Airborne pathogens diffusion: A comparison between tracer gas and pigmented aerosols for indoor environment analysis.

The evaluation of airborne pathogens diffusion is a crucial practice in preventing airborne diseases like COVID-19, especially in indoor environments. Through this transmission route, pathogens can be carried by droplets, droplet nuclei and aerosols and be conveyed over long distances. Therefore, understanding their diffusion is vital for prevention and curbing disease transmission.

The gender gap in Ph.D. entrepreneurship: How do students perceive the academic environment?

This paper investigates gender issues in Ph.D. entrepreneurship.

COVID-19 related poor mental health and sleep disorders in rheumatic patients: a citizen science project.

Background: Patients with chronic rheumatic diseases (RDs) are more vulnerable and the containment measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic might have severe psychological consequences. We investigated the presence of and risk factors associated with poor mental health, sleep disorders among RDs during the pandemic.

Methods: This cross-sectional Italian citizen science project evaluated the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with RDs.

Experimental methodology for quantitative assessment of heat-wrap thermal transient behavior.

Among the numerous thermotherapy methods, heat wraps have been largely used over the last 2 decades as a self-administered practice for pain relief. Therefore, understanding their performance has become instrumental within the healthcare industry. However, the majority of the available studies have been focused on in vivo clinical performance, whereas a standardized, quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the various heat-wrap types against each other is lacking.

Dataset from a qualitative survey on Ph.D. entrepreneurship in Italy.

This article describes questionnaire data on Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) entrepreneurship in Italy.

Alterations in sheep peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine release by polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the diet under high ambient temperature.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation from different sources in the diet of dairy sheep under high ambient temperatures on ex vivo lymphocyte proliferation and inflammatory responses. The experiment was carried out during summer: 32 Comisana ewes were divided into 4 groups of 8. The FS group was supplemented with whole flaxseed, the AG group was supplemented with Ascophyllum nodosum, the FS+AG group was supplemented with a combination of flaxseed and A.

Nutritional properties and consumer evaluation of donkey bresaola and salami: comparison with conventional products.

Nutritional properties and consumer evaluation were performed in bresaola and salami from donkey meat compared with respective conventional products. Donkey bresaola and salami showed higher content of protein and lower content of fat than beef bresaola and pork salami. Significant differences in the unsaturation level of fatty acids were found.

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation and immune regulation in heat-stressed sheep after supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids from different sources on immune regulation and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation in heat-stressed sheep. The experiment was carried out during the summer 2012. Thirty-two Comisana ewes were divided into 4 groups (8 sheep/group): (1) supplemented with whole flaxseed (FS); (2) supplemented with Ascophyllum nodosum (AG); (3) supplemented with a combination of flaxseed and A.

A simulation of cost-benefit analysis of blindness prevention in Italy.

Purpose: The most important purpose is to assess by a trial and error method the financial effects of efficient prevention programmes in our country. The study provides an empiric evidence that Government could reduce public spending thorough investments in projects of prevention about visual care.

Materials And Methods: Authors focus on the economic impact of four eye diseases that are the major cause of blindness (90%) and for this reason they were classificated as "diseases of social importance" (DSI from hereforth) according to the WHO: Age - related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), Cataract.

Flaxseed supplementation improves fatty acid profile of cow milk.

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of adding flaxseed or fish oil to the diet on the milk fatty acid profile of cows. The experiment was conducted in the summer of 2006 and involved 24 Friesian cows that were divided into 3 groups of 8 animals according to different type of fat supplementation: a traditional diet with no fat supplementation, a diet supplemented with whole flaxseed, and a diet supplemented with fish oil. Results suggested that whole flaxseed supplementation positively affects the milk fatty acid profile during summer.

Genetic variability of the Gentile di Puglia sheep breed based on microsatellite polymorphism.

The aim of the present study was to estimate the genetic variability of the Gentile di Puglia sheep breed by using microsatellite markers, to provide information useful for conservation. The DNA of 82 animals, belonging to 6 different farms, was analyzed at 19 microsatellite loci. The number of alleles, allele frequencies, deviations from Hardy-Weinberg proportions, linkage disequilibrium among loci, genetic similarity, genetic distances, and molecular coancestry-based parameters were calculated.

Influence of space allowance and housing conditions on the welfare, immune response and production performance of dairy ewes.

The experiment used 45 Comisana ewes, divided into 3 groups of 15. The aim was to determine the effects of two different stocking densities and two different housing conditions on welfare, and on production performance of dairy ewes. The stocking densities tested were: high stocking density (1 x 5 m2/ewe, HD group) and low stocking density (3 m2/ewe, LD group); the two housing conditions tested were: ewes housed indoors (LD group, 3 m2/ewe) and ewes allowed to use an outdoor area (LDP group, 3 m2/ewe divided into 1 x 5 m2/ewe indoors and 1 x 5 m2/ewe outdoors).

Rennet paste from lambs fed a milk substitute supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus: effects on lipolysis in ovine cheese.

The present work was undertaken to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation of a milk substitute on the features of lamb rennet paste used for cheese making. Lipolysis in cheese manufactured with rennet paste from lambs receiving supplemented milk was also evaluated. Lambs were subjected to 3 different feeding regimens (mother suckling, MS; artificial rearing, AR; and artificial rearing with 7 log10 cfu/mL of Lb.

Behavior, milk yield, and milk composition of machine-and hand-milked Murgese mares.

A 25-d trial was performed to assess the effects of machine and hand milking on behavior, and milk yield and composition of mares; the trial involved 8 Murgese mares. Milk yield was higher (7.69 vs.

Effects of early maternal separation of lambs and rearing with minimal and maximal human contact on meat quality.

The present study aims to assess the effect of gentling on behaviour and meat quality of lambs. Thirty-two Comisana lambs were divided into four groups of eight animals: ER (ewe reared), AR (artificially reared) and the corresponding gentled groups ERG and ARG. The provision of human contacts stimulated gentled subjects to explore, whereas the proportion of idling subjects was reduced (P<0.

Effect of forage to concentrate ratio on growth performance, and on carcass and meat quality of Podolian young bulls.

The effect of forage to concentrate ratio: 60-40 [high concentrate group (HC) and 70-30 [low concentrate group (LC)] on growth, slaughtering performance and meat quality were evaluated in twenty organically farmed Podolian young bulls. Meat quality characteristics were measured on three different muscles [Longissimus dorsi (LD), Semimembranosus (SM) Semitendinosus (ST)], vacuum-packaged and chilled stored at 2-4°C for 15 days. The animals in the HC group had higher weight gain than those in the LC group (P<0.

Relationship between welfare and udder health indicators in dairy ewes.

The relationships between welfare and udder health indicators were investigated in 120 midlactation Comisana ewes over a 90-day period. The welfare indicators monitored were the humoral response to chicken egg albumin (OVA), the cell-mediated immune response to phytohemagglutinin, and the plasma cortisol levels. Changes in milk components, in somatic cell count (SCC) and in bacterial count, in leukocyte populations and in anti-OVA IgG concentration were used to monitor the ewe udder health.

Proteolytic patterns and plasmin activity in ewes' milk as affected by somatic cell count and stage of lactation.

A total of 120 milk samples were collected from Comisana ewes throughout lactation. The ewes were ranked into two somatic cell count (SCC) categories: normal milk (N Milk) with SCC lower than 5.00x 10(5)/ml and high somatic cell milk (HSC Milk) with SCC higher than 1.

Ventilation effects on air quality and on the yield and quality of ewe milk in winter.

The effects of ventilation on air quality, and on the welfare and production performance of dairy ewes were assessed in a 6-wk trial conducted during the winter of 2002. Thirty-six midlactation Comisana ewes were divided into three groups of 12, which were randomly balanced for parity, time of lambing, and number of lambs suckled. Treatments were low (LOV), moderate (MOV), and programmed ventilation regimen (PROV).

Fatty acid composition of ewe milk as affected by solar radiation and high ambient temperature.

Forty lactating Comisana ewes were either exposed to or protected from solar radiation and fed either in the morning or afternoon during summer in a Mediterranean climate. Individual milk samples were taken on days 7, 21 and 42 of the study period to determine fatty acid composition by gas chromatography. Exposure to solar radiation resulted in higher proportions of short-chain and saturated fatty acids in milk, primarily because of increased contents of caproic, capric, lauric, myristic and stearic acids (by 3-18%), and decreased contents of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids (by 2-9%).

Airspace effects on the yield and quality of ewe milk.

Three groups of 12 midlactating Comisana ewes were housed in separate rooms of the same building and assigned to treatments of low (LV, 4.1 m3), medium (MV, 5.6 m3), or high (HV, 7.

Behavioral, adrenal, immune, and productive responses of lactating ewes to regrouping and relocation.

The experiment involved 40 mid-lactating Comisana ewes. The animals were housed in straw-bedded pens and assigned to a control group (n = 10) and two test groups of 15 subjects each. Control ewes were never moved from their pen and peers throughout the experiment period, whereas test animals were subjected to either regrouping (RG) or regrouping and relocation (RGRL) three times at weekly intervals (d 7, 14, and 21 of the trial).

Effects of solar radiation and feeding time on behavior, immune response and production of lactating ewes under high ambient temperature.

A 6-wk trial was performed with 40 late-lactation Comisana ewes, which were either exposed to or protected from solar radiation and fed either in the morning (EXPM, PROM) or afternoon (EXPA, PROA) during summer in a Mediterranean climate. Behavioral traits of ewes were recorded once per week from 0800 to 2000 h. Rectal temperature (RT) and respiration rate (RR) were measured twice weekly at 1430 h.

Effect of parity on milk yield, composition, somatic cell count, renneting parameters and bacteria counts of Comisana ewes.

Twenty-four Comisana ewes, with no history of mastitis, were included in this study, with eight ewes each in parities 1, 2 and 3. Groups were separately penned on straw litter and ewes were individually checked for yield, composition, renneting properties and bacteriological characteristics of milk from January, when separated from their lambs (50+/-3 days after lambing), to May. Samples with more than 3.

Effect of stocking density on ewes' milk yield, udder health and microenvironment.

Three groups of 12 lactating Comisana ewes were housed in separate rooms of the same building that contained straw-bedded pens with total areas of 12, 18 and 24 m2. The ewes were assigned to groups with different stocking densities: high (HSD, 1 m2/animal), medium (MSD, 1.5 m2/animal) or low (LSD, 2 m2/animal).