Reviews of evidence

2018 ◽  
pp. 221-232
Author(s):  
Alan J. Silman ◽  
Gary J. Macfarlane ◽  
Tatiana Macfarlane
Keyword(s):  
Information Overload ◽  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Scientific Journals ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
The Us ◽  
Scientific Topic

The preceding chapters have focused on the generation of scientific evidence using epidemiological studies. Here the emphasis is on bringing together evidence (evidence synthesis) to inform future research and health policies. The chapter considers levels and quality of scientific evidence and describes in detail how to conduct a systematic review. It reviews the ways of summarizing and evaluating evidence from epidemiological studies. Summary of evidence is needed in everyday clinical practice and for public health. We live in a time of information overload, and it is impossible to read all the available scientific journals, even on a narrow scientific topic. Simply using search terms such as ‘cancer’ will result in millions of results in Google Scholar or PubMed (a service of the US National Library of Medicine®) database. Given the ever-increasing volume of medical literature and time constraints, summary of evidence plays a big role in decision-making.

scholarly journals Quality of Mobile Apps for Care Partners of People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias: Mobile App Rating Scale Evaluation (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole E Werner ◽  
Janetta C Brown ◽  
Priya Loganathar ◽  
Richard J Holden
Keyword(s):  
Rating Scale ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Future Research ◽  
App Development ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Acceptable Quality ◽  
The Us ◽  
Google Play

BACKGROUND The over 11 million care partners in the US who provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) cite persistent and pervasive unmet needs related to all aspects of their caregiving role. The proliferation of mobile applications (apps) for care partners has potential to meet the care partners’ needs, but the quality of apps is unknown. OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to 1) evaluate the quality of publicly available apps for care partners of people living with ADRD and 2) identify design features of low- and high-quality apps to guide future research and app development. METHODS We searched the US Apple and Google Play app stores with the criteria that the app needed to be 1) available in US Google play or Apple app stores, 2) directly accessible to users “out of the box”, 3) primarily intended for use by an informal (family, friend) caregiver or caregivers of a person with dementia. The included apps were then evaluated using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), which includes descriptive app classification and rating using 23 items across five dimensions: engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information, and subjective quality. Next, we computed descriptive statistics for each rating. To identify recommendations for future research and app development, we categorized rater comments on the score driving factors for each item and what the app could have done to improve the score for that item. RESULTS We evaluated 17 apps (41% iOS only, 12% Android only, 47% both iOS and Android). We found that on average, the apps are of minimally acceptable quality. Although we identified apps above and below minimally acceptable quality, many apps had broken features and were rated as below acceptable for engagement and information. CONCLUSIONS Minimally acceptable quality is likely insufficient to meet care partner needs. Future research should establish minimum quality standards across dimensions for mobile apps for care partners. The design features of high-quality apps we identified in this research can provide the foundation for benchmarking those standards.

scholarly journals 19-Hydroxy steroids in the aromatase reaction: Review on expression and potential functions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatjana Abaffy ◽  
Hiroaki Matsunami
Keyword(s):  
Adrenal Glands ◽  
Ovarian Function ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Analytical Sensitivity ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Pathological Conditions ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Scientific evidence related to the aromatase reaction in various biological processes spanning from mid-1960 is abundant, however, as our analytical sensitivity increases, a new look at the old chemical reaction is necessary. Here, we review an irreversible aromatase reaction from the substrate androstenedione. It proceeds in 3 consecutive steps. In the first two steps, 19-hydroxy steroids are produced. They can dissociate from the enzyme complex and either accumulate in tissues or enter the blood.In this review, we want to highlight the potential importance of these 19-hydroxy steroids in various physiological and pathological conditions. We focus primarily on 19-hydroxy steroids, and in particular on the 19-hydroxyandrostenedione produced by the incomplete aromatase reaction. Using a PubMed database and search terms aromatase reaction,19-hydroxylation of androgens and steroid measurements, we detail the chemistry of the aromatase reaction and list previous and current methods used to measure 19-hydroxy steroids. We present the evidence of the existence of 19-hydroxy steroids in the brain tissue, ovaries, testes, adrenal glands, prostate cancer and also during pregnancy and parturition and in Cushing’s disease. Based on the available literature, a potential involvement of 19-hydroxy steroids in the brain differentiation process, sperm motility, ovarian function, and hypertension is suggested and warrant future research.We hope that with the advancement of highly specific and sensitive analytical methods, future research into 19-hydroxy steroids will be encouraged, as much remains to be learned and discovered.

How to Search and Critique Scientific Evidence for Decision-Making

2017 ◽  
pp. 100-123
Author(s):  
Mayuree Tangkiatkumjai ◽  
Win Winit-Watjana ◽  
Li-Chia Chen
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Clinical Decision ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Based Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

A clinical decision on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) should be made based on evidence-based medicine (EBM) together with practitioner's knowledge and experiences. This chapter describes the process of EBM, including how to address a clinical question, do a systematic search for appropriate evidence with key search terms, appraise the evidence and make a clinical decision on CAM applications. An effective literature search should be performed by using a structured search strategy in searching biomedical and CAM databases, such as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM Citation Index). Few standard tools are recommended to evaluate the quality of CAM studies, i.e. the CONSORT extension for herbal interventions and STRICTA for RCTs of acupuncture. Additionally, some guidelines for designing RCTs in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) can also be adopted to critique CAM literature. A clinical decision on choosing optimal CAM for patient care should be based on the current best evidence emerged from the EBM process.

scholarly journals Treatment of Whiplash-Associated Disorders - Part II: Medical and Surgical Interventions

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Conlin ◽  
Sanjit Bhogal ◽  
Keith Sequeira ◽  
Robert Teasell
Keyword(s):  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Radiofrequency Neurotomy

BACKGROUND: Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) is a term used to describe injury due to an acceleration-deceleration mechanism at the neck. In 1995, the Quebec Task Force published a report that contained evidence-based recommendations regarding the treatment of WAD based on studies completed before 1993 and consensus-based recommendations.OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present article - the second installment of a two part review on WAD - is to provide a systematic review of the literature published between January 1993 and July 2003 on medical and surgical interventions for WAD using meta-analytical techniques.METHODS OF THE REVIEW: Three medical literature databases were searched for identification of all clinical trials on the treatment of WAD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and epidemiological studies were categorized by treatment modality and analyzed by outcome measures. The methodological quality of the RCTs was assessed. When possible, pooled analyses of the RCTs were completed for meta-analyses of the data. The results of all the studies were compiled and systematically reviewed.RESULTS: The studies were categorized as medical or surgical interventions. A total of five RCTs and six non-RCTs were evaluated. The mean methodological quality of the RCTs was 7.3 among studies on medical interventions and 7.5 for studies on surgical intervention. Pooled analyses were completed across all treatment modalities and outcome measures. The outcomes of each study were summarized in tables.CONCLUSIONS: While several quality RCTs and epidemiological studies have been published since 1993 on medical and surgical interventions, the cumulative evidence is lacking. Moderate evidence exists in support of radiofrequency neurotomy. Evidence for steroid injections, botulinum treatments, carpal tunnel decompression and cervical discectomy is conflicting or unclear. Future research is required to clarify the utility of radiofrequency neurotomy and pulsed electromagnetic field treatment for WAD.

scholarly journals Systemic constellations applied in organisations: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salome Scholtens ◽  
Carla Petroll ◽  
Carlos Rivas ◽  
Joke Fleer ◽  
Barna Konkolÿ Thege
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Team Coaching ◽  
Effectiveness Studies ◽  
Multiple Languages ◽  
Transformation Processes

AbstractThis article—published in the Journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation.— presents a systematic overview of the current empirical evidence of the effectiveness of the systemic constellation method when applied in organisations.Although the systemic constellation method is increasingly used for team coaching, organisational development and transformation processes, among others, scientific evidence on the effectiveness and quality of this method is still scarce. This may hamper the broader implementation of a potentially useful approach. Altogether, ten electronic databases were searched up to January, 2020. Multiple languages, qualitative and quantitative designs, and academic and grey literature were included. The search resulted in the identification of 79 potentially relevant publications, seven of which were prospective and 13 were retrospective effectiveness studies in terms of organisational outcomes. Only two of the seven prospective studies used a controlled design. This review concludes that the empirical evidence on the systemic organisational constellation method points toward a potentially effective intervention in the organisational context. However, it is too early to make firm conclusions as the number of studies was small and quality of the studies was low in general.The present systematic review summarises the literature on the systemic constellation method applied in organisations. It offers coaches and consultants insights into the method from a scientific perspective and describes potential mechanisms of action regarding the intervention. The results of the review provide a solid basis for future research and give directions for new studies to support quality improvement and help us better understand the factors influencing effectiveness.

scholarly journals Frameworks and quality measures used for debriefing in team-based simulation: a systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Endacott ◽  
Thomas Gale ◽  
Anita O’Connor ◽  
Samantha Dix
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Data Synthesis ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Training ◽  
High Quality Score

ObjectivesThe skill of the debriefer is known to be the strongest independent predictor of the quality of simulation encounters yet educators feel underprepared for this role. The aim of this review was to identify frameworks used for debriefing team-based simulations and measures used to assess debriefing quality.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, CINAHL, MedLine and Embase databases for simulation studies that evaluated a debriefing framework. Two reviewers evaluated study quality and retrieved information regarding study methods, debriefing framework, outcome measures and debriefing quality.ResultsA total of 676 papers published between January 2003 and December 2017 were identified using the search protocol. Following screening of abstracts, 37 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, 26 studies met inclusion criteria for quality appraisal and 18 achieved a sufficiently high-quality score for inclusion in the evidence synthesis. A debriefing framework was used in all studies, mostly tailored to the study. Impact of the debrief was measured using satisfaction surveys (n=11) and/or participant performance (n=18). Three themes emerged from the data synthesis: selection and training of facilitators, debrief model and debrief assessment. There was little commonality across studies in terms of participants, experience of faculty and measures used.ConclusionsA range of debriefing frameworks were used in these studies. Some key aspects of debrief for team-based simulation, such as facilitator training, the inclusion of a reaction phase and the impact of learner characteristics on debrief outcomes, have no or limited evidence and provide opportunities for future research particularly with interprofessional groups.

scholarly journals Editorial characteristics and quality of the articles published by Brazilian Nursing journals

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Perfeito Ribeiro ◽  
Maria Helena Palucci Marziale
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
International Community ◽  
Online Version ◽  
Google Scholar ◽  
Scientific Journals ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Editorial Boards ◽  
Publication Standards

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the editorial characteristics and the level of evidence of articles published by Nursing journals in Brazil. Method: Documentary research on the websites of five Nursing journals and analysis of the articles published in 2016, based on their level of evidence. The form used was validated by experts. Results: Editorial boards with Brazilian and foreign researchers, normalization and international ethical recommendations on the publications, online version with open access, continuous publication system (20.0%), Portuguese and English, foreign authors (4.0% to 14.7%). The information provided to the authors is not clear (20.0%), articles with level of evidence 4 (86.7%). The international community had access to some of the papers published, and the highest rates were JCR/WOS 0.6984, SJR/Scopus 0.396, H/Scopus index 26 and Google Scholar 30. Conclusion: Scientific journals follow international publication standards. Most of the articles published do not provide strong scientific evidence, which has an impact on the use of the knowledge, on the citations received and on the effective advancement of the knowledge of the area.

scholarly journals Significance of the Overexpression of Substance P and Its Receptor NK-1R in Head and Neck Carcinogenesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1349
Author(s):  
Miguel Ángel González-Moles ◽  
Pablo Ramos-García ◽  
Francisco Esteban
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neck Tumors ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Publication Language

The objective of our study has been, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, to increase the scientific evidence on the implications of SP and its receptor NK-1R in head and neck carcinogenesis. We searched studies published before May-2020 without date and publication language restrictions (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus). We evaluated the quality of the studies included (QUIPS tool). We performed heterogeneity, sensitivity, small-study effects, and subgroup analyses. A total 16 studies and 1308 cases met inclusion criteria. Qualitative evaluation demonstrated that not all studies were performed with the same scientific rigor, finding the greatest risk of bias in the study confounding and prognostic factors measurement domains. Quantitative evaluation showed a greater SP/NK-1R overexpression in malignant head and neck lesions compared to benign lesions (p = 0.02), and that expression was observed in malignant salivary gland pathology. Likewise, we found a higher overexpression of NK-1R compared to SP (p = 0.02). In conclusion, the results of this systematic review and meta-analysis show evidence that the upregulation of SP and NK-1R are oncogenic events involved in head and neck carcinogenesis, probably acting in the early stages of malignization. In addition, there is evidence of a greater relevance of the upregulation of the NK-1R receptor compared to SP, which highlights the interest in deepening the development of targeted therapies on the receptor. Future studies assessing the relationships between SP/NK-1R among subjects with head and neck tumors could consider the recommendations given in this systematic review and meta-analysis to improve and standardize future research.

scholarly journals Embedding Citizen Science in Research: Forms of engagement, scientific output and values for science, policy and society

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dick Kasperowski ◽  
Christopher Kullenberg ◽  
Åsa Mäkitalo
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Science Policy ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Scientific Output ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
White House ◽  
The Us

This paper addresses emerging forms of Citizen Science (Citizen Science), and discusses their value for science, policy and society. It clarifies how the term Citizen Science is used and identifies different forms of Citizen Science. This is important, since with blurred distinctions there is a risk of both overrating and underestimating the value of Citizen Science and of misinterpreting what makes a significant contribution to scientific endeavour.The paper identifies three main forms of citizen science 1) Citizen Science as a research method, aiming for scientific output, 2) Citizen Science as public engagement, aiming to establish legitimacy for science and science policy in society, and, 3) Citizen Science as civic mobilization, aiming for legal or political influence in relation to specific issues. In terms of scientific output, the first form of Citizen Science exceeds the others in terms of scientific peer-reviewed articles. These projects build on strict protocols and rules for participation and rely on mass inclusion to secure the quality of contributions. Volunteers are invited to pursue very delimited tasks, defined by the scientists.The value of the three distinct forms of Citizen Science –for science, for policy and for society, is discussed to situate Citizen Science in relation to current policy initiatives in Europe and in the US. In quantitative terms the US, and particularly the NSF have so far taken a lead in allocating research funding to Citizen Science projects (primarily of the first form), however, the White House has recently issued a memorandum addressing societal and scientific challenges through citizen science covering all three forms discussed in this paper. As Citizen Science is currently being launched as a way to change the very landscape of science, important gaps in research are identified and policy recommendations are provided, in order for policy makers to be able to assess and anticipate the value of different forms of Citizen Science with regard to future research policy.

scholarly journals Understanding Centenarians' Psychosocial Dynamics and Their Contributions to Health and Quality of Life

2010 ◽  
Vol 2010 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard W. Poon ◽  
Peter Martin ◽  
Alex Bishop ◽  
Jinmyoung Cho ◽  
Grace da Rosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Personal History ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Socioeconomic Resources ◽  
Sociological Factors ◽  
Complex Interactions ◽  
The Us ◽  
The Impact

While it is understood that longevity and health are influenced by complex interactions among biological, psychological, and sociological factors, there is a general lack of understanding on how psychosocial factors impact longevity, health, and quality of life among the oldest old. One of the reasons for this paradox is that the amount of funded research on aging in the US is significantly larger in the biomedical compared to psychosocial domains. The goals of this paper are to highlight recent data to demonstrate the impact of four pertinent psychosocial domains on health and quality of life of the oldest old and supplement recommendations of the 2001 NIA Panel on Longevity for future research. The four domains highlighted in this paper are (1) demographics, life events, and personal history, (2) personality, (3) cognition, and (4) socioeconomic resources and support systems.

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