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Dulac, C. (1997). Molecular biology of pheromone perception in mammals. Semin Cell Dev Biol, 8(2), 197–205.
Abstract: In mammals, olfactory sensory perception is mediated by two anatomically and functionally distinct sensory organs: the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) and the vomeronasal organ (VNO). Pheromones activate the VNO and elicit a characteristic array of innate reproductive and social behaviors, along with dramatic neuroendocrine responses. Recent approaches have provided new insights into the molecular biology of sensory transduction in the vomeronasal organ. Differential screening of cDNA libraries constructed from single sensory neurons from the rat VNO has led to the isolation of a family of genes which are likely to encode mammalian pheromone receptors. The isolation of these receptors from the vomeronasal organ might permit the analysis of the molecular events which translate the bindings of pheromones into innate stereotypic behaviors and help to elucidate the logic of pheromone perception in mammals.
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Owren, M. J., Seyfarth, R. M., & Cheney, D. L. (1997). The acoustic features of vowel-like grunt calls in chacma baboons (Papio cyncephalus ursinus): implications for production processes and functions. J Acoust Soc Am, 101(5 Pt 1), 2951–2963.
Abstract: The acoustic features of 216 baboon grunts were investigated through analysis of field-recorded calls produced by identified females in known contexts. Analyses addressed two distinct questions: whether the acoustic features of these tonal sounds could be characterized using a source-filter approach and whether the acoustic features of grunts varied by individual caller and social context. Converging evidence indicated that grunts were produced through a combination of periodic laryngeal vibration and a stable vocal tract filter. Their acoustic properties closely resembled those of prototypical human vowel sounds. In general, variation in the acoustic features of the grunts was more strongly related to caller identity than to the social contexts of calling. However, two acoustic parameters, second formant frequency and overall spectral tilt, did vary consistently depending on whether the caller was interacting with an infant or participating in a group move. Nonetheless, in accordance with the general view that identity cueing is a compelling function in animal communication, it can be concluded that much of the observed variability in grunt acoustics is likely to be related to this aspect of signaling. Further, cues related to vocal tract filtering appear particularly likely to play an important role in identifying individual calling animals.
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Roberts, M. (1997).
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Delacour, J. (1997). Object Perception and Recognition: A Model for the Scientific Study of Consciousness. Theory Psychology, 7(2), 257–262.
Abstract: The main obstacles to the scientific study of consciousness are its subjectivity and its complexity. Object perception and recognition (OPR) can be a useful model in such a study because there is a remarkable agreement between the subjective and objective aspects of OPR; in addition, while OPR is somewhat simpler than other forms of cognition, it adequately represents one characteristic feature of consciousness: intentionality. It thus allows convergent studies of experimental psychology, artificial intelligence and biology, in both humans and animals. Recent advances in the neurophysiology of visual OPR in subhuman primates and its brain imaging in humans provide a vital thread to the neural basis of consciousness, especially of its integrative, unifying character.
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Szenci, O., Palme, R., Taverne, M. A., Varga, J., Meersma, N., & Wissink, E. (1997). Evaluation of false ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnoses in sows by measuring the concentration of unconjugated estrogens in feces. Theriogenology, 48(5), 873–882.
Abstract: On Days 26, 28, and 30 after AI, ultrasonographic pregnancy diagnoses were performed on 207 gilts and sows by using a 3.5 MHz linear-array transducer. Fecal samples were taken from the rectum after each ultrasonographic examination, and the concentrations of unconjugated estrogens in selected samples (n = 73) were measured by RIA. Fecal unconjugated estrogen concentration of 11.7 ng/g feces or higher was indicative of pregnancy. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the ultrasonographic test was 99% for farrowing sows and 73.1% for nonfarrowing sows. With one exception, sows with a false negative diagnosis by ultrasonography on Day 26 were correctly diagnosed pregnant by elevated fecal unconjugated estrogens or repeated ultrasonographic examinations on Days 28 or 30. Return to estrus around the sampling period may cause false positive results in the unconjugated estrogen assay, while early embryonic mortality can result in false positive diagnoses in both the ultrasonographic test and estrogen assay. Although there was a positive correlation between the concentrations of unconjugated estrogens in the feces and litter size at farrowing in the selected sows, it seems very unlikely that fecal estrogens can provide an accurate tool for predicting litter size.
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Carroll, G. L., Matthews, N. S., Hartsfield, S. M., Slater, M. R., Champney, T. H., & Erickson, S. W. (1997). The effect of detomidine and its antagonism with tolazoline on stress-related hormones, metabolites, physiologic responses, and behavior in awake ponies. Vet Surg, 26(1), 69–77.
Abstract: Six ponies were used to investigate the effect of tolazoline antagonism of detomidine on physiological responses, behavior, epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, glucose, and free fatty acids in awake ponies. Each pony had a catheter inserted into a jugular vein 1 hour before beginning the study. Awake ponies were administered detomidine (0.04 mg/kg intravenously [i.v.]) followed 20 minutes later by either tolazoline (4.0 mg/kg i.v.) or saline. Blood samples were drawn from the catheter 5 minutes before detomidine administration (baseline), 5 minutes after detomidine administration, 20 minutes before detomidine administration which was immediately before the administration of tolazoline or saline (time [T] = 0), and at 5, 30, and 60 minutes after injections of tolazoline or saline (T = 5, 30, and 60 minutes, respectively). Compared with heart rate at T = 0, tolazoline antagonism increased heart rate 45% at 5 minutes. There was no difference in heart rate between treatments at 30 minutes. Blood pressure remained stable after tolazoline, while it decreased over time after saline. Compared with concentrations at T = 0, tolazoline antagonism of detomidine in awake ponies resulted in a 55% increase in cortisol at 30 minutes and a 52% increase in glucose at 5 minutes. The change in free fatty acids was different for tolazoline and saline over time. Free fatty acids decreased after detomidine administration. Free fatty acids did not change after saline administration. After tolazoline administration, free fatty acids increased transiently. Tolazoline tended to decrease sedation and analgesia at 15 and 60 minutes postantagonism. Antagonism of detomidine-induced physiological and behavioral effects with tolazoline in awake ponies that were not experiencing pain appears to precipitate a stress response as measured by cortisol, glucose, and free fatty acids. If antagonism of an alpha-agonist is contemplated, the potential effect on hormones and metabolites should be considered.
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Palme, R., & Moestl, E. (1997). Measurement of cortisol metabolites in faeces of sheep as a parameter of cortisol concentration in blood. J. Mammal. Biol., 62, 192–197.
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