Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Anthropology. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Many animals have ability to percieve the magnetic field of the Earth and use this clue for both orientation and navigation. Yet little is known about physiological mechanism that underlies this sensory ability. Although physiological mechanism still remains unclear, there are three major hypotheses how animals can detect the magnetic field. In this study I focused on the radical pair theory. I analyzed how manipulation of the ambient magnetic field influence the expression of CRY 1, CRY 2 and c-Fos in the pigeon´s retina. I observed in incerased numbers of CRY1, c-Fos and CRY1+c-Fos possitive cells in the ihned nuclear layer (INL) of the retina in animals sbjected to the periodical manipulation of the magnetic field inclination. These data demonstrate that the INL constains a population of neurons that are responsive to magnetic stimuli and strongly suggest that Cry 1 is involved in detection of the Earth magnetic field.

Orientador: Claudia R. B. Haddad / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T21:05:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dalio_RonaldoJoseDurigan_M.pdf: 923106 bytes, checksum: 4cfd1d62015260abdbf750e8baf62aa6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Plantas de Cajanus cajan receberam aplicações de brassinosteróide ou de clotrimazol (inibidor de síntese de brassinosteróides) e foram submetidas à salinidade. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar o efeito de duas concentrações de brassinosteróide (1 x 10-7 e 0,5 x 10-9 M) e uma de clotrimazol (1 x 10-4 M), no crescimento, composição bioquímica e transporte de aminoácidos em plantas de C. cajan, submetidas à duas concentrações de NaCl (200 e 400 mM). A salinidade afetou os parâmetros de crescimento (massas frescas e secas, comprimento da parte aérea e da maior raiz, número de folhas, área e suculência foliar), os parâmetros bioquímicos (teores de nitrato, prolina, aminoácidos livres, proteínas totais, açúcares solúveis, sacarose, clorofilas e carotenóides) e o padrão dos aminoácidos transportados. A proporção da maioria dos aminoácidos transportados no xilema diminuiu sob salinidade, com exceção de alanina e serina. A concentração de NaCl a 400 mM provocou as maiores alterações. A aplicação de clotrimazol mostrou-se eficiente na inibição dos efeitos provocados por brassinosteróide na grande maioria dos parâmetros estudados, sob salinidade. Não houve diferença em relação à eficiência das duas concentrações de brassinosteróide utilizadas na maioria dos parâmetros avaliados. A aplicação de brassinosteróide amenizou o efeito do estresse salino na maioria dos parâmetros de crescimento, dos parâmetros bioquímicos e no padrão de aminoácidos transportados em plantas de C. cajan, submetidas à salinidade / Abstract: Plants of Cajanus cajan received applications of brassinosteroid or clotrimazol (brassinosteroids synthesis inhibitor), and were subjected to salt stress. The goal of this study was to verify the effect of two concentrations of brassinosteroid (1.0 x 10-7and 0.5 x 10-9M), and one concentration of clotrimazol (1.0 x 10-4 M) on growth, biochemical composition and transport of amino acids in plants of C. Cajan, cultivated under two concentrations of NaCl (200 and 400 mM). The salt affected growth (fresh and dry mass, shoot length and main root length, number of leaves, leaf area and succulence of leaves) and biochemical parameters (nitrate, proline, free aminoacids, total protein, soluble sugars, sucrose, chlorophylls and carotenoids concentrations), and changed the pattern of amino acids transported. The proportion of most of the amino acids transported in the xylem was reduced by salinity. Alanine and serine were exceptions. The largest alterations were caused by 400 mM of NaCl. Clotrimazol was effective in inhibiting the effects caused by brassinosteroid for the great majority of studied parameters. There was no difference between the two concentrations of brassinosteroid for most parameters evaluated, under salinity. The application of brassinosteroid was effective diminishing the effect of salt on most of the growth and biochemical parameters, and in the patterns of amino acids transported in plants of C. Cajan subjected to salt stress / Mestrado / Mestre em Biologia Vegetal

The ability to discriminate stimuli is the most tested cognitive task in pigeons (Columbia livia f. domestica) within up to now published experiments. Up to now, the influence of personality traits on discrimination has been poorly studied. This thesis looks into the differences in success between individuals and discrimination tasks, and analyzes factors including personality traits influencing the success rate. In this experiment, the total of 72 individual pigeons were tested in four linked tasks: 1) discrimination of black and white screen in the Skinner's box, 2) discrimination of black and white circle patch in the Skinner's box, 3) discrimination of black and white lid in a cage and 4) discrimination of reduced black and white stimuli, placed on a lid, in the cage. The criterium of success was set on 80%. In the Skinner's box, the task were passed by lower number of individuals (6% in first, 20% in second) in comparsion with the cage (48% in third and 50% in fourth). The tasks differed in environment and size of stimuli. It has been determined, that te tested subjecs were able to generalise in the Skinner's box, with an expception when the stimuli was reduced. While testing, all factors that might have influenced the success rate were observed. It has been proved, that the success rate was...

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L’évaluation de la douleur chez les oiseaux est difficile, puisque la plupart se comportent comme des proies et ont tendance à masquer tout signe extérieur de douleur. Les doses et les drogues utilisées pour traiter la douleur des oiseaux sont la plupart du temps basées sur une extrapolation d’autres espèces, ainsi que sur l’expérience clinique. Peu d’études de pharmacocinétique, d’efficacité et de toxicité sont disponibles dans la littérature. La plupart des études rapportées utilisent des stimuli nociceptifs éloignés des douleurs cliniques, comme les stimuli électriques ou thermiques, qui sont difficilement extrapolables à des situations rencontrées en pratique. L’objectif de notre projet était d’évaluer les effets analgésiques de deux doses de meloxicam chez le pigeon à l’aide d‘un modèle de fracture du fémur. La douleur post-opératoire a été évaluée pendant les quatre premiers jours suivant la chirurgie par trois méthodes : le suivi du poids porté sur la patte opérée comparativement à l’autre patte, quatre différentes échelles descriptives de douleur et la réalisation d’éthogrammes à l’aide d’enregistrements vidéo. L’administration de 0,5 mg/kg PO q12h de meloxicam n’a pas permis de réduire significativement les indicateurs de douleur mesurés comparativement à un groupe témoin recevant de la saline. Les pigeons ayant reçu 2 mg/kg PO q12h de meloxicam ont montré une réduction significative des indicateurs de douleur mesurés par les différentes méthodes. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’administration de 2 mg/kg PO q12h aux pigeons suite à une chirurgie orthopédique procure une analgésie supérieure aux doses actuellement recommandées dans la littérature. / Pain assessment is especially difficult in avian species, since many birds behave as prey and do not show any external signs of distress. Choice of drugs and dosages used in clinical practice are most of the time based on extrapolation from other species and clinical experience. Few pharmacokinetic, efficacy or toxicity research studies are available in the literature. Most of these studies used noxious stimuli, such as electric or thermal stimuli, and results are therefore difficult to extrapolate to clinical pain. The objective of our project was to study the analgesic efficacy of two dosages of meloxicam in pigeons, using a femoral fracture pain model. Postoperative pain was assessed during the first four postoperative days by three different methods: weight bearing load on the fractured limb versus the controlateral limb, four different descriptive pain scales and ethogram realization based on video recordings. Administration of 0.5 mg/kg PO q12h of meloxicam did not show any reduction in the measured level of pain compared to the control group that received saline. However, pigeons that received 2 mg/kg PO q12h showed a significant decrease in their pain levels, with the three different pain assessment methods. Our results suggest that 2 mg/kg can provide a superior level of analgesia compared to the dosages recommended in the current literature, for pigeons that have undergone an orthopedic surgery.

L’évaluation de la douleur chez les oiseaux est difficile, puisque la plupart se comportent comme des proies et ont tendance à masquer tout signe extérieur de douleur. Les doses et les drogues utilisées pour traiter la douleur des oiseaux sont la plupart du temps basées sur une extrapolation d’autres espèces, ainsi que sur l’expérience clinique. Peu d’études de pharmacocinétique, d’efficacité et de toxicité sont disponibles dans la littérature. La plupart des études rapportées utilisent des stimuli nociceptifs éloignés des douleurs cliniques, comme les stimuli électriques ou thermiques, qui sont difficilement extrapolables à des situations rencontrées en pratique. L’objectif de notre projet était d’évaluer les effets analgésiques de deux doses de meloxicam chez le pigeon à l’aide d‘un modèle de fracture du fémur. La douleur post-opératoire a été évaluée pendant les quatre premiers jours suivant la chirurgie par trois méthodes : le suivi du poids porté sur la patte opérée comparativement à l’autre patte, quatre différentes échelles descriptives de douleur et la réalisation d’éthogrammes à l’aide d’enregistrements vidéo. L’administration de 0,5 mg/kg PO q12h de meloxicam n’a pas permis de réduire significativement les indicateurs de douleur mesurés comparativement à un groupe témoin recevant de la saline. Les pigeons ayant reçu 2 mg/kg PO q12h de meloxicam ont montré une réduction significative des indicateurs de douleur mesurés par les différentes méthodes. Nos résultats suggèrent que l’administration de 2 mg/kg PO q12h aux pigeons suite à une chirurgie orthopédique procure une analgésie supérieure aux doses actuellement recommandées dans la littérature. / Pain assessment is especially difficult in avian species, since many birds behave as prey and do not show any external signs of distress. Choice of drugs and dosages used in clinical practice are most of the time based on extrapolation from other species and clinical experience. Few pharmacokinetic, efficacy or toxicity research studies are available in the literature. Most of these studies used noxious stimuli, such as electric or thermal stimuli, and results are therefore difficult to extrapolate to clinical pain. The objective of our project was to study the analgesic efficacy of two dosages of meloxicam in pigeons, using a femoral fracture pain model. Postoperative pain was assessed during the first four postoperative days by three different methods: weight bearing load on the fractured limb versus the controlateral limb, four different descriptive pain scales and ethogram realization based on video recordings. Administration of 0.5 mg/kg PO q12h of meloxicam did not show any reduction in the measured level of pain compared to the control group that received saline. However, pigeons that received 2 mg/kg PO q12h showed a significant decrease in their pain levels, with the three different pain assessment methods. Our results suggest that 2 mg/kg can provide a superior level of analgesia compared to the dosages recommended in the current literature, for pigeons that have undergone an orthopedic surgery.

This thesis focuses on conflict resolution and collective decision-making in co-navigating pigeons, Columba livia. These birds have a remarkable homing ability and frequently fly in flocks. Group navigation demands that group members reach consensus on which path to follow, but the mechanisms by which they do so remain largely unexplored. Pigeons are particularly suitable for studying these mechanisms, due to their sociality and the fact that their possession of information can easily be altered and quantified. I present the results of a series of experiments that manipulated the experience of homing pigeons in various ways so as to observe the effect of information they had previously gathered on their group behaviour. Key findings were: Previous navigational experience contributes to the establishment of leader-follower relationships. The larger the difference in experience between two co-navigating pigeons, the higher the likelihood the more experienced bird will emerge as leader. Shared homing experience through repeated joint flights can allow two pigeons to develop into a “behavioural unit”. They form spatial sub-groups when flying with less familiar birds, and perform a similar transition between compromise- and leadership-dominated flights as single birds, although they are more likely to accept compromise routes. Such previous association histories between birds can thus affect collective decision-making in larger flocks. There is a trade-off between the amount of spatial information handled and the efficiency with which such information can be applied during homing. Leading/following behaviour is influenced by the recency of the route memories. Leadership hierarchies in pigeon flocks appear resistant to changes in the navigational knowledge of a subset of their members, at least when these changes are relatively small in magnitude. The stability of the hierarchical structure might be beneficial during decision-making. Mathematical modelling suggests that underlying hierarchical social structures can increase navigational accuracy. Hierarchically organised groups with the smallest number of strong connections achieve highest accuracy. Group leader-follower dynamics resemble the underlying social structure.

Individuals experience risk ubiquitously, but measuring risk taking is difficult. The balloon analogue risk task (BART) was developed in order to assess risk taking through having subjects press a key that accrues reward but also risk losing all reward with each press. In humans, greater responding in this task is associated with other maladaptive risk taking behaviors. The present research modeled this relationship in pigeons due to their previously shown propensity towards risk taking behavior. Experiment 1 used an unsignaled balloon task in which losing could only occur after 5 pecks. Results showed below optimal performance with greater pecks associated with faster acquisition of risk taking in the suboptimal choice task and evidence of modulation by delay discounting measures. Experiment 2 signaled the number of pecks with colors and tested multiple hoppers as a reinforcement modality to increase performance. Results showed only signaling the number of pecks improved performance and was related to performance in the high risk BART task. Both the low and high risk variants were associated with slower suboptimal choice acquisition and again had evidence of modulation by delay discounting measures. Potential shared underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Na alimentação animal, o sorgo pode ser explorado de diversas formas. Além dos grãos, a planta pode ser oferecida na forma de silagem, rolão, verde ou ainda pastejada; embora o valor nutritivo pode sofrer algumas variações pela presença ou ausência de compostos fenólicos como os taninos condensados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a composição química-bromatológica, qualidade fermentativa e produção de gases in vitro nas silagens de sorgo granífero adicionados com diferentes níveis de guandu. O estudo foi dividido em dois experimentos. O primeiro estudo (Capítulo 3) avaliou os efeitos da adição de forragem de guandu sobre a composição química-bromatológica e fermentativas da silagem de sorgo granífero. Os tratamentos foram compostos por: T1 - Silagem com 100% de sorgo, T2 - Silagem com 25% de guandu e 75% de sorgo, T3 - Silagem com 50% de guandu e 50% de sorgo, T4 - Silagem com 75% de guandu e 25% de sorgo e T5 Silagem com 100% de guandu. As variáveis estudadas para a composição química e fermentativas das silagens foram: matéria seca (MS), proteína bruta (PB), fibra em detergente neutro (FDN), fibra em detergente neutro (FDA), carboidratos totais (CHOT), matéria mineral (MM), fenóis totais (FT), taninos totais (TT), taninos condensados (TC), pH, capacidade tampão (CT), perdas fermentativas e ácido lático. A adição de guandu promoveu efeito linear (P<0,01) nas silagens para os teores de MS, PB, FDN, FDA, FT, assim como para as perdas fermentativas de MS da silagem. Enquanto para os teores de CHOT, MM e TC verificaram-se respostas quadráticas (p<0,01) entre as silagens. Inclusões de 25, 50 e 75% de guandu, com base na matéria fresca, seriam suficientes para melhorar o valor nutricional assim como para se obter melhor padrão fermentativo da silagem de sorgo. O segundo estudo (Capítulo 4) avaliou a produção total de gases, metano, degradabilidade da MS (DMS) e degradabilidade da MO (DMO) em silagens de sorgo granífero com níveis crescentes de guandu através da técnica in vitro de produção de gases. Foram avaliadas as cinco silagens de sorgo granífero com níveis crescentes (0, 25, 50, 75 e 100%) de guandu utilizados como substratos. Para avaliar o efeito do tanino nas silagens sobre a produção de gases, procedeu-se um bioensaio, no qual os substratos foram incubados na presença de polietileno glicol (PEG), macro molécula capaz de ligar-se aos taninos presente no substrato, liberando os nutrientes para a fermentação; sendo o efeito do tanino medido pelo incremento na produção de gases. Não houve diferença estatística para a produção total de gases e metano para os níveis de inclusão do guandu, entretanto houve diferença significativa para o contraste nível zero e a inclusão do guandu. Para os incrementos também não houve diferença significativa para as variáveis (PG, CH4, DMS e DMO). Por outro lado, houve maior PG e maior incremento para o nível de 25% de guandu com a presença do PEG. Foi encontrado maior emissão de metano e incremento de metano para o nível 50% de guandu, quando comparado com os demais níveis. Houve maior DMS e DMO no substrato com 100% de guandu com a presença do PEG. Concluiu-se que a adição de forragem de guandu na silagem de sorgo aumentou o conteúdo de PB e reduziu os teores de FDN, implicando um melhor valor nutritivo das silagens, contudo os taninos condensados precisariam ser monitorados para futuros experimentos in vivo / In animal nutrition, sorghum can be used in various ways. Besides grain, the plant can be offered as silage, pollard, green or even grazed. Although the nutritional value may undergo some changes by the presence or absence of phenolic compounds such as condensed tannins. The objective of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, fermentation quality and gas production in vitro in sorghum silage added with different levels of pigeon pea. The study was divided into two experiments. The first study (Chapter 3) evaluated the effects of the addition of pigeon pea grass on the chemical composition and fermentation of sorghum silage. The treatments were: T1 - silage with 100% sorghum, T2 - silage with 25% of pigeon pea and sorghum 75%, T3 - silage with 50% of pigeon pea and sorghum 50%, T4 - silage with 75% pigeon pea and 25% of sorghum and T5 - silage with 100% pigeon pea. The parameters of chemical composition and fermentation of the silage were: dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), total carbohydrates (TCHO), ash, total phenolics (TP), total tannins (TT), condensed tannins (CT), pH, buffer capacity (BC), losses of fermentation and lactic acid. The addition of pigeon pea showed linear effect (P <0.01) in silage for DM, CP, NDF, ADF, TP, as well as the levels of CT and fermentation losses in DM of silage. As for the contents of TCHO, CT and MM there were quadratic responses (p <0.01) among silages. The results observed that, inclusion of 25, 50 and 75% pigeon pea, based on fresh weight, are sufficient to improve the nutritional value and to achieve better fermentation pattern of sorghum silage. The second study (Chapter 4) evaluated the production of gases, methane, DM degradability and degradability of OM in silage sorghum with increasing levels of pigeon pea using the technique of bioassay gas production. Five types of grain sorghum silage with increasing levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) of pigeon pea were used as substrates and evaluated by gás production technique. There were no significant differences with and without the presence of PEG within each level using regression, for (GP, CH4 and DMD), but there were significant effect for using of contrast for the variables (GP, CH4 and OMD). No significant difference was observed for the increments for the variables (GP and CH4,). On the other hand GP was more increase in the level of 25% of pigeon pea in the presence of PEG. Compared with the other levels of pigeon pea the level 50% showed higher emissions of methane. In the presence of PEG,DMD and OMD Showed higher percentage on the substrate with 100% of pigeon pea . it can be concluded that ,the addition of pigeon pea in sorghum silage increased the PC content and decreased the NDF, implying a higher nutritive value of silages, but the tannins need to be monitored for future experiments in vivo