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Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are central to economic growth, yet their viability in Sub-Saharan Africa is undermined by persistent financial and operational management challenges. These weaknesses manifest in stunted growth, poor decision-making, and deficiencies in reporting, limiting their contribution to national development. Globally, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping business management by providing technology-driven solutions to financial and operational constraints. Despite the availability of AI-powered tools, adoption among Zimbabwean SMEs remains uncertain. This study examines the level and impact of AI adoption on SME management in Zimbabwe. A systematic literature review guided by PRISMA was conducted, analysing peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025 across three databases. A final corpus of 51 studies was identified, including seven Zimbabwe-specific contributions and 44 international studies that strengthened the theoretical foundation. Thematic synthesis revealed five domains of impact: financial management, operational efficiency, customer engagement, market analysis and decision-making, and innovation for competitiveness. These findings informed the development of an original six-factor framework that maps strategic pathways through which AI adoption can transform SME management in volatile contexts. Unlike earlier models validated in advanced economies, this framework integrates structural constraints and institutional realities of Zimbabwe, offering a contextually grounded basis for predicting adoption outcomes. The study contributes to the literature on digital innovation in emerging economies and provides practical implications for SME leaders and policymakers seeking to enhance performance through strategic AI integration. Full article

If Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) are widely regarded as one of the most promising technologies for sustainable aquaculture, why has their commercial adoption remained relatively limited in countries such as Brazil? Despite the remarkable scientific progress achieved in RAS technology over the past decade, a significant gap remains between experimental advances and their widespread commercial implementation. Most published studies have focused on optimising individual system components, including biofiltration efficiency, water quality management, feeding strategies, functional additives, microbial communities, and fish performance under controlled experimental conditions. Although these studies have substantially advanced our understanding of RAS operation, relatively few have critically evaluated whether the reported technological improvements remain effective, economically viable, or operationally feasible when transferred to commercial production systems. Consequently, many innovations that demonstrate promising biological outcomes at laboratory or pilot scales have yet to be validated under the technical, economic, and logistical constraints faced by commercial aquaculture enterprises. The Brazilian evidence indicates a heterogeneous but increasingly mature scientific landscape. Shrimp production provides relatively strong evidence for intensive RAS, biofloc, low-water-exchange, and integrated systems, whereas marine fish and mollusc production remains more strongly concentrated on experimental and pilot-scale optimisation. The future of RAS will not depend solely on further technological innovation, but on the successful integration of biological performance, engineering efficiency, economic feasibility, and practical scalability into commercially viable production systems. Full article

This study investigated user experience during artwork exploration in immersive virtual reality using eye-tracking and pupillometry data. The central component of the research is the presentation of Bitscope, an innovative application developed using UNITY technology. Preliminary findings suggest that the order of exposure to stationary and virtual reality (VR) environments may influence later visual attention and engagement. Large-scale data collected during VR sessions were used to develop machine-learning regression models for pupil-diameter variables. The models achieved high predictive performance, with accuracy rates of approximately 97–99%. These results indicate that pupillometry can support the modelling of user behaviour in immersive environments; however, validation using independent participant samples is needed before broader clinical applications can be considered. The integration of VR with eye tracking provides a promising framework for studying visual behaviour and may support adaptive educational tools, automated gaze-pattern assessment, and future biomedical decision-support systems. This study contributes to applications in digital art, museum experiences, visual art therapy, and e-health/neurorehabilitation, while laying the foundation for future statistical and machine learning analyses that link eye tracking with users’ emotional states. Full article

Bangladesh’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) and its aspiration to attain high-income status by 2041 depends heavily on securing a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supply. Despite sustained economic growth, the country’s power sector continues to face challenges associated with fuel import dependency, supply insecurity, policy inconsistencies, and limited technological innovation. Although renewable energy is increasingly recognised as a key component of the global energy transition, non-hydroelectric renewable sources contribute only a small share of Bangladesh’s electricity production, with wind energy remaining largely untapped despite its considerable potential. This study examines the prospects and challenges of wind energy development in Bangladesh, with particular emphasis on the policy, regulatory, economic, and institutional conditions influencing its deployment. A desk-based research methodology was employed, drawing upon government policies, regulatory frameworks, industry reports, international agency publications, and peer-reviewed literature. Through a systematic review and comparative analysis of international experiences, the study evaluates barriers to wind energy, mainly offshore wind expansion. The findings reveal that progress has been constrained by inadequate resource assessment, fragmented governance, limited investment incentives, fossil fuel subsidies, insufficient technical capacity, and underdeveloped financing mechanisms. Furthermore, institutional inexperience with competitive procurement schemes and the absence of a comprehensive offshore wind regulatory framework continue to hinder large-scale deployment. The study highlights the importance of integrated policy reforms, enhanced investment support, capacity-building initiatives, and long-term strategic planning. Strengthening these enabling conditions can accelerate renewable energy adoption, improve energy security, and position wind power as a critical pillar of Bangladesh’s sustainable energy transition. Full article

Hemophilia A management in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is still largely driven by treatment acquisition costs. This may limit access to innovative therapies such as emicizumab despite their broader clinical value. This paper aimed to identify barriers to value-based reimbursement and develop policy recommendations to strengthen health technology assessment (HTA) for hemophilia A in the UAE. An evidence-informed multi-stakeholder roundtable was held during the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) UAE Chapter 2026 Conference. The discussion was informed by published evidence, regional clinical guidance, and expert perspectives. The roundtable discussion was transcribed and summarized using descriptive qualitative analysis, and the manuscript synthesizes the main policy themes identified by the participants. Four priority areas emerged: adopting value-based assessment beyond acquisition cost, strengthening the use of evidence in reimbursement decisions, establishing national hemophilia registries with standardized data collection, and improving timely access to innovative therapies for high-risk patients. Overall, participants agreed that stronger HTA processes and better evidence generation are needed to support reimbursement decisions. Implementing these recommendations could improve access to innovative therapies and support more consistent, patient-centered, and sustainable hemophilia care in the UAE. Full article

Nature has long provided solutions for human needs, from medicine and food to materials and energy. The scope of this study focuses on plants, fungi and algae as sources of diverse classes of compounds with biological activity, named Bioactive Natural Products (BioNPs). As global bioeconomy strategies expand, BioNPs present significant opportunities for innovation in food and medicine. However, regulations, intellectual property, scale-up infrastructure and knowledge transfer represent barriers to commercialisation. Through the lens of Natural Products (NPs), this perspective article highlights the central role of biomass and its derived compounds in supporting health. It presents the integrative ‘Bioactive Natural Product Valorisation Framework’ (BioVal Framework) that emphasises resources, processes, skills and additional domains required to transform local biomass into commercial opportunities. It is intended to be transdisciplinary in nature to complement existing tools, which offer detailed assessments within specific domains, such as sustainability, technological readiness and regulatory compliance. In its current state, the framework and the illustrative assessment tool presented are conceptual. They contribute a structured reflective decision-support approach for cross-sectoral and cross-functional stakeholders, including those without specialist expertise across domains. Through a systems-thinking perspective, they facilitate awareness of the interdependencies of domains and highlight the need to consider these collectively. They aim to be readily understood by transdisciplinary stakeholders to encourage cohesive considerations in the translation of biomass and side streams into sustainable solutions. The framework was developed using a multi-source process, including policy documentation, stakeholder engagement and analysis of the literature. Using Ireland as a case study within the EU bioeconomy ecosystem, this paper provides a perspective that may offer relevant insights for other regions navigating similar developments and challenges. Full article

The dairy sector supports global food security, rural livelihoods, and regional economics by providing high-quality animal nutrition. However, dairy production is both affected by and contributes to climate change. Heat stress, lower feed consumption, compromised fertility, inconsistent forage availability, and increased disease prevalence reduce productivity. Dairy production activities generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions via enteric and manure-derived methane, nitrous oxide, feed production, alterations in land utilization, milk processing, packaging, and transportation. Sustainable progress remains limited by conventional production management methods, inadequate manure handling, and slow adoption of climate-smart technologies. Few reviews incorporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, climate sensitivity, resource efficiency, technological innovation, and long-term dairy development within a unified sustainability approach. This disintegration creates a significant challenge because dairy sustainability cannot be assessed only through milk yield or emission intensity. This narrative review elaborates the relationship between the global dairy industry and sustainable development goals, outlines the formation pathways of dairy GHG emissions, summarizes targeted climate adaptation and emission mitigation strategies, and explores innovative resource management models. It also highlights integrated theoretical support and possible transformation solutions for low-carbon, sustainable dairy development worldwide. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has intensified the search for biobased alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals. In this context, marine macroalgae, particularly brown algae (Phaeophyceae), represent a largely underexplored reservoir of structurally diverse secondary metabolites with significant agrochemical potential. Among these, phlorotannins and sulfated polysaccharides such as fucoidans stand out because of their multifunctional biological activities. These compounds exhibit direct effects against phytopathogens and agricultural pests through mechanisms such as enzyme inhibition, disruption of cellular and midgut homeostasis, and interference with key metabolic pathways while also acting as elicitors of plant defense by activating systemic resistance responses. This review critically examines the structural diversity of phlorotannins and fucans from Phaeophyceae, correlating their molecular features with their reported biological activities and modes of action relevant to crop protection. Particular emphasis is placed on the chemical vulnerability of these metabolites under field conditions, where photodegradation, oxidative stress, and limited bioavailability restrict their practical application. Advances in green extraction technologies—such as ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, and supercritical fluid extraction—are discussed as essential tools for preserving structural integrity and bioactivity. In parallel, state-of-the-art delivery systems, including nanoencapsulation using biopolymers such as alginate and chitosan, are highlighted as effective strategies to enhance stability, controlled release, and environmental persistence. Finally, the review addresses critical challenges related to the extraction of standardization, formulation scalability, and regulatory frameworks that currently limit the commercial adoption of marine-derived agrochemicals. By integrating metabolic diversity, green chemistry, and advanced formulation technologies, Phaeophyceae-derived metabolites have emerged as promising leads for the development of innovative, low-impact agrochemicals that are compatible with integrated best management strategies and the principles of blue chemistry. Full article

Viruses are the most abundant and active biological organisms in soil ecosystems. However, their spatial distribution and ecological functions remain inadequately addressed owing to a lack of systematic analysis and the complexity of the soil matrix. Therefore, this review systematically summarizes current knowledge of soil viruses through an examination of research methods, spatiotemporal distribution, and ecological functions. Our review indicates that current progress of soil viruses remains constrained by technological inconsistencies and difficulties in viral isolation techniques within complex soil matrices. Therefore, viral distribution analyses are largely limited to small-scale sections of agricultural land, forest, pastureland, and grassland. There is insufficient exploration of viral distribution across large-scale geographic areas and desert soil environments, as well as RNA virus diversity. The characteristics of soil viral communities are primarily influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, and pH. Overall, we conclude that soil viruses are pivotal drivers of microbial community dynamics and biogeochemical cycling, although our comprehensive understanding is severely bottlenecked by complex soil matrices and inconsistent viral isolation methodologies. Future research should focus on methodological innovations such as long-read sequencing and single-cell approaches to decipher virus–host interaction networks and their ecological roles across large-scale and extreme environments. Full article

In today’s pharmaceutical sector, innovation is not only the core driver of industry upgrading, but also closely tied to patient health and well-being. A drug’s innovative mechanism of action, physiological effects, chemical structure, and indications collectively reflect both its clinical therapeutic value and the novelty of underlying basic research. This article presents the innovative advances of 31 small-molecule drugs (accounting for 67.4%) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2025. These therapeutics span multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders, and metabolic conditions, and target a diverse array of molecular targets such as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases 1 and 2 (MEK1/2), colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor, protein tyrosine kinase Tec, and Bruton tyrosine kinase, among others. Among these approved small-molecule drugs, 13 are designated as “first-in-class” therapies, reflecting the continuous innovation in the field of new drug development. Notably, many of these drugs (e.g., Journavx, Brinsupri, Jascayd, and Kygevvi) have also been granted breakthrough therapy designation, which underscores that they not only feature novel mechanisms of action, but also deliver clinically meaningful efficacy advantages over prior therapeutic options. Notably, in 2025, the FDA approved sunvozertinib, a novel small-molecule drug independently developed by Dizal (Jiangsu, China) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to the transformative evolution of global drug development paradigms. Cross-technology integration, long-acting drug delivery, and precision medicine stand as core industrial trends, enabling innovative drugs to boost therapeutic efficacy, mitigate toxic side effects and refine patients’ medical experience, offering patients expanded regimens for improved survival outcomes. With the development of first-in-class drugs, therapies targeting previously undruggable targets—or those inaccessible via conventional approaches—are entering clinical practice, creating major opportunities for novel, mechanism-based drug discovery. This article comprehensively analyzes the mechanisms of action, synthesis methods, and clinical trials of these drugs chronologically, and delineates emerging trends in novel drug development. Full article

Avian respiratory diseases, particularly those induced by the avian influenza virus (AIV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), and infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV), represent a substantial economic threat to the global poultry industry. Several of these viruses can also transmit across species, posing risks to public health security. Given the challenges posed by similar clinical symptoms from different pathogens, the prevalence of co-infections, and rapid viral mutations, rapid, precise, and highly sensitive diagnostic techniques are imperative for effective disease prevention and control, epidemic surveillance, and epidemiological research. This review provides an overview of molecular and immunological diagnostic techniques for major avian respiratory viruses. All covered technologies are evaluated and compared across key performance metrics: target type, analytical sensitivity, multiplex capacity, turnaround time, point-of-care diagnostic techniques (POCT) suitability and application scenarios. Specifically, the review details real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and its multiplex formats, isothermal amplification methods including loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), and innovative CRISPR-Cas-based nucleic acid detection systems. It also examines high-throughput sequencing, microarray technologies, and advanced immunological assays enhanced by nanomaterials, recombinant proteins, and single-domain antibodies. The review further discusses integrated, automated, and portable diagnostic platforms, including microfluidics, and smartphone-assisted systems. Finally, the review outlines future trends in avian diagnostic technologies, providing a practical reference for building more efficient and accessible avian disease surveillance and early warning systems. Full article

Digital transformation can extend the educational, social, and economic value of cultural heritage, but technology-led initiatives frequently remain disconnected from heritage interpretation, learning theory, entrepreneurship, and long-term sustainability governance. This article develops the ATHRIAN Framework as an integrative systems-based model for sustainable digital heritage experiences. Methodologically, the study combines a structured integrative literature review and conceptual synthesis with a formative application at Hadrian’s Library in Athens. The review integrates heritage doctrine, systems and resilience theory, interpretation and experiential-learning scholarship, digital-heritage research, gamification, cultural entrepreneurship, and sustainability governance. Through comparative coding and iterative synthesis, six interdependent dimensions were derived: Heritage Interpretation, Digital Innovation, Experiential Learning, Narrative Engagement and Gamification, Cultural Entrepreneurship, and Sustainability Governance. Eight theoretical propositions and eight design principles translate these dimensions into a research and implementation agenda. The formative application uses an anonymous audience-preference survey (n = 192) collected for an academic project. Descriptive results show strong interest in an interactive exploration experience (132 yes, 52 maybe), high interest in a knowledge-oriented treasure hunt (77.1% rating it very or extremely interesting), preference for a hybrid delivery format (50.0%), and substantial potential willingness to pay (91.7% yes or maybe). These findings are not treated as validation of the framework; rather, they demonstrate how ATHRIAN can guide site-specific design choices and empirical measurement. The article contributes a theoretically grounded, operationalizable framework, clarifies its boundary conditions, and specifies a staged adaptation protocol for future comparative, expert-validation, and implementation studies. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between artificial intelligence, artistic education, and the production chains of Made in Italy, with particular reference to the AFAM system (Higher Education in Art, Music, and Dance). Adopting a mixed-methods design, the research integrates three phases: a systematic review of the literature, a questionnaire administered to students and teachers within AFAM institutions, and a Delphi inquiry involving experts from artistic education, creative professions, cultural industries, and digital technologies. The findings show that AI is perceived both as a driver of innovation and as a source of significant tension. On the one hand, it expands creative possibilities, supports experimentation, and encourages the emergence of hybrid professional profiles combining creative, technological, and critical competences. On the other hand, it raises concerns related to standardization, the weakening of experiential learning, the redefinition of authorship, and the possible loss of cultural specificity in the Made in Italy production chains. The results also highlight a gap between the growing relevance attributed to AI-related competences and the limited availability of structured educational pathways and institutional policies for their integration. Overall, the study suggests that the impact of AI on artistic education and creative industries cannot be understood in deterministic terms, but must be interpreted as part of an open and multilayered process shaped by pedagogical, institutional, and cultural choices. In this perspective, the AFAM system emerges as a strategic space for mediating between technological innovation, educational quality, and the preservation of the cultural and design values that characterize Made in Italy. Full article

Digital-intelligent technology (DIT) is increasingly important for urban transformation, yet its development remains spatially uneven. This study evaluates DIT levels in 93 cities across China’s five major urban agglomerations from 2014 to 2023. An index covering digital-intelligent infrastructure, innovation capacity, and integrated applications is constructed using the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method. Theil index decomposition, kernel density estimation, $\sigma$-convergence and conditional $\beta$-convergence tests, and spatial autocorrelation analysis are then applied. The mean DIT index increased from 0.108 in 2014 to 0.259 in 2023, with improvements across all three dimensions. The Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta remained the leading urban agglomerations, while Chengdu–Chongqing and the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River showed signs of catching up. The overall Theil index declined from 0.240 to 0.094, although within-agglomeration differences remained the principal source of inequality. The convergence tests indicated narrowing relative disparities and faster growth in index scores among cities with lower initial DIT levels. Positive spatial autocorrelation persisted, with High–High clusters concentrated mainly in the two leading coastal agglomerations and Low–Low clusters found primarily in parts of the inland agglomerations. Sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of the main patterns. The findings highlight the importance of intercity coordination and of strengthening innovation and application capacities in less-developed cities. Full article