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Found 6515 publications
Beyond lead and diabolo – penetration capabilities of non-traditional air gun projectiles
Publication Name: Forensic Science International
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 384
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The traditional air gun pellet is either spherical or diabolo type with a head followed by a narrow mid-section and a skirt. But apart from these traditional homogenous pellets, special ammunition is also available for air guns, including lead-free, dart-shaped, plastic-coated, and “explosive” pellets producing flash and loud bang upon impact. The scientific data on the penetration capability and terminal ballistic behavior of these pellets are very limited. The study aimed to determine and compare the ballistic gel and tissue penetration capabilities of different air gun ammunition. Ballistic gel and porcine skin penetration of eleven types of 4.5 mm diameter (.177) air gun pellets, including traditional diablo-type lead pellets, lead-free pellets, plastic-coated pellets, and ammunition with an “explosive” charge, were examined. The ballistic gel penetration depth was measured using a digital caliper. The porcine test targets underwent computer tomography (CT) examination and the traditional autopsy method. Histological analysis was performed of the entrance wound and wound track of “explosive” ammunition. The muzzle velocity ranged from 75.4 to 245.1 m/s, and the muzzle energy ranged from 2.5 to 8.5 J. The maximal gel penetration ranged from 26.0 to 117.8 mm, and the final projectile position ranged from 23.8 to 113.2 mm. Tissue penetration ranged from 8.5 mm to 102.2 mm, and full-thickness tissue penetration was achieved in 35 shots from 79. Results: indicate large variations in muzzle energy in the case of non-traditional pellets, even if the same weapon is used. Penetration depth does not correlate strongly with muzzle speed in the case of non-traditional pellets, as the shape and type of pellet have a significant influence on penetration. Some non-traditional pellets may leave behind their plastic sheath in the tissues, which requires special attention since these are invisible on CT scans. Pellets with an “explosive charge” leave behind a blackish discoloration around the entrance wound and in the wound track, which is visually identifiable and also visualized in CT.
Open Access: Yes
Formation of a Nuclear Star Cluster through the Inspiral of Globular Clusters: A Case Study of the Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy UGC 7346
Publication Name: Astrophysical Journal
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 1005
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Nuclear star clusters (NSCs) are dense stellar environments located in the center of most galaxies. NSCs are thought to form through two primary methods: through the inspiral of globular clusters (GCs) to the galactic center due to dynamical friction, and through in situ star formation. Recent observations of dwarf elliptical galaxy UGC 7346 suggest that it might be undergoing NSC formation due to the presence of multiple GCs near its photometric center. We perform direct N-body simulations of nine GCs belonging to UGC 7346’s GC system to investigate whether their eventual infall to the galactic center would result in the formation of an NSC. Our simulations indicate that GCs' inspiral leads to the formation of a central stellar overdensity relative to the background profile of the host galaxy within ∼1.5 Gyr, corresponding to an NSC with a typical mass of (4.1–4.5) × 105 M⊙ . Several key structural parameters of the newly formed NSC, including the Sérsic index, effective radius, and central stellar density, lie well within the range observed for NSCs. We also test a hypothetical scenario in which some of the infalling GCs have larger masses (M ∼ 106M⊙ ), resulting in the formation of a more massive NSC whose mass and size are more consistent with observations. Our results suggest that the inspiral of GCs is a viable channel for assembling a significant mass in the shape of NSCs in the centers of dwarf galaxies and that UGC 7346 will host an NSC at its center in about 2–3 Gyr.
Open Access: Yes
Harnessing Generative AI for Sustainable Supply Chains: Lean, Circular and Green Perspectives
Publication Name: Business Strategy and the Environment
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 35
Issue: 5
Page Range: 7063-7079
Description:
Generative artificial intelligence is playing a significant role in the transformation of digital ecosystems by reinventing the processes of content generation, process automation, product innovation and customer experience. At the same time that these technologies are becoming more integrated into routine operations, the focus has shifted to the ethical and environmental consequences associated with their widespread application. An investigation of the operational sustainability associated with the generative artificial intelligence systems would be crucial, as it would provide information about how these systems match ideals such as efficiency, circularity and environmental responsibility. We explore how users understand and engage with sustainability principles, specifically lean, circular and green operational frameworks within generative artificial intelligence environments. We collect user reviews of 72 recently launched generative AI platforms from 2022 to 2024 and utilise advanced machine learning methods, including Word2Vec modelling, sentiment and regression analysis, to reveal how text datasets reflect customer perceptions. We find that the lean theme is the most prominent feature of operational sustainability, with the highest sentiment score, followed by the green and circular themes. Our findings show that there is a growing respect among the general public for artificial intelligence systems that exhibit responsible and efficient design.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/bse.70515
Understanding the psychology of knowledge sharing and experience in digital service ecosystems
Publication Name: Acta Psychologica
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 267
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Drawing on service-dominant (SD) logic, which conceptualizes value as emerging through resource integration and use rather than direct technological outputs, the study examines how technology-mediated knowledge-sharing platforms (TMKSP) influence employee and employee-perceived customer experience using the DART (dialogue, access, risk assessment, transparency) framework of value co-creation. Employing a mixed-method approach, a pre-hoc qualitative study (Study A) identified key TMKSP features relevant to value co-creation, which informed the development of a DART-based survey for the quantitative phase (Study B). Data from retail employees were analyzed using PLS-SEM with two-tailed bias-correct bootstrapping. The findings show that TMKSP significantly improves employee experience via platform access and reduced perceived risk, while enhancing employee-perceived customer experience through employee-customer dialogue and platform transparency. Mediation analysis confirms the explanatory role of DART-based constructs in linking TMKSP with experience outcomes, although the mediating role of perceived platform risk was not supported. The study contributes theoretically by operationalizing SD logic within an internal service ecosystem and demonstrating how value-in-use is shared through employee-perceived co-creation conditions rather than through direct technological effects. It offers practical guidance for managers aiming to design employee and customer-centric knowledge-sharing ecosystems.
Open Access: Yes
Assessing the impact of climate policy uncertainty on lobbying: An empirical analysis of European countries
Publication Name: Ecological Economics
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 245
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Climate policies are a key focus of the European Union's political agenda. Lobbyists aim to exert influence on these policies to advance their interests. This paper uses a panel dataset from 2011 to 2022 of European organizations to investigate the relationship between Climate Policy Uncertainty (CPU) and Lobbying Expenditure (LE). The dataset includes annual observations from organizations across eight European countries, incorporating both microeconomic and macroeconomic factors. The results indicate a positive association between CPU and LE, suggesting that higher levels of CPU are systematically linked to increased lobbying efforts within our sample. This relationship remains robust after addressing potential endogeneity concerns using the Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) approach. The effect is particularly pronounced in countries with high GDP or high CO₂ emissions, as well as for organizations with lower participation in European Commission meetings. The study also examined the presence of an exogenous shock, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic. While COVID-19 did not alter the existing relationship between CPU and LE, an analysis focused on the pandemic period revealed a reversal in the relationship. These findings carry important policy implications. Governments should prioritize transparency in lobbying activities and address the regulatory challenges posed by CPU to uphold accountability, balance diverse organizational interests, and safeguard the integrity of climate policymaking.
Open Access: Yes
Hybrid fertilized particle swarm optimization for engineering design with application to vibration control
Publication Name: Applied Soft Computing
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 198
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Structural vibration control is a critical challenge in engineering systems such as tower cranes, where excessive oscillations compromise safety and operational accuracy. This paper proposes a Fertilized Particle Swarm Optimization (FRPSO) algorithm that hybridizes Particle Swarm Optimization with Flower Fertilization Optimization via a dual-phase global-best update to enhance the exploration–exploitation balance. FRPSO is evaluated on 26 problems (20 non-convex constrained cases, four 1000-variable large-scale benchmarks, structural optimization, and a tower crane vibration-control case study) and is compared against 18 metaheuristic optimizers. Across the benchmark suites, FRPSO achieves solution quality with consistent run-to-run stability, achieving near-optimal objective values with very low dispersion in the 1000-variable tests under the reported experimental protocol. In structural optimization, FRPSO reduces the weight of the 72-bar truss from 381.91 lb (PSO) to 379.63 lb. For the tower crane boom modeled as a 3D beam structure under transient dynamic loading, FRPSO yields designs that achieve effective vibration attenuation, as evidenced by the rapid decay of boom-tip vertical displacement responses, while satisfying stress and displacement constraints. Non-parametric statistical comparisons based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicate that the observed improvements are consistent across repeated runs for selected benchmark cases. Overall, the reported results suggest that FRPSO can be effectively applied to vibration-aware structural design of crane booms and other flexible beam-type structures.
Open Access: Yes
Computational thinking and self-leadership as predictor of innovative work behavior among employees in green product firms : An explanatory sequential mixed method
Publication Name: Acta Psychologica
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 267
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-method design to investigate the factors influencing innovative work behavior in green product firms in Pakistan. Guided by social cognitive theory, data from 278 employees were analyzed using structural equation modeling in AMOS, followed by qualitative interviews to further explain and contextualize the quantitative findings. The findings showed that computational thinking (β = 0.62, p < 0.001) and self‑leadership (β = 0.56, p < 0.001) have a significant positive association with creative self-efficacy. Additionally, creative self-efficacy has a significant direct positive influence on innovative work behavior (β = 0.76, p < 0.001). The mediation analysis confirmed that creative self-efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between computational thinking and innovative work behavior (indirect β = 0.29) and between self‑leadership and innovative work behavior (indirect β = 0.26). Notably, knowledge sharing significantly moderated the relationship between creative self-efficacy and innovative work behavior (β = 0.32, p < 0.001) strengthening the effect of creative self-belief on innovative. Eighteen (n = 18) interviews were conducted to gain insight into how these mechanisms worked. During the thematic analysis, results revealed that knowledge sharing weakens negative effect of hierarchical constraints, enabling employees to act on their creative self-efficacy. Computational thinking is associated with a language of credibility for innovative ideas, while self‑leadership is associated with a necessary internal motivation against bureaucratic fatigue. These findings are relevant for green product firms operating in high power distance, resource-constrained contexts such as Pakistan.
Open Access: Yes
Gender and Power: Financial Independence and Women's Relational Empowerment in the Global South
Publication Name: Gender Work and Organization
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 33
Issue: 4
Page Range: 1283-1297
Description:
This study adopts a positive and contextually grounded representation of married women in Global South (GS) countries through the theory of gender and power (TGP) and Kabeer's empowerment framework, to examine factors driving financial independence (FI) and empowerment among women in Mauritius and Zimbabwe. Drawing on 55 in-depth interviews with married women (28 in Mauritius and 27 in Zimbabwe), findings indicate that gendered power relations and institutional forces are pivotal in shaping empowerment for married women. Three interconnected themes emerged: “societal and institutional factors,” “context-embedded financial independence and autonomy,” and “women's relational empowerment.” Theoretically, we intersect Kabeer's empowerment framework with the TGP to illustrate how FI operates at the nexus of resources, agency, gendered power relations, and structural constraints, both aligning with and challenging universalized assumptions in gender, development, and empowerment research. Empirically, the paper advances scholarship by providing nuanced insights into empowerment processes within under-researched GS contexts.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1111/gwao.70123
Environmental and socio-economic factors behind data provision in 17 citizen science projects
Zoltán Csabai
Marianna Biró
Judit Vörös
László Mezőfi
Barna Páll-Gergely
Zsuzsanna Márton
Zoltán Soltész
Zsófia Horváth
Bálint Halpern
Zsóka Vásárhelyi
Kornélia Kurucz
Bálint Pernecker
Gábor Földvári
Barbara Barta
Balázs Károlyi
Ágnes Turóci
Éva Szabó
Erika Juhász
Ádám Selmeczi-Kovács
Péter Lovászi
László Zsolt Garamszegi
Publication Name: People and Nature
Publication Date: 2026-07-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 7
Page Range: 2251-2265
Description:
Citizen science approaches in ecology have recently become increasingly popular. Although many advantages, such as the cost-effective collection of vast amounts of data, outweigh the disadvantages, most projects face difficulties, such as non-random sampling, pseudo-absences or various biases, such as detection/reporting biases or participant-related biases. To unravel some of the environmental and socio-economic factors underlying data provision occurring non-randomly, we analysed the geographically tractable record-level databases of 17 separate citizen science projects in ecology and conservation in Hungary. We matched the records to an independent administrative dataset to identify those environmental and socio-economic predictors that are expected to shape participant activity, which varies widely according to the purpose, subject and other characteristics of the projects. Despite the projects' variation, we were able to identify general patterns linking population density of a given municipality and the proportion of protected areas with participant activity. Both variables were significantly associated with the number of observations. If the most urbanised and densely populated capital was left out of the analysis, both the level of education and the proportion of elderly people were positively associated with the number of observations a project received. However, the relationship between a population's socio-economic status and participant activity varied greatly across particular citizen science projects. Our results highlight that citizen science participation is shaped by both environmental context and socio-economic characteristics, revealing systematic spatial biases in data provision. Our results thus provide new insights into the methodology and design of future citizen science projects. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70335
