Sperm depletion in the Bengalese finch, Lonchura striata

Sperm are limited in the Bengalese finch; three copulationsin 3 h result in a 95% reduction in sperm numbers transferred.Recovery from sperm depletion occurs within 24 h. Pairs in captivitycopulate about 15 times per clutch and about twice each dayin the 5 days before egg laying. Sixty-eight percent of behaviorallysuccessful copulations result in sperm transfer, with some malesperforming consistently better than others. Single ejaculatescontain 2.9 x 106 sperm, the testes (combined mass: 0.103 g)comprise 0.7% of male mass, and the seminal glomera hold sufficientsperm (7.7 x 106) for two or three inseminations. The intervalsbetween successive copulations were significantly more uniformthan expected by chance, indicating that males allocate theirejaculates prudently. Conflicts of interest between males andfemales within monogamous pairs exist over the timing and frequencyof copulation; the resolution of these conflicts is discussed.[Behav Ecol 1991;2:267–275]     

Ultrastructure of Merkel corpuscles in the tongue of the finch,Lonchura striata

Summary Merkel corpuscles in the lingual mucosa of the finch, Lonchura striata, were examined by means of the argyrophilic reaction and electron microscopy. These corpuscles are composed of 12 to 20 flattened Merkel cells and enclosed nerve terminals. The present study demonstrated for the first time argyrophilia in avian subepithelial Merkel cells with the use of Grimelius silver stain. Electron-microscopically, the Merkel cell was characterized by the presence of numerous densecore granules, approximately 80 to 140 nm in diameter, as well as specialized contacts with nerve terminals. The granules showed a tendency to accumulate in the cytoplasm in close association with both nerve terminals and basal lamina. This study also provided unequivocal evidence for exocytotic discharge of Merkel-cell granules at the plasma membrane facing not only the nerve terminals but also the basal lamina. The exocytotic figures toward the nerve terminals can be regarded as synaptic discharge of Merkel-cell granules, but the possibility also exists that the Merkel-cell granules may exert a trophic effect on the nerve terminals. The exocytotic release of Merkel-cell granules toward the basal lamina with no relation to nerve terminals may suggest an endocrine (paracrine) function for the Merkel cell. The avian subepithelial Merkel cells qualify as paraneurons, but their exact nature and function remain enigmatic as is the case of intraepithelial Merkel cells in other vertebrates.     

白腰文鸟发声行为的性别差异及其机制

通过声谱分析,研究了５－１２０日龄雌、雄白腰文鸟（Lonchura striata swinhoei)的声谱变化,及该时段３个主要发声控制核团）ＨＶＣ、ＲＡ、Ａrea X)体积、睾丸（睾酮）的相应改变。结果如下：①４５日龄以前,雌雄鸟只能发出简单鸣叫（call),鸣声基本不会鸣唱。②雄性ＨＶＣ,ＲＡ,ＡreaX体积均比雌性大２－６部。３个核团的大小发育不完全一致。各核团的快速生长期与鸣唱学习的主要时段（６０－１２０日龄）不同步,说明核团的个体发育可能不完全受发声行为的影响。③睾丸的充分发育（１２０日龄后）及血液中具有较高的睾酮水平是雄鸟发出成熟鸣唱语句的重要条件。     

Time allocation of daily behaviors in subtropical passerine finch,spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata)

In birds, daily behavioral patterns that occur in response to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli help us to understand the influence of ecological factors on them. The time allotment for an activity is important to maintain energy budget and maximize the chances of survival. In this study, we monitored daily patterns of flying/hopping and feeding/drinking behaviors through a video camera in spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata) maintained in 12L:12D. The results showed that munia is diurnal and shows bimodal pattern of all behaviors except feeding which was trimodel. The flying and hopping had similar amplitude, but feeding frequency was higher than drinking. The time allocation was maximum for flying/hopping followed by feeding and then drinking. The results suggest that daily behaviors in munia occur in patterns and have a timing component.     

Developmental Stages of the Society Finch, Lonchura striata var. dornestica.

The society finch, a little passerin, was purposed to be utilized in embryological studies. Under control of the breeding cycle in 20 pairs, 4 to 6 eggs were used to be laid daily for several repeating week in a year. Average incubation time was 17 days in contrast to 21 in the domestic fowl. The eggs weighed 1.1 g in average and expected smallness of the embryo was regarded as favorable for morphological studies including the scanning electron microscopy. We present the first report of the complete development of the society finch. A number of embryological characteristics are described with special reference to the peculiarity of the altricial finch as compared with the precocial domestic fowl.     

四川南充市区白腰文鸟的巢址选择与雏鸟的生长发育

20 0 2年 1 1月～ 2 0 0 4年 4月在四川省南充市区内对白腰文鸟 (Lonchurastriata)的繁殖习性进行了研究。结果表明 ,白腰文鸟 2月下旬开始繁殖 ;影响巢址选择的主要因素 9种 ;雌雄参与筑巢 ,营巢期 5～ 6d;雌雄轮流孵卵 ,孵卵期 1 3～ 1 5d ,整个种群的孵卵高峰期在 4～ 6月 ,窝卵数 (5 .61± 0 . 78) (n =1 8)枚 ,孵化率 86 0 7% ;雌雄均参与育雏 ,育雏期 1 8～ 2 1d ,雏离巢率 82 43 % ,繁殖生产力 3. 0 1 ,育雏两个高峰期 :上午 8:0 0～ 1 0 :0 0时和下午 1 6:0 0～ 1 8:0 0时 ,日育雏次数 (1 2 . 77± 6 .0 7) (n =3 4) ,育雏时间间隔(0 . 96± 0 . 42 )h(n =1 61 ) ;雏鸟形态生长曲线呈“S”型。     

Non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation of microsomes and mitochondria from liver, heart and brain of the bird Lonchura striata: relationship with fatty acid composition

The aim of this study was to examine the fatty acid composition and non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation (LP) of mitochondria and microsomes obtained from liver, heart and brain of Lonchura striata. The percentage of total unsaturated fatty acid was approximately 30-60% in the organelles from all tissues studied. Brain mitochondria and both organelles of liver exhibited the highest percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (30 and 18%, respectively). The arachidonic acid (AA) content was 7% in mitochondria of liver and brain and 3% in heart mitochondria. The percentage of docosahexanoic acid (DHA) was 8% in brain mitochondria and approximately 2-3% in heart and liver mitochondria. The peroxidizability index (PI) of brain mitochondria and both organelles from liver was higher than that of organelles from heart and brain microsomes. Liver organelles and brain mitochondria were affected by LP, as indicated by the increase in chemiluminescence and a decrease of AA and DHA. These changes were not observed during LP of brain microsomes and both organelles from heart. These results indicate: 1) PI positively correlates with PUFA percentage and LP; 2) The resistance to LP detected in heart organelles would contribute to the cardiac protection against oxidative damage.     

Syringeal specialization of frequency control during song production in the Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata domestica)

Background

Singing in songbirds is a complex, learned behavior which shares many parallels with human speech. The avian vocal organ (syrinx) has two potential sound sources, and each sound generator is under unilateral, ipsilateral neural control. Different songbird species vary in their use of bilateral or unilateral phonation (lateralized sound production) and rapid switching between left and right sound generation (interhemispheric switching of motor control). Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata domestica) have received considerable attention, because they rapidly modify their song in response to manipulations of auditory feedback. However, how the left and right sides of the syrinx contribute to acoustic control of song has not been studied.

Methodology

Three manipulations of lateralized syringeal control of sound production were conducted. First, unilateral syringeal muscular control was eliminated by resection of the left or right tracheosyringeal portion of the hypoglossal nerve, which provides neuromuscular innervation of the syrinx. Spectral and temporal features of song were compared before and after lateralized nerve injury. In a second experiment, either the left or right sound source was devoiced to confirm the role of each sound generator in the control of acoustic phonology. Third, air pressure was recorded before and after unilateral denervation to enable quantification of acoustic change within individual syllables following lateralized nerve resection.

Significance

These experiments demonstrate that the left sound source produces louder, higher frequency, lower entropy sounds, and the right sound generator produces lower amplitude, lower frequency, higher entropy sounds. The bilateral division of labor is complex and the frequency specialization is the opposite pattern observed in most songbirds. Further, there is evidence for rapid interhemispheric switching during song production. Lateralized control of song production in Bengalese finches may enhance acoustic complexity of song and facilitate the rapid modification of sound production following manipulations of auditory feedback.     

致聋对鸣禽鸣唱行为的影响

鸣禽的鸣啭系统已是当今研究学习和记忆的重要模型。鸣禽的鸣啭学习包括2个阶段：感觉学习期和感觉-运动学习期,以及鸣唱运动和鸣唱学习2条通路。鸣禽的鸣唱行为依赖于听觉反馈系统,现已经证明致聋会使鸣曲结构发生变化,主要对近年来在致聋与鸣唱行为的影响及一些电生理变化研究方面进行介绍。     

离体培养嗅鞘细胞促进新生大鼠螺旋神经节细胞的存活

本文旨在探索离体实验中的嗅鞘细胞(olfactory ensheathing cells,OECs)有无促进耳蜗听觉传入神经元——螺旋神经节细胞(spiral ganglion cells,SGCs)存活作用及其可能机制。取成年大鼠嗅球和新生大鼠蜗轴组织块进行OECs与SGCs的培养,采用差速贴壁法纯化培养OECs。实验分OECs与SGCs共培养组和SGCs单独培养组。倒置相差显微镜下观察OECs和SGCs生长状态,神经营养因子受体p75免疫组织化学法鉴定OECs,神经元特异性标志物βIII-tubulin标记SGCs。为了研究OECs与SGCs共培养体系中,前者促进后者存活的可能机制,共培养组中分别加入脑源性神经生长因子(BDNF,500pg/mL)和BDNF抗体(IgY型,50μg/mL),对照组为未加任何处理的共培养组,然后检查各培养组中SGCs存活数量和存活时间。结果显示,OECs贴壁培养7d后形成一细胞单层,在OECs与SGCs共培养体系中,SGCs在OECs形成的细胞单层的表面生长,并伸出长突起,呈现典型的双极神经元形态;在培养的前6天内,随着培养时间的增加,两组中的SGCs都较接种前减少,但共培养组中SGCs存活数量明显高于SGCs单独培养组(P0.01);单独培养组的SGCs数量在培养的第6天出现大幅度减少,在培养的第9天几乎没有生长;共培养组的SGCs数量未见明显变化(P0.05);共培养中加入BDNF对OECs促进SGCs存活无明显影响,而加入BDNF抗体(IgY)后存活的SGCs减少(P0.01)。本研究结果提示,OECs与SGCs共培养能够促进新生大鼠SGCs存活和突起生长,延长存活时间,OECs分泌BDNF可能是促进SGCs存活的机制之一。     

血清性激素在白腰文鸟前脑发声控制核团神经元早期性双态分化中的作用

本文究了雌、雄白腰文鸟(Lonchura striata swinhoei)不同发育时期前脑四个控制发声重要核团古纹状体栎核(RA)、新纹状体前部巨细胞核外侧部(LMAN)、X区(Area X)和高级发声中枢(HVC)中神经元数量、体积和体内雌二醇(E2)和睾酮(T)浓度的变化,以揭示性激素对鸣禽发声核团性双态性分化的影响。结果发现：(1)HVC、LMAN和X区在发育早期神经元数量和体积均呈显著性双态性差异,而RA神经元直至30日龄(P30)后才显示出明显性别差异(P＜0．05);(2)除RA外,HVC、LMAN和X区神经元体积的显著性双态性差异均发生在P20左右,P20后雌、雄核团内的神经元体积仅有较小范围的波动;(3)RA和LMAN神经元数量随年龄增长而逐渐减少;雌、雄鸟HVC和雄鸟X区的神经元数量在P20—30间均增长,雄鸟HVC的增长幅度显著大于雌鸟。P30后HVC和X区的神经元数量不再增加,开始小幅度减少;(4)四个发声核团的神经元数量和体积在P5-120期间均出现1—2个急剧变化期,此变化期与体内雌激素水平开始出现显著性差异的临界期及核团间神经联系开始建立的时期相对应;(5)雌、雄鸟血清中E2的水平在核团发育初期(P5)差异显著,雌鸟为雄鸟的7．45倍,P5后则呈相反方向变化趋势,在P15时雄鸟中的E2水平反超过雌鸟,差异显著(P＜0．05)。睾酮仅在发育P50后的雄鸟体内被检测出,雌鸟中始终未能检测出T的存在。结果提示：雌、雄白腰文鸟发育早期体内E2浓度的变化启动了HVC、LMAN和X区早期神经元性双态性的分化和持续发育;睾酮对雌、雄鸣禽发声控制核团中早期神经元的性双态性分化作用较小[动物学报49(3)：353—361,2003]。     

Genetic and developmental effects, and morphological influences on the acoustic structure of individual distance calls in female Bengalese finches Lonchura striata var. domestica

Recent studies of the vocal mechanisms of songbirds have shown that there are physical effects on sound production. Interspecific and phylogenetic comparisons have shown that body mass and bill morphology are two major factors affecting vocalizations such as songs. We analyzed the distance calls of female Bengalese finches Lonchura striata var. domestica , the non-vocal learning sex, to assess the potential physical effects on the acoustic structure of vocalizations. By experimentally controlling rearing condition using cross-fostering we could examine the effects of the developmental environment and genetic background. None of the tested factors affected the peak frequency of the distance calls, but we found that larger-billed birds tended to produce shorter bout calls with higher trill rates. These results suggest that the divergence of bill morphology can affect acoustic features at the within-population level. We also found that the birds reared in the same foster brood and siblings from the same genetic parents tended to produce calls with similar trill rates. This implies that the trill rate is under the influence of developmental and genetic factors.     

Contribution to the knowledge of the brain in the newborn

On 50 brains of newborns of either sex, the exterior and interior morphology was studied. The exterior morphology of the brain was conformable to the configuration of the skull. The insula is relatively large, but extremely inadequately grooved. The subcortical masses are well pronounced but there is in general a very slight difference between the white and gray matter of the brain. The convolutions and grooves of the cerebellum are very distinctly marked, the nucleus dentatus is large and white matter is prevalent. The brain stem is rather well formed, distinctly plastic, this being particularly true for the region of the rhomboid fossa and medulla oblongata.     

Integrated population modeling reveals the impact of climate on the survival of juvenile emperor penguins

Early‐life demographic traits are poorly known, impeding our understanding of population processes and sensitivity to climate change. Survival of immature individuals is a critical component of population dynamics and recruitment in particular. However, obtaining reliable estimates of juvenile survival (i.e., from independence to first year) remains challenging, as immatures are often difficult to observe and to monitor individually in the field. This is particularly acute for seabirds, in which juveniles stay at sea and remain undetectable for several years. In this work, we developed a Bayesian integrated population model to estimate the juvenile survival of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri), and other demographic parameters including adult survival and fecundity of the species. Using this statistical method, we simultaneously analyzed capture–recapture data of adults, the annual number of breeding females, and the number of fledglings of emperor penguins collected at Dumont d'Urville, Antarctica, for the period 1971–1998. We also assessed how climate covariates known to affect the species foraging habitats and prey [southern annular mode (SAM), sea ice concentration (SIC)] affect juvenile survival. Our analyses revealed that there was a strong evidence for the positive effect of SAM during the rearing period (SAMR) on juvenile survival. Our findings suggest that this large‐scale climate index affects juvenile emperor penguins body condition and survival through its influence on wind patterns, fast ice extent, and distance to open water. Estimating the influence of environmental covariates on juvenile survival is of major importance to understand the impacts of climate variability and change on the population dynamics of emperor penguins and seabirds in general and to make robust predictions on the impact of climate change on marine predators.     

白腰文鸟发声相关核团体积在发育中的变化及神经机制

首先研究了5-120日龄雌雄白腰文鸟（Lonchura striata swinhoei)4个主要发声核团（RA,LMAN,AreaX和HVC）的体积变化,再通过神经示踪技术研究这些核团与其他核团神经联系的建立时间,以了解发声核团发育及性别分化的神经机制,结果表明：（1）雌雄RA体积均在20,30日龄前后表现出急剧的变化和雌雄差异;雌雄RA在15和25日龄分别接受LMAN和HVC的神经支配,（2）雌雄LMAN体积分别在20,30日龄前先增长,之后均缩小,雌雄LMAN的神经元大小均在15和20日龄间急剧增长,但在该时段之后,不再发生明显变化,雌雄LMAN均在15日龄接受RA的神经支配。（3）AreaX核体积,神经元大小最明显的变化位于20-25日龄间;雌雄AreaX核均在15日龄时接受HVC的神经支配,（4）AreaX核体积,神经元大小最明显的变化位于20-25日龄间;雌雄AreaX核均在15日龄时接受HVC的神经支配,（4）雌雄HVC体积变化的最大值在20和30日龄前后,雄乌HVC的神经元大小在20,30日龄前后,雌鸟在15-20日龄发生较大的变化,其余组间变化小或不明显,雌雄HVC分别在15,25日龄同AreaX核,RA建立神经联系,因此,4个发声核团组织学的明显变化与核团间神经联系的建立相关,说明发声核团间的神经联系可能影响和决定了核团体积在发育中的变化。     

Fate of amnion-derived stem cells transplanted to the fetal rat brain: migration, survival and differentiation

We have recently characterized a stem cell population isolated from the rodent amniotic membrane termed amnion-derived stem cells (ADSCs). In vitro ADSCs differentiate into cell types representing all three embryonic layers, including neural cells. In this study we evaluated the neuroectodermal potential of ADSCs in vivo after in utero transplantation into the developing rat brain. A clonal line of green fluorescent protein-expressing ADSCs were infused into the telencephalic ventricles of the developing embryonic day 15.5 rat brain. At E17.5 donor cells existed primarily as spheres in the ventricles with subsets fused to the ventricular walls, suggesting a mode of entry into the brain parenchyma. By E21.5 green fluorescent protein (GFP) ADSCs migrated to a number of brain regions. Examination at postnatal time points revealed that donor ADSCs expressed vimentin and nestin. Subsets of transplanted ADSCs attained neuronal morphologies, although there was no immunohistochemical evidence of neural or glial differentiation. Some donor cells migrated around blood vessels and differentiated into putative endothelial cells. Donor ADSCs transplanted in utero were present in recipients into adulthood with no evidence of immunological rejection or tumour formation. Long-term survival may suggest utility in the treatment of disorders where differentiation to a neural cell type is not required for clinical benefit.