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Author |
Touma, C.; Palme, R.; Sachser, N. |
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Title |
Analyzing corticosterone metabolites in fecal samples of mice: a noninvasive technique to monitor stress hormones |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2004 |
Publication |
Hormones and Behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Horm Behav |
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Volume |
45 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
10-22 |
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Keywords |
Adrenal Cortex/drug effects; Adrenal Cortex Function Tests; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/pharmacology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Circadian Rhythm; Corticosterone/*analysis/metabolism; Dexamethasone/pharmacology; Feces/*chemistry; Female; Immunoenzyme Techniques/*methods; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Animal; Reproducibility of Results; Stress, Psychological/*metabolism |
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Abstract  |
In small animals like mice, the monitoring of endocrine functions over time is constrained seriously by the adverse effects of blood sampling. Therefore, noninvasive techniques to monitor, for example, stress hormones in these animals are highly demanded in laboratory as well as in field research. The aim of our study was to evaluate the biological relevance of a recently developed technique to monitor stress hormone metabolites in fecal samples of laboratory mice. In total, six experiments were performed using six male and six female mice each. Two adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge tests, two dexamethasone (Dex) suppression tests and two control experiments [investigating effects of the injection procedure itself and the diurnal variation (DV) of glucocorticoids (GCs), respectively] were conducted. The experiments clearly demonstrated that pharmacological stimulation and suppression of adrenocortical activity was reflected accurately by means of corticosterone metabolite (CM) measurements in the feces of males and females. Furthermore, the technique proved sensitive enough to detect dosage-dependent effects of the ACTH/Dex treatment and facilitated to reveal profound effects of the injection procedure itself. Even the naturally occurring DV of GCs could be monitored reliably. Thus, our results confirm that measurement of fecal CM with the recently established 5alpha-pregnane-3beta,11beta,21-triol-20-one enzyme immunoassay is a very powerful tool to monitor adrenocortical activity in laboratory mice. Since mice represent the vast majority of all rodents used for research worldwide and the number of transgenic and knockout mice utilized as animal models is still increasing, this noninvasive technique can open new perspectives in biomedical and behavioral science. |
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Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster, D-48149 Muenster, Germany. touma@uni-muenster.de |
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0018-506X |
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PMID:14733887 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4084 |
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Author |
Gácsi, M.; Kara, E.; Belényi, B.; Topál, J.; Miklósi, Á. |
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Title |
The effect of development and individual differences in pointing comprehension of dogs |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2009 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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Volume |
12 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
471-479 |
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Keywords |
Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Animals; *Association Learning; Attention; Chi-Square Distribution; Choice Behavior; *Comprehension; *Concept Formation; Dogs/*psychology; Female; *Gestures; Humans; Male; Orientation; Statistics, Nonparametric |
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Abstract |
In spite of the rather different procedures actually used in comparative studies to test the ability of different species to rely on the human pointing gesture, there is no debate on the high performance of dogs in such tasks. Very little is known, however, on the course through which they acquire this ability or the probable factors influencing the process. Important developmental questions have remained unsolved and also some methodological concerns should be addressed before we can convincingly argue for one interpretation or another. In this study we tested 180 dogs of different age (from 2 months to adults) to investigate their performance in the human distal momentary pointing gesture. The results, analyzed at both the group and the individual levels, showed no difference in the performance according to age, indicating that in dogs the comprehension of the human pointing may require only very limited and rapid early learning to fully develop. Interestingly, neither the keeping conditions nor the time spent in active interaction with the owner, and not even some special (agility) training for using human visual cues, had significant effect on the success and explained individual differences. The performance of the dogs was rather stable over time: during the 20 trials within a session and even when subsamples of different age were repeatedly tested. Considering that in spite of the general success at the group level, more than half of the dogs were not successful at the individual level, we revealed alternative “decision-making rules” other than following the pointing gesture of the experimenter. |
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Department of Ethology, Eotvos University, Budapest, Hungary. gm.art@t-online.hu |
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1435-9456 |
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PMID:19130102 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4969 |
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Author |
Gajdon, G.K.; Fijn, N.; Huber, L. |
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Title |
Limited spread of innovation in a wild parrot, the kea (Nestor notabilis) |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2006 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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Volume |
9 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
173-181 |
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Keywords |
Animal Communication; Animals; Diffusion of Innovation; Feeding Behavior; Female; *Imitative Behavior; *Learning; Male; *Motor Skills; *Parrots; *Problem Solving; Sex Factors; Social Dominance; Social Environment; Statistics, Nonparametric |
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In the local population of kea in Mount Cook Village, New Zealand, some keas open the lids of rubbish bins with their bill to obtain food scraps within. We investigated the extent to which this innovation has spread in the local population, and what factors limit the acquisition of bin opening. Only five males of 36 individually recognised birds were observed to have performed successful bin opening. With one exception there were always other keas present, watching successful bin opening. Seventeen additional individuals were seen to have benefitted from lid opening. Their foraging success was less than that of the bin openers. Social status of bin openers did not differ from scrounging males. Among the individuals that were regularly seen at the site of the bins but were not successful in bin opening, social status and the ratio of feeding directly from open bins correlated with the amount of opening attempts. We conclude that scrounging facilitated certain behavioural aspects of bin opening rather than inhibiting them. The fact that only 9% of opening attempts were successful, and the long period of time required to increase efficiency in lid opening shows that mainly individual experience, and to a lesser extent insight and social learning, play key roles in acquisition of the opening technique. The results indicate that the spread of innovative solutions of challenging mechanical problems in animals may be restricted to only a few individuals. |
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Department for Behavior, Neurobiology and Cognition, University of Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria. gyula.gajdon@univie.ac.at |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:16568276 |
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no |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2472 |
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Author |
Hanggi, E.B.; Ingersoll, J.F.; Waggoner, T.L. |
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Title |
Color vision in horses (Equus caballus): deficiencies identified using a pseudoisochromatic plate test |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Comp. Psychol. |
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Volume |
121 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
65-72 |
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Animals; Appetitive Behavior; *Color Perception; Color Perception Tests/veterinary; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Horses/*psychology; Male; Sensitivity and Specificity |
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Abstract |
In the past, equine color vision was tested with stimuli composed either of painted cards or photographic slides or through physiological testing using electroretinogram flicker photometry. Some studies produced similar results, but others did not, demonstrating that there was not yet a definitive answer regarding color vision in horses (Equus caballus). In this study, a pseudoisochromatic plate test--which is highly effective in testing color vision both in small children and in adult humans--was used for the first time on a nonhuman animal. Stimuli consisted of different colored dotted circles set against backgrounds of varying dots. The coloration of the circles corresponded to the visual capabilities of different types of color deficiencies (anomalous trichromacy and dichromacy). Four horses were tested on a 2-choice discrimination task. All horses successfully reached criterion for gray circles and demonstration circles. None of the horses were able to discriminate the protan-deutan plate or the individual protan or deutan plates. However, all were able to discriminate the tritan plate. The results suggest that horses are dichromats with color vision capabilities similar to those of humans with red-green color deficiencies. |
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Equine Research Foundation, Aptos, CA 95001, USA. EquiResF@aol.com |
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0735-7036 |
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PMID:17324076 |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ ; Equine Behaviour @ team @ room B 3.029 |
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1972 |
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Author |
Cancedda, M. |
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Title |
[Social and behavioral organization of horses on the Giara (Sardinia): distribution and aggregation] |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
1990 |
Publication |
Bollettino della Societa italiana di biologia sperimentale |
Abbreviated Journal |
Boll Soc Ital Biol Sper |
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66 |
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11 |
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1089-1096 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Animals, Wild/physiology/psychology; Environment; Female; *Horses/physiology/psychology; Italy; Male; Population Density; Sexual Behavior, Animal; *Social Behavior; Social Dominance; Water |
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In this paper some considerations on the environment of the 42 Kmq of the volcanic-basaltic Giara tableland are discussed. Conditioning by the environment and its effect on the distribution of a population of 712 horses is illustrated in view of their social and behavioural organization. |
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Istituto di Fisiologia Generale e Speciale, Universita di Sassari |
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Italian |
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Introduzione all'organizzazione sociale e comportamentale dei cavallini sulla Giara (Sardegna): distribuzione ed aggregazione |
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0037-8771 |
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PMID:2095819 |
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no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
673 |
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Author |
Hemelrijk, C.K.; Wantia, J. |
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Title |
Individual variation by self-organisation |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews |
Abbreviated Journal |
Neurosci Biobehav Rev |
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Volume |
29 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
125-136 |
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Keywords |
Aggression; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Competitive Behavior/*physiology; Female; Humans; *Individuality; Male; Models, Psychological; Sex Characteristics; *Social Dominance; Time Factors |
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Abstract |
In this paper, we show that differences in dominance and spatial centrality of individuals in a group may arise through self-organisation. Our instrument is a model, called DomWorld, that represents two traits that are often found in animals, namely grouping and competing. In this model individual differences grow under the following conditions: (1) when the intensity of aggression increases and grouping becomes denser, (2) when the degree of sexual dimorphism in fighting power increases. In this case the differences among females compared to males grow too, (3) when, upon encountering another individual, the tendency to attack is 'obligate' and not conditional, namely 'sensitive to risks'. Results resemble phenomena described for societies of primates, mice, birds and pigs. |
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Theoretical Biology, University of Groningen, NN Haren, The Netherlands. hemelrij@ifi.unizh.ch |
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0149-7634 |
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PMID:15652260 |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
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443 |
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Author |
Katz, M.; Lachlan, R.F. |
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Title |
Social learning of food types in zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata) is directed by demonstrator sex and feeding activity |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2003 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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6 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
11-16 |
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Animals; Color; Diet; *Feeding Behavior; Female; *Learning; Male; Sex Factors; *Social Behavior; *Songbirds |
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In this study we examined how social learning of feeding preferences by zebra finches was affected by the identity of different demonstrators. We presented adult zebra finches with two demonstrators, one male and one female, that exhibited different food choices, and we recorded their subsequent preference when given a choice between the two food types. Previously it was found that young zebra finches' patterns of social learning are affected by the sex of the individual demonstrating a feeding behaviour. This result could be explained by the lack of exposure these animals had to the opposite sex, or by their mating status. Therefore, we investigated the social learning preferences of adult mated zebra finches. We found the same pattern of directed social learning of a different type of feeding behaviour (food colour): female zebra finches preferred the colour of food eaten by male demonstrators, whereas male zebra finches showed little evidence of any preference for the colour of food eaten by female demonstrators. Furthermore, we found that female observers' preferences were biased by demonstrators' relative feeding activity: the female demonstrator was only ever preferred if it ate less than its male counterpart. |
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Institute of Evolutionary and Ecological Science, University of Leiden, Kaiserstraat 63, 2311GP, Leiden, The Netherlands |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:12658531 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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2585 |
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Author |
Tanaka, M. |
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Title |
Recognition of pictorial representations by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Animal Cognition |
Abbreviated Journal |
Anim. Cogn. |
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Volume |
10 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
169-179 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Discrimination Learning; Female; Male; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; *Pattern Recognition, Visual; Photography |
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Abstract |
In this study, I investigated chimpanzees' ability to recognize pictorial representations. Four adults and three juvenile chimpanzees were trained to choose images of photographs of flowers among 12 items belonging to four categories on a touch-sensitive monitor. As a generalization test, the following five types of images were presented: (1) novel photographs, (2) colored sketches (more realistic), (3) a colored clip art (cartoon-like images), (4) black-and-white line drawings, and (5) Kanji characters (as the control images). One adult and all three juvenile chimpanzees were able to choose any style of the nonphotographic images of flowers significantly above the chance level, whereas none could choose the correct Kanji characters corresponding to a flower significantly above the chance level. The other three adult chimpanzees' performance level did not exceed the chance level in terms of choosing nonphotographic images although they showed good transfer skills to novel photographs. The results revealed that not all chimpanzees could recognize pictures used by humans without training. The results also suggest “critical period” in acquisition of skill in recognizing pictures in chimpanzees. Only one adult chimpanzee, who had acquired skill in recognizing visual symbols, also recognized pictures aside from the juvenile chimpanzees. Her learning history might have aided her in acquiring this skill. The results of this study suggest a relationship between pictorial competence and symbolic one. |
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Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan. mtanaka@pri.kyoto-u.ac.jp |
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1435-9448 |
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PMID:17171361 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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2428 |
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Author |
Franceschini, C.; Siutz, C.; Palme, R.; Millesi, E. |
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Title |
Seasonal changes in cortisol and progesterone secretion in Common hamsters |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
2007 |
Publication |
General and Comparative Endocrinology |
Abbreviated Journal |
Gen Comp Endocrinol |
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Volume |
152 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
14-21 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Cortisone/*secretion; Cricetinae/*metabolism; Feces/chemistry; Female; Lactation/physiology; Male; Pregnancy; Progesterone/*secretion; Reproduction/physiology; *Seasons; Sexual Behavior, Animal/physiology |
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Abstract |
In this study, we investigated endocrine factors and behaviour in free-living Common hamsters (Cricetus cricetus) during reproductive and non-reproductive periods of the annual cycle. We applied a non-invasive method to gain information on seasonal changes in adrenocortical activity in male and female hamsters by analysing faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations (FCM). In addition, plasma progesterone concentrations were monitored in females throughout the non-hibernation season. The animals were live-trapped from spring emergence until the onset of hibernation in autumn. Reproductive status was determined at capture and blood and faecal samples were collected. During behavioural observations, agonistic and sexual interactions were recorded. FCM concentrations were significantly higher in males than in females during the reproductive period. In males, a pronounced increase in FCM during the reproductive period coincided with high frequencies of intrasexual aggression. In females, FCM levels remained relatively constant. Aggressive behaviour in females increased during the reproductive period, but was much less frequent than in males. Females, which successfully raised a second litter after a postpartum oestrus and concurrent lactation and gestation had lower FCM levels than individuals, which lost their second litter after parturition. As expected, plasma progesterone concentrations were low before and after the reproductive period. During gestation, levels peaked and remained elevated during lactation. The results of this field study provide insight in critical periods associated with reproduction in male and female Common hamsters. |
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Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. claudia.franceschini@univie.ac.ct |
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0016-6480 |
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PMID:17408667 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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4076 |
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Author |
Brown, R.F.; Houpt, K.A.; Schryver, H.F. |
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Title |
Stimulation of food intake in horses by diazepam and promazine |
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Journal Article |
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Year |
1976 |
Publication |
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior |
Abbreviated Journal |
Pharmacol Biochem Behav |
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Volume |
5 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
495-497 |
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Age Factors; Animals; Diazepam/*pharmacology; Diet; Feeding Behavior/*drug effects; Female; Horses/*physiology; Male; Promazine/*pharmacology; Stimulation, Chemical |
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Abstract |
In two adult horses doses of 0.02-0.03 mg/kg diazepam, intravenously, increased 1 hr intake 54-75% above control levels. Intake was stimulated when the diet was a high grain, calorically dense one and also when the diet was a high fiber, calorically dilute one. Two young rapidly growing weanling horses showed an even more pronounced stimulation of intake. Following diazepam 1 hr intake was increased 105-240% above control lelvels. Promazine at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg also stimulated intake in adult horses, but not as markedly as did diazepam. A transquilizer and a neuroleptic appear to have a stimulatory eff upon short-term intake in horses. |
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0091-3057 |
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PMID:1005496 |
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refbase @ user @ |
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60 |
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