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Application of AI-based techniques for anomaly management in wastewater treatment plants: a review
Full text linkEffective anomaly management of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is crucial for environmental conservation and public health security. Traditional monitoring methods often struggle with challenges such as multivariate coupling, nonlinear dynamics, and external interferences inherent in wastewater treatment processes, which has driven growing interest towards artificial intelligence (AI)-based anomaly management solutions. This paper critically reviews recent advancements in AI-based anomaly management strategies for WWTPs, emphasizing three integral aspects: sensor data quality control and self-calibration, early anomaly detection and diagnosis, and fault-tolerant control and resilience enhancement. Systematic comparisons are made among supervised, unsupervised, and transfer learning methods, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of deep learning, ensemble learning, and intelligent optimization algorithms in addressing practical engineering issues such as sensor noise, multimodal data distributions, imbalanced datasets, and limited cross-facility generalizability. The review further highlights real-world performance metrics beyond conventional accuracy, such as application scalability, anomaly detection timeliness, and technological adaptability. Key findings reveal research gaps hindering for the progress and application of AI-based anomaly management approaches in model interpretability, computational intensity, data quality controls, cross-facility generalization, and cost-effectiveness. More importantly, future research directions cover adaptive learning techniques, explainable AI, integration of AI with digital twin platforms, lightweight infrastructures for real-time edge computing, and environmental and economic analysis of AI deployments in WWTPs
Multi-agent Q-learning with particle filtering for UAV tracking in Open-RAN environment.
Full text linkThis paper introduces a method for target tracking that leverages mobile sensor nodes and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within an Open- Radio Access Network (RAN) framework. Open-RAN is a flexible and standardized architecture that allows open and interoperable components in RANs, promoting efficiency and adaptability. The core methodology involves improving the accuracy and energy consumption tracking in urban areas filled with obstacles and dynamic conditions. Mobile sensor nodes use a particle filtering algorithm to detect and estimate target positions, and this information is relayed to nearby Evolved/Next Generation Node Bs (e/gNBs), which function as the radio access network infrastructure. The e/gNBs manage clusters of UAVs using a specialized xApp integrated into the near-real-time RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). The UAVs utilize a comprehensive tracking strategy based on received signal strength (RSS), a trilateration algorithm, and an enhanced multi agent Q-learning algorithm (eMAQL). This approach enables UAVs to optimize their flight paths while balancing accuracy, power usage, and communication delays The experimental results show that the system achieves optimal performance with eight discrete actions for eMAQL, with UAVs consuming an average of 90 (watts) of power and maintaining a root mean square error (RMSE) of less than 0.5 (meters) for target position estimation. These results highlight the system's effectiveness in providing precise and energy-efficient tracking in complex urban environments
Economic evaluation of enhanced cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment
Full text linkImportance: The economic value of cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment is currently unknown. Objective: To evaluate whether or not better environmental cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment would be cost-effective compared with usual care. Design, Setting, and Participants: This economic evaluation study was a within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis of a stepped-wedge cluster randomized clinical trial: the Cleaning and Enhanced Disinfection (CLEEN) study. The trial included 5002 inpatients and was conducted in 10 adult acute-care wards at a tertiary hospital in Australia between March 20, 2023, and November 24, 2023. The evaluation takes a hospital costing perspective. A decision-tree model was developed to evaluate the intervention; costs are presented in Australian dollars. Statistical analysis was performed from May to October 2024. Interventions: A multimodal cleaning intervention was introduced during the intervention, focusing on additional cleaning hours, education, audit, and feedback. The control group received usual care, including routine cleaning by clinical staff. Main Outcomes and Measures: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, where the mean change to costs associated with the intervention is divided by the mean change in outcomes. Results: This study assessed 5002 patients (2478 [49.5%] male, 2524 [50.5%] female [50.5%]; mean [SD] age, 71.6 [16.1] years). For a cohort of 1000 patients at risk of health care-associated infection (HAI), the estimated total costs associated with the intervention were 2155310 for usual care. The estimated number of HAIs was 100 in the intervention group, compared with 130 for the usual care group. Compared with usual care, the intervention was associated with reduced HAIs and costs, with a 90.5% chance that intervention adoption was cost-saving. This probability increased to 99.9% if a decision-maker was willing to pay 642010 reduction in costs per 1000 patients, compared with the control group. These results suggest that the CLEEN intervention is a cost-saving initiative
Induced Treg-Derived Extracellular Vesicles suppress CD4+T-Cell-mediated inflammation and ameliorate bone loss during Periodontitis partly through CD73/Adenosine-dependent immunomodulatory mechanisms
Full text linkRegulatory T cell (Treg)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent a contact-independent mechanism by which Tregs suppress dysregulated immune responses. These EVs carry diverse immunomodulatory molecules, including CD73, an ectoenzyme that hydrolysesAMPinto adenosine.Adenosine subsequently acts as a potent immunosuppressive mediator that inhibits effector CD4+T cell activation and controls pathological inflammation. Periodontitis is a highly prevalent inflammatory disease characterised by the accumulation of IL-17A-expressing CD4+ T cells in response to dysbiotic oral bacterial biofilms, ultimately leading to RANKLmediated alveolar bone resorption and tooth loss. We tested the hypothesis that CD73+ Treg-derived EVs, isolated from Tregs induced with polarising cytokines in the presence of retinoic acid, could limit inflammation and prevent alveolar bone loss in periodontitis. Our findings demonstrate that Tregs induced with polarising cytokines in the presence of retinoic acid express high
levels of CD73 and secrete adenosine-producing suppressive CD73+ EVs. Furthermore, local administration of these CD73+ Tregderived EVs in a murine periodontitis model reduced activated CD4+ T cell infiltration, decreased IL-17A and RANKL expression, and attenuated osteoclast-mediated alveolar bone loss. In conclusion, retinoic acid-induced Treg-derived EVs suppress CD4+ T cell-driven inflammation and ameliorate periodontitis, at least in part through CD73/adenosine-dependent immunomodulatory mechanisms
AI meets academia: the impact of ChatGPT on transforming assessment design in UK universities
Full text linkThis study investigated whether UK higher education academics had adjusted their assessment strategies in response to the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically focusing on the influence of AI tools like ChatGPT. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, integrating structured online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews to comprehensively analyze ChatGPT’s role in shaping assessment strategies in UK institutions of higher learning. Descriptive statistics were used to explore the extent of ChatGPT’s influence, while inferential methods, including chi-square tests, were used to assess variations in its impact across different academic disciplines. Thematic content analysis of interview data further elucidates educators’ perceptions and experiences concerning ChatGPT’s integration into assessment practices. Therefore, this research recommends that academics and learners harness AI’s power and continuously update their skills to effectively and ethically navigate and apply AI tools. This approach will ensure their continued relevance within the dynamic realm of education
A subset of HOX genes negatively correlates with HOX/PBX inhibitor target gene expression and is associated with apoptosis, DNA repair, and metabolism in prostate cancer
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: The HOX genes encode a family of homeodomain-containing transcription factors that have important roles in defining cell and tissue identity in embryonic development, but which also show deregulated expression in many cancers and have been shown to have pro-oncogenic roles. Due to their functionally redundant nature, strategies to target HOX protein function in cancer have focused on their interaction with their PBX cofactor using competitive peptides such as HXR9. HOX/PBX inhibition triggers apoptosis through a sudden increase in target gene expression, including Fos, DUSP1, and ATF3, which are otherwise repressed by HOX/PBX binding.
Methods: We analyzed publicly available transcriptomic data in the R2 platform.
Results: We show that a specific subgroup of HOX genes is negatively correlated with Fos, DUSP1, and ATF3 expression
in prostate cancer, and that this subgroup also shows a strong positive corelation with pathways that support tumour growth, most notably DNA repair and aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis, and a negative correlation with genes that promote cell adhesion and prevent motility. In addition, this set of HOX genes strongly correlates with patient age, reflecting a previously identified progressive loss of regulation of HOX expression in normal peripheral blood cells.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate these HOX genes may have pro-oncogenicfunctions in prostate cancer
Exploiting PP2A dependent and independent effects of forskolin for therapeutic targeting of KMT2A (MLL)-rearranged acute leukaemia
Full text linkBackground and Purpose
Activation of Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A), via genetic and pharmacologic modulation of SET, has recently being identified as a promising strategy to therapeutically target acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) carrying KMT2A (MLL) chromosomal translocations (KMT2A-r AML).
Experimental Approach
In this study, we investigated the expression of PP2A subunits and the therapeutic potential of forskolin, a cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) elevating natural compound that has been reported as a PP2A activator.
Key Results
Our data show that PPP2CA encoding protein phosphatase 2 catalytic subunit α is abundantly expressed in KMT2A-r AML cells. Treatment with forskolin arrests proliferation; induces cell death; represses the expression of MYC, HOXA9 and HOXA10; stimulates PP2A activity; and attenuates the activity of ERK1/2 in KMT2A-r AML cells. Forskolin increases sensitivity to standard-of-care daunorubicin in KMT2A-AML cell lines and PDX. Silencing PPP2CA partially rescues the cytotoxic effect of forskolin, stimulates ERK1/2, inhibits GSK3β, and abolishes the forskolin-mediated repression of c-MYC and HOXA10, but it did not affect the potentiation of response to daunorubicin. This effect was also not dependent on increase of cAMP, but it was because of increase in the intracellular accumulation of daunorubicin, through inhibition of drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein 1 (multidrug resistance protein).
Conclusions and Implications
In conclusion, our findings highlight a novel mechanism of action for forskolin and support a potential role of this natural compound in combination with current conventional agent daunorubicin in the treatment of KMT2A-r AML
Capturing empire through the lens: Colonial narratives and power structures in Henry Wellcome’s Expedition to Jebel Moya, Sudan
Full text linkThis paper explores the relationship between archaeology, photography, and colonialism at the site of Jebel Moya (Site 100), Sudan. We consider technical aspects of the photographic archive, the role of photographers, the manipulation of images to convey specific narratives, and the dispersal and reclassification of the Jebel Moya materials across various institutions. When Site 100 was first excavated by Henry Wellcome (1911–1914), Sudan had a Condominium government, rendering the country a British colony in all but name. Our work acknowledges the racial legacies of colonial rule and as such it engages with the community whose past is under discussion, emphasizing how photography served as an agent of Western colonial authority. It re-situates Jebel Moya and related archives in the Sudanese context, providing an enriched understanding of the site’s history, the workers who excavated it, and the various colonial power dynamics involved. Additionally, our current fieldwork recognizes that as a discipline, archaeology is deeply rooted in European colonialism and as such we extend inquiry beyond sites and artifacts and focus on colonial practices and representational encounters, pronounced power imbalances, and imperial values rooted in white dominance and superiority. Consequently, this study contributes to the reframing of Sudanese history and a more inclusive understanding of the past.</jats:p
Human Rights and Standard of Living in Sub-Saharan Africa Challenges and Prospects
No full textThis book offers a comprehensive and nuanced examination of the right to an adequate standard of living in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), shedding light on the multifaceted challenges, opportunities, and imperatives for action. The right to an adequate standard of living is a fundamental human right, essential for the dignity and well-being of all individuals. Yet, in SSA, the realization of this right remains a complex and elusive goal, with millions of people facing poverty, inequality, and limited access to basic services. Through a series of in-depth chapters, the book explores the various dimensions of the right to an adequate standard of living, from the pervasive impacts of poverty and inequality to the critical importance of access to healthcare, education, housing, and justice. Drawing on a rich array of case studies, data, and expert analysis, the work provides a compelling and evidence-based assessment of the current state of affairs in SSA, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive and context-specific approaches to advancing this fundamental right. Providing a roadmap for promoting sustainable and inclusive development, reducing poverty and inequality, and ensuring access to basic services for all, the volume offers a set of actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working in the areas of Human Rights Law, Development Law and, in particular, those focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, it identifies key areas for further research and investigation, underscoring the importance of ongoing knowledge generation and exchange in support of evidence-based policy and practice