There is not much to confirm. In turbine engines we call them 'inlet guide vanes' - the same principal is used to straighten out or direct air flow before it hits an airfoil (compressor blade or turbine blade). Air sticks to surfaces as they move through it, so a flat plate moving through swirling air will definitely clean up some of the turbulence.

A study could be done to see how effective it is, however I believe guys like Dave L who say they can feel it and that it helps *them with their sequence. I think it would probably do me more harm than good though, at least at this point in my career.