Standardization of search methods for guideline development: an international survey of evidence-based guideline development groups

BACKGROUND: Effective literature searching is particularly important for clinical practice guideline development. Sophisticated searching and filtering mechanisms are needed to help ensure that all relevant research is reviewed. PURPOSE: To assess the methods used for the selection of evidence for guideline development by evidence-based guideline development organizations. METHODS: A semistructured questionnaire assessing the databases, search filters and evaluation methods used for literature retrieval was distributed to eight major organizations involved in evidence-based guideline development. RESULTS: All of the organizations used search filters as part of guideline development. The medline database was the primary source accessed for literature retrieval. The OVID or SilverPlatter interfaces were used in preference to the freely accessed PubMed interface. The Cochrane Library, embase, cinahl and psycinfo databases were also frequently used by the organizations. All organizations reported the intention to improve and validate their filters for finding literature specifically relevant for guidelines. DISCUSSION: In the first international survey of its kind, eight major guideline development organizations indicated a strong interest in identifying, improving and standardizing search filters to improve guideline development. It is to be hoped that this will result in the standardization of, and open access to, search filters, an improvement in literature searching outcomes and greater collaboration among guideline development organizations.     

Word Play: Scaffolding Language Development Through Child-Directed Play

Play is an important activity in young children’s lives. It is how children explore their world and build knowledge. Although free play, which is play that is totally child directed, contributes to children’s learning, self-regulation and motivation, adults’ participation in children’s play is critical in their development, especially their language development. Guided by children, adults can help scaffold children’s language, and especially their learning. We suggest that adults scaffold children’s language during play by using research based strategies such as asking questions that invite extended responses and new inquiry, provide meaningful feedback and effectively use wait time, which provides children with the opportunity to respond to adults’ comments and questions. The goal is to provide adults with strategies to scaffold children’s language development during play while allowing children to direct their own play activities.     

Integrating Writing into the Early Childhood Curriculum: A Frame for Intentional and Meaningful Writing Experiences

Despite the importance of early writing development to children’s school success, research documents that early childhood teachers spend little time actively supporting children’s writing development in preschool classrooms. This article provides a framework for integrating writing experiences across the early childhood curriculum. Practical examples are given regarding how writing opportunities can be incorporated into existing activities and play settings. The metaphor of backgrounding and foregrounding writing experiences is used to illustrate ways that teachers can set writing rich environments and activities in a manner that makes it easier for teachers to bring these experiences into everyday learning opportunities. Attention is given to how teachers can bring writing to the foreground of the curriculum by drawing attention to writing materials, making natural connections with children’s interest and play, and scaffolding children’s early writing attempts and experiences.     

MicroRNAs: Tiny genetic switches in our genome

Gary Ruvkun is a winner of the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. He is a co-discoverer of microRNAs (with Victor Ambros, University of Massachusetts), regarded as one of the seminal discoveries of 21st century molecular biology. In addition to the Breakthrough Prize, Ruvkun and Ambros have received the Warren Triennial Prize, the Laskar Foundation Award, and numerous other awards and prizes. Professor Ruvkun obtained his PhD from Harvard University, did his postdoctoral research at MIT, and subsequently accepted a faculty position at Harvard, where he is currently Professor of Genetics. His laboratory conducts research on basic cellular processes, using the worm C. elegans as a model system.     

Multi-core microprocessors

Multi-core microprocessor is an interconnected set of independent processors called cores integrated on a single silicon chip. These processing cores communicate and cooperate with one another to execute one or more programs faster than a single core processor. In this article we describe how and why these types of processors evolved. We also describe the basics of how multi-core microprocessors are programmed.     

Dutch Publishing Industry Seeks Startups Through the Renew the Book Competition

In order to find new ways of growing the market, the Dutch General Publishers Association developed an innovation-competition for startups worldwide to bring innovative thinking and ideas into the Dutch Publishing Industry. The competition is the first and only program dedicated to startups leveraging new and creative business ideas around all the elements of book publishing and has its second edition this year. The competition is for startups, who are active in areas such as publishing automation, book retail, data analytics, authoring, book content development, and audience engagement.     

UAE’s Publishing Industry: A Vision of an Avant-Garde Nation

This article outlines in detail the ten strategic goals that the UAE publishing industry has identified to lead a comprehensive transformation of the industry and to cement its position as a regional leader. The main goals revolve around building regional and global partnerships, developing a global publishing hub, improving legal framework for the all the stakeholders of the industry, building quality Arabic content for local and regional readers, supporting educational publishing, launching initiatives to encourage reading for pleasure, improving distribution networks and retail, transforming libraries, and instilling a sense of pride and understanding of local culture while supporting creative talents and skills. Also, this article will share information about some leading initiatives being implemented in Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates, and future initiatives to be implemented to achieve the ten goals.