• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2017

The eggshell is an intricate and highly ordered structure composed of multiple layers and a calcified matrix. The eggshell is formed at the uterine segment of the chicken oviduct. In this study, histological changes in the uterine endometrium and the expression of the eggshell-related genes were investigated according to hen age. We analyzed the expression of eggshell protein-related genes, such as OCX-32, OCX-36, OC-17, OC-116, and eggshell-ion-related genes, such as CABL-1, SPP1, SCNN1G, ATP2A2, CA2, and CALM1. In chicken uterine endometrium, histological deformation, fibrosis, atrophy and elimination of micro-villi were found with increasing hen age. The concentration of blood-ion components did not significantly change with age. The amount of telomeric DNA in uterine endometrial cells decreased with increasing hen age. The expression of most of the eggshell-related genes changed significantly with increasing hen age. The expression of some ovo-proteins, which play a role in eggshell formation, increased with increasing hen age; however, there were no significant correlations among eggshell protein genes. Eggshell ion-related genes, such as ATP2A2, SCNN1G, CA2, and CALM1, were closely related to each other. The OCX-32 and OCX-36 genes were closely related to some of the eggshell ion genes. Eggshell protein-related genes, such as the OCX-32, OCX-36 genes and ion-related genes such as CALB-1, ATP2A2, SCNN1G, CA2, CALM1, affected eggshell formation, mutually or independently. This study shows that, uterine although endometrial cell damage occurs with increasing hen age, normal eggshells can be formed in old hens. This suggests that eggshell protein-and eggshell ion-related genes also control the homeostasis of eggshell formation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.53-60
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• 2022

This study investigated correlations between egg quality indicators to identify external egg quality traits to predict internal egg quality using non-destructive and convenient measurements. Thirteen indicators, including Haugh unit, albumen height, eggshell breaking strength, eggshell thickness, eggshell color (CIE L^*, CIE a^*, CIE b^*), and reflectivity value, egg weight, egg length, egg width, shape index, and yolk color, were investigated. A total of 180 brown eggs were obtained from one 27-week-old flock of Hy-line brown-laying hens raised in a cage system. Correlations were evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). The results showed strong correlations between Haugh unit and albumen height, eggshell color CIE L^* and reflectivity, egg weight and width, egg weight and length, eggshell color CIE L^* and CIE a^*, eggshell color CIE a^* and reflectivity, and shape index and egg length (P<0.001). Moderate correlations were observed between eggshell breaking strength and eggshell thickness, eggshell color CIE a^* and CIE b^*, and shape index and egg width (P<0.001). Eggshell color CIE L^* was correlated with eggshell breaking strength (P<0.01), and eggshell color CIE a^* was correlated with Haugh unit, albumen height (P<0.01), and eggshell breaking strength (P<0.001). The present study showed significant correlations between eggshell color and other quality indicators. Thus, this study suggests that eggshell colors based on reflectiveness and the CIE L^*a^*b^* value can be used to estimate the Haugh unit, albumen height, eggshell breaking strength, and thickness.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.647-652
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the heavy metal removal and biomass productivity in the Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) using eggshell and microalgae. The experiment was operated 6 days in the eggshell and microalgae hybrid system, and using eggshell powder and microalgae as Chlorella vulgaris. The obtained result indicated that the biomass productivity of 2.82 g/L/d from 1.12 g/L initial concentration in 6 days was reached with light transmittance of 97% at a 305 mm depth in the optical panel photobioreactor (OPPBR). The total removal efficiency of Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Cd was found to be 98.92%, 99.91%, 98.78%, 88.99% and 98.00% in the AMD using eggshell and Chlorella vulgaris hybrid system, respectively. Additionally, there were significant relationships between biomass and concentration of each heavy metal ($R^2$ = 0.8771, 0.8643, 0.8669, 0.9134 and 0.6277 for Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Cd). These results indicated that the eggshell and microalgae hybrid system was highly effective for heavy metal removal when compared to the conventional biological process in the AMD. Therefore, the eggshell and microalgae hybrid system was effective for heavy metal removal and biomass productivity and can be applied to treat AMD in treatment plant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.609-624
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to get a comprehensive understanding of how genes in chicken shell gland modulate eggshell strength at the early stage of active calcification. Four 32-week old of purebred Xianju hens with consistent high or low shell breakage strength were grouped into two pairs. Using Affymetrix Chicken Array, a whole-transcriptome analysis was performed on hen's shell gland at 9 h post oviposition. Gene ontology enrichment analysis for differentially expressed (DE) transcripts was performed using the web-based GOEAST, and the validation of DE-transcripts was tested by qRT-PCR. 1,195 DE-transcripts, corresponding to 941 unique genes were identified in hens with strong eggshell compared to weak shell hens. According to gene ontology annotations, there are 77 DE-transcripts encoding ion transporters and secreted extracellular matrix proteins, and at least 26 DE-transcripts related to carbohydrate metabolism or post-translation glycosylation modification; furthermore, there are 88 signaling DE-transcripts. GO term enrichment analysis suggests that some DE-transcripts mediate reproductive hormones or neurotransmitters to affect eggshell quality through a complex suite of biophysical processes. These results reveal some candidate genes involved with eggshell strength at the early stage of active calcification which may facilitate our understanding of regulating mechanisms of eggshell quality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.174-180
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• 2004

This study is a fundamental research to test the applicability of abandoned eggshell as seed material for crystallization reaction. Eggshell was calcinated at $850^{\circ}C$ and ground to lesser than 0.42mm. The calcination characteristics of eggshell were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of initial calcium concentration, alkalinity, reaction temperature condition, seed dosage were studied by batch test. For the low concentration sample(P concentration is under 50mg/L), more than 90% of P can be removed. The effect of initial calcium concentration(0~120mg/L) was performed. At the result of the test, more than 50mg/L calcium concentration has high removal efficiency. Alkalinity effect was studied for synthetic solution(100mg/L initial P, 50mg/L calcium, 0.025% seed dosage) with 0~300mg/L bicarbonate alkalinities. For synthetic solution(100mg/L initial P, 50mg/L calcium, 100mg/L bicarbonate alkalinity, 0.025% seed dosage), the phosphorus concentration was examined with $10{\sim}35^{\circ}C$. In addition, calcinated eggshell was injected to swine wastewater to test the applicability to actual wastewater.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2023

Vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient which plays an important role in calcium metabolism for eggshell formation, in calcium and phosphorus metabolism for bone mineralization, and in maintaining host immunity. Although there have been a great deal of studies investigating the role of vitamin D3 in eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs, no attempts have been made to monitor the eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs at farm level. Thus, this survey was conducted to measure eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs laid from laying hens fed diets containing different levels of vitamin D3. Eggs from four commercial laying hen farms were sampled before and 1, 2, 3 and 5 weeks after provision of the vitamin D3-enriched diets added with the level of 16,500 IU and 29,000 IU. Dietary vitamin D3 did not affect the eggshell color and breaking strength, but increase the eggshell thickness. In addition, vitamin D3 contents in eggs were elevated as vitamin D3 in diets was increased. It is concluded that addition of dietary vitamin D3 into the diets of laying hens at the commercial laying hen farms could improve eggshell quality and vitamin D3 contents in eggs. It is expected that the prediction equation for egg vitamin D3 contents might be produced if more data on vitamin D3 contents in diets and eggs at the farms are to be analyzed.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.531-535
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• 1997

An efficient process for recovery of calcium from the eggshell was developed and some organic acids were used in an attempt to enhance the degree of calcium ionization. Eggshell membrane was readily separated from crushed eggshell based on the differences in specific gravities. The conditions which allowed most efficient membrane removal were found to be 30 rpm of speed, 30 min of residence time and 0.08 of volume fraction. It took 3 hours for the eggshell powder prepared at $1000^{\circ}C$ to reach L value of 90 with the Hausner ratio being 1.43. The calcium ion concentrations were 990, 3500, 3900 and 4200 ppm in pure water, acetic acid, citric acid and lactic acid$(0.05{\sim}3%)$ aqueous solution, respectively. The degrees of ionization of calcium-citrate-malate complex(CCM), calcium-citric acid complex(CC) and calcium malic acid complex(CM) increased by 4 to 5 times compared to eggshell calcium powder.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.715-722
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• 1996

To determine relationships of biochemical parameters involved in Ca metabolism with eggshell quality, serum Ca level, duodenal and uterine calcium binding protein (CaBP) and uterine carbonic anhydrase (CA) activities were measured using 102-week old hens. Three groups of chickens were selected, those showing high quality (HQ) and low quality (LQ) eggshells and non-laying activity (NE). NE hens exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower serum Ca levels than laying hens. HQ and LQ hens were not different in the Ca level, indicating that serum Ca level was not good indicator of hen's ability to produce different quality eggshells. Duodenal CaBPs was highest in HQ and lowest in NE (p < 0.10). Uterine CaBPs of LQ and NE were not different and lower significantly (p<0.10) than that of HQ, suggesting that CaBP played an important role in determining eggshell quality. Uterine CA activities of the three groups were significantly different (p < 0.01) ; highest in HQ and lowest in NE, suggesting intimate relationship between CA and Eggshell quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1477-1482
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• 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of diets with varying levels of calcium on egg production, shell quality and overall calcium status in aged laying hens. A total of five hundred 70-wk-old Hy-Line Brown layers were divided five groups and fed one of the five experimental diets with 3.5%, 3.8%, 4.1%, 4.4%, or 4.7% Ca, for 10 weeks. There were no significant differences in feed intake, egg production and egg weight among groups. The cracked eggs were linearly reduced as dietary Ca levels increased to 4.7% (p<0.01). A significant linear improvement for eggshell strength and thickness were determined with increasing dietary Ca levels (p<0.01). The contents of serum Ca and phosphorus were not affected by dietary Ca levels. With increase in dietary Ca levels, the tibial breaking strength slightly increased. There were no significant differences in the tibial contents of ash, Ca and phosphorus among groups. In conclusion, eggshell quality, as measured by appearance, strength and thickness of eggshell, were influenced by dietary Ca content as expected (p<0.05). These results suggested that aged laying hens require relatively higher level of Ca than required levels from current Korean feeding standards for poultry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.386-393
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• 2005

The calcination characteristic of waste eggshell were examined by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), qualitative and quantitative analysis by X-ray fluorescence, and microstructural analysis by scanning electronic microscopy(SEM). The calcined sample was lager grain and pore size.