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The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of including green forage in the diet of Italian Mediterranean dairy buffaloes on the ruminal microbiota, CAZymes profile, functional biomolecules and total antioxidant activity in bulk milk. Sixteen buffaloes were randomly assigned according to lactation number and daily milk production to two homogeneous groups, and for 60 days received each: Group 1, a standard total mixed ration (TMR) or group 2, TMR + ryegrass green forage (30% of diet). The diets of the two groups were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic and differed only in the proportion of green forage. Buffaloes that received TMR + green feed had a higher (p

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.

Purpose: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) represents the persistent absence of sperm in ejaculate without obstruction, stemming from diverse disease processes. This survey explores global practices in NOA diagnosis, comparing them with guidelines and offering expert recommendations. Materials and Methods:Materials and Methods: A 56-item questionnaire survey on NOA diagnosis and management was conducted globally from July to September 2022. This paper focuses on part 1, evaluating NOA diagnosis. Data from 367 participants across 49 coun-tries were analyzed descriptively, with a Delphi process used for expert recommendations. Results:Results: Of 336 eligible responses, most participants were experienced attending physicians (70.93%). To diagnose azoosper-mia definitively, 81.7% requested two semen samples. Commonly ordered hormone tests included serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (97.0%), total testosterone (92.9%), and luteinizing hormone (86.9%). Genetic testing was requested by 66.6%, with karyotype analysis (86.2%) and Y chromosome microdeletions (88.3%) prevalent. Diagnostic testicular biopsy, distinguishing obstructive azoospermia (OA) from NOA, was not performed by 45.1%, while 34.6% did it selectively. Differ-entiation relied on physical examination (76.1%), serum hormone profiles (69.6%), and semen tests (68.1%). Expectations of finding sperm surgically were higher in men with normal FSH, larger testes, and a history of sperm in ejaculate. Conclusions:Conclusions: This expert survey, encompassing 367 participants from 49 countries, unveils congruence with recommended guidelines in NOA diagnosis. However, noteworthy disparities in practices suggest a need for evidence-based, international consensus guidelines to standardize NOA evaluation, addressing existing gaps in professional recommendations.

Salinity stress represents a key factor for global agriculture. Plants can respond to salinity stress by adapting their physiology in different ways with the aim of limiting reductions in growth and development. Importantly, moisture retention capacity, permeability and nutrient availability of substrates represent critical variables for plants as they may further influence the effect of osmotic stress. Here, a multidisciplinary approach was applied to evaluate the role of two different substrates, peat and perlite, on 2-year-old potted cuttings of Olea europaea (cultivar Arbequina) under different salinity stress conditions (0, 100 and 200 mM NaCl). Biometric and physiological data indicate that plants potted in perlite (AP) generally present lower growth and photosynthetic rates when compared with peat (AS) in combination with salinity stress. Ion measurements indicate a rise in Na+ accumulation with increasing stress severity, which alters the ion ratio in both substrates. In addition, differences occurred in polyphenol contents, with a general increase in quinic acid and rutin contents in AS and AP samples, respectively. Metabolomic and biometric data were also coupled with metabarcoding analysis, which indicates that the moderate salinity treatment (100 mM NaCl, T100) reshaped the endophytic community of plants grown on both substrates. Taken together, the data suggest that the strategy used by a glycophytic species such as the olive tree to cope with salinity stress seems to be highly related to availability of water and nutrients. The lack of both may be simulated by perlite, enhancing the effect of salinity stress response in woody plants. Lastly, applying the beneficial endophytic bacterial taxa identified here could represent a step forward in increasing plant defence and nutrient uptake and reducing inputs for modern and more sustainable agriculture.

To accurately model the consequences of accidental dust explosions, numerical simulations of the flame propagation process are required. A key parameter in these models is the burning velocity ( ?? ?? ), which represents the consumption rate of the reactants by the flame front. Experiments are therefore needed to determine the burning velocity, and the influence of turbulence on this velocity; as well as to validate these models of flame propagation. In this article, aluminum flame propagation inside a vertical duct with obstacles is studied. The aim of the obstacles is first to increase the turbulence just in front of the flame front, in order to quantify its influence on the burning velocity. The second objective of the implementation of the obstacles is to obtain experimental data in a more complex geometry in order to validate the models. During these experiments, the flame propagation is recorded and the unburned flow velocity is measured using the TR-PIV (Time-Resolved Particle Image Velocimetry) technique. This innovative measurement of the unburned flow velocity is important not only for the accurate determination of the burning velocity, but also to validate these numerical simulations. An increase in the propagation velocity and the burning velocity is observed as the flame propagates toward the obstacles.

The increasing global demand for cleaner energy sources implies the use of H2 which poses significant safety issues. One of the major safety issues in H2 management is the storage, based on extreme condition technology (high pressure and/or very low temperatures). Alternatively, instead of H2, ammonia may be used since storage of NH3 is much simpler from a technological point of view. From a safety point, the comparison between the risk of H2 storage and NH3 storage has still to be understood. The energy (H2) sector worldwide is a dynamic and complex system, relying on the mutual interactions between different factors like safety, risk, sustainability, political and social decisions, and economic impact. The understanding and management of global behaviour can be obtained by taking into account all the interactions among these factors. In order to deal with such complex systems, system thinking, and system dynamics approaches could be developed and used. The present work aims to develop an integrated Systems Thinking approach for assessing and managing the safety of storage systems with a particular focus on the comparison between hydrogen and ammonia. The developed models integrate the complex interdependencies considering material properties, environmental conditions, and storage infrastructure. Systems Thinking is used for mapping the intricate network of interdependencies, considering storage vessel design, regulatory frameworks, and emergency response plans. Therefore, by adopting this holistic perspective, potential vulnerabilities and leverage points of the system are identified which lead to improving the overall safety of gas storage systems. Additionally, this research explores the dynamic behaviour of safe storage under different scenarios, including temperature fluctuations, pressure changes, and potential leaks. The development of System Dynamics-based models offers valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers alike. The integration of a Systems Thinking approach allows for a better understanding of the complex interactions involved in the safe storage of these technologies for informed decision-making and advancements in gas storage technologies.

The chemical industry often handles, stores, and processes molecules like hydroxylamine (HA) and hydrogen peroxide (HP), which can easily undergo thermal decomposition reactions. Hence, the ideal perspective is to have simple quantitative criteria to use during the equipment design phase, accommodating the possibility of exothermic degradations of substances to enhance process safety and avoid thermal runaways. To this aim, the Frank-Kamenetskii theory of self-heating (FKT) can be involved in determining the critical size of a storage vessel to guarantee the intrinsic safe storage of chemically hazardous materials. Eventually, the proposed design strategy will be implemented to design storage equipment for two commercial aqueous solutions of HA and HP, respectively. In this way, it will be possible to compare the inherent thermal hazard linked to the storage of these mixtures, evaluating the threshold vessel size above which the self-heating phenomenon of the materials becomes no longer controllable. The HA and HP mixtures can be used alone or together in chemical processes as oxidants or precursors for producing hydroxyl radicals. Under comparable conditions free of impurities and organic contamination, the results show that the system made of 50 %w hydrogen peroxide is more stable than hydroxylamine. This is reflected in a larger characteristic size of the storage vessel able to handle appropriately self-heating phenomena potentially leading to runaway.

Flammable liquids typically adopted in chemical and industrial processes can be subjected to intense heat radiation due to nearby hot surfaces or fires. A second cascading event is then likely because the flash point can be easily reached and the surrounding environment can provide sufficient energy for ignition. Nevertheless, the flaming condition is not necessarily reached instantaneously if no direct (e.g., spark) ignition is present. Hence, a time to flaming, i.e., in the absence of an ignition source, is extremely relevant for the active and passive fire protection of flammable liquid, as the minimum time for intervention can be defined before developing a pool fire and for the correct evaluation of domino effects, in analogy with gas fires. In addition, a complete characterization of liquid behaviour under radiant heating is essential to guarantee safe operations, prevention measures, robust databases and optimized design. Therefore, this work reports the results for three liquid solvent representative classes of substances: i) hexane, ii) ethyl acetate, and iii) ethanol. A bench scale facility was adopted for the characterization of mass and energy aspects involving a pool fire of the investigated substances. Among the others, the ignitability and the intensity of the generated pool fires were evaluated experimentally in terms of mass burning rate, heat release rate, and combustion efficiency. Different boundary conditions were tested to identify the optimized set of conditions for a robust evaluation of the safety aspects of liquid. Results showed the most relevant trends in terms of ignitability of liquid species and combustion intensity during the pseudo-steady state regime of a pool fire. In addition, indications on the boundary conditions to be considered for a robust and consistent dataset were provided in this work.

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.

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.