Zoology
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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 30.
Genetic parameters for production traits and measures of residual feed intake in Duroc and Landrace pigs
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Data on 380 Duroc boars from seven generations, and 1026 Landrace pigs (341 boars and 685 gilts) from six generations were used to estimate genetic parameters for daily gain (DG), backfat thickness (BF), metabolic weight (MWT), daily feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI). Two measures of RFI were estimated as the difference between actual feed intake and that predicted from models that included initial test age and weight and DG (RFI1); and initial test age and weight, DG and BF (RFI2). Heritability estimates for DG, MWT and FI were moderate for both breeds. BF estimates were high for...
Source: Animal Science Journal - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Md. Azharul HOQUE, Keiichi SUZUKI Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: journals
Ferulic Acid supplements abrogate oxidative impairments in liver and testis in the streptozotocin-diabetic rat.Email this article to a colleague.
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The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic antioxidant, in ameliorating oxidative stress in the testis and liver of diabetic pubertal rats. Male (6 wk old) rats were rendered diabetic by an acute dose (60 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneal) of streptozotocin (STZ) and were given oral supplementation of FA (50 mg/kg body weight/d on alternate days) for 4 weeks. The protective efficacy of FA was assessed by measuring markers of oxidative stress in the testis and liver along with the effect of stress on lipid profile in serum/testis. Terminally, the testis (cytosol and...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Thyagaraju BM, Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
First Report of Parthenogenesis in the Genus Bursaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937: A Description of Bursaphelenchus okinawaensis sp. nov. Isolated from Monochamus maruokai (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).Email this article to a colleague.
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An evolutionarily interesting nematode, Bursaphelenchus okinawaensis sp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new species has several characteristic morphological traits, i.e., four lateral lines in both sexes, lack of a vulval flap in females, and a triangular spicule shape and stout P4 caudal papillae in males, and characteristic biological traits, including phoretic association with Monochamus maruokai, a species of longhorn beetle, parthenogenetic reproduction, and a high frequency of dauer production. Bursaphelenchus okinawaensis sp. nov. shares several important traits with various phylogenetic groups within t...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Kanzaki N, Maehara N, Aikawa T, Togashi K Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Appearance of Males in a Thelytokous Strain of Milnesium cf. tardigradum (Tardigrada).Email this article to a colleague.
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Tardigrades are generally gonochoristic. Many moss-dwelling species propagate by parthenogenesis, but heterogony has not yet been found. Milnesium tardigradum, a carnivorous tardigrade, also has both sexes, but males are usually rare and many populations appear to have only parthenogenetic reproduction. Since 2000, I have maintained a thelytokous strain of Milnesium cf. tardigradum that originated from one female. Individuals of this strain were thought to be all females, but here I report that males have emerged in this strain at a very low frequency. This is the first report of the appearance of males in parthenogene...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Suzuki AC Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Clutch Size in the Tropical Scincid Lizard Emoia sanfordi, a Species Endemic to the Vanuatu Archipelago.Email this article to a colleague.
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The majority of species in the scincid genus Emoia (Squamata: Scincidae) have a fixed clutch size of two eggs per clutch and produce between two and four clutches per year. One lineage within Emoia, the Emoia samoensis species group, consists of 13 species occurring in Melanesia and the islands of the southwestern Pacific Ocean, and exhibits variation in clutch size, with previously reported clutch sizes of two to five eggs. Little is known about reproduction in several members of this lineage including Emoia sanfordi, a large-bodied lizard endemic to the archipelago of Vanuatu in the South Pacific. We analyzed reprodu...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Hamilton AM, Eckstut ME, Klein ER, Austin CC Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Phylogenetic Position of the Endemic Large Carpenter Bee of the Ogasawara Islands, Xylocopa ogasawarensis (Matsumura, 1912) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Inferred from Four Genes.Email this article to a colleague.
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In this study, we investigated the origin of X. ogasawarensis using a phylogenetic analysis of Xylocopa based on four genes: mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (Cyt b), and nuclear elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). A combined analysis of the four genes strongly suggests that Koptortosoma is a large, polyphyletic group, within which Alloxylocopa is embedded. Xylocopa ogasawarensis emerged as the species most closely related to Alloxylocopa and not to Oriental species of Koptortosoma. Contrary to previous views of the origin of X. ogasawarensis,...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Kawazoe K, Kawakita A, Sugiura S, Kato M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Global expression of simulated microgravity-responsive genes in Xenopus liver cells.Email this article to a colleague.
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The random positioning machine (RPM) is a method used to generate a simulated-microgravity environment at approximately 0 g. Using an RPM, we analyzed the global gene expression of A8 cells derived from the liver of adult Xenopus laevis. A range of genes on a Xenopus 44K-scale microarray were up- or downregulated two-fold or more: 43 genes (up, 36 genes; down, 7 genes) on culture day 5 in RPM, 74 genes (up, 48 genes; down, 26 genes) on day 8, 105 genes (up, 71 genes; down, 34 genes) on day 10, and 132 genes (up, 98 genes; down, 34 genes) on day 15. Five genes were upregulated two-fold or more throughout culturing in RP...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Ikuzawa M, Asashima M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Absence of Effects of Short-Term Fasting on Plasma Ghrelin and Brain Expression of Ghrelin Receptors in the Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus.Email this article to a colleague.
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Ghrelin is an important endocrine peptide that links the gastrointestinal system and brain in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. In human, rat, and goldfish plasma levels of ghrelin and GH are elevated in fasted animals, suggesting that ghrelin is an orexigenic signal and a driving force behind the elevated plasma levels of GH during fasting. Ghrelin's orexigenic action is mediated by the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a and GHS-R1b) which is localized on neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons in the brain. Studies were undertaken to investigate the effect of short-term fasting on plasma ghrelin and brain expression ...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Riley LG, Fox BK, Breves JP, Kaiya H, Dorough CP, Hirano T, Grau EG Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Phylogeography of the Rice Frog, Fejervarya multistriata (Anura: Ranidae), from China Based on mtDNA D-loop Sequences.Email this article to a colleague.
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In this study, we sampled the species across its distributional area in China and sequenced the mtDNA D-loop to investigate the genetic diversity and geographical pattern of the frog population. The results revealed 38 haplotypes in the population, with K2P values varying from 0.19% to 4.22%. Both a phylogenetic analysis and a nested clade analysis (NCA) detected two geographically isolated lineages respectively distributed around the Yangtze drainage (Yangtze lineage) and the south of China (southern lineage). NCA inferred a contiguous range expansion within the Yangtze lineage and allopatric fragmentation within the sout...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Zhong J, Liu ZQ, Wang YQ Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Myofiber properties of mouse mylohyoid muscle in the growth period.Email this article to a colleague.
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We examined the mouse mylohyoid muscle at both the transcriptional and protein levels by RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western Blotting. MyHC-2b, which is expressed in almost all head and neck muscles and is thought to play a role in rapid mastication movement, was not detected in the mouse mylohyoid muscle. This result suggests that the mouse mylohyoid muscle has a special function and does not directly function during ingestion.
PMID: 18795814 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Kado S, Abe S, Hiroki E, Iwanuma O, Sakiyama K, Kim HJ, Ide Y Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
In-Vitro Phosphorylation Activity by Recombinant alpha and beta Subunits of Bombyx mori Casein Kinase 2.Email this article to a colleague.
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We examined the influence of sorbitol and 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-OHK), which are contained mainly in diapause eggs, on the phosphorylation activity of rBmCK2. Three-OHK inhibited rBmCK2 activity, but sorbitol had no effect on it. Furthermore, a functional analysis using rBmCK2alpha and beta subunits of Drosophila melanogaster CK2 revealed that a difference in the C-terminal amino acid of the CK2beta subunit influenced the phosphorylation activity of rBmCK2alpha. These results may provide new insights for clarifying the control mechanism of B. mori casein kinase 2 in eggs.
PMID: 18795813 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Yamamoto T, Sawada H Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Male dimorphism in three sympatric species of onthophagus (coleoptera: scarabaeidae).Email this article to a colleague.
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Onthophagus trituber, O. taurinus, and O. proletarius, three sympatric dung beetle species native to southern Taiwan, exhibit normally distributed body size (pronotum width) but non-normally distributed horn length due to the presence of horned and hornless morphs. The scaling relationships between horn length and body size were established by using sigmoidal and segmented linear estimation, and the horned/hornless ratio in each of the species was estimated. The ratios estimated by sigmoidal curves showed that all three species were biased toward the hornless morph, whereas the ratios from segmented lines showed that o...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Liang SH, Shieh BS, Huang MS Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Electromyographic characterization of walking behavior initiated spontaneously in crayfish.Email this article to a colleague.
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Crayfish initiate walking behavior not only reflexively in response to external stimuli but also spontaneously in the absence of any specific stimulus. In order to analyze the initiation mechanism underlying these different types of walking, we made simultaneous electromyographic (EMG) recordings from thoracic legs when animals initiated walking, either reflexively or spontaneously, and video recorded their movements synchronously with the EMG recording. Two different stimuli, mechanical and chemical, were used to reflexively induce walking. A non-rhythmic, sustained activation of leg muscles was found to precede the b...
Source: Zoological Science - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Chikamoto K, Kagaya K, Takahata M Tags: Zoolog Sci Source Type: journals
Lateral femoral hernias in a line of FVB/NHsd mice: a new confounding lesion linked to genetic background?Email this article to a colleague.
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Several strains of transgenic mice derived from an inbred FVB/NHsd colony developed large masses on 1 or both flanks. Although originally suspected to be a phenotypic anomaly related to genetic modifications, nontransgenic littermates subsequently were affected with equal frequency, inculpating the FVB/NHsd founder colony. The masses were subcutaneous, soft, and exophytic and appeared over the course of a few weeks. Female mice were affected more frequently than males. Gross examination revealed the masses to consist of uni- or bilateral hernias of variable size, occasionally containing small or large intestine (or bot...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Paquet M, Penney J, Boerboom D Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Interstitial myocardial fibrosis in a captive chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) population.Email this article to a colleague.
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The clinical and necropsy records of 36 (25 male and 11 female) chimpanzees age 10 to 40 y old that died over a 6-y period (2001 to 2006) were reviewed. All animals had annual physical exams that included electrocardiograms and serial blood pressures. Nine of the 36 animals had a complete cardiac evaluation by a board certified veterinary cardiologist, and 7 of the 36 animals (19%) were diagnosed with some form of cardiomyopathy. Systemic hypertension was noted in 3 cases. Cardiac arrhythmias (ventricular ectopy) were seen in 15 (12 male and 3 female) of the 36 animals (42%). Sudden cardiac death (SCD) occurred in 13 (...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Lammey ML, Baskin GB, Gigliotti AP, Lee DR, Ely JJ, Sleeper MM Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Androgen resistance in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.).Email this article to a colleague.
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The goal of this study was to understand the basis for high androgen levels in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.). Mass spectrometry was used to analyze serum testosterone, androstenedione, and dihydrotestosterone of male squirrel monkeys during the nonbreeding (n = 7) and breeding (n = 10) seasons. All hormone levels were elevated compared with those of humans, even during the nonbreeding season; the highest levels occurred during the breeding season. The ratio of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone in squirrel monkeys is high during the breeding season compared to man. Squirrel monkeys may have high testosterone to comp...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Gross KL, Westberry JM, Hubler TR, Sadosky PW, Singh RJ, Taylor RL, Scammell JG Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
P26-based serodiagnosis for Bartonella spp. infection in cats.Email this article to a colleague.
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Bartonella henselae P26 has been identified as an immunodominant antigen expressed during feline infection. We used antisera from cats experimentally infected with B. henselae (n = 6), B. clarridgeiae (n = 4), or B. koehlerae (n = 2) and from a sample of naturally infected cats (B. henselae, n = 34; B. clarridgeiae, n = 1) to evaluate recombinant P26 (rP26) as a serodiagnostic antigen. Immunoblots using antisera from cats infected with B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae reacted strongly with rP26, whereas B. koehlerae antisera did not. A capture ELISA was designed to evaluate the kinetics of rP26 IgG in sera from experime...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Werner JA, Feng S, Chomel BB, Hodzic E, Kasten RW, Barthold SW Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
An acute osteomyelitis model in traumatized rat tibiae involving sand as a foreign body, thermal injury, and bimicrobial contamination.Email this article to a colleague.
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The multfactorial nature of bone injuries in modern warfare and emergency trauma patients warrants enhancement of existing models. To develop a more appropriate model, rat tibiae (n = 195) were mechanically injured, divided into 2 groups (with or without thermal injury), and contaminated with a range of Staphylococcus aureus (Cowan 1) inocula. In some experiments, S. aureus inocula also contained Escherichia coli or foreign bodies (sand or soil). The primary outcome measure was the amount of S. aureus remaining in the tibia (tibial bacterial load) 24 h after contamination, reported as log10 cfu/g bone. S. aureus showed...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: McPherson JC, Runner RR, Shapiro B, Walsh DS, Stephens-DeValle J, Buxton TB Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Minute virus of mice: antibody response, viral shedding, and persistence of viral DNA in multiple strains of mice.Email this article to a colleague.
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Minute virus of mice (MVM) is a major concern for laboratory animal facilities because it remains with considerably high prevalence despite strict barrier systems. The aim of this study was to elucidate potential risks associated with MVM infection by investigating the role of the genetic background on antibody production and persistence as well as viral shedding. Mice of various strains and stocks were inoculated oronasally with the immunosuppressive strain MVMi; in addition, natural infection was modeled through contact exposure. As determined by serology, seroconversion and serum levels of IgG differed considerably ...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Janus LM, Mähler M, Köhl W, Smoczek A, Hedrich HJ, Bleich A Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Embryo transfer rederivation of C.B-17/Icr-Prkdc(scid) mice experimentally infected with mouse parvovirus 1.Email this article to a colleague.
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We determined whether embryos derived from C.B-17/Icr-Prkdc(scid) (SCID) mice infected with mouse parvovirus (MPV) 1b and mated to MPV-naive B6C3F1 mice would transmit virus to naive recipient female mice and rederived progeny. Viral DNA was detected by quantitative PCR (qPCR) in lymphoid tissues, gonad, sperm, and feces of all MPV1b-inoculated SCID mice. Viral DNA was detected in 1 of 16 aliquots of embryos from infected male SCID mice and in 12 of 18 aliquots of embryos from infected female SCID mice. All recipient female mice implanted with embryos from infected SCID male mice and their progeny were negative by sero...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Besselsen DG, Romero-Aleshire MJ, Munger SJ, Marcus EC, Henderson KS, Wagner AM Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Embryonic stem cells derived from C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N mice.Email this article to a colleague.
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Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells with the C57BL/6 genetic background allow the generation of knockout mice without the need to backcross to C57BL/6. However, C57BL/6 ES cells whose pluripotency after homologous recombination has been confirmed are not yet available from public cell banks. To facilitate the use of ES cells derived from C57BL/6 sublines in both biologic and medical research, we demonstrated that the use of knockout serum replacement as a medium supplement and 8-cell blastomeres as recipient embryos allowed establishment of ES cells and production of germline chimeric mice, respectively. Under effective co...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Tanimoto Y, Iijima S, Hasegawa Y, Suzuki Y, Daitoku Y, Mizuno S, Ishige T, Kudo T, Takahashi S, Kunita S, Sugiyama F, Yagami K Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Alterations in methylation and expression levels of imprinted genes H19 and Igf2 in the fetuses of diabetic mice.Email this article to a colleague.
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The study aimed to reveal alterations in expression and methylation levels of the growth-related imprinted genes H19 and Igf2 in fetuses of diabetic mice. Diabetes was induced in female mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. DNA and total RNA were extracted from fetuses obtained from diabetic and control dams on embryonic day (E) 14. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of Igf2 in fetuses from diabetic mice was 0.65-fold of the control counterparts. Bisulfite genomic sequencing demonstrated that the methylation level of the H19-Igf2 imprint control region was 19.1% higher in diabeti...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Shao WJ, Tao LY, Gao C, Xie JY, Zhao RQ Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
The guinea pig as a model of infectious diseases.Email this article to a colleague.
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The words 'guinea pig' are synonymous with scientific experimentation, but much less is known about this species than many other laboratory animals. This animal model has been used for approximately 200 y and was the first to be used in the study of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and diphtheria. Today the guinea pig is used as a model for a number of infectious bacterial diseases, including pulmonary, sexually transmitted, ocular and aural, gastrointestinal, and other infections that threaten the lives of humans. Most studies on the immune response to these diseases, with potential therapies and vaccines, hav...
Source: Comparative Medicine - August 1, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Padilla-Carlin DJ, McMurray DN, Hickey AJ Tags: Comp Med Source Type: journals
Msx1 and Msx2 are required for endothelial-mesenchymal transformation of the atrioventricular cushions and patterning of the atrioventricular myocardiumEmail this article to a colleague.
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Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate redundant roles of Msx1 and Msx2 in regulating signals required for development of the AV myocardium and formation of the AV valves.
Source: BMC Developmental Biology - Latest articles - July 30, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Yi-Hui Chen, Mamoru Ishii, Henry M Sucov and Robert E Maxson Source Type: journals
Raldh expression in embryos of the direct developing frog Eleutherodactylus coqui and the conserved retinoic acid requirement for forelimb initiation.Email this article to a colleague.
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Embryos of the direct developing frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui, provide opportunities to examine frog early limb development that are not available in species with tadpoles. We cloned two retinaldehyde dehydrogenase genes, EcRaldh1 and EcRaldh2, to see which enzyme likely supplies retinoic acid for limb development. EcRaldh1 is expressed in the dorsal retina, otic vesicle, pronephros, and pronephric duct, but not in the limb. EcRaldh2 is expressed early at the blastoporal lip and then in the mesoderm in the neurula, so this expression could function in forelimb initiation. Later EcRaldh2 is expressed in the mesoderm at...
Source: Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B. Molecular and Developmental Evolution - July 30, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Elinson RP, Walton Z, Nath K Tags: J Exp Zoolog B Mol Dev Evol Source Type: journals
Cranial morphology and bite force in Chamaeleolis lizards - Adaptations to molluscivory?Email this article to a colleague.
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Anolis lizards have become a model system for the study of adaptive radiations as species with similar morphologies occupying similar habitats have arisen independently on all the larger islands in the Caribbean. However, on both, Cuba and Hispaniola unique forms have evolved that seemingly have no counterparts on any of the other Caribbean islands. Anoles of the genus Chamaeleolis comprise such a unique form and have been termed 'twig giants' because of their cryptic life style, slow locomotor mode, and short limbs. However, some of the most unusual features of these lizards are their large heads and molluscivorous di...
Source: Zoology - July 30, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Herrel A, Holanova V Tags: Zoology (Jena) Source Type: journals
Blood flow in the wall of the preovulatory follicle and its relationship to pregnancy establishment in heifers.Email this article to a colleague.
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Color-Doppler ultrasonography was used to compare the vascularity of the preovulatory follicle between heifers that became pregnant compared with nonpregnant. Heifers (n=34) received a luteolytic dose of PGF2alpha when the diameter of the largest follicle of the second follicular wave reached >/=11mm (actual diameter 11.63+/-0.06mm). An ovulation-inducing injection of GnRH analogue was given 36h after the PGF2alpha treatment. Artificial insemination (AI) was performed 26h after GnRH treatment, and ovulation occurred in all heifers within 3h after AI. Follicle blood flow was assessed at Hour 0 (GnRH treatment) and at...
Source: Animal Reproduction Science - July 30, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Siddiqui MA, Almamun M, Ginther OJ Tags: Anim Reprod Sci Source Type: journals
A further investigation of the filled-duration illusion with a comparison between children and adults.Email this article to a colleague.
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This study investigated the filled duration illusion in children in comparison to adults, using a temporal bisection task with two ranges of anchor durations (1 vs. 4s and 2 vs. 8s). The results revealed a marked filled duration effect when filled and empty durations were presented in the same session (within-subjects condition), with the filled durations being judged to be longer than the empty durations in all age groups. However, the magnitude of this effect appeared to be larger in the children than in the adults. Furthermore, the filled duration effect decreased with the longest duration stimuli, and apparent reversal...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Droit-Volet, Sylvie Source Type: journals
Learning about environmental geometry: A flaw in Miller and Shettleworth's (2007) operant model.Email this article to a colleague.
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We present simulations to illustrate the implications of the flaw. We also propose that the output of a simple neural network, the perceptron, can be used to conduct operant learning within the reorientation task and can solve the problem in Miller and Shettleworth's model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved)
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Dawson, Michael R. W.; Kelly, Debbie M.; Spetch, Marcia L.; Dupuis, Brian Source Type: journals
An associative model of geometry learning: A modified choice rule.Email this article to a colleague.
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In a recent article, the authors (Miller & Shettleworth, 2007; see record 2007-09968-001) showed how the apparently exceptional features of behavior in geometry learning ("reorientation") experiments can be modeled by assuming that geometric and other features at given locations in an arena are learned competitively as in the Rescorla-Wagner model and that the probability of visiting a location is proportional to the total associative strength of cues at that location relative to that of all relevant locations. Reinforced or unreinforced visits to locations drive changes in associative strengths. Dawson, Kelly, Spetch, and...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Miller, Noam Y.; Shettleworth, Sara J. Source Type: journals
Formation of excitatory and inhibitory associations between absent events.Email this article to a colleague.
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Considerable evidence indicates that associations may be formed between two events even when one or both of them is absent at the time of learning. Previously, some researchers asserted that excitatory associations are formed when associatively activated representations for two events are paired, whereas others claimed that inhibitory associations are formed. In three experiments, the authors investigated the nature of tone-sucrose learning when associatively activated representations of those events were paired in the absence of either of the events themselves. Experiment 1 found substantial excitatory learning when the t...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Holland, Peter C.; Sherwood, Andrew Source Type: journals
Massed extinction trials produce better short-term but worse long-term loss of context conditioned fear responses than spaced trials.Email this article to a colleague.
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A series of experiments studied the effects of the interval between extinction trials on the loss of context conditioned freezing responses. Rats were shocked in one context (A) but not in another (B) and subjected to extinction trials in context A. In Experiment 1, massed trials produced more rapid loss than spaced trials. A shift from spaced to massed trials maintained this loss, but the shift from massed to spaced trials restored lost responses. Experiments 2-5 examined this effect of massed trials on responding across spaced trials. They provided evidence that (a) a single trial was as effective as multiple daily masse...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Li, Sophie H.; Westbrook, R. Frederick Source Type: journals
Potentiation of latent inhibition.Email this article to a colleague.
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Rats were given exposure either to an odor (almond) or a compound of odor plus taste (almond plus saline), prior to training in which the odor served as the conditioned stimulus. It was found, for both appetitive and aversive procedures, that conditioning was retarded by preexposure (a latent inhibition effect), and the extent of the retardation was greater in rats preexposed to the compound (i.e., latent inhibition to the odor was potentiated by the presence of the taste). In contrast, the presence of the taste during conditioning itself overshadowed learning about the odor. We argue that the presence of the salient taste...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Rodriguez, Gabriel; Hall, Geoffrey Source Type: journals
The comparative psychology of same-different judgments by humans (Homo sapiens) and monkeys (Macaca mulatta).Email this article to a colleague.
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The authors compared the performance of humans and monkeys in a Same-Different task. They evaluated the hypothesis that for humans the Same-Different concept is qualitative, categorical, and rule-based, so that humans distinguish 0-disparity pairs (i.e., same) from pairs with any discernible disparity (i.e., different); whereas for monkeys the Same-Different concept is quantitative, continuous, and similarity-based, so that monkeys distinguish small-disparity pairs (i.e., similar) from pairs with a large disparity (i.e., dissimilar). The results supported the hypothesis. Monkeys, more than humans, showed a gradual transiti...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Smith, J. David; Redford, Joshua S.; Haas, Sarah M.; Coutinho, Mariana V. C.; Couchman, Justin J. Source Type: journals
Pigeons perceive the Ebbinghaus-Titchener circles as an assimilation illusion.Email this article to a colleague.
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A target circle surrounded by larger "inducer" circles looks smaller, and one surrounded by smaller circles looks larger than they really are. This is the Ebbinghaus-Titchener illusion, which remains one of the strongest and most robust of contrast illusions. Although there have been many studies on this illusion in humans, virtually none have addressed how nonhuman animals perceive the same figures. Here the authors show that the Ebbinghaus-Titchener figures also induce a strong illusion in pigeons but, surprisingly, in the other direction; that is, all five successfully trained pigeons judged the target circle surrounded...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Nakamura, Noriyuki; Watanabe, Sota; Fujita, Kazuo Source Type: journals
Discrimination of small numerosities in young chicks.Email this article to a colleague.
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Chicks were trained to discriminate small sets of identical elements. They were then tested for choices (unrewarded) between sets of similar numerosities, when continuous physical variables such as spatial distribution, contour length, and overall surface were equalized. In all conditions chicks discriminated one versus two and two versus three stimulus sets. Similar results were obtained when elements were presented under conditions of partial occlusion. In contrast, with sets of four versus five, four versus six, and three versus four elements chicks seemed unable to discriminate on the basis of number, although nonnumer...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Rugani, Rosa; Regolin, Lucia; Vallortigara, Giorgio Source Type: journals
Conditioning of stimuli with nonzero initial value.Email this article to a colleague.
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In five experiments, rats received conditioning of either moderately attractive or moderately aversive flavors using either a strongly negative lithium chloride (LiCl) or a strongly positive Polycose as the reinforcer. In each case, testing was done with a compound of the two moderately valued stimuli to determine the amount of associative change produced by the pairing. In both within-subject and between-subjects designs, the amount of associative change was greater for a signal whose moderate value was opposite in valence from that of the reinforcer. This suggests that, like learned stimulus value, inherent stimulus valu...
Source: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Rescorla, Robert A. Source Type: journals
Evidence of teaching in atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) by mother dolphins foraging in the presence of their calves.Email this article to a colleague.
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Teaching is a powerful form of social learning, but there is little systematic evidence that it occurs in species other than humans. Using long-term video archives the foraging behaviors by mother Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) were observed when their calves were present and when their calves were not present, including in the presence of non-calf conspecifics. The nine mothers we observed chased prey significantly longer and made significantly more referential body-orienting movements in the direction of the prey during foraging events when their calves were present than when their calves were not pre...
Source: Animal Cognition - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Bender CE, Herzing DL, Bjorklund DF Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: journals
New insights into skeletal muscle development and growth in teleost fishes.Email this article to a colleague.
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Recent research has significantly broadened our understanding of how the teleost somite is patterned to achieve embryonic and postembryonic myogenesis. Medial (adaxial) cells and posterior cells of the early epithelial somite generate embryonic superficial slow and deep fast muscle fibers, respectively, whereas anterior somitic cells move laterally to form an external cell layer of undifferentiated Pax7-positive myogenic precursors surrounding the embryonic myotome. In late embryo and in larvae, some of the cells contained in the external cell layer incorporate into the myotome and differentiate into new muscle fibers,...
Source: Journal of Experimental Zoology. Part B. Molecular and Developmental Evolution - July 29, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Rescan PY Tags: J Exp Zoolog B Mol Dev Evol Source Type: journals
The characteristics of squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) den trees in subtropical AustraliaEmail this article to a colleague.
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Georgia L. Beyer, Ross L. Goldingay, David J. Sharpe - Volume 56(1)
Source: Australian Journal of Zoology - July 28, 2008 Category: Zoology Source Type: journals
Rearing two New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) pups to weaningEmail this article to a colleague.
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Sacha A. Dowell, Laura J. Boren, Sandra S. Negro, Chris G. Muller, Abigail K. Caudron, Neil J. Gemmell - Volume 56(1)
Source: Australian Journal of Zoology - July 28, 2008 Category: Zoology Source Type: journals
Baseline blood biochemistry of Australian green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and effects of exposure to the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majusculaEmail this article to a colleague.
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Karen E. Arthur, Colin J. Limpus, Joan M. Whittier - Volume 56(1)
Source: Australian Journal of Zoology - July 28, 2008 Category: Zoology Source Type: journals
The use of hollows and dreys by the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) in different vegetation typesEmail this article to a colleague.
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David B. Lindenmayer, Christopher MacGregor, Alan Welsh, Christine F. Donnelly, Darren Brown - Volume 56(1)
Source: Australian Journal of Zoology - July 28, 2008 Category: Zoology Source Type: journals
Genital system anatomy and development of Ovatella myosotis by three-dimensional computer visualizationEmail this article to a colleague.
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Ruthensteiner, B. and Stocker, B. 2008. Genital system anatomy and development of Ovatella myosotis by three-dimensional computer visualization. [mdash]Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 89: 000[ndash]000 Adult anatomy as well as organogenesis of the genital system of the ellobiid pulmonate Ovatella myosotis is investigated in detail by means of serial sectioning and three-dimensional computer reconstruction and visualization. From the middle portion of the adult, which has four nidamental glands, a spermoviduct leads to a common genital aperture. From here two separate structures, the vas deferens and a groove on the body surface...
Source: Acta Zoologica - July 27, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Bernhard Ruthensteiner, Bettina Stocker Source Type: journals
Allelic frequency of PCR-RFLP type of the BoLA-DRB3 in Japanese Holstein herds and the relation to mastitisEmail this article to a colleague.
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Holstein Cows (n = 702) from 26 dairy herds in the Tama area of Tokyo, Japan were examined for polymorphisms of the BoLA-DRB3 allele using a PCR-RFLP method. Twenty alleles were observed and allelic frequencies ranged from < 1% to 20.3%. Nine alleles (DRB3.2*24,*16,*8,*23,*22,*3,*11, *10 and *7 in order) constituted 90.0% of all alleles. Somatic cell counts (SCC) were used to classify healthy (group 1), mastitis (group 2) and suspected (group 3) cows. Frequencies of DRB3.2*11 and DRB3.2*23 were slightly higher in group 1 than in group 2, whereas, frequencies of DRB3.2*8 and DRB3.2*16 were slightly higher in group 2 than in...
Source: Animal Science Journal - July 25, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Tatsuyuki YOSHIDA, Harutaka MUKOYAMA, Hiroki FURUTA, Colin W. HOLMES, Motoaki KOSUGIYAMA, Hiroshi TOMOGANE Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: journals
Body musculature of Beauchampiella eudactylota (Gosse, 1886) (Rotifera: Euchlanidae) with additional new data on its trophi and overall morphologyEmail this article to a colleague.
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This study presents the results of confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluorescence-labelled phalloidin used to visualize the system of body musculature in Beauchampiella eudactylota. Moreover, the poorly known trophi of B. eudactylota are described based on scanning electron microscopy. In total, four paired longitudinal muscles (musculi longitudinales I[ndash]IV) and three circular muscles (musculi circulares I[ndash]III) were identified. Among these are the musculus longitudinalis ventralis, the musculus longitudinalis dorsalis and the musculus circumpedalis as documented in previous studies for other rotifer species...
Source: Acta Zoologica - July 25, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: O. Riemann, E. F. Wilts, W. H. Ahlrichs, A. Kieneke Source Type: journals
Constructive and deconstructive tool modification by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).Email this article to a colleague.
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Nine chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) were tested for their ability to assemble or disassemble the appropriate tool to obtain a food reward from two different apparatus. In its deconstructed form, the tool functioned as a probe for one apparatus. In its constructed form, the tool functioned as a hook, appropriate for a second apparatus. Each subject completed four test trials with each apparatus type. Tool types were randomized and counter-balanced between the two forms. Results demonstrated that adult and juvenile chimpanzees (N = 7) were successful with both tool types, while two infant chimpanzees performed near chance...
Source: Animal Cognition - July 25, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Bania AE, Harris S, Kinsley HR, Boysen ST Tags: Anim Cogn Source Type: journals
Morphological variation of the five vole species of the genus Microtus (Mammalia, Rodentia, Arvicolinae) occurring in GreeceEmail this article to a colleague.
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Fraguedakis-Tsolis, S.E., Chondropoulos, B.P., Stamatopoulos, C.V. and Giokas, S. 2008. Morphological variation of the five vole species of the genus Microtus (Mammalia, Rodentia, Arvicolinae) occurring in Greece. [mdash]Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 89: 000[ndash]000 Morphometric data for the five vole species of the genus Microtus living in Greece are old, sparse, poor and insufficiently analysed. This work aims to give the first comprehensive morphometric analysis of body and skull inter- and intraspecific variation for M. (M.) guentheri, M. (M.) rossiaemeridionalis, M. (Terricola) subterraneus, M. (T.) felteni and M. (T.)...
Source: Acta Zoologica - July 25, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Stella E. Fraguedakis-Tsolis, Basil P. Chondropoulos, Costas V. Stamatopoulos, Sinos Giokas Source Type: journals
The integration of lateral gastrocnemius muscle function and kinematics in running turkeys.Email this article to a colleague.
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Animals commonly move over a range of speeds, and encounter considerable variation in habitat structure, such as inclines. Hindlimb kinematics and muscle function in diverse groups of vertebrates are affected by these changes in behavior and habitat structure, providing a fruitful source of variation for studying the integration of kinematics and muscle function. While it has been observed in a variety of vertebrates that muscle length change can be minimal during locomotion, it is unclear how, and to what degree, in vivo muscle length change patterns are integrated with kinematics. We tested the hypothesis that the le...
Source: Zoology - July 25, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Higham TE, Nelson FE Tags: Zoology (Jena) Source Type: journals
Mitochondrial diversity of native pigs in the mainland South and South-east Asian countries and its relationships between local wild boarsEmail this article to a colleague.
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In this study, we analyzed DNA sequence of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control regions on the 130 native domestic pigs and eight wild boars in the mainland South and South-east Asian countries including Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Forty-four haplotypes were found in the 138 individuals, 41 were in the domestic and four were in wild boars. Only one haplotype was shared by domestic and wild population in Bhutan. In other cases, mtDNA of wild boars did not show close affinity to that of the domestic pigs in the same location, indicating that the native domestic pigs in these countries did not originate in the ...
Source: Animal Science Journal - July 24, 2008 Category: Zoology Authors: Kazuaki TANAKA, Yoshiatsu IWAKI, Tatsuya TAKIZAWA, Tashi DORJI, Gyem TSHERING, Yaetsu KUROSAWA, Yoshizane MAEDA, Hideyuki MANNEN, Koh NOMURA, Vu-Binh DANG, Loan CHHUM-PHITH, Bounthong BOUAHOM, Yoshio YAMAMOTO, Than DAING, Takao NAMIKAWA Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Source Type: journals
