bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predation risk and landscape properties shape reproductive output of an endangered sea duck from two subpopulations with contrasting predation risk
Authors: Hermansson Ida , von Numers Mikael , Jaatinen Kim , Öst Markus
Published: January 2023

Predation is the leading cause of avian reproductive failure and theory predicts clutch size reduction under high nest predation risk. However, the impact of nest predation on population dynamics is debated, and spatiotemporal variation in reproductive output is poorly understood due to the predominance of short-term, single-site studies. To this end, we investigated how island geography (size, forest cover, isolation), predation risk (White-tailed EagleHaliaeetus albicillaabundance), climate (migration phenology, winter severity) and time trends affected early breeding success (inverse of early predation rate) and clutch size of endangered Baltic Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima). The study was conducted at two close sites (Tvärminne, Velkua) during 1991–2020. Local breeding numbers showed a similar annual decline. Interestingly, fecundity components were negatively correlated across sites: early breeding success was higher in Velkua and clutch size in Tvärminne. Island forest cover and exposure were the best determinants of early breeding success and clutch size (with only weak explanatory power for clutch size), but their effects were mediated by differential susceptibility to eagle predation risk. Clutch size increased in Tvärminne but decreased in Velkua. The former finding likely reflects increased breeder phenotypic quality due to selective disappearance at this high-predation site, whereas the latter finding may indicate increasingly compromised food intake. Only at the high-risk site did clutch size show the expected decline with increasing eagle predation risk, and the expected increase with increasing overhead protection (forest cover). We identify the least exposed forested islands, associated with the highest productivity, as prime targets of conservation.
Computational Performance of Deep Reinforcement Learning to Find Nash Equilibria
Authors: Graf Christoph , Zobernig Viktor , Schmidt Johannes , Klöckl Claude
Published: January 2023

We test the performance of deep deterministic policy gradient—a deep reinforcement learning algorithm, able to handle continuous state and action spaces—to find Nash equilibria in a setting where firms compete in offer prices through a uniform price auction. These algorithms are typically considered “model-free” although a large set of parameters is utilized by the algorithm. These parameters may include learning rates, memory buffers, state space dimensioning, normalizations, or noise decay rates, and the purpose of this work is to systematically test the effect of these parameter configurations on convergence to the analytically derived Bertrand equilibrium. We find parameter choices that can reach convergence rates of up to 99%. We show that the algorithm also converges in more complex settings with multiple players and different cost structures. Its reliable convergence may make the method a useful tool to studying strategic behavior of firms even in more complex settings.
CenterLoc3D: monocular 3D vehicle localization network for roadside surveillance cameras
Authors: Tang Xinyao , Wang Wei , Song Huansheng , Zhao Chunhui
Published: January 2023

Monocular 3D vehicle localization is an important task for vehicle behaviour analysis, traffic flow parameter estimation and autonomous driving in Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and Cooperative Vehicle Infrastructure System (CVIS), which is usually achieved by monocular 3D vehicle detection. However, monocular cameras cannot obtain depth information directly due to the inherent imaging mechanism, resulting in more challenging monocular 3D tasks. Currently, most of the monocular 3D vehicle detection methods still rely on 2D detectors and additional geometric constraint modules to recover 3D vehicle information, which reduces the efficiency. At the same time, most of the research is based on datasets of onboard scenes, instead of roadside perspective, which is limited in large-scale 3D perception. Therefore, we focus on 3D vehicle detection without 2D detectors in roadside scenes. We propose a 3D vehicle localization network CenterLoc3D for roadside monocular cameras, which directly predicts centroid and eight vertexes in image space, and the dimension of 3D bounding boxes without 2D detectors. To improve the precision of 3D vehicle localization, we propose a multi-scale weighted-fusion module and a loss with spatial constraints embedded in CenterLoc3D. Firstly, the transformation matrix between 2D image space and 3D world space is solved by camera calibration. Secondly, vehicle type, centroid, eight vertexes, and the dimension of 3D vehicle bounding boxes are obtained by CenterLoc3D. Finally, centroid in 3D world space can be obtained by camera calibration and CenterLoc3D for 3D vehicle localization. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of 3D vehicle localization for roadside monocular cameras. Hence, we also propose a benchmark for this application including a dataset (SVLD-3D), an annotation tool (LabelImg-3D), and evaluation metrics. Through experimental validation, the proposed method achieves high accuracy with $$A{P_{3D}}$$

A

P

3
D

of 51.30%, average 3D localization precision of 98%, average 3D dimension precision of 85% and real-time performance with FPS of 41.18.
A combined synchronization index for evaluating collective action social media
Authors: Ng Lynnette Hui Xian , Carley Kathleen M.
Published: January 2023

Social media has provided a citizen voice, giving rise to grassroots collective action, where users deploy a concerted effort to disseminate online narratives and even carry out offline protests. Sometimes these collective action are aided by inorganic synchronization, which arise from bot actors. It is thus important to identify the synchronicity of emerging discourse on social media and the indications of organic/inorganic activity within the conversations. This provides a way of profiling an event for possibility of offline protests and violence. In this study, we build on past definitions of synchronous activity on social media— simultaneous user action–and develop a Combined Synchronization Index (CSI) which adopts a hierarchical approach in measuring user synchronicity. We apply this index on six political and social activism events on Twitter and analyzed three action types: synchronicity by hashtag, URL and @mentions.The CSI provides an overall quantification of synchronization across all action types within an event, which allows ranking of a spectrum of synchronicity across the six events. Human users have higher synchronous scores than bot users in most events; and bots and humans exhibits the most synchronized activities across all events as compared to other pairs (i.e., bot-bot and human-human). We further rely on the harmony and dissonance of CSI-Network scores with network centrality metrics to observe the presence of organic/inorganic synchronization. We hope this work aids in investigating synchronized action within social media in a collective manner.
A perspective on biodiversity data and applications for spatio-temporally robust spatial planning for area-based conservation
Authors: Takashina Nao , Kusumoto Buntarou
Published: January 2023

The growing availability of high-resolution biodiversity data is enhancing our ability to implement biodiversity conservation more effectively. Spatial planning has widely utilized such fine-scale biodiversity data, and proposals of finely-organized protected area networks have been increasing. However, a naive adoption of such fine-scale data for conservation may not only degrade the utility of the data, but may even risk reduction of long-term efficacy of conservation efforts. This is due to inherent tradeoffs between the efficacy of conservation actions over short-term and its persistence over long-term that is characterized by the management scale of spatial planning associated with the resolution of the data used. To demonstrate this argument, the spatiotemporal ecosystem dynamics must be described, but such discussions are limited in the literature. Here, we discuss the potential issues associated with naive uses of fine-scale biodiversity data to establish fine-tuned spatial planning. We then emphasize the importance of matching the data resolution with an appropriate scale of spatial planning that is realized by transforming the data resolution. This method is readily applicable for widely used decision-support tools for spatial planning. A simple worked example is provided to demonstrate its utility with a long-term conservation efficacy in spatial planning. Guided by the recent explosion of biological data, our discussion provides new insights into the ways to maximize the utility of these data, and further improve biodiversity conservation.
Experimental study on supercritical carbon dioxide gasification of biomass
Authors: Zhou Chenchen , Ge Zhiwei , Wang Yu , Shang Fei , Guo Liejin
Published: January 2023

With the excessive use of fossil energy and concern for environmental protection, biomass gasification as an effective means of biomass energy utilization has received widespread attention worldwide. Supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) (T ≥ 31.26 °C, P ≥ 72.9 atm) has the advantages of near liquid density and high solubility, and the supercritical carbon dioxide gasification of biomass will be a promising technology. However, there has been no research on the technology at present. In this work, experimental study on supercritical carbon dioxide gasification of biomass were carried out in a batch reactor. The influences of temperature, residence time, the amount of carbon dioxide and catalyst on gas yield and fraction were investigated. Experimental results showed that the gas yield and carbon gasification efficiency (CE) of biomass gasification increased with increasing temperature, reaction time or the amount of carbon dioxide. As the gasification temperature increased from 700 °C to 900 °C, the gas yield increased from 23.53 to 50.24 mol/kg biomass and CE increased from 47.26% to 94.53% in CO2 atmosphere at 30 min. The gasification efficiency of biomass was greatly improved with catalyst, and the effect of impregnated catalyst was better than that of mechanical mixing. The gas yield increased from 23.72 to 50.24 mol/kg biomass with the increasing of the equivalent ratio from 0 to 1 at 900 °C and 30 min. Finally, a detailed supercritical carbon dioxide gasification mechanism of biomass was proposed.
Exploring the activities and outcomes of digital teaching and learning of practical skills in higher education for the social and health care professions: a scoping review
Authors: Söderlund Anne , Blazeviciene Aurelija , Elvén Maria , Vaskelyte Alina , Strods Raimonds , Blese Inguna , Paakkonen Heikki , Fernandes Antonio , Cardoso Daniela , Kav Sultan , Baskici Cigdem , Wiktsröm-Grotell Camilla
Published: January 2023

Higher education for health care professionals faces numerous challenges. It is important to develop and apply methods supporting education, especially the practical skills. This scoping review aimed to explore the activities and learning outcomes of digital technology in practical skills teaching and learning in higher education for the social and health professions. Scoping review recommendations and the PRISMA-ScR checklist were applied. Randomized controlled trials published between 2016 and 2021 involving students in higher education who were taking courses in the social sciences and health care and reported interventions with digital technology activities and practices in practical teaching and learning were included. The CINAHL Plus, PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, and Sociological Abstracts/Social Services Abstracts databases were searched. Teaching methods were blended, e-learning or other online-based, and digital simulation-based activities. Teaching and learning environments, methods, resources, and activity characteristics varied, making a summary difficult. Interventions were developed in a face-to-face format prior to digitalization. The outcomes were measured at the knowledge level, not at the performance level. One-third of the studies showed a significant improvement in practical skills in the intervention group in comparison to the control conditions. The use of digital technology in the learning and teaching process have potential to develop of students' skills, knowledge, motivation, and attitudes. The pedagogy of technology use is decisive. The development of new digital methods for teaching and learning practical skills requires the engagement of students and teachers, in addition the researchers.
Granular flows in drums of non-uniform widths
Authors: Hung Chi-Yao , Chen Tzu-Yin Kasha , Wang I-Hsuan , Hill Kimberly M.
Published: January 2023

We study how channel width variations influence the dynamics of free-surface granular flows. For this purpose, we extend a continuum model framework to granular flows passing through channels that narrow or widen. Our theory uses a linearized approximation to an established dense granular flow rheology and a Coulomb friction law to model interaction between flow and sidewalls. We test the theoretical predictions using two novel 40 cm-diameter drums (convex and concave) filled halfway with 2 mm diameter particles rotated at rates in which the shear layer remains shallow and dense. We apply particle tracking velocimetry to enable quantitative comparisons between experimental data and theoretical predictions. We find that our experimental kinematics and energy profiles largely agree with the theoretical predictions. In general, flows through narrowing channels are faster and deeper than flows through widening channels. The influence of width variations grows with increasing flow speed, and the form of the rate dependence changes fundamentally as the regime changes from one in which kinetic energy is dissipated locally to one in which it is advected downstream. For both regimes, theoretical scaling analysis leads us to experimentally validated power laws, in which the exponent depends on the flow regime, and the multiplicative coefficient depends on channel geometry alone. Finally, we discuss how the differences between theoretical predictions and experimental data may be useful for improving our understanding of flows through non-uniform channels.
Theoretical analysis for bedload particle deposition and hop statistics
Authors: Wu Zi , Jiang Weiquan , Zeng Li , Fu Xudong
Published: January 2023

Understanding the statistics of bedload particle motions is of great importance. To model the hop events which are defined as trajectories of particles moving successively from the start to the end of their motions, recently, Wu et al. (Water Resour. Res., vol. 56, 2020, p. e2019WR025116) have successfully performed individual-based simulations according to the Fokker–Planck equation for particle velocities. However, analytical solutions are still not available due to (i) difficulties in treating the velocity-dependent diffusivity, and (ii) a knowledge gap in incorporating the termination of particle motions for the equation. To tackle the above-mentioned challenges, we first specify a Robin boundary condition representing the deposition of particles. Second, for analytical solutions of hop statistics, a variable transformation is devised to deal with the velocity-dependent diffusivity. The original bedload transport problem is thus found to be governed by the classic equation for the solute transport in tube flows with a constant diffusivity after the transformation. Finally, through solving the spatial and temporal moments of the governing equation, we investigate the influence of the deposition rate on three key characteristics of particle hops. Importantly, we have related the deposition rate to the mean travel times and hop distances, enabling a direct determination of this physical parameter based on measured particle motion statistics. The analytical solutions are validated by experimental observations with different bedload particle diameters and transport conditions. Based on the limited experimental datasets, the deposition frequency is shown to decrease as the shear stress increases when the flow rate is not small.
DEMOCRAZIA E COMMERCIO: IL CASO DELLE GRANDI POTENZE TRA IL 1980 E IL 1998
Authors: Baroncelli Eugenia
Published: January 2023

Introduzione

Sin dall'Ottocento, l'economia politica dei classici ha prodotto modelli del commercio internazionale per spiegare tanto i vantaggi derivanti dall'apertura agli scambi, quanto la struttura dei flussi commerciali tra i diversi paesi. A tutt'oggi, gli assunti avanzati dal modello ricardiano del commercio internazionale e dal modello Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson, che spiegano i flussi di scambi commerciali rispettivamente basandosi sui concetti di vantaggio comparato e di dotazione di risorse, forniscono strumenti ampiamente utilizzati nella spiegazione dell'insorgenza e del mantenimento di rapporti commerciali tra stati. A differenza della letteratura economica, che si è concentrata in buona misura sulle cause dell'apertura commerciale e sulla spiegazione delle direzioni dei flussi di scambio, spesso limitandosi a individuare i fattori costanti nelle politiche protezioniste o liberiste degli stati, la letteratura politologica ha puntato il proprio interesse sulla spiegazione delle variazioni nella scelta degli stati di promuovere, oppure limitare, il grado di apertura agli scambi con l'estero.
CAPITALE SOCIALE, AZIONE COLLETTIVA E RENDIMENTO ISTITUZIONALE: IL CASO DI UN PROGRAMMA DI MICROFINANZA
Authors: Curini Luigi
Published: January 2023

Introduzione

L'importanza dei problemi legati all'azione collettiva — e più in generale alla cooperazione — per lo studio della politica non può essere trascurata. In effetti, è difficile trovare un'area della vita sociale in cui siano assenti. Alcuni di questi problemi trovano delle soluzioni; molti altri no. A questo riguardo, si è spesso fatto uso del dilemma del prigioniero, in cui la defezione domina indipendentemente dalle decisioni attese da parte dei singoli attori. Sebbene tuttavia tale modello fornisca importanti spunti per comprendere le complesse dinamiche legate a un'interazione tra più individui, tende a sottovalutare il ruolo delle aspettative, con conseguenze rilevanti sia da un punto di vista teorico che di policy making.
ANTHONY DOWNS, MAESTRO DI MOLTI MODELLI
Authors: Budge Ian
Published: January 2023

Introduzione

Se venisse chiesto loro di elencare i più importanti testi della disciplina degli ultimi cinquanta anni, molti scienziati politici — probabilmente un gran numero se non la maggioranza — opterebbero per Una teoria economica della democrazia. È un fenomeno quasi unico che questo libro sia più citato cinquanta anni dopo che all'epoca della sua pubblicazione, pur avendo attratto l'attenzione anche allora. È stato un testo seminale per lo sviluppo dell'approccio della «scelta razionale», ora egemonico nella disciplina. E il suo influsso si è esteso ben oltre la cerchia di chi fa uso di modelli matematici, sino a informare la prospettiva della gran parte degli scienziati politici del pianeta — non male per una tesi di Ph. D solo un po' rielaborata!
LA TEORIA POLITICA DELL'ANALISI DEI SISTEMI: DAVID EASTON
Authors: Fuchs Dieter , Klingemann Hans-Dieter
Published: January 2023

Introduzione

Nato, il 24 giugno del 1917, e cresciuto in Canada, David Easton ha completato la sua formazione universitaria all'Università di Toronto (B.A. nel 1939, M.A. nel 1943). La sua successiva carriera accademica è legata a tre delle più importanti università americane, Harvard, Chicago e la University of California. Nel 1947 ha conseguito il Ph. D. ad Harvard, dove era teaching fellow dal 1944. Per quasi un quarto di secolo è stato uno dei più eminenti scienziati politici della University of Chigago (1947-1982), dove divenne full professor nel 1955 e fu nominato Andrei MacLeish Distinguished Service Professor nel 1969. Nel 1981 entrò a far parte del Department of Politics and Society della University of California ad Irvine, dove insegna ancora oggi. Non è possibile, nei limiti di quest'articolo, ricapitolare tutte le sue cariche accademiche, partecipazioni a comitati editoriali, o i suoi incarichi come consulente politico. Basti dire che è stato Presidente della American Political Science Association (1968-89), e membro e vicepresidente della American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1985-88). David Easton ha ricevuto tre lauree ad honorem (dalla McMaster University, dal Kalamazoo College e dalla Free University of Berlin).
Live chilling of turbot and subsequent effect on behaviour, muscle stiffness, muscle quality, blood gases and chemistry
Authors: Roth B , Imsland AK , Foss A
Published: January 2023

During the commercial slaughter of farmed turbot(Scophthalmus maximus), a total of 67 fish were, on six occasions, removed from their rearing conditions at 14°C and put, as is standard commercial practice, into chilled seawater (-1.5 to -0.8°C) to monitor behavioural, muscular, osmoregulatory and respiratory responses during chilling time (90 min). Results show that a thermal insult alters the iso-osmotic balance, leading not only to an Na+influx and an intracellular release of Ca2+and K+, but also to a disturbance of respiratory function, leading to acidosis as a result of H+ and CO2accumulation, increased pCO2and reduced HCO3−in the blood. Once the internal temperature dropped below 1°C, the muscles contracted (cold shortening) and, although the fish were still alive, they reverted to a state of rigor, leading to a complete breakdown in their ability to move or ventilate and resembling an unconscious condition or death. Remarkably, the fish were able to prevent themselves undergoing hypoxia as pO2remained within acceptable limits. No changes in muscle pH were observed and, thus, no noted effects on textural properties. We conclude that live chilling from 14°C to approximately -1°C is a highly questionable practice. It causes physical and physiological changes that are generally associated with stress and, in the case of observed forced muscle contractions, could lead to severe pain. Furthermore, we conclude that cold shortening associated with chilling can be easily mistaken forrigor mortisand, as such, should be subject to further attention in future research on quality.
Painful dilemmas: the ethics of animal-based pain research
Authors: Magalhães-Sant’Ana M , Sandøe P , Olsson IAS
Published: January 2023

While it has the potential to deliver important human benefits, animal-based pain research raises ethical questions, because it involves inducing pain in sentient beings. Ethical decision-making, connected with this variety of research, requires informed harm-benefit analysis, and the aim of this paper is to provide information for such an analysis. We present an overview of the different models and their consequences for animal welfare, showing that, of the many animal models available, most have a considerable welfare impact on the animal. While the usual approach to pain control through administration of analgesic substances is usually unsuitable in pain research, refinement remains an option, both within the experimental protocol and in general husbandry and handling. Drawing on the overview, we develop a discussion of the ethical acceptability of animal-based pain research against the background of the kinds of harm done to the animals involved, the potential for refinement, and the expected benefits of the research.
Behaviour and performance of pigs finished on deep bedding with wood shavings or rice husks in summer
Authors: Hötzel MJ , Lopes EJC , de Oliveira PAV , Guidoni AL
Published: January 2023

Concern that excessive temperatures arising from substrate fermentation could have a deleterious effect on voluntary feed intake and weight gain, especially during the hottest times of the year, might be a barrier to the widespread adoption of deep-bedding systems for pig production in Brazil. The aim of this study was to compare the behaviour and performance of pigs reared on deep bedding with two different substrates, wood shavings and rice husks, or in barren, part-slatted, concrete-floored pens (n = 4 pens per treatment), from 60 days of age through to slaughter, during the summer months in Santa Catarina, southwest Brazil. Floor and pigs’ skin temperatures were 2.2 and 3.9% higher, respectively, in the pens with bedding than with concrete flooring; these differences resulted in modest, non-significant effects on performance and meat quality. Certain elements of the behaviour of pigs reared with bedding, such as increased play activity and substrate manipulation and less peer-directed behaviours, indicated improved welfare compared to pigs reared in concrete-floored pens. Performance and meat quality were similar in bedded pens with either wood shavings or rice husks. In both bedding substrates, the animals spent more time lying or standing on the beds than on the concrete platforms, where the feed and the water troughs were located, despite the higher temperature in the substrate compared to the concrete platform; suggesting that such temperature differences were not relevant for the thermal comfort of the animals. These results indicate that both substrates, abundant and readily available in the region, are suitable bedding materials for pigs.
Observer reliability for working equine welfare assessment: problems with high prevalences of certain results
Authors: Burn CC , Pritchard JC , Whay HR
Published: January 2023

Welfare issues relevant to equids working in developing countries may differ greatly to those of sport and companion equids in developed countries. In this study, we test the observer reliability of a working equine welfare assessment, demonstrating how prevalence of certain observations reduces reliability ratings. The assessment included behaviour, general health, wounds, and limb and foot pathologies. In Study 1, agreement between five observers and their trainer (the ‘gold standard’) was assessed using 80 horses and 80 donkeys in India. Intra-observer agreement was later tested on 40 of each species. Study 2 took place in Egypt, using nine observers, their trainer, 30 horses and 30 donkeys, adjusting some scoring systems and providing observers with more detailed guidelines than in Study 1. Percentage agreements, Fleiss kappa (with a weighted version for ordinal scores) and prevalence indices were calculated for each variable. Reliability was similar across both studies, but was significantly poorer for donkeys than horses. Age, sex, certain wounds and (for horses alone) body condition, consistently attained clinically-useful reliability. Hoofhorn quality, point-of-hock lesions, mucous membrane abnormalities, limb-tether lesions, and skin tenting showed poor reliability. Reporting the prevalence index alongside the percentage agreement showed that, for many variables, the populations were too homogenous for conclusive reliability ratings. Suggestions are made for improving scoring systems showing poor reliability, but future testing will require deliberate selection of a more diverse equine population. This could prove challenging given that, in both populations of horses and donkeys studied here, many pathologies apparently showed 90-100% prevalence.
Public opinion on UK milk marketing and dairy cow welfare
Authors: Ellis KA , Billington K , McNeil B , McKeegan DEF
Published: January 2023

Interview questionnaires were administered to the general public in central Scotland and northern England during summer 2007 to investigate consumer awareness of UK dairy production methods, welfare issues and recognition of ‘quality assurance’ product logos. Fifty percent of respondents gave UK dairy animal welfare a positive rating. Recognition of individual quality assurance logos was poor and 75% of respondents stated that they did not intentionally seek to buy products with any of the logos. Respondents’ perceptions of good dairy welfare included: appropriate feeding, good stockmanship, plenty of space, freedom to roam/free range and environmental cleanliness. Half of respondents felt they were poorly informed about food production and the majority of respondents (68%) would like more information on food production. Respondents believed that information on animal welfare provided by veterinarians and farmers would be reliable. Most respondents (93%) said they would pay more for good dairy welfare. The findings show that the general public are interested in animal welfare but could be better informed on dairy animal production and welfare. Veterinarians and farmers may have a potentially important role in providing this information with increasing demand for higher welfare provenance products potentially helping to improve animal welfare.
Assessing animal welfare at farm and group level: Introduction and overview
Authors: Tuyttens FAM , Maes D , Geverink N , Koene P , Rodenburg TB
Published: January 2023

Animal welfare science is a relatively young scientific discipline. It is a formidable challenge for this scientific field to meet expectations from policy-makers, funding agencies, and society. They often ask scientists to provide clear-cut, unambiguous, and indisputable conclusions about specific and relevant welfare issues, for example, whether or not animal welfare is better in one type of housing/management system than in another one. People that expect scientists to provide such evidence often do not realise the complexity of this type of research question. Frequently, answers to these questions are urgently needed and solutions ought to be delivered within relatively short time-frames. Research grant applications in which it is promised that these expectations will be fulfilled quickly and cheaply, are often more likely to attract funding. Given the limited budget and time allocated to these research projects, the animal welfare problems are often investigated using a limited set of ‘standard’ welfare indicators known to be reliable for the species involved. There is rarely opportunity for developing and validating new measures that perhaps are better suited for addressing the research question concerned, nor for developing complex methodologies for integrating these different measurements into an overall assessment of animal welfare - let alone for checking that these measures and integration methods truly reflect the public's understanding. The latter, though, has been convincingly advocated to be essential for socially-constructed concepts such as ‘animal welfare’ (Fraser 2003).
Validation of an Animal Needs Index for cattle using Test Theory
Authors: Herva T , Peltoniemi O , Virtala A-M
Published: January 2023

The validity of an ANI-based welfare index for cattle, the A-Index, was evaluated using Test Theory methods described for quality of life assessments in human medicine. Content validity was considered during the modification of the Index for Finnish beef production. In total, 43 items evaluating locomotion abilities, lying area, social environment, management, feeding, and health of animals over six months up to slaughter were formed. Index scorings were performed on 237 farms. A most consistent partial A-Index was constructed based on qualitative item analyses. A positive relationship was established between the full A-Index and daily carcase gain. In addition, a preliminary negative relationship was established between the partial A-Index, body fat and mortality. Based on our observations, methods used for quality of life indices in human beings would appear suitable for animal welfare assessment. Practicability and well-defined methodology are the main advantages of Test Theory approach.
Conflicting goals of welfare assessment schemes: a case study
Authors: Ingemann R , Sandøe P , Enemark P , Forkman B
Published: January 2023

The aim of this article is to discuss the farming industry's development and use of welfare assessment schemes. A welfare assessment scheme developed by the Danish Cattle Federation (DCF) is used as a case study. The declared aim of the DCF scheme is to improve animal welfare, farm profitability and dialogue with the public. It is the purpose of this article to attempt to understand the dilemmas arising from this broad aim. We ask how DCF measures of welfare compare with alternative measures in which economic factors receive less emphasis. We bring in farmers’ views on whether the DCF's parameters of welfare track welfare effectively and are economically feasible. We also discuss how the views of the Scandinavian public on animal welfare influences the likelihood that the DCF scheme will improve dialogue with the public. The DCF definition of welfare is broad, but the measures it deploys are more limited and indeed very narrow compared with those in other welfare assessment schemes. This may not be a problem if the goal is to improve farm profitability. However, if the goal is to improve welfare, limited measures are problematic, and this may undermine attempts to improve dialogue with the public.
Effects of perch design on behaviour and health of laying hens
Authors: Struelens E , Tuyttens FAM
Published: January 2023

EU-Directive 1999/74/EC stipulates that furnished cages and non-cage systems for laying hens should be provided with perches. This Directive allows for a wide variety in perch design features possibly affecting perch use and hen health. Perch material and shape mainly affect slipperiness and grip quality and, in this regard, plastic, metal and circular perches are inferior. The incidence of bumble-foot and keel bone deformities can be influenced by perch shape. Perch shapes which reduce localised pressure on the foot pad and the keel-bone are recommended. Several aspects of the arrangement of the perches in the cage or non-cage system are also important. A consistent preference for high perches is seen, provided there is a minimal distance of 19–24 cm between perch and roof. Accessibility of high perches should be ensured, for example by incorporating lower level perches from which hens can reach the higher levels. Such multi-height perch designs also allow behavioural differentiation according to perch height (with most passive behaviour on the higher perches). In non-cage systems, good accessibility can be achieved by minimising the angles between perches at different heights to smaller than 45° and by limiting the distance between horizontal perches to 1 m. The legislated minimum perch length provided per hen (15 cm) adequately allows for synchronised roosting behaviour on straight perches. However, in crosswise perch designs, hens require more perch length per hen as the area close to the cross cannot be used optimally.
COWEL: a decision support system to assess welfare of husbandry systems for dairy cattle
Authors: Ursinus WW , Schepers F , de Mol RM , Bracke MBM , Metz JHM , Koerkamp PWG Groot
Published: January 2023

Animals have various behavioural and physiological needs that are important for welfare. Fulfilment of these needs depends on the quality of housing, management and animal characteristics. The objective of this study was to develop a model to assign welfare scores to husbandry systems for dairy cattle, based on scientific results, and thereby supporting the design of new, welfare-friendly systems. COWEL is a computer-based decision support system that contains attributes regarding housing and management conditions. These attributes are technical specifications that contain various technical units called levels. These levels are ranked from best-to-worst regarding welfare, based on scientific information about animal-based parameters. This information, inserted in the model as statements, was weighted depending on the impact it has on welfare by using weighting categories. Thereafter, a weighting factor was calculated for each attribute which determines how important an attribute is for welfare. The COWEL model contains 2,343 statements on dairy cattle welfare from 476 sources found during a literature survey. The model was applied to four husbandry systems, namely a tie-stall, cubicle housing, a straw yard and a pasture-based system. The welfare scores, calculated by COWEL for these husbandry systems, correspond with the general opinion about these systems. A tie-stall receives a low and a pasture-based system a high welfare score: 211 and 271, respectively. A husbandry system can receive a maximum of 313 on the welfare scale of COWEL. We conclude that COWEL can be used to rank husbandry systems on a welfare scale, and may be a useful tool to develop new, sustainable and welfare-friendly systems for dairy cattle.
Effects of social rank and familiarity on dustbathing in domestic fowl
Authors: Shimmura T , Nakamura T , Azuma T , Eguchi Y , Uetake K , Tanaka T
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of social rank (Experiment 1) and familiarity (Experiment 2) on dust-bathing in domestic hens(Gallus gallus domesticus). We conducted choice tests between two conditions using actual birds as the stimuli and evaluated the effects in terms of quality and quantity of dustbathing performed. Twenty-four, medium-ranked hens were selected as test subjects. The stimuli presented were combinations of a high-ranked hen, a low-ranked hen, or no hen at all for Experiment 1, and a combination of a familiar hen, an unfamiliar hen, or no hen for Experiment 2. The number and duration of dustbaths, wing tosses as well as other behaviours were measured. For Experiment 1, the test hen performed dustbathing more frequently on the side of the hen, regardless of its social rank, when presented with a choice of a high- or low-ranked hen, or no hen. For Experiment 2, the test hen performed dustbathing more frequently on the side of the familiar hen when presented with a familiar hen or no hen, and more frequently on the side of no hen when presented with an unfamiliar hen and no hen. It was concluded that dustbathing was not affected by social rank, and that the quality and quantity of dustbathing was greater on the side of the familiar hen. However, dustbathing was restricted by the presence of an unfamiliar hen.
Health Technology Assessment as a template for assessments in laboratory animal science with a focus on phenotyping protocols
Authors: Thon R , Ritskes-Hoitinga M , Vondeling H
Published: January 2023

This study introduces Health Technology Assessment (HTA) — a systematic, evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to assessing human health technologies, aimed at supporting decision-making in health policy and clinical practice — into laboratory animal science. A conceptual presentation is provided on how the assessment concept of HTA can be adapted to procedures in laboratory animal science (LAS), using phenotyping of mutant mice as an example of how decision-making in this particular setting can be supported. Since a full HTA can be a comprehensive task, a limited version, the Mini-HTA, is introduced, and a proposal for an adapted Mini-HTA form of assessment of phenotyping protocols is presented. It is the conclusion of this study that the principles of HTA could improve the decision-making process, resulting in increased validity of scientific results and animal welfare.
A cage without a view increases stress and impairs cognitive performance in rats
Authors: Harris AP , D’Eath RB , Healy SD
Published: January 2023

Single housing is believed to be chronically stressful and to have a negative impact on welfare and cognition in rats(Rattus norvegicus). However, single housing does not consistently evoke stress-like responses nor does it consistently impair cognitive performance. In an experiment in which all cages were separated by an opaque barrier, single- and pair-housed pigmented (dark-eyed) rats performed equally in a cognitive test and displayed similar levels of anxiety during testing. Additionally, bar biting in the home cage did not differ between the two groups. Stress levels both during cognitive testing and in the home cage were higher than those we have previously reported when rats were housed without opaque barriers between the cages. We conclude that visual interactions between rats in different cages may be of sufficient significance that single housing in a cage with a view to neighbouring rats and to the rest of the laboratory holding room may be preferable to pair housing in a cage without this view.
Is sodium fluoroacetate (1080) a humane poison? The influence of mode of action, physiological effects, and target specificity
Authors: Twigg LE , Parker RW
Published: January 2023

1080 (sodium fluoroacetate)-baiting programmes are an important and often the only option for reducing the impact of invasive vertebrate pests on biodiversity and agricultural production in Australia and New Zealand. These programmes are generally recognised as being target specific, and environmentally and user safe. Nevertheless, although 1080 has few recognised long-term side-effects, its potential to disrupt endocrine systems has been recently raised, and there is some conjecture regarding the humaneness of 1080 for certain target species. However, the assessment of the humaneness of any vertebrate pesticide must be commensurate with its mode of action, metabolism, target specificity, and operational use. This has not always occurred with 1080, particularly regarding these aspects, and its overall effects. The actual risk faced by non-target species during baiting operations is not accurately reflected simply by their sensitivity to 1080. 1080 is not endocrine-disrupting or carcinogenic, and because of the lag phase before signs of poisoning occur, the time from ingestion to death is not a reliable indicator of its humaneness. Moreover, functional receptors and neurological pathways are required to experience pain. However, as 1080 impairs neurological function, mainly through effects on acetylcholine and glutamate, and as this impairment includes some pain receptors, it is difficult to interpret the behaviour of affected animals, or to assess their ability to experience discomfort and pain. This has implications for assessing the merits of including ameliorative agents in 1080 baits aimed at further improving welfare outcomes. We also suggest that the assessment of the humaneness of any vertebrate pesticide should follow the ethical pest control approach, and on this basis, believe that the use of 1080 to reduce the detrimental impacts of invasive vertebrates is ethical, particularly with respect to the expectations of the wider community.
Frequency of nose and tail injuries in cattle and water buffalo at livestock markets in Bangladesh
Authors: Alam MR , Gregory NG , Uddin MS , Jabbar MA , Chowdhury S , Debnath NC
Published: January 2023

A total of 560 cattle and water buffalo were examined at livestock markets in Bangladesh. The aim was to assess the frequency of nose and tail injuries that could have occurred during handling and transport. The frequency of nose piercing was 64%, and 69% of the cattle and 54% of the water buffalo had rubbing or tearing injuries at the nostrils from nose ropes fitted through the pierced hole. Almost half of the nose-pierced animals (47%) had lacerations and ulcerations where the nose rope had rubbed against the nose. Pus at the nostril was observed in 56% of the animals, and 57 and 58% had severe and extended nose injuries, respectively. Nose injuries were more severe in imported Hariana cattle compared with exotic and local breeds. In cattle plus water buffalo, 39% had tail injuries of which the two major abnormalities were absent tail end (2%) and kinked tail (98%). Tail injuries were more common in cattle (51%) than water buffalo (15%). Among the cattle breeds, the frequency of tail injuries in Hariana was 65%. In conclusion, the cattle and water buffalo experienced a number of serious injuries and this calls for greater attention to be paid to handling methods in draught animals in south Asia.
Positive reinforcement training as enrichment for singly housed rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Baker KC , Bloomsmith MA , Neu K , Griffis C , Maloney M
Published: January 2023

Positive reinforcement training is one component of behavioural management employed to improve psychological well-being. There has been regulatory promotion to compensate for restricted social housing in part by providing human interaction to singly caged primates, implying an efficacy standard for evaluating human interaction. The effect of positive reinforcement training on the behaviour of 61 singly housed laboratory rhesus macaques(Macaca mulatta)was evaluated at two large primate facilities. Training involved body part presentation and basic control behaviours. Baseline data were compared to two treatment phases presented in varying order across individuals, six minutes per week of positive reinforcement training and six minutes per week of unstructured human interaction. While a MANOVA involving behavioural categories and study conditions across study subjects was significant, univariate ANOVAs found no effect of phase within any behavioural category. Categorising subjects according to rearing, housing facility, or baseline levels of abnormal behaviour did not reveal changes in behaviour with positive reinforcement training or human interaction. This study failed to detect, to any degree, the types of behavioural changes documented in the scientific literature to result from pairing singly housed monkeys. Implementing short durations of positive reinforcement training across large numbers of singly housed animals may not be the most effective manner for incorporating positive reinforcement training in the behavioural management of laboratory macaques. Rather, directing efforts toward individuals with specific behavioural, management, clinical, research or therapeutic needs may represent a more fruitful approach to improving psychological well-being with this technique.
Responses to short-term exposure to simulated rain and wind by dairy cattle: time budgets, shelter use, body temperature and feed intake
Authors: Schütz KE , Clark KV , Cox NR , Matthews LR , Tucker CB
Published: January 2023

Our objective was to examine how short-term exposure to wind or rain, or the combination of wind and rain, influences behavioural and physiological responses and the motivation for shelter. Twenty-four, non-lactating, pregnant Holstein-Friesian cows were individually housed and allocated one of four treatments (control, wind, rain, wind and rain) created with fans and sprinklers. Feed intake and behavioural and physiological variables were recorded for 22 h. Motivation to use the shelter was assessed by creating a tradeoff between time spent feeding while exposed to the weather treatments and time spent in the shelter. Feeding times were manipulated by placing frames with three different mesh sizes over the feed; the purpose of the smaller mesh was to increase the time spent feeding. However, shelter use was unchanged by these costs. Cows reduced their feed intake by 62% when exposed to rain and the combination of rain and wind. Cows spent approximately 50% of their time in the shelters in all weather treatments and spent little time lying, especially under wet conditions (5.9, 4.4, 2.8, and 1.1 [± 1.4 h] per 22 h for control, wind, rain, and wind/rain treatments, respectively; mean [± SED]). Rain alone, and in combination with wind, decreased skin temperature by 26%, on average. The short-term response to wet conditions was characterised by a marked decline in lying time, feed intake and skin temperature. Wind alone had little effect on these responses, but magnified the effect of simulated rain on feeding behaviour. These results indicate that protection from both rain and the combination of rain and wind is likely to be important for animal welfare, but future work is needed to understand when and how to provide protection to pastured dairy cattle.