| low temperature-induced circulating triiodothyronine accelerates seasonal testicular regression. | in temperate zones, animals restrict breeding to specific seasons to maximize the survival of their offspring. birds have evolved highly sophisticated mechanisms of seasonal regulation, and their testicular mass can change 100-fold within a few weeks. recent studies on japanese quail revealed that seasonal gonadal development is regulated by central thyroid hormone activation within the hypothalamus, depending on the photoperiodic changes. by contrast, the mechanisms underlying seasonal testicul ... | 2015 | 25406020 |
| long-life partners or sex friends? impact of parental pair bond on offspring personality. | previous investigations reported that some traits of parental relationships, including pair-bond duration or mate behavioural compatibility, influence subsequent offspring fitness by acting on their behaviour and growth and thus their early survival. we hypothesized that the development of a pair bond between sexual partners would have a prenatal influence. this study investigated the impact of two pairing managements on the egg characteristics and development of offspring of japanese quail (cot ... | 2014 | 25359936 |
| environmental enrichment reduces behavioural alterations induced by chronic stress in japanese quail. | animals perceiving repeated aversive events can become chronically stressed. chronic activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis can have deleterious consequences on physiological parameters (e.g. bw, blood chemistry) and behaviour (e.g. emotional reactivity, stereotypies, cognition). environmental enrichment (ee) can be a mean to reduce animal stress and to improve welfare. the aim of this study was first, to assess the effects of ee in battery cages on the behaviour of young ja ... | 2015 | 25354525 |
| metabolic pathway of inorganic and organic selenocompounds labeled with stable isotope in japanese quail. | the distribution and metabolism of an inorganic selenium (se) compound and a selenoamino acid in quails were evaluated by speciation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (icp-ms) and a stable isotope. quails were orally administered stable isotope [(77)se]-labeled selenite and selenomethionine (semet) at the nutritional dose of 10 μg se/bird. then, the quails were dissected 3, 9, and 24 h after the administration to examine the metabolic pathway and the time-dependent change of se. ... | 2014 | 25326891 |
| modifications of glucocorticoid receptors mrna expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to early-life stress in female japanese quail. | stress exposure during early-life development can programme individual brain and physiology. the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (hpa) axis is one of the primary targets of this programming, which is generally associated with a hyperactive hpa axis, indicative of a reduced negative-feedback. this reduced feedback efficiency usually results from a reduced level of the glucocorticoid receptor (gr) and/or the mineralocorticoid receptor (mr) within the hpa axis. however, a few studies have shown that ... | 2014 | 25303060 |
| endocrine regulation and sexual differentiation of avian copulatory sexually selected characters. | reproductive specializations in birds have provided intriguing model systems to better understand the role of endocrine mechanisms that regulate phenotype expression and the action of sexual selection. a comparative approach can elucidate how endocrine systems associated with control of sexual differentiation, sexual maturation, and reproductive physiology and behavior have diversified. here we compare the copulatory sexually selected traits of two members of the galloanseriform superfamily: qua ... | 2014 | 25179524 |
| the mechanisms underlying sexual differentiation of behavior and physiology in mammals and birds: relative contributions of sex steroids and sex chromosomes. | from a classical viewpoint, sex-specific behavior and physiological functions as well as the brain structures of mammals such as rats and mice, have been thought to be influenced by perinatal sex steroids secreted by the gonads. sex steroids have also been thought to affect the differentiation of the sex-typical behavior of a few members of the avian order galliformes, including the japanese quail and chickens, during their development in ovo. however, recent mammalian studies that focused on th ... | 2014 | 25177264 |
| early life stress shapes female reproductive strategy through eggshell pigmentation in japanese quail. | physiological constraints on colouration have been widely reported; especially in birds, which trade-off antioxidant responses against colourful costly signals. one female extended phenotypic trait, which might also highlight important physiological trade-offs, is the pigmentation of their eggshells. in ground-nesting species, producing eggs that are visually undetectable by predators is the best camouflage strategy. however, the condition-dependence of eggshell pigmentation, and the pigments ro ... | 2014 | 25169834 |
| age-dependent and age-independent effects of testosterone in male quail. | various studies in rodents recently concluded that puberty should be considered as a second period of organization of brain and behavior and that action of sex steroids at that time is long lasting and possibly permanent. we tested this notion in male japanese quail that had been castrated before 3weeks post-hatch by analyzing whether a similar treatment with exogenous testosterone initiated at 3, 5 or 7weeks post-hatch has a differential influence on the development of testosterone-dependent mo ... | 2014 | 25157789 |
| fly emergence from manure of japanese quail fed thymol- or isoeugenol-supplemented diets. | many problems in poultry production are caused by a combination of interrelated factors such as management, stress, nutrition, and exposure to pathogens. saprophagous flies that develop in poultry manure are a potential route of pathogen transmission. besides being a nuisance, defecation and regurgitation of flies soil equipment and structures and can reduce light levels of lighting fixtures. these effects clearly affect management and may contribute to reductions in poultry egg production, heal ... | 2014 | 25104767 |
| immune responsiveness of japanese quail selected for egg yolk testosterone content under severe protein restriction. | yolk testosterone concentrations vary in response to environmental conditions and different testosterone contents can subsequently modify the phenotypic traits of offspring. apart from effects on growth, proactive behaviour and secondary sexual characteristics, the possible negative impacts of maternal testosterone on the immune system are often considered a limitation for its deposition. the effects of maternal testosterone can be modulated by postnatal environmental conditions, such as the ava ... | 2014 | 25086332 |
| fearfulness affects quail maternal care and subsequent offspring development. | our study investigated relationships between a precocial bird's fearfulness and maternal care, and the implication of maternal care as a vector for non-genomic transmission of fearfulness to chicks. we compared care given to chicks between two sets of female japanese quail selected to present either high (lti) or low fearfulness (sti). chicks, from a broiler line, were adopted by these females following a sensitization procedure. chicks' fearfulness after separation from their mother was assesse ... | 2014 | 25033292 |
| a new pathway mediating social effects on the endocrine system: female presence acting via norepinephrine release stimulates gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone in the paraventricular nucleus and suppresses luteinizing hormone in quail. | rapid effects of social interactions on transient changes in hormonal levels are known in a wide variety of vertebrate taxa, ranging from fish to humans. although these responses are mediated by the brain, neurochemical pathways that translate social signals into reproductive physiological changes are unclear. in this study, we analyzed how a female presence modifies synthesis and/or release of various neurochemicals, such as monoamines and neuropeptides, in the brain and downstream reproductive ... | 2014 | 25031417 |
| muscle hypertrophy in heavy weight japanese quail line: delayed muscle maturation and continued muscle growth with prolonged upregulation of myogenic regulatory factors. | the objective of this study was to compare the temporal expression of myosin heavy chain (myhc) isoforms, pax7, and myogenic regulatory factors (mrf) between heavy weight (hw) and random bred control (rbc) japanese quail lines during muscle development to better understand the mechanisms leading to increased skeletal muscle mass in the hw quail line selected for a greater bw at 4 wk of age separated from rbc quail. expression of neonatal myhc isoform began at 3 and 7 d posthatch in rbc and hw qu ... | 2014 | 25012852 |
| universality and diversity in the signal transduction pathway that regulates seasonal reproduction in vertebrates. | most vertebrates living outside the tropical zone show robust physiological responses in response to seasonal changes in photoperiod, such as seasonal reproduction, molt, and migration. the highly sophisticated photoperiodic mechanism in japanese quail has been used to uncover the mechanism of seasonal reproduction. molecular analysis of quail mediobasal hypothalamus (mbh) revealed that local thyroid hormone activation within the mbh plays a critical role in the photoperiodic response of gonads. ... | 2014 | 24959116 |
| genetic parameters for feed efficiency and body weight traits in japanese quail. | 1. the objectives of the present study were to estimate heritability and genetic correlations for feed efficiency and body weight (bw) in japanese quail. 2. recorded traits during different weeks of the growing period were bw from hatch to 35 d, feed intake (fi), feed conversion ratio (fcr) and residual feed intake (rfi) from hatch to 28 d of age. 3. genetic parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood method using asreml software. the results showed that heritability estimates for ... | 2014 | 24851993 |
| effects of dietary oleuropein supplementation on growth performance, serum lipid concentrations and lipid oxidation of japanese quails. | an in vivo experiment was conducted to compare the effects of dietary supplementation with oleuropein and/or α-tocopheryl acetate on growth performance, serum lipid concentrations and lipid oxidation of japanese quail meat during refrigerated storage. performance and slaughtering parameters were not affected by dietary treatments. the diets supplemented with oleuropein at the levels of 150 or 200 mg/kg were more effective in delaying lipid oxidation in breast and thigh meats compared with the co ... | 2014 | 24828881 |
| skeletal muscle characterization of japanese quail line selectively bred for lower body weight as an avian model of delayed muscle growth with hypoplasia. | this study was designed to extensively characterize the skeletal muscle development in the low weight (lw) quail selected from random bred control (rbc) japanese quail in order to provide a new avian model of impaired and delayed growth in physically normal animals. the lw line had smaller embryo and body weights than the rbc line in all age groups (p<0.05). during 3 to 42 d post-hatch, the lw line exhibited approximately 60% smaller weight of pectoralis major muscle (pm), mainly resulting from ... | 2014 | 24763754 |
| the quail anatomy portal. | the japanese quail is a widely used model organism for the study of embryonic development; however, anatomical resources are lacking. the quail anatomy portal (qap) provides 22 detailed three-dimensional (3d) models of quail embryos during development from embryonic day (e)1 to e15 generated using optical projection tomography. the 3d models provided can be virtually sectioned to investigate anatomy. furthermore, using the 3d nature of the models, we have generated a tool to assist in the stagin ... | 2014 | 24715219 |
| [histogenesis of japanese quail bone and cartilage tissues at the final stages of embryonic development in microgravity]. | the article reports the results of comparative histological studies of skeleton development in 14- and 16-day japanese quail embryos grown in space flight and in the 1-g gravity. the investigation revealed retardation of cartilage replacement by bone in the femur and tibia in space embryos as compared with their controls. perichondral ossification metaphysis was reached by day 14 both in the space and control embryos. destruction of cartilaginous diaphysis advanced onto the proximal and distal p ... | 2014 | 24660239 |
| precocial bird mothers shape sex differences in the behavior of their chicks. | compared to mammals and altricial birds, evaluations of differences related to precocial birds' sex have often been limited to sexual behavior. nevertheless, the extensive use of precocial bird models for investigating behavioral development issues requires in depth knowledge concerning the emergence of sex differences. here, we evaluated behavioral differences between japanese quail chicks in relation to their sex. we know that maternal influences are strong and early social environment shapes ... | 2014 | 24616263 |
| effects of slaughter age and mass selection on slaughter and carcass characteristics in 2 lines of japanese quail. | the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between slaughter age and slaughter-carcass characteristics in 2 quail lines. with this aim, a japanese quail flock subjected to mass selection to increase bw for 4 generations and a control flock that randomly mated for 4 generations were used. birds of both lines were slaughtered at 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 wk of age. weights of carcass, breast, leg, wing, edible inner organs, and abdominal fat, and their percentages in bw were measured. short-te ... | 2014 | 24604873 |
| pathology of ochratoxin a-induced nephrotoxicity in japanese quail and its protection by sea buckthorn (hippophae rhamnoides l.). | the present study was designed to study the protective effect of sea buckthorn (sbt) against renal damage induced by ochratoxin a (ota) in japanese quail. day-old quail chicks were divided into six groups and fed a basal quail chick mash containing 2% sbt leaf powder (group sx), ota at a dietary level of 3 ppm (group ox), 25 ppm l-beta-phenylalanine (phe) plus 3 ppm ota (group op), 2% dietary level of sbt leaf powder plus 3 ppm ota (group os), sbt leaf extract at a level of 10%/l of drinking wat ... | 2013 | 24597120 |
| genetic analysis of an f2 intercross between two strains of japanese quail provided evidence for quantitative trait loci affecting carcass composition and internal organs. | the purpose of this study was to identify genomic regions, quantitative trait loci (qtl), affecting carcass traits on chromosome 1 in an f2 population of japanese quail. for this purpose, two white and wild strains of japanese quail (16 birds) were crossed reciprocally and f1 generation (34 birds) was created. the f2 generation was produced by intercrossing of the f1 birds. phenotypic data including carcass weight, internal organs and carcass parts were collected on f2 animals (422 birds). the t ... | 2014 | 24590740 |
| genetic parameter estimates of growth curve and reproduction traits in japanese quail. | the goal of selection studies in broilers is to obtain genetically superior chicks in terms of major economic traits, which are mainly growth rate, meat yield, and feed conversion ratio. multiple selection schedules for growth and reproduction are used in selection programs within commercial broiler dam lines. modern genetic improvement methods have not been applied in experimental quail lines. the current research was conducted to estimate heritabilities and genetic correlations for growth and ... | 2014 | 24570419 |
| serotonin receptors are selectively expressed in the avian germ cells and early embryos. | the expression of nine serotonin (5-ht) receptor transcripts was studied using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) in germ cells, cleavage and gastrulation stages of japanese quail, and qpcr for 5-ht3 and 5-ht4 receptors in oocytes and embryos. we show the presence/absence of nine serotonin transcripts known in birds for receptors 5-ht1a, 5-ht1f, 5-ht2b, 5-ht2c, 5-ht3, 5-ht4, 5-ht5a, 5-ht6 and 5-ht7a in avian germ cells and early embryos. the absence of 5-ht3 and 5-ht5a in p ... | 2015 | 24521994 |
| fos expression in monoaminergic cell groups in response to sociosexual interactions in male and female japanese quail. | monoaminergic neurotransmitters regulate different components of sexual behaviors, but how the different monoaminergic cell groups selectively regulate these behaviors is not well understood. we examined the potential contribution of these different cell groups in the control of different aspects of sexual behaviors in male and female quail. we used double-label immunohistochemistry, labeling the protein product of the immediate early gene, fos, along with tyrosine hydroxylase (th) or tryptophan ... | 2014 | 24512065 |
| ossification of the femur and tibia of the post-hatching japanese quail. | the current study aimed to describe the histological changes of the femur and tibia of the post-hatching quail. femur and tibia from 1-day- to 6-weeks post-hatching quail were processed for light microscopy. histological examination revealed that endochondral ossification was a delayed process in the development of femur and tibia preceded by periosteal ossification. femur and tibia of 1-day-post-hatching quail consisted of growth cartilage enclosed in a tube of periosteal bone collar. the colla ... | 2013 | 24498839 |
| [spinal marrow development in japanese quail embryos and chicklings in the spaceflight environment]. | results of studying spinal marrow histogenesis in age varying japanese quail embryos and chicklings whose embryonic development took place in microgravity are presented. histological comparison of spinal cords showed retardation of morphogenetic development, lumber spine especially, in the group of flight embryos manifested as incomplete proliferative activity during migration processes and nervous cell differentiation. like on earth, in space microgravity chicklings also hatched on day 17 of em ... | 2014 | 24490278 |
| central and direct regulation of testicular activity by gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone and its receptor. | gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (gnih) was first identified in japanese quail to be an inhibitor of gonadotropin synthesis and release. gnih peptides have since been identified in all vertebrates, and all share an lpxrfamide (x = l or q) motif at their c-termini. the receptor for gnih is the g protein-coupled receptor 147 (gpr147), which inhibits camp signaling. cell bodies of gnih neurons are located in the paraventricular nucleus (pvn) in birds and the dorsomedial hypothalamic area (dmh) in mo ... | 2014 | 24478760 |
| sexual maturation, serum steroid concentrations, and mrna expression of igf-1, luteinizing and progesterone hormone receptors and survivin gene in japanese quail hens. | in avian species, sexual maturation represents the evidence of start laying, which is a consequence of the development of ovarian follicles. these follicles are the functional reproductive unit whose maturation and viability critically depends on endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine factors beyond the signals from the central nervous system. the present study was undertaken to investigate the correlation of sexual maturity with tissue growth, mrna expression of certain genes, and serum steroid co ... | 2014 | 24444715 |
| divergent selection for shape of growth curve in japanese quail. 7. effect of egg storage at high temperature on embryo development and hatchability. | 1. hatching time, hatchability of fertile eggs and embryo mortality in relation to (1) physical quality of fresh eggs and (2) embryonic development during storage and incubation periods were analysed after egg storage for 1, 5 or 10 d at 30°c in the meat-type lines of japanese quail, hg and lg, divergently selected for high and low relative weight gain between 11 and 28 d of age, respectively, and constant body weight at 49 d of age. 2. in both lines, the increase of egg storage temperature from ... | 2013 | 24397506 |
| comparative pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin in common pheasants, guinea fowls and japanese quails after intravenous and oral administration. | 1. the pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin was investigated in common pheasants, guinea fowls and japanese quails after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration at a dose of 10 mg kg(-1) body weight. concentrations of the drug in serum were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. the values of the pharmacokinetic parameters after both applications were calculated on the basis of a one-compartment model. 2. the elimination half-lives after i.v. injection were 6.82 ± 1.87, 3.31 ... | 2014 | 24392829 |
| relationships between rapid changes in local aromatase activity and estradiol concentrations in male and female quail brain. | estradiol-17β (e2) synthesized in the brain plays a critical role in the activation of sexual behavior in many vertebrate species. because e2 concentrations depend on aromatization of testosterone, changes in aromatase enzymatic activity (aa) are often utilized as a proxy to describe e2 concentrations. utilizing two types of stimuli (sexual interactions and acute restraint stress) that have been demonstrated to reliably alter aa within minutes in opposite directions (sexual interactions=decrease ... | 2014 | 24368290 |
| evidence of phenotypic and genetic relationships between sociality, emotional reactivity and production traits in japanese quail. | the social behavior of animals, which is partially controlled by genetics, is one of the factors involved in their adaptation to large breeding groups. to understand better the relationships between different social behaviors, fear behaviors and production traits, we analyzed the phenotypic and genetic correlations of these traits in japanese quail by a second generation crossing of two lines divergently selected for their social reinstatement behavior. analyses of results for 900 individuals sh ... | 2013 | 24324761 |
| eggshell appearance does not signal maternal corticosterone exposure in japanese quail: an experimental study with brown-spotted eggs. | reproduction is a critical period for birds as they have to cope with many stressful events. one consequence of an acute exposure to stress is the release of corticosterone, the avian stress hormone. prolonged stress can have negative impacts on the immune system, resulting in, for example, increased oxidative stress. through maternal effects, females are known to modulate their investment in eggs content according to their own physiological condition. less is known about maternal investment in ... | 2013 | 24312476 |
| recovery of fertility from adult ovarian tissue transplanted into week-old japanese quail chicks. | fertility of cryopreserved ovarian tissue from immature chickens and japanese quail has been recovered by transplantation. this is of special importance for non-mammalian vertebrates in which cryopreservation and in vitro maturation of oocytes are challenging because their oogenesis is characterised by vitellogenesis. this study tested whether fertility of adult quail ovarian tissue could be recovered by transplantation. ovaries were isolated from mature japanese quail hens, trimmed, cut into 3- ... | 2015 | 24157187 |
| overproduction of free radical species in embryonal cells exposed to low intensity radiofrequency radiation. | long-term exposure of humans to low intensity radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (rf-emr) leads to a statistically significant increase in tumor incidence. mechanisms of such the effects are unclear, but features of oxidative stress in living cells under rf-emr exposure were previously reported. our study aims to assess a production of initial free radical species, which lead to oxidative stress in the cell. | 2013 | 24084462 |
| the efficacy of a standardised product from dried leaves of solanum glaucophyllum as source of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol for poultry. | 1. chemical characterisation of an extract of solanum glaucophyllum (sg) leaves affirmed the predominant presence of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25(oh)2d3) glycosides. the compound 1-(ß-d-glucopyranosyl)-1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol was isolated for the first time from a natural source. 2. vitamin d activity of the extract was confirmed by the calcaemic properties shown in a quail eggshell bioassay. the results suggested a 1,25(oh)2d3 bioavailability of approximately 15%. 3. a broiler fee ... | 2013 | 24053600 |
| cryoconservation of avian gonads in canada. | avian genetic resources have declined dramatically over the past half century as the cost of maintaining populations has exceeded the perceived benefit of keeping them. despite the early importance of poultry in the development of cryopreservation techniques, very little avian germplasm has been conserved. cryopreservation and recovery of avian gonads preserve the w chromosome and overcome problems of freezing and recovering semen or conserving and manipulating embryonic cells, and the use of vi ... | 2013 | 24046407 |
| social interaction of juvenile japanese quail classified by their permanence in proximity to a high or low density of conspecifics. | one challenge faced by ethologists in poultry welfare is helping birds to form functionally successful groups over time through the expression of appropriate behaviors. searching for phenotypic variability, we developed in japanese quail a density-related permanence (drp) test that enables us to classify young birds (while in groups) according to their individual permanence in boxes containing a high or low density of confined conspecifics (hd or ld, respectively). this study addressed the quest ... | 2013 | 24046402 |
| epigallocatechin-3-gallate exerts protective effects against heat stress through modulating stress-responsive transcription factors in poultry. | 1. the aim of the study was to describe the effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (egcg), a polyphenol derived from green tea, on activator protein-1 (ap-1) components (phospho-c-jun and c-fos), cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) and heat shock proteins (hsps) in the liver of heat-stressed quails. 2. a total of 180 5-week-old female japanese quails were reared either at 22°c for 24 h/d (thermoneutral, tn) or 34°c for 8 h/d (heat stress, hs) for 12 weeks. birds in both environments were randomly given 1 of ... | 2013 | 23906218 |
| c-fos down-regulation inhibits testosterone-dependent male sexual behavior and the associated learning. | environmental stimulation results in an increased expression of transcription factors called immediate early genes (iegs) in specific neuronal populations. in male japanese quail, copulation with a female increases the expression of the iegs zenk and c-fos in the medial pre-optic nucleus (pom), a key nucleus controlling male sexual behavior. the functional significance of this increased ieg expression that follows performance of copulatory behavior is unknown. we addressed this question by repea ... | 2013 | 23895306 |
| developmental programming: cumulative effects of increased pre-hatching corticosterone levels and post-hatching unpredictable food availability on physiology and behaviour in adulthood. | prolonged exposure to stress during development can have long-term detrimental effects on health and wellbeing. however, the environmental matching hypothesis proposes that developmental stress programs physiology and behaviour in an adaptive way that can enhance fitness if early environments match those experienced later in life. most research has focused on the harmful effects that stress during a single period in early life may exert in adulthood. in this study, we tested the potential additi ... | 2013 | 23891687 |
| a nonsemen copulatory fluid influences the outcome of sperm competition in japanese quail. | sperm competition is a powerful and widespread evolutionary force that drives the divergence of behavioural, physiological and morphological traits. elucidating the mechanisms governing differential fertilization success is a fundamental question of sperm competition. both sperm and nonsperm ejaculate components can influence sperm competition outcomes. here, we investigate the role of a nonsemen copulatory fluid in sperm competition. male japanese quail possess a gland that makes meringue-like ... | 2013 | 23890178 |
| post-hatch heat warms adult beaks: irreversible physiological plasticity in japanese quail. | across taxa, the early rearing environment contributes to adult morphological and physiological variation. for example, in birds, environmental temperature plays a key role in shaping bill size and clinal trends across latitudinal/thermal gradients. such patterns support the role of the bill as a thermal window and in thermal balance. it remains unknown whether bill size and thermal function are reversibly plastic. we raised japanese quail in warm (30°c) or cold (15°c) environments and then at a ... | 2013 | 23884093 |
| quantitative analysis of microscopic x-ray computed tomography imaging: japanese quail embryonic soft tissues with iodine staining. | rapid three-dimensional imaging of embryos to better understand the complex process of morphogenesis has been challenging. recently introduced iodine staining protocols (i2 ki and alcoholic iodine stains) combined with microscopic x-ray computed tomography allows visualization of soft tissues in diverse small organisms and tissue specimens. i2 ki protocols have been developed specifically for small animals, with a limited number of quantitative studies of soft tissue contrasts. to take full adva ... | 2013 | 23869493 |
| influence of temporal relationships between serotonergic and dopaminergic precursors on the regulation of gonadal development in birds. | this article is focused on the effect of specific phase relation of serotonergic and dopaminergic oscillations on the gonadal responses of different avian species. these species include (i) summer breeding birds - red headed bunting (exhibiting post-reproductive absolute photorefractoriness) and indian weaver bird (which lacks absolute photorefractoriness), (ii) autumn breeding - spotted munia and lal munia (photoperiodic responses of which are distinctly different from that of any long day bird ... | 2013 | 23851040 |
| muscle fiber characteristics of pectoralis major muscle as related to muscle mass in different japanese quail lines. | the objectives of this study were to investigate the muscle fiber characteristics of the pectoralis major muscle, and its relation to growth performance in the random bred control (rbc) and heavy weight (hw) japanese quail lines at 42 days of age. the hw line had greater body (232.0 v. 100.2 g, p < 0.001) and pectoralis major muscle (19.0 v. 6.2 g, p < 0.001) weights than the rbc line. color differences were observed between the superficial and deep regions of the pectoralis major muscle, with t ... | 2013 | 23842287 |
| vasotocin mrna expression is sensitive to testosterone and oestradiol in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in female japanese quail. | vasotocin-producing parvocellular neurones in the medial part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (bstm) of many species of birds and mammals show sexual dimorphism and great plasticity in response to hormonal and environmental stimuli. in the bstm of japanese quail, vasotocin-immunoreactive neurones are visible and sensitive to testosterone exclusively in males. in males, gonadectomy decreases and testosterone restores vasotocin-immunoreactive cells and fibres by acting on vasotocin mrna ... | 2013 | 23841557 |
| nonlinear mixed effects modeling of growth in japanese quail. | the aim of this study was to examine the use of a nonlinear mixed modeling approach to growth studies of japanese quail. weekly bw measurements of 89 female and 89 male quail were used in the study. a well-known logistic growth function was used in the analysis. the function was expanded to include a sex effect and random bird effects in β0 and β2 parameters. analyses were performed via sas 9.2 software. the performance of 3 models, a fixed effects model (model 1) including only sex effect, a mi ... | 2013 | 23776284 |
| comparative growth performance in different japanese quail lines: the effect of muscle dna content and fiber morphology. | the aim of this study was to investigate the dna content and morphological characteristics of muscle fibers, and their relation to the growth performance in random bred control (rbc) and heavy weight (hw) japanese quail lines. the 2 lines were of similar embryo size at 6 and 8 d of incubation; however, hw quail were significantly larger than their counterparts after 10 d of incubation (p < 0.05). the hatch weight of the hw quail line was approximately 1.3-fold higher than the rbc quail line (p < ... | 2013 | 23776275 |
| japanese quail meat quality: characteristics, heritabilities, and genetic correlations with some slaughter traits. | the aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic parameters of several breast meat quality traits and their genetic relationships with some slaughter traits [bw, breast yield (bry), and abdominal fat yield (afy)]. in total, 1,093 pedigreed quail were slaughtered at 35 d of age to measure bry, afy, and breast meat quality traits [ultimate ph (phu), commission internationale d'eclairage color parameters (l*, lightness; a*, redness; and b*, yellowness), thawing and cooking loss (tl and cl, respect ... | 2013 | 23776259 |
| rapid control of reproductive behaviour by locally synthesised oestrogens: focus on aromatase. | oestrogens activate nucleus- and membrane-initiated signalling. nucleus-initiated events control a wide array of physiological and behavioural responses. these effects generally take place within relatively long periods of time (several hours to days). by contrast, membrane-initiated signalling affects a multitude of cellular functions in a much shorter timeframe (seconds to minutes). however, much less is known about their functional significance. furthermore, the origin of the oestrogens able ... | 2013 | 23763492 |
| motherless quail mothers display impaired maternal behavior and produce more fearful and less socially motivated offspring. | early maternal deprivation impairs the behavioral development of young individuals. recently, strong differences between mothered and maternally deprived chicks have been reported concerning their emotionality, sociality, and spatial skills. here we investigated long-term and cross-generational impacts of maternal deprivation by comparing the characteristics of the non-reproductive and the maternal behavior of 22 mothered and 22 non-mothered adult female japanese quail (coturnix c. japonica) and ... | 2014 | 23754757 |
| impact of high and low anxiety trait on object habituation and discrimination: evidence from selected lines of japanese quail. | compared to rodents, the relationship between anxiety and cognitive performances has been less studied in birds. yet, birds are frequently exposed to stimulations that constitute a potential source of anxiety and can affect their adaptation to their living conditions. the present study was aimed at evaluating, in birds, the relationship between levels of anxiety and object habituation and discrimination with the use of japanese quail lines divergently selected for a fear response, tonic immobili ... | 2013 | 23711926 |
| a new method for in vitro detection of bromodeoxyuridine in serum: a proof of concept in a songbird species, the canary. | systemic injection of a thymidine analogue such as bromodeoxyuridine (brdu) in vertebrates is commonly used to detect and study cell production during development, adulthood, and pathology, particularly in studies of adult neurogenesis. although researchers are applying this technique to multiple species in various physiological conditions, the rate of brdu clearance from the serum remains unknown in most cases. changes in this clearance rate as a function of the species, sex or endocrine condit ... | 2013 | 23691086 |
| investigation of nonlinear models to describe long-term egg production in japanese quail. | in this study, long-term egg production was monitored in a japanese quail flock, which had not undergone any genetic improvement, for 52 wk as of the age of sexual maturity. the study aimed to detect some traits with respect to egg production, to determine the cumulative hen-housed egg numbers, and to compare goodness of fit of different nonlinear models for the percentage of hen-day egg production. the mean age at first egg was 38.9 d and the age at 50% egg production was 45.3 d. the quail reac ... | 2013 | 23687166 |
| genetic polymorphism of the capn1 gene is associated with meat quality traits in japanese quail. | 1. the objective of the study was to investigate the polymorphisms in two regions of the calpain 1 (capn1) gene and their association with breast and thigh meat quality in japanese quail (ultimate ph (phu), lightness, redness, yellowness, drip loss, thawing-cooking loss, water holding capacity and shear force, sf). 2. blood samples were collected randomly from 100 birds and dna was extracted using a commercial kit. genotypes were determined by pcr amplification followed by single-strand conforma ... | 2013 | 23647179 |
| gsm 900 mhz cellular phone radiation can either stimulate or depress early embryogenesis in japanese quails depending on the duration of exposure. | our study was designed to assess the effects of low intensity radiation of a gsm (global system for mobile communication) 900 mhz cellular phone on early embryogenesis in dependence on the duration of exposure. | 2013 | 23578013 |
| modulation of testosterone-dependent male sexual behavior and the associated neuroplasticity. | steroids modulate the transcription of a multitude of genes and ultimately influence numerous aspects of reproductive behaviors. our research investigates how one single steroid, testosterone, is able to trigger this vast number of physiological and behavioral responses. testosterone potency can be changed locally via aromatization into 17β-estradiol which then activates estrogen receptors of the alpha and beta sub-types. we demonstrated that the independent activation of either receptor activat ... | 2013 | 23523709 |
| maternal effects in quail and zebra finches: behavior and hormones. | maternal effects are influences of parents on offspring phenotype occurring through pathways other than inherited dna. in birds, two important routes for such transmission are parental behavior and non-dna egg constituents such as yolk hormones. offspring traits subject to parental effects include behavior and endocrine function. research from the adkins-regan lab has used three avian species to investigate maternal effects related to hormones and behavior. experiments with chickens and japanese ... | 2013 | 23499787 |
| isolation of dna from embryo and chorio-allantoic membranes and sexing by pcr in japanese quail. | 1. the aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and quality of genomic dna isolated from embryos and their chorioallantoic membranes (cam) and to investigate the utility of different pcr methods for identifying the sex of japanese quail embryos. 2. fertilised eggs were incubated at 37°c for 120 h and dna was isolated from samples of embryos and cam. target regions of the chd-w gene or xhoi repeat sequence were amplified by pcr and examined on agarose gels or by using a capillary electrophore ... | 2013 | 23444860 |
| cloacal gland, endocrine testicular, and adrenocortical photoresponsiveness in male japanese quail exposed to short days. | photoperiod is the most important "noise-free" seasonal environmental cue for synchronizing physiological states (such as reproductive activity) in birds. however, in photoperiodic birds such as japanese quail, the effect of photoperiod on adrenocortical activity remains unclear, particularly in males with differences in cloacal gland photoresponsiveness. at 8 wk of age, birds (n = 55) were either assigned to a short photoperiod (8l:16d; sd) or maintained under long photoperiod (16l:8d; ld; cont ... | 2013 | 23411012 |
| [early bone and cartilage histogenesis in embryonic japanese quails in the conditions of microgravity]. | the article presents the results of a comparative histological investigation of skeletal bones genesis in japanese quail embryos developed in the spaceflight microgravity (space group) and laboratory (control group). total preparations of 4-day-old embryos from both groups demonstrated clearly that the cartilaginous anlage of the femoral bone had central, dyaphisial, 2 epiphysial and 2 proliferation zones. by day 7 of embryogenesis, cartilaginous anlages had grown in size in both groups due to i ... | 2013 | 23405424 |
| genetic evaluation of meat quality traits and their correlation with growth and carcase composition in japanese quail. | 1. estimates of heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations of performance and meat quality traits were obtained in a population of japanese quail using restricted maximum likelihood (reml) procedures. 2. the heritability estimates for body weight (bw) traits ranged from 0·15 at hatch to 0·42 at six weeks. for carcase composition traits, heritability estimates ranged from 0·12 for carcase yield to 0·26 for abdominal fat yield and for meat quality traits they ranged from 0·18 for drip loss ... | 2012 | 23398419 |
| berberis vulgaris root extract alleviates the adverse effects of heat stress via modulating hepatic nuclear transcription factors in quails. | to evaluate the action mode of berberis vulgaris root extract in the alleviation of oxidative stress, female japanese quails (n 180, aged 5 weeks) were reared, either at 22°c for 24 h/d (thermoneutral, tn) or 34°c for 8 h/d (heat stress, hs), and fed one of three diets: diets containing 0, 100 or 200 mg of b. vulgaris root extract per kg for 12 weeks. exposure to hs depressed feed intake by 8·5% and egg production by 12·1%, increased hepatic malondialdehyde (mda) level by 98·0% and decreased hep ... | 2013 | 23312115 |
| a simulated eye for vitreous surgery using japanese quail eggs. | we produced a simulated eye for vitreous surgery training by using japanese quail eggs, and verified its utility. | 2013 | 23292275 |
| neuroestrogens rapidly regulate sexual motivation but not performance. | estrogens exert pleiotropic effects on reproductive traits, which include differentiation and activation of reproductive behaviors and the control of the secretion of gonadotropins. estrogens also profoundly affect non-reproductive traits, such as cognition and neuroprotection. these effects are usually attributed to nuclear receptor binding and subsequent regulation of target gene transcription. estrogens also affect neuronal activity and cell-signaling pathways via faster, membrane-initiated e ... | 2013 | 23283331 |
| distinct neuroendocrine mechanisms control neural activity underlying sex differences in sexual motivation and performance. | sexual behavior can be usefully parsed into an appetitive and a consummatory component. both appetitive and consummatory male-typical sexual behaviors (respectively, asb and csb) are activated in male japanese quail by testosterone (t) acting in the medial preoptic nucleus (pom), but never observed in females. this sex difference is based on a demasculinization (= organizational effect) by estradiol during embryonic life for csb, but a differential activation by t in adulthood for asb. males exp ... | 2013 | 23282041 |
| effects of thymol and isoeugenol feed supplementation on quail adult performance, egg characteristics and hatching success. | 1. a study was conducted to evaluate whether feed supplementation with thymol or isoeugenol can alter japanese quail growth rate and final body weight, the female onset of puberty, hen-day egg production and the physical and chemical characteristics of the egg, as well as its potential to alter hatchability. 2. from 4 to 16 weeks of age, birds from each cage (1 male: 3 females) were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments that differed in the supplement added to the feed: control, thymol or isoeugenol (40 ... | 2012 | 23281757 |
| divergent selection for shape of growth curve in japanese quail. 6. hatching time, hatchability and embryo mortality. | 1. hatching time, hatchability of fertile eggs and embryo mortality under standard egg storage (1 or 5 days at 12 ± 1°c and 55% relative humidity) and incubation conditions (37.5 ± 0.2°c and 50% relative humidity) were analysed in lines long-term selected for high (hg) and low (lg) relative weight gain between 11 and 28 d of age, respectively, and constant body weight at 49 d of age. 2. egg storage duration did not have an effect on average hatching time. lg quail, characterised by a fast postna ... | 2012 | 23281752 |
| genetic properties of egg quality traits and their correlations with performance traits in japanese quail. | 1. performance traits were measured on 1908 japanese quail and egg quality traits assessed on 1800 eggs at 10 wk of age. 2. genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated using a bivariate animal model with restricted maximum likelihood using asreml software. 3. body weight at different ages showed positive genetic correlations with egg weight and most of the internal egg quality traits, whereas their genetic correlations with eggshell thickness, eggshell strength and eggshell percentage wer ... | 2012 | 23281751 |
| rapid modulation of aromatase activity in the vertebrate brain. | numerous steroid hormones, including 17β-estradiol (e2), activate rapid and transient cellular, physiological, and behavioral changes in addition to their well-described genomic effects. aromatase is the key-limiting enzyme in the production of estrogens, and the rapid modulation of this enzymatic activity could produce rapid changes in local e2 concentrations. the mechanisms that might mediate such rapid enzymatic changes are not fully understood but are currently under intense scrutiny. recent ... | 2013 | 25157205 |
| trans-generational effects of prenatal stress in quail. | the prenatal environment is a source of phenotypic variability influencing the animal's characteristics. prenatal stress affects not only the development of offspring, but also that of the following generation. such effects have been best documented in mammals but can also be observed in birds, suggesting common processes across phylogenetic orders. we found previously that japanese quail females stressed during laying produced offspring with higher fearfulness, probably related to modulation of ... | 2013 | 23256192 |
| sperm-egg interaction and fertility of japanese breeder quails from 10 to 61 weeks. | the influence of the age of japanese breeder quails was studied by the analysis of fertility and sperm-egg interactions on the perivitelline layer of fertile eggs along the reproductive lifetime. thus, 10 quail couples were observed every 30 d from 70 to 430 d. in each analyzed period, the males remained with the females for 24 h, and the oviposited eggs were analyzed up to the laying of 3 consecutive infertile eggs. the eggs were examined, and their fertility and the number of sperm (sptz)adher ... | 2013 | 23243249 |
| gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone action in the brain and pituitary. | gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (gnih) was first identified in the japanese quail as a hypothalamic neuropeptide inhibitor of gonadotropin secretion. subsequent studies have shown that gnih is present in the brains of birds including songbirds, and mammals including humans. the identified avian and mammalian gnih peptides universally possess an lpxrfamide (x = l or q) motif at their c-termini. mammalian gnih peptides are also designated as rfamide-related peptides from their structures. the rece ... | 2012 | 23233850 |
| neural pathways mediating control of reproductive behavior in male japanese quail. | the sexually dimorphic medial preoptic nucleus (pom) in japanese quail has for many years been the focus of intensive investigations into its role in reproductive behavior. the present study delineates a sequence of descending pathways that finally reach sacral levels of the spinal cord housing motor neurons innervating cloacal muscles involved in reproductive behavior. we first retrogradely labeled the motor neurons innervating the large cloacal sphincter muscle (msc) that forms part of the foa ... | 2013 | 23225613 |
| the effect of glycerol on mrna expression of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor, and mitochondrial breast muscle genes of japanese quail. | 1. a study was carried out to evaluate the expression of growth hormone (gh), insulin-like growth factor i (igf-i), mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocase (ant), cytochrome oxidase iii (cox iii) and avian uncoupling protein (avucp) genes in 14-d-old japanese quail that were fed different levels of glycerol (0%, 4%, and 12% dietary glycerol) which replaced maize as an energy source. 2. total rna was extracted from the breast muscle, and cdna was amplified using real-time pcr with primers sp ... | 2012 | 23130585 |
| genetic differences in yolk testosterone levels influence maternal hormone deposition in the second laying cycle in japanese quails. | maternally-derived yolk androgens exhibit distinct among- and within-female variations but limited data refer to inter-seasonal changes of maternal hormones in the yolk. we investigated the deposition of yolk testosterone (t) across two laying cycles in japanese quail. to test how genetically-determined differences influence between cycle variations in yolk androgens we compared females from low (let) and high (het) egg t lines at the end of the first and at the beginning of the second laying cy ... | 2013 | 23103670 |
| response surface of dietary energy and protein in japanese quail from 7 to 14 days of age. | an experiment was conducted to determine dietary energy (me) and cp requirements of quail chicks using response surface methodology. a total of 40 floor pens of 20 birds each were assigned to 9 diets of central composite design (ccd) containing 5 levels of me (2,809 to 3,091 kcal/kg) and cp (19 to 24.8% of diet) from 7 to 14 d of age. the experimental results of ccd were fitted with quadratic response models, and ridge analysis was used to compute the optimal response for bw gain (bwg) and feed ... | 2012 | 23091156 |
| japanese quail's genetic background modulates effects of chronic stress on emotional reactivity but not spatial learning. | chronic stress is known to enhance mammals' emotional reactivity and alters several of their cognitive functions, especially spatial learning. few studies have investigated such effects in birds. we investigated the impact of a two-week stress on japanese quail's emotional reactivity and spatial learning. quail is an avian model widely used in laboratory studies and for extrapolation of data to other poultry species. as sensitivity to chronic stress can be modulated by intrinsic factors, we test ... | 2012 | 23071811 |
| fractal analysis of extra-embryonic vascularization in japanese quail embryos exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields. | magnetic fields (mf) can alter the dynamic behavior of vascular tissue and may have a stimulatory or inhibitory effect on blood vessel growth. fractal geometry has been used in several studies as a tool to describe the development of blood vascular networks. due to its self-similarity, irregularity, fractional dimension, and dependence on the scale of vessel dimensions, vascular networks can be taken as fractal objects. in this work, we calculated the fractal dimension by the methods of box coun ... | 2013 | 23060284 |
| rna interference of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone gene induces aggressive and sexual behaviors in birds. | gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (gnih) was originally identified in the japanese quail as a hypothalamic neuropeptide inhibitor of pituitary gonadotropin synthesis and release. gnih neuronal fibers not only terminate in the median eminence to control anterior pituitary function but also extend widely in the brain, suggesting multiple roles in the regulation of behavior. to identify the role of gnih neurons in the regulation of behavior, we tested the effect of rna interference (rnai) of the gnih ... | 2013 | 23046601 |
| effect of estradiol-17β on follicle-stimulating hormone secretion and egg-laying performance of japanese quail. | the aim of this study was to measure the effect of estradiol-17β (e2) injection on follicle-stimulating hormone (fsh) secretion and egg-laying performance of japanese quail. female japanese quail were housed in cages and fed ad libitum. after a 7-day adaptation period, the birds were randomly assigned to three groups, that is, one control group and two test groups. the birds were weighed, before every injection. the control group was subcutaneously injected with 0.2 ml sesame oil-ethanol mixture ... | 2012 | 23031602 |
| conservation of avian germplasm by xenogeneic transplantation of spermatogonia from sexually mature donors. | approximately 12.5% of all 9,920 extant bird species in the world are threatened with extinction, and yet conservation efforts through natural breeding of captive species continue to encounter difficulties. however, sperm cryopreservation and artificial insemination offer potential benefits over natural breeding, but their applicability is still limited in nondomestic species. in this study, we aimed to exploit the potential of germ cell xenotransplantation as an alternative tool for preserving ... | 2013 | 23025754 |
| expression of growth genes in response to glycerol use in japanese quail diets. | glycerol can be used as a substitute for corn for feeding poultry, but there are concerns about how it may affect growth performance and health of the birds. we evaluated the expression of mrna of growth hormone (gh) and insulin-like growth factor i (igf-i) in 35-day-old japanese quails fed different glycerol levels (0, 4, and 8% dietary glycerol instead of corn). total rna was extracted from the breast muscle and cdna was amplified with the use of specific primers for these genes using real-tim ... | 2012 | 23007983 |
| a higher inherent trait for fearfulness is associated with increased anxiety-like behaviours and diazepam sensitivity in japanese quail. | this study tested whether lines of japanese quails divergently selected for a fear response, the tonic immobility, might constitute a reliable bird model for studying anxiety. previous studies demonstrated that the selection modifies the general underlying emotionality of the birds rather than exerting its effect only on tonic immobility. the behavioural effects of intraperitoneal injections of diazepam, an anxiolytic drug, were assessed in two lines of quail selected either for their short (sti ... | 2013 | 23000529 |
| quantitative and morphological measures may predict growth and mortality during prenatal growth in japanese quails. | growth pattern and mortality rate during the embryonic phase of avian species are difficult to recognize and predict. determination of such measures and associated events may enhance our understanding of characteristics involved in the growth and hatching process. furthermore, some quantitative measures could validate morphological determinants during the embryonic phase and predict the course of normal growth and alterations. our aim was to characterize quantitative growth of embryos and to est ... | 2012 | 25285101 |
| interspecies avian brain chimeras reveal that large brain size differences are influenced by cell-interdependent processes. | like humans, birds that exhibit vocal learning have relatively delayed telencephalon maturation, resulting in a disproportionately smaller brain prenatally but enlarged telencephalon in adulthood relative to vocal non-learning birds. to determine if this size difference results from evolutionary changes in cell-autonomous or cell-interdependent developmental processes, we transplanted telencephala from zebra finch donors (a vocal-learning species) into japanese quail hosts (a vocal non-learning ... | 2012 | 22860132 |
| chronic pre-exposure to methamphetamine following 31 days of withdrawal impairs sexual performance but not sexual conditioning in male japanese quail. | in the current study, male quail were administered methamphetamine (3.0 or 5.6 mg/kg ip) or saline once daily for 10 days and locomotor activity was assessed. following a 31-day withdrawal period, sexual conditioning trials were conducted such that a conditioned stimulus (cs) was presented prior to a copulatory opportunity with a female quail. male quail treated with methamphetamine (5.6 mg/kg) showed a decrease in locomotor activity from trial 1 to trial 10 suggesting a potential tolerance effe ... | 2012 | 22835652 |
| sequential expression of osteoblast phenotypic genes during medullary bone formation and resorption in estrogen-treated male japanese quails. | medullary bone is formed reticularly in the bone marrow cavity of the long bones of female birds. although this bone matrix contains fewer collagen fibers and more acid mucopolysaccharides than cortical bone, it is not clear that the expression pattern of osteoblast phenotypic genes during bone remodeling. therefore, 17β-estradiol (e2)-treated male japanese quails were used to examine the temporal expression patterns of osteoblast phenotypic genes, and to simultaneously confirm the morphological ... | 2012 | 22711567 |
| age affects the expression of maternal care and subsequent behavioural development of offspring in a precocial bird. | variations of breeding success with age have been studied largely in iteroparous species and particularly in birds: survival of offspring increases with parental age until senescence. nevertheless, these results are from observations of free-living individuals and therefore, it remains impossible to determine whether these variations result from parental investment or efficiency or both, and whether these variations occur during the prenatal or the postnatal stage or during both. our study aimed ... | 2012 | 22701515 |
| effect of long-term simulated microgravity on some sexual traits of male japanese quail. | the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term stay of japanese quail in simulated microgravity on some sexual features of males. as a model for simulating microgravity exposure of birds in laboratory conditions was used hypodynamia. the mean left testis weight in males reared under hypodynamia from day 3 up to 180 days of age was lower than that of control (p<0.05), but the right testis weight differences between both groups were not significant. also the area, volume and foa ... | 2012 | 22670691 |
| birth of neural progenitors during the embryonic period of sexual differentiation in the japanese quail brain. | several brain areas in the diencephalon are involved in the activation and expression of sexual behavior, including in quail the medial preoptic nucleus (pom). however, the ontogeny of these diencephalic brain nuclei has not to this date been examined in detail. we investigated the ontogeny of pom and other steroid-sensitive brain regions by injecting quail eggs with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (brdu) at various stages between embryonic day (e)3 and e16 and killing animals at postnatal (pn) days 3 or ... | 2012 | 22628012 |
| lesion of the isthmo-optic nucleus impairs target selection for visually guided reaching. | neurons in the isthmo-optic nucleus (ion) of the avian midbrain receive input predominantly from the ipsilateral optic tectum and project to the contralateral retina. therefore, lesion in the ion removes tectal efferent signals to the retina in birds. in the present study, we trained japanese quail to reach a target stimulus on a touch-sensor monitor with their beak. ion lesions significantly decreased response accuracy when the target was presented simultaneously with distractors but not when p ... | 2012 | 22610050 |
| an experimental exploration of the incorporation of hydrogen isotopes from dietary sources into avian tissues. | the analysis of hydrogen stable isotopes (δd) is a potentially powerful tool for studying animal ecology. unlike other stable isotopes used in ecological research, however, we are less familiar with the physiological processes that influence the incorporation of hydrogen isotopes from dietary resources to animal tissues. here we present the results of a controlled feeding experiment utilizing japanese quail (cortunix japonica) that was designed to: (1) estimate the relative contributions of diet ... | 2012 | 22573770 |
| distribution and metabolism of selenite and selenomethionine in the japanese quail. | compared to the many studies on the physiological and toxicological effects of selenium (se) in mammals, avian se metabolism is still an unexplored topic. some birds are useful as poultry for human nutrition. moreover, birds belong to higher trophic levels in the biosphere and thus may play an important role in se circulation in the ecosystem in the same way as mammals do. in this study, we analyzed the distribution and metabolism of se in an experimental bird, the japanese quail, which was fed ... | 2012 | 22526144 |
| supercritical fluid extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography of respiratory quinones for microbial community analysis in environmental and biological samples. | microbial community structure plays a significant role in environmental assessment and animal health management. the development of a superior analytical strategy for the characterization of microbial community structure is an ongoing challenge. in this study, we developed an effective supercritical fluid extraction (sfe) and ultra performance liquid chromatography (uplc) method for the analysis of bacterial respiratory quinones (rq) in environmental and biological samples. rq profile analysis i ... | 2012 | 22391598 |
| effect of mothering on the spatial exploratory behavior of quail chicks. | previous maternal deprivation experiments demonstrated that absence of maternal care impacts the behavioral development of young animals. here we assessed the influence of the presence of a mothering hen on the spatial exploration of japanese quail chicks, after the mothering period. brooded and nonbrooded chicks were placed in a novel environment containing feeding troughs. the distribution of chicks and their inter-individual distances were measured during repeated tests. brooded chicks exhibi ... | 2013 | 22362163 |