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Beijing-you is a Chinese local chicken which is raised for both meat and eggs. In the present study, we detected the effects of different rearing systems on growth, slaughtering performances and meat quality of Beijing-you chickens at 26-40 weeks of age. Six hundred Beijing-you hens were randomly allocated into two groups at 16 weeks of age and raised in free range or battery cage systems. The body weight, slaughtering performance and meat quality were measured for each group at the ages of 26, 30, 35 and 40 weeks. Some of the traits were dramatically influenced by the two systems, although most of them did not show significant changes. For the meat fiber microstructure, we found that the diameter of thigh and breast muscle fiber in the free range group were significantly increased than in the cage group (P < 0.05) at 26 weeks of age. The ratio of fast muscle fiber in thigh muscle samples of the free range group was significantly reduced compared to that of cage group at both 35 (P < 0.01) and 40 (P < 0.01) weeks of age, indicating that the free range system could promote the transforming of fast muscle fiber to slow muscle fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Individuals with bipolar disorder (BP) are often misdiagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we developed a Chinese version of 15-point hypomania scale (HCL-15) in order to determine its sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of BP and BP-II in particular. Methods: A total of 623 individuals suffering a major depressive episode (MDE) were systematically interviewed with both Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders, Patient Edition, and HCL-15. A cutoff score of 8 or more in HCL-15 was suggested for BP. Results: Of the 623 depressed patients, 115 (18.5%) actually required a diagnosis of BP-I, and another 159 (25.5%) could be more appropriately diagnosed with BP-II, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria. The sensitivity of 15-HCL in detection of BP-II was 0.78 and 0.46 for BP-I; the specificity was 0.9 and 0.69, respectively. The specificity of HCL-15 for BP versus MDD was as high as 0.93. Approximately 60%–80% of all questions in the HCL-15 questionnaire revealed positive responses from patients, while items 11 and 12, measuring the consumption of alcohol, coffee and cigarettes, demonstrated a low positive response rate. Conclusions: The HCL-15 assessment scale was fairly sensitive and highly specific for a BP-II diagnosis but not for a BP-I diagnosis. Some items in the HCL-15 symptom list need to be further modified to better fit Chinese culture and customs. The HCL-15 scale could be a useful tool in clinical practice for screening individuals with BP-II in order to avoid a misdiagnosis of MDD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: The TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego) is a 110-item auto-questionnaire (self-rated) which consists of five temperament scales: depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious temperaments. It has been translated into over 25 languages and validated in at least 12, with broad cross-cultural cogency. This is a first attempt to validate the TEMPS-A in a very large Chinese population speaking Mandarin. Methods: The Chinese TEMPS-A was adapted from the original English version following a rigorous process of forward translation and backward translation (after the approval of the English back translation by H.S.A. and K.K.A.), it was administered to 985 non-clinical Chinese subjects aged between 18–60 years (53.8% female) in four communities in Guangzhou City, China. A subset of 105 subjects was retested approximately six weeks later. Standard psychometric tests of reliability and validation were performed. Results: The test–retest reliability for depressive (0.74), cyclothymic (0.71), hyperthymic (0.67), irritable (0.66) and anxious (0.83) were respectively as shown in the parentheses. For internal consistency, Chronbach alphas coefficients were 0.68, 0.85, 0.82, 0.83 and 0.87, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 2 super factors, Factor I loading on anxious, cyclothymic, irritable, and depressive temperaments; and Factor II loading on hyperthymic. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperaments were correlated with each other. Males had significantly higher scores than females for the hyperthymic and irritable temperaments. The prevalence of the dominant depressive (2.9%), cyclothymic (5.6%), hyperthymic (1.3%), irritable (7.0%) and anxious (5.3%) temperaments were respectively as shown in the parentheses. Limitations: Although it is likely that generalizability of our scale is good for the entire Mandarin-speaking ethnic composition of China today, future research is needed to establish this conclusively. Conclusion: The Chinese TEMPS-A standardized on one of the largest non-clinical samples in any of the other national studies to date, has good internal consistency, coheres well with validated versions in other languages. The findings suggest that it is a psychometrically sound instrument to assess affective temperaments in clinical and biological studies in China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Eggs are a valuable source of protein and fat in the human diet. Due to continuous improvement in the production performance of laying hens, the requirements regarding the feed energy of laying hens are increasing. Oils, which are the main energy sources in feed, exert a substantial effect on the production performance and egg quality of laying hens. In this review, we discuss the classification of oils commonly used in the diets of laying hens and the process of lipid metabolism in laying hens. We further look at the effects of adding different oils on the nutritional composition of eggs with a focus on the mechanism through which dietary oils affect the production performance and egg quality of laying hens, the effects of adding different types of animal and plant oils to the diets, and the potential effects of different types of oils on the health of laying hens. With the development of a large-scale and intensive production industry, the number of laying hens in China is rapidly increasing. Oils, as an important source of essential fatty acids, can be added to the diet to effectively improve the production performance and absorption of other nutrients. The present review discusses the practical application of different types and qualities of oils in poultry diets and studies the critical effects of these oils on production performance, such as the egg weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and various egg quality parameters, including the albumen height, Haugh units, yolk color, and saturated/unsaturated fatty acids. This article reviews the effects of different dietary oil sources on the production performance and egg quality of laying hens and their potential functional mechanisms and provides a reference for the selection of different sources of oils to include in the diet with the aim of improving egg production. This review thus provides a reference for the application of oils to the diets of laying hens. Future studies are needed to determine how poultry products can be produced with the appropriate proper oils in the diet and without negative effects on production performance and egg quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offspring of individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) are at greater risk for developing BD. Adiponectin (ADP), a hormone produced by adipocytes, plays a central role in energy homeostasis, insulin sensitivity and inflammatory response. ADP is negatively correlated with Body Mass Index (BMI) and is abnormal in patients with BD. Understanding the role of ADP among these offspring may help identify those likely to develop BD. The primary objective of this paper was to compare ADP levels among offspring of individuals with BD (symptomatic [SO], and asymptomatic [AO]) to offspring of healthy parents (HC). The role of ADP on cognition and ROI-based gray matter values in SO and AO offspring was secondarily assessed and compared to HC. A cross-sectional study was conducted in China by the Guangzhou Brain Hospital in offspring of individuals with and without BD. Participants underwent neuropsychiatric and cognitive assessments, MRI scans and blood analyses. BMI z-scores (zBMI) were calculated adjusting for age and gender. Analyses included 117 participants (HC = 48, AO = 36, SO = 33). No significant differences were observed in plasma levels of ADP optical density (OD) among HC, AO and SO participants. No significant interaction effects on cognition were observed between symptomatic status and ADP OD, symptomatic status and BMI z-score, nor symptomatic status, zBMI and ADP OD. Multivariate tests revealed a significant interaction between offspring symptomatic status, ADP OD, and zBMI on gray matter volume in the right cerebellum (p = 0.05). These findings suggest that an interaction exists between BMI and CNS structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of egg consumption in China and the production of functional eggs, and finally enrich the types of shell egg products. Trial 1 explored the influence of egg quality on Chinese consumers' willingness to purchase eggs through a questionnaire, which investigated 1,317 consumers' preferences for egg appearance, factors influencing egg purchase, and purchase of functional eggs. The results showed that about 65% of respondents ate more than 4 eggs per wk, pink eggs were the most popular in China, about 65% of consumers preferred eggs with an egg weight of 48 to 58 grams. For functional eggs, 75.32% of consumers have never heard of them. Preferences for eggshell color and yolk color varied by geographic region, with darker colors preferred in Northeast China. Based on the survey results of functional eggs consumption in Trial 1, the dwarf layers of China Agricultural University were used in Trial 2 to produce functional eggs. The eggs are small and pink in color, which is in line with the preferences of Chinese consumers. Three hundred dwarf layers were divided into 4 groups, using the linseed oil added, marigold extract added, and yeast selenium added diets to produce normal, n-3 fatty acid-enriched, lutein-enriched and selenium-enriched eggs by feeding for 28 d, determined the eggs' nutrient content and egg quality. The results showed that the n-3 fatty acid, lutein and selenium contents of the eggs of dwarf layers were significantly increased by changing the diets and did not affect the egg weight, eggshell strength, Haugh units or the proportion of egg parts. The results of this study are helpful to understand the trend of egg consumption preferences in China, and on this basis to produce functional eggs that meet the consumers' expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is increasingly prevalent among patients with bipolar disorder (BD), raising concerns in psychology and mental health. Investigating the incidence and factors associated with NSSI is crucial for developing prevention and intervention strategies., Methods: NSSI behaviors were identified using the Ottawa Self-injury Inventory. The Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale supplemented with questions for the DSM-5 specifier of mixed features (CUDOS-M) and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (Hypo-)Manic Episode with Mixed Features-DSM-5 Module (MINI-M) were used to evaluate clinical symptoms. Non-parametric tests, chi-square tests, point-biserial correlation and logistic regression analyses were employed for the purposes of data analysis., Results: The enrolled sample comprised 1044 patients with BD from 20 research centers across China. Out of 1044 individuals, 446 exhibited NSSI behaviors, with 101 of them being adolescents, leading to a prevalence of 78.3 % among adolescent patients. The most common methods for females and males were "cutting" (41.2 %) and "hitting" (34.7 %), respectively. By binary logistic regression analysis, young age, female, bipolar type II disorder, with suicidal ideation and mixed states, depressive symptoms and without family history of mental disorder were correlates of NSSI in patients with BD (P < 0.05)., Limitations: As a cross-sectional study, causality between NSSI behaviors and associated factors cannot be established. Reporting and recall biases may occur due to self-rating scales and retrospective reports., Conclusion: Our study indicates a concerning prevalence of NSSI, particularly among young patients with BD in China. Future research should focus on understanding NSSI behaviors in this population and developing effective interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We have no conflicts of interest concerning this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aerobic exercise is effective in alleviating mood symptoms while the mechanism is poorly understood. There are limited clinical trials that investigated the effect of exercise on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a key brain region involved in mood regulations, in adolescents with subthreshold mood syndromes. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) of aerobic exercise was undertaken in a middle school in Guangzhou, China. Participants were adolescents aged 12-14 with subthreshold mood syndromes including depressive and manic symptoms and were randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise intervention or a psychoeducation control group. Participants in the exercise group received moderate-intensity exercise intervention, consisting of 30 mins running, 4 days per week for 3 months. The primary outcome in this study was structural changes in the ACC from baseline to post intervention. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT03300778). Of 56 participants who met the criteria for subthreshold mood syndromes, 39 (41.03% males) had complete MRI data, with 20 and 19 subjects in the exercise and control group, respectively. At baseline, demographic information (e.g., age and sex), clinical symptoms, and the gray matter volume and cortical thickness of ACC were matched between the two groups. After 12 weeks of treatment, participants in the exercise group displayed increased gray matter volume of the left rostral ACC (F 1,30  = 5.73, p = 0.02) and increased cortical thickness of the right rostral ACC (F 1,30  = 7.83, p = 0.01) when compared with the control group. No significant differences were found for caudal ACC cortical thickness and gray matter volume. Our data demonstrate that 12-week, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can induce structural changes in the rostral ACC in adolescents with subthreshold mood syndromes.

Polydactyly is one of the most common hereditary congenital limb malformations in chickens and other vertebrates. The zone of polarizing activity regulatory sequence (ZRS) is critical for the development of polydactyly. The causative mutation of polydactyly in the Silkie chicken has been mapped to the ZRS; however, the causative mutations of other chicken breeds are yet to be established. To understand whether the same mutation decides the polydactyly phenotype in other chicken breeds, we detected the single-nucleotide polymorphism in 26 different chicken breeds, specifically, 24 Chinese indigenous breeds and 2 European breeds. The mutation was found to have fully penetrated chickens with polydactyly in China, indicating that it is causative for polydactyly in Chinese indigenous chickens. In comparison, the mutation showed no association with polydactyly in Houdan chickens, which originate from France, Europe. Based on the different morphology of polydactyly in Chinese and European breeds, we assumed that the trait might be attributable to different genetic foundations. Therefore, we subsequently performed genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) to locate the region associated with polydactyly. As a result, a ~0.39 Mb genomic region on GGA2p was identified. The region contains six candidate genes, with the causative mutation found in Chinese indigenous breeds also being located in this region. Our results demonstrate that polydactyly in chickens from China and Europe is caused by two independent mutation events that are closely located in the chicken genome.

In order to elucidate the domestication history of Peking ducks, 190 blood samples from six Chinese indigenous duck breeds were collected with 186 individuals genotyped by 15 microsatellite markers. Both the F(ST) and Nei's standard genetic distances (D(s)) from the microsatellite data indicated high genetic differentiation between Peking duck and other Chinese indigenous breeds. The haplotype network with mtDNA data showed that most of the Peking duck haplotypes were distinctly different from those of other domestic breeds. Although the H01 haplotype was shared by all domesticated duck breeds, Peking ducks displayed 12 specific domestic duck haplotypes, including four similar haplotypes H02, H04, H08 and H22, that formed a single haplogroup (A). Both H02 and H22 haplotypes were also shared by mallard and Peking ducks, indicating that Peking ducks originated from wild mallard ducks.

China is rich in chicken genetic resources, and many indigenous breeds can be found throughout the country. Due to poor productive ability, some of them are threatened by the commercial varieties from domestic and foreign breeding companies. In a large-scale investigation into the current status of Chinese poultry genetic resources, 78 indigenous chicken breeds were surveyed and their blood samples collected. The genomes of these chickens were screened using microsatellite analysis. A total of 2740 individuals were genotyped for 27 microsatellite markers on 13 chromosomes. The number of alleles of the 27 markers ranged from 6 to 51 per locus with a mean of 18.74. Heterozygosity (H) values of the 78 chicken breeds were all more than 0.5. The average H value (0.622) and polymorphism information content (PIC, 0.573) of these breeds suggested that the Chinese indigenous chickens possessed more genetic diversity than that reported in many other countries. The fixation coefficients of subpopulations within the total population (F(ST)) for the 27 loci varied from 0.065 (LEI0166) to 0.209 (MCW0078), with a mean of 0.106. For all detected microsatellite loci, only one (LEI0194) deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) across all the populations. As genetic drift or non-random mating can occur in small populations, breeds kept on conservation farms such a Langshan chicken generally had lower H values, while those kept on large populations within conservation regions possessed higher polymorphisms. The high genetic diversity in Chinese indigenous breeds is in agreement with great phenotypic variation of these breeds. Using Nei's genetic distance and the Neighbor-Joining method, the indigenous Chinese chickens were classified into six categories that were generally consistent with their geographic distributions. The molecular information of genetic diversity will play an important role in conservation, supervision, and utilization of the chicken resources.