Search Results (19,368)

Socio-ecological systems (SES) provide an integrative framework for analyzing interactions between human activities and biodiversity conservation in island environments, where ecological fragility and governance challenges are particularly pronounced. However, despite the growing body of island SES research, no comprehensive synthesis has systematically examined the methodological approaches, analytical frameworks, governance dimensions, and thematic advances reported across island contexts. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to map and synthesize the scientific advances in island SES research published between 2015 and 2025. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, the systematic literature review examines methodological approaches, analytical frameworks, socio-ecological interaction domains, governance arrangements, and reported research gaps across 105 peer-reviewed studies. The results reveal a predominance of mixed-methods research and management-oriented SES approaches, with a primary analytical focus on tourism, fisheries, and biodiversity conservation. Integrative frameworks, participatory governance, and knowledge co-production are frequently reported and consistently identified as promising directions, whereas governance, land–sea interactions, and climate-related dimensions are comparatively underrepresented. Given that the evidence base is primarily descriptive rather than comparative, this review does not establish causal effectiveness or identify universally superior approaches. Instead, it offers a structured overview of the current state of knowledge, highlights recurring methodological and thematic patterns, and identifies priority areas for further empirical research to inform evidence-based strategies for island socio-ecological systems. Full article

Background: Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration, resulting in an increased risk of fractures. Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy owing to their inherent advantages, including excellent biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, diverse biological activities, and engineering potential. Despite growing interest in this field, the existing preclinical evidence remains highly heterogeneous in terms of study design, stem cell sources, EV engineering strategies, and delivery approaches. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively synthesize and critically evaluate the available preclinical evidence regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cell-derived EVs for osteoporosis. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Controlled animal studies investigating the therapeutic effects of stem cell-derived EVs in osteoporosis models were included. Data on stem cell sources, EV characteristics, engineering approaches, administration strategies, osteoporosis animal models, therapeutic outcomes, and underlying mechanisms were extracted and qualitatively synthesized. Results: A total of 64 studies were included. Overall, stem cell-derived EVs demonstrated promising therapeutic potential across various animal models of osteoporosis, exerting pleiotropic effects, including promotion of osteogenesis, inhibition of osteoclastogenesis, enhancement of angiogenesis, modulation of immune responses, and regulation of cellular behaviors. Mechanistically, these effects were largely attributed to the transfer of diverse bioactive cargo, including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, which collectively regulate multiple signaling pathways involved in bone remodeling. Conclusions: Current preclinical evidence supports stem cell-derived EVs as a promising cell-free therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis. However, variability in study design and incomplete reporting in primary studies limit cross-study comparability and translational interpretation, underscoring the need for improved methodological rigor, standardized reporting practices, and robust large-animal validation studies to facilitate future clinical translation. Full article

Heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils and urban green spaces has become a major environmental concern, threatening ecosystem functioning, food safety, and sustainable land management. Silicon-based growing media have emerged as an environmentally friendly approach for reducing metal mobility while enhancing plant establishment in contaminated environments. Despite growing research interest, a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanisms, effectiveness, and practical applications of silicon-amended growing media across diverse plant systems remains lacking. This systematic review addresses this gap by synthesizing current evidence following the PRISMA 2020 framework. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ResearchGate and Google Scholar identified 247 publications published between 2010 and 2025, of which 32 peer-reviewed studies met the predefined inclusion criteria for qualitative analysis. The reviewed literature demonstrates that silicon incorporation into growing media improves substrate functionality by modifying physicochemical properties, immobilizing heavy metals, regulating metal transport within plants, strengthening antioxidant and osmo-protective defense systems, preserving photosynthetic activity, and improving nutrient acquisition and water-use efficiency. Furthermore, silicon influences molecular signaling pathways and promotes beneficial rhizosphere interactions that collectively enhance plant resilience under metal stress. Among the evaluated materials, silicon nanoparticles consistently exhibited greater remediation efficiency than conventional silicon sources because of their higher surface reactivity and improved bioavailability. Overall, silicon-based substrate engineering represents a multifunctional and sustainable strategy for mitigating heavy metal contamination while improving the performance of agricultural crops and urban vegetation. Future research should focus on validating these findings under long-term field conditions, optimizing silicon formulations for different substrate types and contamination scenarios, evaluating environmental safety, and integrating silicon-based technologies into climate-resilient agricultural practices and urban green infrastructure. Full article

Background: The demand for natural gas and advancements in LNG technologies have made it easier and more cost-effective to transport large quantities of natural gas over long distances by cooling it and then delivering it to customers according to an annual delivery plan (ADP). This plan is crucial for the LNG supply chain to minimize operational costs and meet contractual obligations; however, there are random factors that deviate from the ADP’s initial plan, such as production rate interruptions, weather conditions, and a reduction in the number of berths. Methods: Available optimization methods for ADPs in the literature were reviewed using a systematic literature review (SLR) and validated with the PRISMA 2020 Statement checklist and flow diagram, which showed that many existing studies use simplified deterministic models to optimize ADPs within reasonable time and effort. This research suggests establishing a simulation-based optimization (sim-heuristics) framework to develop ADPs with an objective function that minimizes expected total costs while capturing real-life uncertainties. This approach will provide tactical insights to decision-makers and is adaptable for various operational policy evaluations. Conclusions: This simulation-based optimization approach could offer the LNG industry a powerful analytical engine for robust, real-world decision-making, bridging the gap between theoretical planning and operational complexity. Full article

Sleep architecture alterations have been shown in major psychiatric disorders, but the contribution of demographic factors to between-study heterogeneity remains insufficiently characterized. This study reports a transdiagnostic systematic review and meta-regression of case-control polysomnographic studies comparing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and unipolar depression with healthy controls. The factors age and sex as possible moderators across harmonized case-control polysomnographic studies have been analyzed. Eligible studies reported diagnostic criteria, treatment status, age, and sex. Because the UD literature encompassed developmentally distinct populations, pediatric/adolescent and adult studies were analyzed separately. Standardized mean differences were synthesized using random-effects models with REML estimation. Univariable mixed-effects meta-regressions assessed study-level mean age and sex composition as moderators within each diagnostic group. Study-level mean age and sex composition significantly moderated delta sleep effect sizes in drug-naive schizophrenia, while study-level mean age significantly moderated REM time in drug-free schizophrenia. In bipolar disorder, study-level mean age moderated REM sleep time effect sizes during mania, whereas sex composition moderated delta sleep and REM density effect sizes. In UD, study-level mean age moderated total sleep time, and sex composition moderated wake after sleep onset only in pediatric/adolescent studies, whereas no significant moderation was observed in adult samples. No significant moderator effects were identified during bipolar depression. Overall, demographic composition explained only a modest proportion of between-study heterogeneity. Interpretation is limited by the ecological nature of study-level meta-regression and residual study heterogeneity. Full article

The stone industry generates substantial waste along the quarrying, cutting and finishing chain, with only about 22% of the extracted material processed into final products, while roughly 64% is lost as slurry and 8% as solid waste. Compared to other industries such as wood and steel, there is a significant gap in the exploitation of relevant circular economy indicators for the stone industry. To address such limitation, this study proposes a sector-specific indicator framework built in three stages: systematic identification of existing CE indicators through a Scopus-based literature review, further refinement against three strategies for the stone sector (materials preservation, process optimisation and reduction of risk to human well-being), together with two suitability filters based on development stage and redundancy, and finally an indicative prioritisation using a simplified Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) procedure implemented in Super Decisions. Seven indicators are retained as the most applicable to the sector: Energy Use, Water Consumption, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Replacement Ratio, Generation Ratio, Upcycling Score and Product Quality Index. The Consistency Ratio is 0.070 for the criteria pairwise-comparison matrix and ranges from 0.000 to 0.010 across the six indicator pairwise-comparison matrices, reflecting the internal coherence of the deterministic scoring procedure used to derive them. The framework is presented as an initial, transparent proposal to support monitoring and resource efficiency benchmarking in the stone supply chain. Empirical validation through further industrial case studies and broader expert contribution is an essential next step. Full article

Background: Heart transplantation has evolved into a life-saving intervention for thousands of patients with end-stage disease worldwide. Advances in surgical techniques and immunotherapy have increased life expectancy in this specific patient group, resulting in the emergence of degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis. Concurrently, due to the frequent administration of corticosteroids to transplant recipients, the rates of joint osteonecrosis remain high. This review aims to evaluate the final functional outcomes as well as the complications of patients with a history of heart transplantation who underwent total hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. The primary objective of the study was the improvement of various functional scores at the final clinical follow-up, as well as the recording of postoperative complication rates. Results: A total of 19 retrospective studies were included in the review, including small case series. Among the studies specifically evaluating functional outcomes, patients demonstrated statistically significant improvement in final clinical scores and quality of life. However, regarding complication rates, 12 out of the 19 articles identified a higher ratio compared to the general population, involving either systemic (e.g., renal failure), musculoskeletal (periprosthetic fracture, infection), or cardiac-related adverse events concerning the graft. Conclusions: According to the data analyzed in this systematic analysis, total arthroplasty of major joints demonstrates consistent potential to significantly improve the daily life and functional status of transplant patients. However, evidence regarding overall safety remains heterogeneous. Full article

Public EEG-based brain–computer interface (BCI) datasets are expanding rapidly, yet differences in sensors, experimental protocols, task/event semantics, preprocessing, participant context, and evaluation limit reproducibility and cross-dataset learning. This review examined whether heterogeneous EEG-BCI resources can support reproducible analysis across sources. A PRISMA-based systematic mapping review of literature published from 2014 to June 2026 was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and ACM Digital Library, yielding 16,920 records. Following screening and evidence-focused curation, a curated synthesis corpus of 129 publications was retained and confirmed by full-text review. Evidence was coded across structural, semantic, procedural, human/contextual, and computational fragmentation, and reporting transparency was assessed using ten criteria. The synthesis identified heterogeneity in acquisition, channel layouts, task/event definitions, preprocessing, participant/session context, and evaluation design. Existing standards, ontologies, software platforms, benchmark frameworks, and transfer-learning methods address complementary layers but do not provide complete semantic interoperability. Within the retained corpus, the median transparency score was 9/10; data availability was stated in 61.2% and code or pipeline availability in 20.9%. These frequencies describe the curated corpus rather than the field as a whole. Scalable cross-dataset analysis requires analysis-dependent compatibility rules, explicit provenance, contextual metadata, and auditable transformations that preserve dataset identity, uncertainty, and information loss. Full article

Background: Breast cancer remains the most common malignant tumor among women worldwide. Although conventional treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy are effective, they are confronted with challenges such as tumor heterogeneity, systemic toxicity, and recurrence driven by drug resistance. To overcome these limitations, natural products have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives owing to their multi-target efficacy and favorable biocompatibility. However, their clinical translation is still hindered by poor chemical stability, low aqueous solubility, and inadequate bioavailability. Nanodelivery systems offer a transformative solution by enhancing bioavailability and enabling precision targeting through the enhanced permeation and retention effect, thereby widening the therapeutic window and minimizing off-target toxicity. Purpose: This review evaluates diverse nanoparticle-based delivery systems and their targeting mechanisms in natural product-based breast cancer therapy. By examining inherent advantages and translational challenges, this analysis provides critical insights into the clinical development and application of these nanoformulations. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Web of Science to identify relevant studies on natural product-based nanoformulations for breast cancer therapy. Results: Natural products exert anti-breast cancer effects through mechanisms such as inducing apoptosis, arresting the cell cycle, inhibiting invasion and metastasis, suppressing angiogenesis, and regulating autophagy. To overcome clinical hurdles, three complementary targeting strategies have been developed: passive, active, and stimuli-responsive targeting. These advances are shifting nanomedicines toward active precision therapy, markedly improving the therapeutic index. With multiple formulations already approved or in clinical pipelines, this field is rapidly progressing from laboratory research to clinical implementation. Conclusions: Natural products possess potent anti-breast cancer effects, and the application of nanodelivery technology effectively overcomes their inherent limitations of poor stability and low bioavailability. Although preliminary findings are promising, large-scale, randomized controlled clinical trials are urgently needed to systematically evaluate their safety, efficacy, and practical potential for clinical translation in breast cancer management. Full article

Digital twin (DT) technology has become a transformative engineering paradigm for metal-cutting machine tool systems and materials-processing equipment, enabling real-time synchronisation, predictive analytics, and intelligent decision-making throughout the entire production cycle. This systematic review summarises the latest advances in the engineering-oriented implementation of digital twins, with a focus on their modelling frameworks, tool condition monitoring, compensation for geometric, kinematic, thermal and dynamic errors, fault diagnosis and adaptive control, and on the application of this technology to lathes, milling machines and grinding machines. The search for and selection of literature were carried out in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. In total, 680 records were identified in Google Scholar in May 2026, of which 197 studies met the inclusion criteria and were synthesised narratively within six thematic sections. The analysis demonstrates that modern digital twin architectures integrate multiphysics modelling, multi-sensor data fusion, and machine learning to create high-precision virtual replicas of physical assets. Predictive maintenance and fault diagnosis systems use machine learning and deep learning to detect incipient faults in feed systems, spindles, and other critical components before failure. The review also analyses existing challenges and outlines future research directions for reliable industrial digital twins. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aetiology of facial clefts remains incompletely understood, and ionising radiation has been discussed as a potential exogenous factor. This review investigated the epidemiology of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) in Germany in relation to the Chernobyl NPP accident. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, LIVIVO, and the Cochrane Library, supplemented by additional searches. OHAT risk-of-bias domains were applied to the included studies. Results: In total, 276 potentially relevant records were identified, of which six were included. Studies from Bavaria and the former German Democratic Republic reported regional associations between increased CL/P prevalence and the Chernobyl NPP accident. None of the included studies assessed radiation exposure at the individual level; exposure assessment was regional or ecological. Conclusions: Associations were reported in some more heavily contaminated regions, whereas no statistically significant differences were found in regions affected by lower levels of fallout. One study reported an estimated additional regional exposure of 1.2 mGy in the most heavily contaminated areas. This estimate does not substitute for individual dosimetry and should be interpreted cautiously. Experimental and other sources cited in the review discuss malformation effects at doses of at least 50 mGy. Given the heterogeneous study designs, ecological exposure assessment, inadequate control of confounding, and very low certainty of evidence, the available data do not support establishing a causal relationship between Chernobyl-related exposure and CL/P in Germany. Full article

Background: This study aims to characterise the clinical and radiological features of Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in the context of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), consolidating reported cases to aid clinicians in diagnosis, management, and future research. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, adhering to PRISMA guidelines and registered under PROSPERO (CRD420251011869). Four academic databases and grey literature sources were searched up to April 2025. Inclusion criteria were cases with confirmed MIS-C and a diagnosis of PRES supported by compatible clinical and radiological findings or reported by the original investigators when detailed imaging information was unavailable. Results: Sixteen studies encompassing sixteen pediatric cases were identified. The majority were female, with a median age of 9 years. Among patients with available data, hypertension was reported in 8 cases, seizures in 9 cases, and visual disturbances in 4 cases. MRI findings predominantly showed cortical-subcortical hyperintensities in the parieto-occipital, posterior temporal, and frontal lobes. CT was frequently normal. Radiological regression was observed in most follow-up MRIs. Reported management was heterogeneous and variably described, including treatment of hypertension and seizures when present, alongside treatment of MIS-C and other potential precipitating conditions. Favourable clinical outcomes were reported in the published cases in which outcome information was available, with a median length of hospital stay of 26 days (range: 8–45 days). PRES is a rare but clinically important neurological condition reported in children with MIS-C. MRI remains the imaging modality of choice due to its sensitivity in detecting characteristic vasogenic edema, which is often missed on CT. Conclusions: PRES has been reported in a small number of children with MIS-C, but the available evidence is heterogeneous and subject to substantial diagnostic, selection, and publication biases. The relationship between MIS-C and PRES and the prognosis of affected patients still remain to be further elucidated. Full article

Precision agriculture (PA) has emerged as a data-driven approach for improving maize (Zea mays L.) production through the integration of remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GISs), Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs), the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning (ML). This systematic review evaluates the application of PA for yield optimisation and resource-use efficiency in maize production between 2020 and 2026. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, 464 records were identified from Scopus and Web of Science, of which 129 studies met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed literature comprised field experiments (28.6%), remote sensing and PA integration studies (25.5%), machine learning applications (19.4%), climate-informed PA strategies (23.4%), and soil degradation studies (3.1%). Remote sensing and integrated multi-technology systems were the most extensively investigated approaches, followed by ML-based models for yield prediction and crop monitoring. Overall, PA technologies enhanced maize productivity, nutrient-use efficiency, water-use efficiency, and yield prediction accuracy through site-specific management and data-driven decision support. Despite its considerable potential, the adoption of PA remains constrained by high implementation costs, technical complexity, and limited data availability. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that precision agriculture provides an effective framework for sustainable maize intensification by improving productivity, optimising resource-use efficiency, and strengthening resilience to climate variability. Full article

Background: Black communities in England experience health inequalities rooted in structural racism, socioeconomic deprivation, and systemic exclusion from health systems that fail to address their specific needs. Digital health technologies offer potential for reducing these disparities, yet the existing evidence reveals an absence of culturally appropriate digital interventions designed with and for Black communities in England. Objective: To synthesise evidence on the structural and cultural determinants of health inequality affecting Black people in England and examine the potential of health apps for delivering culturally appropriate health promotion. Methods: This is a purposive, critical narrative literature review, not a systematic review; it does not aim for exhaustive or fully reproducible search coverage but for a structured, purposive synthesis of the evidence base relevant to four thematic domains. Purposive sampling was used to identify literature across the PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and policy databases. Findings were thematically synthesised around four domains: structural determinants of health inequality; cultural diversity and representation within Black communities; digital inclusion and health app access; and theoretical frameworks for culturally appropriate intervention design. Findings: Three intertwined problems underpin the absence of culturally appropriate digital health tools for Black communities: structural exclusion from health systems; methodological shortcomings of aggregating heterogeneous populations under broad ethnic labels such as BAME; and the systematic exclusion of Black people from digital health design processes. We propose a multi-layered theoretical framework combining the Health Belief Model, Beattie’s community development paradigm, and McCurdie’s user-centred design principles to guide the co-design of a culturally appropriate health promotion app. Conclusions: A culturally appropriate health promotion app for Black communities in England appears to be a promising and potentially feasible direction, provided it is developed through authentic community partnership and grounded in theories that account for structural determinants of health; this conclusion is conceptual, and no user research, prototype testing, or feasibility study has yet been undertaken to confirm it. These are identified as necessary next steps rather than results already achieved. Full article

Background/Objectives: The management of edentulism and severe alveolar bone loss in older adults remains a significant challenge in implant dentistry. Given the potential biological and therapeutic burden associated with extensive regenerative procedures, increasing interest has been directed toward treatment strategies that utilize available anatomy and reduce surgical complexity. This narrative review examined contemporary augmentation-avoidance approaches for implant rehabilitation in geriatric patients. Methods: A structured narrative literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, including studies published up to 30 May 2026. Clinical studies, systematic, umbrella and narrative reviews, meta-analyses that evaluate augmentation-avoidance approaches in implant dentistry were considered. The review examined evidence relevant to older adults, including clinical, prosthetic, functional, and patient-centered outcomes. Results: The available literature describes multiple strategies for managing reduced bone availability, including short and ultra-short implants, narrow-diameter implants, tilted implant concepts, pterygoid and trans-sinus implants, zygomatic implants, immediate loading protocols, flapless and computer-guided surgery, and implant-retained overdentures. These approaches have broadened the range of treatment options available for patients with reduced bone availability and may reduce the need for extensive regenerative procedures in selected clinical situations. In addition to implant and prosthetic outcomes, increasing attention has been directed toward oral health-related quality of life, masticatory function, treatment satisfaction, and maintenance requirements. However, evidence specifically focused on geriatric populations remains limited. Conclusions: Contemporary implant dentistry offers several alternatives to extensive bone regeneration in carefully selected geriatric patients, although current evidence is largely extrapolated from mixed adult populations. Treatment planning should integrate anatomical conditions with systemic health, functional status, frailty-related factors, and long-term maintenance considerations. Further geriatric-focused research is needed to support patient-centered decision-making and optimize long-term rehabilitation outcomes in aging populations. Full article