Contemporary Animal Research Articles

87 Estimation of genetic parameters for activity levels in North American Holstein cattle

Abstract High-producing dairy cows face various challenges during their productive life, including metabolic and infectious diseases, heat stress, and intensive management practices. Therefore, dairy cattle breeding programs have begun to focus on novel traits related to the overall resilience of the cows. Resilience has been defined as the ability of an animal to be minimally affected or to recover quickly from environmental disturbances while maintaining a certain level of productivity. In dairy cattle, resilience can be evaluated using measurements of longitudinal indicator traits, such as activity level, which are repeatedly measured throughout the lifetime of the animal. Variability in activity (defined in this study as average steps per hour and daily steps taken) might be a key indicator of resilience, due to activity of contemporary group animals deviating from normal behavior in less resilient cattle. Before resilience indicators are defined based on variability in certain longitudinal traits, there is a need for evaluating the genetic background of the source variable. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to estimate variance components and genetic parameters of activity traits in lactating Holstein cows. The data was collected from a large dairy farm located in Indiana, using milking systems. Records from 6,332 Holstein cows for the traits of average activity per hour and number of daily steps were used in the analyses. The models used for the estimation of variance components included the significant (P < 0.05) fixed effects of contemporary group defined based on the concatenation of calving year and season, parity number (1, 2, 3+), pregnancy group (0 mo, 1-3 mo, 4-6 mo, and 7-9 mo), and days in milk (2-wkclasses), and the random effects of direct additive genetic, permanent environment, and residual effects. Genetic parameters were estimated for average activity per hour and daily steps for all parities together. Heritability estimates were calculated based on single-trait repeatability models and the (AI) REML method implemented in the BLUPF90+ software. Daily steps taken had a heritability (± SE) of 0.05 (± 0.02) and a repeatability of 0.29 (± 0.02). Activity per hour had a heritability estimate of 0.12 (± 0.04) and a repeatability of 0.57 (± 0.01). These results indicate that activity level is heritable in North American Holstein cattle and can be added to selection indexes if proven to be a key auxiliary trait for improving dairy cattle sustainability. As a next step, we will investigate the genetic relationship of activity traits with other relevant traits and derive resilience indicators based on variability in activity level.

‘Point and Kill’ vs Animal Rights: A Moral Examination

This study critically examines the ethical implications of the practice known as "point and kill," wherein nonhuman animals are selected and immediately killed for food, a practice that has become commonplace in many African cultures. While food is essential for the survival and growth of both human and nonhuman animals, the manner in which nonhuman animals are often treated as mere commodities raises significant ethical concerns. Despite extensive debates in contemporary animal ethics, the focus has predominantly been on issues such as biomedical research, animal confinement, and entertainment, with relatively little attention given to the ethical ramifications of using animals for food, particularly in the context of practices like "point and kill." This paper addresses the gap in the literature by interrogating the moral worth of nonhuman animals and questioning the justification for their wanton killing for human consumption. Employing critical and conceptual analysis, the study draws on the Igbo philosophy of ‘ugwu anu’ (animal integrity) to argue against speciesism and advocate for the moral consideration of nonhuman animals. It contends that nonhuman animals deserve care, respect, and fair treatment, and that the practice of "point and kill" reflects a speciesist attitude that undermines the inherent value of animal life. By bringing this issue to the forefront, the study contributes to the broader discourse on animal ethics and calls for a reevaluation of culturally ingrained practices that perpetuate animal suffering.

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA CONTRIBUTING TO UPGRADE FODDER QUALITY

A solid nutrition stock lays the basis for contemporary animal husbandry. Application of lactic acid bacteria and their metabolites to raise the standards of feed rations as ingredients of pre- and probiotic additives, is an evolutionarily grounded basic microecological technique to uphold health status and realize genetic potential of superproductive farm animals. Throughout several decades the studies are under way at the Institute of Microbiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus on isolation of lactic acid bacterial strains from various natural sources, investigation of their properties, characterization of produced bioactive agents and elaboration of the derived technologies of manufacturing diverse microbial preparations for various purposes. Specially selected lactic acid bacteria isolated from various plant sources in Belarus and adapted to local ecological environment are distinguished by intense growth, capacity to compete with other microbial species, active acidogenesis, rapid acidification of substrates down to pH 4.2 or even lower, acid resistance, a broad spectrum of fermented carbohydrates (ability to utilize hexoses, pentoses, oligo- and polysaccharides) and they served as appropriate constituents of liquid biocompositions (Lacsil, Lacsil-M), dry preparation Lacsil-MS designed to improve quality of ensiled vegetable materials. Lacsil-MS2 concentrate includes homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria consuming a wide range of carbohydrates: hexoses, pentoses, oligo- and polysaccharides, including major reserve polysaccharides of cereals and legume grasses (starch, polyfructosides). Supply of fastly growing coccoid forms of lactic acid bacteria enables to intensify the process of lactic acid fermentation at the earliest stages and swiftly reduce pH of vegetable mass. Addition of strains with elevated antagonistic activity ensures the suppression of growth of microorganisms responsible for spoilage of fodder. Upgrading consortium composition with heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria and propionic acid bacteria prevents spoilage of fodder caused by air access in the course of feeding procedure. Production by the selected microbial cultures of a set of enzymes (amylase, α-galactosidase, β-glucanase, pectinase, etc.) capable to hydrolyze hardly digestible oligosaccharides, starch-containing and non-starchy polysaccharides of plant substrates, promotes enhanced bioaccess, better assimilation, increased alimentary and energy value of feed rations. Evaluation of technology of producing feed additive based on lactic acid bacteria possessing high α-galactosidase activity acquired top relevance due to the need to eliminate deficit of fodder protein in farm rations by replenishing the share of legumes (alfalfa, lupine, soy, peas, etc.). Introduction of such feed additive incorporating lactic acid bacteria, fermenting recalcitrant oligo- and polysaccharides with α(1→6) glycoside bonds allows to raise digestibility and assimilation of proteins and carbohydrates, to increase the input ratio of legume components into composite fodder formulas, to rule out intestinal disorders (gut meteorism), contributing thereby to farm stock productivity. It was found that application of preparations comprising selected lactic acid bacteria resulted in economy of fodder expense up to 20% per each kilo of live weight increment, to augment average daily body gains by 9-12%, to increase productivity of lactating cows by 5-10%, and to diminish by 5.0% losses of digestible protein as compared with imported product analogues.

Contemporary Chinese Animation Design as a Reinterpretation of Traditional Cultural Connotations Based on Shadow Puppet Theater

Contemporary Chinese Animation Design as a Reinterpretation of Traditional Cultural Connotations Based on Shadow Puppet Theater

The Influence of Canvas-to-Screen Art on Contemporary Animation

The Influence of Canvas-to-Screen Art on Contemporary Animation

Dreaming Fish, Becoming Fish: Animating Modern Mythology and Zhuangzian Philosophy in the Fantasy Film Big Fish & Begonia

Abstract This paper analyzes the 2016 Chinese animation film Big Fish & Begonia and its precursor, a 2004 Flash animated short video, in conjunction with Zhuangzi’s philosophy of becoming and transformation. It traces the origin of the film in the auteur’s dream experience and the development of cinematic language and animation technology from the initial short video to the full-feature film. Adopting a form closely associated with the fantastical and speculative traditions of Chinese mythology, Big Fish & Begonia represents animal becomings through the apparatus of the dream, as both crucial content and form, and the formal characteristics of animation. Both the dream and the animation forms allow the expression of desires to break through the ontological and epistemological constraints of the human subject and to render the physical form unstable. By engaging with key passages from Zhuangzi that discuss dreams, knowledge, “free and easy wandering,” and “becoming/transformation,” the paper asserts Zhuangzi’s continued influence in contemporary Chinese animation. The film offers new ways of conceptualizing and addressing modern environmental crises while aligning itself with the cultural–political agenda to create “authentic” Chinese stories.

Monitoring care, curating suffering: Law, bureaucracy and veterinary expertise in contemporary animal politics

This article critically explores responses to the suffering of animals caused by industrialised agriculture aiming to reflect on broader aspects of the current state of animal politics in the 21st century. Focusing on the regulatory schemes introduced to control the welfare of animals in Denmark, the article foregrounds sites of law enforcement and industry regulation, in which animal suffering is ‘carefully’ curated. The analysed material comprises inspection reports and interviews with veterinary officers and technicians charged with monitoring the level of care in Danish agribusinesses. The article builds upon Kelly Oliver’s theory of witnessing to develop a sociological perspective on the function of expert testimony within regulatory and administrative domains – what is defined as acts of juridical eyewitnessing. Through this framework, it becomes evident that law and bureaucratic procedures wield considerable influence in transforming a social and legal expectation to reduce animal suffering into specific ethical-scientific and bureaucratic standards. Furthermore, in adopting a de-human-centred sociological lens, the article presents an alternative interpretation of the evolution of anti-suffering sentiment – understood as negative emotional responses to animal suffering – one in which the state plays a prominent role in shaping particular attitudes towards other animals based on ‘seeing’ and ‘knowing’ suffering.

Amphibious ethics and speculative immersions: laboratory aquariums as a site for developing a more inclusive animal geography

ABSTRACT Human capacity to sense and respond to the suffering of non-human animals is key to animal care and welfare. Intuitively these modes of relating seem best suited to interactions between humans and warm-blooded mammals who share human-like facial features and characteristics. Animal geographers and those working in animal welfare have noted the challenges that humans face in learning to care about fishes, and how this leads to welfare guidelines and regulations which are poorly suited to aquatic species. This paper draws on interviews with laboratory aquarists and biomedical researchers to explore how they have learnt to sense and respond to the needs of fishes in the laboratory. We offer two key observations. Firstly, despite significant bodily differences, humans find ways to empathise with fishes. Secondly, whilst observations of bodies and behaviours predominate in laboratory mammal welfare assessments, when working with fishes water quality serves as an important proxy for species health. We conclude that the laboratory aquarium signifies methodological and conceptual limits in contemporary animal geographies. We further argue that these barriers should be understood as cultural, and – as we demonstrate – that there is consequently scope and capacity to reach beyond them by engaging in amphibious ethics and speculative immersions.

Veterinary Drug Residues in the Food Chain as an Emerging Public Health Threat: Sources, Analytical Methods, Health Impacts, and Preventive Measures.

Veterinary medications are necessary for both contemporary animal husbandry and food production, but their residues can linger in foods obtained from animals and pose a dangerous human risk. In this review, we aim to highlight the sources, occurrence, human exposure pathways, and human health effects of drug residues in food-animal products. Following the usage of veterinary medications, pharmacologically active compounds known as drug residues can be found in food, the environment, or animals. They can cause major health concerns to people, including antibiotic resistance development, the development of cancer, teratogenic effects, hypersensitivity, and disruption of normal intestinal flora. Drug residues in animal products can originate from variety of sources, including water or food contamination, extra-label drug use, and ignoring drug withdrawal periods. This review also examines how humans can be exposed to drug residues through drinking water, food, air, and dust, and discusses various analytical techniques for identifying these residues in food. Furthermore, we suggest some potential solutions to prevent or reduce drug residues in animal products and human exposure pathways, such as implementing withdrawal periods, monitoring programs, education campaigns, and new technologies that are crucial for safeguarding public health. This review underscores the urgency of addressing veterinary drug residues as a significant and emerging public health threat, calling for collaborative efforts from researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that ensure the safety of the global food supply chain.

High-precision tracking and positioning for monitoring Holstein cattle.

Enhanced animal welfare has emerged as a pivotal element in contemporary precision animal husbandry, with bovine monitoring constituting a significant facet of precision agriculture. The evolution of intelligent agriculture in recent years has significantly facilitated the integration of drone flight monitoring tools and innovative systems, leveraging deep learning to interpret bovine behavior. Smart drones, outfitted with monitoring systems, have evolved into viable solutions for wildlife protection and monitoring as well as animal husbandry. Nevertheless, challenges arise under actual and multifaceted ranch conditions, where scale alterations, unpredictable movements, and occlusions invariably influence the accurate tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). To address these challenges, this manuscript proposes a tracking algorithm based on deep learning, adhering to the Joint Detection Tracking (JDT) paradigm established by the CenterTrack algorithm. This algorithm is designed to satisfy the requirements of multi-objective tracking in intricate practical scenarios. In comparison with several preeminent tracking algorithms, the proposed Multi-Object Tracking (MOT) algorithm demonstrates superior performance in Multiple Object Tracking Accuracy (MOTA), Multiple Object Tracking Precision (MOTP), and IDF1. Additionally, it exhibits enhanced efficiency in managing Identity Switches (ID), False Positives (FP), and False Negatives (FN). This algorithm proficiently mitigates the inherent challenges of MOT in complex, livestock-dense scenarios.

Coming to Terms with the Legacies of the Pound Model in Animal Sheltering in the United States.

This paper examines the legacies of the emergence of the animal control and sheltering industry in the United States and their impact on contemporary public animal shelters. While decades of gradual reform have helped substantially reduce the number of animals entering shelters and being killed there, contemporary animal sheltering largely continues to follow the path set when animal sheltering developed in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Three key interrelated legacies of the pound model of early animal control and sheltering enduringly shape sheltering today: (1) the institutional culture of animal shelters grounded in the logics of caging and killing; (2) the lack of visibility and transparency, especially within government shelters; and (3) the economic logics of the pound model, including the disparities in sheltering resources across communities. Examining the origins of animal control and sheltering and identifying the specific legacies of this pound model within contemporary government-funded shelters improves understanding of why such shelters in the US have developed with a particular set of practices and ideologies, and thus provides an important footing for envisioning and enacting radical changes in animal sheltering.

Animations and the Role of Emotions

How can an animator capture and analyse emotion? Might the act of animating something itself be a way to access meaning that earlier studies were unable to do? Animation has the ability to both accentuate and hide emotions that are displayed through body language and gesture. We are exposed to both the spoken words and the subtle variations in body motions when we watch live action (human interview) documentary film. What may be gained by interpreting documentary video via the animator's personal and aesthetic perspective, or how much might be lost when it is converted into animation? This study investigates the outcomes of the initial of a series of animations produced utilising research via practise approach, drawing on my prior expertise as a game's animator. The process of manipulating images to provide them the appearance of motion is referred to as animation. By creating a series of images, or frameworks, with one frame being a bit distinct relative to the last, a representation of movement is produced. Cartoons are among the best forms of animation. Animated videos have always been hand-drawn, using a great deal of visuals made with minor adjustments using color as well as a sharpie. A lot of contemporary animation was produced using an arsenal of specialized software programs as computer technology and animation software proliferated.

Current Knowledge of Enterococcal Endocarditis: A Disease Lurking in Plain Sight of Health Providers.

Enterococcus faecalis is a bacterial pathogen that can cause opportunistic infections. Studies indicate that initial biofilm formation plays a crucial regulatory role in these infections, as well as in colonising and maintaining the gastrointestinal tract as a commensal member of the microbiome of most land animals. It has long been thought that vegetation of endocarditis resulting from bacterial attachment to the endocardial endothelium requires some pre-existing tissue damage, and in animal models of experimental endocarditis, mechanical valve damage is typically induced by cardiac catheterisation preceding infection. This section reviews historical and contemporary animal model studies that demonstrate the ability of E. faecalis to colonise the undamaged endovascular endothelial surface directly and produce robust microcolony biofilms encapsulated within a bacterially derived extracellular matrix. This report reviews both previous and current animal model studies demonstrating the resilient capacity of E. faecalis to colonise the undamaged endovascular endothelial surface directly and produce robust microcolony biofilms encapsulated in a bacterially derived extracellular matrix. The article also considers the morphological similarities when these biofilms develop on different host sites, such as when E. faecalis colonises the gastrointestinal epithelium as a commensal member of the common vertebrate microbiome, lurking in plain sight and transmitting systemic infection. These phenotypes may enable the organism to survive as an unrecognised infection in asymptomatic subjects, providing an infectious resource for subsequent clinical process of endocarditis.

From Ancient Zhiguai Tales to Contemporary Animation: A Study of Visual Rhetoric in ‘Yao-Chinese Folktales’ (2023)

This study delves into the use of visual rhetorical strategies in 中国奇谭 Zhongguo Qitan ‘Yao-Chinese Folktales’ (2023), particularly focusing on 鹅鹅鹅 E E E ‘Goose Mountain’ (henceforth ‘Goose’) directed by Hu Rui. We assert that ‘Goose’ transcodes and reinterprets the ancient Chinese zhiguai novella 阳羡书生 Yangxian Shusheng ‘The Scholar from Yangxian’ (henceforth ‘Scholar’) for a contemporary audience through the use of visual rhetoric, leading to a compelling contemporary rendition of this tale. As a silent animation, ‘Goose’ does so by adeptly incorporating visual depictions, especially animal-related imagery and ink painting aesthetics, drawn from the broader traditional zhiguai myths, or tales of the strange and traditional Chinese culture. The core argument hinges on visual rhetoric’s transformative potential. In ‘Goose’, the connection between tradition and contemporaneity is established through metaphor and metonymy. Initially a literary figure of speech, metaphor and metonymy now encompasses ‘visual rhetoric’, widely applied in interpreting visual arts. Visual rhetoric often employs various elements such as colour, shape, size, objects, composition and texture to convey information. This study highlights the role played by the inseparable link between traditional zhiguai narratives, the minzu/national style, and the contemporary animation technology in ‘Goose’, a transformative role that revitalizes ancient traditions to resonate with today’s viewership.

Application strategy of artificial intelligence technology in feed-based development of medicinal and edible homologous traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)resources in era of the "antibiotic ban"

In the context of the "antibiotic ban" era, the feed conversion of medicinal and edible traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) resources is a research hotspot in the field of antibiotic alternatives development. How to develop feed products that are beneficial to agriculture and livestock while ensuring nutrient balance and precision using medicinal and edible TCM resources as raw materials has become a challenge. Artificial intelligence(AI) technology has unique advantages in feed production and improving the efficiency of intelligent breeding. If AI technology is applied to the feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources, it is possible to realize feeding and antibiotic-replacement value while ensuring precise nutrition. In order to better apply AI technology in the field of feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources, this article used CiteSpace software to carry out literature visualization analysis and found that AI technology had a good application in the field of feed formulation optimization in recent years. However, there is still a gap in the research on the intelligent utilization of medicinal and edible TCM resources. Nonetheless, it is feasible for AI technology to be applied to the feed conversion of medicinal and edible TCM resources. Therefore, this article proposed for the first time an intelligent formulation system framework for feed materials derived from medicinal and edible TCM resources to provide new ideas for research in the field of feed development of medicinal and edible TCM resources and the research on the development of antibiotic alternatives. At the same time, it can pave the way for a new green industry chain for contemporary animal husbandry and the TCM industry.

Research on the Concept and Development of Contemporary Animation Design Based on Big Data Technology

Abstract The evolution of information technology has transformed the design principles of traditional Animation, steering it towards three-dimensional innovation. This study explores the application of 3D animation design within virtual reality (VR) environments, leveraging numerical differential algorithms to calculate pixel coordinates. These coordinates form the basis of line segment differential equations, culminating in the visualization of image elements. These elements are rendered in three dimensions by employing VR technology, creating immersive virtual scenes. The design process, guided by the principle of perspective difference, demonstrates a notable improvement in visual effects compared to conventional methods, receiving an average evaluation score above 6. This advancement not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of Animation but also addresses the limitations of traditional design techniques, offering significant practical benefits.

Late Holocene human population change revealed by fecal stanol records and its response to environmental evolution at Xiada Co on the western Tibetan Plateau

An in-depth understanding of the relationship between anthropogenic activity and climate change under extreme climate conditions could provide a scientific basis and historical reference for coping with future climate change properly. This understanding is also crucial for ensuring the sustainable development of ecology, environment, economy, and society. Here, fecal stanols in the Xiada Co sediment core on the western Tibetan Plateau (TP) were used to reconstruct local human and ruminant populations over the past 4700 years. Climate data based on brGDGTs and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) data in the same sediment core, along with relevant documentary and archaeological evidence from the TP, were also compiled to investigate the relationship between human activity and climate change in the western TP during the late Holocene. Our analysis suggests that the change in human and ruminant populations in the Xiada Co basin was likely influenced by regional climate change, fluctuations in the lake level, and social factors. From 4700 to 2900 cal yr BP, the populations were relatively high due to the warm and humid climate compared to the period of 2300–0 cal yr BP. During 3400–2900 cal yr BP, the basin experienced the highest population density. This could be attributed to the combination of a relatively warm and humid climate, the introduction of cold and dry-tolerant crops like barley, and the introduction of livestock such as sheep/goat and cattle into the western TP. Between 2900 and 2450 cal yr BP, the increased lake levels and frequent level changes likely caused significant population declines. From ∼1000 to 300 cal yr BP, temperature appeared to have a stronger influence on human and ruminant population change compared to lake level and precipitation. Notably, around 300 cal yr BP, the basin experienced the smallest human and ruminant populations due to the extremely cold and dry climate, as well as frequent conflicts between Guge and Ladakh. From 0 cal yr BP onward, there was a notable increase in both human and ruminant populations in the Xiada Co basin, which aligns with the data on populations in Rutog county, Nagri prefecture. Furthermore, the significant rise in the levels of ruminant fecal stanols suggests a shift in the primary domesticated ruminant species after ∼1250 cal yr BP, with sheep/goat becoming the dominant livestock. This is supported by absolute concentration of fecal stanols in local contemporary animal feces and relevant archaeological evidence from the western TP. This study confirms the use of fecal stanols as a valuable tool for reconstructing ancient human activities on the western TP.

Content of proline and heavy metals in beekeeping prod ucts of different agro-ecological conditions of Ukraine

The production of beekeeping plays a crucial role in the population's nutrition. Bees yield valuable dietary products, such as honey, and provide raw materials for the food industry, such as beeswax. In addition to these primary products, bees produce royal jelly, flower pollen, propolis, homogenate of drone larvae, and bee venom. In regions with advanced agriculture, bees are utilized to pollinate entomophilous crops. Bee pollination enhances plants' similarity and yield, improving agricultural product quality. Honey-producing bees consume pollen, with flower pollen from nectariferous plants serving as the raw material, followed by bee bread, which is brought into the hive. However, the agroclimatic conditions in various regions of Ukraine only sometimes provide sufficient diversity of nectariferous plants to adequately meet the protein and mineral nutrition needs of bees. Minerals in animal organisms perform crucial functions, providing structural integrity to the skeleton and constituting essential components of organic compounds, vitamins, and enzymatic systems. In contemporary animal production, heavy metals threaten the health of both humans and animals. According to established norms, many of these metals are vital elements that must be included in the animal diet. Inadequate or excessive levels of these elements in the animal body can lead to the inactivation of enzymatic systems, impaired reproduction, decreased productivity, and reduced product quality. Heavy metals, especially mercury, lead, chromium, and nickel, are more dangerous toxins in living organisms at elevated concentrations. The chemical composition of living organisms and their impact on geochemical processes varies. To ensure normal vitality and the production of high-quality animal products, animals must be provided with a balanced diet and an optimal content of minerals that contribute to increased productivity and production efficiency. Therefore, studying the content of heavy metals such as iron, copper, zinc, lead, cobalt, and cadmium in honey obtained under different agroecological conditions in Ukraine is of significant economic importance. The research results indicate that the content of heavy metals in honey from the Western region, except iron and zinc, was higher than in the Southern region. Specifically, for copper, this advantage amounted to 86.725 mg/kg or 1.4 times, for lead – 50.203 mg/kg or 2.8 times, for cobalt – 57.865 mg/kg or 24.2 times, and for cadmium – 4.663 mg/kg or 2.7 times. Honey from the Southern region had a higher iron content of 0.237 mg/kg or 1.1 times, and zinc by 4.412 mg/kg or 5.5 times compared to honey from the Western region. Based on the obtained data, it is established that honey from the Western region has a higher content of heavy metals than honey from the Southern region, indicating more significant contamination of nectariferous plants in the Western region.

Salad Fingers: Pre-YouTube digital uncanny and the ‘weird’ future of animation

In 2004, artist David Firth launched the lo-fi animation Salad Fingers in the user-generated content sharing platform Newgrounds. The series, focused on a strange, unsettling narrative about a character that acts as a child but commits unhinged violent acts, went on to become viral in the earliest days of YouTube. Created with the software Flash (launched by Macromedia and then acquired by Adobe), which generates vector images, Salad Fingers is a significant stylistic and generic contribution to the early period of participatory digital cultures. The series operates as a bridge between analogue and digital artforms that privilege the sensorial over narrative cohesion, while also cultivating a distinctive ‘uncanny-weird’ mode tied to early participatory digital cultures, trends that perdure in contemporary animation. We articulate how Salad Fingers operates in the distinctive ‘digital uncanny’, an aesthetic and cultural mode that would become pervasive in visual media cultures on YouTube and beyond.

Феномен китайского анимационного искусства через призму неореализма (на примере анимационного фильма «Мальчик-лев»)

In the era of globalization and rapidly developing technology, China’s animation industry in its development faces a certain anxiety about the preservation of traditional national identity. This article describes the influence of neorealism on contemporary Chinese animation art. The study is an attempt to explore and analyze the fea-tures of neorealism as a current in contemporary Chinese animation through the example of the animated film “Lion Boy”. The appearance of the film (2021) has broken the dominant pattern of contemporary Chinese ani-mated films with “mythological” themes and marked a new direction for the development of contemporary Chi-nese animation. The movie is based on a classical plot, but the characters are adapted to the norms of modern morality and ideas about aesthetics. From a certain angle, the movie is filled with modern pictures, the images of the characters are better depicted, they are more real, and the plot develops more dynamically. The protago-nist is a character with a peculiar morality, who does not believe in prejudice. He meets the main values of mo-dernity, which attracts the viewer. By analyzing the storyline, metaphors and analogies of the film, the author made an attempt to identify the problems of the development of Chinese animation and determine the features brought by neorealism to contemporary Chinese animation cinema. Neorealism filled animation with the con-sideration of the true relationship between ordinary people and society as a whole system, shifting the empha-sis from mythological heroes, leaders to ordinary people. One of the results of the content analysis has become the characterization of a new direction of Chinese animation art in which human dreams and reality can coex-ist. The new animation resolves the contradiction between ideal and reality, the conflict between modern and traditional culture. Conclusions dwells upon the fact that it is possible to bridge the gap and conflict between “tradition” and “modernity”, “individual” and “society” that modern people face in their life world.