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Animal Reproduction 2023Due to the great interest in ovarian cryopreservation and, consequently conservation and restoration of female fertility in the last decades, different vitrification... (Review)
Review
Due to the great interest in ovarian cryopreservation and, consequently conservation and restoration of female fertility in the last decades, different vitrification procedures (vitrification devices or solutions) have been developed, patented, and used both for academic research purposes and for clinical use. Therefore, the present study aimed to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of data obtained from the application of different patented and non-patented vitrification devices and solutions in different countries. For this purpose, relevant observational studies published between the years 2000 to 2021 were selected to verify the efficiency of ovarian vitrification processes on parameters such as morphology, viability, and apoptosis in preantral ovarian follicles after transplantation or in vitro culture. Our research revealed that, although several countries were considered in the study, the United States and Japan were the countries that registered the most processes, and 22 and 16 vitrification devices and solutions out of a total of 51, respectively were patented. Sixty-two non-patented processes were also considered in the study in all countries. We also observed that transplantation and in vitro ovarian culture were the techniques predominantly used to evaluate the efficiency of the devices and vitrification solutions, respectively. In conclusion, this review showed that patented or non-patented protocols available in the literature are able to successfully preserve preantral follicles present in ovarian tissue. Despite the satisfactory results reported so far, adjustments in ovarian vitrification protocols in order to minimize cryoinjuries to the follicles remain one of the goals of cryopreservation and preservation of the female reproductive function. We found that vitrification alters the morphology and viability, and offers risks leading in some cases to follicular apoptosis. However, adjustments to current protocols to develop an optimal procedure can minimize damage by not compromising follicular development after vitrification/warming.
PubMed: 38026005
DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-AR2023-0065 -
BMC Health Services Research Jul 2023Pandemics such as COVID-19 pose threats to the physical safety of healthcare workers and students. They can have traumatic experiences affecting their personal and...
BACKGROUND
Pandemics such as COVID-19 pose threats to the physical safety of healthcare workers and students. They can have traumatic experiences affecting their personal and professional life. Increasing rates of burnout, substance abuse, depression, and suicide among healthcare workers have already been identified, thus making mental health and psychological wellbeing of the healthcare workers a major issue. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesize the characteristics of emotional support programs and interventions targeted to healthcare workers and students since the onset of COVID-19 and other SARS-CoV pandemics and to describe the effectiveness and experiences of these programs.
METHOD
This was a mixed method systematic review. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, and the review was registered on PROSPERO [CRD42021262837]. Searches were conducted using Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases. The COVIDENCE systematic review management system was used for data selection and extraction by two independent reviewers. The JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) critical appraisal tools were used to assess the quality of selected studies by two additional reviewers. Finally, data extraction and narrative analysis were conducted.
RESULTS
The search retrieved 3161 results including 1061 duplicates. After screening, a total of 19 articles were included in this review. Participants in studies were nurses, physicians, other hospital staff, and undergraduate medical students mostly working on the front-line with COVID-19 patients. Publications included RCTs (n = 4), quasi-experimental studies (n = 2), cross-sectional studies (n = 6), qualitative interview studies (n = 3), and systematic reviews (n = 4). Most (63.4%) of the interventions used online or digital solutions. Interventions mostly showed good effectiveness (support-seeking, positive emotions, reduction of distress symptoms etc.) and acceptance and were experienced as helpful, but there were some conflicting results.
CONCLUSION
Healthcare organizations have developed support strategies focusing on providing emotional support for these healthcare workers and students, but it is difficult to conclude whether one program offers distinct benefit compared to the others. More research is needed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of emotional support interventions for health workers.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Cross-Sectional Studies; Health Personnel; Adaptation, Psychological; Students
PubMed: 37443003
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09744-6 -
Cervical Cancer Prevention, Its Challenges and Solutions in Iran and Worldwide: A Systematic Review.Iranian Journal of Public Health Nov 2023Widespread use of screening in high-income countries has led to significant reductions in mortality from cervical cancer. However, in Iran, the main reason for the late... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Widespread use of screening in high-income countries has led to significant reductions in mortality from cervical cancer. However, in Iran, the main reason for the late diagnosis of cervical cancer was the failure to perform a Pap smear (Papanicolaou). We aimed to investigate the status of cervical cancer prevention and its challenges and solutions in Iran.
METHOD
We conducted a systematic review of literature published from 1974 to 2021 in the electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar, and retrieved all English-language articles. Following the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, full-text articles were identified and evaluated for eligibility. Finally, these publications were analyzed as part of the synthesis.
RESULTS
Lower social-economic level, inadequate knowledge of screening tests and health centers for Pap test performance leading to worse outcomes such as lower screening participation or coverage.
CONCLUSION
By addressing these challenges through increasing education, increasing service accessibility, expanding screening programs, improving public awareness, improving insurance coverage, and establishing a control protocol for follow-up, it is possible to reduce cervical cancer incidence and mortality.
PubMed: 38106838
DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v52i11.14031 -
Journal of Nephrology Sep 2023This systematic review summarises the stability of less commonly prescribed antibiotics in different peritoneal dialysis solutions that could be used for... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This systematic review summarises the stability of less commonly prescribed antibiotics in different peritoneal dialysis solutions that could be used for culture-directed therapy of peritonitis, which would be especially useful in regions with a high prevalence of multidrug antibiotic-resistant strains.
METHODS
A literature search of Medline, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar for articles published from inception to 25 January, 2023 was conducted. Only antibiotic stability studies conducted in vitro and not recently reviewed by So et al. were included. The main outcomes were chemical, physical, antimicrobial and microbial stability. This protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration number CRD42023393366).
RESULTS
We screened 1254 abstracts, and 28 articles were included in the study. In addition to those discussed in a recent systematic review (So et al., Clin Kidney J 15(6):1071-1078, 2022), we identified 18 antimicrobial agents. Of these, 9 have intraperitoneal dosing recommendations in the recent International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) peritonitis guidelines, and 7 of the 9 had stability data applicable to clinical practice. They were cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, daptomycin, ofloxacin, and teicoplanin in glucose-based solutions, tobramycin in Extraneal solution only and fosfomycin in Extraneal, Nutrineal, Physioneal 1.36% and 2.27% glucose solutions.
CONCLUSIONS
Physicochemical stability has not been demonstrated for all antibiotics with intraperitoneal dosing recommendations in the ISPD peritonitis guidelines. Further studies are required to determine the stability of antibiotics, especially in icodextrin-based and low-glucose degradation products, pH-neutral solutions.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Dialysis Solutions; Glucose; Icodextrin; Peritoneal Dialysis; Peritonitis
PubMed: 37548827
DOI: 10.1007/s40620-023-01716-7 -
Nutrients Jan 2024Intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) are dietary strategies to prevent and attenuate obesity associated with conditions and aging-related outcomes.... (Review)
Review
Intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) are dietary strategies to prevent and attenuate obesity associated with conditions and aging-related outcomes. This scoping review examined the cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcome differences between IF and CR interventions among adults. We applied a systematic approach to scope published randomized controlled trials (databases: PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Google Scholar) from inception through August 2023. The initial search provided 389 unique articles which were critically appraised. Thirty articles met the eligibility criteria for inclusion: 12 were IF, 10 were CR, and 8 were combined IF and CR interventions. IF and CR were associated with weight loss; however, IF studies tended to report greater adherence compared with CR. Overall, IF and CR were equivalently effective across cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcomes. Our findings suggest that IF has health benefits in a variety of conditions and may be better accepted and tolerated than CR, but more comparative research is required.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Aging; Caloric Restriction; Cardiovascular Diseases; Fasting; Intermittent Fasting; Neoplasms; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38276554
DOI: 10.3390/nu16020316 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2023Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based exosomes have garnered attention as a viable therapeutic for post-traumatic cartilage injury and osteoarthritis of the knee; however,... (Review)
Review
Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based exosomes have garnered attention as a viable therapeutic for post-traumatic cartilage injury and osteoarthritis of the knee; however, efforts for application have been limited due to issues with variable dosing and rapid clearance in vivo. Scaffolds laden with MSC-based exosomes have recently been investigated as a solution to these issues. Here, we review in vivo studies and highlight key strengths and potential clinical uses of exosome-scaffold therapeutics for treatment of post-traumatic cartilage injury and osteoarthritis. In vivo animal studies were gathered using keywords related to the topic, revealing 466 studies after removal of duplicate papers. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied for abstract screening and full-text review. Thirteen relevant studies were identified for analysis and extraction. Three predominant scaffold subtypes were identified: hydrogels, acellular extracellular matrices, and hyaluronic acid. Each scaffold-exosome design showcased unique properties with relation to gross findings, tissue histology, biomechanics, and gene expression. All designs demonstrated a reduction in inflammation and induction of tissue regeneration. The results of our review show that current exosome-scaffold therapeutics demonstrate the capability to halt and even reverse the course of post-traumatic cartilage injury and osteoarthritis. While this treatment modality shows incredible promise, future research should aim to characterize long-term biocompatibility and optimize scaffold designs for human treatment.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Exosomes; Cartilage Diseases; Knee Joint; Cartilage; Cartilage, Articular; Tissue Scaffolds
PubMed: 37894859
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015178 -
European Neuropsychopharmacology : the... Dec 2023Anhedonia is described as a decreased ability to experience rewarding and enjoyable activities, a core symptom of major depressive disorder. The sucrose preference test... (Review)
Review
Anhedonia is described as a decreased ability to experience rewarding and enjoyable activities, a core symptom of major depressive disorder. The sucrose preference test (SPT) is a widely used and reliable behavioural test to assess anhedonia in rodents, based on a two-bottle choice paradigm. To date, different protocols are in use, inducing variability between researchers and hampering comparisons between studies. We performed a systematic review of the SPT protocols used in 2021 to identify the parameters in which they differ and their potential impact. We searched a total of four databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Science Direct), from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021, and screened a total of 1066 articles. After screening by title and abstract, a total of 415 articles were included in this review. We extracted and analysed the different procedures used, the type of sweet solution and the habituation, deprivation, and testing protocols. The overall quality of the studies was considered very good, however, SPT protocols were extremely variable between studies with a total of 65 different habituation protocols and 104 combinations of food/water deprivation and preference testing duration. As the SPT is one of the most used tests to assess anhedonia in rodents, this work raises awareness of the great variability in SPT protocols being currently used. Furthermore, we call for standardization in the protocol used, and overall improvement of data reporting of methodologies and results, to increase the consistency between studies and allow a better comparison of results between different labs.
Topics: Animals; Anhedonia; Depressive Disorder, Major; Food; Rodentia; Sucrose
PubMed: 37741164
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.08.496 -
Military Medical Research Jan 2024Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a priority list of the most threatening pathogens... (Review)
Review
Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a priority list of the most threatening pathogens against which novel antibiotics need to be developed. The discovery and introduction of novel antibiotics are time-consuming and expensive. According to WHO's report of antibacterial agents in clinical development, only 18 novel antibiotics have been approved since 2014. Therefore, novel antibiotics are critically needed. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been rapidly applied to drug development since its recent technical breakthrough and has dramatically improved the efficiency of the discovery of novel antibiotics. Here, we first summarized recently marketed novel antibiotics, and antibiotic candidates in clinical development. In addition, we systematically reviewed the involvement of AI in antibacterial drug development and utilization, including small molecules, antimicrobial peptides, phage therapy, essential oils, as well as resistance mechanism prediction, and antibiotic stewardship.
Topics: Humans; Artificial Intelligence; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Public Health
PubMed: 38254241
DOI: 10.1186/s40779-024-00510-1 -
European Urology Focus Nov 2023Laser performance for lithotripsy is currently reported using units of measurement such as J/mm, mm/J, mm/s, s/mm, and mm/min. However, there are no current standardized... (Review)
Review
Laser Ablation Efficiency, Laser Ablation Speed, and Laser Energy Consumption During Lithotripsy: What Are They and How Are They Defined? A Systematic Review and Proposal for a Standardized Terminology.
CONTEXT
Laser performance for lithotripsy is currently reported using units of measurement such as J/mm, mm/J, mm/s, s/mm, and mm/min. However, there are no current standardized definitions or terminology for these metrics. This may lead to confusion when assessing and comparing different laser systems.
OBJECTIVE
The primary objective was to summarize outcome values and corresponding terminology from studies on laser lithotripsy performance using stone volume in relation to time or energy. The secondary objective was to propose a standardized terminology for reporting laser performance metrics.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the search string ("j*/mm3" OR "mm3/j*" OR "mm3/s*" OR "s*/mm3" OR "mm3/min*" OR "min*/mm3" AND "lithotripsy") on Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed databases. Study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed independently by two authors.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
A total of 28 studies were included, covering holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG), MOSES, and thulium fiber laser (TFL) technologies. Laser energy consumption values reported for the studies ranged from 2.0 - 43.5 J/mmin vitro and from 2.7 - 47.8 J/mmin vivo, translating to laser ablation efficiency of 0.023 - 0.500 mm/J and 0.021 - 0.370 mm/J, respectively. Laser ablation speeds ranged from 0.3 - 8.5 mm/s in vivo, translating to lasing time consumption of 0.12 - 3.33 s/mm. Laser efficacy ranged from 4.35 - 51.7 mm/min in vivo. There was high heterogeneity for the terminology used to describe laser performance for the same metrics.
CONCLUSIONS
The range of laser performance metric values relating stone volume to energy or time is wide, with corresponding differing terminology. We propose a standardized terminology for future studies on laser lithotripsy, including laser ablation efficiency (mm/J), laser ablation speed (mm/s), and laser energy consumption (J/mm). Laser efficacy (mm/min) is proposed as a broader term that is based on the total operative time, encompassing the whole technique using the laser.
PATIENT SUMMARY
We reviewed studies to identify the units and terms used for laser performance when treating urinary stones. The review revealed a wide range of differing units, outcomes, and terms. Therefore, we propose a standardized terminology for future studies on laser stone treatment.
PubMed: 37940392
DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2023.10.004 -
JAMA Network Open Sep 2023Testing new medical devices or procedures in terms of safety, effectiveness, and durability should follow the strictest methodological rigor before implementation. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Testing new medical devices or procedures in terms of safety, effectiveness, and durability should follow the strictest methodological rigor before implementation.
OBJECTIVES
To review and analyze studies investigating devices and procedures used in intracranial aneurysm (IA) treatment for methods and completeness of reporting and to compare the results of studies with positive, uncertain, and negative conclusions.
DATA SOURCES
Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials were searched for studies on IA treatment published between January 1, 1995, and the October 1, 2022. Grey literature was retrieved from Google Scholar.
STUDY SELECTION
All studies making any kind of claims of safety, effectiveness, or durability in the field of IA treatment were included.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
Using a predefined data dictionary and analysis plan, variables ranging from patient and aneurysm characteristics to the results of treatment were extracted, as were details pertaining to study methods and completeness of reporting. Extraction was performed by 10 independent reviewers. A blinded academic neuro-linguist without involvement in IA research evaluated the conclusion of each study as either positive, uncertain, or negative. The study followed Preferring Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The incidence of domain-specific outcomes between studies with positive, uncertain, or negative conclusions regarding safety, effectiveness, or durability were compared. The number of studies that provided a definition of safety, effectiveness, or durability and the incidence of incomplete reporting of domain-specific outcomes were evaluated.
RESULTS
Overall, 12 954 studies were screened, and 1356 studies were included, comprising a total of 410 993 treated patients. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with poor outcome or in-hospital mortality between studies claiming a technique was safe, uncertain, or not safe. Similarly, there was no difference in the proportion of IAs completely occluded at last follow-up between studies claiming a technique was effective, uncertain, or noneffective. Less than 2% of studies provided any definition of safety, effectiveness, or durability, and only 1 of the 1356 studies provided a threshold under which the technique would be considered unsafe. Incomplete reporting was found in 546 reports (40%).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
In this systematic review and meta-analysis of IA treatment literature, studies claiming safety, effectiveness, or durability of IA treatment had methodological flaws and incomplete reporting of relevant outcomes supporting these claims.
Topics: Humans; Intracranial Aneurysm; Hospital Mortality; Neurology; Uncertainty
PubMed: 37656458
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.31798