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Author |
Gulotta, M.; Gilmanshin, R.; Buscher, T.C.; Callender, R.H.; Dyer, R.B. |
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Title |
Core formation in apomyoglobin: probing the upper reaches of the folding energy landscape |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year  |
2001 |
Publication |
Biochemistry |
Abbreviated Journal |
Biochemistry |
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Volume |
40 |
Issue |
17 |
Pages |
5137-5143 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Apoproteins/*chemistry; Computer Simulation; Horses; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Kinetics; Models, Molecular; Myoglobin/*chemistry; *Protein Folding; Protein Structure, Secondary; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Spectrometry, Fluorescence/instrumentation/methods; Thermodynamics; Tryptophan/chemistry |
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Abstract |
An acid-destabilized form of apomyoglobin, the so-called E state, consists of a set of heterogeneous structures that are all characterized by a stable hydrophobic core composed of 30-40 residues at the intersection of the A, G, and H helices of the protein, with little other secondary structure and no other tertiary structure. Relaxation kinetics studies were carried out to characterize the dynamics of core melting and formation in this protein. The unfolding and/or refolding response is induced by a laser-induced temperature jump between the folded and unfolded forms of E, and structural changes are monitored using the infrared amide I' absorbance at 1648-1651 cm(-1) that reports on the formation of solvent-protected, native-like helix in the core and by fluorescence emission changes from apomyoglobin's Trp14, a measure of burial of the indole group of this residue. The fluorescence kinetics data are monoexponential with a relaxation time of 14 micros. However, infrared kinetics data are best fit to a biexponential function with relaxation times of 14 and 59 micros. These relaxation times are very fast, close to the limits placed on folding reactions by diffusion. The 14 micros relaxation time is weakly temperature dependent and thus represents a pathway that is energetically downhill. The appearance of this relaxation time in both the fluorescence and infrared measurements indicates that this folding event proceeds by a concomitant formation of compact secondary and tertiary structures. The 59 micros relaxation time is much more strongly temperature dependent and has no fluorescence counterpart, indicating an activated process with a large energy barrier wherein nonspecific hydrophobic interactions between helix A and the G and H helices cause some helix burial but Trp14 remains solvent exposed. These results are best fit by a multiple-pathway kinetic model when U collapses to form the various folded core structures of E. Thus, the results suggest very robust dynamics for core formation involving multiple folding pathways and provide significant insight into the primary processes of protein folding. |
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Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA |
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English |
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0006-2960 |
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PMID:11318635 |
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no |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
3789 |
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Author |
Robert, C.; Valette, J.P.; Denoix, J.M. |
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Title |
The effects of treadmill inclination and speed on the activity of three trunk muscles in the trotting horse |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Equine Veterinary Journal |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J |
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Volume |
33 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
466-472 |
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Keywords |
Animals; Biomechanics; Electromyography/methods/veterinary; Exercise Test/veterinary; Gait/physiology; Horses/*physiology; Muscle, Skeletal/*physiology; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Rectus Abdominis/physiology; Time Factors |
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Abstract |
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of speed and slope on the activity of trunk muscles. The electromyographic (EMG) activity of the splenius (Sp), longissimus dorsi (LD) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles was recorded with surface electrodes during treadmill locomotion at trot for different combinations of speed (3.5 to 6 m/s) and slope (0 to 6%). Raw EMG signals were processed to determine activity duration, onset and end and integrated EMG (IEMG). For the 3 muscles investigated, onset and end of activity were obtained earlier in the stride cycle when speed increased. A longer duration of activity for the LD, a shorter duration for the RA and an unchanged duration for the Sp were also observed. The IEMG of the latter was poorly affected by speed, whereas it increased linearly with speed for the 2 other muscles. When treadmill inclination changed from 0 to 6%, EMG activity of the LD and RA began and ended later; a longer activity duration was noted. Temporal parameters for Sp did not change with slope. A significant and progressive increase in the IEMG of the 3 muscles was observed with increasing slope. This evaluation of the activity of trunk muscles provides objective data for the use of speed or slope in training programmes. |
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Address |
UMR INRA-DGER, Biomecanique et Pathalogie Locomotrice du Cheval, UP Anatomie, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France |
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0425-1644 |
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Notes |
PMID:11558741 |
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no |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4052 |
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Author |
Hostetter, A.B.; Cantero, M.; Hopkins, W.D. |
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Title |
Differential use of vocal and gestural communication by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in response to the attentional status of a human (Homo sapiens) |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Journal of Comparative Psychology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Comp. Psychol. |
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Volume |
115 |
Issue |
4 |
Pages |
337-343 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Attention; *Communication Methods, Total; Female; *Gestures; Humans; Male; Motivation; Pan troglodytes/*psychology; Social Environment; Species Specificity; *Vocalization, Animal |
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Abstract |
This study examined the communicative behavior of 49 captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), particularly their use of vocalizations, manual gestures, and other auditory- or tactile-based behaviors as a means of gaining an inattentive audience's attention. A human (Homo sapiens) experimenter held a banana while oriented either toward or away from the chimpanzee. The chimpanzees' behavior was recorded for 60 s. Chimpanzees emitted vocalizations faster and were more likely to produce vocalizations as their 1st communicative behavior when a human was oriented away from them. Chimpanzees used manual gestures more frequently and faster when the human was oriented toward them. These results replicate the findings of earlier studies on chimpanzee gestural communication and provide new information about the intentional and functional use of their vocalizations. |
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Address |
Department of Psychology, Berry College, USA |
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English |
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ISSN |
0735-7036 |
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Notes |
PMID:11824896 |
Approved |
yes |
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Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4970 |
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Author |
Nicol, C.J.; Davidson, H.P.D.; Harris, P.A.; Waters, A.J.; Wilson, A.D. |
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Title |
Study of crib-biting and gastric inflammation and ulceration in young horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
The Veterinary record |
Abbreviated Journal |
Vet. Rec. |
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Volume |
151 |
Issue |
22 |
Pages |
658-662 |
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Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/methods; Animals; Antacids/therapeutic use; *Behavior, Animal; Diet/veterinary; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/veterinary; Feces/chemistry; Female; Gastritis/diet therapy/physiopathology/*veterinary; Horse Diseases/diet therapy/*physiopathology/psychology; Horses; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Random Allocation; Stereotyped Behavior/*physiology; Stomach Ulcer/diet therapy/physiopathology/*veterinary; Treatment Outcome; Weaning |
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Abstract |
Nineteen young horses that had recently started to perform the stereotypy of crib-biting were compared with 16 non-stereotypic horses for 14 weeks. After initial observations of their behaviour and an endoscopic examination of the condition of their stomachs, the horses were randomly allocated to a control or an antacid diet At the start of the trial, the stomachs of the crib-biting foals were significantly more ulcerated and inflamed than the stomachs of the normal foals. In addition, the faecal pH of the crib-biting foals (6.05) was significantly lower than that of the normal foals (6.58). The antacid diet resulted in a significant improvement in the condition of the horses' stomachs. The crib-biting behaviour declined in most of the foals, regardless of their diet, but tended to decline to a greater extent in the foals on the antacid diet. |
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Address |
Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU |
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English |
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ISSN |
0042-4900 |
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Notes |
PMID:12498408 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
83 |
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Author |
Waters, A.J.; Nicol, C.J.; French, N.P. |
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Title |
Factors influencing the development of stereotypic and redirected behaviours in young horses: findings of a four year prospective epidemiological study |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Equine veterinary journal |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J |
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Volume |
34 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
572-579 |
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Keywords |
Age Factors; Animal Husbandry/*methods; Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Female; Horse Diseases/epidemiology/prevention & control/*psychology; Horses; Housing, Animal; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Prevalence; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; *Stereotyped Behavior; Weaning |
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Abstract |
Stereotypies are invariant and repetitive behaviour patterns that seemingly have no function, which tend to develop in captive animals faced with insoluble problems and may be indicative of reduced welfare. A 4 year prospective study of the factors influencing the development of stereotypic and redirected behaviours (abnormal behaviour) in a population of 225 young Thoroughbred and part-Thoroughbred horses was conducted between 1995 and 1999. Abnormal behaviour affected 34.7% of the population. Multivariable analysis showed that foals of low- or middle-ranking mares were less likely to develop abnormal behaviour than foals of dominant mares (rate ratio (RR) 0.23, P<0.01; RR 0.48, P<0.01, respectively). Weaning by confinement in a stable or barn was associated with an increased rate of development of abnormal behaviour, compared with paddock-weaning (RR 2.19, P<0.05), and housing in barns, rather than at grass after weaning, was associated with a further increase (RR 2.54, P<0.01). Specific stereotypic and redirected behaviours were then considered as separate outcomes. Crib-biting was initiated by 10.5% of horses at median age 20 weeks, weaving by 4.6% of horses at median age 60 weeks, box-walking by 2.3% of horses at median age 64 weeks and wood-chewing by 30.3% of horses at median age 30 weeks. Wood-chewing developed at a lower rate in horses born to subordinate or mid-ranking mares than in horses born to dominant mares (RR 0.29, P<0.01; RR 0.41, P<0.01, respectively), and at a higher rate in horses kept in barns or stables rather than at grass after weaning (RR 4.49, P<0.001; RR 1A6, P<0.001, respectively). Feeding concentrates after weaning was associated with a 4-fold increase in the rate of development of crib-biting (RR 4.12, P = 0.02). The results of this study support the idea that simple changes in feeding, housing and weaning practices could substantially lower the incidence of abnormal behaviour in young horses. |
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Address |
University of Bristol, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, Langford, Bristol, UK |
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English |
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ISSN |
0425-1644 |
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Notes |
PMID:12357996 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
84 |
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Author |
Kirkpatrick, J.F.; Turner, A. |
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Title |
Reversibility of action and safety during pregnancy of immunization against porcine zona pellucida in wild mares (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Reproduction (Cambridge, England) Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
Reprod Suppl |
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Volume |
60 |
Issue |
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Pages |
197-202 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Animals, Wild; Antigens/administration & dosage; Contraception, Immunologic/methods/*veterinary; Egg Proteins/administration & dosage; Female; Fertility; *Horses; Immunization, Secondary/veterinary; Membrane Glycoproteins/administration & dosage; Population Control; Pregnancy; *Receptors, Cell Surface; Safety; Swine; Time Factors; Vaccines, Contraceptive/*administration & dosage |
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Abstract |
Contraceptive management of publicly valued wildlife species requires safeguards to ensure that these populations are preserved in a healthy state. In addition, reversibility of contraceptive effects and safety in pregnant animals are major concerns. A population of wild horses has been immunized against porcine zona pellucida (PZP) over a 12 year period on Assateague Island National Seashore, MD (ASIS). Mares initially received one or two 65 microg inoculations and once a year 65 microg booster inoculations, all delivered by dart. All young mares aged > 2 years were treated with PZP for 3 consecutive years regardless of whether they have bred successfully and they were then removed from treatment until they had foaled. All mares vaccinated for 1 or 2 consecutive years became fertile again and 69% of mares treated for 3 consecutive years returned to fertility. All five mares treated for 4 or 5 consecutive years have also returned to fertility, but over longer periods of time. Mares treated for 7 consecutive years have not returned to fertility, but several, while still infertile, have started ovulating again. There was no difference in survival rates between foals born to treated and untreated mares, and PZP treatment of pregnant mares did not affect subsequent fertility of their female offspring. |
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Address |
Science and Conservation Center, ZooMontana, Billings 59106, USA. zoolab@wtp.net |
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English |
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ISSN |
1477-0415 |
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Notes |
PMID:12220160 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
141 |
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Author |
Turner, A.; Kirkpatrick, J.F. |
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Title |
Effects of immunocontraception on population, longevity and body condition in wild mares (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Reproduction (Cambridge, England) Supplement |
Abbreviated Journal |
Reprod Suppl |
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Volume |
60 |
Issue |
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Pages |
187-195 |
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Keywords |
Animals; *Animals, Wild; Antigens/administration & dosage; Body Constitution; Contraception, Immunologic/methods/*veterinary; Egg Proteins/administration & dosage; Female; *Horses; Longevity; Membrane Glycoproteins/administration & dosage; Population Control; Population Dynamics; *Receptors, Cell Surface; Swine; Vaccines, Contraceptive/administration & dosage |
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Abstract |
Contraception is becoming a common approach for the management of captive and wild ungulates yet there are few data for contraceptive effects on entire populations. Management-level treatment of mares with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine resulted in zero population growth of the Assateague Island wild horse population within 1 year of initiation of treatment. Contraceptive efficacy was 90% for mares treated twice in the first year and annually thereafter. For mares given a single initial inoculation, contraceptive efficacy was 78%. The effort required to achieve zero population growth decreased, as 95, 83 and 84% of all adult mares were treated in each of the first 3 years, compared with 59 and 52% during the last 2 years. Mortality rates for mares and foals after the initiation of management-level treatments decreased below historic and pretreatment mortality rates of approximately 5%. Two new age classes have appeared among treated animals (21-25 years and > 25 years), indicating an increase in longevity among treated animals. Body condition scores for all horses, all adult mares and non-lactating mares increased significantly between summer 1989 and autumn 1999 but did not change significantly in lactating mares. These results provide reliable data for the construction of realistic models for contraceptive management of free-roaming or captive ungulate populations. |
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Address |
Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin, MD 21811, USA |
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English |
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ISSN |
1477-0415 |
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Notes |
PMID:12220158 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
142 |
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Author |
Goodwin, D.; Davidson, H.P.B.; Harris, P. |
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Title |
Foraging enrichment for stabled horses: effects on behaviour and selection |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Equine Veterinary Journal |
Abbreviated Journal |
Equine Vet J |
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Volume |
34 |
Issue |
7 |
Pages |
686-691 |
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Keywords |
Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry/*methods; Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Female; Horse Diseases/*psychology; Horses/*physiology; Housing, Animal; Male; *Poaceae; *Stereotyped Behavior; Videotape Recording |
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Abstract |
The restricted access to pasture experienced by many competition horses has been linked to the exhibition of stereotypic and redirected behaviour patterns. It has been suggested that racehorses provided with more than one source of forage are less likely to perform these patterns; however, the reasons for this are currently unclear. To investigate this in 4 replicated trials, up to 12 horses were introduced into each of 2 identical stables containing a single forage, or 6 forages for 5 min. To detect novelty effects, in the first and third trials the single forage was hay. In the second and fourth, it was the preferred forage from the preceding trial. Trials were videotaped and 12 mutually exclusive behaviour patterns compared. When hay was presented as the single forage (Trials 1 and 3), all recorded behaviour patterns were significantly different between stables; e.g. during Trial 3 in the 'Single' stable, horses looked over the stable door more frequently (P<0.001), moved for longer (P<0.001), foraged on straw bedding longer (P<0.001), and exhibited behaviour indicative of motivation to search for alternative resources (P<0.001) more frequently. When a previously preferred forage was presented as the single forage (Trials 2 and 4) behaviour was also significantly different between stables, e.g in Trial 4 horses looked out over the stable door more frequently (P<0.005) and foraged for longer in their straw bedding (P<0.005). Further study is required to determine whether these effects persist over longer periods. However, these trials indicate that enrichment of the stable environment through provision of multiple forages may have welfare benefits for horses, in reducing straw consumption and facilitating the expression of highly motivated foraging behaviour. |
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Address |
Anthrozoology Institute, University of Southampton, UK |
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English |
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0425-1644 |
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Notes |
PMID:12455839 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
1910 |
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Author |
Pollmann, U. |
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Title |
[Keeping of horses in circus and show businesses] |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
DTW. Deutsche Tierarztliche Wochenschrift |
Abbreviated Journal |
Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr |
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Volume |
109 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
126-129 |
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Keywords |
Animal Husbandry/*methods; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Behavior, Animal; *Horses; *Housing, Animal; Humans; Reward |
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Abstract |
The conditions under which horses are kept and the performance of acts in the circus ring may give rise to animal protection-relevant aspects for circus and show horses. A number of intolerable conditions under which horses are kept and procedures adopted for the work with circus and show horses are described. In addition, attention is drawn to monitoring methods capable of exposing the deplorable shortcomings of these businesses. |
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Address |
Fachbereich Ethologie und Tierschutz des Chemischen und Veterinaruntersuchungsamtes Freiburg. Ursula.Pollmann@cvuafr.bwl.de |
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German |
Summary Language |
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Original Title |
Pferdehaltung in Zirkus- und Schaustellerbetrieben |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0341-6593 |
ISBN |
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Notes |
PMID:11963363 |
Approved |
no |
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Call Number |
refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
1914 |
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Author |
Milgram, N.W.; Head, E.; Muggenburg, B.; Holowachuk, D.; Murphey, H.; Estrada, J.; Ikeda-Douglas, C.J.; Zicker, S.C.; Cotman, C.W. |
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Title |
Landmark discrimination learning in the dog: effects of age, an antioxidant fortified food, and cognitive strategy |
Type |
Journal Article |
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Year |
2002 |
Publication |
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews |
Abbreviated Journal |
Neurosci Biobehav Rev |
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Volume |
26 |
Issue |
6 |
Pages |
679-695 |
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Keywords |
Age Factors; Aging/*physiology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidants/*pharmacology; Blood Chemical Analysis/methods; Cognition/*physiology; *Diet; Discrimination Learning/*drug effects/*physiology; Distance Perception/drug effects/physiology; Dogs/physiology; Female; Male; Psychomotor Performance/physiology; Retention (Psychology)/drug effects/physiology; Spatial Behavior/*drug effects/*physiology; Task Performance and Analysis; Time Factors; Vitamin E/blood |
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Abstract |
The landmark discrimination learning test can be used to assess the ability to utilize allocentric spatial information to locate targets. The present experiments examined the role of various factors on performance of a landmark discrimination learning task in beagle dogs. Experiments 1 and 2 looked at the effects of age and food composition. Experiments 3 and 4 were aimed at characterizing the cognitive strategies used in performance on this task and in long-term retention. Cognitively equivalent groups of old and young dogs were placed into either a test group maintained on food enriched with a broad-spectrum of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors, or a control group maintained on a complete and balanced food formulated for adult dogs. Following a wash-in period, the dogs were tested on a series of problems, in which reward was obtained when the animal responded selectively to the object closest to a thin wooden block, which served as a landmark. In Experiment 1, dogs were first trained to respond to a landmark placed directly on top of coaster, landmark 0 (L0). In the next phase of testing, the landmark was moved at successively greater distances (1, 4 or 10 cm) away from the reward object. Learning varied as a function of age group, food group, and task. The young dogs learned all of the tasks more quickly than the old dogs. The aged dogs on the enriched food learned L0 significantly more rapidly than aged dogs on control food. A higher proportion of dogs on the enriched food learned the task, when the distance was increased to 1cm. Experiment 2 showed that accuracy decreased with increased distance between the reward object and landmark, and this effect was greater in old animals. Experiment 3 showed stability of performance, despite using a novel landmark, and new locations, indicating that dogs learned the landmark concept. Experiment 4 found age impaired long-term retention of the landmark task. These results indicate that allocentric spatial learning is impaired in an age-dependent manner in dogs, and that age also affects performance when the distance between the landmark and target is increased. In addition, these results both support a role of oxidative damage in the development of age-associated cognitive dysfunction and indicate that short-term administration of a food enriched with supplemental antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors can partially reverse the deleterious effects of aging on cognition. |
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Life Science Division, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, Ont., Canada M1C 1A4. milgram@psych.utoronto.ca |
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English |
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0149-7634 |
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PMID:12479842 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
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2806 |
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