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Journal of Endourology Sep 2018Laparoscopy is widely used in the urological field. This systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to assess the clinical and surgical efficacy of the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopy is widely used in the urological field. This systematic review and a meta-analysis were conducted to assess the clinical and surgical efficacy of the three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopic system in comparison with two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopy for treatment of different urological conditions.
METHODS
Following guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, a systematic literature search in Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBase was carried out to identify relevant studies published up to May 2018. Articles published in the English language of both randomized and observational studies comparing 3D and 2D laparoscopic systems in urological surgeries were included. Level of evidence and quality assessments of all included studies were conducted. Interested data were extracted for comparison and meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Our literature search generated 17 studies comparing 3D and 2D laparoscopic systems in different urological surgeries. Of these, 13 studies containing 548 and 449 patients operated on with 2D and 3D laparoscopic systems, respectively, were included for meta-analysis. These 13 studies were divided into three groups according to surgical type. Group 1: Partial nephrectomy (PN); operative time (p = 0.19), estimated blood loss (EBL) (p = 0.51), dissecting time (p = 0.58), and suturing time (p = 0.28) were not statistically significant between 2D and 3D laparoscopic systems. However, warm ischemia time during PN was significantly shorter during 3D laparoscopy (p < 0.00001). Group 2: Pyeloplasty; this procedure showed no significant difference between the two systems. Group 3: Radical prostatectomy (RP); shorter operative time (p < 0.0001) and lower EBL (p = 0.001) were associated with the 3D laparoscopic system.
CONCLUSION
Three-dimensional laparoscopy mainly improves the depth of perception, leading to better visibility, which is important for some complex urological surgeries such as PN, pyeloplasty, and RP. Based on our findings, 3D laparoscopy seems to provide better clinical and surgical outcomes in some urological procedures compared with conventional 2D laparoscopy.
Topics: Blood Loss, Surgical; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Laparoscopy; Operative Time; Urologic Surgical Procedures; Warm Ischemia
PubMed: 29969912
DOI: 10.1089/end.2018.0411 -
International Journal of Medical... May 2019Health information exchange (HIE), the ability for health information technology (HIT) to share patient data, can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare;...
BACKGROUND
Health information exchange (HIE), the ability for health information technology (HIT) to share patient data, can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare; however, this ability may cause patient concern about their ability to control who can access their health records (i.e., privacy). These concerns may affect a patient's candor in their therapeutic patient-provider relationships, thereby undermining their care. While patient privacy concerns are often cited as a barrier to HIT implementation, the patient privacy perspective is not well understood. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide an in-depth exploration of the patient privacy perspective toward HIE, its antecedents, and its outcomes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review was conducted on seven health sciences and interdisciplinary databases. Empirical studies that assessed the patient perception of privacy in context of interoperable HIT were included. All included articles were independently screened, extracted, and analyzed by two reviewers. The results were extracted and categorized based on the dimensions outlined in the Antecedent Privacy Concern Outcomes macro-model (APCO).
RESULTS
Of the 1713 unique citations, 59 articles met the inclusion criteria which consisted of 39 (66.1%) quantitative studies, 15 (25.4%) qualitative studies, and 5 (8.5%) mixed methods studies. Fourteen articles (23.7%) were specifically focused on understanding privacy. The patient privacy perspective was operationalized in different ways, with privacy concern being the most common measure (25.4%). The percentage of participants expressing privacy concern ranged from 15% to 74%, depending on the study. Perceived quality of care was associated with lower privacy concerns. Privacy concerns were associated with privacy protective behaviours; however, the perceived benefit of HIE may mitigate the effects of privacy concern.
CONCLUSION
Using the APCO as a guide, this review found that the patient privacy perspective is dynamic, complex, and still not well understood. There may be an oversimplification of the patient privacy perspective and its impact given the paucity of privacy-focused research. The evidence suggests patient perceptions of healthcare and the value of HIE are important factors in mitigating privacy concerns and its effects. More in-depth privacy studies are required to further illuminate the nuances of the patient perspective and provide policy-makers with greater insights on the privacy barrier.
Topics: Health Information Exchange; Humans; Male; Patients; Perception; Privacy
PubMed: 30914173
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.01.014 -
The Australian Journal of Rural Health Apr 2024Extreme heat causes a major health burden, especially for older Australians. (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Extreme heat causes a major health burden, especially for older Australians.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of extreme heat on older regional and rural Australians, including clinical presentations, social implications, and health-seeking behaviours and adaptations.
DESIGN
A systematic review and narrative synthesis.
FINDINGS
Ten articles were included in the review with research on this topic limited. Extreme heat causes an increase in mortality and ambulance dispatches for older rural Australians. Social connectedness is negatively affected by extreme heat due to cancellation of events and individuals becoming housebound. Air conditioning is the main cooling mechanism used, although cost is a major concern. Despite this, older rural populations display a depth of knowledge regarding practical behavioural responses to adapt to extreme heat. Studies show older rural Australians do not consider extreme heat to be a threat to health.
DISCUSSION
Further research needs to examine the role extreme heat may play in contributing to experiences of loneliness. Air conditioning cannot be the ultimate solution in responding to extreme heat due to cost and increased carbon emissions. The low-risk perception of extreme heat for older rural people may inform effective heat health warnings and effective use of primary health care in heat-health education. Listening to First Nations knowledge in dealing with heat may provide a powerful mechanism in which to protect health.
CONCLUSION
The extensive health effects of extreme heat highlights the necessity of further research and strengthening of services in preparation for an ageing rural population enduring climate change.
Topics: Humans; Australia; Extreme Heat; Rural Population; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Male; Australasian People
PubMed: 38419263
DOI: 10.1111/ajr.13094 -
The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry Aug 2020Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a subjective measure that assesses a person's perception of oral health. Patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) suffer from...
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a subjective measure that assesses a person's perception of oral health. Patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) suffer from impaired cognitive function and a compromised ability to perform activities of daily living. Further exploration is needed to clarify whether OHRQoL is negatively impacted by cognitive degeneration and oral health conditions among patients with AD.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this systematic review was to increase understanding of OHRQoL among patients with AD and explore factors that may affect OHRQoL.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Searches were conducted in PubMed, the Cochrane Library database, Medline, EBSCO, ProQuest, and EMBASE until August 30, 2018, with no date restrictions. The initial search targeted quantitative observational studies published in English that included the keywords AD, oral, prosthesis, and OHRQoL. Data extraction was independently conducted by 2 reviewers. OHRQoL was investigated as the outcome. Cognitive status and oral health conditions were treated as exposures. Tools used to measure OHRQoL included the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile. The research adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
RESULTS
Six studies were included. The sample sizes ranged from 30 to 226 participants, 5 studies used cross-sectional designs, and 1 was a nonrandomized controlled trial. Three studies reported higher OHRQoL scores among participants with AD than those among controls, but only 1 study showed a statistically significant difference. A statistical analysis was conducted with 4 studies that reported GOHAI scores, and no significant differences were found in GOHAI scores between participants with AD and controls (standard mean difference: 0.09; 95% confidence interval: -0.66 to 0.85). All studies that explored factors affecting OHRQoL showed different associations between cognitive impairment, oral health conditions, and OHRQoL. One study showed that cognitive impairment was negatively associated with OHRQoL. Three studies found oral health conditions (including periodontitis, gingival bleeding, probing depth >4 mm, and number of natural teeth) impaired the OHRQoL of participants with AD. Three studies reported that prosthetic type and quality positively affected OHRQoL among participants with AD.
CONCLUSIONS
OHRQoL may not fully represent actual oral health problems of patients with AD. Clinical dentists should evaluate oral problems in this population, preferably by using both subjective and objective examinations, including oral and dental conditions. This will ensure oral problems among patients with AD can be detected early and timely treatment provided.
Topics: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Alzheimer Disease; Cross-Sectional Studies; Humans; Oral Health; Quality of Life
PubMed: 31753458
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2019.08.015 -
International Journal of Audiology Sep 2018To develop a decision aid for tinnitus care that would meet international consensus for decision aid quality.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a decision aid for tinnitus care that would meet international consensus for decision aid quality.
DESIGN
A mixed methods design that included qualitative in-depth interviews, literature review, focus groups, user testing and readability checking.
STUDY SAMPLE
Patients and clinicians who have clinical experience of tinnitus.
RESULTS
A decision aid for tinnitus care was developed. This incorporates key evidence of efficacy for the most frequently used tinnitus care options, together with information derived from patient priorities when deciding which choice to make.
CONCLUSION
The decision aid has potential to enable shared decision making between clinicians and patients in audiology. The decision aid meets consensus standards.
Topics: Attitude of Health Personnel; Auditory Perception; Clinical Decision-Making; Consensus; Decision Support Techniques; Female; Focus Groups; Health Communication; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hearing; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Participation; Predictive Value of Tests; Professional-Patient Relations; Qualitative Research; Tinnitus
PubMed: 29741407
DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2018.1468093 -
Journal of Dairy Science May 2019We aimed to determine how research regarding farmers' personalities and attitudes as risk factors is reported (methodological approaches to assessing, extracting, and...
Invited review: Examining farmers' personalities and attitudes as possible risk factors for dairy cattle health, welfare, productivity, and farm management: A systematic scoping review.
We aimed to determine how research regarding farmers' personalities and attitudes as risk factors is reported (methodological approaches to assessing, extracting, and processing data and analyzing risk factors) and to explore evidence for the effect of farmers' attitudes and personalities on dairy cattle health, welfare, productivity, and management. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of studies on personality and attitude as risk factors for dairy cattle health, welfare, productivity, and farm management. Database searches captured 1,144 records, and 38 were finally included in the review. Thirty-three manuscripts assessed farmers' attitudes, 1 assessed their personalities, and 4 assessed both as risk factors. These potential risk factors were checked for relationships with more than 50 different outcome variables regarding farm management (17 manuscripts), animal health (13 manuscripts), animal productivity (11 manuscripts), and animal welfare (4 manuscripts). The approaches to assessing risk factors and processing and interpreting data varied greatly; thus, drawing conclusions regarding the effects of attitude and personality as risk factors is impeded because manuscripts are difficult to compare. Our findings highlight the need for harmonization of attitudes and personality assessments in future research. Furthermore, researchers should carefully consider which depth of detail to apply when planning and evaluating related research. Nevertheless, results highlight the importance of the effect of personality and attitude on outcomes. Farmers' personality and attitudes are associated with dairy cattle health, welfare, productivity, and management. In general, attitudes indicating higher degrees of technical knowledge, affection with problems, perceived responsibility, perception of control of a situation, a better human-animal relationship, or a positive evaluation of the benefits of management decisions tended to affect outcomes in a beneficial way. "Agreeableness" and "conscientiousness" were shown to promote better farm performance, whereas "neuroticism" had a negative effect. Therefore, further research on attitude and personality and their consideration by professionals and decision-makers within the dairy sector and politics is strongly recommended. This might provide the chance to better understand the needs of dairy farmers and therefore develop tailored advice and support strategies to improve both satisfactory and constructive cooperation.
Topics: Animal Welfare; Animals; Attitude; Cattle; Dairying; Decision Making; Efficiency; Farmers; Farms; Health Status; Humans; Perception; Personality; Risk Factors
PubMed: 30852027
DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-15037 -
BMC Women's Health Dec 2022Gender discrimination is any unequal treatment of a person based on their sex. Women and girls are most likely to experience the negative impact of gender...
BACKGROUND
Gender discrimination is any unequal treatment of a person based on their sex. Women and girls are most likely to experience the negative impact of gender discrimination. The aim of this study is to assess the factors that influence gender discrimination in Pakistan, and its impact on women's life.
METHODS
A mixed method approach was used in the study in which a systematic review was done in phase one to explore the themes on gender discrimination, and qualitative interviews were conducted in phase two to explore the perception of people regarding gender discrimination. The qualitative interviews (in-depth interviews and focus group discussions) were conducted from married men and women, adolescent boys and girls, Healthcare Professionals (HCPs), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) and Community Midwives (CMWs). The qualitative interviews were analyzed both manually and electronically through QSR NVivo 10. The triangulation of data from the systematic review and qualitative interviews were done to explore the gender discrimination related issues in Pakistan.
RESULTS
The six major themes have emerged from the systematic review and qualitative interviews. It includes (1) Status of a woman in the society (2) Gender inequality in health (3) Gender inequality in education (4) Gender inequality in employment (5) Gender biased social norms and cultural practices and (6) Micro and macro level recommendations. In addition, a woman is often viewed as a sexual object and dependent being who lacks self identity unless being married. Furthermore, women are restricted to household and child rearing responsibilities and are often neglected and forced to suppress self-expression. Likewise, men are viewed as dominant figures in lives of women who usually makes all family decisions. They are considered as financial providers and source of protection. Moreover, women face gender discrimination in many aspects of life including education and access to health care.
CONCLUSION
Gender discrimination is deeply rooted in the Pakistani society. To prevent gender discrimination, the entire society, especially women should be educated and gendered sensitized to improve the status of women in Pakistan.
Topics: Male; Adolescent; Humans; Female; Pakistan; Sexism; Qualitative Research; Focus Groups; Social Behavior
PubMed: 36550528
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-022-02011-6 -
Biotechnology and Bioengineering Jun 2024The extensive use of chemical pesticides has significantly boosted agricultural food crop yields. Nevertheless, their excessive and unregulated application has resulted... (Review)
Review
The extensive use of chemical pesticides has significantly boosted agricultural food crop yields. Nevertheless, their excessive and unregulated application has resulted in food contamination and pollution in environmental, aquatic, and agricultural ecosystems. Consequently, the on-site monitoring of pesticide residues in agricultural practices is paramount to safeguard global food and conservational safety. Traditional pesticide detection methods are cumbersome and ill-suited for on-site pesticide finding. The systematic review provides an in-depth analysis of the current status and perspectives of nanobiosensors (NBS) for pesticide detection in the agricultural arena. Furthermore, the study encompasses the fundamental principles of NBS, the various transduction mechanisms employed, and their incorporation into on-site detection platforms. Conversely, the assortment of transduction mechanisms, including optical, electrochemical, and piezoelectric tactics, is deliberated in detail, emphasizing its advantages and limitations in pesticide perception. Incorporating NBS into on-site detection platforms confirms a vital feature of their pertinence. The evaluation reflects the integration of NBS into lab-on-a-chip systems, handheld devices, and wireless sensor networks, permitting real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making in agronomic settings. The potential for robotics and automation in pesticide detection is also scrutinized, highlighting their role in improving competence and accuracy. Finally, this systematic review provides a complete understanding of the current landscape of NBS for on-site pesticide sensing. Consequently, we anticipate that this review offers valuable insights that could form the foundation for creating innovative NBS applicable in various fields such as materials science, nanoscience, food technology and environmental science.
PubMed: 38853643
DOI: 10.1002/bit.28764 -
Frontiers in Neuroscience 2024The acupoint LR3 (Taichong) is frequently utilized in clinical acupuncture. However, its underlying neural mechanisms remain not fully elucidated, with speculations...
OBJECTIVES
The acupoint LR3 (Taichong) is frequently utilized in clinical acupuncture. However, its underlying neural mechanisms remain not fully elucidated, with speculations suggesting its close association with specific brain activity patterns.
METHODS
A comprehensive literature search was undertaken across several online databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Database. Two independent researchers handled the study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction processes. Using the seed-based d-mapping meta-analysis approach, we evaluated the brain regions activated by LR3 acupuncture in healthy subjects. Subsequent subgroup analysis was stratified by fMRI types, and regression analyses were performed considering the duration of acupuncture, depth of needle insertion, and needle diameter. The identified active brain regions were then intricately projected onto large-scale functional networks.
RESULTS
A total of 10 studies met the criteria for inclusion, encompassing 319 healthy right-handed participants. The meta-analysis indicates that acupuncture at the LR3 activates regions such as the right postcentral gyrus, left thalamus, left middle frontal gyrus, and right superior frontal gyrus. Additionally, meta-regression analysis highlights that increased acupuncture duration correlates with progressively intensified activation of the right superior frontal gyrus. Subgroup analysis posits that variations in the type of fMRI employed might account for heterogeneity in the pooled results. Concurrently, functional network analysis identifies the primary activated regions as aligning with the Basal ganglia network, Auditory network, Left executive control network, Posterior salience network, Right executive control network, and Sensorimotor networks.
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture at the LR3 in healthy subjects selectively activates brain regions linked to pain perception, emotional processing, and linguistic functions. Extending the needle retention duration intensifies the activation of the right superior frontal gyrus. These findings enrich our comprehension of the neurobiological underpinnings of acupuncture's role in pain mitigation and emotional regulation.
PubMed: 38348133
DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1341567 -
Computational and Mathematical Methods... 2021Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the domain of computer science that focuses on the development of machines that operate like humans. In the field of AI, medical disease...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the domain of computer science that focuses on the development of machines that operate like humans. In the field of AI, medical disease detection is an instantly growing domain of research. In the past years, numerous endeavours have been made for the improvements of medical disease detection, because the errors and problems in medical disease detection cause serious wrong medical treatment. Meta-heuristic techniques have been frequently utilized for the detection of medical diseases and promise better accuracy of perception and prediction of diseases in the domain of biomedical. Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is a swarm-based intelligent stochastic search technique encouraged from the intrinsic manner of bee swarm during the searching of their food source. Consequently, for the versatility of numerical experimentation, PSO has been mostly applied to address the diverse kinds of optimization problems. However, the PSO techniques are frequently adopted for the detection of diseases but there is still a gap in the comparative survey. This paper presents an insight into the diagnosis of medical diseases in health care using various PSO approaches. This study presents to deliver a systematic literature review of current PSO approaches for knowledge discovery in the field of disease detection. The systematic analysis discloses the potential research areas of PSO strategies as well as the research gaps, although, the main goal is to provide the directions for future enhancement and development in this area. This paper gives a systematic survey of this conceptual model for the advanced research, which has been explored in the specified literature to date. This review comprehends the fundamental concepts, theoretical foundations, and conventional application fields. It is predicted that our study will be beneficial for the researchers to review the PSO algorithms in-depth for disease detection. Several challenges that can be undertaken to move the field forward are discussed according to the current state of the PSO strategies in health care.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Artificial Intelligence; Bayes Theorem; Computational Biology; Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Machine Learning; Neural Networks, Computer; Nonlinear Dynamics; Stochastic Processes
PubMed: 34557257
DOI: 10.1155/2021/5990999