Search Results (739)

Driven by advances in multifunctional materials design, silver halides—both natural (AgCl, AgBr, AgI, and mixed phases such as embolite) and synthetic—have emerged as versatile functional materials characterized by tunable crystallography, phase stability, and compositional variability. This study investigates global research trends, interdisciplinary development, and emerging application areas of silver halides through a bibliometric analysis of 23,841 publications indexed in the Web of Science (1975–2025). CDPI, TELM, VOSviewer, and Excel were employed to evaluate publication growth, disciplinary integration, and thematic evolution. Research output increased markedly after 2005, reaching approximately 700–1000 publications annually during 2020–2025. China (18.3%) and the United States (17.5%) were the leading contributors, while the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences, and CNRS showed the highest scientific impact. Materials Science Multidisciplinary (CDPI = 0.72), Chemistry Multidisciplinary (0.70), and Physical Chemistry (0.67) exhibited the strongest interdisciplinary integration, whereas Nanoscience and Nanotechnology demonstrated the fastest growth. Keyword co-occurrence analysis identified six major research domains focused on functional materials engineering, including environmental remediation, catalysis, crystal growth, antibacterial materials, interfacial processes, and electroanalytical systems. Recent studies increasingly emphasize structure–property relationships and synthetic control of crystal size, morphology, and surface characteristics to enhance performance in photocatalysis, sensing, antimicrobial coatings, and advanced optical applications. Overall, the results highlight the growing importance of silver halides as strategic functional materials and provide a quantitative framework for future research and technological development. A limitation of this study is its exclusive reliance on the Web of Science database, which may underrepresent relevant publications indexed elsewhere. Full article

Background: Exogenous nucleotides are bioactive compounds involved in nucleic acid synthesis, cellular metabolism, intestinal function, immune regulation, and related physiological processes. Owing to their potential roles in supporting growth, gut health, immune function, metabolic regulation, and physiological resilience, they have attracted increasing attention as functional dietary supplements and feed additives. However, the global research landscape of exogenous nucleotides has not been systematically characterized. This study aimed to map the development of this field and identify its major contributors, knowledge structures, application domains, and emerging research hotspots. Methods: Global literature on exogenous nucleotides published between 2000 and 2025 was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. After screening and data standardization, 710 records were analyzed using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and R-based visualization tools. The bibliometric analysis included publication output, country and institutional collaboration, keyword co-occurrence, co-cited references and journals, and citation burst detection. Results: A total of 710 publications were included. Annual publication output showed an overall upward trend, with marked growth after 2017. China and the United States were the leading contributors, while the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University were among the most productive institutions. Keyword and co-citation analyses identified three major research themes: basic molecular mechanisms, physiological and health-related effects, and practical applications. Aquaculture and animal nutrition represented the most prominent application areas, with studies mainly focusing on growth performance, feed utilization, intestinal morphology, immune responses, oxidative stress resistance, and disease resistance. In human nutrition, research was mainly related to infant nutrition, intestinal and immune health, nutritional recovery, metabolic regulation, and healthy aging. Burst detection indicated a shift in research attention from early topics such as human milk and receptors to intestinal morphology and, more recently, nicotinamide mononucleotide and molecular activation. Conclusions: Research on exogenous nucleotides has expanded rapidly and is moving toward more mechanism-oriented and more diverse applications. Current evidence suggests that exogenous nucleotides have potential value as functional dietary supplements and feed additives, particularly in aquaculture, animal nutrition, infant nutrition, gut and immune health, metabolic regulation, and healthy aging. Future studies should further clarify compound-specific mechanisms, effective dose ranges, bioavailability, long-term safety, and population- or species-specific benefits to support their evidence-based application in functional foods, dietary supplements, infant formula, clinical nutrition, and functional feed products. Full article

Background: The Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) is foundational to logistics optimization, yet its alignment with the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains fragmented. This study conducts a strategic bibliometric audit of 301 peer–reviewed publications (1992–2025) to quantify the evolutionary progression and thematic maturity of sustainable routing research. Methods: A four–stage scientometric framework was employed, utilizing Scopus–based data retrieval, longitudinal mapping, and Python 3.14–driven text mining to visualize keyword co–occurrence networks, author collaborations, and regional research clusters. Results: Findings reveal a pronounced “Sustainability Asymmetry,” where 51.5% of studies prioritize economic efficiency, while only 2.6% address the social pillar. Additionally, social sustainability remains an “isolated island” with minimal cross–citation to the research core. Geographic analysis identifies a heavy concentration in China, the USA, and Western Europe, uncovering a critical North–South—collaboration gap. Conclusions: The study proves that while environmental themes reached maturity between 2018 and 2022, social indicators exhibit a significant maturity lag. This quantified social deficit, centered on the neglect of SDG 3 and SDG 10, mandates a fundamental paradigm shift toward a geographically inclusive and socially conscious research agenda to ensure global logistical equity. Full article

Digital twin technology is becoming a core enabler for the intelligent transformation of civil engineering. This review adopts an integrated mixed-method design that combines a reproducible bibliometric protocol with structured content analysis to connect macro-level knowledge evolution with domain-specific engineering implementation. Based on the Web of Science Core Collection, the study analyzes publication trends, collaboration patterns, highly cited studies, keyword co-occurrence, network centrality, and citation bursts, and then reviews application status and technical pathways across five thematic areas: intelligent construction, bridge engineering, tunnel engineering, smart water conservancy, and other infrastructure. Key findings include: rapid growth in publication volume after 2021, three dominant keyword clusters (model/system construction, structural health monitoring and sensing, and AI-enabled optimization/decision-making), and an evolution of research frontiers from concept introduction to engineering scenario deepening and further to three-dimensional reconstruction, knowledge fusion, and intelligent decision-making. The content analysis shows differentiated technical pathways across sub-domains and identifies data heterogeneity/interoperability as the most urgent bottleneck because it constrains model updating, cross-platform integration, and engineering-scale deployment. Future directions should focus on data standardization, hybrid modeling, platform interoperability, artificial intelligence empowerment, and full-lifecycle cross-system coordination. This review provides a quantitatively supported panoramic reference for digital twin research in civil engineering. Full article

Solar radiation drives virtually every process in Earth’s climate system—from atmospheric circulation and the hydrological cycle to ecosystem carbon uptake and agricultural productivity. How this energy flux is changing under anthropogenic climate forcing and what the consequences might be have become central preoccupations of modern Earth system science. Yet despite a rapidly growing literature spanning atmospheric physics, ecology, remote sensing, and energy engineering, no study has attempted to map the global scientific output on solar radiation and climate change as a unified research domain. This study addresses this gap through a large-scale bibliometric analysis of 8473 publications retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (1991–2025). Using the Bibliometrix R package (v5.0.1) and VOSviewer (v1.6.20), the study examined publication growth, country and institutional productivity, journal performance, co-authorship structures, keyword networks, thematic evolution, and emerging research fronts. The literature has grown at an annual rate of 14.87%, with China and the USA accounting for nearly half of all output—though American research shows markedly higher citation impact. Bradford’s Law identified 27 core journals, which accounted for roughly one-third of total publications; the Journal of Geophysical Research–Atmospheres ranked first. Consistent with Lotka’s Law, a large majority of authors (78.9%) appear only once in the dataset, pointing to a broad but peripherally engaged scientific community. Keyword co-occurrence mapping revealed five thematic clusters: ecological and biosphere impacts; climate dynamics and variability; atmospheric processes and data-driven methods; solar geoengineering; and energy and renewable applications. The most rapidly rising topics after 2020—machine learning, CMIP6, solar geoengineering, and heatwaves—suggest that the field is shifting toward data-driven methods and active climate intervention debates. These findings offer a structured overview of where the field stands and the most urgent knowledge gaps. Full article

Background: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) research has transitioned from tumor-intrinsic mechanisms to immune-driven therapeutic innovation; however, the translation of mechanistic insights into clinically actionable strategies remains incompletely defined. Methods: A total of 1213 records were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (SCI-Expanded) (2009–2025). After data cleaning and duplicate removal (n = 13), 1200 publications were analyzed. Bibliometrix (R) and CiteSpace were used for performance analysis, keyword mapping, thematic evolution, and co-citation clustering. Results: Annual scientific production increased markedly after 2018, paralleling the expansion of immunotherapy. Keyword co-occurrence identified three major thematic domains (>40 high-frequency keywords) linking molecular mechanisms, biomarkers, and therapeutic strategies. Thematic mapping highlighted immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment, and PD-1 as dominant motor themes, while resistance-related pathways formed a central mechanistic–translational axis. Thematic evolution demonstrated a shift from EGFR-targeted therapy to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-centered resistance and subsequently to immune-dominant strategies. Co-citation clustering produced robust structures (Q ≈ 0.62; silhouette ≈ 0.84), identifying EMT as a persistent mechanistic hub. Pilot ELISA validation confirmed significant increases in TGF-β1 (~2.05-fold), IL-6 (~2.59-fold), CCL2 (~2.10-fold), and PD-L1 (~2.56-fold) under EMT-inducing conditions (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This integrative approach provides a quantitative and experimentally supported framework linking mechanistic insights to therapeutic innovation in NSCLC. Full article

Soil erosion is a critical environmental issue restricting ecological security and agricultural sustainable development in China. Traditional studies have predominantly focused on physical driving factors such as hydraulic and wind erosion, while the regulatory effects of hydrochemistry on soil erosion have long been neglected. To clarify the mechanisms and regulatory processes of hydrochemistry-driven soil erosion in China, this study collected 795 relevant publications from the Web of Science Core Collection spanning from 2000 to 2025. Based on bibliometric methods, visualization software including VOSviewer 1.6.20 and CiteSpace 6.4.R1 were adopted to analyze publication trends, author distributions, research institutions, and keyword co-occurrence characteristics. The results indicated that the number of publications concerning hydrochemistry-driven soil erosion in China has increased year by year since 2000. China ranks first in total publication output, showing a dominant research position in this field. The Chinese Academy of Sciences contributed the largest number of publications among all research institutions. Keyword co-occurrence analysis over the past 25 years demonstrated that soil erosion, runoff, and water erosion serve as the core research hotspots. Further analysis revealed the regulatory mechanisms of key hydrochemical parameters (e.g., pH value, ionic strength, and dissolved organic carbon) throughout erosion processes. In-depth keyword analysis confirmed that current research on hydrochemistry-driven soil erosion in China remains at the preliminary stage, lacking comprehensive exploration of microcosmic mechanisms and systematic regulation strategies. Therefore, intensified research efforts and optimized regulatory frameworks are urgently required in future studies. This study can provide theoretical foundations and technical references for improving the understanding of erosion driving mechanisms and enhancing soil erosion management efficiency across diverse regions of China. Full article

Arthropod natural enemies—encompassing predators and parasitoids—form the backbone of sustainable agriculture, delivering irreplaceable ecosystem services via biological pest suppression. Driven by global demand for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic pesticides, research in this domain has grown sharply over the past decade. Here, we report a systematic bibliometric analysis of 6515 Web of Science Core Collection papers focused on arthropod natural enemies in biological control (2016–2025), with the goal of charting the field’s intellectual structure. Performance metrics confirmed an initial rapid increase from 2016 to 2019 followed by a plateau and a slight rise in 2025, with the US, China, and Brazil dominating output. Keyword co-occurrence networks pinpointed core themes, including conservation biological control, predatory mites, and integrated pest management (IPM). Temporal trends further revealed a pivot toward applied work on invasive pest systems. Co-citation analysis uncovered six foundational research clusters, while bibliographic coupling of 2021–2025 papers uncovered five active emerging subfields: landscape ecology and habitat manipulation, tri-trophic interaction mechanisms, high-impact invasive pest biocontrol, non-target risk assessment for introduced agents, and fall armyworm integrated management. We synthesize cross-cutting implications and outline future priorities—including AI-enabled rearing systems, functional biodiversity boosting, climate adaptation, and multifunctional landscape tuning. By consolidating historical progress and forward-looking directions, this framework empowers researchers, extension practitioners, and policymakers to scale sustainable pest management worldwide. Full article

Bridge maintenance research has increasingly expanded toward Digital Twin (DT), Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), sensing technologies, and object-based information management. As maintenance paradigms shift from reactive to preventive and prescriptive approaches, digital twins have gained attention as a means of integrating fragmented technological components. However, the growing emphasis on AI- and DT-based analytics raises questions about how object-based information structures, sensing systems, SHM, AI-based analytics, and interoperability mechanisms are thematically connected and structurally associated. This study conducted a scientometric analysis of publications retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database without year restrictions. To avoid predetermining the importance of any single information-modeling technology, the main search query excluded BIM-related terms and combined the bridge domain, DT-related technology layer, and maintenance domain. After applying document type, language, and research-area filters, 406 records were screened by title and abstract. Six records that were not directly related to bridge DT maintenance research were excluded, resulting in a final analytical corpus of 400 records. Among these, 77 records were identified as the BIM-related subset for sensitivity analysis. Using VOSviewer-based bibliographic coupling as the core method, supported by keyword co-occurrence, density and overlay visualization, and CiteSpace analysis, this study examined contemporary research structures and historical intellectual bases. The results show that bridge DT development is not detached from existing technological foundations but reflects the cumulative convergence of object-based information modeling, sensing, SHM, AI-based analytics, and interoperability mechanisms within integrated DT architectures. Full article

Agent-based models (ABMs) require critical decisions regarding the selection of parameters and probability distributions, so that simulations properly represent the phenomena under investigation. In practice, however, researchers employ diverse strategies to approach the challenges, and no shared standard exists for parameterization or for validation through sensitivity analysis. This paper contributes to the literature by synthesizing the current state of the art and proposing guidelines for the decision-making processes involved in the definition of two key elements in the construction of functional ABMs, i.e., parameters and probability distributions, in addition to their validation through sensitivity analysis. A scoping literature review focusing on construction, application, and protocols for agent-based modeling in the social sciences was conducted, followed by a critical synthesis of studies to extract strategies and generate recommendations on the subject. Drawing on this synthesis, we develop a Methodological Alignment Index that quantifies the fit between a model’s stated objective and its parameterization and sensitivity-analysis choices, complemented by a visual evidence map combining keyword co-occurrence and cross-tabulation analyses. The findings indicate an absence of standardization in the definition of parameters and probability distributions within ABM research, and a structural misalignment between model purpose and methodological rigor: only about a third of the studies reviewed adopt methods aligned with their stated objective, a gap that has persisted over the past decade. Decision-support and predictive models are prominent in the literature, yet they frequently lack robust parameterization strategies or advanced sensitivity-analysis techniques. These findings emphasize the need for standardized guidelines to align methodological choices with model objectives in ABM applications within the social sciences. In response to this gap, we present a framework for the selection of parameters and probability distributions in the development of ABMs—covering decision-making guidelines, validation strategies, and documentation standards to enhance reproducibility—and demonstrate its application on independent published cases from the reviewed corpus. Full article

Rock glaciers are important ice-debris landforms in high-mountain permafrost environments, but the development, knowledge base, and emerging directions of this research field remain insufficiently synthesized. This study retrieved English-language article and article/data paper records from the Science Citation Index Expanded database of the Web of Science Core Collection using the query TS = (“rock glacier*” OR “rock glacier*”). After document-type filtering and manual screening, 1125 valid records published between 1910 and 2025 were analyzed. Descriptive bibliometrics were used to characterize scientific production and collaboration patterns, Reference Publication Year Spectroscopy (RPYS) was used to identify historically influential publication years and foundational references, and keyword co-occurrence networks, thematic mapping, and thematic evolution analysis were used to trace associations among research topics. A Logistic life-cycle model was used only as a diagnostic tool for the current publication stage, not as a deterministic forecast. The results indicate that global rock glacier research remains in an active growth stage, although model-derived saturation values should be interpreted cautiously because bibliometric trajectories are affected by database coverage, indexing practices, research funding, technological change, and policy demand. RPYS shows that the knowledge base evolved from geomorphological description, classification, and genetic debate toward permafrost creep, internal structure, thermo-mechanical response, and hydrological significance. Keyword and thematic analyses show increasing attention to climate change, mountain permafrost, InSAR, ground-penetrating radar, hydrological processes, and multi-source monitoring. Because the dataset is restricted to English-language SCI-Expanded records, the results should be interpreted as a map of indexed international literature rather than a complete inventory of all rock glacier knowledge. Full article

The global horse racing industry relies heavily on elite breeding. Therefore, a molecular understanding of athletic traits is crucial for the industry’s advancement. This study utilized Bibliometrix, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 869 publications in the Web of Science Core Collection (2011–2025), decoding the academic landscape and evolutionary trajectory of equine genetics. The results indicate a significant upward trend in academic output since 2019, with the United States, South Korea, and the United Kingdom emerging as the primary contributors. Institutions such as the University of California, Davis, and University College Dublin serve as key hubs within a highly structured global collaborative network. Analysis of keyword co-occurrence and bursts reveals a distinct paradigm shift: research has evolved from early single-gene identification (e.g., MSTN) to large-scale genome-wide scans, and more recently to functional genomics and bioethical issues. Contemporary research frontiers increasingly focus on “gene doping” “homozygosity” and “risk factors” signaling that horse genetics is shifting from performance-oriented selection toward a comprehensive framework that integrates phenotypes, health, and genetic diversity. This study provides researchers with a strategic roadmap to help them align with emerging trends and foster international collaboration in equine genomic selection. Full article

Background: The rapid development of edible insect research and the growing use of insect-based ingredients in food technology, human nutrition, and the food industry have not yet been accompanied by harmonized terminology. In the scientific literature, regulatory documents, and expert materials, the terms “insect flour” and “insect powder” are used interchangeably. In Polish-language sources, additional terms such as “mąka z owadów”, “mączka z owadów”, and “sproszkowana postać” are also used. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the use and contextual meaning of the terms “insect flour”, “insect powder”, and “insect meal” in scientific literature, European Union regulations, and Polish-language sources. Methods: The study combined bibliometric, regulatory, and linguistic analysis. Bibliometric analyses were performed using the Web of Science and Scopus databases for the years 2015–2025. Keyword co-occurrence networks and temporal trends were analyzed using VOSviewer. In addition, European Union legal acts and selected Polish-language scientific, institutional, and implementation-oriented sources were evaluated. Results: The results showed clear differences in the use of the analyzed terms. “Insect powder” appeared mainly in regulatory and formal product-description contexts, whereas “insect flour” was more common in food technology and food formulation studies. In contrast, “insect meal” was strongly associated with feed applications, aquaculture, and animal nutrition. The analysis also showed that the terms powder and flour frequently co-occurred in the same publications, suggesting that their use depends primarily on context rather than on strict terminological differences. Conclusions: The study indicates that complete terminology unification may not be necessary. Instead, clearer, more consistent use of terms that depend on the scientific, technological, regulatory, and communication context appears to be more practical. Full article

Background: Surgical operations are an integral part of healthcare delivery and impose a substantial clinical and operational burden. Understanding how the operation- and process-management literature in healthcare reflects the intensity of surgical services and how this may affect the specialization preferences of healthcare professionals is important for strategic workforce planning. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 272 academic publications obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection with the keywords “lean philosophy”, “health” and “process” to capture the operational and process-improvement perspective of healthcare services. In this work, the “lean philosophy” keyword was taken to denote the operation- and process-management view of healthcare services, not to reflect the whole literature on surgical intensity. This selection was performed due to the multiple reasons, with an example being that lean-related studies often discuss complexities of workflow, efficiency, organizational responsiveness, and quality optimization, which are aspects also directly linked to surgical operational intensity. The data were analyzed using the bibliometrix R package, R-4.6.0 to construct the keyword co-occurrence network. Based on this network, a cognitive map was designed to visualize the conceptual relationships among the themes. Thematic clusters based on the co-occurrence network were then evaluated and prioritized by using the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Pairwise comparison data were derived from seven experts (surgeons and healthcare managers), and the model was implemented in Super Decisions with consistency ratios below 0.10. Results: The findings of the co-occurrence analysis are five main thematic clusters with surgical intensity themes including Healthcare Services, Quality, Care, Health and Outcomes. The cognitive map shows that Healthcare Services and Quality have the most central positions and structural hubs in the literature, whereas Outcomes is a dimension of great importance in terms of performance. The ANP results show that Quality (limiting weight ≈ 0.21), General Topics (≈0.14) and Management and Leadership (≈0.13) are the most influential sub-themes with regard to surgical operational intensity and, indirectly, to specialization preferences. Conclusions: The findings reveal that quality management, organizational leadership and larger health policy concerns are closely associated with the intensity of operations of surgical services as depicted in the operation- and process-management literature. Healthcare workers might be inclined to relocate to job positions related to quality improvement and leadership in lieu of places with a high direct clinical burden. Such insights can guide the policies of strategic human resource planning and specialization balancing in healthcare systems. Full article

Urban infrastructure is crucial to urban development and determines urban functionality, resilience, and sustainability. Effective planning for urban infrastructure development and municipal services driving economic development and improving the quality of urban life. However, many urban areas of countries in the Global South suffer from contextually inappropriate urban planning. This has led to uncontrolled expansion, urban sprawl and inadequate public infrastructure. This study answers the following research questions: What are the main challenges in urban and infrastructure planning, and what are possible solutions to mitigate them for sustainable urban development? Based on a review of 75 studies, keyword co-occurrence analysis and thematic analysis reveal seven key challenges in urban infrastructure planning: governance and institutional challenges; economic constraints and funding gaps; environmental and climate change challenges; urbanization and population growth; technological gaps and innovation difficulties; political instability and conflict; and social inequality and exclusion. To mitigate these issues, this study suggests that the concerned policymakers in the Global South prioritize governance and institutional reform, adopt technological and nature-based solutions and strengthen public–private partnerships, community-based engagement, and capacity building. Full article