Category Archives: S&T lit

The Landscape of Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies (nAbs) for Treatment and Prevention of COVID-19

Research evaluation, S&T lit, , , ,

Abstract: After nearly 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, even though a vast body of knowledge and products (including vaccines and treatments) have been developed and disseminated, the virus is still evolving and new variants arising. Consequently, thousands of lives continue to be lost. Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) are promising drugs that emerged to treat SARS-CoV-2. In the uncertainty of the current situation, there is the question of whether organizations should continue to invest in this technology. To help decision-making in scientifical and pharmaceutical organizations, it is of major importance to monitor the development of products and technologies. Therefore, the aim of this study is analyze the landscape of nAbs for COVID-19.

>Full Text 

Author(s): Aline de Almeida Oliveira, Diana Praia Borges Freire, Ana Rodrigues de Andrade, Amanda de Miranda Marques, Luciana da Silva Madeira, José Procópio Moreno Senna, Ivna Alana Freitas Brasileiro da Silveira, Beatriz de Castro Fialho

Organization(s): Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz

Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation

Year: 2023

Evaluation of Sources and Methods of Pectin Extraction from Fruit and Vegetable Wastes: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR)

Research evaluation, S&T lit

Abstract:The potentially commercial sources of pectin are limited. Researchers have studied different extraction methods using a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to obtain pectins with better characteristics. The objective of this work was to identify the methods used in the extraction of pectin, the most used sources and the operation parameters that enable the achievement of higher yields and the final characteristics of the obtained product. These are based on bibliometric methods for exploring the structure of knowledge in this field for the last twelve years. To this end, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using the SCOPUS database was carried out, which allowed identifying keywords and formulating search equations to find scientific articles on the topic in question. After selecting the articles, a detailed reading of these works was carried out, and the used extraction methods and the evaluated variables, yields and characteristics were analyzed. This article compares and discusses the effects of conventional and non-conventional pectin extraction techniques, which may provide valuable information on sources and alternatives for pectin extraction to ease decision-making in future research. The acid hydrolysis method remains the most widely used pectin extraction technique since it provides higher yields. It is followed by microwave-assisted extraction, ultrasonic extraction, and the enzymatic method, which have a greater capacity to deliver pectins with high methoxyl content. Finally, non-conventional methods such as radiofrequency, ohmic heating, and aqueous two-phase extraction are presented as promising techniques that offer pectins with a high degree of esterification in addition to good yields.

>Full Text 

Author(s): Carolina Sofía Salazar Ripoll, Gustavo Adolfo Hincapié-Llanos

Organization(s): Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Source: Food Bioscience

Year: 2023

Modifiable Contributing Factors to COVID-19: A Comprehensive Review

Research evaluation, S&T lit, , , , ,

Abstract: The devastating complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) result from an individual’s dysfunctional immune response following the initial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Multiple toxic stressors and behaviors contribute to underlying immune system dysfunction. SARS-CoV-2 exploits the dysfunctional immune system to trigger a chain of events ultimately leading to COVID-19.
The current study identifies eighty immune system dysfunction-enabling toxic stressors and behaviors (hereafter called modifiable contributing factors (CFs)) that also link directly to COVID-19. Each CF is assigned to one of the five categories in the CF taxonomy shown in Section 3.3.: Lifestyle (e.g., diet, substance abuse); Iatrogenic (e.g., drugs, surgery); Biotoxins (e.g., micro-organisms, mycotoxins); Occupational/Environmental (e.g., heavy metals, pesticides); Psychosocial/Socioeconomic (e.g., chronic stress, lower education).
The current study shows how each modifiable factor contributes to decreased immune system capability, increased inflammation and coagulation, and increased neural damage and neurodegeneration. It is unclear how real progress can be made in combatting COVID-19 and other similar diseases caused by viral variants without addressing and eliminating these modifiable CFs.

>Full Text

Author(s): Ronald Neil Kostoff, Michael Brandon Briggs, Darja Kanduc, Saikat Dewanjee, Ramesh Kandimalla, Yehuda Shoenfeld, Alan L. Porter, Aristidis Tsatsakis

Organization(s):  Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa)

Source: Food and Chemical Toxicology

Year: 2023

Strategies for the Attraction and Conservation of Natural Pollinators in Agroecosystems: a Systematic Review

Literature Based Discovery, S&T lit

Abstract: The objective of this work is to find the most prevalent elements that have positive effects on pollinator density and diversity in crop fields, as reported in the literature, through a systematic review. The search equations yielded 659 papers, from which 138 were filtered and finally 55 were selected by publication date, journal, Scimago Journal Rank, Scimago Quartiles, subject area, keywords, and relevance. These papers were subjected to an in-depth qualitative analysis and tabulated using VantagePoint 10.0, finding 30 terms that were considered relevant due to their recurrence in all papers. From these 30 terms, the 10 most mentioned practices were extracted and grouped into four broad categories: proximity to natural habitats (98), grassland management (82), floral resources (80) and organic farming (65). All the above agricultural management practices were found to have the potential to increase pollinator numbers and diversity in different contexts. From the results, further research is recommended to try to attract the attention of specific groups of pollinators, as it was also identified that each species has very specific requirements, and a configuration intended just for one species could cause other groups to leave the area.

>Full Text 

Author(s): D. Duque-Trujillo, C. A. Hincapié, M. Osorio, J. W. Zartha-Sossa

Organization(s): Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana

Source: International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology

Year: 2022

Worldwide trends on molar incisor and deciduous molar hypomineralisation research: a bibliometric analysis over a 19-year period

novel source, Research profiling, S&T lit,

The goal of this study was to identify the worldwide trends in scientific evidence and gaps in knowledge regarding molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) and deciduous molar hypomineralisation/hypomineralised second primary molars (DMH/HSPM), exploring the contribution of authors and countries, possible etiological factors and proposed treatments, in order to guide future research in the area. Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Lilacs/BBO, Embase and Google Scholar. Studies employing the terms MIH, DMH/HSPM and their linguistic variations were included. The following data were extracted: title, authors, year and journal of publication and first author’s affiliation country. Studies were categorized according to topic, dentition, study design, etiological factors and types of treatments. Categories were analysed in relation to their distribution, co-occurrence, cross-correlation and/or autocorrelation. Results Five hundred and three studies were included. The most published authors were Manton D (n = 47), de Souza JF (n = 22) and Ghanim A (n = 22) and four main collaboration clusters have been identified. Most of the studies were conducted on permanent dentition (MIH) (87.4%); with observational design (57.2%). The “European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry” was the most published journal (13.3%) and a significant increase in the number of publications was observed in the last decade. MIH was most studied in relation to prevalence/incidence, systemic factors involved in its aetiology and treatment with composite restorations, while a gap in knowledge was observed for extraction and sealants. Less studies were published on DMH/HSPM and most of them evaluated risk factors or prevalence/incidence. The gap of knowledge was observed in relation to treatments and patient’s quality of life. This bibliometric review provided a comprehensive overview of research in MIH and DMH/HSPM over the past 19 years. Within the limitations of the present study, the following conclusions can be drawn: global trends point to an increasing peak of scientific publication, especially in the last decade, while there is a shortage of clinical studies on treatments, mainly evaluating tooth extractions. Finally the multifactorial nature should be further explored, considering environmental and systemic factors together.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-021-00676-5

Author(s): T. da Costa Rosa, A. V. B. Pintor, M. B. Magno, G. A. Marañón-Vásquez, L. C. Maia, A. A. Neves
Organization(s): Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro
Source: European Archives of Paediatric Dentistry
Year: 2021

EVOLUTION OF BLENDED LEARNING AND ITS PROSPECTS IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION (full-text)

S&T lit, ,

The objective of this study was to identify the profile of academic research on blended learning in the world and propose a research agenda for the topic. Recent literature has reported good results in both student performance and satisfaction in blended learning (Dziuban et al., 2004). However, there is still much to investigate and learn about BL because it is a recent development. We analysed the profile of international publications on blended learning in management and business from 2001 to 2021. We identified when, who, where and what was published on the subject, singling out the authors and journals with the greatest impact based on the h-index and CiteScore (Scopus), as well as exploring the cooperation between countries. The volume of research has been increasing over the past twenty years, although there are only a few authors, institutions and reference journals contributing to the topic’s consolidation and the countries conducting the most joint research in coauthoring networks account for the largest volume of publications, authors and impact journals. We suggest a future research agenda and highlight the contributions made to executive and management education. The results indicate that the number of publications is growing, and the management and business area is the one that contributes the most, with the countries that produce in co-authorship also providing the most publications.

For FULL-TEXT https://doi.org/10.26668/businessreview/2022.v7i1.291

Author(s): Sheila Serafim-Silva, Renata Giovinazzo Spers, Luiz Vázquez-Suárez, Camilo Peña Ramírez
Organization(s): University of Sao Paulo
Source: International Journal of Professional Business Review
Year: 2021

Scientific mapping of stem cells associated with Chagas disease : A bibliometric analysis

Network analysis, S&T lit

The objective is to map the scientific publications of research involving stem cells associated with Chagas disease. We used bibliometric and social network analysis techniques to analyze scientific data collected in the Web of Science. Most of the articles were published in 2014 and 2015. The organizations and authors with the largest number of publications and research collaborations are located in america, specifically in Brazil and the United States, which are responsible for 62% of all publications. FIOCRUZ, UFRJ, and Hospital São Rafael together account for approximately 55% of the studies related to stem cells associated with Chagas disease. Most of the studies focus on developing new strategies for treating Chagas disease using stem cells. This suggests that the research agenda in this area is still under development, highlighting the importance of continuing to pursue existing research avenues and expanding the range of strategies for the treatment of the disease.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09737766.2021.1977094

Author(s): Jânio Rodrigo de Jesus Santos, Carlos Augusto Francisco de Jesus, Cláudio Damasceno Pinto
Organization(s): Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz
Source: Journal of Scientometrics and Information Management
Year: 2021

Flight Path 2050 and ACARE Goals for Maintaining and Extending Industrial Leadership in Aviation: A Map of the Aviation Technology Space (Full-text)

Network analysis, Patents, S&T lit

In the last 40 years, the aeronautical industry has managed to move from a specialized sector to a worldwide leading industry. Companies, governments and associations all over the world acknowledge the importance of the aviation industry in supporting global development and the economy. However, aviation will be facing new challenges related to sustainability and performance in a technological environment in evolution. To succeed, the aeronautical industry must keep innovation as one of its main assets. It must master a wide range of technologies and then collaborate to integrate them into an aircraft design and development program. A collaborative approach to innovation is key to achieve these goals. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the structure of technological innovation networks in the aviation industry and to characterize the
map of the “Aviation Technology Space”. Two different approaches and methods are used. In one approach, we performed a bibliometric network analysis of aviation research scientific publications using a keyword co-occurrence analysis method to map the aerospace collaboration structures. Complementarily, we performed a patent analysis to evaluate the innovation capacity of the aviation industry in the cutting-edge technologies previously identified. From the results of this analysis, the paper provides recommendations for future innovation and research policies to allow the sector to fulfill the demanding goals by the year 2050.

For FULL-TEXT click here

Author(s): Rosa Maria Arnaldo Valdés,  Serhat Burmaoglu, Vincenzo Tucci, Luiz Manuel Braga da Costa Campos, Lucia Mattera, Víctor Fernando Gomez Comendador
Organization(s): Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Katip Celebi University
Source: Sustainability
Year: 2019

Analysis of an investment by a seed capital fund using a patento-scientometric approach: the case of probiotics technology for veterinary use

Patents, Research profiling, S&T lit, ST&I policy

This article examines the potential use of scientometric and patentometric indicators as a way to instrumentalise the process of selecting projects by seed capital funds. Academic interest in high-tech companies is growing due to their ability to contribute to economic and social development. Nevertheless, the literature and documented practice reveal a certain difficulty to evaluate non-financial criteria associated with technologies by venture capital funds. We selected the case of a company that received an investment from Brazil’s largest seed capital fund to analyse the contribution of these indicators to understand the potential of the firm’s technology. We conclude that use of scientometric and patentometric can improve the process of evaluation of the following criteria: technology; market; divestment; and team.

https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBBM.2018.092749

Author(s): Gustavo Da Silva Motta, Maxwel De Azevedo-Ferreira, Rogério Hermida Quintella
Organization(s): Universidade Federal Fluminense, Universidade Federal da Bahia
Source: International Journal of Bibliometrics in Business and Management
Year: 2018

Autonomous systems: A bibliometric and patent analysis (full-text)

Patents, Research profiling, S&T lit

This report examines Germany’s research and patent position in four autonomous systems: smart homes, smart factories, autonomous vehicles (non-hostile environments), and autonomous vehicles in hostile environments. Bibliometric analysis of scholarly papers indexed in the Web of Science and patent analysis of documents in Patstat and Derwent Innovation Index (representing patents from more than 40 patent authorities worldwide) are conducted for all records published in the 2002 to 2017 (May) time
period. Results suggest that Germany has great strengths in autonomous systems, particularly in the smart factory and autonomous vehicles domains. German research publications are particularly strong in hard technological areas such as representation, localization, computer vision, and sensor vision. The diversity of research organizations and patenting sectors is another strength of Germany’s. German patents also
benefit from being more science-based and international than those from other comparator nations. On the other hand, Germany has less research publication and patent output in the smart home and autonomous vehicles in hostile environment system domains. Germany is less likely to show strength in data analytic and machine learning areas.

For full-text see  https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/175556    

Author(s): Jan Youtie, Alan Porter, Philip Shapira, Seokkyun Woo, Yayun Huang
Organization(s): Georgia Institute of Technology
Source: Studien zum deutschen Innovationssystem
Year: 2017