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Evaluation of Oral Supplementation of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa) on Growth Performance, Immune Response, Disease Incidence and Mortality Rate of Suckling Zaraibi Goat Kids
No full textThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Nigella sativa supplementation on the immune response, disease incidence, mortality rate and growth performance of suckling Zaraibi goat kids. Sixty suckling Zaraibi goat kids (33 males and 27 females) with an average body weight of 3.03 ± 0.02 kg were divided into three groups: a control group (G1), which was fed a basal diet and two treatment groups (G2 and G3), which were fed the same diet supplemented with 0.5 g and 1.0 g of N. sativa per kid per day, respectively, for 84 days. The data were analysed with a general linear model to assess the differences among dietary treatments, and Duncan's multiple range test was applied for post hoc comparisons. Compared with G1, the body weight of the kids in the treatment groups was significantly higher (p < 0.05). Consequently, total weight gain and average daily gain were significantly raised in the G2 and G3 groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, the feed intake was significantly higher, whereas the feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in G3 compared to G1 (p < 0.05). The outputs of weaning weight and the adjusted mortality rate increased significantly (p < 0.05), in line with the increasing levels of N. sativa in G2 and G3. G3 fed the highest level of N. sativa and registered the lowest occurrence of diseases, followed by G2, whereas the control, G1, showed the highest incidence (p < 0.05). In particular, the mortality rate decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with the inclusion of N. sativa, showing a clear dose-dependent effect. The highest mortality rate was observed in G1 (15%), followed by G2 (10%), while G3 exhibited the lowest mortality rate (5%) (p < 0.05). The plasma IgG levels were significantly higher in the G2 and G3 groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05), with G3 exhibiting increased IgG levels than G2 (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that N. sativa supplementation can enhance the health and growth performance of suckling Zaraibi goat kids, contributing to sustainable farming practices and potentially reducing antibiotic use in livestock
The Crisis of Legitimacy: The Perspective of Simone Weil
No full textIn 1942-1943, Simone Weil was asked by France Libre, the French government-in-exile in London, to reflect on the mistakes that led part of the French, represented by General Pétain’s government, to ally with the Nazis. However, one of her tasks was to work out some strategy for the rebuilding, especially the cultural ad political rebuilding, of France after the Liberation. Most interestingly, in one of her London writings, The Legitimacy of Provisional Government, Weil reflects on what she thinks is the source of the French political debacle, that is, the collapse of the concept of legitimacy, which, when boiled down to mere lawfulness, becomes not just empty but dangerous too. It should, instead, always be contrasted with the concept of justice, even through an awkward balance between rights and duties, between the juridical-political dimension and the ethical dimension. Only that way can institutions aspire to become increasingly fair
Affective Temperaments and Anger in Patients with Tinnitus and High-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study
No full textBackground and Objectives: Chronic tinnitus in patients with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is frequently linked to psychological distress and affective temperament traits. This study examined audiological characteristics, psychological profiles, and their interrelations in adults with tinnitus. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional single-centre study, 38 adults with chronic tinnitus and bilateral SNHL underwent otoscopy, tympanometry, and pure-tone audiometry. Participants were classified into two audiometric groups: high-frequency gently sloping (N = 19) and ski-slope hearing loss (N = 19). The audiological and psychological assessment included the THI, TFI, TEMPS-A, and STAXI-2. Groups were compared using non-parametric statistics (Mann–Whitney U, Chi-square). Relationships between anger and psychological variables were examined using Spearman correlations. Results: Females were more frequently represented in the gently sloping group (p = 0.044) and showed greater quality-of-life impairment (p = 0.045) and lower hyperthymic scores (p = 0.004). Patients with gently sloping loss had longer tinnitus duration (p = 0.026), while cyclothymic temperament was higher in the ski-slope group (p = 0.013). THI scores differed significantly between audiometric groups (p = 0.011). State and trait anger were strongly associated with several affective temperaments, and sleep disturbance correlated with both anger and anxious temperament. THI correlated positively with anxious temperament and sleep impairment. Conclusions: Audiometric phenotype, affective temperament, and anger-related traits are closely intertwined with tinnitus severity and its psychological burden. These findings support the need for multidisciplinary assessment in the management of tinnitus
Exploring plasmons in silicon nanowires with different sizes and morphologies
No full textSilicon nanowires (SiNWs) are extensively studied in the scientific community due to their remarkable electrical and optical properties. Recent studies have demonstrated the appearance of Plasmonic Resonance (PR) in SiNWs. It has been recently demonstrated in literature that SiNWs with a cylindrical shape sustain longitudinal plasmonic resonance (LPR) and transversal plasmonic resonances (TPR). In this thesis work, I present the results on SiNWs with tapered morphology. These SiNWs present a length of about 300 nm and a diameter, at the base, of around 15 nm, while at the center, of approximately 12 nm. I have also investigated conical SiNWs with different lengths and demonstrated that the NW size plays a role on the spectral response. I selected two groups of SiNWs, one with a length of 300 nm and the other with 750 nm, with quantistic sizes at the NW tip. All my previous findings refer to SiNWs enveloped in a silicon oxide shell. I extended the study to the PR behavior and investigated several groups of conical SiNWs have lengths ranging from 180 nm to 340 nm, and cylindrical ones range between roughly 230 nm and 330 nm, without a dielectric shell, suspended in vacuum or deposited on a carbon film, which is known to modulate the local electromagnetic field and resonance conditions. I investigated the optical properties of the SiNWs at a high energy and spatial resolution by using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and in situ electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).
In the case of tapered SiNWs, despite the different geometry, the results confirm the presence of TPR, as in the
cylindrical SiNW. However, the presence of a continuous signal extending all along the Si-NWs length, and for several energies, is observed here for the first time. In the UV region of the spectrum investigated here for the 300 nm and 750 nm groups of SiNW, the experimental evidence suggests the presence of LPR and a clear presence of TPR. We found that, as the NW length increases, the LPR fundamental mode shifts towards higher energies, while the diameter seems to affect the TPR, shifting it to lower energy levels when the diameter increases.
The results indicate that all the investigated shell-free SiNW groups exhibit signals with a periodic nature, with a clear, strong dependence of the plasmonic resonance energy on NW length rather than on environmental conditions, and confirm a strong transversal plasmonic resonance signal in all cases. This opens a practical pathway to plasmon engineering in silicon nanowires through geometry alone, simplifying their integration into nanophotonic platforms
Nutraceuticals in orthopedic implant osseointegration: Mechanisms, evidence, and clinical perspectives
No full textTotal joint replacement is one of the most successful interventions in modern orthopedics, but long-term outcomes depend on effective osseointegration. Pharmacological strategies such as bisphosphonates, estrogens, and monoclonal antibodies can enhance bone-implant integration, but their clinical use is limited by adverse effects. Nutraceuticals, including polyphenols, carotenoids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, have emerged as promising adjuncts to support bone health and osseointegration, thanks to their safety profile and biological activity. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms involved in osseointegration, analyzes preclinical and clinical evidence on nutraceuticals, and critically assesses their translational potential. These compounds promote osteoblastogenesis, inhibit osteoclast differentiation, and mitigate oxidative stress, thereby improving peri-implant bone stability. Despite encouraging results, the clinical translation of nutraceuticals remains limited. Most available data are preclinical or based on surrogate endpoints such as bone mineral density, whereas true clinical success is determined by bone-to-implant contact and implant survival, which are rarely investigated in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Advances in bioavailability strategies (liposomes, nanoemulsions, nanostructured lipid carriers) may improve systemic exposure, but future research must standardize dosages and provide high-quality RCTs to clarify the role of nutraceuticals as complementary tools in orthopedic implant surgery
Serological and molecular evidence of canine enteric coronavirus in southern Italy
No full textCanine enteric coronavirus (CECoV) is one of the most common viruses in dogs, causing gastrointestinal disorders and, in severe cases, death. Despite being a main pathogen, research on its distribution is limited, particularly in some geographical locations, such as Campania region (southern Italy). This study investigated the serological and molecular prevalence of this virus, as well as the risk factors associated with higher exposures. A total of 258 blood and 154 fecal samples from 71 districts were collected, along with anamnestic information such as sex, breed, size, location, age, origin, lifestyle, and attitude. The serological and molecular prevalence were determined using a commercial ELISA and a previously established real-time PCR method. A total of 139/258 dogs tested positive in serological analysis, nevertheless only 5.8% tested positive in real-time PCR. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that hunting dogs and dogs with an outdoor lifestyle had higher seroprevalences. Furthermore, dogs in some locations had seroprevalences of up to 85%, including the bulk of PCR-positive animals. The findings of this study emphasized the widespread prevalence of CECoV in the studied area, as well as the presence of current outbreaks across several districts
Functional-integral equations of Hammerstein type associated with discontinuous functions
No full textIn this paper we deal with the functional-integral equation
where , and , ,
, and are given functions.
We prove an existence result for solutions , where
the usual Carathéodory conditions on the function are meaningfully weakened. In particular, a function satisfying our assumptions can be discontinuous, with respect to the second variable, even at all points
Young activists' communicative practices of resilience. The challengeof disinformation towards 2024 European Elections
No full textThis article presents findings from a qualitative study on the communicative practices of young
Italian activists during the lead-up to the 2024 European elections. Specifically, the study examines the
phenomenon of disinformation and its potential to disrupt the electoral campaign, highlighting the active
participation of civil society in the political process and their ability to navigate disinformation can
significantly influence the strength and resilience of Europe. Semi-structured interviews were conducted
with members of youth organizations, both informal and institutionalized. The results show that highly
educated and civically engaged young people use digital tools and hybrid media ecosystems to promote
critical, transnational debates. Resilience emerges as a relational capacity rooted in the socio-political
context, where youth activism develops alternative discursive spaces to counter democratic erosion. A key
insight is the educational role assumed by these activists: in response to perceived institutional
shortcomings, they act as informal educators, informing and mobilizing peers. This role contributes to
reinforcing democratic values and fostering a more resilient European public sphere
An extended thermodynamic model for dilute granular gases
No full textA thirteen-moment model for dilute granular gases is developed within the framework of Rational Extended Thermodynamics. A quasilinear system of partial differential equations, consisting of 13 field equations for the 13 field variables, is derived. The constitutive relations are determined by applying fundamental physical principles, in particular the entropy principle. To ensure the consistency of this macroscopic model, both the hyperbolicity region of the differential system and the region of entropy production are analyzed. The model is also solved in the homogeneous and stationary one-dimensional cases, and the validity of these solutions is examined. It is shown that the entropy principle imposes constraints on the admissibility of certain types of solutions
