Animal Defense Research Articles

Information Gathering: A Component of the Defensive Behavior of Rats and Old-World Monkeys

Rodents commonly approach sources of threat in a characteristic posture of stretched approach. There is considerable support for the view that the function of stretched-approach sequences is the acquisition of information about potential sources of danger. To determine whether monkeys, like rodents, engage in defensive information gathering, we recorded the behavior of three Old World monkeys (Cercopithecus species) after each had been exposed to threat in a seminatural environment. Each monkey displayed an intense startle and flight reaction when a jack-in-the-box that it was inspecting was triggered. Nevertheless, within seconds (M = 8 s), each monkey returned to the jack-in-the-box and spent much of the 20-min test session inspecting it (M = 905 s) while largely ignoring the stuffed-bear control object (M = 203 s). These results, in combination with previous studies of stretched-approach behavior in rodents, suggest that information gathering is an important defensive strategy in a variety of mammalian species. In the past two decades, theories of animal behavior have started to portray animals as users of information rather than as S-R automatons. Recent ethoexperimental studies of animal defense indicate that animals are more than passive receivers of information. Animals exposed to a threatening object purposefully approach the object to collect information about it.

Phagocytosis of Legionella pneumophila

In this review we consider both phagocytosis of Legionella by phagocytes of the animal defence system and their ingestion by actively feeding protozoa

In defense of animals: a portrait of Peter Singer

In defense of animals: a portrait of Peter Singer

Therapeutic Use of Recombinant Human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) in a Canine Model of Sublethal and Lethal Whole-body Irradiation

The short biologic half-life of the peripheral neutrophil (PMN) requires an active granulopoietic response to replenish functional PMNs and to maintain a competent host defence in irradiated animals. Recombinant human G-CSF (rhG-CSF) was studied for its ability to modulate haemopoiesis in normal dogs as well as to decrease therapeutically the severity and duration of neutropenia in sublethally and lethally irradiated dogs. For the normal dog, subcutaneous administration of rhG-CSF induced neutrophilia within hours after the first injection; total PMNs continued to increase (with plateau phases) to mean peak values of 1000 per cent of baseline at the end of the treatment period (12-14 days). Bone-marrow-derived granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC) increased significantly during treatment. For a sublethal 200 cGy dose, treatment with rhG-CSF for 14 consecutive days decreased the severity and shortened the duration of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. The radiation-induced lethality of 60 per cent after a dose of 350 cGy was associated with marrow-derived GM-CFC survival of 1 per cent. Treatment with rhG-CSF markedly reduced the lethality associated with exposure to 350 cGy of radiation to zero. White blood cell (WBC) and platelet recovery kinetics were correlated with degree of marrow damage. The rhG-CSF reduced the severity and duration of neutropenia. Control animals required antibiotic therapy (WBC less than 1000 mm3) for a total of 16 days versus 3 days for rhG-CSF-treated dogs. The duration of thrombocytopenia was reduced, although the severity of depletion was unchanged with treatment. These data indicate that in the lethally irradiated dog, effective cytokine therapy with rhG-CSF will increase survival through the induction of earlier recovery of neutrophils and platelets.

THE TEMPORAL PATTERN OF UNCONSTRAINED DRINKING: RATS' RESPONSES TO INVERSION AND IDENTITY CONSTRAINTS

Rats obtained all of their water by licking a metal tube during a series of daily 1-hour sessions. When the tube was freely available throughout, each rat showed the classic temporal pattern of unconstrained drinking: As the session progressed, drinking bouts generally grew shorter and pauses grew longer. In subsequent sessions the tube was opened and closed independently of the rat's behavior, on a schedule that gave the rat a chance to duplicate the exact inverse of its unconstrained baseline pattern. Thus, as the inversion session progressed, the opportunities to drink generally grew longer and the enforced pauses grew shorter. When the rats were forced away from their unconstrained patterns of drinking and pausing, their total time spent drinking consistently fell short of previous values, but total licks and volumetric intake remained at previous levels. The same results occurred under an identity schedule, a series of openings and closings that duplicated the unconstrained pattern of drinking and pausing. The results have implications for theories that assume that instrumental performance under schedule constraint derives from the animal's defense of a measured set-point.

Book Review: In Defence of Animals

Book Review: In Defence of Animals

Spider sedation induced by defensive chemicals of milliped prey

Wolf spiders (Lycosa spp.) show delayed induced sedation (total immobilization) of prolonged duration (in the order of days) after attacks upon millipeds (Glomeris marginata). The sedation is specifically attributable to glomerin and homoglomerin, two previously characterized quinazolinones present in the defensive secretion of Glomeris. Median sedative doses for the quinazolinones are in the range of 1-7 mug per spider, a fraction of the total (60-90 mug) present in the secretion of medium to full-grown millipeds. A sedative effect upon an invertebrate predator has not previously been demonstrated for an animal defense. Quinazolinones include the synthetic drug methaqualone (Quaalude), a potent human sedative.

Zoo animal protection in the event of thermonuclear catastrophes

AbstractOne‐hundred and fifteen zoos in 41 countries (including the United States) were surveyed by questionnaire concerning current and anticipated plans for the protection of zoo animals in the event of thermonuclear catastrophes. Of these, 78 (68.00%) in 23 (56.00%) of the countries responded. The results indicate that 91.00% of these zoos do not have such animal protection. Psychological and philosophical factors are discussed briefly as they allegedly bear on this situation. Preliminary guidelines for a zoo animal defense program are offered in the closing section.

The synergistic contribution of macrophages and antibody to protection against Salmonella typhimurium during the early phase of infection.

The contribution of phagocytes and antibody to protection against Salmonella typhimurium during the early phase of infection in mice was analysed. Following intravenous injection, most of the bacteria were trapped in the liver and spleen within 10 to 60 min and killed within 6 h; surviving organisms began to multiply in these tissues after 24 h and reached a maximum at 5 to 7 d. The transient killing phase was abrogated by treatment with carrageenan, a macrophage blocker, but not by whole-body X-irradiation. These observations suggest that carrageenan-sensitive, but radio-resistant macrophages play an important role in the early phase of the infection. Actively immunized mice showed accelerated trapping and killing; the protection observed at the early stage of infection in immunized mice could be passively transferred to normal mice, whereas carrageenan-treated mice did not kill the bacterial even after receiving immune serum. It seems that the synergistic action of macrophages and antibody provided the main initial primary defence in immune animals.

Kinetic interaction of chemical mutagens with mouse sperm in vivo as it relates to animal mutagenic effects

The possibility that chemicals which are mutagenic in in vitro assays pose a “hidden” threat to humans as mutagens has been suggested. Yet, such in vitro studies do not reflect whole animal defense mechanisms against mutation. Therefore, the effects of dose and route of administration upon in vivo sperm alkylation by chemicals shown to be mutagenic in in vitro studies, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), formaldehyde, and dimethylnitrosamine were investigated in mice. Sperm alkylation was observed to be a linear function of administered MMS and formaldehyde regardless of the route of administration used even though MMS was approximately twice as active an alkylating agent as formaldehyde. No sperm binding was observed with dimethylnitrosamine. The in vivo mutagenic response (dominant lethal), however, does not correlate with the binding to sperm suggesting that multiple biological “hits” may be required for mammalian mutagenesis to occur. Thus, the use of in vitro assays or high level in vivo exposures to predict mutagenic effects at low levels of exposure may not be appropriate.

Physiological Stress in Birds

This quotation and the subsequent publication of the details of the General Adaptation Syndrome (Selye 1937) have become the basis for a vast number of studies on the subject of stress in animals. Despite the fact that the term stress seems imprecise because it means different things to different people, the broad concept has proved to be remarkably robust. In Selyean terminology, stress describes an animal's defense mechanisms, and thus a stress stimulus (stressor) is any situation that elicits defensive responses (Selye 1963). Since the environment is a composite of interacting stressors, a bird's success in coping with it depends on the severity of the stressor(s) and the bird's physiological ability to respond properly. In the broadest sense, the environment includes all combinations of conditions in which the bird lives-external (temperature, light, etc.) as well as internal (disease organisms, parasites). Significant changes in the environment signal regulatory processes to attempt to maintain or reestablish the equilibrium or homeostatic state. There are two general types of regulatory processes: specific and nonspecific. A particular condition will elicit a specific response. For example, when the external environment causes a bird's body temperature to rise, surface blood vessels dilate to permit greater blood flow to the skin for more rapid heat dissipation, and feathers are rearranged to reduce insulation. These are specific responses to the specific environmental stimulus of

Review of In defense of animals.

Originally published in Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 1979, Vol 24(10), 876. Reviews the book, In defense of animals by J. J. McCoy (1978). This book is one of an increasing number of such volumes concerned with ethical questions and the humane treatment of nonhuman animals. The issues raised in these books should be of concern to all who interact with nonhuman animals in their homes, in their laboratories, or elsewhere. The present volume addresses matters such as the treatment of pets, animals in transit, hunting, animals in show business, and animals in sport. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

The Ethology of Predation. Zoophysiology and Ecology 7. Eberhard CurioDefence in Animals. A Survey of Anti-Predator Defences. M. Edmunds

Previous articleNext article No AccessNew Biological Books. Eberhard Curio The Ethology of Predation. Zoophysiology and Ecology 7. Eberhard Curio Defence in Animals. A Survey of Anti-Predator Defences. M. Edmunds Michael H. RobinsonMichael H. Robinson Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 53, Number 2Jun., 1978 Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/410577 Copyright 1978 The Stony Brook Foundation, Inc.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Defence in Animals

Defence in Animals

Strategies of Prey. (Book Reviews: Defence in Animals. A Survey of Anti-Predator Defences)

Strategies of Prey. (Book Reviews: Defence in Animals. A Survey of Anti-Predator Defences)

THE ECOLOGY OF THE SANDY BEACHES OF THE CAPE PENINSULA, SOUTH AFRICA. PART 3: A STUDY OFGASTROSACCUS PSAMMODYTESTATTERSALL (CRUSTACEA: MYSIDACEA)

Summary The intertidal sandy-beach mysid, Gastrosaccus psammodytes, has been studied with respect to burrowing behaviour, substrate discrimination, reactions to water currents, responses to light, detection of changes in hydrostatic pressure, methods of feeding, reproduction and development, and distribution. Some mention is also made of the animal's defence mechanisms, its tolerance of reduced salinities and certain other aspects of its ecology. Despite the success with which G. psammodytes has colonized the intertidal zone of surf-swept sandy beaches, it is concluded that this colonization has been achieved without drastic deviation from the usual mysid patterns of structure and behaviour.

Bioética e direitos além de “humanos”: um enfoque filosófico-jurídico contemporâneo


 
 
 Apresentamos uma abordagem diferenciada dos chamados direitos “humanos”, visando ao alargamento de sua perspectiva para adequá-lo às discussões atuais advindas principalmente da filosofia, relativas à ética prática ambiental. Nesse sentido, após algumas anotações iniciais sobre o desenvolvimento da bioética e dos direitos humanos, analisamos, na seqüência, a ética de Peter Singer em defesa dos animais. Ao final, mostramos um balanço da filosofia jurídica contemporânea em face desta expansão da comunidade moral.
 
 

Is the animal's defence against injury and allergic phenomena linked with resistance to the anaphylactoid reaction?

Is the animal's defence against injury and allergic phenomena linked with resistance to the anaphylactoid reaction?

Antibiotic Therapy after Exposure to X-Rays

The role of infection and its treatment postirradiation has been reported by many investigators (1-5). It is considered to be an important factor contributing to the death of animals exposed to levels of ionizing radiation severe enough to cause depression of hematopoietic tissue, inhibition of antibody formation, and, therefore, increased susceptibility to bacterial invasion. Numerous investigators have reported antibiotic therapy to be only a temporary measure employed to prevent death during the period after irradiation when the animal's defense mechanisms are inadequate to cope with this problem (4, 6). If the irreparable damage is so great that these mechanisms cannot be eventually restored, the antibiotics merely serve to prolong survival, but the animal eventually dies. Penicillin-streptomycin and chloramphenicol have been shown to be beneficial when administered after various doses of ionizing radiation (4, 7-9). Penicillinstreptomycin is generally accepted as an effective antibiotic with few toxic effects; however, published opinions differ on the toxic effects of chloramphenicol in human beings and animals not exposed to irradiation (10-14). It seemed appropriate, therefore, to study the effects of antibiotics on acute radiation mortality, and also to determine whether the effects of chloramphenicol are summated with those of the radiation injury.

Central control of heat loss mechanisms in the goat.

Summary.1. In non‐anesthetized goats, the existence of a discrete “heat loss centre” has been demonstrated by electrical stimulation of the brain stem using modified Hess technique and the effects of electrical stimulation of this “centre” have been compared with those of exposing the goat to a hot environment.2. The “centre” occupies the dorsal half only of the area between the anterior commissure and the optic chiasma and extends laterally to the medial edge of the internal capsula. Posteriorly it probably does not extend into the hypothalamus proper.3. Stimulation of the “centre” with damped square wave stimuli at 50 cycles per second and 0.5 to 1.5 V causes vigorous polypneic panting and cutaneous vasodilatation in the ears. These effects are similar to those resulting from exposure to an environmental temperature of 50°C for 15–20 minutes.4. Exposure to cold or lowering of the body temperature by administration of cold water by stomach tube increases the voltage threshold for production of comparable effects and increases the latency of the responses, sometimes abolishing the ear vasodilatation response. The shivering of cold animals is inhibited promptly by stimulation of the same “centre” and the threshold for this effect likewise raised by a fall in body temperature. Repeated stimulation of the “centre” lowered body temperature especially in animals exposed to cold.5. The effects of stimulation show some latency and a pronounced “after effect”. Cold exposure increases the latencies and decreases the duration of “after effects”.6. Stimulation of the caudo‐ventral part only of the “heat loss centre” caused slight inhibition of water diuresis and milk ejection. Exposure to heat did not modify the course of water diuresis or electrolyte excretion significantly. Stimuli causing vigorous panting did not affect blood pressure, heart rate or blood sugar concentration and behavioural changes were slight or absent.7. The area defined is thought to be a true “heat loss centre” concerned with the coordinated activation of the animal's defenses against hyperthermia.Possible reasons for the long “after effects” of stimulating the “centre” are discussed.