Distinct patterns of outcome valuation and amygdala-prefrontal cortex synaptic remodeling in adolescence and adulthood.

Adolescent behavior is typified by increased risk-taking, reward- and novelty-seeking, as well as an augmented need for social and environmental stimulation. This behavioral phenotype may result from alterations in outcome valuation or reward learning. In the present set of experiments, we directly compared adult and adolescent animals on tasks measuring both of these processes. Additionally, we examined developmental differences in dopamine D1-like receptor (D1R), dopamine D2-like receptor (D2R), and polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) expression in animals that were trained on an effortful reward valuation task, given that these proteins play an important role in the functional development of the amygdala-prefrontocortical (PFC) circuit and mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. We found that adolescent animals were not different from adults in appetitive associative learning, but exhibited distinct pattern of responses to differences in outcome values, which was paralleled by an enhanced motivation to invest effort to obtain larger rewards. There were no differences in D2 receptor expression, but D1 receptor expression was significantly reduced in the striatum of animals that had experiences with reward learning during adolescence compared to animals that went through the same experiences in adulthood. We observed increased levels of PSA-NCAM expression in both PFC and amygdala of late adolescents compared to adults that were previously trained on an effortful reward valuation task. PSA-NCAM levels in PFC were strongly and positively associated with high effort/reward (HER) choices in adolescents, but not in adult animals. Increased levels of PSA-NCAM expression in adolescents may index increased structural plasticity and represent a neural correlate of a reward sensitive endophenotype

Hijacking translation in addiction.

Two studies suggest that the reduced activity of a translation initiation factor called eIF2α might be partly responsible for the increased risk of drug addiction seen in adolescents

Green Voices: discursos de periodistas y líderesas tanzanas sobre cambio climático

Green voices wants to strengthen and make visible women's fight against climate change. We present here the results attained once the first phase of the project has been completed. Arising from the exploratory mission to the field was the idea that the whole society is claiming for an increase in public awareness on climate change in Tanzania; from the analysis of the discourses of women leaders and women journalists we infer that the effort to raise awareness should be aimed at increasing consciousness as well as knowledge. In the rural areas there is less awareness on climate change even if it is rural population that is experiencing the negative impact of climate change in agriculture to the extent that even food security is endangered. This is related to the low level of education of rural people as well as to their difficulties to access the adequate information. Our empirical work also confirmed that the most effective way to enhance awareness is communication. There is the need, particularly for rural areas, to convey messages (via community radio and mobile phones) that connect causes with effects, ie waste of natural resources with natural disasters and impoverishment, as well as to take initiatives in the local communities for sharing good practices in mitigation and adaptation.Green voices quiere reforzar y visibilizar la lucha femenina contra el cambio climático. Presentamos aquí los resultados de sus primeras fases. Del trabajo de campo exploratorio se extrajo una idea clara: todos los sectores sociales claman por un aumento de la conciencia pública (public awareness) sobre el cambio climático en Tanzania; del análisis de los discursos de las lideresas y periodistas se deduce además: que ese trabajo en pro de la concienciación debe incluir las dos acepciones que el término original en inglés, awareness, incluye: conciencia y conocimiento; que, aunque padecen las devastadoras consecuencias del calentamiento global directamente en sus labores agrícolas y en última instancia en la falta de alimentos en sus mesas, el nivel de conciencia es menor en las áreas rurales, debido a un menor acceso a la información y a un menor nivel educativo. El trabajo empírico también confirmó que la manera más efectiva de fortalecer la conciencia es la comunicación, concretamente para las zonas rurales haciendo llegar mensajes (vía radios comunitarias y telefonía móvil) que conecten causas con orígenes, es decir, abuso de los recursos con catástrofes naturales y empobrecimiento, así como acciones en las comunidades que permitan compartir buenas prácticas en mitigación y adaptación

Post-training depletions of basolateral amygdala serotonin fail to disrupt discrimination, retention, or reversal learning.

In goal-directed pursuits, the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical in learning about changes in the value of rewards. BLA-lesioned rats show enhanced reversal learning, a task employed to measure the flexibility of response to changes in reward. Similarly, there is a trend for enhanced discrimination learning, suggesting that BLA may modulate formation of stimulus-reward associations. There is a parallel literature on the importance of serotonin (5HT) in new stimulus-reward and reversal learning. Recent postulations implicate 5HT in learning from punishment. Whereas, dopaminergic involvement is critical in behavioral activation and reinforcement, 5HT may be most critical for aversive processing and behavioral inhibition, complementary cognitive processes. Given these findings, a 5HT-mediated mechanism in BLA may mediate the facilitated learning observed previously. The present study investigated the effects of selective 5HT lesions in BLA using 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) vs. infusions of saline (Sham) on discrimination, retention, and deterministic reversal learning. Rats were required to reach an 85% correct pairwise discrimination and single reversal criterion prior to surgery. Postoperatively, rats were then tested on the (1) retention of the pretreatment discrimination pair, (2) discrimination of a novel pair, and (3) reversal learning performance. We found statistically comparable preoperative learning rates between groups, intact postoperative retention, and unaltered novel discrimination and reversal learning in 5,7-DHT rats. These findings suggest that 5HT in BLA is not required for formation and flexible adjustment of new stimulus-reward associations when the strategy to efficiently solve the task has already been learned. Given the complementary role of orbitofrontal cortex in reward learning and its interconnectivity with BLA, these findings add to the list of dissociable mechanisms for BLA and orbitofrontal cortex in reward learning

Risk Management Tools for Sustainable Agriculture: A Model for Calculating the Average Price for the Season in Revenue Insurance for Citrus Fruit

[EN] Risk management in agriculture is at the heart of major reforms in many OECD countries and European agricultural policies. Price risks, which are generally not insurable per se, have been covered by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which has been shaped as a system of protection against market shocks and an instrument for income stabilization. However, there is an increasing propensity to combine the use of public and private risk management tools as well. In Spain, revenue insurance has not yet developed in the same way as other risk coverage insurance, although it is an upcoming target of agricultural insurance policies with the aim of ensuring income stability for agricultural producers. This paper presents the results of the methodology used to draw up a composition index or model of the average price for the season or representative market field price to be used for revenue insurance purposes in citrus fruit. High explanatory power regression models and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) were used. The results show that the average price for the season obtained reliably represents the market field prices in the country's various producer areas.This research was funded by Agroseguro, Agrupacion Espanola de Entidades Aseguradoras de los Seguros Agrarios Combinados, S.A.Mateos-Ronco, A.; Server Izquierdo, RJ. (2020). Risk Management Tools for Sustainable Agriculture: A Model for Calculating the Average Price for the Season in Revenue Insurance for Citrus Fruit. Agronomy. 10(2):1-25. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020198125102Iyer, P., Bozzola, M., Hirsch, S., Meraner, M., & Finger, R. (2019). Measuring Farmer Risk Preferences in Europe: A Systematic Review. Journal of Agricultural Economics, 71(1), 3-26. doi:10.1111/1477-9552.12325Meuwissen, M. P. M., Mey, Y. de, & van Asseldonk, M. (2018). Prospects for agricultural insurance in Europe. Agricultural Finance Review, 78(2), 174-182. doi:10.1108/afr-04-2018-093Pennings, J. M. E., & Wansink, B. (2004). Channel Contract Behavior: The Role of Risk Attitudes, Risk Perceptions, And Channel Members’ Market Structures. The Journal of Business, 77(4), 697-724. doi:10.1086/422633Turvey, C. G. (2011). Whole Farm Income Insurance. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 79(2), 515-540. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6975.2011.01426.xThompson *, S. R., Schmitz, P. M., Iwai, N., & Goodwin, B. K. (2004). The real rate of protection: the income and insurance effects of agricultural policy. Applied Economics, 36(16), 1851-1858. doi:10.1080/0003684042000279744Walters, C., & Preston, R. (2017). Net income risk, crop insurance and hedging. Agricultural Finance Review, 78(1), 135-151. doi:10.1108/afr-05-2017-0036Janowicz-Lomott, M., Łyskawa, K., & Rozumek, P. (2015). Farm Income Insurance as an Alternative for Traditional Crop Insurance. Procedia Economics and Finance, 33, 439-449. doi:10.1016/s2212-5671(15)01727-xMateos-Ronco, A., & Server Izquierdo, R. J. (2011). Drawing up the official adjustment rules for damage assessment in agricultural insurance: Results of a Delphi survey for fruit crops in Spain. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 78(9), 1542-1556. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2011.04.003Goodwin, B. K., & Hungerford, A. (2014). Copula‐Based Models of Systemic Risk in U.S. Agriculture: Implications for Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Contracts. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 97(3), 879-896. doi:10.1093/ajae/aau08

La gestión basada en las actividades en cooperativas citrícolas: un enfoque integrador de las prácticas empresariales

Today’s economic scenario makes it necessary for citrus fruit cooperatives to adopt business practices which will achieve a competitive advantage and thus guarantee their continued activity. The cooperative sector has traditionally been unaffected by business management techniques, focusing on specific aspects of management. However, many advantages can be obtained from integrated management of a cooperative with regard to the quality and quantity of the information required for taking decisions. This study considers the use of a management system based on activities as a vehicle for the integrated management of business practices in citrus fruit cooperatives. It suggests a methodology for applying the system and analyses its potential for achieving a competitive advantage.activities, business management, costs, citrus fruit cooperatives, performance, cost driver.

Esteroides plasmáticos y sus posibles ritmos biológicos en le semental Pura Raza Española

El caballo es un animal muy fotorreceptivo, ligeras variaciones en el numero de horas de luz, se traducen en variaciones en la secreción de determinadas hormonas reguladoras y relacionadas con la función reproductora. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue determinar la ritmicidad de la hormona testosterona, estradiol y cortisol, a lo largo del año, semana y día en el semental de pura raza española. Las muestras fueron determinadas por la técnica enzimoinmunoanalitica eia de competición. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que la secreción de testosterona y cortisol es rítmica a lo largo del año, semana y día en los sementales de pura raza española, mientras que la de la hormona estradiol solo muestra un patron circanual y circaseptano, hechos que debemos tener en consideración, a la hora de planificar la reproducción en esta raza de caballo

Mineralogia de les aigües de les fonts del Montseny sud-occidental. Estudi teòric i evidència empírica

Al Montseny hi ha identificades al voltant de 900 fonts. Aquest treball forma part del projecte “Fonts del Montseny”, liderat pel Dr. Òscar Farrerons, el fotògraf i informàtic Adrià Corella i el Dr. Fortià Prat, i que pretén estudiar les fonts de la Reserva de la Biosfera del Montseny. Aquest TFG es centra en l’estudi químic i mineralògic de l'aigua de 101 fonts del Montseny sud-occidental. Del total de fonts que es pretenia estudiar, no ha sigut possible trobar-ne 9, sent el nombre total de fonts visitades de 92, de les quals 38 es trobaven seques en el moment de la visita. Així doncs, s’ha pogut analitzar l’aigua d’un total de 54 fonts. S’ha analitzat, amb diferents tècniques de laboratori, el pH, la conductivitat, l'alcalinitat, els clorurs, els sulfats, els nitrats, la duresa total, el calci i el magnesi. Els resultats obtinguts per als diferents paràmetres esmentats es presenten amb correlacions entre ells i d’altres com l’altitud, que ha demostrat ser un factor de gran influència en la presència dels diferents ions. També s’extreuen conclusions sobre la qualitat de l'aigua en referència als valors definits per l’OMS i el Real Decret 140/2003.En el Montseny hay identificadas alrededor de 900 fuentes. Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto “Fuentes del Montseny”, liderado por el Dr. Òscar Farrerons, el fotógrafo e informático Adrià Corella y el Dr. Fortià Prat, y pretende estudiar las fuentes de la Reserva de la Biosfera del Montseny. Este TFG se centra en el estudio químico y mineralógico del agua de 101 fuentes del Montseny sud-occidental. Del total de fuentes que se pretendía estudiar, no ha sido posible encontrar 9 de ellas, siendo 92 el nombre total de fuentes visitadas, de las cuales 38 se encontraban secas en el momento de la visita. Así pues, se ha podido analizar el agua de un total de 54 fuentes. Se ha analizado, con diferentes técnicas de laboratorio, el pH, la conductividad, la alcalinidad, los cloruros, los sulfatos, los nitratos, la dureza total, el calcio y el magnesio. Los resultados obtenidos para los diferentes parámetros mencionados se presentan con correlaciones entre ellos y otros como la altitud, que ha demostrado ser un factor de gran influencia en la presencia de diferentes iones. También se extraen conclusiones sobre la calidad del agua en referencia a los valores paramétricos definidos por la OMS y el Real Decreto 140/2003.More than 900 fountains have been identified in the Montseny Biosphere Reserve. This work is part of the “Fountains of Montseny” project, led by Dr. Òscar Farrerons, the photographer and computer scientist Adrià Corella and Dr. Fortià Prat, aiming to study the fountains of the Montseny Biosphere Reserve. This bachelor’s thesis focuses on the chemical and mineralogical study of water from 101 fountains in the south-western part of Montseny. Of the total number of fountains that were intended to be studied, it was not possible to find 9 of them, with 92 being the total number of fountains visited, of which 38 were dry at the time of the visit. Thus, it has been possible to analyse the water from a total of 54 fountains. With different laboratory techniques it has been analysed the pH, conductivity, alkalinity, chlorides, sulphates, nitrates, total hardness, calcium and magnesium of the water samples. The results obtained for the mentioned parameters are presented with correlations between them and others such as altitude, which has proven to be a factor of great influence in the presence of different ions. Conclusions are also drawn on the quality of the water in reference to the parametric values ​​defined by the WHO and Royal Decree 140/2003

Aiming at understanding consumers´ behavior in fast food restaurants: a food values approach

A partir de la clasificación de los valores alimenticios propuesta pertinente por Lusk y Briggeman (2009), este trabajo buscaba comprender el comportamiento de los consumidores en los restaurantes de comida rápida. Con este objetivo, se analiza una muestra de 400 consumidores de dos cadenas de comida rápida líderes en España. El análisis empírico de estos datos nos permitió observar no sólo la presencia de tres grupos de consumidores distintos de acuerdo con sus evaluaciones de los valores alimentarios, sino también varias diferencias entre estos grupos con respecto a hábitos diversos, así como resultados de satisfacción, confianza y lealtad. A partir de estos resultados, se proponen diversas recomendaciones estratégicas para mejorar el diseño y desarrollo de estrategias diferenciadas en la industria.Beginning with the classification of food values proposed in the relevant literature by Lusk and Briggeman (2009), this paper aimed at understanding consumers´ behaviour at fast-food restaurants. With this research goal in mind, a sample of 400 consumers was gathered in two different leading fast-food chains operating in Spain. The empirical analysis of these data enabled us to observe not only the presence of three different consumers’ clusters in accordance with their food values ‘assessments, but also several differences between these groups with regard to diverse habits as well as satisfaction, trust and loyalty outcomes. From these results, several managerial recommendations have been proposed in order to improve the design and development of differentiated strategies in the industry.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad ECO2014-59688-