scholarly journals Hyperspectral imaging as an emerging tool to analyze microplastics: A systematic review and recommendations for future development

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Faltynkova ◽  
Geir Johnsen ◽  
Martin Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Hyperspectral Imaging ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Efficient Manner ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Ft Ir ◽  
Available Technology ◽  
Technical Principles

AbstractA central challenge in microplastics (MP, diameter < 5 mm) research is the analysis of small plastic particles in an efficient manner. This review focuses on the recent application of infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to analyze MP. We provide a narrative context for understanding technical principles of HSI followed by a systematic review and discussion of the variety of approaches to apply HSI to MP research, including instrumentation, data collection and analysis. HSI was successfully applied to analyze dry MP > 250 μm, with drastic improvements in analysis time as compared with the best available technology, such as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Primary challenges we identified through the review include improving spatial resolution to detect smaller MP and development of robust models for data analysis. Parameters and practices for reporting quality assurance and quality control measures are summarized and recommendations are made for future research. We conclude that HSI is a promising technology for MP analysis but requires adaptation for this new application.

scholarly journals Prognostic Models for Predicting Overall Survival in Patients with Primary Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Qi Feng ◽  
Margaret T. May ◽  
Suzanne Ingle ◽  
Ming Lu ◽  
Zuyao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
External Validation ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Training Sample ◽  
Prognostic Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Training Sample Size

Background. This study was designed to review the methodology and reporting of gastric cancer prognostic models and identify potential problems in model development. Methods. This systematic review was conducted following the CHARMS checklist. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched. Information on patient characteristics, methodological details, and models’ performance was extracted. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the methodological and reporting quality. Results. In total, 101 model developments and 32 external validations were included. The median (range) of training sample size, number of death, and number of final predictors were 360 (29 to 15320), 193 (14 to 9560), and 5 (2 to 53), respectively. Ninety-one models were developed from routine clinical data. Statistical assumptions were reported to be checked in only nine models. Most model developments (94/101) used complete-case analysis. Discrimination and calibration were not reported in 33 and 55 models, respectively. The majority of models (81/101) have never been externally validated. None of the models have been evaluated regarding clinical impact. Conclusions. Many prognostic models have been developed, but their usefulness in clinical practice remains uncertain due to methodological shortcomings, insufficient reporting, and lack of external validation and impact studies. Impact. Future research should improve methodological and reporting quality and emphasize more on external validation and impact assessment.

scholarly journals Core outcome sets (COS) related to pregnancy and childbirth: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Österberg ◽  
Christel Hellberg ◽  
AnnKristine Jonsson ◽  
Sara Fundell ◽  
Frida Trönnberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Core Outcome Set ◽  
Obstetric Care ◽  
Consensus Method ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Core Outcome ◽  
Pregnancy And Childbirth ◽  
Ovid Medline ◽  
Outcome Set ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis

Background: Systematic reviews of clinical trials frequently reveal heterogeneity in the number and types of outcomes reported. To counteract this, a Core Outcome Set (COS) may be applied. Objectives: A systematic review of all completed and ongoing COS related to pregnancy and childbirth Search strategy: COMET up to January 2020, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Academic Search Elite, CINAHL and SocINDEX up to June 2019. Selection criteria: Studies which prioritized outcomes using some form of consensus method (such as the Delphi technique) were included. Data collection and analysis: All included studies were checked for compliance with the Core Outcome Set–STAndards for Reporting. Information about population, setting, method and outcomes was extracted. Main results: Nineteen completed studies and thirty-nine ongoing studies were included. The number of outcomes included in various COS ranged from 6 to 48. Most COS were for conditions related to physical complications during pregnancy. No COS were identified for perinatal mental health. Conclusion: This review discloses a growing number of COS within the field of pregnancy and childbirth. Many of the completed studies follow the proposed reporting. However, several of the COS included a large number of outcomes. There is a need to consider the number of outcomes which may be included in a COS while retaining its applicability in future research. Funding This article is adapted from a report undertaken by the SBU, who provided funding for the study. Keywords: Childbirth, Core outcome set, Maternal health, Obstetric care, Pregnancy

scholarly journals An analysis of peer reviewed publications on openness in education in half a century: Trends and patterns in the open hemisphere

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aras Bozkurt ◽  
Suzan Koseoglu ◽  
Lenandlar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Open Education ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Fertile Ground ◽  
Open Educational Practices ◽  
Global North

Openness in education is an evolving concept which is shaped by the changing needs of societies, cultures, geographies, and economies, thus, it does not have a precise definition. By focusing on four sets of generic keywords - open education, open learning, open educational resources (OERs), and open educational practices (OEPs) - this paper examines research in openness in education through a systematic review of peer reviewed literature. In doing so, the researchers sought to draw attention to existing trends and patterns and possible future trajectories of openness in education. Content analysis, social network analysis, and text-mining are the methods used for data collection and analysis. Findings show that there has been growing interest on openness in education, particularly on OERs, across different fields. Findings also point to OEPs as an emerging area of study, which offers a fertile ground for future research. However, on closer inspection, a divide can be observed between the global north and global south in terms of research output.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of COVID-19 Epidemiology Based on Current Evidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minah Park ◽  
Alex R. Cook ◽  
Jue Tao Lim ◽  
Yinxiaohe Sun ◽  
Borame L. Dickens
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics ◽  
The Impact

As the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread rapidly across the globe, we aimed to identify and summarize the existing evidence on epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and the effectiveness of control measures to inform policymakers and leaders in formulating management guidelines, and to provide directions for future research. We conducted a systematic review of the published literature and preprints on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak following predefined eligibility criteria. Of 317 research articles generated from our initial search on PubMed and preprint archives on 21 February 2020, 41 met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Current evidence suggests that it takes about 3-7 days for the epidemic to double in size. Of 21 estimates for the basic reproduction number ranging from 1.9 to 6.5, 13 were between 2.0 and 3.0. The incubation period was estimated to be 4-6 days, whereas the serial interval was estimated to be 4-8 days. Though the true case fatality risk is yet unknown, current model-based estimates ranged from 0.3% to 1.4% for outside China. There is an urgent need for rigorous research focusing on the mitigation efforts to minimize the impact on society.

Telepractice for Adult Speech-Language Pathology Services: A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 326-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Weidner ◽  
Joneen Lowman
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Primary Progressive Aphasia ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Service Delivery Model ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
Screening Assessment

Purpose We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding adult telepractice services (screening, assessment, and treatment) from approximately 2014 to 2019. Method Thirty-one relevant studies were identified from a literature search, assessed for quality, and reported. Results Included studies illustrated feasibility, efficacy, diagnostic accuracy, and noninferiority of various speech-language pathology services across adult populations, including chronic aphasia, Parkinson's disease, dysphagia, and primary progressive aphasia. Technical aspects of the equipment and software used to deliver services were discussed. Some general themes were noted as areas for future research. Conclusion Overall, results of the review continue to support the use of telepractice as an appropriate service delivery model in speech-language pathology for adults. Strong research designs, including experimental control, across multiple well-described settings are still needed to definitively determine effectiveness of telepractice services.

Chasing the Anchor: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Perceptual Anchoring Deficits in Developmental Dyslexia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt D Shulver ◽  
Nicholas A Badcock
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Reading Ability ◽  
English Language ◽  
Prediction Interval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Visual Assessment ◽  
Individual Performance ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Eligibility Criteria

We report the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the relationship between perceptual anchoring and dyslexia. Our goal was to assess the direction and degree of effect between perceptual anchoring and reading ability in typical and atypical (dyslexic) readers. We performed a literature search of experiments explicitly assessing perceptual anchoring and reading ability using PsycInfo (Ovid, 1860 to 2020), MEDLINE (Ovid, 1860 to 2019), EMBASE (Ovid, 1883 to 2019), and PubMed for all available years up to June (2020). Our eligibility criteria consisted of English-language articles and, at minimum, one experimental group identified as dyslexic - either by reading assessment at the time, or by previous diagnosis. We assessed for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Six studies were included in this review, but only five (n = 280 participants) were included in the meta-analysis (we were unable to access the necessary data for one study).The overall effect was negative, large and statistically significant; g = -0.87, 95% CI [-1.47, 0.27]: a negative effect size indicating less perceptual anchoring in dyslexic versus non-dyslexic groups. Visual assessment of funnel plot and Egger’s test suggest minimal bias but with significant heterogeneity; Q (4) = 9.70, PI (prediction interval) [-2.32, -0.58]. The primary limitation of the current review is the small number of included studies. We discuss methodological limitations, such as limited power, and how future research may redress these concerns. The variability of effect sizes appears consistent with the inherent variability within subtypes of dyslexia. This level of dispersion seems indicative of the how we define cut-off thresholds between typical reading and dyslexia populations, but also the methodological tools we use to investigate individual performance.

Impact of surgery timing for craniosynostosis on neurodevelopmental outcomes: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 442-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Mandela ◽  
Maggie Bellew ◽  
Paul Chumas ◽  
Hannah Nash
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Beneficial Effect ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes ◽  
Age At Surgery ◽  
Data Extraction Form ◽  
Surgery Timing ◽  
Anesthetic Exposure

OBJECTIVEThere are currently no guidelines for the optimum age for surgical treatment of craniosynostosis. This systematic review summarizes and assesses evidence on whether there is an optimal age for surgery in terms of neurodevelopmental outcomes.METHODSThe databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase + Embase Classic, and Web of Science were searched between October and November 2016 and searches were repeated in July 2017. According to PICO (participants, intervention, comparison, outcome) criteria, studies were included that focused on: children diagnosed with nonsyndromic craniosynostosis, aged ≤ 5 years at time of surgery; corrective surgery for nonsyndromic craniosynostosis; comparison of age-at-surgery groups; and tests of cognitive and neurodevelopmental postoperative outcomes. Studies that did not compare age-at-surgery groups (e.g., those employing a correlational design alone) were excluded. Data were double-extracted by 2 authors using a modified version of the Cochrane data extraction form.RESULTSTen studies met the specified criteria; 5 found a beneficial effect of earlier surgery, and 5 did not. No study found a beneficial effect of later surgery. No study collected data on length of anesthetic exposure and only 1 study collected data on sociodemographic factors.CONCLUSIONSIt was difficult to draw firm conclusions from the results due to multiple confounding factors. There is some inconclusive evidence that earlier surgery is beneficial for patients with sagittal synostosis. The picture is even more mixed for other subtypes. There is no evidence that later surgery is beneficial. The authors recommend that future research use agreed-upon parameters for: age-at-surgery cut-offs, follow-up times, and outcome measures.

COVID-19 Outbreak Prediction with Machine Learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sina Faizollahzadeh Ardabili ◽  
Amir Mosavi ◽  
Pedram Ghamisi ◽  
Filip Ferdinand ◽  
Annamaria R. Varkonyi-Koczy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Fuzzy Inference ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Inference System ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Standard Models ◽  
High Level

Several outbreak prediction models for COVID-19 are being used by officials around the world to make informed-decisions and enforce relevant control measures. Among the standard models for COVID-19 global pandemic prediction, simple epidemiological and statistical models have received more attention by authorities, and they are popular in the media. Due to a high level of uncertainty and lack of essential data, standard models have shown low accuracy for long-term prediction. Although the literature includes several attempts to address this issue, the essential generalization and robustness abilities of existing models needs to be improved. This paper presents a comparative analysis of machine learning and soft computing models to predict the COVID-19 outbreak as an alternative to SIR and SEIR models. Among a wide range of machine learning models investigated, two models showed promising results (i.e., multi-layered perceptron, MLP, and adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system, ANFIS). Based on the results reported here, and due to the highly complex nature of the COVID-19 outbreak and variation in its behavior from nation-to-nation, this study suggests machine learning as an effective tool to model the outbreak. This paper provides an initial benchmarking to demonstrate the potential of machine learning for future research. Paper further suggests that real novelty in outbreak prediction can be realized through integrating machine learning and SEIR models.

Understanding the Relation between Financial Reporting Quality and Audit Quality

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Milici Gaynor ◽  
Andrea Seaton Kelton ◽  
Molly Mercer ◽  
Teri Lombardi Yohn
Keyword(s):  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Audit Quality ◽  
Reporting Quality ◽  
Recursive Relation ◽  
Financial Reporting Quality ◽  
Task Environment ◽  
Future Research

SUMMARY A primary goal of both financial reporting research and audit research is to understand the determinants of quality, and researchers in both areas have identified a wide set of variables that enhance or impair quality. In this paper, we define financial reporting quality and audit quality and use a person/task/environment framework to summarize prior findings on the determinants of each. We use this framework to discuss the links between the financial reporting and audit academic literatures and highlight the recursive relation between financial reporting quality and audit quality. Our discussion provides insights and suggestions on how financial reporting and audit researchers can learn from each other to improve our collective understanding of financial reporting and audit quality. Using this framework, we also identify opportunities for future research.

scholarly journals Protocol for a systematic review on the experience of informal caregivers for people with a moderate to advanced dementia within a domestic home setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles James ◽  
Catherine Walshe ◽  
Katherine Froggatt
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Informal Caregivers ◽  
Informal Caregiving ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Advanced Dementia ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
Search Terms

Abstract Background The knowledge about the experience of informal caregivers who provide care to people with moderate to advanced dementia in a domestic home setting is limited. A consequence of long hours of caregiving in addition to dealing with normal challenges of daily living is their experience of a poor quality of life. Some of their experiences may be described in terms of a feeling of powerlessness to make changes during care provision. This feeling may also suggest an experience of moral distress. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise qualitative evidence relating to these experiences. Methods This review adopts a narrative synthesis approach. A search will be conducted for studies written in the English language in the bibliographic databases MEDLINE Complete, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Academic Search Complete covering periods from 1984 to present. Included studies will be qualitative or mixed-methods designs. The search terms will be related to dementia and caregivers, and the process will be focused on dementia at the moderate to the advanced stages within the domestic home setting. Reference lists of included papers will also be searched for additional relevant citations. Search terms and strategies will be checked by two independent reviewers. The identification of abstracts and full texts of studies will be done by the author, while the quality and the risk of bias will also be checked by the two independent reviewers. Discussion Psychological distress is cited as an experience reported within informal caregiving. For the caregiver, it is associated with a negative impact on general health. To date, no synthesis exists on the specific experience of informal caregiving for people with moderate to advanced dementia within the domestic home setting. This review considers that variation of accounts contributes to how the informal caregivers’ general experience is explored in future research. This may enable gaps in current knowledge to be highlighted within the wider context of caregiving in the domestic home setting. Systematic review registration This review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020183649).

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