Continuous neural activations of embodied-linguistic representations in modality switching costs

Modality switching costs (MSCs) are one of the classic effects that support the embodied views of conceptual representations. They refer to a delay in response time to verify a sensory property of a certain perceptual modality (e.g., visual: SUN – bright), when the previous sensory property has been of a different modality (e.g., auditory: BLENDER – loud) compared to a property of the same modality (e.g., visual: ROSE – red). Such costs indicate that conceptual representations require the recruitment of modality-specific resources. However, MSCs could also result from the distributional pattern of property words: the reason why loud -> bright takes longer than red -> bright could be because bright and loud do not co-occur in the same linguistic context as frequently as bright and red. In the present study, we examined how well MSCs were predicted by an embodied model (switch / no-switch between perceptual modalities) versus a linguistic model (switch / no-switch between linguistic distributional clusters), in behavioural (RT) and continuous event-related EEG potentials (ERP) paradigms. The behavioural data supported the linguistic model in explaining MSCs and found MSCs to be moderated by the target modality, the ERPs showed that linguistic distributional pattern played a crucial role in the neural activations of MSCs. What used to be found as a result of perceptual switching (e.g., "early N400" effect) could be better explained by the linguistic model. The embodied component was activated later than the linguistic component, accounting for activations associated with semantic representation (typically in N400 area). Later during processing, both components were active for decision making (often manifested as LPC).

The effect of guava (Psidium guajava) leaf extract on the quality of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) fillets during ice storage

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Psidium guajava leaves extract on the quality of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) fillets during in ice storage. A group of cobia fillets was soaked in Psidium guajava extract solutions at concentration of 0.03% (w/v) for 30 minutes while the other group soaked in cold ice water, considered as control treatment. The experimental fillets were packed and stored in ice for 15 days. Sampling were done on the 1st, 5th, 10th and 15th day. Analyzed parameters included temperature, total viable counts (TVC), sensory property, pH, moisture, water holding capacity (WHC), texture, total volatile base nitrogen (TVB–N), peroxide value (PV), Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARs), and fillet color. The results indicated that cobia fillets treated with guava extract solutions 0.03% showed significantly higher sensory property, lower PV and TBARs compared to the control treatment during ice storage. Based on the sensory property and total viable counts, cobia fillets can be used up to 10 days in both treatments remaining high quality of the cobia fillet.

Preparation and Quality Evaluation of Mango based Whey Beverage

This study aims to develop a beverage incorporating whey and mango pulp. Beverage was prepared by blending whey and mango pulp in a ratio of 59.9:30, 64.9:2, 69.9:20 and 74.9:15 (with 10% sugar and 0.1% CMC at 0.3% acidity level). Among the treatments, best formulation of the beverage (based on sensory property) was found to be the whey and mango pulp ratio of 69.9:20 with 10% sugar and 0.1% CMC.

Nutritional Evaluation, Glycemic Index and Sensory Property of Breakfast Cereals developed from Malted Amaranth and Roasted Sesame Blends

The aim of this study was to produce and assess breakfast meals produced from composite fl our samples of processed malted amaranth and roasted sesame blends. The various biomaterials were processed separately. The resulting fl our samples were blended at various ratios and processed to extruded breakfast meals. The extruded fl aked meals were assessed for selected quality parameters (total dietary fi bre, reducing/total sugar, sensory, amino acid and glycemic index/load) using standard methods. The results showed that there was increase in the amino acids, soluble, insoluble and total dietary fi bre of sesame substituted samples. There was decrease in the reducing sugar and total sugar, glycemic index and load, total and reducing sugar of the samples containing sesame. The sample containing 50% sesame and 50% amaranth was the most acceptable in all the sensory parameters except in colour. The study concluded that high nutritional quality breakfast meal, also of low glycemic index/load could be produced from malted amaranth substituted with roasted sesame.

The Role of Post-Ingestive Feedback in the Development of an Enhanced Appetite for the Orosensory Properties of Glucose over Fructose in Rats

The simple sugars glucose and fructose share a common “sweet” taste quality mediated by the T1R2+T1R3 taste receptor. However, when given the opportunity to consume each sugar, rats learn to affectively discriminate between glucose and fructose on the basis of cephalic chemosensory cues. It has been proposed that glucose has a unique sensory property that becomes more hedonically positive through learning about the relatively more rewarding post-ingestive effects that are associated with glucose as compared to fructose. We tested this theory using intragastric (IG) infusions to manipulate the post-ingestive consequences of glucose and fructose consumption. Food-deprived rats with IG catheters repeatedly consumed multiple concentrations of glucose and fructose in separate sessions. For rats in the “Matched” group, each sugar was accompanied by IG infusion of the same sugar. For the “Mismatched” group, glucose consumption was accompanied by IG fructose, and vice versa. This condition gave rats orosensory experience with each sugar but precluded the differential post-ingestive consequences. Following training, avidity for each sugar was assessed in brief access and licking microstructure tests. The Matched group displayed more positive evaluation of glucose relative to fructose than the Mismatched group. A second experiment used a different concentration range and compared responses of the Matched and Mismatched groups to a control group kept naïve to the orosensory properties of sugar. Consistent with results from the first experiment, the Matched group, but not the Mismatched or Control group, displayed elevated licking responses to glucose. These experiments yield additional evidence that glucose and fructose have discriminable sensory properties and directly demonstrate that their different post-ingestive effects are responsible for the experience-dependent changes in the motivation for glucose versus fructose.