Temporal Dissection of Stimulus-Driven and Task-Driven Processes during Perceptual Decision about 3D SFM Stimuli

International audienceAnalyzing the visual properties of a stimulus, such as its shape or its motion, involves a temporally con-strained cascade of processes including sensory integration, attentional selection and perceptual decision. In natural condi-tions, these processing stages may temporally overlap. In this study, we used a time constrained paradigm designed to segre-gate these stages, and recorded MEG activity to characterize their cortical correlates. The experimental sequence comprised a structure-from-motion (SFM) target flanked by pre and post masks, which limited the stimulus-driven processes in time. The MEG responses were recorded in three perceptual tasks bearing on the presence or absence of the target SFM stimulus, on its direction of motion or on its 3D shape. Subjects' responses were delayed to the end of the trials us-ing a random stimulus-response mapping. The analysis of the evoked magnetic fields reveals temporal-ly non-overlapping responses for stimulus-driven and task-related processes. Source reconstruction reveals that the occipital, dorsal and ventral stimulus-related areas follow different temporal pro-files, The response in IPS slowly rising after the beginning of the activity in the lateral occipital cortex and falling back to the baseline prior the delayed motor response, may reflect accumulating evidence on the presented stimulus leading to a motor response, in line with the results from single cell studies in monkey LIP [1]

Safety of Oral Paracetamol – Analysis of Data from a Spontaneous Reporting System in Poland

Purpose: To determine the safety of oral coated paracetamol tablets 500 mg and oral suspension 120 mg/5 mL produced by Hasco-Lek Poland.Methods: We analyzed sales volume and data obtained from the  monitoring of spontaneous reports on the adverse effects of paracetamol collected in the period between November 2000 and June 2012.Results: A total of 45,694 units of coated paracetamol tablets (500 mg) and 6,048,289 units of paracetamol oral suspension (120 mg/5 mL) were marketed during that period. There were 4 spontaneous reports of adverse effects.Conclusion: Oral paracetamol is a safe medication rarely causing adverse effects but it is possible that the existing spontaneous monitoring system for adverse effects in Poland is not sensitive enough to detect all adverse effects, and needs improvement.Keywords: Adverse reaction, NSAIDs, Pharmacovigillance,  Pharmoepidemiolog

Entrainment and development of larval fish assemblages in two contrasting cold core eddies of the East Australian Current system

Cyclonic eddies are diverse in their size, age, upwelling and behaviour, which has significant implications for fisheries production and connectivity when they interact with the continental shelf. To ascertain coastal entrainment by eddies, we compared the larval fish community of 2 contrasting cyclonic eddies in 3 depth strata (0-5, 5-50, 50-100 m), and with the adjacent shelf community. The frontal cyclonic eddy was smaller and younger than the mesoscale cyclonic eddy. A larval fish entrainment index, based on the ratio of coastal to oceanic taxa, revealed the relative abundance of coastal larvae entrained into the upper mixed layer of the frontal eddy, consistent with published numerical modelling studies of similar eddies. The frontal eddy had a high abundance of commercially important coastal taxa entrained from the inner shelf. However, the adjacent inner shelf water and putative location for frontal eddy formation had recently been displaced by the East Australian Current, resulting in the larval fish community being dominated by oceanic taxa. The spatial and temporal dynamics of coastal entrainment into the larger, older cyclonic eddy and the adjacent shelf region were revealed by mixtures of coastal and oceanic taxa in each of the depth strata. The larger cyclonic eddy had a higher biomass of zooplankton, indicating the cumulative effects of eddy age and production. Eddies which interact with the shelf en able cross-shelf mixing and may contribute to coastal fisheries

High Levels of Sediment Contamination Have Little Influence on Estuarine Beach Fish Communities

While contaminants are predicted to have measurable impacts on fish assemblages, studies have rarely assessed this potential in the context of natural variability in physico-chemical conditions within and between estuaries. We investigated links between the distribution of sediment contamination (metals and PAHs), physico-chemical variables (pH, salinity, temperature, turbidity) and beach fish assemblages in estuarine environments. Fish communities were sampled using a beach seine within the inner and outer zones of six estuaries that were either heavily modified or relatively unmodified by urbanization and industrial activity. All sampling was replicated over two years with two periods sampled each year. Shannon diversity, biomass and abundance were all significantly higher in the inner zone of estuaries while fish were larger on average in the outer zone. Strong differences in community composition were also detected between the inner and outer zones. Few differences were detected between fish assemblages in heavily modified versus relatively unmodified estuaries despite high concentrations of sediment contaminants in the inner zones of modified estuaries that exceeded recognized sediment quality guidelines. Trends in species distributions, community composition, abundance, Shannon diversity, and average fish weight were strongly correlated to physico-chemical variables and showed a weaker relationship to sediment metal contamination. Sediment PAH concentrations were not significantly related to the fish assemblage. These findings suggest that variation in some physico-chemical factors (salinity, temperature, pH) or variables that co-vary with these factors (e.g., wave activity or grain size) have a much greater influence on this fish assemblage than anthropogenic stressors such as contamination

Colonization and community development of fish assemblages associated with estuarine artificial reefs

Despite the long history of the development of artificial structures in NSW estuaries there are no studies that provide any comprehensive scientific evaluation of post-deployment goals. We assessed the effectiveness of estuarine artificial reefs as a fisheries enhancement initiative; described the diversity and abundance of species associated with them, and detailed the patterns of colonization and community development associated with an artificial reef deployment in Lake Macquarie, a large coastal barrier lagoon on the southeast coast of Australia. Six artificial reefs (one artificial reef group), constructed from artificial reef units (Reef Balls®), were deployed in December 2005 and sampled six times per season over two years using baited remote underwater video (BRUV). Colonization of the artificial reef group was relatively rapid with the majority of species identified over the two-year study period observed within the first year post-deployment. Overall, 27 species from 17 families were identified. Key colonising species included Pelates sexlineatus (Terapontidae), Acanthopagrus australis (Sparidae), Pagrus auratus (Sparidae) and Rhabdosargus sarba (Sparidae). Species richness showed evidence of potential seasonal fluctuations, being higher in warm water months (Summer/Autumn), and lower in the colder water months (Winter/Spring), while species diversity increased significantly with reef age. Fish assemblage composition remained relatively stable after the first year of sampling, with few discernible patterns in assemblage structure evident after the first year. Distinct separation in reef age groupings was evident during the second year of sampling; a pattern primarily driven by a decrease in abundance of P. sexlineatus, a result of the isolated nature of the artificial reefs and the interrelated effects of density dependence and predation.A despeito da longa história do desenvolvimento de estruturas artificiais nos estuários de NSW, não existem estudos que apresentem uma avaliação global sobre os efeitos obtidos com o estabelecimento dessas estruturas. No presente trabalho abordamos a efetividade dos recifes artificiais estuarinos como iniciativa para aumento da pesca; descrevemos a diversidade e abundância das espécies a eles associadas; descrevemos os padrões de colonização e o desenvolvimento das comunidades associadas a um recife artificial colocado no Lago Macquaire, extensa lagoa de barreira situada na costa sudeste da Australia. Seis recifes artificiais (formando um único grupo), construídos a partir de unidades artificiais (Reef Balls®), foram lançados em Dezembro de 2005 e amostrados seis vezes a cada estação do ano, durante dois anos, utilizando video subaquático remoto (BRUV). A colonizaç��o dentro do grupo de recifes ocorreu de maneira relativamente rápida, sendo que a maioria das espécies identificadas nos dois anos de estudo foi observada durante o primeiro ano de amostragem. Um total de 27 espécies pertencentes a 17 famílias foram identificadas. As espécies chave do processo de colonização foram Pelates sexlineatus (Teraponidae), Acanthopagrus australis (Sparidae), Pagrus auratus (Sparidae) and Rhabdosargus sarba (Sparidea). A riqueza de espécies mostrou evidência de sazonalidade, enquanto a diversidade aumentou significativamente com o aumento da idade do recife. A composição da assembléia de peixes permaneceu relativamente estável após o primeiro ano de amostragem, com poucos padrões identificáveis relativos à estrutura. Durante o segundo ano tornou-se evidente a formação de grupos por idade, padrão primariamente ocasionado pelo decréscimo na abundância de P. sexlineatus; por sua vez este decréscimo mostrou ser resultado da natureza isolada do recife artificial e dos efeitos interdependentes de abundância e predação

Manifest Onlife czyli o kondycji ludzkiej w dobie cyfrowej i wynikających z niej imperatywach

Tlumaczenia Manfestu Onlife, ktore ukazalo sie na archiwalnej dzis stronie Komisji Europejskiej :https://f.hypotheses.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/4130/files/2019/06/manifestonlife_tradpl.pd