A systematic scoping review of study methodology for randomized controlled trials investigating probiotics in athletic and physically active populations

Background:The purported ergogenic and health effects of probiotics have been a topic of great intrigue among researchers,practitioners,and the lay public alike.There has also been an increased research focus within the realm of sports science and exercise medicine on the athletic gut microbiota.However,compared to other ergogenic aids and dietary supplements,probiotics present unique study challenges.The objectives of this systematic scoping review were to identify and characterize study methodologies of randomized controlled trials investigating supplementation with probiotics in athletes and physically active individuals.Methods:Four databases(MEDLINE,CINAHL,Cochrane CENTRAL,and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews)were searched for randomized controlled studies involving healthy athletes or physically active individuals.An intervention with probiotics and inclusion of a control and/or placebo group were essential.Only peer-reviewed articles in English were considered,and there were no date restrictions.Results were extracted and presented in tabular form to detail study protocols,characteristics,and outcomes.Bias in randomized controlled trials was determined with the RoB 2.0 tool.Results:A total of 45 studies were included in the review,with 35 using a parallel group design and 10 using a cross-over design.Approximately half the studies used a single probiotic and the other half a multi-strain preparation.The probiotic dose ranged from 2×10^(8)to 1×10^(11)colony forming units daily,and the length of intervention was between 7 and 150 days.Fewer than half the studies directly assessed gastrointestinal symptoms,gut permeability,or the gut microbiota.The sex ratio of participants was heavily weighted toward males,and only 3 studies exclusively investigated females.Low-level adverse events were reported in only 2 studies,although the methodology of reporting varied widely.The risk of bias was generally low,although details on randomization were lacking in some studies.Conclusion:There is a substantial body of research on the effects of prob iotic supplementation in healthy athletes and physically active individuals.Considerable heterogeneity in probiotic selection and dosage as well as outcome measures has made clinical and mechanistic interpretation challenging for both health care practitioners and researchers.Attention to issues of randomization of participants,treatments and interventions,selection of outcomes,demographics,and reporting of adverse events will facilitate more trustworthy interpretation of probiotic study results and inform evidence-based guidelines.

Research on the development methodology for clinical practice guidelines for organic integration of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine

Integrated traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and Western medicine(WM)is a new medical science grounded in the knowledge bases of both TCM and WM,which then forms a unique modern medical system in China.Integrated TCM and WM has a long history in China,and has made important achievements in the process of clinical diagnosis and treatment.However,the methodological defects in currently published clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)limit its development.The organic integration of TCM and WM is a deeper integration of TCM and WM.To realize the progression of"integration"to"organic integration",a targeted and standardized guideline development methodology is needed.Therefore,the purpose of this study is to establish a standardized development procedure for clinical practice guidelines for the organic integration of TCM and WM to promote the systematic integration of TCM and WM research results into clinical practice guidelines in order to achieve optimal results as the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

An operator methodology for the global dynamic analysis of stochastic nonlinear systems

In a global dynamic analysis,the coexisting attractors and their basins are the main tools to understand the system behavior and safety.However,both basins and attractors can be drastically influenced by uncertainties.The aim of this work is to illustrate a methodology for the global dynamic analysis of nondeterministic dynamical systems with competing attractors.Accordingly,analytical and numerical tools for calculation of nondeterministic global structures,namely attractors and basins,are proposed.First,based on the definition of the Perron-Frobenius,Koopman and Foias linear operators,a global dynamic description through phase-space operators is presented for both deterministic and nondeterministic cases.In this context,the stochastic basins of attraction and attractors’distributions replace the usual basin and attractor concepts.Then,numerical implementation of these concepts is accomplished via an adaptative phase-space discretization strategy based on the classical Ulam method.Sample results of the methodology are presented for a canonical dynamical system.

A"One Engine with Six Gears"System Engineering Methodology for the Economic Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas in China

Unconventional oil and gas resources have become the most important and realistic field for increasing China’s domestic oil and gas reserves and production.At present,the production scale does not match the massive amount of resources and the rapid growth of proven geological reserves.The challenges of technology,cost,management,and methodology restrict large-scale and economic development.Based on successful practices,a"one engine with six gears"system engineering methodology is put forward,which includes life-cycle management,overall synergy,interdisciplinary cross-service integration,marketoriented operation,socialized support,digitalized management,and low-carbon and green development.The methodology has been proved to be effective in multiple unconventional oil and gas national demonstration areas,including the Jimusar continental shale oil demonstration area.Disruptive views are introduced-namely,that unconventional oil and gas do not necessarily yield a low return,nor do they necessarily have a low recovery factor.A determination to achieve economic benefit must be a pervasive underlying goal for managers and experts.Return and recovery factors,as primary focuses,must be adhered to during China’s development of unconventional oil and gas.The required methodology transformation includes a revolution in management systems to significantly decrease cost and increase production,resulting in technological innovation.

A Mooring System Deployment Design Methodology for Vessels at Varying Water Depths

In this paper,a methodology for designing mooring system deployment for vessels at varying water depths is proposed.The Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II(NSGA-II)is combined with a self-dependently developed vessel-mooring coupled program to find the optimal mooring system deployment considering both station-keeping requirements and the safety of the mooring system.Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the methodology by designing the mooring system deployments for a very large floating structure(VLFS)module and a semi-submersible platform respectively at three different water depths.It can be concluded from the obtained results that the mooring system can achieve a better station-keeping ability with relatively shorter mooring line when deployed in the shallow water.The safety factor of mooring line is mainly dominated by the maximum instantaneous tension increment in the shallow water,while the pre-tension has a decisive influence on the safety factor of the mooring line in the deep water.

Application of Response Surface Methodology for Optimization of Fluoride Removal Mechanism by Newely Developed Biomaterial

The adsorption capacities of new biomaterials derived from lemon leaf (Citrus sp.) toward fluoride ions have been explored by varying different physicochemical parameters such as pH, initial concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, stirring rate and temperature. The entire study was done through batch process. Maximum fluoride adsorption of 96.9% - 98.8% was achieved with an initial concentration of 10 mg/L. Langmuir isotherm model well expressed fluoride ad- sorption onto LLD-1, LLD-2 and LLD-3. According to correlation coefficient, the fluoride adsorption onto these 3 ad- sorbents was correlated well with pseudo-second-order kinetic model. From thermodynamic study, the spontaneous nature and feasibility of the adsorption process with negative enthalpy (&#916H0) value also supported the exothermic nature were shown. The rate of fluoride adsorption was mathematically described as a function of experimental parameters and was modeled through Box-Behnken (Response surface methodology). The results showed that the responses of fluoride adsorption were significantly affected by the quadratic term of pH, initial concentration, contact time and temperature and the statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA which indicated good correlation of experimental parameters.

An Innovative Soft Design Science Methodology for Improving Development of a Secure Information System in Tanzania Using Multi-Layered Approach

This paper presents an innovative Soft Design Science Methodology for improving information systems security using multi-layered security approach. The study applied Soft Design Science Methodology to address the problematic situation on how information systems security can be improved. In addition, Soft Design Science Methodology was compounded with mixed research methodology. This holistic approach helped for research methodology triangulation. The study assessed security requirements and developed a framework for improving information systems security. The study carried out maturity level assessment to determine security status quo in the education sector in Tanzania. The study identified security requirements gap (IT security controls, IT security measures) using ISO/IEC 21827: Systems Security Engineering-Capability Maturity Model (SSE-CMM) with a rating scale of 0 - 5. The results of this study show that maturity level across security domain is 0.44 out of 5. The finding shows that the implementation of IT security controls and security measures for ensuring security goals are lacking or conducted in ad-hoc. Thus, for improving the security of information systems, organisations should implement security controls and security measures in each security domain (multi-layer security). This research provides a framework for enhancing information systems security during capturing, processing, storage and transmission of information. This research has several practical contributions. Firstly, it contributes to the body of knowledge of information systems security by providing a set of security requirements for ensuring information systems security. Secondly, it contributes empirical evidence on how information systems security can be improved. Thirdly, it contributes on the applicability of Soft Design Science Methodology on addressing the problematic situation in information systems security. The research findings can be used by decision makers and lawmakers to improve existing cyber security laws, and enact laws for data privacy and sharing of open data.

Artificial Intelligence Embedded Object-Oriented Methodology For Model Based

The paper presents the coupling of artificial intelligence-AI and Object-oriented methodology applied for the construction of the model-based decision support system MBDSS.The MBDSS is designed for support the strategic decision making lead to the achievemellt of optimal path towardsmarket economy from the central planning situation in China. To meet user's various requirements,a series of innovations in software development have been carried out, such as system formalization with OBFRAMEs in an object-oriented paradigm for problem solving automation and techniques of modules intelligent cooperation, hybrid system of reasoning, connectionist framework utilization,etc. Integration technology has been highly emphasized and discussed in this article and an outlook to future software engineering is given in the conclusion section.

Comparison of Radial Basis Function Neural Network and Response Surface Methodology for Predicting Performance of Biofilter Treating Toluene

Biofiltration is emerging as a promising cost effective technique for the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) removal from industrial waste gases. In the present investigation a comparative modeling study has been carried out using Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFN) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to predict and optimize the performance of a biofilter system treating toluene (a model VOC). Experimental biofilter system performance data collected over a time period by daily measurement of inlet VOC concentration, retention time, pH, temperature and packing moisture content was used to develop the mathematical model. These independent variables acted as the inputs to the mathematical model developed using RSM and RBFN, while the VOC removal efficiency was the biofilter system performance parameter to be predicted. The data set was divided into two parts: 60% of data was used for training phase and remaining 40% of data was used for the testing phase. The average % error for RSM and RBFN were 7.76% and 3.03%, and R2 value obtained were 0.8826 and 0.9755 respectively. The results indicated the superiority of RBFN in the prediction capability due to its ability to approximate higher degree of nonlinearity between the input and output variables. The optimization of biofilter parameters was also done using RSM to optimize the biofilter performance. RSM being structured in nature enabled the study of interaction effect between the independent variables on biofilter performance.

Second-Order Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Computing Exactly Response Sensitivities to Uncertain Parameters and Boundaries of Linear Systems: Mathematical Framework

This work presents the “Second-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology (2nd-CASAM)” for the efficient and exact computation of 1st- and 2nd-order response sensitivities to uncertain parameters and domain boundaries of linear systems. The model’s response (i.e., model result of interest) is a generic nonlinear function of the model’s forward and adjoint state functions, and also depends on the imprecisely known boundaries and model parameters. In the practically important particular case when the response is a scalar-valued functional of the forward and adjoint state functions characterizing a model comprising N parameters, the 2nd-CASAM requires a single large-scale computation using the First-Level Adjoint Sensitivity System (1st-LASS) for obtaining all of the first-order response sensitivities, and at most N large-scale computations using the Second-Level Adjoint Sensitivity System (2nd-LASS) for obtaining exactly all of the second-order response sensitivities. In contradistinction, forward other methods would require (N2/2 + 3 N/2) large-scale computations for obtaining all of the first- and second-order sensitivities. This work also shows that constructing and solving the 2nd-LASS requires very little additional effort beyond the construction of the 1st-LASS needed for computing the first-order sensitivities. Solving the equations underlying the 1st-LASS and 2nd-LASS requires the same computational solvers as needed for solving (i.e., “inverting”) either the forward or the adjoint linear operators underlying the initial model. Therefore, the same computer software and “solvers” used for solving the original system of equations can also be used for solving the 1st-LASS and the 2nd-LASS. Since neither the 1st-LASS nor the 2nd-LASS involves any differentials of the operators underlying the original system, the 1st-LASS is designated as a “first-level” (as opposed to a “first-order”) adjoint sensitivity system, while the 2nd-LASS is designated as a “second-level” (rather than a “second-order”) adjoint sensitivity system. Mixed second-order response sensitivities involving boundary parameters may arise from all source terms of the 2nd-LASS that involve the imprecisely known boundary parameters. Notably, the 2nd-LASS encompasses an automatic, inherent, and independent “solution verification” mechanism of the correctness and accuracy of the 2nd-level adjoint functions needed for the efficient and exact computation of the second-order sensitivities.

Development of methodology for quantitative landslide risk assessment—Example Gota river valley

Effective landslide risk management requires knowledge of the landslide risks. This paper presents a risk assessment methodology for semiregional scale. The landslide probability is assessed taking into account expected climatechange in the case study area (the G?ta river valley). Climate change is expected to result in increased erosion and water fluctuations. There are large areas with marine clays, often quick clay, in the area and the landslide process can be rapid with extensive damages and casualties. The consequence methodology includes a wide range of consequences assessed by monetary valuation. The consequences and the landslide probability are combined as pairs of values in a risk matrix and the risk is also presented on a map. The map has been used as discussion and decision bases in the municipalities in the G?ta river valley, in the county administration and on governmental level to estimate the needs of risk mitigation and to make priorities.

A robust methodology for the quantitative assessmentof the rat jawbone microstructure

Micro-computed tomography can be applied for the assessment of the micro-architectural characteristics of the cortical and trabecular bones in either physiological or disease conditions. However, reports often lack a detailed description of the methodological steps used to analyse these images, such as the volumes of interest, the algorithms used for image filtration, the approach used for image segmentation, and the bone parameters quantified, thereby making it difficult to compare or reproduce the studies. This study addresses this critical need and aims to provide standardized assessment and consistent parameter reporting related to quantitative jawbone image analysis. Various regions of the rat jawbones were screened for their potential for standardized micro-computed tomography analysis. Furthermore, the volumes of interest that were anticipated to be most susceptible to bone structural changes in response to experimental interventions were defined. In the mandible, two volumes of interest were selected, namely, the condyle and the trabecular bone surrounding the three molars. In the maxilla, the maxillary tuberosity region and the inter-radicular septum of the second molar were considered as volumes of interest. The presented protocol provides a standardized and reproducible methodology for the analysis of relevant jawbone volumes of interest and is intended to ensure global, accurate, and consistent reporting of its morphometry. Furthermore, the proposed methodology has potential, as a variety of rodent animal models would benefit from its implementation.

PERFORMANCE-DRIVEN BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED-ENTERPRISES

Based on the analysis of the common limitations of business processmanagement (BPM) methodologies and the requirements of small and medium sized-enterprises (SMEs),the importance of a 'performance construct' of BPM methodologies is identified, a six-phaseperformance-driven BPM methodology for the production and operation processes of Chinese SMEs isdeveloped. A case study on the process management of a medium-sized enterprise shows a successfulexample of running the methodology.

MMALE—A Methodology for Malware Analysis in Linux Environments

In a computer environment,an operating system is prone to malware,and even the Linux operating system is not an exception.In recent years,malware has evolved,and attackers have become more qualified compared to a few years ago.Furthermore,Linux-based systems have become more attractive to cybercriminals because of the increasing use of the Linux operating system in web servers and Internet of Things(IoT)devices.Windows is the most employed OS,so most of the research efforts have been focused on its malware protection rather than on other operating systems.As a result,hundreds of research articles,documents,and methodologies dedicated to malware analysis have been reported.However,there has not been much literature concerning Linux security and protection from malware.To address all these new challenges,it is necessary to develop a methodology that can standardize the required steps to perform the malware analysis in depth.A systematic analysis process makes the difference between good and ordinary malware analyses.Additionally,a deep malware comprehension can yield a faster and much more efficient malware eradication.In order to address all mentioned challenges,this article proposed a methodology for malware analysis in the Linux operating system,which is a traditionally overlooked field compared to the other operating systems.The proposed methodology is tested by a specific Linux malware,and the obtained test results have high effectiveness in malware detection.

An Intelligent Response Surface Methodology for Modeling of Domain Level Constraints

An effective modeling method of domain level constraints in the constraint network for concurrent engineering (CE) was developed. The domain level constraints were analyzed and the framework of modeling of domain level constraints based on simulation and approximate technology was given. An intelligent response surface methodology (IRSM) was proposed, in which artificial intelligence technologies are introduced into the optimization process. The design of crank and connecting rod in the V6 engine as example was given to show the validity of the modeling method.

A Structured Methodology for Local Network Design Engineering

This paper presents a structured methodology for local network design engineering (SMLNDE). A complex and fuzzy project for local network design can be decomposed into a set of simple and particular activities using the SMLNDE. The SMLNDE allows rigorous requirements definition and permits the exhaustive consideration of the large number of factors influencing local network design engineering. The complete and clear design documentations and an optimal design can also be provided by the methodology. The SMLNDE has been implemented using the structured analysis and design technique. The study shows that the SMLNDE is an effective design methodology for the large and complex local networks.

The BP-M* Methodology for Process Analysis in the Health Sector

In this paper we present the main phases of the BP-M* methodology and its application to a care pathway for patients in the Oncology Division of a large hospital, to evaluate pros and cons of different drug administration modalities and the impact of these modalities to the organizational process. BP-M* has been developed for the manufacturing sector but the relevance of business modeling, analysis and reorganization is not restricted to a specific sector. The aim of this work is to show its application to a real life study of a complex process in the health sector.

Teaching Methodology for the Training of a Laparoscopic Technique: Intestinal Anastomosis

Traditionally surgeons learned surgical techniques by training them directly in the patient by imitating the actions of the surgeon with more experience. Today this methodology is difficult to apply, since there are multiple factors that hinder its use. The limited time of training systems, scarcity of resources, patient safety or the need to learn new techniques of minimally invasive surgery, make the training of surgeons require a different learning methodology. This study has designed a new methodology for the learning of surgical techniques that minimizes the impact of all the previous factors on the training of surgeons. Its effectiveness in the teaching of laparoscopic manual intestinal anastomosis is analyzed. It has been asked a group of 24 expert surgeons teaching in intestinal anastomoses, which are the steps that must include the teaching of the technique. The phases evaluated with the highest score were included in the methodology. Once the steps of the methodology were designed, 25 general surgeons were chosen and divided into three groups according to their level of experience (experts, trained and beginners). Each participant performed five training sessions following the new methodology. The technical quality of the anastomosis, the overall development of the operation, as well as the feedback developed between the participants and the instructor was analyzed. After analyzing the results it was observed that structured feedback between the instructor and the participant increases the involvement of the participant in the learning process and reduces the time needed to acquire the competence. With this methodology the inexperienced participants perform the fifth anastomosis with quality parameters close to those obtained by the expert participants. In addition, this methodology allows to individualize the learning according to the needs of each participant.

A Homeowner-Based Methodology for Economic Analysis of Energy-Efficiency Measures in Residences

Residential energy-efficiency measures, besides energy savings, provide opportunities for improvement of thermal comfort, air quality, lighting quality, and operation. However, all these benefits sometimes are not enough to convince a homeowner to pay the incremental cost associated with the energy-efficiency measure. The objective of this work is to develop a methodology for the economic evaluation of residential energy-efficiency measures that can simplify the economic analysis for the homeowner while taking into consideration all factors associated with the purchase, ownership, and selling of the house with the energy-efficiency measure. The methodology accounts for direct and indirect economic parameters associated to an energy-efficiency measure;direct parameters such as the mortgage interest and fuel price escalation rate, and indirect parameters such as savings account interest and marginal income tax rate. The methodology also considers different cases based on the service life of the energy-efficiency measure and loss of efficiency through a derating factor. To estimate the market value, the methodology uses the future energy cost savings instead of the cost of the EEM. Results from the methodology offer to homeowner annual net savings and net assets. The annual net savings gives the homeowner a measure of the annual positive cash flow that can be obtained from an energy-efficiency project;but more important, the net assets offer a measure of the added net wealth. To simplify and increase the use of the methodology by homeowners, the methodology has been implemented in an Excel tool that can be downloaded from the TxAIRE’s website.

Proposal of a Methodology for the Assessment of Security Levels of IoT Wireless Sensor Networks in Nuclear Environments

The use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) associated with the reality of an Internet of Things (IoT) scenario in nuclear environments is a growing security concern. In this context, standards are intensified to preserve the physical integrity of these facilities considered to be highly critical due to the size of the impacts of safety accidents. This paper presents a proposal to build a methodology to evaluate the security levels of WSNs with IoT devices when used in nuclear areas. The proposal is initially based on related work to establish a more concrete initial framework and is structured in consistent steps from previous scientific studies.