Abstract
To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, commercial buildings have installed photovoltaic systems to reduce carbon emissions and operational costs. Nevertheless, PV generation does not always match the building’s energy demand profile, therefore storage systems are needed to store excess energy and supply it when necessary. This paper presents a Mixed Integer Linear Programming optimisation algorithm designed to schedule the operation of the electric storage system, aiming to minimise the building’s energy-related costs. An annual hourly simulation of the optimised system was performed to assess the cost reduction. To prevent excessive operation of the electric storage system, an approach to penalise low energy charging was studied, with results showing a significant increase in the system’s lifespan.

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To address the challenge of detecting stealthy port scans in high-speed networks, this paper introduces p4SD, a lightweight anomaly detection system that identifies reconnaissance activities directly within programmable data planes. Leveraging the P4 language, p4SD uses a cyclic fingerprint buffer and frequency analysis to monitor for anomalous traffic without relying on attack signatures. The system is designed to detect both fast and slow port scans, as its method of measuring relative changes in distinct fingerprints between cycles effectively identifies both the rapid spikes from fast scans and the gradual increases from slow scans. The proof-of-concept demonstrates resource efficiency, achieving throughput close to the hardware's theoretical limits, detecting scan activity in near real-time, and enabling timely responses to potential threats. With over 99% detection accuracy for slow scans, these findings establish p4SD as a practical and scalable solution for real-time, in-network threat detection in modern SDN environments. © 2025 University of Split, FESB.

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Objectives: Social isolation and loneliness among older people are widespread, with an impact on physical and mental health. Cycling Without Age (CWA) is an international cycling programme developed to minimise social isolation and loneliness in older people. It involves trishaw (electric bicycle) rides in the open air, led by volunteer riders. This study aimed to analyse the effects of CWA intervention on loneliness and social isolation among older people living in Porto, Portugal. Methods: Older adults (aged 55 years or older) living in the community or a nursing home were included. The intervention comprised at least four bicycle rides, with a duration between 30 and 60 min. A research protocol was applied before and after the intervention, which included the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale. Results: A total of 47 participants (median age = 85 years) completed the intervention. Participants were mostly female (81%), widowed (66%) and living in nursing homes (72%). A statistically significant decrease in loneliness was found after the intervention (Median [IQR]_after = 24.0 [16.0] vs. before = 17.0 [6.0]; p < 0.05). Discussion: This preliminary work highlights the positive effect the CWA intervention may have on loneliness among older adults, which is consistent with other CWA programme studies. However, future research is required to evaluate whether these effects persist over time.

Abstract
This paper proposes a stochastic optimization model for industrial hubs to enable their participation in energy markets. The model aims to leverage the resources of multi-energy systems to minimize energy costs in the day-ahead market. It accounts for uncertainties in photovoltaic generation, electrical and heat demand, and outdoor temperatures. A comparison is made with a deterministic approach, along with an analysis of the impact of thermal storage and reserve market participation on costs and bidding strategies. The results show that the stochastic approach is more conservative than the deterministic, while the integration of thermal storage and reserve services help decrease costs.