Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year Filter | PMID(sorted descending) Filter |
|---|
| information processing by pigeons (columba livia): incentive as information. | experiment 1 showed that the hick-hyman law (w. e. hick, 1952; r. hyman, 1953) described the effects of anticipated reinforcement, a form of incentive, on pigeons' (columba livia) reaction time to respond to a target spatial location. reaction time was an approximately linear function of amount of information interpreted as probability of reinforcement, implying that pigeons processed incentive at a constant rate. experiment 2 showed that the hick-hyman law described effects of incentive even wh ... | 2007 | 17324077 |
| discrimination of artificial categories structured by family resemblances: a comparative study in people (homo sapiens) and pigeons (columba livia). | adult humans (homo sapiens) and pigeons (columba livia) were trained to discriminate artificial categories that the authors created by mimicking 2 properties of natural categories. one was a family resemblance relationship: the highly variable exemplars, including those that did not have features in common, were structured by a similarity network with the features correlating to one another in each category. the other was a polymorphous rule: no single feature was essential for distinguishing th ... | 2007 | 17324072 |
| evidence that pigeons orient to geomagnetic intensity during homing. | the influence of the earth's magnetic field on locomotory orientation has been studied in many taxa but is best understood for homing pigeons (columba livia). effects of experimentally induced and naturally occurring perturbations in the geomagnetic field suggest that pigeons are sensitive to changes in geomagnetic parameters. however, whether pigeons use the earth's magnetic field for position determination remains unknown. here we report an apparent orientation to the intensity gradient of the ... | 2007 | 17301015 |
| clinical application of an external fixator in the repair of bone fractures in 28 birds. | the repair of seven tibiotarsal fractures, three humeral fractures, three tarsometatarsal fractures, two femoral fractures and 13 radial and ulnar fractures with a tubular external fixator system was evaluated prospectively in 10 common pigeons (columba livia), 11 psittacine birds, six birds of prey and one bali starling (leucopsar rothschildii). the fixations included type 1, type 2 and intramedullary tie-in methods, and the fractures healed in all but three cases. a comparison of the weight of ... | 2007 | 17293578 |
| iridescence in the neck feathers of domestic pigeons. | we conducted structural characterizations, reflection measurements, and theoretical simulations on the iridescent green and purple neck feathers of domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica). we found that both green and purple barbules are composed of an outer keratin cortex layer surrounding a medullary layer. the thickness of the keratin cortex layer shows a distinct difference between green and purple barbules. green barbules vary colors from green to purple with the observing angle changed ... | 2006 | 17279948 |
| purkinje cell compartmentation as revealed by zebrin ii expression in the cerebellar cortex of pigeons (columba livia). | purkinje cells in the cerebellum express the antigen zebrin ii (aldolase c) in many vertebrates. in mammals, zebrin is expressed in a parasagittal fashion, with alternating immunopositive and immunonegative stripes. whether a similar pattern is expressed in birds is unknown. here we present the first investigation into zebrin ii expression in a bird: the adult pigeon (columba livia). western blotting of pigeon cerebellar homogenates reveals a single polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight ... | 2007 | 17278140 |
| differential toxic effects of carbofuran and diazinon on time of flight in pigeons (columba livia): potential for pesticide effects on migration. | cholinesterase inhibiting compounds such as carbamates and organophosphate insecticides have been widely used in agriculture since the ban on organochlorines in the 1970s. carbofuran, a carbamate, and diazinon, an organophosphate, are among the most commonly implicated cholinesterase inhibitors in episodes of accidental avian toxicity and mortality. despite the apparent effects of these compounds, little work has been done to study effects of low-level, environmentally relevant doses at the popu ... | 2007 | 17254622 |
| the hybrid-substance of the erythrocytes of the hybrids between columba livia and streptopelia risoria. | 1956 | 17247657 | |
| somatic mosaics in the domestic pigeon. | 1940 | 17246956 | |
| a sex difference in linkage intensity of three autosomal factors in the domestic pigeon. | 1938 | 17246875 | |
| inheritance of certain "blue-black" patterns and "bleached" colorations in the domestic pigeon. | 1938 | 17246873 | |
| asymmetrical participation of the left and right hippocampus for representing environmental geometry in homing pigeons. | control, right and left hf lesioned homing pigeons (columba livia) were trained to locate a goal in one corner of a rectangular enclosure with a distinctive feature cue. probe tests revealed that all groups were able to encode in parallel geometric (enclosure shape) and feature information, and in the absence of one of them, they could us the other to locate the goal. however, left hf lesioned pigeons learned the task at a faster rate, and when the geometric and feature information were set in c ... | 2007 | 17215051 |
| social learning and innovation are positively correlated in pigeons (columba livia). | when animals show both frequent innovation and fast social learning, new behaviours can spread more rapidly through populations and potentially increase rates of natural selection and speciation, as proposed by a.c. wilson in his behavioural drive hypothesis. comparative work on primates suggests that more innovative species also show more social learning. in this study, we look at intra-specific variation in innovation and social learning in captive wild-caught pigeons. performances on an innov ... | 2007 | 17205290 |
| timing of ascending and descending visual signals predicts the response mode of single cells in the thalamic nucleus rotundus of the pigeon (columba livia). | neurons of the pigeon's diencephalic n. rotundus were demonstrated to show visual responses of short and long latency representing ascending signals of the retino-tecto-rotundal system and descending signals from telencephalo-tecto-rotundal fibers. pigeons thus provide an ideal model to investigate the convergence of ascending and descending visual processing streams at single cell level. although it is known that rotundal responses of long latency show distinct response characteristics, depende ... | 2007 | 17184744 |
| [ectoparas ites of domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) in bursa province.] | a total of 100 domestic pigeons from 10 different districts of bursa were examined for ectoparasites; 72% of them were found to be infested and 3 species were determined. goniocotes bidentatus was found in 47% of the pigeons examined, columbicola columbae in 44% and menopon gallinae in 1%. although a higher infestation rate was found in adult pigeons (75.3%) compared to younger pigeons (64.5%), there was no significant difference between the age groups. also, no statistical differences in the ra ... | 2005 | 17160835 |
| time-space learning in homing pigeons (columba livia): orientation to an artificial light source. | time-space learning reflects an ability to represent in memory event-stimulus properties together with the place and time of the event; a capacity well developed in birds. homing pigeons were trained in an indoor octagonal arena to locate one food goal in the morning and a different food goal in the late afternoon. the goals differed with respect to their angular/directional relationship to an artificial light source located outside the arena. further, the angular difference in reward position a ... | 2007 | 17160343 |
| determination of the inhibitory concentration 50% (ic50) of four selected drugs (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, enrofloxacin and difloxacin) that reduce in vitro the multiplication of chlamydophila psittaci. | a total of 18 chlamydial isolates from various psittacine birds, one isolate from a domestic pigeon and one isolate from a pekin duck were isolated in continuous buffalo green monkey (bgm) kidney cell cultures. all 20 isolates were identified by nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction as chlamydophila psittaci. these isolates were multiplied to high titres and subsequently tested for in vitro sensitivity against two tetracyclines (chlortetracycline and doxycycline) and two quinolones (enroflo ... | 2006 | 17147151 |
| the role of body size in host specificity: reciprocal transfer experiments with feather lice. | although most parasites show at least some degree of host specificity, factors governing the evolution of specificity remain poorly understood. many different groups of host-specific parasites show a striking correlation between parasite and host body size, suggesting that size reinforces specificity. we tested this hypothesis by measuring the relative fitness of host-specific feather lice transferred to pigeons and doves that differ in size by an order of magnitude. to test the general influenc ... | 2006 | 17133872 |
| performance of pigeons (columba livia) on maze problems presented on the lcd screen: in search for preplanning ability in an avian species. | the authors examined how pigeons (columba livia) perform on 2-dimensional maze tasks on the lcd monitor and whether the pigeons preplan the solution before starting to solve the maze. after training 4 pigeons to move a red square (the target) to a blue square (the goal) by pecking, the authors exposed them to a variety of detour tasks having lines as a barrier. a preview phase was introduced, during which the pigeons were not allowed to peck at the monitor. results of a set of experiments sugges ... | 2006 | 17115856 |
| mortality associated with fenbendazole administration in pigeons (columba livia). | a group of 12 domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) was treated for capillariasis by use of fenbendazole at 30 mg/kg orally once daily for 5 d. after treatment, 8 of the 12 pigeons exhibited signs of anorexia, lethargy, and dehydration; these birds died within 2 d after the onset of clinical signs. a total of 6 birds were necropsied, and all had unremarkable gross findings. microscopic examination of tissues revealed acute hemorrhagic enteritis, diffuse lymphoplasmacytic enteritis, small in ... | 2006 | 17089995 |
| [investigations on the influence of selected compulsory measures on clinically relevant haematological and blood-chemical parameters of racing pigeons (columba livia f. dom.)]. | in the presented study the influence of stress and environmental factors on selected haematological and blood-chemical parameters in racing pigeons was examined. blood was taken at three defined days and haematological as well as blood-chemical parameters of clinical relevance were determined. in comparison to reference values published for pigeons, the majority of the values obtained in this study were within physiological borders. the daily handling of the pigeons did not have any significant ... | 2006 | 17078530 |
| removal of the uropygial gland does not affect serum lipids, cholesterol and calcium levels in the rock pigeon columba livia. | the uropygial gland is an organ typical of birds, over which no agreement regarding its function has been attained yet. authors attribute to the gland an hydrophobic action. the function of the gland is herein explored in rock pigeon, columba livia, was used as experimental model for trials. the study was focused on the physiological role of the gland in relation to biochemical parameters. pigeons were separated in groups of six birds each: a) intact control, b) surgical control, c) ablationed. ... | 2006 | 17048693 |
| two optic flow pathways from the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali to the cerebellum in pigeons (columba livia). | neurons in the pretectal nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (lm) are involved in the analysis of optic flow. lm provides mossy fiber inputs to folia vi-viii of the posterior cerebellum and ixcd of the vestibulocerebellum. previous research has shown that the vestibulocerebellum is involved in visual-vestibular integration supporting gaze stabilization. the function of folia vi-viii in pigeons is not well understood; however, these folia receive input from a tectopontine system, which is likely inv ... | 2006 | 17048227 |
| ultrasonographic and computed tomographic examinations of the avian eye: physiologic appearance, pathologic findings, and comparative biometric measurement. | ultrasonography (us) and computed tomography (ct) were performed after routine ophthalmologic and ophthalmoscopic examinations in 190 eyes of six various diurnal (common buzzard [buteo buteo l., 1758], n = 20; common kestrel [tinnunculus tinnunculus l., 1758], n = 20) and nocturnal raptor species (barn owl [tyto alba l., 1758], n = 22; tawny owl [strix aluco l., 1758], n = 8; long-eared owl [asio otus l., 1758], n = 5; horned owl [bubo bubo l., 1758], n = 1); and domestic pigeons (columba livia, ... | 2006 | 17009515 |
| prevalence of antibodies to toxoplasma gondii in pigeons (columba livia) in taiwan. | starting from january 2004 to december 2004, 665 blood serum samples from pigeons (columba livia) were collected from 44 pigeonaries in 11 counties and 20 regions in taiwan. these samples were examined by latex agglutination test (lat) for antibodies to toxoplasma gondii by using the lat. antibodies were found in 4.7% (31/ 665) of pigeons at a lat titer of 1:32 or higher. the prevalence in taiwan was highest in the northern areas (6.0%; 13/216) and lowest in the eastern areas (1.8%; 2/111). | 2006 | 16995410 |
| fiber connections of the compact division of the posterior pallial amygdala and lateral part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the pigeon (columba livia). | the compact division of the posterior pallial amygdala (poac) and lateral part of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (bstl) are components of the limbic system in the pigeon brain. in this study, we examined the position and fiber connections of these two nuclei by using nissl staining and tract-tracing methods. poac occupies a central division in the posterior pallial amygdala. bstl faces the ventral horn of the lateral ventricle and extends between a 7.25 and a 10.50. poac and bstl connec ... | 2006 | 16977623 |
| a novel sex-specific dna marker in columbidae birds. | that most columbidae birds have no conspicuous sexual dimorphism often makes it difficult to identify their sex on the basis of external morphology. in the present study, we report a novel sex-specific dna marker in columbidae birds. dna was extracted from one member of this bird group, streptopelia orientalis (s. orientalis, oriental turtle dove), and used to identify a female-specific dna marker using a random amplified polymorphic dna (rapd) fingerprinting. one hundred and sixty random primer ... | 2007 | 16965809 |
| afferent innervation patterns of the pigeon horizontal crista ampullaris. | the vestibular semicircular canals are responsible for detection of rotational head motion although the precise mechanisms underlying the transduction and encoding of movement information are still under study. in the present investigation, we utilized neural tracers and immunohistochemistry to quantitatively examine the topology and afferent innervation patterns of the horizontal semicircular canal crista (hcc) in pigeons (columba livia). two hundred and eighty-six afferents from five horizonta ... | 2006 | 16943311 |
| ingestive effects of nmda and ampa-kainate receptor antagonists microinjections into the lateral hypothalamus of the pigeon (columba livia). | this study examined the ingestive and behavioral effects of nmda- and ampa/kainate glutamatergic receptor blockade in the lateral hypothalamic area (lhy) of free-feeding pigeons (columba livia). injections of mk-801 (nmda receptor antagonist; 6 nmol) or cnqx (ampa/kainate receptor antagonist; 25.8 nmol) into the lhy of free-feeding pigeons induced significant increases in food intake and in feeding duration, as well as reductions in the latency to start feeding. duration, latency and volume of w ... | 2006 | 16919612 |
| spared feature-structure discrimination but diminished salience of environmental geometry in hippocampal-lesioned homing pigeons (columba livia). | homing pigeons (columba livia) were trained to locate a goal in one corner of a rectangular arena by either its shape (geometry) or the left-right configuration of colored features located in each corner (feature structure). control and hippocampal-lesioned pigeons learned at a similar rate, but the control birds made proportionally more geometric errors during acquisition. on conflict probe trials, the control birds preferred geometrically correct corners, whereas the hippocampal-lesioned birds ... | 2006 | 16893289 |
| perception of the standard and the reversed müller-lyer figures in pigeons (columba livia) and humans (homo sapiens). | the authors compared perception of the standard and reversed müller-lyer figures between pigeons (columbia livia) and humans (homo sapiens). in experiment 1, pigeons learned to classify 6 lengths of target lines into "long" and "short" categories by pecking 2 keys on the monitor, ignoring the 2 brackets so placed that they would not induce an illusion. in the test that followed, all 3 birds chose the "long" key more frequently for the standard müller-lyer figures with inward-pointing brackets (> ... | 2006 | 16893262 |
| an aerosolized fluorescent microsphere technique for evaluating particle deposition in the avian respiratory tract. | the objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of using aerosolized fluorescent microspheres to examine particle distribution in the respiratory tract of birds following aerosol exposure. adult domestic pigeons (columbia livia domestica; n = 5 birds per microsphere size) were exposed to aerosolized monodispersed populations of various sized carboxylate microspheres (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 6.0, and 10.0 microm) for 30 min. for aerosol-exposure purposes, the birds were anesthetized with i ... | 2006 | 16863074 |
| time-place learning by pigeons, columba livia. | in each of two experiments, 2 pigeons received discrimination training in which food reinforcement for key pecking was conditional upon both spatial and temporal cues. in experiment 1, food was available for periods of 30 s at each of three locations (pecking keys) during trials that lasted 90 s. in experiment 2, food was available for periods of 15 min at each of four locations (pecking keys) during a 60-min trial. in both experiments, pigeons' key pecking was jointly controlled by the spatial ... | 1992 | 16812650 |
| symmetry and transitivity of conditional relations in monkeys (cebus apella) and pigeons (columba livia). | in experiment 1 six monkeys were tested with discriminative relations that were backward relative to their training in a 0-second conditional ("symbolic") matching procedure. although there was some indication of backward associations, the evidence was generally weak, and statistical evaluations did not reach conventional significance levels. unlike children, who show backward associations to the point of symmetry, monkeys and pigeons display at best only weak and transient backward associations ... | 1985 | 16812425 |
| nocardiosis in domestic pigeons (columba livia). | 2006 | 16782860 | |
| viral infections in pigeons. | this review provides a current update on the major viral diseases of the domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica), based on scientific reports and clinical experience. paramyxovirus 1, adenovirus, rotavirus, herpesvirus 1, poxvirus and circovirus infections are described according to common clinical signs and target tissues. since pigeons are sometimes treated as if they were poultry, the review also summarises the common viral infections of poultry for which pigeons are considered resistant. i ... | 2006 | 16772130 |
| prevalence of chlamydophila psittaci in fecal droppings from feral pigeons in amsterdam, the netherlands. | in many cities, the feral rock dove is an abundant bird species that can harbor chlamydophila psittaci. we determined the prevalence and genotype of c. psittaci in fresh fecal samples from feral pigeons in amsterdam, the netherlands. the prevalence was 7.9% overall (26/331; 95% confidence interval, 5 to 11). ten genotyped pcr-positive samples were all genotype b. | 2006 | 16751560 |
| classical tone-shock conditioning induces zenk expression in the pigeon (columba livia) hippocampus. | the hippocampus is involved in fear conditioning, although the molecular events underlying this function are still under investigation. the authors analyzed the expression of the zenk proto-oncogene product within the pigeon (columba livia) hippocampus after training with a classical aversive conditioning protocol using tone-shock associations. control groups were trained with shock or tone alone or were only exposed to the experimental chamber and manipulated. experimental pigeons showed signif ... | 2006 | 16719699 |
| possible routes for lead accumulation in feral pigeons (columba livia). | this study examined possible routes for lead (pb) accumulation in resident pigeons collected from rural, urban, and four industrial sites in korea. the accumulation pattern of pb was comparable to the study sites. the highest pb concentration was found in the bone, followed by kidney, liver, and lung of pigeons. highest pb residues in bones were found in urban (seoul), and two industrial complex areas (busan and ulsan), which were about 15 times higher than rural area (duckjuk island), and follo ... | 2006 | 16703418 |
| prevalence of shiga toxin-producing escherichia coli and salmonella enterica in rock pigeons captured in fort collins, colorado. | the potential role of rock pigeons (columba livia) in the epidemiology of shiga toxin-producing escherichia coli (stec) and salmonella enterica is unclear. our objective was to determine the prevalence of stec and s. enterica in pigeons at urban and dairy settings as a function of season. prevalence of stec and s. enterica was estimated by bacteriologic culture of cloacal swabs collected from pigeons trapped at urban and dairy locations in and around fort collins, colorado from january to novemb ... | 2006 | 16699148 |
| recombination nodule mapping and chiasma distribution in spermatocytes of the pigeon, columba livia. | pigeon spermatocytes were processed with a drying-down technique and their synaptonemal complex (sc) complements were analyzed by electron microscopy. the synaptonemal complex karyotype of the macrobivalents shows an excellent correspondence with the mitotic karyotype. the number and distribution of recombination nodules (rns) were scored in complete nuclei stained with phosphotungstic acid. the average number of rns per nucleus is 64.7. the number of nodules per bivalent shows a clear linear re ... | 1999 | 16671250 |
| ecomorphology of parasite attachment: experiments with feather lice. | the host specificity of some parasites can be reinforced by morphological specialization for attachment to mobile hosts. for example, ectoparasites with adaptations for attaching to hosts of a particular size might not be able to remain attached to larger or smaller hosts. this hypothesis is suggested by the positive correlation documented between the body sizes of many parasites and their hosts. we adopted an ecomorphological approach to test the attachment hypothesis. we tested the ability of ... | 2006 | 16629310 |
| modification of irradiation effects in the pigeon, columba livia. i. effects of homologous and heterologous bone marrow transplants. | 1959 | 16590350 | |
| west nile virus antibodies in avian species of georgia, usa: 2000-2004. | west nile virus (wnv) was first isolated in the state of georgia in the summer of 2001. as amplifying hosts of wnv, avian species play an important role in the distribution and epidemiology of the virus. the objective of this study was to identify avian species that are locally involved as potential amplifying hosts of wnv and can serve as indicators of wnv transmission over the physiographic and land use variation present in the southeastern united states. avian serum samples (n=14,077) from 83 ... | 2006 | 16584328 |
| reproductive effects of heavy metal accumulation on breeding feral pigeons (columba livia). | to investigate the effects of heavy metal accumulations on breeding birds, we compared the egg size, eggshell thickness and some reproductive parameters in feral pigeon populations collected from seoul and ansan colonies. the results showed that concentrations of pb in bone and cd in kidney of adult pigeons in seoul were three times higher than in ansan colony. significant positive correlation was also observed between pb and zn in bone and cd and zn in kidney of adult pigeons from seoul, but no ... | 2006 | 16545429 |
| age-dependent diet choice in an avian top predator. | age-dependent breeding performance is arguably one of the best-documented phenomena in ornithology. the existence of age-related trends has major implications for life-history theory, but the proximate reasons for these patterns remain poorly understood. it has been proposed that poor breeding performance of young individuals might reflect lack of foraging skills. we investigated this possibility in a medium-sized, powerful raptor-the northern goshawk accipiter gentilis. male goshawks are respon ... | 2006 | 16537129 |
| complete nucleotide sequence of it-227/82, an avian paramyxovirus type-1 strain of pigeons (columba livia). | this paper describes the complete genome sequence of it-227/82, a strain of avian paramyxovirus type-1 of pigeon (ppmv-1). it-227/82 is an antigenic variant of newcastle disease virus (ndv) of chickens. the genome is 15,192 nucleotides (nt) long, similarly to the previously published ndv strain zj1. it is, however, six nt longer than the genomes of ndv strains lasota/46 and beaudette c. the six-nt insertion was located in the 5' non-coding region of the nucleoprotein (np) gene. the presence of t ... | 2006 | 16525735 |
| transmission of avian pox from starlings to rothchild's mynahs. | several wild species of birds, including starlings (sturnus vulgaris), house sparrows (passer domesticus) and pigeons (columba livia) gained access to an aviary housing rothchild's mynahs (leucospar rothchildii) and over 100 additional birds representing a variety of species. six of approximately 15 mynahs became infected with avian pox and all of them died. none of the other birds in the aviary developed lesions. pox virus was isolated from mynah facial lesions on chicken chorioallantoic membra ... | 1976 | 16498876 |
| a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor reduces rem sleep in the homing pigeon. | avian and mammalian 'rapid eye movement' sleep (rem sleep) resemble each other in several aspects. however, the question of whether rem sleep has a shared evolutionary ancestry in birds and mammals has yet to be thoroughly explored. the brain regions and neurotransmitter systems involved in the generation of mammalian rem sleep are phylogenetically ancient, and are also found in extant birds and reptiles. several pharmacological experiments in birds indicate that similar neural substrates are in ... | 2006 | 16469340 |
| effects of environmentally relevant doses of cyanide on flight times in pigeons, columba livia. | 2006 | 16467997 | |
| sentinel pigeon surveillance for west nile virus by using lard-can traps at differing elevations and canopy cover classes. | sentinel pigeons, columba livia, were installed in lard-can traps at heights of 1.5 m and 7.6-9.1 m within differing canopy cover classes in new york city. adult mosquitoes were collected weekly from july to october 2002, as were serum samples from each pigeon. culex pipiens l. and culex restuans theobald comprised 97% of mosquitoes collected and were most numerous in canopy-level, forested traps. the west nile virus (family flaviviridae, genus flavivirus, wnv) seroconversion rate was significan ... | 2005 | 16465746 |
| exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in pigeons. | exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (epi) is a well-studied syndrome in domestic animals. epi occurs when severe progressive loss of tubulo-acinar tissue from atrophy or inflammatory destruction results in insufficient secretion of digestive enzymes and clinical signs of malabsorption. however, the literature on epi in birds is limited. the syndrome has been previously described in several cases where the diagnosis was based on clinical signs due to malabsorption-like light-coloured voluminous fae ... | 2006 | 16448944 |
| projections of the nucleus lentiformis mesencephali in pigeons (columba livia): a comparison of the morphology and distribution of neurons with different efferent projections. | the avian nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (lm) is a visual structure involved in the optokinetic response. the lm consists of several morphologically distinct cell types. in the present study we sought to determine if different cell types had differential projections. using retrograde tracers, we examined the morphology and distribution of lm neurons projecting to the vestibulocerebellum (vbc), inferior olive (io), dorsal thalamus, nucleus of the basal optic root (nbor), and midline mesencephal ... | 2006 | 16432900 |
| polymorphism within the ldha gene in the homing and non-homing pigeons. | a total of 445 domestic pigeons were genotyped for the lactate dehydrogenase (ldha) gene. crude dna was isolated from blood samples and feathers. two polymorphic sites were identified in intron 6: one near the splice donor site gt is called site h and the other near the splice acceptor site is called site b. interestingly, the nucleotide changes of both these sites associate perfectly with the a and b alleles of haeiii polymorphism: the a allele with nucleotide a of site h and nucleotide t of si ... | 2006 | 16424611 |
| experimental determination of net protein charge, [a]tot, and ka of nonvolatile buffers in bird plasma. | the quantitative mechanistic acid-base approach to clinical assessment of acid-base status requires species-specific values for [a]tot (the total concentration of nonvolatile buffers in plasma) and ka (the effective dissociation constant for weak acids in plasma). the aim of this study was to determine [a]tot and ka values for plasma in domestic pigeons. plasma from 12 healthy commercial domestic pigeons was tonometered with 20% co2 at 37 degrees c. plasma ph, pco2, and plasma concentrations of ... | 2006 | 16424070 |
| spatial contrast sensitivity of birds. | contrast sensitivity (cs) is the ability of the observer to discriminate between adjacent stimuli on the basis of their differences in relative luminosity (contrast) rather than their absolute luminances. in previous studies, using a narrow range of species, birds have been reported to have low contrast detection thresholds relative to mammals and fishes. this was an unexpected finding because birds had been traditionally reported to have excellent visual acuity and color vision. this study repo ... | 2006 | 16404602 |
| influence of the behavioural context on the optocollic reflex (ocr) in pigeons (columba livia). | we investigated the effects of several behavioural conditions on the properties of the horizontal optocollic reflex (ocr) in pigeons. the head reflex was triggered by rotating the visual surroundings at different velocities (stimuli steps of 30-300 deg. s(-1)) and the characteristics of the slow and fast phases of the ocr were analysed during, (i) the 'resting condition', in which animals were hung in a harness, (ii) the 'standing condition', in which animals were freely standing, (iii) the 'wal ... | 2006 | 16391351 |
| visual responses and afferent connections of the n. ventrolateralis thalami (vlt) in the pigeon (columba livia). | the nucleus ventrolateralis thalami (vlt) in pigeons receives direct retinal and forebrain projections and has reciprocal connections with the optic tectum. although vlt is a component of the avian visual system, no study directly examined its connections or its cellular response characteristics. we, therefore, recorded from single units in the pigeon's vlt while visually stimulating the ipsi- and/or contralateral eye. in addition, tracing experiments were conducted to investigate its afferent c ... | 2006 | 16377434 |
| effect of age, sex and season on the prevalence and intensity of helminth infections in domestic pigeons (columba livia) from bursa province, turkey. | the one-year study reported in this paper was carried out from april 2002 to march 2003 in domestic pigeons (columba livia) of bursa province (turkey) to determine the occurrence of helminth species and to evaluate the effect of host age, sex and season on their prevalence and intensity. a total of 100 (31 young and 69 adult) domestic pigeons were necropsied and examined. the results of necropsies revealed that 74 pigeons harboured helminth infections. three helminth species were identified: bar ... | 2005 | 16363146 |
| characterization of baroreflex gain in the domestic pigeon (columba livia). | birds have a remarkable capacity to regulate circulation yet little is known about the avian baroreflex. although both linear regression and curve-fitting techniques are frequently used to assess baroreflex function in mammals, only the former technique has been used in birds. we characterized baroreflex gain in domestic pigeons (columba livia) and compared gain values derived from applying linear regression to ramp changes in mean arterial pressure (map) to values derived from fitting a four-pa ... | 2006 | 16356744 |
| cryptococcal antigen survey among racing pigeon subjects, patients with cryptococcosis versus pythiosis, histoplasmosis and penicilliosis: serotyping of cryptococcus. | 1989 | 16312709 | |
| a lateralized avian hippocampus: preferential role of the left hippocampal formation in homing pigeon sun compass-based spatial learning. | the hippocampal formation (hf) plays a crucial role in amniote spatial cognition. there are also indications of functional lateralization in the contribution of the left and right hf in processes that enable birds to navigate space. the experiments described in this study were designed to examine left and right hf differences in a task of sun compass-based spatial learning in homing pigeons (columba livia). control, left (hfl) and right (hfr) hf lesioned pigeons were trained in an outdoor arena ... | 2005 | 16307597 |
| the influence of hippocampal lesions on the discrimination of structure and on spatial memory in pigeons (columba livia). | pigeons (columba livia) were trained with a spatial structural discrimination, which was based on the spatial relationship among the components of a pattern, and a feature-binding structural discrimination, which was based on how different visual features within a pattern were combined. neither discrimination was impaired by damage to the hippocampus and area parahippocampalis. the lesions impaired performance on a spatial working memory and a spatial reference memory task in open field. the res ... | 2005 | 16300438 |
| tracing the history of galalpha1-4gal on glycoproteins in modern birds. | galalpha1-4gal is typically found in mammalian glycolipids in small quantities, and recognized by some pathogens, such as uropathogenic escherichia coli. in contrast, glycoproteins containing galalpha1-4gal were rarely found in vertebrates except in a few species of birds and amphibians until recently. however, we had previously reported that pigeon (columba livia) egg white and serum glycoproteins are rich in n-glycans with galalpha1-4gal at non-reducing termini. our investigation with egg whit ... | 2006 | 16290275 |
| isolation of cryptococcus species including c. neoformans from cloaca of pigeons. | upper digestive tract of the pigeon (columba livia) is well known as a reservoir for different species of cryptococcus, but lower portions are not so frequently studied. in the present study, we tested on selective media a total of 331 pigeon cloacal swabs; cryptococcus spp. were recovered from 26 (7.85%). cryptococcus uniguttulatus was isolated from 11 samples (3.32%), c. laurentii from six (1.81%), c. neoformans var. neoformans from six (1.81%) and c. albidus from three of them (0.91%). the re ... | 2005 | 16262879 |
| outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of two-year-old domestic pigeons (columba livia f. domestica). | this report describes an outbreak of avian mycobacteriosis in a flock of 100 two-yr-old pigeons. over a 6-mo period, the sick pigeons showed cachexia followed by death. in columbiformes classic tubercles rarely develop, but in these affected pigeons granulomatous nodular lesions of various sizes, containing numerous acid-fast bacilli, were found in the internal organs. the lesions were observed in the liver, spleen, intestine, bone marrow, ovary, and oviduct. despite their breeding age, atrophy ... | 2005 | 16252504 |
| parasite mediated mortality and host immune response explain age-related differences in blood parasitism in birds. | an important pattern in host-parasite assemblages is a higher intensity of parasites in juveniles than in adults, but the reasons for these differences remain obscure. three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses have been proposed: (1) heavily parasitized juveniles die before being recruited into the adult population ('selection' hypothesis); (2) the development of an acquired immunity by the host in front of the parasite reduces the intensity of the parasite in adult hosts ('immunity' hypothesis); ... | 2003 | 16228253 |
| cellular localization of ampa type glutamate receptor subunits in the basal ganglia of pigeons (columba livia). | corticostriatal and thalamostriatal projections utilize glutamate as a neurotransmitter in mammals and birds. the influence on striatum is mediated, in part, by ionotropic ampa-type glutamate receptors, which are heteromers composed of glur1-4 subunits. although the cellular localization of ampa-type subunits has been well characterized in mammalian basal ganglia, their localization in avian basal ganglia has not. we thus carried out light microscopic single- and double-label and electron micros ... | 2006 | 16219996 |
| limits of visual acuity in the frontal field of the rock pigeon (columba livia). | the eye of the rock pigeon is typical of a granivorous lateral-eyed bird, in that it has both a laterally projecting central fovea and a second high-density cellular area in peripheral retina (area dorsalis) which projects to the binocular frontal field below the beak. such a dual system is faced with potentially different optical restraints arising from central and peripheral vision. we asked whether the frontal axis can support high resolution vision from a refractive resting position (predict ... | 2005 | 16178153 |
| evaluation of organochlorine compounds in peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus) and their main prey (columba livia) inhabiting central spain. | the population of peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus sbs. brookei) inhabiting the regional park of southeastern madrid (rpsm), spain, has experienced an increase of unsuccessful pairs (from 15% among a total of 20 pairs in 1995 to 55% among a total of 18 pairs in 2001). traditionally, this area has been known to be contaminated with organochlorine compounds and toxic metals, which are known to be deleterious to the reproductive system of birds. during the breeding seasons of 2000 and 2001, conta ... | 2005 | 16152983 |
| internal sense of direction and landmark use in pigeons (columba livia). | the relative importance of an internal sense of direction based on inertial cues and landmark piloting for small-scale navigation by white king pigeons (columba livia) was investigated in an arena search task. two groups of pigeons differed in whether they had access to visual cues outside the arena. in experiment 1, pigeons were given experience with 2 different entrances and all pigeons transferred accurate searching to novel entrances. explicit disorientation before entering did not affect ac ... | 2005 | 16131256 |
| responses of oral 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (tnt) exposure to the common pigeon (columba livia): a phylogenic and methodological comparison. | considerable concentrations of the explosive, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (tnt) have been found in the soil at many installations where explosives have been used, manufactured, assembled, or destroyed. to evaluate risk to avian receptors, measures of exposure are compared with a threshold level of sublethal toxicity. to date, a single feeding study has evaluated the responses of oral tnt exposure to birds with equivocal results regarding sublethal effects. the present study followed a controlled dosin ... | 2005 | 16126616 |
| [gaba-ergic mechanisms of the ventrolateral preoptic area of the hypothalamus in regulation of sleep and wakefulness and temperature homeostasis in pigeon columba livia]. | 2005 | 16124515 | |
| a new pcr-rflp within the domestic pigeon (columba livia var. domestica) cytochrome b (mtcyb) gene. | a total of 244 domestic pigeons (columba livia var. domestica) were genotyped using the pcr-rflp method. a 999 bp fragment of the mtcyb gene was amplified. the amplification products were digested with restriction enzymes. pcr-rflp for mvai restriction enzyme was observed. frequencies of alleles were as follows: mtcyb(c)--0.926, mtcyb(g)-- 0.074. the frequencies of mtcyb/mvai alleles found in this study for non-homing pigeons considerably deviate from the values found for homing/racing pigeons ( ... | 2005 | 16110190 |
| the normal electrocardiogram of the unanaesthetized competition "spanish pouler" pigeon (columba livia gutturosa). | this investigation was carried out on 64 healthy adult competition pigeons (spanish poulers) to determine reference values of electrocardiographic parameters in standard lead ii; a comparative study between males and females was also performed to find changes in the electrocardiographic patterns related to sex. p wave was positive and monophasic; pr segment depression was present in 64% of records; the qrs pattern obtained was in most cases of the rs type, followed by the qs configuration. st sl ... | 2005 | 16109101 |
| prevalence of trichomonas gallinae in northern goshawks from the berlin area of northeastern germany. | in recent years, the northern goshawk (accipiter gentilis) has colonized suburban and urban areas in berlin, germany, and elsewhere in europe. because of the high proportion of feral pigeons (columba livia f. domestica) in their diet, urban goshawks are suspected to have a high infection rate with trichomonas gallinae. therefore, from 1998 to 2001, we examined 269 nestlings from 90 nests for infection with t. gallinae by culture of swabs taken from the oropharynx and checked their oropharynx for ... | 2005 | 16107664 |
| [environmental distribution of cryptococcus neoformans in the department of cundinamarca-colombia]. | cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that could cause infection in patients with immunodeficiency and healthy patients. the aids epidemic has shown the importance of studying the ecology and epidemiology of this fungus. the aim of this investigation was to determine if there was a relationship between the environmental distribution of the different varieties of c. neoformans and the climate zones in two transects located in department of cundinamarca, in colombia. for the ... | 2005 | 16107166 |
| alteration in haematocrit values and plasma protein fractions during the breeding cycle of female pigeons, columba livia. | haematocrit measurements and plasma protein electrophoresis were carried out in female pigeons (columba livia) during the breeding cycle. non-laying birds showed higher (p < 0.001) haematocrit values than those involved in courtship and mating, nest-building, incubation and feeding and brooding. significant differences in relative percentage of various plasma protein fractions were observed as a function of breeding. haematocrit could be a useful index to the non-laying status of pigeons like th ... | 2006 | 16099116 |
| effect of collection frequency on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of pigeon (columba livia) semen. | the aim was to estimate the optimal frequency of semen collection from pigeons in relation to ejaculate volume, sperm concentration, total spermatozoa in ejaculate and percentage of live morphologically normal cells. the study was carried out on 455 ejaculates collected from two groups of pigeons, each of 10 males (group i: meat-type breed; group ii: fancy pigeon). the birds were selected and kept individually in cages under a natural photoperiod. a two-person technique was used for semen collec ... | 2005 | 16050191 |
| definition and novel connections of the entopallium in the pigeon (columba livia). | the avian entopallium (e) is the major thalamorecipient zone, within the telencephalon, of the tectofugal visual system. because of discrepancies concerning the structure of this nuclear mass in pigeons, and in light of recent evidence concerning entopallial projections in other avian species, we here redefine and chart some novel entopallial projections in the pigeon by using a combination of cytochrome oxidase (co) activity, calcium binding protein immunohistochemistry (cbpi), normal histology ... | 2005 | 16041718 |
| out of context: nmda receptor antagonism in the avian 'prefrontal cortex' impairs context processing in a conditional discrimination task. | processing of context information is implicated in prefrontal functions as response selection or attention. n-methyl-d-aspartate (nmda) receptors in the mammalian prefrontal cortex (pfc) and in the nidopallium caudolaterale (ncl) of birds, the avian functional equivalent of the pfc, are involved in learning, which also requires processing of context. the authors investigated the role of nmda receptors in the pigeon (columba livia) ncl for context processing and response selection in a simultaneo ... | 2005 | 15998201 |
| epidemiological investigation of chlamydophila psittaci in pigeons and free-living birds in croatia. | during 2003, 278 adult pigeons (columba livia) and 54 birds of 11 other free-living species were caught in the various locations in the city of zagreb, croatia. sera from 182 pigeons were tested for the presence of antibodies against chlamydophila (c.) psittaci by elisa test and 174 of them (95.6%) were found positive. because of the high positivity rate in sera, cloacal swabs of 278 pigeons as well as 54 other species of free-living birds were tested for the presence of c. psittaci antigen. fou ... | 2005 | 15943062 |
| neural correlates of executive control in the avian brain. | executive control, the ability to plan one's behaviour to achieve a goal, is a hallmark of frontal lobe function in humans and other primates. in the current study we report neural correlates of executive control in the avian nidopallium caudolaterale, a region analogous to the mammalian prefrontal cortex. homing pigeons (columba livia) performed a working memory task in which cues instructed them whether stimuli should be remembered or forgotten. when instructed to remember, many neurons showed ... | 2005 | 15941358 |
| how predictable is the abundance of double gametocyte infections? | it has been proposed that erythrocytes, infected by one male and one female gametocyte, enhance malaria transmission by lowering encounter time between male and female gametes once inside the mosquito vector. this may have important implications if they occur in human plasmodium infections. double gametocyte infections (dgis) have been found in plasmodium cultures, but it is thought that they are an artefact due to the artificially high crowding of cultures. here, we studied gametocyte density a ... | 2005 | 15940516 |
| identification of adrenomedullin in avian type ii pneumocytes: increased expression after exposure to air pollutants. | adrenomedullin (am) is a potent vasodilator peptide present in the lung of mammals where it is expressed mainly in the columnar epithelium and alveolar macrophages. am increases the secretion of phosphatidylcholine by type ii pneumocytes, which suggests a role as an autocrine modulator of surfactant secretion. in this study we show the expression of an am-like protein in the lung of the pigeon, columba livia. using an antibody against its human ortholog, am-like immunoreactivity was found to be ... | 2005 | 15928326 |
| adaptive significance of avian beak morphology for ectoparasite control. | the beaks of darwin's finches and other birds are among the best known examples of adaptive evolution. beak morphology is usually interpreted in relation to its critical role in feeding. however, the beak also plays an important role in preening, which is the first line of defence against harmful ectoparasites such as feather lice, fleas, bugs, flies, ticks and feather mites. here, we show a feature of the beak specifically adapted for ectoparasite control. experimental trimming of the tiny (1-2 ... | 2005 | 15888414 |
| persistence of antibodies to west nile virus in naturally infected rock pigeons (columba livia). | wild caught rock pigeons (columba livia) with antibodies to west nile virus were monitored for 15 months to determine antibody persistence and compare results of three serologic techniques. antibodies persisted for the entire study as detected by epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and plaque reduction neutralization test. maternal antibodies in squabs derived from seropositive birds persisted for an average of 27 days. | 2005 | 15879030 |
| homing pigeons develop local route stereotypy. | the mechanisms used by homing pigeons (columba livia) to navigate homeward from distant sites have been well studied, yet the mechanisms underlying navigation within, and mapping of, the local familiar area have been largely neglected. in the local area pigeons pote ntially have access to a powerful navigational aid--a memorized landscape map. current opinion suggests that landmarks are used only to recognize a familiar start position and that the goalward route is then achieved solely using com ... | 2005 | 15875565 |
| predation: prey plumage adaptation against falcon attack. | several plumage types are found in feral pigeons (columba livia), but one type imparts a clear survival advantage during attacks by the swiftest of all predators--the peregrine falcon (falco peregrinus). here we use quantitative field observations and experiments to demonstrate both the selective nature of the falcon's choice of prey and the effect of plumage coloration on the survival of feral pigeons. this plumage colour is an independently heritable trait that is likely to be an antipredator ... | 2005 | 15846334 |
| inferior olivary neurons innervate multiple zones of the flocculus in pigeons (columba livia). | complex spike activity of floccular purkinje cells responds to patterns of rotational optic flow about the vertical axis (rva neurons) or a horizontal axis 45 degrees to the midline (rh45 neurons). the pigeon flocculus is organized into four parasagittal zones: two rva zones (zones 0 and 2) interdigitated with two rh45 zones (zones 1 and 3). climbing fiber input to the rva and rh45 zones arises in the caudal and rostral regions of the medial column of the inferior olive (mcio), respectively. to ... | 2005 | 15844212 |
| second intermediate host land snails and definitive host animals of brachylaima cribbi in southern australia. | this study of infection of southern australian land snails with brachylaima cribbi metacercariae has shown that all commonly encountered native and introduced snails are susceptible second intermediate hosts. the range of infected snails is extensive with metacercariae-infected snails being present in all districts across southern australia. c. virgata has the highest average natural metacercarial infection intensity of 6.1 metacercariae per infected snail. the susceptibility of birds, mammals a ... | 2005 | 15828579 |
| [the pigeon tick, argas reflexus, and hazard for human health]. | the massive presence of the pigeon (columba livia f. domestica) in urban areas not only is cause of serious aesthetic damages as decline of squares, of churches, of statues and buildings, but often creates many hygienic and medical problems. the pigeon, in fact, can transmit a great number of pathogenic agents and also be infested by several ectoparasites. among these, argas reflexus (acari: argasidae), the well known pigeon tick, is the most important ectoparasite that can involve also human he ... | 2004 | 15815109 |
| acute effects of light and darkness on sleep in the pigeon (columba livia). | in addition to entraining circadian rhythms, light has acute effects on sleep and wakefulness in mammals. to determine whether light and darkness have similar effects in birds, the only non-mammalian group that displays sleep patterns comparable to mammals, we examined the effects of lighting changes on sleep and wakefulness in the pigeon. we quantified sleep behavior (i.e., bilateral or unilateral eye closure) in pigeons maintained under a 12:12 ld cycle, and immediately following a change from ... | 2005 | 15811399 |
| [dove columba livia thermoregulation during stress induced by food deprivation]. | 2005 | 15810666 | |
| the chemical composition of the uropygial gland secretion of rock dove columba livia. | the uropygial gland is a holocrine secretory gland of birds. the lipid and the waxy sebum that the gland secretes is coated on the beak and transferred to the plumage in preening. the composition of the gland secretions from birds of different species has been determined, but little is known about the lipids of the secretion of the gland of the rock dove columba livia. the amount of secretion, the total lipid content and the fatty acids composition of the secretion of c. livia captured in the no ... | 2005 | 15792592 |
| afferent and efferent connections of the dorsolateral corticoid area and a comparison with connections of the temporo-parieto-occipital area in the pigeon (columba livia). | the dorsolateral corticoid area (cdl) in the pigeon telencephalon is a thin, superficial part of the caudal pallium adjoining the medially situated hippocampal formation. to determine the connectivity of cdl, and to distinguish cdl from the rostrally adjacent temporo-parieto-occipital area (tpo), injections of neural tracers were made into the caudal superficial pallium at various rostrocaudal levels. the results showed that injections caudal to a 6.75 (karten and hodos [1967] baltimore: johns h ... | 2005 | 15776448 |
| immunohistochemical detection of [corrected] trkb in the enteric nervous system of the small intestine in pigeon (columba livia). | the presence and cell localization of trkb, the main receptor for the neurotrophins (nts), was investigated immunohistochemically in the small intestine of adult pigeons, with special reference to the enteric nervous system (ens). several neuronal (neurofilament proteins and pgp 9.5) and glial cell (s100 protein) markers were studied in parallel. trkb immunoreactivity (trkb-ir) was found to be restricted to immunohistochemically-identified glial cells present in the enteric plexuses, and to schw ... | 2004 | 15718203 |
| regional patterns of pectoralis fascicle strain in the pigeon columba livia during level flight. | regional fascicle strains were recorded in vivo from the pectoralis of carneau pigeons using sonomicrometry during level slow flight, together with regional electromyography (emg) and deltopectoral crest (dpc) strain measurements of whole muscle force. fascicle strain measurements were obtained at four sites within the pectoralis: the anterior (ant), middle (mid) and posterior (post) sternobrachium (sb), and the smaller thoracobrachium (tb). strains were also recorded along the intramuscular apo ... | 2005 | 15695768 |
| west nile virus viremia in wild rock pigeons. | feral rock pigeons were screened for neutralizing antibodies to west nile virus (wnv) during late winter/spring and summer of 2002 and 2003. additionally, virus isolation from serum was attempted from 269 birds collected during peak transmission periods. the observed viremia levels and seroprevalence indicate that this species could be involved in amplifying wnv in urban settings. | 2004 | 15663876 |
| review of the literature on avian influenza a viruses in pigeons and experimental studies on the susceptibility of domestic pigeons to influenza a viruses of the haemagglutinin subtype h7. | the scientific literature of the past century is reviewed on fowl plague (presently termed highly pathogenic avian influenza, hpai) in pigeons. hpai viruses cause epidemic disease outbreaks with high rates of losses in many avian species, particularily in chickens and turkeys. also susceptible to disease are quails, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, ostriches, passerine birds, and birds of prey whereas conflicting reports on the susceptibility of the domestic pigeon exist. based on literature reports a ... | 2004 | 15648616 |