scholarly journals Methods for Detecting Mycobacterial Mixed Strain Infections–A Systematic Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Stephen Byrne ◽  
Alex Goudreau ◽  
Nathalie Bissonnette ◽  
Isdore Chola Shamputa ◽  
Kapil Tahlan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Concurrent Infection ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Susceptible Host ◽  
Mycobacterial Diseases ◽  
Typing Methods ◽  
Multiple Strains ◽  
Work Done

Mixed strain infection (MSI) refers to the concurrent infection of a susceptible host with multiple strains of a single pathogenic species. Known to occur in humans and animals, MSIs deserve special consideration when studying transmission dynamics, evolution, and treatment of mycobacterial diseases, notably tuberculosis in humans and paratuberculosis (or Johne's disease) in ruminants. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to examine how MSIs are defined in the literature, how widespread the phenomenon is across the host species spectrum, and to document common methods used to detect such infections. Our search strategy identified 121 articles reporting MSIs in both humans and animals, the majority (78.5%) of which involved members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, while only a few (21.5%) examined non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). In addition, MSIs exist across various host species, but most reports focused on humans due to the extensive amount of work done on tuberculosis. We reviewed the strain typing methods that allowed for MSI detection and found a few that were commonly employed but were associated with specific challenges. Our review notes the need for standardization, as some highly discriminatory methods are not adapted to distinguish between microevolution of one strain and concurrent infection with multiple strains. Further research is also warranted to examine the prevalence of NTM MSIs in both humans and animals. In addition, it is envisioned that the accurate identification and a better understanding of the distribution of MSIs in the future will lead to important information on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of mycobacterial diseases.

Gamification in English as Second Language Learning in Secondary Education Aged Between 11-18

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 0-0
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Second Language ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
English Learning ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
English As Second Language

Since gamification has strengthened its place in education over the years, it is frequently preferred in English as a Second Language Learning. This study aims to investigate the literature on the effects of gamification on students’ English learning as a second language and the tendency of students to use games to learn English as a second language. This review contains a systematic review of published articles about gamification in English as a Second Language Learning for learners aged between 11-18 from 2013 to 2020. The study was designed according to the specifications of the PRISMA 2009 Checklist. A combination of words related to gamification, game-based learning, English as a Second Language, and secondary school was included as a search strategy. After selection, ten research articles written in English were reviewed. Their results indicated that the games enhance the fun, raise students’ motivation, and boost their participation while helping their autonomous learning. This review includes suggestions to support planning game-based English lessons.

Passive-specific immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies for prostate cancer: A systematic review

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 903-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neda Khalili ◽  
Mahsa Keshavarz-Fathi ◽  
Sepideh Shahkarami ◽  
Armin Hirbod-Mobarakeh ◽  
Nima Rezaei
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Advanced Prostate Cancer ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Specific Immunotherapy ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Statistical Heterogeneity ◽  
Specific Antigens

Introduction Treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with conventional therapies is still not successful. Therefore, application of novel biological approaches such as immunotherapy, which appears to be more effective and less toxic, is necessary. Monoclonal antibodies against cancer specific antigens are a kind of immunotherapy that have been approved for specific types of cancer and are being investigated for prostate cancer as well. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of monoclonal antibodies for treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Method According to the search strategy stated in our systematic review protocol, Scopus, Medline, TRIP, CENTRAL, ProQuest, DART and OpenGrey databases were searched. Data collection and quality assessment were done independently by two authors and any disagreements between the collected data were resolved by a third author. A meta-analysis was not feasible as there was a considerable statistical heterogeneity among the trials. Hence, this review was limited to a narrative analysis of the included studies. Results We found 9756 references by applying search strategy in 4 databases of journal articles and 3 databases of grey literature. We then discarded 3957 duplicate citations using Endnote software and 5143 articles due to obvious irrelevancy of their topics in primary screening. In secondary screening of 656 fulltexts, we excluded 538 articles, and finally included 12 trials in this systematic review, updated on 23 June 2017. The overall quality of the studies was fair. In general, results of this systematic review show promising advances in the treatment of prostate cancer patients with monoclonal antibodies against prostate-specific antigens with regard to PSA/disease response. Some of the studies reported pain relief after treatment as well. Conclusion Currently, the role of immunotherapy in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer still remains debated. Although passive specific immunotherapy could be offered as a novel therapeutic option in the coming years, patients should be informed about the risks and benefits of this therapy. One of the obstacles in this review was the lack of adequate assessment of survival-related endpoints reported in the included studies. Our study provides support for further research in this field.

scholarly journals Use of Apps to Promote Childhood Vaccination: Protocol for a Systematic Review

10.2196/16929 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e16929
Author(s):  
Michelle Helena Van Velthoven ◽  
Madison Milne-Ives ◽  
Caroline de Cock ◽  
Mary Mooney ◽  
Edward Meinert
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
English Language ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Information Storage ◽  
Childhood Vaccination ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Technical Standards

Background The decline in the uptake of routine childhood vaccinations has resulted in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccination apps can be used as a tool to promote immunization through the provision of reminders, dissemination of information, peer support, and feedback. Objective The aim of this review is to systematically review the evidence on the use of apps to support childhood vaccination uptake, information storage, and record sharing. Methods We will identify relevant papers by searching the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase by Ovid, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, and Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). We will review the reference lists of those studies that we include to identify relevant additional papers not initially identified using our search strategy. In addition to the use of electronic databases, we will search for grey literature on the topic. The search strategy will include only terms relating to or describing the intervention, which is app use. As almost all titles and abstracts are in English, 100% of these will be reviewed, but retrieval will be confined to papers written in the English language. We will record the search outcome on a specifically designed record sheet. Two reviewers will select observational and intervention studies, appraise the quality of the studies, and extract the relevant data. All studies will involve the use of apps relating to child vaccinations. The primary outcome is the uptake of vaccinations. Secondary outcomes are as follows: (1) use of app for sharing of information and providing vaccination reminders and (2) use of app for storage of vaccination information; knowledge and decision making by parents regarding vaccination (ie, risks and benefits of vaccination); costs and cost-effectiveness of vaccination apps; use of the app and measures of usability (eg, usefulness, acceptability, and experiences of different users: parents and health care professionals); use of technical standards for development of the app; and adverse events (eg, data leaks and misinformation). We will exclude studies that do not study an app. We anticipate a limited scope for meta-analysis and will provide a narrative overview of findings and tabular summaries of extracted data. Results This project was funded by the Sir David Cooksey Fellowship in Healthcare Translation at the University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. We will submit the full systematic review for publication in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. Conclusions This review will follow, where possible, the Cochrane Collaboration and the Centre for Review and Dissemination methodologies for conducting systematic reviews. We will report our findings based on guidelines from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The review results will be used to inform the development of a vaccination app. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/16929

scholarly journals Machine Learning Algorithms in Cardiology Domain: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgy Kopanitsa ◽  
Aleksei Dudchenko ◽  
Matthias Ganzinger
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Learning Algorithms ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Learning System ◽  
Prisma Statement ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Conference Papers ◽  
Huge Variety

BACKGROUND It has been shown in previous decades, that Machine Learning (ML) has a huge variety of possible implementations in medicine and can be very helpful. Neretheless, cardiovascular diseases causes about third of of all global death. Does ML work in cardiology domain and what is current progress in that regard? OBJECTIVE The review aims at (1) identifying studies where machine-learning algorithms were applied in the cardiology domain; (2) providing an overview based on identified literature of the state of the art of the ML algorithm applying in cardiology. METHODS For organizing this review, we have employed PRISMA statement. PRISMA is a set of items for reporting in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, focused on the reporting of reviews evaluating randomized trials, but can also be used as a basis for reporting systematic review. For the review, we have adopted PRISMA statement and have identified the following items: review questions, information sources, search strategy, selection criteria. RESULTS In total 27 scientific articles or conference papers written in English and reporting about implementation of an ML-method or algorithm in cardiology domain were included in this review. We have examined four aspects: aims of ML-systems, methods, datasets and evaluation metrics. CONCLUSIONS We suppose, this systematic review will be helpful for researchers developing machine-learning system for a medical domain and in particular for cardiology.

scholarly journals Development of an efficient search filter to retrieve systematic reviews from PubMed

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
José Antonio Salvador-Oliván ◽  
Gonzalo Marco-Cuenca ◽  
Rosario Arquero-Avilés
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Systematic Reviews ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Average Precision ◽  
Search Filter ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Mesh Terms ◽  
Cochrane Database ◽  
Relevant Publication

Objective: Locating systematic reviews is essential for clinicians and researchers when creating or updating reviews and for decision-making in health care. This study aimed to develop a search filter for retrieving systematic reviews that improves upon the performance of the PubMed systematic review search filter.Methods: Search terms were identified from abstracts of reviews published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the titles of articles indexed as systematic reviews in PubMed. Both the precision of the candidate terms and the number of systematic reviews retrieved from PubMed were evaluated after excluding the subset of articles retrieved by the PubMed systematic review filter. Terms that achieved a precision greater than 70% and relevant publication types indexed with MeSH terms were included in the filter search strategy.Results: The search strategy used in our filter added specific terms not included in PubMed’s systematic review filter and achieved a 61.3% increase in the number of retrieved articles that are potential systematic reviews. Moreover, it achieved an average precision that is likely greater than 80%.Conclusions: The developed search filter will enable users to identify more systematic reviews from PubMed than the PubMed systematic review filter with high precision.

scholarly journals B waves: a systematic review of terminology, characteristics, and analysis methods

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabel Martinez-Tejada ◽  
Alexander Arum ◽  
Jens E. Wilhjelm ◽  
Marianne Juhler ◽  
Morten Andresen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Intracranial Pressure ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Systematic Review Protocol ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Wave Characteristics ◽  
Search Terms ◽  
Review Protocol

Abstract Background Although B waves were introduced as a concept in the analysis of intracranial pressure (ICP) recordings nearly 60 years ago, there is still a lack consensus on precise definitions, terminology, amplitude, frequency or origin. Several competing terms exist, addressing either their probable physiological origin or their physical characteristics. To better understand B wave characteristics and ease their detection, a literature review was carried out. Methods A systematic review protocol including search strategy and eligibility criteria was prepared in advance. A literature search was carried out using PubMed/MEDLINE, with the following search terms: B waves + review filter, slow waves + review filter, ICP B waves, slow ICP waves, slow vasogenic waves, Lundberg B waves, MOCAIP. Results In total, 19 different terms were found, B waves being the most common. These terminologies appear to be interchangeable and seem to be used indiscriminately, with some papers using more than five different terms. Definitions and etiologies are still unclear, which makes systematic and standardized detection difficult. Conclusions Two future lines of action are available for automating macro-pattern identification in ICP signals: achieving strict agreement on morphological characteristics of “traditional” B waveforms, or starting a new with a fresh computerized approach for recognition of new clinically relevant patterns.

BET 2: Is there an association between iodine, shellfish and contrast agent allergies?

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 698-699
Author(s):  
Benjamin Long ◽  
Todd Chassee ◽  
Jeffrey S Jones
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Allergic Reaction ◽  
Contrast Agent ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Intravenous Contrast ◽  
Relevant Paper ◽  
Study Type ◽  
Radiocontrast Medium

A shortcut review was carried out to establish whether having a shellfish or iodine allergy changed the risk of allergic reaction in patients receiving radiocontrast medium more than other concomitant allergies. One relevant paper (a systematic review) was identified for inclusion using the reported search strategy. The author, date and country of publication; group studied; study type; relevant outcomes; results and study weaknesses of this paper are tabulated. It is concluded that there is no evidence that allergy to shellfish or iodine alters the risk of reaction to intravenous contrast more than any other allergies.

scholarly journals P053: Adverse events and errors in trauma resuscitation: a systematic review

CJEM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (S1) ◽  
pp. S83-S83
Author(s):  
A. Nikouline ◽  
A. Quirion ◽  
B. Nolan
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Trauma Resuscitation ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
Require Time ◽  
Outcome Differences ◽  
Failed Airway ◽  
Key Terms

Introduction: Trauma resuscitations are plagued with high stress and require time sensitive and intensive interventions. It is a landscape that is a perfect hot bed for clinical errors and adverse events for patients. We sought to describe the adverse events and errors that occur during trauma resuscitation and any associated outcomes. Methods: Medline was searched for a combination of key terms involving trauma resuscitation, adverse events and errors from January 2000 to May 2019. Studies that described adverse events or errors in initial adult trauma resuscitations were included. Two reviewers analyzed papers for inclusion and exclusion criteria with a third reviewer for any discrepancies. Descriptions of errors, adverse events and associated outcomes were collated and presented. Results: A total of 3,462 papers were identified by our search strategy. 18 papers met our inclusion and exclusion criteria and were selected for full review. Adverse events and errors reported in trauma resuscitation included missed injuries, aspiration, failed airway, and deviation from protocol. Rates of adverse events and errors were reported where applicable. Mortality outcomes or length of stay were not directly correlated to adverse events or errors experienced in the trauma resuscitation. Conclusion: Our study highlights the predominance of adverse events and errors experienced during initial trauma resuscitation. We described a multitude of adverse events and errors and their rates but further study is needed to determine outcome differences for patients and possibility for quality improvement.

scholarly journals Tracking Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Infection Across the Globe

EcoHealth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-279
Author(s):  
Federico Castro Monzon ◽  
Mark-Oliver Rödel ◽  
Jonathan M. Jeschke
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Batrachochytrium Dendrobatidis ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Amphibian Species ◽  
Species Overlap ◽  
The Usa

AbstractInfection records of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a pathogen that has devastated amphibian populations worldwide, have rapidly increased since the pathogen’s discovery. Dealing with so many records makes it difficult to (a) know where, when and in which species infections have been detected, (b) understand how widespread and pervasive Bd is and (c) prioritize study and management areas. We conducted a systematic review of papers and compiled a database with Bd infection records. Our dataset covers 71 amphibian families and 119 countries. The data revealed how widespread and adaptable Bd is, being able to infect over 50% of all tested amphibian species, with over 1000 confirmed host species and being present in 86 countries. The distribution of infected species is uneven among and within countries. Areas where the distributions of many infected species overlap are readily visible; these are regions where Bd likely develops well. Conversely, areas where the distributions of species that tested negative overlap, such as the Atlantic Coast in the USA, suggest the presence of Bd refuges. Finally, we report how the number of tested and infected species has changed through time, and provide a list of oldest detection records per country.

Epidemiology and optimal foraging: modelling the ideal free distribution of insect vectors

Parasitology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. W. KELLY ◽  
C. E. THOMPSON
Keyword(s):  
Host Species ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Ideal Free Distribution ◽  
Host Population ◽  
Control Effort ◽  
Susceptible Host ◽  
Vector Density ◽  
Free Distribution ◽  
Blood Sucking ◽  
Ideal Free

Existing models of the basic case reproduction number (R0) for vector-borne diseases assume (i) that the distribution of vectors over the susceptible host species is homogenous and (ii) that the biting preference for the susceptible host species rather than other potential hosts is a constant. Empirical evidence contradicts both assumptions, with important consequences for disease transmission. In this paper we develop an Ideal Free Distribution (IFD) model of host choice by blood-sucking insects, predicated on the argument that vectors must have evolved to choose the least defensive hosts in order to maximize their feeding success. From a re-analysis of existing data, we demonstrate that the interference constant, m, of the IFD can vary between host species. As a result, the predicted distribution of insects over hosts has 2 desirable and intuitively plausible behaviours: that it is heterogeneous both within and between host species; and that the intensity of heterogeneity varies with host and vector density. When the IFD model is incorporated into R0, the relationship with the vector: host ratio becomes non-linear. If correct, the IFD could add considerable realism to models which seek to predict the effect of these ecological parameters on disease transmission as they vary naturally (e.g. through seasonality in vector density or host population movement) or as a consequence of artificial manipulation (e.g. zooprophylaxis, vector control). It raises the possibility of targeting transmission hot spots with greater accuracy and concomitant reduction in control effort. The robustness of the model to simplifying assumptions is discussed.

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