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Author McGreevy, P.D. doi  openurl
  Title The advent of equitation science Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication The Veterinary Journal Abbreviated Journal Vet J  
  Volume 174 Issue 3 Pages 492-500  
  Keywords  
  Abstract The lengthy association of humans with horses has established traditional equestrian techniques that have served military and transport needs well. Although effective, these techniques have by-passed the research findings of modern psychologists, who developed the fundamentals of learning theory. That said, the pools of equestrian debate are far from stagnant. The latest wave of horse whisperers has offered some refinements and some novel interpretations of the motivation of horses undergoing training. Additionally, the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) has introduced the concept of the 'happy equine athlete' and, in the light of the hyperflexion (Rollkur) debate, recently examined the possible effects of some novel dressage modalities on equine 'happiness'. However, many still question the welfare of the ridden horse since it is largely trained using negative reinforcement, has to respond to pressure-based signals and is seldom asked to work for positive rewards. Science holds tremendous promise for removing emotiveness from the horse-riding welfare debate by establishing how much rein tension is too much; how much contact is neutral; how contact can be measured; how discomfort can be measured; how pain can be measured; and how learned helplessness manifests in horses. These are some of the topics addressed by equitation science, an emerging discipline that combines learning theory, physics and ethology to examine the salience and efficacy of horse-training techniques.  
  Address Faculty of Veterinary Science, Gunn Building (B19), University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1090-0233 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:17157542 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3709  
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Author Douglas Wilson, A. doi  openurl
  Title The effects of diet on blood glucose, insulin, gastrin and the serum tryptophan: Large neutral amino acid ratio in foals Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication The Veterinary Journal Abbreviated Journal Vet J  
  Volume Issue Pages  
  Keywords Diet; Horse; Insulin; Gastrin; Tryptophan  
  Abstract High carbohydrate diets can affect the health and behaviour of foals, but the mechanisms are not always fully understood. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of feeding a starch and sugar (SS), or a fat (oil) and fibre (FF) rich diet to two groups of eight foals. Diets were fed from 4 to 42 weeks of age, alongside ad libitum forage. Faecal pH levels did not differ significantly between groups and endoscopic examination showed that the gastric mucosa was healthy in both groups at 25 and 42 weeks of age. At 40 weeks of age, SS foals had significantly higher total blood glucose and lower total blood gastrin than FF foals during the 6h period following ingestion of their respective diets, but insulin levels did not differ significantly. The ratio between serum tryptophan and other large neutral amino acids showed a trend towards an interaction between diet and sampling time. The results provide preliminary information about the effects of diet on the physiology of young horses.  
  Address School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK  
  Corporate Author Amanda J. Badnell-Watersb, Rachel Biceb, Ailison Kellandb, Pat A. Harrisc and Christine J. Nicol Thesis  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1090-0233 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16945560 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 63  
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Author Moses, S.N.; Villate, C.; Ryan, J.D. doi  openurl
  Title An investigation of learning strategy supporting transitive inference performance in humans compared to other species Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Neuropsychologia Abbreviated Journal Neuropsychologia  
  Volume 44 Issue 8 Pages 1370-1387  
  Keywords Adult; Analysis of Variance; Association Learning/*physiology; *Cognition; *Concept Formation; Female; Humans; *Logic; Male; Pattern Recognition, Visual/physiology; Photic Stimulation/methods; Reaction Time/physiology  
  Abstract Generalizations about neural function are often drawn from non-human animal models to human cognition, however, the assumption of cross-species conservation may sometimes be invalid. Humans may use different strategies mediated by alternative structures, or similar structures may operate differently within the context of the human brain. The transitive inference problem, considered a hallmark of logical reasoning, can be solved by non-human species via associative learning rather than logic. We tested whether humans use similar strategies to other species for transitive inference. Results are crucial for evaluating the validity of widely accepted assumptions of similar neural substrates underlying performance in humans and other animals. Here we show that successful transitive inference in humans is unrelated to use of associative learning strategies and is associated with ability to report the hierarchical relationship among stimuli. Our work stipulates that cross-species generalizations must be interpreted cautiously, since performance on the same task may be mediated by different strategies and/or neural systems.  
  Address Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Toronto, Canada. smoses@rotman-baycrest.on.ca  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0028-3932 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16503340 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 153  
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Author Seed AM; Tebbich S; Emery NJ; Clayton NS doi  openurl
  Title Investigating physical cognition in rooks (Corvus frugilegus) Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Current Biology Abbreviated Journal Curr. Biol.  
  Volume 16 Issue 7 Pages 697-701  
  Keywords Sysneuro  
  Abstract Summary Although animals (particularly tool-users) are capable of solving physical tasks in the laboratory and the degree to which they understand them in terms of their underlying physical forces is a matter of contention. Here, using a new paradigm, the two-trap tube task, we report the performance of non-tool-using rooks. In contrast to the low success rates of previous studies using trap-tube problems , , and , seven out of eight rooks solved the initial task, and did so rapidly. Instead of the usual, conceptually flawed control, we used a series of novel transfer tasks to test for understanding. All seven transferred their solution across a change in stimuli. However, six out of seven were unable to transfer to two further tasks, which did not share any one visual constant. One female was able to solve these further transfer tasks. Her result is suggestive evidence that rooks are capable of sophisticated physical cognition, if not through an understanding of unobservable forces and , perhaps through rule abstraction. Our results highlight the need to investigate cognitive mechanisms other than causal understanding in studying animal physical cognition.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3076  
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Author Crosby, M.B.; Zhang, J.; Nowling, T.M.; Svenson, J.L.; Nicol, C.J.; Gonzalez, F.J.; Gilkeson, G.S. doi  openurl
  Title Inflammatory modulation of PPAR gamma expression and activity Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Clinical immunology Abbreviated Journal Clin Immunol  
  Volume 118 Issue 2-3 Pages 276-283  
  Keywords Age Factors; Animals; Cell Line, Transformed; Cells, Cultured; Female; Inflammation Mediators/*physiology; Kidney/metabolism; Mesangial Cells/metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; Mice, Knockout; Nitric Oxide/biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/biosynthesis/genetics; PPAR gamma/*biosynthesis/*genetics/metabolism; Up-Regulation/immunology  
  Abstract Nitric oxide (NO) production increases with age in the lupus-prone MRL/lpr mouse, paralleling disease activity. One mechanism for excess NO production in MRL/lpr mice may be a defect in down-regulatory mechanisms of the iNOS pathway. A potential modulator of NO is the nuclear hormone receptor peroxisome proliferation activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma). We demonstrate that renal PPARgamma protein expression was altered as disease progressed in MRL/lpr mice, which paralleled increased iNOS protein expression. Additionally, MRL/lpr-derived primary mesangial cells expressed less PPARgamma than BALB/c mesangial cells and produced more NO in response to LPS and IFNgamma. Furthermore, PPARgamma activity was reduced in mesangial cells following exposure to inflammatory mediators. This activity was restored with the addition of a NOS enzyme inhibitor. These results indicate that the activation of inflammatory pathways may lead to reduced activity and expression of PPARgamma, further exacerbating the disease state.  
  Address Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1521-6616 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16303334 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 67  
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Author Heitor, F.; do Mar Oom, M.; Vicente, L. doi  openurl
  Title Social relationships in a herd of Sorraia horses Part I. Correlates of social dominance and contexts of aggression Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.  
  Volume 73 Issue 2 Pages 170-177  
  Keywords Age Factors; *Aggression; Animals; Female; *Hierarchy, Social; Horses/*psychology; Male; Sex Factors; *Social Dominance; *Social Environment; Statistics, Nonparametric  
  Abstract Factors related to dominance rank and the functions of aggression were studied in a herd of Sorraia horses, Equus caballus, under extensive management. Subjects were 10 adult mares 5-18 years old and a stallion introduced into the group for breeding. Dominance relationships among mares were clear, irrespective of rank difference, and remained stable after introduction of the stallion. The dominance hierarchy was significantly linear and rank was positively correlated with age and total aggressiveness. Higher-ranking mares received lower frequency and intensity of agonistic interactions. Nevertheless, higher-ranking dominants were not more likely to elicit submission from their subordinates than lower-ranking dominants. Neither close-ranking mares nor mares with less clear dominance relationships were more aggressive towards each other. Agonistic interactions seemed to be used more importantly in regulation of space than to obtain access to food or to reassert dominance relationships. Contexts of aggression were related to mare rank. The results suggest that dominance relationships based on age as a conventional criterion were established to reduce aggressiveness in a herd where the costs of aggression are likely to outweigh the benefits.  
  Address Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Edificio C2, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0376-6357 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16815645 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 292  
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Author Bayly, K.L.; Evans, C.S.; Taylor, A. doi  openurl
  Title Measuring social structure: A comparison of eight dominance indices Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.  
  Volume 73 Issue 1 Pages 1-12  
  Keywords Social status; Methods; Behaviour in groups  
  Abstract Measurement of social status is an important component of many behavioural studies. A variety of techniques have been developed and adopted, but while there have been some analyses of index properties using simulated data, the rationale for selecting a method remains poorly documented. As a first step in exploring the implications of index choice, we compared the characteristics of eight popular indices by applying each to the same data set from interactions between male fowl Gallus gallus, the system in which social hierarchies were first described. Data from eight social groups, observed over four successive breeding seasons, were analysed to determine whether different indices produced consistent dominance scores. These scores were then used in tests of the relation between social status and crowing to explore whether index choice affected the results obtained. We also examined the pattern of dominance index use over the last decade to infer whether this has likely been influenced by tradition, or by taxa of study animal. Overall agreement among methods was good when groups of birds had perfectly linear hierarchies, but results diverged when social structure was more complex, with either intransitive triads or reversals. While all regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between dominance and vocal behaviour, there were substantial differences in the amount of variance accounted for, even though the original data were identical in every case. Index selection can hence perturb estimates of the importance of dominance, relative to other factors. We also found that several methods have been adopted only by particular research teams, while the use of others has been taxonomically constrained, patterns implying that indices have not always been chosen solely upon their merits. Taken together, our results read as a cautionary tale. We suggest that selection of a dominance index requires careful consideration both of algorithm properties and of the factors affecting social status in the system of interest.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4289  
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Author McCall, C.A.; Hall, S.; McElhenney, W.H.; Cummins, K.A. doi  openurl
  Title Evaluation and comparison of four methods of ranking horses based on reactivity Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.  
  Volume 96 Issue 1-2 Pages 115-127  
  Keywords Horse; Reactivity tests; Heart rate; Emotionality; Temperament  
  Abstract Four methods of ranking horses on reactivity were evaluated and compared: isolation from conspecifics, presentation of a static novel stimulus, traversing a novel stimulus in a runway (isolation, novel stimulus and runway tests, respectively) and assigning subjective emotionality scores. In all tests, horses' heart rates were recorded and behaviour was videotaped. To be considered a valid test of reactivity, at least one heart rate and one behavioural measurement in the test had to change significantly between treatments (tranquilizer administation versus sham tranquilizer administration), and behavioural measures had to be displayed in at least 75% of the trials. Forty horses performed each of the three tests daily on three different days in a switchback design. Horses were assigned randomly to a daily test sequence, which was maintained throughout the study. In the runway test, no significant difference in heart rate values in tranquilized and non-tranquilized horses was found, and no behavioural attribute was displayed in more than 52% of the trials; therefore it was rejected as a valid test of reactivity. Both isolation and novel stimulus tests produced valid measurements. Mean heart rate was the most precise physiological measure for these tests, and walking and defecation frequency were the most precise behavioural measures for novel stimulus and isolation tests, respectively. Mean heart rates on the novel stimulus and isolation tests were correlated (rs = 0.79, P < 0.01) indicating that these tests produced similar rankings based on physiological responses. However, behavioural measures ranked horses differently (rs = 0.27, P < 0.10) on the tests. Rank correlations between mean heart rates and behavioural measures were higher in the novel stimulus (rs = 0.66, P < 0.01) than the isolation test (rs = 0.55, P < 0.01), indicating that the novel stimulus test ranked horses based on either physiological or behavioural responses more similarly than did the isolation test. Therefore, the novel stimulus test was considered the more accurate evaluation of reactivity. Subjective emotionality scores were correlated moderately with mean heart rates (rs > 0.33, P < 0.01) from the novel stimulus and isolation tests and with walking scores (rs = 0.47, P < 0.01) from the novel stimulus test. Assignment of subjective emotionality scores was not as accurate as the novel stimulus or isolation tests in ranking horses for reactivity. Using physiological data alone, combining physiological and behavioural measurements or using more than one behavioural measurement in reactivity tests may reflect the reactivity of the horse better than a single behavioural measurement.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 3578  
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Author Kenward, B.; Rutz, C.; Weir, A.A.S.; Kacelnik, A. doi  openurl
  Title Development of tool use in New Caledonian crows: inherited action patterns and social influences Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 72 Issue 6 Pages 1329-1343  
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  Abstract New Caledonian crows, Corvus moneduloides, are the most advanced avian tool makers and tool users. We previously reported that captive-bred isolated New Caledonian crows spontaneously use twig tools and cut tools out of Pandanus spp. tree leaves, an activity possibly under cultural influence in the wild. However, what aspects of these behaviours are inherited and how they interact with individual and social experience remained unknown. To examine the interaction between inherited traits, individual learning and social transmission, we observed the ontogeny of twig tool use in hand-reared juveniles. Successful food retrieval was preceded by stereotyped object manipulation action patterns that resembled components of the mature behaviour, demonstrating that tool-oriented behaviours in this species are an evolved specialization. However, there was also an effect of social learning: juveniles that had received demonstrations of twig tool use by their human foster parent showed higher levels of handling and insertion of twigs than did their naive counterparts; a choice experiment showed that they preferred to handle objects that they had seen being manipulated by their human foster parent. Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that individual learning, cultural transmission and creative problem solving all contribute to the acquisition of the tool-oriented behaviours in the wild, but inherited species-typical action patterns have a greater role than has been recognized.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 2103  
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Author Poisbleau, M.; Jenouvrier, S.; Fritz, H. doi  openurl
  Title Assessing the reliability of dominance scores for assigning individual ranks in a hierarchy Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication Animal Behaviour. Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.  
  Volume 72 Issue 4 Pages 835-842  
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  Abstract The dominance score (number of wins divided by the total number of interactions) is the most widely used procedure in field studies to rank individuals. Its reliability depends on the number of interactions on which it is calculated. However, most authors use it without any estimate of the associated error. We describe the precision associated with a dominance score estimate as a function of the number of interactions on which it is based, and hence provide a tool to plan field protocols and effort. The precision error decreases according to a power function with increasing number of interactions, but with more precision for extreme scores for any given number of interactions. We discuss the fact that the minimum number of interactions should be based on the precision associated with the 50% score, the least precise of all scores. We also emphasize the trade-off between recording effort and precision of the estimator, and give an example of our choice of 26 interactions for fieldwork on ducks and geese. When comparing individual ranks based on dominance scores with ranks given by the dominance matrix, we found a good correlation, with more mismatches around the middle of the hierarchy. This was consistent with the precision calculated with our model. We conclude that dominance score is a reliable tool, but conclusions must take into account the number of interactions on which the calculations are done. We also discuss the importance of initial assumptions and sources of bias in field studies.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 456  
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