What provokes a disappearing arachnoid cyst? – Case study and literature review

Purpose This paper aims to review the healthcare supply chain (HSC) literature along various areas and to find out the gap in it. Design/methodology/approach In total, 143 research papers were reviewed during 1996-2017. A critical review was carried out in various dimensions such as research methodologies/data collection method (empirical, case study and literature review) and inquiry mode of research methodology (qualitative, quantitative and mixed), country-specific, targeted area, research aim and year of publication. Findings Supply chain (SC) operations, performance measurement, inventory management, lean and agile operation, and use of information technology were well studied and analyzed, however, employee and customer training, tracking and visibility of medicines, cold chain management, human resource practices, risk management and waste management are felt to be important areas but not much attention were made in this direction. Research limitations/implications Mainly drug and vaccine SC were considered in current study of HSC while SC along healthcare equipment and machine, hospitality and drug manufacturing related papers were excluded in this study. Practical implications This literature review has recognized and analyzed various issues relevant to HSC and shows the direction for future research to develop an efficient and effective HSC. Originality/value The insight of various aspects of HSC was explored in general for better and deeper understanding of it for designing of an efficient and competent HSC. The outcomes of the study may form a basis to decide direction of future research.

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Spiritual and Religious Support for Underrepresented First-Generation, Low-Income (UFGLI) Students

Religions ◽

10.3390/rel12070548 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 548

Author(s):

Elliott Ingersoll ◽

Sophia Elliott ◽

Stephanie Drcar

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Low Income ◽

First Generation ◽

Support Systems ◽

Educational Experience ◽

Religious Support ◽

Religion And Spirituality ◽

Minimal Support ◽

Systemic Barriers

UFGLI students comprise 34% of the students enrolled in four-year universities. Unlike some students, UFGLI students face internal and systemic barriers throughout their educational experience and their struggles are often dismissed and disregarded. Working and raising a family while taking courses, minimal support systems, and financial struggles require students to optimize their resources. We explore the issues of UFGLI students and the importance of their spiritual and religious supports using a literature review and a case study. Religious and spiritual identities are resources that should be explored and supported by staff at university counselling centers. Affirming UFGLI students’ religious and spiritual identities and understanding how religion and spirituality work in their lives can assist these students in their acclimation to and success at university.

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Optimized Application of Sustainable Development Strategy in International Engineering Project Management

Mathematics ◽

10.3390/math9141633 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (14) ◽

pp. 1633

Author(s):

Zhiwu Zhou ◽

Julián Alcalá ◽

Víctor Yepes

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Project Management ◽

Literature Review ◽

Management System ◽

Research Method ◽

Programming Algorithm ◽

International Project ◽

Engineering Project ◽

Project Management System

The aim of this paper is to establish an international framework for sustainable project management in engineering, to make up the lack of research in this field, and to propose a scientific theoretical basis for the establishment of a new project management system. The article adopts literature review, mathematical programming algorithm and case study as the research method. The literature review applied the visual clustering research method and analyzed the results of 21-year research in this field. As a result, the project management system was found to have defects and deficiencies. A mathematical model was established to analyze the composition and elements of the optimized international project management system. The case study research selected large bridges for analysis and verified the superiority and practicability of the theoretical system. Thus, the goal of sustainable development of bridges was achieved. The value of this re-search lies in establishing a comprehensive international project management system model; truly integrating sustainable development with project management; providing new research frames and management models to promote the sustainable development of the construction industry.

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Methods for conducting international Delphi surveys to optimise global participation in core outcome set development: a case study in gastric cancer informed by a comprehensive literature review

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05338-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Bilal Alkhaffaf ◽

Jane M. Blazeby ◽

Aleksandra Metryka ◽

Anne-Marie Glenny ◽

Ademola Adeyeye ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gastric Cancer ◽

Literature Review ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Vascular Malformations ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Core Outcome Set ◽

Core Outcome ◽

Comprehensive Literature Review ◽

International Participation

Abstract Background Core outcome sets (COS) should be relevant to key stakeholders and widely applicable and usable. Ideally, they are developed for international use to allow optimal data synthesis from trials. Electronic Delphi surveys are commonly used to facilitate global participation; however, this has limitations. It is common for these surveys to be conducted in a single language potentially excluding those not fluent in that tongue. The aim of this study is to summarise current approaches for optimising international participation in Delphi studies and make recommendations for future practice. Methods A comprehensive literature review of current approaches to translating Delphi surveys for COS development was undertaken. A standardised methodology adapted from international guidance derived from 12 major sets of translation guidelines in the field of outcome reporting was developed. As a case study, this was applied to a COS project for surgical trials in gastric cancer to translate a Delphi survey into 7 target languages from regions active in gastric cancer research. Results Three hundred thirty-two abstracts were screened and four studies addressing COS development in rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, vascular malformations and polypharmacy were eligible for inclusion. There was wide variation in methodological approaches to translation, including the number of forward translations, the inclusion of back translation, the employment of cognitive debriefing and how discrepancies and disagreements were handled. Important considerations were identified during the development of the gastric cancer survey including establishing translation groups, timelines, understanding financial implications, strategies to maximise recruitment and regulatory approvals. The methodological approach to translating the Delphi surveys was easily reproducible by local collaborators and resulted in an additional 637 participants to the 315 recruited to complete the source language survey. Ninety-nine per cent of patients and 97% of healthcare professionals from non-English-speaking regions used translated surveys. Conclusion Consideration of the issues described will improve planning by other COS developers and can be used to widen international participation from both patients and healthcare professionals.

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