Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.21.354019v1?rss=1 Authors: Reece, J., Couvillon, M. J., Grueter, C., Ratnieks, F., Reyes-Aldasoro, C. C. Abstract: This work describe an algorithm for the automatic analysis of the waggle dance of honeybees. The algorithm analyses a video of a beehive with 13,624 frames, acquired at 25 frames/second. The algorithm employs the following traditional image processing steps: conversion to grayscale, low pass filtering,...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.20.390245v1?rss=1 Authors: Monari, P. K., Rieger, N. S., Hartfield, K., Schefelker, J., Marler, C. A. Abstract: Social context is critical in shaping behavioral responses to stimuli and can alter an individual's behavioral type, which would otherwise be fixed in social isolation. For monogamous biparental vertebrates, social context is critical as interactions are frequent and consistent, involving high interindividual...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.18.388702v1?rss=1 Authors: Heslin, K. A., Brown, M. F. Abstract: Helping behavior tasks are proposed to assess prosocial or empathic behavior in rodents. This paradigm characterizes the behavior of subject animals presented with the opportunity to release a conspecific from a distressing situation. Previous studies found a preference in rats for releasing restrained or distressed conspecifics over other controls (e.g.,...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.19.389999v1?rss=1 Authors: Saddler, M. R., Gonzalez, R., McDermott, J. H. Abstract: Computations on receptor responses enable behavior in the environment. Behavior is plausibly shaped by both the sensory receptors and the environments for which organisms are optimized, but their roles are often opaque. One classic example is pitch perception, whose properties are commonly linked to peripheral neural coding limits rather...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.18.389346v1?rss=1 Authors: Wang, S.-F., Carr, V. A., Favila, S. E., Bailenson, J. N., Brown, T. I., Jiang, J., Wagner, A. D. Abstract: The hippocampus (HC) and surrounding medial temporal lobe (MTL) cortical regions play a critical role in spatial navigation and episodic memory. However, it remains unclear how the interaction between the hippocampal conjunctive coding and mnemonic differentiation contributes to neural...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.16.384289v1?rss=1 Authors: Lorenzi, E., Lemaire, B. S., Versace, E., Matsushima, T., Vallortigara, G. Abstract: For inexperienced brains, some stimuli are more attractive than others. Human neonates and newly-hatched chicks preferentially orient towards face-like stimuli, biological motion, and objects changing speed. In chicks, this enhances exposure to social partners, and subsequent attachment trough filial imprinting....

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.15.383364v1?rss=1 Authors: Rodriguez, C., Fusani, L., Raboisson, G., Hödl, W., Ringler, E., Canoine, V. Abstract: Territorial behaviour has been widely described across many animal taxa, where the acquisition and defence of a territory are critical for the fitness of an individual. Extensive evidence suggests that androgens (e.g. testosterone) are involved in the modulation of territorial behaviour in male vertebrates....

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.16.384503v1?rss=1 Authors: Yang, C., Feeney, W. E. Abstract: Social learning is a mechanism by which behaviors can rapidly disseminate throughout a population. Rejection of foreign eggs is a key defense in hosts of avian brood parasites; however, whether social cues can inform whether a host rejects an egg remains unknown. Here, we aimed to determine whether access to social information can influence egg rejection...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.16.385930v1?rss=1 Authors: Mason, D., Zajitschek, S., Anwer, H., O'Dea, R., Hesselson, D., Nakagawa, S. Abstract: Aversive learning, avoiding certain situations based on negative experiences, can profoundly increase fitness in animal species. The extent to which this cognitive mechanism could evolve depends upon individual differences in aversive learning being stable through time, and heritable across generations, yet no...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.16.385286v1?rss=1 Authors: Montes-Lourido, P., Kar, M., Kumbam, I., Sadagopan, S. Abstract: Estimates of detection and discrimination thresholds are often used to explore broad perceptual similarities between human subjects and animal models. Pupillometry shows great promise as a non-invasive, easily-deployable method of comparing human and animal thresholds. Using pupillometry, previous studies in animal models have...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.13.378257v1?rss=1 Authors: Gottschalk, G., Keating, J. F., Kesler, K., Knox, K., Roy, A. Abstract: Abstract: Previously, we have demonstrated that ACIS KEPTIDE, a chemically modified peptide, selectively binds to ACE-2 receptor and prevents the entry of SARS-CoV2 virions in vitro in primate kidney Cells. However, it is not known if ACIS KEPTIDE attenuates the entry of SARS-CoV2 virus in vivo in lung and kidney tissues,...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.14.382622v1?rss=1 Authors: Vandaele, Y., Lenoir, M., Vouillac-Mendoza, C., Guillem, K., Ahmed, S. H. Abstract: Investigating the decision-making mechanisms underlying choice between drug and nondrug rewards is essential to understand how their alterations can contribute to substance use disorders. However, despite some recent effort, this investigation remains a challenge in a drug choice setting, notably when it comes to...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.13.381996v1?rss=1 Authors: O'Bryan, L. R., Lambeth, S. P., Schapiro, S. J., Wilson, M. L. Abstract: Food-associated calls have attracted much research attention due to their potential to refer to discovered food in a word-like manner. Nevertheless, their effect on receiver behavior remains unclear for many species. While some studies suggest that food-associated calls attract other foragers, other studies indicate that...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.14.382507v1?rss=1 Authors: Finkbeiner, S. D., Briscoe, A. D. Abstract: True color vision in animals is achieved when wavelength discrimination occurs based on chromatic content of the stimuli, regardless of intensity. In order to successfully discriminate between multiple wavelengths, animals must use at least two photoreceptor types with different spectral sensitivity peaks. Heliconius butterflies have duplicate UV opsin...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.12.380683v1?rss=1 Authors: Ruland, M., Andirko, A., Romanowska, I., Boeckx, C. Abstract: A central question in the evolution of human language is whether it emerged as a result of one specific event or from a mosaic-like constellation of different phenomena and their interactions. Three potential processes have been identified by recent research as the potential primum mobile for the origins of modern linguistic...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.13.379719v1?rss=1 Authors: Habedank, A., Urmersbach, B., Kahnau, P., Lewejohann, L. Abstract: Existing methods for analysis of home cage based preference tests are either time consuming, not suitable for group management, expensive and/or based on proprietary equipment that is not freely available. For this reason, we developed an automated system for group housed mice based on radio frequency identification: the Mouse...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.13.381012v1?rss=1 Authors: Dubois, T., Pasquaretta, C., Barron, A., Gautrais, J., Lihoreau, M. Abstract: Central place foraging pollinators tend to develop multi-destination routes (traplines) to exploit several patchily distributed plant resources. While the formation of traplines by individual pollinators has been studied in details, how populations of individuals exploit resources in a common area is an open ques-tion...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.11.377788v1?rss=1 Authors: Habedank, A., Kahnau, P., Lewejohann, L. Abstract: In rodents, the T-maze test is commonly used to investigate spontaneous alternating behaviour but it can also be used to investigate memory, stimuli discrimination or preference between goods. However, especially regarding T-maze preference tests there is no recommended protocol and researchers frequently report reproduction difficulties of this...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.09.374025v1?rss=1 Authors: Tontini, J. F., Poli, C. H. E. C., Hampel, V. d. S., Farias, M. d. S., Fajardo, N. M., Silva, J. A. d., Farinatti, L. H. E., Muir, J. P., Jalise Fabiola Tontini, Cesar Henrique Espirito Candal Poli, Viviane da Silva Hampel Abstract: Tropical sward characteristics can alter lamb ingestive behavior. Our study evaluated the ingestive behavior of young lambs in different tropical pastures to...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.09.373993v1?rss=1 Authors: Luo, H., Wang, Q., Wang, L. Abstract: Aims In the present research, we assessed the therapeutic effects of Exendin-4 (Ex-4) on rat models with spinal cord injury (SCI). Materials and methods 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into three groups, including sham operation group, SCI group and SCI+Ex-4 group (Ex-4 treatment (10 {micro}g/rat) after SCI, i.p.). In the SCI group, a...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.06.370023v1?rss=1 Authors: Schmidt, K. T., Sharp, J. L., Ethridge, S. B., Pearson, T., Ballard, S., Potter, K. M., Smith, M. A. Abstract: Heroin intake decreases during the proestrus phase of the estrous cycle in female, Long-Evans rats. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if proestrus-induced decreases in heroin intake extend across rat strains and (2) determine if proestrus-induced decreases in responding...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.06.371567v1?rss=1 Authors: Dakin, R., Clunis, P., Ryder, T. B. Abstract: Social reciprocity is thought to be the most important driver of cooperation among non-kin, but its effects on complex social networks in the wild have not been studied. Here, we test whether reciprocation can explain social dynamics in a cooperative bird, the wire-tailed manakin (Pipra filicauda). Over three years of study, we observed that...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.05.368035v1?rss=1 Authors: da Costa, F. P., Arruda, M. d. F., Ribeiro, K., Pessoa, D. M. A. Abstract: The giant river prawn ( Macrobrachium rosenbergii ), native to rivers and river mouths of different Asian countries, is a heavily widespread species that has been introduced around the world due to its great commercial importance. These prawns are farmed under many different conditions that might translate to a great...

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.11.04.367912v1?rss=1 Authors: Khanal, P., Devkota, N., Dahal, M., Paudel, K., Mishra, S. R., Joshi, D. Abstract: Background : Health workers involved in COVID-19 response might be at risk of developing fear and psychological distress. This study aimed to identify factors associated with COVID-19 fear among health workers in Nepal during the early phase of pandemic. Methods : A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted...