Zoology Research This is an OPML file. It can be used to export all the MedWorm RSS feeds on this topic into your personal RSS reader (usually you have to save this file to your own computer before clicking on an Import OPML command in your own feed reader to upload the file which will then import all the feeds) or it can be used by webmasters to integrate MedWorm feeds with their own website. This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 30.

Effect of semen collection method (artificial vagina vs. electroejaculation), extender and centrifugation on post-thaw sperm quality of Blanca-Celtibérica buck ejaculates.
Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of semen collection method (artificial vagina compared to electroejaculation), season in which the semen was collected (breeding season compared to non-breeding season), freezing extender (Biladyl(®), Andromed(®) and skim milk based extender) and pre-treatment procedure (washing compared to non-washing) on post-thaw semen quality in buck. Ejaculates from seven bucks of the Blanca-Celtibérica breed were collected by artificial vagina and electroejaculation during the breeding (July to December) and non-breeding season (January to June). Samples were split ...
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Jiménez-Rabadán P, Ramón M, García-Álvarez O, Maroto-Morales A, del Olmo E, Pérez-Guzmán MD, Bisbal A, Fernández-Santos MR, Garde JJ, Soler AJ Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: research

The potential influence of plant-based feed supplements on sperm quantity and quality in livestock: a review.
Abstract The reproductive performance of male livestock is of economic importance, and improving semen quantity and quality, especially for artificial insemination, additionally helps to avoid the loss of valuable genotypes. The review focuses on the impact of oxidative stress on sperm production and quality in livestock, and the potential role of plant based anti-oxidants to control this impact. From scientific reports dealing with livestock, the paper compiles evidence on effective dietary measures affecting sperm production and quality. Where little or no data are available on livestock, it refers to sources reg...
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Clément C, Witschi U, Kreuzer M Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: research

Supplementing sow gestation diets with betaine during summer increases litter size of sows with greater numbers of parities.
In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate that gestational betaine supplementation during summer increased litter size of sows with greater numbers of parities. PMID: 22607771 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: van Wettere WH, Herde P, Hughes PE Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: research

Influence of zona pellucida thickness on fertilization, embryo implantation and birth.
In conclusion, the zona pellucida thickness has an important influence on in vivo fertilization and implantation processes, but not on birth. PMID: 22607772 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Marco-Jiménez F, Naturil-Alfonso C, Jiménez-Trigos E, Lavara R, Vicente JS Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: research

The usefulness of combining traditional sperm assessments with in vitro heterospermic insemination to identify bulls of low fertility as estimated in vivo.
Abstract To date, no single in vitro assessment can estimate bull fertility. This research was aimed at evaluating the ability of a series of laboratory assessments to assign 50 Holstein Friesian bulls grouped as low (ER-NRR<-1.5), medium (-0.5<ER-NRR<+0.5) and high (ER-NRR≥+1.5) fertility based on estimated relative non-return rates (ER-NRR), to the two categories of low and medium-high fertility. Heterospermic insemination with a Piedmontese reference bull was employed to define an index of competitive binding ability (CBI) to the zona pellucida using fluorochrome-labeled sperm, and a competitive ferti...
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Puglisi R, Pozzi A, Foglio L, Spanò M, Eleuteri P, Grollino MG, Bongioni G, Galli A Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: research

Large-scale habitat association modeling of the endangered Korean ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii).
Abstract We used radio-telemetric monitoring and statistical models to investigate habitat associations of the endangered Korean ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii) in a mountain region of Woraksan National Park based on the data collected from July 2007 to April 2009. We evaluated a priori models at landscape scales that incorporated natural and artificial variables to explain ratsnake presence and absence using geographic information system (GIS) databases. We generated models using logistic regression combined with Akaike's information criterion (AIC) to determine which variables are most important. The best-ranked mod...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Lee JH, Park D, Sung HC Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Behavioral laterality and morphological asymmetry in the cuttlefish, Sepia lycidas.
We examined behavioral laterality in attacks on prey shrimp by the cuttlefish, Sepia lycidas, and correlated this to their morphological asymmetry. Behavioral tests in the laboratory revealed significant individual bias for turning either clockwise or counterclockwise toward prey, suggesting behavioral dimorphism in foraging behavior. Morphological bias was examined by measuring the curvature of the cuttlebone; in some the cuttlebone was convex to the right (righty), while in others, the cuttlebone was convex to the left (lefty). The frequency distributions of an index of cuttlebone asymmetry were bimodal, indicating that ...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Lucky NS, Ihara R, Yamaoka K, Hori M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Metamorphosis inhibition: an alternative rearing protocol for the newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster.
Abstract The newt is an indispensable model animal, of particular utility for regeneration studies. Recently, a high-throughput transgenic protocol was established for the Japanese common newt, Cynops pyrrhogaster. For studies of regeneration, metamorphosed animals may be favorable; however, for this species, there is no efficient protocol for maintaining juveniles after metamorphosis in the laboratory. In these animals, survival drops drastically after metamorphosis as their foraging behaviour changes to adapt to a terrestrial habitat, making feeding in the laboratory with live or moving foods more difficult. To e...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Chiba C, Yamada S, Tanaka H, Inae-Chiba M, Miura T, Casco-Robles MM, Yoshikawa T, Inami W, Mizuno A, Islam MR, Han W, Yasumuro H, Matsumoto M, Takayanagi M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Temporal changes of genetic population structure and diversity in the endangered Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) on Hokkaido Island, Japan, revealed by microsatellite analysis.
Abstract The Blakiston's fish owl (Bubo blakistoni) population on Hokkaido Island, Japan, decreased to less than one hundred individuals over the last century due to habitat disruption by human activity. Although the ongoing conservation management has slightly restored the population, it remains endangered. In order to assess the genetic variation and population structure of the Blakiston's fish owl in Hokkaido, we genotyped eight microsatellite loci on 120 individuals sampled over the past three decades. The genotype data set showed low levels of genetic variation and gene flow among the geographically isolated f...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Omote K, Nishida C, Takenaka T, Masuda R Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Biology of the swimming acorn worm Glandiceps hacksi from the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.
Abstract The enteropneust hemichordate Glandiceps hacksi inhabits the muddy bottoms of the intertidal to subtidal zones of Koguno-shima Island, located in the central part of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. Monthly collections from October 2005 to September 2007 revealed that their spawning occurs once a year, in the latter half of May. Parameters such as density and sex ratio, as well as the type of sediment, were also examined. Worm behavior and type of burrows revealed that G. hacksi are infaunal burrowers. Autotomy and regeneration of their posterior regions, and swimming behavior were also observed in an aquariu...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Urata M, Iwasaki S, Ohtsuka S Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Hybridization between native barbless carp (Cyprinus pellegrini) and introduced common carp (C. carpio) in Xingyun Lake, China.
Abstract Hybridization with introduced fish species is an important threat to native fish species. Here we investigated hybridization between native barbless carp (Cyprinus pellegrini) and introduced common carp (C. carpio) in Xingyun Lake in the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau of China. A total of 203 individuals of Cyprinus from Xingyun Lake were studied by combination of morphological and genetic analyses. Most individuals were strictly intermediate between the two parental species in morphology, strongly suggesting that extensive hybridization has occurred. Bayesian model-based clustering of the genetic data suggests th...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Tang W, Chen Y Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Non-seasonal changes in the intensity of female mate preference and offspring sex ratio in the wild guppy Poecilia reticulata.
In this study, we examined the effect of season on these short-term changes by measuring these traits in the same seasons of different years for a wild guppy population in Okinawa, Japan. We also compared the characteristics of the offspring in each collection term, as female guppies are known to have the ability to control offspring characteristics, such as brood size and sex ratios, depending on their mates' attractiveness. Results showed that the total lengths of the males changed seasonally; males in the summer were larger than those in the spring. In contrast, the size of orange spots in males and the intensity of fem...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Kudo H, Karino K Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Piscidin-1, an antimicrobial peptide from fish (hybrid striped bass morone saxatilis x M. chrysops), induces apoptotic and necrotic activity in HT1080 cells.
This study provides the first evidence of the anticancer activity of the antimicrobial peptide, piscidin-1, with potential implications for the treatment of cancer. PMID: 22559967 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Lin HJ, Huang TC, Muthusamy S, Lee JF, Duann YF, Lin CH Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Identification of 20-hydroxyecdysone-inducible genes from larval brain of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and their expression analysis.
Abstract The insect brain secretes prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), which stimulates the prothoracic gland to synthesize ecdysone. The active metabolite of ecdysone, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), works through ecdysone receptor (EcR) and ultraspiracle (USP) to initiate molting and metamorphosis by regulating downstream genes. Previously, we found that EcR was expressed in the PTTH-producing neurosecretory cells (PTPCs) in larval brain of the silkworm Bombyx mori, suggesting that PTPCs function as the master cells of development under the regulation of 20E. To gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of ...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Roy A, Shimizu S, Kiya T, Mita K, Iwami M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

Recordings from cultured newt olfactory receptor cells.
Abstract Freshly dissociated olfactory receptor cells (ORCs) are commonly used in electrophysiological research investigations of the physicochemical mechanisms of olfactory signal transduction. Because the morphology of cultured cells clearly becomes worse over time, the ORCs are examined traditionally within several days after dissociation. However, there has been a major concern that cells are affected soon after dissociation. To gain a better understanding of the reliability of data obtained from solitary cells, we obtained electrical data during the lifetime of single ORCs dissociated from the newt. The time c...
Source: Zoological Science - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Matsumura K, Matsumoto M, Kurahashi T, Takeuchi H Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: research

New host records of Brazilian pentastomid species.
Abstract Pentastomida is a taxon of parasitic organisms infecting generally the respiratory system of vertebrates, mainly reptiles. Although this taxon is very important for understanding the phylogeny of the Metazoa, it has received little attention. In Brazil, there are few collections that include species of pentastomids, that is, only the Helminthological Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (CHIOC), the Invertebrate Collection of the Zoology Laboratory of the Regional University of Cariri (LAZ-URCA) and the Helminthological Collection of the Botucatu Institute of Biosciences (CHIBB). The present study desc...
Source: Braz J Biol - May 1, 2012 Category: Biology Authors: Brito S, Almeida W, Anjos L, Silva R Tags: Braz J Biol Source Type: research

Changes in circulating adiponectin and metabolic hormone concentrations during periparturient and lactation periods in Holstein dairy cows
In this study, we investigated the changes in circulating concentrations of adiponectin, as well as other metabolic hormones and metabolites, (i) during the periparturient period and (ii) among different lactation stages, in Holstein dairy cows. In experiment 1, serum adiponectin concentrations increased after parturition. Serum insulin concentrations were lower in the postpartum than prepartum period, whereas serum growth hormone (GH) concentrations increased in the postpartum period. Serum nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) levels were increased during the postpartum period and were dependent on the parity. In experiment 2...
Source: Animal Science Journal - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Yoshihisa OHTANI, Tatsuyuki TAKAHASHI, Katsuyoshi SATO, Astrid ARDIYANTI, Sang‐Houn SONG, Reiichiro SATO, Ken ONDA, Yasunori WADA, Yoshiaki OBARA, Keiichi SUZUKI, Akihiko HAGINO, Sang‐gun ROH, Kazuo KATOH Source Type: research

Ruminal fermentation and microbial ecology of buffaloes and cattle fed the same diet
ABSTRACTAlthough buffaloes and cattle are ruminants, their digestive capabilities and rumen microbial compositions are considered to be different. The purpose of this study was to compare the rumen microbial ecology of crossbred water buffaloes and cattle that were fed the same diet. Cattle exhibited a higher fermentation rate than buffaloes. Methane production and methanogen density were lower in buffaloes. Phylogenetic analysis of Fibrobacter succinogenes‐specific 16S ribosomal RNA gene clone library showed that the diversity of groups within a species was significantly different (P < 0.05) between buffalo and c...
Source: Animal Science Journal - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Khin‐Ohnmar LWIN, Makoto KONDO, Tomomi BAN‐TOKUDA, Rosalina M LAPITAN, Arnel N. DEL‐BARRIO, Tsutomu FUJIHARA, Hiroki MATSUI Source Type: research

Corticosterone, Avoidance of Novelty, Risk‐Taking and Aggression in a Wild Bird: No Evidence for Pleiotropic Effects
AbstractCertain inherent characteristics of individuals can determine both physiological and behavioural responses to environmental challenges, which could drive a correlation between levels of corticosterone (CORT), the most important stress hormone and behavioural profiles. Therefore, CORT level may mediate consistent behaviours along the shy/bold continuum, and thus, it could serve as a pleiotropic basis for behavioural syndromes. Moreover, behavioural responses to environmental challenges may have consequences for CORT concentrations, which would also result in a correlation between physiology and behaviours even witho...
Source: Ethology - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: László Zsolt Garamszegi, Balázs Rosivall, Sophie Rettenbacher, Gábor Markó, Sándor Zsebők, Eszter Szöllősi, Marcel Eens, Jaime Potti, János Török Tags: Research Paper Source Type: research

Contact behaviour of setal tips in the hairy attachment system of the fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera, Calliphoridae): a cryo-SEM approach.
Abstract The fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera, Calliphoridae) bears attachment pads (pulvilli) covered with setae on their ventral sides. These structures enable attachment to smooth vertical surfaces and ceilings. The contact between the terminal setal tips (spatulae) and various substrates was visualised using various experimental techniques combined with conventional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cryo-SEM. The results show that the setal endplates are highly flexible structures that form contact with the surface by bending their tips in the distal direction. With conventional SEM, a comparison of partly a...
Source: Zoology - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Gorb SN, Schuppert J, Walther P, Schwarz H Tags: Zoology (Jena) Source Type: research

ESTs library from embryonic stages reveals tubulin and reflectin diversity in Sepia officinalis (Mollusca — Cephalopoda).
Abstract New molecular resources regarding the so-called “non-standard models” in biology extend the present knowledge and are essential for molecular evolution and diversity studies (especially during the development) and evolutionary inferences about these zoological groups, or more practically for their fruitful management. Sepia officinalis, an economically important cephalopod species, is emerging as a new lophotrochozoan developmental model. We developed a large set of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from embryonic stages of S. officinalis, yielding 19,780 non-redundant sequences (NRS). Around 75% of these...
Source: Gene - May 1, 2012 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Bassaglia Y, Bekel T, Da Silva C, Poulain J, Andouche A, Navet S, Bonnaud L Tags: Gene Source Type: research

Understanding the role of uncertainty on learning and retention of predator information.
Abstract Due to the highly variable nature of predation risk, prey animals need to continuously collect information regarding the risk posed by predators. One question that ensues is how long to use this information for? An adaptive framework of predator-related information use predicted that certainty should influence the duration for which information regarding the threatening nature of a species is used in decision-making. It predicts that uncertainty contributes to the reduction in the duration of information use, due to the cost of displaying antipredator behaviours towards non-threatening species. Here, we te...
Source: Animal Cognition - May 1, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Ferrari MC, Vrtělová J, Brown GE, Chivers DP Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Intraspecific Variation in Aerobic Metabolic Rate of Fish: Relations with Organ Size and Enzyme Activity in Brown Trout*
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Ahead of Print.
Source: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology - April 30, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) remember future responses in a computerized task.
Planning is an important aspect of many daily activities for humans. Planning involves forming a strategy in anticipation of a future need. However, evidence that nonhuman animals can plan for future situations is limited, particularly in relation to the many other kinds of cognitive capacities that they appear to share with humans. One critical aspect of planning is the ability to remember future responses, or what is called prospective coding. Two monkey species ( Macaca mulatta and Cebus apella) performed a series of computerized tasks that required encoding a future response at the outset of each trial. Monkeys of bot...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - April 30, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Beran, Michael J.; Evans, Theodore A.; Klein, Emily D.; Einstein, Gilles O. Source Type: research

Historical overview of prion diseases: a view from afar.
Abstract The transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are a group of neurodegenerative disorders which include kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) syndrome, and fatal familial insomnia in men, natural scrapie in sheep, goats and mufflons, transmissible mink encephalopathy in ranch-reared mink, chronic wasting disease of mule deer and elk, bovine spongiform encephalopathy or "mad cow disease" and its analogues in several exotic species of antelopes and wild felids in zoological gardens, and feline spongiform encephalopathy in domestic cats. This sh...
Source: Folia Neuropathologica - April 29, 2012 Category: Pathology Authors: Liberski PP Tags: Folia Neuropathol Source Type: research

Movements, overwintering, and mortality of hatchling Diamond-backed Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) at Jamaica Bay, New York
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page 651-662, May 2012.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - April 28, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

Barriers and traps: great apes' performance in two functionally equivalent tasks.
Abstract Tool-using tasks that require subjects to overcome the obstacles to get a reward have been a major component of research investigating causal knowledge in primates. Much of the debate in this research has focused on whether subjects simply use certain stimulus features or instead use more functionally relevant information regarding the effect that certain features may have on a moving reward. Here, we presented two obstacle tasks, a trap platform and a barrier platform, to 22 great apes. Although perceptually similar, these two tasks contain two perceptually different but functionally equivalent obstacles:...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 28, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Martin-Ordas G, Jaek F, Call J Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Are temporal features crucial acoustic cues in dog vocal recognition?
Abstract To investigate the perceptual mechanisms underlying conspecific vocal recognition in canine species, eighteen dogs were presented with playbacks of normal and reversed versions of typical dog vocalizations. Auditory perception was analysed using the head-turn paradigm, a non-invasive technique extensively employed to study hemispheric specializations for processing conspecific vocalizations in primates. The results revealed that dogs usually turn their heads with the right ear leading (left hemisphere activation) in response to the forward version of their typical calls, and with either no bias and the lef...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 28, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Siniscalchi M, Lusito R, Sasso R, Quaranta A Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Long-distance swimming by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) of the southern Beaufort Sea during years of extensive open water
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page 663-676, May 2012.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

Erratum: Corrigendum—Comparing body condition of moose (Alces alces) selected by wolves (Canis lupus) and human hunters: consequences for the extent of compensatory mortality
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page 682, May 2012.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

Variation in basal metabolic rate and activity in relation to reproductive condition and photoperiod in white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus)
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page 602-615, May 2012.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

Frugivory by Taiwan Barbets (Megalaima nuchalis) and the effects of deinhibition and scarification on seed germination
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Volume 90, Issue 5, Page 640-650, May 2012.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

A low prevalence of mycobacteria in freshwater fish from water reservoirs, ponds and farms
AbstractA survey of the occurrence of mycobacteria was conducted from 717 freshwater fish (25 species) in two water reservoirs, five ponds and two farms in the Czech Republic. A total of 2182 tissue samples from these fish were examined using the conventional culture method. Thirteen mycobacterial isolates were obtained from 12 (1.7%) fish belonging to nine species. Isolates were identified using sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene as: Mycobacterium algericum, M. fortuitum, M. gordonae, M. insubricum, M. kumamotonense, M. nonchromogenicum, two isolates of M. peregrinum, M. terrae and M. triplex. Mycobacteria w...
Source: Journal of Fish Diseases - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: V Mrlik, M Slany, J Kubecka, J Seda, A Necas, V Babak, I Slana, P Kriz, I Pavlik Source Type: research

You sound familiar: carrion crows can differentiate between the calls of known and unknown heterospecifics.
Abstract In group-living animals, it is adaptive to recognize conspecifics on the basis of familiarity or group membership as it allows association with preferred social partners and avoidance of competitors. However, animals do not only associate with conspecifics but also with heterospecifics, for example in mixed-species flocks. Consequently, between-species recognition, based either on familiarity or even individual recognition, is likely to be beneficial. The extent to which animals can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar heterospecifics is currently unclear. In the present study, we investigated the a...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Wascher CA, Szipl G, Boeckle M, Wilkinson A Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Histamine is a modulator of metamorphic competence in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)
Histamine modulates the development of purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, from larva to settled adult apparently through inhibition of programmed cell death, an essential process of the metamorphic transition.
Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles - April 27, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Josh SutherbyJamie-Lee GiardiniJulia NguyenGary WesselMariana LeguiaAndreas Heyland Source Type: research

Changing within-trial array location and target object position enhances rats' (Rattus norvegicus) missing object recognition accuracy.
Abstract Six rats were trained to find a previously missing target or 'jackpot' object in a square array of four identical or different objects (the test segment of a trial) after first visiting and collecting sunflower seeds from under the other three objects (the study segment of a trial). During training, objects' local positions within the array and their global positions within the larger foraging array were varied over trials but were not changed between segments within a trial. Following this training, rats were tested on their accuracy for finding the target object when a trial's test array was sometimes mo...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 26, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Arain M, Parameswaran V, Cohen J Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Widespread reproductive variation in North American turtles: temperature, egg size and optimality.
Abstract Theory predicts the existence of an optimal offspring size that balances the trade-off between offspring fitness and offspring number. However, in wild populations of many species, egg size can still vary from year to year for unknown reasons. Here, we hypothesize that among-year variation in population mean egg size of freshwater turtles is partly a consequence of their gonadal sensitivity to seasonal temperatures, a physiological mechanism which principally functions to synchronize reproduction with a favorable time of year. As part of this process, among-year variation in seasonal temperatures modifies ...
Source: Zoology - April 26, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Rollinson N, Farmer RG, Brooks RJ Tags: Zoology (Jena) Source Type: research

Immune response in the skin of zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton), against Staphylococcus chromogenes
Source: Journal of Fish Diseases - April 26, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: A‐J Lü, X‐C Hu, Y Wang, Q‐L Ming, H‐X Hu Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

A novel genotyping technique for distinguishing between Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates virulent and avirulent to ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (Temminck & Schlegel)
AbstractWe developed a simple genotyping method for Flavobacterium psychrophilum for analysing two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gyrA gene and to distinguish between isolates that are virulent and avirulent to ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (Temminck & Schlegel). The genotyping method is an on/off switch assay and is based on the polymerase chain reaction technique with phosphorothioated primers. We classified 232 isolates from four families of fish (i.e. Plecoglossidae, Osmeridae, Cyprinidae and Salmonidae) into four genotypes (G‐C, A‐T, A‐C and G‐T). The G‐C type isolates exhibited st...
Source: Journal of Fish Diseases - April 26, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: E Fujiwara‐Nagata, J Ikeda, K Sugahara, M Eguchi Source Type: research

Gene expression analysis of mammary tissue during fetal bud formation and growth in two pig breeds - indications of prenatal initiation of postnatal phenotypic differences
Conclusions: The results indicate that mammary complex development in PI precedes GL. The differential expression between the two breeds at fetal stages likely reflects the prenatal initiation of postnatal phenotypes concerning the number and shape as well as functionality of teats.
Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles - April 26, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Kunsuda ChomwisarutkunEduard MuraniSiriluck PonsuksiliKlaus Wimmers Source Type: research

A heart bank required for the development of cardiology research in India
Content Type Journal ArticleCategory CorrespondencePages 1-1DOI 10.1007/s12055-012-0138-4Authors Vijay Paramanik, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221 005 India Journal Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular SurgeryOnline ISSN 0973-7723Print ISSN 0970-9134
Source: Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - April 25, 2012 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Tags: Indian Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Source Type: research

Worms under cover: relationships between performance in learning tasks and personality in great tits (Parus major).
Abstract In animals, individual differences in learning ability are common and are in part explained by genetic differences, developmental conditions and by general experience. Yet, not all variations in learning are well understood. Individual differences in learning may be associated with elementary individual characteristics that are consistent across situations and over time, commonly referred to as personality or temperament. Here, we tested whether or not male great tits (Parus major) from two selection lines for fast or slow exploratory behaviour, an operational measure for avian personality, vary in their l...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Amy M, van Oers K, Naguib M Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Are monkeys able to plan for future exchange?
Abstract Whether or not non-human animals can plan for the future is a hotly debated issue. We investigate this question further and use a planning-to-exchange task to study future planning in the cooperative domain in two species of monkeys: the brown capuchin (Cebus apella) and the Tonkean macaque (Macaca tonkeana). The rationale required subjects to plan for a future opportunity to exchange tokens for food by collecting tokens several minutes in advance. Subjects who successfully planned for the exchange task were expected to select suitable tokens during a collection period (5/10 min), save them for a fixed pe...
Source: Animal Cognition - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Bourjade M, Thierry B, Call J, Dufour V Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: research

Zoology: Mammal sings with syntax
Nature 484, 7395 (2012). doi:10.1038/484418c Mammalian vocalizations containing complex structure, or syntax — such as those of whales and bats — may be more common than previously thought.Arik Kershenbaum at the University of Haifa in Israel and his colleagues analysed the calls of the male rock hyrax (Procavia
Source: Nature - April 25, 2012 Category: Research Tags: Research Highlights Source Type: research

Anatomical location of arterial and venous lines significantly affects motor performance in rats
ABSTRACTSeveral motor‐function scales have been developed to assess neurological function in animal models of stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage and closed head injury. We hypothesize that the location of arterial and venous catheters, even in the absence of brain injury, may impact rats' motor performance. Our study examined the effect of catheter location, rate of infection and the time required for catheter placement. We further describe an original technique of tail artery cannulation without exposure of the artery. Sixty‐one rats were anesthetized and randomly assigned to one of seven groups, including no catheter, t...
Source: Animal Science Journal - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Sharon OHAYON, Shaun E. GRUENBAUM, Alan A. ARTRU, Matthew BOYKO, Benjamin F. GRUENBAUM, Michael DUBILET, Akiva LEIBOWITZ, Yoram SHAPIRA, Vivian I. TEICHBERG, Alexander ZLOTNIK Source Type: research

The importance of mother–infant communication for social bond formation in mammals
ABSTRACTMother–infant bonding is a universal relationship of all mammalian species. Here, we describe the role of reciprocal communication between mother and infant in the formation of bonding for several mammalian species. Mother–infant bond formation is reinforced by various social cues or stimuli, including communicative signals, such as odor and vocalizations, or tactile stimuli. The mother also develops cross‐modal sensory recognition of the infant, during bond formation. Many studies have indicated that the oxytocin neural system plays a pivotal role in bond formation by the mother; however, the underlying neur...
Source: Animal Science Journal - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Shota OKABE, Miho NAGASAWA, Kazutaka MOGI, Takefumi KIKUSUI Source Type: research

Use of bean husk as an easily digestible fiber source for activating the fibrolytic rumen bacterium Fibrobacter succinogenes and rice straw digestion
ABSTRACTA series of in sacco and in vitro studies were carried out to evaluate bean husks for activation of fibrolytic rumen bacteria and rice straw digestion. First, lablab bean husk, chickpea husk and rice straw were suspended in the rumen of sheep to analyze the bacterial consortium developed on each fiber source. Known members of fiber‐associating bacteria were found on both lablab bean husk and rice straw, but some of these bacteria were lacking on chickpea husk. Second, a pure culture study was carried out using six strains of Fibrobacter succinogenes. Both husks stimulated the growth of all tested strains, includi...
Source: Animal Science Journal - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Ryosuke FUMA, Shinya OYAIZU, Yoko NUKUI, Tin NGWE, Takumi SHINKAI, Satoshi KOIKE, Yasuo KOBAYASHI Source Type: research

Conditional monogyny: female quality predicts male faithfulness
Mono and bi-gynous mating tactics coexist in Argiope bruennnichi populations, where males make mating decisions based on the size and age of the first female that they mate with, as well as temporal and state-related factors.
Source: Frontiers in Zoology - April 25, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: Klaas WelkeStefanie ZimmerJutta Schneider Source Type: research

Individual Variation in Paternal Responses of Virgin Male California Mice (Peromyscus californicus): Behavioral and Physiological Correlates*
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, Volume 0, Issue 0, Page 000, Ahead of Print.
Source: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology - April 24, 2012 Category: Zoology Tags: article Source Type: research

‘Branchiomycosis in tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier), from the eastern Brazilian Amazon’
Source: Journal of Fish Diseases - April 24, 2012 Category: Zoology Authors: W L A Pereira, A J S de Souza, Á M Gabriel, A M C Cardoso, S G B Monger, I C A Seligmann, A C A Pereira, D K S Queiroz Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research