Dominance,friendship, and resource utilization in preschool children's groups

Field and a laboratory experiments were carried out with 58 preschool children in order to analyze their behavior when faced with a limited resource (a movie viewer which required help to operate it) and to relate variations in resource utilization to measures of dominance and friendship obtained earlier by observation in the pre-school setting and by sociometric measures. The field experiment elicited a mixture of physically assertive/ agonistic behaviors, commands, appeals to personal needs or rules, and cooperative behavior—all related to viewing the movie. Dominance rank was significantly and positively related to resource utilization (viewing the movie). In the laboratory experiment, the children varied greatly in resource utilization and cooperative behavior as a function of their dominance status—dominant children having much more access to the resource than their lower-ranked classmates. Group performance also varied greatly and appeared to be significantly influenced by dominance and friendship. The optimal combination for producing high utilization appeared to be a group of high-ranking friends. Equitability and effectiveness of utilization were also affected by dominance and friendship as well as by physically assertive/agonistic and cooperative behaviors during the episode. In both experiments, boys used the resource significantly more than girls. The findings are discussed briefly in terms of sociobiological notions of cooperation, competition, and resource utilization.     

Differences in the Faecal Microbiome in Schistosoma haematobium Infected Children vs. Uninfected Children

BackgroundSeveral infectious diseases and therapeutic interventions cause gut microbe dysbiosis and associated pathology. We characterised the gut microbiome of children exposed to the helminth Schistosoma haematobium pre- and post-treatment with the drug praziquantel (PZQ), with the aim to compare the gut microbiome structure (abundance and diversity) in schistosome infected vs. uninfected children.MethodsStool DNA from 139 children aged six months to 13 years old; with S. haematobium infection prevalence of 27.34% was extracted at baseline. 12 weeks following antihelminthic treatment with praziqunatel, stool DNA was collected from 62 of the 139 children. The 16S rRNA genes were sequenced from the baseline and post-treatment samples and the sequence data, clustered into operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The OTU data were analysed using multivariate analyses and paired T- test.ResultsPre-treatment, the most abundant phyla were Bacteroidetes, followed by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria respectively. The relative abundance of taxa among bacterial classes showed limited variation by age group or sex and the bacterial communities had similar overall compositions. Although there were no overall differences in the microbiome structure across the whole age range, the abundance of 21 OTUs varied significantly with age (FDR<0.05). Some OTUs including Veillonella, Streptococcus, Bacteroides and Helicobacter were more abundant in children ≤ 1 year old compared to older children. Furthermore, the gut microbiome differed in schistosome infected vs. uninfected children with 27 OTU occurring in infected but not uninfected children, for 5 of these all Prevotella, the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05) with FDR <0.05. PZQ treatment did not alter the microbiome structure in infected or uninfected children from that observed at baseline.ConclusionsThere are significant differences in the gut microbiome structure of infected vs. uninfected children and the differences were refractory to PZQ treatment.     

Problems with primate sex ratios

Birth sex ratios of baboons in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, show an overall male bias of ca. 20%, but there is no obvious explanation for this trend. Individual females did not alter their sex ratios according to persistent levels of local resource competition. Sex ratios showed an unexpected relationship between age and rank: subordinate females had more sons when they were young; dominant females had more sons when they were old. The sex ratio of low-ranking females also varied with the severity of environmental conditions during pregnancy. Our findings suggest that mammalian sex ratios might be the product of more complex processes than is generally recognized or that sex-determining mechanisms impose sufficient constraints to prevent adaptive variation in all contexts.     

Effect of outdoor grazing-area access time and enrichment on space and pasture use,behaviour, health and growth traits of weaned rabbits

Providing rabbits with a grassy outdoor area allows them to express a broad variety of specific behaviours such as grazing where grazeable herbage persists. However, rabbits that graze are also exposed to external stressors. Controlled outdoor access time may help preserve the grassland resource, while a hiding place may offer the rabbits a secure space. We focused on rabbit growth, health and behaviour according to outdoor access time and the presence of a hideout on a 30-m² pasture area. We divided 144 rabbits into four groups (group of rabbits with 8 hours per day (H8) of access to pastures provided with an hideout (Y) (H8Y): n = 36; group of rabbits with 8 hours per day (H8) of access to pastures unprovided with an hideout (N) (H8N): n = 36; group of rabbits with 3 hours per day (H3) of access to pastures provided with an hideout (Y) (H3Y): n = 36; group of rabbits with 3 hours per day (H3) of access to pastures unprovided with an hideout (N) (H3N): n = 36) that differed in access time (H8, four replicates, eight hours a day from 0900 h to 1700 h; and H3, four replicates, three hours a day from 0900 h to 1200 h) and the presence of a hideout (presence of an hideout on the pasture (Y), four replicates, with a roof-shaped wooden hideout; and absence of an hideout on the pasture (N), four replicates, without). Rabbit growth and morbidity were measured weekly for each rabbit from 34 to 76 days of age. Rabbit behaviour was assessed on days 43, 60 and 74 by direct visual scanning. Available grassy biomass was evaluated on days 36, 54 and 77. We also measured the time rabbits took to enter and exit the mobile house and the level of corticosterone accumulated in their hair during the fattening period. There were no between-group differences in live weight (on average, 2 534 g at 76 days of age) and mortality rate (18.7%). The rabbits expressed a broad variety of specific behaviours, with grazing being the most frequent (30.9% of all the observed behaviours). Foraging behaviours including pawscraping and sniffing were more frequently observed in H3 rabbits than H8 rabbits (1.1 vs 0.3% and 8.4 vs 6.2%, respectively; P < 0.05). There was neither an access-time nor hideout presence effect on rabbit hair corticosterone levels or time to exit and enter the pens. Patches of bare ground were more frequent in H8 pastures than in H3 pastures (26.8 vs 15.6%, respectively; P < 0.05). Over the whole growing period, the biomass intake rate was higher in H3 than H8 and higher in N than Y (1.9 vs 0.9 g/rabbit/h and 1.8 vs 0.9 g/rabbit/h, respectively; P < 0.05). In conclusion, restricted access time tended to slow the reduction of the grass resource but had no detrimental effects on rabbit growth or health. Rabbits facing restricted access time adapted their grazing behaviour. A hideout helps rabbits cope with external stressors.     

Territory quality determines social group composition in Ethiopian wolves Canis simensis

1. We contrast the value of four different models to predict variation in territory size as follows: resource density (the ideal free distribution), population density, group size and intruder pressure (relative resource-holding potential). In the framework of the resource dispersion hypothesis, we test the effect of resource abundance and spatial variation in resource distribution on the age/sex composition of social groups. 2. We explore these drivers of territory size and group size/composition in Ethiopian wolves Canis simensis in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, using fine-scale distribution maps of their major prey species based on satellite-derived vegetation maps. 3. The number of adult males is correlated with territory size, while prey density, wolf population density and intruder pressure are not associated with territory size. On average, each additional adult male increases territory size by 1.18 km(2). 4. Prey abundance increases with territory size (average biomass accumulation of 6.5 kg km(-2)), and larger territories provide greater per capita access to prime foraging habitat and prey. 5. The age/sex composition of wolf packs is more closely related to territory quality than territory size. Subordinate adult females are more likely to be present in territories with greater proportions of prime giant molerat Tachyoryctes macrocephalus habitat (i.e. >80% of Web Valley territories and >20% in Sanetti/Morebawa), and more yearlings (aged 12-23 months) occur in territories with greater overall prey biomass. 6. Wolf packs with restricted access to good foraging habitat tend to defend more exclusive territories, having a lower degree of overlap with neighbouring packs. 7. The greater per capita access to prey in large groups suggests a strong evolutionary advantage of collaborative territorial defence in this species, although the relative costs of territorial expansion vs. exclusion depend upon the spatial distribution of resources. We propose a model whereby territory size is determined by the number of adult males, with the presence of subordinate females and yearlings dependent on the quality of habitat, and the abundance and distribution of prey, incorporated within territory boundaries.     

Personality Predicts Social Dominance in Male Domestic Fowl

Individuals in social species commonly form dominance relationships, where dominant individuals enjoy greater access to resources compared to subordinates. A range of factors such as sex, age, body size and prior experiences has to varying degrees been observed to affect the social status an individual obtains. Recent work on animal personality (i.e. consistent variation in behavioural responses of individuals) demonstrates that personality can co-vary with social status, suggesting that also behavioural variation can play an important role in establishment of status. We investigated whether personality could predict the outcome of duels between pairs of morphologically matched male domestic fowl (Gallus gallus domesticus), a species where individuals readily form social hierarchies. We found that males that more quickly explored a novel arena, or remained vigilant for a longer period following the playback of a warning call were more likely to obtain a dominant position. These traits were uncorrelated to each other and were also uncorrelated to aggression during the initial part of the dominance-determining duel. Our results indicate that several behavioural traits independently play a role in the establishment of social status, which in turn can have implications for the reproductive success of different personality types.     

Clinical Characteristics,Etiology and Antimicrobial Susceptibility among Overweight and Obese Individuals with Diarrhea: Observed at a Large Diarrheal Disease Hospital,Bangladesh

Background

The present study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and etiology of overweight and obese (OO) individuals with diarrhea attending an urban Dhaka Hospital, International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research (icddr,b), Bangladesh.

Methods

Total of 508 under-5 children, 96 individuals of 5–19 years and 1331 of >19 years were identified as OO from the Diarrheal Disease Surveillance System (DDSS) between 1993–2011. Two comparison groups such as well-nourished and malnourished individuals from respective age stratums were selected.

Results

Isolation rate of rotavirus was higher among OO under-5 children compared to malnourished group (46% vs. 28%). Rotavirus infection among OO individuals aged 5–19 years (9% vs. 3%) (9% vs. 3%) and >19 years (6% vs. 4%) (6% vs. 3%) was higher compared to well-nourished and malnourished children. Conversely, Vibrio cholerae was lower among all OO age groups compared to well-nourished and malnourished ones. Shigella (4% vs. 6%) (4% vs. 8%), and Campylobacter (3% vs. 5%) (3% vs. 5%) were lower only among OO in >19 years individuals compared to their counterparts of the same age stratum. Salmonella was similarly isolated in all age strata and nutritional groups. In multinomial logistic regression among under-5 children, significant association was observed only with use of antimicrobials at home [OR-1.97] and duration of hospital stay [OR-0.68]. For individuals aged 5–19 years, use of antimicrobials at home (OR-1.83), some or severe dehydration (OR-3.12), having received intravenous saline (OR-0.46) and rotavirus diarrhea (OR-2.96) were found to be associated with OO respectively. Moreover, significant associations were also found for duration of diarrhea before coming to hospital (>24 hours) (OR-1.24), Shigella (OR-0.46), and Campylobacter (OR-0.58) among >19 years OO individuals along with other associated co-variates in 5–19 years group (all p<0.05).

Conclusion and significance

Higher proportion of OO were infected with rotavirus and a greater proportion of them used antimicrobials before coming to the hospital.     

Hormonal correlates of dominance in meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

In cooperatively breeding meerkats (Suricata suricatta), individuals typically live in extended family groups in which the dominant male and female are the primary reproductives, while their offspring delay dispersal, seldom breed, and contribute to the care of subsequent litters. Here we investigate hormonal differences between dominants and subordinates by comparing plasma levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol and cortisol in females, and testosterone and cortisol in males, while controlling for potential confounding factors. In both sexes, hormone levels are correlated with age. In females, levels of sex hormone also vary with body weight and access to unrelated breeding partners in the same group: subordinates in groups containing unrelated males have higher levels of LH and estradiol than those in groups containing related males only. When these effects are controlled, there are no rank-related differences in circulating levels of LH among females or testosterone among males. However, dominant females show higher levels of circulating estradiol than subordinates. Dominant males and females also have significantly higher cortisol levels than subordinates. Hence, we found no evidence that the lower levels of plasma estradiol in subordinate females were associated with high levels of glucocorticoids. These results indicate that future studies need to control for the potentially confounding effects of age, body weight, and access to unrelated breeding partners before concluding that there are fundamental physiological differences between dominant and subordinate group members.     

Radial bone mineral content of normal Japanese infants and prepubertal children: influence of age,sex and body size

The present study was performed to measure appendicular bone mass of Japanese infants and children, and to assess the influence of age, sex and body size on bone mass during the period of bone growth. The bone mineral content (BMC) and bone width (BW) at the distal third of the radius were measured by single photon absorptiometry (SPA) in 229 healthy Japanese infants and children aged 0–12 years, and the BMC/BW ratio was calculated to give the bone mineral density (BMD). BMC and BW increased with age until 2 years, while BMD did not obviously change until 2 years. After 2 years of age, the overall effect of aging appeared more prominent in BMC and BMD than in BW. There were no significant differences in BMC, BW and BMD between males and females aged 0–12 years. Age, body height, and body weight were strongly correlated with three parameters of bone mass (BMC, BW, and BMD). Among the three parameters of bone mass, BMC showed the highest Pearson coefficient of correlation with age (r = 0.955), body height (r = 0.957) and body weight (r = 0.966), as compared with BW and BMD. The present cross-sectional study provides normative data of the appendicular bone mass in healthy Japanese children, which may serve as a standard for assessment of bone mineralization in Japanese infants and children with medical problems.     

Overestimation bias in mate competition

It has been proposed that selection has shaped the human mind to be predictably biased in domains where the costs of false-positive and false-negative errors have been asymmetrical throughout human evolutionary history. Using this logic, the current study predicts that men and women systematically overestimate the degree to which members of the opposite sex find their same-sex mating competition desirable. Ten photographs of opposite-sex targets were shown to a sample of men (n=123) and women (n=159), and they were asked questions pertaining to each target's desirability as a mate. The same photographs, this time with sex of target and participant being the same, were shown to a second group of men (n=105) and women (n=103), and they were asked to estimate the desirability of the depicted individuals to members of the opposite sex. Consistent with the mate competition overestimation bias hypothesis, men and women consistently overestimated the degree to which members of the opposite sex find members of their same sex attractive and desirable as potential mates.     

Sex differences in prefrontal hemodynamic response to mental arithmetic as assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy

Background: Sex differences in cognitive tasks have been widely investigated. With brain-imaging techniques, the functions of the brain during the performance of tasks can be examined.Objective: Mental arithmetic and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) were used to assess sex differences in prefrontal area activation in a functional brain study.Methods: Healthy college students were recruited to perform 2 mental arithmetic tasks. In the first (easy) task, students had to subtract a 1-digit number from a 3-digit number. In the second (difficult) task, they had to subtract a 2-digit number from a 3-digit number. Changes in the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hgb) in the prefrontal area during the tasks were measured with NIRS.Results: Thirty students (15 men, 15 women; mean [SD] age: 24.9 [2.2] and 24.3 [2.6] years, respectively) were recruited from Southeast University, Nanjing, China, to participate in the study. The concentration of oxy-Hgb increased during both mental arithmetic tasks (difficult task vs easy task, mean [SD] % arbitrary units: 4.36 [4.38] vs 2.26 [2.82]; F_1,28 = 222.80; P < 0.01). Significant interactions of task x sex (F_1,28 = 82.95), time × sex (F_1,28 = 34.48), task × time (F_1,28 = 222.57), and task × time × sex (F_1,28 = 83.09) were obtained (all, P < 0.01). However, for the 2 tasks, no significant differences between men and women were observed in the mean (SD) response time (men vs women, sec: 3.60 [0.74] vs 3.56 [0.49] for the easy task, 6.55 [0.77] vs 6.44 [0.75] for the difficult task; F_1,28 = 0.67; P = NS) or accuracy rate (men vs women, %: 95.33 [7.40] vs 92.77 [8.80] for the easy task, 62.67 [28.56] vs 54.67 [18.75] for the difficult task; F_1,28 = 0.54; P = NS). Male students showed neural efficiency (less prefrontal activation in subjects with better performance) during the difficult task.Conclusions: In these subjects, sex differences in prefrontal response when performing mental arithmetic were associated with the intensity of the task. Compared with men, women had greater efficiency in task performance (ie, less activation or oxygen consumption for equal performance).     

Horn growth patterns in Alpine chamois

The analysis of horn growth may provide important information about the allocation of metabolic resources to secondary sexual traits. Depending on the selective advantages offered by horn size during intra- and inter-specific interactions, ungulates may show different investment in horn development, and growth variations within species may be influenced by several parameters, such as sex, age, or resource availability. We investigated the horn growth patterns in two hunted populations of Alpine chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) in the Central Italian Alps. We tested the role of individual heterogeneity on the growth pattern and explored the variation in annulus length as a function of different factors (sex, age, hunting location, cohort). We then investigated the mechanisms underlying horn growth trajectories to test for the occurrence of compensatory or recovery growth and their potential differences between sexes and populations. Annulus length varied as a function of sex, age of individuals and, marginally, hunting location; no effect of cohort or individual heterogeneity was detected. Male and female chamois showed compensatory horn growth within the first 5½ years of life, though the partial convergence of horn trajectories in chamois suggests that this mechanisms would best be described as ‘recovery growth’. Compensation rates were greater in males than in females, while only compensatory growth rates up to 2½ years of age were different in the two populations. Besides confirming the sex- and age-dependent pattern of horn development, our study suggests that the mechanism of recovery growth supports the hypothesis of horn size as a weakly selected sexual trait in male and female chamois. Furthermore, the greater compensation rates in horn growth shown by male chamois possibly suggest selective effects of hunting on age at first reproduction, while different compensation rates between populations may suggest the occurrence of some plasticity in resource allocation to sexual traits in relation to different environments.     

Waist circumference percentiles in children and adolescents between 6 and 14 years from Santiago,Chile

ObjectiveTo describe the percentile distribution of waist circumference (WC) by sex and age in a representative sample of children and adolescents of lower-middle and low socioeconomic status in Santiago, Chile.MethodsA cross-section of 3022 primary-school students between the ages of 6 and 14 from middle-low and low-class schools of Santiago. Ten schools from the Primary Education Society (SIP) in Santiago, Chile, were selected at random. WC was measured under standardized procedures as instructed by the WHO (midpoint between lower costal margin and iliac crest). The population was categorized between percentiles 10 and 90 and divided by sex and age.ResultsWC tends to increase with age in both males and females, but no significant differences were found in the percentiles by age for boys and girls at any age range (p > 0.05). In our sample, comparing Chilean children with other populations (British, Australian, European-American, African-American, Mexican – American and Colombian), Chilean children have shown a significantly greater WC (p < 0.05).ConclusionsWe present new WC reference values for Chilean children according to sex and age from a representative sample of Chilean population. These can be considered as a new anthropometric assessment tool for estimating cardiometabolic risk in Chilean children.     

Genetic Contribution of Variants near SORT1 and APOE on LDL Cholesterol Independent of Obesity in Children

Objective

To assess potential effects of variants in six lipid modulating genes (SORT1, HMGCR, MLXIPL, FADS2, APOE and MAFB) on early development of dyslipidemia independent of the degree of obesity in children, we investigated their association with total (TC), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels in 594 children. Furthermore, we evaluated the expression profile of the candidate genes during human adipocyte differentiation.

Results

Expression of selected genes increased 10¹ to >10⁴ fold during human adipocyte differentiation, suggesting a potential link with adipogenesis. In genetic association studies adjusted for age, BMI SDS and sex, we identified significant associations for rs599839 near SORT1 with TC and LDL-C and for rs4420638 near APOE with TC and LDL-C. We performed Bayesian modelling of the combined lipid phenotype of HDL-C, LDL-C and TG to identify potentially causal polygenic effects on this multi-dimensional phenotype and considering obesity, age and sex as a-priori modulating factors. This analysis confirmed that rs599839 and rs4420638 affect LDL-C.

Conclusion

We show that lipid modulating genes are dynamically regulated during adipogenesis and that variants near SORT1 and APOE influence lipid levels independent of obesity in children. Bayesian modelling suggests causal effects of these variants.     

Fluoride in drinking water and osteosarcoma incidence rates in the continental United States among children and adolescents

IntroductionIt has been suggested that fluoride in drinking water may increase the risk of osteosarcoma in children and adolescents, although the evidence is inconclusive. We investigated the association between community water fluoridation (CWF) and osteosarcoma in childhood and adolescence in the continental U.S.MethodsWe used the cumulative osteosarcoma incidence rate data from the CDC Wonder database for 1999–2006, categorized by age group, sex and states. States were categorized as low (≤30%) or high (≥85%) according to the percentage of the population receiving CWF between 1992 and 2006. Confidence intervals for the incidence rates were calculated using the Gamma distribution and the incidence rates were compared between groups using Poisson regression models.ResultsWe found no sex-specific statistical differences in the national incidence rates in the younger groups (5–9, 10–14), although 15–19 males were at higher risk to osteosarcoma than females in the same age group (p < 0.001). Sex and age group specific incidence rates were similar in both CWF state categories. The higher incidence rates among 15–19 year old males vs females was not associated with the state fluoridation status. We also compared sex and age specific osteosarcoma incidence rates cumulated from 1973 to 2007 from the SEER 9 Cancer Registries for single age groups from 5 to 19. There were no statistical differences between sexes for 5–14 year old children although incidence rates for single age groups for 15–19 year old males were significantly higher than for females.ConclusionOur ecological analysis suggests that the water fluoridation status in the continental U.S. has no influence on osteosarcoma incidence rates during childhood and adolescence.     

Compete to Play: Trade-Off with Social Contact in Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Many animal species engage in various forms of solitary object play, but this activity seems to be of particular importance in primates. If playing objects constitute a valuable resource, and access to such objects is limited, a competitive context may arise. We inserted a unique toy within a mini-colony of long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) and compared their behaviors to sessions without playing object. An automatic color-based 3D video device was used to track the positions of each animal and the toy, and this data was categorized into 5 exclusive behaviors (resting, locomotion, foraging, social contact and object play). As expected, the delay to first access to the object reflected the hierarchy of the colony, indicating that a competition took place to own this unique resource of entertainment. In addition, we found that the amount of object play was not correlated with social or foraging behavior, suggesting independent motivational mechanisms. Conversely, object playing time was negatively correlated with idling time, thus indicating its relation to pastime activities. Interestingly, the amount of social contacts in the group was significantly reduced by the heightened competitive context, suggesting that competitors are more likely to be perceived as potential threat requiring caution, as shown in humans. Experimental manipulation of competitive contexts in primates reveals common mental processes involved in social judgment, and shows that access to valuable resources can be a sufficient cause for variations in group cohesion.     

Is high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency a correlate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

The aim of the study was to determine the association between vitamin D and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and difference in the level of vitamin D in ADHD children and control. This a case–control study carried out in school health and primary health care clinics. A total of 1,331 children and adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD based on clinical criteria and standardized questionnaires were enrolled in this study and were matched with 1,331 controls, aged 5–18 years old. Data on body mass index (BMI), clinical biochemistry variables including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D were collected. The study found significant association between ADHD and vitamin D deficiency after adjusting for BMI and sex (adj. OR 1.54; 95 % CI 1.32–1.81; P < 0.001). Majority of the ADHD children were in the age group 5–10 years (40.7 %), followed by 11–13 years (38.4 %). The proportion of BMI <85th percentile was significantly over represented in ADHD group as compared to healthy control (87.8 vs. 83 %; P < 0.001, respectively), while on the other hand, BMI >95th percentile was over represented in the control than ADHD group (7.6 vs. 4.6 %; P < 0.001, respectively). Mean values of vitamin D (ng/mL) were significantly lower in ADHD children (16.6 ± 7.8) than in healthy children (23.5 ± 9.0) (P < 0.001). There was significant correlation between vitamin D deficiency and age (r = ?0.191, P = 0.001); calcium (r = 0.272, P = 0.001); phosphorous (r = 0.284, P = 0.001); magnesium (r = 0.292, P = 0.001); and BMI (r = 0.498, P = 0.001) in ADHD children. The vitamin D deficiency was higher in ADHD children compared to healthy children.     

Social behavior of water bats (Myotis daubentonii, Chiroptera) in an open-air cage

The social behavior of Myotis daubentonii bats was studied in experimental groups kept in an openair cage. The repertoire of identification, aggressive, and friendly (integration) behaviors was described. Analysis of their frequencies showed that interactions between the animals were for the most part friendly (61.6%), while aggressive displays were rare (4.6%). Differences in behavior depending on sex and age were revealed: avoidance of contact and aggressive vocalization were observed significantly more frequently in young and adult males than in females. The bats in the experimental groups personally distinguished each other; in group 4, a two-level hierarchy was established (a dominant male vs. all other bats), which could be explained by specific conditions in the open-air cage.     

Early-life gut microbiome and cow’s milk allergy- a prospective case - control 6-month follow-up study

Increasing evidence suggests that perturbations in the intestinal microbiota in early infancy are implicated in the pathogenesis of food allergy (FA); existing evidence on the structure and composition of the intestinal microbiota in human beings with FA is limited and conflicting. The main object of the study was to compare the faecal microbiota between healthy and cow’s milk allergy (CMA) infants at the baseline immediately after the diagnosis, and to evaluate the changes in the faecal microbiota after 6?months of treatment of CMA infants with hypoallergenic formula (HF), compared with healthy children fed on standard milk formulae. Sixty infants younger than 4?months of age with challenge-proven CMA and 60 healthy age-matched children were investigated in this prospective case - control follow-up study. Faecal samples were collected at baseline and at 6?months of follow-up, microbial diversity and composition were characterized by high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. The average age (±SD) of the infants at inclusion was 2.9?±?1.0?months. Children with CMA have lower gut microbiota diversity and an elevated Enterobacteriaceae to Bacteroidaceae (E/B ratio) in early infancy compared with healthy children (115.8 vs. 0.8, P?=?0.0002). After 6?months of treatment with HF, CMA infants had a higher Lactobacillaceae (6.3% vs. 0.5%, P?=?0.04) and lower Bifidobacteriaceae (0.3% vs. 8.2%, P?=?0.03) and Ruminococcaceae (1.5% vs. 10.5%, P?=?0.03) abundance compared with control children. Conclusion: Low gut microbiota diversity and an elevated E/B ratio in early infancy may contribute to the development of FA, including CMA. A strict elimination diet may weaken FA by reducing E/B ratio and promoting a gut microbiota that would benefit the acquisition of oral tolerance.     

Factors influencing the priority of access to food and their effects on the carcass traits for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle

The factors influencing the priority of access to food and the effects of the priority of access to food on their carcass traits were analyzed for Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle in a semi-intensive fattening production system. The records of 96 clinically healthy steers and heifers were analyzed. The calves at ∼3 to 4 months of age were allocated to pens with four animals per pen; all four animals in the same pen were of the same sex and of similar body size. The ranking of the animals’ priority of access to food (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th), which was determined by the farm manager, was used as an indicator of social dominance in the present study. Four models including sire line, maternal grandsire line and the difference in the animals’ birth dates as fixed effects were used to analyze factors influencing the priority of access to food. Ranking was represented by ordinal scores (highest=4, lowest=1) in Model 1, and the binary scores were assigned in Model 2 (highest=1; 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th=0), Model 3 (1^st and 2^nd=1; 3^rd and 4^th=0) and Model 4 (1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd=1; lowest=0). The results showed that the difference in the animals’ birth dates had a significant effect on the establishment of the priority of access to food in Model 3 (P<0.05), suggesting that animals born earlier may become more dominant in the pen. The maternal grandsire line tended to affect the social rank score in Models 2 and 3 (P<0.10). Our results indicated that the maternal grandsire line may affect the temperament of calves through their mothers’ genetic performance and thereby more aggressive calves may be more dominant and have higher priority of access to food. On the other hand, there was a significant effect of the priority of access to food on beef marbling score (BMS; P<0.05), and the priority of access to food also tended to influence the carcass weight (P=0.09). The highest BMS was observed for animals with the first rank of the priority of access to food (P<0.05), and the higher-ranking animals had the tendency to be heavier carcass than the lower-ranking animals. Our findings emphasized the importance of information about the priority of access to food determined by farmers’ own observation on implementing best management practices in small-scaled semi-intensive beef cattle production systems.