Potential Field Research Articles

Pose detection and docking control for autonomous dynamic docking mechanism with non-cooperative targets

Purpose This study aims to address the issue of random movement and non coordination between docking mechanisms and locking mechanisms, and proposes a comprehensive dynamic docking control architecture that integrates perception, planning, and motion control. Design/methodology/approach Firstly, the proposed dynamic docking control architecture uses laser sensors and a charge-coupled device camera to perceive the pose of the target. The sensor data are mapped to a high-dimensional potential field space and fused to reduce interference caused by detection noise. Next, a new potential function based on multi-dimensional space is developed for docking path planning, which enables the docking mechanism based on Stewart platform to rapidly converge to the target axis of the locking mechanism, which improves the adaptability and terminal docking accuracy of the docking state. Finally, to achieve precise tracking and flexible docking in the final stage, the system combines a self-impedance controller and an impedance control algorithm based on the planned trajectory. Findings Extensive simulations and experiments have been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the dynamic docking system and its control architecture. The results indicate that even if the target moves randomly, the system can successfully achieve accurate, stable and flexible dynamic docking. Originality/value This research can provide technical guidance and reference for docking task of unmanned vehicles under the ground conditions. It can also provide ideas for space docking missions, such as space simulator docking.

Social context modulates multibrain broadband dynamics and functional brain-to-brain coupling in the group of mice

Although mice are social, multiple animals’ neural activities are rarely explored. To characterise the neural activities during multi-brain interaction, we simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFP) in the prefrontal cortex of four mice. The social context and locomotive states predominately modulated the entire LFP structure. The power of lower frequency bands—delta to alpha—were correlated with each other and anti-correlated with gamma power. The high-to-low-power ratio (HLR) provided a useful measure to understand LFP changes along the change of behavioural and locomotive states. The HLR during huddled conditions was lower than that during non-huddled conditions, dividing the social context into two. Multi-brain analyses of HLR indicated that the mice in the group displayed high cross-correlation. The mice in the group often showed unilateral precedence of HLR by Granger causality analysis, possibly comprising a hierarchical social structure. Overall, this study shows the importance of the social environment in brain dynamics and emphasises the simultaneous multi-brain recordings in social neuroscience.

Thalamocortical dynamics during Rapid Eye Movement Sleep in the Mouse Somatosensory Pathway.

Rapid eye movement sleep (REM), also referred to as paradoxical sleep for the striking resemblance of its electroencephalogram (EEG) to the one observed in wakefulness, is characterized by the occurrence of transient events such as limb twitches or facial and rapid eye movements. Here, we investigated the local activity of the primary somatosensory or barrel cortex (S1) in naturally sleeping head-fixed male mice during REM. Through local field potential (LFP) recordings, we uncovered local appearances of spindle waves in the barrel cortex during REM concomitant with strong delta power, challenging the view of a wakefulness-like activity in REM. We further performed extra- and intracellular recordings of thalamic cells in head-fixed mice. Our data show high frequency thalamic bursts of spikes and subthreshold spindle oscillations in about half of the neurons of the ventral posterior medial nucleus which further confirmed the thalamic origin of local cortical spindles in S1 in REM. Cortical spindle oscillations were suppressed, while thalamus spike firing increased, associated with rapid mouse whisker movements and S1 cortical activity transitioned to an activated state. During REM, sensory thalamus and barrel cortex therefore alternate between high (wake-like) and low (non-REM sleep-like) activation states, potentially providing a neuronal substrate for mnemonic processes occurring during this paradoxical sleep stage.Significance Statement Mammalian sleep includes slow wave sleep, or non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM), and the subsequent REM sleep (REM). At the EEG global level, cortical activity during REM sleep has long been believed to share some similarities with awake cortical activity. The well-defined mouse whisker system offers the unique opportunity to precisely investigate cortical and thalamic dynamics during wakefulness and REM. Combining local field potential (LFP) recordings in primary somatosensory cortex, with single-unit neuronal recordings in its associated thalamic nucleus, we found that during REM, sensory thalamus and barrel cortex alternate between high (wake-like) and low (non-REM sleep-like) activation states, potentially providing a neuronal substrate for mnemonic processes occurring during this paradoxical sleep stage.

Decentralized Swarm Control in Communication-Constrained Environments Using a Blended Leader Follower-Artificial Potential Field with Biologically Inspired Interactions

Abstract This paper presents a study of how communication ranges influence the performance of a new decentralized control method for swarms of autonomously navigating ground vehicles that uses a blended leader-follower / artificial potential field approach. While teams of autonomous ground vehicles (AGV) that can navigate autonomously through off-road terrain have a variety of potential uses, it may be difficult to control the team in low-infrastructure environments that lack long-range radio communications capabilities. In this work, we propose a novel decentralized swarm control algorithm that combines the potential-field planning method with the leader-follower control algorithm and biologically-inspired inter-robot interactions to effectively control the navigation of a team of AGV (swarm) through rough terrain using only a single lead vehicle. We use simulated experimentation to demonstrate the robustness of this approach using only point-to-point wireless communication with realistic communication ranges. Furthermore, we analyze the range requirements of the communication network as the number in the swarm increases. We find that wireless communication range must increase as the number of agents in the swarm increases in order to effectively control the swarm. Our analysis showed that mission success decreased by 40% when the communication range was reduced from 100 meters to 200 meters, with the exact reduction also depending on the number of vehicles.

Eduction of coherent structures from schlieren images of twin jets using SPOD informed with momentum potential theory in the spectral domain

Abstract This work presents a methodology to extract coherent structures from high-speed schlieren images of turbulent twin jets which are more physically interpretable than those obtained with currently existing techniques. Recently, Prasad and Gaitonde (J Fluid Mech 940:1–11, 2022) introduced an approach which employs the momentum potential theory of Doak (J Sound Vib 131(1):67–90, 1989) to compute potential (acoustic and thermal) energy fluctuations from the schlieren images by solving a Poisson equation, and combines it with spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) to educe coherent structures from the momentum potential field instead of the original schlieren field. While the latter field is dominated by a broad range of vortical fluctuations in the turbulent mixing region of unheated high-speed jets, the momentum potential field is governed by fluctuations which are intimately related to acoustic emission, and its spatial structure in the frequency domain is very organized. The proposed methodology in this paper improves the technique of Prasad and Gaitonde (J Fluid Mech 940:1–11, 2022) in three new ways. First, the solution of the Poisson equation is carried out in the frequency-wavenumber domain instead of the time-space domain, which simplifies and integrates the solution of the Poisson equation within the SPOD framework based on momentum potential fluctuations. Second, the issue of solving the Poisson equation on a finite domain with ad hoc boundary conditions is explicitly addressed, identifying and removing those unphysical harmonic components introduced in the solution process. Third, the solution of the SPOD problem in terms of momentum potential fluctuations is used to reconstruct schlieren SPOD fields associated with each mode, allowing the visualization of the obtained coherent structures also in terms of the density gradient. The method is applied here to schlieren images of a twin-jet configuration with a small jet separation at two supersonic operation conditions: a perfectly-expanded and an overexpanded one. The SPOD modes based on momentum potential fluctuations retain the wavepacket structure including the direct Mach-wave radiation, together with upstream- and downstream-traveling acoustic waves, similar to SPOD modes based on the schlieren images. However, for the same dataset, they result in a lower-rank decomposition than schlieren-based SPOD and provide an effective separation of twin-jet fluctuations into independent toroidal and flapping oscillations that are recovered as different SPOD modes. These coherent structures are more consistent with twin-jet wavepacket models available in the literature than those originally obtained with direct schlieren-based SPOD, facilitating their interpretation and comparison against theoretical analyses. Graphical abstract

5-MeO-DMT induces sleep-like LFP spectral signatures in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of awake rats

5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a potent classical psychedelic known to induce changes in locomotion, behaviour, and sleep in rodents. However, there is limited knowledge regarding its acute neurophysiological effects. Local field potentials (LFPs) are commonly used as a proxy for neural activity, but previous studies investigating psychedelics have been hindered by confounding effects of behavioural changes and anaesthesia, which alter these signals. To address this gap, we investigated acute LFP changes in the hippocampus (HP) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of freely behaving rats, following 5-MeO-DMT administration. 5-MeO-DMT led to an increase of delta power and a decrease of theta power in the HP LFPs, which could not be accounted for by changes in locomotion. Furthermore, we observed a dose-dependent reduction in slow (20–50 Hz) and mid (50–100 Hz) gamma power, as well as in theta phase modulation, even after controlling for the effects of speed and theta power. State map analysis of the spectral profile of waking behaviour induced by 5-MeO-DMT revealed similarities to electrophysiological states observed during slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Our findings suggest that the psychoactive effects of classical psychedelics are associated with the integration of waking behaviours with sleep-like spectral patterns in LFPs.

Cingulate microstimulation induces negative decision-making via reduced top-down influence on primate fronto-cingulo-striatal network.

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) is crucial for regulation of emotion that is known to aid prevention of depression. The broader fronto-cingulo-striatal (FCS) network, including cognitive dlPFC and limbic cingulo-striatal regions, has been associated with a negative evaluation bias often seen in depression. The mechanism by which dlPFC regulates the limbic system remains largely unclear. Here we have successfully induced a negative bias in decision-making in female primates performing a conflict decision-making task, by directly microstimulating the subgenual cingulate cortex while simultaneously recording FCS local field potentials (LFPs). The artificially induced negative bias in decision-making was associated with a significant decrease in functional connectivity from cognitive to limbic FCS regions, represented by a reduction in Granger causality in beta-range LFPs from the dlPFC to the other regions. The loss of top-down directional influence from cognitive to limbic regions, we suggest, could underlie negative biases in decision-making as observed in depressive states.

Autonomous navigation and collision prediction of port channel based on computer vision and lidar.

This study aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of port navigation by reducing ship collision accidents, minimizing environmental risks, and optimizing waterways to increase port throughput. Initially, a three-dimensional map of the port's waterway, including data on water depth, rocks, and obstacles, is generated through laser radar scanning. Visual perception technology is adopted to process and identify the data for environmental awareness. Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) is utilized to position ships and obstacles, while point cloud data create a comprehensive three-dimensional map. In order to improve the optimal navigation approach of the Rapidly-Exploring Random Tree (RRT), an artificial potential field method is employed. Additionally, the collision prediction model utilizes K-Means clustering to enhance the Faster R-CNN algorithm for predicting the paths of other ships and obstacles. The results indicate that the RRT enhanced by the artificial potential field method reduces the average path length (from 500 to 430m), average time consumption (from 30 to 22s), and maximum collision risk (from 15 to 8%). Moreover, the accuracy, recall rate, and F1 score of the K-Means + Faster R-CNN collision prediction model reach 92%, 88%, and 90%, respectively, outperforming other models. Overall, these findings underscore the substantial advantages of the proposed enhanced algorithm in autonomous navigation and collision prediction in port waterways.

A Novel Strategy for Hypersonic Vehicle With Complex Distributed No-Fly Zone Constraints

Aiming at solving trajectory planning problem with complex distributed no-fly zone constraints, this paper proposed a novel obstacle avoidance strategy. For longitudinal motion, an angle of attack adjustment method is employed to adjust lift and design the angle of attack profile, while adjusting the bank angle for range and altitude correction to meet terminal constraints. For lateral motion, this paper developed enhanced attractive, repulsive, and velocity potential fields. Combined with the proposed repulsive force reconstruction method, this effectively resolves the overmaneuvering problem of traditional artificial potential field methods (APFMs) for vehicle. In order to avoid mismatched magnitudes of attractive and repulsive forces, a complementary no-fly zone avoidance strategy based on minimum turn radius is introduced, updating the bank angle command during no-fly zone avoidance. Simulation results indicate that the proposed strategy can address the avoidance of sudden threat, proving to be feasible and effective for handling complex distributed no-fly zone avoidance problems.

Path Planning of Oil Spill Recovery System With Double USVs Based on Artificial Potential Field Method

Path Planning of Oil Spill Recovery System With Double USVs Based on Artificial Potential Field Method

Gravity and Magnetic Joint Imaging Based on Gramian Constraints

Gravity and magnetic imaging produce numerical images proportional to the density and magnetization source distribution through the upward continuation of potential field data. However, the inherent ambiguity and non-uniqueness in gravity or magnetic imaging restrict the reliability of the imaging model. We develop a joint iterative imaging framework for gravity and magnetic data based on Gramian constraints. The imaging fields of gravity and magnetic field are initially calculated by the depth from extreme points method. With the recovered magnetization and density distribution, the gradient directions of the Gramian function for these model parameters are calculated and utilized to regularize the joint imaging directions for gravity and magnetic fields. The introduction of Gramian constraints achieves mutual complementarity of the gravity and magnetic data and generates density and magnetization models with more distinct boundaries and improved structural coherence. The proposed approach is tested by two synthetic examples and applied to field data from the Galinge iron deposit in Qinghai, China. The real case results are verified by information from drillholes and physical properties measurements of ore and rock samples. Joint imaging provides an alternative to joint inversion with improved resolution and reliability of imaging models compared to separate imaging through the complementarity of gravity and magnetic data.

UAV formation control using enhanced behavior mechanism and artificial potential field

Inspired by formation flight of pigeon flock, this paper proposes a enhanced method of autonomous formation control of multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that can maintain high symmetry based on pigeon flock behavior mechanism. Addressing the instability of formation in the original method, the follow improvements have been made. Firstly, improve leadership of top three UAVs, Secondly, modify artificial potential field strategies for top two followers. Finally, through a series of simulation experiments, it is verified that the UAVs can form the expected formation under the autonomous formation control, and can maintain the formation under the complex motion of leader UAV.

Design and Testing of an Autonomous Navigation Unmanned Surface Vehicle for Buoy Inspection

In response to the inefficiencies and high costs associated with manual buoy inspection, this paper presents the design and testing of an Autonomous Navigation Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) tailored for this purpose. The research is structured into three main components: Firstly, the hardware framework and communication system of the USV are detailed, incorporating the Robot Operating System (ROS) and additional nodes to meet practical requirements. Furthermore, a buoy tracking system utilizing the Kernelized Correlation Filter (KCF) algorithm is introduced. Secondly, buoy image training is conducted using the YOLOv7 object detection algorithm, establishing a robust model for accurate buoy state recognition. Finally, an improved Line-of-Sight (LOS) method for USV path tracking, assuming the presence of an attraction potential field around the inspected buoy, is proposed to enable a comprehensive 360-degree inspection. Experimental testing includes validation of buoy image target tracking and detection, assessment of USV autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities, and evaluation of the enhanced LOS path tracking algorithm. The results demonstrate the USV's efficacy in conducting practical buoy inspection missions. This research contributes insights and advancements to the fields of maritime patrol and routine buoy inspections.

Fault structure and hydrocarbon prospects of the Palawan Basin on the southeastern margin of the South China Sea based on gravity, magnetic, and seismic data

To study the structural features and hydrocarbon prospects of the Palawan Basin in the South China Sea (SCS), the authors collect and collate the existing gravity and magnetic data and obtain edge recognition information from the potential fields. Combined with the seismic profile data, this paper analyzes the features of the gravity and magnetic anomalies and the edge recognition information of the potential fields, determines the fault system, and delineates favorable areas for oil and gas exploration in the Palawan Basin. The results indicate that four main groups of faults with northeast, northwest, near east–west, and near south–north trends developed in the Palawan Basin and adjacent areas in the SCS. The northeast-trending fault is the regional fault, whereas the northwest-trending fault is the main fault. The northwest-trending fault often terminated at the northeast-trending fault, indicating that the northwest-trending fault is formed subsequently. This investigation has characterized two different types of exploration favorable areas (type I and type II) based on the characteristics observed. The most notable characteristic of these exploration favorable areas is that they are located in the high-value zones of the local anomaly of the Bouguer gravity anomaly and their development is obviously controlled by the faults. The amplitude of the gravity anomalies is higher and the gradient of the gravity anomalies is steeper, and there are oil and gas wells and fields distributed in the type I favorable areas for exploration. Compared with the type I favorable areas, the amplitude of gravity anomalies is relatively small, and the gradient of the gravity anomalies is relatively gentle, corresponding to the type II favorable areas.

Adenosine mediates the amelioration of social novelty deficits during rhythmic light treatment of 16p11.2 deletion female mice.

Non-invasive brain stimulation therapy for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has shown beneficial effects. Recently, we and others demonstrated that visual sensory stimulation using rhythmic 40 Hz light flicker effectively improved cognitive deficits in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and stroke. However, whether rhythmic visual 40 Hz light flicker stimulation can ameliorate behavioral deficits in ASD remains unknown. Here, we show that 16p11.2 deletion female mice exhibit a strong social novelty deficit, which was ameliorated by treatment with a long-term 40 Hz light stimulation. The elevated power of local-field potential (LFP) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of 16p11.2 deletion female mice was also effectively reduced by 40 Hz light treatment. Importantly, the 40 Hz light flicker reversed the excessive excitatory neurotransmission of PFC pyramidal neurons without altering the firing rate and the number of resident PFC neurons. Mechanistically, 40 Hz light flicker evoked adenosine release in the PFC to modulate excessive excitatory neurotransmission of 16p11.2 deletion female mice. Elevated adenosine functioned through its cognate A1 receptor (A1R) to suppress excessive excitatory neurotransmission and to alleviate social novelty deficits. Indeed, either blocking the A1R using a specific antagonist DPCPX or knocking down the A1R in the PFC using a shRNA completely ablated the beneficial effects of 40 Hz light flicker. Thus, this study identified adenosine as a novel neurochemical mediator for ameliorating social novelty deficit by reducing excitatory neurotransmission during 40 Hz light flicker treatment. The 40 Hz light stimulation warrants further development as a non-invasive ASD therapeutics.

A Dielectric MXene-Induced Self-Built Electric Field in Polymer Electrolyte Triggering Fast Lithium-Ion Transport and High-Voltage Cycling Stability.

Quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (QPE) lithium (Li)-metal battery holds significant promise in the application of high-energy-density batteries, yet it suffers from low ionic conductivity and poor oxidation stability. Herein, a novel self-built electric field (SBEF) strategy is proposed to enhance Li+ transportation and accelerate the degradation dynamics of carbon-fluorine bond cleavage in LiTFSI by optimizing the termination of MXene. Among them, the SBEF induced by dielectric Nb4C3F2 MXene effectively constructs highly conductive LiF-enriched SEI and CEI stable interfaces, moreover, enhances the electrochemical performance of the QPE. The related Li-ion transfer mechanism and dual-reinforced stable interface are thoroughly investigated using ab initio molecular dynamics, COMSOL, XPS depth profiling, and ToF-SIMS. This comprehensive approach results in a high conductivity of 1.34 mS cm-1, leading to a small polarization of approximately 25 mV for Li//Li symmetric cell after 6000 h. Furthermore, it enables a prolonged cycle life at a high voltage of up to 4.6 V. Overall, this work not only broadens the application of MXene for QPE but also inspires the great potential of the self-built electric field in QPE-based high-voltage batteries.

Trust region framework-based design of sub-6 GHz m-MIMO antenna and evaluation of SAR

Purpose Currently, massive multiple-input multiple-output (m-MIMO) antennas are typically designed using complex trial-and-error methods. The purpose of this study is to determine an effective optimization method to achieve more efficient antenna design processes. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents the design stages of a m-MIMO antenna array compatible with 5G smartphones operating in long term evolution (LTE) bands 42, 43 and 46, based on a specific algorithm. Each antenna element in the designed 10-port m-MIMO antenna array is intended to perfectly cover the three specified LTE bands. The optimization methods used for this purpose include the Nelder–Mead simplex algorithm, covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy, particle swarm optimization and trust region framework (TRF). Findings Among the primary optimization algorithms, the TRF algorithm met the defined objectives most effectively. The achieved antenna efficiency values exceeded 60.81% in the low band and 68.39% in the high band, along with perfect coverage of the desired bands, demonstrating the success of the design with the TRF algorithm. In addition, the potential electromagnetic field exposure caused by the designed m-MIMO antenna array is elaborated upon in detail using computational human models through specific absorption rate analysis. Originality/value The comparison of four different algorithms (two local and two global) for use in the design of a 10-element m-MIMO antenna array with a complex structural configuration and the success of the design implemented with the selected algorithm distinguish this study from others.

The Impact of CSI SEEE Carbon Neutral Index Launched on Order Aggressiveness

In the context of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, in order to clarify the investment direction for investors, China Securities Index Co., Ltd. (CSI) has collaborated with the Shanghai Environmental Energy Exchange to develop the CSI SEEE Carbon Neutral Index (CSCNI), which has also played a leading role in the subsequent preparation of the Green Finance Index. The launch of this index has sparked research interest among scholars in stimulating investor order aggressiveness. This study employs event study methodology to examine the impact of the CSCNI launch on order aggressiveness. The sample companies are categorized into two groups: deep low-carbon and high-carbon reduction, with a focus on studying buy and sale order aggressiveness. The results indicate that the launch of CSCNI has mobilized order aggressiveness but has led to a negative stock price effect as investors anticipate an increase in environmental costs for the sample companies. Furthermore, we reveal that the long-term growth potential of the deep low-carbon field is more promising compared to the high-carbon reduction sector, making stocks in the deep low-carbon field more attractive. The launch of CSCNI has shown contrasting effects on the buy and sale order aggressiveness of investors, with the impact of the index announcement being more significant on the sample companies. This research provides valuable insights for evaluating the impact of green finance indices and contributes to the understanding of internal mechanisms. It provides an important reference for financial regulators to evaluate the development of the current green index. At the same time, it expands the domestic research on order aggressiveness, which studies the action mechanism of the stock price effect of the green stock index from the perspective of order aggressiveness.

Geochemical and geochronologic evidence for a contiguous northeastern Wyoming Province

The extent and nature of the Wyoming Province, an Archean craton in southwestern Laurentia, are poorly understood due to limited exposure between spatially isolated basement-cored uplifts. This lack of exposure has led to debate about whether the northeastern Wyoming Province is underlain by contiguous Archean crust or Proterozoic rocks and suture zone associated with the Trans-Hudson orogeny. To assess these models we analyzed samples recovered from drill cores in the buried northeastern Wyoming Province that straddle the proposed Proterozoic suture. Whole-rock geochemical and Nd-Pb-O isotopic data suggest the rocks formed by partial melting of > 3.5 Ga hydrated mafic to tonalitic sources similar to elsewhere in the northern Wyoming Province. Zircon U-Pb dates record Mesoarchean magmatism and metamorphism (3.0–2.8 Ga). Published whole-rock Rb-Sr, hornblende and biotite K-Ar, and apatite fission track dates suggest these rocks have not been heated above 300 °C since 2.5–2.1 Ga. Geophysical potential field data are consistent across northeastern Wyoming contrasting with major discontinuities associated with documented Proterozoic orogens on all other margins of the Wyoming Province. Hence, geochemical, isotopic, and geochronologic data along with geophysical imaging can be most simply interpreted in terms of continuous Archean crust in the northeastern Wyoming Province. A geophysically-imaged reflector east of the Bighorn Mountains may juxtapose Archean terranes with similar ages and sources, similar to the boundary between the Montana metasedimentary terrane and Beartooth-Bighorn magmatic zone in the northwestern Wyoming Province. This work emphasizes the value of integrating geologic and geophysical constraints to constrain Archean provinces and their tectonic evolution.

Gut Microbiota and Immune System in Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Related Sepsis

A severe condition of sepsis can be a complication of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which can occur in premature infants and becomes a medical challenge in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It is a multifactorial intestinal disease (can affect both the small and large intestine) that can lead to ischemia of the intestinal tissues that evolves into acute organ necrosis. One of these factors is that different types of nutrition can influence the onset or the progression of the disease. Cow-milk-based infant formulas have been shown to cause it in premature infants more frequently than human milk. Recently, nutrition has been shown to be beneficial after surgery. Several issues still under study, such as the pathogenesis and the insufficient and often difficult therapeutic approach, as well as the lack of a common and effective prevention strategy, make this disease an enigma in daily clinical practice. Recent studies outlined the emerging role of the host immune system and resident gut microbiota, showing their close connection in NEC pathophysiology. In its initial stages, broad-spectrum antibiotics, bowel rest, and breastfeeding are currently used, as well as probiotics to help the development of the intestinal microbiota and its eubiosis. This paper aims to present the current knowledge and potential fields of research in NEC pathophysiology and therapeutic assessment.