Levels Of Behavior Research Articles

The role of the behavioral immune system in the expression of short and long-term orientation in young Chilean men during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed people's lives. It had consequences at the individual and social level. The behavioral immune system predicts that when faced with the risk of contagion from pathogens, people tend to reduce their sociality, especially sociosexuality. We examine this prediction by evaluating decreases in the pandemic of the different dimensions of sociosexuality of young men (i.e., short and long-term mating orientation, sexual desire, and sociosexual behavior) and considering their relationship status (single or paired).Methods and materialsWe compared data from two cross-sectional studies carried out in the laboratory with convenience sampling methods in the pre-pandemic period (in the years 2016 and 2018 with a sample size of N = 463) and pandemic (face-to-face panstudy N = 234,data online, N = 182), considering possible differences between samples of the same period. We reached an N = 879 young men who answered a sociodemographic questioarticipants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire that inclnnaire and the Multidimensional Sociosexual Orientation Inventory. To test our predictions, we fitted general linear models.ResultsResults point to a significant decrease in long-term mating orientation in paired and single men, but only when compared with the pandemic face-to-face study. In addition, no differences were found for short-term mating orientation. For sociosexual desire (i.e., sexual fantasies), we found a reduction in single pre-pandemic individuals to be compared with the sample of pandemic online study. Finally, we found a decrease in sociosexual behavior (i.e., number of partners in the last year) between pre-pandemic samples and the pandemic itself, regardless of their relationship status and samples inside of each period. In addition, we carry out analyses with a reduced sample to re-test our predictions based on the perception of contagion risk (measured by a survey from OMS).ConclusionWe find changes are maintained at the level of sociosexual desire and sexual behavior but mainly in those individuals with a greater perception of the risk of contagion. The hypotheses derived from the behavioral immune system regarding the decrease in sociosexuality in a context of risk of contagion by pathogens, as was the case in the initial period of COVID-19, are corroborated only in terms of desire and behavior, which suggests a certain stability in attitudes i.e., the menace of contagion modifies proximal aspects of sociosexuality, such as fantasies and behavior, but has no apparent effect on the calibration of the predisposition of individuals to varying levels of commitment in sexual relationships. These findings will allow us to understand better how the dimensions of sociosexuality (i.e., fantasies, attitudes and behavior) are affected when there are contexts of high risk of contagion, such as COVID-19. These findings will allow us to understand better how sociosexuality is affected when there are contexts of high risk of contagion, such as COVID-19.

Presenting Natural Continuous Speech in a Multisensory Immersive Environment Improves Speech Comprehension and Reflects the Allocation of Processing Resources in Neural Speech Tracking.

Successful speech comprehension, though seemingly effortless, involves complex interactions between sensory and cognitive processing and is predominantly embedded in a multisensory context, providing acoustic and visual speech cues. Adding the perspective of ageing, the interaction becomes even more manyfold. The impact of cognitive load on speech processing has been investigated, however, characterized by a lack of realistic speech material and multimodality. In this study, we therefore investigated the effects of memory load on naturalistic immersive audiovisual speech comprehension in older adults with varying degrees of hearing impairment and cognitive capacities. By providing natural continuous multisensory speech, provided through virtual reality, we created an immersive three-dimensional visual of the speaker and manipulated the memory load of the natural running speech inspired by a traditional n-back task. This allowed us to quantify neural speech envelope tracking via EEG and behavioral speech comprehension in varying modalities and memory loads in a highly controllable environment, while offering a realistic conversational experience. Neural speech tracking depends on an interaction between modality and memory load, moderated by auditory working memory capacity. Under low memory load, there is an increase in neural speech tracking in the immersive modality, particularly strong for individuals with low auditory working memory. Visually induced performance improvement is observed similarly in high and low memory load settings on a behavioral level. We argue that this dynamic reflects an allocation process of sensory- and cognitive processing resources depending on the presented sensory- and cognitive load of natural continuous speech and individual capacities.

Coaching in action: investigating actual coaching behaviour over time

ABSTRACT Research on the factors contributing to effective coaching has gained significant attention in recent years. These factors, however, are rather abstract constructs that cannot readily be observed. To address this issue, we focus on coaching behaviours. Coaching behaviours describe what coaches actually do during the coaching process and represent the visible and observable part of the coaching factors. Using behavioural observation, we analysed 50 coaching sessions with an average duration of 73.02 minutes (SD = 16.26). Our analysis demonstrated that specific coaching behaviours and coaching phases can be observed with high inter-rater reliability. In addition, coaching behaviours vary across different coaching phases, suggesting that coaches implement coaching factors in specific phases. These findings deepen our understanding of how coaching factors manifest themselves on a behavioural level throughout the coaching process, informing both research and evidence-based practice. This knowledge can also serve as a foundation for developing training programmes that target coaching processes at a fine-grained level.

A Chinese drug-compatibility-based approach to purslane hydrogels for acute eczema therapy

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) with heat-clearing and detoxicating, anti-inflammatory and resolving swelling, relieving itching and astringing function, has remarkable efficacy for acute eczema. However, most of the clinical applications of purslane are freshly prepared decoction, not as easy to apply as cream, because the decoction is easy to breed bacteria and easy to oxidize. Here, based on the theory of Chinese medicines compatibility, we made a purslane-tannic acid hydrogel (PL-HATA) by simple methods under mild conditions to solve the drawbacks of easy oxidation and inconvenience of use of Purslane. The antimicrobial activity of PL-HATA hydrogel can exert an excellent antimicrobial effect, reducing the flora on the skin of acute eczema and further relieving the symptoms of acute eczema. At the same time, it creates a normal reactive oxygen species (ROS) microenvironment for acute eczema and promotes recovery from acute eczema. It also improves the symptoms of acute eczema by promoting cell proliferation and migration. Importantly, it resulted in improved skin lesion scores, scratching behavior, eosinophil infiltration, swelling and inflammation levels, immune homeostasis, and histopathological changes in rats with acute eczema. Besides, HATA hydrogel is not only suitable for Purslane’s decocted metabolites but also for Purslane’s freshly squeezed metabolites. This purslane application protocol solved the drawbacks of Purslane’s decoction, improved its storage stability and convenience of use, which is the key issue to further promote its clinical application.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide plays a role in neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders: sex-specific perspective

The neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) plays a pivotal role in regulating stress, fear, and anxiety responses. Genetic and molecular studies investigating PACAP demonstrate sex-dimorphic characteristics, with females exhibiting increased reactivity of PACAP signaling in neuropsychiatric disorders. Studies expand the role of PACAP to substance use disorders (SUD) by demonstrating modulation of PACAP can lead to neurobiological changes induced by nicotine, ethanol, stimulants and opioids. Given that females with SUD exhibit distinct drug use, relapse, and withdrawal sensitivity relative to males, we hypothesize that the PACAP system contributes to these sex-specific differences. Therefore, we review the role of PACAP in SUD by characterizing the role of PACAP at the molecular, brain regional, and behavioral levels relevant to the addiction cycle. We present literature linking PACAP to neuropsychiatric disorders, which demonstrate the intricate role of PACAP within neuronal signaling and pathways modulating addiction. We hypothesize that females are more particularly susceptible to PACAP-related changes during the intoxication and withdrawal phases of the addiction cycle. Altogether understanding the sex-specific differences in the PACAP system offers a foundation for future studies aimed at developing tailored interventions for addressing SUD.

Financial literacy perception of individual micro-entrepreneurs in Paço do Lumiar – MA

The objective of the research is to analyze the perception of financial literacy in the business management of local micro-entrepreneurs, seeking to understand their level of knowledge, financial behavior, and financial attitude. To achieve this, a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was conducted with 72 micro-entrepreneurs. The research results revealed that although the interviewed entrepreneurs demonstrate solid financial behavior and attitudes, they still face challenges in improving their financial knowledge. This is evident in the proportion of the sample that showed a limited understanding of basic financial concepts, such as compound interest and inflation, which play a significant role in the entrepreneur's daily activities. This gap suggests a lack of specialization in fundamental aspects of financial management.

Design of a Waste Classification System Using a Low Experimental Cost Capacitive Sensor and Machine Learning Algorithms

The management and classification of solid waste is one of the most important challenges worldwide. The objective is to design a basic waste classification system at the source using a low-cost experimental capacitive sensor and machine learning algorithms. For this, two types of sensor models were established (Traditional Model (MT) and Non-Traditional Model (MNT)), which were built with recyclable material and tested with different types of materials, in order to evaluate their behavior and sensitivity level. The results obtained demonstrated that the two sensors responded with acceptable sensitivity levels for each of the materials used as a test; however, the MNT was the one that generated the values with the greatest variability, an aspect that is deemed highly significant, because, thanks to this type of response to various types of materials, it facilitates the classification processes through the use of machine learning algorithms. Finally, the two prototypes of sensors manufactured can be considered of significant relevance for the development of more complex solutions, related to the classification and possible characterization of materials, when compared to the capacitive sensors found on the market, which only then allow us to identify if there is a presence or not of some object through adjustment by potentiometer, generating as a result a digital output. This aspect largely limits the use of commercial capacitive sensors to applications exclusively related to presence or level detection.

Financial Behavior dan Financial Knowledge Terhadap Keputusan Pembayaran Dana Pensiun pada Aparatur Sipil Negara di Provinsi Gorontalo

The research analyze how the level of financial knowledge and financial behavior affects the decision of choosing fully funded or pay as yo go pensiun fund for Civil Servant in Gorontalo Province. The pension fund have a huge portion in Government budget so the new scheme of retirement plan is introduced to minimize the risk of asymmetric government budget and the rising of old age peope in civil servant. The data consist of 200 samples from the civil servants around Gorontalo Province. The data analysis technique using logistic regression. Our result show evidence that group of samples that have a higher degree in financial knowledge and financial behavior tend to choose fully funded pension scheme. This is consistent with our previous hypothesis that the higher financial literacy lead to good skill to manage personal finance include retirement plan and investment.

Time to inhibit: P300 amplitude differences in individuals with high and low temporal efficiency.

Temporal processing and inhibitory control are closely interconnected. This study investigated whether individuals of high and low temporal efficiency display different behavioral and neural patterns while performing an electrophysiological Go/No-Go task. Individuals with lower temporal processing had significantly poorer behavioral performance of the task-slower reaction times to Go stimuli, greater number of omissions, and lower stimulus detectability (lower d-prime value)-than the high temporal efficiency group. Additionally, participants with low temporal efficiency had significantly lower P300 response to correct inhibitions (No-Go stimuli) compared to those with high temporal efficiency. Furthermore, the greater amplitude of the difference wave (No-Go vs Go) in the high temporal efficiency group may suggest superior efficacy of response inhibition and attention control processes in comparison to the low temporal efficiency group. These findings highlight significant differences in inhibitory control at both behavioral and neural levels in young adults differing in temporal processing efficiency.

Maternal Separation Exhibits a Sex Dimorphism in Memory Impairments in Adolescent Rats: Acute Methylphenidate Administration as a Treatment.

Rodents are highly dependent on maternal care after birth. Disturbing mother and pup interactions leads to detrimental alternations for the rat and the mother. Maternal separation (MS) is an accepted model for investigating disruption of mother and pup relationship. In addition to other detrimental effects, MS is a model known to induce permanent changes in learning and memory. Methylphenidate has been effective in memory enhancement in individuals suffering from memory deficits, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), as well as healthy subjects for better performance in exams. In this research, a 21-day separation for 3 h was implemented, and the effects of MS on spatial and passive avoidance learning, and memory were evaluated in the mid-adolescence period of rats, in both males and females. Also, a drug intervention of a high therapeutic dose of 5 mg per kg was used in a five-day period in different control and MS groups. Morris water maze was utilized for spatial learning and memory analysis, and a shuttle box paradigm was used for passive avoidance learning and memory. Through our behavioral tests, we have shown that MS can alter spatial learning and memory in males. On the other hand, females are protected from the detrimental effects of MS on spatial learning and memory. Furthermore, passive avoidance learning was not different among groups, be it male or female. However, in the case of memory evaluation in the passive avoidance test, the male did not exhibit a significant difference in step-through latency. However, maternally separated females had poor performance in the memory phase with shorter step-through latencies. Methylphenidate compensated for the deleterious effects of MS on learning and spatial memory for the male group and passive avoidance memory in the female group at the behavioral level.

Striatal neurones expressing D1 dopamine receptors modulate consciousness in sevoflurane but not propofol anaesthesia in mice.

Sevoflurane and propofol are the most widely used inhaled and i.v. general anaesthetics, respectively. The mechanisms by which sevoflurane and propofol induce loss of consciousness (LOC) remain unclear. Recent studies implicate the brain dopaminergic circuit in anaesthetic-induced LOC and the cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical loop in decoding consciousness. We investigated the contribution of the dorsal striatum, which is a critical interface between the dopaminergic circuit and the cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical loop, in sevoflurane and propofol anaesthesia. Electroencephalography and electromyography recordings and righting reflex tests were used to determine LOC and recovery of consciousness (ROC). The activity of D1 dopamine receptor (D1R)-expressing neurones in the dorsal striatum was monitored using fibre photometry, and regulated using optogenetic and chemogenetic methods in D1R-Cre mice. Population activities of striatal D1R neurones began to decrease before LOC and gradually returned after ROC. During sevoflurane anaesthesia, optogenetic activation of striatal D1R neurones induced ROC at cortical and behavioural levels in steady-state anaesthesia and promoted cortical activation in deep burst suppression anaesthesia. Chemogenetic inhibition of striatal D1R neurones accelerated induction (from 242.0 [46.1] to 194.0 [26.9] s; P=0.010) and delayed emergence (from 93.5 [21.2] to 133.5 [33.9] s; P=0.005), whereas chemogenetic activation of these neurones accelerated emergence (from 107 [23.7] to 81.3 [16.1] s; P=0.011). However, neither optogenetic nor chemogenetic manipulation of striatal D1R neurones had any effects on propofol anaesthesia. Striatal D1R neurones modulate the state of consciousness in sevoflurane anaesthesia, but not in propofol anaesthesia.

Assessment of Health-Related Behaviors and Physical Activity of Wheelchair Fencers

Background. Sports for people with disabilities were developed to be the final stage and continuation of rehabilitation, and their main purpose was for therapeutic value. The purpose of this study was to assess the physical activity and selected health behaviors of people with disabilities involved in wheelchair fencing. Materials and Methods. The study included 89 people with disabilities. The first group (n = 42) consisted of parafencers participating in the Kiliński’s Sabre Wheelchair Fencing World Cup. The control group was 47 people with disabilities who were non-athletes. The main research tools were the Health Behaviors Inventory (HBI) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Results. The athletes’ health behaviors, assessed using the HBI, showed significant differences between the two study groups. Wheelchair fencers were more attentive to eating habits, preventive behaviors, and health practices and had more favorable mental attitudes. In the fencers’ overall physical activity over the past seven days, differences were observed between those who trained competitively and non-athletes. The differences were statistically significant. Conclusions. Fencers were characterized by significantly higher levels of health behavior. This may indicate the intellectualization of the training process and the transfer of the desired behavior to everyday life.

Crocin facilitates the effect of fear extinction on freezing behavior and BDNF level in a rat model of fear-conditioning

Crocin facilitates the effect of fear extinction on freezing behavior and BDNF level in a rat model of fear-conditioning

Nose-clip use in semi-free ranging pigs reduces rooting without disrupting affiliative behaviour or causing prolonged stress.

Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) raised under natural conditions can show their complete behavioural repertoire. However, rooting behaviour can have a great impact on the environment. In the context of the promotion of farm animal welfare and environmental concerns, this study investigated the potential of nose-clips as a less invasive alternative to nose-rings for the management of rooting behaviour of free-ranging pigs. We collected behavioural data and salivary cortisol levels on two groups: an experimental group (n=17) with nose-clips and a control group (n=17) without nose-clips. After the nose-clipping, we observed a temporary increase in anxiety-related behaviour and cortisol levels during the 1st week, followed by a return to pre-application levels in the following weeks. We found a temporary decrease in affiliative interactions involving the nose during the 1st week after the application of nose-clips, whereas no differences in affiliative interactions without nose contact and aggression levels were observed. Moreover, nose-clips effectively reduced destructive excavation behaviours, without leading to a simultaneous increase in other exploratory behaviours. In conclusion, our findings show that nose-clips could be a solution that mitigates destructive rooting while preserving social interactions and animal welfare. Further research is essential to consolidate these findings and assess the long-term implications of this approach.

Delta-opioid receptor signaling alleviates neuropathology and cognitive impairment in the mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease by regulating microglia homeostasis and inhibiting HMGB1 pathway

BackgroundRecent studies suggest that opioid receptor signaling may differentially affect Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology and the relevant behavioral dysfunctions. However, the precise roles and mechanisms of opioid receptor subtypes in AD pathologies are still unclear with major controversies.MethodsWe compared the delta-opioid receptor (DOR)- and mu-opioid receptor (MOR)-mediated effects on AD-associated cognitive deficits, pathologies, neuroinflammations, cell death using transgenic APP/PS1 mouse model and BV2 cell line at behavioral, molecular, and cellular levels. Unpaired t-test and one/two way analysis for variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze statistical significance of the data.ResultsWe show a distinct role of DOR and its major difference with MOR in AD injury in an APP/PS1 mouse model. DOR activation by UFP-512, but not MOR activation by DAMGO, attenuated cognitive impairment, reduced beta-amyloid (Aβ) production and aggregation, as well as protected the neurons from apoptosis in APP/PS1 mice. DOR and MOR also differentially modulated microglia in APP/PS1 mice and in vitro AD cell model with a DOR-mediated inhibition on the excessive activation of microglia and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in AD pathologies. Gene expression profiling further revealed that the alternations in DOR/MOR are closely associated with microglial homeostatic signatures and high mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) in AD. DOR activation inhibited HMGB1 secretion and its translocation from nuclear to cytoplasm. Our in-vitro studies further confirmed that DOR overexpression mitigated microglial inflammatory response and rescued neurons from AD injury via HMGB1-NF-κB signaling pathway.ConclusionsThese novel findings uncover previously unappreciated roles of DOR in neuroprotection against AD injury via modulating microglia-related inflammatory responses.

Crevices increase feeding behavior, crawling behavior and glucose level of stressed sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus)

Crevices increase feeding behavior, crawling behavior and glucose level of stressed sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus)

Chronic stress induces depression-like behavior in rats through affecting brain mitochondrial function and inflammation.

Chronic stress is involved in pathophysiology of depression, and causes some neurochemical alterations in brain. Both mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation are implicated in mediating the depression-like behavior. The objectives of present study were, at first, to confirm that chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induces depression-like behavior and alters mitochondrial function and inflammatory responses within the brain, and then to explore the role of mitochondria in the development of this depression-like behavior. It has been found that CUMS exposure induced depression-like behavior, mitochondrial dysfunction, increased IL-1, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in hippocampus and PFC. Moreover, the level of ATP, the key index of mitochondrial function, was inversely correlated with the levels of proinflammatory cytokine. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of the mitochondrial targeted antioxidant MnTBAP significantly alleviated depression-like behavior in CUMS group. These findings suggested that CUMS results in depression-like behavior, mitochondrial dysfunction as well as neuroinflammation, and mitochondria dysfunction contributes to depression-like behavior caused by CUMS.

Self-Management Behaviours in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: What Role Do Health Beliefs Play?

Self-management is the intrinsically controlled ability of an active, responsible, informed and autonomous individual to live with the medical, role and emotional consequences of his chronic conditions in partnership with his social network and the healthcare providers. This study evaluated the self-management behaviours of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and assess the association between health beliefs and self-management behaviours. This cross-sectional study investigated 269 rheumatoid arthritis patients' self-management behaviours using the Self-Care Behaviours Scale with a score of 0-4 for each item and a total score of 0-100 points, and health beliefs using the Arthritis Health Belief Inventory with a score of 1-5 for each item and a total score of 0-165 points. Structural equation modelling with maximum likelihood method was used to explore the mediating effect of health beliefs. The patients' mean score for self-management behaviours was at the intermediate level (2.49 ± 0.60). Sex, marital status, per capita monthly income, payment of medical expenses, social status, disease staging, duration of morning stiffness, joint pain score, treatment, receiving health education, perceived severity, perceived benefits, cue to action and health motivation were significant predictors of the average score of self-management behaviour of the rheumatoid arthritis patients. Perceived severity, perceived benefits, cues to action and health motivation directly affected self-management behaviours; perceived severity influenced self-management behaviours through the mediating effect of cues to action; and health motivation affected self-management behaviours through the chain mediating effect of perceived benefits and cues to action. Self-management behaviour of rheumatoid arthritis patients was at a moderate level, and health beliefs can effectively explain the differences in self-management behaviour scores. Health providers should pay attention to patients with different sociodemographic characteristics and disease-related characteristics, evaluate their health belief level, and develop targeted intervention measures to further improve patients' self-management behaviour level and improve their disease prognosis.

The unity/diversity framework of executive functions: behavioral and neural evidence in older adults.

Executive functions (EFs), encompassing inhibition, shifting, and updating as three fundamental subdomains, are typically characterized by a unity/diversity construct. However, given the dedifferentiation trend observed in aging, it remains controversial whether the construct of EFs in older adults becomes unidimensional or maintains unity/diversity. This study aims to explore and validate the construct of EFs in older adults. At the behavioral level, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis on data from 222 older adults who completed six tasks specifically targeting inhibition, shifting, and updating. One unidimensional model and six unity/diversity models of EFs were evaluated. Our results indicated that the EFs of older adults demonstrated greater congruence with the unity/diversity construct. At neural level, thirty older adults completed three thematically consistent fMRI tasks, targeting three subdomains of EFs respectively. Multivariate pattern analysis showed that rostromedial prefrontal cortex robustly showed similar neural representation across different tasks (unity). Meanwhile, the three EF domains were encoded by distinct global neural representation and the lateral prefrontal cortex play a crucial role in classification (diversity). These findings underscore the unity/diversity framework of EFs in older adults and offer important insights for designing interventions aimed at improving EFs in this population.

B-BBEE laws and mutual funds’ performance: what do we know?

The paper builds on an analysis by Chekenya and Klingelhöfer to examine the possible existence of systematic performance differences between B-BBEE affiliated and non-B-BBEE affiliated mutual fund firms in South Africa and see whether the indigenisation laws affect firm performance directly through their effects on firm behaviour. Our key conjecture is that by distinguishing between different mechanisms by which B-BBEE laws can affect mutual fund performance, there are observed significant positive effects at the level of firm behaviour. To the extent that the concept of B-BBEE in South Africa fosters economic progress, the results of this study suggest that investors not necessarily view such a policy negatively. The paper’s results also cannot confirm with statistical significance the expectation motivated by theory that B-BBEE laws influence firm performance negatively, thus, predicting a block for foreign investment. Our much longer sample period (from 2004 to 2016) does not lead to significant other results than a prior study published only shortly after the B-BBEE laws coming into force. However, our results could not confirm that these laws have effects on firm performance.