Identifying Misinformation on YouTube through Transcript Contextual Analysis with Transformer Models

Misinformation on YouTube is a significant concern, necessitating robust detection strategies. In this paper, we introduce a novel methodology for video classification, focusing on the veracity of the content. We convert the conventional video classification task into a text classification task by leveraging the textual content derived from the video transcripts. We employ advanced machine learning techniques like transfer learning to solve the classification challenge. Our approach incorporates two forms of transfer learning: (a) fine-tuning base transformer models such as BERT, RoBERTa, and ELECTRA, and (b) few-shot learning using sentence-transformers MPNet and RoBERTa-large. We apply the trained models to three datasets: (a) YouTube Vaccine-misinformation related videos, (b) YouTube Pseudoscience videos, and (c) Fake-News dataset (a collection of articles). Including the Fake-News dataset extended the evaluation of our approach beyond YouTube videos. Using these datasets, we evaluated the models distinguishing valid information from misinformation. The fine-tuned models yielded Matthews Correlation Coefficient>0.81, accuracy>0.90, and F1 score>0.90 in two of three datasets. Interestingly, the few-shot models outperformed the fine-tuned ones by 20% in both Accuracy and F1 score for the YouTube Pseudoscience dataset, highlighting the potential utility of this approach -- especially in the context of limited training data

CoPe_it! - Supporting collaboration, enhancing learning

CoPe_it! is an innovative web-based tool that complies with collaborative practices to provide members of communities with the appropriate means to manage individual and collective knowledge, and collaborate towards the solution of diverse issues. In this article, we demonstrate its applicability in tackling data-intensive collaboration settings, which are characterized by big volumes of complex and interrelated data obtained from diverse sources, and knowledge expressed by diverse participants. We focus on issues related to the representation of such settings and the proposed approach towards making it easier for participants to follow the evolution of a collaboration, comprehend it in its entirety, and meaningfully aggregate data in order to resolve the issue under consideration

Physical activity and exercise for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a collaborative international guideline

Cognition; Dementia; ExerciseCognició; Demència; ExerciciCognición; Demencia; EjercicioBackground Physical activity and exercise have been suggested as effective interventions for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, but there are no international guidelines. Objectives To create a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based prevention and management recommendations regarding physical activity (any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure) and exercise (a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive), applicable to a range of individuals from healthy older adults to those with MCI/dementia. Methods Guideline content was developed with input from several scientific and lay representatives’ societies. A systematic search across multidisciplinary databases was carried out until October 2021. Recommendations for prevention and management were developed according to the GRADE and complemented by consensus statements from the expert panels. Recommendations Physical activity may be considered for the primary prevention of dementia. In people with MCI there is continued uncertainty about the role of physical activity in slowing the conversion to dementia. Mind–body interventions have the greatest supporting evidence. In people with moderate dementia, exercise may be used for maintaining disability and cognition. All these recommendations were based on a very low/low certainty of evidence. Conclusions Although the scientific evidence on the beneficial role of physical activity and exercise in preserving cognitive functions in subjects with normal cognition, MCI or dementia is inconclusive, this panel, composed of scientific societies and other stakeholders, recommends their implementation based on their beneficial effects on almost all facets of health.Open access funding provided by Università degli Studi di Palermo within the CRUI-CARE Agreement

On a meaningful integration of web services in data-intensive biomedical environments: The DICODE approach

This paper reports on an innovative approach that aims to reduce information management costs in data-intensive and cognitively-complex biomedical environments. Recognizing the importance of prominent high-performance computing paradigms and large data processing technologies as well as collaboration support systems to remedy data-intensive issues, it adopts a hybrid approach by building on the synergy of these technologies. The proposed approach provides innovative Web-based workbenches that integrate and orchestrate a set of interoperable services that reduce the data-intensiveness and complexity overload at critical decision points to a manageable level, thus permitting stakeholders to be more productive and concentrate on creative activities

Increasing incidence of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis on Crete, Greece

To determine whether the incidence of canine leishmaniasis has increased on Crete, Greece, we fitted infection models to serodiagnostic records of 8,848 dog samples for 1990–2006. Models predicted that seroprevalence has increased 2.4% (95% confidence interval 1.61%–3.51%) per year and that incidence has increased 2.2- to 3.8-fold over this 17-year period

Next generation supply chains: making the right decisions about digitalisation

This white paper is based on research carried out by the IfM’s Centre for International Manufacturing and insights emerging from our work with industrial partners. In it we share our latest findings to help global companies consider their digital supply chain strategies

Multi-frequency, multi-sonar mapping of shallow habitats – Efficacy and management implications in the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, Greece

In this work, multibeam echosounder (MBES) and dual frequency sidescan sonar (SSS) data are combined to map the shallow (5⁻100 m) benthic habitats of the National Marine Park of Zakynthos (NMPZ), Greece, a Marine Protected Area (MPA). NMPZ hosts extensive prairies of the protected Mediterranean phanerogams Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa, as well as reefs and sandbanks. Seafloor characterization is achieved using the multi-frequency acoustic backscatter of: (a) the two simultaneous frequencies of the SSS (100 and 400 kHz) and (b) the MBES (180 kHz), as well as the MBES bathymetry. Overall, these high-resolution datasets cover an area of 84 km2 with ground coverage varying from 50% to 100%. Image texture, terrain and backscatter angular response analyses are applied to the above, to extract a range of statistical features. Those have different spatial densities and so they are combined through an object-based approach based on the full-coverage 100-kHz SSS mosaic. Supervised classification is applied to data models composed of operationally meaningful combinations between the above features, reflecting single-sonar or multi-sonar mapping scenarios. Classification results are validated against a detailed expert interpretation habitat map making use of extensive ground-truth data. The relative gain of one system or one feature extraction method or another are thoroughly examined. The frequency-dependent separation of benthic habitats showcases the potentials of multi-frequency backscatter and bathymetry from different sonars, improving evidence-based interpretations of shallow benthic habitats

Physical activity and exercise for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment and dementia:A collaborative international guideline

Background: Physical activity and exercise have been suggested as effective interventions for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, but there are no international guidelines. Objectives: To create a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based prevention and management recommendations regarding physical activity (any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure) and exercise (a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive), applicable to a range of individuals from healthy older adults to those with MCI/dementia. Methods: Guideline content was developed with input from several scientific and lay representatives' societies. A systematic search across multidisciplinary databases was carried out until October 2021. Recommendations for prevention and management were developed according to the GRADE and complemented by consensus statements from the expert panels. Recommendations: Physical activity may be considered for the primary prevention of dementia. In people with MCI there is continued uncertainty about the role of physical activity in slowing the conversion to dementia. Mind-body interventions have the greatest supporting evidence. In people with moderate dementia, exercise may be used for maintaining disability and cognition. All these recommendations were based on a very low/low certainty of evidence. Conclusions: Although the scientific evidence on the beneficial role of physical activity and exercise in preserving cognitive functions in subjects with normal cognition, MCI or dementia is inconclusive, this panel, composed of scientific societies and other stakeholders, recommends their implementation based on their beneficial effects on almost all facets of health