Search Results (464)

Population aging poses significant challenges to the sustainability of pension systems. This study presents an integrated methodological approach that uniquely combines actuarial life-cycle modeling with agent-based simulation to assess the potential of Reverse Mortgage Loans (RMLs) as a dual lever for enhancing retiree welfare and supporting pension system resilience under demographic and financial uncertainty. We explore Reverse Mortgage Loans (RMLs) as a potential financial instrument to support retirees while alleviating pressure on public pensions. Unlike prior research that treats individual decisions or policy outcomes in isolation, our hybrid model explicitly captures feedback loops between household-level behavior and system-wide financial stability. To test our hypothesis that RMLs can improve individual consumption outcomes and bolster systemic solvency, we develop a hybrid model combining actuarial techniques and agent-based simulations, incorporating stochastic housing prices, longevity risk, regulatory capital requirements, and demographic shifts. This dual-framework enables a structured investigation of how micro-level financial decisions propagate through market dynamics, influencing solvency, pricing, and adoption trends. Our central hypothesis is that reverse mortgages, when actuarially calibrated and macroprudentially regulated, enhance individual financial well-being while preserving long-run solvency at the system level. Simulation results indicate that RMLs can improve consumption smoothing, raise expected utility for retirees, and contribute to long-term fiscal sustainability. Moreover, we introduce a dynamic regulatory mechanism that adjusts capital buffers based on evolving market and demographic conditions, enhancing system resilience. Our simulation design supports multi-scenario testing of financial robustness and policy outcomes, providing a transparent tool for stress-testing RML adoption at scale. These findings suggest that, when well-regulated, RMLs can serve as a viable supplement to traditional retirement financing. Rather than offering prescriptive guidance, this framework provides insights to policymakers, financial institutions, and regulators seeking to integrate RMLs into broader pension strategies. Full article

European pig farmers are challenged by increasingly stringent EU regulations to protect the environment from pollution, to meet animal welfare standards and to make pig farming more sustainable. Economic sustainability is defined as the ability to achieve higher profits by respecting social and natural resources. This study is focused on the analysis of the economic resilience of intensive and extensive farming systems, based on data collected from 56 farms located in Denmark, Poland, Italy and Spain. Productive and economic performances of these farms are analyzed, and economic resilience is assessed through a survey including a selection of indicators, belonging to different themes: [i] resilience of resources, [ii] entrepreneurship, [iii] propensity to extensification. The qualitative data from the questionnaire allow for an exploration of how production systems relate to the three dimensions of resilience. Different levels of resilience were found and discussed for intensive and extensive farms. The findings suggest that intensive farms benefit from high standards and greater bargaining power within the supply chain. Extensive systems can achieve profitability through value-added strategies and generally display good resilience. Policies that support investment and risk reduction are essential for enhancing farm resilience and robustness, while strengthening farmer networks can improve adaptability. Full article

This study explores the challenges and theoretical transformations that the widespread application of AI technology in social governance brings to the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights. By examining typical cases in judicial assistance, technology-enabled law enforcement, and welfare supervision, it explains how AI characteristics such as algorithmic opacity, data bias, and automated decision-making affect fundamental rights including due process, equal protection, and privacy. The article traces the historical evolution of privacy theory from physical space protection to informational self-determination and further to modern data rights, pointing out the inadequacy of traditional rights-protection paradigms in addressing the characteristics of AI technology. Through analyzing AI-governance models in the European Union, the United States, Northeast Asia, and international organizations, it demonstrates diverse governance approaches ranging from systematic risk regulation to decentralized industry regulation. With a special focus on China, the article analyzes the special challenges faced in AI governance and proposes specific recommendations for improving AI-governance paths. The article argues that only within the track of the rule of law, through continuous theoretical innovation, institutional construction, and international cooperation, can AI technology development be ensured to serve human dignity, freedom, and fair justice. Full article

The movement towards low-emission and sustainable building practices has driven increased use of natural, carbon-based materials such as wood. While these materials offer significant environmental advantages, their inherent flammability introduces new challenges for timber building safety. Despite advancements in fire protection standards and building regulations, the risk of fire incidents—whether from technical failure, human error, or intentional acts—remains. The rapid detection of fire onset is crucial for safeguarding human life, animal welfare, and valuable assets. This study investigates the potential of monitoring fire precursor gases emitted inside building structures during pre-ignition and early combustion stages. The research also examines the sensitivity and effectiveness of commercial smoke detectors compared with custom sensor arrays in detecting these emissions. A representative structural sample was constructed and subjected to a controlled fire scenario in a laboratory setting, providing insights into the integration of gas sensing technologies for enhanced fire resilience in sustainable building systems. Full article

This study aimed to identify anatomical regions and developmental stages in broiler chickens that serve as reliable thermographic indicators of acute heat stress. Broilers aged 14, 21, 35, and 39 days were exposed to controlled heat stress, and surface temperatures across 12 anatomical regions were recorded using infrared thermography. Thermal response metrics (maximum, minimum, and mean peak variation) were analyzed with repeated-measures ANOVA and eta squared (η²) to quantify the strength of physiological responses. Principal component and cluster analyses grouped body regions based on their thermal sensitivity. The comb and wattle consistently showed the highest temperature increases (ΔT = 2.3–4.1 °C) and strongest effect sizes (η² ≥ 0.70), establishing them as primary thermoregulatory markers. As age increased, more body regions—especially peripheral zones like the drumstick and tail—exhibited strong responses (η² > 0.40), indicating an expansion of thermoregulatory activity. Cluster analysis identified three distinct sensitivity groups, confirming anatomical differences in thermal regulation. Thermographic responses to heat stress in broilers depend on age and region. The comb and wattle are the most reliable biomarkers, while peripheral responses grow more prominent with maturity. These findings support the use of targeted, age-specific infrared thermography for monitoring poultry welfare. Full article

A reasonable water price for interbasin water transfer projects (IWTPs) is vital for solving the problem of unequal water use among different water users caused by different water source supply prices, promoting external water transfer consumption, and ensuring the stable and equitable project operation. However, the formulation of the water price is influenced by many factors, and it is necessary to identify the key factors and their interactions in the water prices formulation for IWTPs. In this study, we identified 15 factors that affect it. This paper used the fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to analyze the causal relationships and importance levels among the influencing factors. A four-level hierarchical structural model was established using an interpretive structural model (ISM), which intuitively displayed the hierarchical structure and pathways of each factor. The role of each influencing factor was determined by using MICMAC. Finally, the grey relational analysis method was used to identify the top five key factors: the socioeconomic development level, diversification of water resources, water demand of water users, cost of the project’s water supply, and national policies and regulations. Strategies to improve the formulation of water prices have also been proposed. The results show that the top five factors influencing the water price for IWTPs are the socio-economic development level, diversification of water resources, water demand of water users, cost of the project’s water supply, and national policies and regulations. The water price should be formulated based on the water resource cost, supply–demand relationships of water resources, and policy objectives to ensure scientific and reasonable cost allocation and differentiated pricing. For water-transfer projects with strong public welfare, the government may lower water prices through financial subsidies to alleviate the burden on water users. Full article

Nowadays, consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the husbandry conditions under which animals are raised, particularly broilers, since broilers are one of the species whose welfare is most impaired in intensive farming systems. One of the primary means of communicating husbandry practices to consumers is through product labelling. Thus, a rising number of animal welfare labelling schemes for broilers are being developed and used across Europe by initiatives of both public and private stakeholders, including NGOs that advocate for animal welfare. This review aims to identify, analyze, and compare these labelling schemes with a focus on the main animal welfare provisions included in them, which contribute to enhanced animal welfare. The schemes were identified through web searches, so that we could visit their official websites, access their standards and regulations and study them in detail. We included in our research only those schemes whose criteria were publicly available. In total, 16 schemes were selected and analyzed. Although these schemes vary in their criteria, they all enhance the welfare standards of broiler production, primarily through incorporating environmental enrichment and/or access to the outdoors. Most schemes define and specify in detail the required animal welfare provisions, setting a clear application frame for the raising period of the birds. However, the welfare of animals during transport and slaughter is often overlooked. Full article

The physiological capabilities of horses begin to decline after they reach 15 years of age. However, some exceptionally talented horses can continue their sports careers beyond this age, raising concerns about their welfare. This study investigated animal welfare by observing resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics in geriatric horses participating in similar training or physical activities compared to younger adult horses over 30 min periods. Forty-six horses of varying ages and activity levels were divided into four groups, including horses under 15 years practising structured training for dressage (AL-1; N = 13) and school riding (AL-2; N = 13) and horses aged between 15 and 20 years participating in AL-1 (N = 10) and AL-2 (N = 10). In adult horses, the HR decreased in those performing AL-1, which was observed alongside an increased RR interval compared to those participating in AL-2 (p < 0.05 for both). Meanwhile, HRV increased in adult horses (measured by pNN50) but decreased in geriatric horses (measured by SDANN, SDNNI, DC, and SD2) participating in AL-1 when compared to their counterparts in AL-2 (p < 0.05 for all). Adult horses exhibited better autonomic regulation while engaged in structured dressage training than geriatric horses. These findings underscore the necessity for the careful management of physical activities to ensure the well-being of all horses, particularly older ones. Full article

Fear is a critical welfare concern in laying hens. Fearful behaviors in domestic chickens are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, contributing to individual differences in stress responses. Tonic immobility (TI) duration is widely recognized as a reliable indicator of fear levels. The hippocampus, a critical brain region for emotional states, plays a pivotal role in associating fearful experiences with specific stimuli, enabling adaptive behavioral responses. This study investigated hippocampal histological characteristics and transcriptomic profiles in laying hens with different fear responses categorized based on TI duration. A total of 80 native Lindian hens (75 weeks old) were individually housed in modified conventional cages. At 76 weeks of age, hens exhibiting the longest and shortest TI durations were classified into the high-fear (TH) and low-fear (TL) groups, respectively. Whole hemibrains were collected for histological and immunohistochemical analyses, while hippocampal tissues underwent transcriptome sequencing. The results showed a significant reduction in Nissl body counts in hippocampal neurons of high-fear hens (p < 0.05), suggesting potential neuronal damage or functional impairment. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 365 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between two groups, with 277 upregulated and 88 downregulated genes in TH chickens. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified seven significantly associated pathways (p < 0.01), including retinol metabolism, vitamin B6 metabolism, and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, all of which are crucial for neuronal function and immune regulation. In addition, a significant increase in DCX protein expression (p < 0.05) and a decrease in c-Fos protein expression (p < 0.05) was noted in in high-fear hens, whereas PCNA levels remained unchanged (p > 0.05) under immunohistochemical validation. The neuronal alterations observed in high fear individuals suggest neural damage, while transcriptomic variations point to potential disruptions in neurogenesis, synaptic signaling, and stress-related pathways. Collectively, these results provide novel insights into the neurobiological basis of fear regulation in laying hens and may have implications for poultry welfare and management strategies. Full article

Animal welfare is one of the core concerns in the field of animal science, with behavior serving as a direct reflection of emotional state and health, and thus a key indicator for welfare assessment. With the widespread adoption of intensive farming systems, abnormal behaviors in pigs have become a prominent marker of compromised welfare. In the past few years, the role of gut microbes in the regulation of animal behavior has received increasing attention. This review summarizes the strong relationship between pig behavior and welfare, and focuses on the emerging research linking gut microbiota to behavioral expression in pigs. Furthermore, it outlines the mechanisms by which the microbiota modulates behavior through the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA), including immune, endocrine, and neural pathways. Additionally, the potential of microbiota-targeted interventions to improve pig welfare, including probiotics and prebiotics, will be evaluated. As a critical bridge connecting physiology and psychology, the gut microbiota shows significant promise for advancing welfare regulation in pigs. Full article

The recent birth of genetically modified canids phenotypically resembling the extinct dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) was hailed as a landmark in synthetic biology. Using genome editing and cloning, the biotech company Colossal Biosciences created three such animals from gray wolf cells, describing the project as an effort in “functional de-extinction”. This case raises significant questions regarding animal welfare, moral justification, and regulatory governance. We used the five domains model framework to assess the welfare risks for the engineered animals, the surrogate mothers used in reproduction, and other animals potentially affected by future reintroduction or escape scenarios. Ethical implications are examined through utilitarian, deontological, virtue, relational, and environmental ethics. Our analysis suggests that the project suffers from ontological ambiguity: it is unclear whether the animals created are resurrected species, hybrids, or novel organisms. While the current welfare of the engineered animals may be manageable, their long-term well-being, particularly under rewilding scenarios, is likely to be compromised. The moral arguments for reviving long-extinct species are weak, particularly in cases where extinction was not anthropogenic. Legally, the current EU frameworks lack the clarity and scope to classify, regulate, or protect genetically engineered extinct animals. We recommend that functional de-extinction involving sentient beings be approached with caution, supported by revised welfare tools and regulatory mechanisms. Full article

Cattle breeding has traditionally focused on improving production traits; however, recent interest in positive animal welfare has shifted attention toward selecting for more robust animals that balance productivity with health and well-being. The aim of the current study was to assess whether behavioural responses during milking in dual-purpose cattle are associated with genetic markers, previously linked to temperament traits in dairy and beef breeds. We focused on 185 lactating cows belonging to the Simmental strain (Romanian Spotted, national name), which were evaluated for their milking behaviour. Genotyping was performed using an 88-SNP panel selected based on prior associations with dairy and beef cattle temperament. We identified five SNPs that were significantly associated with milking reactivity in the Romanian Spotted breed, located in genes previously linked to neural development, stress response and behavioural regulation (USH2A, ADAMTS7, TBC1D2B and ZMAT4). Our findings suggest that milking behaviour in dual-purpose Simmental cattle is influenced by genetics, supporting the potential for including behavioural traits in future selection strategies. This study contributes to a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying stress-related behaviours in dual-purpose cattle breeds. Full article

The replacement of ingredients from animal sources with plant-based ingredients is increasing the risk of contamination by mycotoxins in aquafeeds, potentially causing detrimental effects on fish welfare. However, limited research has been carried out so far on the impact of mycotoxins on fish health. Hence, the aim of this study was to assess the toxicological effects of the dietary emerging (enniatin B, ENNB) and regulated (fumonisin B1, FB1) mycotoxins (150 µg/kg) in different tissues of juvenile gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) after 28 days of dietary exposure. Fitness indexes, plasma metabolites, and biomarkers of oxidative stress, metabolism, cellular, and neurotoxic damage were assessed. The exposure to each mycotoxin was sufficient to cause distinct effects in fish tissues. ENNB appears to be the most harmful mycotoxin to S. aurata, inducing changes on alkaline phosphatase and lipase activities in plasma, as well as protein and lipid degradation in liver. Increased lipid degradation was also induced in the brain by FB1 alone or combined with ENNB, whereas the exposure to the mixture inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity. Overall, this study contributes by highlighting the toxicological attributes of ENNB, thus reinforcing the need to include this mycotoxin in future legislation. Full article

Health care systems rely on geographical boundaries that secure financial stability and adequate planning. Quality differences across regions often arise for efficiency reasons, causing patient flows if mobility is free. In this paper, a theoretical spatial competition model is developed to study the role of patients’ mobility on quality setting and to draw policy implications on its use as an instrument to reduce disparities, in a setting where regions differ in efficiency, costs, and market structure. From the analysis, it emerges that the institutional setting matters and a trade-off may appear between equity (in terms of quality difference across patients) and welfare (finding an allocation that maximizes social benefits). In a centralized setting, it is optimal to regulate mobility and increase the quality gap, while allowing free mobility calls for a refined quality setting, in which, depending on a balance between costs and benefits, the quality gap may be either increased or decreased. In decentralization the gap is generally lower, compared to centralization: the different consideration of benefits from local quality provision results in higher quality levels where the market structure is vertically integrated. Full article

In the Netherlands, around 52,000 dairy cows die on the primary farm each year due to natural death, euthanasia, or on-farm emergency slaughter (OFES). The decision as to what is the best option is made by the farmer, often after consulting a veterinarian, a livestock trader, or a slaughterhouse operator. To determine which factors play a role in this decision-making process, semi-structured interviews were conducted with dairy farmers, private veterinary practitioners, livestock traders, and slaughterhouse operators in the Netherlands. Dairy cattle culling decisions are influenced and limited by strict enforcement of livestock transport regulations and limited options for on-farm killing methods. Requirements regarding mortality rates imposed by the dairy industry and private quality labels for raw milk also influence culling decisions in the Netherlands. Most participants stated that restrictive conditions regarding OFES and mobile slaughterhouses (MSHs) appear to have (unintended) negative effects on cow welfare and meat salvage in general. Different interests, such as cow welfare, food safety, economic concerns of various stakeholders, the reputational interests of the dairy and beef industries, and sustainability objectives such as meat salvage can be conflictive. The results of this study show that the decision-making process regarding culling or (prolonged) veterinary treatment of dairy cattle is complex because various factors, interests, and uncertainties must be weighed. This weighing can vary between individual dairy farms and individual dairy farmers. Full article