Investment in sensory structures, testis size, and wing coloration in males of a diurnal moth species: trade-offs or correlated growth?

For dioecious animals, reproductive success typically involves an exchange between the sexes of signals that provide information about mate location and quality. Typically, the elaborate, secondary sexual ornaments of males signal their quality, while females may signal their location and receptivity. In theory, the receptor structures that receive the latter signals may also become elaborate or enlarged in a way that ultimately functions to enhance mating success through improved mate location. The large, elaborate antennae of many male moths are one such sensory structure, and eye size may also be important in diurnal moths. Investment in these traits may be costly, resulting in trade-offs among different traits associated with mate location. For polyandrous species, such trade-offs may also include traits associated with paternity success, such as larger testes. Conversely, we would not expect this to be the case for monandrous species, where sperm competition is unlikely. We investigated these ideas by evaluating the relationship between investment in sensory structures (antennae, eye), testis, and a putative warning signal (orange hindwing patch) in field-caught males of the monandrous diurnal painted apple moth Teia anartoides (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in southeastern Australia. As predicted for a monandrous species, we found no evidence that male moths with larger sensory structures had reduced investment in testis size. However, contrary to expectation, investment in sensory structures was correlated: males with relatively larger antennae also had relatively larger eyes. Intriguingly, also, the size of male orange hindwing patches was positively correlated with testis size.

Is the relationship between sensory-processing sensitivity and negative affect mediated by emotional regulation?

© 2015 Australian Psychological Society. Objective: Sensory-processing sensitivity refers to a trait-like difference in the extent to which individuals strongly and deeply process a variety of stimuli in the environment. While being highly sensitive has been linked to increased experiences of distress, the reasons for this are not well known. One potential mediator of this effect is emotional regulation-the set of processes influencing which emotions we have, when we have them, and how we experience and express them. This study therefore aimed to investigate whether sensory processing sensitivity is linked to negative affect via emotional regulation processes. Method: N=157 participants (n=118 females) completed online questionnaires assessing negative affect, sensory-processing sensitivity, along with two multidimensional emotional regulation measures. Results: An individual's lack of access to emotional regulation strategies, greater awareness of emotion, and lack of acceptance towards feeling distressed, acted as partial mediators between sensory-processing sensitivity and symptoms of depression. Combinations of these variables also partially mediated the relationship between sensory-processing sensitivity and symptoms of anxiety and stress. Conclusions: It is suggested that repeatedly experiencing aversive sensory-states among those with increased sensory-processing sensitivity impacts on their general awareness and acceptance of internal states and the confidence that one can regulate them. This in turn leads to the experience of negative affective states. Limitations of the present study and implications for therapeutic interventions are discussed.

The effect of sugar-free versus sugar-sweetened beverages on satiety, liking and wanting: an 18 month randomized double-blind trial in children

BACKGROUND: Substituting sugar-free for sugar-sweetened beverages reduces weight gain. A possible explanation is that sugar-containing and sugar-free beverages cause the same degree of satiety. However, this has not been tested in long-term trials.

METHODS: We randomized 203 children aged 7-11 years to receive 250 mL per day of an artificially sweetened sugar-free beverage or a similarly looking and tasting sugar-sweetened beverage. We measured satiety on a 5-point scale by questionnaire at 0, 6, 12 and 18 months. We calculated the change in satiety from before intake to 1 minute after intake and 15 minutes after intake. We then calculated the odds ratio that satiety increased by 1 point in the sugar-group versus the sugar-free group. We also investigated how much the children liked and wanted the beverages.

RESULTS: 146 children or 72% completed the study. We found no statistically significant difference in satiety between the sugar-free and sugar-sweetened group; the adjusted odds ratio for a 1 point increase in satiety in the sugar group versus the sugar-free group was 0.77 at 1 minute (95% confidence interval, 0.46 to 1.29), and 1.44 at 15 minutes after intake (95% CI, 0.86 to 2.40). The sugar-group liked and wanted their beverage slightly more than the sugar-free group, adjusted odds ratio 1.63 (95% CI 1.05 to 2.54) and 1.65 (95% CI 1.07 to 2.55), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Sugar-sweetened and sugar-free beverages produced similar satiety. Therefore when children are given sugar-free instead of sugar-containing drinks they might not make up the missing calories from other sources. This may explain our previous observation that children in the sugar-free group accumulated less body fat than those in the sugar group.

Effects of health labels on expected and actual taste perception of soup

Health labels such as "reduced in salt" or the "healthy choices" logo aim to facilitate consumers' healthy food choices. However, they may act as a warning sign for those consumers who are more worried about the taste of the products, rather than healthiness. This study assessed the potential effect of front-of-pack health labels on consumers' expectations and actual perceived taste quality of a chicken soup. Participants ranging from 19 to 67. years of age (28 females, 18 males, mean age 45.3 ± 13.7. years) were invited to come to a central location to taste a variety of soups. Consumers tasted the same soup with different labels (e.g. now reduced in salt, healthy choices-tick logo) in a within-subjects design. Before and after consumers tasted the soup, they were asked to rate liking, saltiness, and desire to consume the soup. The results suggest that consumers expected the salt taste intensity (P< 0.001) to be lower when the label stated "now reduced in salt", compared to the soup without such label. Furthermore, consumers expected the soup with the tick logo to be more liked than the same soup with the tick logo and the "now reduced salt" label (P= 0.1). After consumers tasted the soups, no differences in liking or desire were found between the soups with the different labels.This study suggests that labels which notify consumers of a reduction in salt may have an adverse effect on consumers' expectation and potentially on the actual perceived taste of products.

The "Sensory Deprivation Tank": an interpretative phenomenological analysis of men's expectations of first-time fatherhood

Few studies have investigated expectations of fatherhood in men without children, and none within the age bracket most often associated with new fatherhood. Therefore, the objective of this qualitative study was to gain in-depth understanding of young men's beliefs and perceptions of that role. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of interview transcripts identified 3 key themes: The contemporary model father, perceived threat to life as we know it, and, the central theme, an unforeseeable future. Analysis revealed that while participants held broad expectations to be emotionally and physically involved as well as economically responsible fathers, their views often lacked specificity, consideration of meaning, and practical notions about how expectations could be fulfilled. We explain the lack of development in men's conceptualization of fatherhood across emerging adulthood through hegemonic masculinity, identity theory, and life course perspectives. The current study provides a rationale for promoting increased discussion around fatherhood in the preconception period to help lessen the turbulent nature of men's transition through pregnancy. (PsycINFO Database Record

Sensory and consumer research update : Mental imagery as an olfactory training strategy

An extremely important component of descriptive analysis is training panellists to achieve consistent results. The effectiveness of mental imagery as a training strategy has been shown in several areas such as sport and music. In this study, researchers from the University of Bordeaux in France assessed if olfactory mental imagery could be a tool for training the olfactory capacities of panellists.

Sensory and consumer research update : Consumption of garlic positively affects body odour

Garlic is an integral part of European and Asian cuisines. It is appreciated for its flavour, and the consumption of garlic is associated with a wide range of health benefits throughout history. For instance, records from Ancient Egypt suggest that pyramid builders were fed garlic to acquire extra power. In the Roman Empire, garlic was used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, asthma, madness, tumours and worms.

Sensory and consumer research update : Umami to better balance emotional satisfaction from food

Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate or MSG, is the sodium salt of glutamic-acid or glutamate, the most abundant naturally occurring non-essential amino-acids and can be found in many protein-rich food products such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products and other plant sources. Glutamic-acid was discovered and isolated from wheat gluten and identified in the year 1866, by the German chemist Karl Heinrich Leopold Ritthausen.

Symposium: Making a marriage work: Sensory and marketing

At the recent 10th Annual Australia and New Zealand Sensory and Consumer Science Symposium, the question was posed: can a marriage between sensory and marketing last?

Sensory and Marketing - Partners for life

Sensory and marketing groups co-exist in many medium to large food companies. The roles of sensory departments vary from an integrated group fully embedded in new product development to those who are mainly involved in quality assurance. The idea that sensory groups should just support, rather than lead new product development by providing their services to marketing and product developers is becoming a highly challenged view. During the meeting delegates including academics, market research agencies as well as company sensory scientists discussed ways to facilitate the marriage between marketing and sensory - a relationship in which both partners are equal will result in great offspring, or products in this case

Sensory and consumer research update : Sweet taste and diet

There is much attention on sugar in the food supply given the recent sugar tax in Britain. Sugar remains a controversial, yet much loved ingredient. A new comprehensive study from Deakin University Centre for Advanced Sensory Science (CASS) looked at the relationship between sweet taste function, diet and anthropometry among 60 adults. Low et al used six different sweeteners (glucose, fructose, sucrose, sucralose, erythritol, and Rebaudioside A) and measured detection, recognition threshold and perceived intensity of all the sweeteners in all subjects. They assessed diet in all subjects as well as height, weight and waist circumference.

Sensory Research : Non-caloric sweeteners and consumer psychology

There remains much controversy over the role of non-caloric sweeteners (NCS) in the food supply. Are they helpful or do they promote overconsumption? There is a lack of evidence demonstrating a meaningful causal relationship between consuming NCS products and changes in calorie intake. Does this mean that the decoupling of energy from sweetness actually has no long-term benefit 0 11 consumers' energy regulation?

Sensory and consumer research update : Eating with our ears

Sound is a less thought-about flavour sense; taste, smell, texture and even vision have a higher profile. But is sound an important flavour sense, or is the lack of research in the area a reflection that sound has limited importance?