Publications

a surgery of parasitism of the starling sturnus vulgaris l. in north america.		1951	14825028
[assimilation of rhythm by the isolated dog heart during gradual raising of stimulation frequency].	an ability for a forestalling regulation of contractility of the heart with calculation of the tendency of rhythm increasing was revealed under a gradual increasing of heart rhythm. a forestalling regulation of heart contractility occurs with rhythm assimilation at the cell level of the heart and irrespective of the influence of frank-starling law and neurohumoral factors on the work of the heart. a 5-10% increasing of heart rhythm is characterized by optimal rhythm assimilation. a 15-40% increa ...	2003	14870491
neuroanatomical evidence for indirect connections between the medial preoptic nucleus and the song control system: possible neural substrates for sexually motivated song.	in european starlings ( sturnus vulgaris) as in other seasonally breeding songbirds, a major function of song during the breeding season is mate attraction, and song in this context is highly sexually motivated. song learning, perception, and production are regulated by nuclei of the song control system, but there is no evidence that these nuclei participate in the motivation to sing. evidence suggests that the medial preoptic nucleus (pom), a diencephalic nucleus outside of the song control sys ...	2004	14968358
evidence against a period of relative photorefractoriness during the recovery of photosensitivity in common starlings.	in many species of birds, the end of the breeding season is caused by the development of absolute photorefractoriness, characterised by spontaneous gonadal regression under a long photoperiod followed by a period during which gonadal maturation cannot be stimulated by further photostimulation. it has been suggested that during the dissipation of photorefractoriness under short photoperiods, birds become relatively photorefractory-that there is a gradual decrease in critical photoperiod. if true, ...	2004	14980802
specific floater home ranges and prospective behaviour in the european starling, sturnus vulgaris.	in many bird species, floaters are present on the breeding grounds in one or more years before they breed. there is increasing evidence that they have specific home ranges in which they search for information about current and future breeding opportunities. we investigated the role of prospecting in a migratory european starling (sturnus vulgaris) population. radio-tracking showed that male starling floaters use specific home range areas during the breeding period. nest-box observations demonstr ...	2004	14991146
diversities and similarities in pfge profiles of campylobacter jejuni isolated from migrating birds and humans.	to genetically sub-type campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from migratory birds, and to compare these with clinical strains collected in the same area and corresponding time period, with the aim to increase our knowledge on sub-types occurring among wild birds and their possible impact on human disease.	2004	15012823
primitive auditory stream segregation: a neurophysiological study in the songbird forebrain.	auditory stream segregation refers to the perceptual grouping of sounds, to form coherent representations of objects in the acoustic scene, and is a fundamental aspect of hearing and speech perception. the perceptual segregation of simple interleaved tone sequences has been studied in humans and european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) using sequences of 2 alternating tones differing in frequency (aba-aba-aba-...). the segregation of a and b tones into separate auditory streams is believed to be pr ...	2004	15044521
genetic characterization of a herpesvirus isolate from a superb starling (lamprotornis superbus) as a psittacid herpesvirus genotype 1.	four genotypes of the psittacid herpesvirus (pshv) cause pacheco disease in parrots. viruses that are serologically cross-reactive to the pshvs have also been isolated from passerine species. dna was amplified from a herpesvirus isolated from a superb starling (lamprotornis superbus) with pshv-specific primers and polymerase chain reaction. a comparison of the partial sequence of the ul 16 gene from this herpesvirus with sequences from viruses of known pshv genotypes showed that the herpesvirus ...	2004	15077818
aversion of european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to garlic oil treated granules: garlic oil as an avian repellent. garlic oil analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.	european starlings significantly reduced their consumption of a food mixture that was 50% food-grade garlic oil (go)-impregnated granules, even after overnight food deprivation, as demonstrated by "one-choice" ("no-choice") tests. food consumption during 3 h following overnight food deprivation was reduced by 61-65% compared to controls. by testing the same subjects with 25, 10, and 1% mixtures of granules in feed, it was shown that commercial go granules were repellent to birds in lower concent ...	2004	15080619
individual variation in plasma estradiol-17beta and androgen levels during egg formation in the european starling sturnus vulgaris: implications for regulation of yolk steroids.	while it is clear that maternal transfer of steroids to egg yolk can have significant effects on offspring phenotype, an unresolved question is whether females can facultatively adjust yolk hormone levels independently of their own plasma levels or whether yolk steroid levels are simply a direct consequence of temporal variation in the female's hormonal status. in part, this is because we lack detailed information about the day-to-day pattern of changes in plasma hormone levels during the laying ...	2004	15081834
pathological, clinical and mycological findings in experimental aspergillosis infections of starlings.	a group of 24 wild starlings (sturnus vulgaris), in undefined age categories but at least post-pubertal, constituted the material of this study. six starlings were kept as a control group and 18 starlings served as the infection group. the starlings in the infection group were infected with inoculums of 1.35 x 10(6)/0.2 ml aspergillus fumigatus via intratracheal route whereas the control group was administered only placebo in the same way. six, four, two, four and two birds died on 2, 3, 4, 5 an ...	2004	15086506
developmental stress, social rank and song complexity in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris).	bird song is a sexually selected trait and females have been shown to prefer males that sing more complex songs. however, for repertoire size to be an honest signal of male quality it must be associated with some form of cost. this experiment investigates the effects of food restriction and social status during development on song complexity in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris). birds that experienced an unpredictable food supply early in life produced a significantly smaller repertoire o ...	2004	15101438
first record of metacestodes of mesocestoides sp. in the common starling (sturnus vulgaris) in europe, with an 18s rdna characterisation of the isolate.	metacestodes of mesocestoides sp. were recorded from sturnus vulgaris (passeriformes: stumidae) in the czech republic in april 2002. they were found in a cutaneous cyst and in the thoracic region of the body cavity of the bird. this is the first record of metacestodes of mesocestoides sp. in this host species in europe as well as the first finding of the formation of a cutaneous cyst provoked by this parasite. additional specimens from apodemus agrarius (mammalia: rodentia) from bulgaria and lac ...	2004	15139376
prior experience with photostimulation enhances photo-induced reproductive development in female european starlings: a possible basis for the age-related increase in avian reproductive performance.	reproductive performance in female birds improves with age, and this is generally attributed to experiences obtained during breeding. in temperate-zone species, experience with photostimulation during the first breeding year may prime the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis to respond to photic cues more rapidly or robustly in subsequent years. to test this idea, we captured 32 photorefractory juvenile (hence naive to photostimulation) female european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) and held half of ...	2004	15151935
post-hatching dynamics of plasma biochemistry in free-living european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	this is the first study of plasma biochemical parameters in free-living altricial birds during an entire developmental period in a nest, represented by european starling (sturnus vulgaris). dynamics of postnatal changes from hatching until close to fledging (days 1 to 15) were registered. parameters of protein metabolism represented by total proteins, albumin and globulin concentrations increased continuously during the observed developmental period. there were two peaks in uric acid concentrati ...	2004	15165575
hemispheric specialization in the primary auditory area of awake and anesthetized starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	although evidence exists for a lateralization of song production, few studies have focused on the perceptual aspect of lateralization in songbirds. in the present study, the authors recorded neuronal responses to a variety of species-specific and artificial, nonspecific stimuli in both hemispheres of awake and anesthetized male starlings (sturnus vulgaris). recordings were made in the primary auditory area of the songbird brain, the field l complex. the right hemisphere exhibited significantly m ...	2004	15174938
in situ measurements of crossbridge dynamics and lattice spacing in rat hearts by x-ray diffraction: sensitivity to regional ischemia.	synchrotron radiation has been used to analyze crossbridge dynamics in isolated papillary muscle and excised perfused hearts with the use of x-ray diffraction techniques. we showed that these techniques can detect regional changes in rat left ventricle contractility and myosin lattice spacing in in situ ejecting hearts in real time. furthermore, we examined the sensitivity of these indexes to regional ischemia.	2004	15184274
mediation of a corticosterone-induced reproductive conflict.	current research in birds suggests that a conflict should exist during reproduction for the role of the glucocorticoid corticosterone (cort). while elevated levels have been correlated with the increased energetic demand of raising offspring, elevated cort levels have traditionally been implicated in reproductive abandonment. we examined the relationship between cort and nest desertion in breeding wild female european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) incorporating analyses of both total circulating ...	2004	15215043
the influence of ventricular extrasystoles and postextrasystoles on cardiovascular dynamics in anesthetized dogs.	the influence of ventricular extrasystoles and postextrasystoles on cardiovascular dynamics were assessed in terms of maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (max dp/dt), ascending aortic flow, left ventricular stroke volume, and left ventricular end-diastolic transverse dimension in anesthetized dogs. a single ventricular extrasystole, two and three consecutive ventricular extrasystoles (couplet and triplet) were induced by applying mechanical stimulation to the surface of the right v ...	1989	15236059
direct social contacts override auditory information in the song-learning process in starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	social influence on song acquisition was studied in 3 groups of young european starlings raised under different social conditions but with the same auditory experience of adult song. attentional focusing on preferred partners appears the most likely explanation for differences found in song acquisition in relation to experience, sex, and song categories. thus, pair-isolated birds learned from each other and not from broadcast live songs, females did not learn from the adult male tutors, and shar ...	2004	15250805
european starling chicks benefit from high yolk testosterone levels during a drought year.	avian egg yolk contains androgenic hormones, such as testosterone, of maternal origin. experimental elevation of yolk testosterone levels enhances growth of canary chicks. success in sibling competition, due to increased begging, is presumed to underlie this growth enhancement, because canary hatchlings from testosterone-treated eggs beg longer in response to vibrational stimuli than controls. furthermore, experimental elevation of both yolk androstenedione and testosterone increased chick growt ...	2004	15256308
acetylcholinesterase in central vocal control nuclei of the zebra finch (taeniopygia guttata).	the distribution of acetylcholinesterase (ache) in the central vocal control nuclei of the zebra finch was studied using enzyme histochemistry. ache fibres and cells are intensely labelled in the forebrain nucleus area x, strongly labelled in high vocal centre (hvc) perikarya, and moderately to lightly labelled in the somata and neuropil of vocal control nuclei robust nucleus of arcopallium (ra), medial magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (mman) and lateral magnocellular nucleus of ...	2004	15286416
hemodynamic effects of inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosine generation in heart failure.	the hemodynamic effects of cardiac inducible nitric oxide synthase (inos) and of inos-mediated peroxynitrite in patients with left ventricular (lv) dysfunction are unclear. the present study investigates the incidence and functional significance of inos expression and nitrotyrosine formation in patients with heart failure.	2004	15366433
relationship between dde concentrations and laying sequence in eggs of two passerine species.	passerine eggs make useful biomonitors of environmental pollutants. among passerines, it is not known whether organochlorine contaminants in eggs within the same clutch are independent observations or follow a laying order effect. intraclutch variation of dde (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis[(p-chlorophenyl)]ethylene) concentrations was studied in eggs collected from prothonotary warblers (protonotaria citrea) and european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) nesting on national priority list sites in lower alabam ...	2004	15386134
complementary neural systems for the experience-dependent integration of mate-choice cues in european starlings.	choice of a particular mate phenotype may arise out of experience with the very phenotypes under consideration. female european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) prefer males that sing predominantly long-bout songs over males that sing predominantly short-bout songs, and thus, song-bout length is a phenotypic parameter instrumental in releasing the female's mate choice. the preferred long-bout songs induce higher expression of the immediate early gene (ieg) zenk in the female auditory telencephalon t ...	2005	15389683
comparison of the cost of short flights in a nectarivorous and a non-nectarivorous bird.	although most birds are accustomed to making short flights, particularly during foraging, the flight patterns during these short periods of activity differ between species. nectarivorous birds, in particular, often spend time hovering, while non-nectarivorous birds do not. the cost of short flights is likely therefore to differ between nectarivorous and non-nectarivorous birds because of the different energetic contributions of different flight types to the behaviour. the 13c-labelled bicarbonat ...	2004	15472026
regional timing of myocardial shortening is related to prestretch from atrial contraction: assessment by high temporal resolution mri tagging in humans.	earlier studies have shown substantial nonuniformity in normal left ventricular (lv) myocardial function concerning both the degree of shortening and timing of shortening. we hypothesized that nonuniform lv function may be related to nonuniform prestretch induced by atrial contraction. eleven healthy human subjects were studied using mri myocardial tagging and strain analysis. the amount of circumferential prestretch was assessed in 30 lv segments. prestretch was defined as the difference in str ...	2005	15486034
transmural stretch-dependent regulation of contractile properties in rat heart and its alteration after myocardial infarction.	the "stretch-sensitization" response is essential to the regulation of heart contractility. an increase in diastolic volume improves systolic contraction. the cellular mechanisms of this modulation, the frank-starling law, are still uncertain. moreover, their alterations in heart failure remains controversial. here, using left ventricular skinned rat myocytes, we show a nonuniform stretch-sensitization of myofilament activation across the ventricular wall. stretch-dependent ca2+ sensitization of ...	2005	15498894
ppar-gamma activation fails to provide myocardial protection in ischemia and reperfusion in pigs.	peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar)-gamma modulates substrate metabolism and inflammatory responses. in experimental rats subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (i/r), thiazolidinedione ppar-gamma activators reduce infarct size and preserve left ventricular function. troglitazone is the only ppar-gamma activator that has been shown to be protective in i/r in large animals. however, because troglitazone contains both alpha-tocopherol and thiazolidinedione moieties, whether ppa ...	2005	15528232
verocytotoxin-producing escherichia coli in wild birds and rodents in close proximity to farms.	wild animals living close to cattle and pig farms (four each) were examined for verocytotoxin-producing escherichia coli (vtec; also known as shiga toxin-producing e. coli). the prevalence of vtec among the 260 samples from wild animals was generally low. however, vtec isolates from a starling (sturnus vulgaris) and a norway rat (rattus norvegicus) were identical to cattle isolates from the corresponding farms with respect to serotype, virulence profile, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis type ...	2004	15528570
metabolic power of european starlings sturnus vulgaris during flight in a wind tunnel, estimated from heat transfer modelling, doubly labelled water and mask respirometry.	it is technically demanding to measure the energetic cost of animal flight. each of the previously available techniques has some disadvantage as well advantages. we compared measurements of the energetic cost of flight in a wind tunnel by four european starlings sturnus vulgaris made using three independent techniques: heat transfer modelling, doubly labelled water (dlw) and mask respirometry. we based our heat transfer model on thermal images of the surface temperature of the birds and air flow ...	2004	15531650
acute peritoneal dialysis in rats results in a marked reduction of interstitial colloid osmotic pressure.	the aim of this study was to investigate whether the interstitial colloid osmotic pressure (cop(i)) of peritoneum is of importance for peritoneal fluid reabsorption during peritoneal dialysis (pd). for testing this hypothesis, a method to isolate interstitial fluid from the peritoneal membrane and to measure the interstitial cop(i) in the normal peritoneum and directly after the initiation of pd needed to be developed and validated. eighteen female rats were anesthetized subcutaneously in the ne ...	2004	15579514
proteolytic n-terminal truncation of cardiac troponin i enhances ventricular diastolic function.	besides the core structure conserved in all troponin i isoforms, cardiac troponin i (ctni) has an n-terminal extension that contains phosphorylation sites for protein kinase a under beta-adrenergic regulation. a restricted cleavage of this n-terminal regulatory domain occurs in normal cardiac muscle and is up-regulated during hemodynamic adaptation (z.-b. yu, l.-f. zhang, and j.-p. jin (2001) j. biol. chem. 276, 15753-15760). in the present study, we developed transgenic mice overexpressing the ...	2004	15611140
effect of ventricular size and patch stiffness in surgical anterior ventricular restoration: a finite element model study.	surgical anterior ventricular restoration (saver) has been proposed for dilated ischemic cardiomyopathy with an akinetic distal anterior left ventricular wall. we tested the hypothesis that saver increases stroke volume, reduces mean myofiber stress and achieves optimal results without a patch.	2005	15620941
endothelial distribution of the membrane water channel molecule aquaporin-1: implications for tissue and lymph fluid physiology?	aquaporin-1 (aq-1) is a transmembrane water channel protein reportedly expressed in continuous capillary endothelium and intestinal lacteals. we investigated endothelial aq-1 expression in rat intestine and mesentery, and also in lymph nodes.	2003	15624322
altered hetero- and homeometric autoregulation in the terminally failing human heart.	to further investigate length-dependent force generation in human heart, nonfailing (donor hearts, nf) and terminally failing (heart transplants, dilated cardiomyopathy, dcm) left ventricular myocardium was studied under various preload (4-40 mn/mm2) or length conditions. in addition, morphological studies (van giesson trichrome staining, electron microscopy) were performed.	2005	15642528
sch00013, a novel ca(2+) sensitizer with positive inotropic and no chronotropic action in heart failure.	we investigated the effects of the agent sch00013 on ca(2+)-induced force generation in rabbit skinned cardiac muscle fibers and in vivo cardiac function in high-pacing-induced heart failure dogs. the ca(2+)-induced force generation in skinned cardiac muscle fibers was determined at ph 6.2 - 7.4, and sch00013 was found to have a significant ca(2+) sensitizing effect at ph 7.2 to 7.4. there was no significant difference in the ca(2+) sensitizing action between the enantiomers of sch00013. the ca( ...	2005	15644593
brood size modifications affect plumage bacterial assemblages of european starlings.	during reproduction, birds face trade-offs between time and energy devoted to parental effort and traits associated with self-maintenance. we manipulated brood sizes to investigate the effects of such trade-offs on feather bacterial densities and the structure of bacterial assemblages on feathers in adult european starlings, sturnus vulgaris, and in vitro feather degradation. as predicted by a trade-off between parental effort and self-maintenance, we found that birds with enlarged broods had mo ...	2005	15660952
ernest henry starling (1866-1927): the scientist and the man.	the pre-eminent achievements of the english physician and physiologist ernest henry starling were his quantitative explanation of the transcapillary transport of fluid, the discovery of the first hormone, secretin, and his formulation of the law of the heart. in some ways starling was an outsider and he was the centre of several scientific and social controversies. however, throughout his life he stressed fundamental scientific attitudes and ideas with remarkable persistence and power, although ...	2005	15682229
effects of arginine vasotocin (avt) on the behavioral, cardiovascular, and corticosterone responses of starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to crowding.	previous studies in european starlings have concluded that conspecific crowding can be a significant stressor that is capable of simultaneously altering behavior, heart rate, and corticosterone (cort) concentrations. it was hypothesized that the peptide hormone arginine vasotocin (avt) has a role in the regulation of these three types of responses to crowding. four male and four female resident starlings were submitted to nine combinations of 3 crowding treatments (0, 1, or 5 intruder starlings) ...	2005	15708756
social suppression of song is associated with a reduction in volume of a song-control nucleus in european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	in seasonally breeding songbirds, variations in testosterone and song correlate with volume changes in brain nuclei associated with song, including the hvc. the authors tested whether singing can lead to activity-dependent increases in hvc volume by examining song output in starlings (sturnus vulgaris). the authors manipulated males' environments so that only some were dominant with nestboxes, whereas others were not. some of these males thus sang at higher rates and had larger hvc volume than o ...	2005	15727528
evidence for opioid involvement in the regulation of song production in male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	many social animals vocalize at high rates, suggesting that vocal communication is highly motivated and rewarding. in songbirds, much is known about the neural control of vocal behavior; however, little is known about neurobiological mechanisms regulating the motivation to communicate. this study examined a possible role for opioid neuropeptides in motivation and reward associated with song production in male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris). peripheral opioid blockade facilitated male song ...	2005	15727529
biology of the troponin complex in cardiac myocytes.	troponin is the regulatory complex of the myofibrillar thin filament that plays a critical role in regulating excitation-contraction coupling in the heart. troponin is composed of three distinct gene products: troponin c (ctnc), the 18-kd ca(2+)-binding subunit; troponin i (ctni), the approximately 23-kd inhibitory subunit that prevents contraction in the absence of ca2+ binding to ctnc; and troponin t (ctnt), the approximately 35-kd subunit that attaches troponin to tropomyosin (tm) and to the ...	2004	15736582
pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling of the cardiovascular effects of drugs - method development and application to magnesium in sheep.	there have been few reports of pharmacokinetic models that have been linked to models of the cardiovascular system. such models could predict the cardiovascular effects of a drug under a variety of circumstances. limiting factors may be the lack of a suitably simple cardiovascular model, the difficulty in managing extensive cardiovascular data sets, and the lack of physiologically based pharmacokinetic models that can account for blood flow changes that may be caused by a drug. an approach for a ...	2005	15760466
are the low protein requirements of nectarivorous birds the consequence of their sugary and watery diet? a test with an omnivore.	nectar-feeding birds have remarkably low nitrogen requirements. these may be due either to adaptation to a low-protein diet or simply to feeding on a fluid diet that minimizes metabolic fecal nitrogen losses. we measured minimal nitrogen requirements (mnr) and total endogenous nitrogen loss (tenl) in the omnivorous european starling sturnus vulgaris, fed on an artificial nectar-like fluid diet of varying concentrations of sugar and protein. the mnr and tenl of the birds were similar and even sli ...	2013	15778943
seasonal differences in the secretion of luteinising hormone and prolactin in response to n-methyl-dl-aspartate in starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	in birds, unlike mammals, seasonal changes in reproductive function are associated with marked changes in the amount of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (gnrh) stored in the hypothalamus. prolonged exposure to long photoperiods leads to photorefractoriness after the breeding season. photorefractory birds have low hypothalamic concentrations of chicken gnrh-i (cgnrh-i). exposure to short photoperiods results in renewed cgnrh-i synthesis and increased hypothalamic stores. birds are then photosensit ...	2005	15796761
magscrew total artificial heart in vivo performance above 200 beats per minute.	downsizing pulsatile devices requires an increase of beat rate if flow capacity is to be maintained. we applied this concept to the preclinical magscrew total artificial heart (tah).	2005	15797082
reverse remodeling and enhanced inotropic reserve from the cardiac support device in experimental cardiac failure.	progressive chamber remodeling plays a major role in the pathophysiology of chronic cardiac failure. recent studies have begun exploring the potential for a passive external containment to impede such progressive dilation. in dogs with ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, surgical placement of a thin external polyester mesh led to reversal of chronic chamber dilation after 3 to 6 months. systolic function was preserved compared with the earlier time point. both end-systolic and end-diastolic chamber ...	2004	15803553
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
endothelin levels in experimental diabetes combined with cardiac hypertrophy.	diabetes mellitus is associated with endothelial and cardiac dysfunction, and endothelin has been suggested to alter cardiac function by being a positive inotropic agent, modulating the frank-starling response, contracting the coronary arteries and inducing tissue proliferation. we investigated endothelin levels in diabetic and in healthy dogs, 1 and 3 days after placing arteriovenous shunts (8 weeks after diabetes induction) in the femoral regions. right and left ventricular weight/body weight ...	2004	15838277
frank-starling mechanism contributes modestly to ventricular performance during atrial fibrillation.	the aim of this study was to assess whether frank-starling mechanism has an independent effect on left ventricular (lv) performance in atrial fibrillation (af).	2004	15851203
exposure to chronic stress downregulates corticosterone responses to acute stressors.	we used captive european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) to test whether corticosterone responses differed in birds held under normal laboratory conditions or conditions of chronic stress. surprisingly, both basal corticosterone concentrations and corticosterone responses to acute stress were significantly reduced when birds were chronically stressed. to determine the mechanism underlying this reduced response, animals under both conditions were injected with lactated ringer's solution (control), a ...	2005	15886358
influence of the number of repellent-treated and untreated food or water containers on intake by the european starling.	the availability of multiple sources of food and drink has a profound influence on choice behavior in rodents. it is not known how other taxa might respond to the same kind of variation in availability. we tested european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) with various combinations of unadulterated and repellent-treated (0.025% citronellyl acetate) resources. in experiment 1, birds drank more plain than repellent-treated water than when given (a) 2 bottles of plain water and 2 of repellent-water, or ( ...	2005	15951054
protein kinase c epsilon induces systolic cardiac failure marked by exhausted inotropic reserve and intact frank-starling mechanism.	myofilament dysfunction is a common point of convergence for many forms of heart failure. recently, we showed that cardiac overexpression of pkc epsilon initially depresses myofilament activity and then leads to a progression of changes characteristic of human heart failure. here, we examined the effects of pkc epsilon on contractile reserve, starling mechanism, and myofilament activation in this model of end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy. pressure-volume loop analysis and echocardiography showed ...	2005	15951344
gizzard spirurid nematode acuaria skrjabini in japanese tree sparrows and a gray starling from tokyo.	gastrointestinal helminths were collected from 49 japanese tree sparrows (passer montanus saturatus) in tokyo, japan. in 16 sparrows, 1-9 (average, 3.5) gizzard spirurid nematodes (acuaria skrjabini ozerskaya, 1926) were found embedded in the mucosa of the gizzard. in addition, capillaria sp., platynosomum passeri yamashita et tsumura, 1962, and a hymenolepidid cestode were collected from 1, 2, and 1 sparrows, respectively. a sexually mature a. skrjabini female and 3 males were found also in a y ...	2005	15997189
a potential cardiovascular mechanism for the behavioral effects of central and peripheral arginine vasotocin.	few studies have attempted to separate the behavior modulating actions of central and peripheral arginine vasotocin/arginine vasopressin (avt/avp) from their roles in the endocrine and cardiovascular stress response. this series of experiments explored the relative contributions of avt's central and peripheral mechanisms on altering behavior while simultaneously investigating avt's effects on the behavioral, cardiovascular, and corticosteroid responses to acute stressors in european starlings (s ...	2005	16029876
myoclonus induced by cathode ray tube screens and low-frequency lighting in the european starling (sturnus vulgaris).		2005	16055664
why birdsong is sometimes like music.	the sounds and songs of birds have inspired the musical compositions of numerous cultures throughout the globe. this article examines a variety of compositions from western music that feature birdsong and explores the concept of birds as both vocalists and instrumentalists. the concept of birds as composers is then developed-how they use rhythmic variations, pitch relationships, and combinations of notes similar to those found in music-and the theory that birds create variation in their songs pa ...	2005	16085998
corticosterone inhibits feather growth: potential mechanism explaining seasonal down regulation of corticosterone during molt.	corticosterone (cort) is seasonally modulated in many passerines, with plasma cort concentrations lowest during the prebasic molt when all feathers are replaced. to explain why, we proposed that the birds downregulate natural cort release during molt in order to avoid cort's degradative effects on proteins and its inhibition of protein synthesis. if cort exerted these effects during molt, it could slow protein deposition during feather production and potentially result in a longer period of degr ...	2005	16125989
auditory stream segregation in the songbird forebrain: effects of time intervals on responses to interleaved tone sequences.	for both humans and other animals, the abilities to integrate separate sound elements over time into coherent perceptual representations, or 'auditory streams', and to segregate these auditory streams from other interleaved sounds are critical for hearing and vocal communication. in humans and european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) the ability to perceptually segregate a simple interleaved tone sequence comprised of two alternating tones differing in frequency (aba-aba-aba-...) into separate audi ...	2005	16127270
immediate early gene activity in song control nuclei and brain areas regulating motivation relates positively to singing behavior during, but not outside of, a breeding context.	in some species, such as songbirds, much is known about how the brain regulates vocal learning, production, and perception. what remains a mystery is what regulates the motivation to communicate. european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) sing throughout most of the year, but the social and environmental factors that motivate singing behavior differ seasonally. male song is highly sexually motivated during, but not outside of, the breeding season. brain areas outside the song control system, such as ...	2005	16155901
left ventricular volume and function after endoventricular patch plasty for dyskinetic anteroapical left ventricular aneurysm in sheep.	endoventricular patch plasty (the dor procedure) has gained favor as a surgical treatment for heart failure associated with large anteroapical myocardial infarction. we tested the hypothesis that the dor procedure reduces left ventricular volume, increases end-systolic elastance, decreases diastolic compliance, and maintains left ventricular function.	2005	16214516
delayed resolution of negative pressure pulmonary edema associated with low-molecular-weight dextran after microsurgery--a case report.	negative pressure pulmonary edema (nppe) is an uncommon perioperative complication after total or partial upper airway obstruction during anesthesia or respiratory distress. the cardinal event causative of the pathophysiology is believed to be the generation of a sudden and marked negative intrapleural pressure against a closed glottis, resulting in a disruption of the normal intravascular starling mechanism. ultimately, excessive intravascular fluid which transudes into the interstitial space e ...	2005	16235469
in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (dti) of brain subdivisions and vocal pathways in songbirds.	the neural substrate for song behavior in songbirds, the song control system (scs), is thus far the best-documented brain circuit in which to study neuroplasticity and adult neurogenesis. not only does the volume of the key song control nuclei change in size, but also the density of the connections between them changes as a function of seasonal and hormonal influences. this study explores the potentials of in vivo diffusion-tensor mri (dt-mri or dti) to visualize the distinct, concentrated conne ...	2006	16242349
metabolic adjustments to increasing foraging costs of starlings in a closed economy.	knowledge of the physiological consequences of variation in food availability may be essential for understanding behavioural and life history responses to such variation. to study the physiological consequences of food availability animals are generally subjected to caloric restriction or starvation, thereby reducing the upper limit to the energy budget. the relevance of this approach to free-living animals is questionable, however, because under natural conditions low food availability often re ...	2005	16244169
stability of the color-opponent signals under changes of illuminant in natural scenes.	illumination varies greatly both across parts of a natural scene and as a function of time, whereas the spectral reflectance function of surfaces remains more stable and is of much greater relevance when searching for specific targets. this study investigates the functional properties of postreceptoral opponent-channel responses, in particular regarding their stability against spatial and temporal variation in illumination. we studied images of natural scenes obtained in uk and uganda with digit ...	2005	16277277
mechanosensory properties in the human gastric antrum evaluated using b-mode ultrasonography during volume-controlled antral distension.	the aims of this study were to evaluate gastric antral mechanical behavior and distension-induced sensorimotor responses in the human gastric antrum using transabdominal ultrasound scanning. ten healthy volunteers underwent volume-controlled ramp inflation of a bag located in the antrum with volumes up to 125 ml. the active and passive circumferential tensions and stresses were calculated from measurements of pressure, diameter, and wall thickness before and during the administration of the anti ...	2006	16293656
organochlorine insecticides in mudflats of hong kong, china.	organochlorine (oc) insecticides were measured in different environmental compartments (including seawater, sediment, and biota) at six sites within the mai po marshes nature reserve (mpmnr) and at one site in a chau (ac) in hong kong in june 2002 (wet season) and january 2003 (dry season). mpmnr is a wetland of international importance (ramsar site) situated in the western part of hong kong, whereas ac is a relatively remote island in starling inlet on the eastern side of the new territories of ...	2006	16307213
nest site attributes and temporal patterns of northern flicker nest loss: effects of predation and competition.	to date, most studies of nest site selection have failed to take into account more than one source of nest loss (or have combined all sources in one analysis) when examining nest site characteristics, leaving us with an incomplete understanding of the potential trade-offs that individuals may face when selecting a nest site. our objectives were to determine whether northern flickers (colaptes auratus) may experience a trade-off in nest site selection in response to mammalian nest predation and n ...	2006	16323016
magscrew tah: an update.	the magscrew total artificial heart (tah) system is the result of a close collaboration among the cleveland clinic foundation, foster miller technologies, wilson greatbatch ltd, and whalen biomedical inc. the system components are the thoracic blood pumping unit with attached compliance chamber and refill port, implantable electronic control unit, implantable battery pack, transcutaneous energy transmission system, external battery pack, and a telemetry system for communication with the electron ...	2005	16340348
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
pressure-calcium relationships in perfused mouse hearts.	we explored the relationship between left ventricular (lv) pressure and intracellular free calcium concentration ([ca](i)) in the isolated perfused mouse heart. [ca](i) (rhod-2) and lv pressure were recorded simultaneously. in response to increases in lv volume (frank-starling, fs, protocol), there were increases in developed pressure (up to 250%), with no changes in pressure morphology (rise or relaxation time) or [ca](i) (magnitude and morphology) for up to 10 min. during transient increases i ...	2006	16415077
hormonology: a genomic perspective on hormonal research.	recent advances in comparative genomics allow a new paradigm for hormonal research. at the centennial of the first use of the term hormone by ernest starling, we reflected on the changing approaches in elucidating hormonal signaling mechanisms and highlighted the inadequacy of the term endocrinology, implying remote activation, to describe the diverse modes of hormone actions. several examples were presented to underscore the power of comparative genomics in the identification of new polypeptide ...	2005	16423812
a comparative study of cardiac preservation with celsior or university of wisconsin solution with or without prior administration of cardioplegia.	we have previously reported the cardiac functional and metabolic benefits of administration of extracellular-type cardioplegia before preservation with university of wisconsin solution. celsior solution was designed to be used both as an arresting solution and a storage solution for heart transplantation. the objective of the present study is to compare cardiac function of hearts arrested and preserved with celsior solution to hearts arrested with cardioplegia followed by preservation with uw so ...	2006	16446224
stress hormones: a link between maternal condition and sex-biased reproductive investment.	in species where offspring fitness is sex-specifically influenced by maternal reproductive condition, sex allocation theory predicts that poor-quality mothers should invest in the evolutionarily less expensive sex. despite an accumulation of evidence that mothers can sex-specifically modulate investment in offspring in relation to maternal quality, few mechanisms have been proposed as to how this is achieved. we explored a hormonal mechanism for sex-biased maternal investment by measuring and ex ...	2005	16475090
developmental changes in rat cardiac titin/connectin: transitions in normal animals and in mutants with a delayed pattern of isoform transition.	rat cardiac titin undergoes developmental changes in isoform expression during the period from late embryonic through the first 20-25 days of life. at least five size classes of titin isoforms have been identified using sds agarose gel electrophoresis. the longest normal isoform is expressed in the embryonic stages, and it is progressively replaced with increasingly smaller versions. the isoform switching is consistent with changes in resting tension from lower values in one-day neonates to high ...	2005	16491431
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
prevalence of bordetella bronchiseptica in certain central iowa.	bordetella bronchiseptica was isolated from 6 of 13 short-tailed shrews (blarina brevicauda) and 1 of 47 house sparrows (passer domesticus) trapped in the vicinity of a swine bordetella rhinitis experimental area. the organism was found in four of 50 foxes (vulpes fulva), 2 of 36 opossums (didelphis marsupialis) and 1 of 37 raccoons (procyon lotor) trapped in the ames, iowa area. this bacterium was not culturally isolated from 14 deer mice (peromyscus maniculatus), 64 house mice (mus musculus), ...	1976	16502690
prediction of functional recovery of 60-minute warm ischemic hearts from asphyxiated canine non-heart-beating donors.	cardiac function of non-heart-beating donors (nhbds) is uncertain due to severe myocardial damage. we developed an isolated myocardial perfusion system to resuscitate nhbd hearts and attempted to predict functional recovery of 60-minute warm ischemic hearts by analyzing systolic and diastolic functions.	2006	16507429
the uw solution has greater potential for longer preservation periods than the celsior solution: comparative study for ventricular and coronary endothelial function after 24-h heart preservation.	improvement of long-term heart preservation methods would potentially increase the donor pool and improve survival. we compared the efficacies of the university of wisconsin (uw) and celsior solutions on ventricular and endothelial functions after 24-h preservation.	2006	16520050
immediate functional effects of left ventricular reduction: a doppler echocardiographic study in the rat.	immediate functional effects of left ventricle reduction (lvr) are not yet fully defined. those effects have been studied in the experimental model of myocardial infarction scar plication (misp) in the rat.	2006	16520267
control of molt in birds: association with prolactin and gonadal regression in starlings.	despite the importance of molt to birds, very little is known about its environmental or physiological control. in starlings sturnus vulgaris, and other species, under both natural conditions and experimental regimes, gonadal regression coincides with peak prolactin secretion. the prebasic molt starts at the same time. the aim of this series of experiments was to keep starlings on photo-schedules that would challenge the normally close relationship between gonadal regression and molt, to determi ...	2006	16530194
hydrodynamics of the spinal epidural space in pigs determined by constant-flow methods.	impressive quantities of fluid can be infused into the epidural space of the spine without causing dramatic or sustained increases in pressure. the epidural space is considered "leaky," but questions remain about how fluid leaves the epidural space. we used constant-flow infusions of saline to gain insight into the hydrodynamics involved.	2006	16543094
starling-effect-independent lusitropism index in canine left ventricle: logistic time constant.	the logistic time constant (tau(l)) has been proposed as a better index of the rate of left ventricular (lv) relaxation or lusitropism than the conventional monoexponential time constant (tau(e)). however, whether and how the frank-starling effect influences tau(l) remains to be elucidated. we compared the effect of lv volume (lvv) loading on both logistic and monoexponential fittings. the isovolumic lv relaxation pressure curves from the maximum negative time derivative of pressure (-dp/dt(max) ...	2006	16551893
genome of a novel circovirus of starlings, amplified by multiply primed rolling-circle amplification.	the genus circovirus comprises small non-enveloped viruses with a circular single-stranded dna genome. by using pcr with degenerate primers, a novel circovirus (starling circovirus, stcv) was detected in spleen samples of wild starlings (sturnus vulgaris and sturnus unicolor) found dead during an epidemic outbreak of septicaemic salmonellosis in northeastern spain. using a specific pcr, stcv was also detected in apparently healthy birds from the same population. the genome was amplified using mu ...	2006	16603520
activation of myocardial contraction by the n-terminal domains of myosin binding protein-c.	myosin binding protein-c (mybp-c) is a poorly understood component of the thick filament in striated muscle sarcomeres. its c terminus binds tightly to myosin, whereas the n terminus contains binding sites for myosin s2 and possibly for the thin filament. to study the role of the n-terminal domains of cardiac mybp-c (cmybp-c), we added human n-terminal peptide fragments to human and rodent skinned ventricular myocytes. at concentrations >10 micromol/l, the n-terminal c0c2 peptide activated force ...	2006	16614305
exhaustion of the frank-starling mechanism in conscious dogs with heart failure induced by chronic coronary microembolization.	the role of the frank-starling mechanism in the regulation of cardiac systolic function in the ischemic failing heart was examined in conscious dogs. left ventricular (lv) dimension, pressure and systolic function were assessed using surgically implanted instrumentations and non-invasive echocardiogram. heart failure was induced by daily intra-coronary injections of microspheres for 3-4 weeks via implanted coronary catheters. chronic coronary embolization resulted in a progressive dilation of th ...	2006	16624328
recursive syntactic pattern learning by songbirds.	humans regularly produce new utterances that are understood by other members of the same language community. linguistic theories account for this ability through the use of syntactic rules (or generative grammars) that describe the acceptable structure of utterances. the recursive, hierarchical embedding of language units (for example, words or phrases within shorter sentences) that is part of the ability to construct new utterances minimally requires a 'context-free' grammar that is more comple ...	2006	16641998
[invasive diagnostic technique and technology for heart failure].	technology and techniques of cardiac catheterization to assess the ventricular function have been developed in the recent decades. the approach for assessing function is based on the measurement of cardiac output which depends on preload, afterload and ventricular contractility. clinical application of frank-starling principle is useful for characterizing human heart failure. conventionally, the isovolumic phase index(peak positive dp/dt) and ejection phase index (ejection fraction) have been ap ...	2006	16689369
the effect of steady-state increases in systemic arterial pressure on the duration of left ventricular ejection time.	the effect of steady-state increases in systemic arterial pressure on the duration of left ventricular ejection time was studied in 11 normal male subjects. methoxamine, a pressor amine of predominantly vasoconstrictor activity but lacking significant inotropic effect, was administered intravenously resulting in an average increase in mean arterial pressure of 27 mm hg. heart rate was held constant by high right atrial pacing, and there was no significant change in cardiac output. during methoxa ...	1968	16695943
differential effect of troponin t mutations on the inotropic responsiveness of mouse hearts--role of myofilament ca2+ sensitivity increase.	troponin t (tnt) mutations that cause familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (fhc) and sudden cardiac death frequently increase myofilament ca2+ sensitivity, suggesting that their ca2+-sensitizing effect contributes importantly to the fhc pathogenesis. to test this hypothesis, we compared transgenic mice expressing the ca2+-sensitizing tnt-i79n mutant (i79n), which causes a high rate of sudden cardiac death in patients, with mice expressing the more benign tnt-r278c mutant (r278c) that does not af ...	2006	16777946
reconstitution of the frank-starling mechanism in engineered heart tissues.	according to the frank-starling mechanism, as the heart is stretched, it increases its contraction force. reconstitution of the frank-starling mechanism is an important milestone for producing functional heart tissue constructs. spontaneously contracting engineered heart tissues (ehts) were reconstituted by growing dissociated chicken embryo cardiomyocytes in collagen matrices. twitch and baseline tensions were recorded at precisely controlled levels of tissue strain. the ehts showed a steep inc ...	2006	16782784
characterization of an avian influenza virus of subtype h7n2 isolated from chickens in northern china.	an h7n2 avian influenza virus was isolated from chickens during routine surveillance in northern china in 2002. to understand the origin of this virus, we completely sequenced its genome. the pb1, pa, ha, and m genes of this virus were highly homologous with those of the wild bird virus a/africa starling/eng-q/983/79 (h7n1). the np and ns genes were closely related to those of two other wild bird viruses isolated 30 years ago. the closest relatives of the pb2 and na genes of the virus were those ...	2006	16791426
effects of high-altitude exercise training on contractile function of rat skinned cardiomyocyte.	previous studies have questioned whether there is an improved cardiac function after high-altitude training. accordingly, the present study was designed specifically to test whether this apparent blunted response of the whole heart to training can be accounted for by altered mechanical properties at the cellular level.	2006	16860293
mechanism of the frank-starling law--a simulation study with a novel cardiac muscle contraction model that includes titin and troponin i.	a stretch-induced increase of active tension is one of the most important properties of the heart, known as the frank-starling law. although a variation of myofilament ca(2+) sensitivity with sarcomere length (sl) change was found to be involved, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully clarified. some recent experimental studies indicate that a reduction of the lattice spacing between thin and thick filaments, through the increase of passive tension caused by the sarcomeric protein tit ...	2006	16860336
role of diastolic properties in the transition to failure in a mouse model of the cardiac dilatation.	although the physiological states of hypertrophic remodeling and congestive heart failure have been intensively studied, less is known about the transition from one to the other. the use of genetically engineered murine models of heart failure has proven valuable in characterizing the progression of remodeling and its ultimate decompensation to failure. mice deficient in the cytoskeletal muscle lim-only protein (mlp) are known to present with a clinical picture of dilated cardiomyopathy and tran ...	2006	16861693
a metabolic approach to the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy in bio t0-2 cardiomyopathic syrian hamsters.	mechanisms underlying dilated cardiomyopathy (dcm) are poorly understood and effective therapy is still unavailable. the aim of this study was to examine the heart ultrastructure and dynamic of bio t0-2 cardiomyopathic hamsters, an animal model of dcm, and to study in these animals, the effects of a co-formulation (hs12607) of propionyl-l-carnitine, coenzyme q(10) and omega-3 fatty acids on cardiac mechanical parameters. sarcomere length, frank-starling mechanism and force-frequency relations we ...	2005	16873937
a 1-d model to explore the effects of tissue loading and tissue concentration gradients in the revised starling principle.	the recent experiments in hu et al. (am j physiol heart circ physiol 279: h1724-h1736, 2000) and adamson et al. (j physiol 557: 889-907, 2004) in frog and rat mesentery microvessels have provided strong evidence supporting the michel-weinbaum hypothesis for a revised asymmetric starling principle in which the starling force balance is applied locally across the endothelial glycocalyx layer rather than between lumen and tissue. these experiments were interpreted by a three-dimensional (3-d) mathe ...	2006	16905594
[preload and ventricular lusitropism; logistic and monoexponential function fittings].	a logistic function has been found to fit the isovolumic left ventricular (lv) relaxation pressure curve and the isometric relaxation force curve of the papillary muscle much more precisely than the conventional monoexponential function. therefore, the logistic time constant (taul) has been proposed as a better index of the rate of cardiac relaxation or lusitropism than the conventional monoexponential time constant (taue). many investigators have reported that taue changes with preloading. we a ...	2006	16910474
breeding-context-dependent relationships between song and cfos labeling within social behavior brain regions in male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris).	male european starlings (sturnus vulgaris) sing throughout the year, but the social factors that motivate singing behavior differ depending upon the context in which song is produced. in a non-breeding context (when testosterone concentrations are low), starlings form large, mixed-sex flocks and song is involved in flock cohesion and perhaps maintenance of social hierarchies. in contrast, in a breeding context (when testosterone concentrations are high), male song plays a direct role in mate att ...	2006	16914152