Measurement Sites Research Articles

The Impact of System Sizing and Water Temperature on the Thermal Characteristics of Floating Photovoltaic Systems

Accurately calculating the annual yield of floating PV (FPV) systems necessitates incorporating appropriate FPV-specific heat loss coefficients into the calculation, including both wind-dependent and wind-independent factors. The thermal behavior of several FPV systems has been investigated within this study, through the analysis of heat loss coefficients across various system sizes and configurations. Over a one-year period, data were collected from two measurement sites with three distinct systems: two ~50 kWp demonstrator-scale setups of Solarisfloat (azimuthal tracking) and Solar Float (East-West orientation) and a 2 MWp commercial-scale East–West system by Groenleven. The Solarisfloat demonstrator revealed a wind-dependent heat loss coefficient of 3.2 W/m3Ks. In comparison, the Solar Float demonstrator system displayed elevated wind-dependent heat loss coefficients, measuring 4.0 W/m3Ks for the east-facing module and 5.1 W/m3Ks for the west-facing module. The Groenleven system, which shares design similarities with Solar Float, showed lower wind-dependent heat loss coefficients of 2.7 W/m3Ks for the east-facing module and 2.8 W/m3Ks for the west-facing module. A notable discrepancy in the wind-dependent coefficients, particularly evident under a north wind direction, indicates a more efficient convective cooling effect by the wind on the demonstrator scale system of Solar Float. This could possibly be attributed to improved wind flow beneath its PV modules, setting it apart from the Groenleven system. Additionally, a thermal model founded on a ‘balance-of-energy’ methodology, integrating water temperature as a variable was introduced. The heat loss coefficient, dependent on the surface water temperature, fluctuated around zero, depending on whether the water temperature surpassed or fell below the ambient air temperature. It can be concluded that it is not of added value to introduce this floating specific heat loss coefficient parameter, as this parameter can be integrated in the wind speed independent Uc parameter.

Transfer learning in environmental data-driven models: A study of ozone forecast in the Alpine region

Many environmental variables, in particular, related to air or water quality, are measured in a limited number of points and often for a limited time span. This forbids the development of accurate models for interesting locations with missing or insufficient data and poses the question of whether a model developed for another measurement site can be reliably applied. Such a question is particularly critical when the model is entirely data-driven, such as a neural network. In this context, the paper proposes a procedure to evaluate the expected performance of an existing neural network model applied to a new unmonitored station. This transferability assessment is exemplified by the problem of forecasting ozone concentrations in different environmental settings around the Alpine Arc. Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network models are applied for predicting hourly concentrations in 20 stations of different types (urban, rural, and mountain). The analysis of the results allows us to determine the expected performance of such models in new cases and reduce the transferability uncertainty when the existing models can be partitioned into clusters. The LSTM models demonstrate the possibility of high accuracy in ozone forecasting at all sites. Given the significant impacts of this gas on human health and the environment, this can contribute to better decision-making and mitigation strategies for air pollution control.

Evaluating Vascular Depth-Dependent Changes in Multi-Wavelength PPG Signals Due to Contact Force.

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a non-invasive method used for cardiovascular monitoring, with multi-wavelength PPG (MW-PPG) enhancing its efficacy by using multiple wavelengths for improved assessment. This study explores how contact force (CF) variations impact MW-PPG signals. Data from 11 healthy subjects are analyzed to investigate the still understudied specific effects of CF on PPG signals. The obtained dataset includes simultaneous recording of five PPG wavelengths (470, 525, 590, 631, and 940 nm), CF, skin temperature, and the tonometric measurement derived from CF. The evolution of raw signals and the PPG DC and AC components are analyzed in relation to the increasing and decreasing faces of the CF. Findings reveal individual variability in signal responses related to skin and vasculature properties and demonstrate hysteresis and wavelength-dependent responses to CF changes. Notably, all wavelengths except 631 nm showed that the DC component of PPG signals correlates with CF trends, suggesting the potential use of this component as an indirect CF indicator. However, further validation is needed for practical application. The study underscores the importance of biomechanical properties at the measurement site and inter-individual variability and proposes the arterial pressure wave as a key factor in PPG signal formation.

Quantifying aortic valve regurgitation in patients with congenital aortic valve disease by 2D and 4D flow magnetic resonance analysis

BackgroundIn congenital aortic valve disease, quantifying aortic regurgitation (AR) varies by the measurement site. Our study aimed to identify the optimal site for AR assessment using 2D and 4D MR flow measurements, with a focus on vortices. MethodsWe retrospectively analysed 31 patients with congenital aortic valve disease, performing 2D and 4D MR flow measurements at the aortic valve, sinotubular junction (STJ), ascending aorta (AAo), and using midpulmonary artery measurements as a reference.We assessed percentage AR and net forward volumes, calculated linear correlations, and plotted Bland-Altman plots. Net forward flow at all aortic sites were correlated with the main pulmonary artery. Differences in AR between 2D and 4D flows were linked to vortices detected by 4D streamlines. ResultsThe best agreement in % AR between 2D and 4D flows was at the aortic valve (mean difference 4D2D -2.9%, limits of agreement 8.7% to −14.3%; r2 = 0.7). Correlations weakened at STJ and AAo. Vortices in the ascending aorta led to AR overestimation in 2D measurements. Net forward flow at the aortic valve by 4D flow correlated closer with main pulmonary artery than did 2D flow. (Mean difference for 2D and 4D MR flow 7.5 ml and 4.2 ml, respectively). ConclusionsFor congenital aortic valve disease, the most accurate AR quantification occurs at the aortic valve using 2D and 4D MR flow. Notably, vortices in the ascending aorta can result in AR overestimation with 2D MR flow.

Introducing a new hazard and exposure atlas for European winter storms

Winter storms are one of the riskiest natural hazards in Europe. They are often assessed either from a climatology perspective or the exposed land use type. However, for accurate storm protection management, analyzing compatible wind speed and land use data at the highest spatiotemporally accuracy is critical. Thus, the study goals were (1) modeling wind speed for the 27 most extreme winter storm events from 1993 to 2022 at high spatial resolution (250 m × 250 m) and (2) defining and developing new and representative storm hazard and storm exposure indices for forested area, built-up area, and population. The winter storm event-related wind speed was modeled using a least-squares boosting approach based on ERA5 reanalysis data and 1730 wind speed measurement sites from the integrated surface global hourly meteorological dataset. In combination with temporally variable population density, built-up area, and forested area grids, the storm exposure indices for the European NUTS3 regions were calculated. The coefficient of determination of the median of the modeled wind speed fields is 0.73 for an independent subset of measurement sites. The wind speed maps reveal the uniqueness of the winter storm events. Each storm only affects parts of Europe. The study also emphasizes the relevance of distinguishing between storm hazard and storm exposure. The exposure of built-up areas to winter storms has increased considerably in recent years. This example underlines that storm exposure is not temporally constant but depends on the development of wind speed and land use. Decision-makers can apply the results of this study to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of storm protection measures. The developed storm exposures indices enable a sector- and location-specific evaluation with high precision.

Measuring synovial thickness on knee MRI in pediatric patients with arthritis: is contrast necessary?

The use of contrast-enhanced imaging has long been standard for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessments of synovitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). However, advancements in MRI technology have allowed for reliable identification of synovium without contrast. To assess the equivalence of unenhanced MRI with contrast-enhanced MRI in evaluating synovial thickness. This is an institutional review board approved, retrospective study performed in a tertiary children's hospital. Pediatric JIA patients under 21 years old were included who underwent knee MRI scans (1.5 T or 3 T) without and with contrast between January 2012 and January 2022. Two radiologists independently measured synovial thickness at 6 knee sites on contrast-enhanced and unenhanced sequences. Numerical measurements and ordinal scores based on juvenile idiopathic arthritis magnetic resonance imaging scoring (JAMRIS) system were recorded, and tests of equivalence were conducted, as well as between-reader and within-reader reliability by concordance correlation coefficient (CCC). All tests were considered significant at the 5% level. A total of 38 studies from 35 patients (25 females, median age 14 years; interquartile range 7 to 15.7) were included. Equivalence was demonstrated at each of the 6 sites for both continuous measurements (P-values < 0.05) and ordinal scores (P-values < 0.05) based on the average over readers. Within-reader reliability was moderate to high (CCC 0.50-0.89), except for the cruciate ligaments site. Averaged over the 6 sites, reliability between readers was low for unenhanced (CCC 0.47, with 95% CI: [0.41, 0.53]) and moderate for contrast-enhanced (CCC 0.64, with 95% CI: [0.59, 0.69]) sequences. Unenhanced knee MRI is equivalent to contrast-enhanced MRI in assessment of synovial thickness using conventional MRI sequences. Contrast material helped improve inter-reader reliability.

PERIODIC CONTROL OF CONCRETE PROPERTIES IN THE SYSTEM OF TECHNICAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT FOR HIGH-STORY BUILDING

The assessment of the structures’ technical condition is conducted in accordance with current regulations. During such assessment, various methods are used to determine the physical and mechanical characteristics of the structure’s material. Usually, a single measurement is performed, but in some cases, it is necessary to establish observations to determine the behaviour of the observed defects. Particular attention should be paid to buildings that have not been in use for some time and no measures have been taken to preserve the structures. Since the conditions of concrete formation and hardening in the samples during the establishment of taring dependencies and in the structure in operation are different, the existing non-destructive testing methods do not adequately reflect the properties of the structure’s concrete. Experience in the use of ultrasonic devices and our own research to improve the ultrasonic method allowed us to recommend limiting the scope of this method to periodic inspection, since it is quite easy and accurate to track relative changes in the material of the structure. The purpose of this work – verification of the effectiveness of the improved method of conducting periodic control of concrete properties in the conditions of a real object. Results. The technical condition of the structures of the multi-story building was assessed. Within the scope of the survey, the capabilities of the modernized method of periodic control of the concrete structures’ properties during their operation were checked. Ultrasonic devices are involved in the work, provided that the measurement sites are specially prepared. An increase in the accuracy of determining material properties has been demonstrated. Conclusion. The developed method of periodic control of the concrete structures’ properties demonstrates the low complexity of the work and the sufficient reliability of the obtained results, which allows us to propose it for use in determining the technical condition of the structures in operation.

An airflow velocity field reconstruction method with sparse or incomplete data using physics-informed neural network

Velocity field is critical for creating a healthy and comfortable indoor environment but it is difficult to be measured experimentally. Due to the limitations of measurement instruments and site conditions, the captured data are usually sparse, incomplete, and low-dimensional, which limits further research on indoor velocity field. This study proposes a practical reconstruction and super-resolution method based on physics-informed learning that seamlessly integrates imperfect measured data and physical laws. The ability to reconstruct the airflow velocity field with imperfect data as the training dataset was validated using a three-dimensional and three-component airflow field generated with an axial fan. This method successfully recovered the airflow field from sparse or insufficient data (even when the amount of data was only 5 % of the original vector fields) and incomplete data. This indicates that the proposed method can reconstruct and super-resolve the airflow velocity vector fields from sparse, incomplete, and low-dimensional data.

Muscle Ultrasound Echo Intensity and Fiber Type Composition in Young Females.

Ultrasonography has been extensively used to evaluate skeletal muscle morphology. The echo intensity, i.e., the mean pixel intensity of a specific region of interest in an ultrasound image, may vary among muscles and individuals with several intramuscular parameters presumed to influence it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between muscle echo intensity and muscle fiber type composition in humans. Thirteen female physical education students (age: 22.3 ± 5.4 years, height: 1.63 ± 0.06 m, body mass: 59.9 ± 7.4 kg) with no history of systematic athletic training participated in the study. Body composition with dual X-ray absorptiometry, leg-press maximum strength (1-RM), echo intensity, and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle according to ultrasonography were measured. Muscle biopsies were harvested from the VL site where the echo intensity was measured. VL echo intensity was not significantly correlated with the percentage of type I muscle fibers or with the percentage area of type I muscle fibers. However, when VL echo intensity was corrected for the subcutaneous fat thickness at the site of the measurement, it was significantly correlated with the percentage of type I muscle fibers (r = 0.801, p < 0.01) and the percentage area of type I muscle fibers (r = 0.852, p < 0.01). These results suggest that the echo intensity of the vastus lateralis muscle corrected for the subcutaneous fat thickness at the measurement site may provide an estimate of the muscle fiber type composition, at least in young moderately trained females.

Extending the wind profile beyond the surface layer by combining physical and machine learning approaches

Abstract. Accurate estimation of the wind profile, especially in the lowest few hundred meters of the atmosphere, is of great significance for the weather, climate, and renewable energy sector. Nevertheless, the Monin–Obukhov similarity theory fails above the surface layer over a heterogeneous underlying surface, causing an unreliable wind profile to be obtained from conventional extrapolation methods. To solve this problem, we propose a novel method called the PLM-RF method that combines the power-law method (PLM) with the random forest (RF) algorithm to extend wind profiles beyond the surface layer. The underlying principle is to treat the wind profile as a power-law distribution in the vertical direction, with the power-law exponent (α) determined by the PLM-RF model. First, the PLM-RF model is constructed based on the atmospheric sounding data from 119 radiosonde (RS) stations across China and in conjunction with other data such as surface wind speed, land cover type, surface roughness, friction velocity, geographical location, and meteorological parameters from June 2020 to May 2021. Afterwards, the performance of the PLM-RF, PLM, and RF methods over China is evaluated by comparing them with RS observations. Overall, the wind speed at 100 m from the PLM-RF model exhibits high consistency with RS measurements, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.87 and a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.92 m s−1. By contrast, the R2 and RMSE of wind speed results from the PLM (RF) method are 0.75 (0.83) and 1.37 (1.04) m s−1, respectively. This indicates that the estimates from the PLM-RF method are much closer to observations than those from the PLM and RF methods. Moreover, the RMSE of the wind profiles estimated by the PLM-RF model is relatively large for highlands, while it is small for plains. This result indicates that the performance of the PLM-RF model is affected by the terrain factor. Finally, the PLM-RF model is applied to three atmospheric radiation measurement sites for independent validation, and the wind profiles estimated by the PLM-RF model are found to be consistent with Doppler wind lidar observations. This confirms that the PLM-RF model has good applicability. These findings have great implications for the weather, climate, and renewable energy sector.

Reverse Model for Curved Bridge Measurement Based on 3D Laser Scanning Technology

Receiving inspection plays a crucial role in ensuring construction quality after the completion of engineering projects. Traditional inspection measurement methods, such as manual observation means and optical equipment measurement methods, have limitations in terms of the number of measurement sites and the range of measurements. These traditional methods fail to provide accurate curve parameters and continuous spatial morphology information for large-span curved bridge structures. This paper proposes a reverse model measurement method to address this issue. The reverse model is built based on point cloud data acquired by 3D laser scanning technology. Finally, take the Taizicheng No. 1 Bridge as an example, the validity of the proposed method is verified.

The Edwards Acumen IQ system using peripheral arterial catheter-based waveforms to estimate cardiac output is not accurate as compared to thermodilution in dogs.

To assess the agreement between cardiac output (CO) estimated via evaluation of the arterial pressure waveform by a novel monitoring system (Edwards Acumen IQ sensor and HemoSphere Advanced Monitor Platform [HS-IQ]; Edwards LifeSciences) and measured by thermodilution (TD) in anesthetized, normovolemic, and hypovolemic dogs. To assess the agreement between the HS-IQ CO measurements in the radial artery and dorsal metatarsal artery. 8 purpose-bred Beagles. Dogs were placed under general anesthesia. CO was measured via TD and via the HS-IQ at radial and dorsal metatarsal arterial catheters. CO measurements were obtained at 4 time points including normovolemic and multiple hypovolemic states. Paired measurements of CO were evaluated via the method of Bland and Altman with acceptable limits of agreement (LOA) defined as < 30%. A total of 24 (dorsal metatarsal) and 21 (radial) paired measurements were collected in 8 dogs. The overall bias (CI) for comparison of TD to radial arterial HS-IQ CO measurements was -0.09 L/min. LOA and proportional LOA were -2.66 to 2.49 L/min and -140.72% to 104.94%. The overall bias (CI) for comparison of TD to dorsal metatarsal arterial HS-IQ CO measurements was -0.26 L/min. LOA and proportional LOA were -2.76 to 2.24 L/min and -135.96% to 93.25%. The overall proportional error for radial arterial was -17.9% and for dorsal metatarsal was -21.4%. CO measurements with the HS-IQ were easy to obtain but did not produce results within a clinically acceptable range for either measurement site, with a very wide LOA. The CO estimations from the HS-IQ are not appropriate for clinical use at this time.

Site selection of micro-implant anchorages in the infrazygomatic crest in adult orthodontic patients.

To determine the optimal placement of miniscrews, this study compared adult male and female patients in terms of cortical bone density, cortical bone thickness, and available bone width in the infrazygomatic crest region. The cone beam computed tomography imaging data of 200 patients (20-30 years old; 100 males and 100 females) were collected. The right maxillary posterior teeth in the sagittal plane were divided into six levels from proximal to distal, and three measurement sites were positioned at vertical distances of 8, 10, and 12 mm from the cementum. Cortical bone density, cortical bone thickness, and available bone width were measured in 18 measurement sites in the infrazygomatic crest and analyzed statistically. The highest cortical bone density, cortical bone thickness, and available bone width in the infrazygomatic crest in adult male and female patients were at the level of the interradicular space between the maxillary second premolar and maxillary first molar. The bone cortical density and thickness increased with vertical height, whereas the available bone width decreased with increasing vertical height. Differences were observed in cortical bone density, cortical bone thickness, and available bone width between adult male and female patients. The optimal implantation sites of the micro-implant anchorages in the infrazygomatic crest were at the level of the interradicular space between the maxillary second premolar and the maxillary first molar, and the vertical height of the optimal implantation site in males was appropriately higher than that in females.

Assessing Radiative Impacts of African Smoke Aerosols Over the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean

AbstractBiomass burning smoke aerosols are efficient at attenuating incoming solar radiation. The Layered Atlantic Smoke Interactions with Clouds campaign was conducted from June 2016 to October 2017. The U. S. Department of Energy mobile Atmospheric Radiation Measurement site located on Ascension Island (AMF‐ASI) identified several instances of smoke plume intrusions. Increases in surface and column measurements of aerosol loading were directly related to increases in fine mode fraction, number concentrations of aerosols (Na), and cloud condensation nuclei (NCCN). During periods of weak lower tropospheric stability, smoke particles were more likely to be advected downward either by boundary layer turbulence or cloud top entrainment under non‐overcast sky conditions. Backward trajectory analysis illustrated that smoke aerosols reaching the AMF‐ASI site were fine mode, less aged, strongly absorbing, and had shorter boundary layer trajectories while longer boundary layer trajectories denoted mixtures of weakly absorbing smoke and coarse mode marine aerosols. The most polluted smoke cases of August 2016 and 2017 revealed a notable contrast in radiative forcing per unit aerosol optical depth or radiative forcing efficiency (ΔFeff) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and near‐surface (BOA). The weakly (strongly) absorbing 2016 cases exhibited weaker (stronger) ΔFeff at the TOA and BOA suggesting a warming (cooling) effect within the boundary layer. The 2017 cases featured the strongest ΔFeff suggesting more of a cooling effect at the TOA and BOA due to mixing of fresh smoke with marine aerosols during transport.

Leveraging Next‐Generation Satellite Remote Sensing‐Based Snow Data to Improve Seasonal Water Supply Predictions in a Practical Machine Learning‐Driven River Forecast System

AbstractSeasonal predictions of spring‐summer river flow volume (water supply forecasts, WSFs) are foundational to western US water management. We test a new space‐based remote sensing product, spatially and temporally complete (STC) MODSCAG fractional snow‐covered area (fSCA), as input for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) operational US West‐wide WSF system. fSCA data were considered alongside traditional SNOTEL predictors, in both statistical and AI‐based NRCS operational hydrologic models, throughout the forecast season, in four test watersheds (Walker, Wind, Piedra, and Gila Rivers in California, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico). Outcomes from over 200 WSF models suggest fSCA‐enabled accuracy gains are most consistent and explainable for short‐lead, late‐season forecasts (roughly 10%–25% improvements, typically), which in operational practice can be challenging as snowlines rise above in situ measurement sites. Gains are roughly proportional to how thoroughly spring‐summer runoff is dominated by snowmelt, and how poorly in situ networks monitor late‐season snowpack. fSCA also improved accuracy for long‐lead, early‐season forecasts, which are similarly problematic in WSF practice, but not for WSFs issued around the time of peak snow accumulation, when in situ measurements reasonably characterize mountain snowpack available for upcoming spring‐summer snowmelt. The AI‐based hydrologic model generally outperformed the statistical model and, in some cases, better‐capitalized on satellite remote sensing. Additionally, preliminary analyses suggest reasonable WSF skill in many cases using fSCA as the sole predictor, potentially useful in sparsely monitored regions; and that combining satellite and in situ products in data‐driven hydrologic models using genetic algorithm‐based predictor selection could help guide new SNOTEL site selection.

Temporary Seismic Network in the Metropolitan Area of Rome (Italy): New Insight on an Urban Seismology Experiment

Abstract This study presents data and preliminary analysis from a temporary seismic network (SPQR), which was deployed in the urban area of Rome (Italy) for three months in early 2021. The network was designed to investigate the city’s subsurface while evaluating the feasibility of a permanent urban seismic network, and consisted of 24 seismic stations. Despite significant anthropogenic noise, the SPQR network well recorded earthquake signals, revealing clear spatial variability referable to site effects. In addition, the network’s continuous recordings allowed the use of seismic noise and earthquake signals to derive spectral ratios at sites located in different geological and lithological settings. During the experiment, there were periods of activity restrictions imposed on citizens to limit the spread of COVID-19. Although the observed power spectral density levels at stations may not show visible noise reductions, they do cause variations in calculated spectral ratios across measurement sites. Finally, a statistical noise analysis was conducted on continuous seismic station data to evaluate their performance in terms of detection threshold for earthquakes. The results indicate that all network stations can effectively record earthquakes with a good signal-to-noise ratio (≥5 for P and S phases) in the magnitude range of 1.9–3.3 at distances of 10 km and 80 km, respectively. In addition, the network has the potential to record earthquakes of magnitude 4 up to 200 km, covering areas in Central Italy that are far from the city. This analysis shows that it is possible to establish urban observatories in noisy cities such as Rome, where hazard studies are of particular importance due to the high vulnerability (inherent fragility of its monumental heritage) and exposure.

Changes in the mechanical properties of the thigh and lower leg muscle-tendon units during the early follicular and early luteal phases.

This study aimed to determine changes in the muscle and tendon stiffness of the thigh and lower leg muscle-tendon units during the early follicular and early luteal phases, and check for possible relations between muscle and tendon stiffness in each phase. The sample consisted of 15 female university students with regular menstrual cycles. The basal body temperature method, ovulation kit, and salivary estradiol concentration measurement were used to estimate the early follicular and early luteal phases. A portable digital palpation device measured muscle-tendon stiffness in the early follicular and early luteal phases. The measurement sites were the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), patellar tendon (PT), medial head of gastrocnemius muscle, soleus muscle, and Achilles tendon. No statistically significant differences in the thigh and lower leg muscle-tendon unit stiffness were seen between the early follicular and early luteal phases. Significant positive correlations were found between the stiffness of the RF and PT (r = 0.608, p = 0.016) and between the VM and PT (r = 0.737, p = 0.002) during the early luteal phase. The present results suggest that the stiffness of leg muscle-tendon units of the anterior thigh and posterior lower leg do not change between the early follicular and early luteal phases and that tendons may be stiffer in those women who have stiffer anterior thigh muscles during the early luteal phase.

Reliability of udder infrared thermography as a non-invasive technology for early detection of sub-clinical mastitis in Sahiwal (Bos indicus) cows under semi-intensive production system

The present study focused on Sahiwal cows, a prominent milch breed in tropical India, to correlate udder temperature with physiological markers of stress and inflammation during subclinical mastitis (SCM). The primary goal was to assess the potential of udder infrared thermography for the early detection of SCM under the semi-intensive production. Cows were categorized based on milk somatic cell counts (SCC), with healthy (H) cows having SCC <2 × 105 cells/mL and no history of mastitis, and cows with subclinical mastitis (SCM) and initial stages of clinical mastitis (CM) having quarter milk SCC of 2–5 × 105 and >5 × 105 cells/mL, respectively. Firstly, udder thermograms were analysed for udder skin surface temperature (USST), teat skin surface temperature (TSST), and teat apex temperature (TAT) using Fluke software to determine the optimal site for temperature measurement during intramammary infection. Secondly, milk samples were collected for automatic estimation of compositional changes, electrical conductivity, and pH. Thirdly, milk whey was separated for quantifying stress and inflammatory indicators, including cortisol, prolactin, and acute-phase proteins (APPs): milk amyloid A and milk haptoglobin using bovine-specific ELISA kits. Significant increases (p < 0.01) in USST, TSST, TAT, cortisol, and APPs were observed in SCM and CM compared to healthy cows, while prolactin levels decreased (p < 0.01). The correlation matrix revealed strong positive correlations of SCC with USST (r = 0.84, p < 0.01). In ROC analysis, USST demonstrated cut-off values of 37.74 and 39.58 °C, with accuracy (p < 0.05) of 98% for SCM and 95% for CM, surpassing both TAT and TSST. Therefore, the combination of these non-invasive methods increases the reliability and accuracy of infrared thermography for early detection of SCM, providing valuable insights for the development of a protocol for routine screening and udder health monitoring in indigenous dairy cows.

Bone mineral density T-scores comparison between obese and non-obese individuals included in a Fracture Liaison Service following a recent fragility fracture.

This study aimed to compare the mean T-scores of obese and non-obese patients after recent fragility fractures. Over a period of 5 and a half years, from January 2016 to May 2021, patients from a fracture liaison service were identified and their demographic characteristics, osteoporosis risk factors, BMD T-scores, and fracture sites were compared between obese (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2) and non-obese (19kg/m2 < BMI < 30kg/m2) patients. A total of 712 patients were included (80.1% women; mean age 73.8 ± 11.3years). Sixteen % had type 2 diabetes mellitus and 80% had a major osteoporotic fracture (MOF). 135 patients were obese and 577 non-obese, with obese patients younger (p < 0.001) and more frequently female (p = 0.03). Obese patients presented with fewer hip fractures (10% vs. 21%, p = 0.003) and more proximal humerus fractures (16% vs. 7%, p < 0.001) than non-obese patients. After adjusting for age, sex, and diabetes mellitus, BMD T-score values were significantly higher at all measurement sites (lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck) in obese patients than in non-obese patients for all types of fractures, with a mean difference of 1 standard deviation (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). The same results were observed in the population limited to MOF. Given the crucial role of BMD T-score in determining the need for anti-osteoporotic medication following fragility fractures, it is reasonable to question the existing T-score thresholds in obese patients.

Evaluating alternative temperature measurement sites in cats within a home environment: A comparison with rectal temperature.

This study aimed to compare rectal temperature (RT) with temperatures measured in the pinna, cornea, medial canthus, gingiva, metacarpal pad and axillary region of cats in a home environment. Five healthy mixed-breed cats (two females and three males) owned by a veterinarian were used. All temperature measurements were conducted by the owner by using an infrared camera in the same room and initiated with the pinna, followed by the cornea, medial canthus, gingiva and metacarpal pad. Subsequently, axillary temperature (AT) and RT were recorded by a digital thermometer, respectively. The time taken for a single AT and RT measurements was recorded. The average measurement time for RT was 17.34±0.89s, with a range of 8-32s, whereas AT measurements took an average of 46.72±1.16s, with a range of 29-69s. AT emerged as a superior alternative measurement site compared to others, exhibiting the lowest bias and the highest proportion of readings within the limits of clinical agreement. The mean difference between RT and AT, with 95% limits of agreement for the differences, was -0.26 (-1.13 to 0.61). Anatomical regions were not all interchangeable with the rectum for assessing body temperature (BT), with AT recording the highest level of agreement with RT. When RT is not possible, AT could be considered as an alternative for monitoring BT in clinically healthy cats that live in a home environment.