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Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022The geopolymer concept has gained wide international attention during the last two decades and is now seen as a potential alternative to ordinary Portland cement;... (Review)
Review
The geopolymer concept has gained wide international attention during the last two decades and is now seen as a potential alternative to ordinary Portland cement; however, before full implementation in the national and international standards, the geopolymer concept requires clarity on the commonly used definitions and mix design methodologies. The lack of a common definition and methodology has led to inconsistency and confusion across disciplines. This review aims to clarify the most existing geopolymer definitions and the diverse procedures on geopolymer methodologies to attain a good understanding of both the unary and binary geopolymer systems. This review puts into perspective the most crucial facets to facilitate the sustainable development and adoption of geopolymer design standards. A systematic review protocol was developed based on the Preferred Reporting of Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and applied to the Scopus database to retrieve articles. Geopolymer is a product of a polycondensation reaction that yields a three-dimensional tecto-aluminosilicate matrix. Compared to unary geopolymer systems, binary geopolymer systems contain complex hydrated gel structures and polymerized networks that influence workability, strength, and durability. The optimum utilization of high calcium industrial by-products such as ground granulated blast furnace slag, Class-C fly ash, and phosphogypsum in unary or binary geopolymer systems give C-S-H or C-A-S-H gels with dense polymerized networks that enhance strength gains and setting times. As there is no geopolymer mix design standard, most geopolymer mix designs apply the trial-and-error approach, and a few apply the Taguchi approach, particle packing fraction method, and response surface methodology. The adopted mix designs require the optimization of certain mixture variables whilst keeping constant other nominal material factors. The production of NaOH gives less CO emission compared to NaSiO which requires higher calcination temperatures for NaCO and SiO However, their usage is considered unsustainable due to their caustic nature, high energy demand, and cost. Besides the blending of fly ash with other industrial by-products, phosphogypsum also has the potential for use as an ingredient in blended geopolymer systems. The parameters identified in this review can help foster the robust adoption of geopolymer as a potential "go-to" alternative to ordinary Portland cement for construction. Furthermore, the proposed future research areas will help address the various innovation gaps observed in current literature with a view of the environment and society.
PubMed: 36234194
DOI: 10.3390/ma15196852 -
Education and Information Technologies 2022During the past decades a respectable number and variety of theoretical perspectives and practical approaches have been advanced for studying determinants for prediction...
During the past decades a respectable number and variety of theoretical perspectives and practical approaches have been advanced for studying determinants for prediction and explanation of user's behavior towards acceptance and adoption of educational technology. Aiming to identify the most prominent factors affecting and reliably predicting successful educational technology adoption, this systematic review offers succinct account of technology adoption and acceptance theories and models related to and widely applied in educational research. Recognised journals of the Web of Science (WoS) database were searched with no time frame limit, and a total of 47 studies published between 2003 and 2021 were critically analysed. The key research findings revealed that in educational context a vast majority of selected studies explore the validity of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its many different extensions (N=37), along with TAM's integrations with other contributing theories and models (N=5). It was exposed that among numerous predictors, thematically grouped into user aspects, task & technology aspects, and social aspects, self-efficacy, subjective norm, (perceived) enjoyment, facilitating conditions, (computer) anxiety, system accessibility, and (technological) complexity were the most frequent predictive factors (i.e. antecedents) affecting educational technology adoption. Considering types of technologies, e-learning was found to be the most common validated mode of delivery, followed by m-learning, Learning Management Systems (LMSs), and social media services. The results also revealed that the majority of analysed studies were conducted in higher education environments. New directions of research along with potential challenges in educational technology acceptance, adoption, and actual use are discussed as well.
PubMed: 35399780
DOI: 10.1007/s10639-022-10951-7 -
The International Journal of Behavioral... Mar 2023Instilling healthy dietary habits and active play in early childhood is an important public health focus. Interventions supporting the establishment of nutrition and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Instilling healthy dietary habits and active play in early childhood is an important public health focus. Interventions supporting the establishment of nutrition and active play behaviours in the first years of life have shown positive outcomes and long-term cost-effectiveness, however, most are research trials, with limited evidence regarding real-world application. Implementation science theories, models and frameworks (TMFs) can guide the process of research translation from trial to real-world intervention. The application of TMFs within nutrition and active play intervention studies in early childhood (< 5 years) is currently unknown. This systematic review identified the use of TMFs and barriers/ enablers associated with intervention adoption, implementation, and sustainability in early childhood nutrition and active play interventions implemented under real-world conditions.
METHODS
Six databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications between 2000-2021. Studies were included if primary outcomes reported improvement in diet, physical activity or sedentary behaviours amongst children aged < 5 years and interventions were delivered under real-world conditions within a community and/or healthcare setting. Two reviewers extracted and evaluated studies, cross checked by a third and verified by all authors. Quality assessment of included studies was completed by two authors using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT).
RESULTS
Eleven studies comprising eleven unique interventions were included. Studies represented low, middle and high-income countries, and were conducted across a range of settings. Five TMFs were identified representing four of Nilsen's implementation model categories, predominantly 'evaluation models'. Ninety-nine barriers/facilitators were extracted across the three intervention phases-Implementation (n = 33 barriers; 33 facilitators), Sustainability (n = 19 barriers; n = 9 facilitators), Adoption (n = 2 barriers; n = 3 facilitators). Identified barriers/facilitators were mapped to the five domains of the Durlak and DuPre framework, with 'funding', 'compatibility' and 'integration of new programming' common across the three intervention phases.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings demonstrate that there is no systematic application of TMFs in the planning, implementation and/or evaluation of early childhood nutrition and active play interventions in real-world settings, and selective and sporadic application of TMFs occurs across the intervention lifespan. This apparent limited uptake of TMFs is a missed opportunity to enhance real-world implementation success.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO (CRD42021243841).
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Diet; Nutritional Status; Implementation Science; Sedentary Behavior; Exercise
PubMed: 36941649
DOI: 10.1186/s12966-023-01433-1 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2022In general, the adoption of IoT applications among end users in healthcare is very low. Healthcare professionals present major challenges to the successful... (Review)
Review
In general, the adoption of IoT applications among end users in healthcare is very low. Healthcare professionals present major challenges to the successful implementation of IoT for providing healthcare services. Many studies have offered important insights into IoT adoption in healthcare. Nevertheless, there is still a need to thoroughly review the effective factors of IoT adoption in a systematic manner. The purpose of this study is to accumulate existing knowledge about the factors that influence medical professionals to adopt IoT applications in the healthcare sector. This study reviews, compiles, analyzes, and systematically synthesizes the relevant data. This review employs both automatic and manual search methods to collect relevant studies from 2015 to 2021. A systematic search of the articles was carried out on nine major scientific databases: Google Scholar, Science Direct, Emerald, Wiley, PubMed, Springer, MDPI, IEEE, and Scopus. A total of 22 articles were selected as per the inclusion criteria. The findings show that TAM, TPB, TRA, and UTAUT theories are the most widely used adoption theories in these studies. Furthermore, the main perceived adoption factors of IoT applications in healthcare at the individual level are: social influence, attitude, and personal inattentiveness. The IoT adoption factors at the technology level are perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, performance expectancy, and effort expectations. In addition, the main factor at the security level is perceived privacy risk. Furthermore, at the health level, the main factors are perceived severity and perceived health risk, respectively. Moreover, financial cost, and facilitating conditions are considered as the main factors at the environmental level. Physicians, patients, and health workers were among the participants who were involved in the included publications. Various types of IoT applications in existing studies are as follows: a wearable device, monitoring devices, rehabilitation devices, telehealth, behavior modification, smart city, and smart home. Most of the studies about IoT adoption were conducted in France and Pakistan in the year 2020. This systematic review identifies the essential factors that enable an understanding of the barriers and possibilities for healthcare providers to implement IoT applications. Finally, the expected influence of COVID-19 on IoT adoption in healthcare was evaluated in this study.
Topics: COVID-19; Delivery of Health Care; Health Personnel; Humans; Telemedicine; Wearable Electronic Devices
PubMed: 35891056
DOI: 10.3390/s22145377 -
Interactive Journal of Medical Research Nov 2022Inpatient portals are online platforms that allow patients to access their personal health information and monitor their health while in the acute care setting. Despite... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Inpatient portals are online platforms that allow patients to access their personal health information and monitor their health while in the acute care setting. Despite their potential to improve quality of care and empower patients and families to participate in their treatment, adoption remains low. Outpatient portal studies have shown that physician endorsement can drive patients' adoption of these systems. Insights on physicians' perspectives on use of these platforms can help improve patient and physician satisfaction and inpatient portal uptake.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this systematic review is to better understand physicians' perspectives toward inpatient portals.
METHODS
A systematic literature review was conducted for studies published between 1994 and November 2021 using keywords for physicians' perspectives toward patient portals and personal health records. Databases included PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus. Articles solely focused on nonphysician clinicians or addressing only outpatient settings or shared notes were excluded from this review. Two reviewers performed title, abstract, and full-text screening independently. Bias assessment was performed using the JBI SUMARI Critical Appraisal Tool (Joanna Briggs Institute). Inductive thematic analysis was done based on themes reported by original authors. Data were synthesized using narrative synthesis and reported according to overarching themes.
RESULTS
In all, 4199 articles were collected and 9 included. All but 2 of the studies were conducted in the United States. Common themes identified were communication and privacy, portal functionality and patient use, and workflow. In studies where physicians had no prior patient portal experience, concerns were expressed about communication issues created by patients' access to laboratory results and potential impact on existing workflow. Concerns about negative communication impacts were not borne out in postimplementation studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Physicians perceived inpatient portals to be beneficial to patients and saw improvement in communication as a result. This is consistent with outpatient studies and highlights the need to improve training on portal use and include physicians during the design process. Health care organizations and information technology entities can take steps to increasing clinician comfort. Physician concerns involving patient portal usage and managing patient expectations also need to be addressed. With improved clinician support, initial pessimism about communication and workload issues can be overcome. Limitations of this review include the small number of pre- and postimplementation studies found. This is also not a review of perspectives on open notes, which merits separate discussion.
PubMed: 36378521
DOI: 10.2196/39542 -
Human Reproduction Update Dec 2021Human male infertility has a notable genetic component, including well-established diagnoses such as Klinefelter syndrome, Y-chromosome microdeletions and monogenic...
BACKGROUND
Human male infertility has a notable genetic component, including well-established diagnoses such as Klinefelter syndrome, Y-chromosome microdeletions and monogenic causes. Approximately 4% of all infertile men are now diagnosed with a genetic cause, but a majority (60-70%) remain without a clear diagnosis and are classified as unexplained. This is likely in large part due to a delay in the field adopting next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, and the absence of clear statements from field leaders as to what constitutes a validated cause of human male infertility (the current paper aims to address this). Fortunately, there has been a significant increase in the number of male infertility NGS studies. These have revealed a considerable number of novel gene-disease relationships (GDRs), which each require stringent assessment to validate the strength of genotype-phenotype associations. To definitively assess which of these GDRs are clinically relevant, the International Male Infertility Genomics Consortium (IMIGC) has identified the need for a systematic review and a comprehensive overview of known male infertility genes and an assessment of the evidence for reported GDRs.
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE
In 2019, the first standardised clinical validity assessment of monogenic causes of male infertility was published. Here, we provide a comprehensive update of the subsequent 1.5 years, employing the joint expertise of the IMIGC to systematically evaluate all available evidence (as of 1 July 2020) for monogenic causes of isolated or syndromic male infertility, endocrine disorders or reproductive system abnormalities affecting the male sex organs. In addition, we systematically assessed the evidence for all previously reported possible monogenic causes of male infertility, using a framework designed for a more appropriate clinical interpretation of disease genes.
SEARCH METHODS
We performed a literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines up until 1 July 2020 for publications in English, using search terms related to 'male infertility' in combination with the word 'genetics' in PubMed. Next, the quality and the extent of all evidence supporting selected genes were assessed using an established and standardised scoring method. We assessed the experimental quality, patient phenotype assessment and functional evidence based on gene expression, mutant in-vitro cell and in-vivo animal model phenotypes. A final score was used to determine the clinical validity of each GDR, across the following five categories: no evidence, limited, moderate, strong or definitive. Variants were also reclassified according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics-Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG-AMP) guidelines and were recorded in spreadsheets for each GDR, which are available at imigc.org.
OUTCOMES
The primary outcome of this review was an overview of all known GDRs for monogenic causes of human male infertility and their clinical validity. We identified a total of 120 genes that were moderately, strongly or definitively linked to 104 infertility phenotypes.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS
Our systematic review curates all currently available evidence to reveal the strength of GDRs in male infertility. The existing guidelines for genetic testing in male infertility cases are based on studies published 25 years ago, and an update is far overdue. The identification of 104 high-probability 'human male infertility genes' is a 33% increase from the number identified in 2019. The insights generated in the current review will provide the impetus for an update of existing guidelines, will inform novel evidence-based genetic testing strategies used in clinics, and will identify gaps in our knowledge of male infertility genetics. We discuss the relevant international guidelines regarding research related to gene discovery and provide specific recommendations to the field of male infertility. Based on our findings, the IMIGC consortium recommend several updates to the genetic testing standards currently employed in the field of human male infertility, most important being the adoption of exome sequencing, or at least sequencing of the genes validated in this study, and expanding the patient groups for which genetic testing is recommended.
Topics: Animals; Chromosome Deletion; Genetic Testing; Genomics; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male
PubMed: 34498060
DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmab030 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Dec 2022Digital technologies facilitate everyday life, social connectedness, aging at home, well-being, and dignified care. However, older adults are disproportionately excluded... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Digital technologies facilitate everyday life, social connectedness, aging at home, well-being, and dignified care. However, older adults are disproportionately excluded from these benefits. Equal digital opportunities, access, and meaningful engagement require an understanding of older adults' experience across different stages of the technological engagement life cycle from nonuse and initial adoption to sustained use, factors influencing their decisions, and how the experience changes over time.
OBJECTIVE
Our objectives were to identify the extent and breadth of existing literature on older adults' perspective on digital engagement and summarize the barriers to and facilitators for technological nonuse, initial adoption, and sustained digital technology engagement.
METHODS
We used the Arksey and O'Malley framework for the scoping review process. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ACM digital library for primary studies published between 2005 and 2021. The inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed based on the Joanna Briggs Institute (participants, content, and context) framework. Studies that investigated the digital engagement experience as well as barriers to and facilitators of older adults' digital technology engagement were included. The characteristics of the study, types of digital technology, and digital engagement levels were analyzed descriptively. Content analysis was used to generate tentative elements using a congruent theme, and barriers and facilitators were mapped over the capability, opportunity, and motivation behavior change model (COM-B) and the theoretical domain framework. The findings were reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews).
RESULTS
In total, 96 publications were eligible for the final charting and synthesis. Most of the studies were published over the past 5 years, investigated the initial adoption stage of digital engagement, and focused on everyday technologies. The most cited barriers and facilitators across the engagement stages from each COM-B component were capability (eg, physical and psychological changes and lack of skill), opportunity (eg, technological features, environmental context, and resources), and motivation (eg, optimism from perceived usefulness and beliefs about capability).
CONCLUSIONS
The COM-B model and theoretical domain framework provide a guide for identifying multiple and intertwined barriers and facilitators at each stage of digital engagement. There are limited studies looking into the whole spectrum of older adults' digital technology experience; in particular, studies on technological nonuse and sustained use stages are rare. Future research and practice should focus on tailored interventions accounting for the barriers to older adults' digital engagement and addressing capabilities, motivation, and opportunities; affordable, usable, and useful digital technologies, which address the changes and capability requirements of older adults and are cocreated with a value framework; and lifelong learning and empowerment to develop older adults' knowledge and skills to cope with digital technology development.
INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)
RR2-10.2196/25616.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Digital Technology; Education, Continuing
PubMed: 36477006
DOI: 10.2196/40192 -
Psychology Research and Behavior... 2021Blended Learning (BL) is one of the most used methods in education to promote active learning and enhance students' learning outcomes. Although BL has existed for over a... (Review)
Review
Blended Learning (BL) is one of the most used methods in education to promote active learning and enhance students' learning outcomes. Although BL has existed for over a decade, there are still several challenges associated with it. For instance, the teachers' and students' individual differences, such as their behaviors and attitudes, might impact their adoption of BL. These challenges are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools and universities had to combine both online and offline courses to keep up with health regulations. This study conducts a systematic review of systematic reviews on BL, based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, to identify BL trends, gaps and future directions. The obtained findings highlight that BL was mostly investigated in higher education and targeted students in the first place. Additionally, most of the BL research is coming from developed countries, calling for cross-collaborations to facilitate BL adoption in developing countries in particular. Furthermore, a lack of ICT skills and infrastructure are the most encountered challenges by teachers, students and institutions. The findings of this study can create a roadmap to facilitate the adoption of BL. The findings of this study could facilitate the design and adoption of BL which is one of the possible solutions to face major health challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
PubMed: 34629910
DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S331741 -
Heliyon May 2024Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify...
Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify the determinant factors for a better adoption perspective after decades of innovation and dissemination. A systematic review was conducted on published studies that reported adoption rates and determinant factors using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. We used meta-regression and the partial correlation coefficient to estimate the effect size and establish the correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and the adoption of various technologies reported. Fifty-two studies with 32400 participants met the selection criteria and were included in the study. The results revealed an overall pooled adoption rate of 39 %, with the highest adoption rates in developing countries in Africa and South America. Socioeconomic factors such as age, education, gender, and income were found to be the main determinants and should be considered when designing technology for sustainable adoption. The study also found that young farmers were more susceptible to adoption. Moreover, farmers with higher income levels and educational attainment are more likely to use technology linked to agricultural production, market access, and digital advising, implying that high-income farmers with more education are more tech-savvy. However, this does not exclude low-income and low-educated farmers from adopting the technologies, as many models and strategies with socioeconomic considerations were developed. It is one of the reasons behind the underlying enthusiasm for digital agricultural adoption in low and middle-income countries.
PubMed: 38694104
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30210 -
PeerJ. Computer Science 2022Microservices is an emerging paradigm for developing distributed systems. With their widespread adoption, more and more work investigated the relation between...
Microservices is an emerging paradigm for developing distributed systems. With their widespread adoption, more and more work investigated the relation between microservices and security. Alas, the literature on this subject does not form a well-defined : it is spread over many venues and composed of contributions mainly addressing specific scenarios or needs. In this work, we conduct a systematic review of the field, gathering 290 relevant publications-at the time of writing, the largest curated dataset on the topic. We analyse our dataset along two lines: (a) quantitatively, through publication metadata, which allows us to chart publication outlets, communities, approaches, and tackled issues; (b) qualitatively, through 20 research questions used to provide an aggregated overview of the literature and to spot gaps left open. We summarise our analyses in the conclusion in the form of a call for action to address the main open challenges.
PubMed: 35111904
DOI: 10.7717/peerj-cs.779