Lateralisation of eye use indicates differential specialisation of the brain hemispheres. We tested eye use by zebra finches to view a model predator, a monitor lizard, and compared this to eye use to view a non-threatening visual stimulus, a jar. We...
Spermatogenesis in passerine birds remains poorly characterized. Previous studies focused on the steps of spermiogenesis, while a detailed staging of the seminiferous epithelium cycle is still lacking for this order. In this study, we provide the fir...
Avian genomes have perplexed researchers by being conservative in both size and rearrangements, while simultaneously holding the blueprints for a massive species radiation during the last 65 million years (My). Transposable elements (TEs) in bird gen...
(1) Background: The objective of this study was to uncover genomic causes of parental care. Since birds do not lactate and, therefore, do not show the gene expressional changes required for lactation, we investigate gene expression associated with pa...
This study proposes a side-scan sonar target detection technique for CPU or low-performance GPU to meet the requirement of underwater target detection. To rectify the gray distribution of the original side scan sonar data, enhance picture segmentatio...
Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH) was a milestone in incoherent holography. In this roadmap, two pathways, namely the development of FINCH and applications of FINCH explored by many prominent research groups, are discussed. The curren...
In recent years, many academics have addressed the issue of the intersection of the fields of Biblical studies and Cultural studies. Many academic works have emphasized the importance of the Bible in the building of cultural narratives and the need t...
We evaluate if the iconic Australian Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata) has a unique physiology or if its metabolic, thermal and hygric physiology are similar to other Australian poephiline finches, by comparing it with three other species, the arid-h...
Darwin’s finches are a classic example of adaptive radiation involving differential use of dietary resources among sympatric species. Here, we apply stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N, and δ2H) analyses of feathers to examine ecological segregation among eig...
Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is a zoonotic pathogen with a broad host range and diverse clinical manifestations. We report here the first documented case of MAH-induced fatal vasculitis in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Histopatho...
An increase in artificial night lighting has blurred the boundaries of day and night and transformed the natural day-night environment with alteration in the temporal niche of the animals. Male zebra finches were exposed to a dim light at night (dLAN...
This comprehensive review examines FINCHES (Force field-based Interaction Network for Characterizing Heterotypic and Entropic Sequences). This groundbreaking computational framework enables the rapid, sequence-based prediction of intermolecular inter...
Zebra Finches have become the most widely researched bird species outside of those used in agricultural production. Their adoption as the avian model of choice is largely down to a number of characteristics that make them easy to obtain and use in ca...
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a range of neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairments in social abilities and communication. Studying appropriate animal models can enhance our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlyi...
Conspicuousness increases the risk of predation. One strategy to reduce this risk is to increase vigilance. We investigated the frequency of head movements as a measure of vigilance at waterholes in two related songbird species that differed in their...
Most wild animals camouflage well into their environment, providing protection from predators, whereas captive animals often contrast with their background. This can cause stress for the animal, which may perceive it as being exposed. Theory suggests...
Despite growing evidence that demonstrate adverse effects of artificial light at night (ALAN) on many species, relatively little is known regarding its effects on brain plasticity in birds. We recently showed that although ALAN increases cell prolife...
The role of chemical communication in the social relationships of birds is receiving growing attention, but our knowledge is still scarce compared to that of other taxa. Previous evidence suggests that chemical cues emitted by birds may carry informa...
There are two most heavily used markers of cell proliferation, thymidine analogues 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) that are incorporated into the DNA during its synthesis. In neurosciences, they are ofte...
Zebra finches are a model animal used in the study of audition. They are adept at recognizing zebra finch songs, and the neural pathway involved in song recognition is well studied. Here, this example is used to illustrate the estimation of mutual in...
The Saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola), a semi-domestic species, is tolerant of human proximity and nesting in roof spaces. Considering the importance of cytogenomic approaches in revealing different aspects of genomic organization and evolution, we pr...
When different introduced species across trophic levels (parasite, predator) invade island systems, they may pose significant threats to nesting birds. In this study, we measure nesting height and infer causes of offspring mortality in the critically...
Animals invest in costly vigilance to detect threats. Joining groups reduces these costs, which can be further reduced in mixed-species assemblages. In colour-polymorphic species, morphs often experience different predation pressure and vary in a var...
We recently reported that artificial light at night (ALAN), at ecologically relevant intensities (1.5, 5 lux), increases cell proliferation in the ventricular zone and recruitment of new neurons in several forebrain regions of female zebra finches (T...
The flight initiation distance (FID) measures the distance a bird flees from an approaching predator. Factors such as the frequency of predator approaches, the direction of predator gaze, variations in predator presence across different areas, and th...
Due to the biological uniqueness of the Galápagos Islands, ectoparasites of their avian fauna are relatively well-studied compared with other oceanic islands. However, in this study, quill mites (Acariformes: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) were...
To understand the social interactions among songbirds, extracting the timing, position, and acoustic properties of their vocalizations is essential. We propose a framework for automatic and fine-scale extraction of spatial-spectral-temporal patterns...
Vigilance is an important behaviour to monitor the environment from detecting predators to tracking conspecifics. However, little is known about how vigilance changes over time either without disturbance (vigilance decrement) or after a change occurr...
Among eukaryotes, there are many examples of partial genome elimination during ontogenesis. A striking example of this phenomenon is the loss of entire avian chromosomes during meiosis, called a germline-restricted chromosome (GRC). The GRC is absent...
Real-time health assessment is crucial for diagnosing emerging threats to wildlife. Point-of-care instruments now allow detailed, affordable measurements of blood metabolites (e.g., glucose, triglycerides, ketones) in free-ranging animals. Ketones, h...
Animals scan their environment to detect threats. Such vigilance behaviour is costly, and animals adjust their vigilance to prevailing threats. Waterholes are dangerous places that attract predators, and require heightened vigilance. We investigated...
Community-sourced biodiversity imagery has expanded rapidly in the past decade, facilitating analyses of ecology on unprecedented spatial scales. Proliferation of these databases has also helped to reveal understudied or previously overlooked aspects...
Coded aperture imaging (CAI) is a powerful imaging technology that has rapidly developed during the past decade. CAI technology and its integration with incoherent holography have led to the development of several cutting-edge imaging tools, devices,...
Anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN) can disrupt the morning singing routines of urban birds, however, its influence on tropical species remains poorly explored. Here, I assessed the association between light and noise pollution w...
Digital holography (DH) is a promising technique for modern three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Coherent holography records the complex amplitude of a 3D object holographically, giving speckle noise upon reconstruction and presenting a serious drawback i...
Image enhancement techniques (such as edge and contrast enhancement) are essential for many imaging applications. In incoherent holography techniques such as Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH), the light from an object is split into tw...
Grassland birds are globally imperiled. Those of endemic Neotropical savannas may be particularly threatened as knowledge of the ecology of many species is lacking, restricting our ability to take decisive conservation action. During the dry (non-bre...
Optical imaging has been utilized in nature and technology for decades. Recently, new methods of optical imaging assisted by computational imaging techniques have been proposed and demonstrated. We describe several new methods of three-dimensional op...
In this paper, we study a family of fusion and modular systems realizing fusion categories Grothendieck equivalent to the representation category for
Regulatory limits for shellfish toxins are required to protect human health. Often these limits are set using only acute toxicity data, which is significant, as in some communities, shellfish makes up a large proportion of their daily diet and can be...
Maraviroc (MVC), a CCR5 antagonist, reduces liver fibrosis, injury and tumour burden in mice fed a hepatocarcinogenic diet, suggesting it has potential as a cancer therapeutic. We investigated the effect of MVC on liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and ma...
Marburg virus (MARV) is a virus of high human consequence with a case fatality rate of 24–88%. The global health and national security risks posed by Marburg virus disease (MVD) underscore the compelling need for a prophylactic vaccine, but no...
Fungal endophytes in perennial ryegrass are essential to New Zealand’s pastoral system due to anti-insect effects. However, endophytes also produce compounds which can be detrimental to animals. Furthermore, as these toxins have been detected i...
Epoxyjanthitrems I–IV (1–4) and epoxyjanthitriol (5) were isolated from seed of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) infected with the endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae var. lolii. Although structures for epoxyjanthitrems I–IV...
29 June 2020
The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a suite of implementation strategies of varying intensities on centre-based childcare service implementation of nutrition guideline recommendations at 12-month follow-up. A six-month three-arm parallel...
Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) is an emerging human pathogen, endemic in areas of China, Japan, and the Korea (KOR). It is primarily transmitted through infected ticks and can cause a severe hemorrhagic fever disease with c...
8 June 2020
Recipe use impacts eating habits, yet there is limited research investigating the nutritional quality of recipes. Supermarket recipe magazines command large readerships, with over 4 million readers for each of the two major Australian supermarket pub...
Australian horticulture relies heavily on the introduced managed honey bee, Apis mellifera Linnaeus 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), to pollinate crops. Given the risks associated with reliance upon a single species, it would be prudent to identify other...
1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a la...
Pectenotoxins (PTXs) are produced by Dinophysis spp., along with okadaic acid, dinophysistoxin 1, and dinophysistoxin 2. The okadaic acid group toxins cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), so are therefore regulated. New Zealand currently inclu...
of 4