A protocol for a systematic review of non-randomised evaluations of strategies to increase participant retention to randomised controlled trials

This work is part of AE’s PhD which is funded by the University of Aberdeen Elphinstone Scholarship. The Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen receives core funding from the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Governoment Health Directorates. The funder had no role in the protocol development.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Natural Radionuclide Concentrations by γ-Ray Spectrometry in Granitic Rocks of the Sol Hamed Area, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, and Their Radiological Implications

The occurrence of heavy radioactive minerals in construction supplies such as granite has drawn attention to the extraction of heavy radioactive minerals. Granitic rocks were identified to serve an essential economic role in the study area’s surrounding locations. As a result, the current study attempted to detect the activity concentrations of238 U,232 Th, and40 K in the granitic rock samples tested and estimate the radiological dangers associated with these rocks. The obtained data on activity concentrations for238 U (610 ± 1730 Bq kg−1 ),232 Th (110 ± 69 Bq kg−1 ) and40 K (1157 ± 467 Bq kg−1 ) in the granitic samples (GR) were higher than the recommended worldwide average. The radioactive levels found in the samples were caused by radioactive materials being altered and trapped inside granite faults. The exposure to gamma radiation from the granitic rocks were assessed via various radiological parameters, such as radium equivalent content (856 Bq kg−1 ), absorbed dose rate (Dair) in the air (396 nGy/h), and annual effective dose for either outdoor (0.48 mSv y−1 ) or indoor (1.9 mSv y−1 ). Statistical analysis was performed to detect the correlations between radioactive concentrations and radiological parameters. The radioactive effects contributed by the uranium minerals were associated with the granitic rocks. Based on the analysis, the radioactive levels in the examined granitic surpassed the acceptable limits; therefore, they are not safe to use in building and infrastructure applications and may cause adverse health effects. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.This research project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University (KKU) (no. RGP.1/213/42)

Trial Forge Guidance 1 : what is a Study Within A Trial (SWAT)?

Randomised trials are a central component of all evidence-informed health care systems and the evidence coming from them helps to support health care users, health professionals and others to make more informed decisions about treatment. The evidence available to trialists to support decisions on design, conduct and reporting of randomised trials is, however, sparse. Trial Forge is an initiative that aims to increase the evidence base for trial decision-making and in doing so, to improve trial efficiency.One way to fill gaps in evidence is to run Studies Within A Trial, or SWATs. This guidance document provides a brief definition of SWATs, an explanation of why they are important and some practical 'top tips' that come from existing experience of doing SWATs. We hope the guidance will be useful to trialists, methodologists, funders, approvals agencies and others in making clear what a SWAT is, as well as what is involved in doing one

Trial Forge Guidance 2: how to decide if a further Study Within A Trial (SWAT) is needed

The evidence base available to trialists to support trial process decisions—e.g. how best to recruit and retain participants, how to collect data or how to share the results with participants—is thin. One way to fill gaps in evidence is to run Studies Within A Trial, or SWATs. These are self-contained research studies embedded within a host trial that aim to evaluate or explore alternative ways of delivering or organising a particular trial process. SWATs are increasingly being supported by funders and considered by trialists, especially in the UK and Ireland. At some point, increasing SWAT evidence will lead funders and trialists to ask: given the current body of evidence for a SWAT, do we need a further evaluation in another host trial? A framework for answering such a question is needed to avoid SWATs themselves contributing to research waste. This paper presents criteria on when enough evidence is available for SWATs that use randomised allocation to compare different interventions

A systematic review of non-randomised evaluations of strategies to improve participant recruitment to randomised controlled trials : [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Heidi Gardner was supported by a PhD scholarship from the University of Aberdeen’s Development Trust. Katie Gillies was supported by an MRC Methodology Research Fellowship [MR/L01193X/1], and Shaun Treweek was supported by core funding from the University of Aberdeen.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Additional file 1: of A protocol for a systematic review of non-randomised evaluations of strategies to increase participant retention to randomised controlled trials

There are no additional titles or legends to be included in this systematic review protocol. The PRISMA checklist is endorsed and has been uploaded as a table file. (DOCX 18 kb

Natural Radioactivity Assessment and Radiation Hazards of Pegmatite as a Building Material, Hafafit Area, Southeastern Desert, Egypt

Sixty-seven sites of Hafafit pegmatite from the Southeastern Desert of Egypt were investigated radiometrically in the field using an in situ γ-ray spectrometer to determine eU, eTh, and K contents. The obtained results ranged from 0.4 to 6 ppm for eU with a mean value of 2.5 ppm, from 0.2 to 32 ppm for eTh with a mean value of 6.7 ppm, and from 0.7% to 5.4% for K with a mean value of 3.3%. Consequently, the radiological effects from these rocks were estimates by determination of the environmental parameters: gamma activity concentration index Iγ, external hazard index Hex, internal hazard index Hin, external absorbed dose rates in outdoor, and external absorbed dose rates in indoor air. The results obtained in this study showed that values U, Th, and K lie in the range of the acceptable world values. In addition, the calculated radiation hazard parameters (Iγ, Hex, and Hin) have values lower than the world values, while the calculated external absorbed dose rates (Dair) have values higher than the world and Egyptian permissible levels