Performance of a non-contact veterinary infrared thermometer and reference intervals of equine temperature at different body sites

Evaluating the body temperature of horses (Equus caballus) is essential for monitoring their health. Rectal thermometry is the most common method for determining the temperatures of adult horses and foals. However, this method requires restraining the animals for several seconds, and it poses potential risks to both horses and humans. This study compared infrared and rectal thermometry in 126 horses, evaluating age and measurement site influences on body temperature. Horses were divided into three groups: foals (4–12 months), Shetland ponies (8–12 months), and adult horses (2–30 years). Rectal, ocular, gingival, and perineal temperatures were recorded to assess the potential of non-invasive infrared methods. Reference intervals of temperature at different body sites are provided. No significant differences were found in gingival and perineal temperatures among groups. Foals showed significantly higher rectal temperatures than adults (p < 0.001), likely due to age. Shetland ponies showed higher ocular temperatures than foals and adult horses (p < 0.05, p < 0.001), probably because they were influenced by ambient temperature, which significantly correlated with ocular readings. Significant positive correlations existed between ocular and rectal (p < 0.01) and perineal and rectal temperatures (p < 0.0001). Bias was −0.2°C (ocular vs. rectal) and 2°C (perineal vs. rectal). Perineal temperature, despite numerical differences, correlated well with rectal temperature, allowing indirect estimation with a correction factor, and was unaffected by ambient temperature. This suggests infrared perineal temperature may be a viable rectal thermometry alternative for estimating equine body temperature, enhancing animal welfare through non-invasive methods

No-Arbitrage Valuation of Contingent Claims Depending on an Untradeable Asset

We consider an incomplete market situation with the presence of an untradeable asset and several tradeable assets. By an untradeable asset we mean an asset that cannot be traded on a public market. Typical examples of untradeable assets include real options and private credit/debt investments. We then exploit the relationship between the untradeable asset and tradeable assets to evaluate contingent claims depending on the untradeable asset. Under a multidimensional generalized Black-Scholes (GBS) framework, we study two different methods for pricing these kinds of contingent claims. The first is mean-variance hedging (MVH). The second is the method proposed in Jarrow (2023). We illustrate the two methods by applying them to two particular contingent claims: The option to defer and the spread option. No-arbitrage prices and admissible replicating trading strategies are derived. Lastly, we run simulations to test the performance of these replicating trading strategies

A Novel Modular Data Acquisition System for Distributed Monitoring of Partial Discharge in Industrial Drives

Insulation fault detection in rotating machinery using Partial Discharge (PD) has been a hot research topic over the last decades. In recent years, attention has also been paid to low voltage machines, following the advent of wide bandgap semiconductor devices. However, most of the solutions currently available are based on analog technology, which entails high costs, bulky wiring, and long installation times, making them unattractive for the market. This paper presents a low-cost, modular, and full-digital PD monitoring device, which implements a Capacitive Coupling (CC) front end for PD conditioning and an innovative, digital monitoring network, based on the Automotive Audio Bus (A2B), particularly suitable for deployment in large industrial plants, ensuring complete coverage and continuous monitoring of critical machinery without suffering of electromagnetic disturbances. The proposed system has been simulated in PSpice, then built and tested against a reference, consisting of a laboratory grade oscilloscope, using two different PD interfaces: CC and High Frequency Current transformer (HF-C). The comparison was carried out by subjecting a low voltage induction motor to a standard PD test to evaluate PD inception voltage detection with the different methods. The digital oscilloscope demonstrated a slightly better sensitivity concerning the onset PD voltage threshold, 1.3 - 1.35 kV. The proposed monitoring device on the other hand exhibits a greater robustness at transition voltages, being less prone to false positives. The two systems are equivalent at 1.4 kV while the proposed solution performs significantly better at higher voltages, with 6 PD events per cycle detected at 1.5 kV in place of 3. The HF-C transducer demonstrated even greater sensitivity at these voltage levels, with 7.6 PD detections per cycle at 1.5 kV. The results show that the proposed PD CC sensor has satisfactory sensitivity towards detecting onset of PD activity and appears less susceptible to noise than the digital oscilloscope CC sensor

Consumer perception of and involvement in healthy and sustainable eating: A cross-sectional study with American consumers

Global rising concerns about non-communicable diseases and the environmental impact of food production require a call for action that involves a deeper understanding of how individuals make choices for healthy and sustainable diets. To further explore this topic, our study aimed at investigating how food involvement, perception, and sociodemographic factors influence the adoption of healthy and sustainable eating by using a socio-psychological model. Data were collected from a representative sample (n = 1001) of the US population using an online survey and linear regression models were employed to test the hypotheses of our theoretical framework. The main findings indicated a positive influence of involvement in and perception of self-reported behaviors towards both sustainable and healthy eating. However, contrasting results were identified for the moderating role of perception, which had a significant and positive moderating effect between involvement and self-reported eating for sustainable diets only. Regarding sociodemographic characteristics affecting healthy dietary behaviors, our model suggested that age, employment status, dietary regimen, and BMI influence consumers’ self-reported healthy behaviors. Based on our findings, tailored strategies for policymakers and marketers are suggested. These strategies include education campaigns, widespread availability of sustainable products, and easily identifiable labeling systems

Sleep quality among Italian university students: the UnSleep multicenter study

Background: Scientific evidence demonstrates that poor sleep quality can lead to various health problems. This study aimed to investigate sleep patterns among Italian university students and identify several factors that may contribute to its quality. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: An electronic questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and sleep-related habits, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, was distributed between January 2022 and July 2023 among students belonging to 12 universities located in Northern, Central, and Southern Italy. Results: On a total of 1,674 questionnaires collected, the participants (mean age 24.06±4.56 years, 71.3% F) reported an average number of hours of nocturnal sleep equal to 6.89±1.28 hours. A total of 927 (54.6%) of respondents showed a poor sleep quality (PSQI >5). Regression analysis showed that better sleep quality is associated with lower age, attending universities in Northern Italy, less time spent on electronic devices during the day, not being used to study at night and not playing videogames before sleep. Conclusion: From a public health perspective, our findings suggest that public health operators should raise the awareness of young adults about the importance of sleep quality for maintaining good health, as well as the impact that certain behaviors can have on sleep

A discrete fiber dispersion model with octahedral symmetry quadrature for mechanical analyses of skin corrective surgeries

Advanced simulations of the mechanical behavior of soft tissues frequently rely on structure- based constitutive models, including smeared descriptions of collagen fibers. Among them, the so-called Discrete Fiber Dispersion (DFD) modeling approach is based on a discrete integration of the fiber-strain energy over all the fiber directions. In this paper, we review the theoretical framework of the DFD model, including a derivation of the stress and stiffness tensors required for the finite element implementation. Specifically, their expressions for incompressible plane stress problems are obtained. The use of a Lebedev quadrature, built exploiting the octahedral symmetry, is then proposed, illustrating the particular choice adopted for the orientation of the integration points. Next, the convergence of this quadrature scheme is assessed by means of three numerical benchmark tests, highlighting the advantages with respect to other angular integration methods available in the literature. Finally, using the implemented model, we analyze the mechanical properties of the Z-plasty, a technique commonly used in reconstructive skin surgery, considering multiple geometrical configurations, orientations of the fibers, and levels of skin prestress. The results are presented in the form of mechanical quantities relevant to surgical practice

West Nile Virus (WNV): One-Health and Eco-Health Global Risks

Abstract: West Nile virus (WNV) is an important zoonotic pathogen belonging to the Flaviviridae family, which is endemic in some areas and emerging in others. WNV is transmitted by blood-sucking mosquitoes of the genus Culicoides, Aedes, and Anopheles, and the infection can cause different clinical symptoms. The most common and benign illness in humans is West Nile fever (WNF), but a lethal neurological disease (WNND), related to the neuro-invasiveness of WNV lineage 2, represents the highest health risk of WNV infection. The neuro-clinical form is recognized in mammals (land and cetaceans), particularly in humans (elderly or immunosuppressed) and in horses, avian species, and wildlife animals ranging free or in a zoological setting. This review highlights the most relevant data regarding epidemiology, virology, pathogenesis and immunity, clinical signs and differential diagnosis, pathology and imaging, histopathology and gross pathology, economic impact, influence of climate change, and surveillance of WNV. Climate change has favored the wide spread of WNV in many areas of the globe and consequent One- Health and Eco-Health emergencies, influencing the health of human beings, animals, and ecosystems