-
Poultry Science Sep 2021The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chick pipping location on live broiler performance. A total of 1,350 hatching eggs were collected from a...
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of chick pipping location on live broiler performance. A total of 1,350 hatching eggs were collected from a commercial flock of Ross 308 at 38 wk of age. Eggs were incubated with either their large end up (LEU) or small end up (SEU). After transfer on d 19, the air cell area of each fertile egg was marked with a marker pen on the egg surface with a candling light and monitored every 6 h during the hatching period to accurately determine the location of the pip hole. Chicks were classified into 3 groups: 1) egg position LEU and pipped through the air cell (LAC); 2) egg position SEU and pipped through the air cell (SAC); and 3) egg position SEU and pipped through the small end of the egg, not through the air cell (SSE). Individual BW was recorded at placement and at 7, 21, and 35 d of age. Feed consumption was also determined at 7, 21, and 35 d of age. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated on a pen basis for the same time periods. Mortality was recorded twice a day, and percent mortality was calculated throughout the study. The European production efficiency index (EPEI) was also calculated. All chicks that hatched from LEU eggs emerged from the egg at the region of the air cell; however, only 10.3% of chicks from the SEU position hatched through air cells. Pipping location greatly affected the hatch time. Chicks pipped through the air cell location hatched earlier than the chicks pipped without using air cell (P < 0.001). The initial BW at placement was higher in the LAC and SAC groups than in the SSE group (P < 0.001). This BW difference was still evident in the subsequent growing period, and the chicks that pipped the SSE exhibited a lower (P = 0.059) BW at 35 d. Additionally, the SSE group had a poorer FCR and numerically higher mortality than the other two groups at 35 d. Overall, the EPEI values in the LAC and SAC groups were higher than that in the SSE group at 35 d (P < 0.001). We concluded that broiler performance was negatively affected when the chicks pipped and hatched without using air cells.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Fertility; Ovum
PubMed: 34364119
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101381 -
Computational Intelligence and... 2022The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a worldwide catastrophe and widespread devastation that reeled almost all countries. The pandemic has mounted pressure on the existing...
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a worldwide catastrophe and widespread devastation that reeled almost all countries. The pandemic has mounted pressure on the existing healthcare system and caused panic and desperation. The gold testing standard for COVID-19 detection, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), has shown its limitations with 70% accuracy, contributing to the incorrect diagnosis that exaggerated the complexities and increased the fatalities. The new variations further pose unseen challenges in terms of their diagnosis and subsequent treatment. The COVID-19 virus heavily impacts the lungs and fills the air sacs with fluid causing pneumonia. Thus, chest X-ray inspection is a viable option if the inspection detects COVID-19-induced pneumonia, hence confirming the exposure of COVID-19. Artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are capable of examining chest X-rays in order to detect patterns that can confirm the presence of COVID-19-induced pneumonia. This research used CNN and deep learning techniques to detect COVID-19-induced pneumonia from chest X-rays. Transfer learning with fine-tuning ensures that the proposed work successfully classifies COVID-19-induced pneumonia, regular pneumonia, and normal conditions. Xception, Visual Geometry Group 16, and Visual Geometry Group 19 are used to realize transfer learning. The experimental results were promising in terms of precision, recall, F1 score, specificity, false omission rate, false negative rate, false positive rate, and false discovery rate with a COVID-19-induced pneumonia detection accuracy of 98%. Experimental results also revealed that the proposed work has not only correctly identified COVID-19 exposure but also made a distinction between COVID-19-induced pneumonia and regular pneumonia, as the latter is a very common disease, while COVID-19 is more lethal. These results mitigated the concern and overlap in the diagnosis of COVID-19-induced pneumonia and regular pneumonia. With further integrations, it can be employed as a potential standard model in differentiating the various lung-related infections, including COVID-19.
Topics: Artificial Intelligence; COVID-19; Deep Learning; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia; Radiography, Thoracic
PubMed: 35936981
DOI: 10.1155/2022/7474304 -
Turkish Thoracic Journal Apr 2016Bronchial atresia is usually diagnosed by incidentally detecting opacitiy at hilar ragion and hyperinflation around this opacity on chest X-ray. It may rarely be...
Bronchial atresia is usually diagnosed by incidentally detecting opacitiy at hilar ragion and hyperinflation around this opacity on chest X-ray. It may rarely be detected as air sac like atresic bronchus. The breath sounds in the right hemithorax were heard less when compared to the left hemithorax in the auscultation of a 16-year-old male patient with allergic rhinitis. The patient had no pulmonary complaints, and this finding was not recorded in his previous follow-up. In order to determine the etiology of hyperinflation seen on chest X-ray, computed tomography was performed. Hyperinflation was identified in the lower lobe superior segment of the right lung, which could be secondary to bronchial atresia. It was confirmed that in the evaluation of computed tomography with three-dimensional reconstruction, lower lobe superior segment bronchus of the right lung was atresic and contrary to expected mucus opacity in the distal of atresia, dilated bronchus was filled with air. This case was especially presented to lay emphasis on careful auscultation and share its unusual radiological presentation which had been reported twice before.
PubMed: 29404129
DOI: 10.5578/ttj.17.2.016 -
Advanced Science (Weinheim,... Feb 2023Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are the core reactions of a series of advanced modern energy and conversion technologies, such as... (Review)
Review
Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are the core reactions of a series of advanced modern energy and conversion technologies, such as fuel cells and metal-air cells. Among all kinds of oxygen electrocatalysts that have been reported, single-atom catalysts (SACs) offer great development potential because of their nearly 100% atomic utilization, unsaturated coordination environment, and tunable electronic structure. In recent years, numerous SACs with enriched active centers and asymmetric coordination have been successfully constructed by regulating their coordination environment and electronic structure, which has brought the development of atomic catalysts to a new level. This paper reviews the improvement of SACs brought by atom-level interface engineering. It starts with the introduction of advanced techniques for the characterizations of SACs. Subsequently, different design strategies that are applied to adjust the metal active center and first coordination sphere of SACs and then enhance their oxygen electrocatalysis performance are systematically illustrated. Finally, the future development of SACs toward ORR and OER is discussed and prospected.
PubMed: 36417569
DOI: 10.1002/advs.202205031 -
Critical Care (London, England) Jul 2020Nebulised unfractionated heparin (UFH) has a strong scientific and biological rationale and warrants urgent investigation of its therapeutic potential, for... (Review)
Review
Nebulised unfractionated heparin (UFH) has a strong scientific and biological rationale and warrants urgent investigation of its therapeutic potential, for COVID-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). COVID-19 ARDS displays the typical features of diffuse alveolar damage with extensive pulmonary coagulation activation resulting in fibrin deposition in the microvasculature and formation of hyaline membranes in the air sacs. Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 who manifest severe disease have high levels of inflammatory cytokines in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and significant coagulopathy. There is a strong association between the extent of the coagulopathy and poor clinical outcomes.The anti-coagulant actions of nebulised UFH limit fibrin deposition and microvascular thrombosis. Trials in patients with acute lung injury and related conditions found inhaled UFH reduced pulmonary dead space, coagulation activation, microvascular thrombosis and clinical deterioration, resulting in increased time free of ventilatory support. In addition, UFH has anti-inflammatory, mucolytic and anti-viral properties and, specifically, has been shown to inactivate the SARS-CoV-2 virus and prevent its entry into mammalian cells, thereby inhibiting pulmonary infection by SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, clinical studies have shown that inhaled UFH safely improves outcomes in other inflammatory respiratory diseases and also acts as an effective mucolytic in sputum-producing respiratory patients. UFH is widely available and inexpensive, which may make this treatment also accessible for low- and middle-income countries.These potentially important therapeutic properties of nebulised UFH underline the need for expedited large-scale clinical trials to test its potential to reduce mortality in COVID-19 patients.
Topics: COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Heparin; Humans; Nebulizers and Vaporizers; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32698853
DOI: 10.1186/s13054-020-03148-2 -
Cureus Nov 2020Pneumopericardium is a rare clinical condition defined by the presence of air in the pericardial sac. While this initially does not pose much danger, the accumulation of...
Pneumopericardium is a rare clinical condition defined by the presence of air in the pericardial sac. While this initially does not pose much danger, the accumulation of a sufficient amount of air can convert the pneumopericardium to a tension pathology. This may present with the classic signs, symptoms, and lethal dangers of cardiac tamponade. As with cardiac tamponade, treatment involves decompression of the pericardial sac through pericardiocentesis. This may be followed by insertion of a pericardial tube for continued drainage. While cardiac tamponade is well recognized by its classic findings, the rarer pneumopericardium may be more easily missed. This is further complicated by the backdrop of concurrent traumatic injuries in which it typically presents, as well as the absence of the defining accumulated pericardial effusion. We present a case of a 38-year old male who developed pneumopericardium and worsening hemodynamic status as a complication to blunt trauma, a rare etiology for this condition. CT of the chest demonstrated air in the pericardium and a coexisting pneumothorax. A bedside chest tube was placed. Upon resolution of the pneumothorax, his hemodynamic status improved. Repeat bedside ultrasound demonstrated complete resolution of his pneumopericardium. This case emphasizes the importance of early recognition and diagnosis of this rare yet easily missed condition.
PubMed: 33376639
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.11625 -
Neonatology 2017In human neonates rapid adaptation from an aqueous intrauterine environment to permanent air breathing is the rate-limiting step for extrauterine life, failure of which... (Review)
Review
In human neonates rapid adaptation from an aqueous intrauterine environment to permanent air breathing is the rate-limiting step for extrauterine life, failure of which justifies the existence of neonatal intensive care units. The lung develops at about 4-6 weeks' gestation in humans as a ventral outpouching of the primitive foregut into the surrounding ventral mesenchyme, termed the laryngotracheal groove. At its posterior end lie progenitor cells that form a pair of bronchial tubes, from which arise all the distal epithelial structures of the lung. In humans, formation of the distal gas exchange surfaces begins in utero at about 20 weeks' gestation and is substantially established by term. Stereotypic branching of the proximal airway ends relatively early at 16-18 weeks at the bronchoalveolar duct junctions. Distally, about 5 finger-like alveolar ducts arise from each bronchoalveolar duct junction and ramify outwards towards the pleura. The majority of alveolar air sacs arise from the sides of the alveolar ducts and each of these alveoli can have up to 5 daughter alveoli arising from the outer surface as subsequent buds. At the end of each alveolar duct lie the mouths of 5 interconnected alveoli. Each family of alveoli arising from each bronchoalveolar duct junction has a different shape depending upon the limitations imposed by the pleural surface as well as the interstitial fascial planes.
Topics: Animals; Fetal Development; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Lung
PubMed: 28538234
DOI: 10.1159/000458465 -
Journal of Anatomy Feb 2021Sexual displays are some of the most dramatic and varied behaviors that have been documented. The elaboration of such behaviors often relies on the modification of...
Sexual displays are some of the most dramatic and varied behaviors that have been documented. The elaboration of such behaviors often relies on the modification of existing morphology. To understand how display elaboration arises, we analyzed the laryngeal anatomy of three species of mice that vary in the presence and complexity of their vocal displays. Mice and rats have a specialized larynx that enables them to produce both low-frequency "audible" sounds, perhaps using vocal fold vibration, as well as distinct mechanisms that are thought to enable higher frequency sounds, such as vocal membrane vibration and intralaryngeal whistles. These mechanisms rely on different structures within the larynx. Using histology, we characterized laryngeal anatomy in Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), the northern pygmy mouse (Baiomys taylori), and the laboratory mouse (Mus musculus), which produce different types of vocalizations. We found evidence of a vocal membrane in all species, as well as species differences in vocal fold and ventral pouch size. Presence of a vocal membrane in these three species, which are not known to use vocal membrane vibration, suggests that this structure may be widespread among muroid rodents. An expanded ventral pouch in singing and pygmy mice suggests that these mice may use an intralaryngeal whistle to produce their advertisement songs, and that an expanded ventral pouch may enable lower frequencies than laboratory mouse whistle-produced sounds. Variation in the laryngeal anatomy of rodents fits into a larger pattern across terrestrial vertebrates, where the development and modification of vocal membranes and pouches, or air sacs, are common mechanisms by which vocalizations diversify. Understanding variation in the functional anatomy of relevant organs is the first step in understanding how morphological changes enable novel displays.
Topics: Animals; Arvicolinae; Female; Larynx; Male; Vocalization, Animal
PubMed: 32996145
DOI: 10.1111/joa.13315 -
Biophysical Journal May 2022Mechanistic insights into human respiratory tract (RT) infections from SARS-CoV-2 can inform public awareness as well as guide medical prevention and treatment for...
Mechanistic insights into human respiratory tract (RT) infections from SARS-CoV-2 can inform public awareness as well as guide medical prevention and treatment for COVID-19 disease. Yet the complexity of the RT and the inability to access diverse regions pose fundamental roadblocks to evaluation of potential mechanisms for the onset and progression of infection (and transmission). We present a model that incorporates detailed RT anatomy and physiology, including airway geometry, physical dimensions, thicknesses of airway surface liquids (ASLs), and mucus layer transport by cilia. The model further incorporates SARS-CoV-2 diffusivity in ASLs and best-known data for epithelial cell infection probabilities, and, once infected, duration of eclipse and replication phases, and replication rate of infectious virions. We apply this baseline model in the absence of immune protection to explore immediate, short-term outcomes from novel SARS-CoV-2 depositions onto the air-ASL interface. For each RT location, we compute probability to clear versus infect; per infected cell, we compute dynamics of viral load and cell infection. Results reveal that nasal infections are highly likely within 1-2 days from minimal exposure, and alveolar pneumonia occurs only if infectious virions are deposited directly into alveolar ducts and sacs, not via retrograde propagation to the deep lung. Furthermore, to infect just 1% of the 140 m of alveolar surface area within 1 week, either 10 boluses each with 10 infectious virions or 10 aerosols with one infectious virion, all physically separated, must be directly deposited. These results strongly suggest that COVID-19 disease occurs in stages: a nasal/upper RT infection, followed by self-transmission of infection to the deep lung. Two mechanisms of self-transmission are persistent aspiration of infected nasal boluses that drain to the deep lung and repeated rupture of nasal aerosols from infected mucosal membranes by speaking, singing, or cheering that are partially inhaled, exhaled, and re-inhaled, to the deep lung.
Topics: Aerosols; COVID-19; Humans; Lung; SARS-CoV-2; Viral Load
PubMed: 35378080
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.04.003 -
Poultry Science Mar 2022Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a worldwide ruined bacteria affecting different avian species, causing severe economic losses. Consequently, the current research sought...
Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a worldwide ruined bacteria affecting different avian species, causing severe economic losses. Consequently, the current research sought to detect the incidence of MG among different commercial broiler, layer chickens and turkey farms, and environmental litter samples in different Egyptian governorates (Damietta, Giza, El-Qalyobia, El-Sharqia, and El-Behera) from January 2019 to December 2020. Four hundred samples (infraorbital sinus aspirates, tracheal swabs, serum from diseased birds, and organ samples; lung tissues, air sacs and tracheal bifurcation from freshly dead birds), and environmental samples (litter) were collected for MG isolation. Samples were subjected to phenotypic and molecular identification. Positive bacteriological samples were subjected for molecular identification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect MG, then sequencing for PCR amplicon of mgc2 gene. Out of 332 samples subjected for bacteriological examination, 206 were bacteriologically positive for MG with an incidence of 62%. The highest incidence of MG was detected in turkey farms at a rate of 83%, followed by broiler chicken farms, layer chicken farms and litter samples at a percentage of 70, 40, and 40, respectively. The highest prevalence of MG in chickens and turkey was recorded during the winter and autumn seasons. Molecular identification of MG isolates revealed that 85% of isolates were positive for mgc2 gene using PCR. The Four sequenced strains in this study are closely related and placed in one group with the vaccine strain 6/85 and ts11 strain.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Egypt; Mycoplasma Infections; Mycoplasma gallisepticum; Poultry; Poultry Diseases
PubMed: 35033906
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101658