Artiles
Open Access
Article
06 March 2026Bioeconomy, Green Transition and Environmental Sustainability: The Roccamonfina Area in the Campania Region (Italy)
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.
Open Access
Article
05 March 2026Light-Guided Autonomous Drone Navigation for Indoor GPS-Denied Environments
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.
Open Access
Review
05 March 2026Reverse Polarity Protection in Photovoltaic Systems: A Review
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.
Open Access
Review
05 March 2026Fast Backcross Breeding for Climate-Resilient Cereals: Integrating Speed Breeding, Marker-Assisted Backcrossing and Genomic Selection
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.
Open Access
Review
04 March 2026Vena Cava Occlusion Reveals Site-Specific Preload Dynamics: Implications for Volume Management in Heart Failure
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.
Open Access
Article
04 March 2026Effects of Mid-Infrared Light Intervention on Mood, Executive Control and Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Young Adults with Sub-Clinical Psychological Distress: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Mid-infrared light on executive control functions and autonomic nervous system dysregulation in early adulthood in screen-positive for depression and general psychological symptoms group. The Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Depression Screening Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were administered online to 74 adolescent participants aged 18–22 years. Functional near-infrared brain imaging (fNIRS) was used to test brain function during the Stroop task, and heart rate variability (HRV) devices were used to test the autonomic nervous system. After a two-week Mid-infrared light intervention, subjects showed significant improvement in their depressive symptoms and psychological distress. The mean strength of brain functional connectivity was much more increased in the screening positive group, and significantly decreased after intervention. HRV measure showed significant differences across several indicators: LF, HF, LF/HF, SDNN, and RMSSD between screening positive and health control, and significant improvements in several key indicators: LF/HF, RMSSD, and HF after intervention. This integration of mood, HRV, and functional brain imaging data provides a comprehensive view of Mid-infrared light interventions, which can restore autonomic balance and enhance cognitive efficiency, highlighting its potential as a non-pharmacological approach worthy of further investigation for regulating mood and cognitive function. It is important to underscore that this study is exploratory and hypothesis-generating in nature. The modest sample size from a single population limits generalizability. The lack of pre-registration and the control condition, which did not fully mimic the device’s placebo effect, are notable limitations. Consequently, all findings should be interpreted as preliminary, serving primarily to generate hypotheses and guide the design of more definitive future studies, rather than to inform direct clinical practice. Future research necessitates larger-scale, pre-registered, double-blind, sham-controlled trials to verify these initial observations.
Open Access
Review
04 March 2026Advances in the Application of CRISPR/Cas Systems in Molecular Diagnostics
Rapid advances in CRISPR/Cas systems and the growing global demand for rapid, accurate diagnostics underscore the necessity of reviewing how these technologies are transforming molecular testing. Conventional diagnostic approaches are frequently constrained by prolonged turnaround times, complex instrumentation, and limited analytical sensitivity, and these limitations were starkly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, we present a comprehensive and timely overview of CRISPR/Cas-based molecular diagnostics. We begin by summarizing the classification and molecular mechanisms of CRISPR/Cas types I–VI, followed by a detailed discussion of innovative detection strategies such as SHERLOCK, DETECTR, and amplification-free platforms that significantly enhance analytical sensitivity and specificity. We further explore clinical applications across infectious disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance profiling, early cancer detection, genetic variant identification, and the emerging detection of non-nucleic acid biomarkers. Finally, we discuss future perspectives, including the development of miniaturized, high-throughput, and AI-assisted diagnostic platforms, their integration with microfluidics and portable readout systems for point-of-care applications, and highlight critical challenges such as standardization, automation, and cost-effectiveness that must be addressed to facilitate clinical translation.
Open Access
Article
04 March 2026Impact of Urban Topography and Infrastructure on Air Pollution Dispersion Using UAV-Based AQI Systems
Urban air quality reflects the combined effects of topography, built form, and emission sources, producing pronounced spatial and temporal variability in pollutant dispersion. This study investigates how urban morphological features-building density, green-space distribution, and transportation corridors-shape these dispersion patterns by deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with Air Quality Index (AQI) sensors. Multi-altitude, high-resolution drone transects were conducted across contrasting urban settings to capture fine-scale pollutant distributions and their dynamics. The measurements reveal localized hotspots and zones of limited dispersion that align with variations in building layout, vegetation presence, and traffic intensity. Compared with fixed-site monitors, the UAV approach resolves vertical and horizontal gradients that are otherwise missed, providing complementary evidence of three-dimensional micro-scale heterogeneity. Taken together, the results indicate that decisions on urban design and infrastructure placement materially influence air-quality outcomes. These findings support the integration of UAV-based observations with conventional monitoring networks to inform targeted mitigation measures, exposure-aware mobility planning, and evidence-based strategies for public health and urban sustainability.
Open Access
Article
03 March 2026Data-Driven Design of High-Purity Ni–Cr–Nb Master Alloy and Its Application in Scale-Up GH4169D Alloy
To address the challenge of further reducing impurities in raw materials for high-purity melting of industrial-superalloys such as GH4169D, this study employed a CALPHAD-based high-throughput computational approach to establish the composition-phase stability-impurity behavior relationship. A low-melting-point, high-cleanliness Ni–Cr–Nb master alloy was developed and characterized with oxygen and nitrogen contents of 76 ppm and 36 ppm, respectively, and an inclusion number density of approximately 540 ± 20 cm−2 and an average inclusion size of 2.2 ± 0.15 μm, demonstrating excellent cleanliness and compositional controllability. In industrial-scale 3-ton GH4169D melting trials using the Ni–Cr–Nb master alloy, the oxygen content was reduced from 12 ppm to 8 ppm. The inclusion number densities at the ingot center, R/2 position, and edge were decreased by 7.75%, 36.1%, and 81.5%, respectively, while the maximum inclusion size was reduced from approximately 28 μm to 9–17 μm. The results indicate that the developed master alloy effectively suppresses the formation, growth, and radial segregation of inclusions in GH4169D, significantly enhancing its metallurgical uniformity and cleanliness. Furthermore, melting efficiency increased by 52.6%, and production costs decreased by approximately 2.3% per ton, highlighting substantial process and economic advantages. This work establishes a closed-loop research framework integrating “CALPHAD-based experimental design—industrial pilot-scale validation—production-line metallurgical quality evaluation”. It confirms the effectiveness of the master alloy strategy for high-purity scale-up superalloy production and provides a transferable technological pathway for the compositional design and industrial application of other master alloy systems and commercial alloys.
Open Access
Review
02 March 2026“What the Meta Is Going On?”—A Scoping Review of the Different Methods and Methodology of Qualitative Synthesis
There is a proliferation of terms that are used to define and describe qualitative methods of review synthesis. These terms can make understanding which approach to use difficult, and the ability to generate operational clarity challenging. This is particularly important for lifespan mental health research, and further research is required that examines and maps the terms and approaches to synthesis. This scoping review aims to map the landscape of qualitative synthesis methods, evaluate the ability to operationalise named methods, explore their philosophical foundations and methodological associations, and consider the application within a specifically identified area of lifespan mental health research. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a scoping review was undertaken. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases and grey literature sources. Articles were included that examined a methodological approach to qualitative synthesis. Data extraction and charting focused on synthesis type, frameworks, philosophical alignment, and operational guidance. Fifty-four articles were identified, and within these, 14 qualitative methodologies were identified, 5 types of aggregative methods, and 10 types of interpretive methods of synthesis. Meta-ethnography, meta-synthesis, and framework synthesis were the most frequently cited methodologies. A subset of these methodologies and methods was found to be the more operationalizable, and these are discussed. The review highlights significant terminological and methodological fragmentation in qualitative synthesis. It underscores the need for clearer guidance, standardised terminology, and stronger links between synthesis methodologies, methods, and philosophical traditions. A decision tree is proposed to support researchers in selecting appropriate synthesis methodologies.