In recent years, the rapid development of technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, along with the significant increase in publications related to the Metaverse, demonstrates a sustained growth in interest in this field. Some scholars have already performed bibliometric analyses of this emerging field. However, previous analyses have not been comprehensive due to limitations such as the volume of literature, particularly lacking in co-citation analysis, which is crucial for understanding the interconnectedness and impact of research works. In this study, we used the Web of Science as a database to search for topics related to the Metaverse from 1995 to 2023. Subsequently, we employed CiteSpace for co-citation network analysis to supplement previous research. Through our analysis at the journal, author, and literature levels, we identified core journals and key authors in the Metaverse field. We discovered that Extended Reality (XR), education, user privacy, and terminologies related to the Metaverse are significant research themes within the field. This study provides clear and actionable research directions for future papers in the Metaverse field.

This study introduces a novel Groundwater Flooding Risk Assessment (GFRA) model to evaluate risks associated with groundwater flooding (GF), a globally significant hazard often overshadowed by surface water flooding. GFRA utilizes a conditional probability function considering critical factors, including topography, ground slope, and land use-recharge to generate a risk assessment map. Additionally, the study evaluates the return period of GF events (GFRP) by fitting annual maxima of groundwater levels to probability distribution functions (PDFs). Approximately 57% of the pilot area falls within high and critical GF risk categories, encompassing residential and recreational areas. Urban sectors in the north and east, containing private buildings, public centers, and industrial structures, exhibit high risk, while developing areas and agricultural lands show low to moderate risk. This serves as an early warning for urban development policies. The Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distribution effectively captures groundwater level fluctuations. According to the GFRP model, about 21% of the area, predominantly in the city's northeast, has over 50% probability of GF exceedance (1 to 2-year return period). Urban outskirts show higher return values (> 10 years). The model's predictions align with recorded flood events (90% correspondence). This approach offers valuable insights into GF threats for vulnerable locations and aids proactive planning and management to enhance urban resilience and sustainability.

This research introduces a novel framework integrating stochastic finite element analysis (FEA) with advanced circular statistical methods to optimize heat pump efficiency under material uncertainties. The proposed methodologies and optimization focus on balancing the mean efficiency and variability by adjusting the concentration parameter of the Von Mises distribution, which models directional variability in thermal conductivity. The study highlights the superiority of the Von Mises distribution in achieving more consistent and efficient thermal performance compared to the uniform distribution. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis of the parameters for further insights. The results show that optimal tuning of the concentration parameter can significantly reduce efficiency variability while maintaining a mean efficiency above the desired threshold. This demonstrates the importance of considering both stochastic effects and directional consistency in thermal systems, providing robust and reliable design strategies.

Hospital waste containing antibiotics is toxic to the ecosystem. Ciprofloxacin is one of the essential, widely used antibiotics and is often detected in water bodies and soil. It is vital to treat these medical wastes, which urge new research towards waste management practices in hospital environments themselves. Ultimately minimizes its impact in the ecosystem and prevents the spread of antibiotic resistance. The present study highlights the decomposition of ciprofloxacin using nano-catalytic ZnO materials by reactive oxygen species (ROS) process. The most effective process to treat the residual antibiotics by the photocatalytic degradation mechanism is explored in this paper. The traditional co-precipitation method was used to prepare zinc oxide nanomaterials. The characterization methods, X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ulraviolet-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Scanning Electron microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have done to improve the photocatalytic activity of ZnO materials. The mitigation of ciprofloxacin catalyzed by ZnO nano-photocatalyst was described by pseudo-first-order kinetics and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis. In addition, ZnO materials help to prevent bacterial species, S. aureus and E. coli, growth in the environment. This work provides some new insights towards ciprofloxacin degradation in efficient ways.

This study explores the impact of technological innovations on audit transparency, objectivity, and assurance. The study employs a systematic literature review methodology, analyzing a wide range of scholarly articles, research papers, and reports to synthesize the findings. The methodology involved identifying keywords, conducting comprehensive searches in academic databases, and evaluating the selected literature. The study identifies key themes on how technological innovations impact audit practices through analysis of the literature. The impacts of technology include enhanced audit transparency through improved documentation capabilities, real-time reporting, and increased stakeholder engagement. Technological advancements bolster audit objectivity by automating repetitive tasks, facilitating advanced data analysis, and promoting standardized audit procedures. However, the analysis highlighted challenges associated with the use of technology in audits including complex technology implementation and the potential for biases. This research study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by consolidating relevant research and insights on the subject matter.