scholarly journals A Compendium of Chemical Class and Use Type Open Access Databases

Data ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Niklas Heinemann ◽  
Sascha Bub ◽  
Jakob Wolfram ◽  
Sebastian Stehle ◽  
Lara L. Petschick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Chemical Substance ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Chemical Substances ◽  
Aggregate Information ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Chemical Class

With an ever-increasing production and registration of chemical substances, obtaining reliable and up to date information on their use types (UT) and chemical class (CC) is of crucial importance. We evaluated the current status of open access chemical substance databases (DBs) regarding UT and CC information using the “Meta-analysis of the Global Impact of Chemicals” (MAGIC) graph as a benchmark. A decision tree-based selection process was used to choose the most suitable out of 96 databases. To compare the DB content for 100 weighted, randomly selected chemical substances, an extensive quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed. It was found that four DBs yielded more qualitative and quantitative UT and CC results than the current MAGIC graph: The European Bioinformatics Institute DB, ChemSpider, the English Wikipedia page, and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The NCBI, along with its subsidiary DBs PubChem and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), showed the best performance according to the defined criteria. To analyse large datasets, harmonisation of the available information might be beneficial, as the available DBs mostly aggregate information without harmonising them.

Institutional Repositories in Swaziland: An Exploratory Study

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ncamsile Nombulelo Dlamini ◽  
Maritha Snyman
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Institutional Repositories ◽  
Limited Knowledge ◽  
Advocacy Strategies ◽  
Awareness Level

The purpose of this paper is to assess the current status of institutional repositories (IRs) in Swaziland’s academic institutions. The factors under discussion are the number of IRs in Swaziland, their usage, the level of awareness of these IRs, and the challenges that prevent the implementation of IRs in Swaziland’s academic institutions. A webometric approach, interviews and semi-structured questionnaires completed by IR managers or librarians working for the Swaziland’s academic institutions were used to collect data for this study. Responses were received from 11 respondents. The findings indicated that there is one IR in Swaziland that is accessible to the institution’s community via the intranet. This IR was, at the time when this study took place, not registered in any of the international registries of repositories, such as the Registry of Open Access Repositories (ROAR) and the Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR). Currently, this IR faces problems of insufficient content, a low level of IR awareness, limited knowledge of effective and appropriate IR advocacy strategies and limited knowledge of effective IR implementation and management strategies. Based on the findings and information gained from a literature review of IRs, the paper recommends strategies to academic institutions in Swaziland that may enable them to increase their number of IRs, the awareness level of IRs and consequently the use of IRs. The findings and recommendations may also benefit other African countries in similar situations.  

Institutional repositories in Africa: Regaining direction

2021 ◽  
pp. 026666692110154
Author(s):  
Usman Ahmed Adam ◽  
Kiran Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Current Status ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Institutional Repositories ◽  
Widespread Implementation ◽  
Typical Performance ◽  
The Status ◽  
Global Access ◽  
And Cluster Analysis

Institutional repositories are powerful tools to facilitate global access to intellectual output by members of the institution, particularly in assisting them to preserve and maximize access to their research output globally. This exploratory study of the status of institutional repositories implementation in African countries using the global Directory of Open Access Repositories (OpenDOAR) and Transparent Ranking: All Repositories by Google Scholar, reports on the operational status and the performance of repositories. Factor analysis and cluster analysis are used to analyze the operational level of institutional repositories in African countries. The analysis showed that the typical performance of institutional repositories remains below average. The possibility of global open access to research results through institutional repositories in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, and Egypt appeared to be relatively more feasible than other African countries. This study concludes that many organizations, institutions, and societies spend great efforts in support of open access implementation in Africa, however, the widespread implementation of institutional repositories is still very slow paced, and the performance of the implemented repositories was below expectation. Suggestions for regaining the intended direction of African institutional repositories are given based on the current status.

scholarly journals Port Governance and Cruise Tourism

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4877
Author(s):  
Alejandro Vega-Muñoz ◽  
Guido Salazar-Sepúlveda ◽  
Nicolás Contreras-Barraza ◽  
Lorena Araya-Silva
Keyword(s):  
Core Collection ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
The Core ◽  
Cruise Ships ◽  
Governance Model ◽  
Cruise Tourism ◽  
Governance Models

Cruise activities, until 2020, have presented a significant increase in revenue, as well as number of cruises and passengers transported, and it has become a challenge for ports to respond to this demand for services. In response to this, the world’s ports have implemented different governance models. In this context, in this paper, we aim to review the different governance models, as well as port cooperation, competition, and stakeholders. For this purpose, using science metric meta-analysis, an article set is extracted that strictly refers to the governance model of two databases integrated into the Core Collection Web of Science, whose selection process is polished with the PRISMA guidelines, establishing the eligibility criteria of studies using PICOS tool, to which a qualitative meta-analysis is applied. A limited studies set is identified, that includes governance model implementations, private strategies and internalization patterns in the port sector and cruise ships, patterns of port cooperation and governance, governance models in cruise ports, structures and strategies, and changes in the cruise market. Finally, various governance model forms are determined, all documented in the scientific research worldwide, discussing the various components of study topics.

scholarly journals The Effects of Sterilization Procedures on the Cutting Efficiency of Endodontic Instruments: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1559
Author(s):  
Mario Dioguardi ◽  
Enrica Laneve ◽  
Michele Di Cosola ◽  
Angela Pia Cazzolla ◽  
Diego Sovereto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Indirect Comparison ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Surface Characteristics ◽  
Cyclic Fatigue ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cutting Efficiency ◽  
Dental Instruments

Sterilization processes guarantee the sterility of dental instruments but can negatively affect instrument features by altering their physical and mechanical properties. The endodontic instrumentation can undergo a series of alterations, ranging from corrosion to variation in the cutting angle and then changes in the torsional properties and torsional fatigue resistance. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis aims to investigate alterations to the cutting efficiency of endodontic instruments that are induced by procedures for their disinfection and sterilization. Methodologies adopted for this investigation follow the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. The following were used as search terms on PubMed and Scopus: “endodontic sterilization”, “endodontic autoclave”, “cyclic fatigue”, “torsional”, “cutting efficiency”, “sterilization”, “surface characteristics”, and “corrosion”. At the end of the selection process, 36 articles were identified, and seven of them are included in this systematic review. The results of a meta-analysis conducted for the use of 10 autoclaving cycles shows a standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.80 with a p-value equal to 0.04 with respect to effect on cutting efficiency. The network meta-analysis, through direct and indirect comparison between the different autoclave cycles (0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 cycles), revealed that treatment involving 15 autoclave cycles produced the most robust results in terms of having the greatest effects in terms of altered cutting efficiency with a probability of 57.7% and a SUCRA (surface under the cumulative ranking) of 80%. The alterations in the effects on cutting efficiency appear to be triggered after five cycles of sterilization by heat (autoclave). In conclusion, the meta-analysis of the data indicates that the autoclave sterilization protocol must not be repeated more than five times to preserve cutting efficiency. Within the limitations of this review, we can therefore establish that sterilization by autoclaving alone results in steel and NiTi instruments becoming less efficient in cutting after five cycles, as measured by a reduction in cutting efficiency.

scholarly journals Predictive Value of Rotterdam Score and Marshall Score in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Contemporary Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Mishra ◽  
Harold Enrique Vasquez Ucros ◽  
William Andres Florez-Perdomo ◽  
José Rojas Suarez ◽  
Luis Rafael Moscote-Salazar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Scoring Systems ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
Marshall Score ◽  
Ct Classification

AbstractThis article conducts a contemporary comparative review of the medical literature to update and establish evidence as to which framework among Rotterdam and Marshall computed tomography (CT)-based scoring systems predicts traumatic brain injury (TBI) outcomes better. The scheme followed was following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines for literature search. The search started on August 15, 2020 and ended on December 31, 2020. The combination terms used were Medical Subject Headings terms, combination keywords, and specific words used for describing various pathologies of TBI to identify the most relevant article in each database. PICO question to guide the search strategy was: “what is the use of Marshall (I) versus Rotterdam score (C) in TBI patients (P) for mortality risk stratification (O).” The review is based on 46 references which included a full review of 14 articles for adult TBI patients and 6 articles for pediatric TBI articles comparing Rotterdam and Marshall CT scores. The review includes 8,243 patients, of which 2,365 were pediatric and 5,878 were adult TBI patients. Marshall CT classification is not ordinal, is more descriptive, has better inter-rater reliability, and poor performance in a specific group of TBI patients requiring decompressive craniectomy. Rotterdam CT classification is ordinal, has better discriminatory power, and a better description of the dynamics of intracranial changes. The two scoring systems are complimentary. A combination of clinical parameters, severity, ischemic and hemodynamic parameters, and CT scoring system could predict the prognosis of TBI patients with significant accuracy. None of the classifications has good evidence for use in pediatric patients.

scholarly journals Risk of dementia in gout and hyperuricaemia: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e041680
Author(s):  
Shu-Yue Pan ◽  
Rui-Juan Cheng ◽  
Zi-Jing Xia ◽  
Qiu-Ping Zhang ◽  
Yi Liu
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Studies ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Publication Bias ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Crystal Formation ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Eligibility Criteria

ObjectivesGout, characterised by hyperuricaemia with monosodium urate crystal formation and inflammation, is the most common inflammatory arthritis in adults. Recent studies have found that elevated uric acid levels are related to the occurrence of dementia. We conducted a study to investigate the association between dementia and gout or hyperuricaemia.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Data sourcesStudies were screened from inception to 28 June 2019 by searching Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library databases.Eligibility criteriaCohort studies comparing the risk of dementia in patients with gout and hyperuricaemia versus non-gout and non-hyperuricaemia controls were enrolled.Data extraction and analysisTwo reviewers separately selected studies and extracted data using the Medical Subject Headings without restriction on languages or countries. The adjusted HRs were pooled using the DerSimonian and Laird random effects model. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate the stability of the results. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Quality assessment was performed according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.ResultsFour cohort studies that met the inclusion criteria were included in our meta-analysis. We found that gout and hyperuricaemia did not increase the risk of dementia, with a pooled HR of 0.94 (95% CI 0.69 to 1.28), but might decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with a pooled HR of 0.78 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.95). There was little evidence of publication bias. Quality assessment of the included studies was high (range: 6–8 points).ConclusionsOur study shows that gout and hyperuricaemia do not increase the risk of dementia. However, gout and hyperuricaemia might have a protective effect against AD. Due to the limited number of research articles, more investigations are needed to demonstrate the potential relationship between dementia and gout or hyperuricaemia.

Influential Factors for Older Users’ Acceptance of eHealth Services: an Integrated Acceptance Framework (IAF) (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiyeon Yu ◽  
Angelica de Antonio ◽  
Elena Villalba-Mora
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Five Dimensions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Acceptance Factors

BACKGROUND eHealth and Telehealth play a crucial role in assisting older adults who visit hospitals frequently or who live in nursing homes and can benefit from staying at home while being cared for. Adapting to new technologies can be difficult for older people. Thus, to better apply these technologies to older adults’ lives, many studies have analyzed acceptance factors for this particular population. However, there is not yet a consensual framework to be used in further development and the search for solutions. OBJECTIVE This paper presents an Integrated Acceptance Framework (IAF) for the older user’s acceptance of eHealth, based on 43 studies selected through a systematic review. METHODS We conducted a four-step study. First, through a systematic review from 2010 to 2020 in the field of eHealth, the acceptance factors and basic data for analysis were extracted. Second, we carried out a thematic analysis to group the factors into themes to propose and integrated framework for acceptance. Third, we defined a metric to evaluate the impact of the factors addressed in the studies. Last, the differences amongst the important IAF factors were analyzed, according to the participants’ health conditions, verification time, and year. RESULTS Through the systematic review, 731 studies were founded in 5 major databases, resulting in 43 selected studies using the PRISMA methodology. First, the research methods and the acceptance factors for eHealth were compared and analyzed, extracting a total of 105 acceptance factors, which were grouped later, resulting in the Integrated Acceptance Framework. Five dimensions (i.e., personal, user-technology relational, technological, service-related, environmental) emerged with a total of 23 factors. Also, we assessed the quality of the evidence. And then, we conducted a stratification analysis to reveal the more appropriate factors depending on the health condition and the assessment time. Finally, we assess which are the factors and dimensions that are recently becoming more important. CONCLUSIONS The result of this investigation is a framework for conducting research on eHealth acceptance. To elaborately analyze the impact of the factors of the proposed framework, the criteria for evaluating the evidence from the studies that have extracted factors are presented. Through this process, the impact of each factor in the IAF has been presented, in addition to the framework proposal. Moreover, a meta-analysis of the current status of research is presented, highlighting the areas where specific measures are needed to facilitate e-Health acceptance.

scholarly journals “Cognitive control in media multitaskers” ten years on: A meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Parry ◽  
Daniel B. Le Roux
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Systematic Search ◽  
Media Multitasking ◽  
Control Functions ◽  
Search And Selection ◽  
Measurement Approach

In the decade since Ophir, Nass, and Wagner’s (2009) seminal study numerous researchers have investigated possible associations between media multitasking and cognitive control. Extending recent reviews, the present study provides a synthesis of extant research into this association across measurement approachs and cognitive functions. Following a systematic search and selection process, 118 assessments were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the pooled effect size of the association, across measurement approaches and cognitive control functions, is small. This association is moderated both by the measurement approach as well as by the outcome variables targeted. These differences are tested and explained in detail. Building on the findings, it is recommended that research be conducted to determine the sources of heterogeneity in outcomes, understand differences between measurement approaches, and address causality and theoretical mechanisms. Overall, the review suggests that, ten years on, we are no closer to understanding ‘cognitive control in media multitaskers.’

scholarly journals Exercise as an Add-on Strategy for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocol

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrey Rocha Rocca ◽  
José Celio da Rocha Lima Filho ◽  
Rafael Barbosa Roque Pesconi ◽  
Déborah Alvim Monteiro Batista Alves ◽  
João Victor Coutinho Pereira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Psychosocial Functioning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Clinical Expertise ◽  
Medical Subject Headings ◽  
Prevention Of Relapse

Abstract Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe, recurrent and chronic disorder associated with cognitive impairment, reduction in quality of life and substantially reduction in psychosocial functioning. It presents high rates of comorbidity with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Individuals with bipolar disorder need to focus their attention and treatment on mental and physical health. Physical exercise is often recommended in bipolar disorder, based on extrapolation from the major depressive disorder literature, theory and clinical expertise. However, studies tend to exclude individuals with BD or make no distinction between diagnostic groups, which leads to heterogeneity and difficulty in generalizing the results. The aim of this review is to evaluate the role of physical exercise as an intervention in bipolar disorder treatment. Method: The study populations must be humans, aged 18 years or older, with a clinical diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (BD) according to a recognised widely-used diagnostic classification approach, confirmed with a structured interview. We will evaluate two main outcomes (mood symptoms improvement and functioning) and an additional outcome (prevention of relapse/recurrence). The search strategy will be based on the PICOS framework, using medical subject headings, on the following databases: MEDLINE (via Pubmed), EMBASE, CENTRAL, SPORTDiscus (via EBSCO), PsycINFO (via APA) and OpenGrey Repository. Selection and data collection process will be carried out by two authors, independently. Risk of bias and quality of evidence will be graded acording ROB-2 and GRADE. We will present a narrative and quantitative synthesis of the results from the included studies. Regarding quantitative data, we will extract means (M) and standard deviations (SD), when available, to calculate the standardised mean difference (SMD). Effects size will be calculated using SMD and 95% confidence interval and heterogeneity will be assessed. Subgroup analysis will be conducted to explore heterogeneity across studies depending on quality and quantity of the data extracted.Discussion: To date, there wasn't a systematic review with only randomized controlled trials on effects of physical activity on BD. Because of this, we will conduct this systematic review trying to estabilish the effects of exercise on mood, functionality and prevention of relapse.Registration: submitted

scholarly journals Analysis of Available Nutrition Recommendations to Combat COVID-19: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 18-45
Author(s):  
Norsyamlina Che Abdul Rahim ◽  
Jayvikramjit Singh Manjit Singh ◽  
Munawara Pardi ◽  
Ahmad Ali Zainuddin ◽  
Ruhaya Salleh
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Dietary Recommendations ◽  
The Public ◽  
Inaccurate Information ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Healthy Eating Habits ◽  
Nutritional Recommendation ◽  
Available Information

The current COVID-19 pandemic remains severe. There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives. Currently, the spread of inaccurate information or fake news on the internet to the public is causing the community to panic. Thus, this study aims to obtain available information on food and nutrition related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 from various sources. A scoping review framework was used to chart the evidence on nutritional recommendations to prevent COVID-19 based on the preferred method in reporting systematic review and meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The articles were categorised into three main groups: i) general dietary recommendations; ii) supplementation with specific micronutrients and iii) their mixtures and supplementation with traditional herbs and miscellaneous foods. A total of 60 articles met the inclusion criteria and were used in the review. This scoping review demonstrates that there is no miracle cure, food or supplement that can cure or prevent COVID-19. Currently, there is no confirmed treatment or vaccine for the disease. Practicing healthy eating habits is the best nutritional recommendation during the pandemic. Hence, this review hopefully will provide evidence-based nutrition recommendations that are available for current COVID-19 treatment. We hope that the authorities can inform the public and media to stop the spread of nutrition pseudoscience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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