Isolation and social instigation in animal models of aggression: effects of an mGLU1 receptor antagonist administration

Isolate-induced aggression in male mice is a model widely used in psychoparmacology of aggression. Animals are usually isolated for 30 days and subsequently treated and confronted with an anosmic opponent in a neutral area. For 10 min, the complete agonistic repertoire exhibited by the experimental animals is examined, allowing a detailed analysis of aggressive behaviors and other exploratory and motor behaviors. We have recently investigated the role of glutamate metabotropic receptors (mGluR) in this experimental model. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and it acts both at ionotropic (NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors) and mGluRs, which are members of the G-protein-coupled receptor family. Eight mGluRs have been characterized and grouped into three classes: group I (mGlu1 and 5), group II (mGlu2 and 3) and group III (mGlu4, 6, 7 and 8). We have tested selective ligands available for the subtypes of mGluRs. Group I antagonists were the most effective ones reducing aggression, being especially remarkable the antiaggressive action observed after the administration of JNJ16259685 (an mGlu1 selective antagonist; 0.125-8 mg/kg i.p.), that produced a strong reduction of offensive behaviors (threat and attack), without affecting immobility with all doses. In this context, we wonder whether this drug could also reduce forms of intensified-heightened aggression. In recent years there is an increasing interest in studying excessive-abnormal forms of aggression in rodents, with the aim of providing a higher translational value to the observed violence in humans, in which aggression becomes intense, disproportionate and dysfunctional. We select a social instigation model, where mice are exposed to a brief territory intrusion of an adult male mice physically inaccessible. After this social provocation mice are exposed to a second opponent which now is unprotected. Social instigation dramatically increases aggressive behaviors, which renders this model appropriate for investigating the neurobiological mechanisms of excessive aggressive behavior. Therefore, we implemented a social instigation procedure in the isolation-induced aggression model with a double objective: first, to examine whether “instigation” could increase the aggression obtained by social isolation; and second, to evaluate the antiaggressive effect of an mGlu1 antagonist in heightened aggression. For this purpose, an acute dose of JNJ16259685 (0.5 mg/kg) was administrated to socially instigated animals after isolation, as well as to animals only isolated. Our results revealed that social instigation reduced latency of attack and increased the frequency and duration of attacks against not instigated animals, without affecting motor behaviors. Likewise, JNJ16259685 (0.5 mg/kg) administration significantly reduced aggressive behaviors in both cases. Taken together, this study shows that social instigation is an useful experimental procedure that increases significantly the levels of aggression observed in an isolated-induced aggression model, also demonstrating the involvement of mGlu1 receptors in the modulation of normal and heightened aggression in male mice.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Sediment Transport Capacity in a Gravel-Bed River with a Sandy Tributary

Bedload transport in a river is a deeply analyzed problem, with many methodologies available in the literature. However, most of the existing methods were developed for reaches of rivers rather than for confluences and are suitable for a particular type of material, which makes them very inaccurate in cases where the sediments are comprised of a mix of different types of soil. This study considers the effect of two different bed sediment sizes, gravel and sand, in relation to bed load transport in a confluence. Five well-known and validated equations (namely Meyer-Peter and Müller, Parker + Engelund and Hansen, Ackers and White, and Yang) are applied to the case study of the Tagus–Alberche rivers confluence (in Talavera de la Reina, Spain), where main and tributary rivers transport different materials (sand and gravel). Field works in the area of the confluence were conducted, and a set of alluvial samples were collected and analyzed. The previously mentioned methods were employed to analyze the geomorphology in the confluence area and downstream of it under different flooding scenarios, concluding different trends in terms of deposition/erosion in the area under historic flooding scenarios. When the trends show erosion, all methods are very consistent in terms of numerical predictions. However, the results present high disparity in the estimated values when the predictions suggest deposition, with Parker + Engelund and Hansen yielding the highest volumes and Meyer-Peter and Müller the lowest (the latter being around 1% of the former). Yang and Ackers and White predict deposits in the same range in all cases (around 15% of Parker and Engelund Hansen). Yang’s formula was found to be suitable for the confluences of rivers with different materials, allowing for the estimation of sediment transport for different grain sizes. The effect of different flow regimes has been analyzed with the application of Yang’s formula to the Tagus-Alberche confluence

No moral wiggles in e5 and e1,000 dictator games under ambiguity

This paper explores excuse-driven behavior in giving. In our powered laboratory experiment, participants play Dictator Games sharing 5e or 1,000e under certainty or ambiguity with a charity. In contrast to previous papers using MPLs {that necessarily introduce additional layers of uncertainty{our subjects participate in two DGs. We �nd no evidence that people use moral wiggles to hide their sel�shness. They share equally out of 5e under certainty and ambiguity and as much out of 1,000e under ambiguity as they do under certainty in the previous literature. These �findings raise the question whether previous results might be an artifact

No moral wiggles in e5 and e1,000 dictator games under ambiguity

This paper explores excuse-driven behavior in giving. In our powered laboratory experiment, participants play Dictator Games sharing 5e or 1,000e under certainty or ambiguity with a charity. In contrast to previous papers using MPLs {that necessarily introduce additional layers of uncertainty{our subjects participate in two DGs. We �nd no evidence that people use moral wiggles to hide their sel�shness. They share equally out of 5e under certainty and ambiguity and as much out of 1,000e under ambiguity as they do under certainty in the previous literature. These �findings raise the question whether previous results might be an artifact

Computing Efficient Financial Strategies: An Extended Compromise Programming Approach

This paper proposes a mathematical model to plan the financial strategy of a large company. The model links the philosophy of new behavioural economics with the multiple criteria decision making paradigm. Within this theoretical approach, the proposed model is supported by more realistic behavioral hypotheses. After formulating the initial multi-objective programming model, it has, due to its underlying computational difficulties, to be transformed into an easily computable extended compromise programming model. The functional and empirical potential of the model is illustrated with the help of a case study concerning a “stock market quoted” Spanish company operating in the energy sector. This paper shows how such an approach can open up new prospects for research linking economic problems with applied mathematic

Factors Influencing Quality of Life in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer: a preliminary study

Objectives: Time after diagnosis, survivors of head and neck cancer may perceive a decrease in their quality of life due to suffering from different sequelae. This preliminary study aims to describe which factors influence survivors of head and neck cancer quality of life. Data Sources: A cross-sectional study was performed. Demographic and clinical factors, quality of life (global health status), pain (pressure pain thresholds), physical fitness (overall fitness), functional capacity, and fatigue were evaluated. A multiple regression model was undertaken to check which outcomes could impact quality of life. A total of 53 survivors of head and neck cancer participated in this study. Upper trapezius pres- sure pain threshold, overall fitness, and global fatigue were significant predictors of global health status, and when combined, they explained 42.10% of the variance in the global health status score. Conclusion: Quality of life perceived by survivors of head and neck cancer is influenced by pain, physical fit- ness, and fatigue reported. This association of outcomes may act as a symptom cluster for survivors of head and neck cancer. Implications for Nursing Practice: The knowledge of this symptom cluster may help developing symptom assessment and management strategies and improving quality of life for survivors of head and neck cancer.This study was partially funded by the Fondos Estructurales de la Unio n Europea (FEDER). This study took place because of the additional funding from the Uni- versity of Granada, Excellence Actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES). PI-0171-2020 and PI- 0187-2021, CSyF, Junta de Andalucía

Inhibition of α(1,6)fucosyltransferase: effects on cell proliferation, migration, and adhesion in an SW480/SW620 syngeneic colorectal cancer model

The present study explored the impact of inhibiting α(1,6)fucosylation (core fucosylation) on the functional phenotype of a cellular model of colorectal cancer (CRC) malignization formed by the syngeneic SW480 and SW620 CRC lines. Expression of the FUT8 gene encoding α(1,6)fucosyltransferase was inhibited in tumor line SW480 by a combination of shRNA-based antisense knockdown and Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) selection. LCA-resistant clones were subsequently assayed in vitro for proliferation, migration, and adhesion. The α(1,6)FT-inhibited SW480 cells showed enhanced proliferation in adherent conditions, unlike their α(1,6)FT-depleted SW620 counterparts, which displayed reduced proliferation. Under non-adherent conditions, α(1,6)FT-inhibited SW480 cells also showed greater growth capacity than their respective non-targeted control (NTC) cells. However, cell migration decreased in SW480 after FUT8 knockdown, while adhesion to EA.hy926 cells was significantly enhanced. The reported results indicate that the FUT8 knockdown strategy with subsequent selection for LCA-resistant clones was effective in greatly reducing α(1,6)FT expression in SW480 and SW620 CRC lines. In addition, α(1,6)FT impairment affected the proliferation, migration, and adhesion of α(1,6)FT-deficient clones SW480 and SW620 in a tumor stage-dependent manner, suggesting that core fucosylation has a dynamic role in the evolution of CRC.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia | Ref. AP-FPU12/03662Xunta de Galicia | Ref. GRC 2014/019Xunta de Galicia | Ref. CN 2011/02

Population structure and hybridisation in a population of Hawaiian feral chickens

Chickens are believed to have inhabited the Hawaiian island of Kauai since the first human migrations around 1200AD, but numbers have peaked since the tropical storms Iniki and Iwa in the 1980s and 1990s that destroyed almost all the chicken coops on the island and released large numbers of domestic chickens into the wild. Previous studies have shown these now feral chickens are an admixed population between Red Junglefowl (RJF) and domestic chickens. Here, using genetic haplotypic data, we estimate the time of the admixture event between the feral population on the island and the RJF to 1981 (1976-1995), coinciding with the timings of storm Iwa and Iniki. Analysis of genetic structure reveals a greater similarity between individuals inhabiting the northern and western part of the island to RJF than individuals from the eastern part of the island. These results point to the possibility of introgression events between feral chickens and the wild chickens in areas surrounding the Koke'e State Park and the Alaka'i plateau, posited as two of the major RJF reservoirs in the island. Furthermore, we have inferred haplotype blocks from pooled data to determine the most plausible source of the feral population. We identify a clear contribution from RJF and layer chickens of the White Leghorn (WL) breed. This work provides independent confirmation of the traditional hypothesis surrounding the origin of the feral populations and draws attention to the possibility of introgression of domestic alleles into the wild reservoir