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Open AccessArticle

Promising Anticancer Activity of Novel Hydroxyethyloxy and Bromo derivatives of Curcumin and Its Complexes with BF₂

by Eduard Potapskyi, Dawid Łażewski, Julian Myszkiewicz, Gabriela Korzańska, Joanna Kuźmińska, Łukasz Popenda, Artur Korzański, Agnieszka Zgoła-Grześkowiak, Agnieszka Gielara-Korzańska, Karolina Chmaj-Wierzchowska, Nataliya Finiuk, Yuliia Kozak, Iryna Ivasechko, Rostyslav Stoika, Roman Lesyk and Marcin Wierzchowski

Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4609; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234609 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Curcumin has long been used for health purposes and is currently attracting significant research interest. In this study, we present a series of curcumin derivatives featuring structural modifications, including methoxy groups, short alcohol chains, and bromine atoms. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds [...] Read more.

Curcumin has long been used for health purposes and is currently attracting significant research interest. In this study, we present a series of curcumin derivatives featuring structural modifications, including methoxy groups, short alcohol chains, and bromine atoms. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds obtained was tested against BA/F3 wt, BA/F3 del52, BA/F3 ins5, K562, Jurkat, HCT-116, and MDA-MB-231 cell lines and non-cancerous Balb/3T3 fibroblast lines. The most promising compounds 2a, 6a, and 9a demonstrated anticancer activity comparable to that of doxorubicin, while exhibiting toxicity toward fibroblasts similar to natural curcumin. In addition, thanks to microscopic fluorescence analysis, a mechanism of action was proposed for the most active compounds against the HCT-116 cell line. Some compounds exhibit moderate or strong proapoptotic activity, while others are characterized by cytostatic activity. Studied compounds demonstrated the DNA-intercalation ability and increased the content of cellular ROS in treated HCT-116 cells. Full article

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Evolutionary Characteristics of Regional Landscapes in the Context of Rural Revitalization: A Case of Dujiangyan Irrigation District, China

by Haopeng Huang and Qingjuan Yang

Land 2025, 14(12), 2356; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122356 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dujiangyan Irrigation District is a key area for Chengdu’s rural revitalisation. However, as the plan progresses, issues have emerged, including loss of traditional features, cultural heritage, and landscape degradation. Within the framework of “landscape information collection—landscape [...] Read more.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Dujiangyan Irrigation District is a key area for Chengdu’s rural revitalisation. However, as the plan progresses, issues have emerged, including loss of traditional features, cultural heritage, and landscape degradation. Within the framework of “landscape information collection—landscape information processing—landscape information output”, the study utilized literature review, field surveys, and remote sensing interpretation to collect data for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020 as time slices. A system of landscape characteristic elements was then built to identify the types of landscape characteristics. The types were determined, and a systematic analysis of the regional landscape’s evolution was conducted. The results indicated that the types of landscape characteristics were classified as follows: Urban Settlement Landscape (8.70–16.10%), Low-Hill Forest Landscape (1.82–3.47%), Village Woodland-Grove Landscape (15.89–44.23%), and Idyllic Agricultural Landscape (36.20–73.59%). Over the last two decades, there has been a steady increase in Urban Settlement Landscape, a slow overall growth trend in Low-Hill Forest Landscape, a rapid growth trend in Village Woodland-grove Landscape, and a rapid decline in Idyllic Agricultural Landscape. Among these, built-up land dominates Urban Settlement Landscape evolution; forest land shapes Low-Hill Forest Landscape; cultivated and built-up land influence Village Woodland-grove Landscape; and cultivated land drives Idyllic Agricultural Landscape changes. Based on the changes observed, the study explored the impact of relevant policies on the landscape characteristics of the study area. Policies for urban-rural integration have encouraged the networked growth of settlement landscapes, creating a system with several centres. Both ecological and economic gains have resulted from forestry practices. Policies that safeguard farmhouse forests have made multifunctional transformation easier. Large-scale farming and ecological agriculture are now linked in a zone established by agricultural modernisation strategies. The study offers scientific references for the protection of regional landscapes and the construction of rural living environments in the irrigation area. Full article

Open AccessArticle

Population Structure and Climate Effects on Geckobia Infestation in Ptyodactylus Geckos from Israel and West Bank, with Descriptions of G. parva sp. nov. and G. inermis sp. nov

by Monika Fajfer-Jakubek and Bożena Sikora

Animals 2025, 15(23), 3461; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15233461 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Scale mites of the genus Geckobia (Pterygosomatidae) are highly specialized permanent parasites of geckos, but their diversity and ecology in arid environments remain poorly understood. We examined 1135 museum specimens of Ptyodactylus geckos collected from 1965 to 1991 across Israel and the West [...] Read more.

Scale mites of the genus Geckobia (Pterygosomatidae) are highly specialized permanent parasites of geckos, but their diversity and ecology in arid environments remain poorly understood. We examined 1135 museum specimens of Ptyodactylus geckos collected from 1965 to 1991 across Israel and the West Bank’s Mediterranean–desert climate gradient to investigate environmental effects on Geckobia mite distributions and population structure. We analyzed prevalence, intensity, population structure, and seasonal patterns across three climate zones using standard parasitological methods and Köppen–Geiger climate classification. We describe two new species, Geckobia inermis sp. nov. and G. parva sp. nov., from Ptyodactylus puiseuxi and provide the first descriptions of previously unknown life stages: the male and nymphchrysalis of G. squameum and the imagochrysalis and larva of G. bochkovi. We report P. oudrii as a new host for G. synthesys and address taxonomic confusion regarding northern Israeli host populations following recent phylogenetic revisions of Ptyodactylus. Only 37 hosts were infected (3.26% prevalence), with a significant female bias in G. squameum populations. Most mites (94.6%) concentrated in the tympanum, where we documented a “double skin plug”, closing the ear opening and creating favorable microenvironments for mite survival. The results demonstrate climate as the primary factor structuring mite distributions: environmental filtering showed systematic prevalence decline from Mediterranean zones (4.3%) to desert-edge areas (1.1%), representing a 3.9-fold gradient that exceeded host species effects by 5.2-fold. Populations exhibited phenological plasticity, with Mediterranean mites peaking in winter versus spring activity in semi-arid zones. These findings reveal how climate constrains ectoparasite persistence in arid systems, with implications for understanding parasite responses to environmental change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Ecology and Conservation)

Open AccessArticle

Reutilizing Flavonoids from Agricultural By-Products for In Situ Generation and Immobilization of AgNPs on Silk Towards Coloration, Antimicrobial and Anti-UV Functions

by Wei Chen, Yijie Yue, Xiaoqi Zhou, Jingyu Sun, Leyang Chen, Xiaoyan Hu and Yuyang Zhou

Materials 2025, 18(23), 5409; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18235409 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

The utilization of agro-byproducts for textile dyeing and finishing is strongly suggested to meet sustainability and cost-efficiency objectives. Despite recently proliferating studies, three major issues hinder the industrialization of such a technique: identifying reasonable bio-resources, ensuring compatibility between agro-byproducts and textile substrates, and [...] Read more.

The utilization of agro-byproducts for textile dyeing and finishing is strongly suggested to meet sustainability and cost-efficiency objectives. Despite recently proliferating studies, three major issues hinder the industrialization of such a technique: identifying reasonable bio-resources, ensuring compatibility between agro-byproducts and textile substrates, and achieving satisfactory color depth, functionality, and durability. This research introduces an approach that forms and fixes silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on silk using three representative flavonoids (FLs)—Quercetin (QUE), Baicalin (BAI), and Rutin (RUT)—through a single-step in situ bio-reduction. Results demonstrate that FLs-synthesized AgNPs@silk generates attractive spectra of hues, varying from pale cream-brown to deep golden-brown. Using an equivalent quantity of FLs, the color intensity of silk descends in QUE-Ag@silk > BAI-Ag@silk > RUR-Ag@silk, due to the decreasing reactivity and binding affinity of FLs to silk. SEM reveals uniformly distributed spherical AgNPs in dimensions between 20 and 40 nm on silk and the dimension inversely correlates with FLs concentration while being directly proportional to silver nitrate. The modified silk exhibits remarkable antimicrobial performance (>98% pathogen elimination) and exceptional wash resistance (>90% reduction both of E. coli and S. aureus after ten cycles of washing). Additionally, the FLs-synthesized AgNPs provide silk with superior UV shielding capability. This study stems from environmental awareness and sustainable production of AgNPs by FLs, ready for developing hygienic and therapeutic textile materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Textiles: Fabrication, Processing and Applications)

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Risks of Green Financing Water-Energy-Food Nexus Projects in BRICS Countries

by Svetlana Gutman, Maya Egorova, Andrey Zatrsev, Dmitriy Rodionov and Mukesh Kumar Barua

Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310739 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

The conceptual foundation of this study is that a country’s exposure to risk when using green bonds as a mechanism for financing sustainable development is shaped by a combination of macroeconomic, market, and social factors. This paper develops and empirically validates a fuzzy-set [...] Read more.

The conceptual foundation of this study is that a country’s exposure to risk when using green bonds as a mechanism for financing sustainable development is shaped by a combination of macroeconomic, market, and social factors. This paper develops and empirically validates a fuzzy-set model to assess national-level risks associated with green financing projects within the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus in BRICS countries. Building on established theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, the study conceptualises risk as a function of economic development, the scale of the domestic green bond market, institutional trust, and performance on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). The study employs fuzzy-set modelling to integrate these heterogeneous indicators into a unified quantitative risk score. This approach enables cross-country comparison and captures the non-linear nature of relationships between socio-economic and institutional factors. The country sample includes Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which have successively chaired the BRICS association between 2021 and 2025, thereby ensuring methodological consistency and representativeness. The empirical results reveal a clear stratification of green-finance risk levels across the four economies: China demonstrates the lowest risk (Y = 0.243), followed by Russia with a below-average risk (Y ≈ 0.41), while India (Y = 0.53) and Brazil (Y = 0.51) exhibit the highest relative risks. These outcomes highlight the critical role of institutional trust and market maturity in reducing financing uncertainty within the WEF nexus. The study contributes to the literature by integrating macroeconomic, social, and institutional indicators into a unified fuzzy-logic model of green-finance risk; offering a transparent methodology for country-level comparison; and providing policy insights for improving the enabling environment for green bond markets in emerging economies. Full article

Open AccessArticle

Metabolomic Analysis of Drought Response in Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) Seeds

by Roman K. Puzanskiy, Daria A. Romanyuk, Evgeny A. Zorin, Margarita A. Vishnyakova and Vladimir A. Zhukov

Agronomy 2025, 15(12), 2778; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15122778 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a legume crop valued for the gum (carbohydrate galactomannan) found in its seeds, which is widely used in the oil and mining industries. In this study, we assessed changes in seed metabolite content caused by drought [...] Read more.

Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a legume crop valued for the gum (carbohydrate galactomannan) found in its seeds, which is widely used in the oil and mining industries. In this study, we assessed changes in seed metabolite content caused by drought stress in three guar genotypes (tolerant, neutral, and sensitive to drought) in order to gain an insight into molecular mechanisms of guar tolerance to drought. The most intense response to drought was observed in seeds of the tolerant genotype. In response to drought, the content of sugars and their derivatives in the seeds of all three genotypes changed: monosaccharide content increased and glycoside content decreased. However, the tolerant genotype accumulated a specific set of sugars and their derivatives, including galactinol, and demonstrated higher levels of tocopherols. The neutral genotype was characterized by higher content of glycosides and pentoses, while the sensitive genotype had higher accumulation of some specific sugars and derivatives, major phytosterols, and unsaturated C18 fatty acids. Overall, the accumulation of galactinol, phytol, and alpha-tocopherol in seeds was associated with guar drought tolerance. This finding expands the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in guar and paves the way for breeding drought-tolerant guar varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Plant-Crop Biology and Biochemistry)

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Structural Evolution and Determinants of the Global Digital Service Trade Network

by Xiang Yuan and Lingying Pan

Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10738; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310738 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Amid global digital transformation, digital service trade has become a transformative force reshaping international economies. We employ an innovative combination of Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) to simultaneously dissect the macroscopic structure and microscopic determinants of the global digital [...] Read more.

Amid global digital transformation, digital service trade has become a transformative force reshaping international economies. We employ an innovative combination of Social Network Analysis (SNA) and Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) to simultaneously dissect the macroscopic structure and microscopic determinants of the global digital service trade network. Key findings reveal: (1) The global digital service trade network exhibits distinct scale-free and small-world characteristics, reflecting deepening globalization. (2) The global hierarchy demonstrates structural rigidity, wherein core nations persistently reinforce their dominance despite selective upward mobility achieved by certain emerging economies. (3) Clear community differentiation emerges, featuring stable European subgroups, dynamic Asia-Pacific reorganization, and marginalized yet internally diverging Africa-Latin America clusters. (4) QAP regression identifies technological gaps and economic disparities as primary enablers, whereas geographical distance, internet development asymmetries and digital infrastructure divides constitute significant barriers, with linguistic commonality exerting positive effects. Based on empirical findings, we propose policy suggestion from four aspects: multilateral coordination for digital trade rules, digital infrastructure development, regional digital integration, and cross-civilizational digital communities. The study enriches analytical approaches to digital trade networks and provides theoretical foundations and policy insights for constructing an inclusive global digital economy framework. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

Open AccessArticle

Functional Cognitive Rehabilitation as a Primer to Activity-Based Stroke Telerehabilitation: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Engagement

by Stephanie Aghamoosa, Kelly Rishe, Julianne Laura, Patricia Finetto, Stephanie Garner, Lisa M. McTeague, Deena Schwen Blackett and Michelle L. Woodbury

Brain Sci. 2025, 15(12), 1298; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15121298 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Cognitive deficits are common after stroke and often compound motor impairments, hindering functional recovery—yet cognition remains under-addressed in stroke care. This pilot trial evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel stroke telerehabilitation program—COG + OT—that delivers brief, functionally oriented cognitive [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Cognitive deficits are common after stroke and often compound motor impairments, hindering functional recovery—yet cognition remains under-addressed in stroke care. This pilot trial evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a novel stroke telerehabilitation program—COG + OT—that delivers brief, functionally oriented cognitive rehabilitation as a primer to activity-based occupational therapy (OT). Methods: Twenty stroke survivors with arm/hand paresis participated in this single-arm pilot trial. The 8-week COG + OT program included 13 sessions across three phases: (1) cognitive rehabilitation (sessions 1–4), (2) application of cognitive strategies to task-practice OT (sessions 5–10), and (3) integration of cognitive skills into OT (sessions 11–13). Outcomes included feasibility (retention, adherence), acceptability (self-reported interest and usefulness of cognitive strategies, intervention acceptability), and engagement (digital literacy, barriers, and self-reported strategy use). Results: Retention was 95% and adherence was 99.6%. Participants reported moderate interest in cognitive strategies pre-intervention (M = 3.86/5) and found them moderately to very useful post-intervention (M = 4.42/5). Intervention acceptability and appropriateness were rated highly (M = 4.4/5). Common barriers included cognitive, environmental, and language factors; digital/technological barriers were infrequent. Self-reported use of cognitive strategies was moderate to high. Conclusions: The results of this trial strongly support the feasibility and acceptability of the COG + OT program for stroke survivors. Importantly, all participants were able to meaningfully engage in the program despite marked variability in cognitive and clinical characteristics. These findings support further investigation through randomized controlled trials to evaluate efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Stroke on Functional Cognition and Rehabilitation Approaches)

21 pages, 2088 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Status of Sustainable Development Goals in Global Mining Area

by Shurui Zhang, Yan Sun, Yan Zhang, Xinxin Chen, Zhanbin Luo and Fu Chen

Land 2025, 14(12), 2355; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122355 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Mining is an important industry for the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), but it results in a significant amount of degraded land worldwide, thereby affecting local social and ecological sustainability. Little is known about the extent to which this degraded land adheres [...] Read more.

Mining is an important industry for the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs), but it results in a significant amount of degraded land worldwide, thereby affecting local social and ecological sustainability. Little is known about the extent to which this degraded land adheres to the current SDGs. In this study, based on public geographic information data, the status of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) for global mine sites was comprehensively assessed. The results show that (1) the global aggregation index for SDG 11 and 15 in mining areas increased from 23.94 in 2000 to 24.48 in 2020, generally exhibiting a positive trend. (2) For SDG 11, all four indicators indicate improvement, suggesting enhancement of the sustainability of cities and communities surrounding global mined land, as well as urban development, mining activities, and economic growth. In contrast, regarding SDG 15, there were noticeable improvements in the water body area and land reclamation ratio, but the forest coverage ratio and net ecosystem productivity significantly declined, indicating continued stress on ecosystems caused by mining. (3) Less than 1% of mines globally met the green grade in SDG 11, and around 97% were categorized as red grade. For SDG 15, no mines reached the green grade, and at least 99.74% were categorized as red grade mines. (4) Globally, the status has exhibited obvious spatial clustering, and the region with a better status is in the equatorial region. There has been obvious spatial heterogeneity within countries, and mine sites near urban areas have had a better status according to these SDGs. The main influencing factors on the status of mines, according to the SDGs, include the degree of mining disturbance, ecosystem recovery capacity, and urban expansion. Overall, the global status of mines according to the SDGs is far from expectation, indicating a considerable gap from achieving sustainable mining and necessitating efforts to improve human habitats and restore ecosystems in mining areas. Future endeavors should focus on strengthening site specific assessment and long-term monitoring of the global SDGs in mining areas to provide foundational data and scientific evidence for sustainable mining and the realization of SDGs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Land Reclamation Strategies for Post-Mining Areas: From Theory to Practice)

23 pages, 3087 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of REE Steel Modification on the Microstructure and Mechanical Characteristics Using Fractographic Analyses

by Robert Pała and Piotr Furmańczyk

Materials 2025, 18(23), 5408; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18235408 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Improving the operational parameters of machinery necessitates the use of materials with higher mechanical characteristics. Strength characteristics, particularly fracture toughness, are strongly linked to the material’s microstructure. This article presents the results of a study examining the effect of microstructure on the mechanical [...] Read more.

Improving the operational parameters of machinery necessitates the use of materials with higher mechanical characteristics. Strength characteristics, particularly fracture toughness, are strongly linked to the material’s microstructure. This article presents the results of a study examining the effect of microstructure on the mechanical properties and fracture toughness of G17CrMo5-5 cast steel in its basic and rare-earth modified variants. The addition of rare-earth elements (REEs) to the melt resulted in a reduction and homogenization in grain size, as well as a reduction in the size and shape of non-metallic inclusions. For modified cast steel, there were no grains with a chord size above 120 μm and inclusions with a diameter above 5.5 μm. Changes in the microstructure of modified cast steel resulted in a slight increase in strength properties. It significantly increased the fracture toughness: for unmodified cast steel at a temperature of −20 °C, the fracture toughness increased from 94 kN/m to 416 kN/m for modified cast steel. Fracture fractographic analysis using non-contact microroughness measurement techniques or measuring the width of the stretch zone allowed for the calculation of fracture toughness without the need for a conventional test. Fracture toughness calculated based on fractographic analysis can be determined for brittle fracture and brittle fracture preceded by plastic growth. Numerical simulations of the loading of specimens tested for fracture toughness allowed us to determine the effect of the REE steel modification on the stress field distribution ahead of the crack front. The modification resulted in a change in the opening stress distribution and the location of its maximum at each temperature. The use of REE modification is an effective approach for homogenizing the microstructure and increasing the fracture toughness of cast steel, especially when the material operates at temperatures in the interval of the fracture mechanism change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Metals and Alloys)

15 pages, 1090 KB

Open AccessArticle

A CRISPR Powered Immobilization-Free, Amplification-Free Carbon-Nanotube Field-Effect Transistor (FET) Sensor for Influenza A Virus (IAV)

by Wenjun Li, Yue Shi, Dong Li, Yihan Wang, Yansong Sun, Hao Li and Yao Han

Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4608; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234608 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

The epidemic of infectious diseases, such as influenza A, has imposed a severe health burden on the population. Early detection, diagnosis, reporting, isolation, and treatment are crucial for the prevention, control, and management of infectious diseases. Nucleic acid testing represents a vital approach [...] Read more.

The epidemic of infectious diseases, such as influenza A, has imposed a severe health burden on the population. Early detection, diagnosis, reporting, isolation, and treatment are crucial for the prevention, control, and management of infectious diseases. Nucleic acid testing represents a vital approach for the rapid diagnosis of pathogenic microorganism types. However, current nucleic acid detection methods face notable bottlenecks: traditional CRISPR fluorescence assays require time-consuming pre-amplification of target nucleic acids, while existing carbon-nanotube field-effect transistor (FET)-based platforms, though amplification-free, often necessitate complex chip surface modification and probe immobilization, and suffer from non-reusable chips, all limiting their utility in point-of-care testing (POCT) and large-scale screening. This study reports a CRISPR-based amplification-free RNA detection platform (CRISPR-FET) for the rapid identification of influenza A virus. The CRISPR-FET platform described herein enables the detection of viral RNA without amplification within 20 min, with a limit of detection as low as 1 copy/μL. Secondly, a reporter RNA conjugated with gold particles is used to achieve signal amplification in FET detection; meanwhile, the method eliminates probe immobilization, thereby omitting this step and simplifying chip modification to reduce complex work-flows and pre-treatment costs. The chip’s reusability further enhances cost-effectiveness. Additionally, streptavidin-modified magnetic bead adsorption minimizes background errors from excessive reporter RNA and non-target nucleic acids. Finally, validation with 24 clinical samples confirmed the platform’s efficacy. By integrating rapidity, simplicity, and high sensitivity, alongside cost advantages from reusable chips, this CRISPR-FET platform meets the critical need for early influenza A diagnosis and holds promise for advancing POCT and large-scale epidemiological screening. Full article

14 pages, 552 KB

Open AccessArticle

Burden and Clinical Characteristics of Influenza and Its Complications in Children Across Multiple Epidemic Seasons

by Arianna Dondi, Fiorentina Guida, Ludovica Trombetta, Maddalena De Peppo Cocco, Giulia Piccirilli, Laura Andreozzi, Eleonora Battelli, Pasquale Castaldo, Ilaria Corsini, Luca Pierantoni, Martina Franceschiello, Liliana Gabrielli, Monia Gennari, Dalila Periccioli, Tiziana Lazzarotto, Daniele Zama and Marcello Lanari

Viruses 2025, 17(12), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17121574 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Seasonal influenza is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in children, with the potential for severe complications and considerable socioeconomic impact. We conducted a retrospective observational study including 1046 children aged 0–14 years with laboratory-confirmed influenza who accessed the Paediatric Emergency Department [...] Read more.

Seasonal influenza is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in children, with the potential for severe complications and considerable socioeconomic impact. We conducted a retrospective observational study including 1046 children aged 0–14 years with laboratory-confirmed influenza who accessed the Paediatric Emergency Department of a tertiary center in Bologna, Italy, across three consecutive epidemic seasons (2022–2025). While the entire cohort was analysed, particular attention was given to children with severe complications requiring hospitalization, for whom more detailed clinical and laboratory data were available. Overall, 12.3% of patients required hospitalization, and 6.1% experienced complications, most frequently influenza-associated encephalopathy, lower respiratory tract infections and myositis. Influenza A predominated overall (82.0%), except for in the last season, which saw a predominance of influenza B (57.4%), closely associated with myositis and elevated creatine phosphokinase levels. Younger age was consistently associated with increased severity and hospitalization. Intensive care admissions were rare (0.8%), and no deaths were recorded. Our findings suggest that, although influenza is generally self-limiting, younger children are at higher risk of complications. These results highlight the importance of active surveillance, careful monitoring of clinical manifestations and targeted paediatric vaccination strategies to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Human Virology and Viral Diseases)

21 pages, 1388 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Nonverbal Communication Processing in Deaf Adults: An Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis

by Shimin Mo, Andrew Dimitrijevic and Claude Alain

Brain Sci. 2025, 15(12), 1299; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15121299 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss affects spoken language processing and leads to cortical reorganization in sensory systems. While neuroimaging research has explored cross-modal plasticity in visual language processing, there is a need to identify brain activation patterns consistently activated across different nonverbal communication tasks [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss affects spoken language processing and leads to cortical reorganization in sensory systems. While neuroimaging research has explored cross-modal plasticity in visual language processing, there is a need to identify brain activation patterns consistently activated across different nonverbal communication tasks in deaf individuals. We hypothesized that deaf adults would show convergent activation across studies in visual and auditory cortices during nonverbal communication processing compared to typical hearing adults. Methods: To test this, we conducted an Activation Likelihood Estimation analysis of 14 neuroimaging studies using different visual linguistic stimuli and tasks in adults with prelingual deafness and age-matched hearing controls. Results: Contrary to expectations, deaf individuals did not show intramodal activation in the visual cortex. Instead, they demonstrated convergence activation in the left superior temporal gyrus only, indicating cross-modal recruitment of auditory regions, which supports visual-spatial language processing. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for future research to clarify how cortical reorganization impacts speech perception outcomes following auditory restoration using neuroprostheses like cochlear implants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Neurolinguistics)

16 pages, 1054 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Different Bacillus subtilis Supplementation Levels on Fecal Microbiota and Metabolites in Goats

by Anmiao Chen, Hu Liu, Jiancheng Han, Donghong Zhu, Shiyang Huang, Mao Li, Xiaoyan Deng, Ke Wang, Qun Wu, Yuanting Yang, Weishi Peng, Meng Zeng, Wenji Wang, Xiaosong Zhang and Hanlin Zhou

Microorganisms 2025, 13(12), 2740; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13122740 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) supplementation on microbiota and metabolites in the feces of Leizhou goats. Eight Leizhou goats were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design according to their gender (nanny goats [...] Read more.

This study investigated the effects of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) supplementation on microbiota and metabolites in the feces of Leizhou goats. Eight Leizhou goats were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design according to their gender (nanny goats and billy goats) with a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments that included four B. subtilis additive doses (control [0 g/d; NC, BC], low [2.5 g/d, NL, BL], medium [5 g/d, NM, BM], and high [7.5 g/d, NH, BH]) and 28 d periods (n = 4 per group), each consisting of 27 d adaption and 1 d sample collection. After collecting 32 fecal samples, 16S rRNA gene sequencing and LC-MS were performed to analyze microbial composition and metabolites, respectively. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group was significantly higher (p< 0.05) in the NM group than in the NC group. The relative abundance of Treponema sp. was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the NM group than in the NC group. In billy goats, the relative abundances of UCG-005 and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group were significantly higher (p< 0.05) in the BH group than in the BC group. The relative abundance of Treponema sp. was significantly lower (p< 0.05) in the BL, BM, and BH groups than in the BC group. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis revealed that B. subtilis significantly altered the concentrations of glucose metabolism modulators (1-deoxynojirimycin, 1-DNJ) and certain bioactive peptides. Many amino acid metabolic pathways were also enriched. Correlation analysis demonstrated close connections between differential metabolites and the top 10 bacterial genera in fecal samples. These results provide new insights into the impact of B. subtilis on the microbial community and metabolic profile of the feces of Leizhou goats. In this experiment, the appropriate doses of B. subtilis for nanny goats and billy goats were 5 g/d and 7.5 g/d, respectively, but the optimal doses still need to be verified based on performance-based feeding tests in the next study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary and Animal Gut Microbiota)

26 pages, 3362 KB

Open AccessArticle

UAS-Based Spectral and Phenological Modeling for Sustainable Mechanization and Nutrient Management in Horticultural Crops

by Alexis Suero, Emmanuel Torres-Quezada, Lorena López, Mark Reiter, Andre Biscaia and Fernando Fuentes-Peñailillo

Horticulturae 2025, 11(12), 1451; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121451 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Potatoes are an economically important crop in Virginia, USA, where growers must balance planting dates, nitrogen (N) management, and variable crop prices. Early planting exposes crops to low temperatures that limit growth, whereas late planting increases pest pressure and nutrient inefficiency. This study [...] Read more.

Potatoes are an economically important crop in Virginia, USA, where growers must balance planting dates, nitrogen (N) management, and variable crop prices. Early planting exposes crops to low temperatures that limit growth, whereas late planting increases pest pressure and nutrient inefficiency. This study evaluated the effects of planting dates, N rates, and application timing on potato growth, yield, and pest incidence. We also assessed whether soil physicochemical properties could predict the presence of wireworms and plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) using complementary on-farm samples collected across Eastern Virginia between March and July 2023. Three planting dates (early-March, late-March, and early-April) were combined with five N rates (0, 146, 180, 213, and 247 kg N·ha⁻¹) under early- and late-application regimes. We collected data on plant emergence, flowering time, soil nitrate, biomass, tuber yield, pest damage, and UAS-derived metrics. Results showed that late-March planting with 180 kg N·ha⁻¹ achieved the highest gross profit while maintaining competitive yields (25.06 Mg·ha⁻¹), representing 24% and 6% improvements over traditional practices, respectively. Early-April planting produced the largest tubers, with a mean tuber weight 19% higher than the other planting dates. The Normalized Difference Red Edge Index (NDRE) was strongly correlated with N content in plant tissue (R² = 0.81; r ≈ 0.90), and UAS-derived plant area accurately predicted tuber yield 4–6 weeks before harvest (R² = 0.75). Wireworm damage was significantly higher in early-March plantings due to delayed insecticide application, while soil nitrate concentration and percent H saturation were identified as key predictors of wireworm presence. Although less effectively modeled due to limited sample size, PPN occurrence was influenced by potassium saturation and soil pH. Aligning planting dates and nitrogen applications with crop phenology, using growing degree days (GDD), enhanced nitrogen management, and yield prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of the Mechanization of Works for Horticultural Crops)

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14 pages, 751 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Combined Effect of Late Pruning and Apical Defoliation After Veraison on Kékfrankos (Vitis vinifera L.)

by Szabolcs Villangó, Katalin Patonay, Marietta Korózs and Zsolt Zsófi

Horticulturae 2025, 11(12), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11121450 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of late pruning and late apical leaf removal on grapevine phenology, fruit composition, yield parameters, xylem sap carbohydrate content, and grape skin polyphenol levels over two consecutive vintages (2022 and 2023). As expected, delayed pruning shifted the phenological [...] Read more.

This study evaluated the effects of late pruning and late apical leaf removal on grapevine phenology, fruit composition, yield parameters, xylem sap carbohydrate content, and grape skin polyphenol levels over two consecutive vintages (2022 and 2023). As expected, delayed pruning shifted the phenological stages, with more pronounced delays observed in 2022 than in 2023. However, by August, all the treatments had reached the berry-softening stage, indicating a convergence in ripening. The grape juice composition showed no significant differences in sugar content in 2022; however, in 2023, the °Brix was notably reduced in control vines subjected to late apical defoliation. The titratable acidity and pH remained stable across treatments and years, while the malic acid concentrations were consistently higher in the late-pruned treatments, particularly LP2 (late pruning 2 was performed when the control vines had reached the eight-leaves-folded development stage). Late pruning significantly reduced the yield and bunch size, especially for the 2023 LP2 treatment. In contrast, late apical defoliation had minimal impact on the yield components. Vegetative growth, as assessed by cane diameter and weight, also declined under late pruning. Despite this, the xylem sap analysis revealed no significant changes in the glucose, fructose, or myo-inositol levels, suggesting that the carbohydrate reserves remained unaffected. Notably, LP2 consistently resulted in the highest total polyphenol content in the grape skins across both years, indicating enhanced phenolic maturity. Although the polyphenol concentrations were generally higher in 2023, the treatment effects varied more widely, likely due to the differing environmental conditions. These findings suggest that late pruning—particularly LP2—can be a valuable tool for improving grape phenolic quality, albeit at the cost of reduced yield and vine vigor. This study highlights the importance of site- and season-specific canopy management strategies in balancing fruit quality with productivity under variable climatic conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Viticulture)

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16 pages, 5755 KB

Open AccessArticle

Properties and Microstructure of TiSiC- and TiSiCN-Based Coatings Produced by RPS

by Lazat S. Baimoldanova and Bauyrzhan K. Rakhadilov

Crystals 2025, 15(12), 1029; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15121029 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

This work presents a comparative study of TiSiC and TiSiCN composite coatings deposited on stainless steel by reactive plasma spraying using mechanically activated powders. Microstructure, phase composition, and hardness were assessed by SEM/EDS, XRD, and Vickers indentation, while corrosion, erosion, and high-temperature tribological [...] Read more.

This work presents a comparative study of TiSiC and TiSiCN composite coatings deposited on stainless steel by reactive plasma spraying using mechanically activated powders. Microstructure, phase composition, and hardness were assessed by SEM/EDS, XRD, and Vickers indentation, while corrosion, erosion, and high-temperature tribological behavior were systematically evaluated. The TiCN + SiC + Si system forms a stable TiC_xN₁₋_x solid solution with amorphous Si₃N₄ grain-boundary phases, leading to densification and enhanced chemical stability. Compared with TiSiC, TiSiCN coatings exhibit higher hardness (2599 N/mm², ≈324 HV), lower erosion loss (<1 mg), and stable friction coefficients (0.45–0.50 at 600 °C) due to protective oxide/nitride tribofilms. Electrochemical tests in 3.5 wt.% NaCl show a >6-fold reduction in corrosion rate (from 0.0506 to 0.008 mm·year⁻¹) relative to bare steel. Overall, TiSiCN coatings deposited at 500–600 A provide an optimal balance of hardness, wear, and corrosion resistance, indicating strong potential for gas-turbine and power-generation components operating in aggressive environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Crystal Engineering)

27 pages, 13224 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spectral Prototype Attention Domain Adaptation for Hyperspectral Image Classification

by Weina Zhang, Runshan Hu, Jierui Wang, Lanlan Zhang and Chenyang Zhu

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(23), 3901; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17233901 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification is often challenged by cross-scene domain shifts and limited target annotations. Existing approaches relying on class-agnostic moment matching or confidence-based pseudo-labeling tend to blur decision boundaries, propagate noise, and struggle with spectral overlap and class imbalance. We propose Spectral [...] Read more.

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification is often challenged by cross-scene domain shifts and limited target annotations. Existing approaches relying on class-agnostic moment matching or confidence-based pseudo-labeling tend to blur decision boundaries, propagate noise, and struggle with spectral overlap and class imbalance. We propose Spectral Prototype Attention Domain Adaptation (SPADA), a framework that integrates an attention-guided spectral–spatial backbone with dual prototype banks and distance-based posterior modeling. SPADA performs global and class-conditional alignment through source supervision, kernel-based distribution matching, and prototype coupling, followed by diversity-aware active adaptation and confidence-calibrated refinement via prior-adjusted self-training. Across multiple cross-scene benchmarks in urban and inter-city scenarios, SPADA consistently outperforms strong baselines in overall accuracy, average accuracy, and Cohen’s

κ

, achieving clear gains on classes affected by spectral overlap or imbalance and maintaining low variance across runs, demonstrating robust and stable domain transfer. Full article

25 pages, 3674 KB

Open AccessArticle

Distribution and Risk Assessment of Copper Content in Soil and Tea of Tieguanyin Plantations in Anxi County, China

by Qiyu Zeng, Yuanyuan Zhan, Changwu Tao, Kaijun Feng, Jingya Zheng, Huogui Su and Yuede Wu

Toxics 2025, 13(12), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics13121042 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Cu in tea leaves can be easily leached into the tea broth during brewing and ingested by humans; therefore, excessive accumulation of Cu in tea leaves may pose potential health risks. In this study, the relationship between soil Cu and Cu content in [...] Read more.

Cu in tea leaves can be easily leached into the tea broth during brewing and ingested by humans; therefore, excessive accumulation of Cu in tea leaves may pose potential health risks. In this study, the relationship between soil Cu and Cu content in tea plantations was investigated by analyzing 106 surface soil samples (0–20 cm) and their corresponding tea samples from Anxi County. The distribution of Cu, ecological risk, and early warning indicators were analyzed in both tea and soil samples. Research indicates that soil Cu content is classified into five grades in accordance with the Specifications for Geochemical Evaluation of Land Quality: Grade I (>29 mg/kg, accounting for 7.55%), Grade II (24~29 mg/kg, accounting for 2.83%), Grade III (21~24 mg/kg, accounting for 3.77%), Grade IV (16~21 mg/kg, accounting for 8.49%), and Grade V (≤16 mg/kg, accounting for 77.36%). The mean soil Cu content varied with the underlying rock type, following the order: sedimentary rocks > metamorphic rocks > magmatic rocks. The spatial distribution of soil Cu content was higher in the north and lower in the southeast and northwest, whereas tea Cu content was higher in the southeast and northwest and lower in the central region. Soil-forming parent materials, traffic emissions, and agricultural activities were identified as the main sources of soil Cu, while tea Cu content was mainly affected by soil Cu and agricultural activities. Importantly, soil Cu posed no significant ecological risks, and all tea samples had Cu contents within safe limits without significant toxicity or health hazards. This study innovatively integrates Cu source identification, spatial analysis, and dual-dimensional (soil–tea) risk assessment in a typical tea-producing area, providing a targeted scientific basis for the precise monitoring and management of soil Cu in tea plantations and ensuring compliance of soil and tea products with national safety standards. Full article

26 pages, 1154 KB

Open AccessReview

The Effect of Silver Nanoparticle Addition on the Antimicrobial Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Used for Fabrication of Dental Appliances: A Systematic Review

by Kacper Galant, Maja Podziewska, Maciej Chęciński, Kamila Chęcińska, Natalia Turosz, Dariusz Chlubek, Tomasz Korcz and Maciej Sikora

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(23), 11633; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262311633 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used in modern dentistry, particularly in prosthodontics, orthodontics, and maxillofacial surgery. To improve the properties of PMMA, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated to enhance the antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects of this material. This study aims to evaluate [...] Read more.

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is widely used in modern dentistry, particularly in prosthodontics, orthodontics, and maxillofacial surgery. To improve the properties of PMMA, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated to enhance the antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects of this material. This study aims to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of AgNPs as an additive to PMMA. Medical databases covered by the ACM, BASE, PubMed, and Scopus engines were searched. Of the 670 identified records, 23 studies were included that assessed the antibacterial and antifungal properties gained by incorporating AgNPs into PMMA. All of the studies included also contained a control group—PMMA without additives. Studies that evaluated nanoparticles other than AgNPs or materials other than PMMA were excluded. The data collected from the articles included the size and concentration of the nanoparticles, the method of sample preparation, sample size, information on the effect of nanoparticles on antimicrobial properties, and the contact time between the sample and the test tube containing fungi or bacteria. The data were presented in tables and graphs. The analysis indicated that increasing the weight percent concentration of AgNPs or extending the incubation time increases the antifungal efficacy. The result of Tau Kendall correlation showed that the pairs of data, concentration/incubation time and outcomes, are inversely proportional for fungi (p < 0.01). The results of the study are not entirely conclusive. Some limitations suggest the need for more standardized studies, which ideally should be conducted on human research groups and followed by a study of these properties and their effects on the human body. This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The protocol was submitted to the Open Science Framework Registries (1 December 2024). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanoparticles in Nanobiotechnology and Nanomedicine: 2nd Edition)

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6 pages, 674 KB

Open AccessInteresting Images

Venturing out of Overwinter Refuge: A Case of Winter Predation on Podarcis tauricus (Georgi, 1801) (Squamata: Lacertidae) by Lanius excubitor Linnaeus, 1758 (Aves: Laniidae) in Greece

by Apostolos Christopoulos, Christos Kotselis and Yiannis G. Zevgolis

Diversity 2025, 17(12), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17120829 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Shrikes (Lanius spp.) are predatory passerines with a diverse diet that often includes lizards, yet their feeding ecology in Greece remains poorly documented. Here, we report the first case of the great grey shrike Lanius excubitor Linnaeus, 1758 preying on the Balkan [...] Read more.

Shrikes (Lanius spp.) are predatory passerines with a diverse diet that often includes lizards, yet their feeding ecology in Greece remains poorly documented. Here, we report the first case of the great grey shrike Lanius excubitor Linnaeus, 1758 preying on the Balkan wall lizard Podarcis tauricus (Georgi, 1801) in Greece. The observation was made in January 2023 in Central Macedonia under unusually mild winter conditions (~20 °C). The shrike captured and impaled an adult female lizard on a thorn. This record extends the known prey spectrum of the species and underscores the influence of climatic anomalies on predator–prey interactions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)

18 pages, 2198 KB

Open AccessArticle

Air and Water Temperature Relationships in Major Polish Rivers and Their Long-Term Changes

by Mariusz Ptak, Mariusz Sojka, Katarzyna Szyga-Pluta and Teerachai Amnuaylojaroen

Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10737; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310737 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Large rivers are crucial for the functioning of individual regions and entire countries. However, despite their importance, relevant data allowing for a full assessment of the processes and phenomena occurring within them are often lacking. In the contemporary context, climate change has become [...] Read more.

Large rivers are crucial for the functioning of individual regions and entire countries. However, despite their importance, relevant data allowing for a full assessment of the processes and phenomena occurring within them are often lacking. In the contemporary context, climate change has become a key factor affecting river ecosystems, leading to transformations in one of their fundamental characteristics—thermal conditions. This study analyzes the relationships between air temperature and water temperature in the four largest rivers in Poland, using a diversified methodological approach (wavelet analysis, lag non-linear models, copula), which broadens the current understanding of rivers in Central Europe. All three analytical paths confirmed a strong relationship between the two media, forming a basis for further research aimed at addressing data gaps and determining the direction and rate of changes over the period 1965–2024. All cases showed a statistically significant positive trend, with rates varying slightly from 0.32 to 0.38 °C · decade⁻¹ (an average increase of 0.35 °C · decade⁻¹). The ongoing transformation of the thermal regime—its scale and rate—should be taken into account in interdisciplinary studies of river ecosystems, as well as by agencies responsible for water resource management. This issue is particularly important in the context of sustainable development, where the economic use and ecological condition of river systems are closely linked to water temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Air, Climate Change and Sustainability)

31 pages, 4044 KB

Open AccessArticle

Extended Necessary Conditions for Multi-Arc Aerospace Trajectory Optimization

by Mauro Pontani

Aerospace 2025, 12(12), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12121073 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

A variety of aerospace trajectory optimization problems are subject to either discontinuities or constraints at intermediate times, which define multiple arcs with distinctive governing equations. This work addresses multi-arc optimal control problems, with special interest regarding aerospace trajectories, and specifically focuses on the [...] Read more.

A variety of aerospace trajectory optimization problems are subject to either discontinuities or constraints at intermediate times, which define multiple arcs with distinctive governing equations. This work addresses multi-arc optimal control problems, with special interest regarding aerospace trajectories, and specifically focuses on the multipoint corner conditions that belong to the complete set of necessary conditions for an extremal, in the context of a general formulation. This includes intermediate times and states in the objective functional, together with unknown time-independent parameters. This study shows that 16 cases can occur for the multipoint corner conditions and groups them into three classes. Explicit, closed-form solutions of the multipoint corner relations are identified in each class, if certain conditions are met. In an indirect solution approach, these explicit expressions can be employed sequentially, thus reducing the number of unknowns of multi-arc problems to the same number of single-arc optimal control problems. This is extremely useful in the presence of a large number of arcs. Two challenging aerospace trajectory optimization problems are analyzed as illustrative examples, i.e., (i) the minimum-fuel ascent path of a multistage launch vehicle and (ii) minimum-time low-thrust orbit transfers with eclipse constraints on the available thrust. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimal Control in Astrodynamics)

19 pages, 1303 KB

Open AccessArticle

Path Optimization Algorithm for Airborne TSN Using Augmented Lagrangian and Bayesian Reliability Modelling

by Zhiming Zheng, Jizhou Lai, Jianfeng Miao, Chun Cheng, Chen Chen and Bo Gao

Aerospace 2025, 12(12), 1074; https://doi.org/10.3390/aerospace12121074 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

With the rapid development of the civil aviation industry, the reliability and real-time performance of airborne data transmission are becoming increasingly important. The traditional airborne network cannot meet the future flight requirements of the aircraft. To ensure the reliable and real-time transmission of [...] Read more.

With the rapid development of the civil aviation industry, the reliability and real-time performance of airborne data transmission are becoming increasingly important. The traditional airborne network cannot meet the future flight requirements of the aircraft. To ensure the reliable and real-time transmission of data, the time-sensitive network introduces the Frame Replication and Elimination for Reliability (FRER) mechanism. The standard FRER mechanism defines the methods of frame replication and elimination of redundant frames. However, the description of how the replicated frames are transmitted is not in-depth. The frame replication and elimination function at the source and destination nodes will also reduce the reliability and real-time performance of the network. In order to realize the application of the time-sensitive network in the airborne network, this article independently builds an airborne time-sensitive network test simulation platform. It carries out in-depth research on improving the reliability of the network. It puts forward a path-finding algorithm based on a time-sensitive network with the FRER mechanism in response to the problem of low reliability of the selected data transmission paths in the airborne network. The algorithm integrates the constraints of transmission link delay and packet loss rate. It performs link reliability calculation before selecting redundant paths to obtain non-overlapping data transmission paths. The experimental results show that, compared with the dynamic link redundancy selection algorithm, the path delay is reduced by 21.51%. Compared with the multilevel P-cycle cascading algorithm, the path delay is reduced by 19.70%. At a 120 Mbps data transmission rate, the packet loss rate is reduced by 18.67% compared with the dynamic link redundancy selection algorithm. It is also reduced by 24.00% compared with the multilevel P-cycle cascading algorithm. These results show that the proposed method improves the reliability of data transmission in the airborne network. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Aeronautics)

24 pages, 4017 KB

Open AccessArticle

Resilience Assessment and Governance Strategies for a Complex Watershed System: A Case Study of the Erhai Basin, China

by Biao Liu, Jinman Wang, Mengru Liu and Yutong Jiang

Land 2025, 14(12), 2354; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14122354 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Ecological resilience serves as a critical foundation for regional ecological management. As a fundamental unit of ecological governance, a watershed integrates natural, economic, and social subsystems into a complex composite system. However, the mechanisms linking human activities, management behaviors, and natural processes to [...] Read more.

Ecological resilience serves as a critical foundation for regional ecological management. As a fundamental unit of ecological governance, a watershed integrates natural, economic, and social subsystems into a complex composite system. However, the mechanisms linking human activities, management behaviors, and natural processes to ecological resilience at the watershed scale remain poorly understood. To address this gap, this study takes China’s Erhai watershed as a representative case and develops an integrated evaluation framework for assessing the resilience of a watershed-scale natural–economic–social composite system. The framework combines resilience measurement, coupling coordination analysis, and scenario simulation using the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) method. The results indicate that the overall resilience of the Erhai watershed increased steadily from 2005 to 2020, with the average value rising from 0.23 to 0.42. However, spatial disparities in resilience widened, reflecting challenges of uncoordinated regional development. Fiscal revenue was identified as a key driver of resilience enhancement, as higher fiscal capacity promotes greater investment in ecological protection and environmental governance. Scenario simulations further revealed that the conservation-priority policy scenario achieved the highest resilience, characterized by stronger infrastructure development, improved environmental management, and increased investment in social security and health, supported by sustainable tourism. These findings provide theoretical and practical insights for promoting coordinated and resilient watershed governance in China and similar regions worldwide. Full article

17 pages, 1649 KB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of Snow Albedo Simulation Considering Water Content

by Fengyu Li and Kun Wu

Remote Sens. 2025, 17(23), 3899; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17233899 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

By combining the Maxwell–Garnett mixing rule, Mie scattering, and the four-stream discrete ordinates adding method, a snow albedo model with explicit consideration of water content was constructed, and the influence of snow water content on snow albedo simulation was systematically analyzed. The results [...] Read more.

By combining the Maxwell–Garnett mixing rule, Mie scattering, and the four-stream discrete ordinates adding method, a snow albedo model with explicit consideration of water content was constructed, and the influence of snow water content on snow albedo simulation was systematically analyzed. The results indicate that liquid water content is the key factor contributing to significant changes in albedo in the near-infrared band. The albedo of snow with small particle sizes is more sensitive to water content. The water content in the surface layer of snow has a more pronounced effect on reducing albedo. The actual measurement cases at the stations on the Tibetan Plateau, Xinjiang, and Northeast China show that the model established here provides a good simulation of albedo accuracy, with a bias of −0.0069 and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.0583 compared to the observations. This indicates that the model has a strong ability to express physical mechanisms and performs stably in complex environments, thereby demonstrating good regional applicability. This model can also be applied to wet snow containing impurities in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing Modelling and Measuring Snow Cover and Snow Albedo)

24 pages, 5207 KB

Open AccessArticle

Graph Neural Networks vs. Traditional QSAR: A Comprehensive Comparison for Multi-Label Molecular Odor Prediction

by Tengteng Wen, Xianfa Cai and Jincheng Li

Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4605; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234605 (registering DOI) - 30 Nov 2025

Abstract

Molecular odor prediction represents a fundamental challenge in computational chemistry with significant applications in fragrance design, food science, and chemical safety assessment. While traditional Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR) methods rely on hand-crafted molecular descriptors, recent advances in graph neural networks (GNNs) enable direct [...] Read more.

Molecular odor prediction represents a fundamental challenge in computational chemistry with significant applications in fragrance design, food science, and chemical safety assessment. While traditional Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR) methods rely on hand-crafted molecular descriptors, recent advances in graph neural networks (GNNs) enable direct end-to-end learning from molecular graph structures. However, systematic comparison between these approaches for multi-label odor prediction remains limited. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of traditional QSAR methods compared with modern GNN approaches for multi-label molecular odor prediction. Using the GoodScent dataset containing 3304 molecules with six high-frequency odor types (fruity, green, sweet, floral, woody, herbal), we systematically evaluate 23 model configurations across traditional machine learning algorithms (Random Forest, SVM, GBDT, MLP, XGBoost, LightGBM) with three feature-processing strategies and three GNN architectures (GCN, GAT, NNConv). The results demonstrate that GNN models achieve significantly superior performance, with GCN achieving the highest macro F1-score of 0.5193 compared to 0.4766 for the best traditional method (MLP with basic preprocessing), representing a 24.1% relative improvement. Critically, we discover that threshold optimization is essential for multi-label chemical classification. These findings establish GNNs as the preferred approach for molecular property prediction tasks and provide crucial insights for handling class imbalance in chemical informatics applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Analysis of Natural Volatile Organic Compounds (NVOCs))

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