scholarly journals Understanding Hydropower Impacts on Amazonian Wildlife is Limited by a Lack of Robust Evidence: Results From a Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 194008292110457
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rodrigues dos Santos ◽  
Fernanda Michalski ◽  
Darren Norris
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Brazilian Amazonia ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Hydropower Dams ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Hydropower Impacts ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Robust Evidence

Background and Research Aims: Although hydropower provides energy to fuel economic development across Amazonia, strategies to minimize or mitigate impacts in highly biodiverse Amazonian environments remain unclear. The growing number of operational and planned hydroelectrics requires robust scientific evidence to evaluate impacts of these projects on Amazonian vertebrates. Here, we investigated the existing scientific knowledge base documenting impacts of hydropower developments on vertebrates across Brazilian Amazonia. Methods: We reviewed the scientific literature from 1945 to 2020 published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to assess the temporal and spatial patterns in publications and the types of study design adopted as well as scientific evidence presented. Results: A total of 25 published articles documented impacts on fish ( n = 20), mammals ( n = 3), and reptiles ( n = 2). Most study designs (88%) lacked appropriate controls, and only three studies adopted more robust Before-After-Control-Impact designs. The published evidence did not generally support causal inference with only two studies (8%) including appropriate controls and/or confounding variables. Conclusion: Decades of published assessments (60% of which were funded by hydropower developers or their subsidiaries) do not appear to have established robust evidence of impacts of hydropower dams on Amazonian vertebrates. This lack of robust evidence could limit the development of effective minimization and mitigation actions for the conservation of diverse vertebrate groups impacted by hydropower dams across Brazilian Amazonia. Implications for Conservation: To avoid misleading inferences, there is a need to integrate more robust study designs into impact assessments of hydropower developments in the Brazilian Amazon.

scholarly journals Understanding hydropower impacts on Amazonian wildlife is limited by a lack of robust evidence: results from a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Rodrigues dos Santos ◽  
Fernanda Michalski ◽  
Darren Norris
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Freshwater Turtles ◽  
Brazilian Amazonia ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
Hydropower Impacts ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Robust Evidence

Background and Research Aims: Although hydropower provides energy to fuel economic development across Amazonia, strategies to minimize or mitigate impacts in highly biodiverse Amazonian environments remain unclear. The growing number of operational and planned hydroelectrics requires robust scientific evidence to evaluate impacts of these projects on Amazonian vertebrates. Here we investigated the existing scientific knowledge base documenting impacts of hydropower developments on vertebrates across Brazilian Amazonia. Methods: We reviewed the scientific literature from 1945 to 2020 published in English, Spanish and Portuguese to assess the temporal and spatial patterns in publications and the types of study design adopted as well as scientific evidence presented. Results: A total of 24 published articles documented impacts on fish (n = 20), mammals (n = 3) and freshwater turtles (n = 1). Most study designs (87.5%) lacked appropriate controls and only three studies adopted more robust Before-After-Control-Impact designs. The published evidence did not generally support causal inference with only two studies (8.3%) including appropriate controls and/or confounding variables. Conclusion: Decades of published assessments (54.2% of which were funded by hydropower developers or their subsidiaries) do not appear to have established robust evidence of impacts of hydropower developments on Amazonian vertebrates. This lack of robust evidence could limit the development of effective minimization and mitigation actions for the diverse vertebrate groups impacted by hydroelectrics across Brazilian Amazonia. Implications for Conservation: To avoid misleading inferences there is a need to integrate more robust study designs into impact assessments of hydropower developments in the Brazilian Amazon.

scholarly journals Erythritol-Enriched Air-Polishing Powder for the Surgical Treatment of Peri-Implantitis

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvio Taschieri ◽  
Roberto Weinstein ◽  
Massimo Del Fabbro ◽  
Stefano Corbella
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Major Complication ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Implant Surface ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Air Polishing ◽  
Study Designs ◽  
Viable Treatment

Peri-implantitis represents a major complication that can compromise the success and survival of implant-supported rehabilitations. Both surgical and nonsurgical treatment protocols were proposed to improve clinical parameters and to treat implants affected by peri-implantitis. A systematic review of the literature was performed on electronic databases. The use of air-polishing powder in surgical treatment of peri-implantitis was investigated. A total of five articles, of different study designs, were included in the review. A meta-analysis could not be performed. The data from included studies reported a substantial benefit of the use of air-polishing powders for the decontamination of implant surface in surgical protocols. A case report of guided bone regeneration in sites with implants affected by peri-implantitis was presented. Surgical treatment of peri-implantitis, though demanding and not supported by a wide scientific literature, could be considered a viable treatment option if an adequate decontamination of infected surfaces could be obtained.

scholarly journals Safe and effective praxis without scientific evidence: is it possible?

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Jefferson Petto ◽  
Igor Macedo De Oliveira ◽  
Alice Miranda De Oliveira ◽  
Marvyn De Santana Do Sacramento
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Scientific Thought ◽  
Daily Lives

The earliest accounts of scientific thought date back to thousands of years BC, where problems in the daily lives of our predecessors led to the search for effective and replicable forms of resolution. Nowadays, in the advent of science and technology, health professionals' decision making has been organized based on the analysis of the diverse evidence available in the scientific literature. This process has been identified Evidence Based Practice (EBP)...

scholarly journals The Role of Occlusion in the Dental Implant and Peri-implant Condition: A Review

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 594-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen V. Graves ◽  
Steve K. Harrel ◽  
Jeffrey A. Rossmann ◽  
David Kerns ◽  
Jorge A. Gonzalez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dental Implants ◽  
Dental Implant ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Treatment Approach ◽  
Human Studies ◽  
Study Designs

Dental implants have become a widely used dental treatment approach. It is important to identify factors that can be detrimental to dental implants and the peri-implant complex. There is controversy regarding whether occlusion plays a role in the implant and peri-implant condition. The present study aims to review the scientific literature regarding this topic. Animal and human studies, and previous reviews on the topic are included and presented. There is a wide heterogeneity among study designs. Several articles demonstrated that occlusion and occlusion overload could detrimentally affect the peri-implant condition, while other articles did not support these results. More studies are needed to help understand the mechanisms by which occlusion might play a role in the peri-implant condition.

scholarly journals Hydropower Development and Fishways: A Need for Connectivity in Rivers of the Upper Paraná Basin

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 3749 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Makrakis ◽  
Ana P. S. Bertão ◽  
Jhony F. M. Silva ◽  
Maristela C. Makrakis ◽  
Fco. Javier Sanz-Ronda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
Paraná River ◽  
South American ◽  
Hydroelectric Dams ◽  
Migratory Fish ◽  
Parana River ◽  
Hydropower Plants ◽  
Hydropower Dams ◽  
Upper Paraná River

South American rivers have become intensely affected by the construction of hydroelectric dams that block the river’s connectivity for migratory fish species. In order to mitigate the problems caused by dams and to reestablish connections between habitats, fishways are implemented. Fishways are structures that aid fish in overcoming obstacles and help preserve migratory, reproductive, and feeding routes. This study performed an inventory of all hydropower plants—present and future—in the Upper Paraná River, with the objective of identifying fishways unknown to scientific literature, as well as the task of mapping them. By doing so, the current situation of structural connectivity via fishways in the Upper Paraná River Basin was described. Overall, 389 dams along 209 rivers were identified; of these, only 9% (35 dams) have fishways. In addition, an alarming explosion of future medium-sized hydropower plants was observed, with an expectation of an almost 500% increase in relation to those existing. This data reveals a trend of reduction of free-flowing river stretches, which are crucial habitats for Neotropical potamodromous species, and point to a deficiency in the structural connectivity of existing hydropower dams. Furthermore, if the implementations of these expected constructions are associated with limited connectivity as a result of the absence of fishways, the management of fisheries and their resources in the Upper Paraná River may become unsustainable.

scholarly journals Systematic Literature Reviews: An Introduction

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1633-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Lame
Keyword(s):  
Design Research ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Health Sciences ◽  
Public Policy Research ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Sr Method

AbstractSystematic literature reviews (SRs) are a way of synthesising scientific evidence to answer a particular research question in a way that is transparent and reproducible, while seeking to include all published evidence on the topic and appraising the quality of this evidence. SRs have become a major methodology in disciplines such as public policy research and health sciences. Some have advocated that design research should adopt the method. However, little guidance is available. This paper provides an overview of the SR method, based on the literature in health sciences. Then, the rationale for SRs in design research is explored, and four recent examples of SRs in design research are analysed to illustrate current practice. Foreseen challenges in taking forward the SR method in design research are highlighted, and directions for developing a SR method for design research are proposed. It is concluded that SRs hold potential for design research and could help us in addressing some important issues, but work is needed to define what review methods are appropriate for each type of research question in design research, and to adapt guidance to our own needs and specificities.

scholarly journals How feasible is it to abandon statistical significance? A reflection based on a short survey

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredi Alexander Diaz-Quijano ◽  
Fernando Morelli Calixto ◽  
José Mário Nunes da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
P Value ◽  
Scientific Publications ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Significant Term ◽  
Harsh Criticism

Abstract Background : There is a growing trend in using the “statistically significant” term in the scientific literature. However, harsh criticism of this concept motivated the recommendation to withdraw its use of scientific publications. We aimed to validate the support and the feasibility of adherence to this recommendation, among researchers having declared in favor of removing the statistical significance. Methods : We surveyed signatories of an article published that defended this recommendation, to validate their opinion and ask them about how likely they will retire the concept of statistical significance. Results: We obtained 151 responses which confirmed the support for the mentioned publication in aspects such as the adequate interpretation of the p-value, the degree of agreement, and the motivations to sign it. However, there was a wide distribution of answers about how likely are they to use the concept of "statistical significance” in future publications. About 42% declared being neutral, or that would likely use it again. We described arguments referred by several signatories and discussed aspects to be considered in the interpretation of research results. Conclusions : The declared position against the use of statistical significance had had legitimate support from numerous researchers. However, the full application of this recommendation does not seem feasible. The arguments related to the inappropriate use of statistical tests should promote more education among researchers and users of scientific evidence.

scholarly journals A literature review of drugs for the treatment of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Clement ◽  
Satish Jankie ◽  
Shalini Pooransingh ◽  
Diane Ignacio ◽  
Avril Reid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Overwhelming Evidence ◽  
The Us ◽  
Repurposed Drugs ◽  
Robust Evidence ◽  
Food And Drugs Administration ◽  
Better Than

Objectives: To review the published evidence of repurposed drugs, antivirals and biologics for the treatment of COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A literature review was conducted in several databases and research portals. Search terms included COVID-19, SARS-Cov-2, MERS, MERS-CoV, SARS, SARS-CoV, coronavirus, beta-coronavirus, influenza, pneumonia and several drugs considered for use in COVID-19. Results: There is a paucity of clinical evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of most agents being considered for the treatment of COVID-19. However, based on promising preliminary research the US Food and Drugs Administration has authorized the emergency use of hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. To date, the most robust evidence for lopinavir-ritonavir (LPV/r) found that it was no better than standard care. Overwhelming evidence suggests that corticosteroids increase mortality, nosocomial infections and lengthen hospitalization in SARS and MERS patients, and should be used cautiously in patients with severe respiratory symptoms. Additionally, low level evidence suggests that tocilizumab may be useful to reduce the cytokine storm precipitated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions: Hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir have surged to the front of the race to repurpose drugs in the fight against COVID-19. With hundreds of ongoing trials it is envisaged that indisputable evidence would be provided for prophylactic and therapeutic use of drugs and biologics within the next few months. However, in our setting it would be worthwhile to consider the availability and accessibility of some of these agents.

scholarly journals Activity of the chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine and mefloquine in front of the SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-102
Author(s):  
Elin Manrique Julio ◽  
Belkis Palacio Villalba ◽  
Elías Alberto Bedoya Marrugo ◽  
Marlene Duran Lengua
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Community ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Cardiac Toxicity ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Neurotoxic Effect ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
White Blood Cell Counts ◽  
Available Information

Introduction: Identifying the main advances in the pharmacological and clinical management of the pandemic COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2, the most recent and currently taking lives worldwide, is to priority of the scientific community that to date have rehearsed and joined efforts in order to respond with effective treatments that stop the progression of the viral infection and manage to recover the patient. Objective: To document available information on the effects of the antimalarials chloroquine / hydroxychloroquine and mefloquine in severe acute respiratory syndrome, generated by SARS CoV-2, according to updates of the best scientific evidence, according to the evolution of the epidemic. Material and Methods: Descriptive documentary study consisting of the selection and review of scientific material whose subject is COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 based on published evidence from bibliographic sources seeking different therapeutic options to combat the disease at the same time ace necessary preventive measures plough implemented worldwide. The databases consulted were Scopus, Head office Pubmed and Scielo. Results: 132 articles related to the search were obtained in the first instance, of which they were filtered and prioritized by thematic relevance until 60 articles with to broad relationship were located. The largest number of articles was published between 2015 and 2020 (n = 26; 43.3%). It have been shown that the mechanism of today's SARS-CoV-2 is similar to that of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, in the same way; they share the symptoms shown by patients with COVID-19 such ace: fever, non-productive cough, dyspnea, myalgia, fatigue, normal or decreased white blood cell counts. Conclusions: The activity of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine in viruses is the same since the mechanism of action of these two molecules is identical. Given the pandemic, the use of these drugs is suggested in the management of patients with SARS CoV-2 / COVID-19 infection that have no contraindication for their use and the cardiac toxicity derived from these ace to cause of mortality should not be forgotten, due to what therapy must be individualized. The mefloquine is not recommended due to its neurotoxic effect and association with neuropsychiatric adverse reactions.

scholarly journals Toward Preparing a Knowledge Base to Explore Potential Drugs and Biomedical Entities Related to COVID-19: Automated Computational Approach (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junaed Younus Khan ◽  
Md Tawkat Islam Khondaker ◽  
Iram Tazim Hoque ◽  
Hamada R H Al-Absi ◽  
Mohammad Saifur Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Language Processing ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Clinical Status ◽  
Confidence Score ◽  
Computational Approach ◽  
Computational Method ◽  
Literature Mining ◽  
Novel Approach

BACKGROUND Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is taking a huge toll on public health. Along with the non-therapeutic preventive measurements, scientific efforts are currently focused, mainly, on the development of vaccines and pharmacological treatment with existing drugs. Summarizing evidences from scientific literatures on the discovery of treatment plan of COVID-19 under a platform would help the scientific community to explore the opportunities in a systematic fashion. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to explore the potential drugs and biomedical entities related to coronavirus related diseases, including COVID-19, that are mentioned on scientific literature through an automated computational approach. METHODS We mined the information from publicly available scientific literature and related public resources. Six topic-specific dictionaries, including human genes, human miRNAs, diseases, Protein Databank, drugs, and drug side effects, were integrated to mine all scientific evidence related to COVID-19. We employed an automated literature mining and labeling system through a novel approach to measure the effectiveness of drugs against diseases based on natural language processing, sentiment analysis, and deep learning. We also applied the concept of cosine similarity to confidently infer the associations between diseases and genes. RESULTS Based on the literature mining, we identified 1805 diseases, 2454 drugs, 1910 genes that are related to coronavirus related diseases including COVID-19. Integrating the extracted information, we developed the first knowledgebase platform dedicated to COVID-19, which highlights potential list of drugs and related biomedical entities. For COVID-19, we highlighted multiple case studies on existing drugs along with a confidence score for their applicability in the treatment plan. Based on our computational method, we found Remdesivir, Statins, Dexamethasone, and Ivermectin could be considered as potential effective drugs to improve clinical status and lower mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19. We also found that Hydroxychloroquine could not be considered as an effective drug for COVID-19. The resulting knowledgebase is made available as an open source tool, named COVID-19Base. CONCLUSIONS Proper investigation of the mined biomedical entities along with the identified interactions among those would help the research community to discover possible ways for the therapeutic treatment of COVID-19.

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