scholarly journals Female mouse tears contain an anti-aggression pheromone

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosa Maria Cavaliere ◽  
Lucia Silvotti ◽  
Riccardo Percudani ◽  
Roberto Tirindelli

Abstract Tears contain pheromones that trigger specific behavioral responses. In the mouse, male tear fluid is involved in long and short-term effects such as the receptive behavior and pregnancy block in females and the aggression in males. In contrast, pup tears exert an inhibitory effect on male mating behavior, also promoting sexual rejection in females. In the rat, a male lacrimal protein acts as an intraspecific and heterospecific signal enhancing sexual behavior in females and evoking avoidance behavior in mouse. However, behavioral effects of female tears on male behavior have yet to be described. Here, we report that female lacrimal fluid of different mouse strains contains a relatively small and involatile factor that abolishes inter-male aggression switching it into a copulatory behavior. The production of this molecule by the lacrimal glands is not affected by the estrous cycle but it is sensitive to ovariectomy, thus suggesting a control mediated by hormones. Moreover, this lacrimal anti-aggression pheromone modulates the activity of the lateral habenula, a brain area responsible for the valence of the aggressive interactions.

1975 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carey Borno ◽  
Iain E. P. Taylor

Stratified, imbibed Douglas fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seeds were exposed to 100% ethylene for times between 0 and 366 h. Germination rate and germination percentage were increased by treatments up to 48 h. The 12-h treatment gave largest stimulation; 30% enhancement of final germination percentage over control. Treatment for 96 h caused increased germination rate for the first 5 days but reduced the germination percentage. Germinants were subject to continuous exposure to atmospheres containing 0.1 – 200 000 ppm ethylene in air, but it did not stimulate growth, and the gas was inhibitory above 100 ppm. Although some effects of high concentrations of ethylene may have been due to the lowering of oxygen supplies, this alone was insufficient to account for the full inhibitory effect. The mechanism of stimulation by short-term exposure to ethylene is discussed.


Genetics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 186 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Morton ◽  
Rachel Clemens-Grisham ◽  
Dennis J. Hazelett ◽  
Anke Vermehren-Schmaedick

2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (5) ◽  
pp. 2893-2902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Hollmann ◽  
Valerie Lucks ◽  
Rafael Kurtz ◽  
Jacob Engelmann

In the developing brain, training-induced emergence of direction selectivity and plasticity of orientation tuning appear to be widespread phenomena. These are found in the visual pathway across different classes of vertebrates. Moreover, short-term plasticity of orientation tuning in the adult brain has been demonstrated in several species of mammals. However, it is unclear whether neuronal orientation and direction selectivity in nonmammalian species remains modifiable through short-term plasticity in the fully developed brain. To address this question, we analyzed motion tuning of neurons in the optic tectum of adult zebrafish by calcium imaging. In total, orientation and direction selectivity was enhanced by adaptation, responses of previously orientation-selective neurons were sharpened, and even adaptation-induced emergence of selectivity in previously nonselective neurons was observed in some cases. The different observed effects are mainly based on the relative distance between the previously preferred and the adaptation direction. In those neurons in which a shift of the preferred orientation or direction was induced by adaptation, repulsive shifts (i.e., away from the adapter) were more prevalent than attractive shifts. A further novel finding for visually induced adaptation that emerged from our study was that repulsive and attractive shifts can occur within one brain area, even with uniform stimuli. The type of shift being induced also depends on the difference between the adapting and the initially preferred stimulus direction. Our data indicate that, even within the fully developed optic tectum, short-term plasticity might have an important role in adjusting neuronal tuning functions to current stimulus conditions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 140402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Schacht ◽  
Monique Borgerhoff Mulder

Characterizations of coy females and ardent males are rooted in models of sexual selection that are increasingly outdated. Evolutionary feedbacks can strongly influence the sex roles and subsequent patterns of sex differentiated investment in mating effort, with a key component being the adult sex ratio (ASR). Using data from eight Makushi communities of southern Guyana, characterized by varying ASRs contingent on migration, we show that even within a single ethnic group, male mating effort varies in predictable ways with the ASR. At male-biased sex ratios, men's and women's investment in mating effort are indistinguishable; only when men are in the minority are they more inclined towards short-term, low investment relationships than women. Our results support the behavioural ecological tenet that reproductive strategies are predictable and contingent on varying situational factors.


Behaviour ◽  
1961 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 288-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Barrass

Abstract1. The method of dual quantification was used to study the effect of courtship of both receptive and non-receptive females on the subsequent behaviour of the male Mormoniella vitripennis. 2. The male's responsiveness to successive non-receptive females waned when the time between presentations was short. The extent of this waning was less with longer time intervals. 3. When many females were presented to a male one after another the male courted almost all of them if they were receptive females but only a few if they were non-receptive females. 4. A single courtship of either a receptive or a non-receptive female had a similar effect on the male's subsequent behaviour and recovery occurred in a similar way. 5. Courtship of 20 non-receptive females reduced the male's response to further females more than did courtship of 20 receptive females. 6. The significance of these observations is discussed with reference to the use of dummy animals and to the recent ethological concepts of reaction specific energy, motivational impulses, specific action potentiality and consummatory act. 7. An endogenous central nervous influence on the male's readiness to respond is postulated. Courtship has a short-term response-specific effect (receptive or non-receptive females) and an inhibitory stimulus-specific effect (non-receptive females). With receptive females the inhibitory effect is absent and/or mating has an excitatory effect. The stimuli provided by a receptive female must direct nervous activity rather than release a limited amount of stored energy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huawei Shen

Abstract According to the structural characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid,SARS-CoV-2 genomes were virtually segmented.After comparing with human genome,44707 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and 26 primates' genomes, 19 antisense oligonucleotides sequences were selected.Experimental results show that the combined inhibitory effect reaches 100% . Significance statement:Currently, effective methods of controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2 are very limited, only physical isolation and vaccination.Although physical isolation can achieve some short-term results, but can not fundamentally solve the problem of epidemic spread.The time between the development of a vaccine and its actual use is very long.It often happens that the vaccine is developed successfully, but the epidemic situation is beyond control.If a mutant strain emerges, it will take longer.I hope that the rapid screening technology of SARS-CoV-2 antisense oligonucleotides will light up new hope for the future of mankind and contribute oriental wisdom to the world.


2010 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 452-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Friedman ◽  
Elad Lax ◽  
Yahav Dikshtein ◽  
Lital Abraham ◽  
Yakov Flaumenhaft ◽  
...  

Cytoskeleton ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (10) ◽  
pp. 390-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian P. Piasecki ◽  
Thomas A. Sasani ◽  
Alexander T. Lessenger ◽  
Nicholas Huth ◽  
Shane Farrell

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