The systematic compound selection approach presented here can also be adjusted to fit individual research needs with respect to type of micropollutants, treatment processes and number of compounds selected. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RIP-seq of BmAgo2-associated small RNAs reveal various types of small non-coding RNAs in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression in eukaryotes. Previously, only microRNAs (miRNAs) and piRNAs have been identified in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Furthermore, only ncRNAs (50-500nt) of intermediate size have been systematically identified in the silkworm. Results Here, we performed a systematic identification and analysis of small RNAs (18-50nt) associated with the Bombyx mori argonaute2 (BmAgo2) protein. Using RIP-seq, we identified various types of small ncRNAs associated with BmAGO2. These ncRNAs showed a multimodal length distribution, with three peaks at ~20nt, ~27nt and ~33nt, which included tRNA-, transposable element (TE)-, rRNA-, snoRNA- and snRNA-derived small RNAs as well as miRNAs and piRNAs. The tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) were found at an extremely high abundance and accounted for 69.90% of the BmAgo2-associated small RNAs. Northern blotting confirmed that many tRFs were expressed or up-regulated only in the BmNPV-infected cells, implying that the tRFs play a prominent role by binding to BmAgo2 during BmNPV infection. Additional evidence suggested that there are potential cleavage sites on the D, anti-codon and TψC loops of the tRNAs. TE-derived small RNAs and piRNAs also accounted for a significant proportion of the BmAgo2-associated small RNAs, suggesting that BmAgo2 could be involved in the maintenance of genome stability by suppressing the activities of transposons guided by these small RNAs. Finally, Northern blotting was also used to confirm the Bombyx 5.8 s rRNA-derived small RNAs, demonstrating that various novel small RNAs exist in the silkworm. Conclusions Using an RIP-seq method in combination with Northern blotting, we identified various types of small RNAs associated with the BmAgo2 protein, including tRNA-, TE-, rRNA-, snoRNA- and snRNA-derived small RNAs as well as miRNAs and piRNAs. Our findings provide new clues for future functional studies of the role of small RNAs in insect development and evolution. PMID:24074203

Nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of dietary and psychological treatments.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Brandeis, Daniel; Cortese, Samuele; Daley, David; Ferrin, Maite; Holtmann, Martin; Stevenson, Jim; Danckaerts, Marina; van der Oord, Saskia; Döpfner, Manfred; Dittmann, Ralf W; Simonoff, Emily; Zuddas, Alessandro; Banaschewski, Tobias; Buitelaar, Jan; Coghill, David; Hollis, Chris; Konofal, Eric; Lecendreux, Michel; Wong, Ian C K; Sergeant, Joseph

2013-03-01

Nonpharmacological treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although their efficacy remains uncertain. The authors undertook meta-analyses of the efficacy of dietary (restricted elimination diets, artificial food color exclusions, and free fatty acid supplementation) and psychological (cognitive training, neurofeedback, and behavioral interventions) ADHD treatments. Using a common systematic search and a rigorous coding and data extraction strategy across domains, the authors searched electronic databases to identify published randomized controlled trials that involved individuals who were diagnosed with ADHD (or who met a validated cutoff on a recognized rating scale) and that included an ADHD outcome. Fifty-four of the 2,904 nonduplicate screened records were included in the analyses. Two different analyses were performed. When the outcome measure was based on ADHD assessments by raters closest to the therapeutic setting, all dietary (standardized mean differences=0.21-0.48) and psychological (standardized mean differences=0.40-0.64) treatments produced statistically significant effects. However, when the best probably blinded assessment was employed, effects remained significant for free fatty acid supplementation (standardized mean difference=0.16) and artificial food color exclusion (standardized mean difference=0.42) but were substantially attenuated to nonsignificant levels for other treatments. Free fatty acid supplementation produced small but significant reductions in ADHD symptoms even with probably blinded assessments, although the clinical significance of these effects remains to be determined. Artificial food color exclusion produced larger effects but often in individuals selected for food sensitivities. Better evidence for efficacy from blinded assessments is required for behavioral interventions, neurofeedback, cognitive training, and restricted elimination diets before they can be supported as treatments for core ADHD symptoms.

Prevalence of angina in women versus men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of international variations across 31 countries.

PubMed

Hemingway, Harry; Langenberg, Claudia; Damant, Jacqueline; Frost, Chris; Pyörälä, Kalevi; Barrett-Connor, Elizabeth

2008-03-25

In the absence of previous international comparisons, we sought to systematically evaluate, across time and participant age, the sex ratio in angina prevalence in countries that differ widely in the rate of mortality due to myocardial infarction. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE until February 2006 for healthy population studies published in any language that reported the prevalence of angina (Rose questionnaire) in women and men. We obtained myocardial infarction mortality rates from the World Health Organization. A total of 74 reports of 13,331 angina cases in women and 11,511 cases in men from 31 countries were included. Angina prevalence varied widely across populations, from 0.73% to 14.4% (population weighted mean 6.7%) in women and from 0.76% to 15.1% (population weighted mean 5.7%) in men, and was strongly correlated within populations between the sexes (r=0.80, P<0.0001). Angina prevalence showed a small female excess with a pooled random-effects sex ratio of 1.20 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.28, P<0.0001). This female excess was found across countries with widely differing myocardial infarction mortality rates in women (interquartile range 12.7 to 126.5 per 100,000), was particularly high in the American studies (1.40, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.52), and was higher among nonwhite ethnic groups than among whites. This sex ratio did not differ significantly by participant's age, the year the survey began, or the sex ratio for mortality due to myocardial infarction. Over time and at different ages, independent of diagnostic and treatment practices, women have a similar or slightly higher prevalence of angina than men across countries with widely differing myocardial infarction mortality rates.

Effect of Neutral-pH, Low–Glucose Degradation Product Peritoneal Dialysis Solutions on Residual Renal Function, Urine Volume, and Ultrafiltration: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Yohanna, Seychelle; Alkatheeri, Ali M.A.; Brimble, Scott K.; McCormick, Brendan; Iansavitchous, Arthur; Blake, Peter G.

2015-01-01

Background and objectives Neutral-pH, low–glucose degradation products solutions were developed in an attempt to lessen the adverse effects of conventional peritoneal dialysis solutions. A systematic review was performed evaluating the effect of these solutions on residual renal function, urine volume, peritoneal ultrafiltration, and peritoneal small-solute transport (dialysate to plasma creatinine ratio) over time. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Multiple electronic databases were searched from January of 1995 to January of 2013. Randomized trials reporting on any of four prespecified outcomes were selected by consensus among multiple reviewers. Results Eleven trials of 643 patients were included. Trials were generally of poor quality. The meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. The use of neutral-pH, low-glucose degradation products solutions resulted in better preserved residual renal function at various study durations, including >1 year (combined analysis: 11 studies; 643 patients; standardized mean difference =0.17 ml/min; 95% confidence interval, 0.01 to 0.32), and greater urine volumes (eight studies; 598 patients; mean difference =128 ml/d; 95% confidence interval, 58 to 198). There was no significant difference in peritoneal ultrafiltration (seven studies; 571 patients; mean difference =−110; 95% confidence interval, −312 to 91) or dialysate to plasma creatinine ratio (six studies; 432 patients; mean difference =0.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.00 to 0.06). Conclusions The use of neutral-pH, low–glucose degradation products solutions results in better preservation of residual renal function and greater urine volumes. The effect on residual renal function occurred early and persisted beyond 12 months. Additional studies are required to evaluate the use of neutral-pH, low–glucose degradation products solutions on hard clinical outcomes. PMID:26048890

Ultra high field TOF-MRA: A method to visualize small cerebral vessels. 7T TOF-MRA sequence parameters on different MRI scanners - Literature review.

PubMed

Grochowski, Cezary; Staśkiewicz, Grzegorz

Time-of-flight (TOF) angiography is a technique allowing to visualize the blood flow in vessels. 7T ToF-MRA is able to visualize the whole Circle of Willis including small perforating branches without any known side effects as opposed to usually used DSA and CTA with high exposition to the radiation and high doses of contrast as far as CTA is concerned. The aim of this review is to describe ultra-high field ToF-MRA and present different protocol data depending on the scanner used in the study. PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Google Scholar databases were searched. Selection of studies for this systematic review included 7T magnetic resonance angiography studies. We searched for type of head coil used in various studies, flip angle, echo time, repetition time, field-of-view (FOV), number of slices per slab, matrix, voxel size and acquisition time. Visualization for the small perforating vessels of the Circle of Willis, that are not fully visualized using low-field-strength MRA is improving with increasing magnetic field strength, which has been proved by several studies. Ultra-high filed ToF-MRA has found to be a superior method in depicting cerebral microvasculature. 7T ToF-MRA seems to be a reliable method for visualization of arteries up to the second order cerebral arteries and has a potential to replace DSA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o.

Comparison of automated measurements of electrocardiographic intervals and durations by computer-based algorithms of digital electrocardiographs.

PubMed

Kligfield, Paul; Badilini, Fabio; Rowlandson, Ian; Xue, Joel; Clark, Elaine; Devine, Brian; Macfarlane, Peter; de Bie, Johan; Mortara, David; Babaeizadeh, Saeed; Gregg, Richard; Helfenbein, Eric D; Green, Cynthia L

2014-02-01

Automated measurements of electrocardiographic (ECG) intervals are widely used by clinicians for individual patient diagnosis and by investigators in population studies. We examined whether clinically significant systematic differences exist in ECG intervals measured by current generation digital electrocardiographs from different manufacturers and whether differences, if present, are dependent on the degree of abnormality of the selected ECGs. Measurements of RR interval, PR interval, QRS duration, and QT interval were made blindly by 4 major manufacturers of digital electrocardiographs used in the United States from 600 XML files of ECG tracings stored in the US FDA ECG warehouse and released for the purpose of this study by the Cardiac Safety Research Consortium. Included were 3 groups based on expected QT interval and degree of repolarization abnormality, comprising 200 ECGs each from (1) placebo or baseline study period in normal subjects during thorough QT studies, (2) peak moxifloxacin effect in otherwise normal subjects during thorough QT studies, and (3) patients with genotyped variants of congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS). Differences of means between manufacturers were generally small in the normal and moxifloxacin subjects, but in the LQTS patients, differences of means ranged from 2.0 to 14.0 ms for QRS duration and from 0.8 to 18.1 ms for the QT interval. Mean absolute differences between algorithms were similar for QRS duration and QT intervals in the normal and in the moxifloxacin subjects (mean ≤6 ms) but were significantly larger in patients with LQTS. Small but statistically significant group differences in mean interval and duration measurements and means of individual absolute differences exist among automated algorithms of widely used, current generation digital electrocardiographs. Measurement differences, including QRS duration and the QT interval, are greatest for the most abnormal ECGs. © 2014.

Systematic approaches to toxicology in the zebrafish.

PubMed

Peterson, Randall T; Macrae, Calum A

2012-01-01

As the current paradigms of drug discovery evolve, it has become clear that a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between small molecules and organismal biology will be vital. The zebrafish is emerging as a complement to existing in vitro technologies and established preclinical in vivo models that can be scaled for high-throughput. In this review, we highlight the current status of zebrafish toxicology studies, identify potential future niches for the model in the drug development pipeline, and define the hurdles that must be overcome as zebrafish technologies are refined for systematic toxicology.

Systematic studies of small scintillators for new sampling calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacosalem, E. P.; Iba, S.; Nakajima, N.; Ono, H.; Sanchez, A. L. C.; Bacala, A. M.; Miyata, H.

2007-12-01

A new sampling calorimeter using very thin scintillators and the multi-pixel photon counter (MPPC) has been proposed to produce better position resolution for the international linear collider (ILC) experiment. As part of this R&D study, small plastic scintillators of different sizes, thickness and wrapping reflectors are systematically studied. The scintillation light due to beta rays from a collimated ^{90}Sr source are collected from the scintillator by wavelength-shifting (WLS) fiber and converted into electrical signals at the PMT. The wrapped scintillator that gives the best light yield is determined by comparing the measured pulse height of each 10 × 40 × 2 mm strip scintillator covered with 3M reflective mirror film, teflon, white paint, black tape, gold, aluminum and white paint+teflon. The pulse height dependence on position, length and thickness of the 3M reflective mirror film and teflon wrapped scintillators are measured. Results show that the 3M radiant mirror film-wrapped scintillator has the greatest light yield with an average of 9.2 photoelectrons. It is observed that light yield slightly increases with scintillator length, but increases to about 100% when WLS fiber diameter is increased from 1.0 mm to 1.6 mm. The position dependence measurement along the strip scintillator showed the uniformity of light transmission from the sensor to the PMT. A dip across the strip is observed which is 40% of the maximum pulse height. The block type scintillator pulse height, on the other hand, is found to be almost proportional to scintillator thickness.

Cognitive fatigue effects on physical performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

McMorris, Terry; Barwood, Martin; Hale, Beverley J; Dicks, Matt; Corbett, Jo

2018-05-01

Recent research has examined the effect that undertaking a cognitively fatiguing task for ≤90 min has on subsequent physical performance. Cognitive fatigue is claimed to affect subsequent physical performance by inducing energy depletion in the brain, depletion of brain catecholamine neurotransmitters or changes in motivation. Observation of the psychophysiology and neurochemistry literature questions the ability of 90 min' cognitive activity to deplete energy or catecholamine resources. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the evidence for cognitive fatigue having an effect on subsequent physical performance. A systematic, meta-analytic review was undertaken. We found a small but significant pooled effect size based on comparison between physical performance post-cognitive fatigue compared to post-control (g = -0.27, SE = -0.12, 95% CI -0.49 to -0.04, Z(10) = -2.283, p < 0.05). However, the results were not heterogenous (Q(10) = 2.789, p > 0.10, Τ 2  < 0.001), suggesting that the pooled effect size does not amount to a real effect and differences are due to random error. No publication bias was evident (Kendall's τ = -0.07, p > 0.05). Thus, the results are somewhat contradictory. The pooled effect size shows a small but significant negative effect of cognitive fatigue, however tests of heterogeneity show that the results are due to random error. Future research should use neuroscientific tests to ensure that cognitive fatigue has been achieved. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcription factors, coregulators, and epigenetic marks are linearly correlated and highly redundant

PubMed Central

Ahsendorf, Tobias; Müller, Franz-Josef; Topkar, Ved; Gunawardena, Jeremy; Eils, Roland

2017-01-01

The DNA microstates that regulate transcription include sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs), coregulatory complexes, nucleosomes, histone modifications, DNA methylation, and parts of the three-dimensional architecture of genomes, which could create an enormous combinatorial complexity across the genome. However, many proteins and epigenetic marks are known to colocalize, suggesting that the information content encoded in these marks can be compressed. It has so far proved difficult to understand this compression in a systematic and quantitative manner. Here, we show that simple linear models can reliably predict the data generated by the ENCODE and Roadmap Epigenomics consortia. Further, we demonstrate that a small number of marks can predict all other marks with high average correlation across the genome, systematically revealing the substantial information compression that is present in different cell lines. We find that the linear models for activating marks are typically cell line-independent, while those for silencing marks are predominantly cell line-specific. Of particular note, a nuclear receptor corepressor, transducin beta-like 1 X-linked receptor 1 (TBLR1), was highly predictive of other marks in two hematopoietic cell lines. The methodology presented here shows how the potentially vast complexity of TFs, coregulators, and epigenetic marks at eukaryotic genes is highly redundant and that the information present can be compressed onto a much smaller subset of marks. These findings could be used to efficiently characterize cell lines and tissues based on a small number of diagnostic marks and suggest how the DNA microstates, which regulate the expression of individual genes, can be specified. PMID:29216191

Air quality impacts of distributed power generation in the South Coast Air Basin of California 1: Scenario development and modeling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, M. A.; Carreras-Sospedra, M.; Medrano, M.; Brouwer, J.; Samuelsen, G. S.; Dabdub, D.

Distributed generation (DG) is generally defined as the operation of many small stationary power generators throughout an urban air basin. Although DG has the potential to supply a significant portion of the increased power demands in California and the rest of the United States, it may lead to increased levels of in-basin pollutants and adversely impact urban air quality. This study focuses on two main objectives: (1) the systematic characterization of DG installation in urban air basins, and (2) the simulation of potential air quality impacts using a state-of-the-art three-dimensional computational model. A general and systematic approach is devised to construct five realistic and 21 spanning scenarios of DG implementation in the South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) of California. Realistic scenarios reflect an anticipated level of DG deployment in the SoCAB by the year 2010. Spanning scenarios are developed to determine the potential impacts of unexpected outcomes. Realistic implementations of DG in the SoCAB result in small differences in ozone and particulate matter concentrations in the basin compared to the baseline simulations. The baseline accounts for population increase, but does not consider any future emissions control measures. Model results for spanning implementations with extra high DG market penetration show that domain-wide ozone peak concentrations increase significantly. Also, air quality impacts of spanning implementations when DG operate during a 6-h period are larger than when the same amount of emissions are introduced during a 24-h period.

Long working hours and depressive symptoms: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data.

PubMed

Virtanen, Marianna; Jokela, Markus; Madsen, Ida Eh; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Lallukka, Tea; Nyberg, Solja T; Alfredsson, Lars; Batty, G David; Bjorner, Jakob B; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Dragano, Nico; Erbel, Raimund; Ferrie, Jane E; Heikkilä, Katriina; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Lahelma, Eero; Nielsen, Martin L; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H; Pentti, Jaana; Rahkonen, Ossi; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Schupp, Jürgen; Shipley, Martin J; Siegrist, Johannes; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Suominen, Sakari B; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Wagner, Gert G; Wang, Jian Li; Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Westerlund, Hugo; Kivimäki, Mika

2018-05-01

Objectives This systematic review and meta-analysis combined published study-level data and unpublished individual-participant data with the aim of quantifying the relation between long working hours and the onset of depressive symptoms. Methods We searched PubMed and Embase for published prospective cohort studies and included available cohorts with unpublished individual-participant data. We used a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate summary estimates across studies. Results We identified ten published cohort studies and included unpublished individual-participant data from 18 studies. In the majority of cohorts, long working hours was defined as working ≥55 hours per week. In multivariable-adjusted meta-analyses of 189 729 participants from 35 countries [96 275 men, 93 454 women, follow-up ranging from 1-5 years, 21 747 new-onset cases), there was an overall association of 1.14 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.25] between long working hours and the onset of depressive symptoms, with significant evidence of heterogeneity (I 2 =45.1%, P=0.004). A moderate association between working hours and depressive symptoms was found in Asian countries (1.50, 95% CI 1.13-2.01), a weaker association in Europe (1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.22), and no association in North America (0.97, 95% CI 0.70-1.34) or Australia (0.95, 95% CI 0.70-1.29). Differences by other characteristics were small. Conclusions This observational evidence suggests a moderate association between long working hours and onset of depressive symptoms in Asia and a small association in Europe.

The Impact of Accelerometers on Physical Activity and Weight Loss: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Goode, Adam P.; Hall, Katherine S.; Batch, Bryan C.; Huffman, Kim M.; Hastings, S. Nicole; Allen, Kelli D.; Shaw, Ryan J.; Kanach, Frances A.; McDuffie, Jennifer R.; Kosinski, Andrzej S.; Williams, John W.; Gierisch, Jennifer M.

2016-01-01

Background Regular physical activity is important for improving and maintaining health, but sedentary behavior is difficult to change. Providing objective, real-time feedback on physical activity with wearable motion-sensing technologies (activity monitors) may be a promising, scalable strategy to increase physical activity or decrease weight. Purpose We synthesized the literature on the use of wearable activity monitors for improving physical activity and weight-related outcomes and evaluated moderating factors that may have an impact on effectiveness. Methods We searched five databases from January 2000 to January 2015 for peer-reviewed, English-language randomized controlled trials among adults. Random-effects models were used to produce standardized mean differences (SMDs) for physical activity outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for weight outcomes. Heterogeneity was measured with I2. Results Fourteen trials (2,972 total participants) met eligibility criteria; accelerometers were used in all trials. Twelve trials examined accelerometer interventions for increasing physical activity. A small significant effect was found for increasing physical activity (SMD 0.26; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.49; I2=64.7%). Intervention duration was the only moderator found to significantly explain high heterogeneity for physical activity. Eleven trials examined effects of accelerometer interventions on weight. Pooled estimates showed a small significant effect for weight loss (MD −1.65 kg; 95% CI −3.03 to −0.28; I2=81%), and no moderators were significant. Conclusions Accelerometers demonstrated small positive effects on physical activity and weight loss. The small sample sizes with moderate to high heterogeneity in the current studies limit the conclusions that may be drawn. Future studies should focus on how best to integrate accelerometers with other strategies to increase physical activity and weight loss. PMID:27565168

Systematic Analysis of the Effect of Small Scale Permeability Heterogeneity on Hyporheic Exchange Flux and Residence Times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laube, G.; Schmidt, C.; Fleckenstein, J. H.

2014-12-01

The hyporheic zone (HZ) contributes significantly to whole stream biogeochemical cycling. Biogeochemical reactions within the HZ are often transport limited, thus, understanding these reactions requires knowledge about the magnitude of hyporheic fluxes (HF) and the residence time (RT) of these fluxes within the HZ. While the hydraulics of HF are relatively well understood, studies addressing the influence of permeability heterogeneity lack systematic analysis and have even produced contradictory results (e.g. [1] vs. [2]). In order to close this gap, this study uses a statistical numerical approach to elucidate the influence of permeability heterogeneity on HF and RT. We simulated and evaluated 3750 2D-scenarios of sediment heterogeneity by means of Gaussian random fields with focus on total HF and RT distribution. The scenarios were based on ten realizations of each of all possible combinations of 15 different correlation lengths, 5 dipping angles and 5 permeability variances. Roughly 500 hyporheic stream traces were analyzed per simulation, for a total of almost two million stream traces analyzed for correlations between permeability heterogeneity, HF, and RT. Total HF and the RT variance positively correlated with permeability variance while the mean RT negatively correlated with permeability variance. In contrast, changes in correlation lengths and dipping angles had little effect on the examined properties RT and HF. These results provide a possible explanation of the seemingly contradictory conclusions of recent studies, given that the permeability variances in these studies differ by several orders of magnitude. [1] Bardini, L., Boano, F., Cardenas, M.B, Sawyer, A.H, Revelli, R. and Ridolfi, L. "Small-Scale Permeability Heterogeneity Has Negligible Effects on Nutrient Cycling in Streambeds." Geophysical Research Letters, 2013. doi:10.1002/grl.50224. [2] Zhou, Y., Ritzi, R. W., Soltanian, M. R. and Dominic, D. F. "The Influence of Streambed Heterogeneity on Hyporheic Flow in Gravelly Rivers." Groundwater, 2013. doi:10.1111/gwat.12048.

The impact of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages according to socio-economic position: a systematic review of the evidence.

PubMed

Backholer, Kathryn; Sarink, Danja; Beauchamp, Alison; Keating, Catherine; Loh, Venurs; Ball, Kylie; Martin, Jane; Peeters, Anna

2016-12-01

A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) has been proposed to address population weight gain but the effect across socio-economic position (SEP) is unclear. The current study aimed to clarify the differential impact(s) of SSB taxes on beverage purchases and consumption, weight outcomes and the amount paid in SSB taxes according to SEP. Databases (OVID and EMBASE) and grey literature were systematically searched in June 2015 to identify studies that examined effects of an SSB price increase on beverage purchases or consumption, weight outcomes or the amount paid in tax across SEP, within high-income countries. Of the eleven included articles, three study types were identified: (i) those that examined the association between variation in SSB taxes and SSB consumption and/or body weight (n 3); (ii) price elasticity estimation of SSB demand (n 1); and (iii) modelling of hypothetical SSB taxes by combining price elasticity estimates with population SEP-specific beverage consumption, energy intake or body weight (n 7). Few studies statistically tested differences in outcomes between SEP groups. Nevertheless, of the seven studies that reported on changes in weight outcomes for the total population following an increase in SSB price, all reported either similar reductions in weight across SEP groups or greater reductions for lower compared with higher SEP groups. All studies that examined the average household amount paid in tax (n 5) reported that an SSB tax would be regressive, but with small differences between higher- and lower-income households (0·10-1·0 % and 0·03 %-0·60 % of annual household income paid in SSB tax for low- and high-income households, respectively). Based on the available evidence, a tax on SSB will deliver similar population weight benefits across socio-economic strata or greater benefits for lower SEP groups. An SSB tax is shown to be consistently financially regressive, but to a small degree.

An algorithm for selecting the most accurate protocol for contact angle measurement by drop shape analysis.

PubMed

Xu, Z N

2014-12-01

In this study, an error analysis is performed to study real water drop images and the corresponding numerically generated water drop profiles for three widely used static contact angle algorithms: the circle- and ellipse-fitting algorithms and the axisymmetric drop shape analysis-profile (ADSA-P) algorithm. The results demonstrate the accuracy of the numerically generated drop profiles based on the Laplace equation. A significant number of water drop profiles with different volumes, contact angles, and noise levels are generated, and the influences of the three factors on the accuracies of the three algorithms are systematically investigated. The results reveal that the above-mentioned three algorithms are complementary. In fact, the circle- and ellipse-fitting algorithms show low errors and are highly resistant to noise for water drops with small/medium volumes and contact angles, while for water drop with large volumes and contact angles just the ADSA-P algorithm can meet accuracy requirement. However, this algorithm introduces significant errors in the case of small volumes and contact angles because of its high sensitivity to noise. The critical water drop volumes of the circle- and ellipse-fitting algorithms corresponding to a certain contact angle error are obtained through a significant amount of computation. To improve the precision of the static contact angle measurement, a more accurate algorithm based on a combination of the three algorithms is proposed. Following a systematic investigation, the algorithm selection rule is described in detail, while maintaining the advantages of the three algorithms and overcoming their deficiencies. In general, static contact angles over the entire hydrophobicity range can be accurately evaluated using the proposed algorithm. The ease of erroneous judgment in static contact angle measurements is avoided. The proposed algorithm is validated by a static contact angle evaluation of real and numerically generated water drop images with different hydrophobicity values and volumes.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials on the effects of potassium supplements on serum potassium and creatinine.

PubMed

Cappuccio, Francesco P; Buchanan, Laura A; Ji, Chen; Siani, Alfonso; Miller, Michelle A

2016-08-26

High potassium intake could prevent stroke, but supplementation is considered hazardous. We assessed the effect of oral potassium supplementation on serum or plasma potassium levels and renal function. We updated a systematic review of the effects of potassium supplementation in randomised clinical trials carried out worldwide, published in 2013, extending it to July 2015. We followed the PRISMA guidelines. Any individual taking part in a potassium supplementation randomised clinical trial. Studies included met the following criteria: randomised clinical trials, potassium supplement given and circulating potassium levels reported. Oral potassium supplementation. Serum or plasma potassium and serum or plasma creatinine. A total of 20 trials (21 independent groups) were included (1216 participants from 12 different countries). All but 2 were controlled (placebo n=16, control n=2). Of these trials, 15 were crossover, 4 had a parallel group and 1 was sequential. The duration of supplementation varied from 2 to 24 weeks and the amount of potassium given from 22 to 140 mmol/day. In the pooled analysis, potassium supplementation caused a small but significant increase in circulating potassium levels (weighted mean difference (WMD) 0.14 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.19, p<1×10(-5)), not associated with dose or duration of treatment. The average increase in urinary potassium excretion was 45.75 mmol/24 hours, 95% CI 38.81 to 53.69, p<1×10(-5). Potassium supplementation did not cause any change in circulating creatinine levels (WMD 0.30 µmol/L, 95% CI -1.19 to 1.78, p=0.70). In short-term studies of relatively healthy persons, a moderate oral potassium supplement resulted in a small increase in circulating potassium levels and no change in renal function. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Education and training of healthcare staff in the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to work effectively with breastfeeding women: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gavine, Anna; MacGillivray, Steve; Renfrew, Mary J; Siebelt, Lindsay; Haggi, Haggi; McFadden, Alison

2016-01-01

Current evidence suggests that women need effective support to breastfeed, but many healthcare staff lack the necessary knowledge, attitudes and skills. There is therefore a need for breastfeeding education and training for healthcare staff. The primary aim of this review is to determine whether education and training programs for healthcare staff have an effect on their knowledge and attitudes about supporting breastfeeding women. The secondary aim of this review was to identify whether any differences in type of training or discipline of staff mattered. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's trial register. Randomised controlled trials comparing breastfeeding education and training for healthcare staff with no or usual training and education were included if they measured the impact on staff knowledge, attitudes or compliance with the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). From the 1192 reports identified, four distinct studies were included. Three studies were two-arm cluster-randomised trials and one was a two-arm individual randomised trial. Of these, three contributed quantitative data from a total of 250 participants. Due to heterogeneity of outcome measures meta-analysis was not possible. Knowledge was included as an outcome in two studies and demonstrated small but significant positive effects. Attitudes towards breastfeeding was included as an outcome in two studies, however, results were inconsistent both in terms of how they were measured and the intervention effects. One study reported a small but significant positive effect on BFHI compliance. Study quality was generally deemed low with the majority of domains being judged as high or unclear risk of bias. This review identified a lack of good evidence on breastfeeding education and training for healthcare staff. There is therefore a critical need for research to address breastfeeding education and training needs of multidisciplinary healthcare staff in different contexts through large, well-conducted RCTs.

Improvements in GRACE Gravity Fields Using Regularization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Save, H.; Bettadpur, S.; Tapley, B. D.

2008-12-01

The unconstrained global gravity field models derived from GRACE are susceptible to systematic errors that show up as broad "stripes" aligned in a North-South direction on the global maps of mass flux. These errors are believed to be a consequence of both systematic and random errors in the data that are amplified by the nature of the gravity field inverse problem. These errors impede scientific exploitation of the GRACE data products, and limit the realizable spatial resolution of the GRACE global gravity fields in certain regions. We use regularization techniques to reduce these "stripe" errors in the gravity field products. The regularization criteria are designed such that there is no attenuation of the signal and that the solutions fit the observations as well as an unconstrained solution. We have used a computationally inexpensive method, normally referred to as "L-ribbon", to find the regularization parameter. This paper discusses the characteristics and statistics of a 5-year time-series of regularized gravity field solutions. The solutions show markedly reduced stripes, are of uniformly good quality over time, and leave little or no systematic observation residuals, which is a frequent consequence of signal suppression from regularization. Up to degree 14, the signal in regularized solution shows correlation greater than 0.8 with the un-regularized CSR Release-04 solutions. Signals from large-amplitude and small-spatial extent events - such as the Great Sumatra Andaman Earthquake of 2004 - are visible in the global solutions without using special post-facto error reduction techniques employed previously in the literature. Hydrological signals as small as 5 cm water-layer equivalent in the small river basins, like Indus and Nile for example, are clearly evident, in contrast to noisy estimates from RL04. The residual variability over the oceans relative to a seasonal fit is small except at higher latitudes, and is evident without the need for de-striping or spatial smoothing.

The effectiveness of interventions in workplace health promotion as to maintain the working capacity of health care personal.

PubMed

Buchberger, Barbara; Heymann, Romy; Huppertz, Hendrik; Friepörtner, Katharina; Pomorin, Natalie; Wasem, Jürgen

2011-01-01

The increasing proportion of elderly people with respective care requirements and within the total population stands against aging personnel and staff reduction in the field of health care where employees are exposed to high load factors. Health promotion interventions may be a possibility to improve work situations and behavior. A systematic literature search is conducted in 32 databases limited to English and German publications since 1990. Moreover, internet-searches are performed and the reference lists of identified articles are scanned. The selection of literature was done by two reviewers independently according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction and tables of evidence are verified by a second expert just like the assessment of risk of bias by means of the Cochrane Collaboration's tool. We identified eleven intervention studies and two systematic reviews. There were three randomized controlled trials (RCT) and one controlled trial without randomization (CCT) on the improvement of physical health, four RCT and two CCT on the improvement of psychological health and one RCT on both. Study duration ranged from four weeks to two years and the number of participants included from 20 to 345, with a median of 56. Interventions and populations were predominantly heterogeneous. In three studies intervention for the improvement of physical health resulted in less complaints and increased strength and flexibility with statistically significant differences between groups. Regarding psychological health interventions lead to significantly decreased intake of analgesics, better stress management, coping with workload, communication skills and advanced training. Taking into consideration the small to very small sample sizes, other methodological flaws like a high potential of bias and poor quality of reporting the validity of the results has to be considered as limited. Due to the heterogeneity of health interventions, study populations with differing job specializations and different lengths of study durations and follow-up periods, the comparison of results would not make sense. Further research is necessary with larger sample sizes, with a sufficient study duration and follow-up, with a lower risk of bias, by considering of relevant quality criteria and with better reporting in publications.

Quantifying the performance of in vivo portal dosimetry in detecting four types of treatment parameter variations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bojechko, C.; Ford, E. C., E-mail: eford@uw.edu

Purpose: To quantify the ability of electronic portal imaging device (EPID) dosimetry used during treatment (in vivo) in detecting variations that can occur in the course of patient treatment. Methods: Images of transmitted radiation from in vivo EPID measurements were converted to a 2D planar dose at isocenter and compared to the treatment planning dose using a prototype software system. Using the treatment planning system (TPS), four different types of variability were modeled: overall dose scaling, shifting the positions of the multileaf collimator (MLC) leaves, shifting of the patient position, and changes in the patient body contour. The gamma passmore » rate was calculated for the modified and unmodified plans and used to construct a receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve to assess the detectability of the different parameter variations. The detectability is given by the area under the ROC curve (AUC). The TPS was also used to calculate the impact of the variations on the target dose–volume histogram. Results: Nine intensity modulation radiation therapy plans were measured for four different anatomical sites consisting of 70 separate fields. Results show that in vivo EPID dosimetry was most sensitive to variations in the machine output, AUC = 0.70 − 0.94, changes in patient body habitus, AUC = 0.67 − 0.88, and systematic shifts in the MLC bank positions, AUC = 0.59 − 0.82. These deviations are expected to have a relatively small clinical impact [planning target volume (PTV) D{sub 99} change <7%]. Larger variations have even higher detectability. Displacements in the patient’s position and random variations in MLC leaf positions were not readily detectable, AUC < 0.64. The D{sub 99} of the PTV changed by up to 57% for the patient position shifts considered here. Conclusions: In vivo EPID dosimetry is able to detect relatively small variations in overall dose, systematic shifts of the MLC’s, and changes in the patient habitus. Shifts in the patient’s position which can introduce large changes in the target dose coverage were not readily detected.« less

Knee Kinematics and Joint Moments During Stair Negotiation in Participants With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Deficiency and Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Hajizadeh, Maryam; Hashemi Oskouei, Alireza; Ghalichi, Farzan; Sole, Gisela

2016-06-01

Biomechanical changes have been reported for patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency (ACLD) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL reconstruction) (ACLR), likely due to loss of stability and changes in proprioception and neuromotor control. This review evaluated kinematics and kinetics of ACLD and ACLR knees, compared with those on the contralateral uninjured sides, as well as and those in asymptomatic controls during stair navigation. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic database searches were conducted from their original available dates to January 2015. Studies that included participants with ACLD or ACLR and reported knee joint angles or moments during stair ascent or descent were included. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria, and the methodological quality of these was assessed with a modified Downs and Black checklist. Effect sizes for differences between injured leg and uninjured contralateral leg or controls were calculated, and meta-analyses were performed if two or more studies considered the same variable. Quality assessment showed an average (± standard deviation) of 70.3% ± 7.2%. Meta-analysis showed less knee flexion at initial contact for ACLR knees compared with that in contralateral knees during stair ascent, with a moderate effect size and minimal heterogeneity. Knees with ACLD showed less peak knee flexion compared with that on contralateral sides during stair ascent, with minimal heterogeneity. External knee flexion moments were lower for ACLR compared with those in controls and contralateral sides during ascent and descent, whereas these moments were decreased for the ACLD compared with controls only during ascent. Meta-analysis results exhibited moderate/high heterogeneity or small/trivial effect sizes. Differences for kinematics and kinetics for the ACL-injured knees indicate long-term compensatory and asymmetric movement patterns while ascending and descending stairs. Due to the heterogeneity as well as the small numbers of available studies, the consequences of these differences in terms of long-term function or posttraumatic osteoarthritis need further exploration. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Balloon enteroscopy versus spiral enteroscopy for small-bowel disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Baniya, Ramkaji; Upadhaya, Sunil; Subedi, Subash Chandra; Khan, Jahangir; Sharma, Prabin; Mohammed, Tabrez Shaik; Bachuwa, Ghassan; Jamil, Laith H

2017-12-01

Two novel enteroscopic procedures, balloon enteroscopy and spiral enteroscopy, have revolutionized the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to small-bowel disorders. These disorders that historically required surgical interventions are now investigated and managed nonsurgically. Only a few weakly powered studies have compared the outcomes of spiral enteroscopy and balloon enteroscopy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of these 2 procedures. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched for all studies published up to January 12, 2017 comparing the efficacy and safety of balloon enteroscopy (single or double) and spiral enteroscopy. Primary outcomes of interest were diagnostic and therapeutic success rates. Other outcomes included procedure length, depth of maximal insertion (DMI), rate of complete enteroscopy, and adverse events. We calculated Odds ratios (ORs) for categorical variables and mean difference (MD) for continuous variables. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to analyze the data. Fixed and random effect models were used for <50% heterogeneity and >50% heterogeneity, respectively. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. A total of 615 procedures were analyzed, which included 394 balloon enteroscopy and 221 spiral enteroscopy procedures. There were no significant differences in diagnostic and therapeutic success rates (OR, 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], .86-1.88; P = .22; and OR, 1.23; 95% CI, .82-1.84; P = .32, respectively) between the 2 procedures. Similarly, DMI was not significantly different between the 2 groups (MD, 26.29; 95% CI, 20.92-73.49; P = .28). However, the procedure time was significantly shorter for the spiral enteroscopy group compared with the balloon enteroscopy group (MD, 11.26; 95% CI, 2.72-19.79; P = .010). A subgroup analysis comparing double balloon enteroscopy with spiral enteroscopy yielded similar results. Both procedures achieved similar diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes and with similar depth of insertion. Spiral enteroscopy has the benefit of shorter procedural time. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Five-class height-weight model for systematization of seventeen-year-old recruits' anthropometric data.

PubMed

Lintsi, Mart; Kaarma, Helje

2003-12-01

An anthropometric study of 552 Tartu city and Tartu county recruits aged 17 years was carried out. Height and weight, 33 anthropometric measurements and 12 skinfolds were measured. Body fat percentage was assessed by Omron BF 300 hand-held segmental body fat analyzer. From anthropometric measurements bone mass was derived by the Drink-water et al. (1986) equation, and total skeletal muscle mass by the Lee et al. (2000) equation. The data were systematized into five height-weight SD-classes. There were 3 classes with harmony between height and weight class: 1--small (small height and small weight), 2--medium (medium height and medium weight), 3--large (large height and large weight), 4--weight class dominating (pyknomorphic) and 5--height class dominating (leptomorphic). It was revealed that in classes 1, 2 and 3 the height and weight increase corresponded to the increase in all heights, breadths and depths, circumferences, skinfolds, body fat, muscle and bone mass. In class 4 circumferences, skinfolds, body fat and muscle mass were bigger. In class 5 all heights and the relative bone mass were bigger. The present investigation confirms the hypothesis that the five height-weight class system is applicable to seventeen-year-old recruits.

How researchers perceive research misconduct in biomedicine and how they would prevent it: A qualitative study in a small scientific community.

PubMed

Buljan, Ivan; Barać, Lana; Marušić, Ana

2018-01-01

The aim of our study has been to use a qualitative approach to explore the potential motivations and drivers for unethical behaviors in biomedicine and determine the role of institutions regarding those issues in a small scientific community setting. Three focus groups were held---two with doctoral students and one with active senior researchers. Purposive sampling was used to reach participants at different stages of their scientific careers. Participants in all three focus groups were asked the same questions regarding the characteristics and behaviors of ethical/unethical scientists, ethical climate, role, and responsibility of institutions; they were also asked to suggest ways to improve research integrity. The data analysis included coding of the transcripts, categorization of the initial codes, and identification of themes and patterns. Three main topics were derived from the focus groups discussions. The first included different forms of unethical behaviors including increasing research "waste," non-publication of negative results, authorship manipulation, data manipulation, and repression of collaborators. The second addressed the factors influencing unethical behavior, both external and internal, to the researchers. Two different definitions of ethics in science emerged; one from the categorical perspective and the other from the dimensional perspective. The third topic involved possible routes for improvement, one from within the institution through the research integrity education, research integrity bodies, and quality control, and the other from outside the institution through external supervision of institutions. Based on the results of our study, research misconduct in a small scientific community is perceived to be the consequence of the interaction of several social and psychological factors, both general and specific, for small research communities. Possible improvements should be systematic, aiming both for improvements in work environment and personal awareness in research ethics, and the implementation of those changes should be institutional responsibility.