Music and Emotions in Non-Human Animals from Biological and Comparative Perspectives.

The effects of sound stimulation as a sensorial environmental enrichment for captive animals have been studied. When appropriately implemented for farm animals, it can improve welfare, health, and productivity. Furthermore, there are indications that music can induce positive emotions in non-human animals, similar to humans. Emotion is a functional state of the organism involving both physiological processes, mediated by neuroendocrine regulation, and changes in behavior, affecting various aspects, including contextual perception and welfare. As there is very limited information on non-human animals, the objective of this review is to highlight what is known about these processes from human biological and comparative perspectives and stimulate future research on using music to improve animal welfare.

Spectro-temporal acoustic elements of music interact in an integrated way to modulate emotional responses in pigs.

Music is a complex stimulus, with various spectro-temporal acoustic elements determining one of the most important attributes of music, the ability to elicit emotions. Effects of various musical acoustic elements on emotions in non-human animals have not been studied with an integrated approach. However, this knowledge is important to design music to provide environmental enrichment for non-human species. Thirty-nine instrumental musical pieces were composed and used to determine effects of various acoustic parameters on emotional responses in farm pigs. Video recordings (n = 50) of pigs in the nursery phase (7-9 week old) were gathered and emotional responses induced by stimuli were evaluated with Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA). Non-parametric statistical models (Generalized Additive Models, Decision Trees, Random Forests, and XGBoost) were applied and compared to evaluate relationships between acoustic parameters and pigs' observed emotional responses. We concluded that musical structure affected emotional responses of pigs. The valence of modulated emotions depended on integrated and simultaneous interactions of various spectral and temporal structural components of music that can be readily modified. This new knowledge supports design of musical stimuli to be used as environmental enrichment for non-human animals.

Post-amputation reactive oxygen species production is necessary for axolotls limb regeneration.

Introduction: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) represent molecules of great interest in the field of regenerative biology since several animal models require their production to promote and favor tissue, organ, and appendage regeneration. Recently, it has been shown that the production of ROS such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is required for tail regeneration in Ambystoma mexicanum. However, to date, it is unknown whether ROS production is necessary for limb regeneration in this animal model. Methods: forelimbs of juvenile animals were amputated proximally and the dynamics of ROS production was determined using 2'7- dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) during the regeneration process. Inhibition of ROS production was performed using the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin. Subsequently, a rescue assay was performed using exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The effect of these treatments on the size and skeletal structures of the regenerated limb was evaluated by staining with alcian blue and alizarin red, as well as the effect on blastema formation, cell proliferation, immune cell recruitment, and expression of genes related to proximal-distal identity. Results: our results show that inhibition of post-amputation limb ROS production in the A. mexicanum salamander model results in the regeneration of a miniature limb with a significant reduction in the size of skeletal elements such as the ulna, radius, and overall autopod. Additionally, other effects such as decrease in the number of carpals, defective joint morphology, and failure of integrity between the regenerated structure and the remaining tissue were identified. In addition, this treatment affected blastema formation and induced a reduction in the levels of cell proliferation in this structure, as well as a reduction in the number of CD45+ and CD11b + immune system cells. On the other hand, blocking ROS production affected the expression of proximo-distal identity genes such as Aldha1a1, Rarß, Prod1, Meis1, Hoxa13, and other genes such as Agr2 and Yap1 in early/mid blastema. Of great interest, the failure in blastema formation, skeletal alterations, as well as the expression of the genes evaluated were rescued by the application of exogenous H2O2, suggesting that ROS/H2O2 production is necessary from the early stages for proper regeneration and patterning of the limb.

Pilot study of the effect of EPA + DHA supplementation on the fatty acid profile of erythrocytes and breast milk of lactating women from Sonsón, Colombia.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in the concentrations of EPA and DHA in the erythrocytes and breast milk of a group of lactating women in the municipality of Sonsón (Antioquia) before and after receiving supplementation with these fatty acids for three months. Design: In a quasi-experimental study, 11 lactating women were evaluated before and after EPA (100 mg) and DHA (250 mg) supplementation for three months. The consumption of omega-3 food sources was determined by simple frequency, anthropometry (weight, height) was performed, and the fatty acid profiles of erythrocytes and breast milk were determined with gas chromatography. Environment: Sonsón, Colombia. Participants: A group of lactating women in the municipality of Sonsón (Antioquia). Results: Low consumption of foods that are sources of omega-3 fatty acids was found, as was low EPA and DHA content in erythrocytes and breast milk at the beginning of the study period. After supplementation, there was no significant change for EPA, however, there was a significant increase in DHA in both erythrocytes and breast milk; in addition, there was a decrease in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio. Conclusions: Supplementation with 250 mg of DHA increased its concentration in the blood and breast milk to levels approaching the recommended average DHA of 0.3%, where benefits have been seen for the mother.

Music modulates emotional responses in growing pigs.

There is a lack of clarity on whether pigs can emotionally respond to musical stimulation and whether that response is related to music structure. Qualitative Behavioral Assessment (QBA) was used to evaluate effects of 16 distinct musical pieces (in terms of harmonic structure) on emotional responses in nursery pigs (n = 30) during four periods: "habituation", "treatments", "breaks" and "final". Data were evaluated using Principal component analysis (PCA). Two principal components (PC) were considered in the analysis: PC1, characterized as a positive emotions index, included the emotional responses content, playful, sociable, and happy, whereas PC2, characterized as a negative emotions index, included fearful, inquisitive, and uneasy with positive loadings, and relaxed and calm with negative loadings. Musical stimulation (treatment) increased (P < 0.01) both emotional indices, compared to other periods and this response was influenced by harmonic characteristics of the music. We concluded that pigs have a wide variety of emotional responses, with different affective states related to the music structure used, providing evidence of its potential use as environmental enrichment for this species.

Hydrogen peroxide is necessary during tail regeneration in juvenile axolotl.

BACKGROUND: Hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) is a key reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during appendage regeneration among vertebrates. However, its role during tail regeneration in axolotl as redox signaling molecule is unclear. RESULTS: Treatment with exogenous H2 O2 rescues inhibitory effects of apocynin-induced growth suppression in tail blastema cells leading to cell proliferation. H2 O2 also promotes recruitment of immune cells, regulate the activation of AKT kinase and Agr2 expression during blastema formation. Additionally, ROS/H2 O2 regulates the expression and transcriptional activity of Yap1 and its target genes Ctgf and Areg. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that H2 O2 is necessary and sufficient to promote tail regeneration in axolotls. Additionally, Akt signaling and Agr2 were identified as ROS targets, suggesting that ROS/H2 O2 is likely to regulate epimorphic regeneration through these signaling pathways. In addition, ROS/H2 O2 -dependent-Yap1 activity is required during tail regeneration.

Clínica y tratamiento de la diabetes tipo 2 en adultos jóvenes en un hospital colombiano / Clinical presentation and treatment of type 2 diabetes in young adults in a Colombian hospital

Resumen Introducción: la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) es el tipo más común de diabetes la cual ocurre generalmente en adultos, sin embargo, hay reportes que la describen en adolescentes y adultos jóvenes. Objetivo: describir las características clínicas y el tratamiento de la diabetes tipo 2 en adultos jóvenes en un hospital colombiano. Material y métodos: estudio de corte transversal entre el 2017 y 2019, que incluyó pacientes adultos jóvenes entre 18 y 40 años con DM2, que fueron atendidos en el Hospital Santa Mónica de Dosquebradas, Colombia. La unidad de análisis fueron las historias clínicas. Se incluyeron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, farmacológicas y control metabólico (HbAlc < 7.0%). Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y se aplicó una regresión logística binaria (p< 0.05). Resultados: se identificaron 124 pacientes de los cuales 83 (70.0%) cumplieron criterios de inclusión, con una edad media de 33.7 ± 5.3 años. Unos 28 pacientes eran obesos (33.7%). Además, 21 pacientes (25.3%) presentaron control metabólico. Los fármacos más usados fueron metformina en 64 pacientes (77.1%), seguido de las insulinas en 46 pacientes (55.4%). Se estableció que 51 de estos (61.4%) presentaron adherencia al tratamiento. No hubo pacientes con terapia triple como estrategia terapéutica. Los pacientes con retinopatía diabética presentaban una probable asociación con tener control de la enfermedad en el momento del estudio (P=0.048, OR:0.130; IC95%:0.017-0.987). Conclusiones: los pacientes adultos jóvenes presentan pobre control metabólico y uso frecuente de insulinas. (Acta Med Colomb 2021; 46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2021.1902).

Abstract Introduction: type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes, generally occurring in adults. However, there are reports which describe it in adolescents and young adults. Objective: to describe the clinical characteristics and treatment of type 2 diabetes in young adults in a Colombian hospital. Materials and methods: a cross-sectional study from 2017 to 2019 which included young adult patients between 18 and 40 years old with T2DM who were seen at Hospital Santa Mónica in Dosquebradas, Colombia. The unit of analysis was the medical charts. Sociodemographic, clinical, pharmacological and metabolic control (HbA1c < 7.0%) variables were included. Descriptive analyses were performed, and binary logistic regression was applied (p<0.05). Results: 124 patients were identified, 83 (70.0%) of whom met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 33.7 ± 5.3 years. Some 28 patients were obese (33.7%). In addition, 21 patients (25.3%) had metabolic control. The most frequently used medications were metformin in 64 patients (77.1%), followed by insulin in 46 patients (55.4%). It was determined that 51 of these patients (61.4%) were compliant with treatment. No patients received triple therapy as a therapeutic strategy. Patients with diabetic retinopathy had a probable association with having the disease controlled at the time of the study (P=0.048, OR:0.130; 95%CI:0.017-0.987). Conclusions: young adult patients have poor metabolic control and frequent use of insulins. (Acta Med Colomb 2021; 46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2021.1902).

Colestasis inducida por anabólicos: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura / Anabolic-induced cholestasis: case report and literature review

La función metabólica y de excreción está determinada principalmente por la actividad hepática, esto predispone al hígado a lesión inducida por toxicidad, en donde la disfunción es mediada directa o indirectamente por xenobióticos y/o sus metabolitos. La enfermedad hepática inducida por fármacos (DILI) es una condición poco frecuente, que se relaciona hasta con el 50% de las insuficiencias hepáticas agudas, y de ahí su importancia. La lesión directa puede estar dirigida a hepatocitos, conductos biliares y estructuras vasculares; no obstante, diferentes xenobióticos pueden interferir con el flujo de bilis mediante el bloqueo directo de proteínas de trasporte en los canalículos. Actualmente no existen marcadores absolutos para el diagnóstico de esta entidad y las manifestaciones clínicas pueden ser variables, desde el espectro de alteraciones bioquímicas en ausencia de síntomas, hasta insuficiencia hepática aguda y daño hepático crónico, por lo cual es principalmente un diagnóstico de exclusión basado en evidencia circunstancial. A partir de esta inferencia, se han desarrollado escalas y algoritmos para evaluar la probabilidad de lesión hepática inducida por medicamentos, tóxicos, herbales o suplementos. En la mayoría de los casos, es característico que la condición del paciente mejore cuando se elimina el fármaco responsable del daño. Aunque el patrón colestásico generalmente tiene mejores tasas de supervivencia en comparación con otros patrones, también se asocia con un alto riesgo de desarrollar enfermedad hepática crónica o ser el desencadenante de manifestaciones inmunológicas en el hígado. Se presenta el caso clínico de un paciente con patrón colestásico de DILI por uso de esteroides anabólicos.

Metabolic and excretory function is determined mainly by liver activity which can make this organ susceptible to toxic injury, where dysfunction is directly or indirectly mediated by xenobiotics and/ or their metabolites. Drug-induced liver disease (DILI) is a rare condition, which is associated with up to 50% of acute liver failure, and hence its importance. Direct injury can be directed to hepatocytes, bile ducts, and vascular structures, however, different xenobiotics can interfere with bile flow by directly blocking transport proteins in the canaliculi. Currently there are no definite markers for the diagnosis of this condition, and clinical manifestations can be variable, including biochemical changes in the absence of symptoms to acute liver failure and chronic liver damage, which makes it mainly an exclusion diagnosis based on clinical evidence. Scales and algorithms have been developed to assess the probability of drug, toxic, herbal, or supplement-induced liver injury. In most cases, the patient's condition typically improves when the drug responsible for the injury is removed. Although the cholestatic pattern generally has better survival rates compared to other patterns, it is also associated with a high risk of developing chronic liver disease or acting as a trigger for immune disorders in the liver. The clinical case of a patient with a cholestatic pattern of DILI due to the use of anabolic steroids is presented.

Pollinator divergence and pollination isolation between hybrids with different floral color and morphology in two sympatric Penstemon species.

Differential visitation of pollinators due to divergent floral traits can lead to reproductive isolation via assortative pollen flow, which may ultimately be a driving force in plant speciation, particularly in areas of overlap. We evaluate the effects of pollinator behavioral responses to variation of intraspecific floral color and nectar rewards, on reproductive isolation between two hybrid flower color morphs (fuchsia and blue) and their parental species Penstemon roseus and P. gentianoides with a mixed-pollination system. We show that pollinators (bumblebees and hummingbirds) exhibit different behavioral responses to fuchsia and blue morphs, which could result from differential attraction or deterrence. In addition to differences in color (spectral reflectance), we found that plants with fuchsia flowers produced more and larger flowers, produced more nectar and were more visited by pollinators than those with blue flowers. These differences influenced the foraging behavior and effectiveness as pollinators of both bumblebees and hummingbirds, which contributed to reproductive isolation between the two hybrid flower color morphs and parental species. This study demonstrates how differentiation of pollination traits promotes the formation of hybrid zones leading to pollinator shifts and reproductive isolation. While phenotypic traits of fuchsia and red flowers might encourage more efficient hummingbird pollination in a mixed-pollination system, the costs of bumblebee pollination on plant reproduction could be the drivers for the repeated shifts from bumblebee- to hummingbird-mediated pollination.

Profile of Free Fatty Acids and Fractions of Phospholipids, Cholesterol Esters and Triglycerides in Serum of Obese Youth with and without Metabolic Syndrome.

The study evaluated the profile of circulating fatty acids (FA) in obese youth with and without metabolic syndrome (MetS) to determine its association with nutritional status, lifestyle and metabolic variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 96 young people, divided into three groups: obese with MetS (OBMS), obese (OB) and appropriate weight (AW). FA profiles were quantified by gas chromatography; waist circumference (WC), fat folds, lipid profile, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, glucose, insulin, the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA index), food intake and physical activity (PA) were assessed. The OBMS group had significantly greater total free fatty acids (FFAs), palmitic-16:0 in triglyceride (TG), palmitoleic-16:1n-7 in TG and phospholipid (PL); in the OB group, these FAs were higher than in the AW group. Dihomo-gamma-linolenic (DHGL-20:3n-6) was higher in the OBMS than the AW in PL and FFAs. Linoleic-18:2n-6 in TG and PL had the lowest proportion in the OBMS group. WC, PA, total FFA, linoleic-18:2n-6 in TG and DHGL-20:3n-6 in FFAs explained 62% of the HOMA value. The OB group presented some higher proportions of FA and biochemical values than the AW group. The OBMS had proportions of some FA in the TG, PL and FFA fractions that correlated with disturbances of MetS.

Abdominal obesity and low physical activity are associated with insulin resistance in overweight adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have assessed the metabolic changes and lifestyles associated with overweight adolescents. However, these associations are unclear amongst overweight adolescents who have already developed insulin resistance. This study assessed the associations between insulin resistance and anthropometric, metabolic, inflammatory, food consumption, and physical activity variables amongst overweight adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study divided adolescents (n = 120) between 10 and 18 years old into 3 groups: an overweight group with insulin resistance (O + IR), an overweight group without insulin resistance (O-IR), and a normal-weight control group (NW). Adolescents were matched across groups based on age, sex, pubertal maturation, and socioeconomic strata. Anthropometric, biochemical, physical activity, and food consumption variables were assessed. Insulin resistance was assessed using homeostatic model assessment (HOMA Calculator Version 2.2.2 from ©Diabetes Trials Unit, University of Oxford), and overweight status was assessed using body mass index according to World Health Organization (2007) references. A chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. ANOVAs or Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for continuous variables. Multiple linear regression models were used to calculate the probability of the occurrence of insulin resistance based on the independent variables. RESULTS: The risk of insulin resistance amongst overweight adolescents increases significantly when they reach a waist circumference > p95 (OR = 1.9, CIs = 1.3-2.7, p = 0.013) and watch 3 or more hours/day of television (OR = 1.7, CIs = 0.98-2.8, p = 0.033). Overweight status and insulin resistance were associated with higher levels of inflammation (hsCRP ≥1 mg/L) and cardiovascular risk according to arterial indices. With each cm increase in waist circumference, the HOMA index increased by 0.082; with each metabolic equivalent (MET) unit increase in physical activity, the HOMA index decreased by 0.026. CONCLUSIONS: Sedentary behaviour and a waist circumference > p90 amongst overweight adolescents were associated with insulin resistance, lipid profile alterations, and higher inflammatory states. A screening that includes body mass index, in waist circumference, and physical activity evaluations of adolescents might enable the early detection of these alterations.