bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
UNDERSTANDING THE FEELINGS AND MOTIVATION OF AFGHAN STUDENTS’ REGARDING STUDYING AT CHINESE UNIVERSITIES
Authors: Bahir Hizbullah Bahir , . Huanghe
Published: February 2021

Making a decision to study in foreign countries is considered one of the most difficult tasks. However, it is one of the most essential and valuable attempts for the students because in foreign countries the quality of lessons are high and they can make huge social relations with learners. Also, China accepts students from all over the world. This study examined the feelings, and motivations of Afghan students; the data was collected through google form and constructed interview which 99 students were the participants. A mixed approach was used for this study. Moreover, the interview was done with those learners who have been completed their higher education in the country of China and the data was analyzed through SPSS 26 version. The findings asserted that learning of students in China is very beneficial as well with the relations of other foreign countries who study in China. Furthermore, the findings indicated more that learners have noticeable achievements in the parts of the culture of China, new technology; learning of Chinese language. Additionally, in China living allowance, medical services, well-equipped dormitories and the services of seeing historical places are free of charge for the better life of students.

JEL Classification Codes: A19, B10, B25, C10, C53.
DATA AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR BETTER AND INTELLIGENT REGULATION
Authors: Cabugueira Manuel
Published: February 2021

In this article we bring forward a reflection on how data technology and artificial intelligence can improve the implementation of an evidence-based, data-driven, regulation.

We start by arguing in favor of an evidence-base approach to regulation, meaning that policy making should be supported by information on the expected and observed impacts. We reach this position by acknowledging that, on one side, markets fail and public intervention will promote social welfare and economic competitiveness but, on the other, regulation also fails creating implementation and compliance costs. It follows that public intervention has to be supported by a demonstration that benefits will outweigh the costs.

In this paper we discuss the challenges presented by this evidence-base regulation and how the new tools from data technologies and artificial intelligence may provide new resources to face those difficulties. We conclude that there is an obvious match between the solutions that these new technologies present and the requirements to “better regulate” and to “regulate better”. In the end, it seems only natural that evidence-base regulation should also be data-driven.

Keywords: Regulation; Artificial Intelligence; Better Regulation; evidence-based regulation, data-driven regulation
DAMAGE RESULTING FROM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - THE CASE OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
Authors: Highton Cassiano
Published: February 2021

Abstract

The way of understanding the law has changed substantially over time and the law of Torts as we have studied and dealt with it until now has evidently become outdated, the legal reality has moved away from the factual reality, we are facing the new paradigms of the digital and technological revolution, with an evident and clear distancing from the classical theories of the law of Torts, a context that requires a specific and updated approach to the subject.
A DIRECTIVA (UE) 2019/1937 DO PARLAMENTO EUROPEU E DO CONSELHO, DE 23 DE OUTUBRO DE 2019, RELATIVA À PROTEÇÃO DAS PESSOAS QUE DENUNCIAM VIOLAÇÕES DO DIREITO DA UNIÃO E A ESTRATÉGIA NACIONAL DE COMBATE À CORRUPÇÃO
Authors: Vilela Alexandra
Published: February 2021

Abstract

As we write these lines, times of pandemics, to which a new crisis will surely be grappling, it seems to us that the Portuguese criminal law system will soon face new legislative changes. Therefore, we believe it is appropriate to mention two documents that could speed up such revisions and which are precisely the ones we have mentioned by title.
THE INFLUENCE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES ON THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL DATA WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE EPIDEMIC COVID-19
Authors: Heredero Campo Maria Teresa
Published: February 2021

SUMMARY
Legislators legislate as needs arise; it is the present moment and society itself, through its demands, which sets the path and provides them with the keys as to what matters to legislate on and what aspects need to be developed in greater detail. Contemporary societies try, with greater or lesser success, to adapt to the changes that are taking place, both those reflected in daily customs and habits, and those related to the generation, dissemination and use of information and knowledge. Today's society consumes and handles an excessive volume of information and data, often without assessing its veracity or analysing the source from which it comes, without considering the importance of the data it provides at any given time, and much less thinking about the consequences that misuse of such data may have for privacy, for example. These are issues that, despite being the order of the day, have already given cause for concern. A fact that is reflected in an increasingly prolix jurisprudence. An example of this, as we will have the opportunity to point out below, is the SAN of 6 April 2018, which, with regard to the problems that arise in relation to medical records, highlights the importance of defending the right to the protection of personal data and the need to obtain consent in an appropriate manner. In these times of pandemic, it is important to seek a suitable approach and to know some fundamental aspects of the aforementioned right to data protection, starting from such extremely important concepts as: personal data or consent itself. Moreover, the development of this right, so much questioned lately due to the use of COVID applications, in terms of the possible effects on privacy or image, or any of the controversies that are arising around data protection in the management of the coronavirus, almost forces us to think about its limits. In this respect, we must bear in mind that many of the answers to the questions that are being raised about the problems associated with current practices lie in the legitimising bases of data processing. In this study, I conclude that despite the great importance of some personality rights, including privacy, honour or self-image, and among which is the right to data protection, the right that deserves the greatest protection is the right to life. Let us not forget that the function of law is to serve the person to whom the reason for its existence must be attributed.
KEY WORDS
Law and New Technologies; Data Protection; Fundamental Rights; Personality Rights; Data Protection; Right to privacy; Right to honour; Right to image; General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); Organic Law on Data Protection and Guarantee of Digital Rights (LOPDyGDD); COVID-19 (Coronavirus).
Nâzım Hikmet'in Ferhad ile Şirin Oyununda Mimetik Arzu ve Kısır Döngü
Authors: GÜNGÖR İbrahim
Published: February 2021

Bu çalışmada temel amaç Nâzım Hikmet’in Ferhad ile Şirin oyununun Rene Girard’ın kapsamlı bir teoremin başlangıç noktası olarak ortaya attığı ‘mimetik arzu’ kavramı çerçevesinde analiz edilmesidir. Girard, edebiyat kuramcısı olarak başladığı akademik çalışmalarına kültürün ve dinin kökenlerine eğildiği bir sentez ile devam etmiştir. Bu esnada da mitleri, kutsal kitapları, romanları ve hatta tiyatro metinlerini çözümlemeleri için sadece bir analiz malzemesi olarak değil aynı zamanda bir kanıt niteliğinde kullanmıştır. Köken olarak bir halk hikâyesine dayanan Ferhad ile Şirin oyunu da ‘mimetik arzu’nun yoğun olarak görüldüğü bir ilişkiler ağına ve rekabetten şiddete uzanan bir çatışma ortamına sahiptir. İlk bakışta romantik görülebilecek yapısının derinlerinde yatan ‘arzunun cehennemi mekanizmaları’ analiz edildiğinde, oyunun Girard’ın ‘romansal hakîkat’ olarak ifade ettiği özellikleri pek çok noktada taşıdığı görülür. Ama oyun sonuna doğru kimi koşut düşünceler ortaya çıkmaya başlar. Bu noktalar Nâzım Hikmet’in toplumcu gerçekçi bakışının oyuna nüfuz etmiş izleri ile Girardyen bir düşüncenin karşı karşıya geldiği anlardır.
Workable Performance Management System for Government of Pakistan
Authors:   University of Karachi, Siddiqui Kaifee
Published: February 2021

There is a lot of debate in Pakistan on and about the poor performance of the government and the bureaucracy. The performance of the government is marred by the corrupt practices, inefficiencies and waste. The political leadership and bureaucracy both are publically called corrupt and stories appear on news, media channels every now and then of the corruption scandals, misuse of authority and wasteful working. We rank the lowest amongst the nations in terms of basic government services like education and healthcare. This paper aims to highlight the reasons of this poor performance and recommends a workable performance management program which can help the government in improving the performance of its various functions. It also gives an over view of the current practices of performance management system in the public sector of Pakistan and discusses briefly the history of performance management in the modern world. Most importantly we discuss the challenges we face while implementing a performance management system in government sector, what are the differences between a private sector performance management program and the problems we face when we implement it in public sector in a developing world specially in a country like Pakistan. The challenges become even more profound when we face a democracy where the political interference has destroyed the core of the bureaucratic structure. But all is not lost since many reforms over the past few decades put in place by successive governments have at-least paved the way for a more progressive performance management program which can help Pakistan deliver on its promise of becoming a great Islamic republic. The Islamic republic of Pakistan.
Public Demand for Improved Urban Water Supply Services in Multan
Authors:   Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Memon Junaid Alam
Published: February 2021

Governments in developing countries face financial constraints to ensure supply of clean drinking water. They may benefit from increasing water charges for those who are be willing to pay little extra in lieu of their demand for improvement in water quality and service. To check the plausibility of this proposal, we investigated drinking water supply and quality, and welloff consumers demand for improved service delivery in Shah-Rukun-e-alam and Mumtazabad towns in Multan city of Pakistan. Qualitative data obtained through a questionnaire survey was analyzed using descriptive and regression techniques. Qualitative information obtained through semi structured interviews was helpful in designing survey questionnaire and to elaborate quantitative results. Results reveal that the respondents accord high importance to the provision of safe drinking water than to other daily household needs. The demand for improvement in water supply parameters exceeds the demand for improvements in water quality parameters, with the reliable supply being the most demanded improvement. Majority realize the government’s budget constraints in improving service delivery. Most respondents would pay PKR 100 in addition to what they are paying now. Their willingness to pay (WTP) this amount correlates with their awareness on water and health nexus, and depends household income, number of children under 14 years age and awareness of actual water quality tested through laboratory. Besides recommending raise of water charges by PKR 100 per month per household in both towns, the service quality improvement may consider interventions such as mobile water testing laboratory and awareness campaigns motivate citizens to pay for safe drinking water.
Observations of a Paternal Male with Bottlenose Dolphin Calf (Tursiops truncatus): A Case Study
Authors: Eskelinen Holli C. , Borger-Turner Jill L. , Kuczaj II Stan A.
Published: February 2021

The rearing and socialization of bottlenose dolphin calves has been largely described as a female role, whether via direct maternal care or allomaternal parenting. Nevertheless, male associations have been observed but are rarely systematically investigated. This case study focused on the opportunistic occurrence of a single bottlenose calf and her associations with the mother, father and two unrelated allomothers in a captive setting. Observations were made postpartum of an adult male and his female calf multiple times per day over the course of the first year of the calf’s life, including social (proximity and orientation), aggressive (tail slapping/swatting, threats, jaw popping, chasing) and tactile behaviors. For comparative analyses, data were simultaneously collected on mother-calf and allomother interactions. The results revealed that cohabitation of the paternal male and offspring was prosocial, with negligible levels of aggression (0.03%) even during maternal estrous. The male demonstrated minimal aggressive behaviors toward the calf (e.g., chasing), none of which resulted in injury. Rather, the male’s interactions with the calf were considerably affiliative. Although the frequency of interactions between the paternal male and the calf were less than the mother’s, father-calf interactions were significantly more frequent than were calf interactions with other dolphins. Over the course of the study, the number of interactions the calf had with mother, father, and allomothers decreased. Overall, these results confirm that care can involve the paternal male, although the relative size of the enclosed setting limits extrapolations to the wild. Nonetheless, these observations suggest that some dolphin fathers may play a role in their calves’ social development and rearing. Although additional research on calf socialization is required, the dolphin father in this study established and maintained a social bond with his female calf that was clearly affiliative, and these associations occurred significantly more often than those between the calf and her allomothers.
Evaluation of a Developing Ecotourism Industry: Whale-Watching in The Gulf of Tribugá, Colombia
Authors: Zapetis Maria E. , Samuelson Mystera M. , Acosta Natalia Botero , Kuczaj Stan A.
Published: February 2021

The ecotour industry continues to grow with a distinct focus on providing the public with up-close encounters with cetaceans. As a result, research focusing on both the effects of ecotourism on cetaceans and the efficacy of conservation-focused educational interventions for whale-watching operators is necessary to monitor and develop industry standards. Each year, whale-watching tours target humpback whales along their Colombian Pacific breeding grounds. There are many benefits to ecotourism in this area, including the use of whale-watching vessels as a platform for scientific research and environmental education. However, some whale-watching operators may lack species-specific knowledge and/or do not follow the suggested industry guidelines. Researchers held educational seminars for whale-watching staff at six hotels that border the Gulf of Tribugá. Seminars focused on whale anatomy, behavior, anthropogenic effects on the species, and sustainable whale-watching protocols. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire aimed to assess constructs related to the conservation of this species. This self-report information was accompanied by implicit measures (e.g., sighting duration, distance from whales) recorded during tours in situ. Behavioral observations aimed at assessing whales’ response to ecotour vessels demonstrated that whales increased rates of surface-active behaviors (e.g., tail slashes) with increasing nearness and duration. Whale-watching operators’ conduct during sightings demonstrated that positive attitudes toward humpback whales did not translate into adherence to sustainable practices. This relationship between the whale-watching operators’ questionnaire results and their behavior in the field demonstrates the need for careful monitoring of this developing industry. This project represents a preliminary evaluation of this budding ecotour industry. Continued efforts to increase knowledge while promoting self-advocacy, positive perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, behavioral intentions, and attitudes towards these animals will enable the safeguarding of near-shore waters essential for breeding and nursing humpback whales.
The Legacy Lives on, a Year Later: Dr. Stan A. Kuczaj A Special Issue –Part 2
Authors: Eskelinen Holli C. , Hill Heather M. , Walker Rachel T. , Trone Marie
Published: February 2021

The scientific community has mourned the loss of Dr. Stan Kuczaj, Professor at The University of Southern Mississippi and Director of the Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Laboratory, for the past year. In this time of grieving and reminiscing, his scientific legacy has continued to live on through students, collaborators and trusted colleagues. Stan’s passing has acted in part as a motivator to continue to publish works that he invested time and energy in as a tribute, seeing his visions through to fruition. In addition to publishing droves of literature, his colleagues within the development and comparative fields have bound together for the common goal of advancing the science through new collaborations, merged resources, and tackling innovative topics in comparative studies. This second commemorative special issue is a testament to the vast scope of Stan’s impact on the scientific community, as well as his legacy that each of his students and colleagues continues to cultivate. Ten additional papers round out our initial tribute to Dr. Stan Kuczaj in honor of his lifetime achievements.
Do Pinnipeds have Personality? Broad Dimensions and Contextual Consistency of Behavior in Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) and California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus).
Authors: de Vere Amber J. , Lilley Malin K. , Highfill Lauren
Published: February 2021

Personality has now been studied in species as diverse as chimpanzees and cuttlefish, but marine mammals remain vastly underrepresented in this area. A broad range of traits have been assessed only once in each of bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions, while consistent individual differences in a few specific behaviors have been identified in grey seals. Furthermore, the context component of definitions of personality is not often assessed, despite evidence that animals may show individual patterns of behavioral consistency across contexts. The current study therefore aimed to use behavioral coding to assess underlying personality factors and consistency across contexts in two marine mammal species: California sea lions and harbor seals. In both species, two personality factors were extracted using exploratory factor analysis. Both were broadly similar across species; the first, Boldness, resembled human Extraversion, and to some extent Openness, with sea lions exhibiting a greater social component. The second factor was labeled Routine Activity, and may contain some Conscientiousness-like traits. Species-specific patterns were also identified for interactive behaviors across two contexts. However, there was substantial individual variation in the frequency of these behaviors, as well as some animals who did not conform to group-level trends. This study therefore provides novel evidence for broad personality factors and both group- and individual-level patterns of contextual consistency in two pinniped species.
Adult-Juvenile Play Fighting in Rats: Insight into the Experiences that Facilitate the Development of Socio-Cognitive Skills
Authors: Pellis Sergio M. , Williams Lauren A. , Pellis Vivien C.
Published: February 2021

Rats reared with playful peers during the juvenile period have a modified prefrontal cortex and improved executive functions, whereas ones reared with less playful partners, such as an adult, do not. It has been hypothesized that peer-peer play fighting creates unique experiences that tax executive functions and so influence the refinement of the prefrontal cortex. The present study compares the rough-and-tumble play of juveniles interacting with another peer with that of juveniles interacting with an adult. The juveniles interacting with adults engage in as much play as those that interact with juveniles. However, they experience fewer attacks from their adult partners and experience fewer bouts of close-quarter wrestling. Moreover, the juveniles in these juvenile-adult pairs experience fewer opportunities to perform role reversals in which the attacker becomes the defender. These findings support the hypothesis that the turn taking typical of the play fighting with peers is critical for the development of executive functions.
Rest in The Zebrafish
Authors: Echevarria David J. , Khan Kanza M.
Published: February 2021

The purpose and function of sleep has been the topic of discussion for several centuries. Though our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the propagation and maintenance of rest states has undergone significant improvement, much remains to be learned with regards to the effects of disrupted sleep on diseased states. A deeper understanding of the neural circuitry and associated phenotypes would allow for the identification of sleep-related pathologies as well as the development of therapies for individuals with sleep disorders. To this end, the zebrafish (danio rerio) pose a great advantage. In the adult animal, sleep is largely consolidated to dark phases. Sleep may be disrupted via environmental, pharmacological or genetic manipulations. Disrupted sleep rhythms in the adult animal are linked to changes in gene and protein expression, while behavioral measures of anxiety have produced mixed results. We propose that this variation is a result of the type of sleep disruption as well as the type of anxiety test employed. This beckons the need for further study of the effects of environmental and pharmacological manipulations on the sleep rhythms of the animal. Further, researchers must not rely solely on one test as a measure of stress or anxiety as it provides only a one-dimensional insight.
Object Manipulation and Play Behaviour in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care
Authors: Delfour Fabienne , Faulkner Carly , Carter Toby
Published: February 2021

Cetaceans are well-known to display various play activities: numerous scientific papers have documented this phenomenon in wild populations and for delphinids under human care. The present study describes analyses of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) interactions with man-made objects introduced to their habitat as part of an environmental enrichment program. At Parc Asterix Delphinarium (France), 9 bottlenose dolphins were presented with 21 different objects. During 17 hours and using object-focal follows, we studied the dolphins’ behaviors directed toward the objects, according to the objects physical properties (i.e. complexity and buoyancy). We also documented the body parts the animals used to manipulate the objects. The results show that young dolphins displayed more playful actions towards the introduced objects than their older conspecifics. In general, subjects preferred the objects classified as simple and floating, they displayed a larger variety of behaviours, they spent more time and were more creative with them than with other types of objects. Finally, there was significantly more contact and “manipulation” with the dolphin head area than with the fins, fluke or other body parts. By analyzing the dolphins’ behaviors and actions they directed towards the introduced objects, the present study discusses meanings dolphins might give to their surroundings and the relevance of play behavior to their welfare.
Male Mate Choice Among Captive Long-tailed Macaques (Macaca Fascicularis)
Authors: Kobayashi Maiko , Koyama Takamasa , Yasutomi Yasuhiro , Sankai Tadashi
Published: February 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate male preference and to define the aspects of females that affect male preference. We set experimental conditions that enabled us to measure successful mating by gathering sperm from female vaginal washings and observing sexual behavior. The animal subjects in our study were cynomolgus monkeys, all of whom were bred in our primate institute. During the study, one male would be grouped with two females, each of whom lived in a cage adjacent to the male’s cage. This enabled each of the females to be housed with the male in turn; 12 males and 24 females were included in the study. After a male was housed with a female, we observed through a microscope the existence of sperm in the female’s vaginal washing, thus confirming copulation success. In some of the groups, behavioral observation was conducted on both the male and female subjects. According to our findings, in the multiparous females, successful mating was observed on 29% of cohabitation days. Among nulliparous females, the presence of sperm was observed on only 6% of cohabitation periods. Some 66.7% of nulliparous females never mated with a male. Our observations also revealed that sexual behaviors were more frequently observed when a male lived with a multiparous female. “Male-grooming-of-female” activities were seen more frequently between a male and multiparous female; that is, the male approached a multiparous female for copulation by grooming her. Our study suggests that male cynomolgus monkeys prefer multiparous females, as it is important that a male choose a female who more easily and regularly becomes pregnant and gives birth to offspring with a higher survival rate. Thus, male choice is biologically significant with respect to leaving more offspring.
Carnivore Concepts: Categorization in Carnivores “Bears” Further Study
Authors: Vonk Jennifer , Leete Jessica A.
Published: February 2021

Although categorization abilities may serve as the foundation for most other complex cognitive processes, this topic has been grossly understudied in the order Carnivora. However, there are a growing number of studies examining the abilities of bears, felines, and canines to discriminate among stimuli that could represent conceptual categories. These studies are few in number compared to the extensive work conducted on non-human primates, but, thus far, results suggest that carnivores show comparable abilities to, for example; form natural categories, discriminate quantities, recognize cues of human emotion, and to discriminate kin. There is little existing work exploring concepts of sameness and relational reasoning in carnivores, and work on social concepts, such as representations of mental states, exist only in canines. Future studies are necessary to better understand the mechanisms underlying carnivores’ categorization abilities and conceptual representations. Furthermore, future work should focus on differences in conceptual ability as a function of social lifestyle and dietary preferences within carnivores. Such studies will be helpful in understanding the evolutionary pressures responsible for conceptual processes in a variety of species, including humans.
Categorization of Emotional Facial Expressions in Humans with a History of Non-suicidal Self-injury
Authors: Ziebell Laura , Collin Charles , Weippert Madyson , Sokolov Misha
Published: February 2021

In social animals, such as humans, accurate emotion expression categorization is important for appropriate social functioning. Inaccuracy in emotion categorization can lead to inadequate social behavior, commonly seen in various psychiatric disorders. Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a psychiatric symptom involving deliberate self-inflicted injury of one’s body, without intent to die. NSSI has been regarded as a dysfunctional coping strategy for managing intensely difficult feelings. Difficulties in social interactions have been reported by individuals who engage in NSSI, which may be related to their emotion categorization performance. Participants (17-25 yrs) with a history of NSSI and healthy controls viewed videos of faces changing over 10 s from neutral to a prototypical expression of sadness, disgust, surprise, fear, anger or happiness. They were instructed to stop each video as soon as they felt they recognized the emotion presented, thus indicating the minimum intensity of expression needed for categorization. They were then asked to categorize the expression. Minimum facial expression intensity, accuracy of categorization, and reaction time were the behavioral dependent variables of interest. NSSI participants showed significant advantages compared to controls in their ability to categorize negative emotion expressions, specifically fear, anger, disgust, and sadness. They also were able to recognize the ambiguous emotion of surprise at a lower stimulus intensity. To date, treatments for NSSI have high drop-out rates. Results from this research could be used to inform further development of therapies for the alleviation or prevention of NSSI.
Call Usage Learning by a Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) in a Categorical Matching Task
Authors: Vergara Valeria , Barrett-Lennard Lance
Published: February 2021

The ability to modify the structure and context of vocalizations through learning plays a key role in the social interactions of many species. The investigation of categorical matching, an aspect of contextual vocal learning, is the first step toward determining how contextual learning plays a role in the use, comprehension, and categorization of sounds in the wild. To this end, we conducted a study at the Vancouver Aquarium to test the ability of a juvenile female beluga, Qila, to respond to playbacks of two types of in-air beluga calls with vocalizations that matched the category of call played (a scream, which is a vocalization type shaped over time with reinforcement and not part of this species'natural repertoire, and a pulse-train, a natural call category). We first tested Qila with random sequences of the same version of the two vocalizations with which she had been trained. Her overall success in matching all playback stimuli was above chance but not statistically so (66%). She had more difficulty matching screams (54% success) than pulse trains (80% success). We next played random sequences of six novel pulse-trains and seven novel screams, which Qila had not been trained with. She responded correctly to the set of novel stimuli of both call types in 64% of the trials, a success rate that did not differ statistically from chance. Again, she had more difficulty matching screams (55% success), relative to pulse trains (74% success). These results indicate that Qila successfully matched only pulse trains, the class that is part of this species’ natural repertoire. Her poor performance on matching screams might be partly explained by a difficulty to perceive categorically a signal that lacks a function in the natural repertoire of belugas.
Moving from Perceptual to Functional Categories in Songbirds
Authors: Sturdy Christopher B. , Campbell Kimberley A. , Congdon Jenna V. , Hahn Allison H. , McMillan Neil , Scully Erin N.
Published: February 2021

Category perception, as Herrnstein (1990) defined it, is a powerful and pervasive cognitive ability possessed by every species in which it has been adequately tested. We have studied category perception of vocal communication signals in songbirds for over 20 years. Our first studies provided us with an understanding of songbird vocal category production and perception, clarifying perceptual categorization and the underlying mechanisms. More recent work has moved towards understanding functional vocal categories such as sex, dominance, species, and geography. Some of our most recent work has moved into the realm of conceptual knowledge, with studies aimed at understanding birds’ ability to deal with concepts of sameness and danger (i.e., threat level). Here we provide key examples that effectively show the wide range of abilities possessed and used by songbirds.
Resistance to Extinction and Psychopathology, With New Evidence of Howa CS Can Act Like a US in The Sexual conditioning of Male Japanese Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)
Authors: Köksal Falih , Kumru Gülsen , Domjan Michael
Published: February 2021

This paper is organized in three sections. In the first section, we discuss the relevance of comparative psychology to clinical issues by relating resistance to extinction to psychological disorders involving anxiety, addiction, and fetishism. In the second section, we review areas of comparative psychology that deal in one way or another with the general problem of treating an insignificant event as it were significant. We describe research on supernormal stimuli, evaluative conditioning, acquired drives, incentive sensitization, and consummatory response theory. In the third section of the paper, we present new research on second-order sexual conditioning of male Japanese quail related to the consummatory response theory. First-order conditioning was conducted by pairing the presentation of a terrycloth object (CS1 or conditioned stimulus 1) with copulation with a female (the US or unconditioned stimulus). The male quail came to approach the terrycloth object during the first-order conditioning phase. In addition, about half of the quail also showed conditioned consummatory responses directed towards the terrycloth object. During the second-order conditioning phase, the terrycloth object was used to condition responding to a light (CS2) in the absence of further exposures to the unconditioned stimulus. Birds that showed conditioned consummatory behavior towards CS1 persisted in this behavior during the second-order phase and showed successful second-order conditioning of the light. In contrast, birds that failed to develop conditioned consummatory responses to CS1 showed rapid extinction and minimal second-order conditioning. The implications of these finding for learning theory and for psychopathology are discussed.
Comparative Psychopathology: Connecting Comparative and Clinical Psychology
Authors: Maple Terry L. , Segura Valerie
Published: February 2021

The animal welfare movement was empowered by decades of animal studies focused on the ontogeny of psychopathology in non-human primates and other species. When H.F. Harlow induced aberrant behaviors in rhesus macaques, collaborators began the search for effective behavioral and psychopharmacological interventions. Years later, working with human subjects in his clinical practice, Harlow’s first graduate student, A.H. Maslow developed a “Hierarchy of Needs” and the hypothetical construct of self-actualization. Following Harlow’s practice of using human models to design monkey studies, present day psychologists apply what is known about maladaptive behavior and the factors that facilitate positive human behavior to improve the quality of life for non-human taxa living in captive settings. We know how to prevent psychopathology in monkeys and apes but nonhuman primates are still confined in restricted, substandard facilities that introduce trauma and suffering. Felids, ursids, elephants and cetaceans have also suffered this fate. As a result, there is good reason for clinical and comparative psychologists to collaborate to ameliorate aberrant behaviors while creating conditions that enable all captive animals to thrive.
Exploring the Intersection of Comparative and Clinical Psychology: An Introduction
Authors: Marston Daniel C.
Published: February 2021

This article serves as the introduction to the special issues of the International Journal of Comparative Psychology on the intersection of comparative and clinical psychology. These two fields have a shared history going back to the beginnings of each. Prominent names throughout psychology have work that crosses over between these two fields. Freud referenced Darwin’s work throughout his work and Skinner’s research was almost exclusively comparative psychology research. For much of the first half of the last century there was a clear collaboration between the two fields that was fueled by motivation to find the best ways of understanding psychological processes. That collaboration has slowed considerably in the past several decades and this has coincided with increased specialization and compartmentalization throughout psychology. It is hoped that the important articles included in this special issue will help spark further discussion of how these two fields can again collaborate for mutual professional benefit and for the benefit for the general public.
Forecasted Supply And Demand For Comestible Fish In Israel - 2001-2005
Authors: Mires Dan
Published: February 2021

Between 1994 and 1998, the total inland (freshwater) aquaculture production in Israel rose 6.5% from 15,681 to 16,700 tons. This positive trend, however, reversed in 1999, as a consequence of an outburst of a new viral disease that killed 1500 tons of common carp and large quantities of orna- mental cyprinids. During the same period (1994-9), marine aquaculture production grew 688% from 350 to 2408 tons. In the future, this trend may be inhibited by environmental regulations. Because of the expected demographic growth, the local demand for edible fish will grow 16.5% from 64,910 tons in 1999 to 75,600 tons by 2005. To meet this demand, the combined supply from imports and local production will have to grow at 2.58% per year. Anything short of that will boost prices and possibly deter consumers from buying fish. In spite of industry efforts, production of local fisheries and aquaculture has not exceeded 6000 and 19,000 tons, respectively. Fish imports aver- age 63.7% of the national consumption. Most of the imports originate in marine fisheries. According to the FAO, supply from global fisheries is expected to lag behind global demand, causing prices to rise. Long-term efforts by Israeli farmers and the government to adopt aquafarms have enabled inland aquaculture to cope with increasing restrictions on water use for agriculture and maintain a slight growth in production during the last decade. If financially backed by the government, aqua-farms are expected to develop intensive closed water culture systems that will eventually enhance production in spite of the scarcity of water.
Full-Sib Mating Can Reduce Deleterious Effects Associated With Residual Sperm Inheritance In Gynogenotes
Authors: Shirak Andrey , Avtalion Ramy R.
Published: February 2021

Fertilization of Oreochromis aureus eggs with UV-irradiated sperm from the closely related species O. niloticus, followed by diploidy restoration, produced offspring with lower embryo viability and higher skeletal deformation rates than siblings generated with sperm from a genetically distant species (Tilapia zillii). Results showed that: (a) deleterious effects due to O. niloticus sperm accu- mulate in gynogenetic fish over generations; (b) such effects are eliminated when using T. zillii sperm to fertilize eggs from gynogenetic mothers produced by full-sib matings. These results sug- gest that: (a) deleterious effects are associated with residual male DNA fragments which may be passed on to descendent offspring; (b) such fragments are significantly purged following full-sib mating. These findings suggest that biparental reproduction may play an important role in the con- trol of genome integrality by purging supernumerary chromosome fragments.
The Influence Of Daily Feeding Frequency On Growth And Feed Consumption Of Rainbow Trout Fingerlings (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) Reared At 18.5-22.5°C
Authors: Başçınar Nadir , Okumus Ibrahim , Basçinar Nimet Selda , Saglam Hacer Emiral
Published: February 2021

Feed consumption, growth and feed conversion ratios were studied in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) juveniles (mean weight 9.0±3.1 g) fed two, three or four times daily and reared at 18.5-22.5°C. The fish reached final mean weights of 26.8-31.6 g over the 40-day trial and growth rates (SGR) ranged 2.57-3.01% per day. Fish fed four times a day had a significantly high- er SGR and final mean weight than those fed two or three times each day. Similarly, the condition factors of the groups fed three or four times a day were higher than that fed twice (p<0.01). Daily feed consumption rates (3.1-3.7% of the body weight) increased significantly with increasing feed- ing frequency (p<0.05), while differences in feed conversion ratios (1.06-1.16) were significant only between the groups fed two and three times (p<0.01). At water temperatures of 18.5-22.5°C, rain- bow trout juveniles fed four times a day grow faster than those fed two or three times.
Protandrous Hermaphroditism In Australian Silver Perch, Bidyanus Bidyanus (Mitchell, 1836)
Authors: Moiseeva Elizabetha B. , Sachs O. , Zak T. , Funkenstein B.
Published: February 2021

Gonadal development in two progenies of the Australian silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus, was studied from the larval stage to 18.5 months. For approximately one month after hatching, it was impossible to visually or histologically determine the sex of the fish. Two to three months after hatching, anatomical and cytological sex differentiation occurred. At 4-5 months, the testis in most of the fish longer than 7-8 cm exhibited all stages of spermatogenesis including spermatozoa. Very few females were found among the 4 and 6.5 month fish. Up to 18.5 months, 7.1-23.5% were female (except in one batch). There were only 25 females, all at early stages of oogenesis, amongst 204 fish with differentiated sex gonads. In 10 of 17 histologically studied females, there were degenerating male cells (possibly spermatocytes) among a majority of developing oocytes. The predominance of phenotypic males, and the occurrence of females with ovaries and degen- erating male cells, indicate that during the first years of life, this species is a protandrous her- maphrodite. The testis develops during ontogenesis in a direct manner, whereas the female gonad develops indirectly, passing through an intermediate masculine stage.
Influence of Trout Cage Culture On Water Quality, Plankton And Benthos Anatolian Dam Lake
Authors: Demir Nilsun , Kirkagac Mine U. , Pulatsü Serap , Bekcan Süleyman
Published: February 2021

The effects of rainbow trout cage culture on water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton and ben- thos were investigated in a cage farm of 30 ton capacity in Kesikköprü dam lake. Water tempera- ture did not differ among stations while dissolved oxygen and pH values were slightly lower in the station with cages. Significant and insignificant increases were detected in concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, orthophosphate and chlorophyll a in the cage station. Also, the abundance of phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos was highest in the cage station. The composition of phy- toplankton was not fundamentally different among stations except for a higher abundance of Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae species in the cage station in November. The composition of zooplankton and benthos did not differ among stations; rotifers and gastropods were dominant, respectively.
Use of Melanophore Patterns On The Ventral Side Of The Head To Identify Fry Of Grey Mullet (Teleostei: Mugilidae)
Authors: Minos G. , Katselis G. , Ondrias I. , Harrison I.J.
Published: February 2021

Examination of fry of five species of grey mullet revealed that the shape of the lower jaw and the melanophore patterns along the edge of the lower jaw and the ventral side of the head are species-specific. Mugil cephalus is characterized by an acute angle of the dentary symphysis and lightly pigmented ventro-opercular and gular regions of the head. In Liza aurata, the mandibular region has spots of pigment at the corners of the mouth, the gular region is lightly pigmented with a single row of melanophores, the ventro-opercular region of the head has two rows that form a distinct arch and, in specimens over 20 mm TL, at least one of these rows extends to the posterior ventro-opercular region. In Liza ramada, the pigmentation is darkest in the mandibular and gular regions of the head, the melanophores in the mandibular region in specimens of 30-40 mm TL are concentrated around the anterior tip of the jaw and the corners of the mouth, and the anterior ventro-opercular region usually has a single row of melanophores that may extend into the posterior ventro-opercular region. In Chelon labrosus, there are two rows of melanophores in the ventro-opercular region and one or two rows in the gular region which usually extend beyond the eye into the posterior sector. In Liza saliens, there are two rows of melanophores in the ventro-opercular region and two in the gular region which rarely extend beyond the eye to the posterior sector. These observations were used to create a key which may be useful for identifying fry of grey mullet species grown in aquaculture in the Mediterranean region.
Commercial Culture Of Oreochromis Spilurus In Open Seawater Cages And Onshore Tanks
Authors: Carmelo Agius
Published: February 2021

Trials were conducted to establish commercial-scale production of all stages of Oreochromis spilurus. Fry were produced in a tank using recycled fresh water. Fingerlings were grown in full strength sea water either in cages in the open sea or in onshore tanks filled with water from the sea. Very promising results were obtained in terms of fish growth, survival and product quality, opening up significant new opportunities for the expansion of tilapia culture in tropical and sub- tropical seas.
Growth And Survival Of The White Leg Shrimp (Litopenaeus Vannamei) Reared Intensively In The Brackish Water Of The Israeli Negev Desert
Authors: Appelbaum S. , Garada J. , Mishra J.K.
Published: February 2021

Juvenile shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei (initial weight 0.019±0.009 g), were reared at den- sities of 2000/m3 and 5000/m3 in brackish (2.5-3.0 ppt) geothermal (~40°C at the source) water from beneath the Israeli Negev desert in a recirculating system for 72 days. The shrimp grew significantly faster (p<0.01) at the lower density than at the higher density. The weekly mean weight and specific growth rate in the low density were 0.57 g and 8.68 and, in the high density, 0.404 g and 8.02. The feed conversion ratio was 2.01 in the lower density and 2.36 in the higher. The survival rate was 87% and 63.5% in the low and high densities, respectively. Data obtained in this study, particularly at the low density, are comparable to favorable published results for L. vannamei in marine waters. The present study is the first experimental attempt to evaluate the potential of mass culture of high quality, healthy L. vannamei in the brackish, geothermal water of Israel’s Negev desert. This water, which is free of pollutants and marine pathogens, has been found to be highly suitable for the culture of a number of species of fish and aquatic organisms.
Effects Of Temperature On Survival And Growth Of Artemia From Tuz Lake, Turkey
Authors: Saygı Yasemin-Basbug , Demirkalp F. Yıldız
Published: February 2021

The thermal constant, growth and survival of Artemia from Tuz Lake, Central Anatolia, were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Artemia nauplii (24-48 hours after hatching) were stocked into a 60 ppt salinity medium which contained Dunaliella and Oocystis. The Artemia were cul- tured at one of eight temperatures (2-degree intervals from 18° to 32°C) for 30 days, in two repli- cates. The animals grew faster but survival was lower as the temperature increased. Complete development from the nauplius stage to the adult stage required 30 days at 18°C, 20 days at 24°C and 15 days at 30°C. The thermal constant was 356±6 day-degrees and the developmen- tal zero value was 6.3±1.9°C.