A systematic review to examine the efficacy of computer-based cognitive interventions for cognitively healthy older adults was conducted. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: average sample age of at least 55 years at time of training; participants did not have Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment; and the study measured cognitive outcomes as a result of trainin...

The Cochrane Collaboration says that the Cochrane handbook for diagnostic test accuracy reviews (DTAR) is currently in development as per the Cochrane Collaboration. This implies that the methodology of systematic reviews (SR) of diagnostic test accuracy is still a matter of debate. At this point, comparison of methodologies for SR in case of interventions as against diagnostics would be helpfu...

OBJECTIVE To develop and test a utilization review screening tool for use in European hospitals. SETTING In 1993 a group of researchers financed by a European Union grant reviewed the use of utilization review in Europe. They quickly noticed a lack of specifically designed instruments able to take into account the health care and cultural differences across Europe, and available for use in di...

INTRODUCTION The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the dental literature regarding accuracy and clinical application in computer-guided template-based implant dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS An electronic literature search complemented by manual searching was performed to gather data on accuracy and surgical, biological and prosthetic complications in connection with computer-guid...

To evaluate the drug utilization of third generation cephalosporins using core drug use indicators in various wards of Sri Ramachandra Hospital. Third generation cephalosporins are the most commonly prescribed broad spectrum antibiotic even before the culture sensitivity results arrives. Hence this study was undertaken to study the drug utilization evaluation of third generation cephalosporins ...

BACKGROUND The high cost and undesirable consequences of polypharmacy are well-recognized problems among elderly long-term care (LTC) residents. Despite the implementation of the 1987 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which requires pharmacist review of drug regimens in this setting, medical and drug costs for LTC residents have continued to increase. OBJECTIVE This study evaluates the North...

Alex Voorhoeve sets the stage for his book by quoting Plato's Phaedrus in which the “the living, breathing discourse of the man who knows” (1) is deemed superior to the written discourse. Socrates's vindication of the dialogue as the blessed form of philosophical investigation is thus presented as the inspiration for these eleven conversations with prominent thinkers on ethics ― most of them pr...

BACKGROUND It is possible that cross-over studies included in current systematic reviews are being inadequately assessed, because the current risk of bias tools do not consider possible biases specific to cross-over design. We performed this study to evaluate whether this was being done in cross-over studies included in Cochrane Systematic Reviews (CSRs). METHODS We searched the Cochrane Libr...

OBJECTIVE During peer review, submitted manuscripts are scrutinised by independent experts to assist journal editors in their decision-making and to help improve the quality of articles. In this retrospective cohort study, peer review comments for drug trials submitted to medical journals were analysed to investigate whether there is a relation between the content of these comments and sponsors...

The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of computer-assisted learning (CAL) with traditional methods of learning in orthodontic education. Comprehensive electronic and manual searches of randomized controlled trials and prospective studies were conducted. Participants considered were undergraduate or postgraduate orthodontic students or orthodontic ed...