The Feeding Behaviour of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in the Presence of ‘Eyes’

Previous studies that have looked at the aversive properties of simple, predator-related, eye-like patterns presented in an artificial context, have yielded conflicting results. The aim of the present series of experiments was to investigate whether such stimuli had potential for use as bird scarers. The starling (Sturnus vulgaris) was the subject species. The experimental procedure was designed to provide a relevant and objective, interval scale of aversiveness based upon the ability of eye patterns to deter hungry birds from a feeding area. Each subject was deprived of food for 5 h and then tested in an apparatus which exposed an eye pattern over a food trough immediately after the bird alighted on that trough. 10 measures of the starlings' feeding behaviour were monitored over a 1-h trial. It was predicted that five of these variables would be positively and five negatively correlated with an increase in the fear evoking properties of the stimulus. The 10 measures were analysed using principal component analysis and the first component in every experiment had the signs of the latent vectors of the variables exactly in the predicted pattern and therefore appeared to be an ‘aversiveness index’. The scores from this first component were then used in a Latin square ANOVA to distinguish subject, test order and stimulus effects. The main findings from the eight experiments are as follows. Simple eye-like patterns can indeed deter hungry starlings from feeding in their vicinity. The presence of a pair of eyes painted on a white card caused an 88% reduction in time spent on the nearby food trough and a 65% reduction in actual feeding time. The presence of ‘pupils’ in the patterns is essential for simple circles alone are not significantly more aversive than the control card. Once a pattern has the ‘pupil/iris’ distinction then a circular outline becomes important although the shape of the ‘pupil’ appears relatively unimportant. Eyes with coloured irises are more effective than black and white patterns but the degree of contrast between the ‘pupil’ and ‘iris’ appears irrelevant. Increasing the number of simultaneously presented eyes from one to three is correlated with an increasing trend in aversiveness which is destroyed if the same stimuli are presented within the context of a simple head outline. Changing the orientation of a pair of eyes from horizontal to vertical only slightly reduces their aversiveness. The size of the patterns appears to be unimportant within the range tested. The aversive properties of eyespots and of broadcast starling distress calls are positively additive. The effectiveness of a stimulus combining all the important features mentioned is as aversive as is a realistic model of the head of an owl.     

Prevalence of HIV among childbearing women and women having termination of pregnancy: multidisciplinary steering group study.

OBJECTIVE--To determine the prevalence of HIV among pregnant women, in particular those whose behaviour or that of their partners put them at "low risk" of infection. DESIGN--Voluntary named or anonymous HIV testing of pregnant women during 21 months (November 1988 to July 1990). SUBJECTS AND SETTING--All women who planned to continue their pregnancy and attended clinics serving the antenatal populations of Edinburgh and Dundee. All women admitted for termination of pregnancy to gynaecology wards serving the pregnant populations of Dundee and outlying rural areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Period prevalence of HIV antibody positivity. RESULTS--91% of antenatal clinic attenders and 97% of women having termination of pregnancy agreed to HIV testing on a named or anonymous basis. HIV period prevalences for antenatal clinic attenders and women having termination of pregnancy tested in Dundee were 0.13% and 0.85% respectively, and for antenatal clinic attenders tested in Edinburgh 0.26%. For those at "low risk" rates for antenatal clinic attenders and women having termination of pregnancy in Dundee were 0.11% and 0.13%, and for antenatal clinic attenders in Edinburgh 0.02%. In Dundee HIV prevalence among women having a termination of pregnancy (0.85%) was significantly greater than that among antenatal clinic attenders (0.13%). CONCLUSIONS--HIV infection is undoubtedly occurring among women at "low risk," and it is clear that a policy of selective testing of those at only "high risk" is inadequate for pregnant women living in areas of high prevalence such as Edinburgh and Dundee. Moreover, when studying pregnant populations in such areas there is the need to include those having a termination of pregnancy.     

Relationship between the messenger RNAs transcribed from two overlapping genes of influenza virus.

The relationship of the mRNAs encoding the NS1 and NS2 polypeptides of influenza virus has been investigated through synthesis and characterisation of complementary DNA copies of the mRNAs. Previous work had shown that both mRNAs are encoded by virion RNA segment 8, and that the sequences comprising the smaller of the two mRNAs (the NS2 mRNA) were also present on the NS1 mRNA. Our results indicate that the mRNA encoding the NS2 polypeptide of the avian influenza, fowl plague virus, is approximately 400 ntds long, and that its sequences correspond largely with the 3'-terminal region of the NS1 mRNA.     

A Psychiatric and Psychological Study of Amitriptyline (Elavil) as an Antidepressant

The antidepressant effects of amitriptyline (Elavil) were investigated by means of psychiatric assessment and psychological testing of 20 depressed patients who were compared, before and after treatment, with a placebo-treated control group of 14 similar patients. After three weeks on doses of 150 mg. per day, 13 out of 20 of the actively treated group were rated as improved, compared with only three out of 11 of the control group (p < .05). Clinical improvement was associated with changes on some objective tests. No persistent adverse side effects were observed. It was concluded that amitriptyline is an effective antidepressant.     

A revision of the nematode genus Odontoterakis Skrjabin & Schikhobalova, 1947 (Heterakoidea)

Odontoterakis Skrjabin &; Schikhobalova, 1947 contains five species from South American and Australian birds: O. crypturi (Baylis, 1944), type-species; O. alata (Schneider, 1866) n. comb.; O. fariai (Travassos, 1913); O. valvata (Schneider, 1866); O. bancrofti (Johnston, 1912); all with slightly curved cordons, cheilorhabdions within mass of lips, and in most species a pair of elongate papillae between para-suctorials and peri-cloacals. Haroldakis n. g. from South American birds, contains Heterakis multidentata Baylis, 1944 as type- and sole species, with non-curved cordons, cheilorhabdions projecting beyond mass of lips, a pair of sessile papillae on raised area between para-suctorials and peri-cloacals, and a median doubled structure on a raised posterior cloacal lip. Synonyms recognised are: Heterakis arquata Schneider, 1866 = O. alata; H. arquata of Travassos (1913) nec Schneider, 1866 = (?) O. crypturi; H. brasiliana von Linstow, 1899 = species dubia; H. brasiliana of Travassos (1918) nec von Linstow = (?) O. alata; H. skrjabini Cram, 1927 = O. alata; Pseudostrongyluris Guerrero, 1971 = Strongyluris A. Müller, 1894; Strongyluris spiculatus Cobbold, 1861 = species dubia.     

Formation of proline thiohydantoin with ammonium thiocyanate: progress towards a viable C-terminal amino-acid-sequencing procedure.

Pure amino acid thiohydantoins are required as reference standards for development of C-terminal-sequencing procedures based on thiohydantoin formation of the C-terminal amino acids of peptides and proteins. Proline thiohydantoin was prepared using a straightforward method involving reaction of acetylproline with ammonium thiocyanate. It was characterized by UV spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry and back-hydrolysis to the free amino acid. These data establish unequivocally that the thiocyanate procedure is applicable to proline as well as to the other common amino acids. This work also validates earlier claims that proline thiohydantoin can be prepared by reaction with thiocyanic acid.