Neuroendocrine regulation of social Interactions in a cichlid fish

Tese apresentada para cumprimentos dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Doutor em Biologia do Comportamento apresentada no ISPA - Instituto Universitário no ano de 2019.O estudo do comportamento animal e em particular do comportamento social tem atraído investigadores desde há muito tempo. Todos os animais interagem com os outros, característica fundamental para a sua sobrevivência e reprodução. No entanto, para obter uma total compreensão do comportamento social, é necessária a integração de seus vários componentes. Com esta tese, pretendemos clarificar este tópico, estudando como o cérebro controla o comportamento através da ação conjunta de seus circuitos neurais, genes e moléculas, e também como o ambiente social de forma recíproca influencia o cérebro. Baseado neste objetivo e usando a tilápia de Moçambique (Oreochromis mossambicus) como espécie modelo, num primeiro estudo investigámos como o comportamento social é controlado por uma rede dinâmica de regiões cerebrais, a Social Decision Making Network (SDMN). Aqui, tentámos entender quais são as pistas específicas que desencadeiam mudanças no padrão de ativação dessa rede neural, usando lutas entre machos. Os nossos resultados sugerem que é a avaliação mútua do comportamento de combate que impulsiona mudanças temporárias no estado do SDMN, e não a avaliação do resultado da luta ou apenas a expressão de comportamento agressivo. Em seguida, explorámos a modulação hormonal do comportamento social, em particular pelo neuropeptídeo vasotocina. Para isso, manipulámos o sistema da vasotocina injetando vasotocina e um antagonista específico dos receptores de vasotocina V1A em machos. Para distinguir se a vasotocina afeta o comportamento isoladamente ou em combinação com andrógenios, conduzimos esta experiência em peixes castrados e peixes controlo. Curiosamente, descobrimos que a vasotocina afetou o comportamento dos machos em relação às fêmeas, mas não em relação aos machos, e que os andrógenios e a vasotocina modularam a agressividade dos machos em relação às fêmeas. Em seguida, procurámos compreender como as interações sociais afetam os sistemas neuroendócrinos. Nesse sentido, utilizámos um paradigma de intrusões territoriais para avaliar os padrões temporais dos níveis de andrógenios e tentámos relacioná-los ao fenótipo comportamental de cada indivíduo. Obtivemos padrões distintos de resposta androgénica às interações sociais devido a diferenças individuais subjacentes em sua extensão de resposta. Este estudo oferece uma importante contribuição para a área de investigação, fornecendo possíveis razões para as discrepâncias associadas à hipótese de desafio, o principal modelo em endocrinologia comportamental que descreve a relação entre andrógenios e interações sociais. Finalmente, pensa-se que os andrógenios respondem às interações sociais como forma de preparar os indivíduos para outras interações. Assim, tentámos descobrir como um aumento de andrógenios no sangue afeta o cérebro. Para esse efeito, injetámos peixes com andrógenios e estudámos as mudanças transcriptómicas que ocorrem no cérebro usando a técnica de RNAseq, permitindo uma compreensão mais detalhada do efeito dos andrógenios no cérebro. Em suma, o comportamento social é complexo e depende de vários fatores internos e externos. Os resultados desta tese fornecem um contributo significativo para pesquisas futuras.The study of animal behavior and in specific of social behavior has attracted researchers for a long time. All animals interact with others, a feature which is fundamental to their survival and reproduction. However, to get a complete understanding of social behavior, the integration of its various components is required. In this thesis, we aimed to shed light on this topic, studying how the brain controls behavior through the concerted action of its neural circuits, genes and molecules, and also how the social environment feedbacks and impacts the brain. Grounded upon this objective and using the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) as a model species, in a first study we investigated how social behavior is controlled by a dynamic network of brain regions, the Social Decision Making Network (SDMN). Here, we tried to understand what are the specific cues that trigger changes in the pattern of activation of this neural network, by using staged fights between males. Our results suggest that it is the mutual assessment of relative fighting behavior that drives acute changes in the state of the SDMN, and not the assessment of fight outcome or just the expression of aggressive behavior. Then, we explored the hormonal modulation of social behavior, in particular of the neuropeptide vasopressin. For this purpose, we manipulated the vasotocin system by injecting vasotocin and a specific antagonist of vasotocin receptors V1A in males. To distinguish if vasotocin affected behavior alone or in combination with androgens, we conducted this experiment in both castrated and control fish. Interestingly, we found that vasotocin affected the behavior of males towards females but not towards males and that both androgens and vasotocin modulated aggressiveness towards females. Next, we sought to comprehend how social interactions affect neuroendocrine systems. In that sense, we used a paradigm of territorial intrusions to assess temporal patterns of androgen levels and tried to relate them to the behavioral phenotype of each individual. We obtained distinct patterns of androgen response to social interactions due to underlying individual differences in their scope for response. This study makes an important contribution to the field by providing possible reasons for discrepancies associated with the Challenge Hypothesis, the major framework in behavioral endocrinology which describes the relationship between androgens and social interactions. Finally, it is believed that androgens respond to social interactions as a way to prepare individuals for further interactions. Thus, we tried to uncover how an androgen surge in the blood affects the brain. To accomplish this, we injected fish with androgens and studied brain transcriptomic changes with the RNAseq technique, allowing the achievement of a thorough understanding of the effect of androgens on the brain. In sum, social behavior is complex and dependent on several internal and external factors. The findings from this thesis provide significant insights for future research.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologi

Cellular Oxidative Stress

This book collects 17 original research papers and 9 reviews that are part of the Special Issue “Cellular Oxidative Stress”, published in the journal Antioxidants. Oxidative stress on a cellular level affects the function of tissues and organs and may eventually lead to disease. Therefore, a precise understanding of how oxidative stress develops and can be counteracted is of utmost importance. The scope of the book is to emphasize the latest findings on the cellular targets of oxidative stress and the potential beneficial effect of antioxidants on human health

Tematski zbornik radova međunarodnog značaja. Tom 3 / Međunarodni naučni skup “Dani Arčibalda Rajsa”, Beograd, 3-4. mart 2015.

In front of you is the Thematic Collection of Papers presented at the International Scientific Confer-ence “Archibald Reiss Days”, which was organized by the Academy of Criminalistic and Police Studies in Belgrade, in co-operation with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Education, Science and Techno-logical Development of the Republic of Serbia, National Police University of China, Lviv State University of Internal Affairs, Volgograd Academy of the Russian Internal Affairs Ministry, Faculty of Security in Skopje, Faculty of Criminal Justice and Security in Ljubljana, Police Academy “Alexandru Ioan Cuza“ in Bucharest, Academy of Police Force in Bratislava and Police College in Banjaluka, and held at the Academy of Crimi-nalistic and Police Studies, on 3 and 4 March 2015.International Scientific Conference “Archibald Reiss Days” is organized for the fifth time in a row, in memory of the founder and director of the first modern higher police school in Serbia, Rodolphe Archibald Reiss, PhD, after whom the Conference was named.The Thematic Collection of Papers contains 168 papers written by eminent scholars in the field of law, security, criminalistics, police studies, forensics, informatics, as well as members of national security system participating in education of the police, army and other security services from Spain, Russia, Ukraine, Bela-rus, China, Poland, Armenia, Portugal, Turkey, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic of Srpska and Serbia. Each paper has been reviewed by two reviewers, international experts competent for the field to which the paper is related, and the Thematic Conference Proceedings in whole has been reviewed by five competent international reviewers.The papers published in the Thematic Collection of Papers contain the overview of contemporary trends in the development of police education system, development of the police and contemporary secu-rity, criminalistic and forensic concepts. Furthermore, they provide us with the analysis of the rule of law activities in crime suppression, situation and trends in the above-mentioned fields, as well as suggestions on how to systematically deal with these issues. The Collection of Papers represents a significant contribution to the existing fund of scientific and expert knowledge in the field of criminalistic, security, penal and legal theory and practice. Publication of this Collection contributes to improving of mutual cooperation between educational, scientific and expert institutions at national, regional and international level

Intesificación de Cultivos -SRI-

Informa sobre el viaje de investigadores del IICA e ICTA a la India, presentando los antecedentes y justificación de la visita, las lecciones aprendidas, las observaciones y sugerencias. Adicional, incluye datos de contactos, actividades y reuniones, así como material gráfico, fichas técnicas y presentaciones recopiladas o utilizadas durante la experiencia

The medicalization of deviance in China

亞洲犯罪學學會Conference Theme: Asian Innovations in Criminology and Criminal JusticePart 5: Juvenile Delinquency and JusticeConrad and Schneider’s now classical work on the historical transformation of definitions of deviance from “badness” to “sickness” is relevant for the situation in China today, although with some modifications. The weakly founded medical/psychiatric profession and the strong political/ideological discourse in China leads to a strange combination of medicalization and moralization, even criminalization of deviance. The “sick” is often combined with the “bad”, and “sickness” is often seen as a secondary sign of “badness”. The pan-moralist tradition of ancient China seems to be closely combined with the Communist era’s strong belief in political-ideological correctness, and its strong belief in social engineering. It is interesting to note that my research on crime and deviance in China in the 1980s and 1990s seems to be confirmed by today’s discourse, although there are new moral panics and new forms of medical-moralistic definitions of deviance in China today. Still, the categories of deviance are very much socially constructed entities closely related to the moral-political order of present day China. I will use three cases to underline my argument. First, the type of deviance I call “majority deviance”, related to the case of the prejudice and dangers associated with the only-child. My second example has to do with what I term the “wayward girl” and the moral panics concerning so-called zaolian – or “premature love” among young girls. The third example is the new panic surrounding “internet addiction disorder” or IAD. While the “disco” and the “dance hall” were the sites of disorder in the 1980s and 90s, the wangba – or “internet bar” is now seen as the most dangerous site of crime and deviance.postprin

Habitats and Biota of the Gulf of Mexico: Before the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Volume 1: Water Quality, Sediments, Sediment Contaminants, Oil and Gas Seeps, Coastal Habitats, Offshore Plankton and Benthos, and Shellfish

environmental management; marine; freshwater science

Habitats and Biota of the Gulf of Mexico: Before the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Volume 1: Water Quality, Sediments, Sediment Contaminants, Oil and Gas Seeps, Coastal Habitats, Offshore Plankton and Benthos, and Shellfish

environmental management; marine; freshwater science

Bowdoin Orient v.116, no.1-27 (1986-1987)

https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/bowdoinorient-1980s/1007/thumbnail.jp

2022 geotechnical design manual

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) Geotechnical Design Manual (“Manual”) has been developed to provide uniform design practices for SCDOT and consultant personnel preparing geotechnical reports and contract plans for SCDOT projects. The purpose of this manual is to complement the Mission of SCDOT by providing for safe, economical, effective and efficient geotechnical designs