Abstract
In this paper we introduce and develop the concept of interval-weighted networks (IWN), a novel approach in Social Network Analysis, where the edge weights are represented by closed intervals composed with precise information, comprehending intrinsic variability. We extend IWN for both Newman's modularity and modularity gain and the Louvain algorithm, considering a tabular representation of networks by contingency tables. We apply our methodology to two real-world IWN. The first is a commuter network in mainland Portugal, between the twenty three NUTS 3 Regions (IWCN). The second focuses on annual merchandise trade between 28 European countries, from 2003 to 2015 (IWTN). The optimal partition of geographic locations (regions or countries) is developed and compared using two new different approaches, designated as Classic Louvain and Hybrid Louvain , which allow taking into account the variability observed in the original network, thereby minimizing the loss of information present in the raw data. Our findings suggest the division of the twenty three Portuguese regions in three main communities for the IWCN and between two to three country communities for the IWTN. However, we find different geographical partitions according to the community detection methodology used. This analysis can be useful in many real-world applications, since it takes into account that the weights may vary within the ranges, rather than being constant.

Abstract
Worldwide, forests have been harassed by fire in recent years. Either by human intervention or other reasons, the history of the burned area is increasing considerably, harming fauna and flora. It is essential to detect an early ignition for fire-fighting authorities can act quickly, decreasing the impact of forest damage impacts. The proposed system aims to improve nature monitoring and improve the existing surveillance systems through satellite image recognition. The soil recognition via satellite images can determine the sensor modules' best position and provide crucial input information for artificial intelligence-based systems. For this, satellite images from the Sentinel-2 program are used to generate forest density maps as updated as possible. Four classification algorithms make the Tree Cover Density (TCD) map, consisting of the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and K-Nearest Neighbors (K-NN), which identify zones by training known regions. The results demonstrate a comparison between the algorithms through their performance in recognizing the forest, grass, pavement, and water areas by Sentinel-2 images.

Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a growing role today in several areas, especially in health, where understanding AI models and their predictions is extremely important for health professionals. In this context, Explainable AI (XAI) plays a crucial role in seeking to provide understandable explanations for these models. This article analyzes two different XAI approaches applied to analyzing gastric endoscopy images. The first, more conventional approach uses Grad CAM, while the second, even less explored but with great potential, is based on “similarity-based explanations”. This example-based XAI technique aims to provide representative examples to support the decisions of AI models. In this study, we compare these two techniques applied to two different models: one based on the VGG16 architecture and the other based on ResNet50, designed to classify images from the KVASIR-capsule database. The results reveal that Grad-CAM provided intuitive explanations only for the VGG16 model, while the “similarity-based explanations” technique provided consistent explanations for both models. We conclude that exploring other XAI techniques can be a significant asset in improving the understanding of the various AI models. © ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2024.

Abstract
This research explores the adoption of ISO 20022, a standard that corporations can leverage to instruct payments to their partner financial institutions. Due to the complexity and case-specific variables involved, the adoption process may be complex and require significant effort from financial institutions and customers over an extended period. This research analyzes the opportunities and challenges for corporate users posed by ISO 20022 and identifies the success factors that must be considered during the adoption process. The research key findings indicate that an implementation approach incorporating flexibility, custom extensions, the use of a markup language for creating and managing messages, pilot testing, and user feedback can be an effective adoption model for ISO 20022. Design Science Research Methodology is employed in designing, building, and evaluating a solution proposal to develop a structured, customized, and flexible solution complying with the ever-changing requirements and landscape. This research contributes to the payment processing field by providing a comprehensive adoption model for ISO 20022 that considers critical factors and challenges. The proposed customized and flexible solution can assist corporations in successfully adopting ISO 20022 and contribute to creating a common language and model for payment data worldwide. The initiative's success depends on the effective adoption by all players, including corporations. © 2024 by the authors.

Abstract
Over the years, many solutions have been suggested in order to improve object detection in maritime environments. However, none of these approaches uses flight information, such as altitude, camera angle, time of the day, and atmospheric conditions, to improve detection accuracy and network robustness, even though this information is often available and captured by the UAV. This work aims to develop a network unaffected by image-capturing conditions, such as altitude and angle. To achieve this, metadata was integrated into the neural network, and an adversarial learning training approach was employed. This was built on top of the YOLOv7, which is a state-of-the-art realtime object detector. To evaluate the effectiveness of this methodology, comprehensive experiments and analyses were conducted. Findings reveal that the improvements achieved by this approach are minimal when trying to create networks that generalize more across these specific domains. The YOLOv7 mosaic augmentation was identified as one potential responsible for this minimal impact because it also enhances the model's ability to become invariant to these image-capturing conditions. Another potential cause is the fact that the domains considered (altitude and angle) are not orthogonal with respect to their impact on captured images. Further experiments should be conducted using datasets that offer more diverse metadata, such as adverse weather and sea conditions, which may be more representative of real maritime surveillance conditions. The source code of this work is publicly available at https://git hub.com/ipleiria-robotics/maritime-metadata-adaptation.

Abstract
The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized how objects and devices interact, creating new possibilities for seamless connectivity and data exchange. This paper presents a unique and effective method for transferring images via the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol in an encrypted manner. The image is split into multiple messages, with each carrying a segment of the image, and employ top-notch encryption techniques to ensure secure communication. Applying this process, the message payload is split into smaller segments, and consequently, it minimizes the network bandwidth impact while mitigating potential of packet loss or latency issues. Furthermore, by applying encryption techniques, we guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of the image data during transmission, safeguarding against unauthorized access or tampering. Our experiments in a real-world scenario involving remote indicator panels with LEDs verify the effectiveness of our approach. By using our proposed method, we successfully transmit images over MQTT, achieving secure and reliable data transfer while ensuring the integrity of the image content. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach for image transfer in IoT applications. The combination of message segmentation, MQTT protocol, and encryption techniques offers a practical solution for transmitting images in resource-constrained IoT networks while maintaining data security. This approach can be applied in different applications.