The existence of avian magnetic orientation has been proved by many experimental studies, however, evidence for the use of magnetic cues by homing pigeons remains controversial. To investigate magnetic orientation by homing pigeons, we analyzed the results of pigeon races relative to weak fluctuations in the geomagnetic field, assuming that such disturbances could impact navigational efficiency if based on magnetoreception. Whereas most of the previous studies recorded and analyzed vanishing bearing of individually released pigeons, we evaluated relative duration of the homeward flight (homing speed, as a proxy of navigational efficiency) and its dependence on specific geomagnetic indices in racing pigeons released collectively. Our analysis of orientation efficiency of about 289 pigeon races over 15 years suggested slight negative correlations between geomagnetic fluctuations and homing time. Although the interpretation of this finding is manifold and not clear, it suggests that natural magnetic variations or disturbances can affect the homing orientation performance of pigeons. We suggest that studying pigeon races may have a heuristic potential and since these races are regularly and frequently organized in many countries all over the globe, examining homing performance relative to a suite of environmental variables may be useful for exploring hypotheses about pigeon navigation.
- MeSH
- Columbidae * fyziologie MeSH
- let zvířat fyziologie MeSH
- orientace fyziologie MeSH
- podněty MeSH
- teritoriální chování * fyziologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
In the vertebrate retina, amacrine and ganglion cells represent the most diverse cell classes. They can be classified into different cell types by several features, such as morphology, light responses, and gene expression profile. Although birds possess high visual acuity (similar to primates that we used here for comparison) and tetrachromatic color vision, data on the expression of transcription factors in retinal ganglion cells of birds are largely missing. In this study, we tested various transcription factors, known to label subpopulations of cells in mammalian retinae, in two avian species: the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), a raptor with exceptional acuity, and the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica), a good navigator and widely used model for visual cognition. Staining for the transcription factors Foxp2, Satb1 and Satb2 labeled most ganglion cells in the avian ganglion cell layer. CtBP2 was established as marker for displaced amacrine cells, which allowed us to reliably distinguish ganglion cells from displaced amacrine cells and assess their densities in buzzard and pigeon. When we additionally compared the temporal and central fovea of the buzzard with the fovea of primates, we found that the cellular organization in the pits was different in primates and raptors. In summary, we demonstrate that the expression of transcription factors is a defining feature of cell types not only in the retina of mammals but also in the retina of birds. The markers, which we have established, may provide useful tools for more detailed studies on the retinal circuitry of these highly visual animals.
- MeSH
- amakrinní buňky chemie metabolismus MeSH
- Callithrix MeSH
- Columbidae MeSH
- druhová specificita MeSH
- retina chemie cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- transkripční faktory analýza biosyntéza genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- srovnávací studie MeSH
- MeSH
- Columbidae MeSH
- infekce viry z čeledi Paramyxoviridae epidemiologie prevence a kontrola MeSH
- ptačí chřipka u ptáků epidemiologie krev MeSH
- ptáci MeSH
- vakcinace veterinární MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Klíčová slova
- záchranné stanice,
- MeSH
- Columbidae MeSH
- pohoda zvířat statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- ptáci * klasifikace MeSH
- záchranná práce * metody statistika a číselné údaje MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
Overpopulation of domestic pigeons is considered to be one of the major problems of urban centers, as these birds are responsible for the dissemination of relevant pathogens to animal and human health. The aim of this study was to detect potentially pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in domestic pigeons captured in areas near silos used for grain and feed storage, analyzing the antimicrobial sensitivity and the presence of virulence-associated genes. We evaluated 41 pigeons. From each bird, cecal contents and a pool of viscera (heart, spleen, and liver) were collected. Fifty strains of E. coli and three strains of S. Typhimurium were isolated. The antimicrobial susceptibility assay showed that 2% of the isolates of E. coli were resistant to chloramphenicol and the combination of sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim and 4% to tetracycline, doxycycline, and sulfonamide. The three S. Typhimurium strains were sensitive to all antimicrobials tested. The pathogenicity profile demonstrated that no E. coli isolates showed a STEC compatible profile. Regarding the APEC pathotype, all genes were observed in 8% of E. coli, 6% had only the iss gene and 4% presented ompT, hlyF, and iutA genes. invA, hilA, avrA, and lpfA genes were detected in 100% of Salmonella isolates. The sitC and pefA genes were only present in one strain and the remaining genes were detected in two. In conclusion, it was found that pigeons living in the vicinity of silos are carriers of important pathogens, and control measures should be taken to minimize animal and human health risks.
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky farmakologie MeSH
- bakteriální infekce epidemiologie mikrobiologie veterinární MeSH
- bakteriální léková rezistence účinky léků genetika MeSH
- bakteriální proteiny genetika MeSH
- Columbidae mikrobiologie MeSH
- Escherichia coli účinky léků genetika izolace a purifikace patogenita MeSH
- fylogeneze MeSH
- hospodářská zvířata mikrobiologie MeSH
- mikrobiální testy citlivosti MeSH
- nemoci drůbeže epidemiologie mikrobiologie MeSH
- Salmonella účinky léků genetika izolace a purifikace patogenita MeSH
- virulence genetika MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Brazílie MeSH
Avian eggs contend with omnipresent microorganisms entering the egg interior, where they affect embryo viability and hatchling phenotype. The incubation behaviour and deposition of egg white antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) vary highly across the avian altricial-precocial spectrum. Experimental evidence of how these alterations in avian reproductive strategies affect the antimicrobial properties of the precocial and altricial egg interior is lacking, however. Here, we tested the egg white antimicrobial activity in eggs of two representative model species, from each end of the avian altricial-precocial spectrum, against potentially pathogenic and beneficial probiotic microorganisms. Eggs were experimentally treated to mimic un-incubated eggs in the nest, partial incubation during the egg-laying period, the onset of full incubation and the increased deposition of two main egg white AMPs, lysozyme and ovotransferrin. We moreover assessed to what extent egg antimicrobial components, egg white pH and AMP concentrations varied as a result of different incubation patterns. Fully incubated precocial and altricial eggs decreased their antimicrobial activity against a potentially pathogenic microorganism, whereas partial incubation significantly enhanced the persistence of a beneficial probiotic microorganism in precocial eggs. These effects were most probably conditioned by temperature-dependent alterations in egg white pH and AMP concentrations. While lysozyme concentration and pH decreased in fully incubated precocial but not altricial eggs, egg white ovotransferrin increased along with the intensity of incubation in both precocial and altricial eggs. This study is the first to experimentally demonstrate that different incubation patterns may have selective antimicrobial potential mediated by species-specific effects on antimicrobial components in the egg white.
- MeSH
- antiinfekční látky farmakologie MeSH
- Bacillus subtilis účinky léků MeSH
- Columbidae fyziologie MeSH
- Coturnix fyziologie MeSH
- Micrococcus luteus účinky léků MeSH
- muramidasa farmakologie MeSH
- ovotransferin farmakologie MeSH
- ovum enzymologie fyziologie MeSH
- ptačí proteiny farmakologie MeSH
- rozmnožování * MeSH
- vaječný bílek chemie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Anaphylaxis is a serious systemic allergic reaction with rapid onset and potentially life-threatening. We report in detail a case of severe nocturnal anaphylaxis due to pigeon tick bite showing the diagnostic value of the extract and the recombinant allergen in the diagnostic procedures (basophil activation test, IgE immunoblot, and experimental ImmunoCAP). Apart from the presented case, we describe that during the last 10 years, we have collected 28 cases of allergy to Argas reflexus from several European countries. We suspect that this allergy is underdiagnosed because of the lack of diagnostic reagents. Because of the growing number of pigeons in Middle and Southern Europe cities, some cases of idiopathic anaphylaxis could potentially be caused by A. reflexus in those countries. The identification of pigeon ticks as a trigger of anaphylaxis would greatly improve medical care and advice for these patients as the parasite can be exterminated by eradication measures to avoid further incidents.
- MeSH
- anafylaxe diagnóza etiologie MeSH
- Argas MeSH
- Columbidae parazitologie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- imunoglobulin E analýza imunologie MeSH
- kousnutí klíštětem komplikace imunologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- kazuistiky MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Recent years have witnessed an astonishing flurry of studies demonstrating that some bird species show higher-order cognitive processes on par with primates [1-3]. As birds have no neocortex, cortical processing cannot be a requirement for higher order cognition [1,4]. Although birds have more neurons than expected from their small brain weights [5], their absolute neuron count is still lower compared to cortical neuron numbers of primates. How, then, is it possible that pigeons reach performance levels in, for example, abstract numerical competence and orthographic processing, that are comparable to that of macaques [6]? While the subpallium is very similar, the organization of the pallium differs tremendously between birds and mammals [1]; moreover, the avian pallium is characterized by small, extremely tightly packed neurons [5]. It is conceivable that signal processing could be faster in such a brain as a result of a higher speed of propagation of activation between neighboring assemblies, resulting in faster switch times between neighboring networks and neuronal representations of behavioral goals. This is important, as behavioral goals in real-life situations are often achieved by a series of sub-tasks [7,8], and especially when sub-tasks supersede each other and show little overlap in processing resources, neocortical (pallial) structures are involved [7,8]. We now report that pigeons are on par with humans when a task demands simultaneous processing resources; importantly, pigeons show faster responses than humans when sub-tasks are separated such that fast switches between processes are required.
- MeSH
- chování zvířat fyziologie MeSH
- Columbidae fyziologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- světelná stimulace MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- dopisy MeSH
- MeSH
- alergie * komplikace MeSH
- bronchoskopie MeSH
- Columbidae MeSH
- diferenciální diagnóza MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- hormony kůry nadledvin terapeutické užití MeSH
- hypersenzitivní pneumonitida * diagnostické zobrazování farmakoterapie patologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- plíce diagnostické zobrazování patologie MeSH
- počítačová rentgenová tomografie MeSH
- výsledek terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- kazuistiky MeSH
At least 32 bird species were described as new to science on the basis of material collected by Franz Meyen during his circumnavigation in 1830-1832. We identified the type specimens and determined the type localities of these species, which are currently housed in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany. Ardea longicollis Meyen, 1834, is identified as a senior synonym of Egretta eulophotes (Swinhoe, 1860), but is set aside as a nomen oblitum. The name of a Neotropical dove is corrected from Metriopelia ceciliae zimmeri (Peters, 1937) to Metriopelia ceciliae gymnops (Chubb, 1917). A lectotype is designated for Nectarinia philippensis Meyen, 1834a.
