Robust Literature Review Research Articles

Reconciling Cultural Values with Legal Principles: Traditional African Justice Systems in Contemporary Context

This comprehensive study delves into the fundamental principles of the traditional African justice system, juxtaposing it against the broader philosophical and jurisprudential evolution of the concept of justice. Drawing on a robust literature review, the article uncovers the unique features that set African justice mechanisms apart from formal court systems - the central role of community leaders, active community participation, and a focus on reconciliation and harmony. Tracing the concept of justice from ancient Greece to the present day, the study situates the African approach within this broader context. It explores diverse conceptions, from natural justice to economic, social, and corrective justice, and how they have been interpreted and applied in the African context. Crucially, the article reveals how traditional systems have often filled the gap between community needs and formal legal services. The findings suggest that the guiding principles of reconciliation and community harmony, which underpin the African justice model, offer invaluable insights for developing more holistic and inclusive justice systems. In an era of globalization, these insights could inform the pursuit of social cohesion and the common good, presenting a compelling alternative to the individualistic orientations of mainstream justice frameworks. Through its in-depth analysis and interdisciplinary approach, this study makes a significant contribution to the understanding of traditional African justice, its resilience, and its potential relevance in the contemporary world. The article's rich, sharp, and well-crafted narrative offers policymakers, scholars, and practitioners a vital resource for exploring innovative pathways to justice that prioritizes community-centric values.

Comparisons of stakeholders' influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles for circular economy implementation on existing building sectors

Buildings are energy- and resource-hungry: their construction and use account for around 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions; they consume around 40% of all the energy produced; they are responsible for over 35% of the EU's total waste generation; and account for about 50% of all extracted (fossil) materials. Therefore, they present a significant challenge to meeting national and international Net Zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil resource use. The CircularB Project, is at the heart of this issue, which will underpin synergies of multi-scale circular perspectives (from materials, to components, to assets and built environments), digital transformation solutions, data-driven and complexity science, stakeholder behavioral science, and interdisciplinary capabilities towards achievable, affordable and marketable circular solutions for both new and existing buildings, for sustainable urban design, and for circular built environments across Europe. This paper contributes to the project by deriving new insights into the stakeholders’ influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles in the implementation of circular economy concepts on existing building stocks in Europe, which represent over 90% of whole building assets. In order to identify and derive the insights, our study is rigorously based on (i) a robust critical literature review of key documentations such as articles, standards, policy reports, strategic roadmaps and white papers; and (ii) interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Uniquely, our work spans across all scales of CE implementation from materials, to products and components, to existing building stocks, and to living built environments. The findings point out the current challenges and obstacles required to be tackled. Inadequacies of financial incentives and governmental enforcement (via policy, legislation, or directive) are commonly found to be the most critical obstacles found throughout Europe. Circular economy is the global challenge and not just a single country can resolve the climate issue without the cooperation of other countries. The insights thus highlight the essential need for harmonized actions and tactical/pragmatic policies promoted and regulated by the European Commission, national and local governments who can dominate the influence, promote inter-relationship, and overcome the barriers towards circular economy much more effectively.

Validating an Assessment Tool for Oral Health and Oral Care Procedures Performed by Healthcare Workers for Older Residents in Long-Term Care Institutions.

Poor oral health is a growing concern among older populations. It is often caused by a failure to maintain proper oral hygiene and inaccessible dental care. Poor oral health in older individuals in long-term care institutions (LTCIs) can be attributed to the fact that healthcare workers might be poorly trained in oral care assessment and practice. To address this issue, an assessment tool has been developed and validated to guide and evaluate healthcare workers' oral care practices, ensuring the delivery of adequate care and early detection of dental diseases in LTCIs. The tool includes an oral health assessment and an assessment of oral care procedures. It was developed following a robust literature review, two stages of expert reviews, content validity checks, and a pilot study. A total of twenty-three items were developed and validated, with seven items related to oral health assessment and sixteen related to oral care procedures. The items were assessed for content validity and relevance, with high values of 1 obtained for all Item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), Scale-level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), and S-CVI/Universal Agreement (UA) scores. This indicates a high level of agreement among the experts (n = 12) regarding the relevance and importance of the items. A pilot study involving 20 nursing students confirmed the tool's reliability, applicability, and feasibility, demonstrating its high appropriateness and applicability. The newly developed and validated assessment tool can effectively guide and evaluate healthcare workers' oral care practices, enhancing their competence and improving the oral health of older residents.

Understanding Financial Inclusion Through Fintech: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Role of Technology in Shaping Financial Landscapes

Financial inclusion, propelled by the advent of financial technology (fintech), has become a focal point of research and policy discourse globally. This study aims to comprehensively examine the role of technology in shaping financial landscapes and fostering inclusive financial ecosystems. Employing a quantitative descriptive research approach, this study assesses fintech adoption across diverse demographic groups, identifies determinants influencing individuals' utilization of fintech-based financial services, examines the impact of fintech interventions on enhancing financial inclusion metrics, and explores the socio-economic implications of fintech-driven financial inclusion initiatives. Drawing upon a robust literature review, this research elucidates the transformative potential of fintech in expanding financial access and improving financial resilience among underserved populations. The findings underscore the importance of regulatory clarity, cybersecurity measures, and technological literacy in harnessing the full potential of fintech for inclusive economic development.

Effective Strategies and Methods to Enhance Music Practical Teaching in Higher Vocational Preschool Education

Abstract:This paper studies of effective strategies and methods to elevate music practical teaching in higher vocational preschool education. Acknowledging the pivotal role of higher vocational preschools in shaping the foundational years of a child's development, the study navigates through a comprehensive exploration of the significance of music education. Grounded in a robust literature review, the paper highlights the importance of curriculum design, instructional techniques, assessment methods, and the seamless integration of technology in shaping impactful music education experiences.Theoretical frameworks, notably the Suzuki Method and Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory, offer insights into pedagogical and socio-cultural aspects, emphasizing the creation of positive and immersive musical environments and collaborative learning experiences. Subsequently, the paper presents effective strategies, including the incorporation of technology, active learning approaches, and the customization of lessons to individual needs. The multifaceted benefits of music practical teaching in cognitive, emotional, and social domains are explored, emphasizing its role in holistic preschooler development. The study advocates for continuous professional development for music educators, stressing the importance of staying abreast of evolving pedagogical trends, engaging in collaboration and networking, and remaining informed about current trends and research in music education. By embracing these strategies, educators can cultivate a vibrant and enriching musical environment that fosters a lifelong love for music and nurtures the holistic development of preschool learners.

Developing Relational Leaders Through Sorority Engagement: A Quantitative Approach

The purpose of this study was to understand what personal, environmental, and experiential aspects of undergraduate sorority engagement promote relational leadership development. A robust literature review and theories of relational leadership developed for application within the collegiate context provided the foundation for this inquiry. Through use of multilevel modeling, we analyzed a sample of 8,435 undergraduate National Panhellenic Conference sorority women from 172 institutions located within the United States. Results demonstrated the substantial importance of supportive sisterhood at both the individual and group level and showcased how variations in perceptions of sisterhood (e.g., accountability), student involvement (e.g., additional activities), and background characteristics (e.g., SES) affected undergraduate sorority members’ relational leadership development. We close by discussing our findings and offering implications for future practice and research.

Expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin in Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Osteosarcoma: A Systematic Review.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a debilitating cancer of the bone that commonly afflicts the young and old. This may be de novo or associated with tumorigenic syndromes. However, many molecular mechanisms are still being uncovered and may offer greater avenues for screening and therapy. Cadherins, including E-cadherin and N-cadherin/vimentin, are involved in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transmission (EMT), which is key for tumor invasion.A study reviewing the relationship between OS and cadherins might elucidate a potential target for therapy and screening. A robust literature review was conducted by searching PubMed with the keywords "osteosarcoma", "cadherin", "e-cadherin" and "n-cadherin". Of a preliminary 266 papers, 25 were included in the final review. Review articles and those without primary data were excluded.Loss of E-cadherin is noted in metastatic cell lines of osteosarcoma. Overexpression of E-cadherin or knockout of N-cadherin/vimentin results in loss of metastatic potential. There are several methods of gene knockout, including CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, viral vector insertion with micro RNA complementary to long noncoding RNA within gene segments, or proteomic editing. Screening for EMT and genetic treatment of EMT is a possible avenue for the treatment of refractory osteosarcoma. Several studies were conducted ex vivo. Further testing involving in vitro therapy is necessary to validate these methods. Limitations of this study involve a lack of in vivo trials to validate methods.

The Science of Literature Reviews: Searching, Identifying, Selecting, and Synthesising

The ability to conduct an explicit and robust literature review by students, scholars or scientists is critical in producing excellent journal articles, academic theses, academic dissertations or working papers. A literature review is an evaluation of existing research works on a specific academic topic, theme or subject to identify gaps and propose future research agenda. Many postgraduate students in higher education institutions lack the necessary skills and understanding to conduct in-depth literature reviews. This may lead to the presentation of incorrect, false or biased inferences in their theses or dissertations. This study offers scientific knowledge on how literature reviews in different fields of study could be conducted to mitigate against biased inferences such as unscientific analogies and baseless recommendations. The literature review is presented as a process that involves several activities including searching, identifying, reading, summarising, compiling, analysing, interpreting and referencing. We hope this article serves as reference material to improve the academic rigour in the literature review chapters of postgraduate students’ theses or dissertations. This article prompts established scholars to explore more innovative ways through which scientific literature reviews can be conducted to identify gaps (empirical, knowledge, theoretical, methodological, application and population gap) and propose a future research agenda.

Construction Processes Paradigm and Reinforcement Alternatives for Tailings Dam Soil

In the last decade, Brazil was the scene of two of the world’s biggest disasters related to mining tailings dams. The collapse of the Mariana and Brumadinho dams was catastrophic event that brought to light major environmental and humanitarian crises. Facts like this incite debate on the safety of dam construction methods and highlight the need for a broad discussion of dam safety legislation in the country. From the above, this paper promotes a review of various forms of construction of tailings dams and their associated problems, as well as discusses the techniques for soil reinforcement and their construction methods. The work also brings an overview of the Brazilian dams from April to July 2019, tracing the context of the Brazilian tailings dams months after the tragedy of Brumadinho. The methodology includes a robust literature review and discourse analysis. In Brazil, the number of ruptured dams is alarming, especially in the state of Minas Gerais, in which more than 7 have broken in the last two decades. Among the damages, the deaths impact society abruptly and were cataloged 455 deaths, of which 216 correspond to the rupture of the dam of the Córrego do Feijão mine in Brumadinho. To evaluate and diagnose a dam, one should consider ordinance N ° 70,389, 2017 revoked by Resolution ANM n ° 95, of February 7, 2022. In this context, in March 2019, we experienced several disturbing situations regarding dam instability in the state of Minas Gerais, being categorized as risky structures. To exemplify, one can cite dams classified as level 2 risk that became level 3. Due to the above facts, several studies are being conducted to improve soil aspects. For example, we highlight the increase in soil resistance that can be done using commercial and alternative materials available in the environment.

The interface of paediatric ENT and autism spectrum disorder: a complex conundrum for otolaryngologists.

Autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition encompassing complex physical and neurological symptoms, including complex sensory symptoms. This review explores the interface between autism spectrum disorder and paediatric ENT. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses ('PRISMA') guideline, a robust literature search and review was conducted by two researchers. Thirty-four papers were filtered into the final review. Published literature clearly demonstrates potential for autism spectrum disorder to present in the form of auditory and other sensory symptoms to ENT surgeons and audiologists who may not fully appreciate this complex condition. Despite this well-documented link, auditory symptoms, auditory processing disorders and hearing loss within autism spectrum disorder remain poorly understood. Improved recognition and understanding of autism spectrum disorder by otolaryngologists could enable more effective diagnostic and management strategies for autistic children who present with auditory and other sensory symptoms. In light of the current 'autism epidemic,' there is an urgent need for further research on this theme.

Comparison Between Offline and Online Distribution Practices for the Insurance Industry in India

Insurance has been the back bone of Indian society and economy. For India, a developing country, insurance does serve the need to a limited extent as social security practices are absent in India compared to foreign nations. Insurance has been sold mainly through traditional channels with Agency garnering major share of the pie. The study started with robust literature review, formulating the objectives to examine existing offline distribution channels for insurance and the relative significance of emerging online distribution channel for insurance. Accordingly hypothesis were promulgated for understanding difference between online and offline insurance in terms of cost and convenience, difference between economies of scale and accuracy, beneficial to customer and/or company and on the growing trend of young internet users being a high potential target market for insurance business suitable to online channel. The study further gives suggestions and recommendations for promotion of online channels and highlights its relative significance to various stakeholders.

Assessment of Risks for Successful Implementation of Industry 4.0

Purpose: The transformation happening globally, though referred to by different names and nomenclatures, the overall objective to inspire digitalization and smart practices by reducing human intervention and enhancing machine intelligence to take on the global manufacturing and production to another level of excellence is a proven fact now. However, earlier research has been found lacking in the strategic approach to evaluate and analyze the I4.0 adoption-related risks for its implementation. This ultimately deprived organizations of a multitude of the benefits of I4.0 adoption. This research proposes a systematic methodology for understanding and evaluating the most evident risks in the context of I4.0 implementation. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research is mainly based on the inputs from experts/consultants along with robust literature review and researcher’s experience in the area of risk handling. The MCDM methods used for investigation and assessment are Fuzzy AHP and Fuzzy TOPSIS. The outcomes of the study are further validated through sensitivity analysis and real-world scenario. Results: Technical and Information Technology (IT) risks are found to be on the top of the priority list, which needs urgent attention while embarking on I4.0 adoption in the industry, and the most important criteria, which needed urgent attention was Information Security. The paper has also developed the ‘Industry 4.0 Risks Iceberg model’ and systematically categorized the challenges into 5 dimensions for easy assessment and analysis. Practical Implications: This systematic and holistic study of the I4.0 associated risks can be used to find the most critical and crucial risks based on which the strategies and policies may be modified to harness the best of I4.0. This will not only ensure the returns on investment but also will build trust in the system. The research would be very beneficial to managers, academicians, researchers, and technocrats who would be involved in I4.0 implementation.

Emerging themes in necrotising otitis externa: a scoping review of the literature from 2011 to 2020 and recommendations for future research.

Necrotising otitis externa is an invasive, infective condition, with minimal evidence underpinning its diagnosis and management. This work aimed to analyse literature from the past decade, to identify emerging themes and important topics for future research. A robust literature search and review were conducted by two researchers. Sixty studies were filtered into the final review. A grounded theory approach was used to identify core themes. Data within these themes formed the basis of the review. There is no consensus regarding a clinical definition or outcome measures of necrotising otitis externa, and there exists no level 1, 2 or 3 evidence to diagnose, investigate, monitor or treat necrotising otitis externa. Emerging themes in the literature direct researchers to important topics for future clinical trials, including risk factors, microbiological culture, management strategies and radiology. In order to optimise understanding and management of necrotising otitis externa, future research requires robust clinical trials and consistently reported outcome measures.

Possible role of traditional systems of medicine to manage covid-19: A review

Abstract The covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the global healthcare system and the economy. At present, no specific antiviral vaccine is available to combat this contagious virus. Traditional medicine has a long history of playing a significant role in managing several infectious diseases. In this context, scientists around the globe are also exploring various traditional medical interventions to prevent the covid-19 pandemic. In the present work, we summarize available scientific data advocating the use of traditional medicine for preventing covid-19. A robust literature review was conducted using scientific platforms such as Science Direct, National Center for Biotechnology Information (ncbi), Pubmed, Google Scholar, and online database like The Plant List (The Plant List 2013) version 1.1. Special emphasis was given to potential natural antiviral, immuno-modulator plants, and traditional medicines to highlight their possible roles in reducing the disease burden. Immuno-modulator such as Withania somnifera and other natural compounds especially glycyrrhizin, kaempferol, ginsenoside, and lycorine can be leading candidates against sars-CoV-2. Besides the need for rigorous scientific validation of potential herbs and related formulations, their use can be beneficial for the preventive as well as symptomatic treatment of covid-19 infected patients. This work provides a run-through of the experimental therapeutics, preventive and treatment options for covid-19.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Performance: A Review of Literatures

The importance of Corporate Social Responsibility cannot be overemphasized, and good Corporate Social Responsibility will constitute good relationship for both the implementing business and its stakeholders- such as customers, community, suppliers, government etc., of such business. The idea behind Corporate Social Responsibility is largely misunderstood by many to deal with only large organizations and multinational. However, even small businesses can in their own little ways be socially responsible. For instance, both large and small businesses do employ workers, operate in a community, impact on the environment on which they operate and are expected to pay taxes to the government of their nation. Consequently, by employing worker, the business is expected to maintain and services such workers in other to retain them and by operating in a community, the business owe such community among other things healthy goods and contributions to societal activities. Therefore, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a business must be large before Corporate Social Responsibility can be implemented. All the aforementioned activities are all inclusive in the Corporate Social Responsibility list. This study considered the meaning of Corporate Social Responsibility from varying authorities, reviewed literatures on previous studies- specifically those with positive relationship, negative relationship, mixed relationship and modest relationship. Following the robust literature review, gaps in studies were identified and consequently, need for further studies. Finally, conclusion was made and recommendations suggested.

Reaping or Losing Digital Dividend? The Use of Social Media for Enhancing Public Participation: A Literature Review

The Internet has made social media a rapidly moving and vigorous domain and has changed the landscape for communications. It has changed different processes and engagement of human interaction and it is becoming hard to separate from people lives. The population of the internet and social media user are growing bigger every day, and so the opportunity for public participation. This study subsequently will identify of how government can take advantage of that digital dividend. To understand the issue, this research used a robust systematic literature review approach. The findings conclude that social media could help citizens to connect online and organize faster for collective action in order to put pressure when government performance does not meet people expectation.

Inquiry‐based mobile learning in secondary school science education: A systematic review

AbstractRecent years have seen a growing call for inquiry‐based learning in science education, and mobile technologies are perceived as increasingly valuable tools to support this approach. However, there is a lack of understanding of mobile technology‐supported inquiry‐based learning (mIBL) in secondary science education. More evidence‐based, nuanced insights are needed into how using mobile technologies might facilitate students' engagement with various levels of inquiry and enhance their science learning. We, therefore, conducted a robust systematic literature review (SLR) of the research articles on mIBL in secondary school science education that have been published from 2000 to 2019. We reviewed and analysed 31 empirical studies (34 articles) to explore the types of mIBL, and the benefits and constraints of mIBL in secondary school science education. The findings of this SLR suggest new research areas for further exploration and provide implications for science teachers' selection, use and design of mIBL approaches in their teaching.

A Systematic Review of Risk Management in Projects

The purpose of this article is to examine the literature on risk management in projects and to provide a robust and structured literature review on risk sources in project management. We developed a systematic review and we found 817 articles on the data bases. We selected 68 articles. Results show 538 sources of risk in projects. We categorized these sources on 25 constructs. This research helps project managers to identify risks prior to the start of the project; and allows to develop appropriate measures to reduce or mitigate risks at an early stage of a project.

Gender & Self-Efficacy: A Call to Physics Educators

Many students across the United States enter college with aspirations of becoming a successful career scientist within the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). However, the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in physics has significantly lagged behind the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the other STEM disciplines. Of the physics bachelor’s degrees awarded nationally in 2014, only 20% were conferred to women. As a part of the conversation on recruitment, retention, and diversity in physics, researchers have focused on students’ self-efficacy (SE), or one’s personal beliefs in their capabilities to execute a specific task. Self-efficacy is highly correlated with performance and success, career aspirations, and student persistence, particularly in physics. In addition, many studies have shown that men and women evaluate their science SE differently with women, on average, reporting a lower SE toward science. This article will provide a robust literature review about the research reporting on the gender differences in science SE, specifically within the physics discipline. We will highlight common resources educators can use to measure students’ SE in their own physics classrooms, the standard findings that SE decreases in introductory physics courses but not in other science courses, and within physics the decreases tend to be larger for female students.

Evolving Role and Future Directions of Natural Language Processing in Gastroenterology.

In line with the current trajectory of healthcare reform, significant emphasis has been placed on improving the utilization of data collected during a clinical encounter. Although the structured fields of electronic health records have provided a convenient foundation on which to begin such efforts, it was well understood that a substantial portion of relevant information is confined in the free-text narratives documenting care. Unfortunately, extracting meaningful information from such narratives is a non-trivial task, traditionally requiring significant manual effort. Today, computational approaches from a field known as Natural Language Processing (NLP) are poised to make a transformational impact in the analysis and utilization of these documents across healthcare practice and research, particularly in procedure-heavy sub-disciplines such as gastroenterology (GI). As such, this manuscript provides a clinically focused review of NLP systems in GI practice. It begins with a detailed synopsis around the state of NLP techniques, presenting state-of-the-art methods and typical use cases in both clinical settings and across other domains. Next, it will present a robust literature review around current applications of NLP within four prominent areas of gastroenterology including endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreaticobiliary, and liver diseases. Finally, it concludes with a discussion of open problems and future opportunities of this technology in the field of gastroenterology and health care as a whole.