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Buffalo is a rustic animal; it can adapt and survive in various environments with different topography, climate and vegetation, and has a greater longevity than cattle. The high resistance to parasites, as well as the ability to improve the efficiency of feed consumption in case of forage shortage, means that even in marshy territories, where any other type of livestock or agricultural activity is impossible, buffalo farming can develop an economy. This review aims to present the key research topics, the evolution and geographic distribution of literature on buffalo welfare, and to underscore potentiality and existing knowledge gaps. A comprehensive search on the Scopus bibliometric database was carried out using various welfare-related keywords such as: ‘buffalo welfare’, ‘buffalo calf welfare’ and ‘buffalo heifers’ welfare’. The research identified 308 papers published in English from January 1992 to December 2023 that, after filtering, became 148 eligible records. Descriptive statistics revealed a significant exponential increase in studies on buffalo welfare since 2020, particularly in Italy, followed by Brazil. Text mining and topic analysis revealed that the most frequently mentioned terms were ‘milk’, ‘water’, ‘behaviour’, ‘farm’ and ‘stun’, confirming the role and the importance of this species in dairy production. Nine identified topics span diverse subject areas such as ‘slaughter process’, ‘dairy production’, ‘general welfare’, ‘housing system’, ‘heat stress’, ‘reproduction performance’, ‘health status’ ‘breeding management’, and ‘stress evaluation’. Although academia shows an increasing interest in buffalo behaviour and welfare, continued research is necessary to fully comprehend how to ensure the welfare of this important species.

Many industrial sectors exploit fossil sources to develop useful and necessary materials for our needs, such as bituminous paving materials. Bitumen, a key component of asphalt mixtures, is derived from oil refining and its properties are influenced by the crude oil source and refining process, resulting in a significant carbon footprint. With growing awareness of resource depletion and environmental concerns, pavement researchers are exploring sustainable alternatives to reduce dependence on fossil sources. This includes a rising trend in using renewable materials like biomasses to produce bio-based binders as substitutes for bitumen, aiming for a more sustainable approach. Biomasses, including vegetal and animal wastes, and waste cooking oils, as substitutes for crude oil in the production of bio-binders. Through thermochemical conversion (TCC), such as pyrolysis, biomasses can be converted into bio-char and bio-oils, which can replace fossil-based components in binders. Researchers have utilized these bio-products to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels in binders. However, there are no set minimum requirements for bio-components in bio-based binders. As the percentage of replaced bitumen increases, various types of binders are produced, including modified bitumen, extended bitumen, and alternative binders, where the fossil replacement is gradual. Overall rheological tests on bio-binders, reveal that those containing bio-char exhibit increased viscosity, stiffness, rutting resistance, and sometimes antioxidant properties. Conversely, bio-binders with bio-oils as bitumen substitutes show poorer performance at high temperatures but improved behavior at low temperatures. These results suggest that bio-binders could provide versatile solutions for various climatic and loading conditions in road construction. However, the development of pavement mixtures based on bio-binders has not been studied in depth and requires further attention to unlock its full potential. As sustainability considerations, including life cycle assessments (LCA) and life cycle cost analyses (LCC), are crucial aspects for future studies. It is essential not only to collect data on the performance characteristics of bio-binders but also to understand their environmental impact and recyclability. In-depth evaluations using methods such as LCA and LCC will provide valuable insights into the overall sustainability and long-term viability of these products.

Abstract In this study, we investigate the potential existence of a non-minimal coupling between dark matter and gravity using a compilation of galaxy clusters. We focus on the disformal scenario of a non-minimal model with an associated coupling length L. Within the Newtonian approximation, this model introduces a modification to the Poisson equation, characterized by a term proportional to $$L^2 \nabla ^2 \rho $$ L 2 ∇ 2 ρ , where $$\rho $$ ρ represents the density of the DM field. We have tested the model by examining strong and weak gravitational lensing data available for a selection of 19 high-mass galaxy clusters observed by the CLASH survey. We have employed a Markov Chain Monte Carlo code to explore the parameter space, and two different statistical approaches to analyse our results: a standard marginalisation and a profile distribution method. Notably, the profile distribution analysis helps out to bypass some volume-effects in the posterior distribution, and reveals lower Navarro–Frenk–White concentrations and masses in the non-minimal coupling model compared to general relativity case. We also found a nearly perfect correlation between the coupling constant L and the standard Navarro–Frenk–White scale parameter $$r_s$$ r s , hinting at a compelling link between these two lengths.

BackgroundChronic pain significantly impacts quality of life and poses substantial public health challenges. Buprenorphine, a synthetic analog of thebaine, is recognized for its potential in managing moderate to severe chronic pain with fewer side effects and a lower incidence of tolerance compared to traditional opioids.ObjectiveThis retrospective study aimed to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of buprenorphine transdermal patches in patients with moderate and severe chronic pain, with a focus on pain relief sustainability and tolerance development.MethodsThis retrospective observational study involved 246 patients prescribed buprenorphine transdermal patches. We evaluated changes in pain intensity using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), assessed opioid tolerance based on FDA guidelines for morphine-equivalent doses, and measured patient-reported outcomes through the Patients’ Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Any adverse events were also recorded.ResultsOver the 36-month period, there was a significant reduction in NRS scores for both moderate and severe pain patients, demonstrating buprenorphine’s sustained analgesic effect. Tolerance measurement indicated that no patients required increases in morphine-equivalent doses that would meet or exceed the FDA’s threshold for opioid tolerance (60 mg/day of morphine or equivalent). Additionally, patient satisfaction was high, with the PGIC reflecting significant improvements in pain management and overall wellbeing. The side effects were minimal, with skin reactions and nausea being the most commonly reported but manageable adverse events.ConclusionThe study findings validate the long-term use of buprenorphine transdermal patches as an effective and safe option for chronic pain management, maintaining efficacy without significant tolerance development. These results support the continued and expanded use of buprenorphine in clinical settings, emphasizing its role in reducing the burdens of chronic pain and opioid-related side effects. Further research is encouraged to refine pain management protocols and explore buprenorphine’s full potential in diverse patient populations.

In this letter we explore the foundations of entropic cosmology and highlight some important flaws which have emerged and adopted in the recent literature. We argue that, when applying entropy and temperature on the cosmological horizon by assuming the holographic principle for all thermodynamic approaches to cosmology and gravity, one must derive the consistent thermodynamic quantities following Clausius relation. One key assumption which is generally overlooked, is that in this process one must assume a mass-to-horizon relation, which is generally taken as a linear one. We show that, regardless of the type of entropy chosen on the cosmological horizon, when a thermodynamically consistent corresponding temperature is considered, all modified entropic force models are equivalent to and indistinguishable from the original entropic force models based on standard Bekenstein entropy and Hawking temperature. As such, they are also plagued by the same problems and inability to describe in a satisfactory qualitative and quantitative way the cosmological dynamics as it emerges from the probes we have. We also show that the standard accepted parameterization for Hawking temperature (including a γ rescaling) is actually not correctly applied, namely, it is not related to entropy in a thermodynamically consistent way. Finally, we clearly state that the explicit form of the entropic force on cosmological horizons is mostly dictated by the assumption on the mass-to-horizon relation. As such, we discuss what should be done in order to fix all such issues, and what conceptually could be implied by its correct implementation in order to advance in the field.

BackgroundA sex-based evaluation of prognosis in heart failure (HF) is lacking.Methods and resultsWe analyzed the Metabolic Exercise test data combined with Cardiac and Kidney Indexes (MECKI) score registry, which includes HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients. A cross-validation procedure was performed to estimate weights separately for men and women of all MECKI score parameters: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), hemoglobin, kidney function assessed by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease, blood sodium level, ventilation vs. carbon dioxide production slope, and peak oxygen consumption (peakVO2). The primary outcomes were the composite of all-cause mortality, urgent heart transplant, and implant of a left ventricle assist device. The difference in predictive ability between the native and sex recalibrated MECKI (S-MECKI) was calculated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve at 2 years and a calibration plot. We retrospectively analyzed 7,900 HFrEF patients included in the MECKI score registry (mean age 61 ± 13 years, 6,456 men/1,444 women, mean LVEF 33% ± 10%, mean peakVO2 56.2% ± 17.6% of predicted) with a median follow-up of 4.05 years (range 1.72–7.47). Our results revealed an unadjusted risk of events that was doubled in men compared to women (9.7 vs. 4.1) and a significant difference in weight between the sexes of most of the parameters included in the MECKI score. S-MECKI showed improved risk classification and accuracy (area under the ROC curve: 0.7893 vs. 0.7799, p = 0.02) due to prognostication improvement in the high-risk settings in both sexes (MECKI score >10 in men and >5 in women).ConclusionsS-MECKI, i.e., the recalibrated MECKI according to sex-specific differences, constitutes a further step in the prognostic assessment of patients with severe HFrEF.

There has been continuous progress in diabetes management over the last few decades, not least due to the widespread dissemination of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and automated insulin delivery systems. These technological advances have radically changed the daily lives of people living with diabetes, improving the quality of life of both children and their families. Despite this, hypoglycemia remains the primary side-effect of insulin therapy. Based on a systematic review of the available scientific evidence, this paper aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for recognizing, risk stratifying, treating, and managing patients with hypoglycemia. The objective of these recommendations is to unify the behavior of pediatric diabetologists with respect to the timely recognition and prevention of hypoglycemic episodes and the correct treatment of hypoglycemia, especially in patients using CGM or advanced hybrid closed-loop systems. All authors have long experience in the specialty and are members of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology. The goal of treating hypoglycemia is to raise blood glucose above 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) and to prevent further decreases. Oral glucose at a dose of 0.3 g/kg (0.1 g/kg for children using “smart pumps” or hybrid closed loop systems in automated mode) is the preferred treatment for the conscious individual with blood glucose

The power behavioural system is a neurobehavioral system that motivates a person to acquire and control resources that are important for survival and reproductive success. When activated, its function is to protect or restore the sense of power, influence, or dominance. Repeated experiences of failure in achieving this goal may result in hyperactivation or deactivation of power-oriented behaviours (analogous to the secondary strategies observed with respect to the attachment behavioural system). Gaining a reliable and valid measure of hyperactivation and deactivation of the power system can be important for understanding an individual's responses to different social contexts and, in clinical settings, can help the therapist identify the client's difficulties that may undermine the therapeutic process. In the present study, we developed the Italian version of the Power Behavioural System Scale (PBSS), a self-report measure developed by Shaver et al. (2011) to assess individual differences in hyperactivation and deactivation of the power system. Results indicated an adequate fit to the expected two-factor model, and the measure proved to be reliable and had good convergent and structural validity, allowing the quantification of individual differences in power system hyperactivation and deactivation.

Gas-filled microbubbles are well-established contrast agents for ultrasound imaging and widely studied as delivery systems for theranostics. Herein, we have demonstrated the promising potential of the hydrophobin HFBII—a fungal amphiphilic protein—in stabilizing microbubbles with various fluorinated core gases. A thorough screening of several experimental parameters was performed to find the optimized conditions regarding the preparation technique, type of core gas, HFBII initial concentration, and protein dissolution procedure. The best results were obtained by combining perfluorobutane (C4F10) gas with 1 mg/mL of aqueous HFBII, which afforded a total bubble concentration higher than 109 bubbles/mL, with long-term stability in solution (at least 3 h). Acoustic characterization of such microbubbles in the typical ultrasound frequency range used for diagnostic imaging showed the lower pressure resistance of HFBII microbubbles, if compared to conventional ones stabilized by phospholipid shells, but, at the same time, revealed strong non-linear behavior, with a significant harmonic response already at low acoustic pressures. These findings suggest the possibility of further improving the performance of HFBII-coated perfluorinated gas microbubbles, for instance by mixing the protein with other stabilizing agents, e.g., phospholipids, in order to tune the viscoelastic properties of the outer shell.