Effects of rearing system and antibiotic treatment on immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites of broiler chickens

Background:In China,cage systems with a high space utilization have gradually replaced ground litter systems,but the disease incidence of chickens in cages is higher.Broilers in the ground litter pens may be stimulated by more environmental microbes during the growth process and show strong immune function and status,but knowledge of which microbes and their metabolites play an immunomodulatory role is still limited.This study aimed to explore the differences and correlations in the immune function,gut microbiota and metabolites and the importance of gut microbiota of broilers raised in cages and ground litter pens.Methods:The experiment involved a 2×2 factorial arrangement,with rearing systems(cages or ground litter pens)and antibiotic treatment(with or without broad-spectrum antibiotics in drinking water)as factors.Results:The results showed that,compared with the cage group,the ground litter broilers had stronger nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood),humoral immune function(IgG in blood,LPS stimulation index in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%,Tc%,ConA stimulation index and cytokines in blood).Antibiotic(ABX)treat-ment significantly reduced nonspecific immune function(Macrophages%and NO in blood,iNOS and Mucin2 mRNA expression in ileum),humoral immune function(IgG in blood and sIgA in ileum)and cellular immune function(T%and cytokines in blood,Th and Tc ratio,TLRs and cytokines mRNA expression in ileum).Furthermore,the ground litter broil-ers had higherαdiversity of microbiota in ileum.The relative abundance of Staphylococcus,Jeotgalicoccus,Jeotgalibaca and Pediococcus in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.ABX treatment significantly reduced theαdiversity of ileal microbiota,with less Chloroplast and Mitochondria.In addition,the levels of acetic acid,isobutyric acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid in the ileum of ground litter broilers were higher.Spearman correlation analysis showed that Jeotgalibaca,Pediococcus,acetic acid,kynurenic acid and allolithocholic acid were related to the immune function.Conclusions:There were more potential pathogens,litter breeding bacteria,short-chain fatty acids,kynurenine,allolithocholic acid and tryptophan metabolites in the ileum of broilers in ground litter pens,which may be the reason for its stronger immune function and status.

Performance of Two Food Substrates in the Mass Rearing of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel is a major constraint to mango production in Burkina Faso. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two types of food substrates in optimizing the mass rearing of B. dorsalis larvae. For this purpose, 200 eggs of B. dorsalis were divided into four batches of 50 eggs and incubated in Petri dishes containing the different food substrates (Diet 1 and Diet 2). This method was used to evaluate the rate and duration of egg hatching, as well as the development time of the different larval stages. In addition, 1200 pupae divided into four batches of 300 pupae, contained in PVC tubes, were placed inside the rearing cages to monitor the emergence of B. dorsalis. Ten pairs of B. dorsalis were placed in rearing cages and fed with Enzymatic Yeast Hydrolysate and sugar to evaluate the fecundity of female flies and the survival of both sexes. The developmental cycle length in Diet 1 and Diet 2 was 23.03 days and 23.24 days, respectively. Fecundity duration ranged from 57.75 ± 2.29 to 109.81 ± 3.81 days for females from Diet 1 and Diet 2, respectively. The pupal hatching rate varied significantly (P B. dorsalis, but the spawning index was 4 times higher with Diet 1. Most of the components of Diet 1 are available on the local market and are cheaper. Thus, we recommend the use of Diet 1 for B. dorsalis larvae mass rearing.

Indoor Artificial Rearing Technique of Spodoptera frugiperda

[Objective]The paper was to develop a standardized rearing technique of Spodoptera frugiperda.[Method]A set of simple,practical and long-term scale standard feeding technique was summarized through indoor rearing of S.frugiperda from the aspects of feeding vessels,artificial feed components,feeding methods and procedures,notes,etc.[Result]S.frugiperda population maintained under the standard rearing technique for successive five generations which had high fitness parameters.[Conclusion]The new feed formula and rearing technique are suitable for massive rearing of S.frugiperda,which also provide a reference for scale rearing of other Noctuidae insects.

Current research progresses on calf rearing and nutrition in China

Calves are the reserve forces for dairy cattle. Scientific rearing strategy of calves is the basis of efficient cattle breeding. However, many problems exist in current rearing systems of calves and restrict the sustainable development of dairy cattle in China. The absence of basic research is the most highlighted problem among them. Recent researches on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical indices and rumen development in calves were summarized in this paper. Additionally, the optimal levels of energy and protein in milk replacer and starter diets for calves were indicated, and limiting amino acids for calves fed different diets were discussed. A variety of additives, such as acidifiers, probiotics and polysaccharides, are regarded as promising alternatives to antibiotics to reduce disease in calves. Dietary supplementations of these additives have positive effects on growth and health of calves. However, studies on the nutrition of vitamins and minerals in calves have been seldom done, and deserve our further researches. To sum up, the postnatal period is one of the most critical “windows” for rumen manipulation and epigenetic regulation. Any changes from environments, especially early nutrition, may produce long-term effects on growth, health and milk yields in adult cattle.

Are parental rearing patterns and learning burnout correlated with empathy amongst undergraduate nursing students?

Objective:Empathy can help establish harmonious nurse-patient relationships.We aimed to assess the status of empathy,and explore the relationship between learning burnout,parental rearing patterns and empathy amongst nursing students.Method:A questionnaire survey that employed the Learning Burnout Scale,the Short-Form Egna Minnenav Barndoms Uppfostran(s-EMBU)and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy was conducted amongst 562 nursing students.The data were analysed on the basis of descriptive statistic and correlation analysis was used.Results:Empathy is negatively correlated with learning burnout,parental rejection and overprotection and showed no positive correlation with parental emotional warmth.Conclusions:Educators should pay attention to nursing students'feelings and learning burnout status and take positive measures to improve the empathy level of the students.Positive parental rearing patterns also help cultivate empathy.

Community diversity of bacteria in digestive tract of mud snail (Bullacta exarata Philippi) and its rearing shoal

The bacterial flora in the digestive tract of B. exarata Philippi and its rearing shoal were investigated, respectively. A total of 107 strains of heterotrophic bacteria, isolated from crop, stomach and intestine, mainly belong to genera Photobacterium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. Varieties of bacteria in crop were significantly more than that in stomach and in intestine. A total of 173 strains of bacteria were isolated from the rearing shoal, belonging to 13 genera. The 5 predominant genera are Photobacterium, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Vibrio and some genera of Enterobacteriaceae. The number of heterotrophic bacteria and Vibrio in rearing shoal changed in line with the alteration of the temperature, and were significantly affected by the use of pesticide.

Mass rearing of Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera:Calliphoridae)

Objective:To carry out an experimental study with the main objective of mass rearing of sheep flies(Lucilia sericata).Methods:Hand collection and beef- or cattle liver-baited net traps were used for field fly sampling from April,2010 to November,2010.The samples collected from different places were placed in properly labeled tubes and sent to the Entomology Laboratory. Since maggot identification is important in inducing mortality,they were kept under insectary condition to develop to adult stage and identified using systematic keys.Results:A total of 218 flies were collected in three rounds of sampling from the field of Tehran and Karaj Counties.In the first generation,433 flies including 135(31.17%) male,and 298(68.82%) female were yielded. The female/male of parent ratio was calculated as 1.72 in Tehran and in Karaj areas,whereas it was 2,20%and 1.81%,respectively in Fl and F2 generations,respectively.Conclusions:During this study,the mass rearing of sheep blow fly has been established at the School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and can be used for producing flies for maggot therapy.

Consequences of early adverse rearing experience(EARE) on development： insights from non-human primate studies

Early rearing experiences are important in one＇s whole life, whereas early adverse rearing experience（EARE） is usually related to various physical and mental disorders in later life. Although there were many studies on human and animals, regarding the effect of EARE on brain development, neuroendocrine systems, as well as the consequential mental disorders and behavioral abnormalities, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Due to the close genetic relationship and similarity in social organizations with humans, non-human primate（NHP） studies were performed for over 60 years. Various EARE models were developed to disrupt the early normal interactions between infants and mothers or peers. Those studies provided important insights of EARE induced effects on the physiological and behavioral systems of NHPs across life span, such as social behaviors（including disturbance behavior, social deficiency, sexual behavior, etc）, learning and memory ability, brain structural and functional developments（including influences on neurons and glia cells, neuroendocrine systems, e.g., hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal（HPA） axis, etc）. In this review, the effects of EARE and the underlying epigenetic mechanisms were comprehensively summarized and the possibility of rehabilitation was discussed.

Dark rearing maintains tyrosine hydroxylase expression in retinal amacrine cells following optic nerve transection

The present study examined changes in retinal tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） expression in rats having undergone optic nerve transection and housed under a normal day/night cycle or in the dark. The aim was to investigate the effects of amacrine cells on axonal regeneration in retinal ganglion cells and on the synapses that transmit visual signals. The results revealed that retinal TH expression gradually decreased following optic nerve transection in rats housed under a normal day/night cycle reaching a minimum at 5 days. In contrast, retinal TH expression decreased to a minimum at 1 day following optic nerve transection in dark reared rats, gradually increasing afterward and reaching a normal level at 5 7 days. The number of TH-positive synaptic particles correlated with the TH levels indicating that dark rearing can help maintain TH expression during the synaptic degeneration stage （5 7 days after optic nerve injury） in retinal amacrine cells.

Plasticity in Metamorphic Traits of Rice Field Frog(Rana limnocharis) Tadpoles:The Interactive Effects of Rearing Temperature and Food Level

In organisms with complex life cycles, such as amphibians, morphological variation is strongly influenced by environmental factors （e.g. temperature） and maternal effects （e.g. diet）. Although temperature and food level exert a strong influence on larval growth, little is known about the interacting effects of these factors on age and size at metamorphosis. In this study, plasticity in growth rates, survival, larval period, and size at metamorphosis were examined in Rice field Frog （Rana limnocharis） under different combinations of rearing temperature and food level. Rearing temperature did not affect age at metamorphosis, but a significant interaction between temperature and food level revealed that of tadpoles feeding at a high food level, those reared at 32℃ had a shorter length of larval period than those reared at 29℃ or 26℃. Similarly, our results also showed high food level produced a larger growth rate and mass at metamorphosis at 32℃, but not at 29 and 26℃. Therefore, our results revealed that the effects of food level on larval growth and metamorphosis were highly dependent on developmental temperature.

Long term effects of artificial rearing before weaning on the growth performance, ruminal microbiota and fermentation of fattening lambs

Early life intervention is important to shape the gut microbiome profiles of adult animals due to the tremendous alteration of diet components. Nevertheless, there is still no unified understanding about its long-term effects in lambs. In this study, sixty 20-day-old lambs were assigned into ewe-rearing(ER) and artificial-rearing(AR) treatments to evaluate the effects of AR strategy on ruminal microbiota, fermentation, and morphology of pre-weaning lambs(from 20 to 60 days of age) and its long-term effects in the fattening stage(from 61 to 180 days of age). During the pre-weaning stage, ER lambs were breastfed and supplemented starter, while AR lambs were artificially fed with milk replacer and starter. During the fattening stage, all lambs in both treatments were fed with the same fattening diets. At 60, 120 and 180 days of age, 6 lambs from each group were slaughtered to collect rumen content and tissue samples. Compared with ER lambs, the dry matter feed intakes of AR lambs increased(P<0.05) from 20 to 180 days of age, companying an increased average daily gain(ADG) from 61 to 120 days of age(P<0.05) and from 121 to 180 days of age(0.05<P<0.1). Although there was no difference in short-chain fatty acid(SCFA, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate) between treatments before weaning(P>0.05), it was higher(P<0.05) in AR lambs compared with ER lambs at the fattening stage. The rumen keratin layer of AR lambs was thinner(P<0.05) than that of ER lambs. Along with lamb growth from 60 to 180 days of age, the differences in rumen bacterial diversity between AR and ER treatments grew more distinct(P<0.05). Compared with ER lambs, AR lambs increased(P<0.05) rumen bacteria abundance, such as phylum Spirochaetes and genus Treponema at 60 days of age, phylum Actinobacteria and genus Succiniclasticum at 120 days of age, and phylum Proteobacteria at 180 days of age, but decreased genus Selenomonas from 60 to 180 days of age, and Anaerovibrio at 180 days of age. In summary, the early interventions before weaning could improve dry matter feed intake of lambs, which triggered robust rumen development and produced positive long-term effects on rumen fermentation and noticeable weight gain of fattening lambs. It suggests that the artificial rearing strategy is effective in improving rumen fermentation and microbial maturity of intensive fattening lambs.

Breeding of a Natural Green Cocoon Quaternary Hybrid Combination Xiangcailu No.1 for Spring Rearing

The breeding activities aimed to create a natural green cocoon variety for spring rearing with the characteristics of stable natural cocoon color,easy rearing and good silk quality.Four different lines from the excellent silkworm variety Jingsong×Haoyue were taken as recurrent parents,using the natural green cocoon variety G 9202 as donor parent.After other excellent parents were introduced to cross with these different lines,four new breeding materials were selected by recurrent backcross breeding.The characters of these breeding materials showed not only natural green cocoon but also excellent comprehensive traits.A naturally colored cocoon quaternary hybrid with excellent practical characters was selected based on multiple hybrids.It is suitable for spring rearing in Yangtze valley which includes Hunan Province.It was approved by Hunan Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee and designated Xiangcailu No.1 in 2016.

Ecology of Insect Rearing Systems: A Mini-Review of Insect Rearing Papers from 1906-2017

Hundreds of billions of insects are produced each year in insectaries or laboratories. These insects are reared for programs of pest control, as feed, for production of various products such as textiles and food, for research and education, among many purposes. The concept is advanced here that rearing conditions are expected to simulate the natural environments from which target insects are derived. Simply speaking, the rearing container and rearing facility are the insect’s microhabitat and its overall environment. Therefore, the central premise of this paper is that rearing systems are human-made ecosystems. If our expectations are to be met, that reared insects are healthy, fit, and of high quality—simulating their wild counterparts, rearing personnel must engineer conditions that meet all the insects’ needs. In this review, major advancements and progress are documented within the context of the ecology involved in artificial rearing technology. In this review, attention is paid to the food, environmental factors (temperature, humidity or water—in the case of aquatic insects—lighting, gas exchange, and soil—for soil-inhabiting insects), containment, and some special features of rearing systems that were designed to meet special needs of a target insect’s biology. Because there are thousands of publications on rearing advancements, the focus is on publications that had the strongest influence on modern day insect rearing systems, as well as papers that represent historically novel rearing concepts. Where the chain of information is missing on how or from where rearing innovations were derived, papers are referenced as documentation of the various rearing system features.

Application of purple nonsulphur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas sp．in spat rearing of Bay Scallop Argopecten irradians irradians

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Effects of rearing system(floor vs.cage)and sex on performance,meat quality and enteric microorganism of yellow feather broilers

This study investigated the effects of floor and cage rearing systems on performance,meat quality,and enteric microorganisms of male and female yellow feather broilers.Two hundred Xueshan chickens(42 days old;100 of each sex)were divided into four groups,according to sex and rearing system(stainless-steel cage or litter floor).Male and cage-reared broilers exhibited better(P<0.001)performance and higher(P≤0.001)eviscerated percentage than female and floor-reared broilers.The interaction between rearing system and sex had an effect(P<0.05)on the percentage of breast and thigh muscles.Female floor-reared broilers presented the highest(P<0.02)percentage of breast and thigh muscles among all the groups.In both sexes,the abdominal fat content in cage-reared broilers was higher(P<0.01)than that in floor-reared broilers.Female cage-reared broilers exhibited better(P<0.05)meat quality of breast muscle than other groups.An analysis of welfare observations indicated that the feather quality of floor-reared broilers was better(P<0.01)than that of cage-reared broilers,whereas the gait scores were not significantly affected(P>0.05)by rearing system.The enteric microbiota assessment by 16 S rRNA amplicon-based sequencing showed that Firmicutes,Proteobacteria,and Bacteroidetes were the most prevalent phyla in both rearing systems,and that the cecum was relatively stable in terms of microbiome composition.Floor-reared broilers exhibited a richer diversity of bacteria in the intestinal tract than cage-reared broilers,while alpha diversity was not significantly different(P>0.05)among the groups.The ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes and the abundance of Helicobacter and Romboutsia could potentially affect the production of broilers.These findings indicate that cage rearing improved the production of male Xueshan broilers,which may be due to the difference in enteric microbiota between cage and floor rearing systems.

A global study of transcriptome dynamics in the venom gland of Solenopsis invicta Buren during laboratory rearing

Venom plays several important roles in the life of the fire ant,Solenopsis invicta Buren.Laboratory rearing significantly affected the toxin component of S.invicta.However,the molecular mechanism of the change of venomous components when kept in the laboratory is unclear.In this study,RNA sequencing technique(RNA-Seq)was performed to explore differentially expressed genes in the venom gland of S.invicta at 0,10,and 60 days after laboratory rearing.The RNA-Seq results showed that the expression of a large number of genes changed.The DEGs were involved in multiple pathways,including proteolysis,serine-type endopeptidase,and allergen.Furthermore,RNA-Seq and qRT-PCR data revealed that the expression of some genes related to proteolysis and allergen significantly decreased.Thus,our data generated new data relating to toxin-component and the transcriptome dynamics in the venom gland of S.invicta during laboratory rearing.

Rearing Test of Ictalurus punctatus in Cold Plateau Zone

Three ponds with the areas of 800, 1 000 and 1 000 m2 were settled in Yambajan aquaculture base for rearing test of Ictalurus punctatus in plateau zone. The results showed that as 30 000 fries were released, 19 830 fingerlings of 1. punctatus were obtained after 270 d rearing, with the average body length of 21.2 cm, the average body weight of 216.5 g, the survival rate of 66.1%, and the fingerling harvest of 4 293.2 kg. Thus, it is effective and feasible to rear I. punctatus with residual heat resources of power plants in cold plateau zone.

Empirical Study on the Empowerment of Families Raising Children with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities in Japan: The Association with Positive Feelings towards Child Rearing

Background: “Children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities” refers to children with markedly limited activity due to severe overlapping of physical and intellectual disabilities. The physical and mental burden placed on families raising severely disabled children, particularly the primary caregivers, is great in home settings. For families to effectively utilize services and over-come child rearing problems, the families themselves need the “strength” to cooperate with others for the purpose of raising a severely disabled child. The ultimate goal of family support is to enable such families to achieve satisfaction and self-growth in child rearing. Methods: We used a questionnaire to survey 75 primary caregivers to empirically elucidate the empowerment and positive feelings towards child rearing of families raising children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities and the related factors. The t-test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient were used to examine the association with bivariates. A multiple regression analysis was conducted for empowerment and positive feelings. Results: Results revealed that life events, livelihood, awareness of social support and the child’s sleep problems were factors related to empowerment. Of these, awareness of social support from outside of the family was found to contribute the most to empowerment. Furthermore, improvement and maintenance of positive feelings towards child rearing reaffirmed the existence of empowerment in addition to reducing negative feelings towards child rearing and ensuring social support. Conclusions: Raising children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities requires specialist knowledge and skills. Support from professionals to empower the entire family is therefore important in order to strengthen positive feelings towards child rearing.

Food Selection of Apodemus peninsulae under Artificial Rearing Condition

[ Objective ] The paper aimed to screen the poison bait and lure suitable for controlling Apodemus peninsulae. [ Method ] A. peninsulae was reared individually in a single cage, to observe its feeding conditions. [Result] A. peninsulae preferred carrot and cucumber, followed by peanut, and rat diet was the last choice. [ Conclusion] Carrot and cucumber could be used to prepare poisoning bait for controlling A. peninsulae, in order to improve rat capture efficiency.

Breeding of Silkworm Variety "Chuancan No.24" with Strong Vitality for Summer-Autumn Rearing

[ Objective] The aim was to introduce the breeding process of natural colorful cocoon silkworm variety, Chuancan No. 24. [ Method] By cross breeding and pedigree separation, the silkworm variety, Chuancan No. 24, with double sex-limited markings and strong vitality and for sum- mer-Autumn rearing was bred. [ Result] The results of laboratory identification and countryside test in Sichuan Province indicated that the Chuancan No. 24 was strong and could be reared easily. They had uniform development and excellent quality of cocoon and silk. In addition, their sexes could be identified by larval body color and markings. The main indexes are as follows： cocoon yield per 10 003 fourth instar larvae, 19.66 kg; filament length, 1 241.29 m; length of non-broken filament, 941.99 mm; reelability, 75.87% ; raw silk ratio of fresh cocoon, 17.07% ; and neatness, 94.03 points. The main economic features of new variety were better than those of the control. [ Conclusion] The Chuancan No. 24 has been approved by the Sichuan Silkworm Evaluation Commission, and it is suitable to rear this new variety in some regions of the Yangtze River drainage basin, such as Sichuan Province and Chongqing.