Formal Review Research Articles

Psychological Safety in Saudi Arabian Healthcare: A Scoping Review

Background: Psychological safety arises from the knowledge that one will not be penalised for speaking one’s mind, sharing concerns, or admitting mistakes. There is a dearth of studies in the Saudi Arabian context on the subject of mindfulness-based interventions to improve psychological safety in the workplace.Objectives: This study aims to investigate psychological safety in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector, with the goal of promoting mindfulness-based interventions for healthcare workers. Presently, there are no formal training programs in Saudi Arabia for the healthcare workforce; essentially, the concept of mindfulness-based organisational education has yet to reach the attention of human resource managers in this sector. Our aim, therefore, is to raise awareness of the potential for novel intervention programs to improve psychological safety.Methods: The review follows the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) method, using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews. The aim of a scoping review is to detect potential research gaps. Presently, mindfulness-based programs relating to psychological safety are under-researched in the Saudi Arabian context, and a scoping review is a preliminary requirement before a formal systematic review is conducted.Results: Our findings indicate that healthcare workers do perceive barriers to psychological safety in the workplace, suggesting a need for training interventions that may help improve this situation.Conclusion: Saudi Arabian healthcare settings require further interventions, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, to improve workplace effectiveness and increase psychological safety among healthcare workers.

Effect of high-efficiency particulate air filter on children with asthma: a systematic review protocol of RCTs

IntroductionAsthma has been classified as a major non-communicable disease by the WHO. With the worsening air quality index worldwide, the burden of asthma has increased specifically in children. The focus...

Perceptions of clinicians and research ethics boards regarding ethical issues in investigator-initiated trials: a multicenter qualitative study in China

PurposeThis multicenter qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of clinicians and research ethics boards (REBs) regarding ethical issues in Investigator Initiated Trials (IITs).MethodsBetween February and April 2024, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 participants from 15 tertiary hospitals, including clinical doctors and members of REBs. Responses were grouped and analyzed using a descriptive phenomenological approach.ResultsClinicians expressed challenges in navigating the formal review process due to limited access to information and unclear guidelines. Academic review highlighted a deficiency in research literacy among clinical investigators, leading to flawed study design. Ethical review revealed concerns about inadequate ethical awareness among clinicians, resulting in failed ethical approvals. Moreover, delays in review processes and resource shortages were noted, hindering the efficient conduct of IITs.ConclusionThe findings underscore the need for comprehensive training programs to enhance clinicians’ research literacy and ethical awareness. Establishing a comprehensive system to support IITs, including enhanced guidance and support from REBs, is essential to ensure the quality and integrity of IITs in China.

Unlocking the transformative potential of data science in improving maternal, newborn and child health in Africa: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionApplication of data science in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) across Africa is variable with limited documentation. Despite efforts to reduce preventable MNCH morbidity and mortality, progress remains slow....

Explaining reproductive health inequalities among people with intellectual disabilities: a meta-narrative review protocol

IntroductionPeople with intellectual disabilities experience health inequalities at a greater level than their non-disabled peers. Notably, while general health status is starting to receive some attention, the reproductive health and...

Medi-Cliq (A Drug Dispenser) - A Survey Paper

In this paper, the concept of automated drug dispensing is summarized, and its significance in the healthcare sector is illustrated. MediCliq is designed to efficiently dispense prescribed medication, is researched in detail, focusing on the integration of mechanical design with IT-based control systems. Key technologies, including prescription scanning, prescription validation, and user interac- tion interfaces, are explored to enable seamless dispensing and user authentication. This paper also conducts a formal review of interdisciplinary methodologies, combining mechanical engineering with IT for developing an effective, secure, and user-friendly automated drug dispensing solution. Keywords: Automated drug dispensing, Prescription scanning, Secure dispensing solution, Prescription validation

Consensus definition of a radiologically healed fistula on magnetic resonance imaging in perianal Crohn’s disease: an international Delphi study

IntroductionPerianal fistulising Crohn’s disease (pfCD) is a distinct and debilitating phenotype seen in around one-third of patients with CD. Clinical trials in pfCD are increasingly using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...

Do acquirers care about credit rating consequences? Evidence from credit rating watches

We analyze corporate acquisition announcements and the feedback of credit rating agencies by placing the acquirer’s issuer rating under formal review for a potential change. We show that acquisitions are 42.8% more likely to be withdrawn if the firm’s rating is placed on review for downgrade. Focusing on completed acquisitions, deals associated with reviews for downgrade need approximately 40% more time to be completed, and acquirers are twice as likely to be downgraded in the first year (13.4% versus 25.2%). The stock market considers the probability of an acquirer’s downgrade as deals with increased downgrade risk show lower abnormal announcement returns. We do not find evidence that reviews of rating agencies are anticipated by firms.

Assessing Cross-Border Telemedicine Data Exchange in the European Union: A Call to Action.

Background: Telemedicine offers potential benefits for health care delivery. However, evidence of cross-border telemedicine data exchange within the European Union (EU) remains limited. The objective of this communication provides a brief outline of the regulatory framework, initiatives, and challenges associated with cross-border telemedicine data exchange in the EU, setting the stage for a comprehensive evidence assessment. Methods: We explore the current regulatory landscape (European Health Data Space), existing initiatives (the European Electronic Health Record Exchange Format), and interoperability challenges (e.g., legal, technical, semantic) facing EU cross-border telemedicine data exchange. Results: There is a need for thorough evidence assessment of cross-border telemedicine and related data movements. Conclusion: Understanding the current landscape of cross-border telemedicine is crucial. This article highlights the need for evidence assessment through a formal review to inform future research and policy initiatives in this domain.

A Protocol for a Bibliometric Analysis of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine Research Preprints

Background: Traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) has witnessed significant growth in interest globally. Despite its popularity, TCIM research encounters numerous challenges including funding, methodological issues, and risk of bias. Preprints (scientific manuscripts openly accessible before formal peer review) present a potential solution, and understanding the characteristics and impact of TCIM preprints could offer valuable insights.Methods: A bibliometric analysis will be conducted on all TCIM-related preprints, since inception, and posted on preprint servers with TCIM subject filters. Preprints will be sourced from servers listed in the Accelerating Science and Publication in Biology directory which allow filtering by TCIM-related categories. The preprint server and URLs, preprint server’s disciplinary scope, ownership type, screening processes, external content indexing, permanence of content, preservation of content, and comments will be extracted. The number of TCIM-related preprints yielded, and which TCIM-related term each preprint server uses will be noted. Data will be extracted from each eligible preprint: preprint server, title, DOI, preprint posted date, status of preprint, journal of final publication, final publication date, type of preprint, abstract of preprint, authors, author affiliation(s), country of corresponding author, funders, number of views, number of downloads, number of comments, number of citations, number of versions, and keywords. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the bibliometric characteristics, and trend analysis will identify publication patterns over time.Conclusion: This protocol was developed for a study to identify trends in TCIM research dissemination, and contribute to a better understanding of how preprints are being used to advance the field

Reverse Transfer in Chinese Adolescents: Implications for Language and Cultural Identity Preservation

This literature review examines the phenomenon of reverse transfer (RT) among Chinese adolescents, focusing on its implications for the preservation of their mother tongue and cultural identity. Reverse transfer, a subtype of cross-linguistic influence (CLI), occurs when a later-acquired language affects an earlier one, challenging the traditional view of language learning as unidirectional. The study of RT is particularly pertinent for Chinese adolescents, who are often exposed to multiple languages due to globalization and educational policies, potentially impacting their linguistic and cultural heritage. This article employs the method of a formal literature review. The review synthesizes recent research on RT among Chinese adolescents, with a focus on how additional languages, particularly English, influence their Mandarin proficiency. Findings suggest English has had a significant impact on the mother tongue of Chinese adolescents. Moreover, RT’s impact extends to cultural identity, with some adolescents navigating multicultural spaces effectively, while others experience cultural dissonance, suggesting RT’s role in shaping cultural self-perception and connections to Chinese heritage. The paper underscores the complexity of RT’s effects on language and cultural identity, highlighting the need for educational practices that support multilingual development without compromising the mother tongue. It concludes with a call for longitudinal studies to explore the long-term effects of RT on language and cultural identity among Chinese adolescents, aiming to inform language education and cultural preservation policies.

A Formal Literature Review: The Roles of Cross-language Similarity and Context in Adults’ Idiom Learning of a Second Language

This essay reviews some existing papers to understand how the similarities between a person’s native language and the new language they are learning, and the context affects adult learners’ ability to acquire idioms in a second language. Idioms are a common form of communication in any language. Therefore, it is essential for truly mastering a new language. However, due to their rich cultural connotations and the need for communicative contexts, learning these idiomatic expressions can be quite difficult. Previous studies have shown that in the process of learning a second language, idioms in the new language are easier to master when they are very similar in meaning or structure to those in the learner’s first language. In addition, the rich context can also help learners better understand and use them. Future studies should delve into the influential mechanisms and create more effective strategies to help adults become proficient in using idioms of a second language.

The Colourful Masks of Emotion in Multi-Language Switching: A Formal Literature Review

During the process of language learning, we automatically invest our emotions in perceiving and understanding words and sentences, which is a quite natural motivation for human to create interest on new matters. But how does emotion relate to language learning exist various phenomena full of complexity. This research aims to discuss the relationship between emotion and language learning with resources from previous literature, and unfolds a thematic classification with respect to measuring morality line between native and foreign language(s), anxiety in foreign language learning, how emotional intelligence helps build language competency, emotional difference when using native language and foreign languages, a close look at emotion in second language learning, cross-linguistic self-cognition, and reflection on Emotions and Multilingualism, a typical book including charisma of emotion in learning different languages. This paper concludes several featured types of emotion stimulating or inspired by multi-languages, confirms the effect of emotion in language learning, and provides foundation for further studies in exploring one’s mental power to learn languages.

Advancing AI Data Ethics in Nursing: Future Directions for Nursing Practice, Research, and Education.

The ethics of artificial intelligence (AI) are increasingly recognized due to concerns such as algorithmic bias, opacity, trust issues, data security, and fairness. Specifically, machine learning algorithms, central to AI technologies, are essential in striving for ethically sound systems that mimic human intelligence. These technologies rely heavily on data, which often remain obscured within complex systems and must be prioritized for ethical collection, processing, and usage. The significance of data ethics in achieving responsible AI was first highlighted in the broader context of health care and subsequently in nursing. This viewpoint explores the principles of data ethics, drawing on relevant frameworks and strategies identified through a formal literature review. These principles apply to real-world and synthetic data in AI and machine-learning contexts. Additionally, the data-centric AI paradigm is briefly examined, emphasizing its focus on data quality and the ethical development of AI solutions that integrate human-centered domain expertise. The ethical considerations specific to nursing are addressed, including 4 recommendations for future directions in nursing practice, research, and education and 2 hypothetical nurse-focused ethical case studies. The primary objectives are to position nurses to actively participate in AI and data ethics, thereby contributing to creating high-quality and relevant data for machine learning applications.

Experimental Study on Checklist-Based and Perspective-Based Requirements Reading Techniques using E-Review Tool

Software Requirements Review (SRR) is a formal review process in which several reviewers read all or parts of the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) to look for defects in the requirements. During requirements review sessions, reviewers may employ various reading techniques to ensure that the requirements have been completely and clearly specified. To review an SRS document, the review leader must organise a review session, the reviewers must physically meet and provide their review feedback during the session. In these situations, the review leader must schedule the review session based on the reviewers' availability, which can be laborious and time-consuming to arrange. Additionally, the review leader needs to manually consolidate all the outcomes of the review session, which could also require a considerable amount of effort and time. However, there has been insufficient research to identify the effectiveness of reading techniques for requirement reviews by employing a dedicated tool support for requirements review. Using a web-based application, called e-Review, the aim of this study is to experiment the effectiveness of Checklist-based Reading (CBR) and Perspective-based Reading (PBR) techniques during requirements review session.

The Quality Improvement Review Board: An Innovative Approach to Oversight of Projects That Do Not Meet Criteria of Human Subject Research.

This article describes the development of an institutional quality improvement review board (QIRB) as an effective and efficient method for reviewing and overseeing institutional quality improvement (QI) initiatives. QI projects involve the systematic collection and analysis of data and the implementation of interventions designed to improve the quality of clinical care and/or educational programs for a distinct population in a specific setting. QI projects are fundamentally distinct from human subjects research (HuSR); however, the differences between them are subtle and highly nuanced. Determining whether a project meets the definition of QI or qualifies as HuSR, thus requiring institutional review board (IRB) review, can be confusing and frustrating. Nevertheless, this distinction is highly consequential due to the heavy regulatory requirements involved in HuSR and IRB oversight. Making the correct determination of a project's regulatory status is essential before the project begins. Project leaders may not realize that their work meets the definition of HuSR and, therefore, might conduct the project without appropriate IRB review. Therefore, best practices dictate that project leaders should not decide which type of institutional review is appropriate for their projects. In addition, when QI project teams attempt to disseminate the results of their work, documentation of formal review and approval is generally required by peer-reviewed journals and professional organizations. However, institutional review mechanisms are rarely available. Projects that do not meet the definition of HuSR fall outside the purview of IRBs and most institutions do not have an alternative review body. This creates frustration for both project leaders and IRB administrators. Apart from IRB review, a separate process for reviewing QI projects offers several benefits. These include (1) relieving the burden on busy IRB staff; (2) promoting scholarly activity; (3) protecting the institution, project leaders, and participants from HuSR conducted outside of appropriate IRB review; and (4) promoting rigorous QI methods.

Palliative Care Referral in Adult Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants: An Integrative Literature Review.

Context: Hematologic malignancies are often unpredictable, aggressive, and may require treatments such as hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). Although morbidity and mortality are significantly amplified during the HSCT process, palliative care (PC) services are historically underutilized by HSCT providers for issues such as symptom management, prognosis understanding, goals of care, and advanced care planning. Objective: This review aimed to assess the impact of PC on the adult HSCT standard of care and examine the effects on patients' quality of life during the acute phase of allogeneic HSCT. Methodology: We conducted an integrative literature search through PubMed and CINAHL databases and utilized the PRISMA guidelines for formal review. The authors reviewed a total of 19 full-text articles. Results: Four major themes were generated from a review of the evidence: (1) Physical and Psychosocial HSCT symptoms, (2) Misconceptions of PC, (3) PC Integration on Quality of Life, and (4) Early PC integration and HSCT recipients. The consensus suggests that interdisciplinary PC during HSCT enhances the quality of care. Conclusion: Discussion of this evidence further exemplifies the need to identify unmet palliative needs earlier so that PC may be integrated before the severe consequences of HSCT. Future work should focus on investigating and evaluating effective and efficient integration of HSCT and PC specialties to optimize the quality of care.

Indonesian national health policy: Legal analysis of the elimination of mandatory health spending

Pusphose: The elimination of mandatory spending in Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health has sparked controversy, particularly because it contradicts the World Health Organization's recommendation that allocates 5-6% of GDP to health budgeting to facilitate better access to healthcare services. This removal also potentially violates the Indonesian Constitution, which through Article 28E, Article 28H paragraph (2), Article 28D paragraph (3), and Article 34 paragraph (3) guarantees the fulfillment of health rights for vulnerable groups. Method: This study employs a legal dogmatic research method to analyze the constitutionality of eliminating mandatory spending in Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health, as it pertains to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, using John Rawls' theory of justice as a tool for legal analysis. Result: Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health has eliminated the mandatory spending provision, which previously stipulated a minimum health budget allocation of 5% from the national budget (called APBN) and 10% from the regional budgets (called APBD), as per Law No. 36 of 2009. The new law introduces performance-based budgeting, but it remains unclear how it will be implemented, especially at the regional level. The main criticism is that this potential elimination could reduce health guarantees for vulnerable groups, contradicting the principles of social justice mandated in the Indonesian Constitution. Conclusion: Although the Constitutional Court has rejected a formal review of this law, opportunities still remain for a substantive examination of the real impact of this elimination on the health access of vulnerable groups.

Advancements in Multi-Objective Mathematical Programming Models and Solution Approaches for Sustainable Waste Management Practices in Vehicle Routing Problem: A Systematic Literature Review

In recent years, the integration of sustainable principles into the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) for efficient waste management has gained significant attention. This paper provides an overview of advancements in multi-objective mathematical programming (MP) models and the optimization techniques for sustainable waste management practices within the VRP framework. Sustainable waste management practices in the context of the VRP involve optimizing routes and schedules aim to reduce the environmental impact of waste collection. It investigates the integration of multi-objectives with sustainability criteria, including social, economic, and environmental considerations. Furthermore, it surveys various optimization methodologies applied in waste management to enhance efficiency and sustainability practices. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was employed as a formal systematic review guideline for data gathering. Data was obtained from studies conducted between 2017 and 2023. The analysis included a total of 18 papers from online sources and databases. Based on the literature review, it has been observed that the majority of the research focused on employing Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) models to tackle the optimization problem for waste management. The literature survey demonstrated significant contributions in computational performance, cost-effectiveness, operational efficiency, and utilization of real-world data by improving the solution approaches, aiming to prioritize economic, social, and environmentally friendly solutions. The paper aims to serve as a convenient reference for researchers and practitioners seeking information on using the MP model and solution approaches to optimize VRP for waste management.

Preventability of injury-related morbidity & mortality at four hospitals in Cameroon: A systematic approach to trauma quality improvement.

Adverse events reviews are a fundamental component of trauma quality improvement (QI) that facilitate the correction of systemic issues in care. Although injury-related mortality in Cameroon is substantial, to our knowledge, opportunities for QI have not been formally assessed. Thus, a formal review of adverse events in Cameroonian trauma patients was implemented as a first step toward identifying targets for systems modification. A QI committee composed of multidisciplinary experts at four hospitals in Cameroon was formed to review adverse events including deaths among trauma patients from 2019 to 2021. Events were discussed at newly established morbidity and mortality conferences and committee meetings to identify contributing factors and overall preventability. During 50 meetings, 95 adverse events were reviewed, including 58 deaths (61%). Other adverse events were delays in diagnosis/treatment (22%) and surgical site infections (17%). Overall, 34 deaths (59%) were classified as preventable, 21% potentially preventable, and 21% not preventable. Over half (52%) of the 46 preventable or potentially preventable deaths occurred in the emergency department (ED); while brain injury (57%), respiratory failure (41%), and hemorrhage (39%) were the most frequent physiologic factors associated with mortality. Contributory factors identified include lack of a structured approach to patient management, absence of continuous training for personnel, and locally adapted protocols. Basic improvements in evaluation and management of life-threatening issues in the ED can significantly reduce the high rate of preventable trauma-related deaths across Cameroon. Formal trauma QI methods can be utilized in low-resource environments to determine mortality root causes and identify intervention targets.