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Individual pig detection and tracking is an important requirement in many video-based pig monitoring applications. However, it still remains a challenging task in complex scenes, due to problems of light fluctuation, similar appearances of pigs, shape deformations, and occlusions. In order to tackle these problems, we propose a robust on-line multiple pig detection and tracking method which does not require manual marking or physical identification of the pigs and works under both daylight and infrared (nighttime) light conditions. Our method couples a CNN-based detector and a correlation filter-based tracker via a novel hierarchical data association algorithm. In our method, the detector gains the best accuracy/speed trade-off by using the features derived from multiple layers at different scales in a one-stage prediction network. We define a tag-box for each pig as the tracking target, from which features with a more local scope are extracted for learning, and the multiple object tracking is conducted in a key-points tracking manner using learned correlation filters. Under challenging conditions, the tracking failures are modelled based on the relations between responses of the detector and tracker, and the data association algorithm allows the detection hypotheses to be refined; meanwhile the drifted tracks can be corrected by probing the tracking failures followed by the re-initialization of tracking. As a result, the optimal tracklets can sequentially grow with on-line refined detections, and tracking fragments are correctly integrated into respective tracks while keeping the original identifications. Experiments with a dataset captured from a commercial farm show that our method can robustly detect and track multiple pigs under challenging conditions. The promising performance of the proposed method also demonstrates the feasibility of long-term individual pig tracking in a complex environment and thus promises commercial potential.

Objective In light of the replication crisis, transparency is critical for impactful research. This is particularly relevant for animal-based research fields, like Applied Ethology, where ethical obligations demand both scientific integrity and responsible use of animals. While Open Science practices are well-established in some fields, especially psychology, they remain limited in the field of Applied Ethology, for which there is also a lack of standardised guidelines and training. To assess the prevalence of different Open Science practices in this field, we surveyed attendees of the 2021 virtual International Society for Applied Ethology Congress. Results Of 372 invitations, 112 surveys were completed (30.1%). Preprints (25%) and preregistration (9%) were uncommon, with lack of training cited as the main barrier. Of those who had published a preprint/preregistered study protocol, preprints were mainly used for result dissemination (81%) and preregistration for quality control and integrity (56%). 27% reported always sharing their data, 57% shared sometimes, and 15% never shared their data. Sharing data as supplementary material was most common, only a minority used data repositories and only 21% of respondents had heard of the FAIR principles.

Macaques are often motivated to perform in neuroscientific experiments by implementing fluid restriction protocols. Daily access to water is controlled and the monkeys are rewarded with droplets of fluid for performing correct trials in the laboratory. Although these protocols are widely used and highly effective, it is important from a 3Rs perspective to investigate refinements that may help to lessen the severity of the fluid restriction applied. We assessed the use of social stimuli (images of conspecifics) as rewards for four rhesus macaques performing simple cognitive tasks. We found that individual preferences for images of male faces, female perinea and control stimuli could be identified in each monkey. However, using preferred images did not translate into effective motivators on a trial-by-trial basis: animals preferred fluid rewards, even when fluid restriction was relaxed. There was no difference in the monkeys' performance of a task when using greyscale versus colour images. Based on our findings, we cannot recommend the use of social stimuli, in this form, as a refinement to current fluid restriction protocols. We discuss the potential alternatives and possibilities for future research.

Positive relationships between the home literacy environment and children’s language and literacy development are well-established. However, existing literature has overlooked the potential contributions of the home music environment. Initial evidence indicates positive relationships between the home music environment and children’s emerging language and literacy skills, yet it remains unclear whether and how children’s home music and literacy environments may be related. Furthermore, parents’ sense of self-efficacy is known to impact the home environment provided for their children. Despite being linked with the home literacy environment, parental self-efficacy has not been directly investigated in relation to the home music environment. In the present study, 124 caregivers of preschoolers completed a one-time online survey about their children’s home music environment, home literacy environment, and parental self-efficacy. Partial correlations and hierarchical regressions reveal that children’s amount of music exposure is associated with qualitative (not quantitative) aspects of the home literacy environment, specifically parents’ use of interactive techniques during shared reading. Moreover, parental self-efficacy is associated with children’s amount of exposure to music. Overall, these findings support the need to further examine how the home music environment may meaningfully contribute to an enriching learning environment, especially to support language and literacy development.

Piling is a behavior in laying hens whereby individuals aggregate in larger densities than would be normally expected. When piling behavior leads to mortalities it is known as smothering and its frequent but unpredictable occurrence is a major concern for many egg producers. There are generally considered to be three types of piling: panic, nest box and recurring piling. Whilst nest box and panic piling have apparent triggers, recurring piling does not, making it an enigmatic and ethologically intriguing behavior. The repetitive nature of recurring piling may result in a higher incidence of smothering and could have unconsidered, sub-lethal consequences. Here, we consider the possible causes of recurring piling from an ethological perspective and outline the potential welfare and production consequences. Drawing on a wide range of literature, we consider different timescales of causes from immediate triggers to ontogeny and domestication processes, and finally consider the evolution of collective behavior. By considering different timescales of influence, we built four hypotheses relevant to the causes of piling, which state that the behavior: (i) is caused by hens moving toward or away from an attractant/repellent; (ii) is socially influenced; (iii) is influenced by early life experiences and; (iv) can be described as a maladaptive collective behavior. We further propose that the following could be welfare consequences of piling behavior: Heat stress, physical injury (such as keel bone damage), and behavioral and physiological stress effects. Production consequences include direct and indirect mortality (smothering and knock-on effects of piling, respectively), potential negative impacts on egg quality and on worker welfare. In future studies the causes of piling and smothering should be considered according to the different timescales on which causes might occur. Here, both epidemiological and modeling approaches could support further study of piling behavior, where empirical studies can be challenging.

Introduction Inflammatory markers have long been observed in the brain, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and plasma of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, suggesting that inflammation contributes to AD and might be a therapeutic target. However, non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug trials in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) failed to show benefit. Our previous work seeking to understand why people with the inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis are protected from AD found that short‐term treatment of transgenic AD mice with the pro‐inflammatory cytokine granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) led to an increase in activated microglia, a 50% reduction in amyloid load, an increase in synaptic area, and improvement in spatial memory to normal. These results called into question the consensus view that inflammation is solely detrimental in AD. Here, we tested our hypothesis that modulation of the innate immune system might similarly be used to treat AD in humans by investigating the ability of GM‐CSF/sargramostim to safely ameliorate AD symptoms/pathology. Methods A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial was conducted in mild‐to‐moderate AD participants (NCT01409915). Treatments (20 participants/group) occurred 5 days/week for 3 weeks plus two follow‐up (FU) visits (FU1 at 45 days and FU2 at 90 days) with neurological, neuropsychological, blood biomarker, and imaging assessments. Results Sargramostim treatment expectedly changed innate immune system markers, with no drug‐related serious adverse events or amyloid‐related imaging abnormalities. At end of treatment (EOT), the Mini‐Mental State Examination score of the sargramostim group increased compared to baseline (P = .0074) and compared to placebo (P = .0370); the treatment effect persisted at FU1 (P = .0272). Plasma markers of amyloid beta (Aβ40 [decreased in AD]) increased 10% (P = .0105); plasma markers of neurodegeneration (total tau and UCH‐L1) decreased 24% (P = .0174) and 42% (P = .0019), respectively, after sargramostim treatment compared to placebo. Discussion The innate immune system is a viable target for therapeutic intervention in AD. An extended treatment trial testing the long‐term safety and efficacy of GM‐CSF/sargramostim in AD is warranted.

Background To protect children’s right to optimal nutrition, WHO/UNICEF developed a Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding, endorsed by all 53 WHO/EURO Member States. The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBT i ) is a tool for monitoring implementation of the Global Strategy. It comprises 15 indicators, ten referring to policies and programmes, and five to feeding practices. Each is scored on a scale of 10, giving a total score of 150 for Global Strategy implementation. To date, 18 WHO/EURO Member States – Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and United Kingdom – have conducted a WBT i assessment and produced a report. Methods Between June 2018 and May 2019, all 18 WBT i European reports were carefully read and analysed by a group of national WBT i coordinators. Descriptive data analysis, including inter-country comparisons, was conducted using frequencies and percentages. This paper summarises the findings. The full 88-page report will be published on the WBT i website. Results Three-quarters of 18 European countries have adequate maternity protection, and two-thirds have breastfeeding initiation rates of 50% or higher. However, ‘Preparedness and planning for appropriate and safe Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) in emergencies’ is seriously neglected. Breastfeeding duration is far below WHO recommendations, with an average of 8.7 months. Only three European countries have a budget allocated for implementing IYCF policies and plans, and a third currently have no Baby-friendly designated maternity facilities. Bottle feeding is prevalent, despite its inherent risks, monitoring of IYCF practices is inadequate, with most countries not routinely collecting data, and violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes are commonplace. Conclusions European governments are not doing enough to protect, promote and support sound infant and young child feeding practices. Political commitment at the highest level and adequate funding are required to ensure optimal IYCF for Europe’s babies. This report highlights worrying gaps, thereby providing governments, international organisations and other concerned parties with an opportunity to invest in priority areas and, by doing so, hopefully create a better future for our babies.

A recent study by Baye and Monseur (Large Scale Assess Educ 4:1–16, 2016) using large, international educational data sets suggest that the “greater male variation hypothesis” is well supported. Males are often over-represented at the tails of the ability distribution despite similarity in measures of central tendency and the gradual closing of the attainment gap relative to females. In this study, we replicate and expand Baye and Monseur’s work, and explore greater male variability by country using meta-analysis and meta-regression. While we broadly confirm that variability is greater for males internationally, we find that there is significant heterogeneity between countries, and that much of this can be quantified using variables applicable across these assessments (such as test, year, male–female effect size, mean country score and Global Gender Gap Indicators). While it is still not possible to make any causal conclusions regarding why males are more varied than females in academic assessments, it is possible to show that some national level variables effect the magnitude of this variation. Results and suggestions for further work are discussed.

Implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding varies widely among countries. Policymakers would benefit from insights into obstacles and enablers. Our aim was to explore the processes behind the development and implementation of national infant and young child feeding policies and monitoring systems in Europe. A qualitative study design was employed to analyze open text responses from six European countries (Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine) using inductive thematic analysis. Countries were selected based on their World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative scores on national policy and monitoring systems. The 33‐item online questionnaire was distributed to country representatives and completed by country teams. Key enablers and strengths included strong and continuous government commitment to infant and young child feeding, an operational national breastfeeding authority, a national and active monitoring and evaluation system, implementation of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes in national legislation, the integration of skilled breastfeeding supporters, the implementation of the Baby‐friendly Hospital Initiative, and positive cultural norms and traditions supporting optimal infant and young child feeding. In some countries, UNICEF played a key role in funding and designing policies and monitoring systems. Weak government leadership, the strong influence of the industry, lack of adequate national legislation on the International Code and cultural norms which devalued breastfeeding were particularly noted as obstacles. Government commitment, funding and protection of optimal infant and young child feeding are essential to the implementation of strong national policies and monitoring systems. Key messages Government commitment was essential to the implementation of strong policies and programs, adequate funding and legislation to protect breastfeeding. Cultural norms and traditions lay behind the prioritization of breastfeeding in some countries, while in others severe adversity led to an increased role for UNICEF which provided the framework and funding to establish strong policies and programs. The influence of the formula industry can undermine government priorities, health professional training and public opinion. This study provides lessons for policymakers who wish to protect, promote and support optimal infant and young child feeding.