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[differing acute effects of propranolol on the hypertensive heart during exercise].exercise investigations were performed in 39 male hypertensives (who stage i-iii) to assess haemodynamics and cardiac function after intravenous application of 5 mg propranolol for the detection of latent heart failure. radiocardiography was used to determine volumetric parameters such as lv end-diastolic volume and ejection fraction, and microcatheterization was employed to obtain the lv filling pressure via pressure measurement in the pulmonary artery (pa). the negative inotropic and chronotro ...20133776288
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
three-dimensional, high-resolution skeletal kinematics of the avian wing and shoulder during ascending flapping flight and uphill flap-running.past studies have shown that birds use their wings not only for flight, but also when ascending steep inclines. uphill flap-running or wing-assisted incline running (wair) is used by both flight-incapable fledglings and flight-capable adults to retreat to an elevated refuge. despite the broadly varying direction of travel during wair, level, and descending flight, recent studies have found that the basic wing path remains relatively invariant with reference to gravity. if so, joints undergo disp ...201323691132
humoral control of cardiac remodeling in fish: role of angiotensin ii.angiotensin ii (angii), the principal effector of the renin-angiotensin-system (ras), is a multipotent hormone whose biological actions include short-term modulation as well as long-term adjustments. in the eel heart, angii elicits short-term inotropic and chronotropic effects. however, information regarding the influence of angii on cardiac remodeling, expressed as morphological and hemodynamic changes, is lacking. to clarify the putative actions of angii on eel cardiac remodeling, we used fres ...201324080085
effects of temperature on the nitric oxide-dependent modulation of the frank-starling mechanism: the fish heart as a case study.the frank-starling law is a fundamental property of the vertebrate myocardium which allows, when the end-diastolic volume increases, that the consequent stretch of the myocardial fibers generates a more forceful contraction. it has been shown that in the eel (anguilla anguilla) heart, nitric oxide (no) exerts a direct myocardial relaxant effect, increasing the sensitivity of the frank-starling response (garofalo et al., 2009). with the use of isolated working heart preparations, this study inves ...201323123761
pulmonary fluid balance following pulmocutaneous baroreceptor denervation in the toad.pulmonary hemodynamics and net transcapillary fluid flux (ntff) were measured in conscious toads before and following bilateral denervation of the recurrent laryngeal nerves (rln), which contain afferents from baroreceptors located in the pulmocutaneous arteries. denervation caused an acute doubling of the arterial-venous pressure gradient across the lung and a threefold increase in pulmonary blood flow. calculated pulmonary vascular resistance fell and remained below control values through the ...20133733621
campylobacter jejuni colonization and population structure in urban populations of ducks and starlings in new zealand.a repeated cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of campylobacter spp. and the population structure of c. jejuni in european starlings and ducks cohabiting multiple public access sites in an urban area of new zealand. the country's geographical isolation and relatively recent history of introduction of wild bird species, including the european starling and mallard duck, create an ideal setting to explore the impact of geographical separation on the population biology of ...201323873654
experimental infection of european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) and house sparrows (passer domesticus) with pandemic 2009 h1n1 and swine h1n1 and h3n2 triple reassortant influenza viruses.european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) and house sparrows (passer domesticus) are common peridomestic passerine birds that are often associated with domestic animal production facilities. this association provides a potential means for pathogen transmission between facilities. we inoculated european starlings and house sparrows with three non-avian influenza virus strains: two swine isolates (h1n1 and h3n2) and one human isolate representing the h1n1 pandemic strain that originated from swine. no ...201323568924
molecular epidemiology and public health relevance of campylobacter isolated from dairy cattle and european starlings in ohio, usa.dairy cattle serve as a potential source for campylobacter infection in humans. outbreaks associated with consumption of either campylobacter contaminated raw milk or contaminated milk after treatment were previously recorded in the united states. further, starlings have been implicated in the spread of bacterial pathogens among livestock. here, we determined the prevalence, genotypic, and phenotypic properties of campylobacter isolated from fecal samples of dairy cattle and starlings found on t ...201323259503
evaluation of two methods for quantifying passeriform lice.two methods commonly used to quantify ectoparasites on live birds are visual examination and dust-ruffling. visual examination provides an estimate of ectoparasite abundance based on an observer's timed inspection of various body regions on a bird. dust-ruffling involves application of insecticidal powder to feathers that are then ruffled to dislodge ectoparasites onto a collection surface where they can then be counted. despite the common use of these methods in the field, the proportion of act ...201324039328
the seroprevalence of avipoxvirus and its association with avian malaria (plasmodium spp.) infection in introduced passerine birds in the southern regions of the north island of new zealand.blood samples were collected from 65 free-ranging birds from six species in the southern north island of new zealand. sera from the birds were tested for the presence of avipoxvirus (apv) antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), and blood cells from 55 birds were also tested for plasmodium spp. by pcr. forty-five birds (69.2%) tested seropositive to apv. song thrushes (turdus philomelos) presented the highest seroprevalence at 100% (4/4), followed by eurasian blackbirds (turdus m ...201323678738
estimation of unsteady aerodynamics in the wake of a freely flying european starling (sturnus vulgaris).wing flapping is one of the most widespread propulsion methods found in nature; however, the current understanding of the aerodynamics in bird wakes is incomplete. the role of the unsteady motion in the flow and its contribution to the aerodynamics is still an open question. in the current study, the wake of a freely flying european starling has been investigated using long-duration high-speed particle image velocimetry (piv) in the near wake. kinematic analysis of the wings and body of the bird ...201324278243
long-distance dispersal maximizes evolutionary potential during rapid geographic range expansion.conventional wisdom predicts that sequential founder events will cause genetic diversity to erode in species with expanding geographic ranges, limiting evolutionary potential at the range margin. here, we show that invasive european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) in south africa preserve genetic diversity during range expansion, possibly as a result of frequent long-distance dispersal events. we further show that unfavourable environmental conditions trigger enhanced dispersal, as indicated by sig ...201324192018
ambient temperature influences birds' decisions to eat toxic prey.aposematic prey warn predators of their toxicity using conspicuous signals. however, predators regularly include aposematic prey in their diets, particularly when they are in a poor energetic state and in need of nutrients. we investigated whether or not an environmental factor, ambient temperature, could change the energetic state of predators and lead to an increased intake of prey that they know to contain toxins. we found that european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, increased their consumption ...201324109148
european starlings ( sturnus vulgaris ) suggest that landfills are an important source of bioaccumulative flame retardants to canadian terrestrial ecosystems.landfills are used as the primary means for the disposal of municipal solid waste in canada. in the present study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes) and other flame retardants (frs) were determined in fresh european starling ( sturnus vulgaris ) eggs collected in 2009, 2010, and 2011 from nest boxes established within, adjacent to, and 10 and 40 km distant to five major urban centers across canada, i.e., vancouver, british columbia (bc); calgary, alberta (ab); hamilton, ontario (on); montré ...201324059974
estradiol differentially affects auditory recognition and learning according to photoperiodic state in the adult male songbird, european starling (sturnus vulgaris).changes in hormones can affect many types of learning in vertebrates. adults experience fluctuations in a multitude of hormones over a temporal scale, from local, rapid action to more long-term, seasonal changes. endocrine changes during development can affect behavioral outcomes in adulthood, but how learning is affected in adults by hormone fluctuations experienced during adulthood is less understood. previous reports have implicated the sex steroid hormone estradiol (e2) in both male and fema ...201324058881
effect of head turns on the localization accuracy of sounds in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris).long signal durations that represent closed-loop conditions permit responses based on the sensory feedback during the presentation of the stimulus, while short stimulus durations that represent open-loop conditions do not allow for directed head turns during signal presentation. a previous study showed that for broadband noise stimuli, the minimum audible angle (maa) of the european starling (sturnus vulgaris) is smaller under closed-loop compared to open-loop conditions (feinkohl & klump, 2013) ...201324035879
the direct response of the gonads to cues of stress in a temperate songbird species is season-dependent.the gonadotropin releasing hormone (gnrh) system in the hypothalamus is often considered the final point in integration of environmental cues as they pertain to the reproductive axis. however, cues such as stress and food availability are detectable in the plasma (as glucocorticoid and metabolic fuel fluctuations). vertebrate gonads express glucocorticoid receptor, therefore we hypothesized that the gonads can detect and respond directly to cues of stress. we provide evidence here that, in addit ...201324024084
hand rearing affects emotional responses but not basic cognitive performance in european starlings.hand rearing is a common procedure in behavioural research on birds. while likely to produce tamer experimental animals, there is a risk that it could induce pathological changes in brain and behaviour similar to those seen in mammals that have experienced maternal separation. we explored the effects of hand rearing on the cognitive and behavioural development of european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, to assess the generality of results obtained from hand-reared animals. two groups of age-matched ...201323888084
predators' decisions to eat defended prey depend on the size of undefended prey.predators that have learned to associate warning coloration with toxicity often continue to include aposematic prey in their diet in order to gain the nutrients and energy that they contain. as body size is widely reported to correlate with energetic content, we predicted that prey size would affect predators' decisions to eat aposematic prey. we used a well-established system of wild-caught european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, foraging on mealworms, tenebrio molitor, to test how the size of un ...201323814280
curvilinear relationships between mu-opioid receptor labeling and undirected song in male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).female-directed communication in male songbirds has been reasonably well studied; yet, relatively little is known about communication in other social contexts. songbirds also produce song that is not clearly directed towards another individual (undirected song) when alone or in flocks. although the precise functions of undirected song may differ across species, this type of song is considered important for flock maintenance, song learning or practice. past studies show that undirected song is ti ...201323774651
context-dependent preferences in starlings: linking ecology, foraging and choice.foraging animals typically encounter opportunities that they either pursue or skip, but occasionally meet several alternatives simultaneously. behavioural ecologists predict preferences using absolute properties of each option, while decision theorists focus on relative evaluations at the time of choice. we use european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to integrate ecological reasoning with decision models, linking and testing hypotheses for value acquisition and choice mechanism. we hypothesise tha ...201323705019
use of dairies by postreproductive flocks of european starlings.knowledge of the behavior and movement patterns of european starlings (sturnus vulgaris l.) is important to wildlife managers that seek to resolve conflicts at livestock facilities. we captured and radio tagged 10 starlings at each of 5 dairies in northeastern ohio. from september 19 to october 31, 2007, we obtained sufficient data from 40 birds to study their behavior and movements. the birds visited the dairies where they were initially captured (home sites) on 85% of the days, spending 58% of ...201323684017
photoperiod-dependent regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 messenger ribonucleic acid levels in the songbird brain.annual changes in day length induce marked changes in reproductive function in temperate zone vertebrates. in many avian species, in contrast to other seasonally breeding animals, plasticity in hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone - 1 (gnrh1) expression rather than (or in addition to) release governs changes in pituitary-gonadal activity. investigations of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern gnrh1 plasticity were previously hindered by a collective inability of scientists in ...201323660447
testicular growth and regression are not correlated with dio2 expression in a wild male songbird, sturnus vulgaris, exposed to natural changes in photoperiod.timing of seasonal breeding in birds and mammals is regulated by changing the day length and is dependent on the presence of thyroid hormones. a mechanism for thyroid-dependent control of seasonality has been proposed, in which exposure to long day lengths induces rapid local conversion of t4 to its bioactive form, t3, via the up-regulation of the enzyme type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (dio2) in the brain, and the down-regulation of dio3 (which inactivates t3). such changes were correlated with ...201323525217
links between breeding readiness, opioid immunolabeling, and the affective state induced by hearing male courtship song in female european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).male courtship vocalizations represent a potent signal designed to attract females; however, not all females find male signals equally attractive. we explored the possibility that the affective state induced by hearing courtship vocalizations depends on the motivational state of a receiver. we used a conditioned place preference test of reward to determine the extent to which the rewarding properties of hearing male courtship song differed in female european starlings categorized as nest box own ...201323473880
diffusion of individual birds in starling flocks.flocking is a paradigmatic example of collective animal behaviour, where global order emerges out of self-organization. each individual has a tendency to align its flight direction with those of neighbours, and such a simple form of interaction produces a state of collective motion of the group. when compared with other cases of collective ordering, a crucial feature of animal groups is that the interaction network is not fixed in time, as each individual moves and continuously changes its neigh ...201323407827
starlings uphold principles of economic rationality for delay and probability of reward.rationality principles are the bedrock of normative theories of decision-making in biology and microeconomics, but whereas in microeconomics, consistent choice underlies the notion of utility; in biology, the assumption of consistent selective pressures justifies modelling decision mechanisms as if they were designed to maximize fitness. in either case, violations of consistency contradict expectations and attract theoretical interest. reported violations of rationality in non-humans include int ...201323390098
artificial rain and cold wind act as stressors to captive molting and non-molting european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).free-roaming animals continually cope with changes in their environment. one of the most unpredictable environmental phenomena is weather. being able to respond to weather appropriately is crucial as it can be a threat to survival. the stress response, consisting of increases in heart rate and release of glucocorticoids, is an important mechanism by which animals cope with stressors. this study examined behavioral, heart rate, and corticosterone responses of captive european starlings (sturnus v ...201323277223
azimuthal sound localization in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris): ii. psychophysical results.small songbirds have a difficult analysis problem: their head is small compared to the wavelengths of sounds used for communication providing only small interaural time and level differences. klump and larsen (1992) measured the physical binaural cues in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris) that allow the comparison of acoustical cues and perception. we determined the starling's minimum audible angle (maa) in an operant go/nogo procedure for different spectral and temporal stimulus condition ...201323160796
sharing mates and nest boxes is associated with female "friendship" in european starlings, sturnus vulgaris.breeding decisions in birds involve both mate and nest choice, and there is increasing evidence that social influences may modulate individual choices. female preferences may be affected by other females' preferences and mutual choice cannot always be excluded, which makes the whole pattern more complex than assumed by most sexual selection models. social transmission may be facilitated by particular social bonds, therefore prebreeding social networks may influence later mate choices. the other ...201323106801
functional changes between seasons in the male songbird auditory forebrain.songbirds are an excellent model for investigating the perception of learned complex acoustic communication signals. male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) sing throughout the year distinct types of song that bear either social or individual information. although the relative importance of social and individual information changes seasonally, evidence of functional seasonal changes in neural response to these songs remains elusive. we thus decided to use in vivo functional magnetic resonance ...201324391561
bottom of the heap: having heavier competitors accelerates early-life telomere loss in the european starling, sturnus vulgaris.early-life adversity is associated with poorer health and survival in adulthood in humans and other animals. one pathway by which early-life environmental stressors could affect the adult phenotype is via effects on telomere dynamics. several studies have shown that early-life adversity is associated with relatively short telomeres, but these are often cross-sectional and usually correlational in design. here, we present a novel experimental system for studying the relationship between early-lif ...201324386235
cytochrome p4501a induction in primary cultures of embryonic european starling hepatocytes exposed to tcdd, pecdf and tcdf.novel methods that predict the sensitivity of avian embryos to the toxic effects of dioxin-like compounds (dlcs) using either (1) knowledge of the identity of amino acids at key sites within the ligand binding domain of aryl hydrocarbon receptor 1 (ahr1) or (2) a luciferase reporter gene assay that measures ahr1 activation were recently reported. results from both methods predict that european starling (sturnus vulgaris) and domestic chicken (gallus gallus domesticus) embryos have similar sensit ...201323519780
increased energy expenditure but decreased stress responsiveness during molt.baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (cort), heart rate (fh), and energy expenditure were measured in eight captive european starlings sturnus vulgaris during and following a prebasic molt. the fh and oxygen consumption (v o2 ) were measured simultaneously across a range of heart rates, and energy expenditure (kj/d) was then calculated from data. energy expenditure and fh were strongly and positively correlated in each individual. baseline fh and energy expenditure were significantly highe ...201318537472
are the low protein requirements of nectarivorous birds the consequence of their sugary and watery diet? a test with an omnivore.nectar-feeding birds have remarkably low nitrogen requirements. these may be due either to adaptation to a low-protein diet or simply to feeding on a fluid diet that minimizes metabolic fecal nitrogen losses. we measured minimal nitrogen requirements (mnr) and total endogenous nitrogen loss (tenl) in the omnivorous european starling sturnus vulgaris, fed on an artificial nectar-like fluid diet of varying concentrations of sugar and protein. the mnr and tenl of the birds were similar and even sli ...201315778943
can starling eggs be useful as a biomonitoring tool to study organohalogenated contaminants on a worldwide scale?large-scale international monitoring studies are important to assess emission patterns and environmental distributions of organohalogenated contaminants (ohcs) on a worldwide scale. in this study, the presence of ohcs was investigated on three continents (europe, north america and australasia), using eggs of starlings (sturnus vulgaris and sturnus unicolor) to assess their suitability for large-scale monitoring studies. to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using bird eggs of the ...201323220015
heart rate and heart-rate variability responses to acute and chronic stress in a wild-caught passerine bird.the cardiovascular-stress response has been studied extensively in laboratory animals but has been poorly studied in naturally selected species. we determined the relative roles of the sympathetic nervous system (sns) and the parasympathetic nervous system (pns) in regulating stress-induced changes in heart rate (hr) in wild-caught european starlings (sturnus vulgaris). in both heart-rate variability (hrv) analysis and receptor blockade (atropine and propranolol) experiments, baseline hr was con ...201319115847
effects of introducing threatened falcons into vineyards on abundance of passeriformes and bird damage to grapes.agricultural landscapes are becoming an important focus of animal conservation, although initiatives to conserve predators to date have rarely provided economic benefits to agricultural producers. we examined whether introduction to vineyards of the new zealand falcon (falco novaeseelandiae), a species listed as threatened by the new zealand department of conservation, affected the abundance of 4 species of passeriformes that are considered vineyard pests or affected the amount of economic loss ...201222010952
flame retardants in eggs of american kestrels and european starlings from southern lake ontario region (north america).while a number of studies have extensively investigated flame retardant (fr) contamination in aquatic ecosystems from the laurentian great lakes basin, there remains a dearth of information for terrestrial ecosystems. in the current study, american kestrels (falco sparverius) (amke) and european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) (eust) that are terrestrial ecosystem consumers, and from the southern lake ontario regions, were investigated as potential terrestrial bio-monitoring species. egg homogenate ...201222930373
avian malaria infections in western european mosquitoes.in the complex life cycle of avian malaria parasites (plasmodium sp.), we still have a poor understanding on the vector-parasite relationships. this study described the community of potential avian malaria vectors in four portuguese reedbeds. we tested if their geographical distribution differed, and investigated on their plasmodium infections. the mosquitoes' feeding preferences were evaluated using co(2), mice, and birds as baits. the most abundant species were culex pipiens, culex theileri, a ...201222427023
mixed life-history strategies in a local population of the ectoparasitic fly carnus hemapterus.a major issue for the proper understanding of the evolution of life-cycle histories is the regulation of voltinism and its variation. diapause characteristics are known to regulate voltinism, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. this paper studies diapause duration and voltinism variation in a haematophagous diptera parasitizing 2 sympatric hosts with very different breeding phenologies. we hypothesize that bivoltinism will be more frequent in carnid flies parasitizing an early b ...201222716907
songs of two starling species: common traits versus adaptations to the social environment.we analysed, for the first time, songs of the african red-winged starling onychognathus morio and compared their general characteristics with those of the european starling sturnus vulgaris. both species are gregarious during the non-breeding season, but european starlings tend to nest in colonies, form unstable pair-bonds and are occasionally polygynous, whereas red-winged starlings form long-term pair-bonds and occupy exclusive nesting territories. red-winged starlings produced the same basic ...201223135063
cognitive mechanisms of risky choice: is there an evaluation cost?we contrast two classes of choice processes, those assuming time-consuming comparisons and those where stimuli for each option act independently, competing for expression by cross censorship. the sequential choice model (scm) belongs in the latter category, and has received empirical support in several procedures involving deterministic alternatives. here we test this model in risky choices. in two treatments, each with five conditions, european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) faced choices between ...201222001371
emergence of selectivity and tolerance in the avian auditory cortex.the ability to recognize auditory objects like words and bird songs is thought to depend on neural responses that are selective between categories of the objects and tolerant of variation within those categories. to determine whether a hierarchy of increasing selectivity and tolerance exists in the avian auditory system, we trained european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to differentially recognize sets of songs, then measured extracellular single unit responses under urethane anesthesia in six ar ...201223100437
context-dependent links between song production and opioid-mediated analgesia in male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).little is known about the neural mechanisms that ensure appropriate vocal behaviors within specific social contexts. male songbirds produce spontaneous (undirected) songs as well as female-directed courtship songs. opioid neuropeptide activity in specific brain regions is rewarding, at least in mammals, and past studies suggest that the opioid met-enkephalin in such areas is more tightly linked to undirected than female-directed song. recent data using a song-associated place preference paradigm ...201223056422
testosterone increases repertoire size in an open-ended learner: an experimental study using adult male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).song in songbirds is a learned secondary sexual behavior, first acquired during a sensitive phase of juvenile development, which is affected by hormones such as testosterone (t). while the latter has received much attention, the potential involvement of t in the adult repertoire changes observed in a number of species is much less understood. yet, this may prove essential to understand the role of song as a sexually selected trait. we therefore performed a t-implantation experiment during the no ...201223036784
influence of testosterone metabolites on song-control system neuroplasticity during photostimulation in adult european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).the song-control system is a network of discrete nuclei in the songbird brain that controls the production and learning of birdsong and exhibits some of the best-studied neuroplasticity found in the adult brain. photoperiodic growth of the song-control system during the breeding season is driven, at least in part, by the gonadal steroid testosterone. when acting on neural tissue, however, testosterone can be metabolized into 5α-dihydrotestosterone (dht) or 17β-estradiol (e2), which activate diff ...201222792214
non-breeding song rate reflects nutritional condition rather than body condition.numerous studies have focused on song in songbirds as a signal involved in mate choice and intrasexual competition. it is expected that song traits such as song rate reflect individual quality by being dependent on energetic state or condition. while seasonal variation in bird song (i.e., breeding versus non-breeding song) and its neural substrate have received a fair amount of attention, the function and information content of song outside the breeding season is generally much less understood. ...201222590563
experimental analysis of perching in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris: passeriformes; passeres), and the automatic perching mechanism of birds.the avian automatic perching mechanism (apm) involves the automatic digital flexor mechanism (adfm) and the digital tendon-locking mechanism (dtlm). when birds squat on a perch to sleep, the increased tendon travel distance due to flexion of the knee and ankle supposedly causes the toes to grip the perch (adfm) and engage the dtlm so perching while sleeping involves no muscular effort. however, the knees and ankles of sleeping european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) are only slightly flexed and, e ...201222539208
constitutive immune function in european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, is decreased immediately after an endurance flight in a wind tunnel.life-history theory predicts that animals face a trade-off in energy allocation between performing strenuous exercise, such as migratory flight, and mounting an immune response. we experimentally tested this prediction by studying immune function in european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, flown in a wind tunnel. specifically, we predicted that constitutive immune function decreases in response to training and, additionally, in response to immediate exercise. we compared constitutive immune functio ...201222189771
the development of stereotypic behavior in caged european starlings, sturnus vulgaris.stereotypic behavior in captive animals has been hypothesized to emerge from thwarted natural behavior patterns and is thought to be more common in captive-reared animals. however, data on the early stages of developing stereotypies are currently scarce. we compared the development of stereotypic route-tracing and somersaulting in hand-reared and wild-caught starlings placed in individual cages for the first time. we found that wild-caught birds were less active but showed more escape motivation ...201222127904
effect of parameter variations on the hemodynamic response under rotary blood pump assistance.numerical models, able to simulate the response of the human cardiovascular system (cvs) in the presence of an implantable rotary blood pump (irbp), have been widely used as a predictive tool to investigate the interaction between the cvs and the irbp under various operating conditions. the present study investigates the effect of alterations in the model parameter values, that is, cardiac contractility, systemic vascular resistance, and total blood volume on the efficiency of rotary pump assist ...201222489771
cardiac heterometric response: the interplay between catestatin and nitric oxide deciphered by the frog heart.the length-active tension relation or heterometric regulation (frank-starling mechanism) is modulated by nitric oxide (no) which, released in pulsatile fashion from the beating heart, improves myocardial relaxation and diastolic distensibility. the no signaling is also implicated in the homeometric regulation exerted by extrinsic factors such as autonomic nervous system, endocrine and humoral agents. in the in vitro working frog heart, the chromogranin a (cga)-derived peptide, catestatin (cts; b ...201222555002
association of wild bird density and farm management factors with the prevalence of e. coli o157 in dairy herds in ohio (2007-2009).our objective was to determine the role that european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) play in the epidemiology of escherichia coli o157:h7 in dairy cattle. we visited 150 dairy farms in ohio twice during summer and fall months from 2007 to 2009. fresh faecal pats from 30 lactating cows were collected during each visit. information on farm management and environmental variables was gathered through a questionnaire administered to the farm owner. the number of starlings observed on the farm was also ...201222333436
cardiovascular adjustments induced by training evaluated during semisupine isotonic exercise and recovery period: an echocardiographic study.two groups of subjects were examined: trained athletes (group a) and a sedentary control group (group b). the subjects performed submaximal bicycle exercise in the semisupine position to evaluate the differences between the two groups with regard to cardiovascular response during exercise and recovery and to point out all the changes due to training. during the first part of exercise, cardiac output increased contemporary with heart rate and myocardial contractility as shown by the trend of the ...20123429087
changes in left ventricular diastolic function during exercise in patients with coronary artery disease.in 10 controls and 43 patients with coronary artery disease (cad) left ventricular (lv) diastolic pressure-volume (p-v) curves were obtained from biplane ventriculograms and simultaneous high fidelity pressure measurement at rest and during bicycle exercise. during exercise ventriculography 20 patients had angina pectoris, and 16 patients were asymptomatic. at rest there were no akinetic segments in 28 patients, and at least one akinetic segment was found in 15 patients. shifts in the diastolic ...20123443122
the culex pipiens complex in the mississippi river basin: identification, distribution, and bloodmeal hosts.members of the culex pipiens complex are the primary vectors of st. louis encephalitis virus and west nile virus in the mississippi river basin (mrb). the cx. pipiens complex in the mrb is composed of 4 taxa: cx. p. pipiens form pipiens, cx. p. quinquefasciatus, hybrids between cx. p. pipiens f. pipiens and cx. p. quinquefasciatus, and cx. p. pipiens form molestus. three studies on bloodmeal hosts with large sample sizes have been conducted on members of the cx. pipiens complex in the mrb includ ...201223401948
fluid flux and clearance in acute lung injury.acute lung injury (ali) and its most severe form, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards), were presciently described nearly two centuries ago by rené laennec, later to be described clinically in the 1950s and 1960s. substantial advances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of these forms of permeability pulmonary edema, including starling forces and cellular transport mechanisms involved in the generation and resolution of this form of lung injury. functional animal models and cl ...201223720254
the phase response of primary auditory afferents in a songbird (sturnus vulgaris l.).the effects of stimulus frequency and intensity on phase-locking characteristics of cochlear ganglion cells were studied in the starling. all cells showed phase-locking to tone stimuli within their response area. phase-locking at cf is found on average 9 db below discharge rate threshold. phase-locking is best at 0.4 khz and deteriorates with increasing frequency almost independently of cf. no phase-locking was evident for test frequencies above 3-4 khz. phase-locking in cells with cfs above 1.0 ...20123350776
abstracts of the 8th national scientific meeting of the bayless and starling society. 15-16 september 1988, london, u.k. 20113187079
contribution of titin and extracellular matrix to passive pressure and measurement of sarcomere length in the mouse left ventricle.it remains to be established to what degree titin and the extracellular matrix (ecm) contribute to passive pressure in the left ventricle (lv). thus, we aimed to elucidate the contribution of major molecular determinants of passive pressure in the normal mouse lv. furthermore, we determined the working sarcomere length (sl) range of the lv to bridge our findings to earlier work in skinned muscle fibers. we utilized frank-starling type protocols to obtain diastolic pressure-volume relationships ( ...201121255582
a graphical simulation software for instruction in cardiovascular mechanics physiology.computer supported, interactive e-learning systems are widely used in the teaching of physiology. however, the currently available complimentary software tools in the field of the physiology of cardiovascular mechanics have not yet been adapted to the latest systems software. therefore, a simple-to-use replacement for undergraduate and graduate students' education was needed, including an up-to-date graphical software that is validated and field-tested.201121262003
ott's protein osmotic pressure of serum and interstitial fluid in chickens (gallus gallus): effect of age and gender.protein, or colloid, osmotic pressure (cop) is of sufficient magnitude to exert a powerful effect on starling forces across the capillary wall. although avian skin lacks active mechanisms for fluid transmission, such as sweating, it is now hypothesized that passive oncotic forces may regulate fluid flow and distribution in the skin and related phenomena. in this study, serum protein profiles, as well as cop in serum (cop(s)) and in suction blister fluid (cop(sbf)), were determined in juvenile, y ...201121270308
seasonal changes in courtship behavior, plasma androgen levels and in hypothalamic aromatase immunoreactivity in male free-living european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).in songbirds from temperate latitudes, singing during spring has an essential role in mate attraction, while during the non-breeding season it is connected to territorial aggression and/or maintaining dominance hierarchies or flock cohesion. courtship behavior is regulated by plasma testosterone (t) levels. other androgens, like dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea) could be responsible for aggression. the aromatization of androgens in the brain is an essential step in mediating their effects on behavio ...201121310152
congestive heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is associated with severely impaired dynamic starling mechanism.sedentary aging leads to increased cardiovascular stiffening, which can be ameliorated by sufficient amounts of lifelong exercise training. an even more extreme form of cardiovascular stiffening can be seen in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (hfpef), which comprises ~40~50% of elderly patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure. there are two major interrelated hypotheses proposed to explain heart failure in these patients: 1) increased left ventricular (lv) diastolic stiffne ...201121310890
efficacy of european starling control to reduce salmonella enterica contamination in a concentrated animal feeding operation in the texas panhandle.european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive bird species known to cause damage to plant and animal agriculture. new evidence suggests starlings may also contribute to the maintenance and spread of diseases within livestock facilities. identifying and mitigating the risk pathways that contribute to disease in livestock is necessary to reduce production losses and contamination of human food products. to better understand the impact starlings have on disease transmission to cattle we ass ...201121324202
response of rotary blood pumps to changes in preload and afterload at a fixed speed setting are unphysiological when compared with the natural heart.responses of four rotary blood pumps (incor, heartmate ii, heartware, and duraheart) at a single speed setting to changes in preload and afterload were assessed using the human left ventricle as a benchmark for comparison. data for the rotary pumps were derived from pressure flow relations reported in the literature while the natural heart was characterized by the frank-starling curve adjusted to fit outputs at different afterloads reported in the literature. preload sensitivity (mean ± sd) for ...201121355872
hand-rearing reduces fear of humans in european starlings, sturnus vulgaris.pending changes in european legislation ban the use of wild-caught animals in research. this change is partly justified on the assumption that captive-breeding (or hand-rearing) increases welfare of captive animals because these practices result in animals with reduced fear of humans. however, there are few actual data on the long-term behavioural effects of captive-breeding in non-domestic species, and these are urgently needed in order to understand the welfare and scientific consequences of a ...201121364770
myosin head orientation: a structural determinant for the frank-starling relationship.the cellular mechanism underlying the frank-starling law of the heart is myofilament length-dependent activation. the mechanism(s) whereby sarcomeres detect changes in length and translate this into increased sensitivity to activating calcium has been elusive. small-angle x-ray diffraction studies have revealed that the intact myofilament lattice undergoes numerous structural changes upon an increase in sarcomere length (sl): lattice spacing and the i(1,1)/i(1,0) intensity ratio decreases, where ...201121460195
assessment of contractility in intact ventricular cardiomyocytes using the dimensionless 'frank-starling gain' index.this paper briefly recapitulates the frank-starling law of the heart, reviews approaches to establishing diastolic and systolic force-length behaviour in intact isolated cardiomyocytes, and introduces a dimensionless index called 'frank-starling gain', calculated as the ratio of slopes of end-systolic and end-diastolic force-length relations. the benefits and limitations of this index are illustrated on the example of regional differences in guinea pig intact ventricular cardiomyocyte mechanics. ...201121494804
the role of european starlings in the spread of coccidia within concentrated animal feeding operations.to investigate the relationship between european starlings and bovine coccidiosis we collected samples from european starlings, cattle feed bunks, cattle water troughs, and cattle feces within concentrated animal feeding operations (cafos). these samples were screened for coccidia spp. to investigate (i) the prevalence of coccidia in starlings using cafos; (ii) if there is a relationship between bovine coccidiosis and starling numbers; (iii) if coccidia contamination of cattle feed and water is ...201121536385
neonatal mouse-derived engineered cardiac tissue: a novel model system for studying genetic heart disease.rationale: cardiomyocytes cultured in a mechanically active 3-dimensional configuration can be used for studies that correlate contractile performance to cellular physiology. current engineered cardiac tissue (ect) models use cells derived from either rat or chick hearts. development of a murine ect would provide access to many existing models of cardiac disease and open the possibility of performing targeted genetic manipulation with the ability to directly assess contractile and molecular vari ...201121566213
growth of engineered human myocardium with mechanical loading and vascular coculture.rationale: the developing heart requires both mechanical load and vascularization to reach its proper size, yet the regulation of human heart growth by these processes is poorly understood. objective: we seek to elucidate the responses of immature human myocardium to mechanical load and vascularization using tissue engineering approaches. methods and results: using human embryonic stem cell and human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in a 3-dimensional collagen matrix, we show ...201121597009
detection of influenza viral gene in european starlings and experimental infection.european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) are common, widely distributed birds in north america that frequently come into contact with agricultural operations. however, starlings have been one of the neglected land-based wild bird species for influenza surveillance.201121651737
in vitro comparison of support capabilities of intra-aortic balloon pump and impella 2.5 left percutaneous.the impella 2.5 left percutaneous (lp), a relatively new transvalvular assist device, challenges the position of the intra-aortic balloon pump (iabp), which has a long record in supporting patients after myocardial infarction and cardiac surgery. however, while more costly and more demanding in management, the advantages of the impella 2.5 lp are yet to be established. the aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of the 40ôçâcc iabp and the impella 2.5 lp operating at 47ôçâ000ôçârpm in vit ...201121819436
variation in enkephalin immunoreactivity in the social behavior network and song control system of male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) is dependent on breeding state and gonadal condition.many temperate zone songbird species exhibit marked seasonal variation in song quality as well as in the motivation to sing. two brain systems are known to mediate such annual variation in song quality and motivation: (1) the song control system (scs), and (2) the social behavior network (sbn), respectively. how these two circuits interact to produce changes in singing behavior is not well understood. the opioid enkephalin is expressed in both the scs and sbn and may function to modulate song qu ...201122198223
rational choice, context dependence, and the value of information in european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).both human and nonhuman decision-makers can deviate from optimal choice by making context-dependent choices. because ignoring context information can be beneficial, this is called a "less-is-more effect." the fact that organisms are so sensitive to the context is thus paradoxical and calls for the inclusion of an ecological perspective. in an experiment with starlings, adding cues that identified the context impaired performance in simultaneous prey choices but improved it in sequential prey enc ...201122096203
cardiac remodeling and function following exercise and angiotensin ii receptor antagonism.the purpose of this study was to test the impact of chronic exercise training combined with selective angiotensin ii receptor (at1) antagonism on systolic blood pressure (sbp) and the left-ventricular pressure-volume relationship in normotensive, non-infarcted rat hearts. wistar rats (n = 19) were randomly assigned to either a sedentary control group (n = 8) or an exercise-trained group (n = 11). losartan was administered to individually caged rats via the drinking water (10 mg/kg/d). exercise t ...201122143841
European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) challenged with Escherichia coli O157 can carry and transmit the human pathogen to cattle.European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are an invasive species in the United States and are considered a nuisance pest to agriculture. The goal of this study was to determine the potential for these birds to be reservoirs and/or vectors for the human pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7.201121985308
lung heparan sulfates modulate filtration coefficient (kfc) during increased vascular pressure; evidence for glyocalyx mediated mechano-transduction.abstract rationale: lung endothelial cells respond to changes in vascular pressure through mechano-transduction pathways that alter barrier function via non-starling mechanism(s). components of the endothelial glycocalyx have been shown to participate in mechano-transduction in vitro and in systemic vessels, but the glycocalyx's role in mechano-sensing and pulmonary barrier function has not been characterized. mechano-transduction pathways may represent novel targets for therapeutic intervention ...201122160307
replication of the frank-starling response in a mock circulation loop.mock circulation loops (mcls) are used to evaluate cardiovascular devices prior to in-vivo trials; however they lack the vital autoregulatory responses that occur in humans. this study aimed to develop and implement a left and right ventricular frank-starling response in a mcl. a proportional controller based on ventricular end diastolic volume was used to control the driving pressure of the mcl's pneumatically operated ventricles. ventricular pressure-volume loops and end systolic pressure-volu ...201122255906
haemodynamic modeling of the cardiovascular system using mock circulation loops to test cardiovascular devices.comprehensive testing and evaluation of cardiovascular device function and performance is required prior to clinical implementation. initial proof of concept investigations are conducted within in-vitro mock circulation loops, before proof of principle is demonstrated via in-vivo animal testing. to facilitate the rapid transition of cardiovascular devices through this development period, a testing apparatus was developed that closely models the natural human cardiovascular system haemodynamics. ...201122255291
detection of babesia sp. eu1 and members of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks collected from migratory birds at curonian spit, north-western russia.to reveal the prevalence of spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae and babesia sp. in ixodes ricinus (l.) ticks from migratory birds, 236 specimens represented 8 species of passeriformes and were collected at curonian spit in kaliningrad enclave of north-western russia. the ticks (total 126) being detached from four bird species, turdus philomelos, fringilla coelebs, parus major, and sturnus vulgaris, were investigated by pcr using the primers rp cs.877p/rp cs.1258n for the detection of rickettsi ...201120553110
looking for the hannibal behind the cannibal: current status of case research.the character hannibal "the cannibal" lecter, best known from the motion picture the silence of the lambs from 1991, has become a cultural icon and model for later portrayals of seriously disturbed offenders. he displays key characteristics of the psychopathy checklist-revised, such as arrogance, manipulation, callousness, and lack of remorse. from a clinical point of view, one of the most fascinating aspects with lecter is his display of a variety of capacities alternating between cold-blooded ...201120413645
increased cardiac alpha-myosin heavy chain in left atria and decreased myocardial insulin-like growth factor (igf-i) expression accompany low heart rate in hibernating grizzly bears.grizzly bears (ursus arctos horribilis) tolerate extended periods of extremely low heart rate during hibernation without developing congestive heart failure or cardiac chamber dilation. left ventricular atrophy and decreased left ventricular compliance have been reported in this species during hibernation. we evaluated the myocardial response to significantly reduced heart rate during hibernation by measuring relative myosin heavy-chain (myhc) isoform expression and expression of a set of genes ...201121117961
carnitine palmitoyl transferase activity and whole muscle oxidation rates vary with fatty acid substrate in avian flight muscles.birds primarily fuel migratory flights with fat, and the composition of that fat has the potential to affect overall lipid oxidation rates. we measured the whole muscle lipid oxidation rates in extensor digitorum communis muscles from white-throated sparrows (zonotrichia albicollis gmelin) incubated for 20 min at 20°c with radiolabeled stearate (18:0), oleate (18:1ω9), or linoleate (18:2ω6). lipid oxidation rates were ~40% higher with linoleate than oleate (oleate: 36 ± 8.54 μmol co(2) g(-1) h(- ...201121153644
developing dynamic mechanistic species distribution models: predicting bird-mediated spread of invasive plants across northeastern north america.species distribution models are a fundamental tool in ecology, conservation biology, and biogeography and typically identify potential species distributions using static phenomenological models. we demonstrate the importance of complementing these popular models with spatially explicit, dynamic mechanistic models that link potential and realized distributions. we develop general grid-based, pattern-oriented spread models incorporating three mechanisms--plant population growth, local dispersal, a ...201121670575
[nematoda of starlings (sturnus vulgaris l.) of lower silesia]. 20113232385
mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor mrna expression in the brain of translocated chukar (alectoris chukar).although translocation is an important conservation tool in the effort to create self-sustaining wild populations of threatened species, avian translocations have a high failure rate and causes for failure are poorly understood. while "stress" is considered to play a major role in translocation failure, the physiological changes associated with chronic stress resulting from translocation have been investigated only recently. translocation results in chronic stress-induced alterations of stress r ...201121118689
effects of auditory recognition learning on the perception of vocal features in european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).learning to recognize complex sensory signals can change the way they are perceived. european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) recognize other starlings by their song, which consists of a series of complex, stereotyped motifs. song recognition learning is accompanied by plasticity in secondary auditory areas, suggesting that perceptual learning is involved. here, to investigate whether perceptual learning can be observed behaviorally, a same-different operant task was used to measure how starlings p ...201122087940
sexual dimorphism and bilateral asymmetry of syrinx and vocal tract in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris).sexually dimorphic vocal behavior in zebra finches (taeniopygia guttata) is associated with a 100% larger syrinx in males and other morphological adaptations of the sound source. the songbird syrinx consists of two independent sound sources, whose specialization for different spectral ranges may be reflected in morphological properties, but the morphology of labia and syringeal skeleton have not been investigated for lateralized specializations. similarly, little is known whether the morphology ...201122076959
individual differences in the motivation to communicate relate to levels of midbrain and striatal catecholamine markers in male european starlings.individuals display dramatic differences in social communication even within similar social contexts. across vertebrates dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area (vta) and midbrain central gray (gct) strongly influence motivated, reward-directed behaviors. norepinephrine is also rich in these areas and may alter dopamine neuronal activity. the present study was designed to provide insight into the roles of dopamine and norepinephrine in vta and gct and their efferent striatal tar ...201121907203
migration- and exercise-induced changes to flight muscle size in migratory birds and association with igf1 and myostatin mrna expression.seasonal adjustments to muscle size in migratory birds may result from preparatory physiological changes or responses to changed workloads. the mechanisms controlling these changes in size are poorly understood. we investigated some potential mediators of flight muscle size (myostatin and insulin-like growth factor, igf1) in pectoralis muscles of wild wintering or migrating white-throated sparrows (zonotrichia albicollis), captive white-throated sparrows that were photoperiod manipulated to be i ...201121832125
some causes of the variable shape of flocks of birds.flocks of birds are highly variable in shape in all contexts (while travelling, avoiding predation, wheeling above the roost). particularly amazing in this respect are the aerial displays of huge flocks of starlings (sturnus vulgaris) above the sleeping site at dawn. the causes of this variability are hardly known, however. here we hypothesise that variability of shape increases when there are larger local differences in movement behaviour in the flock. we investigate this hypothesis with the he ...201121829627
effects of predictable and unpredictable food restriction on the stress response in molting and non-molting european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).this study tested whether an ethologically relevant stressor, a three-week period of food restriction where food was unavailable for four hours a day, caused chronic stress in molting and non-molting captive european starlings. although all birds increased weight during the food restriction period, only non-molting birds increased food intake. morning baseline heart rates increased during the food restriction period and all birds showed a decrease in heart rate when food was absent from the cage ...201121801846
effects of melatonin on peripheral reproductive function: regulation of testicular gnih and testosterone.study of seasonal reproduction has focused on the brain. here, we show that the inhibition of sex steroid secretion can be seasonally mediated at the level of the gonad. we investigate the direct effects of melatonin on sex steroid secretion and gonadal neuropeptide expression in european starlings (sturnus vulgaris). pcr reveals starling gonads express mrna for gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (gnih) and its receptor (gnihr) and melatonin receptors 1b (mel 1b) and 1c (mel 1c). we demonstrate tha ...201121771888
effects of sibling competition on growth, oxidative stress, and humoral immunity: a two-year brood-size manipulation.we investigated the effects of ecological context (by comparing data from two consecutive years) and experimentally manipulated nestling developmental conditions (large vs. small brood size) on immune function (immunoglobulin y [igy]) and oxidative stress in nestling european starlings sturnus vulgaris. on the basis of annual differences in chicks' morphological traits and body masses close to fledging, we established that 2007 was a relative low-quality year and 2008 was a relatively high-quali ...201121743256
behavioral and physiological responses of wild-caught european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to a minor, rapid change in ambient temperature.free-ranging animals continuously adjust to changes in their environment. the stress response, typified by increases in heart rate and glucocorticoids, is an important physiological response regulating these changes. this study investigated heart rate, corticosterone and behavioral responses of european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to a rapid 30min decrease in temperature using an air-conditioning unit. ten wild-caught birds were divided into pairs and exposed to four different trials. three tri ...201121723407
dhea and estradiol levels in brain, gonads, adrenal glands, and plasma of developing male and female european starlings.traditionally, sexual differentiation of the brain was thought to be driven by gonadal hormones, particularly testosterone (t). however, recent studies in songbirds suggest that other steroids may also be important. for example, dehydroepiandrosterone (dhea) can be synthesized by the gonads, adrenal glands, and/or brain and locally metabolized into t and 17β-estradiol (e(2)). here, we examined dhea and e(2) levels in the brain, peripheral tissues, and plasma of wild european starlings (sturnus v ...201121691747
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