Age-dependent genetic architectures of chicken body weight explored by multidimensional GWAS and molQTL analyses.

Chicken body weight (BW) is a critical trait in breeding. Although genetic variants associated with BW have been investigated by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the contributions of causal variants and their molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear in chickens. In this study, we construct a comprehensive genetic atlas of chicken BW by integrative analysis of 30 age points and 5 quantitative trait loci (QTL) across 27 tissues.

Calcium deposition in chicken eggshells: role of host genetics and gut microbiota.

Eggshell is predominantly composed of calcium carbonate, making up about 95% of its composition. Eggshell quality is closely related to the amount of calcium deposition in the shell, which requires chickens to maintain a robust state of calcium metabolism. In this study, we introduced a novel parameter, Total Eggshell Weight (TESW), which measures the total weight of eggshells produced by chickens over a period of 10 consecutive d, providing valuable information on the intensity of calcium metabolism in chickens.

Integrating Bioinformatics and Machine Learning for Genomic Prediction in Chickens.

Genomic prediction plays an increasingly important role in modern animal breeding, with predictive accuracy being a crucial aspect. The classical linear mixed model is gradually unable to accommodate the growing number of target traits and the increasingly intricate genetic regulatory patterns. Hence, novel approaches are necessary for future genomic prediction.

Runs of homozygosity and selection signature analyses reveal putative genomic regions for artificial selection in layer breeding.

Background: The breeding of layers emphasizes the continual selection of egg-related traits, such as egg production, egg quality and eggshell, which enhance their productivity and meet the demand of market. As the breeding process continued, the genomic homozygosity of layers gradually increased, resulting in the emergence of runs of homozygosity (ROH). Therefore, ROH analysis can be used in conjunction with other methods to detect selection signatures and identify candidate genes associated with various important traits in layer breeding.

Host genetics and gut microbiota jointly regulate blood biochemical indicators in chickens.

Blood biochemical indicators play a crucial role in assessing an individual's overall health status and metabolic function. In this study, we measured five blood biochemical indicators, including total cholesterol (CHOL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-CH), and blood glucose (BG), as well as 19 growth traits of 206 male chickens. By integrating host whole-genome information and 16S rRNA sequencing of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, and feces microbiota, we assessed the contributions of host genetics and gut microbiota to blood biochemical indicators and their interrelationships.

Genetic and microbiome analysis of feed efficiency in laying hens.

Improving feed efficiency is an important target for poultry breeding. Feed efficiency is affected by host genetics and the gut microbiota, but many of the mechanisms remain elusive in laying hens, especially in the late laying period. In this study, we measured feed intake, body weight, and egg mass of 714 hens from a pedigreed line from 69 to 72 wk of age and calculated the residual feed intake (RFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR).

Investigation of Volumetric Block Proportion (VBP) Effect on Excavation-Induced Ground Response of Talus-like Rock Mass Based on DEM Simulations.

Due to the complexity of the talus-like rock mass with different values of volumetric block proportion (VPB), it is thus crucial to explore the VBP effect on the excavation-induced ground responses. We conduct a series of 2D DEM (discrete element method) simulations on a common circular tunnel excavation in the talus-like rock mass with different VBPs (0%, 15%, 50%, 85% and 100%). For each VBP, two support scenarios, i.

Experimental and DEM-Based Numerical Studies on the Shearing Characteristics of Talus-like Rock Mass.

The talus-like rock mass is a special kind of geomaterial widely distributed in southwestern China, which has induced serious engineering disasters for tunneling engineering. However, the mechanical behavior of the talus-like rock mass remains unclear as the previous studies mainly focused on similar geomaterials such as the soil-rock mixtures. In this paper, we have carried out both experimental and discrete element method (DEM)-based numerical analyses to investigate the shearing characteristics of the talus-like rock mass collected from a real project site.

De Novo Assembly of 20 Chicken Genomes Reveals the Undetectable Phenomenon for Thousands of Core Genes on Microchromosomes and Subtelomeric Regions.

The gene numbers and evolutionary rates of birds were assumed to be much lower than those of mammals, which is in sharp contrast to the huge species number and morphological diversity of birds. It is, therefore, necessary to construct a complete avian genome and analyze its evolution. We constructed a chicken pan-genome from 20 de novo assembled genomes with high sequencing depth, and identified 1,335 protein-coding genes and 3,011 long noncoding RNAs not found in GRCg6a.

The Spatial and Temporal Characterization of Gut Microbiota in Broilers.

The gut microbiota of chickens plays an important role in host physiology. However, the colonization and prevalence of gut microbiota have not been well-characterized. Here, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on the duodenal, cecal and fecal microbiota of broilers at 1, 7, 21, and 35 days of age and characterized the dynamic succession of microbiota across the intestinal tract.

Microbiota continuum along the chicken oviduct and its association with host genetics and egg formation.

The microbiota of female reproductive tract have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their effects on host fitness. However, the microbiota throughout the chicken oviduct and its symbiotic relationships with the host have not been well characterized. Here, we characterized the microbial composition of six segments of the reproductive tract, including the infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus, vagina and cloaca, in pedigreed laying hens with phenotypes of egg quality and quantity.

Highly Efficient All-Polymer Solar Cells Processed from Nonhalogenated Solvents.

The remarkable advance of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) achieved in the past decades is primarily powered by the innovation of polymer acceptors. However, most of high-performance all-PSCs are dominantly fabricated with halogenated solvents, which are detrimental to human bodies and the environment. Herein, eco-friendly solvent-processed all-PSCs were developed, based on wide-bandgap polymer poly[4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexylthio)thiophen-2-yl)-benzo-[1,2-b;4,5-b']dithiophene-alt-2,5-di(butyloctylthiophen-2-yl) -thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole] (PSTZ) as donor and newly synthesized narrow-bandgap polymer 5,6-dicyano-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole indacenodithiophene (DCNBT-IDT) as acceptor.

Vocal Features: From Voice Identification to Speech Recognition by Machine.

This article considers machine methods used in the collection, processing, and application of vocal recordings for speaker identification and speech recognition between 1908 and 1970. The first phonographic archives featured collections of "vocal portraits" that prompted international investigations into the essential features of human voices for individual identification. Visual records of speech later found the same applications, but as "voiceprint identification" via sound spectrography began to achieve legal and commercial success in the 1960s, the procedure attracted more widespread scientific attention, which ultimately discredited both its accuracy and its rationale.