1,721,014 research outputs found
Taming digital gatekeepers: the 'more regulatory approach' to antitrust law
No full textAntitrust enforcement and competition policy in the digital economy is high on the agenda of authorities and policymakers. The distinctive features of digital markets and the strategic role played by large platforms apparently require a rethinking of the antitrust regime. Several reform proposals point to the need to integrate the antitrust toolkit with ex ante measures since there is a risk that ex post enforcement would be too slow to successfully keep markets competitive and contestable. The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the invoked regulatory approach reflects the distinctive structural features of digital markets or whether it is just an enforcement short-cut
Thermal conductivity of porous building materials: An exploration of new challenges in fractal modeling solutions
Full text linkThe improvement in the insulation material performance is one of the recent crucial problems. The energy consumption in the construction and buildings field has a significant impact on the society and the environment. For these reasons, researchers have focused on studying their thermal behaviour in order to improve fabrication methods and material design structures. In this sense, a great contribution has been offered by the modeling procedures. A remarkable attention has been dedicated to the application of fractal geometry which seems to be a promising method to replicate the porous structures as well as to predict the effective thermal conductivity. In this paper, a review of different modeling procedures is presented, comparing both traditional and fractal theory‐based approaches. Fractal models demonstrate high reliability in reproducing experimental data under various conditions, including dry and moist systems. This is further enhanced by the application of recursive formulas, which streamline calculations even for complex porous microstructures. The choice between one model and another depends on the specific characteristics of the materials under study. In all cases, the versatility of the analytical procedures enables one to achieve a remarkable agreement with experimental data
Levels of Pb and Cd in Single Feeding Stuffs and Compound Feeds for Poultry
No full textThe assessment of heavy metals in feeds for food-producing animals is of particular importance both for animal and human health. Single feeds can be mixed and offered to animals either crushed or pelleted, and it would be recommendable to assess heavy metal content before mixing. A total of 408 feed samples for poultry were sent to our laboratory by farmers and feed manufacturers from Germany. Single feeding stuffs (cereals and legume seeds, n = 109 and n = 86, respectively) and compound mixed feeds for laying hens (n = 63), broilers (n = 83) and turkeys (n = 67) in the years 2015 to 2018 were processed for Pb and Cd content. Analyses pointed to the lowest Pb contents in cereal feeds (0.031 and 0.101 mg/kg feed). In compound feeds, values ranged between 0.089 (broilers) and 0.181 mg/kg on an as fed basis (laying hens). The highest Pb content of 0.358 mg/kg (as fed) was determined in one sample of mixed feed for turkeys. Cd levels in cereal feeds and compound feeds were similar; Cd in legume seeds turned out to be slightly higher (0.089 mg/kg feed). Results point to differences between cereals and legume seeds as single feeds; however, safe levels were found for both, as well as for compound feeds, below the maximum permitted for Pb 10 mg/kg and Cd 1 mg/kg in feed dry matter (88%)
Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. quale mezzo per il monitoraggio della deposizione radioattiva in Sardegna
No full textAlbinism and Blood Cell Profile: The Peculiar Case of Asinara Donkeys
No full textThe complete blood cell count (CBC) was screened in a group of 15 donkeys, of which 8 were of Asinara breed (oculocutaneous albinism type 1, OCA1) and 7 of Sardo breed (gray coat). All donkeys were kept under same management and dietary conditions and underwent periodic health monitoring in the month of June 2024, at the peak of the positive photoperiod, at Mediterranean latitudes. One aliquot of whole blood, drawn from each individual into K2-EDTA containing tubes, was analyzed for the complete blood cell count through an automatic analyzer, within two hours of sampling. Data were analyzed and compared by one-way ANOVA, where the breed was an independent variable. All animals appeared clinically healthy, though mild eosinophilia was observed in Sardo donkeys. The red blood cell line showed peculiar traits for Asinara donkeys, which displayed significantly higher circulating red blood cell numbers than gray coat Sardo donkeys (RBC, 5.19 vs. 3.80 1012/mL ± 0.98 pooled-St. Dev, respectively; p = 0.017). RBCs also exhibited a smaller diameter and higher degree of anisocytosis in Asinara donkeys, along with lower hematocrit value, albeit within physiological ranges. Taken all together, such hematological profile depicts a peculiar trait of the red blood cell line in albino donkeys during the positive photoperiod
Beyond digestion: Can animals shape the landscape according to their species–specific salivary secretions?
No full textSeveral functions are acknowledged for saliva secretion in different animal species follow-ing prehension and mastication of feed. Most of such are linked to the specific role of lubrication and softening of the bolus to allow taste perception and easy swallowing. Moreover, enzymatic components are produced in the saliva, some of which are destined to contribute to the digestion of different nutrients (to various extents according to animal species) and to exert antimicrobial activity (lysozyme). In addition, the buffering power and the virtuous recycle of water, electrolytes, and other metabolites are of particular importance for proper digestion and for nutrition–related aspects. Moreover, salivation appears to be involved in a number of other functions. Recent studies on salivary production and roles point to salivary glands as target organs of neuroendocrine regulation in response to many external stimuli coming from the outer world, for which feed still represents the chief external stimulus. Various animal species establish an adaptive strategy when coming into contact with different feeding stuffs and/or dietary substances by modifying both the composition and amount of saliva produced. In the light of recent updates, this review provides a focus on the functional roles of saliva secretions, showing the broad involvement of salivary response in several mechanisms beyond the digestive function and influencing feed selection
Influence of different types of bedding material on the prevalence of pododermatitis in rabbits
No full textResponse of Fattening Rabbits with Acorns (Quercus pubescens Willd.) Combined in the Diet: First Acquaintances on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits and Perirenal Fatty Acid Profile
No full textThe request for functional and healthy meat presents a challenge to modern animal nutritionists and rabbit meat consumption appears to increase alongside the aging population. Novel functional feeds for food-producing animals gather the interest of the scientific community and acorns appear frequently accounted among non-competitive-with-human feeding sources, above all in slow food production systems. This investigation aimed to assess the response to acorns combined in the diet of 40 fattening rabbits, in respect of growth performance, carcass characteristics and fatty acids composition in perirenal fat. A same commercial fattening diet combined or not with shredded acorns (control, CON = 0 vs. acorn combined diet, ACD = 200 g/kg feed as fed weight, respectively) was administered for six weeks to two groups of Separator rabbits, consisting of 20 animals each. No differences in feed conversion, carcass weight at slaughter and carcass yields (24 h) were found between groups at the end of the experimental feeding. Perirenal fat profile of rabbits from the ACD group pointed to significant differences in ΣPUFA content (25.1 vs. 31.6, as a percentage of total lipids, respectively, p < 0.001) and in the Σ n − 6/n − 3 ratio (5.95 vs. 2.41). In conclusion, acorns can be used as an energy source in mixed feeds for rabbits, especially in slow production systems
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