A Systematic Review of the Effect of Dietary Supplements on Cognitive Performance in Healthy Young Adults and Military Personnel

Intake of dietary supplements has increased, despite evidence that some of these have adverse side effects and uncertainty about their effectiveness. This systematic review examined the evidence for the cognitive benefits of a wide range of dietary supplements in healthy young adult samples; the aim was to identify if any might be useful for optimising cognitive performance during deployment in military personnel. Searches were conducted in 9 databases and 13 grey literature repositories for relevant studies published between January 2000 and June 2017. Eligible studies recruited healthy young adults (18–35 years), administered a legal dietary supplement, included a comparison control group, and assessed cognitive outcome(s). Thirty-seven of 394 identified studies met inclusion criteria and were included for synthesis. Most research was deemed of low quality (72.97%; SIGN50 guidelines), highlighting the need for sound empirical research in this area. Nonetheless, we suggest that tyrosine or caffeine could be used in healthy young adults in a military context to enhance cognitive performance when personnel are sleep-deprived. Caffeine also has the potential benefit of improving vigilance and attention during sustained operations offering little opportunity for sleep. Inconsistent findings and methodological limitations preclude firm recommendations about the use of other specific dietary supplements.

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Molecular mechanisms of Zika virus teratogenesis from animal studies: a systematic review protocol

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-021-01713-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gabriela Elis Wachholz ◽

Julia do Amaral Gomes ◽

Juliano André Boquett ◽

Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna ◽

Lavínia Schuler-Faccini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Animal Models ◽

Zika Virus ◽

Methodological Quality ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Standard Form ◽

Teratogenic Effect ◽

Control Group

Abstract Background Due to the diversity of studies in animal models reporting that molecular mechanisms are involved in the teratogenic effect of the Zika virus (ZIKV), the objective of the present study is to evaluate the methodological quality of these studies, as well as to demonstrate which genes and which molecular pathways are affected by ZIKV in different animal models. Methods This search will be performed in four databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus, as well as in the grey literature. The studies selection process will be reported through the PRISMA Statement diagram model. All studies describing the molecular mechanisms possibly involved in the development of malformations caused by embryonic/fetal ZIKV exposure in animal models with an appropriate control group and methodology will be included (including, for instance, randomized and non-randomized studies). All animals used as experimental models for ZIKV teratogenesis may be included as long as exposure to the virus occurred during the embryonic/fetal period. From the selected studies, data will be extracted using a previously prepared standard form. Bias risk evaluation will be conducted following the SYRCLE’s Risk of Bias tool. All data obtained will be tabulated and organized by outcomes (morphological and molecular). Discussion With the proposed systematic review, we expect to present results about the methodological quality of the published studies with animal models that investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the teratogenic effect of ZIKV, as well as to show the studies with greater reliability. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019157316

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Clinical Efficacy of Repeated Applications of Local Drug Delivery and Adjunctive Agents in Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy: A Systematic Review

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10101178 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1178

Author(s):

Oi Leng Tan ◽

Syarida Hasnur Safii ◽

Masfueh Razali

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Drug Delivery ◽

Clinical Efficacy ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Periodontal Therapy ◽

Local Drug Delivery ◽

Control Group ◽

Cochrane Central Register ◽

Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy ◽

Repeated Applications

The aim of this systematic review is to compare the clinical efficacy of repeated applications of local drug delivery and adjunctive agents (LDAs) in nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) compared to subgingival mechanical debridement (SMD) alone. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, hand-searched literature and grey literature databases were searched for randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) with a minimum of 6-month follow-up. The outcomes of interest were changes in probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level as well as patient-centred outcomes. Of 1094 studies identified, 16 RCTs were included in the qualitative analysis. Across 11 different adjuncts analysed, only two studies utilizing minocycline gel/ointment and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) with indocyanine green photosensitizer had statistically significant differences in primary outcomes when compared to their control groups. Only one study on aPDT methylene blue 0.005% had compared single versus multiple applications against its control group. A mean range of 0.27–3.82 mm PD reduction and −0.09–2.82 mm CAL gain were observed with repeated LDA application. Considerable clinical heterogeneity and methodological flaws in the included studies preclude any definitive conclusions regarding the clinical efficacy of repeated LDA applications. Future RCTs with a direct comparison between single and repeated applications should be conducted to confirm or refute the clinical advantages of repeated LDA application in the nonsurgical management of periodontitis.

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Neurobiological findings associated with high cognitive performance in older adults: a systematic review

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610218000431 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 30 (12) ◽

pp. 1813-1825 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Wyllians Vendramini Borelli ◽

Lucas Porcello Schilling ◽

Graciane Radaelli ◽

Luciana Borges Ferreira ◽

Leonardo Pisani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Control Group ◽

High Performing ◽

High Performers ◽

Positron Emission ◽

Definition Of ◽

Molecular Brain

ABSTRACTObjectives:to perform a comprehensive literature review of studies on older adults with exceptional cognitive performance.Design:We performed a systematic review using two major databases (MEDLINE and Web of Science) from January 2002 to November 2017.Results:Quantitative analysis included nine of 4,457 studies and revealed that high-performing older adults have global preservation of the cortex, especially the anterior cingulate region, and hippocampal volumes larger than normal agers. Histological analysis of this group also exhibited decreased amyloid burden and neurofibrillary tangles compared to cognitively normal older controls. High performers that maintained memory ability after three years showed reduced amyloid positron emission tomography at baseline compared with high performers that declined. A single study on blood plasma found a set of 12 metabolites predicting memory maintenance of this group.Conclusion:Structural and molecular brain preservation of older adults with high cognitive performance may be associated with brain maintenance. The operationalized definition of high-performing older adults must be carefully addressed using appropriate age cut-off and cognitive evaluation, including memory and non-memory tests. Further studies with a longitudinal approach that include a younger control group are essential.

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Physically Active Lessons Meta-Analysis - Norris et al. POST-PRINT

10.31234/osf.io/xdusz ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Norris ◽

Tommy van Steen ◽

Artur Direito ◽

Emmanuel Stamatakis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Educational Outcomes ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Control Group ◽

Physically Active ◽

Meta Analyses

Objective: This review provides the first meta-analysis of the effects of physically active lessons on lesson-time and overall physical activity (PA), as well as health, cognition and educational outcomes. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Six meta-analyses pooled effects on lesson-time PA, overall PA, in-class educational and overall educational outcomes, cognition and health outcomes. Meta-analyses were conducted using the metafor package in R. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool for risk of bias. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, ERIC and Web of Science, grey literature and reference lists were searched in December 2017 and April 2019. Studies eligibility criteria: Physically active lessons compared to a control group in a randomised or non-randomised design, within single component interventions in general school populations. Results: 42 studies (39 in preschool or elementary school settings, 27 randomised controlled trials) were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review and 37 of them were included across the six meta-analyses (n=12,663). Physically active lessons were found to produce large, significant increases in lesson-time PA (d=2.33; 95%CI 1.42, 3.25: k=16) and small, significant effects on overall PA (d= 0.32, 95%CI 0.18, 0.46: k=8). A large, significant effect was shown on lesson-time educational outcomes (d=0.81; 95%CI 0.47, 1.14: k=7) and a small, significant effect on overall educational outcomes (d=0.36, 95%CI [0.09, 0.63], k=25). No effects were seen on cognitive (k=3) or health outcomes (k=3). 25/42 studies had high risk of bias in at least 2 domains. Conclusion: In elementary and preschool settings, when physically active lessons were added into the curriculum they had a positive impact on both physical activity and educational outcomes. These findings support policy initiatives encouraging the incorporation of physically active lessons into teaching in elementary and preschool settings.

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Prevalence of sex under the influence of drugs among young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

10.37766/inplasy2021.10.0077 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cristian Molla-Esparza ◽

◽

Natalia Gandía Carbonell ◽

María Isabel Gómez Núñez ◽

Laura Badenes Ribera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Young Adults ◽

Reference Lists ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Research Groups ◽

Unpublished Studies ◽

Review Question ◽

Analysis Protocol

Review question / Objective: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the prevalence of engaging in sex under the influence of drugs among young adults. Condition being studied: The prevalence of sex under the influence of drugs in young adults. Information sources: Published and unpublished literature will be systematically searched via three electronic databases: ISI Web of Science (WoS Core Collection); Scopus; and Psychological Information (PsycInfo). A grey literature search will also be performed via the Google and Google Scholar search engines, in order to obtain other potential relevant studies. Reference lists of relevant published studies will also be examined to obtain additional eligible reports. Additionally, emails will be sent to the research groups that have published the most about SDU, with the aim of identifying unpublished studies.

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The SALT and START Triage System for Classifying Patient Acuity Level: A Systematic Review

Nurse Media Journal of Nursing ◽

10.14710/nmjn.v11i3.37008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 413-427

Author(s):

Hendri Purwadi ◽

Katrina Breaden ◽

Christine McCloud ◽

Satriya Pranata

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Mass Casualty ◽

Patient Acuity ◽

Triage System ◽

Wide Range ◽

Simulation Based ◽

System 2 ◽

Triage Algorithm

Background: Two common triage systems have been widely used in mass casualty incidents (MCIs) and disaster situations, namely START (simple triage algorithm and rapid treatment) and SALT (sort, assess, lifesaving, intervention, and treatment/transport). There is currently controversy regarding the effectiveness of SALT over the START triage system.Purpose: This systematic review aims to compare the accuracy of the SALT and START triage systems in disaster and MCI settings.Methods: The literature was searched using a systematic search strategy for articles published from 2009 to 2020 in the Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ProQuest databases, and the grey literature. This review included simulation-based and medical record-based studies investigating the accuracy and applicability of the SALT and START triage systems in adult and child populations during MCIs and disasters. All types of studies were included. The PRISMA flowchart was used to retain the articles, and the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of the reviewed studies.Results: Of 1,450 articles identified in the search, 10 articles were included. It was found that the START triage system had a wide range and inconsistent levels of accuracy (44% to 94.2%) compared to the SALT triage system (70% to 83%). The under-triage error of the START triage system ranged from 2.73% to 20%, which was slightly lower than the SALT triage system (7.6% to 23.3%). The over-triage error of the START triage system (2% to 53%) was slightly higher than the SALT triage system (2% to 22%). However, the time taken to apply START triage system (70 to 72.18 seconds) was faster than for the SALT triage system (78 seconds).Conclusion: The START triage system was simpler and faster than SALT. Conversely, the SALT triage system appeared to be slightly more accurate, more consistent, and had a lower rate of under- and over-triage error than START. It appears that neither the SALT nor the START triage system is superior to the other. Further research is needed to establish the most appropriate disaster and MCI triage system, especially for the Indonesian context.

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A systematic review on conservative and non-operative treatment options for Osgood-Schlatter disease

10.31236/osf.io/u4vn7 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cornelia Neuhaus ◽

Christian Appenzeller-Herzog ◽

Oliver Faude

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Operative Treatment ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Case Series ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Control Group ◽

Retrospective Case ◽

Review Articles ◽

Knee Pathology

Background: Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a sport- and growth-associated knee pathology with painful osteochondrosis around the tibial tuberosity. Up to 10% of adolescents are affected by OSD. Treatment is primarily conservative or non-operative and includes injections, ice, braces, casts, tape and/or physiotherapy. However, treatment outcomes are often insufficiently described and there is lack of evidence for current best practice.Objective: The aims of this systematic review are to comprehensively identify conservative or non-operative treatment options for OSD, to compare their effectiveness in selected outcomes, and to describe potential research gaps. and to describe potential research gaps.Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE via Ovid, and PEDro were searched through to January 6, 2020. In addition, ongoing and unpublished clinical studies, dissertations, and other grey literature on OSD were retrieved. We included prospective, retrospective, case control, randomised, and non-randomised studies reporting on the effectiveness of any conservative or non-operative treatment of 6- to 28-year-old OSD patients. Studies written in English, German, or French were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro scale and extracted outcome data were narratively synthesized. In addition, we also systematically retrieved review articles for extraction of treatment recommendations.Results: Of 767 identified studies, thirteen were included: two randomised controlled trials (RCTs), two prospective and eight retrospective observational studies, and one case series. Eight studies had no control group. The included studies were published from 1948 to 2019 and included 747 patients (563 male, 119 female, 65 sex not reported) with 937 affected knees. The study quality was poor to moderate. The two included RCTs examined the effectiveness of surplus dextrose-injection in OSD patients treated with local anaesthetics injection and came to opposite conclusions. Other than that, inter-study heterogeneity prohibited any descriptive cumulative analyses. Among the 15 review articles, the most prevalent treatment recommendations were activity modification (15/15), quadriceps and hamstring stretching (13/15), medication (11/15), ice (11/15), strengthening of the quadriceps (9/15), and knee straps or brace (8/15).Conclusion: Conflicting evidence exists to support the use of dextrose injections. Certain therapeutic approaches, such as stretching, seem to work, but no RCT comparing specific exercises with sham or usual care treatment exists. Carefully controlled studies on well- described treatment approaches are needed to establish which conservative or non-operative treatment options are most effective for patients with OSD.

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Health assets in a global context: a systematic review of the literature

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023810 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. e023810 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Tine Van Bortel ◽

Nuwan Darshana Wickramasinghe ◽

Antony Morgan ◽

Steven Martin

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Theoretical Perspective ◽

Added Value ◽

Bibliographic Databases ◽

Future Research ◽

Global Context ◽

Wide Range ◽

Health Assets

ObjectiveTo provide an up-to-date overview of health assets in a global context both from a theoretical perspective and its practical applications to address health inequalities and achieve sustainable health.DesignA systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Data sourcesA comprehensive search, including 10 electronic bibliographic databases and hand searches, was undertaken to capture the wide range of terms associated with ‘health assets’ and ‘asset-based approaches to health’.Eligibility criteriaAny peer-reviewed published and grey literature in English related to ‘health assets’ or ‘assets’ in a ‘health’ context was included without any date, country or study design restrictions and the quality of evidence was appraised according to the Oxford Level of Evidence.OutcomesA broad consideration of all outcome measures including clinical outcomes, patient-level, community-level and population-level impacts and costs, was adopted.Results478 publications were included. Health assets were researched in 40 countries, predominantly in the West such as the USA and the UK. A number of broad health assets were identified including community and individual assets. Even though research was conducted in a number of different settings, most occurred in the community, clinical, care or educational settings. A wide variety of interventions and approaches were implemented, most commonly related to education and/or training, asset mapping or asset approaches.ConclusionsGlobally, authors most often referred to general ‘health assets’, ‘assets’ or some form of ‘community asset’ in relation to health. Overall, the idea of health assets is framed within a positive paradigm focusing on health creation rather than curative approaches. The sustained credibility of the global ‘health assets’ literature depends on future research on definitional, theoretical and evaluative issues in order to convince policy-makers and service commissioners of its necessity and added value to the traditional deficit approach.

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Is jaw fractal dimension a reliable biomarker for osteoporosis screening? A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies

Dentomaxillofacial Radiology ◽

10.1259/dmfr.20210365 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Davi de Sá Cavalcante ◽

Paulo Goberlânio de Barros Silva ◽

Francisco Samuel Rodrigues Carvalho ◽

Ana Rosa Pinto Quidute ◽

Lúcio Mitsuo Kurita ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Fractal Dimension ◽

Sensitivity And Specificity ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Grey Literature ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Total Sample ◽

Control Group ◽

Test Accuracy ◽

Osteoporosis Screening

Objective: To summarize the evidence on the feasibility of maxillomandibular imaging exams-related fractal dimension (FD) in screening patients with osteoporosis. Methods: This registered systematic review followed the PRISMA-DTA statement. High sensitivity search strategies were developed for six primary databases and grey literature. QUADAS-2 items evaluated the risk of bias, and the GRADE approach assessed the evidence certainty. Results: From 1,034 records initially identified through database searching, four studies were included (total sample of 747 patients [osteoporosis, 136; control group, 611]). The meta-analysis showed that the overall sensitivity and specificity of the FD were 86.17 and 72.68%, respectively. In general, all studies showed low RoB and applicability concern. The certainty of the evidence was very low to moderate. Conclusions: This systematic review showed that the jaw-related FD presented sensitivity and specificity values higher than 70%, and its sensitivity in osteoporosis screening was a better parameter than specificity.

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Effects of Memantine in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

Traumas ◽

10.3390/traumas1010001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Sungeen Khan ◽

Ayesha S. Ali ◽

Bryar Kadir ◽

Zubair Ahmed ◽

Valentina Di Pietro

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Neuron Specific Enolase ◽

Cognitive Outcome ◽

Control Group ◽

Treatment Protocols ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Sensory Disturbances

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions of people around the world and amongst other effects, causes cognitive decline, neurodegenerative disease and increased risk of seizures and sensory disturbances. Excitotoxicity and apoptosis occur after TBI and are mediated through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor. Memantine is effective in blocking excessive activity of NMDA-type glutamate receptors and reduces the progression of dementia and may have benefits after TBI. Here, we performed a systematic review of the literature to evaluate whether memantine is effective in improving outcomes, including cognitive function in patients with TBI. Our search yielded only 4 randomized control trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of memantine to placebos, standard treatment protocols or piracetam. A single RCT reported that serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) levels were significantly reduced (p = 0.009) in the memantine compared to the control group, and this coincided with reported significant day-to-day improvements in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for patients receiving memantine. The remaining RCTs investigated the effects of memantine on cognitive function using 26 standardized tests for assessing cognition function. One RCT reported significant improvements in cognitive function across all domains whilst the other two RCTs, reported that patients in the memantine group underperformed in all cognitive outcome measures. This review shows that despite laboratory and clinical evidence reporting reduced serum NSE and improved GCS, supporting the existence of the neuroprotective properties, there is a lack of reported evidence from RCTs to suggest that memantine directly leads to cognitive improvements in TBI patients.

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