Publication Bias Tests Research Articles

Risk factors for venous thromboembolism following surgical treatment of fractures: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to determine the risk factors for postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients treated surgically for fractures using a meta-analytic approach. Electronic searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library from inception until February 2022. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were applied to calculate the pooled effect estimate using the random-effects model. Sensitivity, subgroup, and publication bias tests were also performed. Forty-four studies involving 3 239 291 patients and reporting 11 768 VTE cases were selected for the meta-analysis. We found that elderly (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.38-2.15; P < .001), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) ≥ 3 (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.46-2.29; P < .001), blood transfusion (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.14-2.92; P = .013), cardiovascular disease (CVD) (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.22-1.61; P < .001), elevated D-dimer (OR: 4.55; 95% CI: 2.08-9.98; P < .001), diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.19-1.54; P < .001), hypertension (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.09-1.56; P = .003), immobility (OR: 3.45; 95% CI: 2.23-5.32; P < .001), lung disease (LD) (OR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.29-4.47; P = .006), obesity (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.27-1.82; P < .001), peripheral artery disease (PAD) (OR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.21-3.73; P = .008), prior thromboembolic event (PTE) (OR: 5.17; 95% CI: 3.14-8.50; P < .001), and steroid use (OR: 2.37; 95% CI: 1.73-3.24; P < .001) were associated with an increased risk of VTE. Additionally, regional anaesthesia (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.45-0.96; P = .029) was associated with a reduced risk of VTE following surgical treatment of fractures. However, alcohol intake, cancer, current smoking, deep surgical site infection, fusion surgery, heart failure, hypercholesterolemia, liver and kidney disease, sex, open fracture, operative time, preoperative anticoagulant use, rheumatoid arthritis, and stroke were not associated with the risk of VTE. Post-surgical risk factors for VTE include elderly, ASA ≥ 3, blood transfusion, CVD, elevated D-dimer, DM, hypertension, immobility, LD, obesity, PAD, PTE, and steroid use.

Disrupted local functional connectivity in schizophrenia: An updated and extended meta-analysis

Neuroimaging studies have shown that schizophrenia is associated with disruption of resting-state local functional connectivity. However, these findings vary considerably, which hampers our understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of schizophrenia. Here, we performed an updated and extended meta-analysis to identify the most consistent changes of local functional connectivity measured by regional homogeneity (ReHo) in schizophrenia. Specifically, a systematic search of ReHo studies in patients with schizophrenia in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science identified 18 studies (20 datasets), including 652 patients and 596 healthy controls. In addition, we included three whole-brain statistical maps of ReHo differences calculated based on independent datasets (163 patients and 194 controls). A voxel-wise meta-analysis was then conducted to investigate ReHo alterations and their relationship with clinical characteristics using the newly developed seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI) meta-analytic approach. Compared with healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia showed significantly higher ReHo in the bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus, while lower ReHo in the bilateral postcentral gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right middle occipital gyrus. The following sensitivity analyses including jackknife analysis, subgroup analysis, heterogeneity test, and publication bias test demonstrated that our results were robust and highly reliable. Meta-regression analysis revealed that illness duration was negatively correlated with ReHo abnormalities in the right precentral/postcentral gyrus. This comprehensive meta-analysis not only identified consistent and reliably aberrant local functional connectivity in schizophrenia but also helped to further deepen our understanding of its pathophysiology.

Let's decide what would be convincing, conduct randomized trials with rigorous comparison conditions, and report tests of moderation and publication bias in meta-analyses.

We appreciate Jacobson and colleagues' thoughtful commentary on our meta-review of mobile phone-based interventions for mental health. In this response, we address two issues raised: requiring low to moderate heterogeneity (I2<50%) and requiring no evidence of publication bias for evidence to be classified as "convincing." While we agree these represent a high bar, we disagree that these requirements are destined to fail. Other effect sizes reported in the literature, including effect sizes related to mental health interventions and effect sizes related to mobile health (mHealth) interventions (although not their combination) have met requirements for convincing evidence. Jacobson and colleagues argue that features of the mHealth interventions may produce heterogeneity when meta-analyses combine across intervention types. However, several of the effect sizes we reviewed were based on relatively homogeneous portions of the literature and many of the effect sizes we reviewed showed low to moderate heterogeneity. Ideally, future meta-analyses will examine intervention features as moderators of treatment effects. While an absence of publication bias may be a stringent criterion, all but two of the 34 effect sizes we reviewed did not report formal tests of publication bias. Clearly there is a need to reach consensus on how the strength of evidence for mHealth interventions can be evaluated. From our perspective, convincing evidence will ultimately come from large-scale randomized controlled trials employing rigorous comparison conditions along with meta-analyses that do not combine across control condition types, that examine theoretically important moderators, and report formal tests of publication bias. It is this kind of evidence that the public, clinicians, and the scientific community may need to encourage adoptions of mHealth interventions for mental health treatment and prevention.

Health effects of exposure to sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and carbon monoxide between 1980 and 2019: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The burden of disease attributed to the indoor exposure to sulfur dioxide (SO2 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), ozone (O3 ), and carbon monoxide (CO) is not clear, and the quantitative concentration-response relationship is a prerequisite. This is a systematic review to summarize the quantitative concentration-response relationships by screening and analyzing the polled effects of population-based epidemiological studies. After collecting literature published between 1980 and 2019, a total of 19 health outcomes in 101 studies with 182 health risk estimates were recruited. By meta-analysis, the leave-one-out sensitivity analysis and Egger's test for publication bias, the robust and reliable effects were found for SO2 (per 10μg/m3 ) with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) (pooled relative risks [RRs] 1.016, 95% CI: 1.012-1.021) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (RR 1.012, 95%CI: 007-1.018), respectively. NO2 (per 10μg/m3 ) had the pooled RRs for childhood asthma, preterm birth, lung cancer, diabetes, and COPD by 1.134 (1.084-1.186), 1.079 (1.007-1.157), 1.055 (1.010-1.101), 1.019 (1.009-1.029), and 1.016 (1.012-1.120), respectively. CO (per 1mg/m3 ) was significantly associated with Parkinson's disease (RR 1.574, 95% CI: 1.069-2.317) and CVD (RR 1.024, 95% CI: 1.011-1.038). No robust effects were observed for O3 . This study provided evidence and basis for further estimation of the health burden attributable to the four gaseous pollutants.

The Relationshiıp Between Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Study from the Perspective of Healthcare Workers in Turkey

Bu kapsamlı meta analiz çalışması, sağlık sektörü çalışanlarının iş tatmini ve örgütsel bağlılık arasındaki ilişkileri baz alarak hazırlanan yurtiçi yayınların özetini sunmaktadır. Çalışma için veriler Ocak 2022 tarihinde toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın evrenini Ulusal Tez Merkezi üzerinde taranan yüksek lisans ve doktora tezleri, DergiPark Akademik ile TR Dizin tarafından endekslenmiş makaleler oluşturmaktadır. Taramalar ve dahil etme kriterleri neticesinde toplam 46 çalışmanın analiz için uygun olduğuna karar verilmiştir. Kapsamlı meta analiz programı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen analizler sonucunda, sağlık sektörü çalışanlarının iş tatmini ve örgüsel bağlılıkları arasındaki randomize etki büyüklüğünün genel z ve p testi değerlerinin anlamlı, pozitif ve orta düzeyde olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Araştırma kapsamı içerisinde incelenen 2 adet çalışmaya ait güven aralıklarının alt limitlerinin diğer çalışmalara göre daha düşük olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Uygun etki büyüklüğü modeline karar verme aşamasında önce gerekli heterojenite testleri yapılmış, Cohrane Q testinin ki kare test sonucu ve Higgins’in I2 test istatistikleri neticesinde araştırma verilerinin homojen dağılmadığı, orman grafiği sonuçları da göz önünde bulundurularak tespit edilmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında gerçekleştirilen yayın yanlılığı testleri, çalışmada yayın yanlılığı olmadığına ve elde edilen sonuçların güvenilir olduğuna işaret etmektedir. Elde edilen bulguların ileride yapılacak çalışmalara yol gösterici olduğu ve sağlık yöneticileri ile politika yapıcılar için kanıta dayalı bilgiler sunacağı düşünülmektedir.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors combined with traditional Chinese medicine for premature ejaculation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is still a tough problem in drug treatment. Many clinical trials have proven that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a significant effect in the treatment of PE. This article aims to provide the latest evidence for the efficacy and safety of TCM combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of PE. We looked for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP Database, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library until June 30, 2022. STATA 15.1 software was used to analyze all data for this article. The quality of the included articles was evaluated using the Cochrane Reviewer's Handbook 5.3. Finally, we selected 16 high-quality RCTs in our meta-analysis, which containing 889 patients. Meta-analysis suggested that, compared with SSRIs alone, combination of TCM with SSRIs increased significantly intravaginal ejaculation latencv time and the scores of ejaculation control ability, sexual life satisfaction, PE-related distress, and communication difficulties between partners related to PE. Also, there was no significant difference in adverse effects between the two groups. In addition, the results of publication bias test showed that no significant bias occurred. The combined use of TCM and SSRIs has significant effect in the treatment of PE compared with SSRIs monotherapy and was generally well tolerated. Due to the small sample size, multicenter and large sample RCT is still needed in the future to further confirm the effectiveness and safety of TCM combined with SSRIs in the treatment of PE.

Interventions to mitigate vaping misinformation: protocol for a scoping review

BackgroundThe impact of misinformation about vapes’ relative harms compared with smoking may lead to increased tobacco-related burden of disease. To date, no systematic efforts have been made to chart interventions that mitigate vaping-related misinformation. We plan to conduct a scoping review that seeks to fill gaps in the current knowledge of interventions that mitigate vaping-related misinformation.MethodsA scoping review focusing on interventions that mitigate vaping-related misinformation will be conducted. We will search (no date restrictions) MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, Global Health, ERIC, and Sociological s. Gray literature will be identified using Disaster Lit, Google Scholar, Open Science Framework, governmental websites, and preprint servers (e.g., EuropePMC, PsyArXiv, MedRxiv, JMIR Preprints). Study selection will conform to Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers’ Manual 2020 Methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews. Only English language, original studies will be considered for inclusion. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. A narrative summary of findings will be conducted. Data analysis will involve quantitative (e.g., frequencies) and qualitative (e.g., content and thematic analysis) methods. Where possible, a single effect size of exposure to the mitigation of vaping-related misinformation will be calculated per sample.Similarly, where possible, each study will be coded for moderating characteristics to find and account for systematic differences in the size of the effect or outcome that is being analyzed. Quality will be appraised with the study quality assessment tools utilized by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Findings will be subjected to several different publication bias tests: Egger’s regression test, Begg and Mazumdar’s ran correlation test, and generation of a funnel plot with effect sizes plotted against a corresponding standard error.DiscussionOriginal research is urgently needed to design interventions to mitigate vaping-related misinformation. The planned scoping review will help to address this gap.Systematic review registrationOpen Science Framework osf/io/hy3tk.

Prognostic role of the systemic immune-inflammation index in biliary tract cancers: a meta-analysis of 3,515 patients

BackgroundThe systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is an inflammatory parameter calculated as platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood. In recent years, the prognostic role of the SII in patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC) has been gradually investigated. However, the results were controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to illustrate the prognostic value of the SII in BTC.MethodsThe electronic databases of PubMed, the Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were thoroughly retrieved up to April 15, 2022. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the prognostic value of the SII for clinical outcomes. The association between the SII and overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS)/progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated.ResultsThirteen studies involving 3515 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that an elevated SII was significantly associated with poor OS (HR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.47–2.14; p<0.001) and RFS/PFS (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.38–1.99; p<0.001) in patients with BTC. Subgroup analysis stratified by country, sample size, and cutoff value showed similar results. The sensitivity analysis and publication bias test confirmed the reliability of our results.ConclusionsAn elevated pretreatment SII was significantly associated with worse OS and RFS/PFS in patients with BTC. Our results suggest that the SII is a valuable and cost-effective prognostic parameter for the treatment of patients with BTC.

Spontaneous brain activity abnormalities in migraine: A meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging.

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that migraine is accompanied by spontaneous brain activity alterations in specific regions. However, these findings are inconsistent, thus hindering our understanding of the potential neuropathology. Hence, we performed a quantitative whole-brain meta-analysis of relevant resting-state functional imaging studies to identify brain regions consistently involved in migraine. A systematic search of studies that investigated the differences in spontaneous brain activity patterns between migraineurs and healthy controls up to April 2022 was conducted. We then performed a whole-brain voxel-wise meta-analysis using the anisotropic effect size version of seed-based d mapping software. Complementary analyses including jackknife sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity test, publication bias test, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression analysis were conducted as well. In total, 24 studies that reported 31 datasets were finally eligible for our meta-analysis, including 748 patients and 690 controls. In contrast to healthy controls, migraineurs demonstrated consistent and robust decreased spontaneous brain activity in the angular gyrus, visual cortex, and cerebellum, while increased activity in the caudate, thalamus, pons,and prefrontal cortex. Results were robust and highly replicable in the following jackknife sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis. Meta-regression analyses revealed that a higher visual analog scale score in the patient sample was associated with increased spontaneous brain activity in the left thalamus. These findings provided not only a comprehensive overview of spontaneous brain activity patterns impairments, but also useful insights into the pathophysiology of dysfunction in migraine.

Association between Maternal Anxiety and Children's Problem Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Although numerous studies have found that maternal anxiety is a risk factor for the development of children’s problem behaviors, and there is a possible role of genes in the association between the two. And anxious mothers caring for their children can also affect the development of children’s problem behaviors. However, there is also considerable evidence from studies that refute this view. This study used a meta-analysis to explore the relationship between maternal anxiety and preschool children’s problem behaviors. Through literature retrieval and selection, in terms of the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis, 88 independent effect sizes (34 studies, 295,032 participants) were picked out as meta-analysis units. The test for heterogeneity illustrated that there was significant heterogeneity in 88 independent effect sizes, while the random effects model was an appropriate model for the subsequent meta-analysis. The publication bias test indicated that the impact of publication bias was modest but the major findings remained valid. In addition, in terms of the tentative review analysis and research hypotheses, the random effects model was used as a meta-analysis model. The research revealed that maternal anxiety was significantly positively correlated with preschool children’s internalizing problem behaviors, externalizing problem behaviors, and overall problem behaviors. The moderating effect analysis showed that region and gender of the child affected the relationship between maternal anxiety and children’s internalizing problem behaviors and externalizing problem behaviors, and region, child’s age and gender, mother’s age, and education level affected maternal anxiety and preschool children’s problems behavioral relationship. Hence, these results affirmed the role of maternal anxiety and emphasized the need to pay attention to the demographic characteristics and cultural background of the subjects during the research process and consider the generalizability of the conclusions under different circumstances.

A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis of Predictors of Mortality in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) can range from rapidly progressive disease with high mortality to indolent disease with minimal morbidity. This systematic review and metaanalysis describe immunological, clinical, and radiographical predictors of mortality in IIM-ILD. MEDLINE and Embase database searches were completed on October 18, 2021, to identify articles providing survival data according to baseline characteristics in patients with concurrent IIM and ILD. Prognostic factors common to more than 5 papers were included in the metaanalysis using a random-effects model to report odds ratios (ORs) for binary variables and Hedges g for continuous variables. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score and the Egger test for publication bias. From 4433 articles, 62 papers were suitable for inclusion; among these studies, 38 different variables were considered. The OR for risk of death regarding the presence of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibodies was 6.20 (95% CI 3.58-10.71), and anti-tRNA synthetase antibodies were found to be protective (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.14-0.41). Neither antinuclear antibodies, anti-52-kDa Ro antigen antibodies, nor SSA significantly altered mortality, nor was MDA5 titer predictive. Examples of prognostic factors that are significantly associated with mortality in this study include the following: age; male sex; acute/subacute onset; clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis; dyspnea; ulceration; fever; raised C-reactive protein, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, alveolar to arterial O2 (A-aO2) gradient, ground-glass opacity on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and overall HRCT score; and reduced albumin, lymphocytes, ratio of partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood to fraction of inspired oxygen (PF ratio), percentage predicted transfer factor for carbon monoxide, and percentage predicted forced vital capacity. Baseline surfactant protein-D and Krebs von den Lungen-6 levels were not predictors of mortality. Many mortality risk factors were identified, though heterogeneity was high, with a low quality of evidence and a risk of publication bias. Studies regarding anti-MDA5 antibody-positive disease and and those from East Asia predominate, which could mask risk factors relevant to other IIM subgroups or populations.

조기 스포츠 전문화 정도 및 청소년 부상 리스크의 메타분석

Objective To explore the correlation between the degree of early specialization of adolescents and sports injury of adolescents through meta-analysis, in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for early training of adolescents. Methods the degree of early sports specialization and injury risk of adolescents in Cochrane Library, PubMed, ScienceDirect, web of science databases were searched by computer. The search period was from the beginning of each database to April 1, 2022. The literature was screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the included literature was evaluated by methodological quality, meta-analysis and publication bias test. Results A total of 15 randomized controlled trials and 13 medium quality studies were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that the higher the risk of injury to adolescents with high-intensity early exercise special training compared with low-intensity [or=1.78, 95% CI(1.58, 1.98), P.001], and the higher the risk of injury to adolescents with medium-intensity early exercise special training compared with low-intensity [or=1.26, 95% CI(1.10, 1.42), P.001], Compared with medium intensity, high-intensity early sports special training has a greater risk of injury to adolescents [or=1.35, 95% CI(1.05, 1.65), P.001]. Conclusion Compared with diversified sports, the risk of sports injury in specialized sports (focusing on a few or one sports) is significantly increased, and the injury rate will increase with the improvement of specialized degree. In order to avoid injury, young athletes should try to participate in diversified sports.

Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSA/OSAHS) with Coronary Atherosclerosis Risk: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) is the most common type of sleep disorders. This study aimed to systematically review the correlation between OSA and the risk of coronary atherosclerosis. Methods Literature on case-control studies on the relationship between coronary heart disease (CHD) and sleep apnea syndrome was collected and collated, and the incidence of SAS in CHD and non-CHD patients was observed and compared. RevMan 5.2 analysis software and Stata12SE analysis software were used for heterogeneity test and combination analysis of the included studies. The results were expressed with odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, and publication bias and sensitivity tests were evaluated. Results There was a statistical difference in OSA associated with the risk of coronary atherosclerosis between the experimental group and the control group [OR = 1.38, 95% CI (1.18, 1.62), P < 0.0001, I2 = 0%, Z = 3.93]. OSA associated with vascular endothelial injury [OR = 3.59, 95% CI (3.00, 4.29), P < 0.00001, I2 = 90%, Z = 14.09]. OSA is associated with vascular oxidation emergency [OR = 2.19, 95% CI (2.05, 2.33), P < 0.00001, I2 = 94%, Z = 23.40]; OSA is associated with chronic vascular inflammation [OR = 1.70, 95% CI (1.39, 2.07), P < 0.00001, I2 = 16%, Z = 5.18]. Conclusion The incidence of obstructive sleep apnea in patients with CHD was higher than that in non-CHD patients, and obstructive sleep apnea was a risk factor for CHD.

Financial development and income inequality: A meta‐analysis

AbstractThe voluminous empirical research on the effect of financial development on income inequality has yielded mixed results. In this paper, we collect 2127 estimates reported in 116 published studies that investigate the effect of financial development on income inequality. Although our initial tests for publication bias (which do not account for moderator variables) show that the current literature does not suffer from publication selectivity, once we control for a set of moderator variables, we find evidence of mild publication bias in favor of positive estimates (i.e., the current literature favors the publication of studies that find that financial development increases income inequality). In addition, our results suggest that the overall effect of financial development on income inequality is on average zero, but that its sign and magnitude depend systematically on various study characteristics. The characteristics of data and estimation methods, whether endogeneity is taken into account, the different measures of financial development and the inclusion of financial openness, inflation and income variables in the regressions matter significantly for the effect of financial development on inequality.

Prevalence and predictors of anemia among pregnant women in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BackgroundIn Ethiopia limited information is available regarding the prevalence and predictors of anemia in pregnancy. This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated the pooled prevalence of anemia among pregnant women in Ethiopia and also identified its predictors.Materials and methodsThe published primary studies were searched in the following electronic databases; PubMed/Medline, Google scholars, AJOL, and EMBASE. All primary studies published from 01/01/2010 to 30/05/2020 and written in English language were included without restriction on study setting and design. Critical appraisal of all available articles was done and extracted data was analyzed using STATA software version 14. The pooled prevalence of anemia was presented using a forest plot. The I2 statistical test for heterogeneity, and the Egger’s and Begg’s tests for publication bias were used. The relative risk was used to assess the association of predictor variables with anemia.ResultAfter screening 274 articles, sixty studies were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 26.4(95% CI: 23.1, 29.6). Sub-group analysis showed higher pooled prevalence from community-based studies than institutional-based studies. Factors that were protective against maternal anemia included urban residence, formal education and smaller family size. Short birth interval and not having antenatal care (ANC) are associated with a higher risk of maternal anemia. Women with low dietary diversity [RR: 2.61(95% CI, 1.85, 3.68)], mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) less than 23 cm [RR: 2.35(95% CI, 1.53, 3.68)] and those not taking iron-folic acid [RR: 1.53(95% CI: 1.30, 1.81)] also had a higher risk of anemia.ConclusionAlmost one in four pregnant women in Ethiopia had anemia. Being literate, living in urban areas with small family size and adequate birth spacing, as well as good dietary diversity are associated with a lower risk of anemia in pregnancy.Registration number(ID: CRD42020211054).

Meta-analytic evidence that mindfulness training alters resting state default mode network connectivity

This meta-analysis sought to expand upon neurobiological models of mindfulness through investigation of inherent brain network connectivity outcomes, indexed via resting state functional connectivity (rsFC). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of rsFC as an outcome of mindfulness training (MT) relative to control, with the hypothesis that MT would increase cross-network connectivity between nodes of the Default Mode Network (DMN), Salience Network (SN), and Frontoparietal Control Network (FPCN) as a mechanism of internally-oriented attentional control. Texts were identified from the databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, ERIC, PSYCINFO, ProQuest, Scopus, and Web of Sciences; and were screened for inclusion based on experimental/quasi-experimental trial design and use of mindfulness-based training interventions. RsFC effects were extracted from twelve studies (mindfulness n = 226; control n = 204). Voxel-based meta-analysis revealed significantly greater rsFC (MT > control) between the left middle cingulate (Hedge’s g = .234, p = 0.0288, I2 = 15.87), located within the SN, and the posterior cingulate cortex, a focal hub of the DMN. Egger’s test for publication bias was nonsignificant, bias = 2.17, p = 0.162. In support of our hypothesis, results suggest that MT targets internetwork (SN-DMN) connectivity implicated in the flexible control of internally-oriented attention.

The effect of gestational age, low birth weight and parity on birth asphyxia among neonates in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis: 2021

BackgroundDespite simple and proven cost-effective measures were available to prevent birth asphyxia; studies suggested that there has been limited progress in preventing birth asphyxia even in healthy full-term neonates. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Inconsistency of magnitude of birth asphyxia and its association gestational age, Low birth Weight and Parity among different studies has been observed through time.ObjectiveThis study aimed to estimate the Pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia and its association with gestational age, Low birth Weight and Parity among Neonates in Sub-Saharan Africa.MethodPubMed, Cochrane library and Google scholar databases were searched for relevant literatures. In addition, reference lists of included studies were retrieved to obtain birth asphyxia related articles. Appropriate search term was established and used to retrieve studies from databases. Searching was limited to cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies conducted in Sub-Saharan africa and published in English language. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal of studies. Heterogeneity across the included studies was evaluated by using the inconsistency index (I2) test. Funnel plot and the Egger’s regression test were used to test publication bias. A weighted inverse variance random effects- model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of birth asphyxia among neonates in Sub-Saharan Africa. STATA™ version 11softwarewasused to conduct the meta-analysis.ResultA total of 40 studies with 176,334 study participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa was 17.28% (95% CI; (15.5, 19.04). low birth weight (AOR = 2.58(95% CI: 1.36, 4.88)), primigravida (AOR = 1.15 (95% CI: 0.84, 1.46) andMeconium-stained amniotic fluid (AOR = 6(95% CI: 3.69, 9.74)) werevariables significantly associated with the pooled prevalence of birth asphyxia.ConclusionThe pooled magnitude of birth asphyxia was found to be high in Sub-Saharan Africa. Low birthweight and Meconium-stained amniotic fluid were variables significantly associated with birth asphyxia in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, it is better to develop early detection and management strategies for the affected neonates with low birth weight and born from mothers intrapartum meconium stained amniotic fluid.

Perceived Stigma and Its Association with Gender and Disclosure Status among People Living with HIV/AIDS and Attending Antiretroviral Therapy Clinics in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background The psychological experience of being rejected, blamed, and ashamed in relation to a recognized medical disease is known as perceived stigma. It has a close connection to psychological health and therapy afterward. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been any national systematic review and meta-analysis research on this topic. Therefore, we conducted this analysis to thoroughly evaluate the pooled prevalence of perceived stigma among HIV/AIDS patients in Ethiopia who are receiving antiretroviral therapy and its relationship to gender differences and disclosure status. Method We investigated the eight databases for quantitative Ethiopian studies published in English from 2008 to 2021 that looked at the relationship between felt stigma, gender, and disclosure status. To meet the statistical requirements of a systematic review and meta-analysis analysis, the random effect model for pooled prevalence of perceived stigma, log odds ratio for associated variables, I-squared statistics for heterogeneity, and Egger's test for publication bias were implemented. The Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument's standard data extraction method was performed to collect the necessary data, and STATA-14 statistical software was used for analysis. Result A total of 8 cross-sectional Ethiopian studies with 3,857 participants were integrated into this systematic review and meta-analysis study. The pooled prevalence of perceived stigma among people living with HIV/AIDS and attending antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia was OR = 50.36% (95% CI: (40.71, 60.00), I2 = 97.3%, p=0.000 ). The pooled odds ratio of being male was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.53, 1.68, I2 = 86.7%, p=0.000) and disclosure status was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.09, 7.89, I2 = 97.9%, p=0.000). Conclusion In this study, half of the participants encountered stigma. There was no statistically significant correlation between gender difference, disclosure status, and the perception of stigma. To address the mental and psychological issues of people living with HIV/AIDS, it is necessary to look into other factors that influence perceived stigma. It is recommended to screen for and treat perceived stigma with prompt examination and follow-up.

Ethnic differences between South Asians and white Caucasians in cardiovascular disease-related mortality in developed countries: a systematic literature review protocol

IntroductionCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, with significantly worse CVD outcomes in ethnic minorities in developed countries, especially South Asians, compared with the prevailing white ethnic...

Meta-analysis of case-control studies on obesity risk factors in children aged 3-6 years in China

To explore the risk factors of obesity in children aged 3-6 years in China. Using search terms, preschooler, obesity, risk factors/influence factors, case-control studies, and language limited to Chinese and English, search databases(CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Web of science, Embase, The Cochrane library). To collect domestic and foreign literature on the case-control study design of obesity risk factors in preschool children in China published from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2021. Stata 14.0 software was used for Meta-analysis of the included literature, and publication bias test and sensitivity analysis were performed. A total of 11 770 people were included in 12 papers, including 4092 in the case group and 7678 in the control group. Meta analysis shows: birth weight ≥4000 g OR=2.176, 95% CI 1.507-3.143; strong appetite OR=3.860, 95%CI 2.991-4.980; fast eating OR=2.836, 95%CI 2.552-3.152; mother overweight and obesity OR=1.903, 95%CI 1.213-2.986; mother&apos;s low level of education OR=1.744, 95%CI 1.100-2.766; Physical inactivity OR=1.488, 95%CI 1.267-1.748. Birth weight ≥ 4000 g, fast eating speed, strong appetite, mother overweight and obesity, mother&apos;s low level of education, and physical inactivity are risk factors for obesity in children aged 3-6 years.