Hindlimb muscle activity during locomotion in the rat (Rattus norvegicus) (Rodentia: Muridae)

Electromyographic studies of mammalian locomotion have concentrated on cursorial species. Since these may not be typical of mammals in general, the present study has been made on the relatively non-cursorial rat.
Electromyography has been performed on 20 muscles or muscle groups of the hind-limb in decerebrate rats, moving at from one to eight steps per second. All muscles were active in discrete bursts, with fixed phase relations in the step cycle. They can be categorized as flexors–active just before and during swing, extensors/adductors–active just before and during stance, muscles controlling the foot, and some double joint muscles. The latter, represented by semitendinosus and rectus femoris, tend to be active twice in each step cycle. There is a distinct reciprocity in the activities of these two muscles. The duration of the extensor/adductor activity decreases with increase of stepping speed.
The pattern of muscle activity during the step cycle is very similar in both cursorial species and the rat. This suggests that central nervous mechanisms controlling the timing of single limb motor output in mammals may be very conservative.     

A cinefluorographic study of mandibular movement during feeding in the rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The anatomy of the masticatory apparatus, and particularly of the mandibular joints, has led to the view that mandibular movement in the Rodentia is predominantly propalinal, or forwards and backwards in direction. As part of an investigation into the mechanism of function of the mandibular joints in these animals, the feeding behaviour of "August" strain and "Wistar" rats was examined by cinephotography and cinefluorography. The rats were trained to feed on barium sulphate impregnated biscuit and animal cake and to drink radio-opaque liquids. Cinefluorographic recordings of ingestion, mastication, deglutition and of drinking were taken in both the lateral and dorso-ventral projections.
Analysis of the recordings has shown a fundamental separation of ingestive and masticatory activity in the rat, which can be attributed to the morphology of the jaws and particularly to the disparity in the lengths of the mandibular and maxillary diastemas. To bring the incisor teeth into occlusion for ingestion, the mandible is brought forward through the rest position and the condyle into articulation with the anterior part of the fossa. In mastication the condyle is moved backwards to bring the molar teeth into occlusion and the condyle into articulation with the posterior articular facet on the fossa. Once the mandible has been moved into the appropriate position for either ingestion or mastication and deglutition, the movements involved in the separation or chewing of the food are cyclical with combined horizontal and transverse movements as well as the fundamental vertical movement acting to open and close the mouth. The basic movement of ingestion carries the mandibular incisors upwards and forwards across the lingual surfaces of the maxillary incisors, so separating the bite. The grinding stroke of mastication is a horizontal movement carrying the mandibular molars anteriorly across the maxillary.     

Three dimensional reconstruction of the X-Y pair during pachytene in the rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The ultrastructure of the X-Y pair from rat spermatocytes has been reconstructed sterically by the study of serial sections. The X-Y pair of the rat at early pachytene contains two dense cores, a long and a short one, which form a synaptonemal complex 1.7 long at their common end. The long core (10.6 ) and the short core (4.5 ) correspond to X and Y, respectively. There is no RNA histochemically detectable in the X-Y pair. Nucleoli are independent of the X-Y pair. A low number of cells show nucleoli very near the X-Y pair but no continuity exists between these structures.     

Changes in testicular lactate dehydrogenases of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) during growth and development

1. We have quantified lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) A, B and C enzyme levels during the first twelve weeks of life in rat testes. 2. Proteins were electrophoresed under non-denaturing conditions, isoenzymes identified by activity staining and quantified by densitometry scanning. 3. LDH A declined 2-3-fold during testes growth, changing from the most to the least abundant isoenzyme form. LDH B remained fairly constant, and LDH C increased from undetectable levels at birth to become the most abundant of the three polypeptides from week 3 onwards.     

An investigation of individual, age and sexual differences in the play of Rattus norvegicus (Mammalia: Rodentia)

Eight litters of Rattus norvegicus of the PVG/C hooded strain were observed in order to investigate the roles of individuality, sexuality and age in playful behaviour.
Three measures of social play, namely, initiations, numbers of play bouts and numbers of playful elements performed were all found to be positively correlated. The incidence of social and solitary play were also positively correlated so that a concept of "playfulness" appeared to be justifiable. Playfulness showed no correlation with the general level of non-playful locomotor activity.
Male rats were more playful than females but only minor sex-related differences were found to occur in the sequential organisation of play.
Older rats showed longer play bouts and a higher degree of temporal organisation. Considerable individual differences in playfulness were recorded and in single sex litters playful rats were found to play together.
The majority of opponents, in playfighting, alternated between the roles of attacker and defender.     

Biochemical genetics of methylglyoxal dehydrogenases in the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus)

A genetic locus controlling the electrophoretic mobility of a methylglyoxal dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.23) in the rat is described. The locus, designatedMgd1, is expressed in liver and kidney. Inbred rat strains have fixed either alleleMgd1 ^a or alleleMgd1 ^b . Codominant expression is observed in heterozygotes, providing evidence for a tetrameric enzyme structure. Backcross progenies showed the expected 1:1 segregation ratio, and there is evidence thatMgd1 is linked toPep3 andFh1 on chromosome 13. There is also evidence for two additional methylglyoxal dehydrogenases:Mgd2, present in liver and kidney, andMgd3, present only in heart.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Grant Be 352/18-1).     

中国云南洱海周边褐家鼠的体表寄生虫群落组成

褐家鼠Rattus norvegicus可能是云南省部分鼠疫流行区的储存宿主之一, 其体表的某些寄生虫种类可能是人类疾病的传播媒介。为了解洱海周边地带褐家鼠的体表寄生虫群落, 并对其医学和兽医学的重要性进行描述。用U检验和相关分析的统计方法对2003-2004年采自云南洱海（中国滇西北著名的淡水湖泊）周边地区的431头褐家鼠的体表寄生虫群落进行了研究。用构成比（C）, 侵染率(P)和平均丰富度(A)反映体表寄生虫的流行和密度状况。调查点位于我国11大鼠疫自然疫源地之一, 此地也是我国恙虫病和流行性出血热的流行地区。结果表明: 431头褐家鼠中307头寄生有体表寄生虫, 侵染率为71%。采集到的体表寄生虫有47种, 包括23种恙螨、16种革螨、6种蚤和2种吸虱, 其中16种以前已经被证明是人类疾病的媒介。结果提示褐家鼠的体表寄生虫物种多样性高。     

Postnatal development of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) in the rat, Rattus norvegicus.

The pattern of development of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) in specified-pathogen-free and conventional (non-barrier maintained) rats over the initial 4 weeks of life appeared to be similar. BALT first appeared around the 2nd week of life and increased in amount over the following 2 weeks. Overlying large nodules of BALT the bronchial epithelium becomes infiltrated by lymphocytes to form a lymphoepithelium. This transformation occurs earlier in conventional rats, possibly because of the differing antigen levels to which they are exposed.     

Identification, cloning and functional characterization of novel beta-defensins in the rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Background  

beta-defensins are small cationic peptides that exhibit broad spectrum antimicrobial properties. The majority of beta-defensins identified in humans are predominantly expressed in the male reproductive tract and have roles in non-immunological processes such as sperm maturation and capacitation. Characterization of novel defensins in the male reproductive tract can lead to increased understanding of their dual roles in immunity and sperm maturation.     

Changes in the lipid composition of erythrocytes during prolonged fasting in lizard (Tropidurus torquatos) and rat (Rattus norvegicus)

During prolonged fasting in lizard and rat, plasma levels of unesterified cholesterol (UC) and phospholipids (TPL) decreased and there were reductions and increases, respectively, in the molar ratios of lecithin (PC) to sphingomyelin (SPH) and UC to TPL. Plasma lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCATase) activity in lizard and rat plasma was reduced during prolonged fasting. Erythrocyte lipid composition for fasted animals was also characterized by a reduction in the molar ratio PC/SPH and an increase in UC/TPL, and in both species there were positive correlations between these molar ratios in red cells and those in plasma. In both species these were changes in the morphology of the erythrocytes, and those from fasted rats showed alterations in osmotic fragility and permeability which correlated with alterations in lipid composition. These results suggest that changes in plasma lipoprotein lipid composition, linked to reduced LCATase activity, may cause similar alterations in the lipid composition of red cell membranes leading to altered membrane properties.     

Spatial population genomics of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in New York City

Human commensal species such as rodent pests are often widely distributed across cities and threaten both infrastructure and public health. Spatially explicit population genomic methods provide insights into movements for cryptic pests that drive evolutionary connectivity across multiple spatial scales. We examined spatial patterns of neutral genomewide variation in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) across Manhattan, New York City (NYC), using 262 samples and 61,401 SNPs to understand (i) relatedness among nearby individuals and the extent of spatial genetic structure in a discrete urban landscape; (ii) the geographic origin of NYC rats, using a large, previously published data set of global rat genotypes; and (iii) heterogeneity in gene flow across the city, particularly deviations from isolation by distance. We found that rats separated by ≤200 m exhibit strong spatial autocorrelation (r = .3, p = .001) and the effects of localized genetic drift extend to a range of 1,400 m. Across Manhattan, rats exhibited a homogeneous population origin from rats that likely invaded from Great Britain. While traditional approaches identified a single evolutionary cluster with clinal structure across Manhattan, recently developed methods (e.g., fineSTRUCTURE, sPCA, EEMS) provided evidence of reduced dispersal across the island's less residential Midtown region resulting in fine‐scale genetic structuring (F_ST = 0.01) and two evolutionary clusters (Uptown and Downtown Manhattan). Thus, while some urban populations of human commensals may appear to be continuously distributed, landscape heterogeneity within cities can drive differences in habitat quality and dispersal, with implications for the spatial distribution of genomic variation, population management and the study of widely distributed pests.     

A review of habitat selection by the swamp rat,Rattus lutreolus (Rodentia: Muridae)

Abstract This review clarifies important points on habitat selection by the Swamp Rat Rattus lutreolus (Rodentia: Muridae), a species that has been the subject of much research in Australia and has provided a useful model for understanding ecological and biological processes. It also provides an opportunity to cite important earlier research, not readily available through electronic search engines, thus bringing it into current literature to avoid its disappearance into Internet obscurity. We comment on some papers in the literature to correct errors detected and to emphasize the importance of due care in all aspects of a research project, including its reporting. We show that both floristic and structural components have been reported as important to an understanding of habitat and microhabitat selection by R. lutreolus and conclude that it is vegetation density that is of paramount importance. Female R. lutreolus are clearly dominant in driving microhabitat selection, occupying the ‘best’ or densest habitats with male R. lutreolus occupying the next best and Pseudomys or other species, where present occupying the remainder. This demonstrates the important role that intraspecific and interspecific competition play in determining habitat selection. Direct predation and the perception of predation risk may also play a role in habitat selection, again perceived to be pushing individuals towards denser vegetation, representing ‘better cover’. Whether these effects operate as bottom‐up or top‐down needs careful consideration. Climatic variables, such as ENSO‐affecting productivity, and related variables such as temperature and humidity may also play important roles in habitat selection, as can disturbance effects such as wildfire. The relative importance of all of these potential determining factors may vary from place to place, particularly when climatic clines are involved.     

Urban population genetics of slum‐dwelling rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Salvador,Brazil

Throughout the developing world, urban centres with sprawling slum settlements are rapidly expanding and invading previously forested ecosystems. Slum communities are characterized by untended refuse, open sewers and overgrown vegetation, which promote rodent infestation. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are reservoirs for epidemic transmission of many zoonotic pathogens of public health importance. Understanding the population ecology of R. norvegicus is essential to formulate effective rodent control strategies, as this knowledge aids estimation of the temporal stability and spatial connectivity of populations. We screened for genetic variation, characterized the population genetic structure and evaluated the extent and patterns of gene flow in the urban landscape using 17 microsatellite loci in 146 rats from nine sites in the city of Salvador, Brazil. These sites were divided between three neighbourhoods within the city spaced an average of 2.7 km apart. Surprisingly, we detected very little relatedness among animals trapped at the same site and found high levels of genetic diversity, as well as structuring across small geographical distances. Most F_ST comparisons among sites were statistically significant, including sites <400 m apart. Bayesian analyses grouped the samples in three genetic clusters, each associated with distinct sampling sites from different neighbourhoods or valleys within neighbourhoods. These data indicate the existence of complex genetic structure in R. norvegicus in Salvador, linked to the heterogeneous urban landscape. Future rodent control measures need to take into account the spatial and temporal linkage of rat populations in Salvador, as revealed by genetic data, to develop informed eradication strategies.     

Linkage of a plasma protein marker (Gl-1) and the Hooded locus in the rat,Rattus norvegicus

The linkage of the plasma protein (Gl-1) and hooded loci has been determined from backcross progeny of the initial crosses Long Evans/Orl×BN/Orl and Long Evans/Orl×Fatty/Orl. The two sets of data show a significant linkage heterogeneity with, respectively, 5.0±2.8 and 15.1±3.0 recombination. This is the fourth linkage of biochemical markers so far demonstrated in the rat.     

Characterization of silver-stained nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NORs) in 16 inbred strains of the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus

Silver-stained nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NORs) in metaphase chromosomes of cultured fibroblasts were compared among 16 inbred strains of the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus. Ag-NORs were located at the secondary constrictions or juxtacentromeric regions of the short arms of chromosomes 3, 11, and 12. The frequency and relative size of Ag-NORs were found to be strain-specific, providing a genetic marker system useful for characterization of inbred strains. While considerable cell-to-cell variation was observed within a given strain, the strain-specific pattern of Ag-NORs was shown to be consistent in cultured and noncultured cells obtained from different tissues of embryos, newborns, and adults, as well as in successively cultured cells examined up to the 10th subculture generation. The patterns of Ag-NORs in F1 hybrids made between some of the inbred strains were in general agreement with those expected from the parental strains; some unexpected patterns were noted in F1 hybrids of a particular cross, suggesting the possible existence of nucleolar interactions in such interstrain hybrids, although this has to be confirmed.