• Title/Summary/Keyword: Behavioral sciences

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Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation Exposure on Stress-Related Behaviors and Stress Hormones in Male Wistar Rats

  • Mahdavi, Seyed Mohammad;Sahraei, Hedayat;Yaghmaei, Parichehreh;Tavakoli, Hassan
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.22 no.6
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    • pp.570-576
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    • 2014
  • Studies have demonstrated that electromagnetic waves, as the one of the most important physical factors, may alter cognitive and non-cognitive behaviors, depending on the frequency and energy. Moreover, non-ionizing radiation of low energy waves e.g. very low frequency waves could alter this phenomenon via alterations in neurotransmitters and neurohormones. In this study, short, medium, and long-term exposure to the extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) (1 and 5 Hz radiation) on behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic changes in male Wistar rats (250 g) were studied. In addition, changes in plasma concentrations for two main stress hormones, noradrenaline and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) were evaluated. ELF-EMF exposure did not alter body weight, and food and water intake. Plasma glucose level was increased and decreased in the groups which exposed to the 5 and 1Hz wave, respectively. Plasma ACTH concentration increased in both using frequencies, whereas noradrenaline concentration showed overall reduction. At last, numbers of rearing, sniffing, locomotor activity was increased in group receiving 5 Hz wave over the time. In conclusions, these data showed that the effects of 1 and 5 Hz on the hormonal, metabolic and stress-like behaviors may be different. Moreover, the influence of waves on stress system is depending on time of exposure.

A tutorial on generalizing the default Bayesian t-test via posterior sampling and encompassing priors

  • Faulkenberry, Thomas J.
    • Communications for Statistical Applications and Methods
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.217-238
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    • 2019
  • With the advent of so-called "default" Bayesian hypothesis tests, scientists in applied fields have gained access to a powerful and principled method for testing hypotheses. However, such default tests usually come with a compromise, requiring the analyst to accept a one-size-fits-all approach to hypothesis testing. Further, such tests may not have the flexibility to test problems the scientist really cares about. In this tutorial, I demonstrate a flexible approach to generalizing one specific default test (the JZS t-test) (Rouder et al., Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 16, 225-237, 2009) that is becoming increasingly popular in the social and behavioral sciences. The approach uses two results, the Savage-Dickey density ratio (Dickey and Lientz, 1980) and the technique of encompassing priors (Klugkist et al., Statistica Neerlandica, 59, 57-69, 2005) in combination with MCMC sampling via an easy-to-use probabilistic modeling package for R called Greta. Through a comprehensive mathematical description of the techniques as well as illustrative examples, the reader is presented with a general, flexible workflow that can be extended to solve problems relevant to his or her own work.

The Relationship Between Despotic Leadership and Employee Outcomes: An Empirical Study from Pakistan

  • KHAN, Hafiz Ghufran Ali;AHMED, Irshad;Ul AIN, Qurat;MUMTAZ, Roohi;IKRAM, Memoona
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.9 no.6
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    • pp.331-341
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    • 2022
  • Through emotional exhaustion, this study empirically tests followers' behavioral responses to autocratic leaders. The current research focuses on effects caused by despotic leadership on followers' emotional exhaustion, which leads to employee outcomes such as interpersonal deviances and indirect aggression. The association between despotic leadership and results (employee interpersonal deviance and indirect violence) is investigated in this study. In this study, emotional exhaustion is used as a mediator. Furthermore, negative affectivity is used as a moderator between despotic leadership and emotional exhaustion. A time-lagged framework is employed with a sample of 255 respondents. Age, qualification, marital status, gender, grade, type of organization, department, and job experience are among the eight demographical questions in this study. After evaluating the data for normality, correlation analysis was performed, followed by moderation and mediation analysis. The current study explores the link between despotic leadership and emotional exhaustion among followers, arguing that a despotic leader will leave followers exhausted at work. Emotional exhaustion was also linked to interpersonal deviances, such as indirect aggression, in a significant and positive way. Employee outcomes, such as interpersonal deviances and indirect aggressiveness through emotional exhaustion, will be influenced by a despotic leader, according to the findings.

Sinapic Acid Ameliorates REV-ERB α Modulated Mitochondrial Fission against MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease Model

  • Lee, Sang-Bin;Yang, Hyun Ok
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.30 no.5
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    • pp.409-417
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    • 2022
  • Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide, and accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with progressive deterioration in PD patients. Previous studies have shown that sinapic acid has a neuroprotective effect, but its mechanisms of action remain unclear. The neuroprotective effect of sinapic acid was assayed in a PD mouse model generated by the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) as well as in SH-SY5Y cells. Target protein expression was detected by western blotting. Sinapic acid treatment attenuated the behavioral defects and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the PD models. Sinapic acid also improved mitochondrial function in the PD models. MPTP treatment increased the abundance of mitochondrial fission proteins such as dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and phospho-Drp1 Ser616. In addition, MPTP decreased the expression of the REV-ERB α protein. These changes were attenuated by sinapic acid treatment. We used the pharmacological REV-ERB α inhibitor SR8278 to confirmation of protective effect of sinapic acid. Treatment of SR8278 with sinapic acid reversed the protein expression of phospho-Drp1 Ser616 and REV-ERB α on MPTP-treated mice. Our findings demonstrated that sinapic acid protects against MPTP-induced PD and these effects might be related to the inhibiting abnormal mitochondrial fission through REV-ERB α.

The Comparison of the Behavior between Miniature Pigs and Conventional Sows during Gestation to Lactation Period (미니돼지 및 일반 돼지의 임신기, 분만 및 포유기 중의 모돈의 행동학적 특성 비교)

  • Kang, Kyung-Won;Choi, Young-Hwan;Kim, Kwang-Ho;Kim, Yoo-Yong
    • Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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    • v.52 no.1
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    • pp.57-64
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    • 2010
  • This study was conducted to compare the aspects of behavior between miniature pigs and conventional sows during gestation and lactation periods. Miniature pigs and conventional sows at 3 parity were used in this experiment with 4 pigs per treatment. The behavioral patterns and stereotyped behaviors were observed on day 60 and 90 of gestation, at farrowing, and on day 10 of lactation before and after the feeding. On 60 and 90 days of pregnancy, both treatments showed the tendency of frequent lateral lying rather than other postures. On ventral lying, eating and drinking, miniature pigs spent more time than conventional pigs at day 90 of gestation (P<0.01, P=0.0539, P<0.05, respectively). The occurrence of stereotyped behaviors included bar biting and bar mouth chewing. At 90 day of pregnancy was observed, conventional pigs was higher than miniature pigs (P<0.05). At farrowing, miniature pigs spent more time on ventral lying, standing and walking than conventional sows (P<0.05), however, there were more frequency of drinking and eating. And on day 10 of lactation, there was no significant difference in stereotyped behaviors between miniature pigs and conventional sows. In conclusion, miniature pigs were generally more sensitive than conventional sows although sows were reared in stall during gestation and lactation period and the behavioral pattern during lactating period showed the similarity between miniature pigs and conventional sows for protection of nursing pigs. In consideration of the general reproductive performance of conventional sows, the high sensitivity and stress of miniature pigs did not affect the reproductive performance of miniature pigs.

Single Dose Oral Toxicity Test of Peucedani Radix in ICR Mice (ICR 마우스를 이용한 전호의 단회경구투여 독성 실험)

  • Kwon, Da-hye;Kim, Min-young;Hwangbo, Hyun;Ji, Seon-yeong;Park, Cheol;Choi, Yung-hyun;Hong, Su-hyun
    • The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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    • v.39 no.4
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    • pp.676-685
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    • 2018
  • Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the single oral toxicity of Peucedani Radix (PR) ethanol extracts. PR is one of the important herbs for removal of phlegm, the viscous turbid pathological product that can accumulate in the body and cause a variety of diseases. However, research on the pharmacologic toxicity of PR is lacking. Methods: In this study, PR was orally administered to 5-week-old male ICR mice at an oral dose of 2,000, 3,000, or 5,000 mg/kg. After a single-dose administration, the mortality and behavioral changes were observed daily and body weights were measured every two days. After 14 days, the organ weight, organ index, macroscopy, hematological analysis, and serum biochemistry analysis were determined. Results: No mortality, body weight changes, abnormal behavioral changes, or anatomical signs of toxicity were found. The organ weight, organ index, hematological analysis, and serum biochemistry analysis were also within the normal ranges. Conclusions: These results suggest that the 50% lethal dose of PR is more than 5,000 mg/kg. This could indicate that PR is a safe drug without acute toxicity and side effects.

Survey of American food trends and the growing obesity epidemic

  • Shao, Qin;Chin, Khew-Voon
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.5 no.3
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    • pp.253-259
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    • 2011
  • The rapid rise in the incidence of obesity has emerged as one of the most pressing global public health issues in recent years. The underlying etiological causes of obesity, whether behavioral, environmental, genetic, or a combination of several of them, have not been completely elucidated. The obesity epidemic has been attributed to the ready availability, abundance, and overconsumption of high-energy content food. We determined here by Pearson's correlation the relationship between food type consumption and rising obesity using the loss-adjusted food availability data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Services (ERS) as well as the obesity prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our analysis showed that total calorie intake and consumption of high fructose com syrup (HFCS) did not correlate with rising obesity trends. Intake of other major food types, including chicken, dairy fats, salad and cooking oils, and cheese also did not correlate with obesity trends. However, our results surprisingly revealed that consumption of com products correlated with rising obesity and was independent of gender and race/ethnicity among population dynamics in the U.S. Therefore, we were able to demonstrate a novel link between the consumption of com products and rising obesity trends that has not been previously attributed to the obesity epidemic. This correlation coincides with the introduction of bioengineered corns into the human food chain, thus raising a new hypothesis that should be tested in molecular and animal models of obesity.

Whole Genome Association Study to Detect Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for Behavior in Sapsaree Dog (Canis familiaris)

  • Ha, J.H.;Alama, M.;Lee, D.H.;Kim, J.J.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.28 no.7
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    • pp.936-942
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    • 2015
  • The purpose of this study was to characterize genetic architecture of behavior patterns in Sapsaree dogs. The breed population (n=8,256) has been constructed since 1990 over 12 generations and managed at the Sapsaree Breeding Research Institute, Gyeongsan, Korea. Seven behavioral traits were investigated for 882 individuals. The traits were classified as a quantitative or a categorical group, and heritabilities ($h^2$) and variance components were estimated under the Animal model using ASREML 2.0 software program. In general, the $h^2$ estimates of the traits ranged between 0.00 and 0.16. Strong genetic ($r_G$) and phenotypic ($r_P$) correlations were observed between nerve stability, affability and adaptability, i.e. 0.9 to 0.94 and 0.46 to 0.68, respectively. To detect significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for the behavioral traits, a total of 134 and 60 samples were genotyped using the Illumina 22K CanineSNP20 and 170K CanineHD bead chips, respectively. Two datasets comprising 60 (Sap60) and 183 (Sap183) samples were analyzed, respectively, of which the latter was based on the SNPs that were embedded on both the 22K and 170K chips. To perform genome-wide association analysis, each SNP was considered with the residuals of each phenotype that were adjusted for sex and year of birth as fixed effects. A least squares based single marker regression analysis was followed by a stepwise regression procedure for the significant SNPs (p<0.01), to determine a best set of SNPs for each trait. A total of 41 SNPs were detected with the Sap183 samples for the behavior traits. The significant SNPs need to be verified using other samples, so as to be utilized to improve behavior traits via marker-assisted selection in the Sapsaree population.

Behavioral Characteristics of Bos indicus Cattle after a Superovulatory Treatment Compared to Cows Synchronized for Estrus

  • Jimenez, A.;Bautista, F.;Galina, C.S.;Romero, J.J.;Rubio, I.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.24 no.10
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    • pp.1365-1371
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    • 2011
  • The intensity and duration of sexual behavior in Bos indicus was assessed through the continuous observation of sexual receptivity. Two groups of cows were formed: only synchronized (n = 50) and other group further superovulated (n = 20). An intravaginal implant that released progesterone over 9 d was used. After removing the implant, 25 mg of $PGF_{2{\alpha}}$ was administered. In the superovulated group, the administration of 280 mg (Follicle stimulant hormone) FSH-P1 per cow with a decreasing dosage over 4 d was utilized. In both groups, behavioral observations began at the moment of implant removal. Sexual behavior was analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test to compare the mean of hours in estrus, effective mountings and number of mounts/hour during estrus. A nonparametric survival analysis was performed using the time in two ways: i) when an event happened it was placed in a 24 h timeframe and, ii) the time of observation in continuous form (96 h) assessing the difference between curves by the log rank test Chi-square. The only significant difference was the number of mounts/h during receptivity (p<0.05). In the superovulated group three periods of sexual activity during the day were identified, with these events being of greater frequency and duration than the synchronized group (p = 0.02); besides, the superovulated group began estrus before the synchronized group (p = 0.0035) when using the total period. In a simulation study, when the number of observations went from two (06:00-18:00) to three periods (06:00, 12:00 and 18:00) cows detected accurately (<6 h after the onset) increased more than 20%. The results show that superovulated cows presented greater intensity and duration of sexual activity in contrast with only synchronized animals.

Association between Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Blood Donation in University Students (대학생의 헌혈에 대한 지식, 인식수준에 따른 헌혈행태)

  • Kim, Jung-Hyun;Yoon, Joong-Soo
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.15 no.10
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    • pp.316-326
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    • 2015
  • The present study aims to investigate the association between knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood donating in an effort to increase the participation rate of blood donation among university students. Data was obtained among 272 in theirs 20s health sciences students in two university of South Korea through self-reported questionnaires including Knowledge, attitude, and behavioral practice regarding blood donation during 8st December 2014 to 12st December 2014. Pearson correlation test, student's t-test or descriptive statistics were performed for the data analysis. The results were as follows: 1) There was positive significant relationship between Attitude and behavioral practice towards blood donation(P <.05). 2) There was significant difference in the knowledge(P<.01) and attitude(P<.05) regarding blood donation according to public health vs non-public health. 3) The participants with previous blood donation experiences showed a higher participation rate than those without such an experience(P<.01). It is important not only to improve the university student's attitude towards blood donation through media advertising but also to reinforce the compensation offered to donors.