Reduce Publication Bias Research Articles

A systematic review protocol of injuries and illness across all the competitive cycling disciplines, including track cycling, mountain biking, road cycling, time trial, cyclocross, gravel cycling, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, e-sport, para-cycling and artistic cycling.

The sport of cycling has witnessed phenomenal growth over the past decade. Globally, over 200 million television hours across five continents watched the recent inaugural World Championships in Glasgow, in 2023. The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world cycling governing body, has highlighted its mission to "promote and support research in cycling epidemiology and medicine, especially for the benefit of lesser-known disciplines" within its 2030 Agenda. This paper outlines a proposed protocol to conduct a systematic review that comprehensively analyses and synthesises the existing literature about cycling-related injuries and illness across all competitive disciplines. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines will be followed through each stage of this systematic review. Cycling is an umbrella term used for many individual disciplines. Investigation of all types of injuries and/or illnesses sustained during training and/or competition among competitive athletes across all disciplines will be included in this review. A computerised, systematic literature search will be conducted in electronic databases MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Independent screening by two reviewers in a two-step process: title/abstract screening followed by full-text review. The reference lists of included articles will be searched to identify any other potentially relevant articles. Narrative synthesis and tabular/charted presentation of the extracted data will be included. This protocol paper outlines the methodology to conduct a systematic review of injuries and illness across all competitive cycling disciplines. The aims of outlining this systematic review protocol are to aid research transparency, help reduce publication bias, prevent selective publication, and prevent the selective reporting of results. Future systematic reviews based on the proposed protocol will summarise the known prevalence, incidences, locations and burden of injury and illness across the sport of cycling. This study has been registered with the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (registration number CRD42024502703).

NICU Music Therapy: Lessons Learned from a Randomized Trial

Abstract Mothers of infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at risk for developing acute and posttraumatic stress disorder, but mothers’ positive coping may improve with progress in the infant’s well-being. There is a need to investigate complementary therapies that increase infant well-being and decrease maternal stress. A pacifier-activated lullaby (PAL) device is one evidence-based intervention to assist premature infants by playing a few bars of a lullaby after an effective suck, improving feeding behavior and shortening the length of NICU stay. The PAL may be personalized with lullabies sung and recorded by the neonate’s mother or other family. This study’s purpose was to quantify the effect of a PAL intervention on maternal stress symptoms. The experimental PAL intervention included a singing and recording session with a board-certified music therapist with NICU certification. This was a single-site randomized trial comparing the effect of maternal voice recording versus standard conditions. A total of 245 infant–mother dyads were screened; 18 mothers consented to participate and 12 were randomized to one of three conditions: mother’s recorded lullaby for PAL administration, a generic female voice used for the PAL, and no intervention. Barriers arising during the study included lengthy enrollment processes, maternal visitation patterns, and an overly ambitious study design. Despite attempts to mitigate perceived barriers, we did not achieve the enrollment necessary to perform the intended analysis. We, therefore, present lessons learned and possible solutions for future music therapy research in the interest of transparency, reducing publication bias, and replication of problematic design issues in future trials.

Analysis of clinical study registration characteristics of traditional medicine for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform

Objective: To analyze clinical trials of traditional medicine (including Chinese herbal medicine and nonpharmacological therapies) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) registered in the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and accordingly to explore their clinical trial registration characteristics, development trend and intervention status, in an attempt to provide references for future research design, diagnosis and management of traditional Chinese medicine therapy for T2DM. Methods: The clinical trials related to Chinese herbal medicine and nonpharmacological therapies for treating T2DM were retrieved on the ICTRP online from the time of database construction to August 13, 2023, to analyze the time of registration, country and institution of the study, source of funding, type and design of the study, randomization and blinding methods, clinical staging, therapeutic measures, and main therapeutic effect indexes. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using R4.3.0 and Excel software. Results: A total of 774 clinical trials for T2DM treatment were included, of which 127 were traditional herbal therapies and 647 were nonpharmacological therapies. The T2DM clinical trial registration institutions were distributed in 50 countries worldwide involving 15 clinical registration platforms, with the most registrations in Iran, China, and Australia, and the top 3 registration platforms were the Iranian Clinical Trial Registry, the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, and the ICTRP. Universities (551, 71.19%) were the main funding sources. Intervention studies (750, 96.90%) were the primary study type, including randomized controlled trials (432, 56. 4%), and 225 studies mentioned the blinding method. A total of 530 (68.48%) with a sample size ≤100 were included. Study phases were predominantly phase 2 and phase 3 (108, 51.43%). The interventions of traditional medicine for T2DM were composed of Chinese herbal medicines (mainly ginseng and astragalus compound), nonpharmacological therapies (mainly exercise and diet therapies), and 2 or more comprehensive treatment regimes. According to the type of study design, the first 3 main therapeutic indexes were fasting blood glucose (286 times), glycated hemoglobin (282 times), and insulin resistance (120 times), and the top 3 secondary therapeutic indexes were body mass index (179 times), fasting blood glucose (175 times), and glycated hemoglobin (134 times). Conclusion: The study dissects the current status and trend of registration of clinical trials on traditional medicine for T2DM treatment. The number of trial registrations is on the rise year by year, and there are obvious geographical differences in the countries and platforms of registration. The trial design is mainly randomized controlled blind trials with a sample size of <100, and the main interventions are nonpharmacological therapies. Correct and standardized registration of clinical trials and timely reporting of study results are greatly important to facilitate the implementation of clinical trials, reduce publication bias, provide high-level diagnostic and therapeutic bases for clinical practice guidelines, and develop effective treatment strategies. This study is expected to help other scholars, health care professionals, patients, and the public to understand the latest research trends and hotspots in this field and provide certain references and inspirations for the future research design and clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of T2DM.

A systematic review of second-hand smoking mass media campaigns (2002–2022)

BackgroundSecond-hand smoking (SHS) increases the risk of chronic disease in adults and poses a serious health threat to children. Mass media campaigns are instrumental in raising awareness and reducing SHS exposure. There is a need to identify recent SHS mass media campaigns and assess their sustainability in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and behavioural changes. This systematic review summarises the characteristics and outcomes of mass media campaigns on SHS prevention.MethodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and grey literature were searched in November 2022 for SHS campaigns implemented between 2016 and 2022. The eligibility criteria included campaigns on the dangers or effects of SHS with any target group, dissemination medium, study design, or language. The database search identified 1,413 peer-reviewed titles, of which 82 full-texts were screened, with 14 meeting the eligibility criteria. The grey literature search identified 9,807 sources, of which 61 were included. We extracted data on the campaign characteristics, metrics, and smoking-related outcomes. The JBI critical appraisal tool was used to assess the risk of bias of the included studies.ResultsWe found 73 SHS campaigns conducted between 2002 and 2022, across 50 countries. The campaigns reached 378 million people. The reported recall rates range from 8 to 76%. Of the 11 studies that reported smoking-related outcomes, 10 reported increased knowledge in understanding SHS risks (73-85%), five reported an increased prevalence of smoke-free homes, and two reported an increase in number of participants persuading others to quit smoking. Two studies reported a decrease in overall smoking, whereas three studies observed a reduction in smoking in the presence of children.ConclusionThe available data provide some support for the effectiveness of SHS campaigns in reducing smoking behaviours in homes and around children. However, the certainty of evidence was low due to the lack of a control group and the substantial heterogeneity in the outcomes assessed. Future campaigns need comprehensive evaluation and reporting to reduce publication bias.

Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management

Blockchain is a promising technology with its features such as immutability and decentralized database. It has applications in various fields such as pharmaceutical, finance, & food industry. At the core of its heart lies its feature, traceability which is the most desired key in supply chains. However, supply chains have always been hit rock bottom by scandals and controversies. In this review paper, we have explored the advancement and research gaps, of blockchain technology (BT) in supply chain management (SCM). We have used the Prisma framework for systematic literature review (SLR) and included a minuscule amount of grey literature to reduce publication bias. We found that supply chain traceability and transparency is the most researched objective in SCM. There was hardly any research in supply chain resilience. Further, we found that 40 % of the papers were application based. Most articles have focused on the advantages of BT, rather than analyzing it critically. This study will help identify gaps and, suitable actions to be followed for an efficient implementation of BT in SCM.

Therapeutic Potential of Resveratrol for Glioma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Animal Model Studies

Gliomas are aggressive malignant brain tumors, with poor prognosis despite available therapies, raising the necessity for finding new compounds with therapeutic action. Numerous preclinical investigations evaluating resveratrol’s anti-tumor impact in animal models of glioma have been reported; however, the variety of experimental circumstances and results have prevented conclusive findings about resveratrol’s effectiveness. Several databases were searched during May 2023, ten publications were identified, satisfying the inclusion criteria, that assess the effects of resveratrol in murine glioma-bearing xenografts. To determine the efficacy of resveratrol, tumor volume and animal counts were retrieved, and the data were then subjected to a random effects meta-analysis. The influence of different experimental conditions and publication bias on resveratrol efficacy were evaluated. Comparing treated to untreated groups, resveratrol administration decreased the tumor volume. Overall, the effect’s weighted standardized difference in means was −2.046 (95%CI: −3.156 to −0.936; p-value < 0.001). The efficacy of the treatment was observed for animals inoculated with both human glioblastoma or rat glioma cells and for different modes of resveratrol administration. The combined administration of resveratrol and temozolomide was more effective than temozolomide alone. Reducing publication bias did not change the effectiveness of resveratrol treatment. The findings suggest that resveratrol slows the development of tumors in animal glioma models.

The Impact of Ex-Post Legislative Evaluations in Healthcare: A Mixed Methods Realist Evaluation Study Protocol for Conducting Case Studies.

Recent studies on the impact of ex-post legislative evaluations show that there are different types of impact and different factors that can influence it. These include the context of a legislative evaluation, research quality, and interactions between researchers and other actors within the evaluation process. However, thorough empirical research in this area is lacking. This warrants empirical research into the factors that influence the impact of ex-post legislative evaluations, so these insights can be used to increase the likelihood of ex-post legislative evaluations having an impact. In this protocol, we report on the realist evaluation methodology that will be used to evaluate the impact of three ex-post legislative evaluations in the Dutch healthcare sector. The mixed methods realist evaluation approach will facilitate this theory-driven, qualitative research. The study will consist of the following three steps: (1) Initial programme theory development, (2) theory validation, and (3) theory refinement. Knowledge from two scoping reviews conducted previously, and two subsequent expert meetings will form the basis for developing the initial programme theory. During this study, three case studies will be conducted, in which three individual ex-post legislative evaluations will be examined. Specificmethods for data collection will include: documentary review, observation, structured questionnaires and focus group discussions with purposefully identified key stakeholders. Using the framework approach, the data will be analysed thematically in a within-case analysis followed by a cross-case analysis. This protocol provides insight into how the study will be conducted. As this study uses multiple qualitative researchmethods to answer one question, this protocol supports refining data collection procedures. Careful consideration of the approach beforehand can minimise pitfalls, reduce publication bias and improve reproducibility. The protocol therefore specifies how the research question will be answered in detail, and this provides solid guidance for the research process.

Reducing the risk of bias in academic publishing

The risk of bias in academic publishing is present from the first stages of the publishing process when the author creates an account and submits the manuscript, which becomes subject to the rights and power of journal editors. The author’s disclosure of certain personal information risks exposing him/her to biases for or against certain groups of authors. To reduce these potential biases, reviewers and editors involved in the assessment of author works should be prevented from accessing authors’ information until the final decision regarding publication has been made. Some information, such as authors’ ORCID details, can be requested after the article is accepted for publication. Standardizing appeal procedures and establishing protocols for handling author appeals is a necessary step in the effort to reduce publication bias. Regulations for the cover letter to editor should also be put in place to ensure that authors’ personal information is not disclosed, either explicitly or implicitly.

Severe publication bias contributes to illusory sleep consolidation in the motor sequence learning literature.

We explored the possibility of publication bias in the sleep and explicit motor sequence learning literature by applying precision effect test (PET) and precision effect test with standard errors (PEESE) weighted regression analyses to the 88 effect sizes from a recent comprehensive literature review (Pan & Rickard, 2015). Basic PET analysis indicated pronounced publication bias; that is, the effect sizes were strongly predicted by their standard error. When variables that have previously been shown to both moderate the sleep gain effect and substantially reduce unaccounted for effect size heterogeneity were included in that analysis, evidence for publication bias remained strong. The estimated postsleep gain was negative, suggesting forgetting rather than facilitation, and it was statistically indistinguishable from the estimated postwake gain. In a qualitative review of a smaller group of more recent studies we observed that (a) small sample sizes-a major factor behind the publication bias-are still the norm, (b) use of demonstrably flawed experimental design and analysis remains prevalent, and (c) when authors conclude in favor of sleep-dependent consolidation, they frequently do not cite the articles in which those methodological flaws have been demonstrated. We conclude that there is substantial publication bias, that there is no consolidation-based, absolute performance gain following sleep, and that strong conclusions regarding the hypothesis of less forgetting after sleep than after wakefulness should await further research. Recommendations are made for reducing publication bias in future work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

High Expressed Emotion (HEE), Assessed Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS), as a Predictor of Psychiatric Relapse in Patients with Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.

Expressed Emotion (EE) describes the tone of a caregiver's response to a patient with a mental disorder, and it is used to predict relapse. The Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) is a 5-min interview with a caregiver that evaluates only two EE dimensions. The present study aimed at evaluating HEE (High Expressed Emotion) as a predictor of relapse in patients with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Six studies were selected for the meta-analysis. In total, the studies included 297 subjects. The analyses included a random effects model; a meta-analysis excluding the study with the smallest sample; a cumulative meta-analysis; a meta-regression with random effects, using patient age and duration of illness as moderators; a leave-one-out meta-analysis; and a funnel plot to estimate publication bias. The FMSS emerged as a valid and reliable tool for measuring EE as a predictor of relapse in patients with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Patient age and duration of illness had no significant effect on the results. Future meta-analyses should include more studies to reduce publication bias. EE may be a good predictor of relapse when examined through a fast measurement technique such as the FMSS, which may also be useful to analyze the psychopathological structure of caregivers.

The Danish Court Case Database: a data source in forensic mental health?

Abstract Grey literature complementing evidence from common scientific sources, such as journals, may serve to provide a broader range of evidence, fill in commercial literature gaps and reduce publication bias in research. However, grey literature from legal sources has been used only to a limited extent in forensic mental health research. In this paper, we presented the newly established Danish Court Case Database in the light of forensic mental health. A systematic review was conducted and 15 cases focusing on forensic mental health issues were identified. The cases contained information about indictment, explanations and testimonies and also the court’s decision and underlying reasoning. The different included case types provided a broad range of information about current issues in forensic mental health regulation and the interpretation of Danish law. The database is thus a relevant grey source in forensic research. However, this paper also demonstrated that the database may be improved in terms of its current coverage and ease of use.

Overall Survival Prediction of Docetaxel-based Second-line Treatment for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 75-85% of all lung cancer diagnoses. This meta-analysis sought to estimate the overall survival (OS) of NSCLC based on randomized control trials which had compared docetaxel with kinase inhibitors, antineoplastic agents, and monoclonal antibodies as second-line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC. We selected 18 randomized control trials which used docetaxel as the standard treatment arm, while kinase inhibitors, antineoplastic agents, and monoclonal antibodies constituted the experimental arm. The methodological quality of the trial was classified according to the Modified Jadad score. Several steps were taken to reduce publication bias. A forest plot was used to graphically summarize the meta-analysis. The Hedge's g value of antineoplastic agents was 0.11 (95% CI: -0.03-0.26), while for kinase inhibitors was 0.04 (95% CI: -0.10-0.17) and monoclonal antibodies was 0.05 (95% CI: -0.02-0.13). Forest plot showed a clear though only slightly higher overall survival using docetaxel compared to those of the antineoplastic agents, kinase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies, due to the existence of moderate heterogeneity and lower impact. Overall, the patients in these studies who were in the standard (docetaxel) treatment arm had slightly better OS than those in the intervention treatment arm. As per the results, docetaxel was more effective in the second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC than antineoplastic agents, monoclonal antibodies, and kinase inhibitors. We infer that docetaxel-based second-line therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC is supported by our meta-analysis.

Publish without bias or perish without replications

There is mounting evidence that a large portion of experimental results cannot be replicated, leading many to believe that science is now in the throes of a replicability crisis. In response, there have been calls to reduce publication bias against negative results because of the effect that publication bias has on the publication record. Others, however, argue that publication bias need not be detrimental to scientific progress. Here, we propose a novel mechanism by dint of which reducing publication bias can benefit science regardless of the effect that publication bias has on the publication record. To do so, we introduce a series of increasingly complex mathematical models. Our models represent a scientific community consisting of discovery researchers who test novel hypotheses, and confirmation researchers who test known hypotheses. Results show that reducing publication bias can have the surprising consequence of increasing the share of confirmation researchers who conduct replications. When a large share of scientists conduct confirmation research, scientists have an incentive to conduct high-quality research as others are likely to check their findings. Our models therefore suggest an underappreciated reasons why reducing publication bias might benefit science.

Trial registration of abstracts from the American Society of Anesthesiologists Meetings 2010-2016: A review of prospective trial registration and selective outcome reporting.

Mandatory prospective trial registration was introduced in 2005 to reduce publication bias and selective outcome reporting. In this study, we measured the proportion of prospective trial registration in randomized controlled trials in the anesthesia literature after this introduction, discrepancies between these trial protocols and subsequent publications, the association between being prospectively registered and reporting positive or negative results, and between being prospectively registered and achieving publication. We reviewed all abstracts from the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meetings between 2010–2016 and included randomized controlled trials in humans. The abstract conclusions were scored as positive or negative according to predetermined definitions. We conducted a systematic search for trial registration and subsequent publication. Of the 9789 abstracts reviewed, 1070 abstracts were included. 222 (21%) of these abstracts had undergone prospective trial registration. 168/222 (76%) had a corresponding journal publication. 81(48%) had a major discrepancy between registration and publication. 149 (67%) of the abstracts with registration had positive outcomes compared with 616 (73%) of those without (Odds Ratio 0.77; 95% CI: 0.56 to 1.06; P = 0.105). s that had been registered were more likely to proceed to publication than those that had not (Odds Ratio 3.82; 95% CI 2.73 to 5.35; P < 0.001). The proportion of randomized controlled trials being prospectively registered in anesthesia remains low. Discrepancies between registry entries and corresponding journal publications are common. There was no association between prospective trial registration and subsequent positive outcomes. There was a strong association between prospective trial registration and the likelihood of progression to journal publication.

School-Based Interventions for Child and Adolescent Victims of Interpersonal Violence

Background: Interpersonal violence against children and adolescents can affect their mental health and functioning in the long term. To reduce mental health problems in children and adolescents, school-based mental health interventions have been shown to be beneficial. A review of school-based interventions designed to mitigate posttraumatic symptoms after interpersonal violence is lacking to date. Methods: We searched for original studies published in English or German until November 2019 in 6 electronic databases. Supplementary search strategies to reduce publication bias were implemented. Peer-reviewed original studies assessing school-based interventions for children and adolescents under the age of 21 after interpersonal violence were included. Relevant data was extracted, synthesised and assessed qualitatively. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed. Results: Of 5,021 unduplicated publications, 15 studies met eligibility criteria. The included studies were almost exclusively conducted in the USA; over half utilised a randomised-controlled design. Studies mainly focussed on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or depression. In all studies, implemented interventions partially or fully mitigated posttraumatic symptoms. Nine school-based interventions, five of which were based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), were identified. School staff were often involved in intervention implementation besides mental health professionals. Conclusions: School-based interventions can be beneficial to reduce mental health problems in children and adolescents after interpersonal violence. Trained school staff aided by mental health professionals can implement trauma-informed practices at school. While school-based interventions may be a feasible way to provide children and adolescents with accessible mental health care, further research on school-based trauma interventions outside the USA is necessary.

A Reader's Guide to Medical Education Systematic Reviews.

Systematic reviews are rigorous and complex. It is paramount that readers—consumers of systematic reviews as well as researchers—understand the steps necessary for high-quality systematic reviews. Here are brief summaries of key quality considerations for readers of medical education systematic reviews. For detailed research steps aimed at those performing systematic reviews, see our companion paper.1Did the researchers use resources such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Statement2 or the STructured apprOach to the Reporting In healthcare education of Evidence Synthesis (STORIES) Statement?3 Both the PRISMA and STORIES statements act as guidelines for what is necessary to report in the manuscript.Systematic reviews are not solo endeavors.4,5 Team composition can vary but should include content experts, a librarian or information specialist, and, depending on the research question and nature of included studies, a statistician.5 Having multiple team members also helps to manage bias.6,7The research team should have a focused research question that is neither too broad nor too narrow. A question that is too broad can lead to retrieving far too many studies to review and failing to provide a focused overview for readers. A too narrow question may result in being unable to find any existing studies that meet the inclusion criteria.Register the protocol with a systematic review protocol registry such as PROSPERO. Researchers should register the protocol to promote transparency of the process and reduce duplication of efforts.8,9A systematic review search strategy is based on the review's focused research question and includes a variety of search terms synonyms (eg, faculty, educator, teacher) and, depending on the database, controlled vocabulary terms (eg, medical subject headings [MeSH]). The intention is to comprehensively identify all studies that possibly meet the inclusion criteria. Once the main search elements are defined, the search is conducted in a minimum of 3 databases.4 If conducting a review for medical education, databases such as ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) or PsycINFO may be searched.10 The authors may have also searched grey literature sources such as theses, dissertations, and conference abstracts to reduce publication bias: some studies are conducted but never published. The search strategy for each resource and the date it was searched should be documented.11 (Note that these details are expected by most journals, and the PRISMA reporting guidelines require authors to include the full search for at least one database.2)There should be 2 levels of screening: title/abstract and full text, both guided by the review's inclusion and exclusion criteria. In both screening levels, 2 reviewers should independently screen each result; this minimizes bias in the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. If the reviewers disagree, the conflict may be resolved by a third individual or by the 2 reviewers reaching consensus through discussion. While it is unnecessary for authors to report exclusion reasons when screening at the title/abstract level, it is necessary to report this information at the full-text level. This information is often presented as a PRISMA flow diagram2 using tracking software programs (eg, Covidence, Rayyan, DistillerSR).After completing the screening processes, the researchers will extract data from individual studies. To facilitate this process, authors should collaboratively draft and pilot a data extraction tool designed to capture all relevant data and extract it in a format that is conducive to analysis and synthesis. Data extraction should be conducted by 2 team members independently to assure reliability and reduce errors.Authors should critically appraise each study through a quality and risk of bias assessment, such as with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale-Education (NOS-E) or the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI).12 Depending on the review's research question, the extracted data may be analyzed qualitatively or through a meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of quantitative studies is possible only if the data from the individual studies is homogenous; if the data are too heterogeneous, as is often found in medical education, it is not possible to accurately perform a meta-analysis. In qualitative analyses, the data are analyzed, and themes are drawn out, synthesized, categorized, and presented.13Authors may reference the PRISMA2 or STORIES statements3 as their writing and reporting structure. Whether or not these guidelines are cited, the article should present the rationale, methods, and findings in a clear, ordered, succinct fashion and discuss the relevance to existing literature and to readers.

Exploring the Effects of Yoga Therapy on Heart Rate Variability and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Cancer Treatment: A Study Protocol.

Background:Following cancer treatment, adults commonly report worsened patient-reported outcomes (PROs) such as anxiety, stress, depression, persistent and upsetting cognitive complaints, unrelenting fatigue, and reduced quality of life. Poorer PROs are associated with disrupted autonomic nervous system functioning as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), both of which have been associated with greater morbidity and mortality. Interventions to improve HRV and PROs among adults following cancer treatment are needed. Yoga therapy holds promise as an intervention to improve HRV and PROs. Therefore, we conducted a single-subject exploratory experimental study to investigate the effects of yoga therapy on HRV and specific PROs (ie, cancer-related fatigue, anxiety, cognitive function, depression, stress, quality of life) in adults treated for cancer. To reduce publication bias, improve reproducibility, and serve as a reference for forthcoming reporting of study results, we present the study protocol for this study herein.Methods:Participants were adults who completed cancer treatment that were recruited from the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre. Consenting and eligible participants received one 1:1 yoga therapy session (ie, 1 participant, 1 Yoga Therapist) and 6 weekly group-based yoga therapy sessions (ie, 2-3 participants, 1 Yoga Therapist). Participants completed assessments 7 times: 3 times prior to the program (ie, −6 weeks, −3 weeks, immediately prior to the 1:1 yoga therapy session), immediately following the 1:1 yoga therapy session, prior to the first group-based yoga therapy session, after the last group-based yoga therapy session, and at a 6-week follow-up. Hierarchical linear modeling will be used to test the average effects of the yoga therapy program across participants.Discussion:This study will explore several novel hypotheses, including whether yoga therapy can improve HRV and/or specific PROs among adults treated for cancer acutely (ie, during a 1:1 yoga therapy session) and/or through repeated exposure (ie, after completing 6 weeks of group-based yoga therapy). Although the findings will require confirmation or refutation in future trials, they may provide initial evidence that YT may benefit adults treated for cancer.Trial registration:ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN64763228. Registered on December 12, 2021. This trial was registered retrospectively. URL of trial registry record: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN64763228

Systematic review of single case design meta‐analyses for school‐age students with autism spectrum disorders: Current trend and future direction

AbstractAlthough numerous meta‐analyses of single‐case design (SCD) research have been published, no systematic review has been conducted to holistically reveal the trends in content focus, and the state‐of‐the‐art practices in conducting SCD meta‐analyses for school‐aged students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study synthesized the intervention/practices and participant characteristics, and identified the trends and limitations in previous SCD meta‐analyses. Systematic review of meta‐analyses can contribute to the summary of current evidence and further identify ways to improve SCD meta‐analyses. We conducted a systematic literature search and identified 30 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that multiple interventions may be employed to improve various outcomes for school‐aged students with ASD. Researchers may use our findings to map out the intervention and targeted outcomes and identify underresearched areas. Meanwhile, findings suggest several measures to improve the quality of future SCD meta‐analysis practices and publication, such as documenting racial/ethnicity information, using a set of potential moderators to conduct heterogenetic analysis, and effects in reducing publication bias. Future research directions are also provided.

A qualitative analysis of stakeholder experiences with Registered Reports Funding Partnerships

Background: Registered Reports (RRs) could be a way to increase the quality of scientific research and literature, such as by reducing publication bias and increasing the rigour of study designs. These potential benefits have led to Registered Report funding partnerships (RRFPs or partnerships for short) between research funders and academic journals who collaborate to encourage researchers to publish RRs. In this study we investigated the research question: “What are the experiences of the stakeholders (authors, reviewers, journal editors, funders) in the various partnership models?”. Our companion paper addresses a related, but separate, research question. Methods: We conducted a thematic analysis of 32 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (funders, editors, authors, reviewers, matchmakers) from six partnerships. Results: Interviewees had highly variable perceptions and experiences, reflecting the complex and nuanced impacts of partnerships. We identified 6 themes: “Importance of communication with authors and reviewers”, “Influence on study design”, “Appropriateness of partners”, “Potential to reduce publication bias”, “Impact on reviewer workload”, and “Insufficient evidence”. Conclusions: This was the first investigation into these novel initiatives. We hope that our findings can benefit and shape current and future partnerships.

A qualitative analysis of stakeholder experiences with Registered Reports Funding Partnerships.

Background: Registered Reports (RRs) could be a way to increase the quality of scientific research and literature, such as by reducing publication bias and increasing the rigour of study designs. These potential benefits have led to Registered Report funding partnerships (RRFPs or partnerships for short) between research funders and academic journals who collaborate to encourage researchers to publish RRs. In this study we investigated the research question: "What are the experiences of the stakeholders (authors, reviewers, journal editors, funders) in the various partnership models?". Our companion paper addresses a related, but separate, research question. Methods: We conducted a thematic analysis of 32 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders (funders, editors, authors, reviewers, matchmakers) from six partnerships. Results: Interviewees had highly variable perceptions and experiences, reflecting the complex and nuanced impacts of partnerships. We identified 6 themes: "Importance of communication with authors and reviewers", "Influence on study design", "Appropriateness of partners", "Potential to reduce publication bias", "Impact on reviewer workload", and "Insufficient evidence". Conclusions: This was the first investigation into these novel initiatives. We hope that our findings can benefit and shape current and future partnerships.