Anuran Vocal Communication: Effects of Genome Size, Cell Number and Cell Size.

Significant variation in genome size occurs among anuran amphibians and can affect cell size and number. In the gray treefrog complex in North America, increases in cell size in autotriploids of the diploid (Hyla chrysoscelis) altered the temporal structure of mate-attracting vocalizations and auditory selectivity for these properties. Here, we show that the tetraploid species (Hyla versicolor) also has significantly fewer brain neurons than H.

On the Effectiveness of Impedance-Based Fingerprint Presentation Attack Detection.

Within the last few decades, the need for subject authentication has grown steadily, and biometric recognition technology has been established as a reliable alternative to passwords and tokens, offering automatic decisions. However, as unsupervised processes, biometric systems are vulnerable to presentation attacks targeting the capture devices, where presentation attack instruments (PAI) instead of bona fide characteristics are presented. Due to the capture devices being exposed to the public, any person could potentially execute such attacks.

Input of sensory, limbic, basal ganglia and pallial/cortical information into the ventral/lateral habenula: Functional principles in anuran amphibians.

The habenula - a phylogenetically old brain structure present in all vertebrates - is involved in pain processing, reproductive behaviors, sleep-wake cycles, stress responses, reward, and learning. We performed intra- and extracellular recordings of ventral habenula (VHb) neurons in the isolated brain of anurans and revealed similar cell and response properties to those reported for the lateral habenula of mammals. We identified tonic regular, tonic irregular, rhythmic firing, and silent VHb neurons.

Vulnerabilities of Connectionist AI Applications: Evaluation and Defense.

This article deals with the IT security of connectionist artificial intelligence (AI) applications, focusing on threats to integrity, one of the three IT security goals. Such threats are for instance most relevant in prominent AI computer vision applications. In order to present a holistic view on the IT security goal integrity, many additional aspects, such as interpretability, robustness and documentation are taken into account.

Refinement of the dopaminergic system of anuran amphibians based on connectivity with habenula, basal ganglia, limbic system, pallium, and spinal cord.

Whereas our understanding of the dopaminergic system in mammals allows for a distinction between ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), no clear evidence for separate structures in anamniotes has been presented to date. To broaden the insight into the organization and regulation of neuromodulatory systems in anuran amphibians, tracing and immunohistochemical investigations were performed in the Oriental fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis. Topographically organized catecholaminergic "nigrostriatal," "mesolimbic," "mesocortical," and spinal cord projections arising from the posterior tubercle and mesencephalic tegmentum were identified.

The habenula as an evolutionary conserved link between basal ganglia, limbic, and sensory systems-A phylogenetic comparison based on anuran amphibians.

Based on anatomical and functional data, the habenula-a phylogenetically old brain structure present in all vertebrates-takes part in the integration of limbic, sensory, and basal ganglia information to guide effective response strategies appropriate to environmental conditions. In the present study, we investigated the connections of the habenular nuclei of the oriental fire-bellied toad, Bombina orientalis, and compared them with published data from lampreys, chondrichthyes, teleosts, reptiles, birds, and mammals. During phylogenetic development, the primordial habenula circuitry underwent various evolutionary adaptations and in the tetrapod line, the circuit complexity increased.

Individual Dopaminergic Neurons of Lamprey SNc/VTA Project to Both the Striatum and Optic Tectum but Restrict Co-release of Glutamate to Striatum Only.

Dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SNc) innervate both striatum and the superior colliculus in mammals, as well as its homolog the optic tectum in lampreys, belonging to the oldest group of living vertebrates [1-3]. In the lamprey, we have previously shown that the same neuron sends axonal branches to both striatum and the optic tectum [3]. Here, we show that most neurons in the lamprey SNc and ventral tegmental area (VTA) (also referred to as the nucleus of the posterior tuberculum) express not only tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), in lamprey a marker of dopaminergic neurons [4], but also the vesicular glutamate transporter (vGluT), suggesting that glutamate is a co-transmitter.

Swing Velocity Profiles of Small Limbs Can Arise from Transient Passive Torques of the Antagonist Muscle Alone.

In large limbs, changing motor neuron activity typically controls within-movement velocity. For example, sequential agonist-antagonist-agonist motor neuron firing typically underlies the slowing often present at the end of human reaches. In physiological movements of large limbs, antagonistic muscle passive torque is generally negligible.

The blueprint of the vertebrate forebrain - With special reference to the habenulae.

The medial and lateral habenulae are conserved throughout vertebrate evolution, and form an integrated part in the forebrain control of behavior together with the basal ganglia, the dopamine and serotonin systems and cortex. The lateral habenula plays a role in the control of dopamine activity in the context of aversive behavior and the converse, a reward situation. These circuits are important for a value-based evaluation of the success of prior actions.

The pretectal connectome in lamprey.

In vertebrates, the pretectum and optic tectum (superior colliculus in mammals) are visuomotor areas that process sensory information and shape motor responses. Whereas the tectum has been investigated in great detail, the pretectum has received far less attention. The present study provides a detailed analysis of the connectivity and neuronal properties of lamprey pretectal cells.

Controlling legs for locomotion-insights from robotics and neurobiology.

Walking is the most common terrestrial form of locomotion in animals. Its great versatility and flexibility has led to many attempts at building walking machines with similar capabilities. The control of walking is an active research area both in neurobiology and robotics, with a large and growing body of work.

Deriving neural network controllers from neuro-biological data: implementation of a single-leg stick insect controller.

This article presents modular recurrent neural network controllers for single legs of a biomimetic six-legged robot equipped with standard DC motors. Following arguments of Ekeberg et al. (Arthropod Struct Dev 33:287-300, 2004), completely decentralized and sensori-driven neuro-controllers were derived from neuro-biological data of stick-insects.