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Communities of practice : a systematic review and meta-synthesis of what it means and how it really works among nursing students and novices

- Terry, Daniel, Nguyen, Hoang, Peck, Blake, Smith, Andrew, Phan, Hoang

  • Authors: Terry, Daniel , Nguyen, Hoang , Peck, Blake , Smith, Andrew , Phan, Hoang
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Journal of Clinical Nursing Vol. 29, no. 3-4 (2020), p. 370-380
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  • Description: Aims and objectives: To evaluate the enablers, barriers and impact that communities of practice have on novice nurses and students learning to become registered nurses. Background: Communities of practice have formed the basis for conceptualising the process of learning that occurs among groups of people within a place of work—a mainstay of healthcare practice. There is a dearth of literature that focuses specifically on the outcomes from student and novice engagement with existing communities of practice. Design: Systematic review and Meta-synthesis. Methods: MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, ProQuest, Scopus and PsycINFO databases were accessed between 1997–2019. The screening and selection of studies were based on eligibility criteria and methodological quality assessment using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool for qualitative research. Meta-synthesis was grounded in the original experiences and collectively synthesised into meaningful themes. The review follows the PRISMA reporting guidelines and PRISMA checklist. Results: The findings highlight three major themes and included enablers for successful communities of practice, barriers to successful communities of practice, and success in action as described by students and novice nurses. Discussion: We suggest successful communities of practice occur when safe and supported spaces ensure students and novices feel comfortable to experiment with their learning, and we emphasise the benefits of having more novice nurses situated within close proximity and under the direct influence of the established practices of more experienced or core group of peers. Relevance to clinical practice: Communities of practice that function successfully create an environment that prioritises the embedding of novices into the broader group. In so doing, students and novice nurses feel supported, welcomed, empowered, and able to make the transition from student to colleague and novice nurse to more experienced nurse. It allows them to experiment with ever new ways of fulfilling the role, while aiding better clinical outcomes. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Comparative effectiveness of three exercise types to treat clinical depression in older adults : a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

- Miller, Kyle, Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela, Areerob, Pinyadapat, Hennessy, Declan, Mesagno, Christopher, Grace, Fergal

  • Authors: Miller, Kyle , Gonçalves-Bradley, Daniela , Areerob, Pinyadapat , Hennessy, Declan , Mesagno, Christopher , Grace, Fergal
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Ageing Research Reviews Vol. 58 (2020).
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  • Description: Background: Few studies have directly compared the effects of different exercise therapies on clinical depression in older adults. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of current evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of three major exercise types (aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise) in clinically depressed older adults. Methods: We followed PRISMA-NMA guidelines and searched databases for eligible RCTs (inception – September 12th, 2019). RCTs were eligible if they included clinically depressed adults aged >65 years, implemented one or more exercise therapy arms using aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise, and assessed depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up using a validated clinical questionnaire. Results: A network meta-analysis was performed on 15 eligible RCTs comprising 596 participants (321 treatment and 275 controls), including aerobic (n = 6), resistance (n = 5), and mind-body (n = 4) exercise trials. Compared with controls, mind-body exercise showed the largest improvement on depressive symptoms (g = −0.87 to −1.38), followed by aerobic exercise (g = −0.51 to −1.02), and resistance exercise (g = −0.41 to −0.92). Notably, there were no statistically significant differences between exercise types: aerobic versus resistance (g = −0.10, PrI = −2.23, 2.03), mind-body versus aerobic (g = −0.36, PrI = −2.69, 1.97), or mind-body versus resistance (g = −0.46, PrI = −2.75, 1.83). Conclusions: These findings should guide optimal exercise prescription for allied health professionals and stakeholders in clinical geriatrics. Notably, clinically depressed older adults may be encouraged to self-select their preferred exercise type in order to achieve therapeutic benefit on symptoms of depression. In coalition with high levels of compliance, these data provide encouraging evidence for the antidepressant effect of either aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise as effective treatment adjucts for older adults presenting with clinical depression. © 2019

High intensity interval training (HIIT) improves cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in healthy, overweight and obese adolescents : a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies

- Martin-Smith, Rhona, Cox, Ashley, Buchan, Duncan, Baker, Julien, Grace, Fergal, Sculthorpe, Nicholas

  • Authors: Martin-Smith, Rhona , Cox, Ashley , Buchan, Duncan , Baker, Julien , Grace, Fergal , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 17, no. 8 (2020), p.
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  • Description: Background: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a sustainable and effective method for improving Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF) in adolescents. HIIT is proven to produce equal or greater improvements in CRF when compared to moderate intensity continuous exercise (MICE) in adolescents. Methods: The studies included were considered eligible if: (1) Participants were adolescents (11–18 years old); (2) Examined changes in CRF measured either directly or indirectly; (3) Included a non-exercising control group or MICE comparison group; (4) Participants were matched at enrolment; (5) Reported HIIT protocol information; (6) Provided HIIT intensity. A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the effect of HIIT on CRF. Meta-regression and moderator analyses were performed out to quantitatively examine moderators of protocol design on CRF improvements. Results: HIIT displays a moderate effect to improve CRF (g = 0.86, 95% CI 0.518–1.106, p < 0.001). Neither study duration (weeks), nor total or weekly accumulated HIIT volume (min) displayed any significant moderation effect on pooled improvement on CRF (p > 0.05). Conclusions: HIIT is an effective method to improve CRF in adolescents, irrespective of body composition. Notably, meta regression analysis identified that prolonged high volume HIIT programs are similarly effective to short term low volume HIIT programs. This becomes of particular interest for those involved in school curricula, where short HIIT exercise may provide a pragmatic adjunct to the health benefits of Physical Education (PE) lessons. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Medical-attention injuries in community cricket : a systematic review

- McLeod, Geordie, O'Connor, Siobhan, Morgan, Damian, Kountouris, Alex, Finch, Caroline, Fortington, Lauren

Organophosphate exposure and the chronic effects on farmers : a narrative review

- Perry, Jessica, Cotton, Jacqueline, Rahman, Muhammad, Brumby, Susan

  • Authors: Perry, Jessica , Cotton, Jacqueline , Rahman, Muhammad , Brumby, Susan
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Rural and Remote Health Vol. 20, no. 1 (2020), p. 17
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  • Description: Introduction: Organophosphates are a class of insecticides used globally by the agricultural industry for insect control. Acute consequences of organophosphate exposures are well known, while there has been limited research on their long-term effects. The objective of this review was to discuss the health effects of chronic organophosphate exposure in farmers. Methods: Medline, Scopus and Web of Science were searched to find the relevant articles. Articles published only in English and until December 2018 were reviewed. The selected articles were then categorised as neurological (neurobehaviour, neurodevelopmental, neurological signs and symptoms) or non-neurological subheadings. Results: A total of 53 articles for neurological effects and 17 articles for non-neurological effects were identified. Chronic organophosphates exposure was associated with deficits in the neurobehaviour subsets of attention and short-term memory, increased incidence of neurodegenerative diseases and effects on peripheral nerves and neurodevelopment. However, research to support non-neurological effects such as respiratory symptoms, increased cancer risk, endocrine disruption, cardiac issues, chronic fatigue and infertility was limited. Conclusion: Chronic organophosphate exposure was found to affect four of the five areas of described neurological effects in the literature. A large proportion of the research in this area was not methodologically strong, therefore few recommendations can be conclusively made. Future research is warranted to investigate the non-neurological effects of chronic exposure to ensure the occupational risks of low-level chronic exposure are clearly communicated to farmers and farm workers.

Ovarian cancer, cancer stem cells and current treatment strategies : a potential role of magmas in the current treatment methods

- Ahmed, Nuzhat, Kadife, Elif, Raza, Ali, Short, Mary, Jubinsky, Paul, Kannourakis, George

  • Authors: Ahmed, Nuzhat , Kadife, Elif , Raza, Ali , Short, Mary , Jubinsky, Paul , Kannourakis, George
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Cells Vol. 9, no. 3 (Mar 2020), p. 35
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  • Description: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) constitutes 90% of ovarian cancers (OC) and is the eighth most common cause of cancer-related death in women. The cancer histologically and genetically is very complex having a high degree of tumour heterogeneity. The pathogenic variability in OC causes significant impediments in effectively treating patients, resulting in a dismal prognosis. Disease progression is predominantly influenced by the peritoneal tumour microenvironment rather than properties of the tumor and is the major contributor to prognosis. Standard treatment of OC patients consists of debulking surgery, followed by chemotherapy, which in most cases end in recurrent chemoresistant disease. This review discusses the different origins of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), the major sub-type of EOC. Tumour heterogeneity, genetic/epigenetic changes, and cancer stem cells (CSC) in facilitating HGSOC progression and their contribution in the circumvention of therapy treatments are included. Several new treatment strategies are discussed including our preliminary proof of concept study describing the role of mitochondria-associated granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor signaling protein (Magmas) in HGSOC and its unique potential role in chemotherapy-resistant disease.

Perceptions of shared decision-making in severe mental illness : an integrative review

- Huang, Chongmei, Plummer, Virginia, Lam, Louisa, Cross, Wendy

  • Authors: Huang, Chongmei , Plummer, Virginia , Lam, Louisa , Cross, Wendy
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Vol. 27, no. 2 (Apr 2020), p. 103-127
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  • Description: Accessible SummaryWhat is known about shared decision-making? There is increasing evidence of the positive impact of shared decision-making on health outcomes. There has been little exploration of shared decision-making regarding people diagnosed with serious mental illness from the perspectives of key stakeholders including consumers, families and mental health professionals. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? Consumers show variability in the preference for their involvement. Most stakeholders acknowledge the importance of family involvement. MHPs should share the responsibility and right to facilitate consumer involvement. There is bidirectional association between shared decision-making and therapeutic relationships. The practice of shared decision-making is related to multiple factors, and one main perceived barrier is time. The majority of studies are from Western countries. What are the implications for practice? Elicit consumer preferences and establish a collaborative therapeutic relationship. Encourage and engage families in treatment decision-making. Inter-professional collaboration should be integrated into shared decision-making. It might require lengthier consultation time. Studies in non-Western countries are needed to fully understand the impact of culture on shared decision-making. Shared decision-making (SDM) has been broadly advocated in health services and constitutes an important component of patient-centred care and relationship-based care. To review available literature related to perceptions of key stakeholders about shared decision-making in serious mental illness. An integrative review was conducted through a search of four online databases from January 2012 to June 2019. Forty-six articles were included. Six themes were generated from the data analysis: (a) dynamic preferences for SDM, (b) various stakeholders are rarely involved, (c) SDM is not routinely implemented, (d) multiple facilitators and barriers to SDM, (e) SDM and therapeutic relationships interact, (f) SDM has a promising impact on health outcomes. Overall, most stakeholders have recognized the importance and flexibility of SDM in serious mental illness, although it is not routine in mental health service. Consumer preferences show variability in their involvement. Most stakeholders acknowledged the importance of family involvement to treatment decision-making. There are several significant challenges to practice SDM. It may require extended consultation times and increasing empirical evidence regarding the SDM outcomes, as well as integrating inter-professional collaboration into SDM. Most studies were conducted in Western culture. Mental health nurses should elicit consumer preferences and establish a collaborative therapeutic relationship. Encourage and engage families in treatment decision-making when consumers prefer their families to be involved. Inter-professional collaboration should be integrated into shared decision-making. The practice of shared decision-making might need extended consultation time and more robust evidence about the outcome of shared decision-making. Studies in non-Western cultures are needed to fully understand cultural issues of shared decision-making. IntroductionAimMethodResultsDiscussionImplications for practice

The forgotten exotic tapeworms : a review of uncommon zoonotic cyclophyllidea

- Sapp, Sarah, Bradbury, Richard

  • Authors: Sapp, Sarah , Bradbury, Richard
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Parasitology Vol. 147, no. 5 (2020), p. 533-558
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  • Description: As training in helminthology has declined in the medical microbiology curriculum, many rare species of zoonotic cestodes have fallen into obscurity. Even among specialist practitioners, knowledge of human intestinal cestode infections is often limited to three genera, Taenia, Hymenolepis and Dibothriocephalus. However, five genera of uncommonly encountered zoonotic Cyclophyllidea (Bertiella, Dipylidium, Raillietina, Inermicapsifer and Mesocestoides) may also cause patent intestinal infections in humans worldwide. Due to the limited availability of summarized and taxonomically accurate data, such cases may present a diagnostic dilemma to clinicians and laboratories alike. In this review, historical literature on these cestodes is synthesized and knowledge gaps are highlighted. Clinically relevant taxonomy, nomenclature, life cycles, morphology of human-infecting species are discussed and clarified, along with the clinical presentation, diagnostic features and molecular advances, where available. Due to the limited awareness of these agents and identifying features, it is difficult to assess the true incidence of these 'forgotten' cestodiases as clinical misidentifications are likely to occur. Also, the taxonomic status of many of the human-infecting species of these tapeworms is unclear, hampering accurate species identification. Further studies combining molecular data and morphological observations are necessary to resolve these long-standing taxonomic issues and to elucidate other unknown aspects of transmission and ecology. Copyright © The Author(s), US Government, 2020.

The influence of training and expertise on the multisensory perception of beer : a review

- Van Doorn, George, Watson, Shaun, Timora, Justin, Spence, Charles

  • Authors: Van Doorn, George , Watson, Shaun , Timora, Justin , Spence, Charles
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Food Quality and Preference Vol. 79, no. (Jan 2020), p. 8
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  • Description: This review critically evaluates the literature documenting the impact of training on people's percept ion of beer. In certain circumstances, training has been shown to improve people's ability to match and identify beers, and to discriminate between beers and between the distinctive attributes of beer. However, a reasonably consistent finding is that the benefits of beer training do not seem to generalise to novel beers (i.e., those not experienced during training). As such, training would appear to improve the capacity to label perception and/or people's recognition memory for beers, rather than necessarily influencing perception itself. Given how much beer is consumed annually, it is surprising that there has not been more published research into the role that training plays in this particular beverage category. Part of the reason for this may relate to (a) the limited role of experts in this field (e.g., primarily restricted to product testing and quality control; as compared to their much more prominent role in the world of wine), (b) the fact that training is an expensive and time-consuming process, and (c) it is wrongly assumed that the effects of training are similar across different beverage categories (e.g., beer and wine). We suggest that further efforts are therefore required before it will be possible to confidently conclude that training lowers the perceptual thresholds, and enhances the perceptual discrimination abilities, of beer experts above those of novices.

A review and recommendations for the integration of forensic expertise within police cold case reviews

- Chapman, Brendan, Keatley, David, Oatley, Giles, Coumbaros, John, Maker, Garth

  • Authors: Chapman, Brendan , Keatley, David , Oatley, Giles , Coumbaros, John , Maker, Garth
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Journal of Criminal Psychology Vol. 10, no. 2 (2019), p. 79-91
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  • Description: Purpose: Cold case review teams and the processes that they adopt in their endeavour to solve historic crimes are varied and largely underreported. Of the limited literature surrounding the topic of cold case reviews, the focus is on clearance rates and the selection of cases for review. While multiple reports and reviews have been undertaken and recommend that the interface between investigators and forensic scientists be improved, there is little evidence of cold case teams comprised of a mixture of investigators and scientists or experts. With the growing reliance on forensic science as an aide to solvability, the authors propose that the inclusion of forensic scientists to the central cold case investigation may be a critical factor in future success. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: To support the proposed approach, the authors conducted a review of the current literature seeking insight into the reported make-up of cold case teams. In conjunction with this, the authors reviewed a number of commissioned reports intended to improve cold case reviews and forensic services. Findings: While many of the reviewed reports and recommendations suggested better integration with scientists and external expertise, little evidence of this in practice was reported within published literature. Open dialogue and cross pollination between police investigators and forensic scientists are likely to mitigate biases, inform case file triage and better equip investigations with contemporary and cutting-edge scientific solutions to the evidence analysis for cold cases. Furthermore, with respect to scientists within academia, large pools of resources by way of student interns or researchers may be available to assist resource-sparse policing jurisdictions. Originality/value: To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first peer-reviewed recommendation for the consideration of integrated forensic scientists within a cold case review team. Multiple reports suggest the need for closer ties, but it is the anecdotal experience of the authors that the benefits of a blended task force approach may yield greater success. © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.

A systematic review of prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression in Chinese immigrant women

- Chen, Jiarui, Cross, Wendy, Plummer, Virginia, Lam, Louisa, Tang, Siyuan

  • Authors: Chen, Jiarui , Cross, Wendy , Plummer, Virginia , Lam, Louisa , Tang, Siyuan
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Women and Birth Vol. 32, no. 6 (Dec 2019), p. 487-492
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  • Description: Background: As the number of immigrants grows, the health of Chinese immigrant women, especially their perinatal health, has gradually attracted public attention. Our review has two main purposes. First, estimate the prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms in Chinese immigrant women, and then determine risk factors for postpartum depressive symptoms among these women. Methods: The following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and PubMed were used in literature search from their commencements until November 21st 2017. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal instruments were used to evaluate the quality of the article. Four studies met the inclusion criteria, contributed to our review and meta-analysis. Result: The prevalence of postpartum depression is high in Chinese immigrant women. Risk factors for postpartum depression in Chinese immigrant women were defined as lack of social support, unstable economic status, and acculturation. Conclusion: There have been few studies on postpartum depression among Chinese immigrant women. Existing studies have shown a high prevalence of postpartum depression in Chinese immigrant women. Moreover, there is an urgent need for studies on postpartum depression among Chinese immigrant women informing better understanding, programs of care and improving the perinatal health status of Chinese immigrant women. (C) 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abrasion injuries on artificial turf : A systematic review

- Twomey, Dara, Petrass, Lauren, Fleming, Paul, Lenehan, Kurt

  • Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Fleming, Paul , Lenehan, Kurt
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 5 (2019), p. 550-556
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  • Description: Objectives: To review the incidence of abrasion injuries sustained on artificial turf playing fields and the level of evidence existing on player perceptions of abrasion injuries on these surfaces. Design: Systematic review. Method: A systematic search was performed using SPORTDiscus, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases. Inclusion criteria included: abrasion type injuries measured; conducted on artificial/synthetic turf; type of sport reported; peer-reviewed original research; English language search terms, but no language restrictions. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality scale. Results: The search yielded 76 potential articles, with 25 meeting all inclusion criteria. Twenty articles were injury-based and five were perception–based. The differences in injury definition and the lack of details of the playing surfaces produced varying results on the rate of injuries on artificial turf. Regardless of the condition of the surface, the level of play, or the sport, players perceived the fear of abrasion injuries as a major disadvantage of artificial turf surfaces. Conclusions: The review highlighted the current disparity that exists between players’ perceptions of abrasion injuries and the level of evidence of abrasion injury risk on artificial turf playing surfaces. There is a need for the inclusion of greater detail of playing surfaces’ specifications and condition, and an injury definition sufficiently sensitive to better measure abrasion injury incidence and severity. Without this more detailed information, it is likely that the strongly perceived risk of abrasion injuries will continue as a barrier to the adoption of artificial playing surfaces.

Aerobic training protects cardiac function during advancing age : A meta-analysis of four decades of controlled studies

- Beaumont, Alexander, Grace, Fergal, Richards, Joanna, Campbell, Amy, Sculthorpe, Nicholas

  • Authors: Beaumont, Alexander , Grace, Fergal , Richards, Joanna , Campbell, Amy , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 49, no. 2 (2019), p. 199-219
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  • Description: Background: In contrast to younger athletes, there is comparatively less literature examining cardiac structure and function in older athletes. However, a progressive accumulation of studies during the past four decades offers a body of literature worthy of systematic scrutiny. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of controlled echocardiography studies comparing left ventricular (LV) structure and function in aerobically trained older athletes (> 45 years) with age-matched untrained controls, in addition to investigating the influence of chronological age. Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2018 before conducting a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled differences in means, effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study heterogeneity was reported using Cochran’s Q and I2 statistic. Results: Overall, 32 studies (644 athletes; 582 controls) were included. Athletes had greater LV end-diastolic diameter (3.65 mm, 95% CI 2.66–4.64), interventricular septal thickness (1.23 mm, 95% CI 0.85–1.60), posterior wall thickness (1.20 mm, 95% CI 0.83–1.56), LV mass (72 g, 95% CI 46–98), LV mass index (28.17 g·m2, 95% CI 19.84–36.49) and stroke volume (13.59 mL, 95% CI 7.20–19.98) (all p < 0.01). Athletes had superior global diastolic function [ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity (E/A) 0.18, 95% CI 0.13–0.24, p < 0.01; ratio of early (e′) to late (a′) diastolic annular tissue velocity (e′/a′) 0.23, 95% CI 0.06–0.40, p = 0.01], lower A (−8.20 cm·s−1, 95% CI −11.90 to −4.51, p < 0.01) and a′ (−0.72 cm·s−1, 95% CI −1.31 to −0.12, p = 0.02), and more rapid e′ (0.96 cm·s−1, 95% CI 0.05–1.86, p = 0.04). Meta-regression for chronological age identified that athlete–control differences, in the main, are maintained during advancing age. Conclusions: Athletic older men have larger cardiac dimensions and enjoy more favourable cardiac function than healthy, non-athletic counterparts. Notably, the athlete groups maintain these effects during chronological ageing. © 2018, The Author(s).

Animal movements in fire-prone landscapes

- Nimmo, Dale, Avitabile, Sarah, Banks, Sam, Bird, Rebecca, Callister, Kate, Clarke, Michael, Dickman, Chris, Doherty, Tim, Driscoll, Don, Greenville, Aaron, Haslem, Angie, Kelly, Luke, Kenny, Sally, Lahoz-Monfort, Jose, Lee, Connie, Leonard, Steven, Moore, Harry, Newsome, Thomas, Parr, Catherine, Ritchie, Euan, Schneider, Kathryn, Turner, James, Watson, Simon, Westbrooke, Martin, Wouters, Mike, White, Matthew, Bennett, Andrew

Benefits of pilates in Parkinson's Disease : A systematic review and meta-analysis

- Suarez-Iglesias, David, Miller, Kyle, Seijo-Martinez, Manuel, Ayan, Carlos

  • Authors: Suarez-Iglesias, David , Miller, Kyle , Seijo-Martinez, Manuel , Ayan, Carlos
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Medicina-Lithuania Vol. 55, no. 8 (2019), p. 1-14
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  • Description: Pilates may be a beneficial method of exercise for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no studies have critically reviewed the scientific evidence in this regard. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of Pilates as a rehabilitation strategy for PD. A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus was conducted to identify studies related to the effect of Pilates on PD. The search timeframe ranged from the inception of each database to March 2019. The search resulted in the identification of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four non-RCT studies. The methodological quality of the investigations ranged from poor to fair. The descriptive analysis of the eight investigations showed that Pilates resulted in beneficial effects on fitness, balance and functional autonomy. A subsequent meta-analysis on the four RCTs indicated that Pilates was more effective than traditional training programmes in improving lower limb function. Pilates can be safely prescribed for people with mild-to-moderate PD. Preliminary evidence indicates that its practice could have a positive impact on fitness, balance and physical function. Its benefits on lower-body function appear to be superior to those of other conventional exercises. Future randomized studies with greater samples are needed to confirm these observations.

Binge eating in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome : Prevalence, causes, and management strategies

- Krug, Isabel, Giles, Sarah, Paganini, Chiara

  • Authors: Krug, Isabel , Giles, Sarah , Paganini, Chiara
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Vol. 15, no. (2019), p. 1273-1285
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  • Description: Emerging evidence suggests that disordered eating, particularly binge-eating symptomatology, is overrepresented within Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) populations. This comorbidity presents a clinical dilemma as current treatment approaches for PCOS emphasize the importance of weight management, diet, exercise, and the potential for harm of such treatment approaches in PCOS patients with comorbid disordered eating. However, limited research has assessed the occurrence of binge eating and disordered eating in PCOS patients. Consequently, little is known about the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS, and the possible etiological processes to explain this comorbidity remain poorly understood. Given the paucity of research on this topic, the aims of this narrative review are fourfold: 1) to outline the main symptoms of PCOS and binge eating; 2) to provide an overview of the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS; 3) to outline possible etiological factors for the comorbidity between PCOS and binge eating; and 4) to provide an overview of management strategies of binge eating in PCOS.

Biochar versus bone char for a sustainable inorganic arsenic mitigation in water : What needs to be done in future research?

- Alkurdi, Susan, Herath, Indika, Bundschuh, Jochen, Al-Juboori, Raed, Vithanage, Meththika, Mohan, Dinesh

  • Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Herath, Indika , Bundschuh, Jochen , Al-Juboori, Raed , Vithanage, Meththika , Mohan, Dinesh
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 52-69
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  • Description: Arsenic (As) is an emerging contaminant on a global scale posing threat to environmental and human health. The relatively brief history of the applications of biochar and bone char has mapped the endeavors to remove As from water to a considerable extent. This critical review attempts to provide a comprehensive overview for the first time on the potential of bio- and bone-char in the immobilization of inorganic As in water. It seeks to offer a rational assessment of what is existing and what needs to be done in future research as an implication for As toxicity of human health risks through acute and chronic exposure to As contaminated water. Bio- and bone-char are recognized as promising alternatives to activated carbon due to their lower production and activation cost. The surface modification via chemical methods has been adopted to improve the adsorption capacity for anionic As species. Surface complexation, ion exchange, precipitation and electrostatic interactions are the main mechanisms involved in the adsorption of As onto the char surface. However, arsenic-bio-bone char interactions along with their chemical bonding for the removal of As in aqueous solution is still a subject of debate. Hence, the proposed mechanisms need to be scrutinized further using advanced analytical techniques such as synchrotron-based X-ray. Moving this technology from laboratory phase to field scale applications is an urgent necessity in order to establish a sustainable As mitigation in drinking water on a global scale.

Bone char as a green sorbent for removing health threatening fluoride from drinking water

- Alkurdi, Susan, Al-Juboori, Raed, Bundschuh, Jochen, Hamawand, Ihsan

  • Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Al-Juboori, Raed , Bundschuh, Jochen , Hamawand, Ihsan
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 704-719
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  • Description: Millions of people around the world suffer from or prone to health problems caused by high concentration of fluoride in drinking water sources. One of the environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways for removing fluoride is the use of bone char. In this review, the structural properties and binding affinity of fluoride ions from different water sources was critically discussed. The effect of experimental conditions on enhancing the adsorption capacity of fluoride ions using bone char samples was addressed. It appears that surface properties, and conditions of the bone char production such as temperature and residence time play an important role in designing the optimal fluoride removal process. The optimum temperature for fluoride removal seems to be in the range of 500–700 °C and a residence time of 2 h. Applying various equilibrium adsorption isotherms for understanding fluoride adsorption mechanism was presented. The effect of bone char modification with different elements were discussed and recommendations for a further increase in the removal efficiency was proposed. Cost of bone char production and large-scale treatment systems were also discussed based on information available from scientific and commercial sources. Challenges with existing domestic defluoridation designs were highlighted and suggestions for new conceptual designs were provided.

Choking interventions in sports : A systematic review

- Gröpel, Peter, Mesagno, Christopher

  • Authors: Gröpel, Peter , Mesagno, Christopher
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology Vol. 12, no. 1 (2019), p. 176-201
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  • Description: Choking under pressure describes suboptimal sport performance in stressful situations, which has led to two fundamental ‘choking’ models: distraction and self-focus. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of empirical studies that have tested interventions used to alleviate choking. The systematic review includes 47 empirical studies published up to April 2017, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and single-case studies with athletes. These studies encompassed a variety of interventions (n = 13) that were either distraction based or self-focus based. In addition, a third group–acclimatisation interventions–was identified. The results indicate that, in general, choking interventions based on both choking models and on acclimatisation provide a benefit to performance under pressure. The most reported effective interventions were pre-performance routines, quiet eye training, left-hand contractions, and acclimatisation training. The use of dual task was beneficial for performance under pressure but harmful when used in training. Mixed evidence was found for analogy learning, and null effects were reported for goal setting, neurofeedback training, and reappraisal cues. These results may help athletes and coaches select and implement effective strategies and methods to improve performance under pressure.

Clinical deterioration of ward patients in the presence of antecedents : A systematic review and narrative synthesis

- Al-Moteri, Modi, Plummer, Virginia, Cooper, Simon, Symmons, Mark

  • Authors: Al-Moteri, Modi , Plummer, Virginia , Cooper, Simon , Symmons, Mark
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Australian Critical Care Vol. 32, no. 5 (2019), p. 411-420
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  • Description: Aim: The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise published accounts of recognising and responding to patient deterioration in the presence of deterioration antecedents. Design: The systematic review canvassed four electronic databases/ search engines for studies of adult ward patients who had altered physiological parameters before developing major adverse events. Synthesis Methods: The findings were synthesised using a narrative approach. Results: Clinical deterioration can be missed by nurses, even with adequate charting. Delays in recognising and responding to patient deterioration remains an international patient safety concern, and strategies to enhance recognition of patient deterioration have not achieved consistent improvements. The lack of significant and sustained improvement through targeted training suggests the problem may be rooted in human behaviour and local ward culture. Nurses play a pivotal role in recognising and responding to patient deterioration; however, patient records do not facilitate tracking of all nurse decisions and actions, and any undocumented care cannot be easily captured by auditing processes. Conclusion: Failure to recognise clinical deterioration was evident even with adequate charting. It is not clear if nurses do not recognise clinical deterioration because they failed to interpret the signs of deterioration or they made a conscious decision not to escalate based on their clinical judgement or they lacked attention at the time of the event. Whatever the reason, focus is warranted for nurses' decisionmaking after the recording of clinical deterioration signs and the role of human factors in delayed recognition, before maximum benefit of any strategy can be achieved.