Search Results (10,566)

Research on cattle feeding and nutrition has increasingly integrated animal welfare considerations in response to evolving scientific, societal, and production challenges. This study aimed to characterise the global scientific landscape on this topic through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. A structured methodological framework was applied using the Web of Science database, covering the period from 2009 to 2025, limited to literature published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The analysis followed five stages: research design, data collection, analysis, visualisation, and interpretation, using a broad search strategy combining terms related to cattle production, nutrition, feeding, health, stress, and welfare. Bibliometric indicators and science mapping techniques were implemented using the Bibliometrix package in R (Biblioshiny), including collaboration network analysis, keyword co-occurrence, thematic evolution, and Bradford’s Law to identify core journals. In total, 424 documents were analysed. The results showed sustained growth in scientific production, particularly from 2016 onwards, indicating consolidation of the field. Output was concentrated in a limited number of countries, institutions, and journals, supported by increasingly interconnected collaboration networks. Thematic trends revealed a shift towards integrative approaches linking nutrition with stress, health, and productivity, positioning nutrition as a key tool to enhance welfare and efficiency, although behavioural and socio-economic aspects remain underrepresented. Full article

Gold, as a critical material with both financial and industrial value, is widely used across numerous fields such as finance, aerospace and medical care. Under the global background of increasing geopolitical risks and the advancement of high-tech industries, the demand for gold continues to grow steadily. The main raw materials for extracting gold are mainly divided into ore and electronic waste. Currently, conventional cyanidation remains the dominant industrial method for gold recovery. However, issues such as pollution and high toxicity of cyanide tailings are driving global efforts to explore environmentally friendly alternatives. Therefore, the development of green and efficient gold extraction technology has become a global research hotspot. This article focuses on cyanide-free leaching technologies, providing a detailed review of their current developments, advantages, and limitations, and proposing future trends in gold extraction. The future development directions of gold extraction include the development of thiosulfate–glycine leaching systems, the combination of multi-technology collaborative processes such as ultrasonic assistance and biological treatment to enhance efficiency, the strengthening of microbial metallurgy technology, and the construction of a resource recycling system for electronic waste. This review provides new insights and development directions for extracting gold for sustainable development. Full article

As primary structural components, the damage characteristics and failure modes of reinforced concrete (RC) beams under near-field blast loads are essential for blast-resistant design and vulnerability analysis. To address the research gap regarding the failure modes and blast performance of RC beams under eccentric explosions, this study systematically investigates the effects of charge mass and eccentric distance on structural damage. This was achieved through three near-field air blast tests with varying charge masses and explosion locations, supplemented by LS-DYNA numerical simulations. The experiments utilized 1/2-scale RC beam specimens, and the numerical simulations were conducted using the ALE fluid–structure interaction (FSI) algorithm. A classification criterion for beam failure modes was established using a deformation decoupling method, based on the shear deformation ratio (δ). Results indicate that under eccentric explosions that do not trigger significant local damage, the beams primarily exhibit global deformation. Under a charge mass of 2 kg TNT, as the eccentric distance (e) increases from 0 (mid-span) to 0.90 m, the maximum vertical displacement of the RC beam decreases from 3.50 cm to 1.37 cm (a reduction of approximately 60%). The shear deformation ratio δ at the point of maximum displacement first decreases from 0.3117 at mid-span to a minimum of 0.0670 at e = 0.90 m, then rises to 0.2635 at e = 1.05 m, exhibiting a clear “V-shaped” trend. Increasing the charge mass from 2 kg to 2.5 kg for mid-span explosions raises the maximum displacement from 3.50 cm to 8.22 cm (an increase of 135%) and causes δ to increase from 0.3117 (flexural-shear failure) to 0.4428 (shear-like failure). The inflection point of the “V-shaped” δ curve shifts inward from e = 0.90 m (2 kg) to approximately e = 0.45 m (2.5 kg), indicating a transition toward shear-dominated failure modes with increasing charge mass. As the equivalent increases, the failure mode gradually shifts toward a shear-dominated mode, and the inflection point of the deformation ratio shifts toward the mid-span. These findings provide a theoretical foundation and technical support for the damage assessment and blast-resistant design of RC structures. Full article

Biodiversity, as the foundation of life on Earth, sustains the balance of ecosystems and supports human sustainable development. However, the current accelerated decline in biodiversity poses ecological threats that require urgent attention. This research based on the perspective of ethnic ecological wisdom, explores the customary practices of biological conservation among the Miao ethnic group in Southwest China, the Tao ethnic group on Orchid Island (Lanyu), Taiwan, and the Maasai ethnic group on the East African Plateau. By conducting in-depth case studies, combined with literature review and data validation, it investigates their practical value and implementation pathways in biodiversity conservation. By analyzing the ecological conservation wisdom models of the Miao, Tao and Maasai ethnic groups, it is found that the core species populations in each region have shown a positive growth trend since the gradual integration of traditional ethnic customary laws with modern ecological protection systems and practices. Drawing on the extensive experience accumulated in integrating customary law into ecological governance across the three cases, this study proposes a three-dimensional optimization pathway: at the policy level, construct a mechanism integrating customary law and diversified ecological compensation; at the community level, implement a model featuring benefit sharing, patrol mediation and digital management; and at the cultural level, strengthen the development and dissemination of ethnic ecological conservation wisdom through multidisciplinary talent training and IP-based communication of exemplary customary law outcomes. We aspire to slow the rate of global biodiversity loss and achieve a bright future of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. Full article

Saline water irrigation has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate agricultural water shortages; however, its improper use may induce secondary soil salinization. In this study, saline-alkali soil collected from Hami, Xinjiang, was used to conduct a series of indoor one-dimensional vertical soil column experiments. The aim was to systematically investigate the effects of sodium humate and desulfurization gypsum on soil infiltration behavior and the distribution patterns of key cations and anions under different levels of irrigation water salinity. The results showed that sodium humate application markedly improved soil infiltration capacity, while the duration of infiltration decreased with increasing salinity. Under salinity levels of 12 and 16 g/L, the 4 g/kg sodium humate treatment exhibited the most rapid advancement of the wetting front. In contrast, desulfurization gypsum reduced infiltration rates, with the lowest infiltration observed under the 12.5 g/kg treatment at 16 g/L salinity. Under different treatments, the adjusted coefficients of determination (adjusted R²) for the Philip, Kostiakov, and Horton models ranged from 0.8450 to 0.9841, 0.9901 to 0.9989, and 0.9748 to 0.9942, respectively, while the global performance indicator (GPI) ranged from 1.619 × 10⁻³ to 5.103 × 10⁻¹, 4.998 × 10⁻⁹ to 2.166 × 10⁻⁵, and 1.505 × 10⁻⁶ to 2.438 × 10⁻⁴, respectively. These results indicate that the Kostiakov model outperformed the other models in terms of fitting accuracy and overall performance for describing the soil infiltration process. In addition, sodium humate generally increased the sorptivity parameter S in the Philip model and the empirical coefficient K in the Kostiakov model, whereas desulfurization gypsum showed the opposite trend. In terms of salt regulation, sodium humate demonstrated optimal desalination performance at application rates of 6–8 g/kg under low salinity and 4–6 g/kg under high salinity conditions. Conversely, excessive gypsum application tended to exacerbate salt accumulation, although a moderate dosage (5 g/kg) effectively limited the downward migration and accumulation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻. These two ions were identified as the dominant contributors to soil salinization, showing strong positive correlations with soil salt content (SSC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP). In contrast, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻ played beneficial roles in alleviating sodicity through ion exchange and buffering mechanisms. Overall, sodium humate enhanced infiltration and facilitated salt leaching in the upper soil layers under saline irrigation conditions. Although desulfurization gypsum reduced infiltration and increased overall salt content, it contributed to mitigating Na⁺ accumulation in deeper soil profiles. These findings highlight the critical importance of selecting appropriate soil amendments and optimizing their application rates to improve saline water use efficiency and promote sustainable management of saline-alkali soils. Full article

Under the continuous impact of global warming, the water cycle has undergone significant changes, causing a series of problems such as water shortage, frequent climate disasters and ecological environment deterioration. Therefore, understanding the evolution of regional historical and future drought and wet conditions is crucial for adapting and mitigating disasters. This paper discusses the evolution of drought and pluvial events in the Henan section of the Yellow River from 1970 to 2014, projects the future evolution of drought and wet conditions, and assesses the performance of various climate models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 in simulating precipitation and temperature. Subsequently, future drought and wet conditions in the Henan section were projected for the 2015–2100 period across four SSP-RCP scenarios using Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and run theory. The results indicate that the Henan section of the Yellow River exhibited a significant drying trend during the historical period, with a rate of 0.15 per decade. Looking ahead, a wetting tendency is projected under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, with an increasing rate of 0.02 per decade, whereas the other three scenarios consistently show drying trends, with rates of −0.11, −0.15, and −0.23 per decade, respectively. Across all scenarios, drought and wetness variations exhibit pronounced periodicity, particularly at timescales of approximately 20–30 years, suggesting the persistence of multi-decadal hydroclimatic oscillations. Furthermore, drought and wetness events are projected to become more persistent and severe during the mid-to-late 21st century. Compared with the historical baseline, increasing radiative forcing is associated with an expansion in drought-affected areas, accompanied by reduced event frequency but longer duration and greater severity. In terms of risk, the SSP3-7.0 scenario presents the highest overall drought and wetness risk with the widest spatial extent, whereas the SSP2-4.5 scenario shows relatively lower risk levels and a more balanced spatial distribution. Full article

This study sought to examine the evolution of financial technology (FinTech) and its huge influence on traditional financial systems, with particular attention to InsurTech, regulatory technology, robo-advisory services, and advertising technology. Focusing on the intersection of FinTech and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the study employed a bibliometric analysis of 365 publications indexed in the Scopus database from 2007 to 2023. Scientific mapping techniques were used to identify key research domains, leading institutions, influential authors, and major contributing countries. The findings revealed a strong and growing interconnection between FinTech and SMEs, emphasizing the critical role of SMEs in economic development and financial inclusion. The analysis also highlighted the dominance of China in global FinTech research and identified emerging thematic trends that appeared to have shaped the field. The study concluded that FinTech innovations significantly contribute to enhancing financial system efficiency, resilience, and accessibility, thereby supporting sustainable economic growth. The insights obtained from this study may be found to be useful for policymakers, financial institutions, and SMEs whose interest is to leverage digital financial innovations for strategic decision making. This research offers a comprehensive overview of FinTech’s evolution and provides a foundation for future empirical and qualitative studies. Full article

With global warming and the increasing frequency of extreme heat events, heat health risk assessment (HHRA) has become a critical topic in climate change studies. However, the study themes, methods, and governance orientation of HHRA vary significantly across spatial scales, limiting the comparability and practical integration of assessment outcomes. This study conducts a review of the HHRA literature from 2007 to 2025, analyzing publication trends and evolving research paradigms. The results indicate the following: (1) rapid growth in the field with a notable shift from identifying static vulnerabilities to adopting “Hazard–Exposure–Vulnerability–Adaptability” (HEVA) frameworks, particularly at the micro-scale; (2) a clear scale-dependent hierarchy in assessment focus, where macro-scale studies identify regional trends, meso-scale research targets urban spatial heterogeneity and green–blue infrastructure, and micro-scale assessments emphasize housing conditions and individual perceptions; and (3) machine learning has been widely applied to capture complex nonlinear mechanisms and threshold effects. Finally, this study further emphasizes the importance of establishing a full-process feedback mechanism from macro-level early warning to meso-scale planning and micro-scale intervention, bridging the gap between regional policy and community-level action and providing a theoretical foundation for building climate-resilient cities. Full article

Background/Objectives: High sodium intake is a leading dietary risk factor for stomach cancer, particularly in East Asia. In Japan, traditional dietary patterns contribute to elevated sodium consumption and a high burden of stomach cancer. This study aims to forecast disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for stomach cancer attributable to high sodium intake in Japan from 2022 to 2050, and to assess the impact of multiple sodium reduction policy scenarios. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal forecasting study using autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous variables (ARIMAX) models based on Global Burden of Disease 2021 data (1990–2021). The Japanese population was stratified by sex and age groups (15–49, 50–69, and ≥70). Five future exposure scenarios were modelled: (1) reference (current trends), (2) best-case (50% reduction in sodium exposure by 2050), (3) optimal (30% reduction by 2032), (4) moderate (30% reduction by 2050), and (5) worst-case (highest exposure levels from recent years maintained). These scenarios were aligned with national and international sodium reduction targets, including the revised “Health Japan 21” (third term; 7 g/day by 2032) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) 5 g/day/30% reduction goals. Results: Under the reference scenario, age-standardised DALY rates are projected to decline by 31.4% (to 15.4 per 100,000) by 2050. The best-case scenario projects a 54.7% decline (to 10.1 per 100,000). Substantial demographic disparities persist: males and those aged ≥70 consistently show higher burdens. Notably, the 50–69 age group shows the greatest variation in 2050 projections across scenarios (17.1 to 73.5 per 100,000), indicating high policy sensitivity. Meanwhile, in the ≥70 group, DALY rates remain high regardless of scenario, especially among males (199.4 vs. 57.8 per 100,000 for females), reflecting cumulative lifetime exposure. Conclusions: Under modelled assumptions, sustained achievement of national sodium reduction targets could meaningfully reduce future stomach cancer DALYs in Japan, with the largest absolute gains in older adults but the largest relative gains in younger and middle-aged groups. Because stomach cancer aetiology is multifactorial and the projections rest on modelled associations and a continuity-of-trend assumption, these findings support strengthened, demographically targeted sodium reduction interventions as one complementary component of a broader, multi-risk factor approach to stomach cancer prevention. Full article

The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is widely used to track vegetation cover and ecological change. However, in arid watersheds where irrigated farmland and natural vegetation coexist, it remains unclear how irrigation changes the relative effects of climate, terrain, and soil on vegetation growth. Using the Hetao irrigation district watershed in Inner Mongolia, this study analyzed NDVI dynamics and their environmental controls from 2001 to 2024 through trend analysis, spatial autocorrelation, XGBoost-SHAP, GeoDetector, and geographically weighted regression. NDVI increased significantly across the watershed at 0.0035 yr⁻¹, but the increase was much stronger inside the irrigation district (mean NDVI = 0.58; slope = 0.0061 yr⁻¹) than outside it (mean NDVI = 0.26; slope = 0.0015 yr⁻¹). Global Moran’s I values remained above 0.86, showing persistent spatial clustering. The main drivers also differed by zone. DEM, SOC, and precipitation were most important for the whole watershed; SOC, TP, pH, and TN were more important inside the irrigation district; and precipitation and DEM were more important outside it. GeoDetector confirmed that paired drivers strengthened each other, including SOC ∩ DEM at the watershed scale and DEM ∩ TP outside the irrigation district. GWR further showed that rainfall effects were stronger outside the irrigation boundary, while soil-related effects were stronger in the irrigated agricultural belt. These results show that irrigation not only increases NDVI but also changes how vegetation responds to environmental conditions by weakening direct rainfall limitation and strengthening soil-related controls in managed landscapes. The findings provide evidence for zone-specific vegetation restoration and land-water management in dryland irrigation watersheds. Full article

As the core pillar of international trade, the global shipping industry has seen its carbon and pollutant emissions become a key challenge in global environmental governance. Statistics indicate that ship carbon emissions account for 3% of the world’s total anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, while contributing 20% of global NO_x and 12% of SO₂ emissions, posing a serious threat to coastal ecosystems and public health. In response to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “Net Zero Framework” and national green shipping policies, the transformation of ship power systems toward low-carbon and zero-carbon operation has become an inevitable trend. This paper systematically reviews the research progress and application status of green energy materials for ships, focusing on the working principles, technical characteristics, and engineering application cases of solar photovoltaic (PV) materials, wind energy utilization technologies, fuel cell materials, and alternative clean energy fuels (e.g., liquefied natural gas (LNG), methanol, and hydrogen energy). It also discusses the integration mode and optimization strategy of multi-energy hybrid power systems. The research findings show that solar photovoltaic technology has achieved large-scale application in coastal ships; hydrogen fuel cells are suitable for long-range ocean navigation scenarios due to their high energy density; LNG and methanol have become the current mainstream alternative fuels, relying on mature infrastructure; and hybrid energy systems can significantly improve power supply reliability and emission reduction efficiency through multi-energy complementarity. Finally, aiming at the existing bottlenecks (e.g., cost, energy storage, and safety) of various technologies, future development directions are proposed. This study provides a reference for the technological breakthrough and engineering practice of green energy power systems for ships and contributes to the realization of the “carbon neutrality” goal in the global shipping industry. Full article

Rising global demand for safe, high-quality foods has accelerated the development of rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective analytical technologies for detecting harmful substances and quality markers. Electrochemical sensors have emerged as promising tools for food safety monitoring due to their high sensitivity, fast response, portability, and affordability compared with conventional laboratory methods. This review highlights recent advances in nanostructured electrochemical sensors for detecting key food analytes, including antioxidants, mycotoxins, allergens, and flavor compounds in diverse food matrices. It examines advanced nanomaterials such as metal oxides, MXenes, doped carbon nitrides, and noble metal-decorated graphene, which enhance sensor performance through improved surface area, conductivity, and electrocatalytic activity. Integrated with screen-printed or glassy carbon electrodes, these materials achieve ultra-low detection limits, wide linear ranges, and strong selectivity in complex food systems. The review also explores next-generation applications such as NFC-enabled smart packaging for continuous, non-invasive monitoring across the supply chain. Emerging trends in miniaturization, multiplex sensing, and artificial intelligence are discussed, along with key challenges in translating laboratory innovations into practical commercial solutions for global food safety. Full article

Considering rising global uncertainties and intensifying resource and environmental pressures, it has become an inevitable trend to add more ecologically green factors to the traditional industrial chain resilience system and build a system of green industrial chain resilience (GICR). To address the inherent tension between security and green goals, this study develops a novel two-dimensional analytical framework encompassing fracture repair capacity and development regeneration capacity. This framework provides the theoretical foundation for constructing a pioneering city-level evaluation system for GICR. Employing this system and a suite of spatial econometric methods, we empirically analyze the spatiotemporal evolution, convergence, and driving mechanisms of GICR across 245 Chinese cities. The main findings are threefold. First, the proposed framework effectively captures the complexity of GICR, revealing an overall upward trend but significantly widening regional disparities, with a persistent core-periphery spatial pattern. Second, convergence analysis uncovers a club convergence dynamic nationwide, characterized by a notable “high-level equilibrium lock-in” in the advanced eastern region, in contrast to the catch-up convergence observed in central, western, and northeastern China. Third, geographical detector analysis identifies talent agglomeration as the paramount driver, with its interaction with other factors producing nonlinear enhancement effects. These findings underscore that enhancing GICR requires regionally differentiated strategies: policies must break the innovation lock-in in the east, embed resilience standards into industrial transfer in the central and western regions, and prioritize talent as the core lever for synergistic capacity building. Full article

Global crises often force a pivotal choice between protecting human legacy and ensuring financial survival, yet the psychological drivers behind these trade-offs remain poorly understood. While family firms are traditionally viewed as inherently resilient, the unique emotional attachments of their owners may constrain their ability to adapt to unprecedented shocks. This study examines the behavioral underpinnings of crisis management across 11 European nations during the COVID-19 pandemic, challenging the traditional stewardship paradigm. Findings reveal a significant tension between preserving socioemotional wealth and economic survival. While family-managed firms prioritized personnel retention and financial autonomy, thus avoiding the psychological stigma of government aid, these non-financial priorities often proved detrimental to liquidity and business survival. This suggests that high emotional endowment can induce behavioral rigidity and an escalation of commitment, hindering strategic pivots. Furthermore, the results highlight a trend toward mimetic isomorphism, where extreme uncertainty forced a convergence of crisis responses across diverse organizational structures. Overall, the contribution of this study is to challenge the resilience myth, illustrating that acute shocks often override the distinctive behavioral archetype of family firms, forcing a shift toward institutional conformity and standardized mandates. Full article

Against the backdrop of the global green development concept, scientifically assessing the level of urban green transformation (UGT) in China and revealing its spatiotemporal evolution are critical for promoting high-quality development in the country. We constructed an evaluation index system based on four dimensions: economic, social, resource, and environmental transformation. Using the entropy method, we determined the scores for a comprehensive green transformation development index for 285 prefecture-level-and-above cities in China from 2000 to 2023. We further employed kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipses, the Dagum Gini coefficient, and convergence models to systematically examine the dynamic evolution, regional disparities, and convergence characteristics pertaining to UGT. The key findings are as follows: (1) There is a steady upward trend in the overall level of UGT in China, with intra-regional differences gradually converging. However, a “better–getting-better” differentiation pattern exists, while there is no observable multi-peak polarization. (2) Based on the UGT level, cities in China can be classified into four types: leading areas, potential areas, catching-up areas, and lagging areas. Spatially, a gradient pattern consisting of “high in coastal areas and low in inland areas” was identified. The overall centroid of green transformation has shifted southward, with a northeast–southwest distribution direction. The spatial agglomeration pattern exhibits a transition from dispersion to concentration. (3) There is a decreasing trend in overall disparity among the eight major economic regions, with inter-regional disparity being the primary source, while intra-regional disparity in coastal areas has increased. (4) Regarding convergence characteristics, σ-convergence can be observed in all economic regions except the Eastern Coastal, Southern Coastal, and Middle Yangtze River economic regions. Both absolute β-convergence and conditional β-convergence were found for China overall and its eight comprehensive economic regions, with the highest convergence speed in the Northeast region and the lowest in the Middle Yangtze River region. Furthermore, spatial absolute β-convergence and conditional β-convergence are also present, indicating strong spatial dependence among cities. This study provides empirical evidence and policy references for promoting UGT and optimizing regional development layouts in China. Full article