Motor simulation without motor expertise: enhanced corticospinal excitability in visually experienced dance spectators

The human “mirror-system” is suggested to play a crucial role in action observation and execution, and is characterized by activity in the premotor and parietal cortices during the passive observation of movements. The previous motor experience of the observer has been shown to enhance the activity in this network. Yet visual experience could also have a determinant influence when watching more complex actions, as in dance performances. Here we tested the impact visual experience has on motor simulation when watching dance, by measuring changes in corticospinal excitability. We also tested the effects of empathic abilities. To fully match the participants' long-term visual experience with the present experimental setting, we used three live solo dance performances: ballet, Indian dance, and non-dance. Participants were either frequent dance spectators of ballet or Indian dance, or “novices” who never watched dance. None of the spectators had been physically trained in these dance styles. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to measure corticospinal excitability by means of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in both the hand and the arm, because the hand is specifically used in Indian dance and the arm is frequently engaged in ballet dance movements. We observed that frequent ballet spectators showed larger MEP amplitudes in the arm muscles when watching ballet compared to when they watched other performances. We also found that the higher Indian dance spectators scored on the fantasy subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, the larger their MEPs were in the arms when watching Indian dance. Our results show that even without physical training, corticospinal excitability can be enhanced as a function of either visual experience or the tendency to imaginatively transpose oneself into fictional characters. We suggest that spectators covertly simulate the movements for which they have acquired visual experience, and that empathic abilities heighten motor resonance during dance observation

Interactive effects of diet protein and water salinity on growth and survival of white leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei Boone 1931)

This study was conducted in the Shrimp Research Center of Bushehr in winter 2005. We treated reared White Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei Boone 1931) with five diets containing 20%, 25% ,30%, 35% and 40% protein levels and three salinity levels 15-17ppt, 27-30ppt, and 40-45ppt. We focused on growth, survival, food conversion ratio, hemolymph osmolality, hemolymph protein and corpse protein content. We applied 15 treatments each with three replicates in 45 tanks with 300 liter capacity. Shrimps average weight was about 2 grams at the start and reared after 60 days of culture. Shrimp biomass growth in 15-17 salinity was higher than other salinities showing statistically significant difference with those grew in 40-45ppt salinity (P>0.05). No statistically significant difference was found between growth of the shrimp in 15-17ppt and in 27-30ppt water

Effects of using Artemia urmiana enriched with N-3 HUFA in first feeding of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) larvae

Effects of using n-3 HUFA-enriched Artemia and non-enriched Artemia as the starter food for growth and survival of rainbow trout larvae compared to commercial concentrated food were investigated in this study. The larvae with average weight of 92.9 mg were fed for 20 days with four food treatments included of commercial concentrated food, newly hatched Artemia, enriched Artemia, and mixture of enriched Artemia and concentrated food. At the end of experiment, the highest weight gain percentage was 104.4% in those larvae fed with enriched Artemia (p< 0.05). The highest survival rate was 96.5 % observed in larvae fed with mixture of enriched Artemia and commercial concentrated food (P<0.05). Larvae of third treatment that were fed with enriched Artemia with a survival rate of 98.9 %±1.9 under stress condition of low pH and survival rate of 66.5%±3.7 under stress condition of higher pH in rearing environment, were the most resistant larvae against stress resulting from pH fluctuation (P<0.05). Meanwhile the highest resistance against stress, resulting from temperature changes, was seen in larvae of the third and fourth treatment with survival rate of 77.8% at 24°C respectively

Gelatine properties made from skin and bone of Lizard fish (Saurida tumbil)

Type-A gelatine was extracted from skins and bones of lizard fish and analysed for functional and chemical properties. Bloom gel strength was 159.14±14 and 135±7.9g, respectively, for skin and bone gelatines compared to 2243±7.7 for porcine gelatine (P<0.05). Gelatine from skin and bone exhibited higher viscosity and lower setting temperature than porcine gelatine. Skin gelatine had higher amino acid composition than bone gelatine, with a total amino acid content of about 21.71% and 19.83% for skin and bone respectively. Alpha chains were higher than pi and 6 components in skin and bone gelatine. Both bone and skin gelatines contained peptides with low molecular weight (<a). The differences in functional properties between the skin and bone gelatines appeared to be related to differences in amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution of the gelatines

Effects of added artificial substrate on the growth and survival of juvenile Indian white prawn (Penaeus indicus)

The effects of added artificial substrates on juveniles of Indian white prawn (Penaus indicus) were evaluated. Three replicate tanks were randomly assigned to receive added substrate to increase available surface 20, 40, 60 and 80 percent. Control tanks received no added substrate. Juveniles with mean weight of 0.42±0.027gwere raised for 90 days in 5000 lit concrete tanks filled with 4000 lit of water and stocked at a density of 30 ind/m2. Growth and survival of P. indicus juveniles were studied during the culture period. Results showed that substrates significantly (P0.05)

Effected by dietary nucleotide on changes in intestinal Morphology, growth and fatty acid profile of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The effects of dietary nucleotide (0.2%) on the growth, intestinal morphology as well as fatty acid profile of the whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei was investigated in Bushehr province (Delvar) for a 5-week feeding trial. The experiment was carried out in triplicate in circular PVC tanks of 300L capacity. Each tank was randomly filled with 25 shrimps weighting on average 3.21±0.03g. Added dietary nucleotide significantly improved growth factors such as 10% weight increase, 7.97% increase in specific growth rate (SGR), 11.32% increase in protein efficiency ratio (PER), 9.64% decrease in feed conversion ratio (FCR) and 14:1n5, 20:3n3 and DHA fatty acids. However, no significant differences were evident in survival, carapace length gain, daily feed consumption and saturate fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content, n-3/n-6 as well as EPA+DHA fatty acids between the two treatments. Intestine epithelium cells height (IECH) in the abdominal first section were significantly higher in shrimp fed by dietary nucleotide

Effects of dietary protein and energy levels on growth and body composition of Caspian trout larva (Salmo trutta caspius)

A 3t2 factorial feeding trial of three dietary protein levels (45, 50 and 55%) and two dietary crude energy levels (4200 and 4600 cal/g) with three replications was conducted to investigate the proper dietary protein and energy levels for the growth of fingerling Caspian trout (Salmo trutta caspius). Fingerlings with average weight of 135 plus or minus 0.24mg were fed the experimental diets for 45 days

Influence of supplemental phytase on fish meal replacement by soybean and its effects on growth and body composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Influence of phytase enzyme and replacement of fishmeal protein by soybean meal protein on growth and body composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) specimens each with a mean weight of 121.75~c5.95g were studied. Experimental diets by factorial method 3*3, containing three levels of replacement (0.0, 35 and 70%) and three levels of microbial phytase (0.0, 1000, 2000 units/kg diet) were formulated and prepared. Nine treatments and three replicates of random groups of 20 fish per each 2 cubic meter (2*2*0.5m) tank were used in the study. All diets contained 36-38% protein and about 4000 cal/g energy. During the 9 weeks period of the study, fish were fed to satiation level, three times daily. Statistical results indicated that the increase of replacement level to 35% had no significant effect on growth index (P greater than or equal to 0.05). Effect of replacement on body composition was not significant, except for crude energy which decreased in 70% level (P≥0.05). Effect of phytase enzyme on growth index was positive and 2000 units/kg diet of phytase showed the best result (P≥0.05), but phytase levels had no significant effect on body composition. Result also showed that there was a significant interaction between phytase enzyme and meal rep lacement (P≥0.05). We suggest using 2000 units/kg diets of phytase with at least 35% replacement of fish meal protein by soybean meal protein as a suitable formula for growing rainbow trout

Apparent lipid and fatty acid digestion, retention of lipid and growth performance in Caspian salmon (Salmo trutta caspius) fry fed dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E

A 10-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) and vitamin E interaction on growth, apparent digestibility, apparent retention and utilization of lipid in Caspian salmon fry. Six experimental diets combining three different dietary levels of n-3 HUFAs (L: low: 1+0.5, DHA+EPA, M: medium 2+1, DHA+EPA, H: high 4+2 DHA +EPA g/100g diet) with two different levels of vitamin E (L: low 300 and H: high 1000 mg/kg diet): LL, LH, ML, MH, HL and HH (HUFA/vitamin E) were investigated. Fry with initial mean (±SD) body weight of 600 ± 25 (mg) were randomly distributed in tanks and fed to apparent satiation. Increase in dietary HUFA and vitamin E markedly improved larval growth. The results showed that the survival of Caspian salmon fry was not affected by dietary omega-3 HUFA and vitamin E. C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3 fatty acids content of polar and neutral lipids positively correlated with their concentration on diets. Apparent digestibility and apparent retention of total lipid was significantly affected by dietary HUFA. The results showed that n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E had positive effects on growth performance, lipid metabolism and apparent digestibility of Caspian salmon fry

A review of the health status and diseases of cultured Penaeus indicus in Sistan-o-Baluchistan Province, Iran

The health status and diseases of Penaeus indicus in Sistan-o-Baluchistan culture ponds of Guater Site were assessed during the year 2005. Over the shrimp culture period, two ponds were selected from two farms, and 19 shrimp specimens were caught randomly each month from each pond. The specimens were immediately transferred to lab for further investigation. After recording abnormal signs including color change of cuticle and gills, presence of white or black spots on the body, the specimens were studied for bacterial, fungal and parasitic infections. Bacterial infections included Citobacter, Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Actinobacter, Proteus, Vibrio alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus, V. spelendidus and Vibrio sp. Fungal infections of the cultured P. indicus included Fuzarium spp., Mucor, Cladosporium, Aspergillus spp., Penicllinium spp., sterilized hyphae and yeast. The parasites found included Zoothamnium, Epistylis, andVorticella. Since the second month of shrimp culture onwards around 10-65% of shrimps showed white and opaque spots on abdominal muscle which started from the sixth segment. Sometimes, the dots covered the whole abdomen, giving the shrimps a cooked look and a yellowish watery sac on hepatopancreas under the carapace of the specimens could be observed. There was no evidence of disease agents based on microbial, parasitic and environmental studies. The food which was used for shrimp culture was analyzed and showed anion and cation imbalance. Our results showed Idiopathic Muscle Necrosis Syndrome (IMNS) and Subcarapace Watery Sac Syndrome (SWSS) sings in the cultured shrimps