Publications

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experimental evaluation of flow-induced noise in level flight of the pigeon (columba livia).the experimental method employed in an anechoic wind tunnel to characterize flow-induced noise of the pigeon (columba livia) during level flight is described in this letter. a live pigeon was managed to maintain a steady level flight at the wind tunnel test flow of 15 m/s. a microphone array was fabricated, and the conventional beamforming method was then adopted to yield the corresponding narrowband acoustic images and broadband sound pressure spectral results. the results justified the experim ...201323862907
a simple method to count total faecal capillaria worm eggs in racing pigeons (columba livia).capillaria columbae and c. longicollis are fine threadworms found in racing pigeons' small intestines that produce a characteristic lemon shaped bipolar egg. clinically, capillariasis in racing pigeons can present as severe illness and it has been suggested that worms may affect race performance. a major aim of this study was to validate a cheap, simple to perform flotation technique for counting capillaria worm eggs in racing pigeon droppings. trials using reference samples of pigeon droppings ...201323830686
testing visual short-term memory of pigeons (columba livia) and a rhesus monkey (macaca mulatta) with a location change detection task.change detection is commonly used to assess capacity (number of objects) of human visual short-term memory (vstm). comparisons with the performance of non-human animals completing similar tasks have shown similarities and differences in object-based vstm, which is only one aspect ("what") of memory. another important aspect of memory, which has received less attention, is spatial short-term memory for "where" an object is in space. in this article, we show for the first time that a monkey and pi ...201323754273
manipulation of primary sex ratio in birds: lessons from the homing pigeon (columba livia domestica).across various animal taxa not only the secondary sex ratio but also the primary sex ratio (at conception) shows significant deviations from the expected equal proportions of sons and daughters. birds are especially intriguing to study this phenomenon as avian females are the heterogametic sex (zw); therefore sex determination might be under direct control of the mother. avian sex ratios vary in relation to environmental or maternal condition, which can also affect the production of maternal ste ...201323720529
a potential role for parasites in the maintenance of color polymorphism in urban birds.urbanization is a major challenge for biodiversity conservation, yet the evolutionary processes taking place in urbanized areas remain poorly known. human activities in cities set new selective forces in motion which need to be investigated to predict the evolutionary responses of animal species living in urban areas. in this study, we investigated the role of urbanization and parasites in the maintenance of melanin-based color polymorphism in the feral pigeon columba livia. using a correlative ...201323685880
effects of in ovo injection of carbohydrate solution on small intestine development in domestic pigeons (columba livia).the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that in ovo injection of carbohydrates into pigeon (columba livia) amnion may improve the small intestine development. at d 14.5 of incubation, 80 fertile eggs were injected with 200 μl of carbohydrate solution, and 80 control eggs were not injected. the carbohydrate solution (wt/vol) contained 2.5% maltose + 2.5% sucrose, all dissolved in 0.75% saline. twelve eggs from each treatment were randomly sampled at d 16 of incubation and the day o ...201323658350
domestic pigeons. 201323618660
pigeons discriminate objects on the basis of abstract familiarity.knowledge of previous encounters with conspecifics is thought to be beneficial as it allows fast and appropriate behavioral responses toward those animals. this level of categorization goes beyond perceptual similarity and requires the individual to refer to a more abstract common referent, namely familiarity. it has been shown that pigeons are able to form functional classes of conspecifics that are based on familiarity. to date, we do not know whether this ability is restricted to the social c ...201323584617
pigeons integrate past knowledge across sensory modalities.advanced inferring abilities that are used for predator recognition and avoidance have been documented in a variety of animal species that produce alarm calls. in contrast, evidence for cognitive abilities that underpin predation avoidance in nonalarm-calling species is restricted to associative learning of heterospecific alarm calls and predator presence. we investigated cognitive capacities that underlie the perception and computation of external information beyond associative learning by addr ...201323487497
a magnetic pulse does not affect homing pigeon navigation: a gps tracking experiment.the cues by which homing pigeons are able to return to a home loft after displacement to unfamiliar release sites remain debated. a number of experiments in which migratory birds have been treated with a magnetic pulse have produced a disruption in their orientation, which argues that a ferrimagnetic sense is used for navigation in birds. one previous experiment has also indicated an effect of magnetic pulses on homing pigeon navigation, although with inconsistent results. previous studies have ...201323470658
state-level approaches to managing the use of contraceptives in wildlife in the united states.several fertility control agents have recently been registered with the u.s. environmental protection agency for management of wildlife or other free-ranging animals. the registration of gonacon immunocontraceptive vaccine for use in white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) and ovocontrol for use in canada geese (branta canadensis) and pigeons (columba livia) has caused state wildlife and land management agencies to review their regulatory authority over the use of contraceptives in wildlife. ...201324437085
cryptococcus spp. isolation from excreta of pigeons (columba livia) in and around monterrey, mexico.the presence of cryptococcus spp. has been reported in mexico's capital city; however, to our knowledge there are no reports of its presence in the state of nuevo león located in northeast mexico. this is presumed to be because the hot and dry climate in this region does not favor cryptococcal proliferation. this study confirmed the presence of c. neoformans and c. albidus in 20% (10/50) of randomly selected fecal samples of pigeons (columba livia) in the monterrey metropolitan area. the presenc ...201324349946
trichomonas spp. in pigeons: detection by osom trichomonas rapid test.the efficacy of the osom trichomonas rapid test (developed for rapid diagnosis of human trichomonas vaginalis) in detection of trichomonas spp. in pigeons (columba livia) was investigated. two oral cavity swabs were taken from 50 farm pigeons. cultivation in diamond trichomonas medium was used as a reference method. according to a morphological determination, trichomonas gallinae was the only protozoan found; however, no further molecular analysis was conducted. the osom trichomonas test was pos ...201324597125
new records and new species of mites of the subfamily harpirhynchinae (acariformes: harpirhynchidae) infesting birds in manitoba, canada.five new species and one new genus of the subfamily harpirhynchinae (acariformes: harpirhynchidae) are described from birds in canada: harpyrhynchoides heatherae sp. nov. from junco hyemalis (passeriformes: emberizidae), h. botaurus sp. nov. from botaurus lentiginosus (pelecaniformes: ardeidae), h. phalaropus sp. nov. from phalaropus lobatus (charadriiformes: scolopacidae), neharpyrhynchus loxia sp. nov. from loxia curvirostra (passeriformes: fringillidae), and fainharpirhynchus contopus gen. no ...201324338301
detection and genotyping of toxoplasma gondii strains isolated from birds in the southwest of iran.1. the aim of this work was to determine the frequency of occurrence of toxoplasma gondii and genetically analyse isolates from a number of avian hosts in the southwest of iran (khuzestan province). the frequency of t. gondii was determined in free-range chickens (gallus domesticus), sparrows (passer domesticus), pigeons (columba livia) and starlings (sturnus vulgaris). 2. isolates obtained from toxoplasma-infected birds were subjected to molecular typing by pcr-restriction fragment length polym ...201323444856
description of riemerella columbipharyngis sp. nov., isolated from the pharynx of healthy domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica), and emended descriptions of the genus riemerella, riemerella anatipestifer and riemerella columbina.a group of 11 bacterial strains was isolated during microbiological investigations of pharyngeal swabs collected from domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica). phenotypic properties of the isolates closely resembled those of members of the genus riemerella within the family flavobacteriaceae. the genus presently contains two species, riemerella anatipestifer and riemerella columbina. the pigeon isolates differed from r. columbina by their lack of pigment production and negative camp co-haem ...201322427448
chlamydia psittaci genotype b in a pigeon (columba livia) inhabiting a public place in san josé, costa rica.human chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease of avian origin caused by chlamydia psittaci. the highest infection rates have been detected in parrots (psittacidae) and pigeons (columbiformes), the latter most frequently carry the genotypes b and e. these genotypes have been shown to also infect humans. because pigeons (columba livia) cohabit with humans in urban areas, c. psittaci present in the dust from dry feces of infected pigeons may be transmitted by inhalation and represent a significant publi ...201326623327
prevalence and rate of parasitemia of haemoproteus columbae in columba iiviadomesticain southwest of iran.parasites affect the health and productivity of birds. haemoproteus columbae occurs in pigeons widely in tropical and subtropical regions. the present investigation was concentrated on the prevalence of h. columbae and rate of parasitemia in domestic pigeons in southwest of iran.201325516748
comparison of four different culture media for growth of mycobacterium avium subsp. avium isolated from naturally infected lofts of domestic pigeons.diagnosis of avian tuberculosis by conventional culture method is still considered as the "gold standard" technique. the main objective of this study was to compare growth of mycobacterium avium subsp. avium on four specific mycobacterial cultures such as glycerinated lowenstein-jensen medium, pyruvate-enriched lowenstein-jensen medium, mycobactin j-supplemented herrold-egg yolk medium and plain herrold-egg yolk medium.201325848508
serum protein profiles in domestic pigeons naturally infected with mycobacterium avium subsp. avium.avian tuberculosis is an important disease affecting all species of birds and is most often caused by mycobacterium avium or mycobacterium genavense. blood proteins are important diagnostic constituents in gastrointestinal, hepatic, renal, and infectious diseases.201323577895
epidemiological investigations on the role of clinically healthy racing pigeons as a reservoir for avian paramyxovirus-1 and avian influenza virus.clinically healthy racing pigeons may harbour notifiable pathogens and serve as an unnoticed reservoir. thus, 3480 healthy racing pigeons from 172 different lofts were monitored over a period of 2 years for the presence of avian influenza virus (aiv) and avian paramyxovirus-1 (apmv-1). pharyngeal and cloacal swabs as well as blood samples were collected from juvenile and adult pigeons. pools of five pharyngeal swabs per loft and age group were initially screened by real-time reverse transcriptas ...201324188518
characteristics of pigeon paramyxovirus serotype-1 isolates (ppmv-1) from the russian federation from 2001 to 2009.monitoring programs for highly dangerous avian diseases in the russian federation from 2001 to 2009 detected 77 samples that were pcr positive for avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (apmv-1) from sick or dead feral and domestic pigeons. nucleotide sequences of the fusion (f) gene, including a nucleotide sequence encoding the f protein cleavage site, were determined for these isolates. all of the studied isolates possessed virulent f0 protein cleavage sites (112krkkrf117, 112rrqkrf117, or 112krqkrf11 ...201323678722
phylogenetic analysis of columbid herpesvirus-1 in rock pigeons, birds of prey and non-raptorial birds in poland.the identity of herpesviruses isolated in europe from domestic pigeons (columbid herpesvirus-1 - cohv-1) as well as falcons and owls remains unknown. all these herpesviruses are antigenically and genetically related. the falcons and owls are thought to have become infected during the ingestion of pigeon meat thus suggesting the virus's capacity to infect a wide range of hosts. the aim of the conducted study was to detect the occurrence of cohv-1 and estimating the similarities and differences in ...201323517888
salmonella enterica isolated from pigeon (columba livia) in egypt.understanding the association between human salmonellosis cases and animal sources is an important epidemiological factor needed to successfully control the spread of the infection within communities. to determine the extent to which pigeons might harbor this pathogen and pose a risk to the human population in egypt, we screened pigeons in cairo for the presence of salmonella relevant to public health and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. the isolated serotypes recovered from pigeon fecal sa ...201323531124
neoplasms in two racing pigeons.a large ovarian papillary adenocarcinoma occurred in a 7-year-old female racing pigeon; a multicentric lymphosarcoma was found in the tissues of a 14-year-old female racing pigeon.20133755337
seroprevalence of chlamydia psittaci infection in market-sold adult chickens, ducks and pigeons in north-western china.chlamydia psittaci, the agent of psittacosis in humans, infects a wide range of avian species. to assess the risk of psittacosis posed by domestic birds in the urban environment, the prevalence of c. psittaci antibodies in 413 chickens (gallus domesticus; 305 caged and 108 free-range), 334 ducks (anas spp.; 111 caged and 223 free-range) and 312 pigeons (columba livia) in lanzhou, north-western china, was detected using the indirect haemagglutination assay. the specific antibodies were found in s ...201323699067
[efficacy of doxycycline for treatment of chlamydiosis in flocks of racing and fancy pigeons].evaluation of the clinical efficacy of doxycycline application via drinking water in the treatment of chlamydiosis in infected, clinically ill flocks of racing and fancy pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) under field conditions.201324326879
temporal variation of the cestode, cotugnia cuneata (meggit, 1924) in their host, domestic pigeons, columba livia domestica (gmelin, 1789).a study of the temporal variation of cotugnia cuneata, on a monthly basis, was carried out from january 2008 to december 2010. the study revealed a similarity in the percentage prevalence and mean intensity of infection with higher values in the beginning of the year that gradually declined towards the middle and rose to moderate values towards the end of the year. the periodicity clearly shows a correlation with the seasonal changes throughout the year and provides important insights to the sur ...201326063999
genome and transcriptome adaptation accompanying emergence of the definitive type 2 host-restricted salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium pathovar.salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium definitive type 2 (dt2) is host restricted to columba livia (rock or feral pigeon) but is also closely related to s. typhimurium isolates that circulate in livestock and cause a zoonosis characterized by gastroenteritis in humans. dt2 isolates formed a distinct phylogenetic cluster within s. typhimurium based on whole-genome-sequence polymorphisms. comparative genome analysis of dt2 94-213 and s. typhimurium sl1344, dt104, and d23580 identified few differe ...201323982073
epidemiological investigations on the possible risk of distribution of zoonotic bacteria through apparently healthy homing pigeons.clinically healthy homing pigeons may serve as an unnoticed reservoir for zoonotic bacteria. hence, healthy pigeons from 172 different racing pigeon lofts were examined for salmonella serovars, campylobacter spp. and chlamydophila (chlamydia) psittaci. two samplings were performed during the racing season in summer (1242 adult and 1164 juvenile pigeons) and two during winter (1074 adult pigeons). each sampling was accompanied by a questionnaire to identify risk factors for positive lofts. betwee ...201323930968
pcr-based diagnosis, molecular characterization and detection of atypical strains of avian chlamydia psittaci in companion and wild birds.chlamydiosis is one of the most important infectious diseases of birds. in this study, 253 clinical samples were taken from 27 bird species belonging to seven orders. thirty-two (12.6%) samples were positive for chlamydia psittaci major outer membrane gene (ompa) dna by a nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr). twelve nested pcr-positive specimens were typed by ompa gene-based pcr-restricted fragment length polymorphism, using ctu/ctl primers and alui restriction enzyme. four restriction pattern ...201323391180
physiological and hormonal aspects in female domestic pigeons (columba livia) associated with breeding stage and experience.the present study examined the changes in serum biochemical values, hormone profiles and ovary prolactin receptor (prlr) gene expression occurring in female domestic pigeons (columba livia) under different breeding status and experience. the egg-laying pigeons had lower calcium, total protein, albumin, prolactin levels and higher oestrogen levels than those of incubating birds (p < 0.05). first-time breeders had higher (p < 0.05) progesterone levels and lower (p < 0.05) prolactin levels than tha ...201322853555
reversal learning in rats (rattus norvegicus) and pigeons (columba livia): qualitative differences in behavioral flexibility.research has shown that pigeons given a simultaneous visually based discrimination reversal, in which a single reversal occurs at the midpoint of each session, consistently show anticipation prior to the reversal as well as perseveration after the reversal, suggesting that they use a less effective cue (time or trial number into the session) than what would be optimal to maximize reinforcement (local feedback from the most recent trials). in the present research, pigeons (columba livia) and rats ...201322428983
assessing the effects of three potential chemical repellents to prevent bird damage to corn seeds and seedlings.bird damage to seeds and seedlings of maize (zea mays) and other crops is widespread, especially in organic farming, because no adequate seed protection is available. in this study, the effect of seed treatments with three substances likely to affect bird feeding behaviour (anthraquinone, pulegone and methyl anthranilate) was tested. their repellent effect was tested in food and seedling choice (treated versus untreated) experiments with feral pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) in aviaries. mo ...201322499556
serotonergic control of ingestive and post-ingestive behaviors in pigeons (columba livia): the role of 5-ht1a receptor-mediated central mechanisms.central injections of serotonin (5-ht) produce hyperdipsic and hypnogenic behavioral effects that are correlated to decreased fos-immunorreactivity of 5-ht neurons in free-feeding pigeons. we herein (1) probed the role of 5-ht(1a) receptors on the 5-ht- or 8-oh-dpat-evoked postprandial behaviors and (2) described the sleep-waking states (waking, w; drowsiness, d; slow-wave sleep, sws; rapid-eye movement sleep, rems) and sleep architecture of free-feeding pigeons after these treatments. latency, ...201322954717
modulation of the host th1 immune response in pigeon protozoal encephalitis caused by sarcocystis calchasi.pigeon protozoal encephalitis (ppe) is an emerging central-nervous disease of domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) reported in germany and the united states. it is caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi which is transmitted by accipter hawks. in contrast to other members of the apicomplexa such as toxoplasma and plasmodium, the knowledge about the pathophysiology and host manipulation of sarcocystis is scarce and almost nothing is known about ppe. here we show by mrna ...201323398807
motion parallax processing in pigeon (columba livia) pretectal neurons.in the visual system of invertebrates and vertebrates there are specialised groups of motion-sensitive neurons, with large receptive fields, which are optimally tuned to respond to optic flow produced by the animals' movement through the 3-d world. from their response characteristics, shared frame of reference with the vestibular or inertial system, and anatomical connections, these neurons have been implicated in the stabilisation of retinal images, the control of posture and balance, and the a ...201323294181
sunk cost and work ethic effects reflect suboptimal choice between different work requirements.we investigated suboptimal choice between different work requirements in pigeons (columba livia), namely the sunk cost effect, an irrational tendency to persist with an initial investment, despite the availability of a better option. pigeons chose between two keys, one with a fixed work requirement to food of 20 pecks (left key), and the other with a work requirement to food which varied across conditions (center key). on some trials within each session, such choices were preceded by an investme ...201323274847
not just passengers: pigeons, columba livia, can learn homing routes while flying with a more experienced conspecific.for animals that travel in groups, the directional choices of conspecifics are potentially a rich source of information for spatial learning. in this study, we investigate how the opportunity to follow a locally experienced demonstrator affects route learning by pigeons over repeated homing flights. this test of social influences on navigation takes advantage of the individually distinctive routes that pigeons establish when trained alone. we found that pigeons learn routes just as effectively w ...201323135677
do pigeons (columba livia) seek information when they have insufficient knowledge?seeking information in uncertain situations has been interpreted as evidence of metacognitive abilities. we examined whether pigeons could monitor their own knowledge states and seek new information when in need. in experiment 1, we required the pigeons to learn novel sequences of responses for various trios of illustrations. on half of the trials, subjects were given the opportunity to ask for "hints" as to the next correct response in a sequence. if the subjects completed a trial correctly wit ...201323065184
new insights into morphological features of hadjelia truncata (spirurida: habronematidae), as revealed by sem.hadjelia truncata (spirurida: habronematidae) is a nematode found in the gizzard of several avian species. however, it has been reported pathogenic only in pigeons (columba livia), in which it causes severe ventriculitis. scanning electron microscopy (sem) was used to study the morphological aspects of adult worms of this nematode in detail. males and females measured 6.5-9 and 12-16.5 mm, respectively. the bodies were straight with moderate uniform thickness in both males and females, narrowing ...201323064811
conditioned suppression/avoidance as a procedure for testing hearing in birds: the domestic pigeon (columba livia).although the domestic pigeon is commonly used in learning experiments, it is a notoriously difficult subject in auditory psychophysical experiments, even those in which it need only respond when it detects a sound. this is because pigeons tend to respond in the absence of sound-that is, they have a high false-positive rate-which makes it difficult to determine a pigeon's audiogram. however, false positives are easily controlled in the method of conditioned suppression/avoidance, in which a pigeo ...201323055174
distribution of prosaposin mrna in the central nervous system of the pigeon (columba livia).bioassay and immunohistochemical studies have detected the presence of prosaposin in the central nervous system (cns) of mammals. here, first time, we have determined the partial cdna sequence of pigeon prosaposin and mapped the distribution of its mrna in the pigeon cns. the predicted amino acid sequence of pigeon prosaposin showed 93 and 60% identity to chicken and human prosaposin, respectively. in situ hybridization, autoradiograms showed that the prosaposin mrna expression was found in the ...201322994540
genomic diversity and evolution of the head crest in the rock pigeon.the geographic origins of breeds and the genetic basis of variation within the widely distributed and phenotypically diverse domestic rock pigeon (columba livia) remain largely unknown. we generated a rock pigeon reference genome and additional genome sequences representing domestic and feral populations. we found evidence for the origins of major breed groups in the middle east and contributions from a racing breed to north american feral populations. we identified the gene ephb2 as a strong ca ...201323371554
ethnobotanic importance of plants used in pigeon-breeding in eastern spain.the importance that birds of the columbidae family have had throughout history is visible on the mediterranean coast. pigeon fancying is the art of breeding and training carrier pigeons and currently, several breeds exist. the sport of racing pigeons consists in covering a distance at maximum possible speed. however, pigeon breeding has another modality called "sport pigeon", where several males follow a female. this study focusses on ethnobotanical knowledge of native and exotic plant species t ...201323688245
qualitative and quantitative evaluation of avian demineralized bone matrix in heterotopic beds.to evaluate the osteogenic potential of avian demineralized bone matrix (dbm) in the context of implant geometry.201324117844
the viruses of wild pigeon droppings.birds are frequent sources of emerging human infectious diseases. viral particles were enriched from the feces of 51 wild urban pigeons (columba livia) from hong kong and hungary, their nucleic acids randomly amplified and then sequenced. we identified sequences from known and novel species from the viral families circoviridae, parvoviridae, picornaviridae, reoviridae, adenovirus, astroviridae, and caliciviridae (listed in decreasing number of reads), as well as plant and insect viruses likely o ...201324023772
synanthropic birds and parasites.this paper describes the parasitologic findings for 60 synanthropic bird carcasses recovered in the campania region of southern italy. birds consisted of 20 yellow-legged gulls (larus michahellis), 15 rock pigeons (columba livia), 15 common kestrels (falco tinnunculus), and 10 carrion crows (corvus corone). each carcass was examined to detect the presence of ectoparasites and then necropsied to detect helminths. ectoparasites occurred in 100% of the birds examined. in particular, chewing lice we ...201324597118
the complete genome sequences of poxviruses isolated from a penguin and a pigeon in south africa and comparison to other sequenced avipoxviruses.two novel avipoxviruses from south africa have been sequenced, one from a feral pigeon (columba livia) (fep2) and the other from an african penguin (spheniscus demersus) (pepv). we present a purpose-designed bioinformatics pipeline for analysis of next generation sequence data of avian poxviruses and compare the different avipoxviruses sequenced to date with specific emphasis on their evolution and gene content.201424919868
the earliest pigeon fanciers.feral pigeons have colonised all corners of the earth, having developed a close association with humans and their activities. the wild ancestor of the feral pigeon, the rock dove, is a species of rocky habitats, nesting typically on cliff ledges and at the entrance to large caves. this habit would have brought them into close contact with cave-dwelling humans, a relationship usually linked to the development of dwellings in the neolithic. we show that the association between humans and rock dove ...201425101932
levels and profiles of persistent organic pollutants in resident and migratory birds from an urbanized coastal region of south korea.persistent organic pollutants (pops) levels in resident and migratory birds collected from an urbanized coastal region of south korea were investigated. as target species, resident birds that reside in different habitats-such as inland and coastal regions-were selected and their pop contamination status and accumulation features evaluated. additionally, winter and summer migratory species were analysed for comparison with resident birds. black-tailed gull and domestic pigeon were selected as the ...201424001686
occurrence of enteropathogenic bacteria in urban pigeons (columba livia) in italy.this study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of campylobacter spp., escherichia coli o157, salmonella spp., and related virulence factors (the cdt, stx, and eae genes) in urban pigeons of the coastal area of the campania region (southern italy). to achieve this goal, cloacal swab samples from a total of 1800 urban pigeons were collected and subjected to culture methods, pcr, and serotyping. the results of the present study showed a prevalence of 48.3% (870/1800), 7.8% (141/1800), and 0.9% ( ...201424661012
quack leptin.a lep transcript up-regulated in lungs of ducks (anas platyrhynchos) infected by avian influenza a virus was recently described in the nature genetics manuscript that reported the duck genome. in vertebrates, lep gene symbol is reserved for leptin, the key regulator of energy balance in mammals.201424992969
pigeon circoviruses display patterns of recombination, genomic secondary structure and selection similar to those of beak and feather disease viruses.pigeon circovirus (picv) has a ~2 kb genome circular ssdna genome. all but one of the known picv isolates have been found infecting pigeons in various parts of the world. in this study, we screened 324 swab and tissue samples from polish pigeons and recovered 30 complete genomes, 16 of which came from birds displaying no obvious pathology. together with 17 other publicly available picv complete genomes sampled throughout the northern hemisphere and australia, we find that picv displays a similar ...201424639400
detection of cohv-1 by loop-mediated amplification (lamp). application of lamp for cohv-1 incidence monitoring in domestic pigeons.the occurrence of columbid herpesvirus-1 (cohv-1) in domestic pigeons presents a potential threat for their husbandry and trade. cohv-1 causes smadel disease among pigeons but may not be manifested by any clinical signs and complicates secondary infections. the material for our study originated from 42 domestic pigeons sent to private veterinary practice in lublin, poland, between 2011 and 2013. some of birds showed clinical signs similar to smadel disease. the cytological examination also indic ...201425146091
genetic characterization of oropharyngeal trichomonad isolates from wild birds indicates that genotype is associated with host species, diet and presence of pathognomonic lesions.oropharyngeal trichomonad isolates of wild birds from spain were studied. a total of 1688 samples (1214 of predator birds and 474 of prey species) from wildlife recovery centres and scientific bird-ringing campaigns were analysed from 2011 to 2013. the overall infection prevalence was 20.3% (11.4% in predator birds and 43.3% in prey species). pathognomonic lesions were present in 26% of the infected birds (57.3% in predator birds and 4.9% in prey species). the most commonly parasitized species w ...201425262786
mycoplasma columbinum isolated from a racing pigeon ( columba livia ) with arthritis.a juvenile racing pigeon ( columba livia ) was presented with drooping of the wing and inability to fly. on physical examination, the right shoulder joint was swollen. the pigeon was euthanatized and submitted for necropsy. an excessive amount of fibrin was present in the canalis triosseus with severe arthritis of the affected shoulder joint. a pure growth of mycoplasma-like colonies was obtained on microbiological culture of the shoulder joint. a 16s ribosomal rna gene-specific polymerase chain ...201425843324
the prevalence and genetic characterization of chlamydia psittaci from domestic and feral pigeons in poland and the correlation between infection rate and incidence of pigeon circovirus.chlamydiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by chlamydia psittaci that occurs in a wide range of bird species. high infection rates with c. psittaci are found in pigeons, which can act as vectors transmitting this bacterium to poultry and humans. chlamydia shedding by pigeons is intermittent and can be activated by stressors or immunosuppression. the most common immunosuppressive factor for pigeons is a pigeon circovirus (picv) infection. the main aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of ...201425306457
an experimental test of the effects of behavioral and immunological defenses against vectors: do they interact to protect birds from blood parasites?blood-feeding arthropods can harm their hosts in many ways, such as through direct tissue damage and anemia, but also by distracting hosts from foraging or watching for predators. blood-borne pathogens transmitted by arthropods can further harm the host. thus, effective behavioral and immunological defenses against blood-feeding arthropods may provide important fitness advantages to hosts if they reduce bites, and in systems involving pathogen transmission, if they lower pathogen transmission ra ...201424620737
the role of key features in predator recognition by untrained birds.the most important role in the recognition and categorization of predators (as well as other animals) is usually attributed to so-called key features. under laboratory conditions, we tested the role of yellow eyes (specific for the genus accipiter in european raptors) and hooked beak (common for all european birds of prey) in the recognition of the sparrowhawk (accipiter nisus) by untrained great tits (parus major) caught in the wild. using wooden dummies, we interchanged either one of these pot ...201424458458
preliminary study on avian fauna of the krishna river basin sangli district, western maharashtra, india.the present study on avifaunal diversity carried out for three years at the krishna river basin, sangli district revealed a total of 126 species of birds belonging to 30 families, of which 91 species were resident, 16 migratory, 12 resident and local migratory and 7 species were resident and migratory. among the migrant birds, rosy starling sturnus roseus was dominant in the study area. commonly recorded resident bird species were, red vented bulbul, jungle crow, house sparrow, common myna, brah ...201425522499
molecular characterization, genetic diversity and antibacterial susceptibility of escherichia coli encoding shiga toxin 2f in domestic pigeons.this study aimed to evaluate prevalence, characteristics, genotypic diversity and antibacterial susceptibility of escherichia coli encoding shiga toxin 2f in domestic pigeons in different provinces of iran. a total of 117 faecal samples were collected from pigeons and were subjected to molecular detection of stx2f. in total, 20, 25·8, 21·4 and 9% of pigeons from tehran, ferdows, garmsar and babol cities carried stx2f+ isolates, respectively. of the 460 e. coli isolates examined, 43 were stx2f+ a ...201424863542
racing pigeons: a reservoir for nitro-imidazole-resistant trichomonas gallinae.trichomonas gallinae , the cause of avian trichomonosis, is most commonly found in the order columbiformes. racing pigeons are often treated preventively with nitro-imidazoles, which could result in the emergence of resistant isolates, and these isolates can be a threat to wildlife when exchanges occur. the sequence type of 16 t. gallinae isolates obtained from racing pigeons and 15 isolates from wild pigeons was determined based on the its1/5.8s rrna/its2 region sequence. in addition, the resis ...201424456034
genotypic diversity of environmental cryptococcus neoformans isolates from northern portugal.the cryptococcus neoformans/c. gattii species complex members are the main agents of systemic cryptococcosis. this disease is believed to be acquired from the environment via fungal cell inhalation. often, isolates recovered from environmental and clinical sources have proven to be genotypically similar. we assessed the occurrence of c. neoformans and c. gattii in environmental substrates collected in a portuguese region. twenty-eight isolates were identified as c. neoformans - five from decayin ...201423848429
evaluation of a west nile virus surveillance and early warning system in greece, based on domestic pigeons.in the summer of 2010 an epidemic of west nile virus (wnv) occurred in central macedonia, greece, with 197 human neuroinvasive disease (wnnd) cases. in the following years the virus spread to new areas, with a total of 76 wnnd cases in 2011, and 109 wnnd cases in 2012 (14 and 12 wnnd cases, respectively, in central macedonia). we established a surveillance system based on serological testing of domestic pigeons, using celisa confirmed by serum neutralization test. in central macedonia, pigeon se ...201424503179
natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus h5n1 in domestic pigeons (columba livia) in egypt.the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (hpaiv) subtype h5n1 threatens animal and human health worldwide. susceptibility of pigeons to hpaiv (h5n1) and their role in avian influenza virus transmission to domestic birds and humans remain questionable. in this study, an outbreak in domestic pigeons (1 to 18 months old) with 50% mortality was investigated. pigeons exhibited nervous manifestations and greenish diarrhoea. necropsy of the naturally infected pigeons revealed congestion of the inter ...201424861170
seroprevalence of paramyxoviruses in synanthropic and semi-free-range birds.avian paramyxoviruses (apmvs) are classified into nine different serotypes (apmv 1-9). virulent strains of apmv-1 are already well characterized as the etiologic agent of newcastle disease (nd), an important disease in poultry that is potentially capable of infecting all orders of avian species. however, very little is known about the other eight serotypes, the majority of which can cause disease in domestic birds. the role of synanthropic and semi-free-range birds as reservoirs of avian paramyx ...201425055638
thermoregulatory behavior is widespread in the embryos of reptiles and birds.recent studies have demonstrated that thermoregulatory behavior occurs not only in posthatching turtles but also in turtles prior to hatching. does thermoregulatory behavior also occur in the embryos of other reptile and bird species? our experiments show that such behavior is widespread but not universal in reptile and bird embryos. we recorded repositioning within the egg, in response to thermal gradients, in the embryos of three species of snakes (xenochrophis piscator, elaphe bimaculata, and ...201424561606
does antibody binding to diverse antigens predict future infection?we studied diverse antigen binding in hosts and the outcome of parasitism. we used captive-bred f1 descendants of feral rock pigeons (columba livia) challenged with blood-feeding flies (hippoboscidae) and a protozoan parasite (haemoproteus). enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisas) and immunoblots were used to test (i) whether pre-infection igy antigen binding predicts parasite fitness and (ii) whether antigen binding changes after infection. assays used extracts from three pigeon parasites ( ...201425313676
the antitrichomonal efficacy of garlic and metronidazole against trichomonas gallinae infecting domestic pigeons.trichomonas gallinae is the causative agent of canker in pigeon. this work was carried out to investigate in the vitro and in vivo efficacy of aqueous water extract of garlic (age) on the growth of t. gallinae infecting pigeons compared to those of metronidazole (mtz). mtz and age were added, at different concentrations, to glucose-serum broth medium containing 1 × 10(4) trophozoites/ml. in the in vivo experiment, 48 squabs were grouped into four groups. the first group (gr. i) was not infected ...201424488107
molecular identification of cryptosporidium spp. in seagulls, pigeons, dogs, and cats in thailand.zoonotic cryptosporidium spp., particularly c. meleagridis, c. canis, and c. felis, are enteric protozoa responsible for major public health concerns around the world. to determine the spread of this parasite in thailand, we conducted molecular identification of cryptosporidium spp. from animal samples around the country, by collecting and investigating the feces of seagulls (chroicocephalus brunnicephalus and chroicocephalus ridibundus), domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica), dogs, and cat ...201425297887
full-length cdna cloning and structural characterization of preproinsulin in alligator sinensis.insulin is an important endocrine hormone that plays a critical physiological role in regulating metabolism and glucostasis in vertebrates. in this study, the complete cdna of alligator sinensis preproinsulin gene was cloned for the first time by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cdna ends methods; the amino acid sequence encoded and protein structure were analyzed. the full-length of preproinsulin cdna sequence consists of 528 base pairs (bp), comprising ...201425366775
granuloma formation and suspected neuropathic pain in a domestic pigeon (columba livia) secondary to an oil-based, inactivated newcastle disease vaccine administered for protection against pigeon paramyxovirus-1.a domestic pigeon developed a sterile granuloma following vaccination with an oil-adjuvant, inactivated la sota strain of newcastle disease. the aim of vaccination was to provide protection against pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (ppmv-1), a disease previously considered exotic to australia. granuloma formation is considered a rare complication of vaccination against ppmv-1 in pigeons. clinical signs consistent with neuropathic pain became apparent during the extensive management of the granuloma, which ...201424766048
discrimination of holograms and real objects by pigeons (columba livia) and humans (homo sapiens).the type of stimulus material employed in visual tasks is crucial to all comparative cognition research that involves object recognition. there is considerable controversy about the use of 2-dimensional stimuli and the impact that the lack of the 3rd dimension (i.e., depth) may have on animals' performance in tests for their visual and cognitive abilities. we report evidence of discrimination learning using a completely novel type of stimuli, namely, holograms. like real objects, holograms provi ...201425133466
inhibition of the reproductive system by deslorelin in male and female pigeons (columba livia).veterinary practitioners frequently encounter disorders of the reproductive system in avian patients. management of these disorders relies on manipulating reproduction by modifying the environment, diet, and social interactions, and by the use of pharmacologic agents and surgery, with varying levels of success and side effects. an alternative is to use the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) agonist deslorelin to suppress the pituitary-gonadal axis. to determine the efficacy of deslorelin in d ...201425115038
pigeon (columba livia) and rat (rattus norvegicus) performance in the midsession reversal procedure depends upon cue dimensionality.pigeons (columba livia) produce many anticipatory and perseverative errors on discrimination tasks with a reversal of reward contingencies partway through the session. prior comparative research has suggested that rats (rattus norvegicus) do not show the same number of errors and produce results that more closely resemble those of humans. we examined pigeons' performance on a visual-spatial discrimination with the reversal point randomized within the session and found that they showed remarkably ...201425111628
sarcocystis calchasi has an expanded host range and induces neurological disease in cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus) and north american rock pigeons (columbia livia f. dom.).pigeon protozoal encephalitis (ppe) is an emerging central nervous system disease of pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) caused by the apicomplexan parasite sarcocystis calchasi. the intermediate host specificity of s. calchasi had been considered high, as domestic chickens were resistant to experimental infection. here, we have re-evaluated this concept and expanded the known host range of s. calchasi by experimental infection of cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus), a species distantly related ...201424360290
gravity anomalies without geomagnetic disturbances interfere with pigeon homing--a gps tracking study.the gravity vector theory postulates that birds determine their position to set a home course by comparing the memorized gravity vector at the home loft with the local gravity vector at the release site, and that they should adjust their flight course to the gravity anomalies encountered. as gravity anomalies are often intermingled with geomagnetic anomalies, we released experienced pigeons from the center of a strong circular gravity anomaly (25 km diameter) not associated with magnetic anomali ...201425392461
discrimination of complex human behavior by pigeons (columba livia) and humans.the cognitive and neural mechanisms for recognizing and categorizing behavior are not well understood in non-human animals. in the current experiments, pigeons and humans learned to categorize two non-repeating, complex human behaviors ("martial arts" vs. "indian dance"). using multiple video exemplars of a digital human model, pigeons discriminated these behaviors in a go/no-go task and humans in a choice task. experiment 1 found that pigeons already experienced with discriminating the locomoti ...201425379777
[veterinary treatment of pigeon flocks].veterinary treatment of pigeon flocks requires specific knowledge on the management of the various pigeon flocks as well as of common diseases in these birds and important diagnostic and therapeutic measures. in this context, it is important to differentiate between racing pigeons, thoroughbreds and pigeons kept for meat production, that is, between food-supplying and companion animals. the following article provides an overview of the species-specific characteristics of columba livia f. domesti ...201425323217
conditioned discrimination of magnetic inclination in a spatial-orientation arena task by homing pigeons (columba livia).it has been well established that homing pigeons are able to use the earth's magnetic field to obtain directional information when returning to their loft and that their magnetic compass is based, at least in part, on the perception of magnetic inclination. magnetic inclination has also been hypothesized in pigeons and other long-distance navigators, such as sea turtles, to play a role providing positional information as part of a map. here we developed a behavioral paradigm which allows us to c ...201425278470
magnetic field-driven induction of zenk in the trigeminal system of pigeons (columba livia).magnetoreception remains one of the few unsolved mysteries in sensory biology. the upper beak, which is innervated by the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (v1), has been suggested to contain magnetic sensors based on ferromagnetic structures. recently, its existence in pigeons has been seriously challenged by studies suggesting that the previously described iron-accumulations are macrophages, not magnetosensitive nerve endings. this raised the fundamental question of whether v1 is invol ...201425232052
the change in heat shock protein expression in avermectin induced neurotoxicity of the pigeon (columba livia) both in vivo and in vitro.the expression of heat shock proteins (hsps) commonly increases to provide neuroprotection when brain tissues are under stress conditions. residues of avermectins (avms) have neurotoxic effects on a number of non-target organisms. the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of avm exposure on the expression levels of hsp 60, hsp 70 and hsp 90 for pigeon (columba livia) neurons both in vivo and in vitro. the results showed that in general, the mrna and protein levels of hsps were increas ...201425202854
effects of avermectin on microsomal cytochrome p450 enzymes in the liver and kidneys of pigeons.residues of avermectin (avm) drugs have toxic effects on non-target organisms. analyses of cytochrome p450 enzymes are among the most frequently employed indicators in pharmacology and toxicology studies. in this study, the responses of cytochrome p450 enzymes and pathological changes in the liver and kidney tissues of king pigeons (columba livia) following subchronic exposure to avermectin for 30, 60 and 90d were investigated. dose- and time-dependent decreases in the activities of p450 enzymes ...201425194326
reward context determines risky choice in pigeons and humans.whereas humans are risk averse for monetary gains, other animals can be risk seeking for food rewards, especially when faced with variable delays or under significant deprivation. a key difference between these findings is that humans are often explicitly told about the risky options, whereas non-human animals must learn about them from their own experience. we tested pigeons (columba livia) and humans in formally identical choice tasks where all outcomes were learned from experience. both speci ...201425165453
the pigeon (columba livia) model of spontaneous atherosclerosis.multiple animal models have been employed to study human atherosclerosis, the principal cause of mortality in the united states. each model has individual advantages related to specific pathologies. initiation, the earliest disease phase, is best modeled by the white carneau (wc-as) pigeon. atherosclerosis develops spontaneously in the wc-as without either external manipulation or known risk factors. furthermore, susceptibility is caused by a single gene defect inherited in an autosomal recessiv ...201425214557
necrotizing hepatitis in a domestic pigeon (columba livia).an adult male domestic pigeon (columba livia) was presented for necropsy following natural death after a period of chronic weight loss and severe intestinal ascariasis. histopathologic examination of the liver found moderate to marked, multifocal necrotizing hepatitis with large, basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. transmission electron microscopy of affected hepatocytes demonstrated numerous intra- and perinuclear icosahedral virions arranged in a lattice structure, consistent with adenov ...201424457158
the complete mitochondrial genome of the feral rock pigeon (columba livia breed feral).abstract in the present work, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of feral rock pigeon for the first time. the total length of the mitogenome was 17,239 bp with the base composition of 30.3% for a, 24.0% for t, 31.9% for c, and 13.8% for g and an a-t (54.3 %)-rich feature was detected. it harbored 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes, 22 transfer rna genes and 1 non-coding control region (d-loop region). the arrangement of all genes was identical to the typical mitocho ...201424438239
age-related spatial working memory deficits in homing pigeons (columba livia).the hippocampus is particularly susceptible to age-related degeneration that, like hippocampal lesions, is thought to lead to age-related decline in spatial memory and navigation. lesions to the avian hippocampal formation (hf) also result in impaired spatial memory and navigation, but the relationship between aging and hf-dependent spatial cognition is unknown. to investigate possible age-related decline in avian spatial cognition, the current study investigated spatial working memory performan ...201425111336
temporal and contextual consistency of leadership in homing pigeon flocks.organized flight of homing pigeons (columba livia) was previously shown to rely on simple leadership rules between flock mates, yet the stability of this social structuring over time and across different contexts remains unclear. we quantified the repeatability of leadership-based flock structures within a flight and across multiple flights conducted with the same animals. we compared two contexts of flock composition: flocks of birds of the same age and flight experience; and, flocks of birds o ...201425054203
retinal projection to the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali in pigeons (columba livia).in birds, the nucleus of the basal optic root (nbor) and the nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (lm) are retinal-recipient nuclei involved in the analysis of optic flow and the generation of the optokinetic response. the nbor receives retinal input from displaced ganglion cells (dgcs), which are found at the margin of the inner nuclear and inner plexiform layers, rather than the ganglion cell layer. the lm receives afferents from retinal ganglion cells, but whether dgcs also project to lm remains ...201425044056
evidence for perceptual neglect of environmental features in hippocampal-lesioned pigeons during homing.the importance of the vertebrate hippocampus in spatial cognition is often related to its broad role in memory. however, in birds, the hippocampus appears to be more specifically involved in spatial processes. the maturing of gps-tracking technology has enabled a revolution in navigation research, including the expanded possibility of studying brain mechanisms that guide navigation in the field. by gps-tracking homing pigeons released from distant, unfamiliar sites prior to and after hippocampal ...201425039270
discovery and characterization of the first genuine avian leptin gene in the rock dove (columba livia).leptin, the key regulator of mammalian energy balance, has been at the center of a great controversy in avian biology for the last 15 years since initial reports of a putative leptin gene (lep) in chickens. here, we characterize a novel lep in rock dove (columba livia) with low similarity of the predicted protein sequence (30% identity, 47% similarity) to the human ortholog. searching the sequence-read-archive database revealed leptin transcripts, in the dove's liver, with 2 noncoding exons prec ...201424758303
learning multiple routes in homing pigeons.the aerial lifestyle of central-place foraging birds allows wide-ranging movements, raising fundamental questions about their remarkable navigation and memory systems. for example, we know that pigeons (columba livia), long-standing models for avian navigation, rely on individually distinct routes when homing from familiar sites. but it remains unknown how they cope with the task of learning several routes in parallel. here, we examined how learning multiple routes influences homing in pigeons. ...201424718093
distribution of neurotransmitter receptors and zinc in the pigeon (columba livia) hippocampal formation: a basis for further comparison with the mammalian hippocampus.the avian hippocampal formation (hf) and mammalian hippocampus share a similar functional role in spatial cognition, but the underlying neuronal mechanisms allowing the functional similarity are incompletely understood. to understand better the organization of the avian hf and its transmitter receptors, we analyzed binding site densities for glutamatergic ampa, nmda, and kainate receptors; gabaa receptors; muscarinic m1 , m2 and nicotinic (nach) acetylcholine receptors; noradrenergic α1 and α2 r ...201424477871
molecular cloning and sequencing analysis of the interferon receptor (ifnar-1) from columba livia.partial sequence cloning of interferon receptor (ifnar-1) of columba livia.201426155117
hippocampal lesions in homing pigeons do not impair feature-quality or feature-quantity discrimination.the role of the avian hippocampal formation (hf) in spatial cognition is well demonstrated. however, it remains uncertain if the avian hippocampus, like its mammalian counterpart, has a role in the integration of elements that could compose a memory independent of space. the two experiments in the current study examined whether the hf of homing pigeons (columba livia) was required to encode into memory a discriminative representation of food quality (experiment 1) and quantity (experiment 2) wit ...201424300891
efferent and afferent connections of the olfactory bulb and prepiriform cortex in the pigeon (columba livia).although olfaction in birds is known to be involved in a variety of behaviors, there is comparatively little detailed information on the olfactory brain. in the pigeon brain, the olfactory bulb (ob) is known to project to the prepiriform cortex (cpp), piriform cortex (cpi), and dorsolateral corticoid area (cdl), which together are called the olfactory pallium, but centrifugal pathways to the ob have not been fully explored. fiber connections of cpi and cdl have been reported, but those of other ...201424222632
molecular cloning and tissue distribution of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (pparα) and gamma (pparγ) in the pigeon (columba livia domestica).1. peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (ppar) are involved in lipid metabolism through transcriptional regulation of target gene expression. the objective of the current study was to clone and characterise the pparα and pparγ genes in pigeon. 2. the full-length of 1941-bp pparα and 1653-bp pparγ were cloned from pigeons. the two genes were predicted to encode 468 and 475 amino acids, respectively. both proteins contained two c4-type zinc fingers, a nuclear hormone receptor dna-binding re ...201424844133
estimating the surface area of birds: using the homing pigeon (columba livia) as a model.estimation of the surface area of the avian body is valuable for thermoregulation and metabolism studies as well as for assessing exposure to oil and other surface-active organic pollutants from a spill. the use of frozen carcasses for surface area estimations prevents the ability to modify the posture of the bird. the surface area of six live homing pigeons in the fully extended flight position was estimated using a noninvasive method. an equation was derived to estimate the total surface area ...201424812356
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