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Author Traversa, D.; Giangaspero, A.; Galli, P.; Paoletti, B.; Otranto, D.; Gasser, R.B. doi  openurl
  Title Specific identification of Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida, Habronematidae) by PCR using markers in ribosomal DNA Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Molecular and Cellular Probes Abbreviated Journal Mol Cell Probes  
  Volume 18 Issue 4 Pages 215-221  
  Keywords Animals; Base Sequence; DNA, Ribosomal/blood/*genetics; Feces/parasitology; Genetic Markers; Horses/*parasitology; Molecular Sequence Data; Muscidae/*genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Spirurida Infections/genetics; Spiruroidea/*genetics; Stomach/*parasitology  
  Abstract (up) Gastric or cutaneous habronemosis caused by Habronema microstoma Creplin, 1849 and Habronema muscae Carter, 1865 is a parasitic disease of equids transmitted by muscid flies. There is a paucity of information on the epidemiology of this disease, which is mainly due to limitations with diagnosis in the live animal and with the identification of the parasites in the intermediate hosts. To overcome such limitations, a molecular approach, based on the use of genetic markers in the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA, was established for the two species of Habronema. Characterisation of the ITS-2 revealed sequence lengths and G+C contents of 296 bp and 29.5% for H. microstoma, and of 334 bp and 35.9% for H. muscae, respectively. Exploiting the sequence difference (approximately 40%) between the two species of nematode, primers were designed and tested by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for their specificity using a panel of control DNA samples from common equid endoparasites, and from host tissues, faeces or muscid flies. Effective amplification from each of the two species of Habronema was achieved from as little as 10 pg of genomic DNA. Hence, this molecular approach allows the specific identification and differentiation of the DNA from H. microstoma and H. muscae, and could thus provide a molecular tool for the specific detection of Habronema DNA (irrespective of developmental stage) from faeces, skin and muscid fly samples. The establishment of this tool has important implications for the specific diagnosis of clinical cases of gastric and cutaneous habronemosis in equids, and for studying the ecology and epidemiology of the two species of Habronema.  
  Address Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0890-8508 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15271381 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2634  
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Author Gauvin, S.; Giraldeau, L.-A. doi  openurl
  Title Nutmeg mannikins ( Lonchura punctulata) reduce their feeding rates in response to simulated competition Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Oecologia Abbreviated Journal Oecologia  
  Volume 139 Issue 1 Pages 150-156  
  Keywords Animals; *Feeding Behavior; Population Density; *Social Behavior; *Songbirds  
  Abstract (up) Group feeding animals experience a number of competitive foraging costs that may result in a lowered feeding rate. It is important to distinguish between reductions in feeding rates that are caused by reduced food availability and physical interactions among foragers from those caused by the mere presence of foraging companions that may be self-imposed in order to obtain some benefit of group membership. Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) reduce their feeding rates when in the company of simulated competitors located in an adjacent cage that cannot affect the food availability or interact with the forager. In the present study, we investigate whether the presence of simulated competitors in another species of passerine, nutmeg mannikins ( Lonchura punctulata), can result in self-imposed reductions in feeding rates. When feeding in the company of simulated competitors, mannikins spent more non-foraging time near them, fed more slowly, reduced travel times between patches, reduced their scanning time and pecked more slowly. These results provide evidence that simulated competitors induce a reduction in pecking rate: behavioural interference. These self-imposed responses to competitors may have resulted from attempts to remain close to the non-feeding companions. Such self-imposed reductions in feeding rates may be a widespread yet generally unrecognised foraging cost to group feeding individuals.  
  Address Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada  
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  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0029-8549 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:14722748 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 2133  
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Author Baldi, R.; Pelliza-Sbriller, A.; Elston, D.; Albon, S. url  doi
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  Title High Potential For Competition Between Guanacos And Sheep In Patagonia Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Journal of Wildlife Management Abbreviated Journal  
  Volume 68 Issue 4 Pages 924-938  
  Keywords  
  Abstract (up) Guanacos (Lama guanicoe) are the largest native Artiodactyl in South America and the most widely distributed. In arid Patagonia, densities are low and negatively related to domestic sheep numbers in space and time consistent with interspecific competition theory. Although guanacos and domestic sheep have been described as intermediate feeders sharing food resources, no studies have been conducted to compare their diets in sympatric conditions and explore whether the potential exists for direct interspecific competition. We assessed the diet of both species across 9 different sites and 2 seasons by microhistological analysis of fecal samples. We found that (1) guanacos and sheep are generalist herbivores feeding on a wide range of plant species; (2) both are intermediate feeders able to include both monocotyledoneous and dicotyledoneous plants in their diet; (3) both are able to change their diets seasonally; and (4) food niche overlap is high, particularly in summer when food resources are more scarce than in spring. We conclude that the potential for competition between guanacos and sheep is high and could have played a major role in the demise of guanacos. Consequently, current management practices focused on maximizing sheep numbers are not compatible with the recovery of guanaco populations.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4253  
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Author Traversa, D.; Giangaspero, A.; Iorio, R.; Otranto, D.; Paoletti, B.; Gasser, R.B. openurl 
  Title Semi-nested PCR for the specific detection of Habronema microstoma or Habronema muscae DNA in horse faeces Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Parasitology Abbreviated Journal Parasitology  
  Volume 129 Issue Pt 6 Pages 733-739  
  Keywords Animals; DNA, Helminth/*analysis; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer/*chemistry; Feces/*chemistry; Female; Horse Diseases/*diagnosis/parasitology; Horses; Male; Polymerase Chain Reaction/*methods; Species Specificity; Spirurida Infections/diagnosis/*veterinary; Spiruroidea/*genetics  
  Abstract (up) Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) are parasitic nematodes which infect the stomach and/or skin of equids. The accurate diagnosis of gastric habronemosis is central to studying its epidemiology, but data on its distribution and prevalence are lacking, mainly due to the limitations of clinical and coprological diagnosis in live horses. To overcome this constraint, a two-step, semi-nested PCR-based assay was validated (utilizing genetic markers in the nuclear ribosomal DNA) for the specific amplification of H. microstoma or H. muscae DNA from the faeces from horses (n = 46) whose gastrointestinal parasite status had been determined at autopsy and whose faeces were examined previously using a conventional parasitological approach. Of these horses examined at autopsy, some harboured adults of either H. microstoma (n= 19) or H. muscae (n =4), and others (n = 7) harboured both species. Most of them were also infected with other parasites, including strongylid nematodes (subfamilies Cyathostominae and Strongylinae), bots and/or cestodes; there was no evidence of metazoan parasites in 2 horses. Larvated spirurid eggs were detected in the faeces of 1 of the 30 horses (3.3 %) shown to be infected with Habronema at autopsy. For this set of 46 samples, the PCR assay achieved a diagnostic specificity of 100 % and a sensitivity of approximately 97 % (being able to specifically detect as little as approximately 0.02 fg of Habronema DNA). The specificity of the assay was also tested using a panel of control DNA samples representing horse, the gastric spirurid Draschia megastoma and 26 other species of parasites from the alimentary tract of the horse. H. microstoma, H. muscae and D. megastoma could be readily differentiated from one another based on the sizes of their specific amplicons in the PCR. The results of this study showed that the performance of the PCR for the diagnosis of gastric habronemosis was similar to that of autopsy but substantially better than the traditional coprological examination procedure used. The ability to specifically diagnose gastric habronemosis in equids should have important implications for investigating the epidemiology and ecology of H. microstoma and H. muscae.  
  Address Department of Biomedical Comparative Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy. traversa@unite.it  
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  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 0031-1820 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15648696 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2631  
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Author Dubois, F.; Giraldeau, L.-A.; Hamilton, I.M.; Grant, J.W.A.; Lefebvre, L. doi  openurl
  Title Distraction sneakers decrease the expected level of aggression within groups: a game-theoretic model Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication The American Naturalist Abbreviated Journal Am Nat  
  Volume 164 Issue 2 Pages E32-45  
  Keywords *Aggression; Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; Columbidae/*physiology; Competitive Behavior; Cooperative Behavior; *Game Theory; Hawks/*physiology; Models, Biological  
  Abstract (up) Hawk-dove games have been extensively used to predict the conditions under which group-living animals should defend their resources against potential usurpers. Typically, game-theoretic models on aggression consider that resource defense may entail energetic and injury costs. However, intruders may also take advantage of owners who are busy fighting to sneak access to unguarded resources, imposing thereby an additional cost on the use of the escalated hawk strategy. In this article we modify the two-strategy hawk-dove game into a three-strategy hawk-dove-sneaker game that incorporates a distraction-sneaking tactic, allowing us to explore its consequences on the expected level of aggression within groups. Our model predicts a lower proportion of hawks and hence lower frequencies of aggressive interactions within groups than do previous two-strategy hawk-dove games. The extent to which distraction sneakers decrease the frequency of aggression within groups, however, depends on whether they search only for opportunities to join resources uncovered by other group members or for both unchallenged resources and opportunities to usurp.  
  Address Departement des Sciences Biologiques, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Case postale 8888 Succursale Centre-Ville, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3P8, Canada. frede_dubois@yahoo.fr  
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  ISSN 1537-5323 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:15278850 Approved no  
  Call Number Serial 2130  
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Author Hiby, E.F.; Rooney, N.J.; Bradshaw, J.W.S. url  openurl
  Title Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Animal Welfare Abbreviated Journal Anim. Welf.  
  Volume 13 Issue 1 Pages 63-69  
  Keywords  
  Abstract (up) Historically, pet dogs were trained using mainly negative reinforcement or punishment, but positive reinforcement using rewards has recently become more popular. The methods used may have different impacts on the dogsâ&#65533;&#65533; welfare. We distributed a questionnaire to 364 dog owners in order to examine the relative effectiveness of different training methods and their effects upon a pet dogâ&#65533;&#65533;s behaviour. When asked how they trained their dog on seven basic tasks, 66% reported using vocal punishment, 12% used physical punishment, 60% praise (social reward), 51% food rewards and 11% play. The ownerâ&#65533;&#65533;s ratings for their dogâ&#65533;&#65533;s obedience during eight tasks correlated positively with the number of tasks which they trained using rewards (P<0.01), but not using punishment (P=0.5). When asked whether their dog exhibited any of 16 common problematic behaviours, the number of problems reported by the owners correlated with the number of tasks for which their dog was trained using punishment (P<0.001), but not using rewards (P=0.17). Exhibition of problematic behaviours may be indicative of compromised welfare, because such behaviours can be caused byor result ina state of anxiety and may lead to a dog being relinquished or abandoned. Because punishment was associated with an increased incidence of problematic behaviours, we conclude that it may represent a welfare concern without concurrent benefits in obedience. We suggest that positive training methods may be more useful to the pet-owning community.  
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  ISSN 0962-7286 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Hiby:2004:0962-7286:63 Serial 6433  
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Author Gajdon G.K.,; Fijn N.,; Huber L., url  openurl
  Title Testing social learning in a wild mountain parrot, the kea (Nestor notabilis) Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Learning & Behavior Abbreviated Journal Learn. Behav.  
  Volume 32 Issue Pages 62-71  
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  Abstract (up) Huber, Taborsky, and Rechberger (2001) reported an experiment in which the efficiency with which captive keas opened a complex food container was increased by observation of a skilled conspecific. However, only testing social learning in free-ranging animals can demonstrate social learning in natural conditions. For that purpose, a tube-lifting paradigm was developed and tested on keas both in captivity and in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand. The task was to remove a tube from an upright pole in order to gain access to a reward inside the tube. The top of the pole was higher than a standing kea, so that, to remove the tube, an individual had to simultaneously climb onto the pole and manipulate the tube up the pole with its bill. Because only 1 naive bird managed to remove a tube twice in 25 halfhour sessions and disappeared after success, another bird was trained to solve the task and to provide demonstrations for others. Even under such conditions, only 2 of at least 15 birds learned to remove the tube in 28 sessions. There was no indication that observer birds' use of bill and feet when exploring the tube changed as the number of observations of tube removal increased in a way that would, in principle, increase the likelihood of tube removal. The results suggest a dissociation of social learning potential as assessed in laboratory animals, and social transmission of foraging techniques in natural populations.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 830  
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Author Merchant, H.; Fortes, A.F.; Georgopoulos, A.P. doi  openurl
  Title Short-term memory effects on the representation of two-dimensional space in the rhesus monkey Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.  
  Volume 7 Issue 3 Pages 133-143  
  Keywords Analysis of Variance; Animals; Discrimination Learning/*physiology; Macaca mulatta; Male; Memory, Short-Term/*physiology; Mental Processes/*physiology; Pattern Recognition, Visual/*physiology; Space Perception/*physiology  
  Abstract (up) Human subjects represent the location of a point in 2D space using two independent dimensions (x-y in Euclidean or radius-angle in polar space), and encode location in memory along these dimensions using two levels of representation: a fine-grain value and a category. Here we determined whether monkeys possessed the ability to represent location with these two levels of coding. A rhesus monkey was trained to reproduce the location of a dot in a circle by pointing, after a delay period, on the location where a dot was presented. Five different delay periods (0.5-5 s) were used. The results showed that the monkey used a polar coordinate system to represent the fine-grain spatial coding, where the radius and angle of the dots were encoded independently. The variability of the spatial response and reaction time increased with longer delays. Furthermore, the animal was able to form a categorical representation of space that was delay-dependent. The responses avoided the circumference and the center of the circle, defining a categorical radial prototype around one third of the total radial length. This radial category was observed only at delay durations of 3-5 s. Finally, the monkey also formed angular categories with prototypes at the obliques of the quadrants of the circle, avoiding the horizontal and vertical axes. However, these prototypes were only observed at the 5-s delay and on dots lying on the circumference. These results indicate that monkeys may possess spatial cognitive abilities similar to humans.  
  Address Brain Sciences Center (11B), Veterans Affairs Medical Center, One Veterans Drive, MN 55417, Minneapolis, USA  
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  Series Volume Series Issue Edition  
  ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:14669074 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2548  
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Author Hampton, R.R.; Zivin, A.; Murray, E.A. doi  openurl
  Title Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) discriminate between knowing and not knowing and collect information as needed before acting Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Animal Cognition Abbreviated Journal Anim. Cogn.  
  Volume 7 Issue 4 Pages 239-246  
  Keywords Animals; Association Learning; *Awareness; Choice Behavior; *Concept Formation; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Macaca mulatta/*psychology; Male; *Memory, Short-Term; Observation  
  Abstract (up) Humans use memory awareness to determine whether relevant knowledge is available before acting, as when we determine whether we know a phone number before dialing. Such metacognition, or thinking about thinking, can improve selection of appropriate behavior. We investigated whether rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta) are capable of a simple form of metacognitive access to the contents of short-term memory. Monkeys chose among four opaque tubes, one of which concealed food. The tube containing the reward varied randomly from trial to trial. On half the trials the monkeys observed the experimenter baiting the tube, whereas on the remaining trials their view of the baiting was blocked. On each trial, monkeys were allowed a single chance to select the tube containing the reward. During the choice period the monkeys had the opportunity to look down the length of each tube, to determine if it contained food. When they knew the location of the reward, most monkeys chose without looking. In contrast, when ignorant, monkeys often made the effort required to look, thereby learning the location of the reward before choosing. Looking improved accuracy on trials on which monkeys had not observed the baiting. The difference in looking behavior between trials on which the monkeys knew, and trials on which they were ignorant, suggests that rhesus monkeys discriminate between knowing and not knowing. This result extends similar observations made of children and apes to a species of Old World monkey, suggesting that the underlying cognitive capacities may be widely distributed among primates.  
  Address Section on the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Laboratory of Neuropsychology, National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-4415, USA. robert@ln.nimh.nih.gov  
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  ISSN 1435-9448 ISBN Medium  
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  Notes PMID:15105996 Approved no  
  Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2525  
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Author Robitaille, J.; Brouillette, C.; Lemieux, S.; Perusse, L.; Gaudet, D.; Vohl, M.C. url  openurl
  Title Plasma concentrations of apolipoprotein B are modulated by a gene-diet interaction effect between the LFABP T94A polymorphism and dietary fat intake in French-Canadian men Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Abbreviated Journal Mol Genet Metabol  
  Volume 82 Issue 4 Pages 296-303  
  Keywords Apolipoprotein B; Gene-diet interaction; Liver fatty acid-binding protein; Metabolic syndrome  
  Abstract (up) Hyperapobetalipoproteinemia is a common feature of the metabolic syndrome and could result from the interaction between genetic and dietary factors. The objective of this study was to verify whether dietary fat intake interacts with the T94A polymorphism of the liver fatty acid-binding protein (LFABP) gene to modulate plasma apolipoprotein (apo) B levels. Dietary fat and saturated fat intakes were obtained by a dietitian-administered food frequency questionnaire and the LFABP T94A genotype was determined by a PCR-RFLP based method in 623 French-Canadian men recruited through the Chicoutimi Lipid Clinic (279 T94/T94, 285 T94/A94, and 59 A94/A94). The LFABP T94A polymorphism was not associated with plasma apo B levels when fat intake was not taken into consideration. However, in a model including the polymorphism, fat intake expressed as a percentage of total energy intake, the interaction term and covariates, the variance in apo B concentrations was partly explained by the LFABP T94A polymorphism (5.24%, p=0.01) and by the LFABP T94A * fat interaction (6.25%, p=0.005). Results were similar when saturated fat replaced fat intake in the model (4.49%, p=0.02 for LFABP T94A and 6.43%, p=0.004 for the interaction). Moreover, in men consuming more than 30% of energy from fat, the odds ratio for having plasma apo B levels above 1.04 g/L for A94 carriers was of 0.40 (p=0.02) compared to T94/T94 homozygotes. Results were similar for carriers of the A94 allele consuming more than 10% of energy from saturated fat (OR: 0.32, p=0.005). In conclusion, T94/T94 exhibit higher apo B levels whereas carriers of the A94 allele seem to be protected against high apo B levels when consuming a high fat and saturated fat diet. These findings reinforce the importance to take into account gene-diet interactions in the prevention and management of the metabolic syndrome.  
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  Notes Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 799  
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