Effect of vibrissae removal on the defensive behavior of rats in early ontogeny

Influence of restricted sensory afferentation in rats forming of defensive reactions was studied by vibrissectomy from 9 to 20 day of postnatal ontogeny. Defensive withdrawal reaction in response to touch from 10 to 18 day, duration of freezing on 20 day, "open field" behavior on 25 day were measured. Intensity of withdrawal reactions, freezing duration, flight reaction and emotionality in "open field" were lower in vibrissectomized rats with comparison to control.     

Gender differences in development of exploratory activity in rats

The dynamics of exploratory activity in male and female Wistar rats before weaning and over the course of puberty was investigated. Behavior of animals was examined on the 18th, 35th, and 50th postnatal days in a modified light-dark test and on the 24th postnatal day in an open-field test. It was found that exploratory activity of males considerably changed over the course of puberty period. From the 18th to 35th postnatal days, the number of animals exploring a light compartment increased. From the 35th to 50th postnatal days, the duration of the light compartment investigation increased. The only change in exploratory activity of female rats consisted in an increase in the number of transitions between the light and dark compartments from 35th to 50th postnatal days. The results suggest different mechanisms of exploratory behavior development in male and female rats.     

温度在柑橘凤蝶蛹滞育解除中的作用

调查温度在柑橘凤蝶Papillio xuthus L.滞育蛹解除中的作用。结果显示,羽化温度在15,20,25和30℃时,滞育蛹最早羽化分别在第45,16,11和第5天,发育历期分别为60.3,26.0,15.2和11.6d,羽化持续时间分别为35,19,14和15d。同时低温处理(10℃)显示,25℃时,低温处理0,20和40d后,滞育蛹分别在处理后第38,第14和第13天开始羽化,羽化时间持续分别为40,71和16d,发育历期分别为60.9,28.5和19.0d。结果表明,随着羽化温度升高和低温处理时间延长,滞育蛹羽化时间提前,发育历期缩短。但当羽化温度超过25℃后,滞育蛹发育历期差异已不显著。     

Thyroid hormone levels in rats exposed to alcohol during development

Maternal ingestion of alcohol appears to cause a pattern of congenital anomalies with a reduction of pre- and postnatal growth in the offspring. In order to study the possible implication of thyroid function in the effects of pre- and/or postnatal exposure to alcohol, we have studied serum thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels in rats from alcohol-fed mothers during the postnatal period (0-50 days). Blood alcohol levels of ethanol-treated pregnant rats were approximately equal to 20-25 mM and their serum T4 levels were decreased, compared with the pair-fed controls, at 15 and 21 days of gestation. No significant changes were observed in T3 levels. Prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with a decrease in both T4 and T3 levels in pups at birth. Although T4 levels continued reduced in the 40-50 days of the postnatal period, no clear effects were observed on T3 levels during this time. Moreover, the more marked alterations were obtained when the offspring were postnatally and pre + postnatally exposed to alcohol. Significant decreases were found in both T4 and T3 levels following postnatal exposure, except at the 20-25th day when a marked but transient increase in T4 levels was observed. These results indicate that alcohol exposure disturbs the hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid axis, as measured by T3 and T4 hormone levels, mainly when the rats are exposed during the postnatal period.     

Postnatal development of conditioned reflex behavior: comparison of the periods related to the onset of the different forms of hippocampal plasticity in rats

Fear conditioning, escape and active avoidance reactions in two-way avoidance paradigm were compared in rats of different ages. Fear conditioning, but not escape and active avoidance reactions could be acquired on the 16-17th postnatal days, and the acquisition was more effective than in adults. Escape behavior matured beginning from the 18th postnatal day reaching the adult level within the 3d-4th postnatal weeks. Maturation of the mechanisms of Pavlovian (fear reaction) and instrumental (escape reaction) conditioning did not facilitate the acquisition of two-way avoidance until the 4th postnatal week, young animals displayed low acquisition in this period. The maturation of these memory processes is proposed to be related to developmental stages of different mechanisms of hippocampal plasticity.     

Age dependence of cardiac growth in the normal and carbon monoxide-exposed rat.

“Young” rats, 5 days of age, and “old” rats, 25 days of age, inhaled 500 ppm carbon monoxide in air until 50 days of age. Heart weight (HW) relative to same-age controls was maximal at 25 days of age in the young rats, a time at which hemoglobin and hematocrit reached minimal values. Weight of the right ventricle (RV), left ventricle (LV), and combined atria showed a similar pattern. HW and weights of LV and RV of the old rats were intermediate to those of the young rats and controls at 40, 45, and 50 days of age. DNA content of the LV and RV increased sharply in the young rats after initial CO exposure, departing significantly from equal-age controls. DNA content in both ventricles in both young and control rats reached plateaus after 20–25 days of exposure, with the former more than 50% above the latter. DNA content of both ventricles of the old rats was similar to the controls at 50 days of age. In addition, both DNA concentration and protein to DNA ratios were examined in the three groups. The study supports the notion that the potential for cardiac DNA synthesis and probably muscle cell hyperplasia in the rat comes to an end during the 5th through 25th days of postnatal life.     

Wing morphology and flight development in the short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx

Postnatal changes in wing morphology, flight development and aerodynamics were studied in captive free-flying short-nosed fruit bats, Cynopterus sphinx. Pups were reluctant to move until 25 days of age and started fluttering at the mean age of 40 days. The wingspan and wing area increased linearly until 45 days of age by which time the young bats exhibited clumsy flight with gentle turns. At birth, C. sphinx had less-developed handwings compared to armwings; however, the handwing developed faster than the armwing during the postnatal period. Young bats achieved sustained flight at 55 days of age. Wing loading decreased linearly until 35 days of age and thereafter increased to a maximum of 12.82 Nm(-2) at 125 days of age. The logistic equation fitted the postnatal changes in wingspan and wing area better than the Gompertz and von Bertalanffy equations. The predicted minimum power speed (V(mp)) and maximum range speed (V(mr)) decreased until the onset of flight and thereafter the V(mp) and V(mr) increased linearly and approached 96.2% and 96.4%, respectively, of the speed of postpartum females at the age of 125 days. The requirement of minimum flight power (P(mp)) and maximum range power (P(mr)) increased until 85 days of age and thereafter stabilised. The minimum theoretical radius of banked turn (r(min)) decreased until 35 days of age and thereafter increased linearly and attained 86.5% of the r(min) of postpartum females at the age of 125 days.     

Activation of dorsal periaqueductal gray by glycine produces long lasting hyponociception in rats without overt defensive behaviors

Electrical or glutamate stimulation of the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter (DPAG) of rats induces overt defensive behavior, such as freezing or flight, and hyponociception, while glycine and D-serine, a specific NMDA/GLY(B)-site ligand, produced only subtle defensive behavior related to risk assessment and avoidance from the open arms in the elevated plus-maze test. In order to verify whether the GLY(B) site in the DPAG could also be involved in hyponociception, glycine (GLY; 10, 20, 50, and 80 nmol/0.3 microl) and (+/-)-3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidone (HA966; 10 nmol/0.3 microl), a GLY(B)-site antagonist, were microinjected in rats submitted to the radiant heat-induced tail-flick test. GLY increased tail-flick latencies in a dose-dependent way. This hyponociceptive effect was completely reversed by co-administration with HA966. GLY given in the deep layer of superior colliculus did not produce changes in tail-flick latencies. Therefore, the results suggest that the activation of GLY(B) receptors in the DPAG is also involved in the hyponociception elicited by this brain area.     

Effect of stress on postnatal growth in weight of rat body and adrenal gland

Seven-week male Wistar rats weighing 145-155 g were housed 10 (control) or 20 (crowded) per cage (50 x 35 x 15 cm). Groups of control and crowded animals were decapitated within 0.5, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 56, 70, and 98 days of experiment. The keeping of rats in crowding conditions induced chronic stress, which developed, according to phase changes in plasma concentration of corticosterone and adrenal content of cholesterol, through the stages alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The postnatal growth of body weight in the stressed rats was behind that in the control. Under the crowding conditions, the adrenal weight did not undergo significant increase, since the stress-induced hypertrophy of the zona fasciculata was compensated by the proportional suppression of the postnatal growth of the zona reticularis. After 56 days, the postnatal growth of the hypertrophied fascicular zone was delayed in the experimental rats.     

中华山蝠翼的形态学发育模式

为了揭示中华山蝠翼的形态学发育模式,2012-2014年, 通过对50只中华山蝠幼蝠进行人工饲养实验观察及测量,辅以野外标志重捕,研究中华山蝠翼的生长。结果显示：中华山蝠翼外形各量度值先呈直线增长,后增长速度逐渐减慢。各指标增长速度减慢的日龄各不相同,臂膜长在25日龄生长速度逐渐减慢;翼展、翼面积、臂膜面积在30日龄增长速度减慢;掌膜长及掌膜面积则在40日龄增长速度减慢。臂膜长发育最快,试飞前 (28日龄) 已达到成体臂膜长的80.9%。翼载在幼蝠生后14日龄内呈直线增长,然后开始直线下降,到试飞期 (35日龄左右),翼载值降到最低,是成体翼载的80.0%,此后呈极缓慢增长趋势。中华山蝠翼的生长主要集中在试飞前。试飞后,则通过减缓体重的增长速度甚至减轻体重,保持翼面积尤其是掌膜面积的增长速度,从而降低翼载,以便更快地适应飞行生活。Logistic, Von Bertalanffy和Gompertz 3种非线性曲线中,Gompertz模型对翼展拟合度最佳,Gompertz和Von Bertalanffy模型对翼面积拟合度优于Logistic曲线。     

Open-field behaviour of oestrous and dioestrous rats: evidence against an 'emotionality' interpretation.

Oestrous and dioestrous rats were observed during the initial 2 min of open-field exposure, and after a loud bell had sounded. Although defecation and ambulation showed characteristic difference between the two phases (less defecation and more ambulation at oestrus), other measures associated with emotional behaviour (latency to move from the wall, flight, and freezing to the bell) showed no differences. These findings supported Drewett's suggestion that open-field defecation and ambulation change with oestrous phase because of general metabolic changes and not as a result of 'emotionality' changes.     

Influence on Stress on Postnatal Growth of Body and Adrenal Gland Weight in Rats

Seven-week male Wistar rats weighing 145–155 g were housed 10 (control) or 20 (crowded) per cage (50 × 35 × 15 cm). Groups of control and crowded animals were decapitated within 0.5, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 56, 70, and 98 days of experiment. The keeping of rats in crowding conditions induced chronic stress, which developed, according to phase changes in plasma concentration of corticosterone and adrenal content of cholesterol, through the stages alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The postnatal growth of body weight in the stressed rats was behind that in the control. Under the crowding conditions, the adrenal weight did not undergo significant increase, since the stress-induced hypertrophy of the zona fasciculata was compensated by the proportional suppression of the postnatal growth of the zona reticularis. After 56 days, the postnatal growth of the hypertrophied fascicular zone was delayed in the experimental rats.     

Typological characteristics of behavior in strains of rats bred for enhancement and absence of pendulum movements. Association with brain monoamines

Typological characteristics of behavior were studied in rats bred for enhancement (PM+) and absence (PM-) of pendulum movements. Excitement in different test situations was manifest in PM+ rats, whereas passive defensive reactions were characteristic of PM- rats. Increased excitability of PM+ rats was expressed in their greater predisposition to audiogenic epilepsy (83% in PM+ versus 40% in PM- rats). On the contrary, PM- rats were found to be more prone to freezing (61% in PV- versus 11% in PM+). In PM+ rats, noradrenaline and serotonin contents were decreased in hypothalamus (as compared to PM- and control Wistar stain), whereas in PM- rats, serotonin content was increased in striatum, hypothalamus and midbrain as compared to control strains.     

Properties and kinetics of a population of B-lymphocytes during rat ontogenesis]

Cells bearing surface immunoglobulins (Ig+-cells) detected by the indirect immunofluorescent method and cells forming rosettes (RFC) with sheep erythrocytes coated with antibody and complement (EAC rosettes) were found in the liver and the spleen on the 15th and the 20th days of prenatal life of rats. The percentage of Ig+-cells and RFC in the liver was high and remained unchanged and at about the same level during the whole postnatal life. The spleen and the bone marrow displayed an increase of the Ig+-cells and RFC increased throughout the 1st month of postnatal life with the maximum at the 30th day after birth; a sharp decrease occurred in old animals. In the thymus the Ig+-cells and the RFC were either absent or present in very small amounts only at some periods of study. Ig+-cells with "capping" were discovered in the spleen and bone marrow on the 5th--10th days of postnatal life; their count increased considerably in 30-day and adult rats. Such cells were absent in the lymphoid tissues of old 40-month rats.     

温度对异色瓢虫生长发育和繁殖的影响

为探索饲养异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis（Pallas）的最适温度,了解其对高温的耐受性,组建了异色瓢虫在15,20,25,30和35℃下的实验种群生命表。结果表明：各虫态的发育速率随温度的升高而加快,在15℃下世代的发育历期最长（65.5d）,而30℃时仅为22.4d,20℃和25℃时分别为39.0d和23.0d。卵、幼虫、蛹和世代的发育起点温度分别为9.8,8.2,11.6和8.5℃,有效积温分别为41.1,225.6,81.6,432.6日.度。成虫寿命随温度升高而逐渐缩短,15℃时最长,为77.7d,在30℃下最短,为36.3d;单雌产卵量在25℃时最高,平均为2193.0粒,15℃时最低,为626.0粒。在25℃下,异色瓢虫的种群趋势指数和内禀增长力均较高,分别为916.7和0.15,表明25℃是异色瓢虫生长、繁殖的最适温度。     

Weaning and the histology of the mandibular condyle in the rat.

Eighty-eight Long Evans/Turku rats were used in the study. The effect of the articulatory function on the mandibular condyle was observed histologically during normal growth, when the rat is changing its diet from milk to whole pellets as a part of weaning. Six animals each were killed at the age of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days for histological tissue processing. For further information, 30 animals were fed a soft diet (6 animals each were killed at the age of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days), and 10 animals were fed hardened pellets (2 animals each were killed at the ages of 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days). An even and regular transition from mesenchymal cells via immature chondroblasts into mature chondroblasts and hypertrophied chondrocytes was found at 10, 15 and 20 days during normal growth and also at 25, 30, 35, 40 and 50 days when animals were fed a soft diet. This maturing process appeared to be disturbed at the age of 25, 30, 35 and 40 days in the superior aspect of the condyle in animals fed ordinary pellets. The density of the mesenchymal cell layer was decreased, and the amount of intercellular matrix seemed to be evaluated in mesenchymal and intermediate cell layers. These features were later manifest deeper in the cartilage as acellular regions and as cell clusters. The changes were similar but more severe when the animals were fed hardened pellets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

"Sensitive periods" in the systemogenesis of intraspecific aggression in rats

As a result of experiments conducted on male outbred white rats, approximate limits were established of two sensitive periods for the formation of intraspecies aggression of rats under the influence of contacts with the animals of the same age: sensitive period from 12th to 21st postnatal day for changing from playing behaviour into the aggressive one; and 40-60 days for differentiation of the aggressivity against the males and females. It was shown, that despite considerable change in the spectrum of aggressive reactions of early isolated rats towards intruders and low effect of these reactions, judging by response behaviour of intruders, these reactions were based on the emotionally-motivational state, typical for the formed aggressive behaviour. It was also found, that disturbances of the aggression formation in rats isolated in early age, were caused by deprivation of contacts with rats of the same age and not by general informational impoverishment of the environment where rat pups were bred.     

Effect of various periods of social isolation of juvenile rats on the level of their intraspecies aggression at a sexually mature age

Isolation of male outbred white rats from the same age rats at 12-30 and 15-30 days of postnatal life increases their aggressiveness in pubertal age and causes a change of aggressive reactions spectrum towards the decrease of attacks and increase of threats in relation to intruders. These changes in the ontogenetic formation of rats aggressive behaviour are not compensated by the experience of rats social intercourse in the period 30-70th days. A hypothesis is made about the existence of sensitive period of rats aggressive behaviour formation with the approximate limits 15th-30th days of postnatal life during which under the influence of contacts with rats of the same age prerequisites are created for consolidation of various agonistic reactions in resultant act of mature aggression.     

Distribution of histamine in the rat kidney during pregnancy and development

Summary An antiserum against conjugated histamine and two oligonucleotide probes that detect the mRNA encoding L-histidine decarboxylase (HDC) involved in histamine synthesis were used to study the appearance of histamine and its location in the kidneys of fetal, newborn and young postnatal rats and in the kidneys of pregnant rats. On embryonic days 16 and 18 (E16 and E18), some HA-immunoreactive (HA-ir) cells were found within the largest S-shaped bodies. Histamine was found to appear rapidly between the 18th and 20th embryonic days in the convoluted tubules of the kidneys. On postnatal day 0 (P0), the distal convoluted tubules and collecting ducts exhibited bright fluorescence, the intensity of which decreased quickly so that it was faint on day P4 and absent at later stages. In kidneys of pregnant rats HA-ir was found in the epithelium of both the Bowman's capsule, collecting ducts and in a few cells within the tubules. Nonuniform HA-ir was also detected within glomeruli. No evidence for the presence of L-histidine decarboxylase mRNA in kidneys of fetuses or pregnant rats was seen. It is concluded that distinct structures in the developing rat kidney contain histamine during a period around birth from day E20 to day P4. In the pregnant rat, the epithelium that is in direct contact with the urine flow is immunoreactive for histamine from day 16 to 20 of pregnancy. The results suggest that histamine is not synthesized locally in the kidneys but rather originates from other tissues.     

Abnormal development of blood pressure and growth in rats exposed to perinatal injection stress

Subcutaneous injections of alkaline saline were made perinatally in Sprague-Dawley rats according to two schedules. In a pre-/postnatal group, dams were treated from 19th gestational day to 9th day postpartum and pups from day 0–9. In a postnatal group, pups alone were injected from day 0–6. At 19–23, 50–56 and 82–86 days of age, injected rats and uninjected controls were anesthetized and arterial blood pressure measured. Rats from the pre-/postnatal group had higher blood pressures (58%) and body weights at 19–23 days and lower blood pressure (35%) and body weight at 82–86 days of age. Blood pressure and body weight were comparable to control at all ages in the postnatal injection group. It is concluded that as a result of the maternal stress produced by the injections there was a generalized disturbance of growth processes resulting in hypotension and decreased body weight in adulthood.