Preference for rich, random tactile stimulation in woodlice (Porcellio scaber)

in Learning & Motivation (in press)

All living beings exhibit preferences for a variety of biologically significant stimuli. Interestingly, stimuli without biological significance, such as saccharine, are also able to induce preferences in ... [more ▼]

All living beings exhibit preferences for a variety of biologically significant stimuli. Interestingly, stimuli without biological significance, such as saccharine, are also able to induce preferences in vertebrates. Can invertebrates show preferences for biologically neutral cues as well – i.e. independently of any conditioning process? Experiment 1 aimed to determine the preference of woodlice (Porcellio scaber Latreille 1804) exposed to floor textures that differed in tactile cues, how they expressed their tactile preference, and whether they were able to inhibit that preference when a shelter of variable quality was available on the non-preferred floor texture. Experiment 2 provided additional information relative to the strength of woodlice’s tactile preference as well as the way of measuring it. Experiment 3 complemented the previous one in attempting to determine woodlice’s preference for regular versus random tactile cues. Taken together, the results suggest that (i) woodlice are able to process sensory information relative to biologically non-significant stimuli and (ii) that, because the motivation induced can interact with sheltering as a survival-related behavior, the processing of both types of motivation might depend on the same brain systems. [less ▲]

carte géologique de Wallonie (Belgique) 1/10.000. 34/8 Voeren

Cartographic material (in press)

New geological map of Wallonia published at the scale of 1/25.000, based on a new field work and using previous scientific data produced since the previous edition in 1896 (at 1/40.000, by Forir).

Carte géologique de Wallonie (Belgique) 1/10.000. 49/2 Esneux

Cartographic material (in press)

New geological map of Wallonia published at the scale of 1/25.000, based on a new field work and using previous scientific data produced since the previous edition in 1898 (at the scale of 1/40.000, by ... [more ▼]

New geological map of Wallonia published at the scale of 1/25.000, based on a new field work and using previous scientific data produced since the previous edition in 1898 (at the scale of 1/40.000, by Lohest) [less ▲]

Brains creating stories of selves: the neural basis of autobiographical reasoning.

in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (in press)

Personal identity critically depends on the creation of stories about the self and one's life. The present study investigates the neural substrates of autobiographical reasoning, a process central to the ... [more ▼]

Personal identity critically depends on the creation of stories about the self and one's life. The present study investigates the neural substrates of autobiographical reasoning, a process central to the construction of such narratives. During fMRI scanning, participants approached a set of personally significant memories in two different ways: on some trials, they remembered the concrete content of the events (autobiographical remembering), whereas on other trials they reflected on the broader meaning and implications of their memories (autobiographical reasoning). Relative to remembering, autobiographical reasoning recruited a left-lateralized network involved in conceptual processing (including the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), inferior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, and angular gyrus). The ventral MPFC-an area that may function to generate personal/affective meaning-was not consistently engaged during autobiographical reasoning across participants but, interestingly, the activity of this region was modulated by individual differences in interest and willingness to engage in self-reflection. These findings support the notion that autobiographical reasoning and the construction of personal narratives go beyond mere remembering in that they require deriving meaning and value from past experiences. [less ▲]

Hombre de letras, escritor, autor: declinación social de una función simbólica

in Zapata, Juan (Ed.) Teoría del autor (in press)

Mobiles oui, migrants non ? Jeunes marocains qui bougent

in Exploration De La Mobilité Autour De La Méditerranée (in press)

Les récits ethnographiques et les réflexions que je vais présenter dans cet article sont issus d’une recherche menée dans les villes marocaines de Khouribga et de Rabat entre 2007 et 2008. L’étude ... [more ▼]

Les récits ethnographiques et les réflexions que je vais présenter dans cet article sont issus d’une recherche menée dans les villes marocaines de Khouribga et de Rabat entre 2007 et 2008. L’étude concerne la mobilité d’un groupe de jeunes « khouribgii » inscrits dans des projets migratoires vers l’Italie ainsi que les actions et les discours de certains organismes humanitaires (internationaux et locaux) s’occupant de thématiques liées à la migration. L’utilisation d’une distinction terminologique adoptée ici entre mobilité d’une part et migration d’autre part, a été choisi pour représenter une différenciation opérée entre l’expérience faite de la mobilité par ces jeunes à travers leur préparation à la migration, et le blâme et l’entrave à l’action de migrer opérée dans les discours et par les actions des ONG. D’un côté nous avons donc une mobilité qui s’exerce dans l’imaginaire de ces jeunes, tout comme dans des pratiques concrètes mises en place pour réaliser le projet migratoire (qui comportent l’apprentissage d’instruments utiles à l’affronter, tels que la langue italienne ou la capacité de mouvement à travers l’appareil législatif international et national qui régisse la migration) ; une mobilité qui s’exerce également dans la participation aux réseaux migratoires familiaux ; et de l’autre côté, une migration dissuadée par les programmes humanitaires ou sociaux. Ces derniers consentent une mobilité qui puisse s’accomplir dans un rapprochement « virtuel » au pays de destination, à travers notamment des cours de « culture italienne », mais en détournant la définition des parcours migratoires personnels et en les insérant dans la rhétorique de la « migration intelligente », c’est-à-dire en demandant que, s’ils arrivent à être réalisés, ils soient utiles au « développement » de la communauté locale d’origine. A travers l’analyse de ces aspects, cet article vise donc à démontrer la réalité des déplacements des jeunes interviewés, malgré leur permanence sur le territoire marocain, la concrétisation de leur aspiration de migration dans l’expérience de la mobilité, en remettant donc en cause la frontière entre les deux concepts définis ci-dessus. [less ▲]

Carte géologique de Wallonie (Belgique) 1/10.000. 54/1 Natoye

Cartographic material (in press)

New geological map of Wallonia published at the scale of 1/25.000, based on a new field work and using previous scientific data produced since the previous editions in 1882-83 (1/20.000, by Dupont ... [more ▼]

New geological map of Wallonia published at the scale of 1/25.000, based on a new field work and using previous scientific data produced since the previous editions in 1882-83 (1/20.000, by Dupont, Mourlon and Purves) and 1905 (1/40.000, by Mourlon and Dewalque) [less ▲]

Validation d’un test d’inhibition auprès d’enfants présentant un trouble déficitaire de l’attention avec/sans hyperactivité

in Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science = Revue Canadienne des Sciences du Comportement (in press)

The objective of this study was to assess the development of inhibition in 5-11 years old children with the “Stroop fruit” task (see Archibald & Kerns, 1999; Catale & Meulemans, 2005) and to examine the ... [more ▼]

The objective of this study was to assess the development of inhibition in 5-11 years old children with the “Stroop fruit” task (see Archibald & Kerns, 1999; Catale & Meulemans, 2005) and to examine the clinical value of this tool. 346 French-speaking children without any developmental disorders or learning disabilities were included in this study. A clinical group of 25 children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder was also assessed with this task. Developmental analyses on age groups show an enhancement of performance in the interference condition between 5 and 8 years old. Furthermore, results also show that the clinical group performed significantly less accurately that the control group for the interference condition, which confirms the clinical interest of this tool. [less ▲]

Propriétés extrinsèques, polysémie et processus de réification

in Français Moderne (Le) (in press), 81(1),

The use of SWOT analysis to explore and prioritize conservation and development strategies for local cattle breeds

in Animal (in press)

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis is a tool widely used to help in decision making in complex systems. It suits to exploring the issues and measures related to the ... [more ▼]

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis is a tool widely used to help in decision making in complex systems. It suits to exploring the issues and measures related to the conservation and development of local breeds, as it allows the integration of many driving factors influencing breed dynamics. We developed a quantified SWOT method as a ecisionmaking tool for identification and ranking of conservation and development strategies of local breeds, and applied it to a set of 13 cattle breeds of six European countries. The method has four steps: definition of the system, identification and grouping of the driving factors, quantification of the importance of driving factors and identification and prioritization of the strategies. The factors were determined following a multi-stakeholder approach and grouped with a three-level structure. Animal genetic resources expert groups ranked the factors, and a quantification process was implemented to identify and prioritize strategies. The proposed SWOT methodology allows analyzing the dynamics of local cattle breeds in a structured and systematic way. It is a flexible tool developed to assist different stakeholders in defining the strategies and actions. The quantification process allows the comparison of the driving factors and the prioritization of the strategies for the conservation and development of local cattle breeds. We identified 99 factors across the breeds. Although the situation is very heterogeneous, the future of these breeds may be promising. The most important strengths and weaknesses were related to production systems and farmers. The most important opportunities were found in marketing new products, whereas the most relevant threats were found in selling the current products. The across-breed strategies utility decreased as they gained specificity. Therefore, the strategies at European level should focus on general aspects and be flexible enough to be adapted to the country and breed specificities. [less ▲]