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Hunger is a powerful driver of eating behaviour. However, the relationship between hunger and food-related cognition remains poorly understood. Previous research found that hunger increased the ability of food cues to capture attention in a US student sample (N=23; Piech, Pastorino, & Zald, Appet., 54, p579-582, 2010). We conducted online (N=29) and in-person (N=28) replications of this study with British participants, using the same stimuli sets and protocols as the original study, with a Bayesian analytical approach. The studies use the Emotional Blink of Attention (EBA) task, in which participants must identify a rotated image in a Rapid Serial Visual Presentation. The targets are preceded by distractors – “neutral”, “romantic”, or “food” images. We predicted that food images would create a greater attentional blink when participants were hungry than when they were sated, but romantic and neutral images would not. Our participants completed the task twice, at the same time of day, on two different days, 6-11 days apart; once when hungry (overnight plus 6h fast) and once when sated (after eating a self-selected lunch in the preceding hour). Our results did not support the original finding that hunger increases attentional capture by food cues, despite both of our experiments passing manipulation and quality assurance checks. While the lack of replication of the original finding may result from differences in the sample, responses to stimuli, or other limitations, it is also possible that the original finding may not be generalisable. This may be explained by the sensitivity of the EBA paradigm to the physical distinctiveness of distractors from filler and target images, rather than the emotional valence of the distractors, as previously thought. Our studies were pre-registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/w2a8f and https://osf.io/v4wpt).

Objective: Addressing the complex needs of callers who use helplines frequently has proved challenging for counselling helplines around the world. This paper examines the feasibility and acceptabil...

Impulsivity refers to the valuation of future rewards relative to immediate ones. From an evolutionary perspective, we should expect impulsivity to be sensitive to the current state of the organism (for example, hunger), and also its long-term developmental history. There is evidence that both current hunger and childhood socioeconomic deprivation are individually associated with impulsivity, but it is not known how these combine. For example, acute hunger might over-ride social gradients in baseline impulsivity, or alternatively, individuals who have experienced greater deprivation might respond more strongly to acute hunger. We aimed to investigate whether hunger and childhood socioeconomic deprivation act additively or interactively in three studies utilising delay discounting tasks. Childhood socioeconomic deprivation was measured using childhood postcode and a self-report measure. In two studies hunger was experimentally manipulated (n = 95 & n = 93 respectively), and in the third we simply measured natural variation. We employed a standard hypothetical delay discounting task in two studies, and a behavioural task with experienced delays in the third (n = 330). Although the individual studies varied in which predictors were statistically significant, when we meta-analysed them, a clear pattern emerged. Hunger predicted greater impulsivity; childhood socioeconomic deprivation predicted greater impulsivity; and these two effects were additive rather than interactive.

Understanding nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) measurement techniques is important as air-quality standards become more stringent, important sources change, and instrumentation develops. NOx observ...

PurposeTo describe our experience of offering simultaneous genetic carrier screening for cystic fibrosis (CF), fragile X syndrome (FXS), and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).MethodsCarrier screening is offered through general practice, obstetrics, fertility, and genetics settings before or in early pregnancy. Carriers are offered genetic counseling with prenatal/preimplantation genetic diagnosis available to those at increased risk.ResultsScreening of 12,000 individuals revealed 610 carriers (5.08%; 1 in 20): 342 CF, 35 FXS, 241 SMA (8 carriers of 2 conditions), approximately 88% of whom had no family history. At least 94% of CF and SMA carriers' partners were tested. Fifty couples (0.42%; 1 in 240) were at increased risk of having a child with one of the conditions (14 CF, 35 FXS, and 1 SMA) with 32 pregnant at the time of testing. Of these, 26 opted for prenatal diagnosis revealing 7 pregnancies affected (4 CF, 2 FXS, 1 SMA).ConclusionThe combined affected pregnancy rate is comparable to the population risk for Down syndrome, emphasizing the need to routinely offer carrier screening. The availability of appropriate genetic counseling support and a collaborative approach between laboratory teams, genetics services, health professionals offering screening, and support organizations is essential.

Cultural practices may either enhance or interfere with evolved preferences as predicted by culture–gene coevolution theory. Here, we investigated the impact of artificial fragrances on the assessment of biologically relevant information in human body odor. To do this, we examined cross-sensory consistency (across faces and odors) in the perception of masculinity and femininity in men and women, and how consistency is influenced by the use of artificial fragrance. Independent sets of same and opposite-sex participants rated odor samples (with and without a fragrance, n =239 raters), and photographs ( n =130) of 20 men and 20 women. In female, but not male raters, judgments of masculinity/femininity of non-fragranced odor and faces were correlated. However, the correlation between female ratings of male facial and odor masculinity was not evident when assessing a fragranced body odor. Further analysis also indicated that differences in ratings of male odor masculinity between men with high and low levels of facial masculinity were not present in fragranced body odor samples. This effect was absent in ratings of female odors by both female and male raters, suggesting sex-specificity in the effects of fragrance on odor perception. Our findings suggest that women may be more attentive to these odor cues, and therefore also to disruption of this information through fragrance use. Our results show that cultural practices might both enhance and interfere with evolved preferences.

Humans were once considered to be microsmatic, but recent research suggests that we can use our sense of smell to detect important, socially relevant information about conspecifics. However, much of the research conducted to-date has investigated natural, fragrance free human body odours. While this is important in order to understand the evolution of olfactory communication in humans, it fails to account for the current (and historical) widespread use of artificial fragrances. In this chapter, we outline ways in which extraneous artificial fragrances may augment the underlying body odour, or ‘odour space’ of an individual, and how this might influence the perception of socially relevant information. In doing so, we describe some specific mechanisms for the interaction between body odours and artificial fragrances (blending and masking) and we discuss some recent work which has attempted to distinguish between these mechanisms.

Understanding nitrogen oxides (NO

We are writing to invite views on a set of proposals for management measures that the RSPCA would like to see implemented to halt the spread of, and ultimately eradicate, bovine TB (bTB) in cattle in England and Wales. We are asking farmers, farm vets and other interested parties to comment on the proposals the RSPCA would like to see adopted more widely as part of any strategy to tackle bTB in …

There is substantial evidence for assortative partner preferences in humans based on physical characteristics. In contrast, evidence suggests that olfactory preferences tend to be disassortative, with people preferring body odour of potential partners who are dissimilar at key genetic loci, perhaps to gain fitness advantage through offspring heterozygosity. We compared ratings of perceived body odour similarity of real couples with those of randomly paired 'fake' couples. Contrary to prediction, we find that odours of real partners are perceived more, rather than less, similar to each other than fake couples. However, this applied only to natural odour samples: there were no differences in similarity levels of real and fake couples' samples which were collected while wearing artificial fragrances. Furthermore, in light of suggestions that hormonal contraception (HC) disrupts disassortative odour preferences in women, we compared odour similarity among real couples in which the female partner was using or not using HC at the time when the relationship began. We find that odours of HC-using couples are of intermediate similarity between non-using and fake couples, suggesting that HC use during partner choice could affect odour-influenced assortment. We also examined the association between relationship satisfaction and perceived similarity of unfragranced odours of real couples. We found that these are positively correlated in male partners but negatively correlated in the female partners, indicative of a sex difference in the relative favourability of odour similarity in partner preference. Finally, by comparing odour similarity ratings with those given by perfumers using a novel olfactory lexicon we found evidence that similarity judgements were based on the Spicy/Animalic aspects of individual odour profiles. Taken together, our results challenge the conventional view that odour-mediated partner preferences in humans are typically disassortative.

The Major Employers Group comprises senior clinical leaders from the larger veterinary organisations that deliver care directly to the public. We meet regularly to discuss clinical and professional issues of mutual interest. The group has made contributions to a number …

We introduce a nanofluidic platform that can be used to carry out femtosecond electron diffraction (FED) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements in liquid samples or in-liquid specimens, respectively. The nanofluidic cell (NFC) system presented herein has been designed to withstand high sample refreshing rates (over one kilohertz), a prerequisite to succeed with FED experiments in our lab. Short beam paths, below 1 μm, in combination with ultrathin membranes (less than 100 nm thick) are necessary conditions for in-liquid FED and TEM studies due to the strongly interacting nature of electrons. Depending on the application, the beam path in our NFC can be tuned between 50 nm and 10 μm with ultrathin stoichiometric silicon nitride (Si3N4) windows as thin as 20 nm. Stoichiometric Si3N4 has been selected to reduce membrane bulging owing to its higher tensile stress and transparency in the UV-vis-NIR region to allow for laser excitation in FED experiments. Key design parameters and improvements made over previous NFC systems are discussed, and some preliminary electron images obtained by 200 kV scanning TEM are presented.

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are influential in the Eastern Caribbean. To understand their role in HIV-related health programs, we conducted a cross-section of surveys and interviews with representatives from FBOs in four countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and Grenadines. We examined HIV-related and sexual health activities, capacity to provide programs, and attitudinal influences, such as stigma. We found that although some FBOs are engaged in sexual health and HIV-related work, many are limited by formal church doctrines and parishioner perceptions about HIV. HIV prevention messages, for example, were centered on abstinence and monogamy. Promoting condom use was considered incompatible with church doctrine. HIV-related stigma and discrimination were considerable, primarily because attitudes toward men who have sex with men and sex workers were conditioned by views that these people engaged in “sinful” activities that should be renounced. Nevertheless, FBO leaders were motivated by compassion and wanted to provide care and psychosocial and spiritual support to HIV-infected people, and were willing to be part of the public health response to HIV, within the limits of their doctrines. FBOs may serve an important role in de-stigmatizing HIV among parishioners, emphasizing compassion and reframing HIV as a chronic health condition. However, for many sexuality-related issues and interventions, collaborations with outside organizations may be required.

Background The prevalence of self-identified chronic pain in Canadian adults is approximately one in five people. Marginalization and addictions have been shown to complicate chronic pain in vulnerable populations. This study aimed to understand the experience of chronic pain among female Survival Sex Workers in Vancouver's downtown eastside (DTES). Methods This study used an exploratory qualitative analysis with in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Members of PACE Society who self-identified as a current or former Survival Sex Worker and who had a chronic pain experience known to PACE support workers were invited to participate. Interviews were conducted, audio recorded and transcribed. The investigators met to read the transcripts and discuss emerging themes. The process continued until no new themes were observed. Results Participants ranged in age from 42 to 56 years old and all self- identified as females and Survival Sex Workers. Eleven of thirteen interviews were analyzed for themes. Drug use for pain management, both prescribed and illicit, was the most important theme. Poverty, the need to continue working and the lack of stable housing were barriers to adequately addressing the source of chronic pain. Participants felt judged for living in the downtown eastside, being a drug user and/or being Aboriginal and only two participants had been referred to a pain specialist. All participants were involved in support networks made up of other Sex Workers and all spoke of a sense of community and survival. Conclusions Our study emphasizes the complex nature of chronic pain and addictions among a uniquely marginalized population. The study is unique in that it contributes the perspectives of a traditionally “hard-to-reach” population and demonstrates that Sex Workers should not only participate in but should lead development and implementation of research and programs for managing chronic pain in the setting of addiction.

Previous research suggests that artificial fragrances may be chosen to complement or enhance an individual’s body odor, rather than simply masking it, and that this may create an odor blend with an emergent quality that is perceptually distinguishable from body odor or fragrance alone. From this, it can be predicted that a new emergent odor might be more easily identified than an individual’s body odor in isolation. We used a triangle test paradigm to assess whether fragrance affects people’s ability to distinguish between individual odors. Six male and six female donors provided axillary odor samples in three conditions (without fragrance, wearing their own fragrance, and wearing an assigned fragrance). In total, 296 female and 131 male participants selected the odd one out from three odor samples (two from one donor, one from another; both of the same sex). We found that participants could discriminate between the odors at above chance levels in all three odour conditions. Olfactory identification ability (measured using Sniffin’ Sticks) positively predicted discrimination performance, and sex differences in performance were also observed, with female raters being correct more often than men. Success rates were also higher for odors of male donors. Additionally, while performance was above chance in all conditions, individual odor discrimination varied across the three conditions. Discrimination rate was significantly higher in the ‘no fragrance’ condition than either of the fragranced conditions. Importantly, however, discrimination rate was also significantly higher in the ‘own fragrance’ condition than the ‘assigned fragrance’ condition, suggesting that naturally occurring variance in body odor is more preserved when blended with fragrances that people choose for themselves, compared with other fragrances. Our data are consistent with the idea that fragrance choices are influenced by fragrance interactions with an individual’s own body odor.