A systematic evaluation of laying hen housing for improved hen welfare

Husbandry practices for egg production vary throughout the world. Current production systems are typically classified as caged, cage-free, or free range in terms of housing style. The research presented supplements the existing knowledge base for laying-hen housing. Where possible, a systematic assessment approach was used in the comprehensive literature review, and combined field monitoring and controlled-environment laboratory studies. The results of this research demonstrate: differing environmental conditions and hen health under different housing schemes with varying weather; no difference in heat and moisture production for varying stocking density and group size; no clear advantage of offering additional space for coping with heat challenge; and the design and initial application of a preference chamber for assessing environmental preferences of laying hens

Exploring Mindset's Applicability to Students' Experiences with Challenge in Transformed College Physics Courses

The mindset literature is a longstanding area of psychological research focused on beliefs about intelligence, response to challenge, and goals for learning (Dweck, 2000). However, the mindset literature's applicability to the context of college physics has not been widely studied. In this paper we narrow our focus toward students' descriptions of their responses to challenge in college physics. We ask the research questions, "can we see responses to challenge in college physics that resemble that of the mindset literature?" and "how do students express evidence of challenge and to what extent is such evidence reflective of challenges found in the mindset literature?" To answer these questions, we developed a novel coding scheme for interview dialogue around college physics challenge and students' responses to it. In this paper we present the development process of our coding scheme. We find that it is possible to see student descriptions of challenge that resemble the mindset literature's characterizations. However, college physics challenges are frequently different than those studied in the mindset literature. We show that, in the landscape of college physics challenges, mindset beliefs cannot always be considered to be the dominant factor in how students respond to challenge. Broadly, our coding scheme helps the field move beyond broad Likert-scale survey measures of students' mindset beliefs

Learning, Continuity and Change in Adult Life [Wider Benefits of Learning Research Report No. 3]

This report presents results from extensive fieldwork carried out by the Wider Benefits of Learning research team. It presents an original analytical framework developed specifically for this study, combined with empirical results from 140 in-depth biographical interviews in three different areas of England. The interviews explore the way learning affects people’s health and well-being; their family lives; and their engagement in civic activity. The report addresses these effects at both an individual and collective level. It concludes with a set of significant policy implications

Digital collections offer researchers opportunities to develop new skills and scholarly communications networks

Digital collections, such as those built in libraries and other cultural heritage institutions, are being used less as mere static repositories but rather as live, interactive resources. Harriett Green and Angela Courtney have examined humanities researchers’ needs for digital collections and learned that they are not only essential to scholars’ ability to access materials but also influence multiple aspects of their research practices. Digital collections offer researchers opportunities to develop their digital scholarship skills and enhance their scholarly communications activities

Adaptive Programming in Fragile, Conflict and Violence-Affected Settings, What Works and Under What Conditions?: The Case of Pyoe Pin, Myanmar

This paper examines adaptive approaches in aid programming in a fragile, conflict and violence-affected setting (FCVAS), namely Myanmar. A combination of desk review and field research has been used to examine some of the assertions around the ‘adaptive management’ approach, which has arisen in recent years as a response to critiques of overly rigid, pre-designed, blue-print and linear project plans. This paper explores if and how adaptive approaches, including rapid learning and planning responses (fast feedback loops and agile programming) are particularly relevant and useful for promoting empowerment and accountability in such ‘messy places’. This case study focuses on Pyoe Pin (‘Young Shoots’), a DFID-funded, British Council managed governance programme, which has been running since 2007

Characterization of the lucinid bivalve-bacteria symbiotic system: the significance of the geochemical habitat on bacterial symbiont diversity and phylogeny

Extensive characterization of a single lucinid bivalve habitat was conducted to characterize the relationship between host bivalve and thiotrophic bacterial endosymbionts. For lucinids, the ecological and evolutionary relationships between hosts and endosymbionts are poorly understood. Reconstructing the evolutionary history of lucinid endosymbiosis, and the geologic significance of the association, has been hampered by insufficient knowledge of endosymbiont ecology and taxonomic diversity. Host organisms (Lucinisca nassula and Phacoides pectinatus) were collected from Cedar Keys, Florida, within the top 15-20 cm of the sediment in sea grass beds. PCR amplification and sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes from lucinid gills and sediment cores retrieved ~900 sequences. Based on comparative phylogenetic methods, gill endosymbiont sequences were most closely related to uncultured Gammaproteobacteria associated with symbiosis, and specifically to lucinid endosymbionts (97-99% sequence similarity) and not to free-living organisms. Not all gill sequences were genetically identical, with intra- and inter-gill sequence diversity. Sediment diversity was high, represented by 13 major taxonomic groups, including equally dominant Chloroflexi, and Delta- and Gammaproteobacteria. Other organisms included the Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, Spirochetes, and Firmicutes. Rare (\u3c0.3%) sequences from the sediment were related to lucinid gill endosymbionts. Results support the hypothesis that recruitment of free-living organisms is likely. Based on habitat geochemistry, however, the bacteria are constrained to reducing conditions, and this may be reflected in the habitat types colonized by the host. Habitat-host-symbiont diversity was evaluated from other locations from Florida and The Bahamas. 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from those hosts revealed that not all lucinid endosymbionts belong to the Gammaproteobacteria, because some sequences were most closely related to Alphaproteobacteria. One sequence was most closely related to Methylobacterium spp., which may indicate that dual symbiosis (thiotrophy and methanotrophy) in lucinid bivalves may be possible. Together, these results are significant to paleoecological and evolutionary studies using lucinids in the fossil record (e.g. isotope studies)

Development of a Novel Environmental Preference Test System for Laying Hens and Its Initial Application to Assess Hen Aversion to Atmospheric Ammonia

An environmental preference test chamber (EPTC) was designed, constructed, and utilized in an initial test for response of laying hens to atmospheric ammonia. The EPTC featured four interconnected, individually ventilated clear acrylic compartments. Each compartment contained a wire-mesh cage that was divided into two sections, one section used for a test bird to navigate between the compartments and the other section used for three stimulus birds to reside in each compartment. The EPTC was designed to assess individual bird preference without isolation effects. The section dividers may be removed to assess group preference. An initial experiment was conducted with six test hens to assess bird aversion to atmospheric ammonia. Each hen was trained to navigate the inter-compartment door prior to the aversion test. Following one day of acclimation to the chamber, behavioral data of the hen were collected for 2 days at ambient conditions (baseline) and 3 days at ammonia level of 25 ppm vs. \u3c10 ppm. Hen location (compartment) was documented and compared for baseline and treatment periods. All hens learned to navigate the chamber within 10 h; 4 of the 6 hens learned within 2 h. No preference for the level of ammoniated condition was observed with regard to occupancy of the corresponding compartment or number of entries into each environment. Further investigation is warranted to determine if this finding is a lack of aversion or other phenomenon. The EPTC will also enable future users to examine preference responses of hens to other environmental conditions, such as thermal comfort vs. air quality

Effects of Stocking Density and Group Size on Thermoregulatory Responses of Laying Hens under Heat Challenging Conditions

Sectors of the US cage layer industry have begun adopting practices of reduced stocking density (i.e., increased cage floor space) and varying group sizes. This study was conducted with 24 groups of 48 W-36 laying hens (39 to 46 weeks old) to assess the effects of cage floor space or stocking density (SD) (348, 387, 465, or 581 cm2/bird; 54, 60, 72, or 90 in2/bird) and group size (GS) (8 or 16 birds/cage) on the ability of the hens to cope with heat challenge. Data were collected at thermoneutral (24oC or 76oF) and warm conditions (32oC or 90oF and 35oC or 95oF). No differences in core body temperature (CBT) of the hens were observed among the treatment regimens at 24oC. In general, mean CBT increased with heat exposure duration (P\u3c0.0001) but leveled off after the 32oC phase. At 32oC, CBT was higher for GS of 16 vs. 8 (42.3 vs. 42.1oC, P=0.05); higher for SD of 348 and 387 cm2/bird than for 465 or 581 cm2/bird (42.4 and 42.2oC vs. 41.9 and 42.1oC, respectively, P=0.009). Bird body mass decreased as heat exposure duration increased (P\u3c0.0001), but no differences were observed among the treatments. No mortalities were observed during the thermoneutral period, and the mortality rate increased with heat exposure duration. The results indicate that, while CBT was lower for lower stocking density, the increased space was not sufficient to offer a clear benefit for coping with heat challenge of 32oC or 35oC