A new tool for monitoring the Antarctic marine ecosystem using environmental DNA

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions : [OB] Polar Biology, Wed. 4 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) , National Institute of Polar Researc

Measuring context dependency in birdsong using artificial neural networks

Context dependency is a key feature in sequential structures of human language, which requires reference between words far apart in the produced sequence. Assessing how long the past context has an effect on the current status provides crucial information to understand the mechanism for complex sequential behaviors. Birdsongs serve as a representative model for studying the context dependency in sequential signals produced by non-human animals, while previous reports were upper-bounded by methodological limitations. Here, we newly estimated the context dependency in birdsongs in a more scalable way using a modern neural-network-based language model whose accessible context length is sufficiently long. The detected context dependency was beyond the order of traditional Markovian models of birdsong, but was consistent with previous experimental investigations. We also studied the relation between the assumed/auto-detected vocabulary size of birdsong (i.e., fine- vs. coarse-grained syllable classifications) and the context dependency. It turned out that the larger vocabulary (or the more fine-grained classification) is assumed, the shorter context dependency is detected

A critical role of holistic processing in face gender perception

Whether face gender perception is processed by encoding holistic (whole) or featural (parts) information is a controversial issue. Although neuroimaging studies have identified brain regions related to face gender perception, the temporal dynamics of this process remain under debate. Here, we identified the mechanism and temporal dynamics of face gender perception. We used stereoscopic depth manipulation to create two conditions: the front and behind condition. In the front condition, facial patches were presented stereoscopically in front of the occluder and participants perceived them as disjoint parts (featural cues). In the behind condition, facial patches were presented stereoscopically behind the occluder and were amodally completed and unified in a coherent face (holistic cues). We performed three behavioral experiments and one electroencephalography experiment, and compared the results of the front and behind conditions. We found faster RT in the behind condition compared with the front, and observed priming effects and aftereffects only in the behind condition. Moreover, the EEG experiment revealed that face gender perception is processed in the relatively late phase of visual recognition (200-285 ms). Our results indicate that holistic information is critical for face gender perception, and that this process occurs with a relatively late latency

A Case of Tensor Fasciae Suralis Muscle

An anomalous muscle was found on the dorsum of the right lower limb of a 67-year-old Japanese male. It originated by two heads from the semitendinosus and long head of the biceps femoris and ran distally to insert into the deep surface of the sural fascia. The origin, insertion and location of the muscle were compared with those of the various supernumerary muscles hitherto published. The muscle is consequently regarded as being the tensor fasciae suralis. This is the fifth case in Japan

Chick-computer interaction using sounds

The 11th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines. Kobe University, Japan. 2023-06-06/09. Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines Organizing Committee.Poster Session P4

Undirected singing rate as a non-invasive tool for welfare monitoring in isolated male zebra finches

Research on the songbird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) has advanced our behavioral, hormonal, neuronal, and genetic understanding of vocal learning. However, little is known about the impact of typical experimental manipulations on the welfare of these birds. Here we explore whether the undirected singing rate can be used as an indicator of welfare. We tested this idea by performing a post hoc analysis of singing behavior in isolated male zebra finches subjected to interactive white noise, to surgery, or to tethering. We find that the latter two experimental manipulations transiently but reliably decreased singing rates. By contraposition, we infer that a high-sustained singing rate is suggestive of successful coping or improved welfare in these experiments. Our analysis across more than 300 days of song data suggests that a singing rate above a threshold of several hundred song motifs per day implies an absence of an acute stressor or a successful coping with stress. Because singing rate can be measured in a completely automatic fashion, its observation can help to reduce experimenter bias in welfare monitoring. Because singing rate measurements are non-invasive, we expect this study to contribute to the refinement of the current welfare monitoring tools in zebra finches.Fil: Yamahachi, Homare. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Zai, Anja T.. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Tachibana, Ryosuke O.. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Stepien, Anna E.. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Rodrigues, Diana I.. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Cavé Lopez, Sophie. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Lorenz, Corinna. Universite Paris Saclay; Francia. Universitat Zurich; SuizaFil: Arneodo, Ezequiel Matías. Universitat Zurich; Suiza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Giret, Nicolas. Universite Paris Saclay; FranciaFil: Hahnloser, Richard H. R.. Universitat Zurich; Suiz

Biotin levels in blood and follicular fluid

It has been shown that biotin, a water-soluble vitamin (B7), plays roles in reproductive functions, such as oocyte maturation and embryo development, in experimental animals. On the other hand, little is known about the clinical effects of biotin on human reproduction. In this study, serum and follicular fluid biotin levels were measured in patients who underwent in vitro fertilization / intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF / ICSI), and their associations with reproductive outcomes were evaluated. As a result, biotin was detected in follicular fluid, as well as serum, and the biotin levels of follicular fluid were found to be positively correlated with those of serum. The biotin levels of serum were higher than those of follicular fluid, suggesting that biotin may be taken up into the follicular fluid from the blood. Although serum and follicular fluid biotin levels tended to be higher in pregnant patients than in non-pregnant patients, these data did not show the significant statistical difference. These findings indicate that biotin does not contribute to the maintenance of oocyte quality, and hence, it does not increase fertilization and pregnancy rates