UNASSIGNED: Accurate cancer prognostication allows for conscious decision-making. There is a need for precise indices, along with predictive biomarkers, which aid cancer prognostication. We sought to conduct an overview of the current state of prognostic indices and biomarkers in the evaluation of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, specifically esophageal, colon and rectal.
UNASSIGNED: We conducted a comprehensive review of articles in the PubMed database between September 2001 and February 2022. Only articles written in English were included. We reviewed retrospective analyses and prospective observational studies.
UNASSIGNED: Nomograms are well-described tools that provide estimates of specific cancer-related events, such as overall survival (OS). They are also useful in unroofing specific patient-related variables, which may be associated with cancer survival. Certain prognostic indices have been tested against each other with the goal of discerning superiority. Finally, specific biomarkers have emerged as promising prognostic indicators.
UNASSIGNED: Nomograms play a significant role in the prognostication of GI cancer. The identification of specific biomarkers in cancer prognostication is evolving. As we embark on the era of precision medicine, further investigation of reliable prognostic indices and biomarkers is needed.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the differences in Doppler indices of the uterine (Ut), umbilical (UA), and middle cerebral artery (MCA) in diabetic versus non-diabetic pregnancies by conducting a comprehensive systematic review of the literature with a meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS were searched for studies that measured the pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and systolic/diastolic ratio index (S/D ratio) of the umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery, and uterine artery in diabetic versus non-diabetic pregnancies. Two reviewers independently evaluated the eligibility of studies, abstracted data, and performed quality assessments according to standardized protocols. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as a measure of effect size. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Publication bias was evaluated by means of funnel plots. Results: A total of 62 publications were included in the qualitative and 43 in quantitative analysis. The UA-RI, UtA-PI, and UtA-S/D ratios were increased in diabetic compared with non-diabetic pregnancies. Subgroup analysis showed that levels of UtA-PI were significantly higher during the third, but not during the first trimester of pregnancy in diabetic versus non-diabetic pregnancies. No differences were found for the UA-PI, UA-S/D ratio, MCA-PI, MCA-RI, MCA-S/D ratio, or UtA-RI between diabetic and non-diabetic pregnancies. Conclusions: This meta-analysis revealed the presence of hemodynamic changes in uterine and umbilical arteries, but not in the middle cerebral artery in pregnancies complicated by diabetes.

Denture plaque, a biofilm that develops on denture surfaces, could contribute to many oral and systemic afflictions. Hence, a quantitative assessment of denture plaque is important to evaluate the denture hygiene of denture wearers, particularly to prevent plaque biofilm-associated diseases. The aim of this systematic review, therefore, was to review and summarize the visual denture hygiene assessment methods using denture plaque indices and with planimetries published in the literature. English language studies published up to March 2022 in four electronic databases, PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library, were searched, followed by a manual search of Google Scholar by two assessors. The review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) whenever possible. Details of the visual assessment methods, including the types of denture assessed, its materials and its surfaces, as well as the use of a disclosing agent, were the main outcomes. Of 492 screened studies, 74 were included per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of these, 60 studies utilized various denture plaque indices while 18 used planimetries. 43 out of 60 studies with indices and 17 out of 18 studies with planimetries used disclosing agents for visual evaluation of plaque. A total of 21 indices were described in the included studies, of which seven graded a divided denture surface, while the remainder graded entire denture surface. Of the 18 planimetric assessments, one study quantified squares of the disclosed plaques on denture images, 16 studies quantified such pixels with computer programs, and a single study quantified points, pixels, and contour of plaque areas. In summary, denture plaque indices appear to be popular in denture plaque assessment due to their simplicity. Computerized planimetric assessment, though more time-consuming, provides a more accurate assessment of plaque load as it is less prone to subjectivity and assessor errors.

Social vulnerability occurs when the disadvantage conveyed by poor social conditions determines the degree to which one\'s life and livelihood are at risk from a particular and identifiable event in health, nature, or society. A common way to estimate social vulnerability is through an index aggregating social factors. This scoping review broadly aimed to map the literature on social vulnerability indices. Our main objectives were to characterize social vulnerability indices, understand the composition of social vulnerability indices, and describe how these indices are utilized in the literature.
A scoping review was conducted in six electronic databases to identify original research, published in English, French, Dutch, Spanish or Portuguese, and which addressed the development or use of a social vulnerability index (SVI). Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened and assessed for eligibility. Data were extracted on the indices and simple descriptive statistics and counts were used to produce a narrative summary.
In total, 292 studies were included, of which 126 studies came from environmental, climate change or disaster planning fields of study and 156 studies were from the fields of health or medicine. The mean number of items per index was 19 (SD 10.5) and the most common source of data was from censuses. There were 122 distinct items in the composition of these indices, categorized into 29 domains. The top three domains included in the SVIs were: at risk populations (e.g., % older adults, children or dependents), education, and socioeconomic status. SVIs were used to predict outcomes in 47.9% of studies, and rate of Covid-19 infection or mortality was the most common outcome measured.
We provide an overview of SVIs in the literature up to December 2021, providing a novel summary of commonly used variables for social vulnerability indices. We also demonstrate that SVIs are commonly used in several fields of research, especially since 2010. Whether in the field of disaster planning, environmental science or health sciences, the SVIs are composed of similar items and domains. SVIs can be used to predict diverse outcomes, with implications for future use as tools in interdisciplinary collaborations.

Food poverty is a phenomenon that is currently receiving increasing social attention in both the Global South and the Global North. It is often equated with food insecurity, for which numerous assessment tools and reports exist. However, only limited specific data can be found on food poverty. Starting from a theoretical concept of food poverty, this article examines in a scoping review which dimensions of food poverty are captured by indices and indicators of food insecurity and general poverty assessments. The review focuses particularly on the social dimension of food poverty and points out that it is under-reported and that no adequate assessment tools exist so far. Existing indices and indicators of food insecurity and general poverty assessments are critically reviewed and suggestions for the assessment of social food poverty for policy and practice derived.

The present critical review was conducted to evaluate the clinimetric properties of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), an assessment tool designed specifically to predict long-term mortality, with regard to its reliability, concurrent validity, sensitivity, incremental and predictive validity. The original version of the CCI has been adapted for use with different sources of data, ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. The inter-rater reliability of the CCI was found to be excellent, with extremely high agreement between self-report and medical charts. The CCI has also been shown either to have concurrent validity with a number of other prognostic scales or to result in concordant predictions. Importantly, the clinimetric sensitivity of the CCI has been demonstrated in a variety of medical conditions, with stepwise increases in the CCI associated with stepwise increases in mortality. The CCI is also characterized by the clinimetric property of incremental validity, whereby adding the CCI to other measures increases the overall predictive accuracy. It has been shown to predict long-term mortality in different clinical populations, including medical, surgical, intensive care unit (ICU), trauma, and cancer patients. It may also predict in-hospital mortality, although in some instances, such as ICU or trauma patients, the CCI did not perform as well as other instruments designed specifically for that purpose. The CCI thus appears to be clinically useful not only to provide a valid assessment of the patient\'s unique clinical situation, but also to demarcate major diagnostic and prognostic differences among subgroups of patients sharing the same medical diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: The pandemic of overweight and obesity has become a major clinical and public health concern worldwide. Anthropometric indices are indirect and quantitative tools used to identify individuals at increased risk of body fat-related morbidity. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the concordances and correlations between anthropometric indices of obesity in adults and whether these indices can be used interchangeably.
METHODS: Systematic review.
METHODS: A literature search was conducted in three databases of peer-reviewed publications (PubMed, Scopus, and Embase). Further, the first 10 pages of Google Scholar were also searched for relevant studies.
RESULTS: There were strong correlations between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and between BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and a weak correlation between BMI and neck circumference (NC). There was a very strong correlation between WC and WHtR and a moderate correlation between WC and NC. There were moderate concordances between BMI and WC and between BMI and WHtR and good concordance between WC and WHtR.
CONCLUSIONS: BMI, WC, and WHtR indices can be moderately used interchangeably with caution. More studies in adult populations using statistical tests of concordance and adjusting for differences in ethnicity, age, gender, and weight quantiles are needed.

OBJECTIVE: Liveability is a multi-dimensional and hierarchical concept which consists of various criteria and sub-criteria and may be evaluated in different ways. The aim of this study was to systematically review indicators and methods used for the evaluation of urban liveability in literature.
BACKGROUND: The five-stage methodological framework of Arksey and O\'Malley was used to conduct this scoping review. A systematic search of electronic databases, including Scopus, Medline (via PubMed), Embase, Web of Science and EBSCO was done until May 29, 2019. Web searching, searching reference lists and hand searching was also conducted to retrieve more relevant articles. Two reviewers screened the papers for eligibility based on the inclusion criteria and extracted their key data and reported them descriptively.
CONCLUSIONS: Sixty seven (67) out of 3,599 papers met the selection criteria. This review showed five distinct domains considered to be important components of liveability. These were Economical, Environmental, Institutional, Social, and Governance (Political) domains. The most important subdomains (indices) which were frequently applied in various studies were Environmental friendliness and Sustainability, Socio-Cultural Conditions and Economic Vibrancy and Competitiveness. We also identified seven different methodologies and six ranking tools used for assessing urban liveability. Among the quantitative methods, three methods accounted for 89.6% of the articles. These methods were the Analytical hierarchy process and entropy (AHP; n=24; 50%), Factor analysis & Principle Component Analysis (FA & PCA; n=12; 25%) and Spatial Multi-criteria Decision-making Method (Spatial; n=7; 14.6%). Among the ranking tools used, three ranking tools accounted for 65.4% of the articles. These tools were the Livable City Scientific Evaluation Standards (LCSES; n=9; 34.6%), The Global Liveable Cities Index (GLCI; n=4; 15.4%) and the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU; n=4; 15.4%).
CONCLUSIONS: This paper discusses and summarizes the latest indicators and methods used for determining urban liveability. The information offered in the review can help future investigators to decide which method suits their purpose and situation better and measure urban liveability more systematically than before.

The Earth\'s ecosystems face severe environmental stress from unsustainable socioeconomic development linked to population growth, urbanization, and industrialization. Governments worldwide are interested in sustainability measures to address these issues. Remote sensing allows for the measurement, integration, and presentation of useful information for effective decision-making at various temporal and spatial scales. Scientists and decision-makers have endorsed extensive use of remote sensing to bridge gaps among disciplines and achieve sustainable development. This paper presents an extensive review of remote sensing technology used to support sustainable development efforts, with a focus on natural resource management and assessment of natural hazards. We further explore how remote sensing can be used in a cross-cutting, interdisciplinary manner to support decision-making aimed at addressing sustainable development challenges. Remote sensing technology has improved significantly in terms of sensor resolution, data acquisition time, and accessibility over the past several years. This technology has also been widely applied to address key issues and challenges in sustainability. Furthermore, an evaluation of the suitability and limitations of various satellite-derived indices proposed in the literature for assessing sustainable development goals showed that these older indices still perform reasonably well. Nevertheless, with advancements in sensor radiometry and resolution, they were less exploited and new indices are less explored.

Indicators of ecosystem health are effective tools to assess freshwater ecosystem impairment. However, they are scarcely used as a monitoring tool by local environmental agencies in Argentina. Here, we review the literature to analyze the use of ecosystem health indicators in freshwaters from Argentina. We found 91 scientific articles relating to the use of ecological indices to assess the impact of different environmental stressors in aquatic environments published between 1996 and 2019. We generated Google Earth map where we deployed the sampling sites and type of indices reported by each article. As biological indices were the most used, we also surveyed bioindication experts to gather information on their application. We found that most studies were concentrated mainly in Pampas (34%), Dry Chaco (20%), Espinal (12%), and Patagonian Steppe (10%) ecoregions. Biological indices (mainly with invertebrates) were more used than geomorphological or physico-chemical indices. Indices resulted useful to evaluate the impact of stressors in 63% of cases, being land use the most studied stressor. However, sampling design varied greatly among studies, making their comparison difficult. The information compiled here could help to the design of monitoring protocols, the adoption of regional indices, and the creation of a national inventory of ecosystem health status, which are mandatory to propose well-grounded conservation and management policies for freshwaters in Argentina.