Correction to: Circular Economy Research in the COVID-19 Era: A Review and the Road Ahead

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s43615-023-00265-2.].

Circular Economy Research in the COVID-19 Era: a Review and the Road Ahead

The onset of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a major crisis that has severely impacted numerous economic, environmental, and social aspects of human life. During the pandemic, the potential of the circular economy (CE) has gained increasing attention as a prospective remedy for numerous sustainability problems. This systematic literature review charts CE research in the COVID-19 era. To this end, 160 journal articles were selected from the Scopus database. The performance indicators of the literature were determined and described through a bibliometric analysis. Moreover, the conceptual structure of CE research was identified via a keyword co-occurrence network. Based on bibliographic coupling, the focus of CE research in the COVID-19 era revolves mainly around five thematic areas, including: (1) waste management; (2) digitalization and sustainable supply chain management; (3) the impact of COVID-19 on food systems; (4) sustainable development goals, smart cities, and bioeconomy; and (5) closed-loop supply chains. Overall, this review contributes to enriching the literature by determining the main thematic areas and future research directions that can help to advance the transition to the CE and reduce the impact of COVID-19 and similar disasters in the future.

Examining Knowledge Diffusion in the Circular Economy Domain: a Main Path Analysis

The circular economy (CE) field has recently attracted significant interest from academics and practitioners. CE represents a departure from the linear economy, which is characterised by unsustainable resource production and consumption. The growing number of publications necessitates a comprehensive analysis of this field. This is the first systematic examination of the knowledge base and knowledge diffusion pathways in the CE domain. We analyse a Web of Science dataset containing 5431 articles published between 1970 and 2020. To create a comprehensive review of the CE domain, we conducted a keyword co-occurrence network analysis. We examined four distinct types of main paths using the main path analysis (MPA) technique: forward, backward, global, and key-route. According to the analyses, CE research focuses on six primary research themes: CE and sustainability, bioeconomy, CE practices, lifecycle assessment and industrial symbiosis, construction activities, and waste management. In addition, the MPA demonstrates that the CE literature has recently focused on Industry 4.0 technologies and their contribution to CE. This is the first attempt to depict the genealogy of CE research so that scholars can comprehend the domain's evolutionary structure, identify hot topics, and capture the history, development status, and potential future directions of CE research.

Knowledge Diffusion of the Internet of Things (IoT): A Main Path Analysis

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a concept that has attracted significant attention since the emergence of wireless technology. The knowledge diffusion of IoT takes place when an individual disseminates his knowledge of IoT to the persons to whom he is directly connected, and knowledge creation arises when the persons receive new knowledge of IoT, which is combined with their existing knowledge. In the current literature, several efforts have been devoted to summarising previous studies on IoT. However, the rapid development of IoT research necessitates examining the knowledge diffusion routes in the IoT domain by applying the main path analysis (MPA). It is crucial to update prior IoT studies and revisit the knowledge evolution and future research directions in this domain. Therefore, this paper adopts the keyword co-occurrence network and MPA to identify the research hotspots and study the historical development of the IoT domain based on 27,425 papers collected from the Web of Science from 1970 to 2020. The results show that IoT research is focused on IoT applications for smart cities, wireless networks, blockchain technology, computing technologies, and AI technologies. The findings from the MPA address the need to explore the knowledge evolution in the IoT domain. They also provide a valuable guide to disseminate the knowledge of IoT among researchers and practitioners, assisting them to understand the history, present and future trends of IoT development and implementation.

Effects of sub-acute co-exposure to WIFI (2.45 GHz) and Pistacia lentiscus oil treatment on wound healing by primary intention in male rabbits

Background

The bioeffects of WIFI on cutaneous wound healing remains unexplored. In addition, several medicinal plant products including lentisk oil have been shown to interfere with wound healing process. Since the use of this oil is increasing, the co‐exposure (WIFI‐Lentisk oil) assessment is of paramount importance.

Objectives

We aimed in the present study to investigate the effects of WIFI exposure as well as the application of Pistacia lentiscus oil on sutured wounds (SW).

Methods

New Zealand male rabbits (n = 24) were used and randomly divided into four groups of six animals each: a control group (SW) and three experimental groups (i) a first group exposed to WIFI (2.45 GHz, 6 h/day) during 16 days (SWW); (ii) a second group exposed to WIFI (2.45 GHz, 6 h/day) during 16 days and treated with lentisk oil (SWWL) and (iii) a third group not exposed to WIFI but treated with lentisk oil (SWL). The wound healing was evaluated by monitoring clinical parameters (temperature, food intake, relative weight variation, and macroscopic aspect) and histology.

Results

The mean food intake was higher in the SWWL group compared to the three other groups (p < 0.001) and higher in the SWL group compared to the SW group (p = 0.014). The exposition to WIFI (SWW group) or lentisk oil application (SWL group) can promote the collagen deposition and ameliorate the general aspect of wounds. By contrast, the co‐exposure to WIFI and lentisk oil (SWWL) results in antagonist effects and extends the inflammatory phase of wound healing.

Conclusions

Wounds treated topically with Pistacia lentiscus oil should not be exposed to WIFI.

Blockchain technology in the smart city: a bibliometric review

Blockchain can function as a foundational technology with numerous applications in smart cities. The objective of this paper is twofold. First, it provides a detailed overview of the extant literature on blockchain applications in smart cities; second, it reveals the trends and suggests future research directions for scholars who wish to contribute to this rapidly growing field. We conducted a bibliometric review using a keyword co-occurrence network and article co-citation analysis. The analysis includes the assessment of 148 articles published between 2016 and 2020 in 76 academic journals. The review results demonstrate that the number of articles devoted to the study of blockchain applications and smart cities has increased exponentially in recent years. More importantly, the research identifies some of the most influential studies in this area. The paper discusses trends and highlights the challenges related to the deployment of blockchain in smart cities. To the authors’ best knowledge, this represents the first study to review the literature from leading journals on blockchain applications in smart cities using bibliometric techniques.

Halal food supply chains: A literature review of sustainable measures and future research directions

Introduction. Although sustainability represents a high-profile topic in supply chain management, it remains an unexplored research area for Halal food supply chains (HFSCs). Hence, to bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify the measures necessary for the development of sustainable HFSCs and potential research gaps at the nexus of sustainability and Halal food literature. Study objects and methods. We carefully analyzed forty (40) papers selected from leading, highly-ranked journals to answer the following research question: “What are the measures necessary for the development of sustainable Halal food supply chains?” Results and discussion. The findings revealed that the improvement of Halal processes through the implementation of quality management systems, the effectiveness of Halal labeling, and the use of technology could enhance the economic performance of HFSCs. Furthermore, HFSC’s sustainability efforts are strengthened by enhancing trust and transparency benefitting human resource skills development, promoting animal welfare issues, and increasing regulatory compliance. The implementation of environmental protection measures is a primary driving factor for environmental sustainability activities. Environmental sustainability could be fostered by a shift to the application of greening practices and the support of environmentalism in the Halal food industry. Conclusion. The findings of this study provide critical managerial implications for Halal food practitioners as they can have a summary of the previous studies and thus use it as a benchmark for introducing sustainable measures in their Halal food firms.

Blockchain research in healthcare: a bibliometric review and current research trends

The literature on blockchain-enabled use cases has grown exponentially over recent years. Yet, studies are missing that apply bibliometrics and visualization techniques to unravel the dynamics and current discussions pertaining to the nexus of blockchain technology (BCT) and the healthcare field. To close this knowledge gap, we examine the knowledge base and research hotspots of BCT research in the field of healthcare. We carry out a series of bibliometric analyses on the extant literature, including the scholarly production, developmental pattern of the annual total number of authors, and identification of productive academic institutions, countries, and leading authors. Additionally, we conduct a keyword co-occurrence analysis and identify the major research hotspots and trends for the future. The findings of this research are valuable for scholars and practitioners who seek to better understand the development status, dynamics, and trends pertaining to BCT in healthcare.

Potentials of blockchain technologies for supply chain collaboration: a conceptual framework

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potentials of blockchain technologies (BC) for supply chain collaboration (SCC).

Design/methodology/approach

Building on a narrative literature review and analysis of seminal SCC research, BC characteristics are integrated into a conceptual framework consisting of seven key dimensions: information sharing, resource sharing, decision synchronization, goal congruence, incentive alignment, collaborative communication and joint knowledge creation. The relevance of each category is briefly assessed.

Findings

BC technologies can impact collaboration between transaction partners in modern supply chains (SCs) by streamlining information sharing processes, by supporting decision and reward models and by strengthening communicative relationships with SC partners. BC promises important future capabilities in SCs by facilitating auditability, improving accountability, enhancing data and information transparency and improving trust in B2B relationships. The technology also promises to strengthen collaboration and to overcome vulnerabilities related to moral hazard and shortcomings found in legacy technologies.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is mainly focused on the potentials of BC technologies on SCC as envisioned in the current academic literature. Hence, there is a need to validate the theoretical inferences with other approaches such as expert interviews and empirical tests. This study is of use to practitioners and decision-makers seeking to engage in BC-collaborative SC models.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in its call for an increased focus on the possibilities of BC technologies to support SCC. This study also contributes to the literature by filling the knowledge gap of how BC potentially impacts SC management.

Anatomical and morphometric study of gastrointestinal tract of donkey (Equus africanus asinus)

Introduction: We dissected and described the macroscopic anatomy of the gastrointestinal tract of the donkey. Materials and Methods: Eleven domestic donkeys of both sexes from Tunisia were used for this study. Results: Although statistically insignificant, length values of the gastrointestinal tract pertaining to the females were generally higher than those pertaining to the males. The ostium cardiacum was very narrow and its diameter was 4.42 ± 0.57 mm in the males and 6 ± 1.22 mm in females. In the first part of the duodenum, we found papilla duodeni major and papilla duodeni minor. Both papillae were located very near to each other with a distance less than 1 cm and very near to the ostium pyloricum. The cecum was divided in parts of basis, corpus and apex. Three flexures divided the ascending colon into four parts: right ventral, left ventral, left dorsal and right dorsal. The cecum, left ventral colon and right dorsal colon had more evident sacculations (Haustra ceci and coli) (Figure 5). Teniae numbers were constant in all animals as 4, 4, 4, 1, 3 and 2 for cecum, right ventral colon, left ventral colon, left dorsal colon, right dorsal colon and descending colon, respectively. Conclusion: Although the gross anatomy of the intestines of the donkey was similar to the domestic horse in general, we detected some differences between these equine species.

Dermatological signs in bovine tropical theileriosis (T heileria annulata infection), a review

Bovine tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata infection) is an important tick-borne disease in several regions of the world. This paper describes two clinical cases of tropical theileriosis in northern Tunisia with the uncommon sign of skin nodules. The density of nodules was estimated at 15-20 per 10 cm2; they were distributed over the animal's body and were 0.5-2 cm in diameter. Microscopic examination of the skin nodules 18 days after treatment onset showed a perivascular infiltrate of lymphocytes, macrophages and eosinophils. Nevertheless, no schizonts were observed. Appropriate treatment led to the recovery of one of the two animals with total disappearance of the skin lesions; the other animal died. A review of clinical cases of tropical theileriosis (T. annulata infection) with cutaneous lesions is presented. Various dermatological signs are described in the literature: skin nodules, haemorrhagic lesions, cutaneous gangrene, etc. Most authors reported the presence of schizonts in the nodular lesions. Dermatological involvement in bovine tropical theileriosis should be considered by field veterinarians and should be differentiated from other diseases with dermatological signs.

[Epidemiological and clinical studies of ovine caseous lymphadenitis]

A field survey was undertaken, to determine epidemiological, clinical and biological data on Ovine Caseous Lymphadenitis disease in 54 flocks originated from Sfax area in Tunisia. The mean morbidity rate of the cutaneous form was 5.1%. This form affected sheep over 3 months and under 2 years old. On the other hand, the mean morbidity rate of the visceral form, encountered in abattoirs, was 11.02%. The clinical aspect of the superficial (or cutaneous) form was often corresponding to one abscess, located particularly in the lymphatic nodes of the animal's head; while visceral (or internal) form of the disease was represented by the presence of a unique abscess found in the pulmonary lymphatic nodes. The macroscopic aspect of lesions showed that the size of abscess was comprised between 4 and 10 cm in diameter. At the cut, colour of the pus was white yellowish to yellow greyish with a fluid or a thick aspect like onion peels; pus was microscopic. Lesions were characterised by a fibrous shell, a pyogenic membrane and a necrotic center. Bacteriological research revealed that Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was the pathogen the most frequently isolated, followed by Staphylococcus aureus subsp anaerobius which was particularly found in sheep aged between 3 months and 2 years old.