Feeding Patterns Research Articles

Effects of Temperature on Blood Feeding and Activity Levels in the Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus.

Temperature has been shown to have profound effects on mosquito population dynamics and life history. Understanding these effects can provide insight into how mosquito populations and the diseases they transmit may vary across space and time and under the changes imposed by climate change. In this study, we evaluated how temperature affects the blood feeding and general activity patterns in the globally invasive mosquito species Aedes albopictus. We reared cohorts of Ae. albopictus from hatch through adulthood across three temperatures (26 °C, 29 °C, and 32 °C). The propensity of adult females to take a blood meal and the size of the blood meal were compared across temperatures. We also observed the overall activity levels of adult females over a 13.5 h period. At the highest temperature tested (32 °C), females were less likely to take a blood meal and were most active, as measured through frequency of movement. We postulate that our highest-temperature treatment imposes heat stress on adult female Ae. albopictus, where many abstain from blood feeding and increase movement in an attempt to escape the heat stress and find a more favorable resting location.

Establishing Normative Values for Healthy Term Infant Feeding Performance: Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool-Mixed, Oral Feeding Scale, and Early Feeding Skills Assessment.

Infants with perceived feeding problems are frequently referred for assessment of their feeding abilities. However, little is known regarding how healthy nondysphagic infants perform on commonly used assessments, making determination of impairment difficult. The aim of this investigation was to elucidate the characteristics of healthy term infant feeding performance using three commonly employed clinical assessments: Neonatal Eating Assessment Tool-Mixed (NeoEat-Mixed), Oral Feeding Scale, and Early Feeding Skills (EFS). In this prospective case-control study, we recruited 30 infants without feeding impairments to undergo video-monitored bottle feeds under their normal feeding conditions. Caregiver perception of infant feeding was evaluated using the NeoEat-Mixed. Milk ingestion was monitored real time using the Oral Feeding Scale for rate of milk transfer and modified proficiency as characterized by the total volume consumed out of the total volume the caregiver provided. Videos were analyzed by two speech pathologists using the EFS assessment. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize performance. Participants underwent feeding monitoring at an average chronological age of 4 ± 2 months. Caregivers primarily reported normal, nonconcerning feeding patterns across all of the NeoEAT-Mixed outcomes. Infants consumed milk at an average rate of transfer of 7 ± 3 ml/min, a modified proficiency of 50 ± 21%, and achieved the highest OFS score of 4 (93%, n = 28). The majority of infants scored the best EFS score (mature-3) as it related to the absence of color changes during the feed (97%, n = 29), although commonly scored in the worst EFS score (immature-1) in their presentation of one or more compelling stress cues (63%, n = 19). Establishing healthy term infant normative values for commonly used feeding assessments is critical in accurately distinguishing infants with feeding impairments from those with normal developmental variants.

EMPOWERING MOTHERS IN THE PROCESSING OF LOCAL CLARIAS NUGGETS DIVERIFIED FOODS INTO HEALTHY MPASI FOR STUNTING UNDER-FIVES IN THE WORKING AREA OF KASEMEN PUSKESMAS IN 2023

Community service in the form of health education activities for the target community through 2 activities in the form of providing education about stunting and appropriate feeding patterns for toddlers based on the contents of my plate, and the second stage is demonstrating the steps for cooking one of the fish-based complementary food menus (catfish) become a food that is often in demand by children in the form of processed "nuggets". the activities were carried out face-to-face on February 13 and February 21 2023 with the target of mothers who have toddlers who are stunted. The purpose of this activity is to add information and strengthen mother's knowledge in understanding stunting, prevention and how to provide proper feeding patterns to children. In addition, it equips mothers with skills and motivates them to process healthy fishbased food into delicious, healthy and of course nutritious catfish nuggets in a way that is easy to do through cooking classes. This was done by looking at the phenomenon of the problem from the results of the research conducted which found field data that the incidence of stunting in children in Margaluyu Village, the Working Area of the Kasemen Health Center has increased every year. This activity was attended by 17 mothers and toddlers in one of the village cadres' houses. The stages of the activities carried out in the education class were in the form of giving questionnaires to explore the mother's knowledge and feeding patterns (pre-test), then measuring the growth curve with a microtoise and checking the development of toddlers using the KPSP. Followed by giving material for 25 minutes and a question and answer process and evaluation. The second stage was carried out 1 week later with a series of activities in the form of a cooking class for processed MPASI side dishes in the form of catfish nuggets by conducting direct demonstrations to mothers with stunting toddlers who previously carried out a post test first with the same questionnaire. The evaluation stage is by conducting follow-up through village cadres regarding knowledge and patterns of feeding to mothers whether there have been changes, mothers' ability to make processed catfish nuggets independently at their respective homes and given them routinely to children. The final stage is to carry out follow-up which is still ongoing regarding the improvement of the child's growth curve measured for 3 months.

'Candidatus Phytoplasma ziziphi' Changes the Metabolite Composition of Jujube Tree Leaves and Affects the Feeding Behavior of Its Insect Vector Hishimonus hamatus Kuoh.

Hishimonus hamatus Kuoh is a leafhopper species native to China that feeds on Chinese jujube leaves. This leafhopper species has been verified to transmit jujube witches' broom (JWB) disease, caused by phytoplasma, a fatal plant pathogen, which belongs to the phytoplasma subgroup 16SrV-B. The transmission of JWB phytoplasma largely relies on the feeding behavior of piercing-sucking leafhoppers. However, the specific mechanisms behind how and why the infection of JWB influences the feeding behavior of these leafhoppers are not fully understood. To address this, a study was conducted to compare the feeding patterns of H. hamatus when feeding JWB-infested jujube leaves to healthy leaves using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique. Then, a widely targeted metabolome analysis was performed to identify differences in the metabolite composition of JWB-infected jujube leaves and that of healthy jujube leaves. The results of EPG analyses revealed that when feeding on JWB-infected jujube leaves, H. hamatus exhibited an increased frequency of phloem ingestion and spent longer in the phloem feeding phase compared to when feeding on healthy leaves. In addition, the results of metabolomic analyses showed that JWB-infected leaves accumulated higher levels of small-molecular carbohydrates, free amino acids, and free fatty acids, as well as lower levels of lignans, coumarins and triterpenoids compared to healthy leaves. The above results indicated that the H. hamatus preferentially fed on the phloem of infected leaves, which seems to be linked to the transmission of the JWB phytoplasma. The results of metabolomic analyses partially imply that the chemical compounds might play a role in making the infected leaves more attractive to H. hamatus for feeding.

The Relationship of Feeding Complementary Foods with Complete Menu on Babies Weight

Most children who experience failure to thrive are due to the practice of giving complementary food to breast milk with an incomplete menu, so one way to overcome this is to provide complementary food to complete menus of breast milk. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the provision of complete menus of complementary feeding to changes in the weight of infants aged 6-12 months. This type of study was analytical research used a cross sectional study design. This research has been conducted to 40 infants aged 6-12 months. The sample size is 37 respondents. Probability sampling method with simple random sampling technique has been use as the sampling technique. This study has conducted in midwifery independent practice in Surabaya. Data collection was obtained from weighing the baby's weight, filling in the previous weight by looking at the KMS and using a complete menu complementary feeding pattern questionnaire. Data analysis used the chi square statistical test. Statistical test of chi square found that the value of p = 0.039. There is a relationship between the provision of complete menu complementary foods with infant weight gain. It is hoped that health workers can increase information related to the provision of appropriate complementary food according to the needs of infants

Ecological implications of fish removal: Insights from gut-content analysis of roach (Rutilus rutilus) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a eutrophic shallow lake.

Large reductions in fish biomass are common both as a method of managing lake ecosystems by fish removals (biomanipulation) and as naturally occurring fish kills. To further understand how fish reductions change feeding patterns of fish, we studied the diets of small- to medium-sized roach (Rutilus rutilus) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) on a monthly basis using gut-content analysis during an 18-month period before and after a whole-lake fish removal in a eutrophic shallow lake. Further, we performed in-depth analyses of zoobenthos communities of the profundal and littoral zones, as well as analysed the zooplankton community in the littoral and pelagic parts of the lake to estimate abundance and biomass of potential diet items. We found that, in general, there was a trend toward increased zoobenthivory in both species and among all-sized fish after fish removal, regardless of prior diet preference. Reduced piscivory among larger perch (>150 mm) and reduced zooplanktivory among smaller perch and roach (<150 mm) were also observed. Moreover, during a short period of high zooplankton biomass after fish removal, both perch and roach (all sizes) shifted their diet toward daphnids, which likely caused a decrease in daphnid population. We suggest that such change toward periodical zooplanktivory across fish species and size groups may lead to unexpectedly high top-down control by fish after lake restoration by fish removal.

Impact of Exclusive Breastfeeding on Anthropometry, Morbidity and Duration of Hospitalization of Infants Under Six Months of Age

Introduction: Breast milk is the best feed for the infants. Breast milk has got several immunological benefits protecting the infants from various infectious diseases and some chronic diseases of adulthood. Exclusively breastfed babies get less infected and have proper growth and development.&#x0D; Aims: To study the impact of exclusive breastfeeding on morbidity and hospital stay of infants of four weeks to six months of age.&#x0D; Methods: This was a hospital based cross sectional study done at Pediatric department of Nepalgunj Medical College, Nepalgunj, a tertiary care referral hospital in Nepal, conducted over a period of one year from January 2022 - December 2022. All the infants meeting the inclusion criteria were included for the study.&#x0D; Results: A total of 278 infants of 4 weeks to 6 months of age meeting inclusion criteria were included. More than sixty four percent infants were exclusively breastfed. The majority of patients belonged to modified kuppuswamy class 3. Significant impact on nutritional outcome was seen with feeding pattern as 1.7 higher times chance of being underweight in breastfeeding along with supplementary feeding with a highly significant p value of 0.002. Exclusively breastfed infants suffering from respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, fever and due to other various morbidities were hospitalized for less than one week. Morbidity and hospital stay had a statistically significant relationship with feeding pattern. Higher morbidity was observed due to various diseases of infancy like respiratory diseases, gastroenteritis, sepsis, etc. in breastfeeding along with supplementary feeding group as compared to exclusively breastfeeding group.&#x0D; Conclusion: Statistically significant association was found in terms of morbidity, hospital stay and feeding pattern amongst exclusively breastfed infants and breastfeeding along with supplementary fed infants. Less morbidity and shorter hospital stay was observed in exclusively breastfed infants as compared to breastfeeding along with supplementary feeding infants.

Association of Maternal Factors on Early Childhood Caries: A Case–Control Study

Abstract Background: Early childhood caries (ECC) can have a substantial impact on the child’s quality of life. Postnatal maternal practices and care of the child are potential risk factors for ECC. Only a small number of cohort studies have looked at potential dietary risk factors at this age. This study aimed to investigate the association between maternal caries status and child caries status along with its relationship with the postnatal factors in the development of ECC. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed amongst 300 mother–child pairs. Participants were randomly selected into two groups according to the caries status: Group A – children with ECC and Group B – children without caries. Caries status of the mother and child was recorded. A close-ended questionnaire was given to the mothers to know their knowledge and practices about child oral healthcare. Data obtained were analysed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. The level of significance adopted was 5%. Results: The mean decay rank is lowest for children &lt;36 months of age (141.72) and is highest for children between 49 and 60 months (178.21). The children of working mothers are more affected by ECC when compared to children of non-working mothers (P &lt; 0.05). There is a significant association between mother’s dental caries status and child’s dental caries status (P &lt; 0.01). Conclusion: The present study showed that there is a clear relationship between ECC in children and maternal caries status and feeding patterns, especially night feeding.

Golf course living leads to a diet shift for American alligators.

Human-driven land use change can fundamentally alter ecological communities, especially the diversity and abundance of large-bodied predators. Yet, despite the important roles large-bodied predators play in structuring communities through feeding, there have been only a few investigations of how the feeding patterns of large-bodied predators change in human-dominated landscapes. One group of large-bodied predators that has been largely overlooked in the context of land use change is the crocodilians. To help fill these gaps, we studied the feeding patterns of juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) on neighboring barrier islands on the southeast coast of Georgia, USA. Jekyll Island has multiple golf courses and substantial amounts of human activity, while Sapelo Island does not have any golf courses and a much smaller amount of human activity. We found that juvenile alligator populations on both islands ate the same types of prey but in vastly different quantities. Sapelo Island alligators primarily consumed crustaceans while alligators that lived on Jekyll Island's golf courses ate mostly insects/arachnids. Furthermore, the Jekyll Island alligators exhibited a much more generalist feeding pattern (individuals mostly ate the same types of prey in the same quantities) than the more specialized Sapelo Island alligators (diets were more varied across individuals). The most likely explanation for our results is that alligators living on golf courses have different habitat use patterns and have access to different prey communities relative to alligators in more natural habitats. Thus, land use change can strongly alter the feeding patterns of large-bodied predators and, as a result, may affect their body condition, exposure to human-made chemicals, and role within ecological communities.

Responses to Reduced Feeding Frequency in Captive-Born Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus): Implications for Behavioural and Physiological Stress and Gastrointestinal Health.

Unnatural diet composition and frequent feeding regimes may play an aetiological role in the multiple diseases prevalent in captive cheetahs. This study investigated the responses of captive-born (hand-reared) cheetahs (n = 6) to a reduced feeding frequency schedule distinguished by offering larger quantities of food less frequently. The study cheetahs were fed four once-daily meals per week during the 3-week treatment period, followed by a 3-week control period in which they were fed two daily rations six days a week. Total weekly food intake was maintained throughout the study. Variations in behaviour, faecal consistency score (FCS), and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentration were measured. Less frequent feeding resulted in higher FCS (p < 0.01) and locomotory behaviour (p < 0.05) among the studied cheetahs. Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentration demonstrated an initial acute stress response to the change in feeding frequency (p < 0.05) and subsequent adaptation. The results of the FCS analysis suggest that the more natural feeding pattern could have benefited the studied cheetahs' gastrointestinal health without a significant behavioural or physiological stress response overall to the change in feeding frequency.

Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding during postpartum in Lanzhou city, China: a cross-sectional study.

Breastfeeding generates short-term and long-term benefits for both mother and child. Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is promoted in China for years, but its practice still lags far behind the international average, even among low- and middle- income countries. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with EBF during postpartum. This study was conducted in a tertiary referral hospital in Gansu Province, Northwest China from October 2019 to April 2020. 3,738 postnatal women were finally included and each of them completed an elaborately designed questionnaire. Infant feeding patterns (EBF or not) and reasons for NEBF (non-exclusive breastfeeding) were collected. The feeding knowledge score was based on 17 questions in relation to breastfeeding. The total score ranges from 0 to 17. Higher score means better understanding about breastfeeding knowledge. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine associated factors of EBF during postpartum. A subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the association between feeding knowledge score and exclusive breastfeeding. Six weeks after childbirth, 1891 mothers (50.6%) maintained EBF. Among the NEBF mothers, 57.01% (n = 1,053) of them stopped exclusive breastfeeding due to self-perceived lack of breast milk production. Factors associated with NEBF were higher maternal age, ethnic minorities and cesarean section. Protective factors of EBF included multipara, positive feeding attitude and high breastfeeding knowledge score. In subgroup analysis, we found the breastfeeding knowledge score had a significant impact on the mothers of Han nationality, underwent cesarean or natural delivery, both primiparous and multiparous, and those with positive attitude towards breastfeeding (p < 0.05). We need a comprehensive and individualized framework of strategies to support children, mothers and their families. During puerperium, improving maternal knowledge of breastfeeding is beneficial to EBF practice. However, for ethnic minorities and those with less active breastfeeding attitudes, breastfeeding knowledge is of limited use, more researches are needed to explore the uncovered reasons, so that more personalized interventions could be developed for them.

A Scoping Review of Early Childhood Caries Experience Assessment Tools Used for Studies in Nigeria

This scoping review provides an overview of the tools used to assess for early childhood caries (ECC) in Nigeria. A search of the literature in African Journals Online, Google Scholar, Medline, and Cochrane database was conducted in June 2023 using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A combination of keywords related to caries risk assessment, preschool children, and evaluation tools was used for the search. Studies reported in English and assessing ECC were extracted. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the information on study characteristics, types of caries assessment tools, and study outcome. Caries assessment tools were divided into behavioural, social, and biological. After screening 964 potential studies, 16 were included in the review. ECC assessment tools were categorised into behavioural (snacking, frequency of consumption of refined carbohydrate in-between-meals, dental service utilisation, frequency of tooth brushing, use of fluoridated toothpaste, breast and bottle feeding patterns and duration), biological (birth rank, age, sex, anthropometric measures, molecular characterisation of isolated organisms, presence of plaque), and social (socioeconomic status of the child’s household, mother’s level of education, maternal income, occupation of the father, maternal decision-making ability). Twelve studies used behavioural assessment tools, 11 used biological, and 11 used social tools. Furthermore, 11 (70.1%) used a combination of tools, four (25.0%) used only biological tools, and one (6.2%) used only behavioural tools to assess ECC experience. No study screened for the risk of caries. In conclusion, we identified the need for comprehensive studies to identify the risk indicators of ECC in Nigeria. This will support the development of a caries risk assessment tool appropriate for the country context.

Social interactions, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency of same- and mixed-parity groups of lactating cows

Social dynamics in group-housed animals can have important impacts on their welfare, feed efficiency, and production potential. Our objectives were to: 1) evaluate the effects of parity and social grouping on competition behavior, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency, and 2) investigate cow-level relationships between competition and feeding behavior, production, and feed efficiency. Fifty-nine Holstein cows (144.5 ± 21.8 starting DIM, mean ± SD) were housed in a freestall pen with 30 Roughage Intake Control (RIC) bins. We evaluated the effects of parity [primiparous (PR, n = 29) vs. multiparous (MU, n = 30)] and group composition at the feed bunk [same-parity (SM, n = 39) vs. mixed-parity (MX, n = 20, 50% of each parity)] with a 2 × 2 factorial design (SM-MU: n = 20; SM-PR: n = 19; MX-MU: n = 10; MX-PR: n = 10) on competition behavior, feeding patterns, and feed efficiency. Within the pen, groups of 9 to 10 cows were considered subgroups and assigned to treatments defined by sets of 5 assigned bins (2:1 stocking density). Feed bunk competition and feeding patterns were recorded via continuous video in the first hour after morning feed delivery and 24-h RIC data, respectively. Residual feed intake (RFI) was calculated as the difference between predicted and observed dry matter intake (DMI) after accounting for known energy sinks. Linear models were used to evaluate the effects and interactions of parity and group composition on competition, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency. Within-cow correlations were performed between competition, feeding behavior, and RFI. Cows in MX, compared with SM, were involved in more competitive interactions [mean (95% CI): competitive contacts: 11.5 (8.1,16.3) vs. 7.2 (5.5,9.3) events; displacements: 4.0 (3.0,5.3) vs. 2.1 (1.7,2.7) events, and replacements: 3.5 (2.6,4.7) vs. 1.9 (1.5,2.5) events]. Cows in MX vs. those in SM had more bunk visits/meal [ 4.3 (3.9, 4.8) vs. 3.7 (3.4, 3.9) visits/meal] and longer meals (31.2 vs. 27.4 ± 0.9 min/meal) and tended to have higher RFI (0.41 ± 0.3 vs. -0.21 ± 0.2) and were therefore less feed efficient. Multiparous vs. PR cows had greater DMI per day (29.3 ± 0.6 vs. 25.5 ± 0.4 kg/d) and per meal [4.2 (4.0, 4.4) vs. 3.4 (3.2, 3.6) kg/meal], faster eating rates [0.14 (0.13, 0.15) vs. 0.12 (0.11, 0.13) kg/min], and fewer bunk visits/d [26.6 (24.0, 29.4) vs. 32.8 (29.7, 35.9)]. Regardless of grouping or parity, cows with shorter latencies to first visit the bunk after feed delivery were involved in more competition and tended to be less feed efficient. Overall, individual cow- and group-level relationships among competition, feeding behavior, and feed efficiency play an important role in feed bunk social dynamics. At a competitive 2:1 stocking density, mixed-parity groups for lactating cows may have potentially negative animal welfare and feed efficiency implications that should be considered when selecting grouping strategies on the farm.

Diversity and assembly of planktonic protist communities in the Jeju Strait, Korea

This study examined planktonic protists—microbial eukaryotes with cell sizes between 2 and 200 µm—to understand their diversity, assembly processes, and co-existence patterns in surface waters of the Jeju Strait (JS), Korea. Using small organelle-enriched metagenomics, the study identified 252 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) across three distinct oceanographic regions of the JS during multiple seasons. Interestingly, there were no significant variations in the diversity or phylogenetic structures of these planktonic protist communities (PPCs), indicating a uniform distribution of PPCs across the strait. However, a higher clustering of their phylogenetic structure was observed in November, implying that seasonal environmental factors influenced their assembly. The study also discovered that seasonal shifts had a major impact on the composition of these communities. For example, Myzozoa was more prevalent in March, while Ochrophyta dominated in November. Protist size also varied seasonally, with larger protists increasing from June to November and then decreasing by March. Neutral community model analysis provided insights into the role of stochastic processes in shaping community assembly. The majority of OTUs fell into the neutral category, while a smaller proportion displayed non-neutral patterns. For instance, certain species like Pseudo-nitzschia and Chaetoceros were frequently found but had lower abundance, while other species like Alexandrium and Protoceratium were less frequent but more abundant. The feeding patterns, or trophic modes, of these protists also showed variations. Additionally, the study unveiled a complex network of species interactions within the strait, including positive mutualistic relationships and negative competitive interactions. The intricate interaction network consisted of 61 distinct modules, suggesting the presence of specialized subgroups within the PPCs that fulfill unique ecological roles. These subgroups contribute significantly to the overall stability and resilience of the ecosystem.

Presenting the Secrets: Exploring Endogenous Defense Mechanisms in Chrysanthemums against Aphids

As the second-largest cut flower plant globally and one of the top ten traditional flowers in China, chrysanthemums hold significant economic value, encompassing both ornamental and medicinal applications. However, aphids pose a considerable threat as one of the most critical pests affecting chrysanthemums. These pests not only diminish the ornamental value of chrysanthemums through feeding and reproduction but also transmit numerous plant viruses, causing irreversible damage. This review examines aphids’ feeding and damage patterns as a starting point, highlighting the unique endogenous defense mechanisms that have evolved in chrysanthemums during their continuous struggle against aphids. These mechanisms include constitutive defense and induced defense. In addition, we enumerate aphid-resistance genes that have been reported in chrysanthemums. Furthermore, this paper compares and predicts the aphid-resistance genes of other species based on the published Chrysanthemum nankingense genome, aiming to provide a valuable reference for future research on aphid-resistance genes in chrysanthemums.

The Relationship Between Parenting and Feeding Patterns On The Incidence Of Stunting

Stunting is a significant highlight in Indonesia because it is continually rising. Factor pattern of bad parenting and inappropriate infant feeding is a risk cause of stunting. The purpose of this research is to analyze the connection pattern parenting and patterns of provision of food to the incidence of stunting in infants. This research is a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. This research was conducted in the Health Center Cipadung working area in January- March 2022. The research population is mothers with toddlers. A sample of 84 respondents was taken randomly. The instruments used are a measuring tool height and a questionnaire. Data analysis used the chi-square test. The research showed that pattern parenting (p=0.045 and POR=2.9) and pattern feeding (p=0.014 and POR=3.3) are associated with stunting. Parenting and patterns of feeding are related to the incidence of stunting. Good maternal parenting can prevent children from experiencing stunting and feeding; if mothers provide the right food for their children, then children can be spared from stunting.

Challenges in Growth of Livestock and Dairy Development Sector In Punjab: Potential and Innovative Solutions: a Review

Livestock and dairy farming make up the bulk of Pakistan’s economy. Punjab is the hub of agriculture and livestock due to its land and climatic features. However, there have been a lot of challenges that are slowing down the progress. Pandemics, epidemics and climate catastrophes have caused the major impact. Dairy farming is providing livelihood to rural communities but some environmental hazards are also associated with it like greenhouse gases, deforestation etc, animal welfare as well. Sustainable livestock and dairy farming practices are widely applied worldwide and needed to prosper in Pakistan as well. This study is aimed at comparative review of the researches and latest techniques being tested and implemented economically and how can we adopt appropriate techniques to improve the current situation of this sector. There are many latest techniques that offer environmentally friendly livestock and enhanced production to serve the economy and conserve the biodiversity like precison livestock farming, smart farming, real time monitoring using biosensors for eary diagnoses and prognosis of diseases, detection of feeding patterns, breeding patterns etc. The study shows that most farmers in the study have a higher level of education, which is a positive sign for the future of the industry. The study also suggests that regular trainings be organized for farmers to transfer the latest technology and practices in a timely manner.

Early childhood nurturing strategies in groups of the Yellow River's middle reaches from the late Yangshao culture (3500–2800 BCE): A stable isotope perspective

AbstractWe have reconstructed the feeding patterns, weaning age, dietary structure, and physiological stress experienced by the late Yangshao culture (3500–2800 BCE) of the Middle Yellow River in different individuals early years through comparative carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses of dentin incremental sections, limb bones, or rib assemblages. We present dentin incremental and bone collagen δ13C and δ15N isotope data from 17 individuals from two late Yangshao culture archeological sites (Qingtai 青台 and Shuanghuaishu 双槐树). The result showed that all individuals in the sample weaned between 2.5 and 3.8 years old, and other than the fact that females weaned slightly sooner than males in the Qingtai sites, there were no sex variations in dietary trends across life history stages. The majority of individuals consistently consumed C4 foods (millets) from early childhood onward. A small number of individuals consumed both C3 and C4 foods at an early age, and the proportion of C3 foods (rice) consumed declined or gradually disappeared with increasing age. In addition to the traditional local foods based on millets, a small number of individual families added rice, a newly accessible resource, in varying proportions for young children's foods, which has directly contributed to the dichotomy within this research group in terms of dietary patterns and child‐rearing concepts. The emergence of early childhood nurturing strategies in this study serves as a significant microcosm of the social context in which individual families, private ownership, and civilization progressively took shape in early China.

Behavioral and Environmental Risk Factors Related to Stunting Incidents in Toddlers

Stunting is a growth disorder or condition of failure to thrive in children due to lack of nutrition and repeated infections in the first 1000 days of life, causing the child to be shorter than his age. This study aims to determine the risk factors associated with stunting in toddlers in Pulo Ampel District in 2021. This study uses an observational study with approach case control. The instruments used are questionnaires and observation sheets. Sample in this study consisted of 72 case and 72 control by using purposive sampling technique. From the results of the univariate test in the stunting toddler group, it was found that the knowledge of mothers was not good (90,3%), low economic status (98,6%), the availability of clean water facilities that did not meet the requirements (8,3%), latrines were not available (13,9%), and poor feeding patterns (76,4%). Statistical test using Chi Square, obtained the results of mother’s knowledge (Pv = 0,000), economic status (Pv = 0,000), availability of clean water facilities (Pv = 0,012), availability of latrines (Pv=0,003), and feeding patterns (Pv = 0,000) has a significant relationship with the incidence of stunting in toddlers. Suggestions from this research are expected for the Puskesmas to provide counseling with video media and booklets about stunting and nutritious eating for toddlers.&#x0D; Keywords: stunting, clean water, toilet, toddlers

The correlation of the intestinal with pharyngeal microbiota in early neonates.

The gut-lung axis has long been recognized as an important mechanism affecting intestinal and lung immunity. Still, few studies have examined the correlation between the intestinal and pharyngeal microbiota in early neonates, especially when feeding patterns are one of the main drivers of microbiota development. To explore the composition and function of intestinal and pharyngeal microbiota and to analyze the effect of limited formula feeding on the initial microbiota colonization in early full-term neonates, we characterized the stool and oropharyngeal microbiota of 20 healthy full-term newborns sampled on days 0 and 5-7 after birth using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Based on the sequencing results, a comparison was made of the compositions and functions of the intestinal and oropharyngeal microbiota for analysis. At the phylum level, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes were the most abundant in both niches. At the genus level, the species of pioneer bacteria were rich in the intestine and oropharynx but low in abundance on day 0. On days 5-7, Bifidobacterium (25.40%) and Escherichia-Shigella (22.16%) were dominant in the intestine, while Streptococcus (38.40%) and Staphylococcus (23.13%) were dominant in the oropharynx. There were eight core bacteria genera in the intestine and oropharynx on days 5-7, which were Bifidobacterium, Escherichia-Shigella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Rothia, and Acinetobacter. As indicated by PICRUSt analysis, on days 5-7, the intestinal microbiota was more predictive than the oropharyngeal microbiota in transcription, metabolism, cell motility, cellular processes and signaling, and organismal system function in the KEGG pathway. Compared to exclusive breastfeeding, limited formula feeding (40-60%) had no significant effect on the neonatal intestinal and oropharyngeal microbiota composition during the initial colonization period. Our results suggest that the initial colonization of microbiota is closely related to the ecological niche environment in the intestine and oropharynx, with their core microbiota being closely correlated. We found that early limited formula feeding could not significantly affect the initial colonization of microbiota in the intestine and oropharynx.