Abstract: Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, Nigeria, is a rapidly growing mid-sized city located at the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers. While this location has driven urban expansion, it has simultaneously increased the city’s exposure to environmental risks, particularly flooding and ecosystem degradation. Despite their growing importance, cities of this scale remain underrepresented in African urban research. Using multi-decadal Landsat imagery (2000, 2010, 2020, and 2024), Random Forest supervised classification, and PyLandStats landscape metrics, this study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of urban growth and landscape fragmentation in Lokoja. Results reveal a non-linear urban trajectory characterized by rapid expansion (2000–2010), partial consolidation (2010–2020), and renewed densification with intensified fragmentation (2020–2024). Urban land cover expanded from 6,668 ha in 2000 to 19,371 ha in 2010, declined to 12,883 ha in 2020, and increased again to 15,985 ha by 2024, representing a net growth of approximately 140%. Urban expansion has imposed severe ecological costs. Dense forest cover declined by 99.7% (from 373 ha to 1 ha), while woodland areas were reduced by 73.9%. Core habitat declined from 23% to 13.8% of the landscape, falling below the 15–20% threshold associated with ecological functionality. Edge density increased by 121%, amplifying urban heat island effects, surface runoff, and biodiversity loss. Although grassland cover increased by 77.1%, this reflects secondary succession rather than ecological recovery, given an estimated loss of 3,000 ha of original vegetation. The study recommends enforcing development restrictions below 10 m elevation with 100 m riparian buffers, restoring 500 ha of native riparian corridors, mandating a minimum of 20% urban tree canopy cover, and institutionalizing community-based monitoring of green spaces. These findings contribute empirical evidence on the sustainability challenges of mid-sized African cities and offer transferable planning strategies for ecologically sensitive urban regions.

Abstract: Various sight-threatening diseases are caused by an elevated permeability of the layer of retinal microvascular endothelial cells (REC), induced by high intravitreal levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A₁₆₅ (VEGF-A₁₆₅). Barrier impairment is accompanied by an altered expression of proteins restricting para- and transcellular flow, counteracted by inhibition of VEGF-A-signaling. Here we investigated whether chloroquine, an inhibitor of lysosome acidification and autophagy, can prevent VEGF-A₁₆₅-induced impairment of the REC barrier. Cells were treated with 1-10 µM chloroquine ± 1.3 nM VEGF-A₁₆₅ for up to four days. Barrier function was assessed by continuous cell index measurements revealing that 10 µM chloroquine partly counteracted the VEGF-A₁₆₅-induced low cell index. Higher protein expression of the regulator of transcellular flow, plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein was also prevented, but not loss of tight junction protein claudin-1. Chloroquine in combination with VEGF-A₁₆₅ also lowered the protein expression of differentiation markers von Willebrand factor and caveolin-1, while the abundance of a cleavage product derived from adherens junction protein vascular endothelial cadherin increased. Importantly, the prominent localization of tight junction protein claudin-5 at the plasma membrane dramatically weakened, as shown by immunofluorescence staining. Taken together, despite apparently stabilizing the barrier formed by REC, chloroquine profoundly alters the endothelial phenotype.

Abstract: Background: Children with β-thalassemia major (β-TM) survive longer due to advances in transfusion and chelation therapy; however, cardiovascular complications have emerged as a leading cause of long-term morbidity. Chronic hemolysis, oxidative stress, and iron overload may promote early endothelial dysfunction and premature vascular aging, yet their impact on myocardial deformation in pediatric patients remains incompletely characterized. Objectives: To evaluate subclinical myocardial dysfunction and arterial stiffness in children with β-TM and to investigate hemolysis-related changes in asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and L-arginine as biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction in relation to cardiovascular involvement. Methods: Twenty-four children with β-TM and 20 age-matched healthy controls were included. Cardiac structure and myocardial deformation were assessed by conventional echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, and speckle-tracking strain analysis. Arterial stiffness was evaluated using oscillometric pulse wave analysis and bilateral carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT). Serum ADMA and L-arginine levels were measured, and hemoglobin, reticulocyte count, and ferritin levels were recorded. Results: Children with β-thalassemia major demonstrated significantly increased arterial stiffness compared with controls, including higher PWV (4.61 ± 0.37 vs. 4.38 ± 0.31), AIx@75 (28.5 ± 8.34 vs. 22.8 ± 6.51), left CIMT [0.45 (0.39–0.51) vs. 0.41 (0.38–0.46)], and right CIMT [0.43 (0.39–0.54) vs. 0.40 (0.34–0.46)]. In addition, patients exhibited reduced global longitudinal strain (–19.3 ± 2.91 vs. –21.84 ± 1.91), prolonged isovolumetric relaxation time [53 (37–71) vs. 45 (37–55)], and elevated E/Em (8.44 ± 2.19 vs. 6.92 ± 1.10). ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients (0.54 ± 0.19 vs. 0.39 ± 0.22) and were positively associated with reticulocyte counts and inversely correlated with hemoglobin levels. In addition, both ADMA and ferritin levels were positively correlated with arterial stiffness indices and left ventricular filling pressures. Conclusions: Children with β-TM exhibit an early cardiovascular aging phenotype characterized by impaired myocardial deformation, diastolic involvement, and increased arterial stiffness. The close association of ADMA with hemolysis markers, vascular stiffness, and myocardial deformation supports a central role of endothelial dysfunction in premature myocardial–vascular remodeling and suggests ADMA as a clinically relevant biomarker for early cardiovascular risk stratification in pediatric β-TM.

Abstract: The pancreatic pseudocyst is a collection of pancreatic fluid surrounded by a non-epithelialized wall composed of granulation tissue and fibrosis, occurring in approximately 10% of patients diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and in 20–38% of those with chronic pancreatitis. Most pseudocysts are situated in the head and pancreatic body, but about 20% developed in extrapancreatic locations. We present the case of a 46-year-old male patient diagnosed with chronic alcohol pancreatitis with acute exacerbation, who developed a large pancreatic pseudocyst with subcapsular location in the right hepatic lobe, successfully treated by laparoscopic surgical drainage. The computed tomography scan and postoperative biochemical analysis of the intracystic fluid played a key role in establishing the diagnosis of this rare condition. Intrahepatic pancreatic pseudocyst is a rare location of pancreatic pseudocysts, but the one located in the right hepatic lobe is an extremely rare location. The treatment of intrahepatic pancreatic pseudocysts may be conservative, or endoscopic, percutaneous, or surgical drainage may be necessary. The presence of symptoms, signs of extrinsic compression or complications require drainage of the pseudocyst.

Abstract: Research on how patients and family carers experience their relationships with physicians and healthcare staff is limited, particularly regarding the gap between ideal expectations and actual care. This study explored patients’ and family carers’ perceptions of the ideal care relationship, their lived experiences, and factors shaping discrepancies between expectations and reality. A total of 143 semi-structured interviews (mean age = 56.7 ± 13.2; 61.4% women) were conducted with 57 cancer patients and 86 family carers in outpatient oncology clinics in Southern Italy. Transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis of Elementary Contexts (TAEC), a mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Four thematic clusters emerged: “Variability in the experience,” “The ideal care relationship,” “Waiting times and delays in care,” and “The luck of being cared for by a good physician.” Participants emphasized the importance of emotional support and family involvement, while also reporting unpredictability, variability in quality, and limitations in continuity and timeliness of services. These findings suggest that strengthening patient- and family-centred care requires both relational improvements and organizational interventions aimed at enhancing service coordination, resource allocation, and overall quality of care.

Abstract: Background and objectives: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common cause of emergency department admissions with significant mortality risk. Risk stratification remains challenging in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of inflammatory biomarkers including Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), Systemic Immune Inflammation Index (SII), and Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI) with intensive care admission rates and 30-day mortality in patients with UGIB. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 307 patients with UGIB treated. Inflammatory biomarkers were calculated from admission hemogram results. The associations of these biomarkers with intensive care admission and 30-day mortality (survivors vs. non-survivors) were analyzed. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of inflammatory parameters for mortality. Results: The 30-day mortality rate was 14.3%. Significant differences were observed between survivors and non-survivors in terms of SII (median 1268vs. 2544, p=0.030) and SIRI values (median 3.96vs. 9.23, p=0.003). Furthermore, SIRI values exhibited substantial variances among the various Forrest bleeding classification groups (p=0.037). ROC analysis revealed that SII (AUC 61.1%, cut-off 1056.8) and SIRI (AUC 67.5%, cut-off 3.19) had limited predictive value for mortality. After adjusting for age, comorbidities, and bleeding etiology in multivariable analysis, SIRI remained independently associated with mortality. Conclusions: SII and SIRI demonstrate statistically significant associations with mortality in UGIB patients, though with limited discriminative ability. These biomarkers, which are easily calculable from routine blood tests, may serve as supplementary tools in the risk assessment of UGIB patients. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are required to confirm these findings and investigate their potential clinical applications.

Abstract: In this work, we present a detailed comparison of the SuSAv2 (SuperScaling Approach version 2) and RDWIA (Relativistic Distorted-Wave Impulse Approximation) models with measurements of charged-current neutrino-induced single-pion production from different experiments (T2K, MINERvA and MiniBooNE), studying the differences between the two theoretical descriptions. The neutrino energy range in these experiments spans from hundreds of MeV to roughly 20 GeV, and the nuclear targets are mainly composed of ¹²C. The SuSAv2 model uses the single-nucleon inelastic structure functions from the ANL-Osaka DCC model, which allows for a separation of pion production channels, distinguishing between the π⁺, π⁻ and π⁰ final states. In the RDWIA approach, the Hybrid model developed by the Ghent group is used for the description of the boson-pion-nucleon vertex.

Abstract: The evolution of future Internet and sixth-generation (6G) networks is driving a paradigm shift from classical bit-centric communication toward meaning-aware and task-oriented communication models. Traditional information theory, while fundamental for ensuring reliable symbol transmission, does not account for semantic relevance or task effectiveness, which are critical for emerging applications such as autonomous systems, immersive services, and ultra-low-latency communications. This article presents a comprehensive review of Semantic Communications (SemCom) from a future Internet perspective. The review systematically analyses representative extensions of classical information theory aimed at quantifying semantic information, including semantic information measures, semantic channel capacity, and semantic rate–distortion formulations. In addition, the main mathematical and computational frameworks enabling practical semantic communication systems are examined, including the Information Bottleneck principle, learning-based end-to-end communication architectures, and reinforcement learning approaches for task-oriented optimization under network constraints. The review further discusses the role of semantic metrics, contextual modelling, and task-driven performance evaluation in the design of semantic-aware communication systems. The analysis identifies key open challenges, particularly the lack of a unified theoretical framework, the need for robust and context-aware semantic performance metrics, and the integration of semantic awareness into network-level design. Overall, this review highlights Semantic Communications as a promising paradigm for future Internet and 6G networks, where communication efficiency is increasingly determined by semantic relevance and task effectiveness rather than bit-level fidelity alone.

Abstract: This study explores the use of bentonite to enhance biological biogas upgrading in a bubble reactor (BR) operated under mesophilic conditions (39 ± 1 °C). The experimental setup consisted of a 2 L vertically oriented BR (height to diameter ratio 16:1) fed with a synthetic gas mixture (60% H₂, 15% CO₂, 25% CH₄, v/v) at a gas recirculation rate of 4 L L_R⁻¹ h⁻¹. The aim was to overcome hydrogen’s low gas-liquid mass transfer rate while avoiding the operational challenges typically associated with trickle-bed reactors (TBRs). Bentonite increases the density and hydrostatic pressure of the liquid medium, and likely alters its rheology, thereby extending the gas-liquid contact time without requiring elevated pressures or intensive gas recirculation. Additionally, bentonite is expected to provide microstructural support that promotes the formation of biofilm-like communities, creating favorable microenvironments for hydrogenotrophic methanogens. As a clay-based additive, bentonite may also contribute to improved process stability through adsorption of inhibitory compounds, enhanced bio-mass retention, and pH buffering. Under mesophilic conditions, the bentonite-modified BR achieved a methane production rate of 2.17 ± 0.06 L _CH4 L_R⁻¹ d⁻¹ at a gas retention time of 1.49 h, with methane purity reaching 96.25%. In comparison, a previously reported mesophilic BR operated under identical reactor configuration and operating conditions but without bentonite exhibited substantially lower methane production rates, supporting the beneficial role of bentonite in biological methanation. The findings highlight bentonite’s potential dual role -physical and biological- in improving process efficiency and stability in biological methanation.

Abstract: GEOGUIAS is a certified training program for local citizens to become knowledgeable tour guides, promoted by the Oeste UNESCO Global Geopark and supported by the National Tourism Office. The program's primary goal is to promote sustainable tourism and geoeducation, empowering the trainees to conduct geotouristic and educational tours, based on their region's geological, historical, and cultural heritage. The training combines on-line theoretical components with practical face-to-face field experiences. Participants learn about the local geology, history, culture, wildlife, and field safety, receiving a final Geoguide Certificate issued by the Oeste Geopark. The program aims to involve local communities in geotourism activities, contributing to creating new jobs and to support local economy, while safeguarding geoheritage sites. This study is based on a survey answered by >50 certified geoguides, characterizing their profile, expectations, and perceived results. It addresses the impact of training on geoguides, looking at the changes induced by the program on their local and professional or personal activities. Finally, the study aims to identify the impacts of this training and certification on local networking, sustainable geotourism and regional economic dynamics.

Abstract: Precision oncology has matured into a multidimensional field in which static molecular profiling — encompassing genomic, transcriptomic, and other omic data — is increasingly complemented by dynamic functional assays that measure direct tumor responses to therapeutic agents. While molecular diagnostics provide critical insights into cancer biology and potential drug targets, they do not always predict real-world therapeutic efficacy, especially in tumors characterized by high heterogeneity or complex regulatory networks. Functional ex-vivo testing platforms, including patient-derived organoids and tumor slice cultures, offer a phenotypic readout of drug resistance that reflects the integrated behavior of tumor cells within their microenvironment. This review synthesizes the technological advances and practical frameworks that support the integration of multi-omic and ex-vivo data in precision oncology. We present the current landscape of predictive modeling and functional validation, including workflows that move from transcriptomic and pharmacogenetic prediction toward rapid ex-vivo confirmation of drug effects, and discuss how such integrative approaches can refine therapeutic choices. We describe clinical implementation pathways, highlight operational and regulatory challenges, and explore ethical considerations that must be addressed to bring functional precision medicine into mainstream practice. By examining clinical feasibility, existing trial evidence, and emerging platforms, we highlight both the opportunities and barriers inherent in translating functional testing into routine care. Finally, we consider future directions aimed at achieving standardized, scalable, and clinically validated functional diagnostics. The integration of molecular and functional insights offers a promising route toward more accurate, individualized cancer therapy, and suggests a future in which treatment selection is guided not only by molecular signatures but by direct functional evidence of drug efficacy.

Abstract: This study addresses the critical challenge of optimizing outdoor thermal comfort for the aging population in old residential communities within China's hot-summer and cold-winter climate zones. Against the backdrop of urban regeneration and rapid demographic aging, it investigates how key landscape elements—ground reflectance, greening type, and pergola condition—influence the microclimate of community public spaces. The research employed an integrated methodology centered on numerical simulation. Using the ENVI-met software and an L₉(3⁴) orthogonal experimental design, it simulated the microclimatic effects of nine combined scenarios on typical summer and winter days for a case study in Nanjing. The comprehensive thermal comfort index, Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET), was used as the primary evaluation indicator to assess the thermal comfort performance for elderly occupants, with the assistance of air temperature, wind speed, and relative humidity, and the results were analyzed via range analysis and ANOVA. The key findings indicate that: (1) Greening type and pergola condition are the dominant factors affecting microclimate and annual thermal comfort across seasons, while ground reflectance has a comparatively minor influence. (2) The combination of deciduous trees with lawn achieves the optimal cross-seasonal PET gain. It provides effective shading and cooling in summer while allowing beneficial solar penetration for warming in winter, substantially outperforming evergreen-dominated configurations. (3) The presence of a pergola consistently enhances comfort by providing essential shade in summer and acting as a windbreak in winter. The combination dominated by deciduous trees + lawn and pergola yield an overall PET gain 1.0967 ℃ higher than that of evergreen trees + shrub without pergola. This study provides evidence-based, elderly-specific landscape design strategies to inform the thermal environment optimization of public spaces in old residential areas undergoing renewal.

Abstract: Hydrodynamic cavitation in process plants is often generated by static devices designed for nominal operating conditions. In real processes, however, the properties of the process fluid, including temperature, viscosity, and gas and solids content, may vary. Consequently, maintaining the cavitation regime within a target operating window over extended periods is challenging. The Dynamic Circular Venturi (DCVA) is introduced as a circular Venturi with an internal geometry that can be reconfigured during operation. The external body and connections are preserved, while the internal configuration, particularly the throat section, can be adjusted. A formalism based on equivalent geometric parameters is proposed to describe the set of admissible configurations. A dedicated design space is also defined to identify, for a given architecture, the subset that is practically accessible. Two implementations are presented: a single degree-of-freedom layout for throat-opening modulation and a multiparametric layout based on axial stations, enabling the generation of a family of internal profiles. An estimated operating indicator is introduced and formulated using variables typically measured in process plants, supporting configuration selection and the specification of operating settings. This conceptual framework can support the optimization of sustainable food-processing operations enabled by hydrodynamic cavitation, such as green extraction and food by-product valorization, with potential gains in resource efficiency and waste minimization.

Abstract: The study of airborne pollen and spores from regions, communities, and campuses has gained importance in recent times in Nigeria. Aerospora sampling was carried out from November 2012 to February 2013 on the University of Ibadan campus Watch Tower. The Tower is the tallest building on the campus, with a height of 253.8 m. An Aero sampler was used to collect aeropalynomorphs from the location. The recovered residues were acetolysed and studied microscopically. Meteorological data for this location were obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) for the prevailing weather conditions. Statistical analysis using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between airborne pollen and spores, and meteorological parameters. A variety of palynomorphs, characteristic of rainforest, secondary/open forest, savanna, and freshwater vegetation types, were recovered. The dominant ones belonged to the Arecaceae, Anacardiaceae, Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, and Poaceae families, as well as fungal spores. Pollen counts with meteorological data revealed variations in palynomorph types and abundance, which reflected the influence of the location of the aerosampler, impact of weather parameters, and the degree of human activities, apart from the floral composition of the area. This work is the first aero sampling of the University of Ibadan campus and a contribution to the aeropalynological data of campuses across Southwest Nigeria.

Abstract: To mitigate environmental impact, specifically the CO₂ emissions associated with conventional thermal and nuclear facilities, renewable energy sources are increasingly being adopted as primary alternatives. However, integrating these renewable sources into the utility grid poses a significant challenge, primarily due to the stochastic and nonlinear nature of weather. Consequently, it is imperative that power systems operate under an intelligent control model to ensure energy output meets strict power quality standards. In this context, accurate forecasting is a cornerstone of smart power management, particularly in off-grid architectures, where predicting Power Quality Parameters (PQPs) is fundamental for system optimisation and error correction. This study conducts a comprehensive comparative evaluation of nine different predictive architectures for estimating PQPs. The algorithms analyzed include LSTM, GRU, DNN, CNN1D-LSTM, BiLSTM, attention mechanisms, DT, SVM, and XGBoost. The central objective is to develop a reliable basis for the automated regulation and enhancement of electrical quality in isolated systems. The specific parameters investigated are power voltage (U), Voltage Total Harmonic Distortion THDu, Current Total Harmonic Distortion THDi, and short-term flicker severity (P_st). Data for this investigation were acquired from an experimental off-grid setup at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO), Czech Republic. To assess model performance, we utilised Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) as the primary accuracy metric, while simultaneously evaluating computational efficiency in terms of processing speed and memory consumption during testing.

Abstract: Detecting small location shifts in stochastic processes is a fundamental problem in sequential statistical monitoring. Classical procedures such as Shewhart-type schemes, exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA), and cumulative sum (CUSUM) methods are known to perform well under normality or near-symmetry assumptions; however, their effectiveness may deteriorate substantially in the presence of right-skewed distributions. In such settings, mean-based monitoring statistics are highly sensitive to tail behavior, which may result in delayed detection of small shifts or increased false alarm rates. This paper introduces a novel monitoring scheme, referred to as the Golden Ratio (GR) control chart, designed for detecting small location shifts in right-skewed distributions. The proposed method is constructed using a median-centered statistic combined with a geometrically decaying weighting mechanism derived from the golden ratio. Unlike classical time-based weighting schemes, the GR chart assigns weights according to the rank-based distance from the sample median, thereby attenuating the influence of isolated extreme observations while enhancing sensitivity to persistent distributional shifts. Theoretical properties of the proposed monitoring statistic are investigated, and its run-length behavior is analyzed under non-normal distributions. The performance of the GR chart is evaluated through extensive Monte Carlo simulations and is compared with classical EWMA and CUSUM procedures under Gamma models. The results indicate that the proposed method provides a robust and stable alternative for monitoring skewed processes while maintaining competitive sensitivity to small location shifts. Overall, the GR control chart offers a distribution-aware and theoretically grounded framework for sequential monitoring in asymmetric stochastic environments.

Abstract: The Air-front Smart City (ASC) concept is proposed to address the stagnation of industries in developed countries and stimulate economic growth in developing countries while maintaining a higher quality of life for people and contributing to decarbonization and overall United Nations SDGs in an existing study. However, no studies have been conducted to assess ASC policies. Therefore, this study integrates the integrated accessibility index into the quality of life (QOL) and quality of business (QOB) evaluation models to assess the startup ecosystem in Aichi, Singapore, and Munich within the ASC concept. The study uses survey data conducted in Aichi to estimate monetary values of QOL and QOB component indicators, calculates the integrated accessibility indices, and estimates QOL and QOB. Furthermore, the study sets scenarios to assess the impacts of living and business urban policies in Aichi. Additionally, the study using Aichi parameters compares the startup ecosystem in Singapore and Munich. The result shows that the key drivers of startup attraction are corporate tax rate, economic growth, and safety; enhancing these indicators directly increases startups' QOB, business partners, and residents' QOL. It was found that QOB in Singapore is comparatively higher, whereas QOL is higher in Aichi.

Abstract: Musculoskeletal disorders and injuries are highly prevalent and encompass a broad range of conditions, including bone fractures and segmental defects, tendinopathies and tendon injury, and cartilage disorders such as osteoarthritis, cartilage defects, and intervertebral disc disease. These conditions can arise from diverse causes including trauma and injury, tumor resection, congenital abnormalities, and age-related degeneration. In the past decades, administration of chemically modified mRNA (cmRNA) encoding growth factors and transcriptional regulators has demonstrated effectiveness in repairing musculoskeletal tissues in preclinical studies. This review summarizes recent advancements in bone, tendon, cartilage, intervertebral disc, and muscle regeneration achieved through the localized delivery of protein-encoding mRNAs to express therapeutic target proteins. Delivery of cmRNA encoding growth factors such as BMP-2, BMP-9, VEGF, FGF-18, and IGF-1, or transcriptional regulators including Runx1 to various animal models has shown beneficial effects on bone, tendon, cartilage, and muscle injury repair in preclinical models. Alongside these progresses, the advantages and disadvantages of applying chemically modified mRNA for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration are also discussed. While studies show the promise of cmRNA for therapeutic applications in orthopaedic tissue regeneration, more research is required to optimize growth factors and delivery methods, as well as validate long-term safety and efficacy prior to successful translation into new therapies to benefit patients.

Abstract: Accurate monitoring of iron and steel factories is crucial for both economic efficiency and environmental protection. Steel plays a key role in the European (EU) economy, including its green transition, due to its use across numerous strategically important sectors. The EU steelmaking industry is the world’s third largest producer, with sites distributed across more than 20 Member States. Steel plants sustain many regional economies, emphasizing their socio-economic and political significance. Industrial complexes are major heat sources composed of multiple small-scale operating assets, which can be effectively analyzed using heterogenous infrared satellite indicators at medium to high spatial resolution. In this study, for the first time, a multi-source approach integrating two thermal anomaly indices, the Thermal Anomaly Index (TAI) and the Normalized Hotspot Index (NHI), derived from 20m infrared satellite imagery, is proposed. The ArcelorMittal facilities in Asturias, Spain (Avilés and Gijón), operated by the world’s second largest steel producer, were selected to calibrate and validate the methodological framework. Preliminary results show a strong correlation (R2 ≈ 0.7₋1.00) between detected activations (used as proxies for production rates) and ground-truth data (annual crude steel and pig iron production) for 2016˗2024, across multiple spatial scales (from national to individual assets). Application to steelmaking facilities in France and Germany further confirms the robustness of the approach. Independent data on steel production are essential to better assess the environmental impacts of the sector, as production levels are directly linked to emissions and pollution. The satellite-based methodology presented here provides an objective means to quantify steel output where official data are incomplete or unavailable, enabling consistent assessments of national exposure to steelmaking activities and progress toward decarbonization.

Abstract: Background Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) is a global health priority affecting approximately 30% of the population. It represents the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, potentially progressing from simple ste-atosis to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH), cirrhosis, and hepa-tocellular carcinoma. This review aims to compare current knowledge of MASLD in mouse models and humans, focusing on pathophysiology, histological phenotypes, and the role of preclinical imaging as a non-invasive translational screening tool. Methods The study synthesizes recent evidence (last five years) regarding the multi-factorial aetiology of MASLD, focusing on some of the key aspects in selecting the ap-propriate animal model and on the recent non-invasive techniques applicable to both humans and mice. Results MASLD arises from complex interactions between genetics, sedentary lifestyles, and imbalanced diets. While mouse models have been refined to capture the multifac-torial interplay driving disease progression and are still essential for drug development, no single model fully mirrors the human condition. This process must take into account key variables, including diet composition, mouse strain, the use of genetically modified mice (GEMs), and housing temperature. Histological assessment remains the gold standard for MASLD staging, particularly in mouse models; however, preclinical im-aging is increasingly emerging as a complementary, non-invasive technique for in vivo investigation. Conclusions Rational, fit-for-purpose mouse models are essential to address specific mechanistic and therapeutic questions. Given the multifactorial and heterogeneous na-ture of MASLD, understanding the limitations and strengths of specific mouse models is therefore crucial for translational research. Integrating phenotype-driven approaches in both humans and mice, combining traditional histology, quantitative imaging and metabolic profiling, as well as longitudinal, combinatorial and humanized preclinical models, will enhance translational alignment and accelerate the development of therapies for MASLD.