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The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of danofloxacin in swan geese (Anser cygnoides) after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), subcutaneous (SC), and oral (PO) administrations at 10 mg/kg dose. In this study, eight clinically healthy swan geese were used. The study was performed in four periods according to a crossover design with a 15 days washout period between two administrations. The plasma concentrations of danofloxacin were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatograph-ultraviolet detection, and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by non-compartmental analysis. Following IV administration, terminal elimination half-life (t

Avian flight feathers have the unique advantages of lightweight and high strength, which play a key role in their flight capacity. In this article, the rachis of the bean goose's primary flight feather was used as the research object. Its compressive properties were analyzed and the 3D microscale was observed by 3D microscope system with a super wide depth of field. The distribution of mechanical properties, section variation of fiber and internal microstructure of rachis were obtained by micro-CT technique. Based on these results, a 3D reconstructed model was established for structure mechanical simulation. The simulation results were close basically to the compressive strength of the actual sample. These results show that the synergistic effect of cortex and medulla can improve mechanical resistance of the rachis. Therefore, the best position (N3) of the primary flight feather shaft can be applied to the bionic design of thin wall structures for energy absorption. This research can provide some guidance for the application of lightweight structural design. Research Highlights: The internal structure of bean goose feather shaft was observed by micro-CT. The experimental method has a deeper understanding of the compressive properties of rachis fiber orientation. Under the synergistic effect of cortex and medulla, the compressive performance of rachis is better.

Studies of domesticated animals have greatly contributed to our understanding of avian embryology. Foundational questions in developmental biology were motivated by Aristotle's observations of chicken embryos. By the 19th century, the chicken embryo was at the center stage of developmental biology, but how closely does this model species mirror the ample taxonomic diversity that characterizes the avian tree of life? Here, we provide a brief overview of the taxonomic breadth of comparative embryological studies in birds. We particularly focused on staging tables and papers that attempted to document the timing of developmental transformations. We show that most of the current knowledge of avian embryology is based on Galliformes (chicken and quail) and Anseriformes (duck and goose). Nonetheless, data are available for some ecologically diverse avian subclades, including Struthioniformes (e.g., ostrich, emu) and Sphenisciformes (penguins). Thus far, there has only been a handful of descriptive embryological studies in the most speciose subclade of Aves, that is, the songbirds (Passeriniformes). Furthermore, we found that temporal variances for developmental events are generally uniform across a consensus chronological sequence for birds. Based on the available data, developmental trajectories for chicken and other model species appear to be highly similar. We discuss future avenues of research in comparative avian embryology in light of the currently available wealth of data on domesticated species and beyond.

The present study is conducted to understand the association of mood profile with the kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites, and cerebral hemodynamics in freshly recruited central armed forces personnel. Profile of Mood States questionnaire was utilized to assess mood profile, and Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) score was calculated. Transcranial Doppler was used to record blood flow velocity bilaterally of the middle cerebral artery. Chromatographic profile of the kynurenine metabolites was obtained in serum. Further, personnel were stratified according to sociodemographic variables (gender, age and diet) to observe the changes in their KP metabolic status. An activation of the kynurenic acid branch of the KP and the reduction in the mean blood flow velocity, and an increase in Gosling pulsatility index (PI) were observed in females having high TMD score. On gender comparative analysis, kynurenine metabolites of quinolinic acid branch and serotonin were significantly high in males. In males, with increase in age, a significant increase in the quinolinic acid branch of the KP was observed. Furthermore, a significant difference in level metabolites of the KP among the vegetarian and non-vegetarian groups was also observed. In conclusion we observed that increased TMD score was associated with cerebral hypoperfusion and higher vascular resistance along with activation of the KP. Our findings highlighted the importance of multi-facet brain function to showcase the close interaction of various dimensionalities and true picture of the assessee.

1. The postnatal growth period is a crucial life stage, with potential lifelong effects on an animal's fitness. How fast animals grow depends on their life-history strategy and rearing environment, and interspecific comparisons generally show higher growth rates at higher latitudes. However, to elucidate the mechanisms behind this gradient in growth rate, intraspecific comparisons are needed.2. Recently, barnacle geese expanded their Arctic breeding range from the Russian Barents Sea coast southwards, and now also breed along the Baltic and North Sea coasts. Baltic breeders shortened their migration, while barnacle geese breeding along the North Sea stopped migrating entirely.3. We collected cross-sectional data on gosling tarsus length, head length and body mass, and constructed population-specific growth curves to compare growth rates among three populations (Barents Sea, Baltic Sea and North Sea) spanning 17° in latitude.4. Growth rate was faster at higher latitudes, and the gradient resembled the latitudinal gradient previously observed in an interspecific comparison of precocial species. Differences in day length among the three breeding regions could largely explain the observed differences in growth rate. In the Baltic, and especially in the Arctic population, growth rate was slower later in the season, most likely because of the stronger seasonal decline in food quality.5. Our results suggest that differences in postnatal growth rate between the Arctic and temperate populations are mainly a plastic response to local environmental conditions. This plasticity can increase the individuals' ability to cope with annual variation in local conditions, but can also increase the potential to re-distribute and adapt to new breeding environments.

The combination of diverse data types and analysis tasks in genomics has resulted in the development of a wide range of visualization techniques and tools. However, most existing tools are tailored to a specific problem or data type and offer limited customization, making it challenging to optimize visualizations for new analysis tasks or datasets. To address this challenge, we designed Gosling—a grammar for interactive and scalable genomics data visualization. Gosling balances expressiveness for comprehensive multi-scale genomics data visualizations with accessibility for domain scientists. Our accompanying JavaScript toolkit called Gosling.js provides scalable and interactive rendering. Gosling.js is built on top of an existing platform for web-based genomics data visualization to further simplify the visualization of common genomics data formats. We demonstrate the expressiveness of the grammar through a variety of real-world examples. Furthermore, we show how Gosling supports the design of novel genomics visualizations. An online editor and examples of Gosling.js, its source code, and documentation are available at https://gosling.js.org.

The outbreak of goose gout disease caused by novel goose astrovirus type 1 (GAstV-1) has resulted in huge economic losses to the goose industry in China since 2017. However, little is known about the B cell epitopes in major antigen of GAstV-1 and the serological approach for detection of GAstV-1 is not available. In this study, three novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the ORF2 protein were first generated and designated as 3G6, 5H7, and 6C6, respectively. Epitope mapping revealed that mAb 3G6, 5H7, and 6C6 recognized

Low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) have been widespread in poultry and wild birds throughout the world for many decades. LPAIV infections are usually asymptomatic or cause subclinical symptoms. However, the genetic reassortment of LPAIVs may generate novel viruses with increased virulence and cross-species transmission, posing potential risks to public health. To evaluate the epidemic potential and infection landscape of LPAIVs in Guangxi Province, China, we collected and analyzed throat and cloacal swab samples from chickens, ducks and geese from the live poultry markets on a regular basis from 2016 to 2019. Among the 7,567 samples, 974 (12.87%) were LPAIVs-positive, with 890 single and 84 mixed infections. Higher yearly isolation rates were observed in 2017 and 2018. Additionally, geese had the highest isolation rate, followed by ducks and chickens. Seasonally, spring had the highest isolation rate. Subtype H3, H4, H6 and H9 viruses were detected over prolonged periods, while H1 and H11 viruses were detected transiently. The predominant subtypes in chickens, ducks and geese were H9, H3, and H6, respectively. The 84 mixed infection samples contained 22 combinations. Most mixed infections involved two subtypes, with H3 + H4 as the most common combination. Our study provides important epidemiological data regarding the isolation rates, distributions of prevalent subtypes and mixed infections of LPAIVs. These results will improve our knowledge and ability to control epidemics, guide disease management strategies and provide early awareness of newly emerged AIV reassortants with pandemic potential.

Many polar species and habitats are now affected by man-made global climate change and underlying infrastructure. These anthropogenic forces have resulted in clear implications and many significant changes in the arctic, leading to the emergence of new climate, habitats and other issues including digital online infrastructure representing a ‘New Artic’. Arctic grazers, like Eastern Russian migratory populations of Tundra Bean Goose Anser fabalis and Greater White-fronted Goose A. albifrons, are representative examples and they are affected along the entire flyway in East Asia, namely China, Japan and Korea. Here we present the best publicly-available long-term (24 years) digitized geographic information system (GIS) data for the breeding study area (East Yakutia and Chukotka) and its habitats with ISO-compliant metadata. Further, we used seven publicly available compiled Open Access GIS predictor layers to predict the distribution for these two species within the tundra habitats. Using BIG DATA we are able to improve on the ecological niche prediction inference for both species by focusing for the first time specifically on biological relevant population cohorts: post-breeding moulting non-breeders, as well as post-breeding parent birds with broods. To assure inference with certainty, we assessed it with 4 lines of evidence including alternative best-available open access field data from GBIF.org as well as occurrence data compiled from the literature. Despite incomplete data, we found a good model accuracy in support of our evidence for a robust inference of the species distributions. Our predictions indicate a strong publicly best-available relative index of occurrence (RIO). These results are based on the quantified ecological niche showing more realistic gradual occurrence patterns but which are not fully in agreement with the current strictly applied parsimonious flyway and species delineations. While our predictions are to be improved further, e.g. when synergetic data are made freely available, here we offer within data caveats the first open access model platform for fine-tuning and future predictions for this otherwise poorly represented region in times of a rapid changing industrialized ‘New Arctic’ with global repercussions.

A triangular lingual prominence (LP) is a characteristic part of the tongue in Anseriformes containing adipose tissue. The parakeratinized epithelium (PEp) covers the LP. Studies aimed to describe the histogenesis of PEp during the process of the intensive formation of the LP in domestic goose during embryonic period and to determine the structural readiness to perform a protective function. The study were conducted by using LM, SEM and TEM technique. The results revealed that on day 16th the undifferentiated epithelium of LP transformed into the typical avian multilayered epithelium. Contrary to pattern of histogenesis of parakeratinized epithelium on the lingual body, on the medial and lateral areas of the elongating and bulging LP were formed epithelial furrows. Which around 20th day, on lateral areas of LP deepened up to half of epithelium, whereas on the medial area began to fade. The ultrastructure of cells lying in furrows indicated progressive apoptosis-like degeneration. On the 25th day, shallow furrows were only present on lateral areas, where bulging of LP was continued. Whereas the epithelium on medial area started cornification by the accumulation of cytokeratin fibers. Lack of the periderm during the development of the PEp of the LP indicated its endodermal origin.

The novel duck reovirus (NDRV) is an emerging pathogen that causes disease in various waterfowl species. Since the outbreak, it has caused huge economic losses to the duck industry in China. A rapid, reliable, and high-throughput method is required for epidemiological investigation and evaluation of vaccine immunogenicity. A good first step would be establishing an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that could detect NDRV antibodies in different breeds of ducks and geese from the serum and egg yolk. This study used a recombinant NDRV σB protein and a corresponding horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled monoclonal antibody to develop a blocking ELISA (B-ELISA). The cutoff value of the B-ELISA was 37.01%. A total of 212 serum samples were tested by the B-ELISA, and the virus neutralization test (VNT) was the gold standard test. The sensitivity and specificity of the B-ELISA were 92.17% (106/115) and 97.94% (95/97), respectively. The agreement rates between the B-ELISA and VNT were 94.81% (kappa value, 0.896). The B-ELISA could specifically recognize anti-NDRV sera without cross-reacting with other positive serums for other major diseases in ducks and geese. The inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) of the B-ELISA and VNT assays were acceptable. In conclusion, the novel B-ELISA could be a rapid, simple, safe, and economically attractive alternative to the VNT in assessing duck flocks' immunity status and in epidemiological surveillance in multiple waterfowl species.

Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) are adaptable to plateau environments. In this study, we sequenced and assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the bar-headed goose using PacBio long reads and Hi-C technique, and generated 115.73 Gb of Illumina short-reads and 95.89 Gb of PacBio long-reads. The assembled bar-headed goose genome, with a contig N50 of 5.734 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 65.77 Mb, is 1.129 Gb in length and includes 33 chromosomes and 451 fragments. BUSCO assessment yielded a completeness score of 94.4%. In total, 15,376 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 94.95% had homologs in protein databases. We identified 78 positively selected genes (PSGs) in the bar-headed goose genome, which were mainly enriched in calcium ion and ATP-binding. This bar-headed goose genome will be an important resource for increasing our understanding regarding the genetic basis of adaptation to life at a high altitude.

Between November 2021 and January 2022, four patients of community-acquired pneumonia were admitted to the hospitals in Lishui city, Zhejiang province, China. Their main clinical manifestations were fever and dry cough as well as radiographic infiltrate, but the empiric antimicrobial therapy or traditional Chinese medicine was not effective for their illness. Clinical specimens from the patients as well as environmental and poultry specimens were collected for the determination of the causative pathogen. The

The hypothalamus-pituitary axis is involved in digest processing, stress response, energy storage and many other processes. In birds, this control differs from in mammals, such as regulation of appetite and satiety centre. The transcriptomics analyses of both brain structures can explain and identify the molecular processes related to body growth and development and nutritional status. Many reports describe chicken transcriptome in literature, but gene expression studies in the other poultry species are extremely rare. Therefore, the present research undertook the attempt to explain hypothalamus-pituitary processes in domestic geese-Polish White Kołuda®, main Polish line. After 16 weeks of fattening, significant differences in geese weight were observed. Therefore, transcriptome of pituitary and hypothalamus profiles could be compared between low and high growth rate geese groups. Due to the lack of domestic geese genome assembly in the public databases, we used three mapping approaches: de novo analysis, mapping to two other pink-footed and swan geese genomes. The functional examination showed that the most enriched biological process in the geese hypothalamus covered the immune response. Moreover, in the hypothalamus, proteins typical for the pituitary such as PRL and GH were differentially expressed (DE). Our study recommends one gene as a candidate for growth rate in geese-the FOS gene, which encodes Fos proto-oncogene-DE in both analysed tissues. The FOS gene is involved in regulating feeding behaviour, immune regulation, stimulating cellular proliferation and controlling growth hormone synthesis. Moreover, the present investigation indicates DE genes involved in gene expression regulation. The study delivers new information about the changes in the pituitary-hypothalamic axis in geese dependent on growth rate differences.

Different Mycoplasma species have been reported in avian hosts. However, the majority of studies focus on one particular species of Mycoplasma or one host. In our research, we screened a total of 1141 wild birds representing 55 species, 26 families, and 15 orders for the presence of mycoplasmas by conventional PCR based on the 16S rRNA gene. Selected PCR products were sequenced to perform the phylogenetic analysis. All mycoplasma-positive samples were tested for M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae, which are considered the major pathogens of commercial poultry. We also verified the influence of ecological characteristics of the tested bird species including feeding habits, habitat types, and movement patterns. The presence of Mycoplasma spp. was confirmed in 498 birds of 29 species, but none of the tested birds were positive for M. gallisepticum or M. synoviae. We found possible associations between the presence of Mycoplasma spp. and all investigated ecological factors. The phylogenetic analysis showed a high variability of Mycoplasma spp.; however, some clustering of sequences was observed regarding particular bird species. We found that wild migratory waterfowl, particularly the white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) and mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) could be reservoirs and vectors of mycoplasmas pathogenic to commercial waterfowl.

Short beak and dwarfism syndrome (SBDS) emerged in Cherry Valley duck flocks in China in 2015, and novel goose parvovirus (NGPV) was shown to be the etiological agent of SBDS. To date, it is not known whether SBDS-related NGPV isolates possess common molecular characteristics. In this study, three new NGPV strains (namely, SDHT16, SDJN19, and SDLC19) were isolated from diseased ducks showing typical signs of SBDS and successfully passaged in embryonated goose or Cherry Valley duck eggs. The complete genome sequences of these NGPV strains were 98.9%-99.7% identical to each other but showed slightly less similarity (95.2%-96.1% identity) to classical GPV strains. A total of 16 common amino acid substitutions were present in the VP1 proteins of six NGPV strains (SDHT16, SDJN19, SDLC19, QH, JS1, and SDLC01) compared with the classical Chinese GPV strains, nine of which were identical to those found in European GPV strain B. The non-structural protein Rep1 of the six NGPV strains had 12 common amino acid substitutions compared with the classical GPV strains. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Chinese NGPV strains clustered with the European SBDS-related NGPV strains, forming a separate branch that was distinct from the group formed by the classical GPV strains. The present study shows the common molecular characteristics of NGPV isolates and suggests that the Chinese NGPV isolates probably share a common ancestor with European SBDS-related NGPV strains.

This study aimed to explore the effects of corn silage (CS) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, digestive system length, and some meat quality traits of geese. A total of 35 19-week-old Turkish indigenous male geese with similar body weight were randomly divided into five groups with individual pens of seven geese per group and fed for 84 D. The treatments were composed of a basal diet (100% concentrate feed) without corn silage (0CS), 10% CS + 90% concentrate feed (10CS), 20% corn silage + 80% concentrate feed (20CS), 30% corn silage + 70% concentrate feed (30CS), and 40% corn silage + 60% concentrate feed (40CS). Dietary CS supplementation did not affect growth performance, dressing percentage, liver and gizzard weights, digestive system length of geese, and the organoleptic quality characteristics of meat. The 0CS and 20CS geese had a higher instrumental hardness value than other treatment geese (p 0.05). Also, the 40CS group had the lowest hardness value (p 0.05). Adhesiveness value was lower in the 0CS group compared to all silage treatments (p 0.05). Gumminess value was lower in the 40CS group compared to the control group (p 0.05). The 10CS treatment reduced the L value of thigh and breast meat compared with those of the other treatments (p 0.05). The a and b color values and pH values of breast and thigh meats were not affected by dietary CS supplementation (p 0.05). Fat content of the meat decreased in the 30CS treatment compared to 0CS (p 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that corn silage could be used up to 40% in the Turkish goose variety diet, without affecting the performance and meat quality, and thus, geese can be produced more economically.

The aim of this study was to isolate and identify antioxidative peptide from goose liver hydrolysate (GLHP) for ameliorating oxidative stress damage by alcohol in HHL-5 hepatocytes. In this research, the target antioxidative peptides in GLHP were separated, purified, and identified via a tangential flow ultrafiltration system combined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), ion exchange chromatography (IEC), reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC), and LC-MS/MS. The results suggested that the amino acid sequence of the target antioxidative peptide for ameliorating alcohol-mediated oxidative stress damage in HHL-5 hepatocytes was Leu-Pro-Leu-Pro-Phe-Pro (LPLPFP), which had a molecular weight of 683.41 Da, and was derived from NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase chain 1 in goose liver. In addition, LPLPFP was confirmed to have a satisfactory stability and maintained high hepatic protective activity in a simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Moreover, the mechanism of LPLPFP prevented against oxidative stress damage in HHL-5 hepatocytes was attributed to inhibiting the production of reactive oxide species (ROS) by upregulating genes expression in the Ahr-NQO1 signal pathway. In conclusion, these results indicated that dietary GLHP supplementation could ameliorate alcohol-mediated oxidative stress damage and provide an affordable dietary intervention strategy to prevent alcohol-mediated hepatocyte damage.

Background Hungarian white goose has excellent down production performance and was introduced to China in 2010. The growth and development of feather follicles has an important impact on down production. Goose feather follicles can be divided into primary and secondary feather follicles, both of which originate in the embryonic stage. Msx2 (Msh Homeobox 2) plays a regulatory role in tissues and organs such as eyes, teeth, bones and skin. However, its regulatory mechanism on goose feather follicles development remains unclear. Results Msx2 gene first increased, then decreased and increased at the end (E13, E18, E23, E28) during embryonic feather follicle development, and the expression level was the highest at E18. The pEGFP-N1-Msx2 overexpression vector and si-Msx2 siRNA vector were constructed to transfect goose embryo dermal fibroblasts. The results showed that the cell viability of ov-Msx2 group was significantly increased, and the gene expression levels of FGF5 and TGF-β1 genes were significantly down-regulated (P PCNA, Bcl2, CDK1, FOXN1 and KGF genes were significantly up-regulated (P P TGF-β1 expression was significantly up-regulated (P FGF5 expression was extremely significantly up-regulated (P PCNA, Bcl2, CDK1, FOXN1 and KGF gene expression was significantly down-regulated (P Msx2. A total of 11 SNP loci were screened, four of the SNPs located in exon 1 were missense mutations. The feather follicle diameter of the GC genotype at the G78C site is significantly larger than that of the other two genotypes. Conclusions Msx2 maybe inhibit the apoptosis of goose dermal fibroblasts and promotes their proliferation. G78C can be used as a potential molecular marker for downy Variety.

Objective Beta-blockers are beneficial in coronary artery disease but less so in stroke prevention and dementia, potentially due to reduced heart rate (HR). Cerebral pulsatility is strongly associated with cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) and may be increased by lower diastolic pressures resulting from longer cardiac cycles. Methods Patients 4–6 weeks after TIA or non-disabling stroke (Oxford Vascular Study) underwent 5 minutes continuous monitoring of blood pressure (BP), electrocardiogram (ECG), and middle cerebral artery flow velocity (transcranial ultrasound). Beat-to-beat relationships between HR, blood pressure and Gosling's pulsatility index (MCA-PI) are reported as beta-coefficients from general linear models for each individual. Results Across 759 patients, average MCA-PI during monitoring was associated with lower HR and diastolic BP (DBP) and greater systolic BP (SBP) (∆MCA-PI per 10 bpm/mmHg: −0.02, −0.04, 0.03, all p 70 + HR 65: −0.081 vs −0.024, interaction p 70 + severe vs age Interpretation Low HR is associated with greater cerebral pulsatility in patients with SVD, potentially mediated by lower diastolic blood flow and representing a novel potential treatment target.

Stimulator of the interferon gene (STING) is involved in mammalian antiviral innate immunity as an interferon (IFN) activator. However, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the molecular characterization of goose STING (GoSTING) and its role in the innate immune response. In the present study, we cloned GoSTING and performed a series of bioinformatics analyses. GoSTING was grouped into avian clades and showed the highest sequence similarity to duck STING. The in vitro experiments showed that the mRNA levels of GoSTING, IFNs, IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs), and proinflammatory cytokines were significantly upregulated in goose embryo fibroblast cells (GEFs) infected with Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Overexpression of GoSTING in DF-1 cells and GEFs strongly activated the IFN-β promoter as detected by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, overexpression of GoSTING induced the expression of other types of IFN, ISGs, and proinflammatory cytokines and inhibited green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged NDV (NDV-GFP) and GFP-tagged vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) (VSV-GFP) replication in vitro. In conclusion, these data suggest that GoSTING is an important regulator of the type I IFN pathway and is critical in geese’s innate immune host defense against RNA viruses.

To assess the pharmacokinetic profile of ivermectin in Biłgorajska geese (Ten healthy male geese were used in a single-dose, two-phase study with a 3-month washout period between phases. In the first phase, all geese were given 0.2 mg/kg I/V ivermectin, while in the second phase they were treated orally with the same dosage. Blood samples were collected at selected time points up to 480 hours after each administration. Samples were purified using protein precipitation and drug concentration was quantified using HPLC. The analytical method was validated on blank goose plasma and was characterised by an optimal linearity and a limit of quantification of 0.025 μg/mL. The pharmacokinetic analysis was carried out using a non-compartmental approach.The drug was quantifiable up to 240 hours after I/V administration, while after oral treatment it was quantifiable up to 144 hours in most of the geese. The elimination half-life of ivermectin was approximately 3.8 (95% CI = 1.98-7.92; p = 0.027) times higher after I/V administration compared to oral administration. Moreover, the area under the curve from zero to the last detectable timepoint was 6.4 (95% CI = 4.65-8.74; p 0.001) hours greater after I/V than oral administration. This difference led to a bioavailability of 20.38 (SD 5.92) %.Following oral administration in geese, ivermectin has a bioavailability of approximately 20%. Further research on the action of ivermectin in the gastrointestinal tract is required along with assessment of tissue residues to allow calculation of withdrawal time to ensure consumer safety.AUC: Area under the concentration-time curve; AUC

Goose astrovirus (GAstV) characterized by articular and visceral gout, is an emerging pathogen with a wide distribution on mainland China, leading to serious economic losses in the goose-raising industry. Because vaccines to prevent GAstV infections are not available currently, early diagnosis is critical when treating symptomatic geese and in preventing GAstV transmission. In this context, a highly sensitive indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on a monoclonal antibody (mAb) to detect GAstV-specific antibodies from geese was developed, and the detections were optimized. A series of experiments proved that the ic-ELISA shows excellent diagnostic performance and discriminatory power with high sensitivity and specificity. The ic-ELISA for GAstV detection was applied on 67 field serum samples, and comparing the detection results with the virus neutralization test verified the accuracy of the ic-ELISA. The correlation coefficient between the ic-ELISA and the virus neutralization test was 80%, demonstrating the proposed ic-ELISA method could be a useful and effective tool for the diagnostic, serological epidemiological investigation and immune monitoring of the GAstV in goose-producing regions.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage (GsGd), which threaten the health of poultry, wildlife and humans, are spreading across Asia, Europe and Africa, but are currently absent from Oceania and the Americas. In December 2021, H5N1 HPAI viruses were detected in poultry and a free-living gull in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses were most closely related to HPAI GsGd viruses circulating in northwestern Europe in spring 2021. Analysis of wild bird migration suggested that these viruses may have been carried across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland/Arctic or pelagic routes. The here documented incursion of HPAI GsGd viruses into North America raises concern for further virus spread across the Americas by wild bird migration.One-Sentence SummaryDetection of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Canada raises concern for spread in the Americas by migratory birds.

Goose astrovirus (GAstV) is a highly infectious pathogen that causes gout in goslings (15 old) with typical symptoms of white urate disposition on the surface of the visceral organs and articular cavity, and a high mortality rate up to 50 %. To establish a real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay for the rapid detection of the two GastV genotypes(GAstV-1 and GAstV-2), two pairs of primers and a pair of matching TaqMan probes were designed based on conserved regions of the ORF1b gene. The established duplex rRT-PCR assay showed no cross-reactivity with 10 other common waterfowl pathogens. The minimum detection limit was 10 copies/reaction for both GAstV-1 and GAstV-2. To validate the assay, 36 cloacal swabs from experimentally infected goslings and 33 field clinical samples were tested. The assay results of the experimentally infected goslings matched the infection scheme. The positive rates of GAstV-1 and GAstV-2 in the field clinical samples were 36.36 % and 54.55 %, respectively, and the co-infection rate of the two viruses was 21.21 % based on the duplex rRT-PCR assay. In conclusion, the established assay represents a specific, sensitive, and convenient tool for detecting GAstV-1, GAstV-2, and their co-infections, and for conducting epidemiological surveys.

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes of the fatty acid in breast (BM) and leg (LM) muscles from 17-wk-old female White Kołuda geese packaged in a vacuum and stored in freezing conditions at -20°C. During 17 weeks, the geese were fed ad libitum on the same complete feed. The samples (18 LM and 18 BM) from the right part of the carcasses were stored for 30, 90, 80, 270, and 365 d. The changes in the fatty acid profile were established by gas chromatography. In this work, there were also calculated lipid profile indicators such as Σ PUFA n-6/Σ PUFA n-3, Σ UFA/Σ SFA, and Σ PUFA/Σ SFA. Time of frozen storage affected the decrease in Σ SFA, Σ MUFA, and Σ PUFA of BM and LM. The statistical analysis of the obtained data shows that the type of muscle also generally affected the fatty acid profile. The BM are characterized higher proportion of Σ SFA, and the LM are defined as containing more Σ MUFA and Σ PUFA. Extending frozen storage time caused only the deterioration of Σ PUFA n-6/Σ PUFA n-3. The Σ PUFA n-6/Σ PUFA n-3 were the highest in BM and LM on the 365th day of storage. Although the Σ PUFA n-6/Σ PUFA n-3 ratio in muscles stored for 180, 270, and 365 d was higher than the recommended values. The lipid profile indicators (Σ UFA/Σ SFA, and Σ PUFA/Σ SFA) were similar in raw meat and in all frozen storage samples. It means that frozen storage didn't affect this index and the BM and LM have the same quality from the dietary point of view. Leg muscles during frozen storage are characterized by higher Σ UFA/Σ SFA and Σ PUFA/Σ SFA than the breast muscles.

Gastrointestinal nematodes are one of the most important constraints of poor geese health and productivity, in addition to being involved in great economic losses for various poultry sectors. This study primarily aimed at determining the epidemiological profile and risk factors associated with the occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) nematode parasites in geese in Egypt. The phylogenetic relationships between heterakids were the second aim. For achieving these aims, a total 180 of intestinal samples were screened for the presence of gastrointestinal nematodes over a period of one year from December 2018 to November 2019. Furthermore, A PCR-based DNA sequencing of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit1 gene (nad1) was conducted for characterization of adult Heterakis dispar. The current search revealed that the overall prevalence was 33.33% (60/180). Five species of nematode species was encountered in this study, namely Capillaria spp., Heterakis gallinarum (Schrank, 1788), Ascaridia galli (Schrank, 1788), Subulura brumpti (Lopez-Neyra, 1922) and Heterakis dispar (Schrank, 1790). A positive relationship was found between the prevalence of nematode infection and age of tested geese revealing that the high prevalence was found in adults rather than young birds (P = 0.03). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of nematode infection between male and female geese (P > 0.05). Also, there was strong significant seasonal trends in the prevalence of the recovered helminths with the maximum infection was observed in summer season and lowest in winter (P = 0.002). The BLAST analysis of H. dispar nad1 sequence showed a 96.4% similarity with the sequences of H. dispar Heilongjiang. It also showed a lower similarity to the mitochondrial gene sequences of H. gallinarum (84.4%). This is the first molecular identification and report of genetic diversity of Heterakis dispar in geese from Egypt. The current finding initially provides a concise account of knowledge about the epidemiology of gastrointestinal nematodes infecting geese and are considered as a starting point for the implementation of appropriate control and prophylactic schemes for GIT nematodiasis. It also confirms the potential uses of genetic techniques for taxonomic studies of different parasites.

Danofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone developed for veterinary medicine and used in avian species for the treatment of numerous bacterial infections. However, no pharmacokinetic data have been reported in geese. The aim of the study was three-fold: (i) to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin in geese after single oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) administrations; (ii) to define its residue depletion profile in different goose tissues, and (iii) to recreate a multiple-dose simulation in the practical context of large-scale breeding. Twenty-four healthy geese were randomly divided in three groups each composed of eight animals. Group 1 received danofloxacin IV (5 mg/kg) and groups 2 and 3 were treated PO with the same dose. Blood was collected until 24 h (IV; group 1) and 48 h (PO; group 2) after administration. Two animals from group 3 were sacrificed at 6, 10, 24 and 48 h to collect samples of muscle, heart, kidney, liver, and lung. Danofloxacin was quantified in each matrix using a validated high-performance liquid chromatography method with spectrofluorimetric detection and the pharmacokinetic analysis was performed using non-compartmental and compartmental approaches. Danofloxacin showed a moderate elimination half-life (6.61 h), a slow clearance (0.35 mL/g*h) and a large volume of distribution (1.46 mL/g). The peak plasma concentration after PO administration and the time to reach it were 0.96 μg/mL and 1.70 h, respectively. The oral bioavailability was moderate (58%). Higher residue concentration was found in liver and kidney, compared to the other tissues. If the AUC(0–24) value found in the present study is included in the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic index (AUC(0–24)/MIC) for the prediction of fluoroquinolones' efficacy, danofloxacin seems to be effective in geese against gram-negative bacteria with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)

1. The gene

Domestic poultry are among the non-target species of exposure to fipronil, but limited information is available on the metabolic effects of fipronil exposure in avian. We investigated the comparative capacity of

The swan goose (Anser cygnoides) is the ancestor of the Chinese domestic goose. A previous study reported a scaffold-level genome version for a Chinese indigenous goose breed, and this assembly was used as the swan goose's reference genome. To date, there is still a lack of a chromosome-level genome for the swan goose. Here, we reported a de novo assembly of the genome of a wild swan goose using an integrated strategy that combines Illumina Hiseq, Oxford Nanopore and chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing. A total of 134.6 Gb Nanopore data with sequencing coverage of 110.33 and 69.45 Gb Illumina data with coverage of 56.93 were obtained. The genome assembly size was 1153.41 Mb, with a contig N50 of 22.75 Mb. The total size and N50 length of our assembly were larger than the previously reported scaffold-level genome version. In addition, whole-genome sequencing data of 10 geese were mapped to the previous and the current assemblies. On average, 97.88 and 93.18% of the reads were properly mapped and paired into our and the previous assemblies. This high-quality chromosome-level swan goose genome could provide a valuable resource for the utilisation of goose studies and breeding.

A novel gout disease, characterized by visceral urate deposition with high-mortality, with outbreaks in goslings in China since 2016 was caused by a novel goose astrovirus (GoAstV) and resulted in serious economic loss. However, the epidemiology and variation of the GoAstV in goslings in southern China and its evolutionary history as well as the classification of the GoAstV are unclear. In the present study, systematic molecular epidemiology, and phylogenetic analyses of the GoAstV were conducted to address these issues. Our results showed that the GoAstV is widespread in goslings in southern China, and the genomes of six GoAstV strains were obtained. Two amino acid mutations (Y36H and E456D) were identified in capsid proteins in this study, which is the dominant antigen for the GoAstV. In addition, the GoAstV could be divided into two distinct clades, GoAstV-1 and GoAstV-2, and GoAstV-2 is responsible for gout outbreaks in goslings and could be classified into Avastrovirus 3 (AAstV-3), while GoAstV-1 belongs to Avastrovirus 1 (AAstV-1). Moreover, the emergence of GoAstV-2 in geese was estimated to have occurred in January 2010, approximately 12 years ago, while GoAstV-1 emerged earlier than GoAstV-2 and was estimated to have emerged in April 1985 based on Bayesian analysis. The mean evolutionary rate for the GoAstV was also calculated to be approximately 1.42 × 10−3 nucleotide substitutions per site per year. In conclusion, this study provides insight into the epidemiology of the GoAstV in goslings in southern China and is helpful for understanding the origin and evolutionary history as well as the classification of the GoAstV in geese.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of betaine on growth performance, serum parameters, intestinal health, and immune performance of goslings in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. A total of 168 healthy male 15-day-old Jiangnan White Goslings were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 6 replicates per treatment and seven goslings per replicate. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement included 2 factors, that is, LPS challenge (injection of LPS or physiological saline) and betaine (added 0 or 0.06% betaine in diet). The results indicated that LPS challenge significantly reduced the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and body weight (BW) at 21 D of the goslings, while dietary betaine supplementation tended to increase the ADFI during the LPS stress period (P = 0.08) and BW at 21 D of the goslings (P = 0.09). The LPS-challenged goslings showed higher pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1 [IL-1β], interleukin-6 [IL-6], tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and Interferon-gamma [IFN-γ]) and lower anti-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-10 [IL-10]) (P0.05) at 21 D of age. Dietary betaine supplementation alleviated LPS-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. The LPS challenge significantly decreased duodenal and jejunal villus height (VH) and villus height and crypt depth ratio (VCR), while the addition of betaine significantly increased duodenal VH and VCR (P0.05). On the other hand, addition of betaine significantly alleviated decline of enzyme activity on lipase, amylase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin in the intestinal of goslings. The LPS challenge significantly increased the content of serum D-lactic acid (D-LA) and the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO) at 21 D of the goslings. The LPS challenge and betaine addition significantly increased the mRNA expression of Occcludin (OCLN) in jejunal mucosa at 28 D of the goslings (P0.05). In conclusion, our research demonstrated that betaine can alleviate the decline of growth performance and immune performance in goslings caused by LPS. The results also indicate betaine possesses anti-inflammation properties and improves intestinal barrier functions. We recommend that 0.06% betaine be added into the diet to improve the intestinal health and immune performance of goslings.

This paper proposes a new meta-heuristic algorithm, named wild geese migration optimization (GMO) algorithm. It is inspired by the social behavior of wild geese swarming in nature. They maintain a special formation for long-distance migration in small groups for survival and reproduction. The mathematical model is established based on these social behaviors to solve optimization problems. Meanwhile, the performance of the GMO algorithm is tested on the stable benchmark function of CEC2017, and its potential for dealing with practical problems is studied in five engineering design problems and the inverse kinematics solution of robot. The test results show that the GMO algorithm has excellent computational performance compared to other algorithms. The practical application results show that the GMO algorithm has strong applicability, more accurate optimization results, and more competitiveness in challenging problems with unknown search space, compared with well-known algorithms in the literature. The proposal of GMO algorithm enriches the team of swarm intelligence optimization algorithms and also provides a new solution for solving engineering design problems and inverse kinematics of robots.

Current research shows that the resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) is mainly related to integron gene cassettes. To assess the resistance of E. coli of goose origin and the carriage of its integron genes in four farms in Heilongjiang Province, antibiotic resistance phenotypes and the presence of various types of integrons were investigated.In this study, test strains were sampled and isolated from the farms, and 109 test strains were tested for drug sensitivity of 15 different antimicrobial drugs by the Kb disc diffusion method. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect E. coli in three types of integrase genes (intI1, intI2, and intI3) and for sequencing analysis of the class I integron gene cassette.Susceptibility test results show that more than 70% of tested strains exhibit resistant phenotypes to ampicillin, amoxicillin, imipenem, tetracycline, and doxycycline. The detection rate of class I integrons was 68.91%, while class II integrons and class III integrons were not detected. The detection rate of class I integrin gene cassette was 7.42%. Sequence analysis showed that strains carried different integron gene cassettes: dfrA17-aadA5, dfrA1-aadA1, dfrA27-arr-3, and aminoglycoside 3''-nucleotidyltransferase.Results suggest that the detection rate of class I integrons is highly correlated with their drug resistance. Class I integrons provide a valuable guide to studying the spread and the expression of resistance genes and thus finding effective measures to prevent bacterial resistance.

Agroforestry systems, which are based on the integration of trees and animals, represent a useful practice for implementing the “One Welfare” concept. Geese could adapt well to these systems due to their kinetic and grazing abilities. However, the lack of specific ethograms and animal-based measures have not yet allowed a deep assessment of their welfare and behavior. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a protocol to evaluate the behavior of geese reared in two agroforestry systems (i.e., apple orchard and vineyard). Thus, a behavior observation form (BOF) including a specific ethogram was proposed, and its interobserver reliability, content, criterion and construct validity were determined. Moreover, the influence of the time of day and type of agroforestry system on geese's behavior was also investigated. Agreement and principal component analyses, as well as the comparison between data collected through direct observation by the BOF and indirect observation by a computerized system, supported the reliability and validity of the proposed protocol. While the BOF also highlighted differences in the behavior expressed by the geese according to the time of day and the environmental context, both the vineyard and apple orchard systems seem to meet their biological and behavioral needs.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (

1. Research has confirmed that amylopectin (AP) is more easily digested than amylose (AM) because AP polymers have more intramolecular hydrogen bonds and less surface area. Studying the relationship between the amylose:amylopectin (AM:AP) ratio and intestine digestion in goslings can provide useful information for effective utilisation of starch.2. A total of 288 healthy male Jiangnan White Goslings, aged three days old, were randomly allotted to four groups, which included six pen replicates per treatment with 12 goslings per replicate. Four diets were formulated with maize, long-grained rice and glutinous rice as starch sources, with AM:AP ratios of 0.12, 0.23, 0.34, and 0.45.