Study of the Milkability of the Mediterranean Italian Buffalo and the Tunisian Maghrebi Camel According to Parity and Lactation Stage.

While considered as hard milkers, both buffaloes and camels are milked with equipment destined for dairy cows based on external morphological similarities with this species. This work aimed to study similarities and differences in milkability traits between Mediterranean buffaloes and Maghrebi she-camels and to evaluate the effect of parity and lactation stage. A total of 422 milk flow curves recorded with an electronic milkmeter (Lactocorder) for both species were accessed.

Robotic monitoring of dunes: a dataset from the EU habitats 2110 and 2120 in Sardinia (Italy).

This data descriptor presents a novel dataset collected using the quadrupedal robot ANYmal C in the Mediterranean coastal dune environment of the European Union (EU) habitats 2110 and 2120 in Sardinia, Italy. The dataset mainly consists of photos, videos, and point clouds of the coastal dunes, providing valuable information on the structure and composition of this habitat. The data was collected by a team of robotic engineers and plant scientists as result of a joint effort towards robotic habitat monitoring.

Advancements in combining electronic animal identification and augmented reality technologies in digital livestock farming.

Modern livestock farm technologies allow operators to have access to a multitude of data thanks to the high number of mobile and fixed sensors available on both the livestock farming machinery and the animals. These data can be consulted via PC, tablet, and smartphone, which must be handheld by the operators, leading to an increase in the time needed for on-field activities. In this scenario, the use of augmented reality smart glasses could allow the visualization of data directly in the field, providing for a hands-free environment for the operator to work.

Assessment of video see-through smart glasses for augmented reality to support technicians during milking machine maintenance.

Smart glasses for augmented reality are digital technology under investigation in the agricultural sector. The potential of augmented reality was underlined, in some scientific contributions, as a support tool for farmers' activities and for the decision-making process. One of the most practical applications studied for augmented reality was in maintenance operations, where the use of smart glasses showed high capability.

Influence of milking units and working vacuum level on the mechanical milking of goats.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effect of working vacuum levels (35 and 44 kPa) and liners dimensions (mouthpiece lip diameter and overall length, 20-185 and 22-170 mm) on the main milking characteristics of goats. The results highlight that both the working vacuum level and the liner dimension have influenced the milk flow curve parameters. The maximum variations were found for peak flow rate, which increased significantly with liner dimensions of 20-185 mm at a working vacuum level of 44 kPa as well as average milk flow rate and for plateau phase duration.

Advances in Unmanned Aerial System Remote Sensing for Precision Viticulture.

New technologies for management, monitoring, and control of spatio-temporal crop variability in precision viticulture scenarios are numerous. Remote sensing relies on sensors able to provide useful data for the improvement of management efficiency and the optimization of inputs. unmanned aerial systems (UASs) are the newest and most versatile tools, characterized by high precision and accuracy, flexibility, and low operating costs.

Influence of the Milking Units on the Pulsation Curve in Dairy Sheep Milking.

Mechanical milking is a critical operation in ewe dairy farming where the operative parameters and the milking routine strongly influence milk production and animal welfare. The challenge in adapting dairy animals to the farm environmental conditions may cause illness and compromise the quality of the products. From this perspective, it is important to evaluate the technological and operational aspects that can influence milk quality and animal welfare.

Exploring Smart Glasses for Augmented Reality: A Valuable and Integrative Tool in Precision Livestock Farming.

The growing interest in Augmented Reality (AR) systems is becoming increasingly evident in all production sectors. However, to the authors' knowledge, a literature gap has been found with regard to the application of smart glasses for AR in the agriculture and livestock sector. In fact, this technology allows farmers to manage animal husbandry in line with precision agriculture principles.

Vibration and Noise Transmitted by Agricultural Backpack Powered Machines Critically Examined Using the Current Standards.

European Directives 2002/44/EC and 2003/10/EC establish the exposure limit values for preventing operators' risks to vibration and noise transmitted by machines. Few studies studied noise and vibration of agricultural backpack powered machines (as mist blowers and blowers), but nobody critically studied them. This work analyzed the field back vibration, hand-arm vibration (HAV), and noise transmitted to ten operators by eight blowers and mist blowers.

Dispersal mode and spatial extent influence distance-decay patterns in pond metacommunities.

Assuming that dispersal modes or abilities can explain the different responses of organisms to geographic or environmental distances, the distance-decay relationship is a useful tool to evaluate the relative role of local environmental structuring versus regional control in community composition. Based on continuing the current theoretical framework on metacommunity dynamics and based on the predictive effect of distance on community similarity, we proposed a new framework that includes the effect of spatial extent. In addition, we tested the validity of our proposal by studying the community similarity among three biotic groups with different dispersal modes (macrofaunal active and passive dispersers and plants) from two pond networks, where one network had a small spatial extent, and the other network had an extent that was 4 times larger.

[Paclitaxel-coated balloons for in-stent restenosis treatment: long-term clinical results and predictors of recurrent target lesion revascularization].

Background: The aim of this study was to report clinical outcomes in patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons (PCB) for in-stent restenosis (ISR) in both bare metal (BMS) and drug-eluting stent (DES).

Methods: Between May 2009 and December 2015, we treated 155 ISR in 140 patients. At recruitment, 35% of patients had diabetes.

Periodontal health in teenagers treated with removable aligners and fixed orthodontic appliances.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the microbiological and periodontal changes occurring in adolescents during 12 months of orthodontic therapy with removable aligners and with fixed appliances.

Material And Methods: During the years 2012-2013, 50 teenagers aged 10-18 years with similar initial orthodontic conditions participated in this trial in a university clinic in northern Italy. After receiving professional oral hygiene and instructions on a standardized oral hygiene protocol, the adolescents were randomly assigned to either orthodontic treatment with traditional fixed brackets (n = 25) or to treatment with Invisalign® aligners (n = 25).

Contrasting land uses in Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral systems generated patchy diversity patterns of vascular plants and below-ground microorganisms.

The aims of this paper were (i) to define how contrasting land uses affected plant biodiversity in Mediterranean agro-silvo-pastoral-systems across a gradient of disturbance regimes: cork oak forests, secondary grasslands, hay crops, grass covered vineyards, tilled vineyards; (ii) to determine whether these patterns mirrored those of below-ground microorganisms and whether the components of γ-diversity followed a similar model. The disturbance regimes affected plant assemblage composition. Species richness decreased with increasing land use intensity, the Shannon index showed the highest values in grasslands and hay crops.

"Unplugged," a European school-based program for substance use prevention among adolescents: overview of results from the EU-Dap trial.

The EU-Dap study aimed to develop and evaluate a school-based curriculum for the prevention of substance use among young people. The school curriculum, "Unplugged," is based on social influence approach and addresses social and personal skills, knowledge, and normative beliefs. It consists of 12 one-hour interactive sessions delivered by teachers.

Human leukocyte antigen DQ2/8 prevalence in non-celiac patients with gastrointestinal diseases.

Aim: To investigate the prevalence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DQ2/8 alleles in Southern Italians with liver and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases outside of celiac disease.

Methods: HLA DQ2/8 status was assessed in 443 patients from three ambulatory gastroenterology clinics in Southern Italy (University of Federico II, Naples, Loreto Crispi Hospital, Ruggi D'Aragona Hospital, Salerno). Patients were grouped based on disease status [pre-post transplant liver disease, esophageal/gastric organic and functional diseases, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)] and DQ2/8 alleles, which correspond to a celiac disease genetic risk gradient.

Classroom characteristics and implementation of a substance use prevention curriculum in European countries.

Background: Partial implementation may explain modest effectiveness of many school-based preventive programmes against substance use. We studied whether specific characteristics of the class could predict the level of implementation of a curriculum delivered by class teachers in schools from some European countries.

Methods: Secondary analysis of data from an evaluation trial.

Diversity and ecological characteristics of vascular flora in Mediterranean temporary pools.

Vascular flora of Mediterranean temporary pools has been studied with the aims to define its diversity and to individuate the ecological characteristics of the different plant groups associated with this relevant and endangered habitat type. Overall, 246 species were found of which 108 were terrestrial, 57 generalist of aquatic or wet habitats and 81 typical of temporary water and strongly linked to temporary pools. The results suggest that: (i) vascular flora associated with Sardinian Mediterranean temporary pools is rich and diversified; (ii) rare ferns are better represented than previously reported; (iii) plant species are generally heliophilous and acidophilous, specialized temporary pool species mainly differing from the unspecialized ones in relationship to their soil moisture requirements; (iv) these habitats are particularly important for maintaining regional freshwater biodiversity.

The impact of different sources of body mass index assessment on smoking onset: An application of multiple-source information models.

Multiple-source data are often collected to provide better information of some underlying construct that is difficult to measure or likely to be missing. In this article, we describe regression-based methods for analyzing multiple-source data in Stata. We use data from the BROMS Cohort Study, a cohort of Swedish adolescents who collected data on body mass index that was self-reported and that was measured by nurses.

Predictors of erroneous perception of being overweight among adolescents.

Objective: Adolescents' perception of overweight often disagrees with objective measurements; if factors explaining this discrepancy are potentially modifiable is unclear.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from a cohort of 2,001 Swedish adolescents (1,026 females, 975 males) at the age of 15 years in 2003. Erroneous perception of overweight was defined as the perception of being overweight in relation to normal or lower than normal BMI (kg/m(2)).

The influence of socioeconomic environment on the effectiveness of alcohol prevention among European students: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although social environments may influence alcohol-related behaviours in youth, the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic context and effectiveness of school-based prevention against underage drinking has been insufficiently investigated. We study whether the social environment affects the impact of a new school-based prevention programme on alcohol use among European students.

Methods: During the school year 2004-2005, 7079 students 12-14 years of age from 143 schools in nine European centres participated in this cluster randomised controlled trial.

The effect of Teflon coating on the resistance to sliding of orthodontic archwires.

Teflon is an anti-adherent and aesthetic material. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the influence of Teflon coating on the resistance to sliding (RS) of orthodontic archwires. For this purpose, Teflon-coated archwires were examined using frictional resistance tests by means of a universal testing machine and compared with conventional uncoated wires.

Effects of a school-based prevention program on European adolescents' patterns of alcohol use.

Purpose: School-based substance abuse prevention programs are widespread but are rarely evaluated in Europe. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a new school-based prevention program against substance use on the frequency of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problem behaviors among European students.

Methods: During the school year 2004-2005, a total of 7,079 students aged 12-14 years from 143 schools in seven European countries participated in this cluster randomized controlled trial.

Patterns of emblematic habitat types in Mediterranean temporary wetlands.

This article presents the floristic, structural, and syntaxonomical features of plant assemblages in temporary wetlands and the pattern of the corresponding habitat types; according to the Habitats Directive. Nine pristine temporary wetlands covering a wide range of shapes, elevations and substrates were monitored. The "within temporary wetlands" hydrological gradient was strong enough to drive the vegetation and habitat type patterns.

DFNB1-associated deafness in Portuguese cochlear implant users: prevalence and impact on oral outcome.

Objectives: Hearing loss is a condition that interferes with the development of the child at a cognitive and language level. Therefore, early diagnosis of deafness is important for (re)habilitation, namely through the use of cochlear implant (CI). The present study aimed at screening CI Portuguese individuals for the presence of mutations in the genes GJB2 and GJB6 (DFNB1 locus), and searching a possible correlation between the genotype and the oral habilitation outcome following implantation.

Overweight and perception of overweight as predictors of smokeless tobacco use and of cigarette smoking in a cohort of Swedish adolescents.

Aims: To study the association between measured or perceived overweight in adolescence and subsequent uptake of cigarette smoking and of the Swedish smokeless tobacco 'snus' (oral moist snuff).

Design: Population-based prospective cohort study with 7 years' follow-up.

Setting: Self-administered questionnaires and school nurses' visits.