The microbiome is important to all animals, including poultry, playing a critical role in health and performance. Low-dose antibiotics have historically been used to modulate food production animals and their microbiome. Identifying alternatives to antibiotics conferring similar modulatory properties has been elusive. The purpose of this study was to determine if a host-tailored probiotic could recapitulate effects of a low-dose antibiotic on host response and the developing microbiome. Over 13 days of life, turkey poults were supplemented continuously with a low-dose antibiotic or oral supplementation of a prebiotic with or without two different probiotics (8 cage units, n = 80 per group). Gastrointestinal bacterial and fungal communities of poults were characterized by 16S rRNA gene and ITS2 amplicon sequencing. Localized and systemic host gene expression was assessed using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq), kinase activity was assessed by avian-specific kinome peptide arrays, and performance parameters were assessed. We found that development of the early-life microbiome of turkey poults was tightly ordered in a tissue- and time-specific manner. Low-dose antibiotic and turkey-tailored probiotic supplementation, but not nontailored probiotic supplementation, elicited similar shifts in overall microbiome composition during development compared to controls. Treatment-induced bacterial changes were accompanied by parallel shifts in the fungal community and host gene expression and enhanced performance metrics. These results were validated in pen trials that identified further additive effects of the turkey-tailored probiotic combined with different prebiotics. Alternative approaches to low-dose antibiotic use in poultry are feasible and can be optimized utilizing the indigenous poultry microbiome. Similar approaches may also be beneficial for humans. IMPORTANCE Alternative approaches are greatly needed to reduce the need for antibiotic use in food animal production. This study utilized a pipeline for the development of a host-tailored probiotic to enhance performance in commercial turkeys and modulate their microbiota, similar to the effects of low-dose antibiotic administration. We determined that a host-tailored probiotic, developed in the context of the commercial turkey gut microbiome, was more effective at modulating these parameters than a nontailored probiotic cocktail. Furthermore, the host-tailored probiotic mimicked many of the effects of a low-dose antibiotic growth promoter. Surprisingly, the effects of the antibiotic growth promoter and host-tailored probiotic were observed across kingdoms, illustrating the coordinated interkingdom effects of these approaches. This work suggests that tailored approaches to probiotic development hold promise for modulating the avian host and its microbiota.

Further numerical experience on quasi-Monte Carlo integration is established. Different kinds of low discrepancy point sequences including Halton, Sobol', Faure, and Niederreiter sequences are considered and a new family of test functions is used.

Summary : Introduction The aim of this study was to determine dental status and prosthetic rehabilitation in elderly population in relation to socioeconomic factors in Republika Srpska. Material and Methods The study included 262 subjects (133 males and 129 females) aged 65-74 years. Dental status was assessed using DMFT index and its components (D - decayed, M - extracted, F - filled tooth) and analysed in relation to socioeconomic factors: gender, level of education and monthly income. Prosthetic restorations were recorded for both jaws in accordance with criteria of the World Health Organisation. Results The mean DMFT was 27.2. Females had the highest DMFT index score (29.1) while highly educated subjects had the lowest score (22.7). The mean number of missing teeth was 22.7. There were 28.2% edentulous respondents. Significant difference in the number of edentulous persons was recorded in relation to gender, education and monthly income. In total, 16.8% of subjects had functional dentition (≥20 natural teeth). 48.5% and 32.1% of elderly respondents were found to have at least one form of prosthetic restoration in upper and lower jaw, respectively. Complete dentures were the most common prosthetic restorations. Conclusion Socioeconomic factors influenced dental status in elderly population. Removable dentures were more common restorations compared to crowns and bridges.

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Introduction. Dental caries has been one of the oldest but still one of the most common oral diseases in humans. Even though it has been almost eradicated in developed countries due to increased fluoride use, adoption of proper oral hygiene habits and systematic implementation of preventive programs, caries remained one of leading oral diseases in developing countries. Epidemiological data about the prevalence of caries is very important for prediction of need for dental care, number of dental care providers as well as financial aspect. The aim of this study was to determine dental status and indicate dental treatment need in adults of the municipality of Foca, Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). Material and Methods. The study included 244 randomly selected residents (131 males and 113 females) from the municipality of Foca which were divided into three age groups: 20-29, 30-39 and 40-49 years. Dental status and need for dental treatment were determined in accordance to the criteria and methodology of the World Health Organization. Results. Mean value of DMFT index was 12.7 for the first age group, 16.4 for the second and 20.5 for the third age group of respondents. Dominant components in the first group were restored and carious teeth while in the third age group number of extracted teeth dominated. Also, in the third age group of respondents need for one and two or more surfaces fillings was significantly lower (p<0.01), but need for removable dentures was significantly higher (p<0.01) as compared to other two groups. Conclusion. These results indicated high value of DMFT index in adult population of the municipality of Foca.