Literature Review, Meta-Analysis, and Mega-Analysis in Ecological and Agricultural Sciences

Literature review is an important component in any scientific research. In ecological and agricultural sciences, many studies have been conducted over years. With accumulation of scientific studies and published papers, it is critical to summarize and evaluate these previous research findings. Different literature review methods have been applied, including traditional qualitative literature review, quantitative meta-analysis, and more recently, mega-analysis, or meta-meta-analysis. Here we briefly describe these different approaches and draw attention to the recent development of data synthesis. Several case studies were used to illustrate the application of these methods in the ecological and agricultural sciences.

A Meta-Analysis of the Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of circZFR in Human Gastrointestinal Cancers

Background: Studies of gastrointestinal (GIT) cancers have shown that circZFR could be involved in the development and progression of various GIT cancers. However, small sample sizes limit the clinical significance of these studies. Here, a meta-analysis was conducted to ascertain the actual involvement of circZFR in the development and prognosis of GIT cancers. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to December 31, 2023. Hazard ratios (HRs) or odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled to evaluate the association between circZFR expression and overall survival (OS). Publication bias was measured using the funnel plot and Egger’s test. Results: 10 studies having 659 participants were enrolled for meta-analysis. High circZFR expression was associated with poor OS (HR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.70). High circZFR expression also predicted larger tumor size (OR = 4.38, 95% CI 2.65, 7.25), advanced clinical stage (OR = 5.33, 95% CI 3.10, 9.16), and tendency for distant metastasis (OR = 2.89, 95% CI: 1.62, 5.11), but was not related to age, gender, and histological grade. Conclusions: In summary, high circZFR expression was associated with poor OS, larger tumor size, advanced stage cancer and tendency for distant metastasis. These findings suggested that circZFR could be a prognostic marker for GIT cancers.

Meta-analysis of transarterial chemoembolization combined with cryoablation vs transarterial chemoembolization alone for≥5 cm hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)ranks sixth globally in cancer incidence and third in mortality rates.Unfortunately,over 70% of HCC patients forego the opportunity for curative surgery or liver transplantation due to inadequate physical examinations,poor physical condition,and limited organ availability upon diagnosis.Clinical guidelines endorse transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)as the frontline treatment for intermediate to advanced-stage HCC.Cryoablation(CRA)is an emerging local ablative therapy increasingly used in HCC management.Recent studies suggest that combining CRA with TACE offers complementary and synergistic effects,potentially improving long-term survival rates.However,the superiority of combined TACE+CRA therapy over TACE alone for HCC lesions equal to or exceeding 5 cm requires further investigation.AIM To compare the efficacy and safety of TACE combined with CRA vs TACE alone in the treatment of HCC with a diameter of≥5 cm.METHODS PubMed,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,CNKI,Wanfang,and VIP databases were searched to retrieve all relevant studies on TACE and CRA up to July 2022.Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.RESULTS After screening according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria,6 articles were included,including 2 randomized controlled trials and 4 nonrandomized controlled trials,with a total of 575 patients included in the meta-analysis.The results showed that the objective response rate[odds ratio(OR)=2.56,95%confidence interval(CI):1.66-3.96,P<0.0001],disease control rate(OR=3.03,95%CI:1.88-4.89,P<0.00001),1-year survival rate(OR=3.79,95%CI:2.50-5.76,P<0.00001),2-year survival rate(OR=2.34,95%CI:1.43-3.85,P=0.0008),and 3-year survival rate(OR=3.34,95%CI:1.61-6.94,P=0.001)were all superior to those of the control group;the postoperative decrease in alpha-fetoprotein value(OR=295.53,95%CI:250.22-340.85,P<0.0001),the postoperative increase in CD4 value(OR=10.59,95%CI:8.78-12.40,P<0.00001),and the postoperative decrease in CD8 value(OR=6.47,95%CI:4.44-8.50,P<0.00001)were also significantly higher than those in the TACE-alone treatment group.CONCLUSION Compared with TACE-alone treatment,TACE+CRA combined treatment not only improves the immune function of HCC patients with a diameter of≥5 cm,but also enhances the therapeutic efficacy and long-term survival rate,without increasing the risk of complications.Therefore,TACE+CRA combined treatment may be a more recommended treatment for patients with HCC with a diameter of≥5 cm.

Iron and ferritin effects on intensive care unit mortality:A metaanalysis

BACKGROUND The effect of serum iron or ferritin parameters on mortality among critically ill patients is not well characterized.AIM To determine the association between serum iron or ferritin parameters and mortality among critically ill patients.METHODS Web of Science,Embase,PubMed,and Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies on serum iron or ferritin parameters and mortality among critically ill patients.Two reviewers independently assessed,selected,and abstracted data from studies reporting on serum iron or ferritin parameters and mortality among critically ill patients.Data on serum iron or ferritin levels,mortality,and demographics were extracted.RESULTS Nineteen studies comprising 125490 patients were eligible for inclusion.We observed a slight negative effect of serum ferritin on mortality in the United States population[relative risk(RR)1.002;95%CI:1.002-1.004].In patients with sepsis,serum iron had a significant negative effect on mortality(RR=1.567;95%CI:1.208-1.925).CONCLUSION This systematic review presents evidence of a negative correlation between serum iron levels and mortality among patients with sepsis.Furthermore,it reveals a minor yet adverse impact of serum ferritin on mortality among the United States population.

Meta analysis of the efficacy of western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule versus western medicine alone in the treatment of chronic heart failure

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of conventional Western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule and western medicine alone in the treatment of chronic heart failure, and to prove that Qiliqiangxin capsule combined treatment has more advantages, providing reference for clinical decision-making in the treatment of chronic heart failure. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of conventional Western medicine treatment and Western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule in the treatment of chronic heart failure were searched in databases such as PubMed, Embase, Webofscience, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and CBM. The bias risk assessment was conducted using the RCT tool recommended by Cochrane, and then the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.4 and Stata17 software. Compare the efficacy evaluation of cardiac function, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), cardiac stroke output (SV), 6-minute walking test (6MWT), and N-terminal proBNP in the conventional western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule group (hereinafter referred to as the treatment group) and the conventional western medicine group (hereinafter referred to as the control group). Results: A total of 20 RCTs meeting the criteria were included, including 2953 patients, including 1508 in the treatment group and 1445 in the control group. The results of meta-analysis showed that the treatment group had significantly better cardiac function evaluation, LVEF, LVEDD, SV, 6MWT, and NT-proBNP improvement than the control group. Its central functional efficacy evaluation (OR=2.09,95% CI: 1.71-2.55, P<0.001), LVEF (WMD=7.05,95% CI: 5.30-8.79, P<0.00001), LVEDD (WMD=6.73, 95% CI: 3.18-10.29, P=0.0002), SV (WMD=6.73, 95% CI: 3.18-10.29, P=0.0002), 6MWT (SMD=0.70,95% CI: 0.54-0.87, P<0.00001), NT-proBNP (SMD=-1.95,95% CI: -2.5 2 to 1.38 (P<0.0001), with statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Conventional western medicine combined with Qiliqiangxin capsule can significantly improve the clinical efficacy of heart failure, improve LVEF, LVEDD, SV, and NT-proBNP index, and improve exercise tolerance. It is worth using for reference in the treatment.

Carbocysteine as Adjuvant Therapy in Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Patients without Underlying Chronic Conditions: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: This study aims to systematically examine the existing evidence regarding the clinical benefits of carbocysteine as an adjunctive treatment in acute bronchopulmonary and otorhinological processes. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources: An electronic search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, clinicaltrials.gov, and the European Clinical Trial Register, with the search dated to May 2023. Bibliographic references from other literature reviews and meta-analyses were also reviewed. The search was limited to randomized clinical trials published in any language and year. It was completed by cross-checking the references of the located articles. Methods: Inclusion criteria covered studies assessing systemic or inhaled carbocysteine, regardless of dosing regimen. Concomitant medication use was acceptable if balanced between intervention and control groups. Authors independently extracted data, resolving disagreements through consensus. Methodological quality assessment relied on critical reading of each study. Dichotomous variables were analyzed using odds ratio (OR), and a final effect size was calculated. Statistical significance was established when confidence intervals did not cross the neutral value. Heterogeneity was assessed via the X2 test and I2 index. Results: Out of 318 initially identified studies, 4 met inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis for poor general condition yielded an OR of 0.45 in favor of intervention, p = 0.013, with non-significant heterogeneity. Cough events showed a percentage of 15.8% for carbocysteine vs. 27.2% for placebo. On the seventh day, expectoration rates were 18.37% for carbocysteinevs 33.3% for placebo. Conclusions: The observed clinical benefits align with carbocysteine’s mucoactive and muco-regulatory properties, complemented by anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. Carbocysteine stands out among mucolytic agents. In the context of persistent infectious diseases, the study emphasizes the need for further exploration of carbocysteine’s therapeutic potential as an adjunctive treatment for acute respiratory infections. These findings underscore its significance in the evolving landscape of respiratory healthcare.

Prevalence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection [LTBI] in Prison Officers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the LTBI prevalence in prison officers worldwide. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, WoS, Embase, and BVS, including all articles related to LTBI prevalence and risk factors. After critical evaluation and qualitative synthesis of the identified articles, a meta-analysis was used. Five studies carried out between 2012 and 2022 were included, with a total sample size of 1718 prison officers. The overall LTBI prevalence was 50% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 48% - 52%;n = 816], with high heterogeneity between studies. Smoking [OR = 1.76;CI 95% = 1.26 - 2.46] and males [OR = 2.08;CI 95% = 1.31 - 3.31] were positively related to a higher LTBI prevalence among prison officers. Thus, preventive measures and the rapid and accurate diagnosis of new cases should be emphasized to ensure tuberculosis control, especially among risk groups such as prison officers.

Discourse Analysis in Translation of Chinese Literature: The Case Study of Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang’s Translation of Kong Yiji

Since the early 1970s,discourse analysis has garnered significant attention across various academic disciplines,marked by the proliferation of numerous theoretical frameworks.Then the profound impact of discourse analysis on the field of translation research has become increasingly apparent,with a substantial body of translation studies embracing the discourse analysis approach.The disciplinary significance of discourse analysis has become undeniable.Contemporary China is in a relatively weak position in global cultural communication.To advance Chinese culture on the global stage,Chinese literary works serve as a precious channel.To effectively showcase the unique qualities of Chinese literature,translators must consider a multitude of influencing factors and address them judiciously to enable target language readers to fully immerse themselves in the essence of Chinese literary artistry.This paper takes Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang’s translation of Kong Yiji as an example to elucidate the function of discourse analysis in translation of Chinese literature.

Role of Notch signaling pathway in gastric cancer: A meta-analysis of the literature

AIM: To perform a meta-analysis to quantitatively summarize the evidence for the association between the Notch signaling pathway and gastric cancer(GC).METHODS: An electronic search of the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,which contain articles published from 1966 onwards,was conducted to select studies for this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen studies with a total of 1547 gastric cancer cases and 450 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the expression of Notch1,Notch2, Delta-like 4 and Hes1 was significantly higher in tumor tissues of GC compared to normal tissues.Specifically, stratified analyses showed that significantly increased expression of Notch1 was associated with non-cardia location, > 5 cm size, diffuse type, positive lymphovascular invasion and distal metastasis. Statistically significant higher expression of Notch3 was found in diffuse type GC. Jagged1 was also significantly over-expressed in diffuse type and poor differentiation type of GC. DLL4 was significantly over-expressed in advanced T stage, N stage and TNM stage in GC patients. However, the stratified analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference in Hes1 expression between different subgroups. Sporadic reports showed that Notch1 and Jagged1 were independent poor prognostic predictors in GC.CONCLUSION: The Notch signaling pathway plays an important role in tumor progression of gastric cancer.

Phase I/II enzyme gene polymorphisms and esophageal cancer risk: A meta-analysis of the literature

AIM: Phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ enzymes metabolize environmental carcinogens and several functional polymorphisms have been reported in their encoding genes. Although their significance with regard to esophageal carcinogenicity has been examined epidemiologically, it remains controversial. The present systematic review of the literature was performed to clarify associations.METHODS: Eligible studies were case-control or cohort studies published until September 2004 that were written in any language. From PubMed and a manual review of reference lists in relevant review articles, we obtained 16 studies related to the CYP1A1 Ile-Val substitution in exon 7, CYP1A1MspI polymorphisms, CYP2E1 RsaI polymorphisms,GSTM1 null type, GSTT1 null type and GSTP1 Ile104Val.All were of case-control design. Summary statistics were odds ratios (ORs) comparing heterozygous-, homozygousnon-wild type or these two in combination with the homozygous wild type, or the null type with the non-null type for GSTM1 and GSTT1. A random effect model was used to estimate the summary ORs. A meta-regression analysis was applied to explore sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Individuals with the Ile-Val substitution in CYP1A1 exon 7 had increased esophageal cancer risk,with ORs (95%CI) compared with Ile/Ile of 1.37 (1.09-1.71),2.52 (1.62-3.91) and 1.44 (1.17-1.78) for Ile-Val, Val/Val genotype and the combined group. No significant association was found between esophageal cancer risk and the other genetic parameters.CONCLUSION: A significant association exists between the CYP1A1 Ile-Val polymorphism and risk of esophageal cancer. Polymorphisms that increase the internal exposure to activated carcinogens may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Bioartificial liver support systems for acute liver failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinical and preclinical literature

BACKGROUND Acute liver failure(ALF) has a high mortality varying from 80% to 85% with rapid progress in multi-organ system failure. Bioartificial liver(BAL) support systems have the potential to provide temporary support to bridge patients with ALF to liver transplantation or spontaneous recovery. In the past decades, several BAL support systems have been conducted in clinical trials. More recently,concerns have been raised on the renovation of high-quality cell sources and configuration of BAL support systems to provide more benefits to ALF models in preclinical experiments.AIM To investigate the characteristics of studies about BAL support systems for ALF,and to evaluate their effects on mortality.METHODS Eligible clinical trials and preclinical experiments on large animals were identified on Cochrane Library, PubMed, and EMbase up to March 6, 2019. Two reviewers independently extracted the necessary information, including key BAL indicators, survival and indicating outcomes, and adverse events during treatment. Descriptive analysis was used to identify the characteristics of the included studies, and a meta-analysis including only randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies was done to calculate the overall effect of BAL on mortality among humans and large animals, respectively.RESULTS Of the 30 selected studies, 18 were clinical trials and 12 were preclinical experiments. The meta-analysis result suggested that BAL might reduce mortality in ALF in large animals, probably due to the recent improvement of BAL, including the type, cell source, cell mass, and bioreactor, but seemed ineffective for humans (BAL vs control: relative risk(95% confidence interval),0.27(0.12-0.62) for animals and 0.72(0.48-1.08) for humans)Liver and renal functions, hematologic and coagulative parameters, encephalopathy index, and neurological indicators seemed to improve after BAL, with neither meaningful adverse events nor porcine endogenous retrovirus infection.CONCLUSION BAL may reduce the mortality of ALF by bridging the gap between preclinical experiments and clinical trials. Clinical trials using improved BAL must be designed scientifically and conducted in the future to provide evidence for transformation.

The association between retinal vasculature changes and stroke:a literature review and Meta-analysis

AIM： To determine the association between retinal vasculature changes and stroke.METHODS： MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched for relevant human studies to September 2015 that investigated the association between retinal vasculature changes and the prevalence or incidence of stroke; the studies were independently examined for their qualities. Data on clinical characteristics and calculated summary odds ratios （ORs） were extracted for associations between retinal microvascular abnormalities and stroke, including stroke subtypes where possible, and adjusted for key variables. RESULTS： Nine cases were included in the study comprising 20 659 patients, 1178 of whom were stroke patients. The retinal microvascular morphological markers used were hemorrhage, microaneurysm, vessel caliber, arteriovenous nicking, and fractal dimension. OR of retinal arteriole narrowing and retinal arteriovenous nicking and stroke was 1.42 and 1.91, respectively, indicating that a small-caliber retinal arteriole and retinal arteriovenous nicking were associated with stroke. OR of retinal hemorrhage and retinal microaneurysm and stroke was 3.21 and 3.83, respectively, indicating that retinal microvascular lesions were highly associated with stroke. Results also showed that retinal fractal dimension reduction was associated with stroke （OR： 2.28 for arteriole network, OR： 1.80 for venular network）.CONCLUSION： Retinal vasculature changes have a specific relationship to stroke, which is promising evidence for the prediction of stroke using computerized retinal vessel analysis.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Chinese literature for the treatment of achalasia

AIM: To evaluate the effect of different approaches in the treatment of achalasia in China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of Chinese literature by searching the Chinese Biomedical Database and Chinese scientific Journals database (up to March 2008). All cohort studies (controlled or uncontrolled) in which the patients were observed for more than a year were reviewed in detail. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for controlled trials. The efficacy in uncontrolled trials was assessed by a pooled estimate of response rate with individual studies weighted in proportion to the sample size. RESULTS: Seven controlled trials compared the effect of botulinum toxin injection (BoTx) with pneumatic dilation (PD). PD was superior to BoTx [65.2% vs 45.3%; RR 1.47 (95% CI 1.23-1.77), P < 0.0001], and had a lower clinical relapse rate (BoTx 30.2% vs PD 10%, RR 0.32 (0.16-0.65), P = 0.001). Heller myotomy (HM) had superior remission rate compared to PD [HM 94.0% vs PD 64.1%, RR 1.48 (1.15-1.99), P = 0.002]. In uncontrolled trials, the effectiveness of PD was 86.6% (23.9%) vs 94.8% (10.6%) for HM. The main complications of PD were perforation and gastroesophageal reflux disease. CONCLUSION: HM is the most effective long-term treatment for patients with achalasia in China. In the future, controlled clinical trials on the treatment of achalasia should focus on comparing laparoscopic myotomy with or without antireflux procedure,including different partial and total fundoplication techniques.

Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Antagonism in Asthma:a Meta-analysis of the Published Literature

It remains controversial whether tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α antagonism is effective for asthma.This meta-analysis was performed to evaluate efficacy of TNF-α antagonism in treatment of patients with asthma.MEDLINE,EMBASE,LILACS,and CINAHL databases were searched for English-language studies published through January 3,2010.Randomized-controlled trials comparing TNF-α antagonism with control therapy were selected.For each report,data were extracted in relation to the outcomes analyzed：asthma exacerbation,asthma quality of life questionnaire scores,and forced expiratory volume in 1 second.Four assessable trials were identified including 641 patients with asthma.TNF-α antagonism therapy was superior to control therapy in preventing exacerbations in asthmatics [pooled odds ratio 0.52（95% confidence interval 0.29-0.88）,P=0.02]however,there was a nonsignificant reduction in asthma quality of life questionnaire scores [0.23（0 to 0.47）,P=0.05],forced expiratory volume in 1 second [0.03,（-0.14 to 0.10）,P=0.74] when analyzed using standardized mean differences.TNF-α antagonism was superior to control chemotherapy in terms of asthma exacerbation,but not asthma quality of life questionnaire scores or forced expiratory volume in 1 second.

Association between complement factor I gene polymorphisms and the risk of age-related macular degeneration:a Meta-analysis of literature

AIM： To systematically review the association between complement factors I （CFI） polymorphisms and age- related macular degeneration （AMD） and to explore whether CFI polymorphisms are associated with AMD, METHODS： Meta-analysis of articles published from 1995 to January 2015 of articles involved with AMD and polymorphisms of the CFI gene. Eligible data were pooled in a Meta-analysis, analyzing using STATA software （version 12.0）, Review Manager （version 5.2） and different models based on the heterogeneity of effect sizes. Egger＇s test, Begg＇s rank correlation methods were used to evaluate for publication bias.~ RESULTS： Thirteen articles were eligible, describing two loci polymorphisms of the CFI gene （of which 12 articles focus on rs10033900T〉C and 3 articles focus on rs2285714C〉T）. For rs10033900T〉C, the results of our study revealed that having a mutant allele C, TC, CC and TC＋CC was associated with a decreased risk of AMD in all population groups studied （C versus T models, OR=0.84, 95%Ch 0.72-0.99, P=0.04; TC versus TT models OR= 0.89, 95%Ch 0.88-0.99, P=0.04;CC versus ＂1-1＂ models, OR=0.76, 95%Ch 0.60-0.98, P=-0.03; TC＋CC versus TT models, OR=0.81, 95%Ch0.65-0.99, P=0.04）. We found that C allele were related to lower AMD risk in the Caucasian population by subgroup analysis, but there was no association with AMD under the allele and genotypes comparison in Asian studies. For rs2285714 C〉T, the TC, TT genotypes contributed to a higher risk of AMD, compared with the CC carriers and CT＋CC （OR=1.34, 95%Ch 1.09-1.63, P=0.004; OR=1.50, 95%Ch 1.25-1.80, P〈0.0001）. CONCLUSION： This Meta-analysis suggests that CFI rs10033900T〉C and rs2285714C〉T polymorphisms may contribute to AMD.

Internal limiting membrane peeling with different dyes in the surgery of idiopathic macular hole: a systematic review of literature and network Meta-analysis

AIM: To evaluate the effect of internal limiting membrane(ILM) peeling with indocyanine green(ICG), brilliant blue G(BBG), triamcinolone acetonide(TA), trypan blue(TB), or without dye for the treatment of idiopathic macular hole(IMH). METHODS: A search was conducted using Pub Med, EMBASE, and CENTRAL(Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) for related studies published before October 2018. RESULTS: A total of 29 studies and 2514 eyes were included in this network Meta-analysis. For IMH closure, the rank from the best to the worse treatment was: BBG, TB, TA, ICG, and no dye. There was a significant difference in postoperative IMH closure rate between BBG and no dye. The rank of the best to the worse treatment to improve visual acuity was: BBG, TB, no dye, TA, and ICG. The improvement rate of visual acuity after using BBG was significantly higher than ICG. The improvement rate of visual acuity was more favorable with TB than ICG, TA, and no dye. CONCLUSION: BBG can contribute to better anatomical and functional outcomes compared to other dyes for ILM peeling in patients with IMH. The results show that the best treatment of ILM peeling with dyes is BBG.

A Tentative Analysis Of Samuel Johnson's Definition To Metaphysical School In English Literature

The metaphysical poetry,as a rather influential literary school,plays a momentous andpredominant part in eariy seventeenth century English literature.The marked quality ofmetaphysical poetry,as practiced by Donne and his successors,is their philosophical subtlety orintellectual rigor,while the quintessence of which consists in its peculiar blend of thought andpassion of realistic violence and meditative refinements.Doctor Johnson accused the

Smoking increases risk of tooth loss: A meta-analysis of the literature

AIM: To quantitatively evaluate the impact of smoking on tooth loss.METHODS: We performed a Pub Med search to identify published articles that investigated the risk of tooth loss by smoking, from which RRs and their variance with characteristics of each study were extracted. The random-effects models were used to derive a pooled effect across studies. Potential sources of heterogeneity on the characteristics of the study and their influence on the pooled effect size were investigated using metaregression models. RESULTS: We identified 24 studies containing a total of 95973 participants for analysis. The pooled RR of ever-smokers compared with never- smokers was 1.73(95%CI: 1.60-1.86, P < 0.001). In meta-regression analysis, only the mean age of participants alone was identified as a statistically significant source of heterogeneity. The effect of smoking on tooth loss was stronger when the mean age of study participants was higher, indicating possible enhancement of tooth loss due to aging by smoking. RR was significantly lower in former smokers(1.49, 95%CI: 1.32-1.69, P < 0.001) than in current smokers(2.10, 95%CI: 1.87-2.35, P < 0.001), indicating the substantial benefit of smoking cessation for reducing the risk of tooth loss.CONCLUSION: Smoking is an independent risk factor for tooth loss regardless of many other confounders. Smoking cessation may attenuate this effect.

A Robust Framework for Multimodal Sentiment Analysis with Noisy Labels Generated from Distributed Data Annotation

Multimodal sentiment analysis utilizes multimodal data such as text,facial expressions and voice to detect people’s attitudes.With the advent of distributed data collection and annotation,we can easily obtain and share such multimodal data.However,due to professional discrepancies among annotators and lax quality control,noisy labels might be introduced.Recent research suggests that deep neural networks(DNNs)will overfit noisy labels,leading to the poor performance of the DNNs.To address this challenging problem,we present a Multimodal Robust Meta Learning framework(MRML)for multimodal sentiment analysis to resist noisy labels and correlate distinct modalities simultaneously.Specifically,we propose a two-layer fusion net to deeply fuse different modalities and improve the quality of the multimodal data features for label correction and network training.Besides,a multiple meta-learner(label corrector)strategy is proposed to enhance the label correction approach and prevent models from overfitting to noisy labels.We conducted experiments on three popular multimodal datasets to verify the superiority of ourmethod by comparing it with four baselines.

Determining future high speed rail review topics through bibliometric analysis

As High Speed Rail(HSR)has proliferated globally,so has a related research field dedicated to exploring and addressing its unique issues.Yet,studies to understand and classify the HSR research domain are limited.This paper addresses the gap,using bibliometric analysis to identify future research areas and 20 candidate topics for literature review based on keyword analysis through VOSviewer.Article and review papers related to HSR published in the last 20 years(2003-2022)were retrieved from Scopus,and then analyzed to determine the split in knowledge between languages,the collaboration between countries and institutions,highly productive and cited journals,and research topics which have and have not been reviewed.Approximately 30%of the search results were published exclusively in Chinese,highlighting the importance of extending the evaluation to cover both languages.This is a novel aspect of the work,which has enabled the recognition of potential knowledge gaps.It is recommended that future reviews incorporate works in both languages,possibly through international collaboration.Institutions in China and other countries that are strong collaborators have been identified,as well as relevant,highly cited journals.