Search Results (2,600)

The monitoring of the process of converging historic mining excavations in the medieval and still-active Bochnia Salt Mine, conducted for years using classic geodetic measurements, allows for determining the results of point displacements. The movements of the selected fragments of the excavation over time, determined on the basis of these displacements, allow for estimating the displacement field, characterizing the entire excavation together with the often-complicated surface layout of the sidewalls, roof and floor. However, this is a certain simplification of the model of this field, and so far, no stress field has been determined that would characterize the compressive forces and would correspond to the characteristics of the measured deformations. This issue has both scientific and practical importance. The latter involves determining the model characteristics of deformations that would be used in the strategy of the conducted protective works. The authors concluded that in modeling displacements, the results of classic geodetic measurements are insufficient for a precise description of the displacement field and reliable simulations of the stress field model. The use of a laser scanner made it possible to obtain an appropriate image of the geometry of the selected excavation and displacements over time. From a scientific point of view, it is interesting to explain the differentiation of displacements in different directions, and determine the nature and share of the acting compressive forces (gravitational forces, the impact of other excavations, tectonic forces). Full article

This study, based on a 25-year dataset (2000–2025) collected from the Scopus database, provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the intellectual structure of research on emotion recognition, prediction, and skills. Using bibliographic coupling as the primary method, the analysis examines the titles, abstracts, keywords, frameworks, and review literature, presenting the most significant articles in this area, along with the headings of 202 relevant papers. The study investigates the temporal distribution of research outputs, focusing particularly on trends from the last decade. To visualize the scientific landscape, the study uses VOSviewer to map co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and citation networks. The analysis highlights the most prolific journals, influential authors, dominant subject areas, and frequently used keywords. Additionally, it identifies the algorithms used for emotion recognition in predicting soft skills, along with the objectives of the studies, as well as the data and results involved. The study also identifies the leading countries and educational institutions contributing to this research domain. The findings offer a detailed overview of the field’s development and intellectual trends, providing insights and recommendations for future research directions. This research also helps to understand how emotion recognition can contribute to human development across various domains, as discussed in this article. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nasal biopharmaceutics is the scientific understanding of product and patient factors that determine the rate and extent of drug exposure following nasal administration. The authors considered whether current biopharmaceutics tools are fit for the current and future needs of nasal product development and regulation. Methods: The limitations of current methods were critically assessed, unmet needs were highlighted, and key questions were posed to guide future directions in biopharmaceutics research. Results: The emergence of physiologically based biopharmaceutics models for nasal delivery has the potential to drive the scientific understanding of nasal delivery. Simulations can guide formulation and device development, inform dose selection and generate mechanistic insights. Developments in modeling need to be complemented by advances in experimental systems, including the use of realistic or idealized nasal casts to estimate the regional deposition of nasal sprays and refined in vitro cell culture models to study nasal drug absorption and the influence of mucus. Similarly, improvements are needed to address the practicalities of using animals in non-clinical studies of nasal drug delivery, and greater clinical use of gamma scintigraphy/magnetic resonance imaging is recommended to measure the delivery and nasal retention of different formulations in humans. Conclusions: Nasal drug delivery is a rapidly growing field and requires advances in nasal biopharmaceutics to support product innovation. Key needs are (i) validated clinically relevant critical product attributes for product performance and (ii) established links between how patients administer the product and where in the nose it deposits and dissolves in order to act or be absorbed, leading to its desired clinical effect. Full article

Star scientists are highly influential researchers who have made significant contributions to their field, gained widespread recognition, and often attracted substantial research funding. They are critical for the advancement of science and innovation and significantly influence the transfer of knowledge and technology to industry. Identifying potential star scientists before their performance becomes outstanding is important for recruitment, collaboration, networking, and research funding decisions. This study utilizes machine learning techniques and builds four different classifiers, i.e., random forest, support vector machines, naïve bayes, and logistic regression, to predict star scientists in the field of artificial intelligence while highlighting features related to their success. The analysis is based on publication data collected from Scopus from 2000 to 2019, incorporating a diverse set of features such as gender, ethnic diversity, and collaboration network structural properties. The random forest model achieved the best performance with an AUC of 0.75. Our results confirm that star scientists follow different patterns compared to their non-star counterparts in almost all the early-career features. We found that certain features, such as gender and ethnic diversity, play important roles in scientific collaboration and can significantly impact an author’s career development and success. The most important features in predicting star scientists in the field of artificial intelligence were the number of articles, betweenness centrality, research impact indicators, and weighted degree centrality. Our approach offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and funding agencies interested in identifying and supporting talented researchers. Full article

The transition to a sustainable energy mix is essential to mitigate climate change. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) using low-salinity water (smart water) has emerged as a promising strategy for reducing environmental impacts in the petroleum industry, producing a highly valuable energy source due to both its energy density and market value. This study critically reviews intermediate technological readiness levels (TRL), applying a patent-based approach (TRL 4–5) and a review of articles (TRL 3) to analyze various aspects of smart water for EOR, including its composition. A total of 23 patents from the European Patent Office (Questel Orbit) and 1395 articles from Elsevier’s Scopus database were analyzed, considering annual trends, country distribution, international collaborations, author and applicant affiliations, citation dependencies, and factorial analyses. Both patents and articles show exponential growth; however, international collaboration is more frequent in the scientific literature, while patents remain concentrated in a few countries aligned with their markets. Technologies are focused on wettability, surface complexation, CO₂ interactions, emulsification, aerogels, reinjection water treatment, carbonate reservoirs, effluent treatment, nanofluidics, and ASP fluids. Recent topics include CO₂ associations, permeability, fractured reservoirs, gels, reservoir water, wettability alteration, and reservoir/oil heterogeneity. The findings indicate the need for multivariated development of customized smart waters to address complex interfacial synergistic mechanisms. International Joint Industry Projects and global regulations on the safe use and composition of hybrid injections are recommended to accelerate development, reduce environmental impacts, and enhance the efficient use of existing fields, alleviating the challenges of finding new reservoirs. Full article

In Africa, the folkloric practices involving plant-based remedies play a crucial role in livestock farming, often attributed to the limited access to modern veterinary services. The use of Acacia species (including those reclassified as Vachellia species) in ethnoveterinary medicine has garnered increasing interest due to their high protein content and medicinal (including anti-parasitic) properties, offering a sustainable source of fodder particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. However, scientific assessment of their efficacy and safety remains limited. This systematic review examines the ethnoveterinary uses, biological efficacy and safety of Acacia species across Africa. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus, yielding 519 relevant studies published between 2001 and 2024. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 43 eligible studies were analyzed based on their relevance, geographical location and livestock disease applications. Plants of the World online database was used to validate the names of the species and authority. Ethiopia had the highest usage of Acacia species (25%), then Nigeria (20%) followed by both South Africa (15%) and Namibia (15%). Vachellia nilotica (Acacia nilotica) was the most frequently cited species (26.3%), followed by Vachellia karroo (Acacia karroo) (15.8%). Ethnobotanical records indicate that the different Acacia species have been traditionally used to treat conditions such as diarrhea, wound infections and complications such as retained placenta. Pharmacological studies corroborate the therapeutic benefits of Acacia species with evidence of their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anthelmintic effects, though some toxicity concerns exist at high dosages. The systematic review revealed the efficacy and safety (to some extent) of Acacia species in livestock disease management, emphasizing their potential integration into veterinary medicine. However, the dearth of in vivo studies underscores the need for pre-clinical and clinical trials to establish safe and effective dosages for use in livestock. Full article

This systematic review examined the health risk assessment methods of studies of whole-body vibration exposure from occupational vehicles or machines utilizing the International Standard ISO 2631-1 (1997) and/or the European Machine Directive 2002/44. This review found inconsistent reporting of measurement parameters in studies on whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure. Although many authors treat the ISO 2631-1 HGCZ as a medical health standard with defined threshold levels, the epidemiological evidence for these limits is unclear. Similarly, the EU Directive offers more comprehensive risk management guidance, but the numeric limits are equal without supporting scientific evidence. Both guidelines likely represent the prevailing societal and interdisciplinary consensus at the time. Authors note discrepancies between international and national standards and adverse WBV exposure outcomes are reported below given boundaries. Future publications should report all relevant parameters from ISO 2631-1 and clearly state study limitations, exercising caution when applying ISO 2631-1 HGCZ in health and safety assessments and considering different susceptibility of diverse populations. We advise reducing WBV exposure to the lowest technically feasible limits wherever possible and applying the precautionary principle with attention to individual differences, instead of depending solely on numeric limits. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss is a disorder that develops because of being exposed to high noise levels affecting the quality of life among affected individuals. A review of the literature was conducted to explore the prevalence of hearing loss and its associated factors among workers in the metal industry. Methods: The literature search was conducted on ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Pub Med, ResearchGate and African Journals Online databases to identify articles according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The studies published in scientific journals between January 2014 and December 2024 describing hearing loss and its associated factors among workers in the metal industry were considered for inclusion in the review. The articles were screened by the author. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) quality assessment tool with modified checklist questions was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Results: Following the literature search and using the relevant inclusion criteria, a total of 127 articles were identified, and 8 articles with a total of 2605 participants were included in the review. The sample sizes ranged from 93 to 606. The participants’ age ranged from 19 to 65 years. A review of studies showed varying prevalence of hearing loss ranging from 13.8% to 59%. Furthermore, the studies have found working experience, advanced age, cigarette smoking, tinnitus, working in areas of high noise levels and not using hearing protective devices to be associated with a risk of developing hearing loss. Conclusions: The review found that workers in the metal industry are at risk of developing hearing loss and, therefore, implementation of control measures to prevent the occurrence of hearing loss is necessary. Full article

Scientific awareness is rising regarding fish and sea invertebrates’ sensitivity to the sound field’s particle motion component. The AquaVib, a distinctive laboratory setup, provides a practical methodology for controlled sound exposure experiments on small aquatic organisms, enabling a separate assessment of their acoustic pressure- and particle motion-elicited responses across a range of realistic scenarios. The chosen facility design permits the reproduction of realistic sound exposures at different kinetic-to-potential energy ratios, with characteristics similar to underwater-radiated noise from human activities such as shipping or offshore installations (<1 kHz). It provides a cost-efficient multimodal approach to investigate potential physiological, pathological, and ultrastructural effects on small aquatic organisms at any stage of maturity. This study details the vibroacoustic characterization of the AquaVib system, identifies key challenges, and outlines planned improvements. The ultimate goal of the presented approach is to contribute to the scientific community and competent authorities in covering the main gaps in current knowledge on the sensitivity of aquatic organisms to the particle motion component and to identify and quantify potential acute and long-term detrimental effects arising from human activities. Full article

Background: Focusing scientific research on the health needs of the population could ensure the development of context-specific solutions. In Peru, prioritization has been proposed as a strategy to address this issue. However, the alignment of Peruvian scientific production on tuberculosis (TB) with the national TB research priorities (TBprios) has not been evaluated. Methods: We conducted a bibliometric analysis in Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, SciELO, and PubMed to identify original articles focused on TB, with at least one author with Peruvian affiliation. Then, we reviewed the general objectives of each study included and verified their alignment with any TBprios. Results: We found that 73% of Peruvian scientific articles were aligned with some of the national research priorities on TB, especially those related to epidemiology and diagnostics, although no increased trends in alignment were identified across the study period. In addition, in an exploratory analysis we found that fewer than 20% of aligned studies reported receiving national funding. Conclusion: Substantial alignment was observed between the research outputs identified and TBprios. Nonetheless, this high level of alignment could also reflect the significance of TB within the social and public health agenda of Peru. Full article

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus pose significant public health challenges, particularly due to antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA. In this context, Streptomyces, a genus known for producing natural antibiotics, emerges as a promising source for novel therapeutic agents. In this study, a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature (2015–2024) on Streptomyces as antibiotic biofactories against S. aureus was performed, aiming to identify publication trends, collaborative networks, and emerging research areas. Using the Web of Science database, searches were performed with descriptors (“Streptomyces” AND “Staphylococcus aureus”), including original articles and reviews in English. Data were analyzed with VOSviewer and Biblioshiny to visualize collaborative networks, keyword co-occurrences, and trends. A total of 755 articles from 3705 authors were analyzed, highlighting significant collaboration (98.7%). Publications showed marked growth, particularly in Microbiology (21.7%), Pharmacology and Pharmacy (16.8%), and Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology (16.1%). China and India led in publication volume, whereas the United States exhibited the highest citation impact. Key emerging research topics include biosynthesis and metabolic optimization, antimicrobial activity and bioprospecting, mechanisms of antibiotic action and bacterial resistance, and genomic analyses. Research on Streptomyces for antibiotic production against S. aureus demonstrates continuous expansion and global interest, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches. Future studies should intensify exploration of biodiverse environments, genetic engineering applications, and combinatorial strategies to effectively address antimicrobial resistance. Full article

This study analyzes, quantifies, and maps, from a bibliometric perspective, scientific research on microalgae energy production. It includes traditional simulation, machine learning, and hybrid approaches, covering 500 original articles from 2005 to 2024 in Scopus. We used Biblioshiny 4.1.2 software in RStudio 4.3.0 to categorize and evaluate the contributions of authors and journals. The studied field underwent an exponential growth in publications from 2004 to 2022, with an average annual increase of approximately 21%. Moreover, recent research focuses on photobioreactors, computational fluid dynamics, carbon dioxide capture, bio-oils, biodiesel, and hydrothermal liquefaction, increasingly integrating machine learning algorithms and hybrid methods. Since 2020, we have identified a clear trend toward combining modeling approaches to predict and improve energy efficiency, particularly for biodiesel, bio-derived hydrogen, and crude bio-oil produced via pyrolysis or hydrothermal liquefaction, which is often influenced by factors such as light, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and blending operations. Finally, recent advancements involve combining physical models with data to enable real-time optimization and control, supporting microalgae-based circular biorefining strategies. This review serves as a guide for future research in green energy materials and process modeling, inspiring colleagues to explore new ways for microalgae energy production and modeling. Full article

The escalating consequences of human activities and global warming have markedly increased the frequency and intensity of geological disasters worldwide, posing a formidable threat to human life and property. In the southern mountainous region of Ningxia, China—an area characterized by complex topography, interlaced ravines, and pronounced ecological fragility—recurrent geological disasters have substantially constrained rural revitalization and development. This study introduces the integration of the Information Value (IV) method with Random Forest (RF) and XGBoost models, identifying IV + XGBoost as the optimal model through rigorous ROC-curve validation. The results reveal that low- and lower-risk areas account for 58.63% of the total area (7644.20 km² and 4038.08 km²), medium-risk areas cover 29.24% (5825.76 km²), and high-risk regions constitute 12.13% (2417.28 km²). The latter are predominantly in river valleys with high population density and intensive economic activities. These findings provide practical recommendations for scientifically informed disaster management and decision-making by relevant authorities. Furthermore, the proposed methodology offers valuable insights for disaster risk assessment in other regions with similar complex terrains and ecological vulnerabilities, contributing to developing more effective and sustainable disaster mitigation strategies. Full article

Chromaffin cells are neuroendocrine cells found in the adrenal medulla and paraganglia. They represent enigmatic cell population with origins and properties that have undergone a change in scientific interpretations over the last few decades. Earlier concepts consider that chromaffin cells derive from neuronal progenitors, and their cell fate is similar to neurons that lack the ability to proliferate and maintain renewal of cell population in postnatal life. Growing evidence of postnatal proliferation and response to proliferative stimuli were inconsistent with traditional views and required their reassessment and further research on chromaffin cell regeneration sources. The present review summarizes data on embryonic origin and development and transcriptional control of the adrenal chromaffin cells as well as available information about their postnatal proliferation. The authors also represent their findings in cellular and molecular events associated with the physiological transition from organ growth to self-maintenance of cell populations in intact rats and in experimental dismorphogenesis of the adrenals. The authors familiarize readers with available information about the early development and molecular changes in chromaffin cells in postnatal period and propose their new theories concerning mechanisms of adrenomedullary chromaffin cell regeneration. Further research on induction and management of these mechanisms will allow us to maintain cultured chromaffin cells in vitro, which will obviously make a significant contribution to practical regenerative medicine. Full article

Climate change poses significant risks to both natural and urban systems, and fostering climate literacy among younger generations is increasingly recognized as a key component of resilience strategies. This paper presents the outcomes of a transnational climate education project involving high school students from Cinisello Balsamo (Italy) and Edremit (Turkey), developed under the EU-funded Town Twinning program. The project combined scientific seminars, experiential learning, and digital tools (including carbon footprint calculators and immersive virtual glacier tours) to enhance climate knowledge and civic engagement. Youth Climate Councils were established to co-develop local sustainability proposals and engage with municipal authorities. Quantitative tests and qualitative evaluations confirmed significant learning gains and high satisfaction among participants. A comparative analysis with international initiatives highlights the project’s unique integration of scientific rigor, participatory methods, and cross-border cooperation. The proposed model offers a replicable framework for embedding place-based climate education into urban governance and youth policy. Full article