At least 16 species of deep-sea fishes have ultra-black skin; by reducing reflectance, ultra-black fish can reduce the sighting distance of visual predators more than 6-fold compared to fish with 2% reflectance

Ultra-black Camouflage in Deep-Sea Fishes. Alexander L. Davis, Kate N. Thomas, Freya E. Goetz, Bruce H. Robison, Sonke Johnsen, Karen J. Osborn. Current Biology 30, 1–7, September 7, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/%20j.cub.2020.06.044

Highlights
*  Reflected bioluminescence can reveal deep-sea animals to predators or prey
*  At least 16 species of deep-sea fishes have ultra-black skin (<0.5% reflectance)
*  Fish achieve low reflectance using a continuous layer of melanosomes in the skin
*  The size and shape of these melanosomes are optimal for reducing reflectance

Summary: At oceanic depths >200 m, there is little ambient sunlight, but bioluminescent organisms provide another lightsource that can reveal animals to visual predators and prey [1–4]. Transparency and mirrored surfaces—common camouflage strategies under the diffuse solar illumination of shallower waters—are conspicuous when illuminated by directed bioluminescent sources due to reflection from the body surface [5, 6]. Pigmentation allows animals to absorb light from bioluminescent sources, rendering them visually undetectable against the dark background of the deep sea [5]. We present evidence suggesting pressure to reduce reflected bioluminescence led to the evolution of ultra-black skin (reflectance <0.5%) in 16 species of deep-sea fishes across seven distantly related orders. Histological data suggest this low reflectance is mediated by a continuous layer of densely packed melanosomes in the exterior-most layer of the dermis [7, 8] and that this layer lacks the unpigmented gaps between pigment cells found in other darkly colored fishes [9–13]. Using finite-difference, time-domain modeling and comparisons with melanosomes found in other ectothermic vertebrates [11, 13–21], we find the melanosomes making up the layer in these ultra-black species are optimized in size and shape to minimize reflectance. Low reflectance results from melanosomes scattering light within the layer, increasing the optical path length and therefore light absorption by the melanin. By reducing reflectance, ultra-black fish can reduce the sighting distance of visual predators more than 6-fold compared to fish with 2% reflectance. This biological example of efficient light absorption via a simple architecture of strongly absorbing and highly scattering particles may inspire new ultra-black materials.

Negative relationship quality, notably, criticism received from one’s spouse or partner, heightens older adults’ risk of mortality

Bookwala, J., & Gaugler, T. (2020). Relationship quality and 5-year mortality risk. Health Psychology, 39(8), 633–641. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000883

Abstract
Objective: The present study examined positive and negative aspects of relationship quality with one’s spouse or partner as predictors of mortality and the role of gender in moderating this link.
Method: Data were drawn from 2 waves, 5 years apart, of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (N = 1,734). Positive aspects of relationship quality (frequency of opening up to the partner to talk about worries and relying on the partner) and negative aspects (frequency of the partner making too many demands and criticism by the partner) were assessed. Survival/mortality status was recorded at the time of Wave 2 data collection 5 years later (1,567 alive; 167 deceased). Covariates included sociodemographic variables, relationship type, health status, and the network size of close family relationships and friendships.
Results: Logistic regression analyses showed that negative relationship quality with one’s spouse or partner was associated with significantly higher odds for mortality after 5 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% CI [1.03, 1.38], p < .001), after including the statistical covariates. Also, age, gender, education, self-rated health, and medication use were significantly related to mortality. Propensity score matching replicated these findings. Follow-up analyses revealed that criticism from one’s spouse or partner, in particular, was linked to a higher mortality risk (OR = 1.44, 95% CI [1.10, 1.88]). Gender did not moderate the relationship-quality–mortality link.
Conclusions: Negative relationship quality, notably, criticism received from one’s spouse or partner, heightens older adults’ risk of mortality. These results suggest the value of developing interventions that target reducing expressed criticism in couple relationships.

Individuals who moved in with a partner/got married/separated from a partner primarily experienced changes in openness in the first year; & those who separated from a partner/got divorced became less emotionally stable

Asselmann, E., & Specht, J. (2020). Taking the ups and downs at the rollercoaster of love: Associations between major life events in the domain of romantic relationships and the Big Five personality traits. Developmental Psychology, Jul 2020. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001047

Abstract: Personality predicts how we interact with others, what partners we have, and how happy and lasting our romantic relationships are. At the same time, our experiences in these relationships may affect our personality. Who experiences specific major relationship events, and how do these events relate to personality development? We examined this issue based on data from a nationally representative household panel study from Germany (N = 49,932). In this study, the occurrence of major relationship events (moving in with a partner, marriage, separation, and divorce) was assessed yearly, and the Big Five personality traits were measured repeatedly in 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2017 with the short version of the Big Five Inventory. We applied multilevel analyses to simultaneously model selection effects as well as different types of personality changes in the years before and after these events in the total sample and separately in women and men. Our findings revealed that less agreeable individuals were more likely to experience each of the examined relationship events. Moreover, each event was associated with personality changes, which only occurred after (not before) these events and considerably varied by event and gender. Individuals who moved in with a partner, got married, or separated from a partner primarily experienced changes in openness in the first year thereafter, and individuals who separated from a partner or got divorced became less emotionally stable in the following years. However, there was little evidence for “maturation” effects, except that individuals who moved in with a partner (especially men) became more conscientious in the following years.

Ordinary citizens increasingly moderate online forums, blogs, & social media feeds, selectively removing opposing political viewpoints from online contexts even when opposing comments were inoffensive & courteous

Ashokkumar, Ashwini, Sanaz Talaifar, William T. Fraser, Rodrigo Landabur, Michael Burhmester, Ángel Gómez, Borja Paredes, et al. 2020. “Censoring Political Opposition Online: Who Does It and Why.” PsyArXiv. July 16. doi:10.31234/osf.io/r9c5z

Abstract: As ordinary citizens increasingly moderate online forums, blogs, and their own social media feeds, a new type of censoring has emerged wherein people selectively remove opposing political viewpoints from online contexts. In three studies of behavior on putative online forums, supporters of a political cause (e.g., abortion or gun rights) preferentially censored comments that opposed their cause. The tendency to selectively censor cause-incongruent online content was amplified among people whose cause-related beliefs were deeply rooted in or “fused with” their identities. Moreover, six additional identity-related measures also amplified the selective censoring effect. Finally, selective censoring emerged even when opposing comments were inoffensive and courteous. We suggest that because online censorship enacted by moderators can skew online content consumed by millions of users, it can systematically disrupt democratic dialogue and subvert social harmony.

Physical Exercise Increases Perceived Musical Pleasure: Modulatory Roles of Arousal, Mood, or Dopamine?

Hove, Michael J., Steven A. Martinez, and Samantha R. Shorrock. 2020. “Physical Exercise Increases Perceived Musical Pleasure: Modulatory Roles of Arousal, Mood, or Dopamine?” PsyArXiv. July 16. doi:10.31234/osf.io/gy6qd

Abstract: Music’s ability to influence exercise performance is well known, but the converse, how exercise influences music listening, remains largely unknown. Exercise can elevate arousal, mood, and neurotransmitters including dopamine, which are involved in musical pleasure. Here we examine how exercise influences music enjoyment, and test for a modulatory role of arousal, mood, and dopamine. Before and after exercise (12 min of vigorous running) and a rest control session, participants (n=20) listened to music clips and rated their enjoyment and subjective arousal; we also collected mood ratings and eye-blink rates, an established predictor of dopamine activity. Ratings of musical enjoyment increased significantly after running, but not after the rest control condition. While changes in subjective arousal ratings did not differ between run and rest days, change in subjective arousal correlated with change in music enjoyment. After running, the change in music enjoyment had a positive but non-significant correlation with change in eye- blink rates (r=.36). Positive mood increased more after exercise than after the rest control session, but the change in positive mood did not correlate with change in music enjoyment. In sum, exercise leads to increased musical pleasure, and this effect was related to changes in arousal.

The development and use of highly reliable and valid facial grimace scales for pain measurement in animals: Grimace scales to measure pain now exist for 10 species

The development and use of facial grimace scales for pain measurement in animals. Jeffrey S.Mogil et al. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, July 16 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.013

Highlights
• Grimace scales were developed based on pain scales measuring facial expression in human neonates.
• Grimace scales to measure pain now exist for 10 species.
• Grimace scales have high reliability and validity, but can be affected by a number of modulatory factors.

ABSTRACT: The measurement of pain in animals is surprisingly complex, and remains a critical issue in veterinary care and biomedical research. Based on the known utility of pain measurement via facial expression in verbal and especially non-verbal human populations, “grimace scales” were first developed a decade ago for use in rodents and now exist for 10 different mammalian species. This review details the background context, historical development, features (including duration), psychometric properties, modulatory factors, and impact of animal grimace scales for pain.

Keywords: grimacePainfacial expressionveterinaryPreclinical