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Dieser Artikel möchte für die wachsende Bedeutung von systematischen Übersichtsarbeiten in den Human- und Sozialwissenschaften und die diversen Möglichkeiten der Unterstützung solcher Studien von bibliothekarischer Seite sensibilisieren. Er schildert die Entwicklung systematischer Übersichtsarbeiten in den letzten 10 Jahren, analysiert, welche Rollen dabei Fachreferent*innen bzw. Information Specialists zufallen können und gibt Empfehlungen, welchen konkreten Beitrag die Berufsgruppe der wissenschaftlichen Bibliothekar*innen für solche Forschungsprojekte leisten kann. This article aims to raise awareness of the growing importance of systematic reviews in the human and social sciences and the various ways in which libraries can support such studies. It describes the development of Systematic Reviews over the last 10 years, analyzes which roles can be played by subject librarians and information specialists and gives recommendations on the concrete contribution that the professional group of academic librarians can make to such research projects.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a promising treatment modality for Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Several targets and stimulation parameters have been investigated, and while previous meta-analyses have suggested that rTMS is efficacious, these have pooled different stimulation parameters and targets, and the relative efficacy of each is unknown. Methods: We therefore performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO and retaining RCTs with at least 5 individuals per arm and clinician-rated PTSD symptoms (PROSPERO CRD42019134984). We adhered to PRISMA guidelines, and 2 independent reviewers screened studies for eligibility and extracted the primary outcome of clinician-rated PTSD symptoms. Dropouts were extracted as a proxy for acceptability. Random effects pairwise meta-analyses and a network meta-analysis were performed. Results: We synthesize data from 10 RCTs with a total of 421 participants. Two rTMS interventions targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) improved PTSD symptoms relative to sham: low-frequency stimulation (SMD = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.22 to 1.18) and high-frequency stimulation (SMD = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.11 to 1.31). Medial PFC dTMS, right DLPFC intermittent theta-burst stimulation, and left DLPFC high-frequency stimulation did not separate from sham. Dropouts as a proxy for acceptability revealed no differences between any of the active conditions or sham nor did any of the active conditions differ from each other. Conclusion: The current literature does not support efficacy differences between interventions; however, protocols stimulating the right DLPFC appear superior to sham. It is unclear whether this reflects heterogeneity in pathology requiring a personalized medicine approach or nonspecific mechanisms of rTMS.

Objective: We investigated the comparative efficacy and tolerability of augmentation strategies for bipolar depression. Data Sources: We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of 8 electronic databases for double-blind, randomized controlled trials of adjunctive pharmacotherapies for acute bipolar depression. Data Extraction and Synthesis: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and applied the Cochrane risk of bias tool for study quality appraisal. Two reviewers independently abstracted data. We resolved all discrepancies by consensus. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were response and completion of treatment. We estimated summary rate ratios (RRs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) relative to placebo controls using frequentist random-effects network meta-analysis. Results: We identified 69 trials meeting eligibility criteria (8,007 participants, 42.8 years, 58.0% female). Adjunctive racemic intravenous ketamine, coenzyme Q10, pramipexole, fluoxetine, and lamotrigine were more effective than placebo. Summary RRs for response ranged between 1.51 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 2.06) for fluoxetine and 12.49 (95% CI, 3.06 to 50.93) for racemic intravenous ketamine. For completion of treatment, risperidone appeared less tolerable than placebo (RR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.94), while fluoxetine seemed more tolerable than placebo (RR = 1.13; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.24). None of the investigated agents were associated with increased treatment-emergent mood switches. Conclusions and Relevance: The evidence for augmentation strategies in bipolar depression is limited to a handful of agents. Fluoxetine appeared to have the most consistent evidence base for both efficacy and tolerability. There remains a need for additional research exploring novel treatment strategies for bipolar depression, particularly head-to-head studies.

Evidence about the influence of different business models (BMs) on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is scarce and contradictory. In this paper, a meta-analytical study of the ...

Trotz der gesellschaftlichen und okonomischen Bedeutung, die Zeitschriften in modernen, differenzierten und individualisierten Gesellschaften zukommt, hat sich bisher in der Kommunikationswissenschaft keine befriedigende Definition und Typologie dieser Mediengattung durchsetzen konnen. Die Definitionen verorten Zeitschriften meist im Bereich der Presse, ohne die Spezifika dieser Gattung deutlich zu machen. Die Typologien sind nicht trennscharf und beruhen auf rein konzeptionellen Uberlegungen. Der vorliegende Beitrag begegnet diesem Mangel, indem er erstens eine Definition entwickelt, die die spezifischen Leistungen von Zeitschriften im differenzierten Mediensystem sowie die veranderten Medienstrukturen berucksichtigt. Zeitschriften dienen demzufolge der Bereitstellung und dem Austausch uber Themen von spezifischem Interesse und erfullen die Funktion der Selbstorganisation gesellschaftlicher Akteure und sozialer Gruppen. Zweitens werden mit einem clusteranalytischen Verfahren erstmals empirisch Zeitschriftentypen entwickelt. Der Beitrag bietet damit eine trennscharfe Definition und eine Typologie, die fur Grundlagenwerke oder Einfuhrungsbucher des Fachs genutzt werden konnen. Zudem wird eine Grundlage fur die synchrone und diachrone Vergleichbarkeit zukunftiger theoretisch-konzeptioneller und empirischer Beitrage innerhalb der Zeitschriften- und der Mediensystemforschung geschaffen.

Zusammenfassung. Meta-Analysen haben sich als Methodik zur Zusammenfassung von Studienergebnissen etabliert und sind ein wichtiges Instrument für Wissenschaftler, aber auch für politische und soziale Entscheidungsträger. Jedoch können die Schätzungen einer Meta-Analyse verzerrt sein, wenn nicht für die methodische Qualität der eingehenden Primärstudien kontrolliert wird. Die Erfassung der Primärstudienqualität und die Bereitstellung entsprechender Instrumente sollte dementsprechend essentieller Bestandteil jeder wissenschaftlichen Disziplin sein, die sich auf Meta-Analysen zur quantitativen Integration von Studienergebnissen stützt. Die vorliegende Übersichtsarbeit bietet daher einen Überblick ob und welche Qualitätskriterien in der Psychologie herangezogen werden. Insgesamt 225 Meta-Analysen, die in den letzten 10 Jahren im Psychological Bulletin veröffentlicht wurden, gingen in die Analyse ein. Nur etwa 18 % dieser Studien berücksichtigen explizit die Qualität der eingehenden Primärstudien. Zudem weisen die Strategie der Qualitätsberücksichtigung, wie auch die verwendeten Instrumente, bzw. die entwickelten Items eine ausgeprägte Heterogenität zwischen den Studien auf. Diese Unterschiede, die Vor- und Nachteile der spezifischen Vorgehensweisen als auch die praktischen Implikationen, die sich daraus ergeben werden anschließend diskutiert. Eine englische Übersetzung als Rohfassung dieses Artikels finden Sie als Elektronisches Supplement 1.

Zusammenfassung. Paneldaten sind für die Untersuchung kausaler Zusammenhänge und die Beantwortung längsschnittlicher Fragestellungen unverzichtbar. Es ist allerdings umstritten, welchen Effekt die wiederholte Befragung von Panelteilnehmern auf die Qualität von Paneldaten hat. Der zu erwartende Lerneffekt der Teilnehmer bei wiederholter Teilnahme wird als Panelkonditionierung bezeichnet und kann sowohl positive als auch negative Folgen für die Validität der Paneldaten aufweisen. Insbesondere bei sensitiven Items werden Auswirkungen auf die soziale Erwünschtheit der gemachten Angaben erwartet. Die verfügbare Evidenz zu Konditionierungseffekten bei sensitiven Fragen legt unterschiedliche Effekte je nach Art der Frage nahe und wurde bisher lediglich in Form narrativer Reviews aufgearbeitet. In der vorliegenden Meta-Analyse werden anhand der verfügbaren experimentellen Evidenz (154 Effektstärken aus 19 Berichten) Konditionierungseffekte in Abhängigkeit von der Art der Frage, sowie der Häufigkeit und der Abstände zwischen den Erhebungen (Dosiseffekte) untersucht. Standardisierte Mittelwertunterschiede zwischen wiederholt teilnehmenden und erstmalig teilnehmenden Probanden werden mittels Mehrebenen-Meta-Regressionen analysiert. Dabei zeigen sich nur geringe Effekte vorheriger Befragungen auf das Antwortverhalten in Folgewellen. Nach aktuellem Stand kann daher davon ausgegangen werden, dass die Qualität von Paneldaten nicht in relevantem Maße von Konditionierungseffekten beeinflusst wird. Grenzen der vorliegenden Meta-Analyse und relevante Forschungslücken werden diskutiert. Eine englische Übersetzung als Rohfassung dieses Artikels finden Sie als Elektronisches Supplement 1. ESM1 .

RÉSUMÉLes aînés sont souvent perçus comme des témoins peu fiables, une perception qui est partiellement appuyée par des travaux qui démontrent que les témoignages des aînés tendent à être moins détaillés que ceux produits par des témoins plus jeunes. L’entretien cognitif est une technique d’interrogatoire qui repose sur des stratégies de rappel issues des sciences cognitives. Plusieurs travaux récents démontrent l’efficacité de l’entretien cognitif auprès d’échantillons de jeunes adultes. Toutefois, la recherche portant sur l’utilisation de l’entretien cognitif auprès de témoins âgés est récente et en développement. Le présent article effectue une synthèse des travaux portant sur l’efficacité de l’entretien cognitif auprès d’aînés ainsi qu’une méta-analyse des données publiées à ce jour. La méta-analyse comprend sept études traitant des performances de participants aînés et comparant l’efficacité de l’entretien cognitif à celle obtenue en employant d’autres techniques de rappel. Les résultats démontrent une augmentation du nombre de détails corrects rappelés quand l’entretien cognitif est utilisé. Cependant, les données actuelles ne permettent pas de conclusion valide pour le nombre de détails incorrects ou sur l’exactitude du rappel. La discussion présente les forces et faiblesses des travaux publiés à ce jour de manière à favoriser le développement futur de ce domaine de recherche.

Abstract. The Instrument for Stress-Oriented Task Analysis (ISTA, Instrument zur stressbezogenen Taetigkeitsanalyse) is a German, action–theory-based instrument to measure stressors and resources in the workplace. In order to examine the psychometric properties of the ISTA variables, we conducted a meta-analysis using the job demands–resources (JD-R) model for construct validation of the instrument. The meta-analysis consisted of a maximum of 58 independent data sets in 51 studies, of which 26 have been published. Based on 565 individual means and standard deviations, 506 reliabilities, and 4,730 correlation coefficients, meta-analytical information was computed. Overall, the instrument showed good psychometric properties: The scale means were close to the theoretical mean of the scales and reliabilities were acceptable to good. The validation hypotheses were examined by analyzing the correlations of ISTA variables (stressors and resources) with psychological strain and well-being. Our hypotheses were largely supported by the data: Stressors were positively related to strain and mostly negatively related to well-being, while resources were mostly positively related to well-being and partly negatively related to strain. Moderation analyses revealed that the two versions of the ISTA, the publication status, the proportion of women, and the industrial sector of the samples had little systematic impact on the means and reliabilities of most ISTA scales as well as on correlations between ISTA scales and of ISTA scales with scales measuring psychological strain and well-being.

National audience; Head and neck cancers comprise a variety of tumours depending on the sub-site, for which target volumes and the prescribed doses need to be individualized according to each patient's history and presentation. This article aims at describing the main factors involved in decision-making regarding dose and volume, as well as ongoing research. Contouring and treatment guidelines, use of altered fractionation, major prognostic factors, the role of Human papillomavirus and of functional imaging will be presented and discussed.

A better understanding of the biology of lactation, both in terms of gene expression and the identification of candidate genes for the production of milk and its components, is made possible by recent advances in RNA seq technology. The purpose of this study was to understand the synthesis of milk components and the molecular pathways involved, as well as to identify candidate genes for milk production traits within whole mammary transcriptomic datasets. We performed a meta-analysis of publically available RNA seq transcriptome datasets of mammary tissue/milk somatic cells. In total, 11 562 genes were commonly identified from all RNA seq based mammary gland transcriptomes. Functional annotation of commonly expressed genes revealed the molecular processes that contribute to the synthesis of fats, proteins, and lactose in mammary secretory cells and the molecular pathways responsible for milk synthesis. In addition, we identified several candidate genes responsible for milk production traits and constructed a gene regulatory network for RNA seq data. In conclusion, this study provides a basic understanding of the lactation biology of cows at the gene expression level.

Despite extensive research, there is no agreement on the value of the elasticity of substitution between capital and labour at the aggregate or the industrial level. Utilizing 2,419 estimates from 77 studies published between 1961 and 2017, this paper provides the first meta‐regression analysis for the US economy. We show that the heterogeneity in previously reported estimates is driven primarily by modelling decisions for technological dynamics. Throughout the analysis, the hypothesis of a Cobb–Douglas production function is rejected. Based on our meta‐regression sample, we estimate a long‐run meta‐elasticity for the aggregate economy in the range of 0.45–0.87. Most industrial estimates do not deviate significantly from the estimate for the aggregate economy.

We compiled data from 495 observations and 103 papers and carried out a meta-analysis of the responses of fine root biomass, production, decomposition, and morphology to precipitation increases and decreases. In addition, we evaluated the effects of plant life form, soil depth, and experiment duration on the responses of fine roots to precipitation changes. Our results confirmed that decreased precipitation limited fine root diameter and accelerated turnover. Increased precipitation stimulated fine root elongation and enhanced the fine root accumulation. The responses of fine roots to precipitation changes varied among plants of different life forms. Tree fine root production and decomposition and non-tree fine root diameter varied most strongly under decreased precipitation. Specific root length of non-tree fine roots was much higher than that of tree fine roots under increased precipitation. Decreased precipitation limited the growth of fine roots in 20–40 cm deep soil, whereas increased precipitation promoted the growth of fine roots in both shallow and deep soil layers. The responses of fine roots to decreased precipitation were affected by experiment duration. Results filled the gap of evaluation data on the effect of precipitation change on fine root morphology and dynamics, which are useful for better predicting the C cycle under precipitation change.

Although extensive manipulative experiments have been conducted to study the effects of altered precipitation intensity and duration on soil greenhouse gas (GHG; carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)) fluxes, the general patterns of GHGs to altered precipitation have not been globally described across biomes. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis of 84 published studies to examine the general responses of CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes to altered precipitation. Our results indicated that increased precipitation significantly increased N2O emissions (+154.0%) and CO2fluxes (+112.2%) and significantly decreased CH4uptake (−41.4%); decreased precipitation significantly decreased N2O emissions (−64.7%) and CO2fluxes (−8.6%) and significantly increased CH4uptake (+32.4%). Moreover, increased precipitation significantly increased litter biomass and microbial biomass and decreased root biomass and the root:shoot ratio. However, decreased precipitation significantly decreased litter biomass and root biomass and significantly increased root:shoot ratio. These results suggest that precipitation changes could alter the carbon distribution patterns in plants. In addition, the CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes exhibited diverse responses to different ecosystems, durations of precipitation changes, and changes in precipitation intensity. These results demonstrate that there are many factors that regulate the responses of GHG to precipitation changes.

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: 13 % aller Gebärenden leiden an postpartalen Depressionen (PPD), einer Krankheit mit bedeutsamen gesundheitlichen und sozialen Konsequenzen für die Betroffenen. Zurzeit werden PPD jedoch häufig spät erkannt und behandelt. Eine Früherkennung könnte durch die Identifikation spezifischer Vulnerabilitätsfaktoren erleichtert werden. Niedriger sozioökonomischen Status (SES) wurde als potenzieller Risikofaktor für Depressionen diskutiert ( Lorant et al., 2003 ). Fragestellung: Das Ziel der vorliegenden Meta-Analyse ist die systematische Untersuchung, ob niedriger SES mit einem erhöhten Risiko für die Entwicklung einer PPD einhergeht. Methode: Um die Vergleichbarkeit der eingeschlossenen Studien zu gewährleisten, werden die internationalen Empfehlungen zur Erfassung des SES von Jöckel et al. (1998) als Inklusionskriterium herangezogen. Die identifizierten Studien werden meta-analytisch zusammengefasst. Ergebnisse: Weder Bildung mit einem relativen Risiko (RR) = 1.14 (95 % KI = 0.95, 1.45) noch Einkommen mit RR = 1.32 (95 % KI = 0.99, 1.74) waren signifikant mit der Entwicklung einer PPD assoziiert. Schlussfolgerung: Es wurde kein Zusammenhang zwischen dem erhöhten Risiko eine PPD zu entwickeln und dem Bildungsniveau oder dem Einkommen gefunden. Die vorliegende Studie macht auf die gravierenden methodischen Mängel im Bereich der Forschung von PPD und dem SES aufmerksam.

The over-representation of Indigenous peoples in criminal justice systems internationally remains a critical issue. Some have argued that replacing generic services with culturally relevant programming would be an effective strategy to address this problem. This meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of culturally relevant programs for Indigenous offenders compared to conventional programs. Results based on seven studies (N=1,731) indicate Indigenous offenders who participate in these programs have significantly lower odds of recidivism (odds ratio=0.72) compared to Indigenous offenders who participate in generic programs. Although considerable methodological limitations were observed in the studies reviewed, the results of this meta-analysis are consistent with the concept of specific responsivity and the notion that treatment effectiveness is maximized when the learning environment is engaging and relevant. Additional research of higher methodological quality is needed to further evaluate culturally relevant programs and determine with greater confidence how correctional interventions best work for this population.

Vi setter sammen resultater fra flere studier i en syntetisk database og gjennomfører en såkalt meta-analyse for å gi et sammenfattende bilde av effekter av arbeidsmarkedstiltak rettet mot ungdom. I alt inngår 425 effektestimater fra 44 forskjellige forskningsarbeider fra Finland, Norge, Sverige, Danmark, Tyskland og Storbritannia i meta-analysen. Våre konklusjoner bekrefter at opplæringstiltak, lønnstilskudd og forsterket aktivering er forbundet med mer positive effektestimater enn arbeidspraksis og sysselsettingstiltak i offentlig sektor.

Resume Introduction L’ileus postoperatoire survient a des degres differents, chez la majorite des patients operes d’une cystectomie radicale, ce qui entraine une prolongation du sejour hospitalier. L’utilisation du chewing-gum a demontre son efficacite en matiere de raccourcissement des delais de reprise de transit et de la duree de sejour hospitalier dans plusieurs interventions chirurgicales. But Evaluer l’interet de l’utilisation du chewing-gum en postoperatoire chez les patients operes d’une cystectomie radicale, par le biais d’une revue systematique de litterature avec meta-analyse. Materiel et methodes Nous avons realise une revue de litterature dans les bases de donnees MedLine, Scopus, CochraneLibrary et ClinicalTrials.Gov en mars 2017 selon les recommandations du « Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions » et « Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses » (PRISMA). Les etudes ont ete evaluees selon les criteres « Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine ». Les criteres de jugement evalues etaient les delais de reprise de gaz, de la premiere defecation, la duree de sejour hospitalier, les taux des complications postoperatoires generales et gastro-intestinales. Les variables continues et dichotomiques ont ete comparees respectivement par le biais des differences moyennes ponderees et des odds ratios, avec intervalles de confiance a 95 %. La presence des biais de publication a ete examinee par les graphiques de type « funnel plots ». Resultats Trois etudes (274 patients au total) repondaient aux criteres d’inclusion. Les resultats combines ont mis en evidence une diminution de 11,82 heures du delai de reprise de gaz (95 % IC : −15,43, −8,22 h, p Conclusion Le chewing-gum peut etre recommande en postoperatoire chez les patients operes d’une cystectomie radicale afin d’ameliorer les delais de reprise de transit.

Summary Background and aim NDM-1 gene ( bla NDM−1) -producing Klebsiella pneumoniae is allegedly perceived as one of the most dangerous multidrug-resistant bacteria causing infections in hospitals and clinic domains. In numerous Asian countries, sporadic studies have been conducted to investigate the prevalence of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae. In the present study, we determine the precise prevalence of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae in different parts of Asia indeed. Methods Several international databases including Medline, Embase, and Web of sciences were searched from March 2005 to Jan 2016 to discern studies addressed the prevalence of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae in Asia. Comprehensive meta-analysis (V2.2, Biostat) software was used to interpret the data. Results Of the 595 records identified from the databases, 19 studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria ostensibly. The analyses manifested that the prevalence of bla NDM− -producing K. pneumoniae was 32.5% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 22.6–44.3] in the analyzed Asian countries. Hence, the further stratified analyses indicated that the prevalence of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae was higher in the probes, particularly after 2010. Conclusions The relatively high prevalence of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae merits our analysis. Moreover, regular surveillance for hospital-associated infection, monitoring antibiotic sensitivity pattern, and formulation of definite antibiotic policies advocates viable roles for prevention and control of bla NDM−1 -producing K. pneumoniae .

Introduction : De nombreuses études retrouvent une prévalence plus élevée de troubles anxieux et dépressifs chez des patients atteints de maladies inflammatoires, ce qui rejoint la théorie de l’étiologie inflammatoire de la dépression. Qu’en est-il du lichen plan, pathologie inflammatoire dermatologique ?Objectif : Déterminer la prévalence de l’anxiété et de la dépression chez les patients atteints de lichen plan.Matériel et méthode : Nous avons réalisé deux méta-analyses, comportant 17 articles pour la dépression et 16 articles pour l’anxiété.Résultats : La prévalence de la dépression chez les patients atteints de lichen plan est de 32% (0.20-0.40), avec une hétérogénéité I² à 96.19%, et la prévalence de l’anxiété est de 28% (0.20-0.36), avec une hétérogénéité I² à 86.7%. Nous n’avons pas trouvé de facteurs influant nos résultats.Conclusion : Notre étude montre une prévalence de troubles anxieux et dépressifs plus importante chez les patients atteints de lichen plan. Il nous semble intéressant de réaliser d’autres études afin d’approfondir les liens entre psychiatrie et inflammation.

Introduction and objectives The exact role of E-cadherin in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is still unknown, and the aims of this study were to prove whether reduced E-cadherin expression can be a prognostic factor in patients with NMIBC. Materials and methods A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the prognostic value of reduced E-cadherin expression in NMIBC. The PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were included in the study search. Results Fifteen studies with a total of 1538 NMIBC patients were included. The results showed that reduced E-cadherin expression was significantly associated with poor recurrence-free survival (RFS) (pooled HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.22–3.85) and progression-free survival (PFS) (pooled HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.52–2.40) in NMIBC patients. Conclusion E-cadherin can be a prognostic factor for patients with NMIBC.

Bayessche Metaanalyse-Verfahren haben sich in der Praxis bewährt, um heterogene Effekte zu schätzen. Insbesondere im Fall weniger Studien ermöglicht ein Bayesscher Ansatz robuste Inferenz durch die Wahl von A-Priori-Verteilungen für den Heterogenitätsparameter. Die Wahl dieser[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 64. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Medizinische Informatik, Biometrie und Epidemiologie e.V. (GMDS)

We report the preliminary results of a meta-analysis conducted to examine possible biases in the uncertainty values published in papers by ATLAS and CMS experiments. We have performed this analysis using two independent techniques; a vectoral analysis of the vector graphics files and a bitmap analysis of the raster graphic files of the exclusion plots from various physics searches. In both procedures, the aim is to compute the percentages of the data points scattered within 1-sigma and 2-sigma bands of the plots and verify whether the measured percentages agree with statistical norms assuming unbiased estimations of the uncertainties., Comment: Initially presented at the 34th International Physics Conference of the Turkish Physical Society, accepted for publication by the Canadian Journal of Physics

International audience; This article addresses the paradox of the seemingly limited diffusion of management accounting innovations. The relationship between product diversity and the adoption of Activity-Based Costing (ABC) is used as an illustrative example. Twenty-four studies were the subject of a meta-analysis. Overall, the results show a significant and positive relationship between product diversity and ABC adoption. However, product variety is the only type of diversity to be both significantly and positively associated with ABC adoption. The discussion of these results makes it possible to at least partially resolve the paradox of innovations in management accounting by proposing a new way of measuring their diffusion. Finally, we propose several original avenues for future research in management accounting innovations.; Cet article s’intéresse au paradoxe de l’apparente faible diffusion des innovations en contrôle de gestion. La relation entre la diversité des produits et l’adoption de la méthode Activity-Based Costing (ABC) est étudiée à titre d’illustration. Une méta-analyse de 24 études est mise en œuvre. Les résultats montrent qu’il existe une relation significative et positive entre diversité et adoption de l’ABC. Néanmoins, parmi les types de diversité, seule la diversité de variété est significativement et positivement associée à l’adoption de l’ABC. La discussion de ces résultats permet de résoudre au moins partiellement le paradoxe des innovations en contrôle de gestion en montrant notamment que les taux de diffusion de ces innovations devraient être calculés différemment. Enfin, des perspectives originales sont proposées pour les recherches futures consacrées aux innovations en contrôle de gestion.

Ecological intensification of agriculture calls for ecological mechanisms to replace anthropogenic inputs. Cereal/legume intercropping increases yields due to species complementarities, it produces high pro- tein food and feed, and it reduces the need for artificial N fertilizer because legumes fix N biologically. In addi- tion, intercropping has the potential to suppress plant diseases, but its efficacy for disease suppression in cereal/legume mixtures has not been well characterized quantitatively. Here we conducted meta-analysis to quantify the disease suppressive effect of intercropping cereals with legumes at different levels of N fertilizer. Intercropping reduced disease incidence (measured by the odds ratio of disease occurrence) by 45% on aver- age. This reduction was significant (P < 0.01) for four out of six studied pathogens: yellow rust (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici) and mildew (Blumeria graminis) in wheat (Triticum aestivum), and chocolate spot (Bo- trytis fabae) and Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) in faba bean (Vicia faba). Disease reduction was mar- ginally significant for yellow rust in barley (Puccinia striiformis f.sp. hordei) (P < 0.10) and not significant for bean rust (Uromyces fabae). The reduction in disease incidence was greatest during the early stages of epi- demics. N fertilizer strongly increased the incidence of powdery mildew of wheat, but it did not affect the incidence of the other diseases and it did not affect the effectiveness of intercropping as a management strategy for disease control. While nitrogen input increased pow- dery mildew incidence in both sole and intercropped wheat, the incidence was lower in the intercropped than sole wheat at all levels of N input. The disease suppres- sive effect of intercropping on wheat powdery mildew or any other disease was not affected by the amount of nitrogen fertilizer. The results show that intercropping has a substantial and consistent effect on disease inci- dence in cereal/faba bean mixtures across studies, but is not sufficient to provide complete disease control. Intercropping is therefore best used as a component in an integrated approach for managing plant diseases.

Tomato flavor has changed over the course of long-term domestication and intensive breeding. To understand the genetic control of flavor, we report the meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using 775 tomato accessions and 2,316,117 SNPs from three GWAS panels. We discover 305 significant associations for the contents of sugars, acids, amino acids, and flavor-related volatiles. We demonstrate that fruit citrate and malate contents have been impacted by selection during domestication and improvement, while sugar content has undergone less stringent selection. We suggest that it may be possible to significantly increase volatiles that positively contribute to consumer preferences while reducing unpleasant volatiles, by selection of the relevant allele combinations. Our results provide genetic insights into the influence of human selection on tomato flavor and demonstrate the benefits obtained from meta-analysis., Flavor is one of the most important traits for improving tomato sensory quality and consumer acceptability. Here, the authors report meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of flavor related traits and show genetic insights into the influence of human selection during domestication and improvement.

Zusammenfassung. Schulbasierte Lebenskompetenzprogramme (LKP) sind ein wichtiger Ansatz der Suchtprävention in Deutschland. Ihre Wirksamkeit wurde bisher nicht meta-analytisch getestet. Resultate von 13 systematisch identifizierten randomisierten und nicht-randomisierten Studien mit deutschsprachigen Zielgruppen wurden quantitativ integriert. Risk Ratios (RR) wurden signifikant für den Einstieg in den Tabakkonsum (RR=.77) bzw. das allgemeine Rauchverhalten (RR=.64) bei GrundschülerInnen, bei SekundarstufenschülerInnen ein Initialeffekt von RR=.44 für den aktuellen Konsum. Effekte für die Lebenszeitprävalenz (RR=.78) und den aktuellen Konsum (RR=.71) von Alkohol wurden zum Posttest signifikant. Die Ergebnisse belegen eine Wirksamkeit der suchtpräventiven LKP mit deutsch(sprachig)en SchülerInnen insofern, als dass sie das Risiko für einen frühzeitigen Konsum, der einen Risikofaktor für späteren Substanzmissbrauch darstellt, verringern.

ADHD (aandachtsdeficiëntie-/hyperactiviteitsstoornis) wordt gekenmerkt door een verhoogde kans op een breed scala aan risicovolle gedragingen in het dagelijks leven, zoals verkeersongevallen, middelengebruik, criminele activiteiten, gokproblemen en seksueel risicovol gedrag. In experimentele studies wordt risicogedrag gemeten met goktaken. De huidige studie betreft een meta-analyse over studies waarin een groep mensen met ADHD vergeleken werd met een groep zonder ADHD op een dergelijke goktaak. Er werd een klein tot gemiddeld significant effect gevonden (standardized mean difference = 0,36; p < 0,001), wat betekent dat groepen met ADHD risicovoller presteren op goktaken dan groepen zonder ADHD. Dit effect lijkt gemodereerd te worden door comorbide gedragsproblematiek: naarmate er meer comorbide gedragsproblemen aanwezig waren in de ADHD-groepen was het verschil in risicogedrag met de controlegroep groter. Er bleek geen modererend effect van leeftijd, comorbide internaliserende problematiek, medicatie en de karakteristieken van de goktaak. Al met al is gebleken dat personen met ADHD op goktaken meer risicogedrag vertonen dan hun leeftijdgenoten zonder ADHD, wat overeenkomt met studies naar risicogedrag in het dagelijks leven. Goktaken lijken zodoende waardevol bij verder onderzoek naar de onderliggende dynamiek van risicogedrag bij ADHD. Ook kan geconcludeerd worden dat risicogedrag bij ADHD de nodige aandacht verdient onder clinici die werken met deze doelgroep.

FIFA has a Medical and Research Centre (F-MARC) which has designed a comprehensive programme targeting muscle strength, kinaesthetic awareness, and neuromuscular control during static and dynamic movements to decrease injury risk for soccer players. A number of meta-analyses now exist on how effective FIFA's programmes to prevent and reduce injury actually are, with various degrees of injury reduction reported. This research aimed to carry out a systematic review and to meta analyse the existing meta-analyses so that a conclusion can be drawn on how effective the injury programmes are. Relevant studies were identified by searching five databases for the period January 1990 till 1 July 2018. Results of each meta-analysis were combined together using risk ratios (RR) in a summary meta-analysis. QUOROM checklist and AMSTAR 2 assessment were used to assess the quality of reporting and methodology in the meta-analyses. Four meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria covering fifteen primary studies. All four meta-analyses scored quite highly on QUOROM, but two were rated by AMSTAR 2 as moderate quality and two were found to be of critically low quality. An overall risk reduction of 34% [RR= 0.66 (0.60 - 0.73)] for all injuries and a reduction of 29% [RR= 0.71 (0.63 - 0.81)] for injuries to the lower limbs were revealed by this meta-analysis of meta-analyses. Combining every previous meta-analysis into a single source in this paper produced decisive evidence that the risk of injuries while playing soccer is reduced as a result of FIFA's injury prevention programmes.

Understanding interindividual variability in response to dietary polyphenols remains essential to elucidate their effects on cardiometabolic disease development. A meta-analysis of 128 randomized clinical trials was conducted to investigate the effects of berries and red grapes/wine as sources of anthocyanins and of nuts and pomegranate as sources of ellagitannins on a range of cardiometabolic risk biomarkers. The potential influence of various demographic and lifestyle factors on the variability in the response to these products were explored. Both anthocyanin- and ellagitannin-containing products reduced total-cholesterol with nuts and berries yielding more significant effects than pomegranate and grapes. Blood pressure was significantly reduced by the two main sources of anthocyanins, berries and red grapes/wine, whereas waist circumference, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose were most significantly lowered by the ellagitannin-products, particularly nuts. Additionally, we found an indication of a small increase in HDL-cholesterol most significant with nuts and, in flow-mediated dilation by nuts and berries. Most of these effects were detected in obese/overweight people but we found limited or non-evidence in normoweight individuals or of the influence of sex or smoking status. The effects of other factors, i.e., habitual diet, health status or country where the study was conducted, were inconsistent and require further investigation., This article is based upon work from COST Action FA1403—POSITIVe “Interindividual variation in response to consumption of plant food bioactives and determinants involved” supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, http://www.cost.eu/). The authors thank the financial support of the COST Action FA1403 “POSITIVe” to conduct a short-term scientific mission to K.C. at CEBAS-CSIC (A.G.-S. and M.T.G.-C.) during which the data analysis was performed.

International audience; The number of clinical trial publications assessing non-pharmacological intervention (NPI) has been increasing exponentially since 2000. It encourages researchers to carry out the systematic reviews and meta-analyzes expected by health professionals, patients, and decision-makers to learn abouttheir real effectiveness and their relevant indication. However, the diversification of medical and scientific communication media, opportunistic publishing strategies, missing data in publications and non-exhaustiveness of biomedical databases make bibliographic research complex and at riskof bias. To address this shortcoming, the academic Plateforme CEPS offers a search engine, called Motrial, that collects, sorts and organizes publications of NPI clinical trials.; Le nombre de publications d’études cliniques évaluant les interventions non médicamenteuses (INM) augmente exponentiellement depuis 2000. Il encourage les chercheurs à réaliser les revues systématiques et les méta-analyses attendues par les professionnels de santé, les patients etles décideurs pour connaître leur efficacité réelle et leur indication pertinente. Seulement, la diversification des supports de communication médicale et scientifique, les stratégies opportunistes de publication, les informations manquantes dans les publications et la non exhaustivité des basesde données biomédicales rendent la recherche bibliographique complexe et à risque de biais. Pour répondre à ce manque, la Plateforme CEPS propose un moteur de recherche, appelé Motrial, qui permet de collecter, de trier et d’organiser les publications d’études cliniques sur les INM.

Based on samples from 40 studies encompassing 15,860 organizations, we use meta-analysis methods to examine the relationships between network centrality, organizational innovation, and performance, and to predict the influence of organization size, institutional environment, and industry on these relationships. Results show that network centrality positively influences both organizational innovation and performance. In addition, findings indicate that the impact of network centrality on organizational innovation is stronger for small organizations while that on organizational performance is stronger for large organizations. The influence of network centrality on overall organizational innovation/performance is stronger for organizations in developed institutional environments as well as in knowledge-intensive industries. Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Resume Cet article utilise les methodes de la meta-analyse pour examiner les relations entre la centralite du reseau, l'innovation organisationnelle et la performance et pour predire l'influence que la taille de l'entreprise, l'environnement institutionnel et l'industrie ont sur ces relations. Il s'appuie sur des echantillons provenant de 40 etudes comprenant 15 860 entreprises. Les resultats revelent que la centralite du reseau influence positivement l'innovation organisationnelle et la performance. Par ailleurs, l'impact de la centralite du reseau sur l'innovation organisationnelle est plus fort pour les petites entreprises tandis que l'impact sur la performance organisationnelle est plus fort pour les grandes entreprises. L'influence de la centralite du reseau sur l'innovation/la performance organisationnelle globale est plus forte pour les entreprises qui evoluent dans des environnements institutionnels developpes et dans les industries a fort coefficient de savoirs. Copyright © 2015 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

L’ibuprofene est un des principaux antalgiques de prescription medicale facultative. Afin de preciser sa securite d’emploi, une meta-analyse a ete realisee en considerant toutes les etudes therapeutiques controlees (ETCs) (publiees jusqu’en mars 2013) ayant concerne l’ibuprofene dans les conditions de son utilisation en prescription medicale facultative (posologie ≤ 1 200 mg/j; duree courte ≤ 5 jours). Cette meta-analyse a integre 128 comparaisons de l’ibuprofene avec le placebo et le paracetamol. Elle a mis en evidence une reduction du risque de survenue d’evenements indesirables de toute nature avec l’ibuprofene versus le placebo lors d’une utilisation tant en prise unique (odds ratio [OR]: 0,85; IC 95 %: [0,72–0,99]) qu’en prises multiples (OR: 0,81; IC 95 %: [0,68–0,96]). Une reduction du risque a egalement ete mise en evidence par rapport au paracetamol lors d’une utilisation en prise unique (OR: 0,43; IC 95 %: [0,28–0,66]), ce risque n’etant pas statistiquement different lors de la comparaison ibuprofene versus paracetamol pour une utilisation en prises multiples (OR: 0,93; IC 95 %: [0,81–1,1]). Concernant les criteres specifiques de securite d’emploi (dont les evenements indesirables gastrointestinaux), cette meta-analyse n’a pas mis en evidence d’augmentation statistiquement significative de la frequence d’un evenement indesirable particulier par rapport au placebo ou au paracetamol.

Objectif Evaluer les niveaux de preuve scientifique des interventions thermales en rhumatologie chez le patient douloureux chronique.

Interest in systematic reviews and meta-analysis in medicine began in the late 1970s. During the 1980s, these methods began to be adopted more widely by medical researchers, and in the late 1980s, expository journal articles began to appear, and the first book about meta-analysis in medicine was published. The book was published in 1987 by Milos Jenicek, a professor at the Universite de Montreal. Too often, the anglophone world remains unaware of important contributions to science and other fields which have been published in languages other than English. So it was with this book, which was published in French. A bilingual friend – Michael Kramer, a professor of epidemiology at McGill University in Montreal – obtained a copy of the book for me in 1994. After reading and greatly enjoying it, I visited Montreal in October of that year and asked Milos to sign my copy. He wrote: ‘To Dr Iain Chalmers, with compliments and astonishment that he still believes that this book is worth reading’. Meta-analyse en medecine was and remains wellworth reading, even for someone whose knowledge of French is not very strong. I regard the book as an important and insufficiently acknowledged milestone in the development of methods to assess the effects of medical treatments. Even if I or others had cited the book appropriately, however, it would have been difficult and probably impossible for our readers to have accessed copies of it, as its stock was shredded by the publisher not all that long after it had been published. It is for this reason that fairly long excerpts from the book, with translations, have been added to the James Lind Library. Because of the importance of the book in the history of research synthesis in medicine, I wanted to find out from Milos Jenicek how he came to write it. What follows takes the form of an interview, although it is not a verbatim account of our conversations and communications. IC: How far back does one have to go to identify the origins of the ideas that led to the book?

Die phonologische Bewusstheit wird vielfach als notwendige Voraussetzung fur den Schriftspracherwerb gesehen und stellt daher einen moglichen Ansatzpunkt fur intervenierende Masnahmen dar. Die Wirksamkeit von Trainingsprogrammen wurde jedoch bislang im deutschen Sprachraum nicht zusammenfassend gepruft. Fragestellung: Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde gepruft, ob ein Training phonologischer Bewusstheit fur deutschsprachige Kinder effektiv ist, um deren Schriftspracherwerb zu fordern. Methode: Insgesamt wurden 19 Arbeiten, welche 22 Trainings-Kontrollgruppen-Vergleiche enthielten, durch eine systematische Literaturrecherche identifiziert und deren Ergebnisse meta-analytisch integriert. Ergebnisse: Fur Mase der phonologischen Bewusstheit zeigte sich ein mittlerer, statistisch bedeutsamer Trainingseffekt in Hohe von d = 0.36. Ebenso waren im Mittel kurzfristige (d = 0.21) sowie langfristige (d = 0.14) signifikante Transfereffekte fur das Lesen und Rechtschreiben nachweisbar. Diskussion: Im Vergleich zu Ergebnissen aus dem englischen Sprachraum zeigen die hier integrierten Befunde eine geringere Wirksamkeit von Fordermasnahmen der phonologischen Bewusstheit fur den Schriftspracherwerb im Deutschen. Systematische Orthographieunterschiede stellen einen Erklarungsansatz fur diese divergierende Befundlage dar.

Theoretischer Hintergrund. In Deutschland wird eine Vielzahl von Programmen angeboten, die Eltern bei der Wahrnehmung ihrer Erziehungsaufgaben unterstützen und kindlichen Erlebens- und Verhaltensproblemen vorbeugen sollen. Internationale Befunde bescheinigen derartigen Maßnahmen positive Effekte, insbesondere bei kurzem Follow-up. Inwieweit die primär anglo-amerikanischen Ergebnisse auf andere Länder übertragen werden können, ist aber weitgehend unklar. Fragestellung. Der Beitrag berichtet über eine Meta-Analyse, die ausschließlich in Deutschland durchgeführte Kontrollgruppenstudien zu familienbezogenen Präventionsmaßnahmen integriert. Methode. Aus zirka 4.000 gefundenen Publikationen erfüllten 45 kontrollierte Evaluationen die Einschlusskriterien. Diese betrafen insgesamt 4.213 Personen. Meistens wurden Elternkurse evaluiert; zu anderen Maßnahmen wie Eltern-Kind-Gruppen oder Geburtsvorbereitungskursen fanden wir kaum kontrollierte Studien. Ergebnisse. Es ergab sich ein signifikant positiver mittlerer Effekt (d = .35), der auch in den Follow up-Analysen weitgehend bestehen blieb. Die Effekte auf das elterliche Erziehungsverhalten waren größer als die Veränderungen beim Kind. Außerdem zeigten sich größere Effekte bei gezielter vs. universeller Prävention, kleineren vs. größeren Stichproben und methodisch schwächer vs. stärker kontrollierten Studien. Schlussfolgerungen. Insgesamt ähneln die Ergebnisse jenen internationaler Meta-Analysen, doch sind in Deutschland noch mehr gut kontrollierte und langfristige Evaluationen erforderlich.

Première version sur la plateforme BioRxiv au lien suivant : http://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/01/10/099531; Stomata play a significant role in the Earth’s water and carbon cycles, by regulating gaseousexchanges between the plant and the atmosphere. Under drought conditions, stomatal control oftranspiration has long been thought to be closely coordinated with the decrease in hydrauliccapacity (hydraulic failure due to xylem embolism). We tested this hypothesis by coupling a metaanalysisof functional traits related to the stomatal response to drought and embolism resistancewith simulations from a soil–plant hydraulic model. We report here a previously unreported phenomenon:the existence of an absolute limit by which stomata closure must occur to avoid rapiddeath in drought conditions. The water potential causing stomatal closure and the xylem pressureat the onset of embolism formation were equal for only a small number of species, and the differencebetween these two traits (i.e. safety margins) increased continuously with increasing embolismresistance. Our findings demonstrate the need to revise current views about the functional coordinationbetween stomata and hydraulic traits and provide a mechanistic framework for modelingplant mortality under drought conditions.

A meta-analysis including 36 different results of statistic models from 14 papers was conducted. It evaluated the association between elevated non-esterified fatty acids and/or β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) on the reproduction outcomes that were pregnancy at first insemination, estrous cyclicity, time to pregnancy, metritis and placental retention. Each association between BHB or NEFA and an outcome reported in literature was a model considered as raw-data for the meta-regression. For each outcome, the meta-regression adjusted the odds ratio, relative risk or hazard ratio with various moderators to reduce the heterogeneity among the studies. The relative risk for metritis and placental retention in case of high BHB or NEFA was in accordance to previous meta-regression and was 1.91 (IC95 = 1.72 to 2.12) and 1.51 (95%CI = 1.19 to 1.92), respectively. The relative risk for pregnancy at first insemination in case of high BHB was assessed to be 0,62 (95%CI = 0,41 to 0,93). The hazard ratio for time to pregnancy in case of high BHB and NEFA was 0.77 (95%CI = 0.61 to 0.97). The present meta-analysis failed to clearly conclude on the association between estrus cyclicity and high BHB or NEFA. The present work allowed a new overview on the association between hyperketonemia and reproductive performance and disorders. It updated the previous meta-regression and included new outcomes. It highlighted the urgent need of further intensive epidemiologic studies on this topic.

Le Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) a été déclaré lauréat de l’appel à projet CILB-ITTECOP-FRB 2014 pour la réalisation d’une revue systématique, avec le projet COHNECS-IT, proposé en partenariat avec différents organismes (Irstea, UPMC, le Cerema et l’Inra). Cette étude visait à évaluer le potentiel d’habitat ou de corridor écologique des dépendances vertes d’infrastructures linéaires de transport pour la biodiversité, par la réalisation d’une revue systématique. La revue systématique est un type de synthèse bibliographique, qui suit un protocole précis accrédité à l’échelle internationale. Au terme de près de deux ans de travail, une première phase du projet COHNECS-IT a été achevée. Cette étape est propice pour prendre du recul sur cette expérience et la valoriser en partageant les choix méthodologiques et le déroulement de cette première phase du projet. Dans la mesure où COHNECS-IT constitue en effet la première revue systématique réalisée enFrance dans le domaine de l’écologie, ce rapport permet de capitaliser sur cette expérience afin d’alimenter d’éventuelles revues systématiques ultérieures.

Objective To identify risk factors for human Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) infection. Methods A systematic review identified 17 articles reporting on 16 studies examining risk factors for RVFV. Pooled odds ratios (pOR) were calculated for exposures examined in four or more studies. Results Being male [pOR = 1.4 (1.0, 1.8)], contact with aborted animal tissue [pOR = 3.4 (1.6, 7.3)], birthing an animal [pOR = 3.2 (2.4, 4.2)], skinning an animal [pOR = 2.5 (1.9, 3.2)], slaughtering an animal [pOR = 2.4 (1.4, 4.1)] and drinking raw milk [pOR = 1.8 (1.2, 2.6)] were significantly associated with RVF infection after meta-analysis. Other potential risk factors include sheltering animals in the home and milking an animal, which may both involve contact with animal body fluids. Conclusions Based on the identified risk factors, use of personal protective equipment and disinfectants by animal handlers may help reduce RVFV transmission during outbreaks. Milk pasteurisation and other possible preventive methods require further investigation. Objectif Identifier les facteurs de risque pour l'infection humaine par le virus de la fievre de la Vallee du Rift (VFVR). Methodes Une revue systematique a identifie 16 articles rapportant sur 15 etudes portant sur les facteurs de risque pour l'infection par le VFVR. Les rapports des cotes (Odds ratios) pooles (pOR) ont ete calcules pour les expositions examinees dans quatre etudes ou plus. Resultats Etre de sexe masculin [pOR = 1,4 (1,0–1.8)], le contact avec les tissus d'avortement d'animaux [pOR = 3,4 (1,6-7,3)], l'assistance a mettre bas [pOR = 3,2 (2,4–4,2)], le depecement d'un animal [Por = 2,5 (1,9–3,2)], l'abattage d'un animal [pOR = 2,4 (1,4-4,1)] et la consommation de lait cru [pOR = 1,8 (1,2-2,6)] etaient significativement associes a l'infection pa le VFVR dans la meta-analyse. D'autres facteurs potentiels de risque comprennent le fait d'abriter des animaux a l'interieur des habitations et traire un animal, qui peuvent tous les aussi deux occasionner un contact avec les fluides corporels de l'animal. Conclusions Sur la base des facteurs de risque identifies, l'utilisation d’equipements de protection individuelle et de desinfectants par les manipulateurs d'animaux peut aider a reduire la transmission du VFVR pendant les epidemies. La pasteurisation du lait et d'autres methodes possibles de prevention necessitent une investigation plus approfondie. Objetivo Identificar los factores de riesgo para la infeccion, en humanos, con el virus de la Fiebre del Valle de Rift (VFVR). Metodos Mediante una revision sistematica se identificaron 16 articulos que reportaban acerca de 15 estudios en los que se examinaban los factores de riesgo del VFVR. Se calcularon las razones de probabilidades agrupadas [pooled odds ratios (pOR)] de las exposiciones en cuatro o mas estudios. Resultados El ser hombre [pOR = 1.4 (1.0,1.8)], entrar en contacto con tejido animal abortado [pOR = 3.4(1.6,7.3)], ayudar a un animal durante el parto [pOR = 3.2 (2.4,4.2)], despellejar un animal [pOR = 2.5 (1.9,3.2)], sacrificar un animal [pOR = 2.4 (1.4,4.1)], y beber leche cruda [pOR = 1.8 (1.2,2.6)] estaban significativamente asociados con la infeccion por el VFRV en un meta-analisis. Otros factores de riesgo potenciales incluian convivir con animales en el hogar y ordenar un animal, puesto que ambos podian resultar en un contacto con fluidos animales. Conclusiones Basandonos en los factores de riesgo identificados, el uso de equipos de proteccion personal y desinfectantes por todos aquellos que manipulan animales, podria ayudar a reducir la trasmision del VFVR durante los brotes. Se requiere investigar mas a fondo sobre la pasteurizacion de la leche, asi como otros metodos preventivos.

Objective Our objective was to estimate the case fatality rates of Zaire, Sudan, and Bundibugyo Ebola species, responsible for sometimes-lethal hemorrhagic fevers. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of World Health Organization data on outbreaks of infections due to theses species. Results Twenty outbreaks, including the current one, were studied. The estimated case fatality rate was 65.4% (CI 95% [54.6%; 75.5%]) and varied among the outbreaks. A species effect was identified, with a higher case fatality rate for the Zaire species than for Sudan and Bundibugyo species. The case fatality rate of the Zaire species tended to decrease with time. Conclusion The case fatality rates associated with these 3 species was high. A great variability was observed. It could be explained partly by a species effect and by the decrease of Zaire species case fatality rate, with time.

Im Beitrag wird eine Ubersicht zu Funktionen, Potentialen und Grenzen systematischer Forschungssynthesen gegeben. Einleitend werden zunachst die Rationale und bedeutsame Entwicklungen dieses Forschungsansatzes skizziert, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf Meta-Analysen als eine prominente Form der Forschungssynthese liegt. Im Anschluss erfolgt eine Erorterung wichtiger Funktionen, indem der Mehrwert gegenuber Einzeluntersuchungen und empirischen Primarstudien herausgestellt wird. Dabei geht es u. a. um die Potentiale, empirische Evidenzen umfassender und valider abzubilden, wissenschaftliche Artefakte und forschungsmethodische Einflusse besser kontrollieren zu konnen sowie um einen verbesserten Transfer von wissenschaftlichen Produkten in Praxis, Gesellschaft und Politik. Anschliesend werden mogliche Probleme und Grenzen von Forschungssynthesen wie etwa Publikationsverzerrungen, Konfundierungen von bedeutsamen Ergebnismoderatoren, die Rolle der forschungsmethodischen Qualitat bei der Selektion von Primarstudien und anderes diskutiert. Moglichkeiten und Grenzen werden abschliesend an Beispielen aus der Bildungsforschung (z. B. Evaluation von Forder- oder Praventionsprogrammen, Lern-/Lehrforschung) illustriert.