Cochrane US and Lifeology hosted an International Women's Day themed #sciart challenge. The two winning designs have been selected and added to the Cochrane Store. 

For International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th, Cochrane hosted several free events, including an art and graphic challenge with Cochrane US and Lifeology to illustrate the theme of IWD for 2022: #BreakTheBias. The art or graphic had to be related to healthcare and/or evidence synthesis.

Two amazing designs were selected and we spoke to the artists to learn more about the meaning behind the designs. 

This pen and ink piece has to do with the personal geographies of women navigating their own bodies, health science, and economic access within what seems at times like an ocean wave or radio wave of fluidity. It represents the collaborative of women, building on each other's successes, and rising to higher peaks of understanding.

Shauna Lee Lange is the founder of Steam Creatives. She is an artist, analyst, and advisor with over 30 years experience in creative industries and government regulatory oversight. In 2005, she combined work in both fields to concentrate on a range of activities from self-taught professional artist, curator, and show producer to inside art influencer in the global art market. The digital component of her expert art advisory services known as Metaverse Watchdogs tracks the NFT, NFT art, crypto art, and blockchain art spaces. Steam Creatives was born out of a need to find a home for art that centered on visual communication within science and technology. Lange makes her home on Central California's coast, a place of much untouched natural beauty. You can view more of Shauna's work on the Steam Creatives website:  https://steamcreatives.com/

Three women from diverse backgrounds strike the "Break the Bias pose". Each of the women are stacked on top of one another so their crossed arms form the crossings of a double helix. The rest of the DNA strands are filled with small science-themed doodles coloured in black.

Abbey Morris is a recent graduate from the Master of Science Communication program at Laurentian University in Canada. She loves science communication because it allows her to bridge her interests in art, science, and social justice. Abbey strives to make scicomm a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive space for people to share their passion for science in creative and engaging ways. You can find more of Abbey's work on her website: https://abbeymor.wixsite.com/home 

Lina Cellante is a medical biotechnologist currently cutting her teeth in the medical writing world. In her previous life she was a researcher dealing with drug delivery and nanoparticles to fight brain cancer. During the years spent in the lab, she felt a growing need to better communicate her daily work and to find a way to interact more effectively with other scientists. After her Master's degree, she graduated in Journalism and Science communication and worked at the European Commission as a scientific communication officer. She has always been passionate about writing and her interests are nutrition, its positive influence on body health and mind, and how to make the most out of the technology we have to stimulate curiosity and convey positive messages. You can find more of Lina's work on her Lifeapp space: https://lifeapps.io/author/healthbites/

These designs are now available for a limited time in the Cochrane Store - on totes, t-shirts, and mugs! 

Friday, March 25, 2022

医療機関に通院中のHIV持続感染者の高ウイルス量を検出するベッドサイドの迅速検査 高HIVウイルス量を検出する診断技術を改善することがなぜ重要なのか？ それは、抗レトロウイルス療法（ART）を受けているHIV持続感染者（PLHIV）のHIVウイルス量を監視するのに役立つ。高ウイルス量は薬でウイルスを抑えることができていないことを示し、ART治療無効状態である。この状態では重症化や死亡の危険性がある。患者を診察するベッドサイド（point-of care）で素早くHIVウイルス量を検査できるベッドサイドの迅速診断検査は、必要時にARTの早期変更を可能にする。 レビューの目的 医療機関に通院するPLHIVにおいて、高HIVウイルス量診断のためのベッドサイドの迅速検査（POC）の精度を明らかにする。 検討した内容 ウイルス量を検出するための迅速検査の測定結果と中央検査室における検体検査（基準となる検査）の測定結果を比較した。検査を実施した医療機関にかかわらず、ウイルス量を測定するすべての種類のベッドサイドの迅速検査を対象とした。 主な結果 8,659人の参加者を含む20の比較評価を完遂した14件の研究においては、臨床的に推奨する閾値、1000コピー/mL以上で高ウイルス量陽性と診断する分子学的現場検査を比較していた。 レビューの強みと限界 このレビューには、HIV/AIDSケアセンター...

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

吸入コルチコステロイドは、軽度のCOVID-19の人に有効な治療法なのか？ 要点 経口の吸入経路で投与される吸入コルチコステロイド（抗炎症薬）が新型コロナウイルス感染症（COVID-19）の治療薬として評価されている。 軽症者を対象に実施して、発表された3件の研究を特定した。吸入コルチコステロイドは、おそらく、病院に行く、または死亡（入院や入院前の死亡）に対するリスクを減少させる。吸入コルチコステロイドは、軽度のCOVID-19の症状がある日数を減らす可能性があり、おそらく14日目のCOVID-19の症状を消失させる。あらゆる原因による死亡にはわずかから全く差がない可能性があり、重大な害を引き起こすかどうかを知るには十分なエビデンスがない。 症状のない（無症状）COVID-19患者、中等症から重症のCOVID-19患者のデータは存在しない。 10件の進行中の研究と4件の終了した未発表の研究が特定された。その結果が発表され次第、本レビューを更新する予定である。 吸入コルチコステロイドとは何か？ 吸入コルチコステロイドは、吸入器を使って下気道に吸入することで、肺の炎症を抑える薬である。この薬は、喘息や慢性閉塞性肺疾患などの呼吸器系疾患の治療に通常は使用される。長期間の使用や誤った吸入方法によって、鵞口瘡と呼ばれる口の感染症、声の変化、肺炎のリスク増加などの副作用が発生することがある。...

A statement from Cochrane's Governing Board: 

"Ukraine situation: Cochrane is an independent, diverse, global organization that collaborates to produce trusted synthesized evidence, make it accessible to all, and advocate for its use. Our guiding principles include participation, collaboration and access.   We endorse peace, and share the World Health Organization's concern for the health of those affected.

Cochrane and Wiley provide one-click free access to the Cochrane Library for Ukraine via IP recognition. There is also full text access available through a partnership with Research4Life for Refugee Camps recognized by UNRWA or categorized by UNHCR as 'planned/managed camps.'"

 

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

With the new feature of including PICO terms on review pages, you will be able to find the most relevant Cochrane evidence to answer your research or clinical question.

One way to construct a well-built question is to use the PICO model. PICO stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes. 

• Population (or Patient or Problem) What are the characteristics of the patient or population – for example condition?
• Intervention What is the intervention under consideration for this patient or population – for example a drug or surgical intervention?
• Comparison What is the alternative to the intervention ¬– for example a different drug or a placebo?
• Outcome What are the relevant outcomes – for example quality of life or adverse events?

Cochrane's Information Specialists and Data Curation Specialists have annotated the PICO terms of Cochrane Reviews using the Cochrane Vocabulary.

"Adding PICO summaries to Cochrane reviews will make Cochrane evidence more accessible and increase its use in health and care decisions, which is part of Cochrane’s mission.” says Cochrane’s Editor in Chief, Dr Karla Soares-Weiser.

PICO Search
You can already use PICO Search to find reviews in which the search term is used as a Population, Intervention, Comparison, or Outcome. For example, PICO Search enables you to find reviews which consider Diabetes specifically as a Population component or alternativity as an Outcome component, therefore enabling you to search with precision on the PICO terms which are of specific interest.

PICO at-a-glance
Every Cochrane Review from 2015 onwards will now have the PICO terms listed under the abstract. This PICO overview helps ensure you find the most relevant Cochrane evidence to answer your research or clinical question. You will also be able to click on the individual PICO terms to see search results for all our Reviews tagged with that PICO term. 

“We worked directly with users of the Cochrane Library to learn about what improvements they wanted and how we could improve their journey on the site” said Rachel Craven, Head of Cochrane Library. “Having PICO terms expertly annotated in Cochrane Reviews can help answer your research and clinical questions – we’re excited to see them now prominently placed below each Cochrane Abstract.”

• Explore Cochrane Review on the Cochrane Library 
• How to conduct a PICO Search
• Conduct a PICO Search

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

高齢者の生活の質を向上させるための住宅介護における物理的環境デザイン このレビューの目的は何か 世界的に高齢者の人口が増加し、認知症の患者が増加している。生活空間のデザインを改善することで、高齢者のQOL(生活の質）、気分、日常生活動作の能力が向上する可能性が示唆されている。このレビューは、住宅介護におけるさまざまな物理的環境デザインの変更が、入居者の生活の質（QOL）に及ぼす影響を検討した。この疑問に関連するすべての研究を収集し、分析した結果、20件の研究を特定した。 要点 住宅介護における設計変更による入居者のQOL向上の効果については、より質の高い研究が必要な状況であり、確信が持てない。 レビューでは何が検討されたか？ このレビューでは、QOL（生活の質）向上を目的とした住宅介護における物理的な環境デザインの変更について検討した。それは、大規模な変更である場合もあれば、小規模な変更の場合もある。大規模な変更としては、現在使われている居住区間設計から、少人数で共同生活する家庭的な設計に変更するなどの変更が考えられる。小規模な変更としては、生活空間の改装や、照明など生活空間の一部分を変更することがある。我々は、住宅介護における異なる大規模または小規模の設計変更を比較、あるいは設計変更を現在使われている居住区間設計と比較し、設計変更が入居者のQOL(生活の質）、行動、日常生活動作...

76% of new guidelines issued by WHO referenced Cochrane reviews in 2021.

Cochrane’s status as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) was recently renewed at WHO’s Executive Board meeting.

The official relation status enables us to join and make statements at key WHO meetings as a non-voting participant. This includes the World Health Assembly (WHA), WHO’s decision-making body, which is attended by representatives of all Member States, and is a key forum to advocate for evidence-informed health policies.

The renewal is also underpinned by a new joint plan of work for the next three years. Activities in the plan include:

• Providing relevant evidence synthesis and methodological support for consideration in the development of new WHO guidelines, the Essential Medicines List and other guidance
• Supporting WHO with training in the interpretation of evidence synthesis
• Contributing to activities which facilitate the use of evidence in policymaking at national, regional and global levels
• Collaboration on areas of mutual interest, including on essential medicines and diagnostics; research integrity; healthy ageing; reproductive health and nutrition

WHO is a key partner for Cochrane. This relationship enables us to provide input on the way research evidence is identified, synthesized, assessed and used by WHO – and ultimately contribute to improved health for all.

Use of Cochrane evidence in WHO guidance: in figures

Cochrane has been in official relations with WHO since 2011. As of 1 February 2022, 732 reviews from 47 Cochrane Review Groups (CRGs) have been used to inform 251 WHO accredited guidelines and other evidence-based recommendations.

In 2021, 76% of new WHO guidelines were informed by evidence from Cochrane reviews. A total of 78 reviews from 16 different CRGs are referenced.

Cochrane reviews have also been used in WHO’s COVID-19 technical guidance. Last year, a total of 13 reviews were used across 20 of WHO’s COVID-19 publications.

Cochrane is proud to be a core partner of the Evidence Collaboration on COVID-19 (ECC-19), coordinated by the WHO Science Division. We were also delighted that WHO was a co-sponsor of Cochrane Convenes and we hope to collaborate further in taking forward some of the recommendations in the resulting Call to Action.

A community effort

The relationship with WHO is supported by the efforts of many members of the Cochrane community. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this ongoing, impactful work. Particular thanks also go to Emma Carter and Anne Eisinga at Cochrane UK for their work in charting how Cochrane reviews are used in WHO guidelines and other technical guidance.

For more information on the work that Cochrane does with WHO, please get in touch with Emma Thompson, Cochrane’s Advocacy and Partnerships Manager.

Read our statements made at recent major WHO events

• Cochrane makes statement to special session of the World Health Assembly
• Cochrane’s statement to the 74th World Health Assembly
• Cochrane statement to the 148th WHO Executive Board meeting on strengthening global emergency preparedness

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Friday, March 4, 2022

分娩時の定期的な内診 レビューの論点 このコクラン・レビューの目的は、分娩進行を評価するための定期的な内診が有効で、女性に受け入れられるものなのかを調べることと、これらをその他の分娩進行の評価法と比較することである。 重要性 分娩は通常、予想通りに進行しているか、母体や赤ちゃんに害となるような異常な進行の兆候がないかを確認するために監視される。最も一般的な方法は定期的な（一定の間隔ごとに行う）内診であり、母体の子宮頸管の開き具合や赤ちゃんの位置についての情報が得られる。非常にゆっくりとした進行の分娩は、出産を早めるための介入（分娩促進）が必要であることを示す兆候である可能性がある。しかしながら、ゆっくりな分娩進行が正常な進行のバリエーションである可能性もあり、近年のエビデンスからは母体と赤ちゃんが元気であれば、分娩の所要時間や子宮頸管の開き具合だけで分娩の進行が正常かどうかを決めるべきでないことが示唆されている。 その他の分娩進行の評価法として、超音波の使用、母体の様子、外診による兆候（母体のおしりの間にできてくる紫色の線など）がある。しかしながらこれらの方法は標準的ではない。分娩進行の評価法として最も有効な方法は確立されていない。 内診は不快感や痛み、苦痛を伴うことがある。ゆっくりでも正常な分娩を異常であると誤診した場合、分娩促進や帝王切開といった不必要な介入につながる可能性が...

We are pleased to share the winners of the 2021 Cochrane-REWARD prize.

The Cochrane-REWARD prize recognizes successful local or pilot initiatives that have potential to reduce research waste globally if scaled up. Cochrane has funded the prize since it began in 2017. For this iteration of the prize, submissions related to tackling research waste relevant to COVID-19 were encouraged.

The prize ceremony took place on 1 March virtually (recordings are available below). Two representatives of the prize committee – Matt Westmore, Chief Executive of the UK Health Research Authority, and Lex Bouter, Professor of Methodology and Integrity at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam – joined to announce the winners, who gave short presentations on their initiatives. Lisa Bero, Cochrane’s Senior Research Integrity Editor, also joined the session to give an update on Cochrane’s research integrity agenda.

2021 Cochrane-REWARD prize winners
This year was particularly competitive, with many very strong contenders for the prize committee to consider. Thank you to all who submitted nominations, and congratulations to the winners below:

First prize: COVID-END
The COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END) was awarded first prize. Jeremy Grimshaw and John Lavis accepted the prize on behalf of the network.

COVID-END is a time-limited network of 58 global evidence synthesis, guidance and decision support partner organizations established to better coordinate the evidence synthesis response to the COVID-19 pandemic and reduce research waste.

Together with its partners, COVID-END has worked to reduce waste in all five stages of research. Selected highlights include:

• Setting up a global horizon scanning panel to proactively identify recurrent and emerging issues requiring evidence syntheses in the coming months.
• Developing interactive flow-diagrams for researchers and guideline developers planning to work on a new review or guideline pointing them to helpful resources, while encouraging them to ensure that they are not duplicating the efforts of another group.
• Creating an inventory of best evidence syntheses highlighting quality up-to-date living syntheses that make it easier for decision makers to find the best evidence.
• Establishing a COVID-END community and living hub of COVID-19 knowledge hubs to link evidence synthesis, guidance and decision-support groups around the world interested in learning from others and sharing best practices.
• Providing the foundation for the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges, a report which aims to seize on the once-in-a-generation focus on evidence presented by the pandemic, calling for sustained efforts to systematize the successful aspects of using evidence and to address the shortfalls.

The prize committee was particularly impressed with COVID-END’s global reach, which includes participation from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The committee also saw that such an approach could be adapted and deployed for other crises in the future.

Second prize: MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership
The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership (TMRP) received the second prize. Paula Williamson accepted the prize on behalf of the initiative.

TMRP is a community of practice which draws together several networks, academic institutions and partners engaged in trials and trials methodology research to strengthen links between trialists, methods researchers, clinicians, patients, the public and funders. It includes eight thematic working groups on topics such as adaptive designs, outcomes, statistical analysis and trial conduct.

As well as leading to more impactful research and less duplication of effort, better networking facilitated by TRMP enabled researchers to pivot and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Selected network projects include:

• A priority-setting exercise to develop a trials methodology research agenda, feeding more specific exercises for recruitment and retention research, patient and public involvement in methods research, and priorities for methods research in LMICs.
• Designing clinical trials, including several platform trials of potential COVID-19 treatments, including the RECOVERY, AGILE, and HEAL-COVID trials.
• Developing COVID-19 core outcome sets (COS), including a ‘meta-COS’ for acute COVID-19, a COS for COVID-19 transmission prevention and a COS for Long COVID.
• Producing guidance and tools for researchers to support transparent and complete reporting of research.

The panel was very impressed with TRMP’s large body of work to date. We saw great potential to improve the overall standards of trial design, analysis and reporting if the approach were to be scaled up across further contexts.

Thank you to the Cochrane-REWARD prize committee
Special thanks to the Cochrane-REWARD prize committee for reviewing the entries during what was an especially competitive year for the prize. In 2021, the prize committee was:

• Lex Bouter, Professor of Methodology and Integrity, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
• Sabine Kleinert (chair), Senior Executive Editor, The Lancet
• Joan Marsh, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet Psychiatry
• Merel Ritskes-Hoitinga, Professor in Evidence-Based Laboratory Animal Science, Radboud University Medical Center
• Kieron Rooney, Associate Professor, University of Sydney
• Matt Westmore, Chief Executive, UK Health Research Authority

Wednesday, March 2, 2022

高ビリルビン血症の満期および早産新生児における光線療法中の周期的な体位変換（一定時間ごとに体の向きを変えること） レビューの論点 黄疸のある満期産新生児および未熟児において、体位を変えた方が光線療法の結果を改善するか？ 要点 この系統的レビューでは、黄疸に対して光線療法を受けている満期産児と未熟児において、計画的な体位変換とそうでない体位変換を比較した研究を評価した。計画的な体位変換の有無では、光治療の持続時間やビリルビン値の低下率にほとんど差が生じなかった。ビリルビンは、皮膚や白目が黄色くなる黄疸の原因となる物質である。 レビューに含まれるどの研究も、新生児の体位変換が乳幼児突然死症候群などの好ましくない事象に及ぼす影響を報告していない。 今後の研究では、超未熟児やあらゆるタイプの黄疸の新生児を含め、光線療法中の新生児の計画的な体位変換を調査する必要がある。 黄疸とは何か？ 黄疸（高ビリルビン血症ともいう）は、新生児によく見られる症状で、血液中のビリルビンが増えすぎて、皮膚や白目が黄色くなるものである。ビリルビンは、赤血球が壊れる時にできる黄色い物質である。新生児の肝臓は血液中のビリルビンを効率よく除去できないため、血中ビリルビン濃度が高くなる。場合によっては、新生児の血液中のビリルビン濃度が非常に高くなり、脳障害を引き起こすこともある。生後2週間くらいになると、肝臓がビリルビ...

心的外傷後ストレス障害に対する薬物療法 このレビューの重要性 心的外傷後ストレス障害（PTSD）は、重大なトラウマにさらされた後に発症し、個人的にも社会的にも多大な犠牲を生じることになる。従来は心理療法で治療されてきたが、PTSDの治療には薬物療法が有効であることが証明されている。 このレビューに関心をもつ人は誰か？ - PTSDの人。 - PTSDに悩む人の家族、友人。 - 開業医、精神科医、心理士、薬剤師。 このレビューでわかることは何か？ - 成人のPTSDの症状軽減に薬物療法は有効か？ どのような研究がレビューに含まれたか？ 成人のPTSDの治療において、薬物療法とプラセボまたは対照薬、あるいはプラセボと対照薬の両方を比較した研究を対象とした。 66件の試験がレビューに含まれ、合計7,442人が参加した。 レビューの結果、どのようなことがわかったのか？ 選択的セロトニン再取り込み阻害薬（SSRI）がプラセボと比較してPTSD症状を改善するという有益な効果が、中等度の確実性のエビデンスに基づいて確認された。また、ノルアドレナリン・特異的セロトニン作動性抗うつ薬（NaSSA）ミルタザピンと三環系抗うつ薬（TCA）アミトリプチリンは、確実性の低いエビデンスに基づき、PTSD症状の改善において有益であることが示された。また、抗精神病薬投与後にプラセボと比較して改善した参加者の数に...

Covidence is a web-based software platform that streamlines the production of systematic reviews, including Cochrane Reviews. They have recently announced the launch of the Covidence Global Scholarship Program to financially support the next generation of superstar evidence researchers around the world.  With a $75,000 funding pool they will be supporting  some of the world’s brightest PhD and Masters students so they can spend more time creating knowledge that will make a big impact in the world. 

 

 Applicants to the Covidence Global Scholarship must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a current PhD or Master by dissertation student of any nationality
• Be enrolled in any discipline at an accredited university during this academic year (2022)
• Be undertaking or will be starting a systematic review as part of the dissertation in the six months following the award (June-Dec 2022)

Covidence will be awarding 52 scholarships in total. Applications are open until Thursday 31st March 11.59pm EST.

• Learn more about the Covidence Global Scholarship Program and apply

 

To support the Global Scholarship Evidence, Covidence is  seeking Expressions of Interest from qualified individuals to serve on the Scholarship selection panel. To be eligible to participate, panel members must hold a Masters or PhD degree, or have equivalent experience. To ensure balanced representation on the panel, they encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and experience. Panel members will receive a USD$1000 honorarium. 

If you have any questions about submitting an Expression of Interest, please contact Nancy Owens, Head of Community Management at Covidence, at nancy@covidence.org. Expressions of interest for panelists close on Thursday, 31 March 2022, at 5.00 pm GMT. 

• Express your interest in becoming a panel member

 

About Covidence: 
Covidence is a SaaS social enterprise platform used around the world and by some of the world’s leading institutions to accelerate the systematic review workflow, making it easier to  turn the flood of new scientific research into high-quality, trustworthy knowledge summaries. Established in 2014,  Covidence provides free access to users in low-income countries and those participating in COVID-19 research.  To find out more about Covidence go to www.covidence.org

Monday, February 28, 2022

シンバイオティクスは超早産児や超低出生体重児の壊死性腸炎を予防するか？ 背景 超早産児（予定日より8週以上早く生まれた児）や極低出生体重児（1,500ｇ未満で生まれた児）は、腸の一部が炎症を起こして感染し、死に至る重度の腸疾患（壊死性腸炎：NECと呼ばれる）を発症するリスクがある。壊死性腸炎には、死亡、重篤な感染症、長期的な障害や発達障害を伴う。 何を知りたかったのか？ 壊死性腸炎を予防する一つの方法として、シンバイオティクス（プロバイオティクス細菌または酵母と、プロバイオティクスの増殖とコロニー形成をサポートする難消化性糖類の組み合わせ）をミルク（母乳も人工乳も含まれる）に添加することが考えられる。そのためシンバイオティクスが超早産児や超低出生体重児に有効かどうかを調べようと思った。関心のあるアウトカムとして壊死性腸炎、あらゆる原因による死亡、重篤な感染症、出生後の入院期間、神経発達の評価項目などが対象となった。 本レビューで実施したこと コクランレビューでは、いくつかの重要なデータベースを検索し、超早産児および超低出生体重児における壊死性腸炎の予防にシンバイオティクスを使用することを検討したランダム化比較試験を特定した。標準的なコクラン方法論に基づきレビューと分析を行った。GRADEアプローチを用いてエビデンスの確実性を評価した。 レビューの結果 対象者計925人を含む6件の...

Lifeology’s tagline is ‘The place where science and art converge’. They offer a platform that brings together scientists, artists, and storytellers to help people better understand and engage with science and health information and research. One of the main ways they meet their objectives is through beautifully illustrated, science-backed, bite-sized ‘flashcard’ courses about science and health-related topics aimed at the general public and students.

Knowing more about the people in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), how they faced adversity and overcame obstacles may inspire others to choose STEAM careers. This was the goal of Lifeology's Historic STEAM Heros card deck. Though art and storytelling they share the story of historical STEAM figures and their excellent but often under-promoted work.

Anne Anderson is included in this STEAM Heros deck. Anne Anderson was a contributor to the stream of thinking and effort that gave birth to evidence-based health care and led to the development of Cochrane. We spoke with the artist who illustrated the card, Anna Doherty, to learn more about the project. 

Hi, Anna! Our Cochrane Community always finds it interesting to learn the backstory of things and learn more about people. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself?

Hi! I’m an illustrator and author from Edinburgh, Scotland. Ever since I was very small, I’ve always enjoyed drawing, so when I finished school I went to study illustration at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design. After graduating, I decided to study a masters in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Since graduating there, I’ve been working on a mixture of illustrating picture books, science illustration, and other little projects. I now have ten illustrated picture books published, some of which I wrote too! I am especially excited about working in non-fiction, which is why I think I enjoy science illustration so much because I love learning new facts and finding fun new things to share with people. I have a mini-series called Fantastically Feminist which focuses on celebrating stories of amazing women. I wanted to make space for kids to read in not only showed that everyone should be equal and that anyone can do anything regardless of their gender, but also celebrated women who struggled to try and make things more equal for the rest of us in brilliant ways.

What an interesting mix of projects! How would you describe your art style?

I would describe my art style as digital mixed media. I usually draw on a Wacom tablet, which is connected to my computer. When I draw on the tablet, the marks I’m making come up on my screen in photoshop. I use a selection of brushes and add scanned textures that I’ve made with ink and paint to add some interest.

You’ve done some science communication and some lovely ‘Women in STEAM’ work. Can you tell us how you got into that? 

I got into science communication through my picture book Ada Lovelace. I had always loved maths at school, so when I first heard about Ada, I was fascinated, and I started absorbing every fact about her that I could lay my hands on. After I published my book about her, it opened the door to the world of science illustration, and I was particularly excited about promoting more women in STEAM. Ada’s work wasn’t really recognised until after her death, so it’s amazing to be able to celebrate women and gender-diverse scientists who are working today!

Anne Anderson is a beloved person in the Cochrane Community - we do a walk every year in her honour to raise money for an annual award in her name. Can you tell us a bit about working on that artwork?

I loved working on Anne Anderson’s illustration because she wasn’t a story I had explored before. It was fun to draw a Scottish scientist! I started by reading the research that Lifeology had collated already, and did a little more digging myself. With every ‘Historic STEAM Hero’ illustration, I start by drawing the portrait so I can get to know the person a little better first. Then I make a little list of the key things I want to include in the illustration, and think about how I can represent them. Because I work digitally, I tend to draw all the little icons first and then move them around the face to find the best composition. Each illustration is greyscaled with one colour, and I chose purple for Anne because it’s the colour of International Women’s Day and represents Cochrane! 

• Visit Anna’s website
• Follow Anna on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok
• View Lifeology's Historic STEAM Heros card deck

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Assistant Managing Editor/Information Specialist, fixed term to 31 March 2023
Deadline to apply: 7 March 2022
London, UK

Cochrane Neuromuscular is seeking an Information Specialist/Assistant Managing Editor on a fixed-term basis to 31 March 2023. This is an opportunity to contribute to evidence synthesis for the benefit of people affected by neuromuscular diseases.

Cochrane Neuromuscular is part of Cochrane, an independent, global organisation dedicated to synthesising research evidence to improve health. The group publishes reviews of evidence in neuromuscular disease in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR). Cochrane Neuromuscular is hosted by University College London NHS Hospitals Trust.

As postholder, you will have two primary areas of responsibility: literature searching, and assisting the Managing Editor in the management of submitted reviews. You will develop search strategies, run searches, and ensure correct documentation. Editorial tasks will include providing information to authors, checking manuscripts, overseeing peer review, tracking progress, and liaising between authors, editors, and reviewers. The appointee will also provide the review group with administrative support and may have the opportunity to assist review authors with systematic review tasks.

For details see nhsjobs.com. Closing date 7 March 2022.

Monday, February 28, 2022 Category: Jobs

心血管疾患の一次予防のためのグルテン低減食またはグルテンフリー食の効果 背景 循環器疾患は、心臓や血管の障害で、急性冠症候群や脳血管障害（心筋梗塞や脳卒中など）を含む。心血管疾患に起因する障害の約50％は、最適でない食事と関連している。特に、食事性グルテン（特定の穀物に含まれるタンパク質）は、さまざまな健康被害と関連があるとされている。例えば、グルテン関連疾患に罹患した人々には、異なる胃腸症状（吸収不良や下痢など）がしばしば見られ、これらの人々に対する唯一の有効な治療法は、生涯にわたってグルテンを減らした食事やグルテンフリーの食事療法を行うことである。また、グルテンを減らした食事やグルテンフリーの食事は、一般集団においても大人気を得ている。しかし、一般集団におけるグルテン低減食やグルテンフリー食の利益と有害性に関するエビデンスは、矛盾している。グルテンの回避は病気の予防につながる可能性はあるが、グルテンフリーやグルテン制限の食事は（食事の主要成分である全粒粉の摂取量が減るため）最適でない可能性があることも懸念されている。 レビューの論点 一般集団における心血管疾患の一次予防のためのグルテン低減食またはグルテンフリー食の効果（すなわち健康関連の利益とリスク）を明らかにするために、利用可能な研究を検討した。 研究の特徴 エビデンスは2021年6月までのものである。1件のランダム化比較...

病院からの退院計画 このレビューの目的は何か 個人に応じた退院計画が、退院の時期が遅れることの減少、再入院の減少、患者の健康状態の改善によって、提供されるヘルスケアの質を向上させるかどうかを検証した。また、介入にどれくらいの費用がかかるのかも検証した。これらを検証するために、関連する全ての研究を集めて解析した。本レビューは、初回から5回目の更新である。 要点 個人に応じたの退院計画を立てて退院する場合、入院期間はおそらく少し短縮され、退院後に入院する可能性も少し低くなる可能性がある。患者の健康状態や、受けたケアに対する患者の満足度に与える影響については、ほとんどエビデンスがない。退院計画にかかる費用は不明である。 レビューで検討された内容 退院計画とは、退院前に患者の健康と社会的ケアのニーズを評価し、病院から自宅あるいは他の場所へ適切な時期に移れるように支援し、退院後のサービス体制を改善するための個別計画をたてることである。 レビューの主な結果は何か 個人に応じた退院計画と標準的な退院ケアを比較した33件の試験が特定された。個人に合わせた退院計画は、おそらく入院期間をわずかに短縮し、病状が悪化して入院する再入院率をおそらくわずかに下げ、患者の満足度を高める可能性があることが示された。健康状態や、医療サービスにおける退院計画にかかる費用については、ほとんどエビデンスがない。 このレ...

成人の注意欠陥多動性障害（ADHD）のためのメチルフェニデート徐放製剤 レビューの論点 このレビューは、注意欠陥多動性障害（ADHD）と診断された成人を対象に、メチルフェニデートのプラスとマイナスの効果を調べ、プラセボまたは他の薬剤と比較したものである。特に、欠勤日数などの生活機能への影響、患者さん自身や医師・研究者が評価するADHDの症状や生活の質(QOL)への影響に注目した。 背景 ADHDは、集中力の欠如、多動性、衝動的な行動を特徴とする精神医学的診断で、社会生活、仕事での能力、人間関係の維持などに影響を及ぼすことが多い。ADHDと診断され、薬物治療を受ける成人が増えている。ADHDの治療は、心理療法、社会的介入、他の種類の非内科的治療、薬物療法など、さまざまな異なるアプローチで構成される必要がある。メチルフェニデートとアンフェタミンは、ADHDの第一選択薬として推奨されている。メチルフェニデートは、中枢神経系（CNS）の活動を活発にする薬物である。このレビューでは、1日に1～2回だけ飲む錠剤として与えられるメチルフェニデート、いわゆる「徐放性製剤」に焦点を当てている。メチルフェニデートは、成人のADHD患者を対象とした多くの臨床試験が行われているが、これらの試験がどのように計画され、どのように結果が報告されたかが懸念されるため、全体的なプラスとマイナスの効果は不確かである...