Responses of a resident group to an outsider in the blue-breasted quail: A paradigm for studying social resettlement of dispersers.

Dispersal is an individual life-history trait that can influence the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of both the source and recipient populations. Current studies of animal dispersal have paid little attention to how the responses of residents in a recipient population affect the social resettlement of dispersers into a new habitat. We addressed this question in the blue-breasted quail Synoicus chinensis by designing an outsider introduction experiment to simulate a scenario of interaction between residents and dispersers. In the experiment, we introduced an unfamiliar quail into a group of 3 differently ranked residents and then examined their behavioral responses to the arrival of the outsider. We found that all residents made negative responses by pecking at the outsider to maintain their pecking order, in which high-ranked residents displayed significantly greater intensity than those of lower ranks. This result highlighted that adverse behavioral responses of residents would prevent outsiders from obtaining hierarchical dominance in the recipient group. Moreover, the residents' sex ratio, their relative ages to the outsiders, and whether outsiders counter-pecked at the residents all influenced the probability of outsiders prevailing against the residents. Those outsiders that displayed counter-peck courage were more likely to gain higher dominance and hence resettle into the recipient group successfully. Our findings suggest that resident groups may impose a selection among dispersers via adverse behavioral responses. Therefore, social factors that can influence the resettlement step of dispersers in a new habitat should be accounted for in future studies of animal dispersal.

Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics for Patients on Dialysis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: The current systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic administration on inflammation, metabolic parameters, nutritional status, and uremic toxin in dialysis patients. METHODS: Up to June 2021, publications were searched in Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases. The protocol was submitted to the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews and was approved. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 18 randomized controlled trials which were eligible. This meta-analysis discovered that probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplements could reduce C-reactive protein (standardized mean difference (SMD), -0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.68 to -0.08; P = .01), interleukin 6 (SMD, -0.48; 95% CI, -0.76 to -0.20; P = .00), and indoxyl sulfate (SMD, -0.24; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.01; P = .045) and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (SMD, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.46; P = .025) compared with the control group but had no significant influence on tumor necrosis factor α, albumin, hemoglobin, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, uric acid, or p-cresyl sulfate in dialysis patients. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic administration could reduce C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and indoxyl sulfate and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in dialysis patients. To better examine the impact, large-scale, long-term, controlled diets and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Asymblepharus himalayanus (Scincidae; Sauria) and its phylogenetic position within Scincidae.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Asymblepharus himalayanus, has been determined for the first time by sanger sequencing. The overall length of the mitogenome is 17,304 bp and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a putative control region. The total base composition is 31.2% for A, 27.0% for T, 14.4% for G, and 27.4% for C. The phylogenetic tree with the whole mitochondrial genome sequence of A. himalayanus together with 10 other related species belonging to the family Scincidae was reconstructed, in order to prove the validity of the mitogenome of A. himalayanus. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that A. himalayanus was not nested within Scincella, and further corroborated this species does not belong to the genus of Scincella.

Primary massage using one-finger twining manipulation for treatment of infantile muscular torticollis.

OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to observe the clinical efficacy of primary massage of twining manipulation with one finger (PMTMOF) versus conventional tuina manipulation for treating muscular torticollis. METHODS: A randomized, controlled, single-blind method was employed. Patients received either PMTMOF (experimental group, n = 265) or conventional tuina manipulation (control group, n = 235), once a day, 20 minutes each, for 15 days of treatment. After four treatment courses, sternocleidomastoid muscle morphology and size were detected using two-dimensional ultrasonography; sternocleidomastoid muscle blood flow was monitored by color Doppler ultrasonography; and head-neck deflection and range of motion were used to determine total curative effects. RESULTS: In the treatment group, 55 patients were cured, 120 patients remarkably responded to the treatment, 75 patients effectively responded, and 15 patients were found to have no response. The total effective response rate to the treatment is 94.34%. In the control group, 15 patients were cured, along with very effective results in 60 patients, effective results in 125 patients, and ineffective results in 35 patients, and the total effective rate is 85.11%. A significant difference in total effective rate was found between experimental and control groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PMTMOF produced more obvious curative treatment effects in infantile muscular torticollis than conventional tuina manipulation and could effectively shorten treatment time and avoid sequelae due to delayed healing.