METHODS: This systematic review was registered prospectively on Prospero (CRD42020188715). It was designed using the COSMIN guidelines and reported in line with the PRISMA checklist. Two reviewers independently searched Medline, Embase, SportDiscus, and CINAHL Plus databases from inception to the 24th July 2022 with an update of the search conducted until 14th of October 2023. The COSMIN risk of bias checklist was used to assess the risk of bias in each study. The updated criteria for good measurement properties were used to rate individual studies and then the overall pooled results. The level of evidence was rated by two reviewers independently using a modified GRADE approach.
RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in this review, 13 reporting absolute JPE and 2 reporting constant JPE. The measurement properties assessed were reliability, measurement error, and validity. The measurement of JPE showed sufficient reliability and validity, however, the level of evidence was low/very low for both measurement properties, apart from convergent validity of the constant JPE, which was high.
CONCLUSION: The measure of cervical JPE showed sufficient reliability and validity but with low/very low levels of evidence. Further studies are required to investigate the reliability and validity of this test as well as the responsiveness of the measure.
OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a rescue framework for the transfusion of the best CP to the most critical patients with COVID-19 on the basis of biological requirements by using machine learning and novel MCDM methods.
METHOD: The proposed framework is illustrated on the basis of two distinct and consecutive phases (i.e. testing and development). In testing, ABO compatibility is assessed after classifying donors into the four blood types, namely, A, B, AB and O, to indicate the suitability and safety of plasma for administration in order to refine the CP tested list repository. The development phase includes patient and donor sides. In the patient side, prioritisation is performed using a contracted patient decision matrix constructed between 'serological/protein biomarkers and the ratio of the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood to fractional inspired oxygen criteria' and 'patient list based on novel MCDM method known as subjective and objective decision by opinion score method'. Then, the patients with the most urgent need are classified into the four blood types and matched with a tested CP list from the test phase in the donor side. Thereafter, the prioritisation of CP tested list is performed using the contracted CP decision matrix.
RESULT: An intelligence-integrated concept is proposed to identify the most appropriate CP for corresponding prioritised patients with COVID-19 to help doctors hasten treatments.
DISCUSSION: The proposed framework implies the benefits of providing effective care and prevention of the extremely rapidly spreading COVID-19 from affecting patients and the medical sector.
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that was conducted to evaluate perception and experience of pharmacists with the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients. During the study period, 200 pharmacists were approached to participate in the study using a paper-based survey to assess their perceptions and current experience with the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean/standard deviation for continuous variables, and frequency/percentages for qualitative variables). Also, simple linear regression was utilized to screen factors affecting pharmacists' perception scores of the use of Internet-based medication information.
RESULTS: Among 161 recruited pharmacists, the majority (n = 129, 80.1%) reported receiving inquiries from patients about Internet-based medication information within the last year. Among them, only 22.6% (n = 29) of pharmacists believed that Internet-based medication information is somewhat or very accurate. Unfortunately, only 24.2% (n = 31) of them stated that they always had enough time for their patient to discuss their Internet-based medication information. Regarding pharmacists' perception of the use of Internet-based medication information by their patients, more than half of the pharmacists (>50%) believe that Internet-based medication information could increase the patient's role in taking responsibility. On the other hand, 54.7% (n = 88) of the pharmacists believed that Internet-based medication information would contribute to rising the healthcare cost by obtaining unnecessary medications by patients. Finally, pharmacists' educational level was found to significantly affect their perception scores toward patient use of Internet-based medication information where those with higher educational level showed lower perception score (r = -0.200, P-value = 0.011).
CONCLUSION: Although pharmacists felt that usage of Internet-based data by patients is beneficial, they also have believed that it has a negative impact in terms of rising the healthcare cost, and it promotes unnecessary fear or concern about medications. We suggest that pharmacists be trained on principles of critical appraisal to become professional in retrieval information on the Internet that might improve their delivery of healthcare information and their recommendations to patients.
METHODS: This study followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA). A comprehensive search of online databases/search tools (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Ovid, and Google Scholar) was conducted for all relevant studies published up until May 29, 2023. Only in-vitro studies comparing the adherence of Candida albicans to the digital and conventional acrylic resins were included. The quantitative analyses were performed using RevMan v5.3 software.
RESULTS: Fourteen studies were included, 11 of which were meta-analyzed based on Colony Forming Unit (CFU) and Optical Density (OD) outcome measures. The pooled data revealed significantly lower candida colonization on the milled digitally-fabricated compared to the heat-polymerized conventionally-fabricated acrylic resin materials (MD = - 0.36; 95%CI = - 0.69, - 0.03; P = 0.03 and MD = - 0.04; 95%CI = - 0.06, - 0.01; P = 0.0008; as measured by CFU and OD respectively). However, no differences were found in the adhesion of Candida albicans between the 3D-printed digitally-fabricated compared to the heat-polymerized conventionally-fabricated acrylic resin materials (CFU: P = 0.11, and OD: P = 0.20).
CONCLUSION: The available evidence suggests that candida is less likely to adhere to the milled digitally-fabricated acrylic resins compared to the conventional ones.
METHODS: An electronic search was conducted using PubMed, Embase and Google Scholar search engines, to retrieve data on malocclusion prevalence for both mixed and permanent dentitions, up to December 2016.
RESULTS: Out of 2,977 retrieved studies, 53 were included. In permanent dentition, the global distributions of Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusion were 74.7% [31 - 97%], 19.56% [2 - 63%] and 5.93% [1 - 20%], respectively. In mixed dentition, the distributions of these malocclusions were 73% [40 - 96%], 23% [2 - 58%] and 4% [0.7 - 13%]. Regarding vertical malocclusions, the observed deep overbite and open bite were 21.98% and 4.93%, respectively. Posterior crossbite affected 9.39% of the sample. Africans showed the highest prevalence of Class I and open bite in permanent dentition (89% and 8%, respectively), and in mixed dentition (93% and 10%, respectively), while Caucasians showed the highest prevalence of Class II in permanent dentition (23%) and mixed dentition (26%). Class III malocclusion in mixed dentition was highly prevalent among Mongoloids.
CONCLUSION: Worldwide, in mixed and permanent dentitions, Angle Class I malocclusion is more prevalent than Class II, specifically among Africans; the least prevalent was Class III, although higher among Mongoloids in mixed dentition. In vertical dimension, open bite was highest among Mongoloids in mixed dentition. Posterior crossbite was more prevalent in permanent dentition in Europe.
METHOD: A set of three psychophysics conditions of hearing (critical band spectral estimation, equal loudness hearing curve, and the intensity loudness power law of hearing) is used to estimate the auditory spectrum. The auditory spectrum and all-pole models of the auditory spectrums are computed and analyzed and used in a Gaussian mixture model for an automatic decision.
RESULTS: In the experiments using the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary database, an ACC of 99.56% is obtained for pathology detection, and an ACC of 93.33% is obtained for the pathology classification system. The results of the proposed systems outperform the existing running-speech-based systems.
DISCUSSION: The developed system can effectively be used in voice pathology detection and classification systems, and the proposed features can visually differentiate between normal and pathological samples.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search of the scientific literature from January 2005 to June 2016 was done using Web of Science, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source and PubMed databases. A combination of search terms "rapid maxillary expansion", "nasal", "airway" and "breathing" were used. Studies that involved surgical or combined RME-surgical treatments and patients with craniofacial anomalies were excluded.
RESULTS: The initial screening yielded a total of 183 articles. After evaluation of the titles, abstracts and accessing the full text, a total of 20 articles fulfilled both inclusion/exclusion criteria and possessed adequate evidence to be incorporated into this review.
CONCLUSIONS: Non-surgical RME was found to improve breathing, increase nasal cavity geometry and decrease nasal airway resistance in children and adolescents.
METHODS: A desk review was conducted from August to October in 2018, to examine, review and describe the historical perspective, strategic planning and implementation of the current CRC screening program in Malaysia.
RESULTS: The main policy documents related to CRC screening are the National Strategic Plan for Cancer Control Programme 2016-2020, the Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Colorectal Carcinoma 2017, and the Implementation Guideline for CRC Screening in Malaysia 2014. Several papers have been published on the epidemiology of CRC in Malaysia. Between 2014 and 2018, 127,957 men and women were screened using immunochemical Faecal Occult Blood Test (iFOBT); 9.3% had positive iFOBT results and were referred for colonoscopy. For those who underwent colonoscopy, CRC detection rate was 4.1% and 13.9% for pre-malignant conditions. Barriers were identified along the continuum of screening process, including patient, provider, and system factors.
CONCLUSION: Although population-level organised screening programmes are preferable to opportunistic screening, the CRC programme in Malaysia was tailored to meet the needs of the population based on available existing resources. A well-mapped budget for the entire screening programme continuum, a strong partnership between stakeholders and an opportunistic screening strategy is crucial to address the rising incidence of CRC.