Design of nest access grids and perches in front of the nests: Influence on the behavior of laying hens.

In aviary systems for laying hens, it is important to provide suitable nest access platforms in front of the nests, allowing hens to reach and explore each of the nests easily. This access platform is needed to achieve good nest acceptance by the hens and thereby prevent mislaid eggs. In the present experiment, the behavior of hens using 2 different nest access platforms, a plastic grid and 2 wooden perches, was examined. Furthermore, the nests were placed on both sides of the aviary rack (corridor side and outdoor side), either integrated into the aviary rack itself (integrated nest; IN) or placed on the walls of the pens (wall nest; WN), resulting in a 2 × 2 factorial design Four thousand five hundred white laying hens were housed in 20 test pens. The eggs in the nests and mislaid eggs were collected daily, and the behavior of hens on the nest accesses was filmed during wk 25 and 26, using focal observation and scan sampling methods. More balancing, body contact, and agonistic interactions were expected for nests with perches, whereas more walking and nest inspections were expected for nests with grids. There were more mislaid eggs and balancing found in pens equipped with nests with wooden perches. More agonistic interactions and balancing, less standing, and a longer duration of nest inspection were found with the WN compared with the IN. Interactions between platform design and position of the nests were found for duration of nest visits, body contact, and walking, with the highest amount for WN equipped with plastic grids. Nests on the corridor side were favored by the hens. Nest-related behaviors, such as nest inspection, standing, and walking, decreased over time as did the number of hens on the nest accesses, whereas sitting increased. These results indicate that the hens had more difficulties in gripping the perches as designed. The lower number of hens on the nest access platforms in front of IN may be due to a better distribution around nests and tier changes within the aviary rack. Based on these results, grids rather than perches provide for improved nesting behavior.

Influence of front curtain design on nest choice by laying hens.

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of front curtains, one-piece (OP) or sliced in stripes (SL), on the hens' nest preference and laying behaviour in an aviary system. We predicted that hens prefer SL-nests as they could perform nest inspections and enter and leave the nest along its whole width leading to fewer conflicts and more settled laying behaviour. 2. Eight pens containing 20 White Leghorn laying hens were equipped with two roll-away nests, one with OP and one with SL curtains. Laying behaviour was recorded for two days at peak lay in weeks 25 and 26. 3. More nest visits and more nest entries and exits along the whole width of the nest were counted in SL-nests. More sitting events without egg laying were performed in the OP-nests. No differences were found in the number of hens visiting the nests, egg number or aggressive behaviour. 4. Hens appeared to value the seclusion and protection provided by a closed front curtain. However, sliced curtains provided more opportunities to perform nest inspections.

Bronchial asthma: information on phytotherapy with essential fatty acids. Interactions between essential fatty acids and steroid hormones.

The pharmacological treatment of bronchial asthma is based on the inhalation of bronchodilative beta2 agonists and steroid hormones. In view of the therapeutic successes obtained with evening primrose oil in the treatment of neurodermatitis in children, the question arises whether this phytotherapeutic substitution therapy could at least partly replace symptomatic pharmacotherapy in bronchial asthma. It is shown that this will only be successful if one dispenses with the anti-inflammatory effect of the treatment with steroid hormones.

Flavonoids and tannins: plant-based antioxidants with vitamin character.

Persistent activation of the neuroendocrine stress axis is the major cause of a continuous catabolic alteration of the metabolism. This often causes an oxidative stress situation with increased release of O2 and NO radicals and pro-inflammatory cytokines. For the correction of these metabolic states, an adequate supply of plant-based antioxidants, especially flavonoids and tannins, is indicated. These are plant-based polyphenols which, like vitamins cannot be synthesized by the animal organism. Vitamin E in combination with vitamin C and beta-carotene are currently considered worldwide as the standard antioxidative therapy. However, it has recently been shown that, depending on the iron status of the recipient, pharmacological doses of these vitamins sometimes have beneficial, but often also no effect or harmful effects, so that, for a more reliable antoxidative action, adequate dietary supply of a mixture of flavonoids and tannins seems preferable.

The role of the Th-1 to Th-2 shift of the cytokine profiles of CD4 helper cells in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and hypercatabolic diseases.

The task of the immune system is the continuous elimination of endogenous cellular debris and the elimination, when necessary, of exogenous structures. It therefore seems useful and practical to add to the paradigms 'self' and 'not self' the term 'altered self'. The concept of stress, introduced by W. B. Cannon and H. Selye in the 1930s, covers the wide range of aggressive environmental influences which for their part result in a uniform shift of the metabolism in the direction of catabolism. This results from the activation of the neuroendocrine stress axis, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenals, and causes an increased release of catecholamines and glucocorticoids. These latter substances limit life-threatening acute-phase reactions by endogenous inflammation mediators. The purpose of the shift of the cytokine profiles of the CD4 lymphocytes from Th-1 to Th-2 is, with the return of a raised cortisol level to normal values, to temporarily take over the anti-inflammatory functions of the cortisol. A sustained Th-2 shift is an expression of a persistent hypercortisolism in autoimmune states. The suppression of the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisol as a result of states of excessive stress leads to hypercatabolic diseases such as AIDS, sepsis and toxic shock syndrome and protein calorie malnutrition (NAIDS). In the prevention and treatment of AIDS and NAIDS, besides the elimination of the causes of stress, the prophylactic and therapeutic efforts are based mainly on the activation of the mesenchymal production of anabolic matrix components, mainly glycosaminoglycans, and the neutralization of O2 and NO radicals and inflammation mediators from macrophages by polyanions and polyphenols. In our opinion, in sepsis and toxic shock syndromes, lasting reduction of the mortality rates for these diseases is best achieved through the early administration of high intravenous doses of gammaglobulins.

The pathogenesis and prevention of atherosclerosis.

Most measures taken to prevent atherosclerosis still aim at lowering the cholesterol content of the plasma lipoproteins by dietary and pharmacological means. This approach has only proved successful to a limited extent. Diseases secondary to atherosclerosis are still the commonest cause of death in western industrialized countries. As all metabolic processes are regulated by opposing processes of equilibrium, i.e. by processes directed towards performance and recovery, we asked ourselves whether the fatty degeneration and sclerosis of the arteries could be causally related to a continuous dysregulation of these processes. We consider this to be the case, with a continuous deficiency of glycosaminoglycans (heparin, heparinoids) on the endothelial surface of the vessels. Numerous studies indicate that in the case of thinning of the anionic glycosaminoglycan film on the endothelial surface, the lipoprotein-lipase and antithrombin III activity induced by heparin is reduced, as result of which hyperlipoproteinaemia and increased tendency to thrombosis can only by compensated for to an inadequate extent. The formation of glycosaminoglycans is a characteristic of all mesenchymal cells, whereby the exogenous introduction of glycosaminoglycans into the extracellular space is of decisive importance for adequate glycosaminoglycan synthesis. Since Engelberg reported outstanding results obtained with heparin injections in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic disorders of the cardiac circulation, we considered it appropriate to use the well-proven dietary supplement of glycosaminoglycans in rheumatology, in the treatment of arthrosis, as well as in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.

Stress-induced suppression of the cellular immune reactions: on the neuroendocrine control of the immune system.

Immune competence is considered as a state of equilibrium between humoral and cellular immunity. This notion fits well with the functionally antagonistic cytokine profiles in cell groups of CD4(+)-helper cells as described by Mosmann and Coffman. The Th-1 cells release mainly IL-2, IL-12 and IFN gamma and thereby stimulate the cellular immune reactions. Conversely, the Th-2 cells produce predominantly IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10, thus enhancing humoral immune reactions. Recently, it has been shown that the lymphokine profiles in Th-2 are linked to changes of the humoral balance between cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone. These studies show that there exist states of equilibrium between T- and B-cell-mediated immune reactions, which may selectively be altered to the disadvantage of the T-cellular immunity by a stress-induced enhancement of cortisol release. In an attempt to restitute stress-induced immunosuppression, a dampening of the cortisol release hormone in the hypothalamus should, therefore, be of primary importance.

Can we find a solution to the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome controversy? Is acquired immune deficiency syndrome the consequence of continuous excessive stressing of the body?

The time of re-evaluation of the role of human immunodeficiency viruses in the pathogenesis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome has now come, now that methods are available for the direct detection of human immunodeficiency viruses and for the detection of cellular anti-human immunodeficiency virus immune reactions. It has been shown that human immunodeficiency virus infections are common among anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody negative high-risk individuals. The disease is brought under control by cellular immune reactions and the anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody test remains negative. Apart from proof that infection with human immunodeficiency viruses has occurred, a positive result in an anti-human immunodeficiency virus-antibody test is also an indication of an independent immunosuppression state. According to the definition of the Centers of Disease Control classical acquired immune deficiency syndrome is the consequence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus in association with continuous excessive stress, such as observed in the known risk groups. At the center of the pathogenetic process is hypercortisolism-determined damage of T lymphocytes, in which insufficiency of thymus is prominent. For this reason, in our view, there are indications for shifting efforts from the prophylaxis of infection with human immunodeficiency viruses to the prophylaxis of acquired immune deficiency syndrome by reducing stress factors.

[Epidemiology of hepatitis in Swiss hemophiliacs]. / Hepatitisepidemiologie bei Schweizer Hämophilen.

A total of 108 Swiss haemophiliacs (89 haemophilia A and 19 haemophilia B patients) were investigated for the presence of serological hepatitis B virusmarkers and for transaminase abnormalities; the patients were also evaluated regarding hepatitis history. 22% of the patients were found to have a history of acute clinical hepatitis. 82% showed signs of hepatitis B virus (or hepatitis Bs-antigen) exposure: 6% were shown to be hepatitis Bs-antigen carriers, hepatitis B2-antibodies were found in 71% and hepatitis Bc-antibodies in 72% of the patients. 39% of the haemophiliacs showed elevated transaminase activities; it must be assumed that a proportion of the patients of this group have asymptomatic chronic liver disease.