-
Journal of Applied Animal Welfare... 2022Animal welfare is critical to buffer stress in captive animals and to ensure the reliability of data from studies. The most usual environmental enrichment technique (EE)...
Animal welfare is critical to buffer stress in captive animals and to ensure the reliability of data from studies. The most usual environmental enrichment technique (EE) for social non-human primates is the social enrichment. However, some experimental protocols require keeping individuals isolated, thus demanding other types of EE. We tested in six adult females, single housed for experimental purpose, the stress buffering efficacy of a structural enrichment protocol (SEP) and SEP in combination with a foraging enrichment (FSEP) using fecal cortisol and behaviors to infer stress levels. Both types of EE improved welfare in different ways, while cortisol levels decreased with both EE as compared to the baseline, autogrooming, and piloerection increased after FSEP probably due to the new foods. Therefore, these findings support alternative practices of EE when social animals are living in isolation and reinforce the positive role of structural and food enrichment for decreasing stress markers. It also encourages studies on welfare with females, since its use as an animal model has increased.
Topics: Animal Welfare; Animals; Callithrix; Female; Hydrocortisone; Reproducibility of Results; Social Isolation
PubMed: 34470552
DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1968863 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2021Here, we provide unique photo documentation and observational evidence of rescue behaviour described for the first time in wild boar. Rescue behaviour represents an...
Here, we provide unique photo documentation and observational evidence of rescue behaviour described for the first time in wild boar. Rescue behaviour represents an extreme form of prosocial behaviour that has so far only been demonstrated in a few species. It refers to a situation when one individual acts to help another individual that finds itself in a dangerous or stressful situation and it is considered by some authors as a complex form of empathy. We documented a case in which an adult female wild boar manipulated wooden logs securing the door mechanism of a cage trap and released two entrapped young wild boars. The whole rescue was fast and particular behaviours were complex and precisely targeted, suggesting profound prosocial tendencies and exceptional problem-solving capacities in wild boar. The rescue behaviour might have been motivated by empathy because the rescuer female exhibited piloerection, a sign of distress, indicating an empathetic emotional state matching or understanding the victims. We discuss this rescue behaviour in the light of possible underlying motivators, including empathy, learning and social facilitation.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Female; Restraint, Physical; Social Behavior; Spatial Behavior; Swine
PubMed: 34376774
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95682-4 -
Journal of Virological Methods Nov 2021This study examined the anti-HSV-1 activity of EPS extracts isolated from mangrove fungus Paecilomyces Lilacinuson after intraperitoneal administration in mice. Mice...
This study examined the anti-HSV-1 activity of EPS extracts isolated from mangrove fungus Paecilomyces Lilacinuson after intraperitoneal administration in mice. Mice were experimentally infected with HSV-1 intracranially and treated intraperitoneally with three different doses of EPS extract (6 g/Kg, 8 g/Kg, and 10 g/Kg) for 7 days. One group of 15 mice was infected with HSV-1 but did not receive any treatment, while another group of 15 mice was mock-infected to remain a control group. Animals were observed twice a day for 14 days after virus infection, searching for clinical signs of weight loss, piloerection, isolation, or retardation movement. Compared with the mock-infected group, mortality was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the virus-infected group and the groups that received 6 g/Kg and 8 g/Kg EPS extract. Interestingly, no significant differences in mortality were found between the 10 g/Kg EPS extract and the mock-infected group. Mortality in the 10 g/Kg EPS extract group was substantially improved compared with virus-infected(p < 0.05). Additionally, EPS extracts inhibited HSV-1 replication in the mice brain in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the extracts decreased NF-κB protein and mRNA expression and the production of TNF-α in HSV-1-infected mice brain tissue. These effects were also dose-dependent. Our findings suggest that the EPS extract may be a potential candidate for developing an antiviral drug against HSV-1.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Herpesvirus 1, Human; Mice; NF-kappa B; Paecilomyces; Polysaccharides; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
PubMed: 34329630
DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2021.114246 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Fungal PJI is one of the most feared complications after arthroplasty. Although a rare finding, its high associated morbidity and mortality makes it an important object...
Fungal PJI is one of the most feared complications after arthroplasty. Although a rare finding, its high associated morbidity and mortality makes it an important object of study. The most frequent species causing fungal PJI is . New technology to treat this type of PJI involves organic-inorganic sol-gels loaded with antifungals, as proposed in this study, in which anidulafungin is associated with organophosphates. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an anidulafungin-loaded organic-inorganic sol-gel in preventing prosthetic joint infection (PJI), caused by using an in vivo murine model that evaluates many different variables. Fifty percent (3/6) of mice in the -infected, non-coated, chemical-polished (CP)-implant group had positive culture and 100% of the animals in the -infected, anidulafungin-loaded, sol-gel coated (CP + A)-implant group had a negative culture (0/6) ( = 0.023). Taking the microbiology and pathology results into account, 54.5% (6/11) of -infected CP-implant mice were diagnosed with a PJI, whilst only 9.1% (1/11) of -infected CP + A-implant mice were PJI-positive ( = 0.011). No differences were observed between the bone mineral content and bone mineral density of noninfected CP and noninfected CP + A ( = 0.835, and = 0.181, respectively). No histological or histochemical differences were found in the tissue area occupied by the implant among CP and CP + A. Only 2 of the 6 behavioural variables evaluated exhibited changes during the study: limping and piloerection. In conclusion, the anidulafungin-loaded sol-gel coating showed an excellent antifungal response in vivo and can prevent PJI due to in this experimental model.
PubMed: 34204833
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10060711 -
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy Mar 2021Epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 patients have suggested the male bias in outcomes of lung illness. To experimentally demonstrate the epidemiological results, we...
Epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 patients have suggested the male bias in outcomes of lung illness. To experimentally demonstrate the epidemiological results, we performed animal studies to infect male and female Syrian hamsters with SARS-CoV-2. Remarkably, high viral titer in nasal washings was detectable in male hamsters who presented symptoms of weight loss, weakness, piloerection, hunched back and abdominal respiration, as well as severe pneumonia, pulmonary edema, consolidation, and fibrosis. In contrast with the males, the female hamsters showed much lower shedding viral titers, moderate symptoms, and relatively mild lung pathogenesis. The obvious differences in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and severity of lung pathogenesis between male and female hamsters provided experimental evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 are associated with gender.
Topics: Animals; COVID-19; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Male; Mesocricetus; SARS-CoV-2; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 33790236
DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00552-0 -
Behavioural Pharmacology Apr 2022Newly emerging synthetic cannabinoid compounds continue to be found in the designer drug market. They are often targeted as a 'legal high' alternative to traditional...
Newly emerging synthetic cannabinoid compounds continue to be found in the designer drug market. They are often targeted as a 'legal high' alternative to traditional cannabinoids via 'darknet' markets and their increased potency and efficacy are becoming a growing concern internationally. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 4-CN-CUMYL-BUTINACA, 4F-MDMB-BINACA, 5F-AEB, 5F-CUMYL-P7AICA and EMB-FUBINACA exhibited similar behavioral effects as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Locomotor activity was assessed in an open-field assay using Swiss-Webster mice. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate between intraperitoneal injections of Δ9-THC (3 mg/kg) and vehicle. Following successful training, substitution tests for 4-CN-CUMYL-BUTINACA, 4F-MDMB-BINACA, 5F-AEB, 5F-CUMYL-P7AICA and EMB-FUBINACA were conducted. All of the test compounds decreased locomotor activity. 4-CN-CUMYL-BUTINACA (ED50 = 0.26 mg/kg), 4F-MDMB-BINACA (ED50 = 0.019 mg/kg), 5F-CUMYL-P7AICA (ED50 = 0.13 mg/kg) and EMB-FUBINACA (ED50 = 0.13 mg/kg) each fully substituted for the discriminative stimulus effects of the training dose of Δ9-THC, whereas 5F-AEB produced only a maximum of 67% drug-appropriate responding at 0.5 mg/kg. Higher doses produced piloerection, exophthalmos and convulsions. 4-CN-CUMYL-BUTINACA, 4F-MDMB-BINACA, 5F-CUMYL-P7AICA and EMB-FUBINACA are likely to produce similar subjective effects in humans as those produced by abused synthetic cannabinoids, and may therefore share similar abuse liability. In contrast, 5F-AEB may have a reduced abuse liability given its weaker THC-like discriminative stimulus effects but maybe more dangerous due to the adverse effects observed at doses needed to produce discriminative stimulus effects.
Topics: Animals; Cannabinoids; Dronabinol; Indazoles; Locomotion; Male; Mice; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley
PubMed: 33595956
DOI: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000618 -
Scientific Reports Jan 2021Hair regenerative medicine has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of severe hair loss. Recent advances in three-dimensional tissue engineering, such as...
Hair regenerative medicine has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of severe hair loss. Recent advances in three-dimensional tissue engineering, such as formation of hair follicle germs (HFGs), have considerably improved hair regeneration after transplantation in animal models. Here, we proposed an approach for fabricating HFGs containing vascular endothelial cells. Epithelial, dermal papilla, and vascular endothelial cells initially formed a single aggregate, which subsequently became a dumbbell-shaped HFG, wherein the vascular endothelial cells localized in the region of dermal papilla cells. The HFGs containing vascular endothelial cells exhibited higher expression of hair morphogenesis-related genes in vitro, along with higher levels of hair shaft regeneration upon transplantation to the dorsal side of nude mice, than those without vascular endothelial cells. The generated hair follicles represented functional characteristics, such as piloerection, as well as morphological characteristics comparable to those of natural hair shafts. This approach may provide a promising strategy for fabricating tissue grafts with higher hair inductivity for hair regenerative medicine.
Topics: Alopecia; Animals; Cells, Cultured; Endothelium, Vascular; Female; Hair Follicle; Humans; Mice; Mice, Inbred ICR; Mice, Nude; Regeneration; Regenerative Medicine; Stem Cells; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 33436760
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79722-z -
International Journal of... Jan 2021In scientific and popular literature, piloerection (e.g. goosebumps) is often claimed to accompany the experience of awe, though this correlation has not been tested...
In scientific and popular literature, piloerection (e.g. goosebumps) is often claimed to accompany the experience of awe, though this correlation has not been tested empirically. Using two pre-registered and independently collected samples (N = 210), we examined the objective physiological occurrence of piloerection in response to awe-inducing stimuli. Stimuli were selected to satisfy three descriptors of awe, including perceptual vastness, virtual reality, and expectancy-violating events. The stimuli reliably elicited self-reported awe to a great extent, in line with previous research. However, awe-inducing stimuli were not associated with the objective occurrence of piloerection. While participants self-reported high levels of goosebumps and "the chills," there was no physical evidence of this response. These results suggest that piloerection is not reliably connected to the experience of awe-at least using stimuli known to elicit awe in an experimental setting.
Topics: Emotions; Humans; Piloerection; Virtual Reality
PubMed: 33245919
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2020.11.011 -
Bulletin of Experimental Biology and... Nov 2020Activity of compound GSB-106, a low-molecular mimetic of loop 4 of the brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was studied in experimental morphine withdrawal syndrome...
Activity of compound GSB-106, a low-molecular mimetic of loop 4 of the brain neurotrophic factor (BDNF), was studied in experimental morphine withdrawal syndrome simulated in outbred rats. Single and subchronic (5 intraperitoneal injections) administration of GSB-106 in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg significantly reduced the total index of morphine withdrawal syndrome by 55.2 and 45.6%, respectively. GSB-106 reduced the severity of some behavioral signs (piloerection, gnashing of teeth, wet-dog shaking, and runaway attempts), but had no effect on mechanical allodynia formed in the rats with dependence. Subchronic treatment with GSB-106 prevented the increase in the content of ΔFosB (product of early response gene) in the striatum induced by morphine withdrawal. The results confirmed the concept on the involvement of neurotrophins, specifically BDNF and its analogs, in the mechanisms associated with the formation of opiate dependence.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Outbred Strains; Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; Corpus Striatum; Dipeptides; Gene Expression; Hyperalgesia; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Male; Morphine; Morphine Dependence; Narcotic Antagonists; Narcotics; Peptidomimetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; Rats; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
PubMed: 33222084
DOI: 10.1007/s10517-020-04998-0 -
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and... Mar 2021To generate a score which clinically identifies surface-directed autoantibodies in adults with new-onset focal epilepsy, and evaluate the value of immunotherapy in this...
OBJECTIVE
To generate a score which clinically identifies surface-directed autoantibodies in adults with new-onset focal epilepsy, and evaluate the value of immunotherapy in this clinical setting.
METHODS
Prospective clinical and autoantibody evaluations in a cohort of 219 consecutive patients with new-onset focal epilepsy.
RESULTS
10.5% (23/219) of people with new-onset focal epilepsy had detectable serum autoantibodies to known or novel cell surface antigenic targets. 9/23 with autoantibodies were diagnosed with encephalitis, by contrast to 0/196 without autoantibodies (p<0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified six features which predicted autoantibody positivity (area under the curve=0.83): age ≥54 years, ictal piloerection, lowered self-reported mood, reduced attention, MRI limbic system changes and the absence of conventional epilepsy risk factors. 11/14 (79%) patients with detectable autoantibodies, but without encephalitis, showed excellent long-term outcomes (modified Rankin Score=0) despite no immunotherapy. These outcomes were superior to those of immunotherapy-treated patients with confirmed autoantibody-mediated encephalitis (p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Seizure semiology, cognitive and mood phenotypes, alongside inflammatory investigation findings, aid the identification of surface autoantibodies among unselected people with new-onset focal epilepsy. The excellent immunotherapy-independent outcomes of autoantibody-positive patients without encephalitis suggests immunotherapy administration should be guided by clinical features of encephalitis, rather than autoantibody positivity. Our findings suggest that, in this cohort, immunotherapy-responsive seizure syndromes with autoantibodies largely fall under the umbrella of autoimmune encephalitis.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Autoantibodies; Cohort Studies; Encephalitis; Epilepsies, Partial; Female; Humans; Immunotherapy; Male; Middle Aged; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Predictive Value of Tests; ROC Curve; Young Adult
PubMed: 33219046
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2020-325011