The paper aims to contribute to planning decisions, policies, strategies, and management of inland areas affected by a protected natural area in the Campania region (Italy). Inland and rural areas, often affected by depopulation and economic decline, can and must be a crucial resource in the ecological transition. At a time when urbanisation is expected to increase, the bioeconomy offers a way to repopulate rural areas, promoting a transition to a more sustainable and inclusive production model and making the best use of the resources already present in the area. A significant example of the circular bioeconomy in action is the Campania region, which has been designated as a hub for a series of European projects currently underway that aim to integrate innovation, sustainability, and social inclusion. In this context, the area chosen is Roccamonfina, a volcanic area that has been inactive for thousands of years, with forests at the top and very fertile foothills. The area, which is part of the province of Caserta, one of the five provinces of the Campania Region (Italy), is characterised by a sparse human presence and by abandonment, in which local communities alone are unable to create conditions for sustainable development. The methodological approach starts from an analysis of the territory and gives priority to landscape, environmental, socio-economic, productive, and cultural characteristics, using a SWOT analysis. This approach aims to define policy scenarios to promote conditions for sustainable development. The results achieved in the study are designed to be scalable to similar areas.
Autonomous drones operating in indoor environments cannot rely on the global positioning system (GPS) signals for precise navigation due to severe signal attenuation and multipath interference in GPS-denied spaces. This paper presents a novel Li-Fi-based optical positioning, and combined with high-sensitivity photodiode sensor arrays, to enable robust drone guidance in challenging indoor environments where conventional radio-frequency localization fails. The proposed system uses strategically distributed ceiling-mounted Light Emitting Diode (LED) luminaires across the operational space, each transmitting unique identification codes through high-frequency light modulation at rates imperceptible to human vision, thereby maintaining dual functionality for simultaneous illumination and positioning. Unlike existing VLC positioning studies that focus on static receivers, our system integrates real-time optical localization directly into the UAV control loop at 120 Hz, achieving closed-loop autonomous navigation without GPS or RF assistance. The system demonstrates sub-decimetric positioning accuracy (<8 cm), low latency (4.2 ms), and operates successfully on resource constrained micro-UAV platforms (250 g quadcopter with STM32 microcontroller. OpenELAB Technology Ltd., Garching bei München, Germany). Experimental validation includes complex 3D trajectory tracking, multi-room scalability analysis, and quantitative comparison with existing localization technologies, confirming the viability of Li-Fi guided autonomous flight for practical indoor application.
In photovoltaic (PV) systems, precise wiring connections are critical to ensuring safe operation. Thus, effective reverse polarity protection is the first line of defense against polarity reversal caused by wiring errors. This paper systematically reviews existing methods for protecting PV systems against reverse polarity. First, the operating principles of PV side reverse polarity protection techniques are analyzed, along with their advantages and limitations. Additionally, DC-bus side protection methods are examined, and the effectiveness of different approaches is evaluated. Overall, this review provides researchers with the latest advances in reverse polarity protection for PV systems.
Abiotic stresses, including drought, heat, salinity, waterlogging, and acidic soils, are increasingly inhibiting the consistency of global food production, valued at USD 3.26 trillion during the last three decades. Although backcrossing efficiently transfers large-effect loci into elite backgrounds, conventional pipelines remain slow and vulnerable to linkage drag and unreliable genotype-to-phenotype translation. Here, we synthesize an operational fast backcross (FB) breeding framework that integrates (i) rapid generation advance (speed breeding), (ii) embryo culture to shorten generation intervals and unlock wide crosses, (iii) marker-assisted backcrossing with coordinated foreground, recombinant, and genome-wide background selection, and (iv) genomic selection to capture residual polygenic adaptation. We propose practical approaches to prioritize stress-adaptive loci and to validate yield and quality neutrality under non-stress conditions before pyramiding. Case studies in rice (SUB1, Saltol, Pup1 and DRO1), wheat (Nax1/Nax2) and barley (aerenchyma formation and HvAACT1 loci) illustrate how FB pipelines can compress variety development timelines from 8–10 years to 3–5 years while maintaining farmer-preferred agronomic and end-use traits; however, they also underscore the constraints of relying on whole-plant phenotyping alone. We show that FB succeeds only when early locus prioritisation, recombinant selection to minimise linkage drag, and pre-pyramiding neutrality testing are enforced, explaining why many accelerated pipelines underperform despite advanced genotyping tools. Further, we propose AI-enabled selection and targeted editing to scale FB breeding for climate-resilient agriculture.
Heart failure (HF) is marked by impaired ventricular function, neurohormonal activation, and volume overload. While therapies target remodeling and neurohormonal pathways, preload management remains pivotal for symptom relief and preventing decompensation. Pressure–volume (PV) loop analysis enables precise characterization of cardiac performance during acute loading changes. To define the differential hemodynamic impact of transient inferior vena cava occlusion (IVCO) versus superior vena cava occlusion (SVCO) using PV loop analysis in a large-animal model. Controlled IVCO and SVCO were performed in healthy animals to reduce preload. PV-derived indices included stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), end-systolic elastance (Ees), volume-axis intercept (V₀), and preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW). IVCO, removing ~70% of venous return, produced a marked leftward PV loop shift, decreased SV and CO, and a near-zero V₀, consistent with near-complete ventricular unloading. The end-systolic pressure–volume relationship steepened, suggesting an acute compensatory inotropic response, though Ees remained unchanged, indicating preserved intrinsic contractility. In contrast, SVCO (~30% venous return) caused only modest PV loop shifts, with preserved end-diastolic volume and stable or slightly rightward V₀. Across both interventions, preload, not intrinsic contractility, accounted for changes in mechanical work and PRSW. IVCO and SVCO elicit distinct preload-dependent hemodynamic profiles. Interpretation of PV loop–derived metrics must account for dynamic loading conditions. These findings provide mechanistic insight into acute volume regulation and warrant validation in HF-specific models to inform decongestive management strategies.
