List of Titles

The influence of probiotics on gastrointestinal tract infections among children attending childcare : a systematic review and meta-analysis

- Ahmad, Hafiz, Peck, Blake, Terry, Daniel

Authors: Ahmad, Hafiz , Peck, Blake , Terry, Daniel
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol. 132, no. 3 (2022), p. 1636-1651
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Description: Current literature related to the impact of probiotics on the incidence of gastrointestinal tract infections (GITIs) has shown mixed results and no systematic review available with pooled analysis exists. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to provide contemporary evidence regarding the overall and strain-specific influence of probiotics in preventing GITIs among infants and children attending childcare centres. The review shortlisted 18 RCTs after screening through the initial search results of 779 articles. However, only 15 trials were deemed eligible, addressing at least one outcome in the pooled analysis. It is concluded that the supplementation of probiotics (overall effect) may reduce the risk of GITI episode by 26%, with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG being specifically potent probiotic strains in reducing GITI episode, duration of infection and absence from childcare respectively. There is insufficient evidence to determine the effect of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 based on the findings of the trials included in this review. © 2021 The Society for Applied Microbiology

The physical hospital environment and its effects on palliative patients and their families : a qualitative meta-synthesis

- Miller, Elizabeth, Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael

Authors: Miller, Elizabeth , Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Health Environments Research and Design Journal Vol. 15, no. 1 (2022), p. 268-291
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Description: Aim: To review the latest qualitative literature on how the physical hospital environment affects palliative patients and their families. Background: People with a life-limiting illness may receive palliative care to improve their quality of life in hospital and may have multiple admissions as their illness progresses. Yet, despite a preference for a death at home, more than half of the dying population will receive end-of-life care in hospital. The physical hospital environment consists of ambiance, aesthetics, and architectural factors, and it is well known that the hospital’s acute wards are not a homely environment. Demand is increasing for the physical environment to be improved to better meet the needs and demands of palliative and end-of-life patients and their families. Method: Combining thematic analysis and meta-ethnography methodologies, 12 international qualitative papers were analyzed and synthesized by the three authors. Results: Findings resulted in the development of the SSAFeR Place approach that incorporates the concepts that are important to palliative and end-of-life patients and their families by describing an environment within the acute or palliative care units that feels safe, is private, customizable, and accommodates family; is a space to share with others, is homelike in ambiance and aesthetics, and is conducive for reflection. The concepts of identity, belonging, and safety are connected to the notions of home. Conclusions: To provide person-centered care and to move the focus toward the palliative approach of comfort and quality of life, attention to room size, layout, aesthetics, and ambiance is needed. © The Author(s) 2021.

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The role of acupuncture in the management of insomnia as a major or residual symptom among patients with active or previous depression : a systematic review and meta-analysis

- Zhao, Fei-Yi, Kennedy, Gerard, Spencer, Sarah, Conduit, Russell, Zhang, Wen-Jing, Fu, Qiang-Qiang, Zheng, Zhen

Authors: Zhao, Fei-Yi , Kennedy, Gerard , Spencer, Sarah , Conduit, Russell , Zhang, Wen-Jing , Fu, Qiang-Qiang , Zheng, Zhen
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 13, no. (2022), p.
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Description: Background: Due to concerns about risks associated with antidepressants and/or hypnotics, complementary therapies such as acupuncture have been sought by patients with active or previous depression to manage insomnia. This systematic review aimed to clarify if acupuncture is effective and safe enough to be recommended as an alternative or adjuvant therapy to standard care in ameliorating concomitant or residual insomnia, two types of insomnia associated with depression. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of depression-related insomnia (DI) treatment via acupuncture vs. waitlist-control or placebo-/sham-acupuncture and RCTs of DI treatment via acupuncture alone or combined with standard care [Western pharmacotherapy and/or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)] vs. standard care alone were searched for from seven databases from inception to December 2021. Cochrane criteria were followed. Results: Twenty-one studies involving 1,571 participants were analyzed. For insomnia as a major symptom of active depression, meta-analyses suggested that acupuncture significantly reduced the global scores of both the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) [MD = −3.12, 95% CI (−5.16, −1.08), p < 0.01] and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) [SMD = −2.67, 95% CI (−3.51, −1.84), p < 0.01], in comparison with placebo-acupuncture. When compared with conventional pharmacotherapy (antidepressants and/or hypnotics), the results favored acupuncture in decreasing PSQI [MD = −1.17, 95% CI (−2.26, −0.08), p = 0.03] and HAMD [SMD = −0.47, 95% CI (−0.91, −0.02), p = 0.04]. Acupuncture was comparable to conventional pharmacotherapy in reducing scores of each domain of PSQI. For insomnia as a residual symptom of previous or partially remitted depression, acupuncture conferred a very limited, non-significant therapeutic advantage against sham-/placebo-acupuncture. Whether acupuncture has an add-on effect to conventional pharmacotherapy in this type of insomnia has not been investigated. Also, no study was available to address the efficacy differences between acupuncture and CBT or the synergistic effect of these two therapies. Conclusions: There is a low to moderate level of evidence supporting acupuncture as a safe and effective remedy alternative to or adjuvant to conventional pharmacotherapy (antidepressant and/or hypnotic) in improving insomnia and other depression symptoms among patients with active depression. Furthermore, the patients' complaint of disrupted sleep continuity is most likely to benefit from acupuncture. The benefit of acupuncture on residual insomnia associated with previous or partially remitted depression is limited. Future acupuncture studies need to consider applying optimal dosage and addressing deficiencies in trial quality. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021269880, PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42021269880. Copyright © 2022 Zhao, Kennedy, Spencer, Conduit, Zhang, Fu and Zheng.

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Themes in data mining, big data, and crime analytics

- Oatley,Giles

Authors: Oatley,Giles
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery Vol. 12, no. 2 (2022), p.
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Description: This article examines the impact of new AI-related technologies in data mining and big data on important research questions in crime analytics. Because the field is so broad, the review focuses on a selection of the most important topics. Challenges for information management, and in turn law and society, include: AI-powered predictive policing; big data for legal and adversarial decisions; bias using big data and analytics in profiling and predicting criminality; forecasting crime risk and crime rates; and, regulating AI systems. This article is categorized under: Algorithmic Development > Spatial and Temporal Data Mining Fundamental Concepts of Data and Knowledge > Big Data Mining Technologies > Artificial Intelligence Application Areas > Data Mining Software Tools. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Transformative learning theory applications in health professional and nursing education : an umbrella review

- Ryan, Colleen, Cant, Robyn, McAllister, Margaret, Vanderburg, Robert, Batty, Craig

Authors: Ryan, Colleen , Cant, Robyn , McAllister, Margaret , Vanderburg, Robert , Batty, Craig
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Nurse education today Vol. 119, no. (2022), p. 105604
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Description: OBJECTIVES: This review intended to synthesise existing evidence on the application of transformative learning theory in nursing education. DESIGN: An umbrella review, or review of reviews. DATA SOURCES: Six databases were systematically searched: CINAHL, Cochrane Reviews, Ebscohost, OVID, ProQuest Central, and PubMed. The structured framework of PCC: Population/Concept/Context was employed to identify relevant literature, published in English between 2012 and March 1st, 2022. REVIEW METHODS: Elements of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guided this review. A modified version of the Johanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Synthesis was applied to determine final inclusions. RESULTS: Sixteen (16) reviews were included. Most reviews were scoping reviews. Nursing featured in 10 of the 16, medicine in half (8/16) and various allied health disciplines were reported in seven reviews. Studies reported on differing scholarly approaches to transformative learning theory. Curricula design and evaluation, developing leadership skills and a professional identity were common applications. Critical reflection and learning experiences that challenge students' and professionals' existing ideologies also featured. Few reviews reported on studies of models and tools for educators to guide them in applying the theory in lesson design and teaching practice. CONCLUSION: Applying transformative learning theory in curriculum design, program evaluation and healthcare professional education can be beneficial. There were reported successes and some critiques. Researchers should design more rigorous studies to evaluate the theory in practice and to develop and test frameworks that guide educators in teaching with transformative learning theory. Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Utilization methods and practice of abandoned mines and related rock mechanics under the ecological and double carbon strategy in china—a comprehensive review

- Du, Kun, Xie, Junjie, Khandelwal, Manoj, Zhou, Jian

Authors: Du, Kun , Xie, Junjie , Khandelwal, Manoj , Zhou, Jian
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Minerals Vol. 12, no. 9 (2022), p.
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Description: Governance of abandoned mines has become a pressing issue for China. The utilization of abandoned mines is a technology that can solve the problem of governance and recreate the value of mines, which is in line with the current strategic goals of ecological protection and double carbon in China. In this paper, the various utilization models and the advances in rock mechanics of abandoned mines across the globe are summarized and reviewed. The utilization models of abandoned mines can be categorized into four aspects: Energy storage, Waste treatment, Ecological restoration, and carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration. There are a number of applications and uses of abandoned mines, such as pumped storage, compressed air storage, salt cavern gas/oil storage construction, carbon dioxide storage and utilization, radioactive waste disposal and treatment, and tourism development. Various progress practices of abandoned mines are discussed in detail with emphasis on the national conditions of China. The basic rock mechanics problems and advances involved in the construction of the facilities related to the utilization of abandoned mines are discussed and evaluated. The establishment of relevant research and experimental platforms will contribute to the sustainable development of China’s mining industry and the improvement of clean technologies. © 2022 by the authors.

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Visual communication via the design of food and beverage packaging

- Spence, Charles, Van Doorn, George

Authors: Spence, Charles , Van Doorn, George
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications Vol. 7, no. 1 (2022), p.
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Description: A rapidly growing body of empirical research has recently started to emerge highlighting the connotative and/or semiotic meanings that consumers typically associate with specific abstract visual design features, such as colours (either when presented individually or in combination), simple shapes/curvilinearity, and the orientation and relative position of those design elements on product packaging. While certain of our affective responses to such basic visual design features appear almost innate, the majority are likely established via the internalization of the statistical regularities of the food and beverage marketplace (i.e. as a result of associative learning), as in the case of round typeface and sweet-tasting products. Researchers continue to document the wide range of crossmodal correspondences that underpin the links between individual visual packaging design features and specific properties of food and drink products (such as their taste, flavour, or healthfulness), and the ways in which marketers are now capitalizing on such understanding to increase sales. This narrative review highlights the further research that is still needed to establish the connotative or symbolic/semiotic meaning(s) of particular combinations of design features (such as coloured stripes in a specific orientation), as opposed to individual cues in national food markets and also, increasingly, cross-culturally in the case of international brands. © 2022, The Author(s).

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Wearable sensor technology to predict core body temperature : a systematic review

- Dolson, Conor, Harlow, Ethan, Phelan, Dermot, Gabbett, Tim, Gaal, Benjamin, McMellen, Christopher, Geletka, Benjamin, Calcei, Jacob, Voos, James, Seshadri, Dhruv

Authors: Dolson, Conor , Harlow, Ethan , Phelan, Dermot , Gabbett, Tim , Gaal, Benjamin , McMellen, Christopher , Geletka, Benjamin , Calcei, Jacob , Voos, James , Seshadri, Dhruv
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Sensors Vol. 22, no. 19 (2022), p.
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Description: Heat-related illnesses, which range from heat exhaustion to heatstroke, affect thousands of individuals worldwide every year and are characterized by extreme hyperthermia with the core body temperature (CBT) usually > 40 °C, decline in physical and athletic performance, CNS dysfunction, and, eventually, multiorgan failure. The measurement of CBT has been shown to predict heat-related illness and its severity, but the current measurement methods are not practical for use in high acuity and high motion settings due to their invasive and obstructive nature or excessive costs. Noninvasive predictions of CBT using wearable technology and predictive algorithms offer the potential for continuous CBT monitoring and early intervention to prevent HRI in athletic, military, and intense work environments. Thus far, there has been a lack of peer-reviewed literature assessing the efficacy of wearable devices and predictive analytics to predict CBT to mitigate heat-related illness. This systematic review identified 20 studies representing a total of 25 distinct algorithms to predict the core body temperature using wearable technology. While a high accuracy in prediction was noted, with 17 out of 18 algorithms meeting the clinical validity standards. few algorithms incorporated individual and environmental data into their core body temperature prediction algorithms, despite the known impact of individual health and situational and environmental factors on CBT. Robust machine learning methods offer the ability to develop more accurate, reliable, and personalized CBT prediction algorithms using wearable devices by including additional data on user characteristics, workout intensity, and the surrounding environment. The integration and interoperability of CBT prediction algorithms with existing heat-related illness prevention and treatment tools, including heat indices such as the WBGT, athlete management systems, and electronic medical records, will further prevent HRI and increase the availability and speed of data access during critical heat events, improving the clinical decision-making process for athletic trainers and physicians, sports scientists, employers, and military officers. © 2022 by the authors.

What's hot and what's not – Identifying publication trends in insect ecology

- Andrew, Nigel, Evans, Maldwyn, Svejcar, Lauren, Prendegast, Kit, Barton, Philip

Authors: Andrew, Nigel , Evans, Maldwyn , Svejcar, Lauren , Prendegast, Kit , Barton, Philip
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Austral Ecology Vol. 47, no. 1 (2022), p. 5-16
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Description: Research disciplines in science have historically developed in silos but are increasingly multidisciplinary. Here, we assessed how the insect ecology literature published in ecological and entomological journals has developed over the last 20 years and which topics have crossed discipline boundaries. We used structural topic modelling to assess research trends from 34 304 articles published in six ecology journals and six entomology journals between 2000 and 2020. We then identified and compared topics that emerged from the entire body of literature, or corpus, with topics that emerged from a subsection of articles that focused only on insects (insect corpus). We found that, within the entire corpus, topics on ‘Community ecology’, ‘Traits, life history & physiology’ and ‘Ecological methods & theory’ became more prevalent over time (hot topics), whereas ‘Population modelling’, ‘Insect development’, ‘Reproduction & ontogeny’ and ‘Plant growth’ declined in prevalence over the 20 years we surveyed (cold topics). In the insect corpus, we found that hot topics included ‘Thermal tolerance’ and ‘Disease vectors’, whereas cold topics included ‘Herbivore phenology’, ‘Insect-plant interactions’ and ‘Parasitoids and parasites’. ‘Landscape ecology’ was a growth topic area for both corpora. Our findings suggest that insect-related research is a major component of the broader ecological discipline, and there are topics in ecology where insect research aligns with general ecological trends. However, specific topics unique to the insect corpora – such as insect taxonomy – are fundamental to both insect and ecology research. © 2021 Ecological Society of Australia

Wireless powering internet of things with UAVs : challenges and opportunities

- Liu, Yalin, Dai, Hong-Ning, Wang, Qubeijian, Imran, Muhammad, Guizani, Nadra

Authors: Liu, Yalin , Dai, Hong-Ning , Wang, Qubeijian , Imran, Muhammad , Guizani, Nadra
Date: 2022
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: IEEE Network Vol. 36, no. 2 (2022), p. 146-152
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Description: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to overcome the deployment constraint of The Internet of Things (IoT) in remote or rural areas. Wirelessly powered communications (WPC) can address the battery limitation of IoT devices through transferring wireless power to IoT devices. The integration of UAVs and WPC, namely UAV-enabled wireless powering IoT (Ue-WPI-o T) can greatly extend the IoT applications from cities to remote or rural areas. In this article, we present a state-of-the-art overview of Ue-WPIoT by first illustrating the working flow of Ue-WPIoT and discussing the challenges. We then introduce the enabling technologies in realizing Ue-WPI-oT. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the enabling technologies in Ue-WPIoT. We finally outline the future directions and open issues. © 1986-2012 IEEE.

A critical review on the development and challenges of concentrated solar power technologies

- Shahabuddin, M., Alim, M., Alam, Tanvir, Mofijur, M., Ahmed, S., Perkins, Greg

Authors: Shahabuddin, M. , Alim, M. , Alam, Tanvir , Mofijur, M. , Ahmed, S. , Perkins, Greg
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments Vol. 47, no. (2021), p.
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Description: Solar energy is considered to be one of the most promising renewable and sustainable energy sources. Two key technologies such as photovoltaic and concentrated solar power are mainly used to convert solar radiation, out of which photovoltaic directly converts solar radiation into electricity, while concentrated solar power technology converts solar radiation both into heat and electricity. The key advantages of concentrated solar power technology over photovoltaic is its capability of storing heat energy which can be utilised in the absence of sunlight, overcoming the limitation of the intermittent nature of solar power. Currently, the cost for the concentrated solar power with storage is about 9.0 ¢/kWh (same as commercial photovoltaic system), which is expected to drop at ~5.0 ¢/kWh by 2030. Besides four mainstream concentrated solar power technologies, this paper reviewed the application of concentrated solar power in thermolysis, thermochemical cycle, hydrocarbon cracking, reforming and solar gasification. Based on the literature review, this study has outlined the key challenges and prospects of concentrated solar power technologies. The main challenge in thermolysis is the requirement of very high temperature, while the thermochemical cycle is inefficient. Solar thermal cracking, reforming, and gasification integrate carbonaceous fuel to produce synthesis gas and hydrogen and therefore are not emission-free. The concentrated solar power technologies require further development and cost reductions before they can be scaled up to have a meaningful impact on renewable energy targets towards 2050. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

A systematic review of public transport accessibility for people using mobility devices

- Unsworth, Carolyn, So, Man, Chua, Julian, Gudimetla, Prasad, Naweed, Anjum

Authors: Unsworth, Carolyn , So, Man , Chua, Julian , Gudimetla, Prasad , Naweed, Anjum
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Disability and Rehabilitation Vol. 43, no. 16 (2021), p. 2253-2267
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Description: Purpose: Being able to access public transport is vital for mobility device users as this is an affordable way of maintaining community connections and participating in activities that promote quality of life. This systematic review investigated literature on public transport access for people using mobility devices, excluding transit restraint and securement literature. Materials and methods: A systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature in English from 1995 to 2019, with critical appraisal and narrative synthesis. Results: Twenty-six articles were identified, including 14 studies investigating user experiences, seven examining bus formats and floor layouts, and five focusing on bus ramp incidents and optimal design. Studies were generally observational and descriptive, with 12 including analysis of video data. Conclusion: This is the first systematic review of literature related to the accessibility of public transport for people using mobility devices. Topics such as ramp access have been relatively well-researched, as have the experiences of users. However, many gaps remain and there is a need for research to; address the barriers identified through user experiences, discern the best access to stations and stops, as well as floor formats for people to ingress, manoeuvre and egress from a variety of transport modes, and promote universal design principles in the transport sector. Rehabilitation professionals can use the findings of this review to advocate for, and support people using mobility devices to successfully negotiate public transport.Implications for Rehabilitation Accessible public transport is vital to enable people using mobility devices to remain connected in their communities. Despite increased international awareness and adoption of accessibility features by the public transport sector to improve getting to a stop, ingress, manoeuvrability within and egress from conveyances, access for people using wheeled mobility devices cannot be assumed. When prescribing new wheeled mobility devices with clients, rehabilitation professionals and users need to consider public transport access and the suitability of different devices for this purpose. Rehabilitation professionals can undertake skills training with people using wheeled mobility devices to test out access prior to independent travel on public transport and develop strategies to overcome any barriers. © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

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A systemic review of the impact of wildfires on sleep disturbances

- Isaac, Fadia, Toukhsati, Samia, Benedetto, Mirella, Kennedy, Gerard

Authors: Isaac, Fadia , Toukhsati, Samia , Benedetto, Mirella , Kennedy, Gerard
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 19 (2021), p.
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Description: Wildfires present a serious risk to humans as well as to the environment. Wildfires cause loss of lives, economic losses, expose people to personal as well as collective trauma, and compro-mise the mental health of survivors. Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent following a traumatic event; however, their prevalence is not well established amongst those confronted by natural disasters such as wildfires. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise the empirical findings per-taining to wildfires and the prevalence of sleep disturbances in the general community affected by this natural disaster. We searched EBSCO, PsychINFO, Medline, SpringerLink, CINAHL Complete, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library between January 2012 and March 2021. Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings from this systematic review suggest that sleep disturbances, assessed one to ten months following the fires, are highly prevalent in wildfire survivors, with insomnia (ranging between 63–72.5%) and nightmares (ranging between 33.3–46.5%), being the most prevalent sleep disturbances reported in this cohort. Results also highlight the significant associa-tions between sleep disturbances and post-traumatic symptoms following the trauma of wildfires. There is a possible link between sleep disturbance prevalence, severity of, and proximity to fires. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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Acupuncture as an independent or adjuvant management to standard care for perimenopausal depression : a systematic review and meta-analysis

- Zhao, Fei, Fu, Qiang-Qiang, Kennedy, Gerard, Conduit, Russell, Zhang, Wen-Jing, Zheng, Zhen

Authors: Zhao, Fei , Fu, Qiang-Qiang , Kennedy, Gerard , Conduit, Russell , Zhang, Wen-Jing , Zheng, Zhen
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 12, no. (2021), p.
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Description: Background: Many women with perimenopausal depression (PMD) have sought alternative therapies such as acupuncture because of concerns about risks associated with antidepressant and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This systematic review aimed to clarify if acupuncture is effective for PMD compared with waitlist control or placebo/sham acupuncture, and if acupuncture alone or combined with standard care (antidepressant and/or HRT) is more effective in ameliorating PMD in comparison with standard care alone. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PMD treatment via acupuncture vs. waitlist control or placebo/sham acupuncture, and RCTs of PMD treatment via acupuncture alone or combined with Western pharmacotherapy vs. Western pharmacotherapy were searched for from seven databases from inception to December 2020. Cochrane criteria were followed. Results: Twenty-five studies involving 2,213 women were analyzed. Meta-analyses indicated that acupuncture significantly reduced the global scores of Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.54, 95% CI (−0.91, −0.16), p < 0.01], compared with standard care. The therapeutic effect of acupuncture maintained at 2-, 4-, and 12-week follow-ups. Acupuncture combined with standard care was more effective than standard care alone in decreasing HAMD scores [SMD = −0.82, 95% CI (−1.07, −0.58), p < 0.01]. Too few RCTs were available to assess the clinical efficacy differences between acupuncture and placebo/sham acupuncture or HRT alone. Acupuncture also showed better effects in decreasing Kupperman index (KI) scores, whether compared with antidepressant alone [MD = −4.55, 95% CI (−8.46, −0.65), p = 0.02] or antidepressant combined with HRT [MD = −0.89, 95% CI (−1.34, −0.43), p < 0.01]. Conclusions: In comparison with standard care, acupuncture alone or combined with standard care was associated with significant improvements in PMD and reductions of other menopausal symptoms. This finding suggests that acupuncture may be a useful addition to treatment for PMD. © Copyright © 2021 Zhao, Fu, Kennedy, Conduit, Zhang and Zheng.

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Advances in the theory of compact groups and pro-lie groups in the last quarter century

- Hofmann, Karl, Morris, Sidney

Authors: Hofmann, Karl , Morris, Sidney
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Axioms Vol. 10, no. 3 (2021), p.
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Description: This article surveys the development of the theory of compact groups and pro-Lie groups, contextualizing the major achievements over 125 years and focusing on some progress in the last quarter century. It begins with developments in the 18th and 19th centuries. Next is from Hilbert’s Fifth Problem in 1900 to its solution in 1952 by Montgomery, Zippin, and Gleason and Yamabe’s important structure theorem on almost connected locally compact groups. This half century included profound contributions by Weyl and Peter, Haar, Pontryagin, van Kampen, Weil, and Iwasawa. The focus in the last quarter century has been structure theory, largely resulting from extending Lie Theory to compact groups and then to pro-Lie groups, which are projective limits of finite-dimensional Lie groups. The category of pro-Lie groups is the smallest complete category containing Lie groups and includes all compact groups, locally compact abelian groups, and connected locally compact groups. Amongst the structure theorems is that each almost connected pro-Lie group G is homeomorphic to RI × C for a suitable set I and some compact subgroup C. Finally, there is a perfect generalization to compact groups G of the age-old natural duality of the group algebra R[G] of a finite group G to its representation algebra R(G, R), via the natural duality of the topological vector space RI to the vector space R(I), for any set I, thus opening a new approach to the Hochschild-Tannaka duality of compact groups. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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An exploration into suicide prevention initiatives for mental health nurses : a systematic literature review

- Dabkowski, Elissa, Porter, Joanne

Authors: Dabkowski, Elissa , Porter, Joanne
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: International Journal of Mental Health Nursing Vol. 30, no. 3 (2021), p. 610-623
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Description: Mental health and suicide prevention are national health priorities in Australia, with research currently focussed towards the ZERO Suicide (ZS) initiative. The aim of this review was to evaluate the impact of suicide prevention programmes, in particular the ZS prevention initiative. A systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines was conducted using six EBSCO Host databases; Academic Search Complete, Australian/New Zealand Reference Centre, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, and APA Psyc Articles. The data extracted from the eligible papers were analysed using a thematic approach. The final data set consisted of fourteen (n = 14) peer-reviewed articles meeting the eligibility criteria, which included quantitative (n = 10), mixed methods (n = 2), and qualitative studies (n = 2). Results indicated variances between suicide prevention programmes with some papers examining single workshops and others assessing multimodal, organizational interventions. Five major themes were produced from this review including measuring the success of suicide prevention programmes, improvements to the delivery of suicide prevention programmes, barriers to implementing changes, cultural considerations, and further research required for suicide prevention programmes. This review concludes that further long-term research is required to evaluate the implementation and efficacy of suicide prevention programmes in health care. Cultural awareness in suicide prevention training is another area that may benefit from further research. A growing body of evidence establishes the need for multimodal and organizational approaches for suicide prevention initiatives. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

Biology, distribution and control of the invasive species Ulex europaeus (Gorse) : a global synthesis of current and future management challenges and research gaps

- Roberts, Jason, Florentine, Singarayer

Authors: Roberts, Jason , Florentine, Singarayer
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Weed Research Vol. 61, no. 4 (2021), p. 272-281
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Description: Ulex europaeus (Gorse) is one of the most invasive shrubs in the world, being now found in more than 50 countries where it economically and environmentally degrades the land. This highly versatile shrub can live more than 30 years and produce over 18,000 fertile seeds annually that can remain viable for over 30 years. Ulex europaeus spread is facilitated by its ability to germinate in a wide range of conditions, quick growth and maturing rate and several seed dispersal mechanisms. Despite extensive research and attempts at managing U. europaeus, current rates of control are not adequate to limit the species’ competitiveness and impact on the environment. This has resulted in the species altering soil and landscape dynamics in areas of major invasion, inhibiting the growth of agricultural and native species, creating shelter for pest species and reducing the richness of competing species at a site, all of which contribute to the economic and environmental degradation of the land. This review highlights that herbicide application is the most successful technique used to control U. europaeus, although it has shown varying success across different climatic regions. In this regard, future research should investigate the possibility of integrating a range of techniques (competition, fire management, grazing, manual removal and mycoherbicides) to increase control success and reduce any potential risk of herbicide resistance. Further research is also required on the maintenance of longer-term viable populations of biological control agents to limit the success of this invasive species. Bridging the identified research gaps will help to facilitate the improved long-term management of U. europaeus and help land managers confidently to maintain sustainable land systems. © 2021 European Weed Research Society

Biology, distribution and management of the invasive Jatropha gossypiifolia (Bellyache bush): A global review of current and future management challenges and research gaps

- Roberts, Jason, Florentine, Singarayer

Authors: Roberts, Jason , Florentine, Singarayer
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Weed Research Vol. 61, no. 6 (2021), p. 443-453
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Description: Jatropha gossypiifolia (Bellyache bush) is an evergreen, perennial, invasive woody shrub that globally threatens agricultural and native landscapes. The species is native to North and South America, but is currently found in over 52 countries; in many of these countries, it is listed as invasive, due to its aggressive and competitive growth. These behaviour traits are characterised by its quick flowering and seed production that make the species difficult to contain and control, as it forms dense monocultures and restricts the growth of many native and pastoral species through aggressive competition for resources, such as soil moisture and nutrients. Infestation by J. gossypiifolia results in a loss of biodiversity in the affected area and disrupts the maintenance of sustainable land systems. It has been reported that J. gossypiifolia is used in many countries as a traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases, illnesses and injuries. However, despite these claims of its positive use, J. gossypiifolia leaves, seeds and stems are highly toxic to grazing animals and humans, leading to disruption and significant increases in the cost of agricultural production through the loss of production and the instituting of necessary management efforts. Around the world, there have been various attempts to control J. gossypiifolia, but these have widely varied in their success. The most common and successful treatments to control J. gossypiifolia, including herbicide application (cut stump application), fire management and mechanical control; however, when each is applied as a single treatment, long-term success is often limited. Consequently, this review explores the biology and distribution of J. gossypiifolia, together with previous and current control attempts, and synthesises potentially useful approaches to control this noxious weed, whilst identifying areas of future research to improve effective and long-term sustainable management strategies for this noxious species. © 2021 European Weed Research Society

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Biology, ecology and management of the invasive navua sedge (cyperus aromaticus) : a global review

- Shi, Boyang, Osunkoya, Olusegun, Chadha, Aakansha, Florentine, Singarayer, Dhileepan, Kunjithapatham

Authors: Shi, Boyang , Osunkoya, Olusegun , Chadha, Aakansha , Florentine, Singarayer , Dhileepan, Kunjithapatham
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Plants Vol. 10, no. 9 (2021), p.
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Description: Navua sedge (Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth) is an invasive perennial sedge, native to tropical Africa, which is threatening many natural ecosystems and agroecosystems, especially in northern Queensland, Australia. Crop and pasture production have been impacted by Navua sedge and it is also directly causing reductions in dairy and beef production in affected regions. This review documents the biology, ecology and potential management options to minimise the spread and impact of Navua sedge. The weed reproduces both sexually (seeds) and vegetatively (via underground rhizomes). Its tiny seeds can be spread easily via wind, water, vehicles, farm machinery and animals, whilst the rhizomes assist with establishment of dense stands. The CLIMEX model (which uses distribution and climate data in native and novel ranges) indicates that in Australia, Navua sedge has the potential to spread further within Queensland and into the Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria. Several management strategies, including mechanical, chemical and agronomic methods, and their integration will have to be used to minimise agricultural production losses caused by Navua sedge, but most of these methods are currently either ineffective or uneconomical when used alone. Other management approaches, including biological control and mycoherbicides, are currently being explored. We conclude that a better understanding of the interaction of its physiological processes, ecological patterns and genetic diversity across a range of conditions found in the invaded and native habitats will help to contribute to and provide more effective integrated management approaches for Navua sedge. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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Biology, ecology, distribution and control of the invasive weed, lactuca serriola l. (wild lettuce) : a global review

- Chadha, Aakansha, Florentine, Singarayer

Authors: Chadha, Aakansha , Florentine, Singarayer
Date: 2021
Type: Text , Journal article , Review
Relation: Plants Vol. 10, no. 10 (2021), p.
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Description: Lactuca serriola L. (wild lettuce) is a highly invasive C3 weed in many countries, including Australia, Canada, and the USA. This weed is a severe threat to agricultural systems, especially in crops grown with reduced or no‐tillage approaches, which commonly include wheat, cereals and pulses. Owing to the vertical orientation of its leaves in the north‐south plane and its root architec-ture, L. serriola can maintain high water use efficiency under drought conditions, giving it the ability to expand its range under a drying climate. Each plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds which have no primary dormancy and form a short‐term seedbank lasting up to three years. Most seedlings emerge in autumn and overwinter as a rosette, with a small flush of emergence in spring depicting staggered germination. Research into control methods for this weed has been performed, and these methods include chemical herbicides applied alone and in combination, the establishment of plant competition, tillage, mowing and bioherbicide. Herbicides can provide effective control when applied in the seedling or rosette stage; however, spring germination is difficult to control, as it skips the rosette stage. Some biotypes are now resistant to ALS inhibitor and synthetic auxins, causing concern regarding using herbicides. A dedicated integrated management plan for 3–4 years is recommended for the control of this troublesome species. This review will explore the biology, ecology, distribution, current control techniques and previous research on this weed, allowing us to make recommendations for its future research and management. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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