"Isolation by Gentes with Asymmetric Migration" shapes the genetic structure of the common cuckoo in China.

Amid coevolutionary arms races between brood parasitic birds and their diverse host species, the formation of host-specific races, or gentes, has drawn significant research focus. Nevertheless, numerous questions about gentes evolutionary patterns persist. Here, we investigated the potential for gentes evolution across multiple common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) populations parasitizing diverse host species in China.

Personality-dependent nest site selection and nest success during incubation in wild chestnut thrushes.

In birds, little is known about how individuals choose nest sites based on their personality traits. Here, we investigate whether a female's personality (activity and breathing rate) can affect patterns of nest site selection at different spatial scales in a wild population of chestnut thrush () and determine whether nest site characteristics and female personality traits affect clutch size and nest success during incubation. We found that neither activity nor breathing rate were associated with large-scale nesting habitat variables.

Switching costs in stochastic environments drive the emergence of matching behaviour in animal decision-making through the promotion of reward learning strategies.

A principle of choice in animal decision-making named probability matching (PM) has long been detected in animals, and can arise from different decision-making strategies. Little is known about how environmental stochasticity may influence the switching time of these different decision-making strategies. Here we address this problem using a combination of behavioral and theoretical approaches, and show, that although a simple Win-Stay-Loss-Shift (WSLS) strategy can generate PM in binary-choice tasks theoretically, budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulates) actually apply a range of sub-tactics more often when they are expected to make more accurate decisions.

[An analysis of failure and safety profiles of capsule endoscopy].

Objective: To analyse the incidence of technical breakdown and clinical problem leading to the failure of capsule endoscopy examination and their influence on the diagnosis and to evaluate its feasibility and safety in special patient population.

Methods: A retrospective study of 300 consecutive patients referred to Renji Hospital for evaluation of suspected small bowel diseases between May 2002 and May 2006 was done. This included 300 consecutive patients.

Best candidates for capsule endoscopy for obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background And Aim: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has an important role in the diagnosis of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. However, there was still controversy regarding the best candidates for CE. The present retrospective study aimed to access the best candidates for CE.

Purgative bowel cleansing combined with simethicone improves capsule endoscopy imaging.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of the various methods of small bowel preparation on the quality of visualization of the small bowel and the gastrointestinal transit time of capsule endoscopy (CE).

Methods: Ninety patients referred for CE were prospectively randomized to three equal groups according to the preparation used: (a) a control group, in which patients were requested to drink 1 L of clear liquids only, 12 h before the examination; (b) a purgative group, in which patients were requested to ingest 1 L of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)/electrolyte solution only, 12 h before the examination; or (c) a purgative combined with simethicone group (P-S group), in which patients were requested to ingest 1 L of PEG, 12 h before the examination, and 300 mg of simethicone, 20 min before the examination. Effects of the different bowel preparations on the gastric transit time (GTT), small bowel transit time (SBTT), examination completion rate, quality of images of the entire small intestine, and cleansing of the proximal small bowel and distal ileum were evaluated.

Relationship between fecal lactoferrin and inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: Lactoferrin as a glucoprotein that can reflect the activity of neutrophil leukocytes is a specific and sensitive indicator in the evaluation of intestinal inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fecal lactoferrin and intestinal inflammation by quantitative analysis and the effect of fecal lactoferrin in measuring the activity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).

Material And Methods: A total of 177 fresh stool samples were collected from 42 active UC, 17 inactive UC, 13 active CD, 5 inactive CD, 41 infectious bowel disease, 25 irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 34 healthy volunteers.

Effect of mosapride on gastrointestinal transit time and diagnostic yield of capsule endoscopy.

Background And Aim: Since its introduction, capsule endoscopy (CE) has made it possible to visualize the small intestine mucosa directly. However, owing to the limited battery life, only 60-80% of the capsules could reach the cecum and would possibly affect the diagnostic yield. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of oral mosapride on gastrointestinal transit time and the diagnostic yield of CE.

The role of capsule endoscopy combined with double-balloon enteroscopy in diagnosis of small bowel diseases.

Background: The diagnosis of small bowel diseases remains relatively inefficient using traditional imaging techniques. Capsule endoscopy (CE) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) are two novel methods of enteroscopy for examining the entire small bowel. The aim of this study was to evaluate the detection rate and diagnostic accuracy of CE and DBE in patients with suspected small bowel diseases and to investigate the clinical significance of combined use of these two novel modalities.

[Clinical application of wireless capsule endoscopy in pediatric and adolescent patients].

Objective: Capsule endoscopy (CE) has been demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated in adults. However, its value in pediatric patients has not been well studied. The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of CE in pediatric patients with suspicious small bowel disorders.

Clinical application of wireless capsule endoscopy in pediatric patients for suspected small bowel diseases.

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has been demonstrated to be safe and well tolerated in adults with suspicion of small intestinal diseases with negative results of gastroscopy and colonoscopy. However, its value in pediatric patients has not yet been well studied. This study aimed to evaluate the results and safety of CE in pediatric patients with suspicion of small bowel disorders.

Capsule endoscopy and push enteroscopy in the diagnosis of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background: In obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, it is often difficult to detect the bleeding sites located in the small bowel with conventional radiological, scintigraphic or angiographic techniques. Push enteroscopy and capsule endoscopy are currently considered to be the most effective diagnostic procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the detection rates between capsule endoscopy and push enteroscopy.

Capsule endoscopy in diagnosis of small bowel Crohn's disease.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of wireless capsule endoscopy in patients with suspected Crohn's disease (CD) of the small bowel undetected by conventional modalities, and to determine the diagnostic yield of M2A Given Capsule.

Methods: From May 2002 to April 2003, we prospectively examined 20 patients with suspected CD by capsule endoscopy. The patients had the following features: abdominal pain, weight loss, positive fecal occult blood test, iron deficiency anaemia, diarrhoea and fever.

The effect of folic acid on the development of stomach and other gastrointestinal cancers.

Objective: To evaluate the roles of folic acid and beta-carotene in the chemoprevention of gastric and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, a total of 216 patients with atrophic gastritis were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: (1) folate (FA, 20 mg per day plus vitamin B(12) 1 mg, intramuscularly, per month for one year, then 20 mg two times a week plus 1 mg per three months for the next year); (2) natural beta-carotene (N-betaC, 30 mg per day for first year, then 30 mg two times a week for the next); (3) synthetic beta-carotene (S-betaC, administered as in N-betaC); and (4) placebo. Follow-ups continued from 1994 to 2001.