25 research outputs found

    A systematic review of outcome and outcome-measure reporting in randomised trials evaluating surgical interventions for anterior-compartment vaginal prolapse: a call to action to develop a core outcome set

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    INTRODUCTION: We assessed outcome and outcome-measure reporting in randomised controlled trials evaluating surgical interventions for anterior-compartment vaginal prolapse and explored the relationships between outcome reporting quality with journal impact factor, year of publication, and methodological quality. METHODS: We searched the bibliographical databases from inception to October 2017. Two researchers independently selected studies and assessed study characteristics, methodological quality (Jadad criteria; range 1-5), and outcome reporting quality Management of Otitis Media with Effusion in Cleft Palate (MOMENT) criteria; range 1-6], and extracted relevant data. We used a multivariate linear regression to assess associations between outcome reporting quality and other variables. RESULTS: Eighty publications reporting data from 10,924 participants were included. Seventeen different surgical interventions were evaluated. One hundred different outcomes and 112 outcome measures were reported. Outcomes were inconsistently reported across trials; for example, 43 trials reported anatomical treatment success rates (12 outcome measures), 25 trials reported quality of life (15 outcome measures) and eight trials reported postoperative pain (seven outcome measures). Multivariate linear regression demonstrated a relationship between outcome reporting quality with methodological quality (β = 0.412; P = 0.018). No relationship was demonstrated between outcome reporting quality with impact factor (β = 0.078; P = 0.306), year of publication (β = 0.149; P = 0.295), study size (β = 0.008; P = 0.961) and commercial funding (β = -0.013; P = 0.918). CONCLUSIONS: Anterior-compartment vaginal prolapse trials report many different outcomes and outcome measures and often neglect to report important safety outcomes. Developing, disseminating and implementing a core outcome set will help address these issues

    BRIDGING TWO WORLDS: SOCIAL MIXING IN A MIXED-INCOME HOUSING PRECINCT

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    Bachelor'sBachelor of Social Sciences (Honours

    Effects of Antisite Defects on Li Diffusion in LiFePO<sub>4</sub> Revealed by Li Isotope Exchange

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    Li–Fe antisite defects are commonly found in LiFePO<sub>4</sub> particles and can impede or block Li diffusion in the single-file Li diffusion channels. However, due to their low concentration (∼1%), the effect of antisite defects on Li diffusion has only been systematically investigated by theoretical approaches. In this work, the exchange between Li in solid LiFePO<sub>4</sub> (92.5% enriched with <sup>6</sup>Li) and Li in the liquid Li electrolyte solution (containing natural abundance Li, 7.6% <sup>6</sup>Li and 92.4% <sup>7</sup>Li) was measured as a function of time by both ex situ and in situ solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. The experimental data reveal that the time dependence of the isotope exchange cannot be modeled by a simple single-file diffusion process and that defects must play a role in the mobility of ions in the LiFePO<sub>4</sub> particles. By performing kinetic Monte Carlo simulations that explicitly consider antisite defects, which allow Li to cross over between adjacent channels, we show that the observed tracer exchange behavior can be explained by the presence of channels with paired Li–Fe antisite defects. The simulations suggest that Li diffusion across the antisite is slow (10<sup>–16</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> s<sup>–1</sup>) and that the presence of antisite defects is widespread in the LiFePO<sub>4</sub> particles we examined, where ∼80% channels are affected by such defects

    Preoperative Quality of Life and Mental Health Can Predict Postoperative Outcomes and Quality of Life after Colorectal Cancer Surgery

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    Background and Objectives: It remains unclear which domains of preoperative health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and mental health are predictive of postoperative clinical and patient-reported outcomes in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort of 78 CRC patients undergoing elective curative surgery was recruited. The EORTC QLQ-C30 and HADS questionnaires were administered preoperatively and one month after surgery. Results: Preoperative cognitive functioning scores (95% CI 0.131–1.158, p = 0.015) and low anterior resection (95% CI 14.861–63.260, p = 0.002) independently predicted poorer 1-month postoperative global QOL. When postoperative complications were represented using the comprehensive complication index (CCI), poorer preoperative physical function scores were associated with higher CCI scores (B = −0.277, p = 0.014). Preoperative social function score (OR = 0.925, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.99; p = 0.019) was an independent predictor for 30-day readmission, while physical functioning score (OR = −0.620, 95% CI −1.073–−0.167, p = 0.008) was inversely related to the length of hospitalization. The overall regressions for 1-month postoperative global QOL (R2: 0.546, F: 1.961, p = 0.023) and 30-day readmission (R2: 0.322, χ2: 13.129, p Conclusions: Various QLQ-C30 domains were found to be predictive of postoperative outcomes, including complications, readmission, and length of hospitalization. Preoperative cognitive dysfunction and low AR were independent predictors of poorer postoperative global QOL. Future research should seek to examine the efficacy of targeting specific baseline QOL domains in improving clinical as well as patient-reported outcomes after CRC surgery
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