bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Designing a precision-medicine platform trial to improve the nutritional care and intestinal health of very preterm babies: the COLLABORATE study
Authors: Modi Neena , Chehrazi Mohammad , Boardman James , Boyd Alan , Bradley Peter , Cirelli Cecilia , Giuliani Stefano , Ingledow Lauren , Lee-Davey Caroline , Quattroni Paola , Morrison Douglas , Morgan Colin , Oei Ju-Lee , Ozanne Susan , Pussell Kylie , Uthaya Sabita , Wong Hilary , Cornelius Victoria
Published: February 2025

Background

Nutrition is essential for preterm brain development. Optimal nutrition is dependent upon gastrointestinal health.

Primary objective

To form a multiprofessional collaboration to design the world’s first neonatal precision-medicine platform trial to test new and existing nutritional interventions for very preterm infants, to prevent and treat the serious gastrointestinal inflammatory disease necrotising enterocolitis and improve brain health and development.

Participants

Infants born very preterm (< 32 weeks gestation).

Data sources

Published literature; United Kingdom National Neonatal Research Database.

Methods

Engagement with parents, patients, clinical teams, and industry; literature reviews; simulation studies; mechanistic study design; collaborative study development.

Results

There was strong stakeholder support for the platform; seven interventions were selected from those proposed, four for immediate evaluation (pasteurised human donor milk; cow milk- and human milk-derived macronutrient fortifiers; probiotic), and three for subsequent incorporation (enteral arginine; enteral insulin; fluorescence image-guided surgery). We involved Australia/New Zealand neonatal units to shorten recruitment time, designed a precision-medicine platform trial, specified operational requirements and costs, developed engagement materials, and established parent–patient, independent scientific advisory and emerging investigator groups.

Limitations

National Institute for Health and Care Research processes required stage 1 application submission 8 months into the Accelerated Development Award. This was unsuccessful and did not include an opportunity to respond to feedback.

Conclusions

Stakeholders consider a neonatal precision-medicine platform trial a high priority, providing an efficient approach to establish the efficacy of treatments and the gestational age range of infants most likely to benefit, and to speed the pace of evidence generation to improve clinical care.

Future work

Reapplication, requiring a further stage 1 application.

Funding

This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme as award number NIHR153935.
Synthesis of Chitosan-ortho-vanillin/AgNPs Schiff Base Composite as Food Preservative
Authors: Ismiyarto Ismiyarto , Putri Istikmaala Rosyadi , Susilo Dwi , Sarjono Purbowatiningrum Ria , Ngadiwiyana Ngadiwiyana , Djunaidi Muhammad Cholid , Bima Damar Nurwahyu , Bajracharya Gan B. , Christwardana Marcelinus
Published: February 2025

Structural modification of chitosan (CH) may enhance the stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized. This study aims to modify chitosan into chitosan-ortho-vanillin Schiff base (CHoVSB), which was used as a capping agent in the synthesis of AgNPs, and were evaluated as the food preservative through the antimicrobial testing. Composites of AgNPs were synthesized using AgNO3 as an Ag precursor, ascorbic acid as a bioreductor, sodium tripolyphosphate (STTP) as a crosslinker and chitosan or CHoVSB. They were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic absorption (AA) and scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses. CHoVSB was synthesized as a brownish-yellow solid with a yield of 57.6% and a degree of substitution of 44.09%. The composites of CH/AgNP were brownish-yellow solids with yields of 80.8–83.4% (w/w), and exhibited surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks at 420–439 nm. CHoVSB/AgNP-1 and CHoVSB/AgNP-2 composites produced were green solids with yields of 72.5 and 80.3% (w/w), and SPR peaks at 419 and 447 nm, respectively. CHoVSB/AgNP-2 composite was found the best product featuring spherical shape with a size of 21 nm and a uniform particle distribution. It has displayed the potential to be used as a food preservative with the highest percentage of bacterial reduction of 99.5 and 98.6% at a concentration of 1000 ppm for 3 and 7 days of observation, respectively.
Expert Authority and Objectivity: Why the Public is Not Equipped to Adjudicate Expert Disagreement
Authors: Watson Jamie
Published: February 2025

Giubilini, Gur-Arie, and Jamrozik (2025) argue that the non-expert public’s appraisal of someone as an expert is necessary for whether they have expert authority. According to them, expertise is contingent on whether someone possesses some “set of epistemic features that warrant trusting” them “as an expert.” Whether someone has these features depends on whether the public believes that person is reliable. This is partly because the public is vested in domains that affect their interests and, therefore, whether putative experts satisfy their responsibility to fulfill those interests. Here, I offer three objections to their argument, addressing their concerns with objective accounts of expert authority, the lay public’s ability to evaluate expert claims, and the adequacy of transparency for facilitating trust. I close by acknowledging the difficult epistemic position of non-experts but point toward accounts that address the authors’ concerns while nonetheless preserving the objectivity of expert authority.
USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO IDENTIFY AND CORRECT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT RADIATION
Authors: Tymoshchuk Oleksandr
Published: February 2025

The expansion of nuclear technologies in various industries, combined with the constant threat of radiation-related incidents, highlights the urgent need for effective radiation education. This study is devoted to an empirical investigation of the effectiveness of artificial intelligence tools (neurological models of artificial intelligence) in detecting and correcting
of artificial intelligence tools (neurological models of artificial intelligence) in detecting and correcting misconceptions about radiation (ionising radiation). We empirically evaluate the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in detecting and correcting these misconceptions among university students, focusing on different cognitive, cognitive-activity, and systemic-axiological levels. A pedagogical experiment was conducted with 168 students of Ukrainian universities using control questionnaires to assess the effectiveness of the selected artificial intelligence tools. The experiment involved presenting students with a series of statements designed to identify misconceptions related to factual knowledge (e.g., radiation units, background levels), conceptual understanding (e.g., the difference between radiation and radioactivity, effects of low-dose exposure), and application/evaluation (e.g., risk assessment, protective measures).
AI tools, including natural language processing models for text analysis and machine learning algorithms for misconceptions classification, were used to provide personalised feedback and targeted corrective information. The results show that AI achieved high accuracy (80-98%) in eliminating misconceptions about factual knowledge. However, the effectiveness decreased for misconceptions requiring deeper conceptual understanding (73-78%) and is much lower for those involving complex knowledge assessment and application (24-36%). These findings indicate that while AI has significant potential to improve basic radiation literacy and provide automated feedback, its current capabilities are limited in addressing more multidimensional and complex misconceptions. Further research is needed to develop more sophisticated AI-based integrations that can effectively target higher-order cognitive skills and promote a more complete understanding of radiation science and its implications. This study contributes to this field by providing empirical evidence on the strengths and weaknesses of AI in radiation education, and offers practical recommendations for the further development and implementation of customised AI-based learning tools.
Implementasi Transfer Learning Untuk Klasifikasi Jenis Ras Ayam Menggunakan Arsitektur MobileNetV2
Authors: Kencana Nagala wangsa , Umar Rusydi , Murinto
Published: February 2025

Ayam diketahui telah berbaur dengan manusia dan menyebar di berbagai penjuru dunia. Orang awam kebanyakan dalam membedakan jenis ras ayam dengan ayam yang lain berdasarkan ekor, warna, dan bentuk tubuhnya. Dengan memahami perbedaan-perbedaan tersebut, seseorang dapat mengidentifikasi jenis ras ayam yang berbeda. Ras ayam secara umum memiliki tekstur yang hampir sama sehingga ini membuat kesulitan orang untuk menentukan jenis ras ayam, terutama orang awam yang belum mengetahui ciri-ciri serta jenis ras ayam. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan mengambil citra pada jenis ras ayam yang digunakan sebagai dataset dengan 12 kelas, yaitu Cemani, Kate, Pelung, Serama, Ketawa, Hutan, Mutiara, Kalkun, Bangkok, Poland, Ketawa, Dong Tao Sistem dianalisis kebutuhannya dari segi data, pengguna, dan sistem itu sendiri. Tahap perancangan dimulai dari pelatihan model yang baik dalam klasifikasi, merancang arsitektur data, dan merancang arsitektur. Berikutnya, transfer learning diimplementasikan kedalam sistem menyesuaikan rancangan yang telah dibuat untuk menghasilkan sistem klasifikasi. Pada penelitian ini transfer learning diimplementasikan menggunakan pre-trained model yang berarsitektur MobileNetV2 sebagai lapisan ekstraksi fitur pada model klasfikasi. Pada penelitian ini transfer learning diimplementasikan menggunakan pre-trained model yang berarsitektur MobileNetV2 sebagai lapisan ekstraksi fitur pada model klasfikasi. Pada tahap pelatihan, model-model klasifikasi dilatih menggunakan 1800 citra dan divalidasi dengan 300 citra. Kemudian, dilakukan pengujian menggunakan 300 citra menggunakan confusion matrix untuk melihat performa model, dan akurasi. Hasil dari penelitian dapat diketahui bahwa model MobileNetV2 yang mendapatkan hasil akurasi pengujian sebesar 95% dengan loss 0,378. Dari hasil tersebut, sistem klasifikasi jenis ras ayam yang dibangun dapat digunakan.
Redesign UI UX Aplikasi Info BMKG Menggunakan Metode Design Thinking
Authors: Ahmad Alfis Syifa'  , Eka Putri Rachmawati
Published: February 2025

E-Government merupakan sebuah istilah untuk layanan publik dari pemerintah yang memanfaatkan perkembangan teknologi informasi. Dalam E-Government, pemerintah bertujuan untuk meningkatkan mutu pelayanan kepada masyarakat atas permintaan dan kebutuhan masyarakat untuk pelayanan yang cepat dan informasi yang akurat. Salah satu lembaga pemerintahan yang telah menerapkan E-Government adalah Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika (BMKG). BMKG telah meluncurkan aplikasi bernama Info BMKG untuk memudahkan akses informasi mengenai cuaca, iklim, kualitas udara, dan gempa bumi yang terjadi di Indonesia. Namun, dalam penggunaannya aplikasi ini mendapatkan banyak keluhan penggunanya dari segi tampilan user interface maupun ketidakakuratan informasi, baik yang disampaikan dalam ulasan aplikasi di Play Store maupun secara langsung melalui wawancara. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan desain aplikasi Info BMKG dengan usabillity yang baik, memiliki kemudahan navigasi, dan kejelasan informasi. Dengan menggunakan metode Design Thinking diharapkan user interface Info BMKG dapat mengalami perbaikan signifikan, terutama dalam hal konsistensi desain, dan kejelasan informasi. Pengujian penelitian ini menggunakan metode System Usability Scale. Hasil pengujian SUS didapatkan nilai sebesar 77,5 dan diterima oleh para pengguna. Dari hasil tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa redesign UI/UX aplikasi Info BMKG dengan metode Design Thinking menjadi solusi untuk menghasilkan desain user interface yang mudah digunakan.
Analisis Faktor Risiko Kejadian Diabetes Melitus Tipe 2 Pada Wanita Usia Subur
Authors: Marlina Devi , Putri Ririn Noviyanti , Noventa Ervina
Published: February 2025

Jumlah prevalensi diabetes melitus setiap tahun mengalami peningkatan, berdasarkandata survei kesehatan Indonesia 2023 prevalensi diabetes melitus sebanyak 11,7% jikadibandingkan pada hasil survei Riskesdas 2018 sebanyak 10,9 %. Wanita usia suburlebih mungkin terkena diabetes melitus ketika melihat faktor risiko karena tubuh merekamemiliki potensi memiliki indeks massa tubuh yang lebih tinggi diakibatkan pola konsumsiyang tidak baik, yang mengakibatkan terjadinya diabetes melitus. Tujuan penelitian iniuntuk mengetahui faktor risiko diabetes melitus tipe 2 pada Wanita usia subur. Metodepenelitian yang digunakan penelitian kuantitatif dengan desain cross sectional, sampelyang digunakan yaitu wanita usia subur berumur 15-49 tahun, berjumlah 72 responden.Analisis bivariat menggunakan Uji Chi-Square, dan analisis multivariat menggunakan ujiregresi logistik ganda dengan metode Backward LR, yaitu memasukkan semua variabelindependen yang nilai p-value nya p ≤ 0.025 kedalam model. Hasil penelitian didapatterdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara riwayat hipertensi (p= 0.020, PR 1.110), obesitas(p= 0.015, PR 1.572), aktivitas fisik (p= 0.012, PR 1.180) dan kebiasaan konsumsi tinggigula (p= 0.001, PR 2.001) dengan kejadian diabetes melitus tipe 2 pada Wanita UsiaSubur (WUS). Faktor risiko yang paling dominan penyebab kejadian diabetes melitustipe 2 pada WUS adalah kebiasaan konsumsi tinggi gula, disusul dengan aktivitas fisik,dan obesitas. Peneliti menyarankan agar wanita usia subur untuk melakukan screeningdiabetes melitus tipe 2.
Analisis Pengetahuan Remaja Putri Tentang Menstruasi: Kajian Umum Dan Tinjauan Dalam Fiqih Islam
Authors: Raya Reynie Purnama , Kamila Ami , Sintyasari Annisa
Published: February 2025

Remaja putri memerlukan informasi yang adekuat tentang menstruasi, baik secara umummaupun yang terkait dengan Fiqih Islam, agar dapat merawat diri dengan baik pada saatmengalami menstruasi. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi gambaranpengetahuan remaja putri tentang menstruasi secara umum dan menstruasi dalam FiqihIslam. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kuantitatif dengan variabel tunggal,yaitu pengetahuan menstruasi pada remaja putri. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalahremaja putri siswi SMP ‘Aisyiyah Rancaekek. Populasi pada penelitian ini adalah remajaputri yang bersekolah di SMP ‘Aisyiyah Rancaekek. Pengambilan data dilakukan padabulan Maret-Juli 2023. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah kuesioner yang terdiri daridefinisi menstruasi, siklus menstruasi dan pengetahuan definisi pre-menstrual sindromyang merujuk pada pengetahuan menstruasi secara umum. Sedangkan untuk mengukurpengetahuan menstruasi dalam Fiqih Islam, pertanyaan mengenai larangan-larangan bagiperempuan yang sedang menstruasi dan bagaimana menjaga kebersihan saat menstruasisecara Islami. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menghitung distribusi frekuensi tingkatpengetahuan menstruasi umum dan dalam fiqih Islam dengan bantuan SPSS versi 25.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat 3 siswi (3,7%) yang memiliki tingkat pengetahuanyang baik mengenai menstruasi secara umum, 74 (69,2%) cukup dan 29 (27,1%) kurang.Sedangkan untuk pengetahuan menstruasi dalam Fiqih Islam terdapat 87 (81,3 %) siswiberpengetahuan baik dan 20 (18,7%) cukup. Meskipun remaja putri di SMP ‘AisyiyahRancaekek sudah memiliki pengetahuan cukup baik dalam fiqih Islam, pihak sekolahdapat berkoordinasi dengan puskesmas terdekat untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan remajaputri tentang menstruasi.
Comparative study of the inhibitory effects of different antibiotic administration routes on bone healing in a rat tibial infection model
Authors: Han Xiaoyu , Wang Wei , Shen Zengli , Lv Lisong , Lin Bingyuan , Ren Haiyong , Liu Yiyang , Guo Qiaofeng , Kai Huang , Wang Xiang
Published: February 2025

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous versus oral antibiotic treatments in managing bone infections, particularly osteomyelitis, using a rat tibial infection model.

Methods

A tibial bone infection model was established in twelve-week-old Wistar rats via injection of Staphylococcus aureus at a cortical defect site. After six weeks, rats were treated with vancomycin (intravenous), cefazolin (intravenous), ciprofloxacin (oral), or ciprofloxacin combined with rifampin (oral). Microbial analysis, blood analysis for pro-inflammatory cytokines, micro-computed tomography (μCT), histological analysis, and osteoclast activity were used to assess the efficacy of each treatment.

Results

Blood analysis showed significant reductions in white blood cell count and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the intravenous treatment groups, especially with vancomycin. μCT imaging revealed better preservation of bone structure in intravenous treatment groups, while oral treatments resulted in more pronounced structural deterioration. Microbial analysis confirmed a lower bacterial load in the intravenous groups, particularly vancomycin, compared to oral treatments. Histological analysis revealed reduced inflammation, lower fibrosis, and minimal bacterial presence in intravenous groups. Osteoclast activity was notably reduced in the vancomycin and cefazolin groups, indicating better control of bone resorption.

Conclusion

Intravenous administration of vancomycin demonstrated superior efficacy in controlling bone infection, reducing inflammation, and preserving bone structure compared to oral treatments. While ciprofloxacin and the ciprofloxacin-rifampin combination showed some efficacy, they were less effective than intravenous vancomycin, likely due to lower bioavailability and insufficient drug penetration in bone tissue.
An unyielding challenge for refractory hyponatremia in neuroendocrine cervix carcinoma: a case report
Authors: Li Minzhen , Yin Rutie , Zhong Lan , Song Liang
Published: February 2025

Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) originate from peptidergic neurons and neuroendocrine cells, possessing endocrine functions, and are commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and lungs. Neuroendocrine cervix carcinoma (NECC) is infrequent, prone to early dissemination and distant metastasis, and generally has a poor prognosis. The presence of electrolyte imbalance in such cases is even rarer. Here, we present a case of advanced NECC patient who developed refractory hyponatremia, accompanied by severe clinical symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, hematemesis, and delirium. Despite extensive investigations, all efforts to elucidate the underlying causes of hyponatremia were negative, suggesting a multifactorial etiology. Next-generation sequencing was also employed to explore the underlying mechanisms at the genetic level. Managing this case posed significant challenges for gynecologic oncologists, as the patient showed minimal response to various treatments, including sodium supplementation, fluid restriction or replenishment, chemotherapy modification, and the use of vasopressin-2 receptor antagonist. This case underscores the importance of monitoring and managing electrolytes in patients with gynecologic NENs, even though the exact mechanisms of such imbalances may remain elusive.
Evidence of Mycobacterium bovis DNA in shared water sources at livestock–wildlife–human interfaces in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Matthews Megan C. , Cooke Deborah M. , Kerr Tanya J. , Loxton Andre G. , Warren Robin M. , Ghielmetti Giovanni , Streicher Elizabeth M. , Witte Carmel S. , Miller Michele A. , Goosen Wynand J.
Published: February 2025

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) including Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), which primarily affects animal hosts; however, it is also capable of causing zoonotic infections in humans. Direct contact with infected animals or their products is the primary mode of transmission. However, recent research suggests that M. bovis can be shed into the environment, potentially playing an under-recognized role in the pathogen’ spread. Further investigation into indirect transmission of M. bovis, employing a One Health approach, is necessary to evaluate its epidemiological significance. However, current methods are not optimized for identifying M. bovis in complex environmental samples. Nevertheless, in a recent study, a combination of molecular techniques, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), was able to detect M. bovis DNA in the environment to investigate epidemiological questions. The aim of this study was, therefore, to apply a combination of culture-independent methods, such as targeted NGS (tNGS), to detect pathogenic mycobacteria, including M. bovis, in water sources located in a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. This area was selected based on the high burden of MTBC in human and animal populations. Water samples from 63 sites were screened for MTBC DNA by extracting DNA and performing hsp65 PCR amplification, followed by Sanger amplicon sequencing (SAS). Sequences were compared to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database for genus or species-level identification. Samples confirmed to contain mycobacterial DNA underwent multiple PCRs (hsp65, rpoB, and MAC hsp65) and sequencing with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) tNGS. The ONT tNGS consensus sequences were compared to a curated in-house database to identify mycobacteria to genus, species, or species complex (e.g., MTBC) level for each sample site. Additional screening for MTBC DNA was performed using the GeneXpert® MTB/RIF Ultra (GXU) qPCR assay. Based on GXU, hsp65 SAS, and ONT tNGS results, MTBC DNA was present in 12 of the 63 sites. The presence of M. bovis DNA was confirmed at 4 of the 12 sites using downstream polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. However, further studies are required to determine if environmental M. bovis is viable. These results support further investigation into the role that shared water sources may play in TB epidemiology.
Speed and Energy Efficiency of a Fish Robot Featuring Exponential Patterns of Control
Authors: Tanev Ivan
Published: February 2025

Fish in nature have evolved more efficient swimming capabilities compared to that of propeller-driven autonomous underwater vehicles. Motivated by such knowledge, we discuss a bionic (bio-memetic) autonomous underwater vehicle—a fish robot—that mimics the swimming of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in nature. The robot consists of three (anterior, posterior, and tail) segments, connected via two (anterior and posterior) actuated hinge joints. We divided the half-period of undulation of the robot into two phases—thrusting and braking. In addition, we hypothesized that an asymmetric duration—a short period of thrusting and a long period of braking—implemented as an exponential (rather than “canonical”, sinusoidal) control would favorably affect the net propulsion of these two phases. The experimental results verified that, compared to sinusoidal undulation, the proposed exponential control results in increased speed of the robot between 1.1 to 4 times in the range of frequencies of undulation between 0.4 Hz and 2 Hz, and improved energy efficiency from 1.1 to 3.6 times in the same frequency range.
Enduring Legacy: Proud Roots in an Uncertain Land
Authors: Salhout Sand Mohammad , Buchanan Robert Fredrick
Published: February 2025

Siniora Food Industries of Palestine was facing a strategic dilemma. They had sold packaged meats for over 100 years in a challenging and risky environment. Siniora had carved a path of growth, expansion, and development, showcasing the power of endurance. Initially sold by local shopkeepers, the company’s products had gone from local to regional. Publicly traded on the Jordan exchange, Siniora had become a famous brand in Jordan, the Gulf region, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. They used export as well as wholly-owned subsidiary manufacturing facilities. Siniora management considers currently stalled profitability, possible strategies, and risk as the case opens. They dream of a bold move that could span the Asian continent and take the company to the next level. Of course, such a failure could be catastrophic. What are some strategies that would be suggested? Furthermore, can we devise a thorough action plan considering the geopolitical context?
A Relative Attitude Detection Method for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Based on You Only Look Once Framework
Authors: Qiu Jingting , Yu Feifan , Xu Fengrui , Chen Xinmin , Wang Jiqiang
Published: February 2025

Variable environments and constrained edge devices pose the significantly challenging task of directly recognizing the relative attitude of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Furthermore, datasets of UAV landing markers that are accessible to the general public are scarce. To tackle these challenges, we first constructed a dataset on UAV landing markers called the UAV landing marker dataset (ULMD). Then, we enhanced the You Only Look Once (YOLO) model to devise a model specifically tailored for directly recognizing the relative attitude of UAVs, termed UAV relative attitude YOLO (URA-YOLO). Within URA-YOLO, we propose an enhanced multiscale feature fusion (EMF) module that increases the network’s perceptual range and extracts feature information corresponding to various image sizes. Additionally, we propose a lightweight and efficient feature extraction (LE) module to acquire high-dimensional semantic information. Finally, to mitigate background noise interference, we propose an efficient layer aggregation network with convolutional block attention (ELAN-CA) module. The experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms the baseline by 10.8% in terms of accuracy while occupying a mere 5.8 M in size, representing a reduction of 6.5%, achieving a satisfactory balance between performance and resource consumption.
Neural Network-Aided Optical Navigation for Precise Lunar Descent Operations
Authors: Andolfo Simone , Genova Antonio , Buonomo Fabio Valerio , Gargiulo Anna Maria , El Awag Mohamed , Federici Pierluigi , Teodori Riccardo , La Grassa Riccardo , Re Cristina , Cremonese Gabriele
Published: February 2025

Advanced navigation capabilities are essential for precise landing operations, enabling access to critical lunar sites and supporting future lunar infrastructure. To achieve accurate positioning, innovative navigation methods leveraging neural network frameworks are being developed to detect distinctive lunar surface features, such as craters, from imaging data. By matching detected features with known landmarks stored in an onboard reference database, key navigation measurements are retrieved to refine the spacecraft trajectory, enabling real-time planning for hazard avoidance. This work presents a crater-based navigation system for planetary descent operations, which leverages a robust machine learning approach for crater detection in optical images. A thorough analysis of the attainable detection accuracies was performed by evaluating the network performance on diverse sets of synthetic images rendered at different illumination conditions through a custom Blender-based pipeline. Simulation campaigns, based on the JAXA Smart Lander for Investigating Moon mission, were then carried out to demonstrate the system’s performance, achieving final position errors consistent with 3 − σ uncertainties lower than 100 m on the horizontal plane at altitudes as low as 10 km. This level of accuracy is key to achieving enhanced control during the approach and vertical descent phases, thereby ensuring operational safety and facilitating precise landing.
A Two-Dimensional Analysis of the Flowfield and Performances of Linear Aerospikes During Differential Throttling
Authors: Hassan Jehangir , Di Cicca Gaetano Maria , Ferlauto Michele , Marsilio Roberto , Resta Emanuele
Published: February 2025

The performances of two linear aerospike nozzles, generated by truncating the same plug contour at 40% and 20% of its ideal length, are investigated numerically within a two-dimensional approximation and compared with each other. The nozzle geometry is a 2D representation, extracted from the CAD model of the actual nozzles under experimental investigation. In the working conditions studied here, the nozzle is throttled differentially, by setting different flow conditions on the upper and lower inlet, with the aim of generating thrust vectoring effects. The performances and flowfield of both aerospikes are investigated for values of the nozzle pressure ratio (npr) ranging from 3.7 up to the design condition (NPR=200), and for several levels of differential throttling. The CFD approach adopted is based on a two-dimensional RANS flow model. Comparisons between the numerical and experimental data are performed at two nozzle working conditions: without and with differential throttling. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the numerical simulations of the throttling case have shown a thrust deflection of about 5 degrees, with a differential pressure of approximately 10 percent.
Tourism Development in Rural Border Territories: A “Phronetic” Approach to Threats and Opportunities
Authors: Robina-Ramírez Rafael , Castellano-Álvarez Francisco Javier , Ferreira Paulo , Loures Luís
Published: February 2025

This study emphasises the crucial role of practical wisdom (“phronesis”) in the hotel industry, highlighting its impact on ethical behavior, operational reliability, and guest trust. The database was provided by the regional government in Extremadura and the national government in Portugal. Qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data managing from SEM-PLS were provided. In total, 175 rural hotels in Extremadura and Portugal have participated in this study. This study emphasises the significance of integrating ethical leadership with operational excellence to ensure sustainable tourism in rural border territories. It highlights the importance of practical wisdom (“phronesis”) in addressing complex ethical dilemmas while balancing cultural preservation and environmental responsibility. Key managerial practices include fostering safe spaces for ethical reflection and integrating technology with cultural sensitivity. These practices help build trust within communities and ensure long-term operational success while respecting local traditions and ecological concerns.
Detection and Counting Model of Soybean at the Flowering and Podding Stage in the Field Based on Improved YOLOv5
Authors: Yue Yaohua , Zhang Wei
Published: February 2025

A phenotype survey on soybean flower and pod drop conducted by agricultural experts revealed issues such as poor real-time performance and strong subjectivity. Based on the YOLOv5 detection model, a microscale detection layer is added and the size of the initial anchor box is improved to enhance feature expression ability. The CBAM attention mechanism is introduced in the backbone network to capture the information of direction and position, which helps the model to locate and recognize more accurately. The test results show that the accuracy rate of the soybean flower and pod recognition model reaches 98.4%, and the recall rate reaches 97.4%. Compared with the original network model, the accuracy rate and recall rate increase by 12.8% and 4.1%, respectively. Compared with manual counting, the average accuracy rate of field flower number is 80.32%, and the average accuracy rate of pod number is 82.17%. The research results show that models can effectively replace manual labor to complete the task of field soybean flower and pod identification and counting, and this application will promote the study of the basic laws of flower and pod fall and provide phenotypic investigation techniques.
An Empirical Analysis of Global Soybean Supply Potential and China’s Diversified Import Strategies Based on Global Agro-Ecological Zones and Multi-Objective Nonlinear Programming Models
Authors: Jiang Xiaoyu , Li Huishang , Dai Xin , Li Jingdong , Liu Ye
Published: February 2025

Soybeans play a crucial role in global food security and international agricultural trade. As the world’s largest consumer and trader of soybeans, China faces significant external dependence on supply and concentration of import sources. In light of increasing uncertainties in the international political and economic landscape, risks within China’s soybean supply chain have become increasingly prominent, highlighting the need to explore the global soybean supply potential and optimize import strategies. In response to national food security strategic requirements and anticipated changes in global production capacity, the Global Agro-Ecological Zone (GAEZ) model and the multi-objective nonlinear programming model are used in this paper to estimate the potential of soybean yield increase globally. From dual perspectives of risk minimization and cost minimization, diversified soybean import schemes for China are proposed across three scopes: neighboring countries, countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and globally. The results indicate that in the long term, the center of gravity for global soybean production capacity remains in the Americas; these areas, along with Europe and Africa, are key regions for China to expand its soybean import sources in the future. If all countries’ soybean production potentials are fully explored, China can achieve sufficient soybean supply by relying on neighboring countries as well as those countries participating in the BRI. Specifically, it is estimated that during the 2020s (2011–2040), the potential soybean production in the United States, Brazil, and Argentina could reach more than 290 million tons, 140 million tons, and 130 million tons, respectively, under scenarios of both yield increase and cultivated land expansion. Neighboring countries such as India and Russia also show significant potential, with India’s production potentially increasing by 42.8 million tons and Russia’s by 10.4 million tons. The results suggest that China can achieve a more balanced and secure import strategy by leveraging the production capabilities of countries in the Americas, Europe, and Africa while also fostering closer economic and agricultural cooperation with neighboring nations and BRI countries. Based on these findings, policy recommendations aimed at stabilizing and ensuring China’s soybean supply are discussed.
Intergovernmental Competition and Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Efficiency: Evidence from China
Authors: Yu Daohan , Wang Fang
Published: February 2025

Against the backdrop of global challenges to food security and China’s push to modernize its agriculture, it is critical to understand how government strategies affect innovation efficiency. This study examines how three modes of intergovernmental competition—fiscal spending competition (strategically increasing public spending to attract resources), tax competition (providing incentives to promote investment), and promotion competition (officials prioritizing short-term projects for promotion)—affect the efficiency of agricultural science and technology innovations across China’s provinces. Utilizing panel data (2000–2021) and a Slack-Based Measure Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA-SBM) model, we find that fiscal spending competition suppresses efficiency, particularly in western regions where infrastructure investments crowd out R&D. Tax competition enhances efficiency, yet its impact is attenuated in central China due to low industrial upgrading. Promotion competition impedes long-term innovation, as frequent official turnover prioritizes short-term projects. Regional heterogeneity highlights eastern China’s market-driven advantages versus central/western regions’ structural constraints. Policy implications advocate for spatially differentiated governance, including R&D tax rebates in the east and cross-regional innovation alliances. This study contributes to fiscal decentralization theory by revealing the nonlinear effects of competition modes on agricultural innovation.
TSO-HA*-Net: A Hybrid Global Path Planner for the Inspection Vehicles Used in Caged Poultry Houses
Authors: Sun Yueping , Cao Zhangmingxian , Yan Weihao , Lv Xueao , Zhang Ziheng , Zhao De’an
Published: February 2025

Traditional track-based inspection schemes for caged poultry houses face issues with vulnerable tracks and cumbersome maintenance, while existing rail-less alternatives lack robust, reliable path planners. This study proposes TSO-HA*-Net, a hybrid global path planner that combines TSO-HA* with topological planning, which allows the inspection vehicle to continuously traverse a predetermined trackless route within each poultry house and conduct house-to-house inspections. Initially, the spatiotemporally optimized Hybrid A* (TSO-HA*) is employed as the lower-level planner to efficiently construct a semi-structured topological network by integrating predefined inspection rules into the global grid map of the poultry houses. Subsequently, the Dijkstra’s algorithm is adopted to plan a smooth inspection route that aligns with the starting and ending poses, conforming to the network. TSO-HA* retains the smoothness of HA* paths while reducing both time and computational overhead, thereby enhancing speed and efficiency in network generation. Experimental results show that compared to LDP-MAP and A*-dis, utilizing the distance reference tree (DRT) for h2 calculation, the total planning time of the TSO-HA* algorithm is reduced by 66.6% and 96.4%, respectively, and the stored nodes are reduced by 99.7% and 97.4%, respectively. The application of the collision template in TSO-HA* results in a minimum reduction of 4.0% in front-end planning time, and the prior collision detection further decreases planning time by an average of 19.1%. The TSO-HA*-Net algorithm achieves global topological planning in a mere 546.6 ms, thereby addressing the critical deficiency of a viable global planner for inspection vehicles in poultry houses. This study provides valuable case studies and algorithmic insights for similar inspection task.
Rotary Paraplow: A New Tool for Soil Tillage for Sugarcane
Authors: Galvão Cezario B. , Garcia Angel P. , de Oliveira Ingrid N. , de Lima Elizeu S. , Lovera Lenon H. , Santos Artur V. A. , de Souza Zigomar M. , Albiero Daniel
Published: February 2025

The sugarcane cultivation has used heavy machinery on a large scale, which causes soil compaction. The minimum tillage has been used to reduce the traffic of machines on the crop, but there is a lack of appropriate tools for the implementation of this technique, especially in sugarcane areas. The University of Campinas—UNICAMP developed a conservation soil tillage tool called “Rotary paraplow”, the idea was to join the concepts of a vertical milling cutter with the paraplow, which is a tool for subsoiling without inversion of soil. The rotary paraplow is a conservationist tillage because it mobilizes only the planting line with little disturbance of the soil surface and does the tillage with the straw in the area. These conditions make this study pioneering in nature, by proposing an equipment developed to address these issues as an innovation in the agricultural machinery market. We sought to evaluate soil tillage using rotary paraplow and compare it with conventional tillage, regarding soil physical properties and yield. The experiment was conducted in an Oxisol in the city of Jaguariuna, Brazil. The comparison was made between the soil physical properties: soil bulk density, porosity, macroporosity, microporosity and penetration resistance. At the end, a biometric evaluation of the crop was carried out in both areas. The soil properties showed few statistically significant variations, and the production showed no statistical difference. The rotary paraplow proved to be an applicable tool in the cultivation of sugarcane and has the advantage of being an invention adapted to Brazilian soils, bringing a new form of minimal tillage to areas of sugarcane with less tilling on the soil surface, in addition to reducing machine traffic.
Differences in Salinity Tolerance in Avena sativa and Avena nuda
Authors: Zhang Junchao , Pu Dan , Yang Chenxi , Wang Pei , Zhao Yuanyuan , Zhou Qingping
Published: February 2025

Both Avena sativa and Avena nuda, which are highly valued for their use in food and fodder, demonstrate considerable potential in the management of saline-alkali soils. This study aimed to establish a foundation for the selection of salt-tolerant oat cultivars by assessing the impact of varying salt concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mmol L−1) on agronomic traits, photosynthetic characteristics, physiological and biochemical properties, and leaf anatomical structures in both covered oat cultivars and naked oat cultivars. The measured parameters indicate the level of salt tolerance in Avena sativa and Avena nuda, which is influenced by both salt concentration and cultivar. Both Avena sativa and Avena nuda demonstrate strong adaptation to mild and moderate salt stress conditions. However, Avena sativa exhibits a significantly greater capacity to withstand severe salt stress compared to Avena nuda. Affinity function analysis ranked the cultivars’ salt tolerance as follows: ‘Qinghai 444’ > ‘Mengyan No. 1’ > ‘Baiyan No. 18’ > ‘Qingyin No. 3’. These results suggest that the selection of oat cultivars for salinity improvement should be tailored to the specific salinity levels present in different regions.
Effects of Nitrogen Application at Different Panicle Development Stages on the Panicle Structure and Grain Yield in Hybrid Indica Rice Cultivars
Authors: Zhang Qiguang , Sun Jie , Wang Longping , Chen Jun , Ke Jian , Wu Liquan
Published: February 2025

To increase the seed setting rate and yield of large-panicle rice varieties, one agronomic and breeding strategy is to increase the proportion of spikelets in the middle portion of the panicle as many of the lower spikelets fail to produce grains. Current nitrogen management during panicle development mainly focuses on fertilization at the emergence of the top fourth leaf, which increases the number of secondary branch spikelets on the lower part of the panicle. Two-year field experiments were conducted in 2021 and 2022 with two typical large-panicle hybrid indica rice cultivars, IIYM86 and JLY8612. Nitrogen was applied at the emergence of the top fifth (TL5), fourth (TL4), third (TL3), and second (TL2) leaves, with no nitrogen application as a control. This study aimed to investigate the effects of nitrogen application on the panicle structure, seed setting rate, and grain yield at different stages of panicle development. Nitrogen application at TL3 achieved the highest grain yield, followed by application at TL4, for both cultivars over the two years. TL3 did not significantly alter the number of spikelets per panicle but increased the proportion of spikelets located in the middle part of the panicle and reduced the proportions in the upper and lower parts compared to TL4. These effects were attributed to a significant increase in secondary branch spikelet differentiation in the middle part and a decrease in secondary branch spikelet differentiation in the upper and lower parts. Compared to TL4, TL3 significantly increased the seed setting rate by 9.46 and 9.48% and the grain yield by 6.86 and 8.92% in IIYM86 and JLY8612, respectively. In TL3, the significant increase in secondary branch spikelet differentiation in the middle part was primarily due to significantly reduced indole acetic acid (IAA) and an increased cytokinin/IAA ratio, which inhibited apical dominance. The significant decrease in secondary branch spikelet differentiation in the lower part of TL3 was mainly related to a significant increase in IAA and a reduction in the cytokinin/IAA ratio. Transcriptome analysis of young panicles confirmed these results, and differentially expressed genes between TL3 and TL4 were primarily enriched in plant hormone signal transduction related to IAA biosynthesis and degradation. These findings indicate that postponing nitrogen application until TL3 can improve the PTI and the seed setting rate by regulating hormonal balance, thereby optimizing nitrogen management during panicle development in large-panicle hybrid indica rice cultivars.
Estimating Daily Reference Crop Evapotranspiration in Northeast China Using Optimized Empirical Models Based on Heuristic Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Li Zongyang , Zhao Zhengxin , Xing Liwen , Zhao Lu , Cui Ningbo , Cai Huanjie
Published: February 2025

Accurately estimating reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) improves agricultural water use efficiency. However, the accuracy of ETo estimation needs to be further improved in the Northeast region of China, the country’s main grain production area. In this research, meteorological data from 30 sites in Northeast China over the past 59 years (1961–2019) were selected to evaluate the simulation accuracy of 11 ETo estimation models. By using the least square method (LSM) and three population heuristic intelligent algorithms—a genetic algorithm (GA), a particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO), and a differential evolution algorithm (DE)—the parameters of eleven kinds of models were optimized, respectively, and the ETo estimation model suitable for northeast China was selected. The results showed that the radiation-based Jensen and Haise (JH) model had the best simulation accuracy for ETo in Northeast China among the 11 empirical models, with R2 of 0.92. The Hamon model had an acceptable estimation accuracy, while the combination model had low simulation accuracy in Northeast China, with R2 ranges of 0.74–0.88. After LSM optimization, the simulation accuracy of all models had been significantly improved by 0.58–12.1%. The results of heuristic intelligent algorithms showed that Hamon and Door models optimized by GA and DE algorithms had higher simulation accuracy, with R2 of 0.92. Although the JH model requires more meteorological factors than the Hamon and Door model, it shows better stability. Regardless of the original empirical formula or the optimization of various algorithms, JH has higher simulation accuracy, and R2 is greater than 0.91. Therefore, when only temperature or radiation factors were available, it was recommended to use the Hamon or Door model optimized by GA to estimate ETo, respectively; both models underestimated ETo with an absolute error range of 0.01–0.02 mm d−1 compared to the reference Penman–Monteith (P–M) equation. When more meteorological factors were available, the JH model optimized by LSM or GA could be used to estimate ETo in Northeast China, with an absolute error of less than 0.01 mm d−1. This study provided a more accurate ETo estimation method within the regional scope with incomplete meteorological data.
Using Soil Apparent Electrical Conductivity (ECa) to Assess Responsiveness of Nitrogen Rates and Yield in Brazilian Sugarcane Fields
Authors: Sanches Guilherme Martineli , Faria Hugo Miranda , Otto Rafael , Neto Almir Salvador , Corá José Eduardo
Published: February 2025

The expansion of sugarcane production has led to increased nitrogen (N) fertilizer use, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental concerns. Optimizing N management is crucial for sustainable agriculture. Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) has emerged as a valuable tool for mapping soil spatial variability and yield potential, potentially guiding more efficient fertilization strategies. This study evaluated sugarcane yield and N responsiveness across two areas with distinct soil types over two crop cycles. Experimental plots were classified into high (HC) and low (LC) ECa zones, with randomized blocks receiving four N rates and a control. Higher yields were generally observed in HC plots, except for the second ratoon in area 2 (Ultisol). HC plots required lower N rates to achieve maximum yield compared to LC plots. In area 1 (higher clay content), optimal N rates were lower than in area 2 (lower clay content), indicating that yield potential is linked to soil attributes and spatial variability. Although ECa alone may not define precise N doses, it effectively identifies zones with different yield potentials, supporting site-specific N management. These findings highlight the potential of ECa to improve nitrogen use efficiency and contribute to more sustainable sugarcane production.