Accurate calculation of the content volume, density and original weight of museum curated eggs.

Worldwide museums hold collections of eggshells representing material for descriptive studies. However, an obstacle to this is the lack of information about the original contents and weight of the entire egg (W). This study aimed to fill this gap though development of a methodological mechanism for calculating the volume of the egg interior (V), its density (D) and W.

Pear-Shaped Eggs Evolved to Maximize the Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio, Increase Metabolism, and Shorten Incubation Time in Birds.

Bird eggs can be spherical, ellipsoid, ovoid, or pear-shaped (pyriform), the latter being the most complex. There is however no unambiguous evolutionary/adaptive explanation for this final, exotic shape. We hypothesized that pyriform eggs have a larger surface area-to-volume ratio (S/V) that may be a criterion for increased embryo metabolism.

Shell temperature: How shall we tell if a still gosling is under the eggshell?

The present investigation was aimed at predicting a still (i.e., dead) vs.

Metabolic Rate and Egg Production in Japanese Quails Can Be Predicted by Assessing Growth Parameters of Laying Hens.

The aim of the current study was to assess the female metabolic rate and test the hypothesis that there is a relationship between the egg productivity of Japanese quails from eight breeds and their morphometric, or growth, parameters. Parameters measured were body weight (), volume (), and surface area (), as well as the metabolism level expressed by the ratio /. The collected egg performance traits were as follows: the number of eggs produced (), the average egg weight (), and the total egg mass () (i.

Genotyping-by-Sequencing Strategy for Integrating Genomic Structure, Diversity and Performance of Various Japanese Quail () Breeds.

Traces of long-term artificial selection can be detected in genomes of domesticated birds via whole-genome screening using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. This study thus examined putative genomic regions under selection that are relevant to the development history, divergence and phylogeny among Japanese quails of various breeds and utility types. We sampled 99 birds from eight breeds (11% of the global gene pool) of egg (Japanese, English White, English Black, Tuxedo and Manchurian Golden), meat (Texas White and Pharaoh) and dual-purpose (Estonian) types.

A novel model for eggs like pears: How to quantify them geometrically with a mathematical formula of two parameters?

Of the variety of bird egg shapes, perhaps the most fascinating and unusual are pyriform (pear-shaped, or conical) eggs. Among oologists, there is still no consensus on what exactly caused this evolutionary and ecological adaptation. To address this, our research was aimed to develop a minimalistic mathematical model for an accurate description of the pyriform egg contour, using the minimum number of measurements.

A novel approach to egg and math: Improved geometrical standardization of any avian egg profile.

Developing a geometric formulation of any biological object has a number of justifications and applications. Recently, we developed a universal geometric figure for describing a bird's egg in any of the possible basic shapes: spherical, ellipsoidal, ovoid, and pyriform. The formulation proved widely applicable but had a number of drawbacks, including a very obvious join between two parts of the egg.

Disentangling clustering configuration intricacies for divergently selected chicken breeds.

Divergently selected chicken breeds are of great interest not only from an economic point of view, but also in terms of sustaining diversity of the global poultry gene pool. In this regard, it is essential to evaluate the classification (clustering) of varied chicken breeds using methods and models based on phenotypic and genotypic breed differences. It is also important to implement new mathematical indicators and approaches.

Egg-inspired engineering in the design of thin-walled shelled vessels: a theoretical approach for shell strength.

A novel subdiscipline of bionics is emerging in the form of 'egg-inspired engineering' through the use of egg-shaped ovoids as thin-walled tanks and building structures. Hügelschäffer's and Narushin's models of egg geometry are highly applicable within this proposed subdiscipline. Here we conducted a comparative analysis between the two models with respect to some of the most important egg parameters.

Measurement of the neutral axis in avian eggshells reveals which species conform to the golden ratio.

Avian eggs represent a striking evolutionary adaptation for which shell thickness is crucial. An understudied eggshell property includes the neutral axis, a line that is drawn through any bent structure and whose precise location is characterized by the k-factor. Previous studies have established that, for chicken eggs, mean k corresponds to the golden ratio (Φ = 1.

Mathematical progression of avian egg shape with associated area and volume determinations.

Development of nondestructive techniques for estimating egg parameters requires a comprehensive approach based on mathematical theory. Basic properties used to solve theoretical and applied problems in this respect are volume (V) and surface area (S). There are respective formulae for calculating V and S of spherical, ellipsoidal, and ovoid eggs in classical egg geometry; however, the mathematical description and calculation of these parameters for pyriform eggs have remained elusive.

Egg and math: introducing a universal formula for egg shape.

The egg, as one of the most traditional food products, has long attracted the attention of mathematicians, engineers, and biologists from an analytical point of view. As a main parameter in oomorphology, the shape of a bird's egg has, to date, escaped a universally applicable mathematical formulation. Analysis of all egg shapes can be done using four geometric figures: sphere, ellipsoid, ovoid, and pyriform (conical or pear-shaped).

Comparative Mapping of the Macrochromosomes of Eight Avian Species Provides Further Insight into Their Phylogenetic Relationships and Avian Karyotype Evolution.

Avian genomes typically consist of ~10 pairs of macro- and ~30 pairs of microchromosomes. While inter-chromosomally, a pattern emerges of very little change (with notable exceptions) throughout evolution, intrachromosomal changes remain relatively poorly studied. To rectify this, here we use a pan-avian universally hybridising set of 74 chicken bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probes on the macrochromosomes of eight bird species: common blackbird, Atlantic canary, Eurasian woodcock, helmeted guinea fowl, houbara bustard, mallard duck, and rock dove.

Effects of Essential Oils-Based Supplement and Infection on Gene Expression, Blood Parameters, Cecal Microbiome, and Egg Production in Laying Hens.

One of the main roles in poultry resistance to infections caused by is attributed to host immunity and intestinal microbiota. We conducted an experiment that involved challenging Lohmann White laying hens with Enteritidis (SE), feeding them a diet supplemented with an EOs-based phytobiotic Intebio. At 1 and 7 days post-inoculation, the expression profiles of eight genes related to immunity, transport of nutrients in the intestine, and metabolism were examined.