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Preference Test (preference + test)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Chemistry	32%
Life Sciences	25%
Medical Sciences	14%

Selected Abstracts

PAIRED PREFERENCE TESTS: "50:50" AND "ALTERNATING" NO PREFERENCES

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 6 2008
HAYDE ALFARO-RODRÍGUEZ
ABSTRACT Because the concept of "No Preference" is ambiguous, two types of "No Preference" are defined: a "50:50" No Preference, defined operationally as consumers presented with both products having a 50% chance of choosing either, and an "Alternating" No Preference, where the probability is not 50%. The consumer would be more likely to choose one of the products. However, later, he or she might choose the other product. To investigate this, paired preference tests were performed with and without the "No Preference" option for various products. No discernible trend was noted for consumers who had chosen the "No Preference" option and distributed their votes among the preference options. These consumers and those who changed their preferences were classified according to the "50:50" No Preference and "Alternating" No Preference dichotomy accordingly. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Besides the tendency of consumers to report false preferences, paired preference tests have another problem: the concept of "No Preference" is ambiguous. It could mean that consumers liked both products equally and so would always have a 50% chance of choosing either. It could also mean that the probability is not 50% on any one occasion but varies so that one product is chosen on one occasion and the other product on another occasion. To avoid confusing the consumer so as to obtain more valid data, it is important to specify these two meanings of "No Preference." This study is a first step in that direction and should help consumers understand better the instructions for preference tests. [source]

COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR ANALYZING REPLICATED PREFERENCE TESTS

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 6 2005
CHUN-YEN CHANG COCHRANE
ABSTRACT Preference testing is commonly used in consumer sensory evaluation. Traditionally, it is done without replication, effectively leading to a single 0/1 (binary) measurement on each panelist. However, to understand the nature of the preference, replicated preference tests are a better approach, resulting in binomial counts of preferences on each panelist. Variability among panelists then leads to overdispersion of the counts when the binomial model is used and to an inflated Type I error rate for statistical tests of preference. Overdispersion can be adjusted by Pearson correction or by other models such as correlated binomial or beta-binomial. Several methods are suggested or reviewed in this study for analyzing replicated preference tests and their Type I error rates and power are compared. Simulation studies show that all methods have reasonable Type I error rates and similar power. Among them, the binomial model with Pearson adjustment is probably the safest way to analyze replicated preference tests, while a normal model in which the binomial distribution is not assumed is the easiest. [source]

Transnatal olfactory continuity in the rabbit: Behavioral evidence and short-term consequence of its disruption

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2002
Gérard Coureaud
Abstract This study investigates the role of prenatal odor learning on postnatal adaptive orientation responses in the newborn rabbit. Preference tests revealed that pups are equally attracted to the odors of placentae and colostrum (Experiments 1,4), suggesting that an odor continuity may exist between the fetal and neonatal environments. To test some predictions derived from this hypothesis, we manipulated the odor of the diet of pregnant-lactating does to control the chemical niches of their perinates. Fetuses exposed in this way to the odor of cumin (C) were selectively attracted as neonates to the odor of pure C (Experiment 6). Prenatal exposure to C also was followed, to a certain extent, by enhanced attraction to C odor in the placenta or colostrum from females which had consumed it (Experiments 5 & 7). Finally, the functional implications of perinatal odor continuity were tested by disrupting it. The odor component of the feto,neonatal transitional environment revealed indeed to affect the ability of certain pups to gain colostrum and milk at the very first sucking opportunities (Experiment 8). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 40: 372,390, 2002. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/dev.10038 [source]

Rats selectively bred for low levels of 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations exhibit alterations in early social motivation

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2008
K.M. Harmon
Abstract In rats, the rates of 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) can be used as a selective breeding phenotype and variations in this phenotype can be an indicator of affective states. The 50 kHz USV is elicited by rewarding stimuli (e.g., food, sexual behavior) and therefore can express a positive affective state. Conversely, the 22 kHz USV is elicited by aversive stimuli (e.g., presence of a predator, social defeat) indicating a negative affective state. In the present study, we tested the effect of selectively breeding for 50 kHz USVs on a variety of maternal social/emotional behaviors in young rat pups (PND 10-12). These measures consisted of an assessment of isolation calls and conditioned odor preference paradigm. Results indicate that animals selected for low levels of 50 kHz USVs show the greatest alterations in social behaviors compared to the control animals. The low line animals had an increase in isolation calls tested during place preference conditioning and a decrease in 50 kHz ultrasonic calls in all conditions. These same low line animals failed to show a typical preference for a maternally-associated odor during the place preference test. The different social behaviors of the high line animals did not consistently vary from those of the control group. These results have important implications for the study of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying emotional states, and possibly contribute to the research underlying the emotional changes in developmental disorders such as autistic spectrum disorder by providing a novel animal model that displays communication deficits that are interdependent with significant social behavioral impairments. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 50: 322,331, 2008. [source]

Artificial rearing alters the response of rats to natural and drug-mediated rewards

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006
Anna M. Lomanowska
Abstract Artificial rearing (AR) of infant rats permits precise control over key features of the early environment without maternal influence. The present study examined the behavioral response of AR rats towards natural and drug-mediated rewards, as well as their exploratory and affective behaviors. Adolescent AR rats showed increased preference for sucrose consumption relative to chow and demonstrated greater activity in the open field and in the elevated plus-maze compared to maternally reared (MR) rats. With respect to measures of emotionality, AR rats showed enhanced avoidance of the open arms of the plus-maze, indicating increased anxiety, but they did not differ from MR rats in exploring the center of the open field. Adult AR rats displayed a stronger conditioned response to morphine in a place preference test. These findings support the potential of the AR model to contribute to understanding the role of early experience in the development of behavioral motivation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psyshobiol 48: 301,314, 2006. [source]

Cholecystokinin receptor antagonists increase the rat pup's preference toward maternal-odor and rug texture

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
Michal Shayit
Abstract The role of the cholecystokinin (CCK) system in mediating the infant's natural preferences toward maternal-related stimuli was examined by peripheral administration of selective CCKA and CCKB receptor antagonists (Devazepide and L-365,260, respectively) to 11,12-day-old rats and presenting them with a 3-minute preference test. In Experiment 1, the choice was between two floor textures, rug and plywood; the time spent on the relatively preferred side (rug) was measured. In Experiment 2, the odor of maternal faces emanated from one end of the test arena; time spent near that end was measured. These sensory stimuli were chosen as they represent olfactory and tactile aspects of the dam and nest. Compared to controls, both CCK receptor antagonists selectively increased the time spent on the preferred side, in both experiments, without affecting axillary temperature or locomotor activity. The results suggest that CCK may mediate and attenuate the infant's attraction toward naturally preferred stimuli. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 38: 164,173, 2001 [source]

Effects of Kindermusik training on infants' rhythmic enculturation

DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010
David W. Gerry
Phillips-Silver and Trainor (2005) demonstrated a link between movement and the metrical interpretation of rhythm patterns in 7-month-old infants. Infants bounced on every second beat of a rhythmic pattern with no auditory accents later preferred to listen to an accented version of the pattern with accents every second beat (duple or march meter), whereas infants bounced on every third beat of the same rhythmic pattern preferred to listen to a version with accents every third beat (triple or waltz meter). The present study compared infants participating in Kindermusik classes with infants not participating in music classes. In Kindermusik classes infants receive enriched experience moving to music. Following Western musical norms, the majority of the music samples in the classes are in duple meter. During the preference test, Kindermusik infants listened longer overall, indicating heightened interest in musical rhythms. Both groups listened longer to the accented version that matched how they had been bounced, but only the Kindermusik group showed a stronger preference in the case of duple bouncing than in the case of triple bouncing. We conclude that musical classes for infants can accelerate the development of culture-specific metrical perception. [source]

Links between social and linguistic processing of speech in preschool children with autism: behavioral and electrophysiological measures

DEVELOPMENTAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2005
Patricia K. Kuhl
Data on typically developing children suggest a link between social interaction and language learning, a finding of interest both to theories of language and theories of autism. In this study, we examined social and linguistic processing of speech in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing chronologically matched (TDCA) and mental age matched (TDMA) children. The social measure was an auditory preference test that pitted ,motherese' speech samples against non-speech analogs of the same signals. The linguistic measure was phonetic discrimination assessed with mismatch negativity (MMN), an event-related potential (ERP). As a group, children with ASD differed from controls by: (a) demonstrating a preference for the non-speech analog signals, and (b) failing to show a significant MMN in response to a syllable change. When ASD children were divided into subgroups based on auditory preference, and the ERP data reanalyzed, ASD children who preferred non-speech still failed to show an MMN, whereas ASD children who preferred motherese did not differ from the controls. The data support the hypothesis of an association between social and linguistic processing in children with ASD. [source]

Lateralised motor behaviour leads to increased unevenness in front feet and asymmetry in athletic performance in young mature Warmblood horses

EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010
M. C. V. Van HEEL
Summary Reason for performing study: Foot stance in grazing significantly influences hoof conformation and development from foal to yearling age. Objectives: To conduct a longitudinal study to establish if the relationship between motor laterality and uneven front feet persisted in 3-year-old horses at the time of studbook selection and to investigate if such laterality and unevenness might influence the horses' ability to perform symmetrically while trotting, cantering and free jumping. Methods: Seventeen clinically sound but untrained (with only minimal experience of handling) and sound Warmblood horses that had participated in a previous study were assessed as per the protocol reported. Laterality was tested in a preference test (PT) and z -values were calculated for analysis purposes. Laterality and hoof unevenness were related to both relative limb length and relative head size, while the ability to perform symmetrically was tested in free trot-canter transitions and free jumping exercises. Differences in performance between horses with and without a limb preference in the PT and those with ,uneven' and ,even' feet were tested for differences in performance metrics using Students' t test, while linearity was tested using a regression analysis (P<0.05). Results: Significant laterality was still present in 24% of the 3-year-old horses and the relationship between laterality and uneven feet pairs was stronger than at foal and yearling stages. Horses with significant motor laterality had almost 4 times more unevenness, a smaller head and longer limbs and the relationship between body conformation and laterality was still present. There was a strong linear relation between unevenness, laterality and a bias or side preference for trot-canter transitions. However, this relationship was not significant during the free jumping exercise. Conclusion: Motor laterality and uneven feet pairs were still present and significantly related in the 3-year-old horses and both variables were also strongly related to sidedness in trot-canter transitions. Potential relevance: Warmblood studbooks should include quantitative data on laterality at the time of studbook admission as part of the selection criteria. [source]

N -methyl-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-butanamine (MBDB): its properties and possible risks

ADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2000
L. A. G. J. M. Van Aerts
MBDB (N -methyl-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-aminobutane) is the ,-ethyl homologue of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine). MBDB is metabolized and excreted similarly to MDMA: presumably, the majority of oral MBDB is excreted in urine unmetabolized. The main metabolic routes in man are thought to be O-dealkylation and subsequent methylation, sulphation and glucuronidation of the newly formed hydroxy groups. The major acute neuropharmacological effects of MBDB in the rat are an increase in serotonin release in the brain and an inhibition of serotonin and noradrenaline re-uptake. These effects compare well with those of MDMA, although the latter is more potent. MBDB may also slightly increase dopamine release and inhibit dopamine re-uptake, but to a lesser extent than MDMA. This is important, as dopamine release has been implicated in the reinforcing qualities of substances such as cocaine and amphetamine. The neuroendocrine effects of MBDB resemble those of MDMA. Both substances increase plasma ACTH, corticosterone, prolactin and renin. The neurophysiological effects of MBDB are characterized by a decrease in electrical activity throughout the brain, most notably in the alpha 2 and delta frequency bands. In contrast, hallucinogens increase the activity in the alpha 1 band, especially in the corpus striatum. In drug discrimination tests in the rat, MBDB, like MDMA, can be distinguished clearly from both stimulants and hallucinogens. The class of substances to which MBDB belongs may be named entactogens. MBDB dose-dependently increases locomotor activity and decreases exploratory behaviour in the rat and causes distress vocalization and wing extension in the newly hatched chicken. The rewarding properties of MBDB appear to be smaller than those of MDMA, as suggested by a 2.5 times weaker potency in the conditioned place preference test in rats. The main subjective effects of MBDB in man are a pleasant state of introspection, with greatly facilitated interpersonal communication and a pronounced sense of empathy and compassion between subjects. In this respect, MBDB again resembles MDMA. However, there are also differences. MBDB has a slower and more gentle onset of action than MDMA, produces less euphoria and has less stimulant properties. The few toxicological data available suggest that MBDB may cause serotonergic deficits in the brain, although the potency of MBDB to cause this neurotoxic effect is smaller than that of MDMA. Severe acute reactions in man as have been reported for MDMA have not been published for MBDB. The dependence potential of MBDB appears to be small, probably even smaller than that of MDMA. MBDB has been available at least since 1994 but its position on the synthetic drugs market is marginal. Subjective reports indicate that MBDB is less popular among users than MDMA. The reason may be that MBDB produces less euphoria than MDMA. Another possible explanation is that MBDB largely lacks the stimulant properties of MDMA. We calculated a margin of safety with a method similar to one used in the risk assessment of pharmaceuticals. The results suggest that MBDB is three times less likely to cause serotonergic brain deficits than MDMA. However, it should be noted that for both substances the margin of safety is less than one, indicating that the risk of neurotoxicity is not negligible. In animals, serotonergic brain deficits after exposure to MDMA have been linked to the degeneration of serotonergic nerve terminals. [source]

Effects of drying regime on microbial colonization and shredder preference in seasonal woodland wetlands

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
MARTYN D. INKLEY
Summary 1. Energy budgets of wetlands in temperate deciduous forests are dominated by terrestrially derived leaf litter that decays under different drying conditions depending on autumn precipitation. We compared decay rates and microbial colonization of maple leaves under different inundation schedules in a field experiment, and then conducted a laboratory study on shredder preference. In the field, litter bags either remained submerged (permanent), were moved to a dried part of the basin once and then returned (semi-permanent), or were alternated between wet and dry conditions for 8 weeks (temporary). 2. There was no difference in decay rates among treatments, but leaves incubated under permanent and semi-permanent conditions had higher fungal and bacterial biomass, and lower C : N ratios than those incubated under alternating drying and wetting conditions. 3. To determine the effects of these differences in litter nutritional quality on shredder preference, we conducted a laboratory preference test with larvae of leaf-shredding caddisflies that inhabit the wetland. Caddisflies spent twice as much time foraging on permanent and semi-permanent litter than on litter incubated under temporary conditions. 4. There is considerable variation among previous studies in how basin drying affects litter breakdown in wetlands, and no previous information on shredder preference. We found that frequent drying in a shallow wetland reduces the nutritional quality of leaf litter (lower microbial biomass and nitrogen content), and therefore preference by invertebrate shredders. These results suggest that inter-annual shifts in drying regime should alter detritus processing rates, and hence the mobilization of the energy and nutrients in leaf litter to the wetland food web. [source]

Comparison of feed preference and digestion of three different commercial diets for cats and ferrets

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3-6 2005
S. Gy.
Summary Diet preference and digestibility experiments were conducted using a total of 10 cats and 10 ferrets. The composition of the three different kinds of dry cat feed was as follows (each data are given in dry matter, DM): (i) normal diet (N): 95.3% DM, 33.7% crude protein (CP), 20.4% ether extract (EE), 37.6% nitrogen-free extract (NFE); (ii) ,light diet' (L): 94.2% DM, 31.6% CP, 10.7% EE, 52.2% NFE; (iii) ,veterinary diet' (D): 94.57% DM, 38.7% CP, 9.6% EE, 47.2% NFE. During the period of the preference test, the average daily dry matter intake (calculated with the mean of the three diets: 94.7% DM) was 98.0, 15.0 and 16.7 g DM in cats and 25.0, 7.3 and 8.1 g DM in ferrets. The preference rates of the three different diets, expressed in percentage of their total consumption, were as follows: 60.4% N (54.4 g DM), 12.4% L (12.1 g DM) and 27.2% D (26.6 g DM) in cats, and 46.2% N (11.6 g DM), 29.9% L (7.5 g DM) and 23.9% D (6.0 g DM) in ferrets. This indicates that cats and ferrets have a clear preference for diets of higher fat content. In all three diets, the digestibility of CP was significantly (p < 0.05) lower (70.1 ± 5.4 vs. 75.9 ± 5.8) while that of EE was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (95.6 ± 1.5 vs. 89.4 ± 5.3) in ferrets than in cats. The average digestible/metabolizable energy (DE/ME) ratio of feeds turned to be 95.6% for cats and 90.6% for the ferrets. From the data one can conclude that the ferret cannot be used as a model animal for cats either for preference or digestibility studies. [source]

EFFECT OF THAWING METHODS ON TEXTURAL QUALITY OF SOUS-VIDE STEWED BEEF ASSESSED BY SENSORY AND INSTRUMENTAL ANALYSES

JOURNAL OF FOOD QUALITY, Issue 5 2001
N.J.N. YAU
ABSTRACT This study compared four different thawing methods using sensory test with magnitude estimation, preference test with hedonic scale and physical analyses. The four methods were tap-water, refrigeration, microwave reheating, and boiling-water reheating. For physical analyses, there were differences (p,0.001) among treatments in drip loss and expressible juice. For drip loss, the microwave reheated samples were the highest and the refrigeration and tap-water treated samples were the lowest. For expressible juice, tap-water and refrigerated samples were higher (p,0.01) than the microwave and boiling-water reheated samples. Microwave and boiling-water reheated samples had higher hardness and cheviness and lower juiciness and fiber-looseness. The refrigerated and tap-water thawed samples had reverse sensory properties. Naive panelists preferred the refrigerated and tap-water treated samples to the microwave and boiling-water reheated samples for juiciness, tenderness, and overall preference. Physical parameters from textural profile analysis were not different among the thawing methods. Expressible juice was the best indicator for sensory hardness, juiciness, fiber-looseness and chewiness among the physical parameters. Usually a quadratic regression model fit best when expressible juice was used to predict sensory textural properties. [source]

Monoamine Metabolism and Behavioral Responses to Ethanol in Mitochondrial Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Knockout Mice

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 10 2006
Elizabeth Fernandez
Background: It is widely accepted that, in addition to removing acetaldehyde produced during the metabolism of ethanol, mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) functions in the pathway by which aldehyde metabolites of the monoamines dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) are converted to their acidic metabolites. Moreover, studies of ALDH2 inhibitors used for treating alcoholism suggest that their antidipsotropic effects may be related to inhibition of monoamine metabolism. Therefore, we examined the hypothesis that altered brain monoamine metabolism is related to the influence of ALDH2 on behavioral responses to ethanol. Methods: Mice were generated with a gene-trap mutation of the ALDH2 gene. ALDH2 mRNA was absent in ALDH2,/, mice. Western blot analysis of liver mitochondria confirmed the absence of ALDH2 protein in the ALDH2,/, mice. Wild-type and ALDH2-deficient mice were tested for the effects of different doses of ethanol on locomotor activity, ataxia, and a 2-bottle ethanol,water preference test. Results: Wild-type and ALDH2+/, mice preferred ethanol to water. However, ALDH2,/, mice drank significantly less ethanol than wild-type or ALDH2+/, mice. Locomotor activity and ataxia were significantly more affected by ethanol in ALDH2,/, mice than in wild-type or ALDH2+/, mice. There was no effect of genotype on levels of 5-HT, DA, or their precursors or metabolites in several brain regions, as measured by HPLCec. Conclusions: The results indicate that: (1) the effect of the mutant genotype on behavioral responses to ethanol is unrelated to altered brain monoamine metabolism and (2) ALDH2 is not required for the metabolism of brain monoamines in vivo. [source]

Association Between Sweet Preference and Paternal History of Alcoholism in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Patients

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 12 2003
A. B. Kampov-Polevoy
Background: The relationship between preference for stronger sweet solutions and propensity to excessive alcohol drinking is supported by both animal and human studies. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that sweet preference is associated with the genetic risk of alcoholism as measured by a paternal history of alcoholism. Methods: Participants were 180 patients admitted to a residential treatment program for the treatment of alcoholism, drug dependence, or psychiatric conditions. In addition to a routine medical examination, patients completed the standard sweet preference test twice (on the 9th and 24th days after admission), and the family history of alcoholism was evaluated. Results: Sweet preference was shown to be stable over time. It was strongly associated with a paternal history of alcoholism, with family history,positive patients approximately 5 times more likely to prefer stronger sweet solutions than family history,negative subjects. Such factors as dependence on alcohol, cocaine, opiates, cannabis, other drugs (including prescription drugs), and tobacco smoking, as well as demographics (gender and age), did not significantly interfere with association between sweet preference and paternal history of alcoholism. Conclusions: These findings provide some support for the hypothesis that preference for stronger sweet solutions is associated with a genetic predisposition to alcoholism as measured by a paternal history of alcoholism. [source]

Ability of heifers to discriminate between familiar herdmates and members of an unfamiliar group: preference test and operant conditioning test

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009
Yuki KOBA
ABSTRACT Using a preference test and operant conditioning in a Y-maze, this experiment examined the ability of heifers to discriminate between their own familiar herdmates and member(s) of an unfamiliar group. Sixteen Danish Friesian heifers, eight older animals (360.6 ± 24.2 days of age) and eight younger ones (190.1 ± 14.1 days of age) were used. Each age group was further divided into two experimental groups. Members of each of these groups were housed together in small pens before the experiments began. In experiment 1, each of the 16 animals was allowed to approach either a familiar or an unfamiliar individual in the Y-maze. The test was repeated 12 times, with a different unfamiliar subject for each test. In experiment 2, eight heifers were individually tested in a conditioning experiment to examine whether they could learn to discriminate between a group of their three herdmates and a group of three unfamiliar heifers. Test animals were rewarded when they chose their own group. In experiment 1, heifers did not show a preference between familiar and unfamiliar individuals. Interestingly the younger stimulus heifers but not the test animals showed an ability to discriminate between unfamiliar animals by vocalizing. In experiment 2, four of the eight test animals achieved the criterion for successful discrimination between the familiar and unfamiliar group (P < 0.003: binomial law). There was no age group difference in the ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar animals. In conclusion, heifers did not show a preference toward familiar or unfamiliar individuals; but after conditioning, some heifers could learn to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar groups. [source]

Olfactory Communication and Neighbor Recognition in Giant Kangaroo Rats

ETHOLOGY, Issue 2 2001
Heather Gardner Murdock
We hypothesized that olfactory communication facilitates neighbor recognition in the giant kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ingens, and is therefore influential in coordinating social interactions in this solitary, desert rodent. We tested whether (i) D. ingens can discriminate between odors of same- and opposite-sex conspecifics; and (ii) the kangaroo rats exhibit scent preferences based on familiarity. In habituation-discrimination tests, we found that both genders distinguish differences between the scent of individuals of the same- and opposite-sex. In olfactory preference tests, both males and females spent significantly more time investigating the scent of their familiar cagemate than the scent of an unfamiliar conspecific. Giant kangaroo rats may be able to recognize familiar neighbors from olfactory cues, thus supporting a hypothesis of neighbor recognition. Neighbor recognition may be an important mechanism of social interactions in this endangered species. [source]

Calcium taste preferences: genetic analysis and genome screen of C57BL/6J × PWK/PhJ hybrid mice

GENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 6 2008
M. G. Tordoff
To characterize the genetic basis of voluntary calcium consumption, we tested C57BL/6J mice (B6; with low avidity for calcium), PWK/PhJ mice (PWK; with high avidity for calcium) and their F1 and F2 hybrids. All mice received a series of 96-h two-bottle preference tests with a choice between water and the following: 50 mm CaCl2, 50 mm calcium lactate, 50 mm MgCl2, 100 mm KCl, 100 mm NH4Cl, 100 mm NaCl, 5 mm citric acid, 30 ,m quinine hydrochloride and 2 mm saccharin. Most frequency distributions of the parental and F1 but not F2 groups were normally distributed, and there were few sex differences. Reciprocal cross analysis showed that B6 × PWK F1 mice had a non-specific elevation of fluid intake relative to PWK × B6 F1 mice. In the F2 mice, trait correlations were clustered among the divalent salts and the monovalent chlorides. A genome screen involving 116 markers showed 30 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), of which six involved consumption of calcium chloride or lactate. The results show pleiotropic controls of calcium and magnesium consumption that are distinct from those controlling consumption of monovalent chlorides or exemplars of the primary taste qualities. [source]

Insolvency law: a comparative analysis of the preference tests in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Australia

INTERNATIONAL INSOLVENCY REVIEW, Issue 2 2007
Shirley Quo
This paper examines the unfair preference tests under corporate insolvency legislation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and Australia and undertakes a comparison of the law as it exists in relation to the tests in these jurisdictions. It suggests that the objective effects-based test used in the Australian provisions may be more effective in terms of challenging unfair preferences than the subjective ,desire' test based on the actual or presumed intention of the debtor company used in HKSAR. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Galanin Knockout Mice Show Disturbances in Ethanol Consumption and Expression of Hypothalamic Peptides That Stimulate Ethanol Intake

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2010
Olga Karatayev
Background:, There is growing evidence suggesting that hypothalamic galanin (GAL), which is known to stimulate intake of a fat-rich diet, has a role in promoting the consumption of ethanol. The present study further examined this possibility in GAL knockout (GALKO) mice. Methods:, Two groups of female and male GALKO mice, compared to wild-type (WT) controls, were trained to voluntarily drink increasing concentrations of ethanol, while maintained on lab chow and water. They were examined in terms of their daily ethanol intake and preference, acute consumption of a high-fat diet, preference for flavored solutions, and expression of different peptides shown to stimulate ethanol intake. Results:, In the GALKO mice compared to WT, the results revealed: (i) a 35 to 45% decrease in ethanol intake and preference, which was evident only at the highest (15%) ethanol concentration, was stronger in female than in male mice, and was seen with comparisons to littermate as well as nonlittermate WT mice; (ii) a 48% decrease in acute intake of a fat-rich diet, again stronger in female than male mice; (iii) no difference in consumption of sucrose or quinine solutions in preference tests; (iv) a total loss of GAL mRNA in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of female and male mice; and (v) a gender-specific change in mRNA levels of peptides in the perifornical lateral hypothalamus (PFLH), orexin and melanin-concentrating hormone, which are known to stimulate ethanol and food intake and were markedly decreased in females while increased in males. Conclusions:, These results provide strong support for a physiological role of PVN GAL in stimulating the consumption of ethanol, as well as a fat-rich diet. Ablation of the GAL gene produced a behavioral phenotype, particularly in females, which may reflect the functional relationship of galanin to ovarian steroids. It also altered the peptides in the PFLH, with their reduced expression contributing to the larger behavioral effects observed in females and their increased expression attenuating these effects in males. [source]

ASSESSMENT OF PREFERENCE WITH CONTROLS FOR RESPONSE BIAS OPERATING IN THE TEST SITUATION: A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE USING OMEGA-3 ENRICHED WHOLEGRAIN BREADS WITH ECUADORIAN CONSUMERS

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 5 2010
YAMILLA ALVAREZ-COUREAUX
ABSTRACT Ecuadorian consumers performed paired preference tests between sunflower rye bread and artisan wholegrain bread enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Preferences for each were split fairly evenly. Further difference tests suggested that these preferences were elicited by visual rather than flavor/texture cues. The preference test included a "placebo" pair of "identical" stimuli to assess statistically whether the responses to the two test stimuli were merely because of response biases operating in the test situation and not differences in their sensory attributes. The concept of an "operational preference" was introduced to understand some of the ambiguities involved in the definition of preference. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The measurement of preference and acceptance of foods is important for product development and decisions regarding the launching of new products on to the market. The paired preference test has several problems associated with its design and analysis, and these are worthy of investigation. This article uses a practical example to illustrate some procedures developed as solutions to these challenges. Solutions to the problems involved in preference testing are essential so that the food industry can obtain trustworthy data. [source]

PREFERENCE FOR ONE OF TWO IDENTICAL STIMULI: EXPECTATIONS, EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS AND PERSONAL TRAITS

JOURNAL OF SENSORY STUDIES, Issue 2010
KATHRYN W. CHAPMAN
ABSTRACT Most consumers, given two identical food samples, express a preference for one, rather than choosing a no-preference option. The stability and potential causes of this seemingly irrational preference were examined across three trials under different conditions, specifically, when the first test pair was identical or different, and when participants were explicitly told that the pairs would often be identical. Choice of no preference typically increased from the first to second trial, especially for groups who saw a pair of different samples on the first trial. The explicit instruction that samples might be the same failed to reduce expressing a preference on the initial trial although it had some effect on later trials. Analysis, by individuals, of sequences of preference or no-preference responses across trials support independence of sequential responses and argue against stable personal traits as a predictor of preference choice. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS More research needs to be done to understand the origins and operation of biases in preference tests. When tested under conditions in which the samples differ only slightly, participants tend to avoid the no-preference option. This is potentially important when interpreting the results of preference tests and assigning practical significance to their outcomes. Also, single trial testing may produce somewhat different results from multi-trial testing, the latter allowing for examination of effects of variation in recent experience. [source]