Search Results (3,038)

Gain-scheduled and cascaded proportional–integral–derivative (PID) autopilots remain common practical baselines for fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), but training one shared learned controller for heading, altitude, and true airspeed across several maneuvers remains difficult. We study this problem under a strict reach-then-hold benchmark in which all the active channels must enter prescribed green bands and remain there for a terminal hold window. The proposed training recipe combines proximal policy optimization (PPO) with a tri-band maneuver-tracking reward and an outer bounded reward reweighting (BDR) step that updates the base reward weights from recent violation summaries under a Kullback–Leibler (KL) gate. In the JSBSim F-16 six-degree-of-freedom dynamics model, used here as a challenging surrogate benchmark for fixed-wing UAV autopilot learning, the learned controller transfers across a fixed five-lesson sequence, reaches strict success rates of 0.966 on turn and 0.921 on climb, and issues substantially smaller executed-command updates than the shared fixed-gain PID reference used here. Under the reported lesson sequence and step budget, fixed-weight PPO and a reweighting-only variant stall under the same envelopes, while speed remains the main bottleneck for both controllers. We further report exploratory long-horizon tracking, difficult-command stress checks, and an added command-filtered nonlinear dynamic-surface-control (CF-DSC) reference without retraining the learned policy. The CF-DSC results confirm that advanced non-reinforcement-learning (non-RL) controllers can be strong reference methods; therefore, within this reported simulator setup, BDR should be read as a practical and inspectable reward-scheduling heuristic for shared triad tracking rather than as a proof of superiority over all classical, nonlinear, or model-based controllers. Full article

Inner Triangle Outer Diamond (ITOD) Framework, presented and published in 2025, informed and guided the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) ethics education into a Medical Humanities course for medical students. Central to the ITOD Framework is the premise that education takes place in an ecosystem, with outcomes shaped by the dynamic interplay and interactions among multiple components. In planning and designing the instruction, the ITOD’s inner triangle helped connect pedagogy (team-based learning), curriculum (AI in Medical Humanities), and assessment (reflective practice). The outer diamond’s elements were also considered to ensure proper alignment of the educational intervention with programme requirements, with special emphasis on resources, policies, instructional design, curricular structure, standard practices, including the educational ecosystem dynamics, and alignment of outcomes with overall programme objectives. Very importantly, the ITOD also aided in calibrating an effective response to external conceptual factors such as technological and cultural advances, and professional advancements. A pre- and post-intervention survey design was adopted to evaluate the impact of the educational intervention (n = 113 pre-session; n = 103 post-session). Results showed significant positive shifts in self-reported AI understanding, increased support for formal AI integration into the curriculum, and enhanced confidence in critically engaging with AI outputs (94.1% reporting ‘yes’ or ‘somewhat’ post-session). Following the educational intervention and the feedback received from the learners, it is accurate to state that the ITOD was a reliable framework for introducing technology-related topics, specifically Artificial Intelligence ethics education, into Medical Humanities within an undergraduate medical programme. The approach is hereby presented in this work and recommended to educators, academic leaders, and other stakeholders. Full article

Despite the growing attention paid to sustainability education, limited quasi-experimental research has examined how metacognitive guidance can integrate cognitive, affective, and agency-oriented learning in food-related climate education. This classroom-based quasi-experimental study, complemented by student interviews, investigated a six-lesson metacognitive guidance-based unit designed to strengthen ninth-grade students’ sustainable food literacy (SFL), climate-change perceptions and attitudes, and constructive hope. Participants were 59 students from two intact classes in northern Israel; one class received the intervention, and the other received traditional instruction on the same content. Quantitative data were collected through a sustainable food and climate change knowledge test and a climate change literacy questionnaire and were analyzed using mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA, t-tests, and multiple regression. Qualitative data were obtained from individual semi-structured interviews with students in the experimental group. Results indicated significant intervention-related gains in SFL knowledge, climate-change perceptions, climate-change attitudes, and constructive hope, with moderate-to-large time × group effects across the main outcomes (partial η² = 0.16–0.33). Climate-change perceptions emerged as the strongest post-intervention predictor of constructive hope (β = 0.92, p < 0.001). Interviews illustrated how reflective prompts, self-monitoring, discussion, and learning artifacts supported conceptual understanding, moral responsibility, perceived agency, and self-reported short-term intentions for sustainable food choices. The findings suggest that metacognitive guidance can support integrative, hope-oriented sustainability learning among adolescents. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small non-random sample, the use of two intact classes, the short six-lesson intervention, and the reliance on short-term self-reported outcomes. The study’s novelty lies in integrating sustainable food literacy, climate-change perceptions and attitudes, and constructive hope within a metacognitively guided food–climate unit in a culturally underrepresented Druze school context. Full article

Background/Objectives: Wheelchair users with multiple sclerosis (MS) often face barriers that restrict participation in physical activity and exercise training. This manuscript reports on participant feedback to guide evaluating and refining a novel exercise training program, Seated Physical activity INtervention (SPIN). SPIN was adapted from the Guidelines for Exercise in MS (GEMS) approach using a three-step community-engaged research framework based on meeting the needs of wheelchair users with MS. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 participants who completed the 16-week SPIN intervention. The key SPIN intervention components were the exercise prescription, exercise equipment, and behavioral coaching grounded in Social Cognitive Theory. Formative interview domains included overall experience, enjoyable and missing components, delivery modifications, barriers, lessons learned, and additional research topics of interest. Data were analyzed and reported using a rapid qualitative analysis approach. Results: Interviews averaged 16 ± 10 min. Participants reported enjoying SPIN, noting program strengths as being flexible and appropriate for individuals with MS, receiving coaching calls by knowledgeable staff that offered support and accountability, and receiving exercise equipment and video demonstrations. Participants also identified strategies for enhancing the program such as including peer support, offering real-time feedback during exercise, and adding other wellness behavior topics (e.g., diet). Conclusions: The results offer helpful ideas to consider when developing exercise training programs for wheelchair users with MS and other disabilities that may improve health and well-being. Full article

Over the past decade, educators and administrators in higher education have taken steps toward improving accessibility in teaching and learning. Yet research on supporting students with disabilities in experiential pedagogies, such as community-engaged learning, remains limited, particularly regarding best practices for inclusive instruction. The present study addresses this gap by exploring the perceptions and experiences of students with disabilities in community-engaged learning opportunities, as well as the support mechanisms that may contribute to their meaningful participation in these experiences. Forty-three students with disabilities participated in this qualitative study. Drawing on focus groups, individual interviews, and written responses, the study identifies themes for more inclusive design and delivery, including clearly outlining the physical and digital demands of engagement activities well in advance, designing courses with flexibility in mind, protecting students’ privacy, and including an accessibility statement in the syllabus. While the thematic analysis offers practical recommendations for educators and administrators, aimed at reducing barriers and fostering meaningful participation, the study also advocates for greater theoretical engagement with the personal and relational dimensions of experiential education. Full article

Chinese language practice, especially handwriting and typewriting practice, has always been a key method for mastering Chinese in Chinese L2 learning. However, current research on blended practice modalities that combine handwriting and typewriting remains insufficient. This study used a pilot study with 30 international students to compare the associative patterns of handwriting practice and blended practice (a sequential multimodal practice wherein handwriting instruction was followed by typewriting) on students’ Chinese skills performance, Chinese learning motivation, and attitude. Results indicated that students using the blended practice were associated with significantly better Chinese skills performance, as well as higher levels of motivation and more positive attitudes compared to those using only handwriting. Exploratory path analysis identified a notable direct association between practice modality and Chinese skills performance; however, the pathways through motivation and attitude were not statistically detectable. These findings suggest that Chinese language teachers may consider designing lessons that incorporate this sequential blended practice, which may support improvements in L2 Chinese performance, motivation, and attitudes. Furthermore, second language learners should actively apply this practice modality to improve their Chinese L2 learning performance. Full article

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimated around 3197 annual deaths along with 5008 newly diagnosed cases of cervical cancer in Pakistan. Worldwide, introduced in 164 WHO member states, the HPV vaccine provides over ninety percent (90%) protection from human papillomavirus (16 & 18 types) infections. This article intended to document the vaccine (HPV) introduction in a low-middle-income country through the lens of EPI preparedness, vaccination coverage achieved, community acceptance, and implementation challenges during Phase I. Methodology: The research applied a qualitative and quantitative mix method to review the intricate procedure of new vaccine rollout within the national context. A qualitative participant observation approach assessed the planning, approval, and implementation phases of the HPV vaccine. Quantitative data statistics were evaluated for national & regional vaccination coverages, rapid convenience assessment findings, and adverse events reports. Results: The overall reported administrative HPV campaign coverage was 75%, with the maximum regional coverage of 81% by the Punjab, followed by 66% of the Sindh, 43% by the Azad Jammu & Kashmir, and 38% by the Islamabad. Rapid Convenience Assessment findings highlighted the main reasons for refusal (71%), with unavailable girls during the campaign (22%) for non-HPV vaccination. Community acceptance varied across the regions, with notable challenges in implementation being observed. Discussion & Way Forward: Initial phase campaign coverage (70.6%) was greater than the worldwide reported first dose mean coverage (61.6%) for the same multi-age cohort, indicative of an encouraging start in resource limited setting. Documented coverage was below the high-performing countries but comparable to multiple low and middle-income countries. Federal Directorate of Immunization, in collaboration with provincial EPI stakeholders, should prioritize including the newly introduced HPV vaccine in the routine immunization schedule of the Phase I regions and should also implement the lessons learned in the subsequent rollout phases in 2026 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 2027 in Balochistan & Gilgit Baltistan. Expanding fixed EPI sites for HPV vaccination, promoting school-centered vaccination, rationalizing outreach in marginalized areas, sustaining the cold chain system, implementing a culturally acceptable communication plan, and resolving internet connectivity challenges are the key strategies to address implementation challenges. Full article

Objectives: This study aims to assess the acceptance of vaccinations among pregnant women, particularly against influenza, pertussis, COVID-19, and RSV, and to identify factors influencing their willingness to get vaccinated. It also seeks to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal attitudes and behaviors regarding vaccination. Methods: The analysis involved a review of existing literature and studies to evaluate the level of vaccine acceptance among pregnant women before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, including misinformation, lack of knowledge, and the influence of healthcare professionals, were examined. Results: The findings indicated that, despite scientific evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of vaccines during pregnancy, public concerns remain about their impact on the developing fetus. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased awareness of the risk of infectious diseases, but at the same time, its impact on vaccination rates among pregnant women is ambiguous and geographically diverse. Misinformation and decreased access to healthcare during the pandemic negatively affected vaccine uptake. Trustworthy information provided by healthcare professionals emerged as a key factor in promoting vaccine acceptance. Conclusions: To improve vaccination rates among pregnant women, it is essential to provide clear, evidence-based information through healthcare professionals, particularly those directly caring for pregnant women. Educational campaigns should address concerns calmly and without judgment, emphasizing the safety and benefits of vaccinations. Enhanced access to healthcare and vaccinations, along with strategic information dissemination, can significantly improve vaccine acceptance during pregnancy. Lessons learned from past pandemics should be incorporated into the development of healthcare strategies aimed at implementing recommended vaccinations for pregnant women in the future. Full article

Future planetary exploration missions are expected to employ increasingly sophisticated aerial, ground, and hybrid robotic systems that must interact directly with extraterrestrial regolith during landing, takeoff, mobility, anchoring, sampling, and subsurface investigation activities. Consequently, understanding the mechanical behavior of lunar and Martian regolith is essential for the design and reliable operation of autonomous exploration platforms. This review examines drone–regolith interaction from a system-level perspective by integrating knowledge of regolith mechanical properties with findings from penetration mechanics, anchoring technologies, mobility studies, numerical modelling, and in situ mission observations. Key differences between lunar and Martian regolith are identified, highlighting the predominantly friction-driven behavior of lunar soils and the combined frictional–cohesive response frequently observed in Martian regolith. Lessons learned from planetary missions, particularly the Apollo and Mars InSight programs, demonstrate how system–soil mismatch can significantly affect penetration, stabilization, and surface-operation performance. The review further discusses the implications of regolith mechanics for landing stability, rotor–surface interaction, anchoring efficiency, subsurface access, and future drone-assisted exploration concepts. Finally, current challenges in experimental validation and numerical modelling are assessed, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches that combine soil mechanics, robotic system design, and environmental constraints to enable reliable autonomous operations on the Moon and Mars. Full article

Background/Objectives: The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the Medical University of Vienna (MUV) both implemented video recording and review in their neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The two centers initiated collaborative, multicenter video review sessions to facilitate international knowledge exchange. Methods: In this exploratory, descriptive study, collaborative video review sessions were organized with the interprofessional NICU staff of the LUMC and the MUV. We aimed to describe our experience with organizing these sessions and to report procedural variations, and document lessons learned that led to new perspectives on care. Results: We conducted five sessions using recordings of different patients undergoing intubation, less invasive surfactant administration, umbilical, central-catheter insertion and physiologically based cord clamping after birth. The videos were selected to ensure technical and clinical comparability. Sessions were attended by a mean of eight providers per center. A total of 19 relevant differences were described, of which seven (37%) prompted changes in practice or new insights for one or both centers. Finally, we developed a roadmap for organizing multicenter video review sessions. Conclusions: This study shows that multicenter video review may represent a feasible and innovative educational approach for identifying practice variations and fostering cross-institutional clinical refinement. Full article

Background/Objectives: Technology transfer (TT) has been identified as a global health priority due to its impact on improving access to vaccines, including for pandemic influenza preparedness and response through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms. This study aimed to (1) characterize examples of influenza vaccine TT (IVTT) and (2) identify key lessons learned that may inform future activities relevant for next-generation influenza vaccine technologies. Methods: Using a contingent effectiveness model, a convergent mixed-methods study was conducted with vaccine manufacturers and global experts to capture quantitative survey data on IVTT activities and enablers and qualitative data on successes, challenges, and opportunities for IVTT through interviews, complemented by secondary data from peer-reviewed and grey literature to characterize additional IVTT observations. Results: This study included 24 participants, including 14 representatives from 13 vaccine manufacturers and 10 experts. Interviews were conducted with representatives from eight manufacturers and seven experts. Eighteen IVTT observations were identified through the surveys and interviews, of which 15 IVTT transfers were completed and 13 resulted in an approved vaccine. Secondary data provided additional evidence on eight IVTT recipients and one supplier, expanding the range of institutional and programmatic contexts assessed. Shorter IVTT completion and vaccine approval timelines were observed in association with prior TT experience and private management structures for manufacturers, for pre-pandemic/pandemic influenza vaccines versus seasonal influenza vaccines, and among bilateral transfer mechanisms (versus multilateral mechanisms) and fill/finish transfer methods. Manufacturers also described spillover benefits, including the use of IVTT-related know-how for the development of COVID-19 and routine vaccines. Both manufacturers and experts generally agreed on a list of 17 enablers for successful IVTT and ranked government commitment to vaccine production and procurement as the top enabler. Findings from the literature-based observations were consistent with primary data and included additional public sector recipient experiences, evidence of widespread human capital development, and a commentary on the importance of the demand environment. Conclusions: Assessed IVTT activities across primary and secondary data sources yielded commercial and spillover benefits as described in the contingent effectiveness model and provided a triangulated analysis of IVTT experiences across manufacturers, experts, and documented cases. Participants agreed that effective technology transfer is contingent upon a host of determinants. Using a systematic application of the contingent effectiveness model to IVTT, this study provided an exploratory analysis of past activities among vaccine manufacturers and experts. While certain nuances for influenza were identified, the lessons learned from this study may be applicable for other TT activities, including those to support pandemic preparedness. The contingent effectiveness model is a useful tool to inform and evaluate future TT activities. Full article

This experimental study investigated the impact of embedding social and emotional learning (SEL) in science instruction on the academic and social–emotional outcomes of Arabic-speaking sixth graders, including those with reading difficulties (RD). Children from two schools in northern Israel (n = 101) were randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which received SEL-enriched science lessons featuring collaborative, reflective activities over 30 sessions, or a control group receiving traditional instruction. Pre- and post-tests assessed SEL competencies, motivation towards science, and academic achievements in science and mathematics. Results showed significantly greater gains in SEL skills, and in science motivation and science achievement in the intervention group compared to controls, whereas mathematics outcomes remained unchanged. Typically developing students and those with RD benefited similarly. Integration of SEL into science curricula thus enhances cognitive and social–emotional learning dimensions, particularly in linguistically and socio-economically marginalised populations. Implications for inclusive pedagogy and future research directions are discussed. Full article

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is considered the leading causative agent of acute lower respiratory infections in infants and young children worldwide, which makes it a major contributor to pediatric morbidity and mortality. Infants are especially susceptible to severe disease in early life, which underlines the urgent need for developing effective immunization strategies against this virus. However, the development of vaccines against RSV has long been associated with significant challenges. For example, initial attempts, especially those involving formalin-inactivated RSV, resulted in vaccine-enhanced respiratory disease upon subsequent infection, which set a significant safety obstacle for future vaccine candidates. Other challenges facing vaccine development against RSV include the short-lived immunity induced by natural infection, lack of clear correlates of immunity, and immune naivety in infants. Recent breakthroughs in structural virology and immunology have provided insights into protective immunity against RSV, especially regarding neutralizing antibodies that recognize the virus in its prefusion conformation of the viral F protein. Among promising vaccine candidates, intranasal live-attenuated vaccines have emerged as especially promising for infant immunization, especially considering their close mimicry of natural infection that can elicit systemic as well as mucosal immunity in the respiratory tract. A newly emerging approach for live-attenuated virus vaccine development is codon-pair deoptimization (CPD), which is based on synthetic recoding that reduces viral replicative capacity while maintaining intact protein sequences and structure. The preclinical results of CPD-based RSV candidates have provided evidence of such vaccines’ ability to elicit robust immunity while maintaining favorable safety profiles. This review addresses the major challenges associated with the development of effective RSV vaccines for infant immunization, with particular emphasis on lessons learned from previous vaccine failures and recent advances in RSV vaccine development, particularly CPD-based attenuation strategies. Full article

Genomic prediction (GP) is now widely used in crop improvement, but the rapid expansion of GP methods has outpaced the development of standardized evaluation practices. Reported gains from deep learning and other complex models are difficult to interpret when studies use different datasets, baselines, validation schemes, metrics, tuning budgets, and reporting practices. In this Perspective, we argue that plant GP requires a shift from model-centric performance claims toward standardized, scenario-aware, and application-oriented benchmarking. We highlight four sources of complexity that shape model performance: species and genetic-background diversity, trait architecture, population structure, and genotype-by-environment interaction. We then review current plant GP resources and draw lessons from benchmarking efforts in gene regulatory network inference, single-cell model assessment, and protein structure prediction. On this basis, we propose a nine-step workflow covering curated datasets, harmonized preprocessing and metadata, marker-density scenarios, required baselines, controlled hyperparameter tuning, fixed validation splits, multi-dimensional evaluation metrics, reproducibility reporting, and breeder-facing recommendations. Such benchmarks would make reported gains easier to verify, reduce selective reporting, support cost-aware deployment, and transform plant GP from a collection of fragmented performance claims into a reproducible, comparable, and practically deployable framework for modern breeding. Full article

Background and rationale: A review of the current disaster-recovery literature highlights the lack of standard frameworks for comparing recovery experiences. Indicator-based evaluation tools are often context-specific, and the generalizability of lessons learned from case studies is limited. This research offers a diagnostic framework that can be used both as a tool for analyzing and strengthening specific instances of disaster recovery and for comparing recoveries across contexts. Methodology: The literature search was conducted to identify important elements of recovery. Results: This article presents the Recovery Typology Framework (RTF)—a tool for analyzing and characterizing recovery efforts, identifying recovery strengths and weaknesses, and comparing disaster recovery across settings and scales. Useful to both scholars and practitioners, the RTF is divided into process, outcome, and assessment aspects of disaster recovery. Recovery processes can be efficient or participatory. Recovery outcomes can be aimed at stabilization, restoration, or improvement. Both objective and subjective assessment methods can be used to evaluate recovery processes and outcomes. Types of evaluation vary from formative to summative throughout the recovery process. This article applies the RTF to Israel’s national long-term earthquake recovery plans, demonstrating how this tool can be used to characterize, critique, and improve recovery planning. Contribution and usefulness: The study contributes to disaster-recovery scholarship by offering a conceptual–analytical framework that integrates governance processes, recovery outcomes, and assessment mechanisms into a single comparative structure. Rather than proposing a prescriptive or empirically validated model, the RTF is designed as a diagnostic and interpretive tool that can be applied across diverse contexts to reveal trade-offs and guide more reflexive recovery planning. The framework makes it possible to identify the unique blend of elements in specific recovery experiences, outlines the trade-offs implicit in recovery decision-making, and facilitates comparison of recovery experiences across contexts. Contribution to UN SDGs: The RTF offers a tool for identifying areas of recovery that contribute to and threaten the long-term sustainability of recovery efforts. Full article