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Crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), one of the rarest birds in the world, was almost extinct in the historically widespread areas partly due to the environmental pollution. Therefore, non-invasive indicators of feather, eggshell, and excrement were used to investigate the exposure of this endangered bird to eleven trace elements in this study. The results indicated that crested ibises under in situ and ex situ conservations were diversely exposed to trace elements, with higher exposure levels of As, Cd, and Mn in the wild, but higher exposure levels of Hg, Se, and Zn in the captive breeding center. In addition, concentrations of As, Co, Cr, and Ni were significantly greater in the sediments of three types of foraging habitats for wild crested ibis, but concentration of Se was greater in the soil of captive cages. Feather and eggshell of crested ibis exhibited a very consistent indication for most of the trace elements, and concentrations of almost all of the elements in the excrements were very consistent with the results in the environmental samples (sediments or soils). Concentrations of As, Hg, Mn, and Zn in feathers, and Mn and Zn in eggshells of wild and captive crested ibis were greater than those in other similar species. Moreover, As, Cd, Cu, and Mn concentrations in excrement of wild crested ibises were greater than that in captive individuals and other species, but Se and Zn concentrations in excrement of captive crested ibises were greater than that of the wild and other species. The present study provided evidence that both of the wild and captive crested ibis were exposed to trace elements, which may be harmful to their health. Image 1 • Non-invasive samples were used to indicate trace element exposure of rare bird. • Crested ibises living in the wild were exposed to high levels of As, Cd, and Mn. • Exposure levels of Hg, Se, and Zn for captive individuals were comparatively high. • Element contents in the excrements were very consistent with environmental samples. • Both wild and captive crested ibises were exposed to high levels of trace elements. Crested ibises under both in situ and ex situ conservations were diversely exposed to trace elements based on non-invasive indicators of feather, eggshell, and excrement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poultry well-being and economic burden due to heat stress (HS) are of great importance to the poultry industry. Efficient design and effective evaluation of any strategies to alleviate the adverse effects of HS on poultry production require an accurate measurement of stress. However, current methods for monitoring stress in poultry are less than ideal, as they are invasive or subjective, and therefore variable. Here, we demonstrated that HSP70, the well-established intracellular stress chaperone, is expressed in chicken feather and is responsive to HS, and could therefore be used as a stress marker. Growing feathers were collected from the same bird (Cobb500, n = 9) in the morning (barn temperature 24°C) and afternoon (barn temperature 29.5°C) in the summer (2016 June 21) in Arkansas, USA. In the afternoon, the birds were panting and their core body temperatures were significantly higher compared to the morning time, as illustrated by iButton data thermo-loggers. Concomitantly, blood HSP70 mRNA and feather HSP70 expression (mRNA and protein) were significantly increased in the afternoon compared to the morning time. Similarly, HSP70 protein expression in the duodenum was also significantly higher in the afternoon compared to the morning period. Together, these finding identify feather HSP70 as a novel non-invasive molecular signature that mirrors the intracellular and systemic stress, which can be useful to monitor well-being of chickens and other avian species under different challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers are the most complex skin appendages of vertebrates. Mature feathers consist of interconnected dead keratinocytes that are filled with heavily cross-linked proteins. Although the molecular architecture determines essential functions of feathers, only few feather proteins have been characterized with regard to their amino acid sequences and evolution. Here, we identify Epidermal Differentiation protein containing DPCC Motifs (EDDM) as a cysteine-rich protein that has co-evolved with other feather proteins. The EDDM gene is located within the avian epidermal differentiation complex (EDC), a cluster of genes that has originated and diversified in amniotes. EDDM shares the exon-intron organization with EDC genes of other amniotes, including humans, and a gene encoding an EDDM-like protein is present in crocodilians, suggesting that avian EDDM arose by sequence modification of an epidermal differentiation gene present in a common ancestor of archosaurs. The EDDM protein contains multiple sequence repeats and a higher number of cysteine residues than any other protein encoded in the EDC. Immunohistochemical analysis of chicken skin and skin appendages showed expression of EDDM in barb and barbules of feathers as well as in the subperiderm on embryonic scutate scales. These results suggest that the diversification and differential expression of EDDM, besides other EDC genes, was instrumental in facilitating the evolution of the most complex molecular architecture of feathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-distance migration is energetically costly and often has a significant impact on bird health and condition. Therefore, understanding the health status of birds during long-distance migration is of ecological interest; however, obtaining invasive health measures is not always feasible or practical. Bird feathers can provide information about individual bird condition independent of invasive and expensive blood tests and have been used previously as indicators of condition, even long after the season of feather growth. Here, we investigated this question using 2 migratory songbirds in North America, Western Palm Warblers (Setophaga palmarum palmarum), which have conspicuous white patches on their tail feathers, and Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), which have prominent daily growth bars on their tail feathers. Feathers were collected from birds captured on Jekyll Island, Georgia, during their fall migration. From the feathers we quantified the size of white patches on warbler rectrices and estimated growth bar length (as an index of feather growth rate) on catbird rectrices using image analysis. We also obtained 2 measures of bird health for each species: estimates of white blood cell abundance from blood smears (immune status) and size-corrected body mass (body condition). Analyses of feather traits and how they relate to bird health indicated that warblers (n = 42) with larger white patches had significantly higher body condition indices, although no association with white blood cell abundance, and catbirds (n = 27) with faster feather growth had significantly lower white blood cell abundance, but no association with body condition. Given the utility of these feather characteristics, our results suggest these metrics can be used to provide some insights into the biology of songbirds during one of the most critical portions of the annual cycle, migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of the broiler feather concentrate (BFC) in different hydrolysis processes. The raw materials in the form of broiler feather waste (BFW) were hydrolyzed into broiler feather concentrate (BFC) products in the form of feather meal. A total of 1000 g of dry feather samples were used in this study. The study was designed up to 4 treatments with 5 repetitions. Each treatment unit requires 50 g of dry feather samples. The repetition of the sample was the number of times the hydrolysis process. The sample was hydrolyzed using NaOH or HCl. The treatments were applied, namely: H-1) without hydrolysis; H-2) 1M-NaOH 20% (b/v); H-3) 1M-HCl 20% (v/v); H-4) 1M-NaOH 10% (b/v) + 1M-HCl 10% (v/v) (the treatment in H-4 was carried out sequentially). The results showed that the application of chemical processes to produce amino acid profiles of BFW was similar to BFC. The microstructure of the broiler feather differs in each chemical process. The composition of the BFC products was dominated by the compounds of SO3, SiO2, and Al2O3. An application of the chemical hydrolysis process to the BFC increases the value of the water and the ash content, but it decreases the fat and fiber content. The process of chemical hydrolysis using the H-2 treatment 1M-NaOH (20% (b/v) is the best hydrolysis process compared to other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers have long been regarded as the innovation that drove the success of birds. However, feathers have been reported from close dinosaurian relatives of birds, and now from ornithischian dinosaurs and pterosaurs, the cousins of dinosaurs. Incomplete preservation makes these reports controversial. If true, these findings shift the origin of feathers back 80 million years before the origin of birds. Gene regulatory networks show the deep homology of scales, feathers, and hairs. Hair and feathers likely evolved in the Early Triassic ancestors of mammals and birds, at a time when synapsids and archosaurs show independent evidence of higher metabolic rates (erect gait and endothermy), as part of a major resetting of terrestrial ecosystems following the devastating end-Permian mass extinction. Feathers are epidermal appendages comprising mostly corneous β-proteins (formerly β-keratins), and are characteristic of birds today. There are close connections in terms of genomic regulation between numerous regularly arrayed structures in the epidermis, including denticles in sharks, dermal scales in teleost fish, epidermal scales in reptiles, feathers in birds, and hairs in mammals. The discovery that genes specific to the production of feathers evolved at the base of Archosauria rather than the base of Aves or Avialae (birds) is matched by fossil evidence that feathers were widespread among dinosaurs and pterosaurs, the flying reptiles. This suggests that feathers arose first, as simple monofilaments, probably for insulation in the archosaurian ancestors of birds and dinosaurs during the Early Triassic, a time when land vertebrates were speeding up in terms of physiology, with erect gaits and endothermy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small fauna of vertebrates is recorded from the Insect Limestone, Bembridge Marls Member, Bouldnor Formation, late Priabonian, latest Eocene, of the Isle of Wight, UK. The taxa represented are unidentified teleost fishes, lizards including a scincoid, unidentified birds and the theridomyid rodent Isoptychus. The scincoid represents the youngest record of the group in the UK. Of particular note is the taphonomic interpretation based on the preservation of anatomical parts of land-based tetrapods that would have been most likely transported to the site of deposition by wind, namely bird feathers and pieces of shed lizard skin. These comprise the majority of the specimens and suggest that the dominant transport mechanism was wind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As zoos become more numerous the challenge for keepers to ensure animal well-being and identify adverse behaviors becomes immense. Intelligent animals in captivity have a higher likelihood of participating in selfharm activities compared to their wild counterparts. Feather picking in birds is one such adverse behavior characterized by the individual breaking or removing feathers and, in severe cases, excision of the skin. This behavior increases the susceptibility to sickness and infection. In this study, a feather-picking captive Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) was observed preening, resting, and displaying self-mutilating behavior. Collected data were compared with a second non-mutilating specimen. The feather-picking animal was an imprinted education animal while the nonfeather picker was a non-imprinted display bird. The featherpicking vulture was medicated with Gabapentin, a drug typically used for neuropathy with anecdotal evidence for treatment of self-mutilation in birds. In addition, this bird was briefly housed adjacent to a Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) as a potential remedy for feather picking. From the results of this study, a recommendation is made to mitigate this alarming behavior by adjacent or near exhibition with a similar bird. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a feather rotating-TENG (FTR-TENG) was developed by analyzing the properties of nanostructure and changes in friction areas by the aerodynamic motion of naturally evolved feathers. The motion and area of surface of the feathers vary according to the interlocking effect of the aerodynamic nanostructure that was found appropriate for the FTR-TENG in the present study. Owl feather, employed in the present study, demonstrated peak output performance of FTR-TENG of 51.4 V, 4.47 μA at 1.6 cm2 of friction area and 7 m/s of wind speed. In addition, the positive surface charge potential of all feathers has increased by the electrostatic adsorption of hematoxylin, the natural dye, used to maximize the electricity generation efficiency of FTR-TENG by raising the positive triboelectric series of the β-keratin structure of feather. As a consequence, the performance of triboelectric generation was increased, despite the small area and low wind power, compared to the previous results of the rotational wind power generator. The owl feather demonstrated generation of 64.3 V and 6.55 μA with 1.6 cm2 of frictional area at wind speed of 7 m/s, which represented an approximately 25% increase in voltage, and 47% increase in current, compared with that before adsorption. A FTR-TENG based on the hyper-branched nanostructure of the feathers and the adsorption effect of hematoxylin is demonstrated for maximizing the efficiency of the wind-based TENG as an energy harvester. This is a study of a new approach to increase the performance of the TENG by adsorbing hematoxylin, a natural dye, on feathers, as well as the effect of varying friction area on the efficiency of the TENG using the feathers of the hyper branched nanostructure. Image 1 • This is a study of a new approach to increase the performance of the TENG using the hyper branched nanostructure feathers. • The FTR-TENG was developed by analyzing the change of friction area by the aerodynamic motion of feathers. • The adsorption of hematoxylin dye enabled a bigger positive triboelectric series, to maximize the electricity generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of birds as bioindicators for monitoring the environmental inorganic elements has been globally recognized. In this context, due to its well-known ecology and population stability, the Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) could be particularly useful. Dead Northern gannets (n = 30) were collected and samples from the liver, kidney, and feathers were taken, dried, mineralized, and finally analyzed via ICP-MS. Metals and metalloids, namely As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn, associated with environmental pollution and toxicity on living organisms, were evaluated. The mean highest concentrations of As, Hg, and Zn were found in the liver (0.916, 7.026, and 89.81 mg/kg dry weight, respectively). For Cd, the kidney showed the highest mean concentration (17.51 mg/kg dry weight), whereas for Pb, this value corresponded to the feathers (0.399 mg/kg dry weight). Significant differences were found between the age classes in terms of contaminant concentrations, with the adults exhibiting higher metal levels. This difference was significantly relevant for Pb and Hg, where the effect of age was observed for all the considered tissues. When considering the effect of gender, no significant differences were observed, in agreement with similar studies performed in other geographical regions. Finally, positive correlations between the concentrations of Hg and Pb in the feathers and in the liver (r = 0.688, p < 0.001 and r = 0.566, p < 0.001, respectively) were observed, as well as between the feather and kidney concentrations (r = 0.685, p < 0.001) indicating the possibility to use feathers, a non-invasive biomonitoring tissue, for better understanding Hg and Pb exposure in seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The mixture precursors of Acorus calamus Linn. and feather waste were used for biochar preparation. • The adsorption capacity of biochar for Cr(VI) is enhanced 40%. • It promotes a cleaner production for biochar. • The adsorption mechanism of Cr(VI) by Mix-BC were explained by FTIR and XPS techniques. As an initial attempt, the biochars were prepared from the mixture precursors of Acorus calamus Linn. and feather waste to enhance the physicochemical properties and adsorptive performance of Cr(VI). The biochars were characterized by N 2 adsorption/desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis and Boehm titration. The newly prepared biochar were produced to have increased microporous structures and functional groups, and consequently, exhibited an improved adsorption capacity for Cr(VI) (i.e., 20% higher than that of traditional biochar). The adsorptive mechanisms of Cr(VI) included porous filtration, ion exchange, electrostatic attraction, complexation reaction, and most importantly, the reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature is an amazing source of inspiration for the design of thermal insulation strategies, which are key for saving energy. In nature, thermal insulation structures, such as penguin feather and polar bear hair, are well developed; enabling the animals' survival in frigid waters. The detailed microscopy investigations conducted in this study, allowed us to perform microstructural analysis of these thermally insulating materials, including statistical measurements of keratin fiber and pore dimensions directly from high resolution Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images. The microscopy study revealed many similarities in both materials, and showed the importance of their hierarchically-organized porous structure. Finally, we propose the schematic configuration of a thermally-insulating structure, based on the penguin feather and polar bear hair. These optimized thermal-insulator systems indicate the road maps for future development, and new approaches in the design of material properties. We present the first detailed comparison of microstructures of penguin feather and polar bear hair for designing optimum thermal insulation properties. This unique study involves the measurement of the sizes of pores and fibers of these two keratin-based materials, including the investigation of their 3D arrangements. We revealed porosity interconnection, especially in polar bear hair, which is one of the key designs exhibited by thermal insulation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibre reinforced composites have become important materials for manufacturing a diverse range of industrial products. Keratin-rich materials including sheep wool and poultry feathers can have added value by partially substituting synthetic polymers in the production of biocomposites with improved mechanical properties. The strong intermolecular disulfides, hydrogen, ionic and hydrophobic interactions of keratin make it behave as a thermoset material which is not easy to process and thermally blend with other polymers. Therefore, different plasticizers, compatibilizers and coupling agents were investigated in order to make keratin a processable material. This review discusses recent developments in the production of thermoplastic keratin blend biocomposites. In particular, the processing and preparation conditions has been discussed, and their strengths and limitations are enumerated and critically evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Networked structures integrate numerous elements into one functional unit, while providing a balance between efficiency, robustness, and flexibility. Understanding how biological networks self-assemble will provide insights into how these features arise. Here, we demonstrate how nature forms exquisite muscle networks that can repair, regenerate, and adapt to external perturbations using the feather muscle network in chicken embryos as a paradigm. The selfassembled muscle networks arise through the implementation of a few simple rules. Muscle fibers extend outward from feather buds in every direction, but only those muscle fibers able to connect to neighboring buds are eventually stabilized. After forming such a nearest-neighbor configuration, the network can be reconfigured, adapting to perturbed bud arrangement or mechanical cues. Our computational model provides a bioinspired algorithm for network self-assembly, with intrinsic or extrinsic cues necessary and sufficient to guide the formation of these regenerative networks. These robust principles may serve as a useful guide for assembling adaptive networks in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feather trauma is a common problem among pet birds, especially those with trimmed wing feathers, and often affects remiges and rectrices. Damage can become chronic if new feathers remain unprotected by fully formed adjacent feathers. The follicles can become damaged and poorly functional over time. A 6-month-old male umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba) was presented for examination because of feather damage that occurred shortly after receiving a wing trim by the owner. Over the next 18 months, various medical, behavioral, and husbandry methods failed to allow normal regrowth of the tail feathers. The bird presented 25 times over the 18-month period for problems associated with broken blood feathers in the tail. Feather imping was ruled out because of the lack of hollow adult shafts to serve as a base. Diagnostic tests included hematologic testing and biochemical analysis, circovirus testing, feather biopsy, and radiographs, results of which were unremarkable. Because of the chronic pain associated with the frequent rectrix damage, a complete rectricectomy was performed. All of the rectrical follicles as well as the pygostyle were surgically removed. Healing was uneventful and the bird has been clinically normal with no further blood feather injury for 24 months after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The preparation of extract from a low weight of feathers have been optimized. • The use of ketosteroid derivatization in feather extracts has been verified. • LC–MS/MS analysis of ketosteroid derivatives is highly specific. • The method was used in hormone analysis in feathers of different bird species. Abstract Feathers gradually accumulate hormones and reflect long-term average plasma steroid levels during their growth. Feather hormone levels thus provide for the measurement of plasma hormones concentrations integrated over a period of several days or weeks. In this study, we focused on the development of a method to determine testosterone (TEST) and corticosterone (CORT) levels in extracts from feathers of small bodied birds with a limited amount of feathers available per individual. For this purpose, the method had to be verified for a small weight of samples. The present study describes the effect of the conditions of sample preparation and keto-derivatisation on the sensitivity of the LC–ESI–MS/MS analysis of TEST and CORT. Generally, chemical derivatization improves the sensitivity and selectivity of LC–MS/MS analysis. It can be used particularly in situations when the total amount of collected sample is limited (such as in our studies). Both the conditions of feather sample preparation (the selection of the extraction solvent, the time of extraction, and the conditions of solid phase extraction) and the reaction conditions affecting the formation of keto-derivatives (such as reaction temperature and reaction time) were tested. Methanol as the extraction solvent, 8 h as the extraction time, 50 °C as the reaction temperature of derivatization, and 90 min as the reaction time of derivatization are the most suitable conditions in terms of achieving a high sensitivity of analyses. Calibration curves are linear, at least in the range 25–2500 pg mL−1, which is usually found in feather extracts. The limit of detection (LOD) for TEST and CORT was 1.0 and 0.3 pg per mL, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for TEST and CORT was 3.3 and 1.0 pg per mL, respectively. The optimized procedure was successfully applied for the analysis of TEST and CORT in real feather samples. The method could be used in a variety of research direction including wildlife, agricultural or veterinary studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Schematic of the mechanism of droplet impact on elastic and rigid superhydrophobic substrates. Abstract Hypothesis Flying in the rain presents a greater challenge for smaller animals such as kingfishers, compared with aircraft in the same situation. Regardless, kingfishers have developed advanced water repellency as reflected in the hydrophobicity and elasticity of their feathers. Therefore, it is possible to confirm that the elastic superhydrophobic surface can enhance the water repellency of the surface by experimental and theoretical analysis. Experiments A simplified device simulating droplet impact on a kingfisher feather was configured for comparison. Moreover, the dynamic behavior of droplets (with varying Weber numbers—2 ≤ W e ≤ 42) impinging on the elastic and rigid substrate was analyzed, such as spreading, retraction, lift-off, the secondary droplet, and contact time with a high-speed camera. Findings The elastic substrate significantly affected the retraction and lift-off of the droplet—that is, an earlier and more efficient morphological rearrangement of the droplet—reducing the contact time by up to 8.3% (17 < W e ≤ 32). The combination of elasticity and hydrophobicity is a new bioinspired strategy that provides an insight into one of the mechanisms by which birds flying in the rain cannot be bedewed while guiding the design of water-repellent surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are common modalities for cancer treatment. While targeting rapidly growing cancer cells, they also damage normal tissues and cause adverse effects. From the initial insult such as DNA double‐strand break, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a general stress response, there are complex regulatory mechanisms that control the actual tissue damage process. Besides apoptosis, a range of outcomes for the damaged cells are possible including cell cycle arrest, senescence, mitotic catastrophe, and inflammatory responses and fibrosis at the tissue level. Feather and hair are among the most actively proliferating (mini‐)organs and are highly susceptible to both chemotherapy and radiotherapy damage, thus provide excellent, experimentally tractable model systems for dissecting how normal tissues respond to such injuries. Taking a comparative biology approach to investigate this has turned out to be particularly productive. Started in chicken feather and then extended to murine hair follicles, it was revealed that in addition to p53‐mediated apoptosis, several other previously overlooked mechanisms are involved. Specifically, Shh, Wnt, mTOR, cytokine signalling and ROS‐mediated degradation of adherens junctions have been implicated in the damage and/or reparative regeneration process. Moreover, we show here that inflammatory responses, which can be prominent upon histological examination of chemo‐ or radiotherapy‐damaged hair follicle, may not be essential for the hair loss phenotype. These studies point to fundamental, evolutionarily conserved mechanisms in controlling tissue responses in vivo, and suggest novel strategies for the prevention and management of adverse effects that arise from chemo‐ or radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken feathers and sheep wool are at present considered two major agro-industrial residues which are hard to be disposed. Therefore finding applications for these residues is interesting from the viewpoint of Circular Economy. The knowledge of the properties and characteristics of keratins, which are the main constituent of these materials, can help designing final applications for them. This report presents the results of the comparative analysis of the molecular weights of keratins from Lachas heep (Ovis aries) and consumer chicken (Gallus domesticus) obtained by reductive extraction with sodium tioglycolate inalkalyne media. The analysis was carried out trough polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and showed that wool keratin has molecular weightfractions of 56, 47, 14, 10 y 8 KDa, higher on average than those of the feathers, only with lower molecular weight fractions, in the range of 8-6 KDa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Twenty fungal strains belonging to 17 species and isolated from male scalp hair were tested for their capacity to hydrolyze keratinous material from chicken feather. The identification of the three most efficient species was confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA. Activities of fungal keratinases produced by Aspergillus stelliformis (strain AUMC 10920), A. sydowii (AUMC 10935), and Fusarium brachygibbosum (AUMC 10937) were 113, 120, and 130 IU mg−1 enzymes, respectively. The most favorable conditions were at pH 8.0 and 50 °C. Keratinase activity was markedly inhibited by EDTA and metal ions Ca+2, Co+2, Ni+2, Cu+2, Fe+2, Mg+2, and Zn+2, with differences between the fungal species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on the activity of keratinase produced by A. stelliformis, A. sydowii, and F. brachygibbosum. F. brachygibbosum keratinase was the most active, but the species is not recommended because of its known phytopathogenicty. Aspergillus sydowii has many known biotechnological solutions and here we add another application of the species, as producer of keratinases. We introduce A. stelliformis as new producer of active fungal keratinases for biotechnological solutions, such as in the management of keratinous waste in poultry industry.

As a nondestructive means of environmental monitoring, bird feathers have been used to analyze levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in specific environments. In this study, feather samples from 10 waterbird species around Poyang Lake were collected, and a pretreatment method for PFASs in feathers was optimized. The results showed that a combined cleaning method using ultrapure water and n-hexane effectively removed external PFASs. Twenty-three legacy and emerging PFASs were identified in the feathers of waterbirds, of which hexafluoropropylene oxides (HFPOs), chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonates (Cl-PFESAs), and sodium p -perfluorinated noneoxybenzene sulfonate (OBS) were reported for the first time, with their concentrations ranging from 0.060–2.4 ng·g−1 dw, 0.046–30 ng·g−1 dw, and lower than the method detection limit to 30 ng·g−1 dw, respectively. Compound- and species-specific bioaccumulation of PFASs was observed in the feathers of different waterbird species, suggesting that different PFAS types can be monitored through the selection of different species. Moreover, the concentrations of most PFCAs (except perfluorobutyric acid), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA) were significantly positively correlated with δ 15N (p < 0.05), while the concentrations of HFPOs, Cl-PFESAs, and OBS had significant positive correlations with δ 13C. This indicates that the bioaccumulation of legacy and emerging PFASs in waterbird feathers is affected by their trophic level, feeding habits, and foraging area. [Display omitted] • A simple procedure to effectively remove external PFAS from feathers was developed. • HFPOs, Cl-PFESAs, and OBS in waterbird feathers were reported for the first time. • Compound- and species-specific accumulation of PFAS differed among species. • The levels of PFASs were positively correlated with δ 13C and δ 15N values. • PFAS accumulation depends on trophic level, feeding habits, and foraging area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most birds preen their feathers with an oily excrete from the uropygial (preen) gland. This oily excrete contains persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which make the preen gland a potential route of depuration of POPs in birds. Black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) were studied during two periods of high energy demand: incubation and chick-rearing. A rather high concentration of POPs in preen gland tissue indicates that the preen gland secrete is an excretory pathway for POPs in kittiwakes. The similarity in the POP profile detected in this study of liver, preen gland and feathers suggests that POPs found in the feathers are excreted through the preen gland. The finding also indicates that excretion of POPs through the preen gland is compound unspecific. This qualitative study should be followed up by a new quantitative study to determine the importance of excretion of POPs through the preen gland.

In this study, fishing efficiency was analyzed by using different colored feathers in chub mackerel fishing (Scomber japonicus Houttuyn 1782) at Gökçeada. Catching lengths of green, brown (grayed), pink, white and orange feathers were determined to be 33.7 cm, 34.2 cm, 33.6 cm, 34.7 cm and 35.9 cm, respectively. When the fishing efficiencies of different colored feathers used in the study were compared at the end of the study, brown (grayed) color was found to have caught 164 individuals, having a catching rate of 35%. Orange colored feather was found to have caught 95 individuals, having a catching rate of 21% while white colored feather was found to have caught 49 individuals, having a catching rate of 11%. Green colored feather was found to have caught 70 individuals, having a catching rate of 15% and pink colored feather was found to have caught 82 individuals, having a catching rate of 18%.

Bird plumage coloration is a complex and multifactorial process that involves both genetic and environmental factors. Diverse pigment groups contribute to plumage variation in different birds. In parrots, the predominant green color results from the combination of 2 different primary colors: yellow and blue. Psittacofulvin, a pigment uniquely found in parrots, is responsible for the yellow coloration, while blue is suggested to be the result of light scattering by feather nanostructures and melanin granules. So far, genetic control of melanin-mediated blue coloration has been elusive. In this study, we demonstrated that feather from the yellow mutant rose-ringed parakeet displays loss of melanosome granules in spongy layer of feather barb. Using whole genome sequencing, we found that mutation in SLC45A2, an important solute carrier protein in melanin synthetic pathway, is responsible for the sex-linked yellow phenotype in rose-ringed parakeet. Intriguingly, one of the mutations, P53L found in yellow Psittacula krameri is already reported as P58A/S in the human albinism database, known to be associated with human OCA4. We further showed that mutations in SLC45A2 gene affect melanin production also in other members of Psittaculidae family such as alexandrine and plum-headed parakeets. Additionally, we demonstrate that the mutations associated with the sex-linked yellow phenotype, localized within the transmembrane domains of the SLC45A2 protein, affect the protein localization pattern. This is the first evidence of plumage color variation involving SLC45A2 in parrots and confirmation of associated mutations in the transmembrane domains of the protein that affects its localization., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The author(s) declare no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Genetics Society of America.)

Anthropogenic mercury (Hg) emissions are increasing and are potentially of concern for Arctic-nesting seabirds, particularly those that spend part of their year near dense human habitation. Iceland Gulls (Larus glaucoides B. Meyer, 1822) breed in the eastern Canadian Arctic and spend the majority of winter in towns and cities in eastern Newfoundland. We measured Hg in breast feathers, blood plasma, and red blood cells of Iceland Gulls wintering in and around St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, from 2011 to 2014. Mercury in blood plasma comprised

Functional validation of candidate genes involved in adaptation and speciation remains challenging. We here exemplify the utility of a method quantifying individual mRNA transcripts in revealing the molecular basis of divergence in feather pigment synthesis during early-stage speciation in crows. Using a padlock probe assay combined with rolling circle amplification, we quantified cell type specific gene expression in the histological context of growing feather follicles. Expression of Tyrosinase Related Protein 1 (TYRP1), Solute Carrier Family 45 member 2 (SLC45A2) and Hematopoietic Prostaglandin D Synthase (HPGDS) was melanocyte-limited and significantly reduced in follicles from hooded crow explaining the substantially lower eumelanin content in grey vs. black feathers. The central upstream Melanocyte Inducing Transcription Factor (MITF) only showed differential expression specific to melanocytes - a feature not captured by bulk RNA-seq. Overall, this study provides insight into the molecular basis of an evolutionary young transition in pigment synthesis, and demonstrates the power of histologically explicit, statistically substantiated single-cell gene expression quantification for functional genetic inference in natural populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers are likely the most plentiful protein materials in the natural world. However, a significant amount of this resource has been wasted by burning or entombing. Recycling and developing a method for extracting keratin from such wastes have been the objective of many researches. In this research, keratin was extracted from chicken feather waste by enzymatic hydrolysis using an alkaline protease. The effects of three factors such as enzyme concentration, amount of reducing agent and hydrolysis time were evaluated to find the optimum enzymatic hydrolysis condition. Porous sponge of extracted keratin was then prepared by freeze-drying method. To improve the integrity of sponge structure, different amounts of polyvinyl alcohol were added to keratin solution and the obtained sponges were characterized. The physiochemical properties of the produced regenerated keratin sponge were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analyzer and oil absorption tests. The obtained results showed that the fabricated porous sponge has a high potential to be applied as a promising adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cibenza IND900 keratinase liquefies chicken feathers after 5 days. • We extracted corticosterone from feathers digested by keratinase at >89% efficiency. • Standard corticosterone curve was parallel to serial dilution of feather extract. • We recovered >94% of exogenous corticosterone added to digested feathers by assay. Abstract Stress in animals is a concern in conservation breeding programs and livestock production facilities. The biological stress response is mediated by the release of glucocorticoids, which can suppress reproduction, growth, and immunity if recurrently activated. Feathers can be used to extract and monitor concentrations of corticosterone, a primary glucocorticoid in birds. However, current techniques for extracting feather corticosterone present challenges, including difficulty assessing extraction efficiency or hormone recovery, inconsistent extraction across feather lengths or pieces, and several uncertainties regarding the mechanisms of hormone deposition into feathers. To overcome such challenges and to provide tools useful for facilitating conservation breeding and livestock production, we developed and validated an alternative procedure for extracting feather glucocorticoids. We first developed a protocol to enzymatically digest the protein matrix of feathers using a keratinase, such that non-protein analytes could be isolated by organic extraction. We then developed an extraction protocol and evaluated techniques by measuring extraction efficiency and by testing parallelism and hormone recovery (accuracy) using radioimmunoassay. Our results demonstrated high and consistent extraction efficiency, as well as high accuracy and reliable parallelism to a standard curve upon measurement of corticosterone concentrations from extracts. By dissolving feather material into solution prior to extraction, we were able to replicate hormone deposition into the feather matrix and ensure consistent extraction across feathers. This work provides additional support for the validity and practicality of extracting glucocorticoids from feathers. Our extraction protocol is likely to extend to other applications as well, including the isolation of numerous non-protein analytes from various keratinized tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to find out the certain heavy-metal levels in the feathers of cinereous vulture (Aegypius monachus L.), which is a threatened species. The feathers of the cinereous vultures were collected from the breeding areas in Sündiken and Türkmenbaba Mountains. To avoid misleading results, vanes and calamuses of the rectrices were evaluated separately in terms of their As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn contents. ICP-OES was used to analyse the metal levels in feathers which belonged to 43 different individuals. All of the heavy-metal concentrations except for Cu were higher in vanes than in calamuses. The mean levels of Cd (0.254 ± 1.589 μg/g d.w. in the calamus and 0.334 ± 0.156 μg/g d.w. in the vane), Cr (6.536 ± 6.378 μg/g d.w. in the vane), Ni (11.886 ± 10.891 μg/g d.w. in the vane) and Pb (5.671 ± 3.884 μg/g d.w. in the vane) exceeded the threshold values for the birds. As a result, we recommend further studies to understand the effects of the heavy metals on the population of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though various fibers are used today in textile production, researchers have started to search out alternative resources for natural fibers. Air, water and land pollution occurring because of overconsumption of fibers such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, polypropylene that are pretty much used in textile has created quite negative effects on the environment. For this reason, alternative environment-friendly fibers have been gaining importance in recent years. Alternative fibers are less known fiber types that exist in the forms of animal and cellulose fibers in nature. With some of their properties such as keeping warm, lightness etc., these fibers can be an alternative to the fibers used today. As these fibers decrease the burden of waste load thanks to their reuse, it is also possible to consider them significant for the protection of the environment. In this study, feather fibers and peanut hull fibers have been investigated and presents some information about obtaining, production and usage areas of these fibers by the method of literature review. At the end of the study, it has been concluded that the usage areas and production of these fibers should be increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The bristle scale is a skin appendage recognized in the ornithiscian dinosaurs Daurosaurus olovus and Kulindapteryx ukureica from the Kulinda locality (Transbaikalia, Russia). Morphologically, the bristle scale is a horn plate immersed in the dermis, with strands (bristles) diverging from its external edge. It is assumed that the filamentous protofeather of dinosaurs is the monobristle variant of the bristle scale and avian feather results from its tubular spatial modification. The bristle scale is considered to be intermediate between the reptilian scale and avian feather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the feather and muscle of common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), eagle owls (Bubo bubo) and little owls (Athene noctua) collected from Beijing, China were investigated. The concentrations of ∑ 23 PBDEs in the muscle and feather of all the birds of prey ranged from 46 to 7.77 × 104 ng/g lipid weight (lw; median 241 ng/g lw) and 1.50–191 ng/g dry weight (dw; median 21.1 ng/g dw), respectively. Higher brominated congeners, e.g., BDE-209, -153, -207 and -196 were the dominant congeners in both feather and muscle. However, the concentrations of lower brominated congeners in feather were significantly correlated with those in muscle (p < 0.05), which suggested that feather could efficiently reflect lower brominated BDEs in the internal tissue of birds of prey. The calculated hazard quotients (HQs) > 10 in common kestrel and little owl suggested that the high levels of PBDEs posed potentially high risk to some birds of prey living in Beijing area. Highlights • PBDEs were investigated in the feather and muscle of birds of prey collected from Beijing, China. • Higher brominated congeners were the dominant congeners in both feather and muscle. • The concentrations of lower brominated congeners in feather were significantly correlated with those in muscle. • High levels of PBDEs posed potentially high risk to some birds of prey living in Beijing area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feathers biomass from poultry industry is considered as an important waste product, which creates serious environmental problems. In this study, keratin was extracted from waste chicken feathers using sodium sulfide as a reducing agent under optimized conditions. The extracted keratin particles were used to develop a bioploymeric film by adding microcrystalline cellulose as nano-additive agent. The calculated yield of 80.2% was obtained for keratin from feathers dry weight 25 g (w/w). The extracted keratin was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The physiochemical characteristics of the feathers were compared with the keratin powder. The regenerated keratin particles preserved their chemical composition, thermal strength and stability after chemical extraction. The extracted keratin particles showed 10-20-µm spongy porous microparticles in SEM analysis. The keratin powder was used to synthesize a bioplastic film using glycerol (3.5%) and microcrystalline cellulose (0.2%) in NaOH for 48 h at 60 °C. The calculated thickness of bioplastic film was 1.12 × 10−4 mm with tensile strength of 3.62 ± 0.6 MPa. The Young’s modulus and break elongation for synthesized bioplastic film were 1.52 ± 0.34 MPa and 15.8 ± 2.2%, respectively. The feather and keratin showed maximum similarity index of 64.74% (L-alanyl, L-alanyl, L-alanine, p-nitroanilide) and 64.32% with D-pantethine, respectively, using OMNIC Specta software. Overall, the study presented a highly efficient method to convert the waste feather biomass into a bioplastic film which can be used in biopolymer, biomedical and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Exceptional fossils’ of dinosaurs preserving feathers have radically changed the way we view their paleobiology and the evolution of birds. Understanding how such soft tissues preserve is imperative to accurately interpreting the morphology of fossil feathers. Experimental taphonomy has been integral to such investigations. One such experiment used a printing press to mimic compaction, done subaerially and without sediment burial, and concluded that the leaking of bodily fluid could lead to the clumping of feathers by causing barbs to stick together such that they superficially resemble simpler, less derived, filamentous structures. Here we use a novel, custom-built experimental setup to more accurately mimic subaqueous burial and compaction under low-energy, fine-grain depositional environments applicable to the taphonomic settings most plumage-preserving ‘exceptional fossils’ are found in. We find that when submerged and subsequently buried and compacted, feathers do not clump together and they maintain their original arrangement. Submersion in fluid in and of itself does not lead to clumping of barbs; this would only occur upon pulling feathers out from water into air. Furthermore, sediment encases the feathers, fixing them in place during compaction. Thus, feather clumping that leads to erroneously plesiomorphic morphological interpretations may not be a taphonomic factor of concern when examining fossil feathers. Our current methodology is amenable to further improvements that will continue to more accurately mimic subaqueous burial and compaction, allowing for various hypothesis testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]