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Investigating the trustworthiness of randomized controlled trials in osteopathic research: a systematic review with meta-analysis
Get PDFObjectives
To systematically investigate trustworthiness (methodological rigor, transparency, good governance, research integrity, and absence of misconduct) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of osteopathic manual therapy.
Methods
This prospectively registered review (PROSPERO-ID: CRD42023457697) searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, ostmed.dr, and Chiroindex for RCTs evaluating osteopathic treatments (January 2021–June 2024). Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using Cochrane tool 2, while trustworthiness was assessed with the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Screening Tool and the REAPPRAISED checklist. Journal trustworthiness, misleading representations in abstracts (“spin”), and results plausibility (via meta-analysis) were also assessed. Findings were synthesized descriptively.
Results
Sixty-one RCTs were included (median sample size 45, interquartile range (IQR) 30–76), largely studying healthy volunteers (29%). Most had high RoB (74%), and only 7% acknowledged potential conflicts from authors' professional ties. No journals appeared on cautionary lists, although 23% of articles were published within 2 months of submission. Only 27% of contactable authors engaged with reviewers. Seven abstracts (12%) were free of spin. Methodological concerns included poor missing data handling (31%), selective analyses (38%), unacknowledged multiple testing (36%), and outcome switching (12%). Meta-analysis found two outliers and five further with very large effects, while 19% provided inadequate data for pooling.
Limitations include incomplete reports and lack of validated trustworthiness assessment tools.
Conclusion
Adherence to best practices in osteopathic RCTs needs improvement to enhance evidence-based decision-making, reduce research waste, and enhance reproducibility. Further research should explore whether these findings apply to other small, under-resourced fields.
Plain Language Summary
Clinical trials are studies that test if medical treatments work. Doctors and others use these studies to decide how to care for patients or which treatments should be paid for. For clinical trials to be helpful, they need to follow rules to show they can be trusted. For example, researchers can build trust by sharing their plans before they start, reporting all their results honestly and answering questions about their work. In this project, we looked at 61 clinical trials from a 3.5-year period that tested a hands-on treatment called “osteopathic manual therapy.” We checked how well these trials followed the rules for trustworthy research. We found that many trials had problems. For example, important research steps were skipped (such as properly registering the study on appropriate online platforms before starting, following the steps described in the registration documents, and correctly examining the collected data). Often, results were also made to look better than they really are, or it was not clearly explained what happened during the study. Only a few researchers answered questions when we asked them. This shows that some osteopathic trials need to do better so people can trust the results. We also suggest ways researchers can improve trustworthiness in the future.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Optimization of 3D printing conditions for BaCe0.6Zr0.3Y0.1O3-δ in the construction of amperometric high-temperature H2 sensors
Get PDFProton-conducting ceramics, particularly BaCe0.6Zr0.3Y0.1O3-δ (BCZY), are promising materials for hydrogen energy applications. However, traditional fabrication methods are limited in their ability to produce complex geometries. Extrusion-based 3D printing presents a promising alternative, enabling the fabrication of customized designs with the advantage of fast prototyping. This study optimized the slurry composition and 3D printing parameters for BCZY ceramics to fabricate pellets and one-end closed tubes for amperometric hydrogen sensors. Results showed that a paste with 83 % BCZY, 8.5 % water, and 8.5 % PEG400 yielded a density of 96 % after sintering at 1700 °C for 1 h. The nozzle diameter during printing was the most influential parameter affecting wall thickness. Sensors constructed from one-end closed tubes exhibited higher sensitivity (20,571 μm·mbar-1) and a broader linear range (0.010 - 0.050 mbar) compared to pellet-based sensors. 3D printing proves to be an effective method for producing BCZY ceramic components with tailored geometries for hydrogen sensing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Empowering entrepreneurship and social impact: The Candy Innovation Model in La Salle's SDG challenge program
Get PDFThe Candy Innovation Model is a structured toolkit designed to streamline the innovation process for public and private organizations. It organizes innovation into four key phases: Challenges, Ideas, Development, and Scalability, each separated by filters that assess impact and resource requirements. In this paper, we present its application in the SDG Challenge Program as a methodology of learning by challenge. This approach was implemented to promote entrepreneurial skills and foster social commitment among participants, enabling multidisciplinary collaboration and the development of scalable, impactful solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Enhancing Legged Robot Locomotion Through Smooth Transitions Using Spiking Central Pattern Generators
Get PDFIn this work, we propose the integration of a mechanism to enable smooth transitions between different locomotion patterns in a hexapod robot. Specifically, we utilize a spiking neural network (SNN) functioning as a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) to generate three distinct locomotion patterns, or gaits: walk, jog, and run. This network produces coordinated spike trains, mimicking those generated in the brain, which are translated into synchronized robot movements via PWM signals. Subsequently, these spike trains are compared using a similarity metric known as SPIKE-synchronization to identify the optimal point for transitioning from one gait to another. This approach aims to achieve three main objectives: first, to maintain the robot’s balance during transitions; second, to ensure that gait transitions are almost imperceptible; and third, to improve energy efficiency by reducing abrupt changes in the robot’s actuators (servomotors). To validate our proposal, we incorporated FSR sensors on the robot’s legs to detect the rigidity of the terrain it navigates. Based on the terrain’s rigidity, the robot dynamically transitions between gaits. The system was tested in real time on a physical hexapod robot across four different types of terrain. Although the method was validated exclusively on a hexapod robot, it can be extended to any legged robot.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Processos de recerca. Composició arquitectònica I-II
Get PDFL’estudi precís d’una obra arquitectònica no només aporta una concepció diferent de la mateixa, sinó que fa canviar la percepció sobre la resta. Per arribar a aquest coneixement profund és necessari un exercici d’abstracció que posi de manifest les seves lleis internes, i permeti descobrir allò que té d’essencial i invariant, que es manté en el temps, i que pot ser comú en altres obres. Aquesta comunicació presenta les assignatures de Composició I i II del Grau en Estudis de l’Arquitectura, uns espais docents on s’introdueixen les pautes d’investigació i on es posen en pràctica els mètodes d’anàlisi formal i de presentació de projectes, per a què l’alumnat aprengui a explorar, comprendre i explicar l’arquitectura.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Scoping review of needs for digital technology in co-creation: a health CASCADE study
Get PDFBackground Patient and public involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognised as essential for meaningful, equitable, and impactful health and social care research. Co-creation is a promising involvement approach, but it faces barriers to enable its optimal potential. Digital technologies have the potential to overcome these challenges and strengthen the participatory process, but the specific technology needs that underpin effective participation and engagement remain underexplored.
Methods We conducted a comprehensive scoping review of 60 peer-reviewed studies to systematically map the digital technology needs supporting co-creation processes. Needs were extracted and thematically analysed, resulting in a structured synthesis.
Results A total of 337 distinct digital technology needs were identified and organised into five thematic areas: Ensuring Integrity, Enabling Methodology, Cognitive Needs, Group Dynamics, and Process Management. While most needs focused on functional attributes, non-functional characteristics, such as usability, scalability, and inclusivity, emerged as critical for meaningful patient and public engagement. The review highlights the fragmented articulation of technology needs across disciplines and settings. It proposes a structured framework to make latent needs visible, align stakeholder perspectives, and guide the development of digital tools. The emerging role of artificial intelligence in supporting hybrid models of involvement, along with the associated ethical challenges, is also discussed.
Conclusion This review provides the first thematic framework for understanding and addressing digital technology needs in co-creation. The findings offer a foundation for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers within health and social care to develop and implement digital tools that enhance accessibility, engagement, and impact of participatory processes. Future research should validate and refine these insights in partnership with patients, service users, and diverse communities to ensure technological solutions foster truly inclusive and effective involvement.
Plain English summary
Involving patients, carers, and the public in health and social care research (often called patient and public involvement, or PPI) helps ensure that the research addresses real needs, is more useful in practice, and remains inclusive. Today, digital technologies, such as online meetings, apps, and artificial intelligence, can help more people become involved. But what do we really need from these technologies to make everyone’s involvement easier and better?
In this study, we looked at 60 research articles to find out what kinds of digital tools are needed to support group work and co-creation in research. We discovered 337 different needs and grouped them into five main areas: making sure the process is open and equitable, so that everyone has a fair chance to contribute, supporting the methods, helping people understand and take part, working well in groups, and keeping everything organised.
We found that while many tools focus on what they do, it’s just as important that they are easy to use, work well for lots of people, and help everyone join in, especially people who may find it harder to get involved. We also discuss how new technologies like artificial intelligence can help, but why they need to be used responsibly.
Our findings can help researchers, organisations, and the public choose or design better digital tools for involving patients and the public in research. This way, everyone’s voice can be heard, and health and care research can become more inclusive and effective.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Older people care increases the gender gap in academia
Get PDFCaring for older and for adults with disabilities is nowadays a social challenge for Western societies.
However, little research has focused on the role of women as carers of that social group and their
personal and professional consequences, particularly in academia. We explore the impact of caring
for the older and adults with disabilities on Spanish scholar from a gender perspective. We conducted
36 semi-structured open-ended interviews (24 women, 12 men). Our research finds that, caring
for the older and adults with disabilities has costs and implications for scholar on a personal and
professional levels, but significantly more for women compared to men. Women often reported more
physical and mental health problems than men. In addition, women, reported that their profession
was affected by caring for the older people and that they compromised their quality of life mainly
in terms of loss of leisure time. Strategies for coping during difficult periods of caregiving differed
between genders, whereby women reported reaching out to support networks. At the institutional
level, older care is an ‘invisible’ problem, for which interviewees reported not getting any support from
their institutions. The study reveals how caring for older people and adults with disabilities adds yet
another role and responsibility to women’s dual role as mothers and scholars, leading to “invisible”,
often unnamed, impacts on their personal and professional lives: the “triple presence”. Given that the
study was conducted in a specific context (Spanish scientists in the fields of environmental science and
sustainability), future studies in other geographical areas will be needed to corroborate current findins.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Multiple hazards and economic resilience: Sectoral impacts and post-disaster recovery in a high-risk Brazilian State
Get PDFRio Grande do Sul accounts for 22% of Brazil’s losses from extreme events, mainly droughts and floods. The state had the second-worst economic performance in the country between 2000 and 2022. This study quantifies the impacts of major events such as droughts, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic on economic sectors. Three methods were applied: structural breaks, recovery time, and sector-specific loss estimates. The analysis covers 15,365,123 observations of monthly invoice values from January 2017 to April 2025, involving 357,001 companies paying value-added tax on consumption. The results indicate that negative structural breaks occurred in a few sectors, which account for 5% of the state’s economy. The recovery time followed a similar trajectory between droughts and COVID-19. On average, sectors took 12 months to recover from COVID-19, compared with about 6 months for natural hazards. The sectors most impacted were travel, artistic activities, machinery and equipment industry, accommodation, and domestic services. Aggregated loss estimates were highest during the COVID-19 pandemic (−8%), followed by floods (−1%) and droughts (0%). The results indicate remarkable overall short-run economic resilience. Furthermore, sectors such as information technology, consulting, business services, and healthcare performed exceptionally well.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Nutritional adequacy of charitable food aid packages to the needs of different householdtypes: a case study in Spain
Get PDFEuropean welfare states are facing a growing demand for charitable food aid in the current economic and political climate. While efforts have been made to enhance the dignity of food aid and address limited access, it is crucial to consider the impact of food aid on health, given the detrimental consequences of inadequate nutrition across the lifespan. This study aims to assess the nutritional contribution of food packages distributed by food aid organizations in Barcelona (Spain) to the needs of four types of households. The data were collected biweekly for two months from three food aid organizations in Barcelona. Nutritional information was retrieved from the product label and food composition databases and compared to the European Food Safety Authority’s dietary reference values for four types of households. Results indicate that nutrient adequacy depends on the organization’s food provisioning capacity and household size, with larger households facing higher food insecurity risks. One-person households lacked protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D, while households with two or more people failed to meet most micronutrient needs. Additionally, the packages often exceeded recommendations for fat and sodium. These findings underscore the vulnerability of food aid recipients to nutritional insufficiency, particularly in households with children who may experience compromised growth and development. Limited resources and high demand generate food packages that do not meet users’ nutritional needs. This research in Spain emphasizes the urgency for policymakers to intervene in food aid organizations and guarantee the supply of food that meets minimum nutrient requirements.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Revolutionizing rheumatoid arthritis therapy: the potential of lipid nanocarriers
Get PDFRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by synovitis, systemic inflammation and autoantibodies, leading to joint damage and disability. RA pathogenesis is characterized by a dysregulated interaction between immune cells, particularly B cells and T cells, which release inflammatory cytokines. This review explores the pivotal role of these immune cells in sustaining the inflammatory response and contributing to tissue injury. We provide a comprehensive overview of current RA therapies, highlighting the limitations of conventional treatments and the pressing need for targeted drug delivery systems such as lipid nanocarrier-based therapies, including nano-emulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), niosomes, liposomes, transferosomes, and ethosomes. Emphasizing niosomes, we discuss their capacity to encapsulate multiple drugs, significantly enhancing bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. By directing drug-loaded niosomes to inflamed synovial sites, this innovative approach minimizes systemic side effects while maximizing localized drug concentrations, thereby optimizing treatment outcomes for RA patients. This review underscores the importance of targeted (nano)drug delivery in improving patient's life quality and represents a significant step toward more effective, personalized RA therapies by deepening our understanding of the underlying mechanisms.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio