| h-fabp gene expression and genetic association with meat quality traits in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | 1. h-fabp (heart-type fatty acid-binding protein) is an important fatty acid-binding protein that participates in the metabolism and intracellular transportation of lipids. this study was designed to study the h-fabp gene expression and genetic association with meat quality traits in domestic pigeons. 2. the spatio-temporal expression patterns showed that h-fabp was widely expressed in all eleven tissues in birds from hatching to four weeks of age, and the expression level in the liver was the h ... | 2020 | 33174489 |
| effects of mannan oligosaccharides and/or bifidobacterium on growth and immunity in domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica). | the goal of this study was to evaluate the influences of mannan oligosaccharides (moss) and/or bifidobacterium on the growth and immunity of pigeons over a 56-day period. one hundred paired adult pigeons were randomly divided into four groups of five paired pigeons. paired pigeons with two young squabs were housed in a man-made aviary. parent pigeons in the control group received a basal diet (c), while the other three groups were fed with the basal diet supplemented with 20 g of moss/kg of feed ... | 2020 | 33132727 |
| yeasts in feces of pigeons (columba livia) in the city of moscow. | the yeast number and species diversity in feces of pigeons (columba livia) were studied in various locations of the city of moscow: parks, playgrounds and school grounds. the total number and species composition of yeasts in feces depended on the isolation temperature. the average yeast number at a cultivation temperature of 25 °c was 3.2 × 105 cfu/g, at 37 °c-2.5 × 106 cfu/g. at 37 °c, the number of yeasts was higher due to a more abundant growth of pathogenic and opportunistic yeast species. i ... | 2020 | 33095292 |
| probiotic supplementation containing bacillus velezensis enhances expression of immune regulatory genes against pigeon circovirus in pigeons (columba livia). | in this study, we aimed to isolate and evaluate the efficacy of bacillus velezensis as a probiotic and to assess its activity towards pigeons infected with pigeon circovirus (picv). | 2020 | 33048404 |
| heavy metal accumulation in two synanthropic avian species in sri lanka. | we assessed the levels of pb, cd, and mn in contour feathers of the feral pigeon (columba livia) and house crow (corvus splendens) obtained from five urban/suburban locations across sri lanka, using the aas following wet digestion. our key objectives were to compare accumulation levels in the two avian species with different foraging habits and living in common locations, and to establish baseline information on the presence of these metals in multiple locations in sri lanka with varying levels ... | 2020 | 33030595 |
| soft biohybrid morphing wings with feathers underactuated by wrist and finger motion. | since the wright flyer, engineers have strived to develop flying machines with morphing wings that can control flight as deftly as birds. birds morph their wing planform parameters simultaneously-including sweep, span, and area-in a way that has proven to be particularly challenging to embody robotically. previous solutions have primarily centered around the classical aerospace paradigm of controlling every degree of freedom to ensure predictable performance, but underperform compared with birds ... | 2020 | 33022590 |
| age-associated decline in septum neuronal activation during spatial learning in homing pigeons (columba livia). | the relationship between hippocampal aging and spatial-cognitive decline in birds has recently been investigated. however, like its mammalian counterpart, the avian hippocampus does not work in isolation and its relationship to the septum is of particular interest. the current study aimed to investigate the effects of age on septum (medial and lateral) and associated nucleus of the diagonal band (ndb) neuronal activation (as indicated by c-fos expression) during learning of a spatial, delayed no ... | 2021 | 33017641 |
| detection of raillietina saudiae from the domestic pigeon in saudi arabia through 18s and 28s rdna genes. | raillietina saudiae is a well-studied avian gastrointestinal parasite belonging to the family davaineidae and is the most prevalent cyclophyllid tapeworm infecting pigeon in saudi arabia. the present study considered as a complementary analysis of al-quraishy et al. (2019; parasitol int 71, 59-72) with molecular studies for two ribosomal dna genes employed for precise recognition of this raillietina species. the annotated partial 18s and 28s rdna gene regions were found to be 888 and 900 bp long ... | 2020 | 32989757 |
| evaluation of the genotoxic effect of heavy metals in pigeons from urban and rural habitat in monterrey, mexico, using the chromatin dispersion assay. | evaluate genotoxic effect of heavy metals on pigeon erythrocytes (pe) from urban and rural habitat (outside of the city) in monterrey, mexico, using the chromatin dispersion assay. | 2020 | 32969739 |
| comparative morphological study of the oropharyngeal floor of squabs and adult domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica). | the current study compared the morphological features of the oropharyngeal floor of squabs and adult domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica). samples from the oropharyngeal floor of both squabs and adult pigeons were collected directly after slaughtering. the collected samples were examined grossly, morphometrically, and by scanning electron microscopy (sem). the lower beak had triangular shape with pointed rostral end. the tongue did not fill the entire oral floor in squabs as well as adult ... | 2020 | 32959459 |
| post-hatching growth of the limbs in an altricial bird species. | the fore- and hindlimbs of birds are specialized to perform different functions. the growth patterns of limb bones and their relationship with the ontogeny of locomotion are critical to our understanding of variation in morphological, physiological and life-history traits within and among species. unfortunately, the ontogenetic development of limb bones has not been well explored, especially in altricial birds. in this study, we sampled the entire measurements of the pigeon (columba livia) of in ... | 2020 | 32937037 |
| molecular cloning and characterization of hsp60 gene in domestic pigeons (columba livia) and differential expression patterns under temperature stress. | heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) is a well-recognized multifunctional protein, playing a substantial role in protecting organisms from environmental stress. the domestic pigeon (columba livia) is a promising model organism, with important economic and ecological value, and its health is susceptible to temperature stress. to explore the molecular characteristics, tissue expression profile, and response to temperature stress for hsp60 of columba livia (clhsp60), we firstly cloned and characterized th ... | 2020 | 32880058 |
| phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance profiles of fecal lactobacilli from domesticated pigeons in poland. | lactobacillus species play an important role in the host and although they are non-pathogenic, they could act as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes, with the potential risk of transfer to other bacteria inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract. the aim of this study was to identify lactobacillus species derived from feces of domesticated pigeons and to characterize their phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance (amr) profiles. a total of 57 lactobacillus isolates were classified in ... | 2020 | 32781109 |
| morphological and genetic characterization of eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) in a common bronzewing pigeon (phaps chalcoptera) (latham, 1790) in western australia. | a new eimeria species is described from a common bronzewing pigeon (phaps chalcoptera) (latham, 1790) in western australia. sporulated oocysts of eimeria chalcoptereae n. sp. (n = 30) are subspheroidal, 22-25 × 21-24 (23.5 × 22.6) μm; length/width (l/w) ratio 1.0-1.1 (1.04) μm. wall bi-layered, 1.0-1.4 (1.2) μm thick, outer layer smooth, c.2/3 of total thickness. micropyle barely discernible. oocyst residuum is absent, but 2 to 3 small polar granules are present. sporocysts (n = 30) ellipsoidal, ... | 2020 | 32779020 |
| feral pigeon populations: their gene pool and links with local domestic breeds. | columba livia is a wild bird whose domestication has led to a large number of pigeon breeds. the occasional loss or straying of domestic birds determined the origin of feral pigeons, which are now widespread all around the world. in this study, we assumed that the main contribution to feral populations is provided by domestic breeds reared in the same areas. we tested this hypothesis by analysing the variability of 12 microsatellite loci in nine italian feral populations sampled in areas with di ... | 2020 | 32763653 |
| carcass characteristics, physicochemical properties, and texture and microstructure of the meat and internal organs of carrier and king pigeons. | pigeons have been the subject of research in the past, but the knowledge gained is incomplete and must be extended. the aim of the study was to provide information about differences in carcass weight and measurements, carcass composition, proximate chemical composition, acidity, electrical conductivity, color attributes, the texture, rheological properties and microstructure of the meat, and some biometric characteristics of the digestive system in carrier and king pigeons, and also to determine ... | 2020 | 32751657 |
| assessment of heavy metals in faecal pellets of blue rock pigeon from rural and industrial environment in india. | the study was conducted to monitor concentration of six toxic metals in faecal pellets of blue rock pigeon from six industrial areas of jaipur, i.e. jhotwara, malviya, mansarover, sitapura, vishwakarma industrial areas and sanganer industries, by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. at the same time, trace metals were also analysed for a reference area so that a comparative impact of the metal pollution from the industries could be figured out. from the data obtained, the highest cd, cu, n ... | 2020 | 32737784 |
| nicarbazin has no effect on reducing feral pigeon populations in barcelona. | nicarbazin is an anti-coccidial product sometimes used as a contraceptive to reduce the size of feral pigeon populations. however, its effectiveness in reducing pigeon population size in cities has caused some controversy. here, we evaluate its effectiveness in the city of barcelona. | 2020 | 32652833 |
| effects of variable durations of food availability on interval time-place learning with pigeons columba livia. | we assessed the effects of variable durations of food availability on an interval time-place learning task. 3 pigeons were exposed to a task in which food could be obtained for responses in one of four feeders according to an ri 25 s during 3 min, after which, food could be obtained on a different feeder according to the same schedule. the correct feeder changed following a fixed sequence that was repeated four times throughout the session. after 50 training sessions, an open hopper test was con ... | 2020 | 32645386 |
| age-related changes in serum lipid levels, hepatic morphology, antioxidant status, lipid metabolism related gene expression and enzyme activities of domestic pigeon squabs (columba livia). | the objective of this study was to evaluate the age-related changes in antioxidant status and the lipid metabolism of pigeon squabs (columba livia), by determining the bw, antioxidant indices, serum lipid levels, lipid metabolism-related enzyme activities, lipid metabolism-related gene expression, and liver morphology in squabs. ten squabs were randomly selected and sampled on the day of hatching (doh), days 7 (d7), 14 (d14) and 21 (d21) post-hatch, respectively. the results showed that bw of sq ... | 2020 | 32630261 |
| isolation and characterization of novel trichomonas gallinae ribotypes infecting domestic and wild birds in riyadh, saudi arabia. | trichomonas gallinae, a single-celled protozoan parasite, is a causative agent of the disease trichomonosis, which is distributed worldwide and has recently been highlighted as a pandemic threat to several wild bird species. the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and genotypic diversity of t. gallinae in riyadh, saudi arabia. for this purpose, 273 oral swab samples from different bird species (feral pigeon columba livia, common mynah acridotheres tristis, chicken gallus gallus dom ... | 2020 | 32550612 |
| a comprehensive cytogenetic analysis of several members of the family columbidae (aves, columbiformes). | the columbidae species (aves, columbiformes) show considerable variation in their diploid numbers (2n = 68-86), but there is limited understanding of the events that shaped the extant karyotypes. hence, we performed whole chromosome painting (wcp) for paints gga1-10 and bacterial artificial chromosome (bac) probes for chromosomes gga11-28 for columbina passerina, columbina talpacoti, patagioenas cayennensis, geotrygon violacea and geotrygon montana. streptopelia decaocto was only investigated wi ... | 2020 | 32521831 |
| pigeons in the sun: thermal constraints of eumelanic plumage in the rock pigeon (columba livia). | in wild vertebrates, several species exhibit eumelanic color polymorphism with the coexistence of dark and light morphs. the maintenance of such polymorphism suggests the existence of a selective balance between the morphs and a large body of literature has reported the costs and benefits of darker plumage coloration in birds. among them, it has been suggested that melanin and dark plumage could entail high energetic costs especially under hot and sunny climates. however, to my knowledge, the th ... | 2020 | 32479396 |
| a copy number variant is associated with a spectrum of pigmentation patterns in the rock pigeon (columba livia). | rock pigeons (columba livia) display an extraordinary array of pigment pattern variation. one such pattern, almond, is characterized by a variegated patchwork of plumage colors that are distributed in an apparently random manner. almond is a sex-linked, semi-dominant trait controlled by the classical stipper (st) locus. heterozygous males (zstz+ sex chromosomes) and hemizygous almond females (zstw) are favored by breeders for their attractive plumage. in contrast, homozygous almond males (zstzst ... | 2020 | 32433666 |
| targeted disruption of torc1 retards young squab growth by inhibiting the synthesis of crop milk protein in breeding pigeon (columba livia). | this study was conducted to explore the regulatory role of the target of rapamycin complex 1 (torc1) signaling pathway in crop milk synthesis in breeding pigeons (columba livia). three groups of breeding pigeons in the lactation period (n = 30 pairs/group) were respectively injected with rapamycin (rapa, a specific inhibitor of the target of rapamycin complex) at doses of 0 (vehicle, control), 0.6, or 1.2 mg/kg body weight (bw)/day via the wing vein for 7 days. the average daily feed intake (adf ... | 2020 | 32416826 |
| molecular characterisation, expression and functional feature of traf6 in the king pigeon (columba livia). | tnf receptor-associated factor 6 (traf6) is a signal transducer, which plays a pivotal role in triggering a variety of signalling cascades. here, we cloned and identified the traf6 gene from the king pigeon. the open reading frame sequence of pigeon traf6 (pitraf6) is 1638 bp long and encodes a 545 aa protein, including a low-complexity domain, ring finger, zinc finger, coiled coil domain, and meprin and traf homology domain. the aa sequence of pitraf6 shared a strong identity with that of other ... | 2020 | 32393097 |
| light-dependent development of the tectorotundal projection in pigeons. | left-right differences in the structural and functional organization of the brain are widespread in the animal kingdom and develop in close gene-environment interactions. the visual system of birds like chicks and pigeons exemplifies how sensory experience shapes lateralized visual processing. owing to an asymmetrical posture of the embryo in the egg, the right eye/ left brain side is more strongly light-stimulated what triggers asymmetrical differentiation processes leading to a left-hemispheri ... | 2020 | 32386351 |
| color flow doppler echocardiography in healthy racing pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) and the evidence of physiological blood flow vortex formations. | in avian medicine, doppler sonographic techniques are used to visualize and estimate blood flow in the heart. in the literature there is a lack of standardized studies of the use of color doppler flow on healthy avian species. for this purpose, we examined blood flow in the heart in the four-chamber view of clinically healthy awake racing pigeons (n = 43) by color flow doppler sonography. with this technique the diastolic and systolic blood flow in the heart chambers and the heart valve regions ... | 2020 | 32375406 |
| effects of incubation and chick rearing on intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, and mrna expression of nutrient transporter genes in the pigeon (columba livia) under artificial farming conditions. | the present study investigated the changes in morphology, enzyme activities in the pancreas and mucosa, and nutrient transporter gene expression in the duodenum and jejunum in male and female pigeons during the incubation and chick-rearing periods. forty-two pairs of white king pigeons with 2 fertile eggs per pair were randomly divided into 7 groups by different breeding stages. the crypt depth of the duodenum and jejunum reached the peak at day 1 (r1) and day 7 (r7) of chick rearing, respective ... | 2020 | 32359616 |
| mutations upstream of the tbx5 and pitx1 transcription factor genes are associated with feathered legs in the domestic chicken. | feathered leg is a trait in domestic chickens that has undergone intense selection by fancy breeders. previous studies have shown that two major loci controlling feathered leg are located on chromosomes 13 and 15. here, we present genetic evidence for the identification of candidate causal mutations at these loci. this was accomplished by combining classical linkage mapping using an experimental cross segregating for feathered leg and high-resolution identical-by-descent mapping using whole-geno ... | 2020 | 32344431 |
| eyelid squinting during food pecking in pigeons. | the visual control of pecking by pigeons (columba livia) has latterly been thought to be restricted to the fixation stops interrupting their downward head movements because these stops prevent interference by motion blur. pigeons were also assumed to close their eyes during the final head thrust of the peck. here, we re-examined their pecking motions using high-speed video recordings and supplementary provisions that permitted a three-dimensional spatial analysis of the movement, including measu ... | 2020 | 32341175 |
| stress-mediated convergence of splicing landscapes in male and female rock doves. | the process of alternative splicing provides a unique mechanism by which eukaryotes are able to produce numerous protein products from the same gene. heightened variability in the proteome has been thought to potentiate increased behavioral complexity and response flexibility to environmental stimuli, thus contributing to more refined traits on which natural and sexual selection can act. while it has been long known that various forms of environmental stress can negatively affect sexual behavior ... | 2020 | 32293250 |
| comparative gross and scanning electron microscopical study of the oropharyngeal roof of young and adult domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica). | the present study aims to compare the morphology of the oropharyngeal roof of young and adult domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica) by gross observation, morphometric measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (sem). the oropharyngeal roof was divided into the palate and pharyngeal roof. the palate was narrow triangular in shape and concave along its length. it could be divided into a rostral part contained three longitudinal palatine ridges and a caudal part contained the choanal slit. ... | 2020 | 32282997 |
| pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single dose of sustained-release azithromycin formulation in pigeons. | to date, only a few studies on the azithromycin (azm) pharmacokinetics in ornamental birds have been published. in the current study azm concentrations in domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica) plasma samples were analyzed using a validated ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method. the aim of the current study was to carry out an analysis of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics after administration of a single oral dose of a sustained-release azm formu ... | 2020 | 32233287 |
| artificial light at night (alan) is the main driver of nocturnal feral pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) foraging in urban areas. | artificial light at night (alan) is one of the most extreme environmental alterations in urban areas, which drives nocturnal activity in diurnal species. feral pigeon (columba livia f. domestica), a common species in urban centers worldwide, has been observed foraging at night in urban areas. however, the role of alan in the nocturnal activity of this species is unknown. moreover, studies addressing the relationship between alan and nocturnal activity of diurnal birds are scarce in the southern ... | 2020 | 32224903 |
| analysis of long noncoding rna and mrna expression profiles of testes with high and low sperm motility in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | sperm motility is one of the most important indicators in assessing semen quality, and it is used to evaluate poultry fertility. many long noncoding rnas (lncrnas) and mrnas are involved in regulating testis development and spermatogenesis. in this study, we employed rna sequencing to analyse the testis transcriptome (lncrna and mrna) of ten pigeons with high and low sperm motility. in total, 46,117 mrnas and 17,463 lncrnas were identified, of which 2673 mrnas and 229 lncrnas (p < 0.05) were sig ... | 2020 | 32218174 |
| delay activity in the wulst of pigeons (columba livia) represents correlates of both sample and reward information. | the avian wulst is the pallial (analogous to mammalian cortex) termination point of the thalamofugal pathway, one of two main visual pathways in birds, and is considered to be equivalent to primate striate cortex. we recorded neuronal activity from the wulst in pigeons during two versions of a delayed matching-to-sample procedure. two birds were trained on a common outcomes (co) procedure, in which correct responses following both the skateboarder and the flower stimuli were associated with rewa ... | 2020 | 32205205 |
| molecular characterization of a potential receptor of eimeria acervulina microneme protein 3 from chicken duodenal epithelial cells. | eimeria acervulina is one of seven eimeria spp. that can infect chicken duodenal epithelial cells. eimeria microneme protein 3 (mic3) plays a vital role in the invasion of host epithelial tissue by the parasite. in this study, we found that chicken (gallus gallus) ubiquitin conjugating enzyme e2f (ube2f) could bind to the mic3 protein of e. acervulina (eamic3), as screened using the yeast two-hybrid system, and that it might be the putative receptor protein of eamic3. the ube2f gene was cloned f ... | 2020 | 32195662 |
| antimicrobial susceptibility and detection of virulence-associated genes of escherichia coli and salmonella spp. isolated from domestic pigeons (columba livia) in brazil. | overpopulation of domestic pigeons is considered to be one of the major problems of urban centers, as these birds are responsible for the dissemination of relevant pathogens to animal and human health. the aim of this study was to detect potentially pathogenic escherichia coli and salmonella spp. in domestic pigeons captured in areas near silos used for grain and feed storage, analyzing the antimicrobial sensitivity and the presence of virulence-associated genes. we evaluated 41 pigeons. from ea ... | 2020 | 32180120 |
| characterization of myxovirus resistance protein in birds showing different susceptibilities to highly pathogenic influenza virus. | we compared the mx expression and anti-viral function and the 3d structure of mx protein in four species: chicken (gallus gallus), whooper swan (cygnus cygnus), jungle crow (corvus macrorhynchos), and rock dove (columba livia). we observed different mortalities associated with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (hpaiv) infection to understand the relationship between mx function as an immune response factor and hpaiv proliferation in bird cells. different levels of mx were observed among th ... | 2020 | 32173692 |
| searching for magnetic compass mechanism in pigeon retinal photoreceptors. | migratory birds can detect the direction of the earth's magnetic field using the magnetic compass sense. however, the sensory basis of the magnetic compass still remains a puzzle. a large body of indirect evidence suggests that magnetic compass in birds is localized in the retina. to confirm this point, an evidence of visual signals modulation by magnetic field (mf) should be obtained. in a previous study we showed that mf inclination impacts the amplitude of ex vivo electroretinogram (erg) reco ... | 2020 | 32134934 |
| influence of pigeon interferon alpha (piifn-α) on pigeon circovirus (picv) replication and cytokine expression in columba livia. | pigeon circovirus (picv) is the most diagnosed virus in pigeons (columba livia) and have been studied and reported globally. picv infections can lead to immunosuppression and pigeons infected with picv can result to lymphocyte apoptosis and atrophy of immune organs. young pigeon disease syndrome (ypds) is a complex disease and believed that picv could be one of the agents leading to this syndrome. an effective treatment regimen is needed to control the spread of picv in pigeons. in this study pi ... | 2020 | 32122595 |
| effects of parental dietary linoleic acid on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and lipid metabolism in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary linoleic acid (la) on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and lipid metabolism in pigeon squabs by supplementing la in their parental diets. a completely randomized design that consisted of a control group, 1% dietary la addition group (la1%), 2% dietary la addition group (la2%), and 4% dietary la addition group (la4%) was used. six squabs from each treatment were randomly sampled at the day of hatch and days 7, 14, and 21 ... | 2020 | 32111316 |
| ctx-m-producing escherichia coli isolated from urban pigeons (columba livia domestica) in brazil. | worldwide urban pigeons (columba livia domestica) are an important reservoir of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria (mdr). plasmids are key genetic elements in the dissemination of antimicrobial drug resistance in bacteria, including beta-lactams and quinolones, which are the most important classes of drugs for treatment of enterobacteriaceae infections in human and veterinary medicine. the aim of this study was to determine the presence of escherichia coli (e. coli) harboring plasmids c ... | 2019 | 32087078 |
| analysis of long non-coding rnas and mrnas associated with lactation in the crop of pigeons (columba livia). | pigeons have the ability to produce milk and feed their squabs. the genetic mechanisms underlying milk production in the crops of 'lactating' pigeons are not fully understood. in this study, rna sequencing was employed to profile the transcriptome of lncrna and mrna in lactating and non-'lactating' pigeon crops. we identified 7066 known and 17,085 novel lncrnas. of these lncrnas, 6166 were differentially expressed. among the 15,138 mrnas detected, 6483 were differentially expressed, including ma ... | 2020 | 32079139 |
| thymol efficacy against coccidiosis in pigeon (columba livia domestica). | investigation of thymol efficacy to control pigeon coccidiosis was performed using in-vitro and in-vivo studies. the in-vitro experiment was conducted by treatment of unsporulated oocysts of eimeria species of pigeon by five concentrations (0.625-10%) from either thymol, eucalyptus essential oil or amprolium anticoccidial drug and incubation for 72 h. the in-vitro study revealed that thymol concentrations ≥1.25 % caused significant deformity on sporulated and unsporulated oocysts compared to the ... | 2020 | 32066028 |
| the temporal-spatial patterns, polymorphisms and association analysis with meat quality traits of fabp1 gene in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | 1. fatty acid-binding proteins (fabp) are members of lipid-binding proteins, which participate in the metabolism and intracellular transportation of lipids. this study was designed to investigate the expression patterns, polymorphisms and associations with meat quality traits of the fabp1 gene in pigeons. 2. the temporal-spatial expression patterns showed fabp1 was widely expressed in all eleven tissues from 0-4 weeks of age, the expression level in the liver was the highest, followed by the sma ... | 2020 | 32063032 |
| is allopreening a stimulus-driven defense against ectoparasites? | allopreening occurs when 1 bird preens another bird. the behavior is normally directed at the head and neck of the recipient, i.e., regions that the bird cannot self-preen. studies of penguins, pigeons, and other groups of birds suggest that allopreening plays a role in the control of ectoparasites, such as ticks and feather lice. however, it is not known whether allopreening increases in response to increases in parasite load, or whether it is a programmed response that occurs independently of ... | 2020 | 32057280 |
| association of myod1 gene polymorphisms with meat quality traits in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | myogenic differentiation 1 (myod1) belongs to the myod family and plays a key role in myogenesis and consequently, in determining muscle fiber characteristics. in this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the exons of myod1 were identified in 200 domestic pigeons (columba livia) by direct dna sequencing, and the association between myod1 polymorphisms and meat quality traits was analyzed. we found four novel variations (a2967g, g3044a, a3164c, and c3311g) in exon 3. the snp a2967g is ... | 2019 | 32055192 |
| darwin's fancy revised: an updated understanding of the genomic constitution of pigeon breeds. | through its long history of artificial selection, the rock pigeon (columba livia gmelin 1789) was forged into a large number of domestic breeds. the incredible amount of phenotypic diversity exhibited in these breeds has long held the fascination of scholars, particularly those interested in biological inheritance and evolution. however, exploiting them as a model system is challenging, as unlike with many other domestic species, few reliable records exist about the origins of, and relationships ... | 2020 | 32053199 |
| ultrastructural studies on the pancreatic acini in duck (anas boscas) and pigeon (columba livia). | the aim of this research work was to study the histological structure of the pancreatic acini by transmission electron microscope in two avian species, duck and pigeon. the specimens were collected and processed for electron microscopic study. the results showed that the acini of the two avian species were two types; the first one was an electron dense and the second one an electron lucent. the light acinar cells were larger in size than the dark cells. these cells contained centrally located ov ... | 2020 | 32017197 |
| comparative morphological features of syrinx in male domestic fowl gallus gallus domesticus and male domestic pigeon columba livia domestica: a histochemical, ultrastructural, scanning electron microscopic and morphometrical study. | many studies have been carried out to investigate the morphological structure of the syrinx in many bird species. however, the cellular organization of the syrinx in the fowls and pigeons is still unclear. the current study revealed that in fowl and pigeon, the syrinx is formed of three main parts including tympanum (cranial) part, intermediate syringeal part, and bronchosyringeal (caudal) part, in addition to pessulus and tympaniform membranes. a great variation in the structural characteristic ... | 2020 | 32000880 |
| characterization of structure and protein of vitelline membranes of precocial (ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge) and superaltricial (cockatiel parrot, domestic pigeon) birds. | of all the known oviparous taxa, female birds lay the most diverse types of eggs that differ in terms of shape, shell pigmentation, and shell structure. the pigmentation of the shell, the weight of the egg, and the composition of the yolk correlate with environmental conditions and the needs of the developing embryos. in this study, we analyzed the structure and protein composition of the vitelline membrane (vm) of ring-necked pheasant, gray partridge, cockatiel parrot, and domestic pigeon eggs. ... | 2020 | 31999757 |
| age-related ultrastructural features of the tongue of the rock pigeon columba livia dakhlae in different three age stages (young, mature, and adult) captured from egypt. | this study represents the first attempt to describe the ultra-structural and histological features of different three age-stages (young, mature, and adult) of rock pigeon columba livia dakhlae captured from egypt. the elongated tongue with round lingual apex carried a lingual nail rostrally on lingual tip. the current work gave a first record of numerous descriptions as in young and mature, small lingual nail formed from aggregation of lingual scales, but in adult, the nail formed from lingual m ... | 2020 | 31971320 |
| a high sensitivity zenk monoclonal antibody to map neuronal activity in aves. | the transcription factor zenk is an immediate early gene that has been employed as a surrogate marker to map neuronal activity in the brain. it has been used in a wide variety of species, however, commercially available antibodies have limited immunoreactivity in birds. to address this issue we generated a new mouse monoclonal antibody, 7b7-a3, raised against zenk from the rock pigeon (columba livia). we show that 7b7-a3 labels clzenk in both immunoblots and histological stainings with high sens ... | 2020 | 31969617 |
| first experimental proof of rotavirus a (rva) genotype g18p[17] inducing the clinical presentation of 'young pigeon disease syndrome' (ypds) in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | young pigeon disease syndrome (ypds) is characterized as a seasonally occurring, acute and primarily enteric medical condition of mainly juvenile domestic pigeons (columba livia) with highly variable mortality reaching more than 50%. although the syndrome has been known in europe for almost three decades, its aetiology remains largely obscure. recently, a previously unknown pigeon-associated clade of rotavirus a (rva) genotype g18p[17] was detected in europe and australia in association with fat ... | 2020 | 31967734 |
| taking pigeons to heart: birds proficiently diagnose human cardiac disease. | in two experiments, we trained pigeons (columba livia) to sort visual images (obtained by clinical myocardial perfusion imaging techniques) depicting different degrees of human cardiac disfunction (myocardial hypoperfusion of the left ventricle) into normal and abnormal categories by providing food reward only after correct choice responses. pigeons proved to be highly proficient at categorizing pseudo-colorized images as well as highly sensitive to the degree of the perfusion deficit depicted i ... | 2020 | 31965462 |
| immediate early gene fingerprints of multi-component behaviour. | the ability to execute different responses in an expedient temporal order is central for efficient goal-directed actions and often referred to as multi-component behaviour. however, the underlying neural mechanisms on a cellular level remain unclear. here we establish a link between neural activity at the cellular level within functional neuroanatomical structures to this form of goal-directed behaviour by analyzing immediate early gene (ieg) expression in an animal model, the pigeon (columba li ... | 2020 | 31941919 |
| comparative renal disposition of creatine, and technetium diagnostic contrast agents in the pigeon (columba livia). | clinical assessment of renal function in avian species often involves the measurement of plasma uric acid and blood urea nitrogen, relatively insensitive markers of renal dysfunction and dehydration. in mammals, endogenous creatinine is widely used as an indicator of renal glomerular dysfunction. however, avian species produce primarily creatine. here, renal creatine, 99mtc99-dtpa (diethylenepentaacetic acid, dtpa) and 99mtc-mag3 (mercaptoacetyl triglycine, mag3) renal clearances are characteriz ... | 2020 | 31926520 |
| c-fos revealed lower hippocampal participation in older homing pigeons when challenged with a spatial memory task. | homing pigeons experience age-related spatial-cognitive decline similar to that seen in mammals. in contrast to mammals, however, previous studies have shown the hippocampal formation (hf) of old, cognitively impaired pigeons to be greater in volume and neuron number compared with young pigeons. as a partial explanation of the cognitive decline in older birds, it was hypothesized that older pigeons have reduced hf activation during spatial learning. the present study compared hf activation (via ... | 2020 | 31889558 |
| chlamydiaceae in wild, feral and domestic pigeons in switzerland and insight into population dynamics by chlamydia psittaci multilocus sequence typing. | feral pigeons, common wood pigeons and eurasian collared doves are the most common representatives of the columbidae family in switzerland and are mostly present in highly populated, urban areas. pigeons may carry various members of the obligate intracellular chlamydiaceae family, particularly chlamydia (c.) psittaci, a known zoonotic agent, and c. avium. the objective of the study was to identify the infection rates of common free-roaming pigeons for different chlamydia species with the overall ... | 2019 | 31887111 |
| high prevalence and genetic diversity of haemoproteus columbae (haemosporida: haemoproteidae) in feral pigeons columba livia in cape town, south africa. | in this study, we explore blood parasite prevalence, infection intensity, and co-infection levels in an urban population of feral pigeons columba livia in cape town. we analyze the effect of blood parasites on host body condition and the association between melanin expression in the host's plumage and parasite infection intensity and co-infection levels. relating to the haemosporidian parasite itself, we study their genetic diversity by means of dna barcoding (cytochrome b) and show the geograph ... | 2020 | 31883048 |
| diversity, virulence factors, and antifungal susceptibility patterns of pathogenic and opportunistic yeast species in rock pigeon (columba livia) fecal droppings in western saudi arabia. | bird fecal matter is considered a potential source of pathogenic microbes such as yeast species that contaminate the environment. therefore, it needs to be scrutinized to assess potential environmental health risks. the aim of this study was to investigate the diversity of the yeasts in pigeon fecal droppings, their antifungal susceptibility patterns, and virulence factors. we used culturing techniques to detect the yeasts in pigeon fecal droppings. the isolates were then characterized based on ... | 2019 | 31880893 |
| rotavirus a associated with clinical disease and hepatic necrosis in california pigeons (columba livia domestica). | retrospective analysis of pigeon necropsy submissions to the california animal health and food safety laboratory system from 2000 to 2018 revealed 14 submissions diagnosed with rotavirus a hepatic necrosis or "reoviruslike" viral hepatitis. nine of the 14 submissions (64%) occurred in 2018. submissions were racing pigeons and squab breeders from flocks with increased mortality. juvenile and adult pigeons were submitted with a history of depression, diarrhea, regurgitation, labored breathing, and ... | 2019 | 31865680 |
| a comparative study on anti-inflammatory drug combinations in domestic pigeons with experimentally induced acute arthritis. | the study compares the effect of one-time administration of nonsteroidal and/or steroidal anti-inflammatory combinations by topical or intramuscular (im) routes to pigeons with monosodium urate (msu)-induced arthritis. forty-five adult domestic pigeons were assigned into nine equal groups: nc, negative control; pc, positive control with arthritis; sham, sham control; t1, meloxicam + hydrocortisone; t2, dexamethasone + piroxicam; t3, meloxicam + dexamethasone; t4, hydrocortisone + piroxicam; t5, ... | 2019 | 31842592 |
| high prevalence of cryptococcus neoformans and isolation of other opportunistic fungi from pigeon (columba livia) droppings in northeast iran. | cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes cryptococcosis, a life-threatening infection that usually manifests as meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. pigeon (columba livia) droppings can spread pathogenic yeasts and mold fungi, such as c neoformans, in the environment. the objective of this study was to isolate c neoformans and other opportunistic fungi from feral pigeon droppings. one hundred twenty samples of feral pigeon droppings were suspended 1:10 ... | 2019 | 31833301 |
| morphological and molecular characteristics of the gastro-intestinal nematode parasite ascaridia columbae infecting the domestic pigeon columba livia domestica in saudi arabia. | parasitism is a complex problem that is often ignored in companion animals, including birds, unless it develops into a severe clinical disorder. the present study was, therefore, aimed to investigate the presence of the gastrointestinal nematode infecting the domestic pigeon and provide a complete morphological description and clarify its taxonomic position through phylogenetic analysis of the its1-5.8s-its2 rdna gene region. | 2020 | 31832920 |
| detection of dna damage in pigeon erythrocytes using a chromatin dispersion assay. | the monitoring of environmental genotoxicity requires the selection of model organisms as 'sentinels' as well as the development of sensitive and reliable tests for the assessment of dna damage. the aims of this study were to quantify genomic dna strand breakage in the erythrocytes of columba livia induced by thermal stress using the modified chromatin dispersion test and to validate the results by alkaline comet assay and dna breakage detection-fluorescence in situ hybridization (dbd-fish). the ... | 2020 | 31805813 |
| feeding ecology of blue rock pigeon (columba livia) in the three districts of punjab, pakistan. | present paper provides information on the feeding regimens of the two genders of the blue-rock pigeon (columba livia linn.) in the sampled habitats of the three districts viz. rawalpindi, faisalabad and bahawalpur of the punjab province, pakistan. this feral pigeon, considered ubiquitous species, inhabits both the grasslands and clumped environments to establish their roosts and nests. the study explored about comparable feeding proportions from three major habitats of the pigeons which were cap ... | 2019 | 31800769 |
| cryptococcus neoformans recovered from olive trees (olea europaea) in turkey reveal allopatry with african and south american lineages. | cryptococcus species are life-threatening human fungal pathogens that cause cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in both immunocompromised and healthy hosts. the natural environmental niches of cryptococcus include pigeon (columba livia) guano, soil, and a variety of tree species such as eucalyptus camaldulensis, ceratonia siliqua, platanus orientalis, and pinus spp. genetic and genomic studies of extensive sample collections have provided insights into the population distribution and composition of ... | 2019 | 31788454 |
| lead in terrestrial game birds from spain. | we analysed exposure to pb and its relationship with lead-based ammunition in seven species of terrestrial game birds-common woodpigeon (columba palumbus), rock dove (columba livia), stock dove (columba oenas), european turtle-dove (streptopelia turtur), red-legged partridge (alectoris rufa), barbary partridge (alectoris barbara) and common quail (coturnix coturnix)-from rural and urban areas in different parts of spain (valencia, castilla-la mancha, castilla y león, madrid, islas canarias and n ... | 2020 | 31755055 |
| toxoplasma gondii prevalence in hunter-killed mourning doves (zenaida macroura) and rock pigeons (columba livia) from east tennessee, usa. | we molecularly examined brains from 186 hunter-killed mourning doves (zenaida macroura) and 11 rock pigeons (columba livia) from eastern tennessee, usa for toxoplasma gondii. two doves (1%) were pcr- and sequence-positive, whereas all pigeons were pcr-negative. | 2020 | 31743066 |
| microbial load and antibiotic resistance patterns of escherichia coli and enterococcus faecalis isolates from the meat of wild and domestic pigeons. | an expansion in the consumption of pigeon meat has occurred in recent years. however, little is known about microbial load and antibiotic resistance of this foodstuff. the hygiene status and the antibiotic resistance patterns (disc diffusion; clinical and laboratory standards institute, clsi) of escherichia coli and enterococcus faecalis isolates from wild and domestic pigeon carcasses were investigated. average microbial loads (log10 cfu/cm2) ranged from 1.40 ± 1.17 (fecal coliforms) to 3.68 ± ... | 2019 | 31683845 |
| experimental characterization of the complete life cycle of haemoproteus columbae, with a description of a natural host-parasite system used to study this infection. | characterization of complete life cycles of haemoparasites requires the maintenance of suitable susceptible vertebrate hosts and vectors for long periods in captivity, in order to follow the complete parasitic cycle in definitive and intermediate hosts. currently, there are few host-parasite models established in avian haemosporidian research, and those have been developed mainly for species of passeriformes and their parasites. this study aimed to develop an experimental methodology to access t ... | 2019 | 31628938 |
| differences between the filling velocities of the left and right heart ventricle in racing pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) and the influence of anesthesia with isoflurane. | the ventricular filling velocities during diastole and the influence of isoflurane anesthesia on these blood flow velocities of the racing pigeon (n = 43) are evaluated by pulsed-wave (pw) doppler sonography. sonographic examination demonstrates an early passive ventricular (e wave) and late active (a wave) ventricular filling. the results indicate differences between the two heart ventricles. especially, the e wave velocity of the right heart is significantly lower than in the left heart, which ... | 2019 | 31601033 |
| parallel organization of the avian sensorimotor arcopallium: tectofugal visual pathway in the pigeon (columba livia). | the sensory-motor division of the avian arcopallium receives parallel inputs from primary and high-order pallial areas of sensory and vocal control pathways, and sends a prominent descending projection to ascending and premotor, subpallial stages of these pathways. while this organization is well established for the auditory and trigeminal systems, the arcopallial subdivision related to the tectofugal visual system and its descending projection to the optic tectum (teo) has been less investigate ... | 2020 | 31531866 |
| draft genome sequence of ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone resistant campylobacter jejuni mm26-781 assigned to novel st isolated from common pigeon in lithuania. | campylobacter jejuni is an important zoonotic pathogen known to be resistant to a wide range of antibiotics worldwide. campylobacter jejuni may be intrinsically resistant to antibiotics or can acquire antibiotic resistance determinants through gene transfer. however, the knowledge of molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance among campylobacter isolates from wild birds, especially in lithuania, is limited. whole genome sequencing (wgs) is a tool for better understanding the evolutionary a ... | 2019 | 31523125 |
| targeted disruption of torc1 retards young squab growth by inhibiting the synthesis of crop milk protein in breeding pigeon (columba livia). | this study was conducted to explore the regulatory role of the target of rapamycin complex 1 (torc1) signaling pathway in crop milk synthesis in breeding pigeons (columba livia). three groups of breeding pigeons in the lactation period (n = 30 pairs/group) were respectively injected with rapamycin (rapa, a specific inhibitor of the target of rapamycin complex) at doses of 0 (vehicle, control), 0.6, or 1.2 mg/kg body weight (bw)/day via the wing vein for 7 days. the average daily feed intake (adf ... | 2019 | 31504948 |
| genomic and phenotypic analyses reveal mechanisms underlying homing ability in pigeon. | the homing pigeon was selectively bred from the domestic pigeon for a homing ability over long distances, a very fascinating but complex behavioral trait. here, we generate a total of 95 whole genomes from diverse pigeon breeds. comparing the genomes from the homing pigeon population with those from other breeds identifies candidate positively selected genes, including many genes involved in the central nervous system, particularly spatial learning and memory such as lrp8. expression profiling r ... | 2020 | 31501895 |
| parasitological and molecular survey of scattered parasitism by trichomonads in some avian species in iran. | outbreaks of avian trichomonosis are being reported worldwide; meanwhile, the genetic and virulence variations are under investigation. in this study, the occurrence and genetic variability of oral or faecal trichomonads among various avian species were investigated. samples obtained from either the oropharyngeal cavity, crop/oesophagus, droppings/cloaca, or conjunctival swabs of avian species were inspected for flagellates. phylogenetic analysis of partial its1-5.8s rrna-its2 sequences from sel ... | 2020 | 31486682 |
| chemical and structural analysis of a photoactive vertebrate cryptochrome from pigeon. | computational and biochemical studies implicate the blue-light sensor cryptochrome (cry) as an endogenous light-dependent magnetosensor enabling migratory birds to navigate using the earth's magnetic field. validation of such a mechanism has been hampered by the absence of structures of vertebrate crys that have functional photochemistry. here we present crystal structures of columba livia (pigeon) cry4 that reveal evolutionarily conserved modifications to a sequence of trp residues (trp-triad) ... | 2019 | 31484780 |
| evidence of non-circadian timing in a low response-cost daily time-place learning task with pigeons columba livia. | previous research has shown that rats require high response cost in order to display circadian timing in daily time-place learning (tpl) tasks. for many possible reasons, no explicit effort to explore the effects of response cost on the performance of other species in these tasks has been made. therefore, the present paper explores the effects of response cost on pigeon's performance on a daily tpl task. head entry responses were reinforced according to a random interval schedule of reinforcemen ... | 2019 | 31470061 |
| morphology and cytochemical patterns of peripheral blood cells in domestic pigeon (columba livia). | domestic pigeon (columba livia) is one of few domesticated birds with an important economic value. in this study, a comprehensive investigation on the morphology and cytochemical patterns of peripheral blood cells in domestic pigeons were conducted by using wright's and various cytochemical staining techniques including periodic acid-schiff(pas), sudan black b(sbb), peroxidase(pox), alkaline phosphatase(alp), acid phosphatase(acp), chloroacetic acid as-d naphthol esterase(as-d) and α-naphthol ac ... | 2019 | 31383284 |
| ontogenetic changes of geometrical and mechanical characteristics of the avian femur: a comparison between precocial and altricial birds. | the mechanical performance of limb bones is closely associated with an animal's locomotor capability and is thus important to our understanding of animal behaviour. this study combined a geometrical analysis and three-point bending tests to address the question of how the mechanical performance of the femurs of japanese quail (coturnix coturnix japonica) and pigeon (columba livia domestica) respond to changing functional demands during ontogeny. results showed that hatchling quails had stiff bon ... | 2019 | 31355453 |
| expression of gnrh receptor and 3βhsd during meiosis and foliculogénesis in columba livia (aves: columbiformes): histological and immunohistochemical analysis. | during the ovarian ontogeny in birds, five fundamental events can be recognized: migration and colonization of the primordial germ cells, differentiation and proliferation of oogonies, an organization of germinal nests, beginning of the meiotic process and folliculogenesis. the knowledge of these events is fundamental for the interpretation of the processes involved in the differentiation of female gametes. however, there are only references for some model species such as gallus gallus domesticu ... | 2020 | 31348955 |
| identification and comparative profiling of gonadal micrornas in the adult pigeon (columba livia). | 1. micrornas are small noncoding rna molecules that play crucial roles in gene expression. however, the comparative profiling of testicular and ovarian micrornas in birds are rarely reported, particularly in pigeon.2. in this study, illumina next-generation sequencing technology was used to sequence mirna libraries of the gonads from six healthy adult utility pigeons. a total of 344 conserved known mirnas and 32 novel putative mirnas candidates were detected. compared with those of ovaries, 130 ... | 2019 | 31343256 |
| correction: longitudinal microbiome profiling reveals impermanence of probiotic bacteria in domestic pigeons. | [this corrects the article doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217804.]. | 2020 | 31335887 |
| when flocking is costly: reduced cluster-flock density over long-duration flight in pigeons. | birds which fly in coordinated cluster-flocks can benefit through the formation of group-level structures and patterns which can deter predators by visual confusion. though unlike v-formation flight, cluster-flocking increases the energetic cost of flight, particularly in denser flocks. cluster formations therefore provide a unique opportunity to investigate trade-offs between increased work rate (e.g. higher flap frequency) and other benefits of flocking. as part of a routine 9-km training flig ... | 2019 | 31309338 |
| effects of in ovo feeding of l-lysine on hatchability, hatching time, and early post-hatch development in domestic pigeons (columba livia)1. | this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of in ovo feeding (iof) of l-lysine (lys) on hatchability and development in pigeon neonates. at day 13 of incubation, fertile eggs were injected with 200 μl of sterilized saline (0.75%, sc group), 1% conc. lys solution (lys group, 2.11 mg lys dissolved in 200 μl of sterilized saline), with controls not injected (nc group). the results showed that iof of lys decreased the hatchability (p < 0.05) compared with other groups, whereas the hatching tim ... | 2019 | 31287887 |
| global dna methylation changes in rock pigeon (columba livia) as a sentinel species due to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure in tehran (iran) as a megacity. | global dna methylation, as an epigenetic modifications, can be a promising genomic marker for monitoring the contaminants and predicting their adverse health effects. the study aims to assess the effects of 16 pah concentration on the altered dna methylation levels in the kidney and liver of rock pigeon (columba livia), as a sentinel species, from tehran megacity as well as 40 days benzo(a)pyrene in vitro exposure: (0.1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 mg kg-1 bw). data indicated that the total lmw-pah (low ... | 2019 | 31280440 |
| expression of mstn gene and its correlation with pectoralis muscle fiber traits in the domestic pigeons (columba livia). | myostatin (mstn) is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth and plays an important role in muscle development. in this research, we constructed a tissue expression profile of the pigeon mstn gene in eight tissues and a spatio-temporal expression profile in the pectoral muscle using qrt-pcr method. and the pectoralis muscle fiber traits during pigeon post-hatching stages at 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d were analyzed through the paraffin sections. then the correlations between the muscle fiber di ... | 2019 | 31265735 |
| comparison of the immune response to vaccination with pigeon circovirus recombinant capsid protein (picv rcp) in pigeons uninfected and subclinically infected with picv. | infections with immunosuppressive pigeon circovirus (picv) pose the most severe health problem to the global pigeon breeding. the vaccination with immunogenic picv recombinant capsid protein (picv rcp) is a potential tool for disease control. because of the high prevalence of picv asymptomatic infections, the subclinically infected pigeons will be vaccinated in practice. the aim of this study was to answer a question if vaccination of asymptomatic, infected with picv pigeons induces a similar im ... | 2019 | 31251772 |
| effect of three different sedatives on electroretinography recordings in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | this study was conducted to compare the effects of 3 different sedative agents on electroretinography (erg) in domestic pigeons (columba livia). six pigeons were sedated with alfaxalone, xylazine, and medetomidine at separate times with a 1-week washout period between sedative administration. after sedation with each agent, pigeons underwent the modified erg protocol adapted from the standardized protocol for dogs. the scotopic mixed rod and cone response was recorded after 20 minutes of dark ad ... | 2019 | 31251498 |
| pigeon foot feathering reveals conserved limb identity networks. | the tetrapod limb is a stunning example of evolutionary diversity, with dramatic variation not only among distantly related species, but also between the serially homologous forelimbs (fls) and hindlimbs (hls) within species. despite this variation, highly conserved genetic and developmental programs underlie limb development and identity in all tetrapods, raising the question of how limb diversification is generated from a conserved toolkit. in some breeds of domestic pigeon, shifts in the expr ... | 2019 | 31247188 |
| isospora coronoideae n. sp. (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) from the australian raven (corvus coronoides) (passeriformes: corvidae) (linnaeus, 1758) in western australia. | a new isospora (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) species is described from an australian raven (corvus coronoides) in western australia. sporulated oocysts (n = 21) are ovoid, 21.2 (18.4-23.9) μm in length and 18.8 (16.9-20.6) μm in width, with a shape index of 1.13. the bi-layered oocyst wall is smooth and colourless, 1.2 μm thick. a polar granule and oocyst residuum is present, but the micropyle is absent. the sporocysts are ovoid-shaped, 16.3 (13.7-18.9) × 10.7 (8.4-12.9) μm, with a shape index (leng ... | 2019 | 31222390 |
| birds invest wingbeats to keep a steady head and reap the ultimate benefits of flying together. | flapping flight is the most energetically demanding form of sustained forwards locomotion that vertebrates perform. flock dynamics therefore have significant implications for energy expenditure. despite this, no studies have quantified the biomechanical consequences of flying in a cluster flock or pair relative to flying solo. here, we compared the flight characteristics of homing pigeons (columba livia) flying solo and in pairs released from a site 7 km from home, using high-precision 5 hz glob ... | 2019 | 31211769 |
| digital dissection of the head of the rock dove (columba livia) using contrast-enhanced computed tomography. | the rock dove (or common pigeon), columba livia, is an important model organism in biological studies, including research focusing on head muscle anatomy, feeding kinematics, and cranial kinesis. however, no integrated computer-based biomechanical model of the pigeon head has yet been attempted. as an initial step towards achieving this goal, we present the first three-dimensional digital dissection of the pigeon head based on a contrast-enhanced computed tomographic dataset achieved using iodin ... | 2019 | 31205748 |
| pigeon circoviruses from feral pigeons in australia demonstrate extensive recombination and genetic admixture with other circoviruses. | like other avian circovirus species, pigeon circovirus (picv) is known to be genetically diverse with a relatively small circular single-stranded dna genome of 2 kb that encodes for a capsid protein (cap) and a replication initiator protein (rep). recent paleoviral evidence hints towards a probable gondwanan origin of avian circoviruses, paralleling the evolution and dispersal of their hosts. limited availability of picv genome sequence data in australia has hindered phylogeographic studies in t ... | 2019 | 31199167 |
| trichomonas infection in a community of free-ranging domestic and wild columbiformes and bonelli's eagle (aquila fasciata). | trichomonas gallinae is a pathogen of conservation relevance, whose main maintenance hosts are columbiformes, but spillover to avian predators has been described. the goal of this study was to characterize the epidemiology of trichomonas spp. in a community of free-ranging domestic and wild columbiformes and an endangered predator, bonelli's eagle aquila fasciata. we surveyed 253 live-captured rock doves, 16 nestling bonelli's eagles and 41 hunted columbiformes. oro-esophageal swabs were incubat ... | 2019 | 31192234 |
| leucine promotes the growth of squabs by increasing crop milk protein synthesis through the tor signaling pathway in the domestic pigeon (columba livia). | leucine (leu) plays a critical regulatory role in protein synthesis, however, the effects and molecular mechanisms of leu on crop milk protein in the domestic pigeons (columba livia) are still unknown. therefore, the study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary leu supplementation on crop milk protein synthesis and the growth performance of squabs and the possible underlying mechanism. a total of 240 pairs of breeding pigeons (1102.3 ± 9.5 g/pair) were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments ... | 2019 | 31172174 |