1,721,053 research outputs found
AI Meets Tradition: Enhancing Italian Small Ruminant Biodiversity through Breed Identification
Full text linkThe conservation and sustainable management of Italian small ruminant breeds are crucial for preserving livestock
biodiversity. Italy counts over 100 sheep and goat breeds, often raised in extensive farming systems and
mountainous and marginal areas, many of which hold high cultural and environmental value. Their presence supports
rural economies and contributes to the identity and landscape of regions with strong tourist appeal. However,
many local breeds are at risk due to limited distribution and declining populations. One key challenge in their
management is the correct registration of an animal to a breed, traditionally based on expert morphological evaluation
and assessment of standard adherence. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning techniques, offers
innovative solutions to support this sector. A promising application, explored in few studies with encouraging
results, is the development of AI-powered image-based classification tools for breed identification. Extending this
approach to a broader scale could have significant practical implications. With photographic data collected under
diverse conditions and image augmentation techniques, it becomes possible to build a robust and efficient system
adaptable to the morphological variability of local breeds. Also, georeferencing images might be especially valuable,
as many populations are strongly localized in specific regions; spatial data could thus enhance breed recognition,
even in cases of high phenotypic variability or morphological similarity between breeds. A possible outcome
of this approach could be a user-friendly mobile application to assist breeders, technicians, and associations in
breed identification and registration, streamlining procedures and minimizing animal handling. Additionally, such
a tool could serve an educational purpose, providing users—including tourists and local communities—with information
about each breed’s history, risk status, and typical products. By raising public awareness and fostering
a connection between people and livestock biodiversity, this AI-based solution may contribute to the conservation
and valorization of Italy’s small ruminant heritage, while supporting the resilience of rural areas
Sustainability challenges in the Italian pet sector
Full text linkItaly is home to 8.8 million dogs and 10 million cats, with an additional 1-2 million stray dogs and 2.5 million
stray cats. Despite only 15% of dogs and < 1% of cats have a registered pedigree, the purebred animal market
valued at €165-350 million per year. The Italian pet food industry generates €3 billion annually, selling 673,000
tons of pet food. Beyond food, Italians spend €100 million/year on cat litter and €85 million on accessories. A
rough estimate for the impact of pet food sector alone is 1.4-3.8 Mt CO2eq, accounting for 5-12% of agricultural
emissions. It consumes 0.13-0.28 km3 of freshwater, equal to 0.8-1.7% of agricultural water use, while occupying
6-9% (1-1.5MHa) of Italy’s total agricultural area. Our pilot survey describes 60 Italian dogs and 56 Italian cats.
Among dogs, 45% were purebred, including 15% with unregistered pedigrees, while 86% of cats were mixedbreed.
Regarding diet, 73% of cat owners provided both dry and wet food, primarily poultry and fish-based, while
65% of dog owners fed only dry food, with ruminant proteins (beef, lamb) as the most common, followed by
poultry and fish. Monthly food expenses ranged from €13-58 per cat and €35-60 per dog. Litter usage for cats
varied between 4-10 kg per month, costing €5-19, but only 23% of owners purchasing litter chose biodegradable
materials. Annual veterinary and medication costs ranged from €64-170 for cats and €160-400 for dogs. Additional
costs included pet sitters, boarding, accessories, grooming, training, and insurance. These findings highlight
economic and environmental challenges in pet ownership. Sustainable pet care requires multidisciplinary expertise,
genetic management, and alternative proteins to reduce the pet food carbon footprint. Life Cycle Assessment
should be applied across the supply chain, with environmental certification on packaging to promote sustainable
choices. Italy should foster scientific innovation while ensuring environmental responsibility and ethical animal
care. The future challenge is sustainable breeding and management of pets, safeguarding biodiversity and animal
welfare within a One Health approach
NAUTICA +++. Additive Manufacturing in campo Navale e Nautico
Full text linkIl testo raccoglie gli atti del seminario Additive Manufacturing in campo Navale e Nautico tenutosi presso il Politecnico di Milano lo scorso 17 Maggio 2017 e rappresenta una raccolta di ri essioni ed esperienze sul tema della fabbricazione additiva per lo Yacht Design. Ricostruisce una storia contenuta, ma molto densa, in cui le evoluzioni tecniche che si sono susseguite con inedita rapidità sono state particolarmente signi- cative.
Il convegno è stato organizzato grazie alla collaborazione tra il Diparti- mento di Design del Politecnico di Milano, Atena (Associazione Italiana di Tecnica Navale) e l’Ordine degli Ingegneri della Provincia di Milano, e ha visto la partecipazione di Università, Enti di ricerca e aziende del comparto nautico e navale. Il patrocinio di Ucina e Aspronadi ha inol- tre rappresentato un prezioso supporto alla progettazione dell’evento con il coinvolgimento di realtà imprenditoriali che stanno spingendo al limite la sperimentazione in questo campo.
Le tre sessione tecniche del convegno raccolgono le esperienze chiave nei diversi ambiti di ricerca, di sperimentazione e di applicazione della fabbricazione additiva. Interventi interessanti non solo per i risultati, raccolti in questa pubblicazione, ma, soprattutto, per le suggestioni e gli scenari che propongono e per l’apertura proposta nell’interpretare la concezione e la realizzazione stessa di manufatti industriali.
La commistione e la capacità di lavorare in sinergia con competenze di- sciplinari diverse è oggi più che mai indispensabile rispetto alla necessi- tà di combinare know how sulle tecnologie e sui materiali con un’ampia visione di metodo progettuale. E la nautica rappresenta probabilmente un ambito in cui tale interdisciplinarietà offre grandi potenzialità, un contesto in cui occorre sapere immaginare il futuro sfruttando le poten- zialità che le nuove tecnologie ci mettono a disposizione
Architecture of Ancestral Genomic Components in the Sicilian Mastiff
Full text linkThe Sicilian Mastiff (or Mannara dog), is an indigenous Sicilian livestock guardian dog (LGD) breed with approximately
700 registered individuals. Formal recognition as a distinct breed was conferred by the Italian Kennel
Club in 2023 and efforts to attain international recognition are ongoing. Previous studies have identified the
Maremma and the Abruzzes sheepdog as the closest relative of the Sicilian Mastiff, highlighting a shared history
and overlapping functional characteristics typical of LGDs. Thus, investigating the genetic makeup of the Sicilian
Mastiff becomes essential to safeguarding and enhancing its cultural heritage and role in Sicilian pastoralism.
In this study, the genetic investigation of 12 Sicilian Mastiffs revealed significant divergence from other breeds,
while also confirming a close genetic relationship with the Maremma sheepdog. Therefore, local ancestry inference
analyses were performed to identify genomic regions potentially influenced by the Maremma sheepdog, in
comparison with other European and Mediterranean LGD breeds. Several genomic regions exhibited strong introgression
with the Maremma sheepdog. Among the genes within highly introgressed (99th percentile) regions identified
in at least three of these comparisons, several were associated with traits characteristic of LGD. These traits
included behavioral attributes such as aggression towards strangers, morphological features such as drop ears,
and physical attributes enhancing their guarding abilities. These findings support the hypothesis that centuries of
selective pressures shaped the Sicilian Mastiff, highlighting its genetic and cultural value for pastoral communities.
To explore the Sicilian Mastiff’s genetic evolution and adaptability, extensive sampling is being conducted to
assess changes in its genetic variability and structure over the past decade. During this period, breeders have been
encouraged to adopt more stringent and informed selection practices. This longitudinal approach aims to provide
valuable insights into the impact of modern management practices on the genetic profile of the breed
Novel rare variants found in English Cocker Spaniel with early retinal degeneration
No full textProgressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a hereditary condition observed in dogs, including
the English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) breed, where a recessive variant in PCRD
accounts for most of the cases.
A male blue roan ECS developed blindness at two years of age. Both parents were
tested clear for 26 known variants associated with retinopathies. The retina of both
eyes appeared devoid of blood vessels and hyperreflective, leading to the diagnosis
of early-onset retinal degeneration. No other clinical signs were detected. The
genome of the case and the two parents were sequenced and the polymorphisms,
small indels, and large structural variants called compared against the Dog10k database.
We found 24 exclusive indels and SNPs. Of these, two were coding variants heterozygous
in the parents and homozygous in the case: one AA exchange and one
frameshift, both involving genes with a degree of expression in the retina. Additionally,
we detected one non-coding exclusive structural variant.
This study underscores the complex genetic underpinnings of PRA in ECS, highlighting
the potential involvement of novel genetic variants beyond PCRD mutations.
Genotyping of a large score of controls is necessary to confirm the segregation
of either the exclusive variants with the phenotype.
Detection of novel variants is crucial for preserving breed health and assisting
breeders confronted with the challenge of producing blind dogs despite their diligent
testing efforts
Emerging approaches in yacht design and manufacturing: State of the art and future perspectives of generative design and additive manufacturing
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