Renewable Energy Status in Azerbaijan: Solar and Wind Potentials for Future Development

Azerbaijan has a well-developed hydrocarbon industry backed with abundant domestic resources. Oil and gas have played a crucial role in the economic revival of the country since independence was regained back in 1991. The legal foundation of the transition to carbon-zero energy generation was laid in the 1990s with a number of acts mentioning the importance of the shift. The government has an ambitious plan to improve the situation, though an action plan with targeted renewables share in production and consumption is still to be prepared. This study, based on systematic review methodology for qualitative research, analyzes the potential of renewables in Azerbaijan with a focus on solar and wind power, discusses the deficiencies hindering the development of the renewables industry, and develops recommendations on applicable actions to improve the situation in this regard. It also includes legislative acts of the Republic concerning renewable energy. The main objective of the study is to explore renewable energy potentials and assess the readiness of the country to make a shift towards green energy. The findings of the article demonstrate enough potential to increase the share of renewables. The potential, however, is obscured with a relatively less solid legal framework and a lack of expertise in the industry.

Dynamics of Contextual Factors, Technology Paradox, and Job Performance in Smartphone Usage

The purpose of this paper is to explore the theories pertaining to the dynamics of contextual factors, technology paradox, and job performance of employees so as to answer specific questions related to the theories’ progressive advancement, and to evaluate the relationships among them in the context of mobile phones, using the evidence-based systematic review methodology. The term technology paradox has evolved over past decades, and theories have been postulated to explain its nature and relationships with its antecedents and outcomes; however, there is a dearth in the integrative models. Thus, the theory of paradox has been combined with other theoretical lenses to conceptualize tensions and responses to enrich extant theories on technology paradox and job performance. The finding of the study identifies seven research gaps in the available literature, which need to be plugged so that a holistic model is developed to address the interrelationships among the aforementioned research constructs.

Global E-government Trends, Challenges and Opportunities

E-government is crucial in this era for all countries, either developed or developing. Although it has provided numerous advantages and opportunities, the E-government transformation is still considered a complex process. Considering the available research work and data on e-government surveys by the United Nations, this research has primarily focused on the global complexities of applying E-government along with regional and global E-government leaders. This research has been conducted using a systematic review methodology. According to 2020 surveys, the results are promising to show significant advancement in digital services in various geographic regions, cities, and countries. However, the results showed also that the most common challenges facing governments worldwide are the absence of digital infrastructures, limited resources for adopting the digital government policies, and lack of trust. Hence, governments must build trust with their citizens so that they can participate and avoid any resistance.

Hot Executive Function Assessment Instruments in Preschool Children: A Systematic Review

The study aimed to systematically analyze the empirical evidence that is available concerning batteries, tests or instruments that assess hot executive functions (EFs) in preschoolers, identifying which are the most used instruments, as well as the most evaluated hot EFs. For the review and selection of articles, the systematic review methodology PRISMA was used. The article search considered the EBSCO, Web of Science (WoS), SciELO and PubMed databases, with the keywords “Hot executive function”, “Assessment”, “test”, “evaluation”, using the Boolean operators AND and OR indistinctly, between 2000 and April 2021. Twenty-four articles were selected and analyzed. The most commonly used instruments to assess hot EFs in preschool children were the Delayed Gratification Task, the Child’s Play Task, and the Delayed Reward Task. Amongst those analyzed, 17 instruments were found to assess hot EFs in preschoolers. The accuracy and conceptual clarity between the assessment of cognitive and emotional components in EFs is still debatable. Nevertheless, the consideration of affective temperature and reward stimulus type, could be an important influence when assessing EFs in this age range. Evidence of the possible involvement of cortical and subcortical structures, as well as the limbic system, in preschool executive functioning assessment has also been incorporated.

Effective maNagement of Depression among Patients witH cANCEr (ENHANCE): A Protocol for a Hybrid Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials of Interventions for Depressive Symptoms.

Background: Depression is common among patients with cancer and is associated with lower treatment participation, lower satisfaction with care, poorer quality of life, greater symptom burden, and higher healthcare costs. Various types of interventions (e.g., pharmacological, psychotherapy) are used for the treatment of depression. However, evidence for these among patients with cancer is limited. Furthermore, the relative effectiveness and acceptability of different approaches is unknown because a direct comparison between all available treatments has not been carried out. We will address this by conducting a network meta-analysis (NMA) of interventions for depression among people with cancer using a hybrid overview of reviews and systematic review methodology. Methods: We will search for and extract data from systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of depression interventions for patients with cancer from inception, before performing a supplemental search for more recent RCTs. We will include RCTs comparing pharmacological, psychotherapy, exercise, combination therapy, collaborative care, or complementary and alternative medicine interventions with pill placebo, no treatment, waitlist, treatment as usual, or minimal treatment control groups, or directly in head-to-head trials, among adults who have a current or previous diagnosis of cancer and elevated depressive symptoms (scores above a cut-off on validated scales or meeting diagnostic criteria). Our primary outcomes will be change in depressive symptoms (standardised mean difference) and intervention acceptability (% who withdrew). Our secondary outcomes will be 6-month change in depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, adverse events and mortality. We will independently screen for eligibility, extract data, and assess risk of bias using the RoB2 tool. We will use frequentist random-effects multivariate NMA in Stata, Rankograms and surface under the cumulative ranking curves to synthesize evidence and obtain a ranking of intervention groups. We will explore heterogeneity and inconsistency using local and global measures and evaluate the credibility of results using the Confidence in NEtwork Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) framework.Discussion: Our findings will provide the best available evidence for managing depression among patients with cancer. Such information will help to inform clinical guidelines, evidence-based treatment decisions and future research by identifying gaps in the current literature. Systematic review registration: Submitted to PROSPERO (record number: 290145), awaiting registration

The Evidence Base for Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP): A Protocol for a Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) is a structured recovery education program used internationally for anyone who wishes to create a positive change in their life. It was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland and Jane Winterling in the late 90s, resulting from a search of programs or initiatives that could support their wellness. Since then, many studies have been conducted into the efficacy of the program for those with a mental health/addiction challenge. However, to date, there has been little to no synthesis of the evidence base for WRAP outside of the Copeland Center’s internal reviews. The proposed systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the evidence base for Wellness Recovery Action Planning within a mental health context. To do this, a PRISMA 2020 compliant review is proposed using the PRISMA-P statement as a guide to demonstrate the methodology to be undertaken. It outlines the inclusion/exclusion criteria, search terms, and databases while informing the readership of timescales to complete such actions. Finally, this protocol also addresses issues of bias and quality within included studies. This proposed literature review and meta-analysis will synthesize and examine the evidence base for WRAP using a systematic review methodology. It is hoped that this proposed review will identify gaps in the current literature regarding the program, and provide recommendations that will support the reviewers in their further studies while also strengthening the argument for a whole system evaluation of WRAP within an Irish context.

Bridges to Studying: Educational Migration in the Scope of Political Transformation in Post Covid-19 Pandemic in Europe

Recently, Europe is witnessing a transformation in the political system, concerning right-wing populist movements, around the claim that a massive influx of migrants within its territorial borders undermines the sovereignty of the nation-state. This transformation has led to issues of economic inequalities, loss of cultural identity, and influence in voting patterns. Considering the unfolding situations, we ask: What is the effect of educational migration on economic growth and social development before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic? How will the current political transformation processes affect educational migrants in the post-Covid-19 pandemic in Europe? Using the systematic review methodology, the authors sort to perform a comprehensive literature search; complete a critical appraisal of the individual studies gathered; and combine the valid studies using appropriate statistical techniques. The research affirmed a case that Education could not ignore politics. We perceive it will shape populist motives on educational migrants in post-pandemic Europe. The authors expectation of future research pays attention to the political transformation process and how anti-immigration discourse will exercise control over educational institutions.

Probiotics Evaluation in Oncological Surgery: A Systematic Review of 36 Randomized Controlled Trials Assessing 21 Diverse Formulations

Background: Objectives were to evaluate probiotics safety and efficacy in oncological surgery. Methods: Systematic review methodology guided by Cochrane, PRISMA, SWiM, and CIOMS. Protocol registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018086168). Results: 36 RCTs (on 3305 participants) and 6 nonrandomized/observational studies were included, mainly on digestive system cancers. There was evidence of a beneficial effect on preventing infections, with 70% of RCTs’ (21/30) direction of effect favoring probiotics. However, five RCTs (17%) favored controls for infections, including one trial with RR 1.57 (95% CI: 0.79, 3.12). One RCT that changed (balanced) its antibiotics protocol after enrolling some participants had mortality risk RR 3.55 (95% CI: 0.77, 16.47; 7/64 vs. 2/65 deaths). The RCT identified with the most promising results overall administered an oral formulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 + Lactobacillus plantarum + Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12 + Saccharomyces boulardii. Methodological quality appraisals revealed an overall substantial risk-of-bias, with only five RCTs judged as low risk-of-bias. Conclusions: This large evidence synthesis found encouraging results from most formulations, though this was contrasted by potential harms from a few others, thus validating the literature that “probiotics” are not homogeneous microorganisms. Given microbiome developments and infections morbidity, further high-quality research is warranted using those promising probiotics identified herein.

Methodological quality and reporting standards in systematic reviews with meta-analysis of physical activity studies: a report from the Strengthening the Evidence in Exercise Sciences Initiative (SEES Initiative)

Background Several resources have been developed (e.g., reporting guidelines) to promote high-standard practices in health research. However, there was no continuous and systematic assessment of recommended practices in published systematic reviews with meta-analysis (SRMAs), which increases the usability of the available resources. Therefore, we aimed to assess the methodological and reporting standards in SRMAs of physical activity studies. This report presents the main results of the SEES Initiative in 2019. Methods Our approach is based on a prospective systematic review methodology to implement post-publication surveillance of research practices in exercise sciences. Briefly, during the year 2019, pre-specified searches were conducted monthly (PubMed/MEDLINE) in journals from the exercise sciences (n = 9) and medicine (n = 5). The assessments were independently conducted by two authors, based on 36 items/practices derived from established statements/tools (PRISMA, AMSTAR 2, ROBIS). To be eligible, SRMAs should summarize studies that had, at least, one arm consisting of physical activity interventions/exposures and one health or behavioral outcome. Results Out of 1028 studies assessed for eligibility, 103 SRMAs were included. The minimum adherence was 13/36 items, whereas only one SRMA adhered to all items. Some highly contemplated items included identification of title as SRMA (97.1%) and descriptions of the main outcome in the abstract (95.1%) and risk of bias (RoB) assessment (95.1%). Some poorly contemplated items included publicly available protocol (4.9%), discussion of the results in light of RoB in studies included (32.0%), and data sharing statements (35.9%). Conclusion In summary, there is a suboptimal adherence to recommended practices on methodological quality and reporting standards in the SRMAs of physical activity intervention/exposure evaluated from the selected journals in 2019, which likely reduce the reproducibility and usefulness of these studies. This incipient evidence from our first 12 months of post-publication surveillance should serve as a call for attention and action for multiple stakeholders (e.g., authors, reviewers, editors, funders, academic institutions) in this important health research field.

Bridging the Family Care Gap

This symposium aims to create a scientific and policy roadmap to offset the impending shortage of family caregivers available to assist older adults in the U.S. (i.e., the “family care gap”). Drawing on public health, cultural frameworks, family care science, and policy analysis, this symposium will orient future research, intervention development, dissemination and implementation, and policy innovation to more effectively address the family care gap. The selected presentations will include the need to apply and understand cultural adaptation and humility to support a rapidly diversifying older population (Drs. Nkimbeng and Parker). In addition, systematic review methodology will be applied to obtain insights as to what intervention models/strategies actually reduce caregiving time (Drs. Baker, Jutkowitz, and Gaugler). The next presentation will leverage the existing evidence base of translational efforts that aim to disseminate and implement dementia caregiver interventions into practice (Drs. Hodgson and Gitlin). The final presentation of our symposium will focus in-depth on a potential solution to the family care gap: more systematic approaches to identifying and assessing family caregivers in healthcare systems (Drs. Riffin and Wolff). Our discussant, Dr. Richard Schulz, will bring his extensive and renowned experience in caregiving to summarize the public health and policy implications of the family care gap.