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A study on the prevalence of cyathostomin and Anoplocephala perfoliata infections in Italian horses: diagnostic testing and analysis of factors affecting infection risk
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Cyathostomins and Anoplocephala perfoliata infect equids worldwide and both are of concern due to their potential to cause clinical disease. Although coprological techniques are commonly used for assessing helminth egg shedding these do not provide information about an individual's total parasite burden. Antibody-based tests provide information on infection levels within individuals. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate cyathostomin and Anoplocephala perfoliata occurrence in Italian horses using coprological and serum-based antibody detection methods and to analyse risk factors for infection at the individual level. METHODS: Samples from 173 horses were collected on 35 farms. Coprological examinations were performed using Mini-FLOTAC or a centrifugation/flotation technique. Parasite-specific antibody levels were assessed by ELISA using the Tapeworm Blood Test and the Small Redworm Blood Test. RESULTS: Intestinal strongyle and tapeworm eggs were detected in 140 (80.9%) and five (2.9%) faecal samples, respectively. Cyathostomin ELISA results revealed 39 horses (22.5%) below the 1,000 total worm burden threshold, with 75 (43.0%) below the 10,000. Tapeworm ELISA results indicated 136/173 horses (78.6%) were below the test's treatment threshold. Small Redworm serum score result category was associated with sex, access to pasture, strongyle FEC, no recent anti-nematode treatments and tapeworm serum score category. Tapeworm ELISA results were associated with living area, age class, sex, access to pasture, quarantine procedures, dung removal, strongyle FEC, no recent anti-nematode treatments and SR serum score category. CONCLUSION: Cyathostomin and A. perfoliata infections in Italian horses are influenced by horse signalment, specific management practices and, in the case of tapeworm, living area
Acute to Chronic Islamophobia:the impact and mitigation of counter-extremism on young Muslims in Northern Europe
Get PDFThis paper examines the evolving role of the counterterrorism state in Islamophobia across Northern Europe, exploring how new preventative counterextremism measures have reshaped Islamophobia from acute articulations of violence to chronic social exclusion and how young Muslims have sought to respond. Drawing on 114 interviews with young Muslims aged 18–25 in the UK, Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway, along with eight subsequent focus groups, the research highlights how counterterrorism policies are normalising anti-Muslim attitudes and constructing young Muslims as latent security threats in novel ways. These findings reveal significant shifts: while acute articulations of Islamophobia, marked by reports of physical acts of anti-Muslim violence, have notably declined, structural and institutional forms – understood here as chronic forms of Islamophobia have become more dominant. This shift is intricately tied to the evolution of state-led counterextremism and pre-crime programmes that perpetuate radicalisation narratives, alienating young Muslims and fostering disengagement from political and media spheres. The paper furthermore seeks to understand the agency of young Muslims, finding that they have developed new strategies for managing and mitigating chronic articulations of Islamophobia. By bringing together theories on securitisation, Islamophobia and racialisation, the authors underscore the need for critical revaluation of new and ongoing counterextremism approaches, their societal implications, and how young Muslims seek to manage and mitigate novel patterns of racialisation and social exclusion
Measurement properties of the Inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (I-RODS) in patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome
Get PDFGuillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy with a high disease impact, even after good clinical recovery. The Inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (I-RODS) is a Patient-Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) developed for patients with immune-mediated neuropathies that measures limitations in daily activities and social participation. It consists of 24 items, scored from 0–48. The present study aimed to validate the measurement properties of the I-RODS in patients with GBS included in the prospective International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS). The current study focussed on structural validity, cross-cultural validity, internal consistency, and construct validity of I-RODS using Rasch-based methods. The study was conducted in 1226 patients diagnosed with GBS with a median I-RODS score of 28 (IQR 10–41) 4 weeks after inclusion into IGOS. Rasch analyses revealed adequate internal consistency (PSI = 0.95; α = 0.98) and sufficient construct validity, indicated by strong correlations (R = − 0.91 to − 0.77). Targeting was acceptable, although there was a skew towards the floor (10.1%) and ceiling (9.4%). However, the I-RODS showed poor unidimensionality (12.1% CI 10.7–13.5%) and poor overall fit to the Rasch model. Category thresholds were correctly ordered. Misfit was found in two items. Additionally, 15 of 276 item pairs showed local dependency. While no differential item functioning (DIF) was evident for age or sex, significant DIF by geographic region was observed, with the strongest DIF in one item. These results suggest that the current version of I-RODS could be improved or alternative PROMs for patients with GBS could be developed
Mental health and kidney disease
No full textMultiple long-term conditions, and particularly mental health conditions, are common in adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Some mental health conditions increase the risk of developing CKD, contribute to faster disease progression, and complicate care experiences and outcomes. Depression and anxiety are particularly prevalent and are associated with reduced quality of life, unplanned service use and poorer clinical outcomes. The manner in which depression and anxiety are detected and managed as part of routine kidney care can vary widely. Evidence for effective and acceptable treatments is mixed overall, although meta-analyses highlight the benefits of physical activity and cognitive behavioural therapy. Data on the use of antidepressants in people with CKD are also variable, limited by the lack of robust clinical trials. People with particularly complex needs, such as those with severe mental illness and CKD, have markedly shorter lifespans and higher rates of emergency hospitalizations than those without severe mental illness and are also less likely to access specialist nephrology care and to receive a transplantation. Health inequalities are amplified for those contending with wider disadvantages related to social and structural determinants of health. Reducing the burden of mental health in people with CKD is an urgent priority to alleviate personal and health system impacts. Here, we examine current evidence on mental health and CKD to inform policy and research and to support advances in prevention and management approaches
From symbolic violence to structural exclusion: The multidimensional nature of Islamophobia in Europe
Get PDFAmid growing concerns over rising religious tensions and anti-Muslim sentiment in Europe, this study develops and validates a robust Islamophobia Index to systematically measure experiences of discrimination among Muslim communities. Leveraging survey data from 3598 respondents (including 466 Muslims) across Belgium, Germany, Spain, and Italy, confirmatory factor analysis validated a three-factor structure for the Islamophobia Index, comprising Experiential Violence, Perceived Negativity, and Global Event Impacts. The index demonstrated metric invariance across Belgium, Germany, and Spain (N = 444 analysis sample), supporting its utility for cross-national comparisons. Regression analyses indicate systemic exclusion; perceived global event impacts emerged as a significant statistical predictor of both experiential violence and perceived negativity. Experiences were also found to vary with demographic factors such as age and income in certain models. While specific hypothesised intersectional effects (e.g., gender with religious identification) were not statistically significant in the tested models, the research illustrates the value of considering compounded vulnerabilities. The validated three-factor Islamophobia Index provides a nuanced quantitative measure capable of capturing both overt prejudice and perceptions of structural discrimination. By bridging critical theory with empirical rigour, this research points to the need for transnational, intersectional policy frameworks to dismantle institutionalised religious marginalisation and foster inclusive societies across Europe
Quantifying the impact of raindrop dynamics on soil erosion in grass–shrub slopes: theoretical, experimental, and modeling perspectives
No full textRaindrop impact and overland flow scouring are primary drivers of slope soil erosion, while vegetation cover plays a crucial role in mitigating these erosive forces. However, limited understanding of the dynamic interactions between vegetation and rainfall processes hampers the advancement of process-based erosion models. To systematically investigate the combined effects of vegetation composition and rainfall characteristics on erosion dynamics, a total of 495 controlled rainfall simulations were conducted using runoff plots with 33 distinct grass–shrub cover ratios (shrub cover: 0–70 %; grass cover: 0–70 %), across five rainfall intensities (I) (60–120 mm h−1) and three slope gradients (θ) (5°–15°). The results demonstrated that mixed grass–shrub communities significantly enhanced the regulation of runoff and erosion compared to single-species covers. Specifically, under mild slope and rainfall conditions (θ = 5°, I = 60 mm h−1), the grass–shrub combinations reduced the runoff rate by 22–26 % and the erosion rate by 26–40 %, thereby demonstrating their practical significance for soil conservation. To further elucidate the mechanistic basis of erosion processes, a theoretical model was developed to quantify raindrop impact force (FR), revealing a power-law relationship with the erosion rate (ER) (adjusted R2 = 0.627–0.995). Building on this, an erosion prediction model was formulated that integrates vegetation cover, raindrop impact (FR), and stream power (ω). The model was subjected to error and sensitivity analyses, and the evaluation metrics demonstrated strong performance across datasets (adjusted R2 > 0.80; Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, NSE > 0.65), surpassing the predictive capability of the widely applied WEPP model (adjusted R2 = 0.276; NSE = −0.153). While the model shows high accuracy and generalizability within experimental conditions, parameter recalibration is recommended for applications beyond the tested domain. These findings contribute to a deeper mechanistic understanding of vegetation–rainfall–erosion interactions and offer a novel framework for improving the fidelity of process-based soil erosion modeling
Self-feeding and Communicative Development From 12 to 24 Months of Age: An Observational Study
No full textThis study examined the relations between independent eating and communicative development, both concurrently and longitudinally, using observational methods. In total, 182 Italian mother-infant pairs (Mage = 12.33; 48% females; 100% White) participated from 2020 to 2023. Infants’ gestures, vocalizations, and self-feeding episodes were coded during mealtimes at 12 months. Mothers reported on language development at 12, 18, and 24 months. Self-feeding was concurrently and positively associated with infants’ deictic gestures and simple vocalizations during the meal. Notably, self-feeding at 12 months was positively related to sentence production reported by mothers at 24 months (but not to parent-reported vocabulary size at 12, 18, or 24 months). The results suggest potential language benefits from allowing infants an active role during the mealtime
Harnessing biotechnology for sustainable metal valorization from solar panel waste
Get PDFRapid expansion of the renewable energy sector has generated a growing stream of discarded solar panels, posing a formidable environmental challenge in our environmentally conscious world. Bioleaching, a process involving various microbe-enzyme mediated techniques, is emerging as a transformative approach for valorizing solar panel waste into valuable resources. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of enzyme- and microbe-driven bioleaching techniques for extracting various elements such as copper or aluminum, from solar panels, incorporating the latest research findings spanning the last decade. Particular attention is given to the removal of Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) resins, a common solar panel component, along with a detailed table of biopolymers used in selective and non-selective metal recovery, highlighting their principles, advantages, and disadvantages. This synthesis aims to illuminate the evolving landscape of bioleaching technologies and their pivotal role in promoting sustainable solar panel recycling
'The ultimate violation’: a linguistic taxonomy for rape euphemisms in courtroom discourse
Get PDFThis paper presents a new taxonomy for classifying rape euphemisms and demonstrates its application through a study that systematically analysed closing arguments in four rape trials. In the study, all references to the rape in question were classified into four categories: 1) euphemistic, neutral, 2) euphemistic, sexual, 3) euphemistic, violent and 4) orthophemistic, violent. The findings showed that closing arguments contain many euphemistic references to rape, despite the fact that unambiguous, direct language is preferable in courtroom discourse. Furthermore, the following themes emerged in the lawyers’ euphemistic language: 1) rape testimony framed as a narrative, 2) sexual connotations in official legal charges, 3) highlighting the victim’s perspective and 4) conflating rape and sex. The study highlighted a need for sensitising the language of closing arguments to prevent retraumatising the rape victims and demonstrates how the proposed taxonomy can support future research on rape euphemisms and potentially other ‘taboo’ dicourse contexts
A cross-entropy based direct policy search algorithm for multi-objective energy storage control
Get PDFEffective control of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) is crucial for the secure and profitable operation of microgrids. In this context, ESSs are essential for enhancing the overall grid resilience, balancing supply, and mitigating voltage and frequency variations. This paper presents a novel neuroevolutionary method, coupling a modified version of the Multi-Objective Evolutionary Policy Search (MEPS) algorithm with the Cross-Entropy method, aimed at optimizing an ESS control problem. The modified MEPS, named Cascade-MEPS, employs a cascade weights mutation operator to refine policies by focusing on the most recent hidden node, ensuring localized and non-disruptive adjustments. The resulting algorithm, referred to as cross-entropy Cascade-MEPS (CE-CMEPS), utilizes the cross-entropy method as a depth initialization strategy, conducting an initial exploration of the weights space to initialize the population prior to Cascade-MEPS execution. Experimental validation on a newly proposed multi-objective ESS control problem demonstrates the efficacy of CE-CMEPS, showcasing performance improvements and reduced variation compared to standalone MEPS. Our results show that CE-CMEPS is an effective ESS discharge controller and a sustainable multi-objective reinforcement learning solution
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