Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are continuously looking forward for new business opportunities and provision of new services to their customers. The TM Forum Open APIs have been providing an open ecosystem for CSPs to standardize operations and promote interoperability. However, in complex multi-stakeholder scenarios like providing Business-to-Business (B2B) multi-site services, inter-Autonomous System cooperation, and roaming, different telecom stakeholders must collaborate and share resources to deliver services to their customers. The integration of TM Forum Open APIs with International Data Spaces (IDS) represents a critical advancement in telecommunications service management as information exchange is crucial for maintaining end-to-end service assurance and there is currently no solution that allows such cooperation in these contexts. This paper presents a novel integration approach that combines IDS data spaces with TM Forum Open APIs, leveraging the FIWARE Business API Ecosystem (BAE) and Eclipse Dataspace Components (EDC) as reference implementations. This work contributes to the telecommunications service management by presenting a practical framework that bridges interoperability and data sovereignty, addressing critical industry challenges related to secure data exchange and regulatory compliance, with potential applications across various digital service scenarios. The validation approach is comprehensive, evaluating the integrated solution across multiple dimensions. Key assessment criteria include maintaining interoperability, enforcing data sovereignty, preserving business ecosystem functionalities, and implementing precise access control mechanisms.

This Special Issue presents extended versions of selected top papers from the 23rd IFIP Networking Conference (IFIP Networking 2024), sponsored by the IFIP Technical Committee on Communication Systems (TC6), IEEE ComSoc, and the Italian RESTART Foundation. The contributions advance reliability and determinism through multipath redundancy for 5G streaming and practical packet ordering for deterministic wireless networking. They improve scalable traffic engineering by speeding up segment-routing optimization via path preprocessing without breaking constraints. Support is provided for emerging XR services with both cooperative access/edge orchestration and realistic, measurement-based XR traffic modeling. Finally, the contributions strengthen trustworthy and impactful networking through AS risk assessment at IXPs, an IoT framework for smart water systems, and optimized virtual channel establishment in payment channel networks.Taken together, they paint a picture of a field that is simultaneously pushing new capabilities, while also advancing a shift from optimality to operational practicality, where scalable methods bridge the gap between theoretically optimal solutions and real-world constraints in traffic engineering, deterministic networking, and XR orchestration. An emerging theme is that of measurement-driven design, highlighting how empirical traffic modeling and control-plane analyses strengthen credibility, reproducibility, and operational relevance. Finally, the papers emphasize reliability, resilience, and security by construction and the growing importance of networking for societal-scale applications, spanning sustainable smart infrastructure and immersive services.

ABSTRACT Salmonella are Gram-negative, rod-shaped, entero-invasive foodborne bacteria and are frequently detected in chicken houses and facilities of poultry broiler complexes. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence, critical entry points, and movement pattern of Salmonella along different stages of a complex. A total of 1,071 environmental samples were collected from 38 production houses (8 pullet, 10 breeder, and 20 broiler), a hatchery, 6 transport trucks, and a processing plant. Samples were screened with 3M Molecular Detection System and were further processed for the confirmation of results. Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were performed to determine genetic relatedness among bacterial strains. Using multivariable model, the odds ratios and 95% confidence limits were compared for stages, sample types, environments, and seasons ( α < 0.05). Altogether 18% of samples and 42% of production houses tested Salmonella positive. Interestingly, the odds of Salmonella detection were more likely ( P ≤ 0.001) in facilities like hatchery, transport, and processing plant as compared to production farms such as pullet, breeder, and broiler farms. The predominant serotype identified was S . Kentucky followed by S . Enteritidis, S . Typhimurium, S . Johannesburg, S . Montevideo, S . Mbandaka, S . Newport, S . Senftenberg, S . Inverness, S . Ohio, S . Uganda, and N/A (9:z29:-). Phylogenetic analysis showed strong genetic relationship among bacterial strains isolated from different stages. It also suggests diverse movement patterns of bacterial strains and possibility of multiple critical points for bacterial pathogens entering the complex. From the above results, we can conclude that Salmonella from chicken houses/facilities’ environment can enter the broiler complex and can potentially contaminate the final raw product in the processing plant. A multifaceted comprehensive control strategy focusing on both facilities and production farms might be essential for improved control strategies. IMPORTANCE Salmonella continues to be the leading human bacterial foodborne pathogen, a serious food safety concern. The major challenges are to reduce the risk of introduction or spread of such bacteria in flocks, to minimize the persistence of such bacteria within the broiler complex, and to achieve USDA FSIS final product standards at the processing plants. Not well understood are the possible entry points and movement patterns of Salmonella along different stages of an integrated broiler complex. For this study, environmental sampling was considered from parent pullets through the final raw product at the processing plant, and SNP-based analysis of Salmonella isolates was conducted to determine the genetic relatedness and movement patterns. Interestingly, the samples from facilities (hatchery, transport, and processing plant) were more likely to be contaminated with Salmonella as compared to production farms (parent pullets, breeders, and broilers). Similarly, the phylogenetic analysis showed strong genetic relationship among strains isolated from different locations within the same stage and between different stages. The results show complex diversity of Salmonella serotypes along the chain and the possibility of multiple critical points for the entry of pathogen into the broiler complex and contaminate the final raw product at the processing plant. Furthermore, improper cooking or handling of contaminated raw chicken meat and meat products with Salmonella and other zoonotic pathogens can potentially cause foodborne illness in humans.

This special issue includes diverse approaches that support co-creation and circularity in urban and peri-urban environments and illustrates how computational infrastructures, combined with community engagement and responsible innovation, can shape the next generation of efficient, sustainable, and resilient smart environments.

The research community is increasingly driven to develop new approaches to meet the demands of ubiquitous connectivity. This includes addressing spontaneous communication requirements arising from crowd events or responding to the communication challenges posed by natural disasters or other emergency situations. Agile network management techniques, empowered by artificial intelligence, and leveraging the third spatial dimension, offer promising solutions to address these challenges. This paper explores the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) with 5G network technologies to enhance mobile network performance and coverage. By deploying gNodeB on UAV platforms, dynamic resource allocation and network function scalability could be improved, facilitating rapid deployment of temporary mobile network nodes. The work describes a practical integration and communication performance emulation to evaluate the capabilities and performance of UAV-mounted gNodeBs. Special attention is payed to the impact backhaul link, which connects the base stations with the terrestrial core network, over service performance.

Smart cities have been a very active research area in the past 20 years, while continuously adapting to new technological advancements and keeping up with the times regarding sustainability and climate change. In this context, there have been numerous proposals to expand the scope of smart cities, focusing on resilience and sustainability, among other aspects, resulting in terms like smart sustainable cities. At the same time, there is an ongoing discussion regarding the degree in which smart cities put people at their centre. In this work, we argue toward expanding the current smart city definition by integrating the circular economy as one of its central pillars and adopting the term smart (and) circular city. We discuss the ways a smart and circular city encompasses both sustainability and smartness in an integral manner, while also being well-positioned to foster novel business activity and models and helping to place citizens at the heart of the smart city. In this sense, we also argue that previous research in smart cities and technologies, such as those related to Industry 4.0, can serve as a cornerstone to implement circular economy activities within cities, at a scale that exceeds current activities that are based on more conventional approaches. We also outline current open challenges in this domain and research questions that still need to be addressed.

Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) gypsum is a byproduct of the coal-fired power plant process commonly used to remove sulfur dioxide emissions from the flue gas. FGD gypsum has numerous industrial, agricultural, and environmental applications. This study aimed to explore a novel approach involving the use of FGD gypsum combined with different litter treatments as bedding for broiler production. It focused on performance metrics, including adjusted feed conversion ratio (AFCR) and average body weight (BW), foot pad dermatitis (FPD), and fear response over 5 consecutive flocks. A total of 1,800 one-day-old Ross 708 chicks were randomly assigned to 24 pens (75 birds/pen), divided into 6 treatment groups (4 pens/treatment), with 5 replications and raised until 42 d old (d). Treatments were gypsum that was decaked (D), rotovated (E), and rotovated then windrowed (F) between flocks. Control treatments using pine shavings were decaked (A), rotovated (B), and windrowed postrotovating (C). AFCR, average BW, and mortality were used as a measure of production. Foot pad dermatitis scores were taken on d42 using a scale of 0 (absence), 1 (mild), and 2 (severe). Response to observer and human approach test were used to measure fear response. Data were analyzed as a 2-way ANOVA (Proc Glimmix) for the main effects of bedding type and litter treatment. Means were identified using Tukey's HSD. No effect of bedding type or litter treatment was found for AFCR, BW, or mortality. FPD scores 2 and 1, were higher with pine shavings than gypsum (P = 0.01 and P = 0.01, respectively). While FPD scores 0 were higher for gypsum than the pine shaving (P = 0.01). No difference in fear response was found among birds raised on any of the gypsum litter treatments and any of the pine shaving litter treatments. Overall, the use of gypsum as bedding results in equivalent production and fear response to pine shavings, while increasing FPD quality when compared to pine shaving.

The objective of this study was to determine prevalence and perform genomic analysis of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. isolated from different stages of an integrated NAE broiler complex. Environmental samples were screened with 3M-Molecular Detection System (MDS) and MDS positive samples were further processed for confirmation of results and identification. Core genome-based phylogenies were built for both bacteria isolated from this study along with selected NCBI genomes. The odds ratios and 95% confidence limits were compared among stages and sample types (α<0.05) using multivariable model. Based on MDS results, 4% and 18% of total samples were positive for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. respectively. The odds of Salmonella detection in hatchery samples were 2.58 times as likely as compared to its detection in production farms’ samples (p=0.151) while the odds of Campylobacter detection in production farms’ samples were 32.19 times as likely as its detection in hatchery (p=0.0015). Similarly, the odds of Campylobacter detection in boot swabs, soil, water, and miscellaneous samples were statistically significant (p<0.05) as compared with fly paper as reference group. The serovars identified for Salmonella were Typhimurium, Barranquilla, Liverpool, Kentucky, Enteritidis, Luciana, and Rough_O:r:1,5. For Campylobacter, the species identified were Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. Phylogeny results show close genetic relatedness among bacterial strains isolated from different locations within the same stage and between different stages. The results show possibility of multiple entry points of such bacteria entering broiler complex and can potentially contaminate the final raw product in the processing plant. It suggests the need for a comprehensive control strategy with strict biosecurity measures and best management practices to minimize or eliminate such pathogens from the poultry food chain.

Controlling Campylobacter jejuni during broiler production is a topic of interest from a public health standpoint, as colonized birds can contaminate poultry products during processing and sicken humans if not properly cooked or handled before consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary yeast cell wall (YCW) as a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters with or without a C. jejuni challenge. A total of 2240 day-old Ross 708 males were randomly assigned within 8 experimental groups with a 4 x 2 factorial design, with 4 diets (negative control [CTL-], positive control [CTL+, bacitracin, 50 g/ ton], YCW constant dose [400 g/ton], and YCW step-down dose [SD, 800, 400, and 200 g/ton in the starter, grower, and finisher periods, respectively]) and with or without a Day-16 C. jejuni oral gavage challenge at a 10(3)-colony-forming-units (CFU)/ml dose. Body weights and feed consumption were measured on Days 0, 14, 28, and 41 to determine broiler performance. Ileum tissue samples were collected from 24 birds per treatment on Days 17 and 24 (1 and 8 days postinoculation [PI]) for relative gene expression (RGE) analysis. Cecal content samples were collected from 24 birds per treatment on Days 24, 34, and 42 for C. jejuni enumeration and prevalence calculation. A total of 80 birds per treatment were processed to determine carcass yield on Day 44, and on Day 45, 16 carcass rinsates per treatment were collected for C. jejuni enumeration and prevalence calculation. The interaction between diet and inoculation did not influence growth performance (P > 0.05). However, a diet effect was observed in the starter period where birds fed SD diet had a lower feed conversion ratio than birds fed CTL- diet (P = 0.0165). Additionally, the treatment of birds inoculated with C. jejuni fed with SD had a trend to a lower feed conversion ratio during the grower period (P = 0.0550). The RGE of interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 10 was similar in all treatments 1 and 8 days PI. The RGE of avian beta defensin 10 was similar in all treatments on Day 1 PI, but different on Day 8 PI (P = 0.0476). All birds inoculated with C. jejuni had similar CFU per milliliter counts in the cecal contents at Days 24, 34, and 42 (P > 0.05), and all birds inoculated with phosphate-buffered saline were negative for C. jejuni after prevalence testing. After processing 1) carcass yield was similar in all treatments (P > 0.05); 2) C. jejuni-inoculated birds fed CTL- had lower CFU per milliliter counts than birds provided CTL+ and constant-dose diets (P = 0.0383); and 3) all birds inoculated with PBS were negative for Campylobacter. Overall, under the conditions of this study, the addition of YCW during a C. jejuni challenge did not have an impact on growth performance, innate immune response, cecal colonization, carcass yield, or carcass colonization after processing.

A successful hatch has a considerable economic impact on all poultry companies. The aim of the current study was to describe the possible effects of shell translucency (T score) and coloration lightness (L* value) on shell thickness, hatchability, and chick weight. A total of 4,320 eggs from 4 commercial Ross 708 breeder flocks (50-55-wk old) were used. Eggs were selected for T score and L* value. A 3-point subjective scoring system was used for T score (1 = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high), and an electronic colorimeter for L* value, sorting the eggs as light (avg. L* = 80.7) or dark (avg. L* = 76.0). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS (V9.4) and Tukey's HSD test was performed to separate means, a significant difference was considered when P & LE; 0.05. Results suggest that the color of the eggshell was related to the egg weight on the day of collection (P = 0.0056) and at transfer (P = 0.0211), in both cases dark eggs were 0.6 g heavier than light eggs. Dark eggs had a 3.8% increased hatchability of egg set (P = 0.0481) and yielded 6 mm thicker shells (P = 0.0019) when compared to light eggs. Regarding translucency, egg weight at transfer was 0.8 g heavier for T score 1 eggs compared to T score 3 (P = 0.0358). The translucency score of 1 had a 6.9% higher hatchability of eggs set (P = 0.0127) and 0.7 g heavier chick weight (P = 0.0385) compared to T score 3. However, T score 1 eggs had shells 28 mm thinner than the T score 2 and 34 mm thinner than T score 3 (P < 0.0001). An interaction effect was observed for eggshell thickness, L* value, and T score, where eggs classified as light with T score 1 had thinner eggshells compared to those that were dark with T score 3 (P = 0.0292). These results suggest that eggshell translucency and coloration lightness can be good noninvasive indicators of eggshell thickness, hatchability, and chick weight in broiler breeder flocks.

Various culture-based methods to detect Salmonella in animal feed have been developed due to the impact of this bacterium on public and animal health. For this project, tris phosphate carbonate (TPC) and buffered peptone water (BPW) buffering capacities were compared as pre-enrichment mediums for the detection of Salmonella in feed ingredients. A total of 269 samples were collected from 6 feed mills and mixed with the pre-enrichments; pH was measured before and after a 24 h incubation. Differences were observed when comparing pH values by sample type; DDGS and poultry by-product meal presented lower initial pH values for TPC and BPW compared to the other samples. For both TPC and BPW, meat and bone meal presented higher final pH values, while soybean meal and peanut meal had lower final pH values. Furthermore, for BPW, post cooling, pellet loadout, and wheat middlings reported lower final pH values. Additionally, most feed ingredients presented significant differences in pH change after 24 h of incubation, except DDGS. From meat and bone meal samples, four Salmonella isolates were recovered and identified: three using BPW and one using TPC. TPC provided greater buffer capacity towards neutral pH compared to BPW, but BPW was more effective at recovering Salmonella.

The requirements imposed when supporting ubiquitous communications, both in time and space, drives to the research community to conceive new approaches aiming at fitting service and user demands. It is becoming more usual to provide support to spontaneous communication needs raised by a community of IoT devices, crowds or even to cope with the consequences, in terms of infrastructure communications, of a natural disaster. In this context, the availability of agile network management techniques boosted by the artificial intelligence as well as exploiting the third spatial dimension can provide key assets matching the corresponding requirements. Hence, this paper presents drone-based solutions which embed the eNodeB and the Evolved Packet Core infrastructure to support such spontaneous communication needs as well as a monitoring system of critical infrastructure.

A study was conducted to assess the effects of a dietary yeast cell wall (YCW) with and without a Campylobacter jejuni (CJ) challenge. A total of 2,240-day-old Ross 708 males were randomly assigned within 8 treatments with a 4 × 2 factorial design, with 4 diets (negative control, positive control, YCW constant dose (400 g/ton), and YCW step-down dose (800/400/200 g/ton in the starter/grower/finisher diets, respectively) and with and without d 21 CJ oral gavage challenge at 5.2 × 107 CFU/mL. At d 0, 14, 28, and 41 body weights and feed consumption were measured to determine performance. At d 14, 28, and 42, 8 jejunal and ileal histology samples per treatment were collected for villi morphology measurements. At d 22 and 28 (1- and 7-days postinoculation), 24 ileal tissue samples per treatment were collected for relative gene expression analysis. At d 42, 24 cecal content samples per treatment were collected for CJ enumeration. Finally, on d 44, 96 birds per treatment were processed to determine carcass yield and 16 carcass rinses per treatment were collected to determine CJ prevalence after processing. Diet or inoculation did not impact broiler performance (P > 0.05). Limited differences were observed in intestinal morphology, and villus height and crypt depth were different only in the ileum at d 42 (P = 0.0280 and P = 0.0162, respectively). At d 1 postinoculation, differences between treatments inoculated with CJ and PBS were observed in the expression of avian beta defensin 10 (AvBD10), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin 10 (IL-10) (P < 0.05). At d 7 postinoculation, expression of AvBD10, IL-1ß, and IL-10 was similar among all treatments (P > 0.05). At d 42, all birds, regardless the inoculation, had similar levels of CJ recovered from cecal contents (P > 0.05). After processing, carcass yield and CJ prevalence postchilling was similar in all treatments (P > 0.05). Overall, under the conditions of this study, the addition of YCW during a CJ challenge did not have an impact in growth performance, innate immune response, cecal colonization, carcass yield, or CJ prevalence after processing.

The increase of the population living in cities has put a lot of pressure in urban transportation systems. It comes, among other things, with noteworthy air pollution, time and energy wastage, and drivers' discomfort due to parking spots scarcity. Finding a parking spot has become a major problem for drivers. To overcome this problem, smart parking services that detect parking spot occupancy status and inform drivers about their availability have been proposed. The deployment of these solutions is reducing the costs associated to traffic jams or gas consumption. However, one of the main challenges faced when planning and deploying this kind of service is the communication technology used by the parking sensors, which are typically buried under the asphalt, as it has to cover large areas of the city in the most cost-effective way. In this paper, we analyze the behavior and performance of a LoRaWAN network supporting the smart parking service in the city of Santander. The sensors and network deployment are described and the thorough experimental evaluation of the network behavior is presented. The goal of this assessment is to provide insights that could be helpful for better understanding the key factors affecting the communication. The long-termed analysis of the parking sensors deployments studied, have allowed us to derive an experimental propagation model that could be useful for the planning of city-scale IoT infrastructures employing LoRaWAN networks as their wireless access technology. Moreover, we have also analyzed the behavior of the LoRa wireless network in order to evaluate the possibility of leveraging network information to increase the confidence on smart parking sensor readings through AI-based predictors.

Campylobacter is an important foodborne pathogen and is naturally found in chickens. During broiler production, litter can become contaminated with Campylobacter when birds defecate, and this litter, in some countries, is typically reused for the next flock, potentially causing cross-contamination. The goal of this experiment was to observe if reusing contaminated litter could spread Campylobacter between flocks and to observe if common litter treatments could prevent this cross-contamination. To determine this, a flock of birds was inoculated with Campylobacter jejuni and allowed to naturally contaminate the litter for 42 days. After grow-out, birds were terminated, and litter was given five treatments: uninoculated fresh litter, untreated re-used litter, composted re-used litter, re-used litter treated with sodium bisulfate (45 kg/305 m2), and re-used litter composted and treated with sodium bisulfate (45 kg/305 m2). A second flock was placed on the litter, grown for 42 days, and tested for C. jejuni prevalence. Following inoculation of the first flock, high prevalence of C. jejuni was observed; however, after a 19-day down-time between flocks, no C. jejuni was detected in any samples from the second flock. These results indicate that re-used litter was not a significant reservoir for cross-contamination of broilers when provided a significant down-time between flocks.

The dramatic increase of the urban population has put a lot of pressure in modern urban transportation systems. This not only implies noteworthy air pollution, and waste in time and energy, but also has led to the critical issue of the parking spots scarcity. Finding a parking spot has become one of the most common problems mentioned by drivers due to the day-by-day increase in number of vehicles. To overcome this problem, smart parking services based on sensors to detect parking spot occupancy status and inform drivers about their availability have been proposed. With the successful deployment of this kind of solutions, costs associated with traffic jams or wasted gas can be considerably reduced. However, one of the main challenges to be addressed when planning and deploying this kind of services is the communication technology employed by parking sensors, which are typically buried under the asphalt, and has to be able to cover large areas of the city in the most cost-efficient way. In this paper, we analyze the behavior and performance of a LoRaWAN network employed for supporting a Smart Parking service in the city of Santander. The sensors and network deployment are described in the paper and the thorough experimental assessment and evaluation of the network behavior is presented. The goal of this evaluation is to provide a better understanding of the key factors affecting the communication of outdoor parking spots. Through the continuous monitoring of two parking sensor deployments in the city, we derive some conclusions and lessons learnt that could benefit the planning and deployment of city-scale IoT infrastructures employing LoRaWAN networks as their wireless access technology.

Digital twins are quickly becoming a popular tool in several domains, taking advantage of recent advancements in the Internet of Things, Machine Learning and Big Data, while being used by both the industry sector and the research community. In this paper, we review the current research landscape as regards digital twins in the field of smart cities, while also attempting to draw parallels with the application of digital twins in Industry 4.0. Although digital twins have received considerable attention in the Industrial Internet of Things domain, their utilization in smart cities has not been as popular thus far. We discuss here the open challenges in the field and argue that digital twins in smart cities should be treated differently and be considered as cyber-physical “systems of systems”, due to the vastly different system size, complexity and requirements, when compared to other recent applications of digital twins. We also argue that researchers should utilize established tools and methods of the smart city community, such as co-creation, to better handle the specificities of this domain in practice.

In this article we propose an improved statistical approach for the estimation of the mole fraction of each conformer in a given conformational equilibrium from the measured averaged 13C NMR chemical shifts. As each compound has a different number of conformers, an iterative process of fitting (backfitting type) is necessary. In each iteration, two estimates are made, i) fitting to a ridge regression model with equality and inequality constraints and selection of variables for each compound and ii) re-fitting for all compounds. This new procedure leads to consistent results, with low standard error and good p-values, allowing the estimation of the conformational composition for small molecules with a reduced number of conformers.

During the last decade Internet of Things has become one of the key technologies in supporting digital transformation of several ecosystems such urban or industry ones. The huge amount of data generated in such contexts as well as the imperative requirements in terms of trustworthiness, authenticity and integrity make compulsory the adoption of the proper solutions fitting those requirements. This paper presents the design, implementation and validation of a distributed ledger technology architecture emphasizing services linked to data valorization.