scholarly journals Sound Environments in Large Public Buildings for Crowd Transit: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3728
Author(s):  
Tingting Yang ◽  
Francesco Aletta ◽  
Jian Kang
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Integrated Design ◽  
Shopping Malls ◽  
Public Buildings ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Affective Quality ◽  
Spatial Features ◽  
Acoustic Comfort ◽  
Time Limitations ◽  
Empirical Approaches

Sound environments in large public buildings are likely to be different from those of performance spaces, as well as those not specifically designed for acoustic “performance”, but where sounds still play an important role because of the function they can promote (or disrupt). The aim of this study was identifying common strategies and empirical approaches researchers have been implementing for these acoustically complex enclosures and to provide some methodological indications for future studies on the topic. Studies conducted in three building types for crowd transit, such as museums/exhibition spaces, shopping malls, and transportation hubs/stations, which were collecting data about either physical outcomes or individual responses for such sound environments, were selected. The Scopus databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal papers published in English without time limitations. An additional manual search was performed on the reference lists of the retrieved items. The general consideration on inclusion was to meet the requirement that the case belonged to the three building types, and then the specific inclusion criteria were: (1) including at least an objective acoustic measure of the space; or (2) including at least a subjective measure of the space. The search returned 1060 results; after removing duplicates, two authors screened titles and abstracts and selected 117 papers for further analysis. Twenty-six studies were eventually included. Due to the limited number of items and differences in measures across studies, a quantitative meta-analysis could not be performed, and a qualitative approach was adopted instead. The most commonly used objective measures were SPL, and more specifically often considered as LAeq, and T. The intervals across studies were currently of inconsistency, and the selection is recommended to take space scale factor into account. The used subjective measures can be classified into four categories as annoyance, affective quality, room-acoustic quality, and acoustic spatiality. Four basic perceptual assessments concerning dynamic contents are accordingly suggested as “annoying-not annoying”, “crowded-uncrowded”, “long-short (reverberation)”, and “far away-nearby”. The other descriptors can be project-specific. The methodologies involve measurement, questionnaire/interview, listening test, and software simulation. It is necessary for the former two to consider temporal and spatial features of such spaces, and the adoption of the latter two will lead to better understanding of users’ exposure in such spaces, e.g., acoustic sequences and user amount. The outputs of investigations inform that background noise level, e.g., 90 dB in museum/exhibition spaces, and sound reverberation, e.g., 4.0 to 5.0 s in shopping malls and transportation hubs/station, are of fundamental importance to the design of such spaces. Sufficient acoustic comfort can be achieved with integrated design of indoor soundscape.

scholarly journals The Impact of Dental Implant Length on Failure Rates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 3972
Author(s):  
Maha Abdel-Halim ◽  
Dalia Issa ◽  
Bruno Ramos Chrcanovic
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Implant Failure ◽  
Failure Rates ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Short Implants ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Implant Length

The present review aimed to evaluate the impact of implant length on failure rates between short (<10 mm) and long (≥10 mm) dental implants. An electronic search was undertaken in three databases, as well as a manual search of journals. Implant failure was the outcome evaluated. Meta-analysis was performed in addition to a meta-regression in order to verify how the risk ratio (RR) was associated with the follow-up time. The review included 353 publications. Altogether, there were 25,490 short and 159,435 long implants. Pairwise meta-analysis showed that short implants had a higher failure risk than long implants (RR 2.437, p < 0.001). There was a decrease in the probability of implant failure with longer implants when implants of different length groups were compared. A sensitivity analysis, which plotted together only studies with follow-up times of 7 years or less, resulted in an estimated increase of 0.6 in RR for every additional month of follow-up. In conclusion, short implants showed a 2.5 times higher risk of failure than long implants. Implant failure is multifactorial, and the implant length is only one of the many factors contributing to the loss of an implant. A good treatment plan and the patient’s general health should be taken into account when planning for an implant treatment.

scholarly journals Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 16 Randomized Clinical Trials of Radix Astragali and Its Prescriptions for Diabetic Retinopathy

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Cheng ◽  
Gai Zhang ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
Xuejing Lu ◽  
Fuwen Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Diabetic Retinopathy ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Plasma Viscosity ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Radix Astragali ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Computer Based

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radix astragali and its prescriptions for diabetic retinopathy.Methods. A computer-based online and manual search was conducted for randomized controlled trials addressing radix astragali and its prescriptions for diabetic retinopathy.Results. 16 RCTs involving 977 subjects and 1586 eyes were identified. Meta-analysis indicated that the effect of radix astragali and its prescriptions in improving visual acuity and fundus manifestations, lowering FBG, TG, plasma viscosity, and RAI, was superior to that of control group (WMD or OR 0.20, 0.27, −0.26, −0.36, −0.93, −1.27; 95% CI [0.09, 0.30], [0.17, 0.40], [−0.51, 0.00], [−0.60, −0.12], [−1.67, −0.20], [−2.35, −0.19];P<0.05, resp.). In contrary, the efficacy of radix astragali and its prescriptions was not superior to those of control group in descending HbA1C and TC with WMD 0.45, −0.96 and 95% CI [−1.00, 1.90], [−2.19, 0.27],P>0.05, respectively. GRADE software suggested that the studies were of low methodological quality.Conclusion. Radix astragali and its prescriptions were superior to other treatments for diabetic retinopathy in terms of improving visual acuity and fundus manifestations, reducing FBG, TG, RAI, and plasma viscosity. The evaluated studies were of low methodological quality, indicating that the previous findings should be read with care.

scholarly journals Systematically Searching Empirical Literature in the Social Sciences: Results from Two Meta-Analyses Within the Domain of Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
David I. Pickup ◽  
Robert M. Bernard ◽  
Eugene Borokhovski ◽  
Anne C. Wade ◽  
Rana M. Tamim
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Campbell Collaboration ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Review Team ◽  
Meta Analyses

Introduction. This paper provides an overview of the information retrieval strategy employed for two meta-analyses, conducted by a systematic review team at Concordia University (Montreal, QC, Canada). Both papers draw on standards first articulated by H.M. Cooper and further developed by the Campbell Collaboration, which promote a comprehensive approach to systematically searching an extensive array of resources (bibliographic databases, print resources, citation indices, etc.) in order to locate both published and unpublished research. The goal is to verify if searching comprehensively through multiple resources retrieves studies that are unique, and hence, improve the overall representativeness of a diverse body of literature. We also analyze the sensitivity and specificity of the results by data source. Methods. In order to determine the source sensitivity, we consider percentage of results from each source retrieved for full-text review. In order to determine the source specificity, we derive a percentage from the total number of studies included in the final meta-analysis compared against the overall number of initial results found. Results. Results demonstrate the need to search beyond the subject-specific databases of a particular discipline as unique results can be found in many places. Databases for related disciplines provided 129 unique includes to each meta-analysis, and multidisciplinary databases provided 44 and 99 unique includes for the two meta-analyses in question respectively. Manual search techniques were much more sensitive and specific than electronic searches of databases and yield a higher percentage of final includes. Discussion. The results demonstrate the utility of a comprehensive information retrieval methodology like that proposed by the Campbell Collaboration, which goes beyond the main subject databases to locate the full range of information sources, including grey literature.

scholarly journals Can Resveratrol Treatment Control the Progression of Induced Periodontal Disease? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preclinical Studies

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 953 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Francelino Andrade ◽  
Débora Ribeiro Orlando ◽  
Amanda Melo Sant’Anna Araújo ◽  
James Newton Bizetto Meira de Andrade ◽  
Diana Vilela Azzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Periodontal Disease ◽  
Alveolar Bone ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Preclinical Studies ◽  
Research Reporting ◽  
Resveratrol Treatment ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Inflammatory Conditions

Resveratrol is an anti-inflammatory compound found in several foods. Periodontal disease (PD) is associated to other systemic diseases, and inflammation may be responsible for the association. Consequently, controlling inflammation not only may benefit oral health but also may assist with the management of other chronic inflammatory conditions. We aimed to investigate the effects of resveratrol administration on PD control in preclinical studies. A systematic search was performed for scientific articles using both electronic databases and a manual search using combinations of the following keywords: “resveratrol” OR “3,5,4′-trihydroxystilbene” AND “periodontal disease” OR “periodontitis” OR “gingivitis”. Only in vivo original studies investigating resveratrol treatment on experimental animal models of PD were selected. A quality assessment of the studies was performed using the Animal Research Reporting In Vivo Experiment (ARRIVE) guidelines, and the risk of bias was assessed using the Syrcle tool. The search returned 570 articles, and 11 matched the inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis showed that resveratrol treatment attenuated alveolar bone loss (τ2 = 0.0041; 95% CI: −0.14; −0.04). The ARRIVE criteria reported a good quality of studies in general (mean score 28.5 ± 2.5). However, five Syrcle domains indicated a high risk of bias or did not present information clearly. We concluded that, in preclinical studies, resveratrol treatment prevented PD progression.

scholarly journals Aspirin and fracture risk: a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis of observational studies

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e026876 ◽  
Author(s):  
A L Barker ◽  
Sze-Ee Soh ◽  
Kerrie M Sanders ◽  
Julie Pasco ◽  
Sundeep Khosla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Fracture Risk ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Relative Risks ◽  
Hip Bmd

ObjectivesThis review provides insights into the potential for aspirin to preserve bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce fracture risk, building knowledge of the risk-benefit profile of aspirin.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis of observational studies. Electronic searches of MEDLINE and Embase, and a manual search of bibliographies was undertaken for studies published to 28 March 2018. Studies were included if: participants were men or women aged ≥18 years; the exposure of interest was aspirin; and relative risks, ORs and 95% CIs for the risk of fracture or difference (percentage or absolute) in BMD (measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) between aspirin users and non-users were presented. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists for observational studies. Pooled ORs for any fracture and standardised mean differences (SMDs) for BMD outcomes were calculated using random-effects models.ResultsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Aspirin use was associated with a 17% lower odds for any fracture (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.99; I2=71%; six studies; n=511 390). Aspirin was associated with a higher total hip BMD for women (SMD 0.03, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.07; I2=0%; three studies; n=9686) and men (SMD 0.06, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.13, I2=0%; two studies; n=4137) although these associations were not significant. Similar results were observed for lumbar spine BMD in women (SMD 0.03, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.09; I2=34%; four studies; n=11 330) and men (SMD 0.08; 95% CI −0.01 to 0.18; one study; n=432).ConclusionsWhile the benefits of reduced fracture risk and higher BMD from aspirin use may be modest for individuals, if confirmed in prospective controlled trials, they may confer a large population benefit given the common use of aspirin in older people.

Therapeutic hypothermia for mild neonatal encephalopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 105 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ujwal Kariholu ◽  
Paolo Montaldo ◽  
Theodora Markati ◽  
Peter J Lally ◽  
Russell Pryce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Usual Care ◽  
Therapeutic Hypothermia ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Neonatal Encephalopathy ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Manual Search

ObjectivesTo examine if therapeutic hypothermia reduces the composite outcome of death, moderate or severe disability at 18 months or more after mild neonatal encephalopathy (NE).Data sourceMEDLINE, Cochrane database, Scopus and ISI Web of Knowledge databases, using ‘hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy’, ‘newborn’ and ‘hypothermia’, and ‘clinical trials’ as medical subject headings and terms. Manual search of the reference lists of all eligible articles and major review articles and additional data from the corresponding authors of selected articles.Study selectionRandomised and quasirandomised controlled trials comparing therapeutic hypothermia with usual care.Data extractionSafety and efficacy data extracted independently by two reviewers and analysed.ResultsWe included the data on 117 babies with mild NE inadvertently recruited to five cooling trials (two whole-body cooling and three selective head cooling) of moderate and severe NE, in the meta-analysis. Adverse outcomes occurred in 11/56 (19.6%) of the cooled babies and 12/61 (19.7%) of the usual care babies (risk ratio 1.11 (95% CIs 0.55 to 2.25)).ConclusionsCurrent evidence is insufficient to recommend routine therapeutic hypothermia for babies with mild encephalopathy and significant benefits or harm cannot be excluded.

scholarly journals Caesarean Section to Prevent Transmission of Hepatitis B: A Meta-Analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 439-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S Chang ◽  
Sravanya Gavini ◽  
Priscila C Andrade ◽  
Julia McNabb-Baltar
Keyword(s):  
Caesarean Section ◽  
Hepatitis B ◽  
Vaginal Delivery ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Significant Heterogeneity ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Hbv Transmission

BACKGROUND: Vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) occurs in up to 10% to 20% of births.OBJECTIVE: To assess whether Caesarean section, compared with vaginal delivery, prevents HBV transmission.METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Two investigators independently searched PubMed, EMBASE and other databases for relevant studies published between 1988 and 2013. A manual search of relevant topics and major conferences for abstracts was also conducted. Randomized trials, cohort and case-control studies assessing the effect of delivery mode on vertical transmission of HBV were included. Studies assessing antiviral therapy and patients with coinfection were excluded. The primary outcome was HBV transmission rates according to delivery method.RESULTS: Of the 430 studies identified, 10 were included. Caesarean section decreased the odds of HBV transmission by 38% compared with vaginal delivery (OR 0.62 [95% CI 0.40 to 0.98]; P=0.04) based on a random-effects model. Significant heterogeneity among studies was found (I2=63%; P=0.003), which was largely explained by variation in hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) administration. Meta-regression showed a significant linear association between the percentage of infants receiving HBIG per study and the log OR (P=0.005), with the least benefit observed in studies with 100% HBIG administration. Subgroup analysis of hepatitis B e-antigen-positive women who underwent Caesarean section did not show a significant reduction in vertical transmission.DISCUSSION: Caesarean section may protect against HBV transmission; however, convincing benefit could not be demonstrated due to significant study heterogeneity from variable HBIG administration, highlighting the importance of HBIG in HBV prevention.CONCLUSION: More high-quality studies are needed before any recommendations can be made.

scholarly journals Mindfulness and Athlete Burnout: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunxiao Li ◽  
Yuxin Zhu ◽  
Mengge Zhang ◽  
Henrik Gustafsson ◽  
Tao Chen
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Quality ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Interview Research ◽  
Athlete Burnout ◽  
Interview Studies ◽  
The Relationship

Objective: This review aims to identify, appraise, and synthesize studies reporting the relationship between mindfulness and athlete burnout and the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on athlete burnout. Methods: Studies were identified through searching six electronic databases using combinations of three groups of keywords and manual search. Two independent reviewers screened the searched studies, extracted data of the included studies, and assessed the study quality. The extracted data were synthesized qualitatively and quantitatively. Results: Ten studies consisting of two controlled trials, six surveys, and two interview studies met the inclusion criteria. The two controlled trials had weak methodological quality, and the remaining studies were of moderate to high research quality. Results of controlled trials and interview research generally showed that MBIs had positive effects in burnout prevention. Meta-analytic results indicated a negative association between mindfulness and burnout. Conclusions: There is some evidence showing that mindfulness was negatively associated with athlete burnout. However, given the small number of interventions and qualitative studies, there is limited evidence on whether MBIs are useful in preventing athlete burnout. More studies are needed to corroborate these findings.

Diagnostic performance of optical coherence tomography angiography in glaucoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (11) ◽  
pp. 1677-1684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana I M Miguel ◽  
André B Silva ◽  
Luis F Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Optical Coherence Tomography ◽  
Prospective Studies ◽  
Diagnostic Performance ◽  
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Optical Coherence ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean

BackgroundCompared with current imaging methods, the diagnostic performance and the advantages and limitations of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) remain unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating vessel density (VD) in patients with glaucoma using OCTA.MethodsWe conducted a literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ISI Conference Proceedings and Google Scholar, along with a manual search, from January 2006 to March 2018. We included prospective studies that used OCTA to compare the VD in glaucomatous eyes with healthy control eyes.ResultsOf 3045 screened articles, 24 were included in a broad characterisation and 18 in the meta-analysis. We observed a statistically significant reduction in the mean peripapillary VD (MPVD) in glaucoma (MPVD: 57.53%, 95% CI 52.60 to 62.46, p< 0.001) compared with controls (MPVD: 65.47%, 95% CI 59.82 to 71.11; standardised mean difference [SMD], –1.41, 95% CI –1.62 to –1.20, p< 0.001) for 888 glaucomatous and 475 healthy eyes, and also in the mean-whole optic nerve image VD (SMD, –9.63, 95% CI –10.22 to –9.03, p<0.001), mean inside-disc VD (SMD, − 9.51, 95% CI –12.66 to –6.36, p<0.05) and mean parafoveal VD (SMD, –3.92, 95% CI –4.73 to –3.12, p<0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed a significant difference in the MPVD across glaucoma subtypes and OCTA devices.ConclusionThis suggests the diagnostic utility of OCTA in detecting glaucomatous eyes; however, further longitudinal prospective studies are welcomed to characterise vascular changes in glaucoma.

scholarly journals Effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for insomnia: a protocol for a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e029206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu He ◽  
Nianyi Sun ◽  
Zhiqiang Wang ◽  
Wenchen Zou
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Bibliographic Databases ◽  
Manual Search ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation approach, might be a promising technique in the management of insomnia. A systematic review of the available literature on this topic is warranted. The systematic review described in this protocol aims to investigate the efficacy of rTMS as a physical therapy in patients with insomnia.Methods and analysisThis protocol was developed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. We will retrieve relevant literatures across the following electronic bibliographic databases: CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PEDro, CBM, CNKI, WANFANG and VIP. A manual search of the reference lists of all relevant articles will be performed for any additional studies. We will include randomised controlled trials published in English and Chinese examining efficacy of rTMS on patients with insomnia. Two reviewers will independently complete the article selection, data extraction and rating. PEDro scale will be used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Narrative and quantitative synthesis will be done accordingly.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval will not be required for this review. The results of this review will be disseminated in a peer-review journal.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018115033.

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