Elevated arousal at time of decision-making is not the arbiter of risk avoidance in chickens

The somatic marker hypothesis proposes that humans recall previously experienced physiological responses to aid decision-making under uncertainty. However, little is known about the mechanisms used by non-human animals to integrate risk perception with predicted gains and losses. We monitored the behaviour and physiology of chickens when the choice between a high-gain (large food quantity), high-risk (1 in 4 probability of receiving an air-puff) option (HGRAP) or a low-gain (small food quantity), no-risk (of an air-puff) (LGNAP) option. We assessed when arousal increased by considering different stages of the decision-making process (baseline, viewing, anticipation, reward periods) and investigated whether autonomic responses influenced choice outcome both immediately and in the subsequent trial. Chickens were faster to choose and their heart-rate significantly increased between the viewing and anticipation (post-decision, pre-outcome) periods when selecting the HGRAP option. This suggests that they responded physiologically to the impending risk. Additionally, arousal was greater following a HGRAP choice that resulted in an air-puff, but this did not deter chickens from subsequently choosing HGRAP. In contrast to human studies, we did not find evidence that somatic markers were activated during the viewing period, suggesting that arousal is not a good measure of avoidance in non-human animals

Anticipatory stress restores decision-making deficits in heavy drinkers by increasing sensitivity to losses

Background: Substance abusers are characterized by hypersensitivity to reward. This leads to maladaptive decisions generally, as well as those on laboratory-based decision-making tasks, such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Negative affect has also been shown to disrupt the decision-making of healthy individuals, particularly decisions made under uncertainty. Neuropsychological theories of learning, including the Somatic Marker Hypothesis (SMH), argue this occurs by amplifying affective responses to punishment. In substance abusers, this might serve to rebalance their sensitivity to reward with punishment, and improve decision-making

Measurement of Oxygen Partial Pressure, its Control During Hypoxia and Hyperoxia, and its Effect upon Light Emission in a Bioluminescent Elaterid Larva

This study investigates the respiratory physiology of bioluminescent larvae of Pyrearinus termitilluminans in relation to their tolerance to hypoxia and hyperoxia and to the supply of oxygen for bioluminescence. The partial pressure of oxygen (P(O2)) was measured within the bioluminescent prothorax by in vivo electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry following acclimation of larvae to hypoxic, normoxic and hyperoxic (normobaric) atmospheres and during periods of bioluminescence (during normoxia). The P(O2) in the prothorax during exposure to an external P(O2) of 15.2, 160 and 760 mmHg was 10.3+/-2.6, 134+/-0.9 and 725+/-73 mmHg respectively (mean +/- s.d., N=5; 1 mmHg=0.1333 kPa). Oxygen supply to the larvae via gas exchange through the spiracles, measured by determining the rate of water loss, was also studied in the above atmospheres and was found not to be dependent upon P(O2). The data indicated that there is little to no active control of extracellular tissue P(O2) within the prothorax of these larvae. The reduction in prothorax P(O2) observed during either attack-response-provoked bioluminescence or sustained feeding-related bioluminescence in a normoxic atmosphere was variable, but fell within the range 10-25 mmHg. The effect of hypoxic atmospheres on bioluminescence was measured to estimate the intracellular P(O2) within the photocytes of the prothorax. Above a threshold value of 50-80 mmHg, bioluminescence was unaffected by P(O2). Below this threshold, an approximately linear relationship between P(O2) and bioluminescence was observed. Taken together with the extracellular P(O2) measurements, this suggests that control of P(O2) within the photocyte may occur. This work establishes that EPR oximetry is a valuable technique for long-term measurement of tissue P(O2) in insects and can provide valuable insights into their respiratory physiology. It also raises questions regarding the hypothesis that bioluminescence can have a significant antioxidative effect by reduction of prothorax P(O2 )through oxygen consumption

A new species of Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes, Characidae) from the Esteros del Iberá wetlands, Argentina

Hyphessobrycon auca sp. n. is described from the Esteros del Iberá wetlands. Hyphessobrycon auca differs from the remaining species of the genus by the presence of one maxillary tooth with 5 cusps; dentary low with teeth decreasing in size anteroposteriorly; males with hooks in all fins; mature females with hooks on pelvic-fin rays; one humeral spot vertically elongated, bounded by a light area; a second lateral spot may be faint or well developed; a wide lateral band ending in a conspicuous caudal spot.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

A new species of Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes, Characidae) from the Esteros del Iberá wetlands, Argentina

Hyphessobrycon auca sp. n. is described from the Esteros del Iberá wetlands. Hyphessobrycon auca differs from the remaining species of the genus by the presence of one maxillary tooth with 5 cusps; dentary low with teeth decreasing in size anteroposteriorly; males with hooks in all fins; mature females with hooks on pelvic-fin rays; one humeral spot vertically elongated, bounded by a light area; a second lateral spot may be faint or well developed; a wide lateral band ending in a conspicuous caudal spot.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

The sensory acceptability of a tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) mechanically separated meat-based spread.

A carne mecanicamente separada (CMS) é uma alternativa para a diversificação de novos produtos à base de pescado e também se mostra como um destino para os resíduos da indústria de filetagem. A carne mecanicamente separada de tilápia foi utilizada, neste estudo, na formulação de patê, com o objetivo de investigar a aceitabilidade desse produto pelos consumidores. Duas formulações de patê foram preparadas, com diferentes tipos de sais comerciais: sal temperado (A) e sal comum (B). Consumidores (112) avaliaram a aceitação em relação à impressão global, à espalhabilidade, à aparência e ao sabor em escala hedônica de nove pontos. A análise microbiológica da carne mecanicamente separada de tilápia e a composição química da formulação de patê de tilápia também foram determinadas. Quando a aceitação de todos os consumidores foi considerada, a impressão global, a aparência e o sabor foram significativamente (p < 0,05) inferiores para o patê de tilápia com sal comum (B). No entanto, três diferentes grupos de consumidores foram encontrados a partir da aceitabilidade da impressão global do patê de tilápia. O maior segmento também preferiu o patê de tilápia com sal temperado (A), mas ambos tiveram alta aceitabilidade. A CMS de tilápia apresentou qualidade como matéria-prima de acordo com regulamento técnico sobre padrões microbiológicos. O produto final apresentou a seguinte composição química: umidade - 62,17%; cinzas - 2,11%; proteína - 9,75%, e lipídios - 18,81%. Esses resultados podem ser de grande importância para a indústria no desenvolvimento e na comercialização de novos produtos obtidos a partir da carne mecanicamente separada de tilápia

Damage to insula abolishes cognitive distortions during simulated gambling.

This is the accepted version of an article originally published in PNAS. The version of record is available at http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/04/02/1322295111.Gambling is a naturalistic example of risky decision-making. During gambling, players typically display an array of cognitive biases that create a distorted expectancy of winning. This study investigated brain regions underpinning gambling-related cognitive distortions, contrasting patients with focal brain lesions to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), insula, or amygdala ("target patients") against healthy comparison participants and lesion comparison patients (i.e., with lesions that spare the target regions). A slot machine task was used to deliver near-miss outcomes (i.e., nonwins that fall spatially close to a jackpot), and a roulette game was used to examine the gambler's fallacy (color decisions following outcome runs). Comparison groups displayed a heightened motivation to play following near misses (compared with full misses), and manifested a classic gambler's fallacy effect. Both effects were also observed in patients with vmPFC and amygdala damage, but were absent in patients with insula damage. Our findings indicate that the distorted cognitive processing of near-miss outcomes and event sequences may be ordinarily supported by the recruitment of the insula. Interventions to reduce insula reactivity could show promise in the treatment of disordered gambling.LC was supported by a grant from the Medical Research Council (UK) (G1100554). BS was supported by a PhD studentship from the Medical Research Council. AB and DT, as well as the lesion patient research, were supported by grants from the National Institute of Health, namely the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [P01 NS19632], and by the National Institute on Drug Abuse [R01 DA023051, R01 DA022549]