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Lactobacilli isolated from chickens of Italian native breeds: Antimicrobial susceptibility profile, probiotic potential and anti-Salmonella activity
No full textSalmonellosis is the second most prevalent foodborne disease in Europe, with eggs, mixed foods,
and broiler meat being the primary sources of transmission. Among human salmonellosis cases, the
most prevalent Salmonella enterica serovars are S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, and monophasic S.
Typhimurium. However, S. Infantis and S. Newport are the most frequently detected serovars in
broiler and turkey meat, respectively. Over time, Salmonella spp. have developed multidrug
resistance, and the global rise of antimicrobial resistance has driven the search for alternative
strategies to antimicrobials use. Probiotics represent a promising alternative to antimicrobials, with
the added benefit of enhancing production performance. This study aimed to isolate lactobacilli
from chickens of Italian native breeds to evaluate their antimicrobial susceptibility, probiotic
potential (tolerance to acidic pH and bile salts), and anti-Salmonella activity against S. enterica
strains previously isolated from poultry meat. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out on
all 205 obtained isolates as a preliminary screening. Only nine isolates (4.4%) were susceptible to all
tested antimicrobials. Among them, one strain exhibited notable probiotic potential and anti-
Salmonella activity. Lactobacillus kitasatonis VALFI55 demonstrated survival at acidic pH for up to
120 minutes and tolerance to bile salt concentrations of 0.3% and 1%, with limited reduction in
viable cell counts compared to other isolates. Furthermore, L. kitasatonis VALFI55 exhibited the
strongest inhibitory effect, particularly against S. Typhimurium and S. Infantis. The VALFI55 strain
represents a promising probiotic candidate for application in poultry breeding. However, further in
vivo studies are required to confirm its beneficial effects
Benchmarking batch and stream processing execution modes in Apache Flink
No full textWith the proliferation of data across diverse computing domains, the ability to process raw information and extract actionable insights has become increasingly vital for both enterprises and public institutions. To address this demand, developers have created applications that can consume and analyze large-scale data streams. Distributed Stream Processing Systems (DSPSs) have emerged as a solution, offering programming models that simplify development and runtime configuration by abstracting complexities such as scheduling, fault tolerance, query processing, and system optimizations. Benchmark suites play a critical role in evaluating the capabilities of these frameworks by enabling fair and comprehensive performance comparisons. One such suite, DSPBench, comprises 15 applications originally implemented using Apache Storm. In this work, we extend DSPBench by porting all available applications to Apache Flink. A distinguishing feature of Flink is its support for both streaming and batch execution modes through a unified API. Beyond the extension of the benchmark suite, our contribution is a detailed analysis of the implications of using these two execution modes, along with a benchmarking study across a wide range of real-world streaming workloads to evaluate their respective strengths and limitations. The results demonstrate that Flink generally achieves higher throughput than Storm for most applications. Furthermore, Flink’s streaming mode exhibits superior throughput while the batch mode exhibits reduced resource consumption
Real-World Gait Speed Estimation: An AI-Based Approach for Adaptive Wearable Devices Integration
No full textReal-world gait speed assessment, has recently gained recognition as an important health indicator particularly in patients with chronic conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This study proposes an AI-based method for estimating gait speed in the real-world context in COPD patients using different combinations of three wearable devices: a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a pair of sensorized shoes. An analysis pipeline is developed and trained using laboratory datasets, then validated on an independent dataset acquired under free-walking conditions, demonstrating strong performance in both walking detection and gait speed estimation with mean accuracies across different device combinations of 0.81, 0.93, and 0.90 for resting, walking, and stair climbing activities, respectively, as well as a mean RMSE of 0.118 m/s and an ICC of 0.80. The estimated speed, obtained by applying the developed pipeline to daily life data of COPD patients, showed a strong and significant correlation with the clinical standard of functional capacity, the six-minutes walking distance (6MWD) across 34 patients (Spearman coefficient = 0.854, p-value = 1.38e-10). These findings highlight the feasibility of unobtrusive, continuous gait speed monitoring in real-life conditions, offering a promising integrative tool to traditional clinical assessments. The results suggest that wearable-based mobility monitoring could enhance remote patient management and personalized care strategies for COPD and other chronic conditions
Exploring the relationship between urban acoustic environments and mental well-being
No full textUrban acoustic environments are generally perceived in terms of annoying or pleasant sounds. The study of environmental noise and soundscape has established some links with people's physical and mental health, suggesting that it may indeed influence well-being. However, this broader concept has not been sufficiently explored in relation to the acoustic environment. Here a mixed methodology was designed and applied in a neighborhood in Valdivia, southern Chile, with the aim to explore the relationship between urban acoustic environments and mental well-being. Urban road traffic noise and annoyance were quantified through noise mapping and measurements. Perceived soundscape of visitors in the neighborhood was assessed through guided soundwalks under deep listening and surveys. Self-reported mental well-being was evaluated based on the perceptions of the residents in walking interviews. We found that biophony and geophony sounds induced positive states of mental well-being, and urban places with highest prevalence of such sounds were mostly assessed as vibrant, with positive levels of pleasantness and eventfulness. Nevertheless, the most common source of urban noise was road traffic noise, which had a negative impact on mental well-being by evoking emotions of annoyance and discomfort. Despite this, in places where the soundscape was conducive to a mental well-being, road traffic noise was informationally masked. Investigating the acoustic environment though its noise and soundscape permitted to better understand and relate the self-reported emotions found in the well-being interviews. Likewise, collecting perceptions of visitors and residents independently provided coherent results, suggesting an equivalent perception of the soundscape by both groups
Characterization of Infant Formulae Marketed in Italy and Virulence Potential of Bacillus cereus Isolates
No full textThis study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of powdered formulae intended for infant consumption on the Italian market. A total of 83 samples, including 23 infant formulae (PIF), 42 follow-on formulae (FOF), and 18 formulae for special medical purposes (SMPs), were taken between 2023 and 2024. Low total viable counts were highlighted with all SMP samples, 87.0% of PIF samples and 97.6% of FOF samples being compliant with the threshold set by the Code of Hygienic Practice for Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children (2.70 Log CFU/g). High contamination levels (>4 Log CFU/g) were found exclusively in PIF (8.7%) and FOF samples (2.4%). Considering potential pathogenic bacteria, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, and Cronobacter sakazakii was investigated. Enumeration of Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridia was also performed. Only presumptive B. cereus was detected (37 samples, and in 3 samples was enumerated with counts equal to 1 Log CFU/g). A total of 42 presumptive B. cereus isolates were tested for the production of hemolysin BL, phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C, proteases, and for the presence of chromosomal toxin-encoding genes, showing a relevant prevalence of virulence factors and highlighting a potential concern for infants. The antimicrobial resistance pattern of the isolates showed high resistance rates to β-lactams and a moderate resistance to erythromycin. A chemical–physical characterization of the formulae was also performed showing high heterogeneity in terms of pH, Aw, and concentration of organic acids. The results obtained provide useful information for monitoring the potential exposition of infants to microbial populations and to evaluate the safety of the products available on the market
Face-off: Shark or pork? DNA barcoding authentication and labelling analysis of shark products (intestine and stomach) available on Chinese e-commerce
No full textSystematic monitoring of the shark product supply chain is essential to ensure traceability, uphold consumer transparency, and contribute to species conservation. In this study, 69 shark products, 48 shark stomachs (SH_s) and 21 shark intestines (SH_i), were sourced from Chinese e-commerce platforms. First, information to consumers was evaluated by 1) analyzing data provided on the product web page and 2) assessing the products label compliance with the current Chinese labelling standard (GB7718-2011); then the products were molecularly authenticated by DNA barcoding to assess eventual substitution cases. An inaccurate presentation to consumers was highlighted for all products, being exclusively designated by their general trade names, without reference to scientific name, or other details that would facilitate the products characterization. DNA barcoding results confirmed the allocation of 40.6 % of the products to Prionace glauca (blue shark) and, of 59.4 % of products to Sus scrofa (pork), in a clear instance of substitution-based adulteration. This case represents an unprecedented incident of a total substitution of a seafood product with a non-aquatic animal product. This result not only raises concerns about economically motivated fraud but also underscores a significant violation of consumer rights and the protection of ethically or religiously driven dietary choices. Finally, potential public health issues associated with biological or chemical risk linked to farmed animals must not be disregarded. This evidence, when considered in conjunction with the absence of specific regulatory oversight for non-prepackaged food and seafood labelling, serves to emphasize the challenges and the urge in ensuring product traceability, consumer protection, and sustainability in the seafood supply chain
Effect of Silica- and Cellulose-Based Nanofillers in Poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate)-Based Composites
No full textIn an effort to reduce global dependence on fossil-based polymers and advance toward a more sustainable materials industry, research over recent decades has increasingly focused on the development of bio-based polymers and broadening their potential applications. Within this context, the present study investigates nanocomposites based on poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene adipate) (PBSA), reinforced with two types of nanofillers: silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). The main objective of this work is to examine how the morphology, geometry, and chemical nature of the nanofillers influence the thermal, mechanical, and barrier properties of PBSA, as well as its biodegradability. For each nanofiller, three formulations were prepared, containing 1, 2, and 5 wt% of filler, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed good dispersion and minimal aggregation in the SiO2-based systems, whereas marked aggregation was observed in the CNF-based samples. Thermal analysis indicated that the intrinsic thermal properties of neat PBSA were largely preserved. Mechanical testing revealed improvements in both the elastic modulus and elongation at break for most nanocomposite samples. In particular, CNFs provided the most consistent reinforcing effect, with enhancements of approximately 40% in the elastic modulus (495.4 vs. 356.4 GPa in neat PBSA) and 52% in elongation at the break (185.1 vs. 122.0% in neat PBSA) with 5 wt% loading. Additionally, the incorporation of nanofillers did not alter the surface hydrophilicity, but it did improve the oxygen barrier performance and enhanced disintegration under composting conditions. Overall, these findings demonstrate the promising potential of PBSA-based nanocomposites for sustainable rigid packaging applications
Experimental assessment of parallelogram model for describing magnetomechanical effect in soft magnetic materials
No full textIn this paper, we present a single hysteron parallelogram model to describe magnetomechanical effect in soft magnetic ribbons. Following a highly reproducible measurement procedure, three physical parameters and one shape-related parameter are directly identified from the characterization of major hysteresis loops via an inductive method. The corresponding parallelograms are obtained for different values of applied mechanical stress. Experiments are performed in a magnetically shielded environment. We report measurements of major loops, symmetric minor loops, and first-order-reversal-curves under elastic conditions to assess the model response to complex magnetization patterns. Tests are performed on two different magnetic materials, and experimental and modeling results are in a good agreement, demonstrating the model as an easy-to-identify and easy-to-implement candidate for development of sensors and measurement systems for characterization of stress dependent magnetic behavior
Optimal Battery Sizing for Urban Electric Vehicles: Balancing Purchase Cost and Charging Inconvenience
No full textNowadays electric vehicles (EVs) are playing a pivotal role to support sustainable mobility and achieve desired levels of emission reduction. Optimal size of their batteries is still a topic of research, as there exists a trade-off between extended range and increasing cost and weight. In this paper, we introduce a quantitative framework to evaluate optimal electric vehicle (EV) battery capacities, considering two criteria: upfront vehicle cost and charging inconvenience cost. For this purpose, we (1) develop a comprehensive model for charging inconvenience costs, incorporating both charging time and detours, improving on existing studies, (2) show, through simulation and analytical models in abstract as well as realistic (Paris) scenarios, how charging inconvenience cost is affected by different battery capacity and charging infrastructure configurations, (3) introduce an optimisation framework to determine optimal battery capacities based on charging inconvenience and vehicle cost, and (4) show that optimal battery capacities can be influenced by strategic investments in charging infrastructure and tax/incentive policies. The proposed framework can be used to identify optimal battery capacities in a given charging environment, but also to estimate the convenience benefits of charging infrastructure investments, providing a nuanced framework for optimizing the design of cost-effective, convenient and sustainable EV systems
Assessing the Reliability of Persona-Conditioned LLMs as Synthetic Survey Respondents
No full textUsing persona-conditioned LLMs as synthetic survey respondents
has become a common practice in computational social science
and agent-based simulations. Yet, it remains unclear whether multi-
attribute persona prompting improves LLM reliability or instead
introduces distortions. Here we contribute to this assessment by
leveraging a large dataset of U.S. microdata from the World Values
Survey. Concretely, we evaluate two open-weight chat models and
a random-guesser baseline across more than 70K respondent–item
instances. We find that persona prompting does not yield a clear
aggregate improvement in survey alignment and, in many cases,
significantly degrades performance. Persona effects are highly het-
erogeneous as most items exhibit minimal change, while a small
subset of questions and underrepresented subgroups experience
disproportionate distortions. Our findings highlight a key adverse
impact of current persona-based simulation practices: demographic
conditioning can redistribute error in ways that undermine sub-
group fidelity and risk misleading downstream analyses