UHPLC-MS/MS-based untargeted lipidomics analysis of septic patients.

BACKGROUND: Lipids take part in many pathophysiological processes of sepsis, thus, the variation of lipid composition may have clue on the severity and pathogen to sepsis. The objective of our study is to expand the profile of lipid compositions and screen potential biomarkers in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis. METHODS: Patients admitted to the ICU clearly diagnosed with celiac sepsis were included in this prospective study. Age-matched healthy participants from the Physical Examination Center were used as the control group. Blood samples were obtained from patients within the first 12 h of admission. We analysed different components of the lipid metabolism between the sepsis patients and controls and described characteristic features during sepsis. RESULTS: Thirty patients with celiac sepsis and 30 sex- and age-matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The lipid metabolic signature was obviously different between the sepsis patients and healthy controls and was mostly downregulated in sepsis patients. We identified 65 lipid species. Sixty-four lipid molecules were found to be significantly downregulated in sepsis patients, and only the level of one phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) molecule, PE (34:2) was higher in the sepsis patients with sepsis group comparing with the control group. The analysis of metabolic pathway illustrated the different lipid molecules were closely related to Phosphatidylcholine (PC), Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and PE. CONCLUSION: Sepsis contributes to impaired expression of most lipids, which mainly result in the disorder of glycerolipid metabolic pathway, including Phosphatidylcholine (PC), Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and PE.

Machine learning for infection risk prediction in postoperative patients with non-mechanical ventilation and intravenous neurotargeted drugs.

Drug efficacy can be improved by understanding the effects of anesthesia on the neurovascular system. In this study, we used machine learning algorithms to predict the risk of infection in postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) patients who are on non-mechanical ventilation and are receiving hydromorphone analgesia. In this retrospective study, 130 patients were divided into high and low dose groups of hydromorphone analgesic pump patients admitted after surgery. The white blood cells (WBC) count and incidence rate of infection was significantly higher in the high hydromorphone dosage group compared to the low hydromorphone dosage groups (p < 0.05). Furthermore, significant differences in age (P = 0.006), body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.001), WBC count (P = 0.019), C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = 0.038), hydromorphone dosage (P = 0.014), and biological sex (P = 0.024) were seen between the infected and non-infected groups. The infected group also had a longer hospital stay and an extended stay in the intensive care unit compared to the non-infected group. We identified important risk factors for the development of postoperative infections by using machine learning algorithms, including hydromorphone dosage, age, biological sex, BMI, and WBC count. Logistic regression analysis was applied to incorporate these variables to construct infection prediction models and nomograms. The area under curves (AUC) of the model were 0.835, 0.747, and 0.818 in the training group, validation group, and overall pairwise column group, respectively. Therefore, we determined that hydromorphone dosage, age, biological sex, BMI, WBC count, and CRP are significant risk factors in developing postoperative infections.

[Nontargeted lipidomic analysis of sera from sepsis patients based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the changes of serum lipidomics in patients with sepsis and healthy controls, search for the differences of lipid metabolites, and reveal the changes of lipidomics in the process of sepsis. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted. From September 2019 to April 2020, morning blood samples of upper extremity superficial veins were collected from 30 patients with definite sepsis diagnosed in intensive care unit (ICU) of Shanxi Bethune Hospital and 30 age-matched healthy subjects during the same period. Serum lipid metabolites were analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), and the quality control samples were analyzed by base peak spectroscopy (BPC) and verified experimental repetition. Student t-test and fold change (FC) were used for screening significant differences in lipid metabolites and determining their expression changes. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal projectionto latent structure discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used to determine the entire allocation of experimental groups apiece, access the quality of being near to the true value of model, and screen the differential lipid metabolites with variable importance of projection (VIP). Finally, Metabo Analyst platform database was used to analyze lipid molecular metabolic pathways. RESULTS: BPC results showed that the experimental repeatability was good and the experimental data was reliable. The main parameter model interpretation rate of PCA model R2X = 0.511, indicating that the model was reliable. The main parameter model interpretation rate of OPLS-DA model R2Y = 0.954, Q2 = 0.913, indicating that the model was stable and reliable. With FC > 2.0 or FC < 0.5, P < 0.05, a total of 72 differential lipid metabolites were obtained based on VIP > 1. Based on Metabo Analyst 5.0, 24 distinguishable lipid metabolites were identified including 8 phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), 7 lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), 6 phosphatidylcholine (PC), 2 lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) and 1 phosphatidylserine (PS). Compared with healthy volunteers, the lipid molecules expression proved down-regulated in most sepsis patients, including PC, LPC, LPE, and some PE, while some PE and PS were up-regulated, which was mainly related to the PE (18:0p/20:4), PC (16:0/16:0) and LPC (18:1) metabolic pathways in glycerophospholipids. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in lipid metabolites between the sera of sepsis patients and healthy volunteers. PE (18:0p/20:4), PC (16:0/16:0) and LPC (18:1) may be new targets for sepsis prediction and intervention.

Effects of blue-green LED lights with two perceived illuminance (human and poultry) on immune performance and skeletal development of layer chickens.

Light is one of the essential environmental factors in the production process of laying hens, which can directly affect their behavior, growth and development, and production performance. The spectral sensitivity of humans is different from that of poultry, and the perceived illuminance units of human and poultry are lux and clux, respectively. If the light management of laying hen production is carried out according to human perceived illuminance, the growth and development of laying hens during pullet rearing may be adversely affected due to the discomfort of the perceived illuminance. Preliminary research has found that blue-green LED light can improve the immune function of laying hens during the brooding and rearing periods. However, the differences of the effects caused by blue-green light on the immune performance and bone development of laying hens during pullet rearing are still unclear for the 2 spectral sensitivities. A total of 120 Jinghong layer chickens were raised from 1 d to 13 wk of age in one of three groups with a white LED light (light intensity unit lux, WL) group, a blue-green LED light (light intensity unit lux, HBGL) group, and blue-green LED light (light intensity unit clux, PBGL) group, and unlimited feed and water were provided during the whole experiment. At 7 and 13 wk of age, the immune performance, bone parameters, and related gene expression were investigated. The results showed that compared with the WL groups, HBGL and PBGL increased the immunoglobulin A (IgA) content at 13 wk of age and the IgM content at 7 wk of age (P < 0.05). The bone mineral density (BMD) at 7 and 13 wk of age and tibial strength (TS) at 13 wk of age of the pullets in the WL group were significantly higher than those in the HBGL and PBGL group (P < 0.05). Osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor gene (OPG mRNA) expression was increased in the layer chickens at the age of 7 and 13 wk for the WL group (P < 0.05). Compared with the WL group and PBGL group, the melanopsin gene (OPN4 mRNA) transcription level of hypothalamus and pineal gland of the chickens under HBGL significantly increased at 7 and 13 wk of age (P < 0.05). In conclusion, blue-green LED light with two perceived illuminance (human and poultry) can increase the Ig content and the immune performance of layer chickens, and blue-green LED light (light intensity unit lux) can promote the expression of OPN4 gene in the hypothalamus and pineal gland. In addition, white LED light can enhance bone quality by increasing tibia OPG gene expression.

Rehabilitation of Sepsis Patients with Acute Kidney Injury Based on Intelligent Medical Big Data.

The objective of this study was to explore rehabilitation of patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) treated with Xuebijing injection by using intelligent medical big data analysis system. Based on Hadoop distributed processing technology, this study designed a medical big data analysis system and tested its performance. Then, this analysis system was used to systematically analyze rehabilitation of sepsis patients with AKI treated with Xuebijing injection. It is found that the computing time of this system does not increase obviously with the increase of cases. The results of systematic analysis showed that the glomerular filtration rate (59.31 ± 3.87% vs 44.53 ± 3.53%) in the experimental group was obviously superior than that in the controls after one week of treatment. The levels of urea nitrogen (9.32 ± 2.21 mmol/L vs. 14.32 ± 0.98 mmol/L), cystatin C (1.65 ± 0.22 mg/L vs. 2.02 ± 0.13 mg/L), renal function recovery time (6.12 ± 1.66 days vs. 8.66 ± 1.17 days), acute physiology and chronic health evaluation system score (8.98 ± 2.12 points vs. 12.45 ± 2.56 points), sequential organ failure score (7.22 ± 0.86 points vs. 8.61 ± 0.97 points), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score (6.89 ± 1.11 points vs. 11.33 ± 1.23 points), and ICU time (16.43 ± 2.37 days vs. 12.15 ± 2.56 days) in the experimental group were obviously lower than those in the controls, and the distinctions had statistical significance (P < 0.05). The significant efficiency (37.19% vs. 25.31%) and total effective rate (89.06% vs. 79.06%) in the experimental group were obviously superior than those in the controls, and distinction had statistical significance (P < 0.05). In summary, the medical big data analysis system constructed in this study has high efficiency. Xuebijing injection can improve the renal function of sepsis patients with kidney injury, and its therapeutic effect is obviously better than that of Western medicine, and it has clinical application and promotion value.

Nodular malignant melanoma in vulvar skin without pigmentation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Polypoid nodule growing without apparent pigmentation on the vulvar skin usually reminds us of the diagnostic pitfall, which is commonly and mistakenly diagnosed as other types of tumors. Although there are several manifestations of amelanotic melanoma are known, these malignancies are usually pigmented because they are derived from melanocytes containing melanin. However, amelanotic melanomas are easily misdiagnosed or their diagnoses were commonly delayed due to lack of pigmentation. Therefore, a solitary polypoid nodule is worth noting and further reporting. Particularly, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of the solitary polypoid nodule are rare in Asian patients. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented an interesting case of a 33-year-old female with a solitary polypoid nodule without apparent pigmentation on her vulvar skin. Her medical history was unclear, no ulcer was seen in the lesion area, and dermatoscopy was indicated a possible tumorous change, which has caught the attention of clinicians, and then further examined by the pathologist. The final diagnosis was nodular malignant melanoma (NM) (Breslow thickness 9.5mm, Clark level 4). CONCLUSIONS: Hence, though reviewing this case record, the relevant literature and NM-related materials, we suggest that the combination of skin imaging technology and histopathological examination could provide us a better understanding and reduce the possibility of misdiagnosis in clinic practice.

Imaging presentation and postoperative recurrence of peliosis hepatis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Peliosis hepatis (PH) is a rare benign lesion of vascular origin with a pathological characteristic of multiple blood-filled cavities in the liver parenchyma. It is commonly misdiagnosed due to its lack of specificity in clinical presentation and laboratory test results. Herein, a case of a patient with PH who was misdiagnosed with hepatic echinococcosis before operation to remove the lesions was analyzed, with an emphasis on the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of PH. CASE SUMMARY: We outline the case of a 40-year-old Chinese female who was admitted with aggravated abdominal pain with fever for 1 wk. Ultrasound examination at the local hospital indicated hepatic echinococcosis. However, discordance between imaging diagnosis, clinical history and laboratory examinations in our hospital. Subsequently, the patient was pathologically confirmed as having PH-like changes, which recurred 1 year after operation removal of the lesion. CONCLUSION: Our objective is to highlight the imaging diagnostic value of PH.

A stable and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of metsulfuron-methyl residues in foods.

A hapten of metsulfuron-methyl was successfully designed and synthesized from 2-methylester-phenylsulfonamide and succinic anhydride, and the polyclonal antibody against metsulfuron-methyl was prepared by immunization procedure with the hapten-bovine serum albumin conjugate. A stable and sensitive direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dcELISA) method had been developed under the optimal conditions. The sensitivity (IC50 ) was 37.03 ± 1.87 µg/L, and the detection line (IC15 ) was 1.57 ± 0.11 µg/L. Rice, wheat, oat, flaxseed, milk, and water were chosen to study the recovery test and the recovery rates were 83.11%-117.44% . The matrix effect was eliminated by a simple dilution of the sample extracts. The results from dcELISA were well agreement with the results from HPLC-MS. It was indicated that the developed method had good accuracy and stability. It could be applied for the detection of metsulfuron-methyl residues. It was worth mentioning that the antibody could recognize metsulfuron-methyl and tribenuron-methyl with cross-reactivities of 100% and 49.72%, respectively. In order to understand the cross-reactivity, molecular modeling including molecular alignment and electrostatic potential surfaces were introduced. It was found that the special group of metsulfuron-methyl played an important role, especially on C3 position of the phenyl group. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: A stable, sensitive, and low-cost dc ELISA method had been developed with good accuracy and applied in the determination of metsulfuron-methyl in foods. Molecular simulation was introduced to understand the specificity between the antibody and the analyst. It was a good method to study the cross-reactivity between the antibody and the analyst or analogue.

Predicting the Risk of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) or Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB) Surgery: Development and Assessment of a Nomogram Prediction Model.

BACKGROUND We sought to create a model that incorporated ultrasound examinations to predict the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 292 patients with AKI after PCI or CPB surgery were enrolled for the study. Afterwards, treatment-related information, including data pertaining to ultrasound examination, was collected. A random forest model and multivariate logistic regression analysis were then used to establish a predictive model for the risk of AKI. Finally, the predictive quality and clinical utility of the model were assessed using calibration plots, receiver-operating characteristic curve, C-index, and decision curve analysis. RESULTS Predictive factors were screened and the model was established with a C-index of 0.955 in the overall sample set. Additionally, an area under the curve of 0.967 was obtained in the training group. Moreover, decision curve analysis also revealed that the prediction model had good clinical applicability. CONCLUSIONS The prediction model was efficient in predicting the risk of AKI by incorporating ultrasound examinations and a number of factors. Such included operation methods, age, congestive heart failure, body mass index, heart rate, white blood cell count, platelet count, hemoglobin, uric acid, and peak intensity (kidney cortex as well as kidney medulla).

Effects of a two-phase mixed color lighting program using light-emitting diode lights on layer chickens during brooding and rearing periods.

The behavior, growth and development, and production performance of poultry are affected by the light environment. The influence of light results from a combination of light sources, light intensity, light color, and the photoperiod regimen. With light-emitting diode (LED) lamps applied in poultry housing systems, specific light colors are desired for each time period for layer chickens. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a 2-phase mixed color lighting program (phase 1: blue-green, 1 D-13 wk; phase 2: yellow-orange, 14-20 wk) using LED lights on the blood parameters, skeletal development parameters, and sexual development parameters of caged layer chickens during their brooding and rearing periods. Fifty-two chickens were raised from 1 D to 20 wk of age in each of the 4 treatment groups with 3 replicates, with white (400-700 nm) light at phase 1 and phase 2 (WL treatment as the control); blue-green (435-565 nm) light at phase 1 followed by yellow-orange (565-630 nm) light at phase 2 (BG-YOL treatment); yellow-orange LED (565-630 nm) light at phase 1 and phase 2 (YOL treatment); and blue-green (435-565 nm) light at phase 1 and phase 2 (BGL treatment). The results showed that the serum Ig concentrations of the layer chickens in the BG-YOL treatment and BGL treatment were higher than those in the WL treatment at 13 wk of age (P < 0.05). At the age of 20 wk, the serum glucose concentration levels of the pullets after the WL and BGL treatments were lower than those after the YOL treatment (P < 0.05). Compared with the WL treatment, the YOL treatment significantly increased the bone mineral density of the layer chickens (P < 0.05), and BG-YOL treatment promoted the development of the sexual organs (oviducts and ovaries) of the laying hens at the age of 20 wk (P < 0.05). For the 50% egg production age, the YOL treatment was earlier than the other 3 treatments. This study demonstrated that appropriately staged spectral control using LED lights could have positive effects on the immune performance, bone development, and production performance of caged layer chickens during their brooding and rearing periods.

Research on Components Assembly Platform of Biological Sequences Alignment Algorithm.

After years of development, the complexity of the biological sequence alignment algorithm is gradually increasing, and the lack of high abstract level domain research leads to the complexity of its algorithm development and improvement. By applying the idea of software components to the design and development of algorithms, the development efficiency and reliability of biological sequence alignment algorithms can be effectively improved. The component assembly platform applies related assembly technology, which simplifies the operation difficulty of component assembly and facilitates the maintenance and optimization of the algorithm. At the same time, a friendly visual interface is used to intuitively complete the assembly of algorithm components, and an executable sequence alignment algorithm program is obtained, which can directly carry out alignment computing.

Synthesis of anionic ionic liquids@TpBd-(SO3)2 for the selective adsorption of cationic dyes with superior capacity.

The discharge of industrial printing and dyeing wastewater is one of the main reasons for the increasing water shortage and deterioration. The treatment of dyestuff wastewater is an issue and needs to be urgently solved. In this work, anionic ionic liquid functional covalent organic materials (COMs) were firstly synthesized and used for the selective adsorption of cationic dyes. First, a series of sulfonic acid group (SO3H)-functionalized anionic TpPa-SO3, TpBd-(SO3)2, and TpCR-(SO3)2 were prepared, respectively, and then imidazole was grafted onto TpBd-(SO3)2 to obtain ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2. The full characterization using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, 13C cross-polarization magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy, zeta-potentials, BET surface and pore analysis indicated that these COMs and ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 exhibited different morphologies, porosities, and potentials. The effects of the type of dye, adsorption time, initial dye concentration, and pH on the adsorption of dyes on ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 were systematically investigated, respectively. The results revealed that ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 possessed good adsorption performance for nine different cationic dyes with adsorption capacities in the range from 2865.3 mg g-1 for methylene blue (MB) to 597.9 mg g-1 for basic orange 2 (BO), but little adsorption for anionic and neutral dyes, revealing charge selectivity. The adsorption ratio of ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 for MB was as high as 74.0% at 10 min by using 1.0 mg material, owing to the post modification of TpBd-(SO3)2 with imidazole. The adsorption of MB on ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 was pH dependent. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics fitted well with the Freundlich and pseudo second-order kinetic model, respectively. Finally, the very outstanding advantages of superior selective adsorption, desorption, convenient preparation, and low density of ImI@TpBd-(SO3)2 predicted its research and application potential in dye wastewater recovery.

Efficient Multiple Sequences Alignment Algorithm Generation via Components Assembly Under PAR Framework.

As a key algorithm in bioinformatics, sequence alignment algorithm is widely used in sequence similarity analysis and genome sequence database search. Existing research focuses mainly on the specific steps of the algorithm or is for specific problems, lack of high-level abstract domain algorithm framework. Multiple sequence alignment algorithms are more complex, redundant, and difficult to understand, and it is not easy for users to select the appropriate algorithm; some computing errors may occur. Based on our constructed pairwise sequence alignment algorithm component library and the convenient software platform PAR, a few expansion domain components are developed for multiple sequence alignment application domain, and specific multiple sequence alignment algorithm can be designed, and its corresponding program, i.e., C++/Java/Python program, can be generated efficiently and thus enables the improvement of the development efficiency of complex algorithms, as well as accuracy of sequence alignment calculation. A star alignment algorithm is designed and generated to demonstrate the development process.

Effects of B-Wave Ultraviolet Supplementation Using Light-Emitting Diodes on Caged Laying Hens during the Later Phase of the Laying Cycle.

Caged laying hens are prone to calcium deficiencies, resulting in osteoporosis and egg quality deterioration during the later phase of the laying cycle. Fluorescent light and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are widely used in poultry houses now, are both deficient in ultraviolet (UV) light, the lack of which is detrimental to chickens' welfare and health. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of UVB light supplementation using LEDs on the bone traits, blood parameters, laying performance, and egg quality for caged laying hens at 68-75 weeks. In total, 120 Jingfen laying hens were randomly assigned to four different groups, with three replicates in each group (10 hens in each cage as a replicate). UVB-LED lamps installed under the feed troughs were used to provide UVB light (296-316 nm) for the birds in the three treatment groups (1 h, 2 h, and 3 h UVB supplementation per day, respectively), while the control group was not exposed to UVB-LED light. Bone traits, egg quality, and amounts of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), and 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in both the serum and egg yolks were tested during the experiment. The results demonstrated that UVB-LED exposure significantly increased the bone mineral density (BMD), egg production, and yolk 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations (p < 0.05), and reduced the content of serum 7-DHC (p < 0.05), especially in the 2 h/day group; however, it did not improve egg quality, vitamin D metabolites, or photoproducts in the serum and yolk 25(OH)2D3 concentrations (p > 0.05). This study concluded that UVB supplementation using LEDs had a positive effect on caged laying hens during the later phase of the laying cycle.

Effects of LED Light Color and Intensity on Feather Pecking and Fear Responses of Layer Breeders in Natural Mating Colony Cages.

Natural mating colony cages for layer breeders have become commonplace for layer breeders in China. However, feather pecking (FP) and cannibalism are prominent in this system. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of four light-emitting diode (LED) light colors (white: WL, red: RL, yellow-orange: YO, blue-green: BG) with two light intensities for each color, on FP, plumage condition, cannibalism, fear, and stress. A total of 32 identical cages were used for the eight treatments (four replicates for each treatment). For both light intensities, hens in RL had a lowest frequency of severe FP, whereas hens in WL had the highest frequency of severe FP. Hens in RL and BG had better plumage conditions than in WL and YO. Compared with RL and BG treatments, hens treated with WL and YO had a significantly longer tonic immobility (TI) duration. Hens treated with RL had a higher concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), a lower concentration of corticosterone (CORT), and a lower heterophil to lymphocyte ratio than WL and YO. Furthermore, RL could significantly reduce mortality from cannibalism. Overall, hens treated with RL and low light intensity showed a lower frequency of severe FP, less damaged plumage, were less fearful, had lower physiological indicators of stress, and had reduced mortality from cannibalism. Transforming the light color to red or dimming the light could be regarded as an effective method to reduce the risk of FP and alleviate the fear responses of layer breeders.

Effects of nest boxes in natural mating colony cages on fear, stress, and feather damage for layer breeders1,2,3.

Colony cages are commonly used in China for the natural mating of layer breeders. However, feather pecking (FP) is a major problem in this system, and feather damage mainly due to FP needs to be alleviated. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nest boxes provided in colony cages. Each colony cage confined 10 roosters and 90 laying hens. The use of nest boxes as it relates to age, feather damage, sexual behavior, fertility, and fearfulness was evaluated. Thyroid hormones, which are considered to be physiological indicators of various forms of stress in poultry and may be correlated with the quality of feather coverage, were also tested. The control group and the nest box group each had 12 replicates, totaling 24 identical cages. Analyses were conducted using the linear mixed models procedure of SPSS Statistics 22.0. The results showed that the control group had a significantly higher proportion of hens with feather damage to 4 specific body regions (back, rump, tail, and belly) compared to the nest box group (P < 0.05). Increasing the use of the nest boxes took place from weeks 41 to 47 and at 53 wk of age, as seen by the percentage of eggs and number of sitting events in the nests, number of hens using the nests, and frequency of visits. There were no significant differences in fertility, the occurrence of mounting, or full copulation behavior between the 2 groups. Hens in the control group showed a significantly longer duration of tonic immobility at 43, 49, and 55 wk of age (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found between groups for the concentration of triiodothyronine or thyroxine, but a significantly higher concentration of corticosterone was measured in the control group than in the nest box group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, hens with access to nest boxes during the laying period had a decreased FP frequency, fewer damaged feathers, lower plasma corticosterone secretion, and were less fearful. This information contributes to the understanding of the FP behavior and stress sensitivity of layer breeders, which will provide a basis for the development and optimization of the colony cage equipment.

Effects of different claw-shortening devices on claw condition, fear, stress, and feather coverage of layer breeders.

Natural mating colony cage systems for parent-stock layer breeders have been widely adopted by many commercial farms in China. However, the environment is still relatively barren, so enrichment devices such as claw abrasives can be provided. Hens living in wire cages lack the opportunity to abrade their claws, resulting in uncontrolled claw growth. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of claw abrasive devices (CADs). Three different CADs were investigated: abrasive strips (T1), metal plates with holes (T2) and rubber mats with grooves (T3); cages without CADs acted as controls (T4). Claw length and sharpness, foot health, feather coverage, fear and physiological stress and mortality of the layer breeders were evaluated. Twelve replicates were used for each treatment, a total of 48 identical cages. Results showed that CADs had significant effects on claw length and sharpness of both hens and roosters. Birds in the T1 group had the shortest claw length and bluntest claw sharpness at 22, 32, 42, and 52 wk of age (P < 0.05). T1, T2, and T3 had higher scores for claw condition and significantly better overall plumage condition on the back and rump than T4 (P < 0.05). Hens in the T4 group were more susceptible to the tonic immobility, novel object, and avoidance distance tests. No significant differences were found between groups in concentration of triiodothyronine, thyroxine or 5-HT, except a significantly higher concentration of corticosterone in T4 compared to T1, T2, and T3 (P < 0.05). Overall mortality and mortality from cannibalism were both significantly higher in T4 than in T1, T2, and T3 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, hens with access to CADs during the laying period had shorter and blunter claws, less damaged plumage, a lower plasma corticosterone secretion and mortality rate and were less fearful.

Electrochemiluminescence sensor based on upconversion nanoparticles and oligoaniline-crosslinked gold nanoparticles imprinting recognition sites for the determination of dopamine.

For the determination of dopamine (DA) in serum samples, a quenching-type electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECLS) was constructed in this study. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) enhanced by covalent organic frameworks (COFs)-based hybrid and oligoaniline-crosslinked gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) imprinting recognition sites were introduced in electrochemiluminescence (ECL) system at the first time. The porous COFs-based hybrid with large specific surface area was modified on the electrode firstly to hold more UCNPs and imprinting recognition sites. AuNPs was employed in the developed sensor for two objectives: 1) AuNPs on the COFs-based hybrid enabled the hybrid to tunnel the electrons, which helped to improve the ECL intensity; 2) AuNPs-based thioaniline units (PATP@AuNPs) electropolymerized on the electrode in the presence of template to form oligoaniline-crosslinked AuNPs matrix. Then the exclusion of template from matrix yielded the molecularly three-dimensional imprinted contours with conductivity, which facilitated specific recognition and further amplified the ECL. The double recognition mode in this work involves the recognition effect of imprinted contours and quenching effect of o-benzoquinone species. The quantum chemical calculation was performed to analyze the possible recognition and the binding mechanisms of molecularly three-dimensional imprinted contours. The results showed imprinted contours could bind the targets by complementary spatial cavities and weak interactions. The proposed approach yielded a wide detection range (10-14-10-6 M), low limit of detection (LOD = 2 ×10-15 M) and acceptable recoveries (93.25-112.97%) in rat serum sample, demonstrating that the developed method holds great promise to be applied to DA detection in practical samples.