scholarly journals Development of a cognitive bias methodology for measuring low mood in chimpanzees

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bateson ◽  
Daniel Nettle
Keyword(s):  
Male Subject ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Test Session ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Repeated Testing ◽  
Low Mood ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Larger Sample

There is an ethical and scientific need for objective, well-validated measures of low mood in captive chimpanzees. We describe the development of a novel cognitive task designed to measure ‘pessimistic’ bias in judgments of expectation of reward, a cognitive marker of low mood previously validated in a wide range of species, and report training and test data from three common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). The chimpanzees were trained on an arbitrary visual discrimination in which lifting a pale grey paper cone was associated with reinforcement with a peanut, whereas lifting a dark grey cone was associated with no reward. The discrimination was trained by sequentially presenting the two cone types until significant differences in latency to touch the cone types emerged, and was confirmed by simultaneously presenting both cone types in choice trials. Subjects were subsequently tested on their latency to touch unrewarded cones of three intermediate shades of grey not previously seen. Pessimism was indicated by the similarity between the latency to touch intermediate cones and the latency to touch the trained, unreinforced, dark grey cones. Three subjects completed training and testing, two adult males and one adult female. All subjects learnt the discrimination (107-240 trials), and retained it during five sessions of testing. There was no evidence that latencies to lift intermediate cones increased over testing, as would have occurred if subjects learnt that these were never rewarded, suggesting that the task could be used for repeated testing of individual animals. There was a significant difference between subjects in their relative latencies to touch intermediate cones (pessimism index) that emerged following the second test session, and was not changed by the addition of further data. The most dominant male subject was least pessimistic, and the female most pessimistic. We argue that the task has the potential to be used to assess longitudinal changes in sub-clinical levels of low mood in chimpanzees, however further work with a larger sample of animals is required to validate this claim.

scholarly journals Development of a cognitive bias methodology for measuring low mood in chimpanzees

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bateson ◽  
Daniel Nettle
Keyword(s):  
Male Subject ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Test Session ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Repeated Testing ◽  
Low Mood ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Larger Sample

There is an ethical and scientific need for objective, well-validated measures of low mood in captive chimpanzees. We describe the development of a novel cognitive task designed to measure ‘pessimistic’ bias in judgments of expectation of reward, a cognitive marker of low mood previously validated in a wide range of species, and report training and test data from three common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). The chimpanzees were trained on an arbitrary visual discrimination in which lifting a pale grey paper cone was associated with reinforcement with a peanut, whereas lifting a dark grey cone was associated with no reward. The discrimination was trained by sequentially presenting the two cone types until significant differences in latency to touch the cone types emerged, and was confirmed by simultaneously presenting both cone types in choice trials. Subjects were subsequently tested on their latency to touch unrewarded cones of three intermediate shades of grey not previously seen. Pessimism was indicated by the similarity between the latency to touch intermediate cones and the latency to touch the trained, unreinforced, dark grey cones. Three subjects completed training and testing, two adult males and one adult female. All subjects learnt the discrimination (107-240 trials), and retained it during five sessions of testing. There was no evidence that latencies to lift intermediate cones increased over testing, as would have occurred if subjects learnt that these were never rewarded, suggesting that the task could be used for repeated testing of individual animals. There was a significant difference between subjects in their relative latencies to touch intermediate cones (pessimism index) that emerged following the second test session, and was not changed by the addition of further data. The most dominant male subject was least pessimistic, and the female most pessimistic. We argue that the task has the potential to be used to assess longitudinal changes in sub-clinical levels of low mood in chimpanzees, however further work with a larger sample of animals is required to validate this claim.

scholarly journals Development of a cognitive bias methodology for measuring depression-like mood in chimpanzees

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Bateson ◽  
Daniel Nettle
Keyword(s):  
Visual Discrimination ◽  
Social Dominance ◽  
Male Subject ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Test Session ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Repeated Testing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference

There is an ethical and scientific need for objective, well-validated measures of depression-like mood in captive chimpanzees. We describe the development of a novel cognitive task designed to measure ‘pessimistic’ bias in judgments of expectation of reward, a cognitive marker of depressed mood previously validated in a wide range of species, and report training and test data from three common chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes). The chimpanzees were trained on an arbitrary visual discrimination in which lifting a pale grey paper cone was associated with reinforcement with a peanut, whereas lifting a dark grey cone was associated with no reward. The discrimination was trained by sequentially presenting the two cone types until significant differences in latency to touch the cone types emerged, and was confirmed by simultaneously presenting both cone types inchoice trials. Subjects were subsequently tested on their latency to touch unrewarded cones of three intermediate shades of grey not previously seen. Pessimism was indicated by the similarity between the latency to touch intermediate cones and the latency to touch the trained, unreinforced, dark grey cones. Three subjects completed training and testing, two adult males and one adult female. All subjects learnt the discrimination (107-240 trials), and retained it during five sessions of testing. There was no evidence that latencies to lift intermediate cones increased over testing, as would have occurred if subjects learnt that these were never rewarded, suggesting that the task could be used for repeated testing of individual animals. There was a significant difference between subjects in their relative latencies to touch intermediate cones (pessimism index) that emerged following the second test session, and was not changed by the addition of further data. The most dominant male subject was least pessimistic, and the female most pessimistic, suggesting a possible correlation between social dominance and pessimism that would need to be confirmed with data from further subjects.

scholarly journals Comparative Study of Intralesional Dexamethasone Plus Hyaluronidase & Oral Colchicine in Patients with Oral Submucous Fibrosis

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-65
Author(s):  
Ganesh Prasad Neupane ◽  
Maya Rai ◽  
R. S. Rathore ◽  
V. K. Bhargava ◽  
A. K. Mahat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Oral Mucosa ◽  
Oral Submucous Fibrosis ◽  
Mouth Opening ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
T Test ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Intralesional Injections ◽  
Submucous Fibrosis ◽  
Larger Sample

Introduction: Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a precancerous condition of the oral mucosa. It is characterized by excessive production of collagen leading to inelasticity of the oral mucosa and atrophic changes of the epithelium.Aim and objective: To evaluate the efficacy of oral Colchicine in comparison to intralesional injections of Dexamethasone plus Hyaluronidase in the management of OSMF patients.Materials and Methods: Fourty patients with OSMF were randomly divided equally into two groups. 20 patients in Dexamethasone group received biweekly intralesional injections of Dexamethasone (4mg/ml) plus Hyaluronidase 1500 IU in buccal mucosa for a period of 12 weeks. Other 20 patients in Colchicine group received oral Colchicine 0.5 mg tablets twice daily for 12 weeks. Parameters taken in the study were burning sensation, and mouth opening. Descriptive statistics, paired t test and unpaired t test were used for statistical analysis.Results and Conclusions: The pre- and post-treatment differences were found to be statistically significant for both the groups (p<0.001) and for both the treatment outcomes. When the average difference of the treatment outcomes was compared between the two study groups, statistically highly significant difference was noted (p <0.001) only in mouth opening but not in burning sensation.These encouraging results should prompt further clinical trials with Colchicine on a larger sample size to broaden the therapeutic usefulness of the drug in the management of OSMF. JNGMC,  Vol. 14 No. 2 December 2016, Page: 60-65

scholarly journals Biochemical and molecular characterization of Alternaria alternata isolates highly resistant to procymidone from broccoli and cabbage

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bingran Wang ◽  
Tiancheng Lou ◽  
Lingling Wei ◽  
Wenchan Chen ◽  
Longbing Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternaria Alternata ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Single Point Mutation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Leaf Blights ◽  
High Level

AbstractAlternaria alternata, a causal agent of leaf blights and spots on a wide range of hosts, has a high risk of developing resistance to fungicides. Procymidone, a dicarboximide fungicide (DCF), has been widely used in controlling Alternaria leaf blights in China for decades. However, the resistance of A. alternata against DCFs has rarely been reported from crucifer plants. A total of 198 A. alternata isolates were collected from commercial fields of broccoli and cabbage during 2018–2019, and their sensitivities to procymidone were determined. Biochemical and molecular characteristics were subsequently compared between the high-level procymidone-resistant (ProHR) and procymidone-sensitive (ProS) isolates, and also between ProHR isolates from broccoli and cabbage. Compared with ProS isolates, the mycelial growth rate, sporulation capacity and virulence of most ProHR isolates were reduced; ProHR isolates displayed an increased sensitivity to osmotic stresses and a reduced sensitivity to sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS); all ProHR isolates showed a reduced sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) except for the isolate B102. Correlation analysis revealed a positive cross-resistance between procymidone and iprodione, or fludioxonil. When treated with 10 μg/mL of procymidone, both mycelial intracellular glycerol accumulations (MIGAs) and relative expression of AaHK1 in ProS isolates were higher than those in ProHR isolates. Sequence alignment of AaHK1 from ten ProHR isolates demonstrated that five of them possessed a single-point mutation (P94A, V612L, E708K or Q924STOP), and four isolates had an insertion or a deletion in their coding regions. No significant difference in biochemical characteristics was observed among ProHR isolates from two different hosts, though mutations in AaHK1 of the cabbage-originated ProHR isolates were distinct from those of the broccoli-originated ProHR isolates.

scholarly journals Antifungal Activity of Propyl Disulfide from Neem (Azadirachta indica) in Vapor and Agar Diffusion Assays against Anthracnose Pathogens (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum acutatum) in Mango Fruit

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 839
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rafiullah Khan ◽  
Vanee Chonhenchob ◽  
Chongxing Huang ◽  
Panitee Suwanamornlert
Keyword(s):  
Antifungal Activity ◽  
Mycelial Growth ◽  
Colletotrichum Gloeosporioides ◽  
Colletotrichum Acutatum ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Pathogenicity Test ◽  
Agar Diffusion ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Diffusion Assay

Microorganisms causing anthracnose diseases have a medium to a high level of resistance to the existing fungicides. This study aimed to investigate neem plant extract (propyl disulfide, PD) as an alternative to the current fungicides against mango’s anthracnose. Microorganisms were isolated from decayed mango and identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum acutatum. Next, a pathogenicity test was conducted and after fulfilling Koch’s postulates, fungi were reisolated from these symptomatic fruits and we thus obtained pure cultures. Then, different concentrations of PD were used against these fungi in vapor and agar diffusion assays. Ethanol and distilled water were served as control treatments. PD significantly (p ≤ 0.05) inhibited more of the mycelial growth of these fungi than both controls. The antifungal activity of PD increased with increasing concentrations. The vapor diffusion assay was more effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of these fungi than the agar diffusion assay. A good fit (R2, 0.950) of the experimental data in the Gompertz growth model and a significant difference in the model parameters, i.e., lag phase (λ), stationary phase (A) and mycelial growth rate, further showed the antifungal efficacy of PD. Therefore, PD could be the best antimicrobial compound against a wide range of microorganisms.

scholarly journals The benefits of being dominant: Health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenta Uchida ◽  
Rachel Ng ◽  
Samuel A Vydro ◽  
Jennifer E Smith ◽  
Daniel T Blumstein
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Social Rank ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Dominant Male ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Active Season ◽  
Handicap Hypothesis ◽  
Variation Explained

Abstract The benefits of dominance may not come without costs, particularly for males. For example, the “immunocompetence handicap hypothesis” states that males with enhanced mating success allocate resources to enhance reproductive output at a cost to their current health, whereas the “resource quality hypothesis” predicts that high-ranking males may benefit from increased reproduction and good health. While the predictions from each have been well tested in captive animals and in a variety of highly social primates, fewer studies have been carried out in free-living, facultatively social animals. Using adult male yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), we evaluated predictions of these hypotheses by examining the relationship between social rank and two health indicators–fecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios–after accounting for variation explained by age, body mass, and seasonality. We found that higher-ranking males tended to have a lower N/L ratio (reflecting good health) than lower-ranking individuals, whereas FCM levels were not significantly related to rank. In addition, heavier male marmots had lower N/L ratios, while body mass was not associated with FCM levels. We also found that older adult males had lower FCM levels (reflecting less physiological stress) but higher N/L ratios than younger adults. Finally, we found that FCM levels decreased as the active season progressed and FCM levels were associated with the time of the day. Overall, our results suggest that socially-dominant male marmots enjoyed better, not worse health in terms of lower N/L ratios.

scholarly journals A Threat of Farmers’ Suicide and the Opportunity in Organic Farming for Sustainable Agricultural Development in India

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karthikeyan Mariappan ◽  
Deyi Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Input Cost

Agriculture is the main sources of income for humans. Likewise, agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. In India, Tamil Nadu regional state has a wide range of possibilities to produce all varieties of organic products due to its diverse agro-climatic condition. This research aimed to identify the economics and efficiency of organic farming, and the possibilities to reduce farmers’ suicides in the Tamil Nadu region through the organic agriculture concept. The emphasis was on farmers, producers, researchers, and marketers entering the sustainable economy through organic farming by reducing input cost and high profit in cultivation. A survey was conducted to gather data. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) has been used to test the hypothesis regards the cost and profit of rice production. The results showed that there was a significant difference in profitability between organic and conventional farming methods. It is very transparent that organic farming is the leading concept of sustainable agricultural development with better organic manures that can improve soil fertility, better yield, less input cost and better return than conventional farming. The study suggests that by reducing the cost of cultivation and get a marginal return through organic farming method to poor and small scale farmers will reduce socio-economic problems such as farmers’ suicides in the future of Indian agriculture.

scholarly journals 4K 3-dimensional video microscope system (orbeye) for transsphenoidal pituitary surgery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roman Rotermund ◽  
Jan Regelsberger ◽  
Katharina Osterhage ◽  
Jens Aberle ◽  
Jörg Flitsch
Keyword(s):  
3D Visualization ◽  
Remission Rate ◽  
Subjective Evaluation ◽  
Pituitary Surgery ◽  
Image Resolution ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Duration Of Surgery ◽  
Video Microscope ◽  
Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery

Abstract Background In previous reports on experiences with an exoscope, this new technology was not found to be applicable for transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. As a specialized center for pituitary surgery, we were using a 4K 3D video microscope (Orbeye, Olympus) to evaluate the system for its use in transsphenoidal pituitary surgery in comparison to conventional microscopy. Method We report on 296 cases performed with the Orbeye at a single institution. An observational study was conducted with standardized subjective evaluation by the surgeons after each procedure. An objective measurement was added to compare the exoscopic and microscopic methods, involving surgery time and the initial postoperative remission rate in matched cohorts. Results The patients presented with a wide range of pathologies. No serious events or minor complications occurred based on the usage of the 4K 3D exoscope. There was no need for switching back to the microscope in any of the cases. Compared to our microsurgically operated collective, there was no significant difference regarding duration of surgery, complications, or extent of resection. The surgeons rated the Orbeye beneficial in regard to instrument size, positioning, surgeon’s ergonomics, learning curve, image resolution, and high magnification. Conclusions The Orbeye exoscope presents with optical and digital zoom options as well as a 4K image resolution and 3D visualization resulting in better depth perception and flexibility in comparison to the microscope. Split screen mode offers the complementary benefit of the endoscope which may increase the possibilities of lateral view but has to be evaluated in comparison to endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures in the next step.

scholarly journals Rapid continental spread of a salt-tolerant plant along the European road network

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Fekete ◽  
Gy. Haszonits ◽  
D. Schmidt ◽  
H. Bak ◽  
O. Vincze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Road Network ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Road Maintenance ◽  
Salt Tolerant ◽  
Comprehensive Literature Review ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Germination Experiment ◽  
Plantago Coronopus

AbstractThe spread of alien species with the expansion of road networks and increasing traffic is a well-known phenomenon globally. Besides their corridor effects, road maintenance practices, such as the use of de-icing salts during winter facilitate the spread of halophyte (salt tolerant) species along roads. A good example is Plantago coronopus, a mainly coastal halophyte which has started spreading inland from the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastal habitats, recently reaching even Central European countries (e.g. Hungary). Here we studied the spread of this halophyte and tried to identify factors explaining its successful dispersion along roads, while also comparing native and non-native roadside occurrences with regard to altitude of the localities, size of roadside populations and frequency of roadside occurrences. We completed a comprehensive literature review and collected more than 200 reports of occurrence from roadsides spanning a total of 38 years. During systematic sampling the frequency of the species along roads was significantly higher in the Mediterranean (native area), than along Hungarian (non-native area) roads, however the average number of individuals at the sampling localities were very similar, and no significant difference could be detected. Using a germination experiment, we demonstrate that although the species is able to germinate even at high salt concentrations, salt is not required for germination. Indeed salt significantly decreases germination probability of the seeds. The successful spread of the species could most likely be explained by its remarkably high seed production, or some special characteristics (e.g. seed dimorphism) and its ability to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions. Considering the recent and rapid eastward spread of P. coronopus, occurrences in other countries where it has not been reported yet can be predicted in coming years.

Prescribed burning for lowland black spruce regeneration in northern Minnesota

1984 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E. Aksamit ◽  
Frank D. Irving
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
University Of Minnesota ◽  
Feather Moss ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Labrador Tea ◽  
Tall Shrub ◽  
The University ◽  
Larger Sample

Concern over the variability of black spruce (Piceamariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) regeneration on peatlands in northern Minnesota following prescribed burning led to a cooperative study between the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Twenty-seven black spruce cutovers on State lands that had been prescribed burned and either seeded or left to regenerate naturally were sampled. These were stratified into sphagnum – Labrador-tea – leather-leaf (SPHG) sites (10), feather moss (FM) sites (9), and alder – graminoid – other tall shrub (ALDR) sites (8). Results indicate that fire was not necessary to regenerate SPHG sites. FM sites required fire to modify unfavorable seedbeds and to reduce competition. Best results were obtained by burning when the upper layers of the peat were highly desiccated. ALDR sites occupied a wide range of ecological conditions which led to highly variable regeneration results. A larger sample size and possibly more carefully controlled study conditions are needed to fully understand ALDR site regeneration. Seeding results were uncertain for all sites.

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