Research Note: Integrative analysis of transcriptome and gut microbiome reveals foie gras capacity difference between cage and floor rearing systems.

To explore the differences in foie gras performance between geese raised in cages and on the ground, we conducted an integrative analysis of liver transcriptome and gut microbial metagenomes. The results showed extremely significant differences in the liver weight (P < 0.01) and liver lipid accumulation of FRS and CRS groups. The levels of triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of CRS were significantly higher than those of FRS (P < 0.05). Transcriptome analysis showed that 3,917 upregulated and 1,395 downregulated genes were identified, and lipid metabolism pathway and fatty acid metabolism were significantly enriched. Analysis of cecum microbiota revealed that several inflammation-related bacteria (including Gallibacterium, Escherichia-Shigella, Desulfovibrio, Alistipes, and Fournierella) were enriched in CRS, while beneficial bacteria (including Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, and Ligilactobacillus) were significantly enriched in FRS. In conclusion, CRS was better than FRS in foie gras production, which was more conducive to lipid deposition in the goose liver.

Behavioural Responses of Tropical Bed Bug Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) to Coloured Harbourage.

Population of the tropical bed bug Cimex hemipterus (F.) (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), a temporary ectoparasite on both humans and animals, have surged in many tropical countries. Tropical bed bugs preferences when selecting a suitable harbourage and oviposition site were investigated. Two-choice and three choice colour assays were conducted to determine whether bed bugs will choose black, red or white coloured harbourages. Then, 50 1st instar were reared in containers containing black, red and white (control) paper served as the harbourages and observed for 12 weeks. Both fed and starve male, female and nymph strongly preferred red and black coloured harbourage compared to white coloured harbourage. Oviposition assays showed that female bed bugs prefered to laid their eggs on red coloured harbourages compared to black coloured harbourages. Rearing experiment showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between final population size of tropical bed bug. However, tropical bed bugs reared in container with red paper (600 ± 89.238) have the highest number of individuals followed by black (473 ± 133.841) and white (485 ± 84.234) paper. Bed bug preference towards coloured harbourage provide useful information for those developing new bed bug control method or improving bed bug infestation monitoring devices.

The impact of family factors and digital technologies on mental health in university students.

Introduction: A substantial body of research indicates an increasing prevalence of mental health issues among university students in a range of countries. A number of psychosocial factors have been put forward in the research literature as possible explanations for this persistent decline in psychological wellbeing in higher education. The present study focused on the role of family factors and the use of digital technologies by students. Methods: A replication study was conducted at the University of the Americas (Chile) based on a previous study on psychosocial factors of academic learning patterns and mental health of university students at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Spain. A cross-sectional design was employed, using the same questionnaire, plus indicators of most frequently used digital technologies by the students. The questionnaire was administered online at the same time to all incoming students, gathering a sample of 4,523 students. A series of multiple regressions and ANOVAs was conducted to ascertain the extent to which family and digital factors could be identified as predictors of mental health indicators. Results: The most significant findings indicate that high levels of parental protection and control/discipline, and especially the high use of social media and smartphones, are particularly salient factors contributing to mental health problems in the learning process of higher education students. Discussion: The results suggest strategies to promote wellbeing, with a focus on the psychosocial diversity within an inclusive university community. Social and digital innovation, collective entrepreneurship, and participatory place-building may facilitate networks of artistic, cultural, ecological, and sports spaces to promote the sense of university community. A longitudinal follow-up on the same sample across academic years will reveal the extent to which these wellbeing initiatives are fruitful.

Rearing conditions (isolated versus group rearing) affect rotenone-induced changes in the behavior of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos in the coiling assay.

Under regulations such as REACH, testing of novel and established compounds for their (neuro)toxic potential is a legal requirement in many countries. These are largely based on animal-, cost-, and time-intensive in vivo models, not in line with the 3 Rs' principle of animal experimentation. Thus, the development of alternative test methods has also received increasing attention in neurotoxicology. Such methods focus either on physiological alterations in brain development and neuronal pathways or on behavioral changes. An example of a behavioral developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) assay is the zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryo coiling assay, which quantifies effects of compounds on the development of spontaneous movement of zebrafish embryos. While the importance of embryo-to-embryo contact prior to hatching in response to environmental contaminants or natural threats has been documented for many other clutch-laying fish species, little is known about the relevance of intra-clutch contacts for zebrafish. Here, the model neurotoxin rotenone was used to assess the effect of grouped versus separate rearing of the embryos on the expression of the coiling behavior. Some group-reared embryos reacted with hyperactivity to the exposure, to an extent that could not be recorded effectively with the utilized software. Separately reared embryos showed reduced activity, compared with group-reared individuals when assessing. However, even the control group embryos of the separately reared cohort showed reduced activity, compared with group-reared controls. Rotenone could thus be confirmed to induce neurotoxic effects in zebrafish embryos, yet modifying one parameter in an otherwise well-established neurotoxicity assay such as the coiling assay may lead to changes in behavior influenced by the proximity between individual embryos. This indicates a complex dependence of the outcome of behavior assays on a multitude of environmental parameters.

Exploring the relationship between rearing system and carcass traits of Danzhou chicken: a microbial perspective.

This study investigated the effects of free-range (FR) and cage-rearing (CR) systems on intestinal health, carcass traits, and microbial diversity in the Danzhou chicken breed. Two groups of 125 hens in each group, aged 42 wk, were reared under FR and CR systems. At 50 wk, 50 hens from each group were randomly selected for carcass analysis and 10 hens for intestinal morphology and microbiota profiling. Results indicated a significant increase in villus height (VH) in the duodenum (P < 0.05), jejunum (P < 0.01), and ileum (P < 0.001) of the CR group. Additionally, the ratio of VH to crypt depth (VR) significantly (P < 0.001) increased in the jejunum, while crypt depth (CD) decreased significantly (P < 0.001) in the same section in the CR group. Carcass traits, including dress weight (DW), eviscerated with giblet weight (EGW), eviscerated weight (EW), and leg muscle weight (LW) significantly improved (P < 0.05) in the CR group. Microbial diversity showed significant ß-diversity differences, with Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Oxalobacteraceae as dominant biomarkers in the CR group. Conversely, Actinomycetaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Eubacterium, Actinomyces, Scardovia, and Lachnospiraceae were dominant in the FG group. Correlation analysis showed duodenum Lactobacillus was positively correlated with VH (P < 0.05), EW (P < 0.05), and LW (P < 0.001). Jejunum Lactobacillus was positively correlated considerably with VH (P < 0.01), VR (P < 0.05), DW (P < 0.05), EGW (P < 0.01), and LW (P < 0.001). Ileum Lactobacillus was positively correlated with EGW (P < 0.01), EW (P < 0.05), and LW (P < 0.01). Aeriscardovia in duodenum was positively (P < 0.01) associated with EGW. Enterococcus in the duodenum was positively (P < 0.05) associated with EGW and in Jejunum positively correlated with VH (P < 0.05) and VR (P < 0.01). The study concludes that cage rearing improves intestinal health, carcass traits, and microbial diversity in Danzhou chickens, with Lactobacillus and Enterococcus playing key roles.

In-depth transcriptome profiling of Cherry Valley duck lungs exposed to chronic heat stress.

Amidst rising global temperatures, chronic heat stress (CHS) is increasingly problematic for the poultry industry. While mammalian CHS responses are well-studied, avian-specific research is lacking. This study uses in-depth transcriptome sequencing to evaluate the pulmonary response of Cherry Valley ducks to CHS at ambient temperatures of 20°C and a heat-stressed 29°C. We detailed the CHS-induced gene expression changes, encompassing mRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs. Through protein-protein interaction network analysis, we identified central genes involved in the heat stress response-TLR7, IGF1, MAP3K1, CIITA, LCP2, PRKCB, and PLCB2. Subsequent functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes and RNA targets revealed significant engagement in immune responses and regulatory processes. KEGG pathway analysis underscored crucial immune pathways, specifically those related to intestinal IgA production and Toll-like receptor signaling, as well as Salmonella infection and calcium signaling pathways. Importantly, we determined six miRNAs-miR-146, miR-217, miR-29a-3p, miR-10926, miR-146b-5p, and miR-17-1-3p-as potential key regulators within the ceRNA network. These findings enhance our comprehension of the physiological adaptation of ducks to CHS and may provide a foundation for developing strategies to improve duck production under thermal stress.

Impact of Dietary Variations on Kuruma Shrimp (Penaeus japonicus) Assessed through Individual-Based Rearing and Insights into Individual Differences.

This study developed an individual-rearing method to compare the effects of live feed (sandworms Perinereis aibuhitensis), formulated pellet diets, and a mixture of live feed and formula feed on the Kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus, aiming to minimize the influence of non-dietary factors on the growth of P. japonicus, like cannibalism. Results indicated that live feed, with its higher protein, essential amino acids, and fatty acid content, led to significantly better growth and feeding performance in P. japonicus (p < 0.05) compared to pellet diets. A mixed diet resulted in a lower average daily protein intake yet maintained a growth and feeding performance comparable to live feed. The intestinal microbiota of shrimp, dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria, showed significant shifts with diet changes. Specifically, formulated feed increased the relative abundance of Vibrio and Photobacterium while decreasing Shimia and Rhodobacterales (p < 0.05), and feeding live food resulted in a more complex and stable bacterial network. Notably, individual variances in growth and feeding were observed among shrimps, with some on formulated diets showing growth comparable to those on live feed. Each shrimp's final weight, specific growth rate, protein efficiency rate, and average daily food intake positively correlated with its initial body weight (p < 0.05), and daily intake varied cyclically with the molting cycle. These findings suggest that individual-rearing is an effective approach for detailed feed evaluation and monitoring in P. japonicus, contributing to improved feed selection, development, and feeding strategies.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofuran contamination of free-range eggs: estimation of the laying hen's soil ingestion based on a toxicokinetic model, and human consumption recommendations.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) are ubiquitous in the environment. The main route of human exposure is through food consumption. Soil contamination can be problematic for sanitary safety depending on the usage of the soil, such as farming. In case of environmental soil contamination with PCDD/Fs, hen's eggs may be contaminated due to soil ingestion by hens. For this reason, it is important to understand the parameters that influence eggs' contamination when hens are raised in contaminated areas. After the discovery of a contaminated area in Lausanne (Switzerland), we collected hens' eggs from ten domestic-produced eggs and one farm. Based on PCDD/F measurements of eggs and soil, and a toxicokinetic model, we estimated individual hen's soil intake levels and highlighted appropriate parameters to predict the dose ingested. Recommended weekly consumption for home-produced eggs was calculated based on the tolerable weekly intake proposed by EFSA in 2018. The most important parameter to assess the soil ingestion does not seem to be the soil coverage by vegetation but rather the hen's pecking behaviour, the latter being difficult to estimate objectively. For this reason, we recommend using a realistic soil ingestion interval to assess the distribution of egg PCDD/F concentration from free-range hens reared on contaminated soil. The addition of soil contamination in the toxicokinetic model can then be used to recommend to the general population weekly consumption of eggs. The consumption by adults of free-range eggs produced on land with soil containing >90 ng toxic-equivalent (TEQ)/kg dry soil should be avoided. Even with a low level of soil contamination (1-5 ng TEQ/kg dry soil), we would recommend consuming not more than 5 eggs per week for adults and no more than 2 eggs for children below 4 years old.

An investigation of the association between parenting style and child's dental caries: a cross-sectional study.

To investigate the association between parenting style and child's dental caries. Parents presenting with their children to the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine for an initial exam or re-care appointment completed a demographic survey and the parenting styles and dimensions questionnaire. Recruitment of subjects started in May 2019 and ended in February of 2020. Child's decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) index, diet score, sex, and age were recorded, as were parent's race, education level, and form of payment. Adjustment for confounders was done using multivariable negative binomial regression. The sample size was 210 parent/child dyads. In the multivariable analysis, parenting style and child's dmft were not significantly associated (p > 0.05). Parents with an education level less than high school (p = 0.02) and at the high school graduate level (p = 0.008) were significantly associated with children who had higher dmft, compared to parents with a college degree or higher. Children with excellent diet scores had significantly lower dmft than children with a diet score in the "needs improvement" category (p = 0.003). There was no significant evidence that parenting style is associated with child's dental caries. Parent's education level and child's diet score were significantly associated with child's dmft, less than high school (p = 0.02) and at the level of high school graduate (p = 0.008). Pediatric dental professionals should be aware of these risk indicators.

School Refusal Behaviors: The Roles of Adolescent and Parental Factors.

School refusal behaviors in adolescents have deleterious immediate and long-term consequences and are associated with mental ill-health such as anxiety and depression. Understanding factors that place youth at higher risk of school refusal behavior may assist in developing effective management approaches. We investigated parental and adolescent factors that may be associated with school refusal behaviors by specifically focusing on the role of parental and adolescent emotion dysregulation, their anxiety and depression, and parental rearing style. First, we hypothesized that adolescents with school refusal behaviors, as well as their parents, will report higher levels of emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and depression compared to their counterparts without school refusal behaviors. Furthermore, we hypothesized that multivariate models testing the role of parental and child factors concurrently will show that parental (emotion dysregulation, anxiety and depression, and rearing styles) and adolescent (emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and depression) factors are associated with school refusal behaviors. One hundred and six adolescents aged 12 to 18 years and their parents completed an online questionnaire measuring both parental and adolescent emotion dysregulation, anxiety, depression, parental rearing styles, and adolescents' school refusal behaviors. Adolescents with school refusal behaviors reported greater anxiety and depression, with their parents showing greater emotion dysregulation. Multivariate analyses showed that parental emotion dysregulation and adolescent age were associated with school refusal behaviors independently. Future management for school refusal behaviors should consider age-tailored approaches by incorporating training for parental emotion regulation skills.

Long-term blood-free rearing of Anopheles mosquitoes with no effect on fitness, Plasmodium infectivity nor microbiota composition.

Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people each year. Therefore, many innovative research and population control strategies are being implemented but, most of them require large-scale production of mosquitoes. Mosquito rearing depends on fresh blood from human donors, experimentation animals or slaughterhouses, which constitutes a strong drawback since high blood quantities are needed, raising ethical and financial constraints. To eliminate blood dependency and the use of experimentation animals, we previously developed BLOODless, a patented diet that represents an important advance towards sustainable mosquito breeding in captivity. BLOODless diet was used to maintain a colony of Anopheles stephensi for 40 generations. Bloodmeal appetite, fitness, Plasmodium berghei infectivity, whole genome sequencing and microbiota were evaluated over time. Here we show that BLOODless can be implemented in Anopheles insectaries since it allows long-term rearing of mosquitoes in captivity, without a detectable effect on their fitness, infectivity, nor on their midgut and salivary microbiota composition.

Lipidomics combined with random forest machine learning algorithms to reveal freshness markers for duck eggs during storage in different rearing systems.

The differences in lipids in duck eggs between the 2 rearing systems during storage have not been fully studied. Herein, we propose untargeted lipidomics combined with a random forest (RF) algorithm to identify potential marker lipids based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry (UPLPC-MS/MS). A total of 106 and 16 differential lipids (DL) were screened in egg yolk and white, respectively. In yolk, metabolic pathway analysis of DLs revealed that glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism were the key metabolic pathways in the traditional free-range system (TFS) during storage, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored biosynthesis and glyceride metabolism were the key pathways in the floor-rearing system (FRS). In egg white, the key pathway in both systems is the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids. Combined with RF algorithm, 12 marker lipids were screened during storage. Therefore, this study elucidates the changes in lipids in duck eggs during storage in 2 rearing systems and provides new ideas for screening marker lipids during storage. This approach is highly important for evaluating the quality of egg and egg products and provides guidance for duck egg production.

The neonicotinoid acetamiprid reduces larval and adult survival in honeybees (Apis mellifera) and interacts with a fungicide mixture.

Plant protection products (PPPs), which are frequently used in agriculture, can be major stressors for honeybees. They have been found abundantly in the beehive, particularly in pollen. Few studies have analysed effects on honeybee larvae, and little is known about effects of insecticide-fungicide-mixtures, although this is a highly realistic exposure scenario. We asked whether the combination of a frequently used insecticide and fungicides would affect developing bees. Honeybee larvae (Apis mellifera carnica) were reared in vitro on larval diets containing different PPPs at two concentrations, derived from residues found in pollen. We used the neonicotinoid acetamiprid, the combined fungicides boscalid/dimoxystrobin and the mixture of all three substances. Mortality was assessed at larval, pupal, and adult stages, and the size and weight of newly emerged bees were measured. The insecticide treatment in higher concentrations significantly reduced larval and adult survival. Interestingly, survival was not affected by the high concentrated insecticide-fungicides-mixture. However, negative synergistic effects on adult survival were caused by the low concentrated insecticide-fungicides-mixture, which had no effect when applied alone. The lower concentrated combined fungicides led to significantly lighter adult bees, although the survival was unaffected. Our results suggest that environmental relevant concentrations can be harmful to honeybees. To fully understand the interaction of different PPPs, more combinations and concentrations should be studied in social and solitary bees with possibly different sensitivities.

Evaluation of a data-driven youngstock rearing quality system in Dutch dairy herds (2019-2022).

In recent years, the Netherlands exhibited an increased focus on improving youngstock rearing. Several data-driven tools were developed to assess and benchmark calf rearing practices based on key indicators, stimulate farmers to improve their youngstock rearing and reduce calf mortality. KalfOK is such a data-driven tool in which a farm-level overview with 15 indicators of youngstock rearing quality is communicated to participating farmers. In this study we assessed which farm characteristics are associated with A) a continuously high or low KalfOK score and B) frequent usage of KalfOK. Data from KalfOK and the identification and registration system were available for all participating herds over a period between 2019 and 2022 (Dataset A). Additionally, a sample of 324 dairy farmers, randomly selected from the entire Dutch dairy population (Dataset B), participated in a voluntary survey. Multivariable (logistic) regression models were used to A) identify differences in characteristics between farms with a continuously high- and farms with a continuously low KalfOK score and B) assess which farm characteristics were associated with frequent use of the KalfOK report. The results of analysis A showed multiple factors associated with having a low or high KalfOK score, including replacement rate, closed farming system, limited growth in herd size and the region where a farm was located. Sociological factors might also partly explain the difference between high and low scoring farms. Analysis B showed that approximately half of the surveyed farmers indicated that they do not frequently use their KalfOK overview in their calf rearing management. The KalfOK score of farmers who regularly use their KalfOK report was higher - and consequently better - compared to the KalfOK score of farmers who sometimes or never use KalfOK. Additionally, farmers using a milk robot and those discussing KalfOK regularly with their veterinarian, used KalfOK more often. Thirty four percent of the surveyed farmers made adjustments to their youngstock rearing management since the start of participation. The study's insights into patterns in KalfOK utilization and associations with farm characteristics provide valuable information for ongoing efforts to enhance calf rearing practices via the use of KalfOK. It is important to consider what is needed to convince farmers that do not use the KalfOK tool to frequently start using their KalfOK report. Future research incorporating sociological aspects can provide a more comprehensive understanding of other dynamics influencing calf rearing and contribute valuable insights for enhancing the effectiveness of programs like KalfOK in promoting calf health and welfare.

Duck gut metagenome reveals the microbiome signatures linked to intestinal regional, temporal development, and rearing condition.

The duck gastrointestinal tract (GIT) harbors an abundance of microorganisms that play an important role in duck health and production. Here, we constructed the first relatively comprehensive duck gut microbial gene catalog (24 million genes) and 4437 metagenome-assembled genomes using 375 GIT metagenomic samples from four different duck breeds across five intestinal segments under two distinct rearing conditions. We further characterized the intestinal region-specific microbial taxonomy and their assigned functions, as well as the temporal development and maturation of the duck gut microbiome. Our metagenomic analysis revealed the similarity within the microbiota of the foregut and hindgut compartments, but distinctive taxonomic and functional differences between distinct intestinal segments. In addition, we found a significant shift in the microbiota composition of newly hatched ducks (3 days), followed by increased diversity and enhanced stability across growth stages (14, 42, and 70 days), indicating that the intestinal microbiota develops into a relatively mature and stable community as the host duck matures. Comparing the impact of different rearing conditions (with and without water) on duck cecal microbiota communities and functions, we found that the bacterial capacity for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis was significantly increased in ducks that had free access to water, leading to the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes. Taken together, our findings expand the understanding of the microbiome signatures linked to intestinal regional, temporal development, and rearing conditions in ducks, which highlight the significant impact of microbiota on poultry health and production.

Different Protein Sources of Larval Diet on the Rearing of Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae): Biological and Nutritional Analyses.

Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) is considered an important pest in Neotropical countries. The laboratory rearing of this species should reproduce conditions in nature; thus, special attention is required to the nutritional quality of diets for larval development. Protein components (wheat germ) are costly and account for most production costs in lab insect rearing. In this sense, this work aimed to identify ingredients to replace wheat germ, without compromising diet quality for the lab rearing of A. fraterculus. We tested diets composed of whole rice flour, corn flour, and a mixture of whole wheat flour + soybean flour as substitutes for wheat germ as well as a raw wheat germ diet, considered the control. The protein sources used in the larval diet influenced the biological performance of both the larval and adult stages of A. fraterculus during six generations. The diet containing corn flour and wheat germ showed similar results in the different developmental parameters. The diet with rice flour also provided adequate biological development for A. fraterculus throughout its life cycle and was nutritionally similar to the control. As it is local product, rice flour can replace wheat germ (costly imported product) in artificial diets for A. fraterculus, reducing production costs by roughly 30% without compromising the biological and nutritional parameters of the insects. Faced with this, the rice flour can be considered suitable for the mass rearing of A. fraterculus in the laboratory.

Establishment and comprehensive characterization of a novel dark-reared zebrafish model for myopia studies.

Myopia is predicted to impact approximately 5 billion people by 2050, necessitating mechanistic understanding of its development. Myopia results from dysregulated genetic mechanisms of emmetropization, caused by over-exposure to aberrant visual environments; however, these genetic mechanisms remain unclear. Recent human genome-wide association studies have identified a range of novel myopia-risk genes. To facilitate large-scale in vivo mechanistic examination of gene-environment interactions, this study aims to establish a myopia model platform that allows efficient environmental and genetic manipulations. We established an environmental zebrafish myopia model by dark-rearing. Ocular biometrics including relative ocular refraction were quantified using optical coherence tomography images. Spatial vision was assessed using optomotor response (OMR). Retinal function was analyzed via electroretinography (ERG). Myopia-associated molecular contents or distributions were examined using RT-qPCR or immunohistochemistry. Our model produces robust phenotypic changes, showing myopia after 2 weeks of dark-rearing, which were recoverable within 2 weeks after returning animals to normal lighting. 2-week dark-reared zebrafish have reduced spatial-frequency tuning function. ERG showed reduced photoreceptor and bipolar cell function (a- and b-waves) after only 2 days of dark-rearing, which worsened after 2 weeks of dark-rearing. We also found dark-rearing-induced changes to expression of myopia-risk genes, including egr1, vegfaa, vegfab, rbp3, gjd2a and gjd2b, inner retinal distribution of EFEMP1, TIMP2 and MMP2, as well as transiently reduced PSD95 density in the inner plexiform layer. Coupled with the gene editing tools available for zebrafish, our environmental myopia model provides an excellent platform for large-scale investigation of gene-environment interactions in myopia development.

MINIstock: Model for INsect Inclusion in sustainable agriculture: USDA-ARS's research approach to advancing insect meal development and inclusion in animal diets.

Animal agriculture is under pressure to increase efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to meet the demands of a rising global population while decreasing adverse environmental effects. Feed cost and availability are 2 of the biggest hurdles to sustainable production. Current diets depend on sources of grain and animal byproduct protein for essential amino acids which have limited sustainability. Insects have arisen as an attractive, sustainable alternative protein source for animal diets due to their favorable nutrient composition, low space and water requirements, and natural role in animal diets. Additionally, insects are capable of bioremediating waste streams including agricultural and food waste, manure, and plastics helping to increase their sustainability. The insect rearing industry has grown rapidly in recent years and shows great economic potential. However, state-of-the-art research is urgently needed to overcome barriers to adoption in commercial animal diets such as regulatory restrictions, production scale issues, and food safety concerns. To address this need, the USDA Agricultural Research Service "MINIstoc: Model for INsect Inclusion" project was created to bring together diverse scientists from across the world to synergistically advance insect meal production and inclusion in animal diets. Here, we provide a short review of insects as feed while describing the MINIstock project which serves as the inspiration for the Journal of Economic Entomology Special Collection "Insects as feed: sustainable solutions for food waste and animal production practices."

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of mass-rearing Cadra cautella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) based on harvest theory for sustainable alternative prey production.

Cadra cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a pest in barn, and its eggs are often utilized as an alternative prey or as hosts for mass production of insect predators and parasitoids. To aid in developing a mass-rearing system for C. castella, the suitability of using an artificial diet based on brown rice flour and whole brown rice was compared using the age-stage, 2-sex life table. Compared with those reared on brown rice, the insects reared on an artificial diet had a shorter preadult period (32.08 vs 37.38 d), higher fecundity (468.14 vs 356.20 eggs/female), greater intrinsic rate of increase (0.1509 vs 0.1145 d-1), and higher net reproductive rate (199.28 vs 103.52 offspring). Small populations were required to rear the moth on an artificial diet to achieve the same daily production of C. cautella. Still, the food expense was only 60.2% of that of C. cautella reared on brown rice. Approximately 99.44% of the eggs in each rearing procedure could be supplied as alternative prey for predators, with the remainder served to maintain the colonies for subsequent batches. Only eggs laid within 6 d would be utilized to ensure the high quality of alternative prey for the mass production of predacious bugs. Additionally, a multifunctional device was designed for moth rearing and egg collection, reducing labor input and minimizing health risks for workers coping with inhaled scales. To encourage the production of natural enemies, a cost-effective diet for maintaining a sustainable colony, and a system for daily egg-harvesting of alternative prey were proposed.

Japanese fathers' work-related factors associated with involvement in childcare.

OBJECTIVES: Existing studies of fathers' involvement in childcare have focused on its impact on children's psychosocial development and the facilitation of family functions, like marital relationships. In this study, we investigated the factors that determine paternal childcare in Japan, particularly focusing on work-related hours and environment, separately, according to mothers' employment status. METHODS: We used data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century (2010 cohort) conducted in Japan. We restricted the sample to 27 783 participants with working fathers and analyzed how paternal work-related factors affect fathers' childcare involvement by mothers' employment status using an ordered logistic regression model. RESULTS: In the model adjusting for all covariates, the odds ratio (OR) of spending less time with children on weekdays was higher: for fathers who worked 50 and more hours per week compared with those who worked 40-49 hours per week (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.72-2.20 for 50-59 hours), for fathers whose commuting hours were longer than those commuting less than 0.5 hours per day (OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 2.34-3.69 for 1.5 or more hours), for larger workplace employee sizes than for 5-99 employee sizes (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.38-1.77 for 500 or more employees). The associations between these paternal work-related variables and paternal hours spent with the children on weekdays were almost the same if the mothers were working or not working. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of whether the mother is working, fathers' work environment factors, such as working hours, play a key role in their involvement in childcare.