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pigeons and their droppings as reservoirs of candida and other zoonotic yeasts.the importance of pigeons as reservoirs and carriers of cryptococcus neoformans and other species of this genus is well-known; however, less is known about their role as reservoirs and carriers of other yeasts that impact public health.201728720316
are baboons learning "orthographic" representations? probably not.the ability of baboons (papio papio) to distinguish between english words and nonwords has been modeled using a deep learning convolutional network model that simulates a ventral pathway in which lexical representations of different granularity develop. however, given that pigeons (columba livia), whose brain morphology is drastically different, can also be trained to distinguish between english words and nonwords, it appears that a less species-specific learning algorithm may be required to exp ...201728859134
repair of tibiotarsal rotation in 7 chukar partridges (alectoris chukar) and 12 domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) with type-2 external skeletal fixator intramedullary pin tie-in.rotational deformities of the long bones affect various avian species. tibiotarsal rotation may cause the leg to deviate up to 180° from the dorsoplantar axis in a matter of days, thus preventing the birds from walking freely and leading to the inability to stand. in this study, tibiotarsal rotation observed in pigeons and partridges was managed by creating a closed fracture in the tibiotarsus and then, following reduction, stabilizing it with an intramedullary tie-in type 2 external skeletal fi ...201728891696
novel avian oropharyngeal trichomonads isolated from european turtle doves (streptopelia turtur) and racing pigeons (columba livia): genetic and morphometric characterisation of clonal cultures.extensive diversity has been described within the avian oropharyngeal trichomonad complex in recent years. in this study we developed clonal cultures from four isolates selected by their different its1/5.8s/its2 (its) genotype and their association with gross lesions of avian trichomonosis. isolates were obtained from an adult racing pigeon and a nestling of eurasian eagle owl with macroscopic lesions, and from a juvenile wood pigeon and an european turtle dove without clinical signs. multi-locu ...201728864154
ethnomedicinal and cultural practices of mammals and birds in the vicinity of river chenab, punjab-pakistan.although, use of animal species in disease treatment and culture practices is as ancient as that of plant species; however ethnomedicinal uses and cultural values of animal species have rarely been reported. present study is the first report on the medicinal uses of mammals and bird species in pakistan.201728701165
do 'literate' pigeons (columba livia) show mirror-word generalization?many children pass through a mirror stage in reading, where they write individual letters or digits in mirror and find it difficult to correctly utilize letters that are mirror images of one another (e.g., b and d). this phenomenon is thought to reflect the fact that the brain does not naturally discriminate left from right. indeed, it has been argued that reading acquisition involves the inhibition of this default process. in the current study, we tested the ability of literate pigeons, which h ...201728707141
prevalence of haemoproteus spp. in tumbler pigeons (columba livia domestica) in kirikkale province, turkey.haemoproteus spp. are common blood parasites of pigeons. they have been reported in pigeons in many regions worldwide, including turkey. pigeon breeding is a popular hobby in kirikkale province, and there is no information about the prevalence of haemoproteus spp. the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of haemoproteus spp. in tumbler pigeons in kirikkale province (kırıkkale and yahsihan district).201728695828
boldness traits, not dominance, predict exploratory flight range and homing behaviour in homing pigeons.group living has been proposed to yield benefits that enhance fitness above the level that would be achieved through living as solitary individuals. dominance hierarchies occur commonly in these social assemblages, and result, by definition, in resources not being evenly distributed between group members. determinants of rank within a dominance hierarchy can be associated with morphological characteristics, previous experience of the individual, or personality traits such as exploration tendenci ...201728673912
cutaneous leiomyosarcoma with multiple visceral metastases in a domestic pigeon.a clinical examination of a 4-yr-old fantail pigeon revealed a large skin tumor in the area of the left wing. the tumor had solid consistency and a single cavity filled with fluid. during necropsy, multiple tumors of varied size and diameter were found in the liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys. a histopathological examination of the skin tumor revealed extensive multifocal neoplasia with a tendency to infiltrate, composed of polygonal, round, oval, and elongated cells forming a solid system wi ...201728665730
acute lameness in a roller pigeon ( columba livia ) with multicentric lymphosarcoma.a 3-yr-old adult female roller pigeon ( columba livia ) used as part of a breeding pair for an ongoing research study presented with acute left limb lameness. palpation of the left leg and region revealed a large lump near the coxofemoral joint. the bird was able to ambulate in the cage, but would not brood her hatchling. the bird was humanely euthanized and necropsy was performed. grossly, multiple large white to pale tan nodules were noted in the pancreas, lung, rib cage, intestines, and unila ...201728665728
diversity and abundance of human-pathogenic fungi associated with pigeon faeces in urban environments.pathogenic fungi are a growing health concern worldwide, particularly in large, densely populated cities. the dramatic upsurge of pigeon populations in cities has been implicated in the increased incidence of invasive fungal infections. in this study, we used a culture-independent, high-throughput sequencing approach to describe the diversity of clinically relevant fungi (crf) associated with pigeon faeces and map the relative abundance of crf across seoul, korea. in addition, we tested whether ...201728636808
do pigeons (columba livia) use information about the absence of food appropriately? a further look into suboptimal choice.in the natural environment, when an animal encounters a stimulus that signals the absence of food-a 'bad-news' stimulus-it will most likely redirect its search to another patch or prey. because the animal does not pay the opportunity cost of waiting in the presence of a bad-news stimulus, the properties of the stimulus (e.g., its duration and probability) may have little impact in the evolution of the decision processes deployed in these circumstances. hence, in the laboratory, when animals are ...201728481567
ex vivo biomechanical evaluation of pigeon (columba livia) cadaver intact humeri and ostectomized humeri stabilized with caudally applied titanium locking plate or stainless steel nonlocking plate constructs.objective to evaluate mechanical properties of pigeon (columba livia) cadaver intact humeri versus ostectomized humeri stabilized with a locking or nonlocking plate. sample 30 humeri from pigeon cadavers. procedures specimens were allocated into 3 groups and tested in bending and torsion. results for intact pigeon humeri were compared with results for ostectomized humeri repaired with a titanium 1.6-mm screw locking plate or a stainless steel 1.5-mm dynamic compression plate; the ostectomized hu ...201728441055
pigeonetics takes flight: evolution, development, and genetics of intraspecific variation.intensive artificial selection over thousands of years has produced hundreds of varieties of domestic pigeon. as charles darwin observed, the morphological differences among breeds can rise to the magnitude of variation typically observed among different species. nevertheless, different pigeon varieties are interfertile, thereby enabling forward genetic and genomic approaches to identify genes that underlie derived traits. building on classical genetic studies of pigeon variation, recent molecul ...201727847323
pigeons (c. livia) follow their head during turning flight: head stabilization underlies the visual control of flight.similar flight control principles operate across insect and vertebrate fliers. these principles indicate that robust solutions have evolved to meet complex behavioral challenges. following from studies of visual and cervical feedback control of flight in insects, we investigate the role of head stabilization in providing feedback cues for controlling turning flight in pigeons. based on previous observations that the eyes of pigeons remain at relatively fixed orientations within the head during f ...201729249929
head stabilization in the pigeon: role of vision to correct for translational and rotational disturbances.stabilization of the head in animals with limited capacity to move their eyes is key to maintain a stable image on the retina. in many birds, including pigeons, a prominent example for the important role of head stabilization is the characteristic head-bobbing behavior observed during walking. multimodal sensory feedback from the eyes, the vestibular system and proprioceptors in body and neck is required to control head stabilization. here, we trained unrestrained pigeons (columba livia) to stan ...201729051726
gastrointestinal helminths of two populations of wild pigeons (columba livia) in brazil.the present study analyzed gastrointestinal helminth communities in 265 wild pigeons (columba livia) living in the municipalities of são paulo and tatuí, state of são paulo, brazil, over a one-year period. the birds were caught next to grain storage warehouses and were necropsied. a total of 790 parasites comprising one nematode species and one cestode genus were recovered from 110 pigeons, thus yielding an overall prevalence of 41.5%, mean intensity of infection of 7.2 ± 1.6 (range 1-144) and d ...201729211134
an evaluation of the international society for animal genetics recommended parentage and identification panel for the domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica).in this study, the international society for animal genetics (isag) recommended panel for the identification of the domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica) is characterized based on commonly used statistical parameters. the marker panel is based on 16 short tandem repeat (str) loci (pign15, pign10, pign57, pign26, cliμd16, cliμd19, pign12, cliμd17, cliμt17, pign04, cliμd01, cliμd11, cliμd35, cliμt02, cliμt13, cliμt43). the alleles of the 16 loci consist of a mixture of tri-, tetra-, penta- and ...201728449233
changes in hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism-related parameters in domestic pigeon (columba livia) during incubation and chick rearing.this study aimed to evaluate the hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism-related parameters of adult male and female white king pigeons (columba livia) during incubation and chick rearing. at day 4 (i4), 10 (i10) and 17 (i17) of incubation and day 1 (r1), 7 (r7), 15 (r15) and 25 (r25) of chick rearing, livers were sampled from six pigeons for each sex. glycogen and fat contents, activities of glycolytic enzymes (hexokinase, hk; 6-phosphofructokinase, 6-pfk), and genes expressions of key enzymes inv ...201729024108
putative adult neurogenesis in two domestic pigeon breeds (columba livia domestica): racing homerversusutility carneau pigeons.generation of neurons in the brains of adult birds has been studied extensively in the telencephalon of song birds and few studies are reported on the distribution of pcna and dcx in the telencephalon of adult non-song learning birds. we report here on adult neurogenesis throughout the brains of two breeds of adult domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica), the racing homer and utility carneau using endogenous immunohistochemical markers proliferating cell nuclear antigen (pcna) for proliferati ...201728852390
homing pigeons (columba livia) modulate wingbeat characteristics as a function of route familiarity.mechanisms of avian navigation have received considerable attention, but whether different navigational strategies are accompanied by different flight characteristics is unknown. managing energy expenditure is critical for survival; therefore, understanding how flight characteristics, and hence energy allocation, potentially change with birds' familiarity with a navigational task could provide key insights into the costs of orientation. we addressed this question by examining changes in the wing ...201728814611
craniofacial diversification in the domestic pigeon and the evolution of the avian skull.a central question in evolutionary developmental biology is how highly conserved developmental systems can generate the remarkable phenotypic diversity observed among distantly related species. in part, this paradox reflects our limited knowledge about the potential for species to both respond to selection and generate novel variation. consequently, the developmental links between small-scale microevolutionary variations within populations to larger macroevolutionary patterns among species remai ...201728812673
how pigeons couple three-dimensional elbow and wrist motion to morph their wings.birds change the shape and area of their wings to an exceptional degree, surpassing insects, bats and aircraft in their ability to morph their wings for a variety of tasks. this morphing is governed by a musculoskeletal system, which couples elbow and wrist motion. since the discovery of this effect in 1839, the planar 'drawing parallels' mechanism has been used to explain the coupling. remarkably, this mechanism has never been corroborated from quantitative motion data. therefore, we measured h ...201728794161
differential expression of fatty acid transporters and fatty acid synthesis-related genes in crop tissues of male and female pigeons (columba livia domestica) during incubation and chick rearing.1. the growth performance of squabs reared solely by male or female parent pigeons was measured, and the changes of lipid content of crop milk and the expression profiles of genes potentially involved in lipid accumulation by crop tissues of parent pigeons were evaluated during incubation and chick rearing. 2. squabs increased in body weight during 25 d of rearing, whereas both male and female pigeons lost weight after finishing rearing chicks, and the weight loss of male pigeons was significant ...201728752767
molecular cloning and functional characterization of duck nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (nod1).nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (nod1) is an imperative cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptor (prr) and considered as a key member of the nod-like receptor (nlr) family which plays a critical role in innate immunity through sensing microbial components derived from bacterial peptidoglycan. in the current study, the full-length of duck nod1 (dunod1) cdna from duck embryo fibroblasts (defs) was cloned. multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that dunod1 ex ...201728431894
pigeons (columba livia) show change blindness in a color-change detection task.change blindness is a phenomenon whereby changes to a stimulus are more likely go unnoticed under certain circumstances. pigeons learned a change detection task, in which they observed sequential stimulus displays consisting of individual colors back-projected onto three response keys. the color of one response key changed during each sequence and pecks to the key that displayed the change were reinforced. pigeons showed a change blindness effect, in that change detection accuracy was worse when ...201728429095
widespread patterns of sexually dimorphic gene expression in an avian hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (hpg) axis.the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (hpg) axis is a key biological system required for reproduction and associated sexual behaviors to occur. in the avian reproductive model of the rock dove (columba livia), we characterized the transcript community of each tissue of the hpg axis in both sexes, thereby significantly expanding our mechanistic insight into hpg activity. we report greater sex-biased differential expression in the pituitary as compared to the hypothalamus, with multiple genes more hi ...201728417958
the orientation of homing pigeons (columba livia f.d.) with and without navigational experience in a two-dimensional environment.homing pigeons are known for their excellent homing ability, and their brains seem to be functionally adapted to homing. it is known that pigeons with navigational experience show a larger hippocampus and also a more lateralised brain than pigeons without navigational experience. so we hypothesized that experience may have an influence also on orientation ability. we examined two groups of pigeons (11 with navigational experience and 17 without) in a standard operant chamber with a touch screen ...201729176875
effects of in ovo feeding of l-arginine on hatchability, hatching time, early posthatch development, and carcass traits in domestic pigeons (columba livia).the objective of this research was to test the hypothesis that in ovo feeding of arginine (arg) may improve hatchability and posthatch performance in domestic pigeons (). a completely randomized design ( = 3) with an arg feeding treatment (arg group, 1.14 mg arg dissolved in 200 μl of 0.75% nacl buffered saline as 1% concentration compared to total arg in the egg), a buffered saline feeding treatment (sc group, 7.5 g nacl dissolved in 1 l sterile distilled water as the concentration of poultry p ...201729108055
environmental factors and zoonotic pathogen ecology in urban exploiter species.knowledge of pathogen ecology, including the impacts of environmental factors on pathogen and host dynamics, is essential for determining the risk that zoonotic pathogens pose to people. this review synthesizes the scientific literature on environmental factors that influence the ecology and epidemiology of zoonotic microparasites (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) in globally invasive urban exploiter wildlife species (i.e., rock doves [columba livia domestica], european starlings [sturnus vulgari ...201728631116
clinical and serological tests for arboviruses in free-living domestic pigeons (columba livia).in this study, we evaluated the role of free-living domestic pigeons (columba livia) as a reservoir of arboviruses in the city of belém, state of pará, brazil. we investigated the presence of antibodies against the most prevalent arboviruses.201728767977
impact of epidemiological factors on the prevalence, intensity and distribution of ectoparasites in pigeons.this study was carried out on domestic pigeons (columba livia domestica) from september (2014) to june (2015) to determine the prevalence, intensity and species of ectoparasites in sargodha region, east of pakistan. a total of 200 domestic pigeons were inspected from the study area. parasites were collected by forceps and stored in 70% ethanol. the epidemiological information e.g. health condition, color of plumage, mode of living, breed, intensity etc. were recorded in the form of questionnaire ...201729114144
gamasoidosis caused by the special lineage l1 of dermanyssus gallinae (acarina: dermanyssidae): a case of heavy infestation in a public place in italy.among gamasina (acari: mesostigmata) mites, some dermanyssoid species are known to cause gamasoidosis, a human dermatitis characterized by papulosquamous eruptions and urticarian lesions. we describe a case of mite infestation which occurred in public conference halls in ferrara (italy), affecting four people who attended the place and showed signs of gamasoidosis. the mites were collected and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, light microscopy and mitochondrial dna sequencing (cy ...201728483708
first description of cryptosporidium parvum in carrier pigeons (columba livia).the carrier pigeon and the domestic pigeon are different breeds of the species columba livia. carrier pigeons are used for recreational activities such as bird contests and exhibitions. due to the close contact with humans, these birds may potentially represent a public health risk, since they can host and disseminate zoonotic parasites, such as those belonging to the genus cryptosporidium (phylum apicomplexa). the purpose of this work was the detection by microscopic and molecular techniques of ...201728807284
how do seasonality and host traits influence the distribution patterns of parasites on juveniles and adults of columba livia?parasites may influence host fitness and consequently exert a selective pressure on distinct phenotypes of the host population. this pressure can result in an evolutionary response, maintaining only individuals with certain traits in the population. the present study was aimed at identifying the morphological characteristics of juveniles and adults of columba livia that may influence the distribution patterns of lice, pseudolynchia canariensis and haemoproteus columbae and how the populations of ...201728859962
buparvaquone therapy in a rock pigeon infected with haemoproteus columbae showing torticollis.a clinical haemoproteus columbae infection in a two months rock pigeon was diagnosed on the basis of outward signs and blood smear examination. the clinical signs suggestive of pigeon malaria were anorexia, depression, inability to fly, circling movements and episodes of torticollis. the characteristic halter shaped gametocytes were seen, in thin blood smear, encircling the nucleus of erythrocytes. buparvaquone therapy, two intramuscular injections at the rate of 5 mg/kg at 72 h interval, was su ...201728615870
characterization and epidemiology of pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 viruses (ppmv-1) isolated in macedonia.we have characterized in this study 10 ppmv-1 isolated from domestic pigeons and one ppmv-1 isolated from a feral pigeon in the period 2007-2012, using both classical methods (hi test and icpi test) and molecular methods (rt-qpcr, rt-pcr, and nucleotide sequencing). using phylogenetic analysis of partial fusion gene sequences, these viruses clustered with recent european ppmv-1 isolates (eu/re) within the genotype vib/1. all isolates possessed virulent cleavage site motifs with variable morbidit ...201728665727
pcr identification and phylogenetic analysis of trichomonas gallinae from domestic pigeons in guangzhou, china.avian trichomoniasis caused by trichomonas gallinae is a serious protozoan disease worldwide. the domestic pigeon (columba livia domestica) is the main host for t. gallinae and plays an important role in the spread of the disease. based on the internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal dna of this parasite, a pair of primers (tgf2/tgr2) was designed and used to develop a pcr assay for the diagnosis of t. gallinae infection in domestic pigeons. this approach allowed the identification of t ...201728719959
radiographic and ultrasonographic characteristics of ventral abdominal hernia in pigeons (columba livia).five female egg-laying pigeons presented with painless, reducible, ventral abdominal swellings located between the keel and the pubis, or close to the cloaca. based on clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic examination, these pigeons were diagnosed with ventral abdominal hernia requiring surgical interference. reduction was successfully performed under general anesthesia. radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations were beneficial for confirming the diagnosis and visualizing the hernial ...201729237997
pigeons (columba livia) know when they will need hints: prospective metacognition for reference memory?despite their impressive cognitive abilities, avian species have shown less evidence for metacognition than mammals. we suspect that commonly used tasks such as matching to sample might be too demanding to allow metacognitive processing within birds' working memory. here, we examined whether pigeons could control their behavior as a function of knowledge levels on a three-item sequence learning task, a reference memory task supposedly requiring fewer working memory resources. the experiment used ...201729230574
the biological function of pigeon crop milk and the regulation of its production.the pigeon (columba livia) is one of the few birds capable of secreting nutrients to nourish squabs. during the incubation period, the crop of the parent pigeon will be thickened. when squabs are hatched, the crop milk will be secreted from the crop and fed to squabs. the nutritional benefits are similar between the pigeon crop milk and mammalian milk, and both of them are regulated by prolactin. prolactin stimulates the proliferation of crop epithelial cells, which eventually slough to form the ...201729258986
testing of an oral dosing technique for double-crested cormorants, phalacocorax auritus, laughing gulls, leucophaeus atricilla, homing pigeons, columba livia, and western sandpipers, calidris mauri, with artificially weather mc252 oil.scoping studies were designed to determine if double-crested cormorants (phalacocorax auritus), laughing gulls (leucophaues atricilla), homing pigeons (columba livia) and western sandpipers (calidris mauri) that were gavaged with a mixture of artificially weathered mc252 oil and food for either a single day or 4-5 consecutive days showed signs of oil toxicity. where volume allowed, samples were collected for hematology, plasma protein electrophoresis, clinical chemistry and electrolytes, oxidati ...201728781207
is embryonic hypothermia tolerance common in birds?avian incubation temperatures oscillate within narrow limits to ensure proper embryonic development. however, field observations and experimental studies have found that some species can tolerate very low incubation temperatures, either regularly or occasionally. we artificially incubated eggs from five domestic species, which represent a range of egg sizes, to examine whether a diversity of avian species could exhibit an unusual hypothermia tolerance, as observed in the field. we found that egg ...201728446617
comparative myology of the ankle of leopardus wiedii and l. geoffroyi (carnivora: felidae): functional consistency with osteology, locomotor habits and hunting in captivity.leopardus wiedii (margay) is the only arboreal neotropical felid able to climb head-first down trees, due to its ability to rotate its tarsal joint 180°. a closely related, similar-sized species, l. geoffroyi (geoffroy's cat) exhibits more typical terrestrial habits and lacks the arboreal capabilities of l. wiedii. there is osteological evidence that supports a mechanical specialization of l. wiedii's tarsal joint for inversion, but there have been no studies on the myology of this specializatio ...201729329954
analysis of genetic diversity in pigeon pea germplasm using retrotransposon-based molecular markers.pigeon pea (cajanus cajan), an important legume crop is predominantly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of asia and africa. it is normally considered to have a low degree of genetic diversity, an impediment in undertaking crop improvement programmes.we have analysed genetic polymorphism of domesticated pigeon pea germplasm (47 accessions) across the world using earlier characterized panzee retrotransposon-based molecularmarkers. itwas conjectured that since retrotransposons are inte ...201728947703
co-occurrence of mycoplasma species and pigeon herpesvirus-1 infection in racing pigeons ( columba livia).oropharyngeal swab samples were collected from 438 live racing pigeons ( columba livia), with and without signs of respiratory disease, that were housed in 220 lofts in 3 provinces in the western part of the netherlands. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was used to identify mycoplasma species and pigeon herpesvirus-1 (phv-1) from the samples. in 8.6% of the pigeon lofts tested, signs of respiratory disease were present in pigeons at sampling, and in 30.9% of the sampled pigeon lofts, respiratory ...201729327955
detection of avian reoviruses in wild birds in poland.the purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence of avian reovirus (arv) infections in wild birds in poland and attempt to propagate the selected arv strains in chicken embryo kidney (cek) cells or chicken spf embryos.201729978079
association of dopamine d2 receptor gene polymorphisms with reproduction traits in domestic pigeons (columba livia).dopamine inhibited prolactin secretion via dopamine d2 receptor (drd2) at the pituitary level, but its effects on reproduction in pigeons are unclear. in this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) in the exons of drd2 gene were identified and analyzed by using dna sequencing methods in 60 female domestic pigeons (columba livia), and the association between drd2 polymorphisms and reproduction traits was also analyzed. sequencing results showed that 7 nucleotide mutations were detected in ...201732908403
captive and free-living urban pigeons (columba livia) from brazil as carriers of multidrug-resistant pathogenic escherichia coli.thirty escherichia coli isolates from captive and free-living pigeons in brazil were characterised. virulence-associated genes identified in pigeons included those which occur relatively frequently in avian pathogenic e. coli (apec) from commercial poultry worldwide. eleven of 30 e. coli isolates from pigeons, belonging mainly to b1 and b2 phylogenetic groups, had high or intermediate pathogenicity for 1-day-old chicks. the frequency of multi-drug resistant (mdr) e. coli in captive pigeons was r ...201728093116
application of pigeon circovirus recombinant capsid protein for detecting anti-picv antibodies in the sera of asymptomatic domestic pigeons and the potential use of a combination of serological and molecular tests for controlling circovirus infections in pigeon breeding flocks.the aim of this study was to evaluate the serologic status of domestic pigeons not infected and asymptomatically infected with the pigeon circovirus (picv) with the use of an enzyme-linked assay based on picv recombinant capsid protein as a plate antigen. recombinant picv capsid protein was produced by transforming e. coli bl21 (de3) rosetta colonies with expression plasmids.blood samples and cloacal swabs were collected from 171 asymptomatic pigeons. the birds were divided into two groups (infe ...201727578880
comparative chromosome painting in columbidae (columbiformes) reinforces divergence in passerea and columbea.pigeons and doves (columbiformes) are one of the oldest and most diverse extant lineages of birds. however, the karyotype evolution within columbiformes remains unclear. to delineate the synteny-conserved segments and karyotypic differences among four columbidae species, we used chromosome painting from gallus gallus (gga, 2n = 78) and leucopternis albicollis (lal, 2n = 68). besides that, a set of painting probes for the eared dove, zenaida auriculata (zau, 2n = 76), was generated from flow-sort ...201829882066
effects of nidopallium caudolaterale inactivation on serial-order behavior in pigeons ( columba livia).serial-order behavior is the ability to complete a sequence of responses in a predetermined order to achieve a reward. in birds, serial-order behavior is thought to be impaired by damage to the nidopallium caudolaterale (ncl). in the current study, we examined the role of the ncl in serial-order behavior by training pigeons on a 4-item serial-order task and a go/no-go discrimination task. following training, pigeons received infusions of 1 μl of either tetrodotoxin (ttx) or saline. saline infusi ...201829873614
prevalence and risk factors of trichomonas gallinae and trichomonosis in golden eagle ( aquila chrysaetos) nestlings in western north america.avian trichomonosis, caused by the protozoan trichomonas gallinae, affects bird-eating raptors worldwide. raptors can develop trichomonosis by feeding on infected prey, particularly rock pigeons (c olumba livia), which are a reservoir for t. gallinae. raptors may be particularly vulnerable to t. gallinae infection in degraded habitats, where changes in resources may cause raptors to switch from foraging on native prey to synanthropic avian species such as rock pigeons. golden eagles ( aquila chr ...201829863970
personality and the collective: bold homing pigeons occupy higher leadership ranks in flocks.while collective movement is ecologically widespread and conveys numerous benefits on individuals, it also poses a coordination problem: who controls the group's movements? the role that animal 'personalities' play in this question has recently become a focus of research interest. although many animal groups have distributed leadership (i.e. multiple individuals influence collective decisions), studies linking personality and leadership have focused predominantly on the group's single most influ ...201829581403
effect of the exploratory behaviour on a bird's ability to categorize a predator.despite the encountering of a predator always being extremely threatening, there is a significant plasticity among individuals in how they cope with such a situation. in laboratory experiments with wild-caught great tits (parus major), we tested the effect of exploratory behaviour (performance in novel food, object and environment test, startle test) on the ability of individual birds to assess the threat represented by a predator. we presented a wooden dummy of the european sparrowhawk (accipit ...201829581025
pigeons at the edge of the empire: bioarchaeological evidences for extensive management of pigeons in a byzantine desert settlement in the southern levant.metric data of 6th century ce pigeons from the negev desert, israel, are employed to test competing hypotheses on flock management strategies: that directed selection for size or shape took place under intensive management; or, alternatively, that stabilizing selection was a stronger determinant of size and shape under extensive management conditions. the results of the analysis support the second hypothesis by demonstrating that the byzantine negev pigeons were like wild pigeon (columba livia) ...201829561880
changes in hormone profiles, growth factors, and mrna expression of the related receptors in crop tissue, relative organ weight, and serum biochemical parameters in the domestic pigeon (columba livia) during incubation and chick-rearing periods under artificial farming conditions.the present study was conducted to determine the changes in concentrations of hormones and growth factors and their related receptor gene expressions in crop tissue, relative organ weight, and serum biochemical parameters in male and female pigeons during incubation and chick-rearing periods under artificial farming conditions. seventy-eight pairs of 60-week-old white king pigeons with 2 fertile eggs per pair were randomly divided into 13 groups by different breeding stages. serum prolactin and ...201829554306
improved genome assembly and annotation for the rock pigeon (columba livia).the domestic rock pigeon (columba livia) is among the most widely distributed and phenotypically diverse avian species. c. livia is broadly studied in ecology, genetics, physiology, behavior, and evolutionary biology, and has recently emerged as a model for understanding the molecular basis of anatomical diversity, the magnetic sense, and other key aspects of avian biology. here we report an update to the c. livia genome reference assembly and gene annotation dataset. greatly increased scaffold ...201829519939
association of adsl gene polymorphisms with meat quality and carcass traits in domestic pigeons (columba livia).1. adenylosuccinate lyase (adsl) plays an important role in the synthesis of inosine monophosphate (imp). in this trial, a total of 200 pigeons were sampled and slaughtered. seven meat quality traits and 11 carcass traits were measured. dna sequencing was used to detect nucleotide mutations, and associations between adsl gene polymorphisms and meat quality and carcass traits were analysed. 2. sequencing results showed that 9 nucleotide mutations were found in the exons of the adsl gene. all the ...201829963908
the peregrine falcon's rapid dive: on the adaptedness of the arm skeleton and shoulder girdle.during a dive, peregrine falcons (falco peregrinus) can reach a velocity of up to 320 km h- 1. our computational fluid dynamics simulations show that the forces that pull on the wings of a diving peregrine can reach up to three times the falcon's body mass at a stoop velocity of 80 m s- 1 (288 km h- 1). since the bones of the wings and the shoulder girdle of a diving peregrine falcon experience large mechanical forces, we investigated these bones. for comparison, we also investigated the corresp ...201829959501
molecular cloning, characterization, and functional analysis of pigeon (columba livia) toll-like receptor 5.toll-like receptors (tlrs) are pattern recognition receptors that are vital for the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. tlr5 is responsible for the recognition of bacterial flagellin to induce the nf-κb activation and innate immune responses. in this study, we cloned and identified the tlr5 gene from the king pigeon (columba livia) designated as pitlr5. full-length pitlr5 cdna (2583 bp) encoded an 860-amino acid protein containing a signal peptide sequence, 10 leucine-rich rep ...201829945253
pigeons (columba livia) learn a four-item list by trial and error.the aim of the current study was to assess whether pigeons could acquire a four-item list by trial and error. pigeons received either extensive list training prior to being tested on a novel four-item list (i.e., the full-training group) or very limited training (i.e., the limited-training group). specifically, subjects in the full-training group were trained to acquire a large set of two-item lists by trial and error, then a large set of three-item lists, and finally a large set of four-item li ...201829927268
columbid circoviruses detected in free ranging pigeons from southern brazil: insights on picv evolution.pigeon circovirus (picv) is taxonomically classified as a member of the circovirus genus, family circoviridae. the virus contains a single stranded dna genome of approximately 2 kb, with minor length variations among different isolates. the occurrence of picv infections in pigeons (columba livia) has been documented worldwide over the past 20 years; however, in brazil there were still no reports on picv detection. this study identifies seven picv genomes recovered from domestic pigeons of south ...201830105520
a comprehensive analysis of the genomic organization, expression and phylogeny of immunoglobulin light chain genes in pigeon (columba livia).previous studies on immunoglobulin light chain (igl) genes in avian species are limited to galloanseres, and few studies have investigated igl genes in neoaves, which includes most living birds. based on published genome data, we demonstrate that the pigeon (columba livia) igl locus spans approximately 24 kb of dna and contains twenty vλ segments located upstream of a single pair of jλ-cλ. among the identified vλ gene segments, four segments are structurally intact and all four segments are able ...201830096338
persistent pigeons (columba livia) learn how to produce a list.in the featured article for this issue of the journal of comparative psychology, scarf, johnston, and colombo (2018) showed that pigeons learned to reproduce (by pecking icons presented on a screen) a four-item serially ordered list without specific training on that list, as macaques did (figure 1). in scarf et al.'s (2018) study, all five birds given structured training subsequently mastered multiple sets of two-item, then three-item, and finally four-item lists, with a diminishing training reg ...201830080070
anatomical, histological and immunohistochemical study of testicular development in columba livia (aves: columbiformes).in this work, testicular ontogeny is analyzed at the anatomical, histological and immunohistochemical levels; the latter through the detection of gnrhr and pcna in the testicles of embryos, neonates and juveniles of columba livia. we analyzed 150 embryos, 25 neonates and 5 juveniles by means of observations under a stereoscopic magnifying glass and scanning electron microscope (sem). the histological analysis was performed using hematoxylin-eosin staining techniques and the pas reaction. for the ...201829776745
phoretic dispersal influences parasite population genetic structure.dispersal is a fundamental component of the life history of most species. dispersal influences fitness, population dynamics, gene flow, genetic drift and population genetic structure. even small differences in dispersal can alter ecological interactions and trigger an evolutionary cascade. linking such ecological processes with evolutionary patterns is difficult, but can be carried out in the proper comparative context. here, we investigate how differences in phoretic dispersal influence the pop ...201829752753
post-hatching growth of the pectoralis muscle in pigeon and its functional implications.the avian pectoralis muscle is responsible for the wing's downstroke, which provides birds with lift and thrust for flight. in the present study, architectural parameters were investigated through growth in the pigeon (columba livia), an altricial bird species, from the ages of 4 days to 12 months, in order to assess the morphological changes and effects of increasing body mass. muscle mass, fascicle length (fl), and physiological cross-sectional area (pcsa) increased with strong positive allome ...201829729220
genomic insights into natural selection in the common loon (gavia immer): evidence for aquatic adaptation.the common loon (gavia immer) is one of five species that comprise the avian order gaviiformes. loons are specialized divers, reaching depths up to 60 m while staying submerged for intervals up to three minutes. in this study we used comparative genomics to investigate the genetic basis of the common loon adaptations to its ecological niche. we used illumina short read dna sequence data from a female bird to produce a draft assembly of the common loon (gavia immer) genome.201829703132
identification of a transcriptionally forward α gene and two υ genes within the pigeon (columba livia) igh gene locus.compared with mammals, the bird ig genetic system relies on gene conversion to create an ab repertoire, with inversion of the iga-encoding gene and very few cases of ig subclass diversification. although gene conversion has been studied intensively, class-switch recombination, a mechanism by which the igh c region is exchanged, has rarely been investigated in birds. in this study, based on the published genome of pigeon (columba livia) and high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of immune-relat ...201829686053
pigeons deploy selective attention to efficiently learn a stagewise multidimensional visual discrimination task.we trained 8 pigeons (columba livia) on a stagewise go/no-go visual discrimination task of increasing complexity, to document the dynamics of selective attention. we constructed negative compound stimuli (s-s) on the basis of their overall similarity to a positive compound stimulus (s+) along 4 binary-valued dimensions: shape (circle/square), size (large/small), line orientation (horizontal/vertical), and brightness (dark/light). starting with 1 s+ and 1 s- that differed in all 4 dimensional val ...201829683695
behavioural traits of individual homing pigeons, columba livia f. domestica, in their homing flights.homing tracks of two groups of pigeons, columba livia f. domestica, were analyzed in view of difference between individual birds and correlations between characteristic variables, looking at the initial phase while the pigeons were still at the release site, and the homing phase separately. individual birds differed significantly in their flying speed during the initial phase, and one pigeon tended to stay longer at the release site than the others. there were no significant differences in stead ...201830260962
prevalence of haemoproteus columbae (apicomplexa: haemoproteidae) and trichomonas gallinae (metamonada: trichomonadidae) infections among pigeons (columba livia) in west azerbaijan province, iran.a cross-sectional survey was performed on domestic pigeons (columba liviadomestica) to evaluate the prevalence of haemoproteus columbae and trichomonas gallinae in west azerbaijan province, northwest of iran between july 2015 and september 2016. five hundred and sixty oropharyngeal swab smears were examined, 297 (53%) of which were identified to be positive for t. gallinae. also, the results obtained from blood smears examination indicated that 115 (20.5%) cases were found to be infected with h. ...201830242806
spectral properties of brain activity under two anesthetics and their potential for inducing natural sleep in birds.both mammals and birds exhibit two sleep states, slow wave sleep (sws) and rapid eye movement (rem) sleep. studying certain aspects of sleep-related electrophysiology in freely behaving animals can present numerous methodological constraints, particularly when even fine body movements interfere with electrophysiological signals. interestingly, under light general anesthesia, mammals and birds also exhibit slow waves similar to those observed during natural sws. for these reasons, slow waves occu ...201830538619
experimental infection of racing pigeons (columba livia domestica) with highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4 sub-group b h5n8 avian influenza virus.reported mass mortalities in wild pigeons and doves during the 2017/2018 clade 2.3.4.4 hpai h5n8 outbreaks in south africa necessitated an investigation of healthy racing pigeons for their susceptibility and ability to transmit a clade 2.3.4.4 sub-group b virus of south african origin. pigeons challenged with medium (104.5 eid50) and high doses (106 eid50) but not a low dose (103 eid50) of virus, shed virus in low levels of <103 eid50/ml from the oropharynx and cloaca for up to eight days, with ...201830473343
prevalence and molecular characterization of trichomonas gallinae from domestic pigeons in beijing, china.trichomonas gallinae is a globally distributed protozoan parasite, mainly affect the upper avian digestive tract and can bring huge economic losses to pigeon industry. the objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence and genotypes of t. gallinae in beijing, china. a total of 569 samples of throat swabs of pigeon were collected from pigeon farms in shunyi district, fangshan district, daxing district and miyun district of beijing. the overall prevalence was 28.30%. the significan ...201830145387
overwintering behavior of drosophila suzukii, and potential springtime diets for egg maturation.spotted wing drosophila, drosophila suzukii (matsumura) (diptera: drosophilidae), is a serious agricultural pest, which lays eggs in ripe and ripening fruits of several cultivated and wild host plants. here we explore several factors that may be critical to winter survival and improve d. suzukii's ability to successfully overwinter in northern climates and reestablish populations in the spring. cold acclimation improved mobility in low-temperature laboratory mobility assays and improved survivor ...201830124807
early embryonic modification of maternal hormones differs systematically among embryos of different laying order: a study in birds.vertebrate embryos are exposed to maternal hormones that can profoundly affect their later phenotype. although it is known that the embryo can metabolize these maternal hormones, the metabolic outcomes, their quantitative dynamics and timing are poorly understood. moreover, it is unknown whether embryos can adjust their metabolic activity to, for example, hormones or other maternal signals. we studied the dynamics of maternal steroids in fertilized and unfertilized rock pigeon eggs during early ...201830110617
survey of parasites in domestic pigeons (columba livia) in tripoli, libya.this study was a preliminary survey for identification of parasites (endoparasites and ectoparasites) and their prevalence in domestic pigeons (columba livia) in tripoli; libya. one hundred adult domestic pigeons were purchased from different markets of tripoli. blood smears were prepared from each bird and examined using light microscopy with oil immersion lens for the presence of blood parasites. oropharyngeal swab was taken from each pigeon and were processed through direct smear method and s ...201830425959
requiem for a heavyweight - can anything more be learned from homing pigeons about the sensory and spatial-representational basis of avian navigation?the homing pigeon (columba livia) has long served as a study species to exhaustively investigate the sensory and spatial (map)-representational mechanisms that guide avian navigation. however, several factors have contributed to recent questioning of whether homing pigeons are as valuable as they once were as a general model for the study of the sensory and map-like, spatial-representational mechanisms of avian navigation. these reservations include: the success of this research program in unvei ...201830348670
human activities and landscape features interact to closely define the distribution and dispersal of an urban commensal.the rock pigeon, columba livia, is a cosmopolitan human commensal, domesticated thousands of years ago. however, the human-mediated factors governing its distribution and dispersal are not well understood. in this study, we performed (a) hierarchical distance sampling on ~400 island-wide point transects, (b) a population genomic inquiry based on ~7,000 snps from almost 150 individuals, and (c) landscape genomic analyses on the basis of extensive ecological and socio-economic databases to charact ...201830344630
gonadal steroid levels in rock pigeon eggs do not represent adequately maternal allocation.maternal hormones deposited in the egg can provide a powerful model for the study of maternal effects. the differential amount of maternal hormones in the yolk of freshly laid eggs is assumed to represent differential maternal allocation. however, some evidence suggests that these amounts do not reflect maternal allocation that in fact takes place before ovulation. we compared the amounts of a wide array of gonadal steroids and their metabolites in the yolk of pre-ovulatory follicles with those ...201830046065
molecular characterization of two novel sub-sublineages of pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 in china.pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (ppmv-1) infection is enzootic in pigeon flocks and poses a potential risk to the poultry industry in china. to gain insight into the biological characteristics and transmission routes of circulating ppmv-1 in pigeons, 13 ppmv-1 isolates from domestic pigeons isolated during 2011-2015 in guangxi province, china, were characterized using a pathogenicity assessment and phylogenetic analysis. all ppmv-1 isolates were mesogenic or lentogenic strains and had a mean death t ...201830043204
setting the bar.analyzing the genomes of rock pigeons demonstrates that genetic variation comes in many forms and can have unexpected origins.201830015614
introgression of regulatory alleles and a missense coding mutation drive plumage pattern diversity in the rock pigeon.birds and other vertebrates display stunning variation in pigmentation patterning, yet the genes controlling this diversity remain largely unknown. rock pigeons (columba livia) are fundamentally one of four color pattern phenotypes, in decreasing order of melanism: t-check, checker, bar (ancestral), or barless. using whole-genome scans, we identified ndp as a candidate gene for this variation. allele-specific expression differences in ndp indicate cis-regulatory divergence between ancestral and ...201830014848
prevalence of toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, and sarcocystis species dna in the heart and breast muscles of rock pigeons (columbia livia).little is known about the prevalence of protozoan parasites in the muscles of rock pigeons (columbia livia). the muscles from 54 (heart from 45 and breast from 54) rock pigeons were examined for dna of toxoplasma gondii, neospora caninum, and sarcocystis species using pcr. twenty-four were female and 30 were males. the birds were part of flocks of pigeons housed at the tombs of saints in lahore, pakistan. birds that died or were euthanized due to poor health were submitted for necropsy at the de ...201829854422
genetic characterization of 11 microsatellite loci in egyptian pigeons (columba livia domestica) and their cross-species amplification in other columbidae populations.this study aimed to analyze the genetic diversity and relationships of 10 egyptian pigeon populations belonging to columba livia domestica speciesusing 11 microsatellite markers and to investigate the success of these markers amplification across another eight pigeon species.201829805216
gastrointestinal parasites in captive and free-ranging birds and potential cross-transmission in a zoo environment.gastrointestinal parasites are commonly reported in wild birds, but transmission amongst avifauna in zoological settings, and between these captive birds and wild birds in surrounding areas, remains poorly understood. a survey was undertaken to investigate the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive and free-ranging birds at bristol zoo gardens between may and july 2016. a total of 348 fecal samples from 32 avian species were examined using the mini-flotac flotation method. parasites ...201829517437
perforating foreign body in the ventriculus of a pet pigeon (columba livia domestica).case description a 2-year-old female pigeon was evaluated because of a 5-day history of lower than typical activity level, weight loss, and polyuria. clinical findings whole-body radiography revealed a linear metallic foreign body in the area of the ventriculus. fluoroscopy followed by contrast-enhanced ct was performed to further characterize the lesion location, revealing that the foreign body had perforated the ventral aspect of the ventriculus wall and that the ventral extremity of the forei ...201830668254
the importance of checking leishmania promastigotes viability in the proteomics analysis of secretions.the study was conducted to detect the prevalence of haemoprotozoan parasites in the domestic and wild pigeons in niğde province.201830604686
correction: behavioural traits of individual homing pigeons, columba livia f. domestica, in their homing flights.[this corrects the article doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201291.].201830462737
nonapeptide receptor distributions in promising avian models for the neuroecology of flocking.collective behaviors, including flocking and group vocalizing, are readily observable across a diversity of free-living avian populations, yet we know little about how neural and ecological factors interactively regulate these behaviors. because of their involvement in mediating a variety of social behaviors, including avian flocking, nonapeptides are likely mediators of collective behaviors. to advance the neuroecological study of collective behaviors in birds, we sought to map the neuroanatomi ...201830386202
immunogenicity of pigeon circovirus recombinant capsid protein in pigeons.pigeon circovirus (picv) is the most frequently diagnosed virus in pigeons and is thought to be one of the causative factors of a complex disease called the young pigeon disease syndrome (ypds). the development of a vaccine against this virus could be a strategy for ypds control. since laboratory culture of picv is impossible, its recombinant capsid protein (rcp) can be considered as a potential antigen candidate in sub-unit vaccines. the aim of this basic research was to evaluate the immune res ...201830384424
homing pigeons.dora biro introduces homing domestic pigeons specialized for messaging duties.201830205071
a novel group a rotavirus associated with acute illness and hepatic necrosis in pigeons (columba livia), in australia.cases of vomiting and diarrhoea were reported in racing pigeons in western australia in may, 2016. morbidity and mortality rates were high. similar clinical disease was seen in victoria in december and by early 2017 had been reported in all states except the northern territory, in different classes of domestic pigeon-racing, fancy and meat bird-and in a flock of feral pigeons. autopsy findings were frequently unremarkable; histological examination demonstrated significant hepatic necrosis as the ...201830204797
head-mounted sensors reveal visual attention of free-flying homing pigeons.gaze behavior offers valuable insights into attention and cognition. however, technological limitations have prevented the examination of animals' gaze behavior in natural, information-rich contexts; for example, during navigation through complex environments. therefore, we developed a lightweight custom-made logger equipped with an inertial measurement unit (imu) and gps to simultaneously track the head movements and flight trajectories of free-flying homing pigeons. pigeons have a limited rang ...201830190414
could the environmental toxicity of diclofenac in vultures been predictable if preclinical testing methodology were applied?diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical agent was responsible for the death of millions of gyps vulture's in the indian sub-region with the safety of the other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids) being questionable. with preclinical safety testing not well established for avian species unlike for mammalian and environmental toxicity, we ask the question if a preclinical model could have predicted the toxic effect of the drug. for this study, we test an organisatio ...201830445374
the myodural bridge in the common rock pigeon (columbia livia): morphology and possible physiological implications.the dense connective tissue that connects muscles to the cervical spinal dura mater is known as the myodural bridge in human anatomy and has been a subject of interest to anatomists and clinicians. the myodural bridge was originally discovered in humans, and also has been observed in other mammals and in reptilian sauropsids. we investigated the existence of the myodural bridge in a bird, that is, the common rock pigeon columba livia, to expand the understanding of the structure and function of ...201830284324
evaluation of pigeon egg yolk for post thaw quality, enzyme leakage and fertility of buffalo (bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa.egg yolk is used as a cryoprotectant in semen preservation. however, its composition varies according to the species which may influence its effectiveness during the freeze-thaw process. therefore, study was conducted to identify the optimum level of pigeon egg yolk (pey) in tris citric acid (tca) extender for freezability and in vivo fertility of buffalo semen. semen was collected at weekly intervals for a period of three weeks (replicates) from 6 nili ravi buffalo bulls (2 ejaculates/bull/repl ...201830006129
a method for investigating change blindness in pigeons (columba livia).change blindness is a phenomenon of visual attention, whereby changes to a visual display go unnoticed under certain specific circumstances. while many laboratory procedures have been developed that produce change blindness in humans, the flicker paradigm has emerged as a particularly effective method. in the flicker paradigm, two visual displays are presented in alternation with one another. if successive displays are separated by a short inter-stimulus interval (isi), change detection is impai ...201830247480
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