Physiological Stress Indicators Research Articles

Salivary cortisol levels and appraisals of daily hassles across dimensions of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression in emerging adults

The objective of this study was to investigate how cortisol levels and appraisals of daily hassles differ across tripartite dimensions of depression and anxiety in emerging adults. Data collected from a sample of undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university was used to investigate these aims. This included salivary cortisol data collected over four days, scores on a measure of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression, and scores on a measure of daily hassles administered everyday for two weeks. Generalized estimating equations and multilevel modeling techniques were used to analyze data. Elevated cortisol levels during the awakening period and the evening period, lower total levels across the day, steeper diurnal slopes, and elevated levels of negative affect and physiological hyperarousal predicted experiences of daily hassles. Tripartite dimensions were unrelated to cortisol indices. The present study demonstrates the utility of modeling multiple cortisol indices and provides evidence of differential associations between physiological and phenomenological indices of stress.

Use of Infrared Thermography to Assess Body Temperature as a Physiological Stress Indicator in Horses during Ridden and Lunging Sessions.

Equitation is a cause of physiological stress in the equine athlete, and personality is a factor generally associated with the different responses of equines to stressors. This study explored ocular temperature, measured via infrared thermography, associated with personality and stress in horses submitted to dressage exercising in riding lessons, ridden training and lunging. Infrared thermograms of 16 horses were taken before and after sessions using an FLIR F4 camera (FLIR Systems AB, Sweden) to determine maximum eye surface IRT temperature (IRTmax), and total training time was registered (T). A novel-stimulus test was conducted for personality assessment, and the ridden behavior was scored (mRBS). The results showed that T was statistically different (p ˂ 0.001) between modalities, but no differences were found in any IRTmax tests. Statistical correlations were found between mRBS and personality groups, sex and age (all p < 0.001). Additionally—and with caution, given the sample—no association was found between mRBS and post-workout IRT readings and modality, or between pre-workout IRT readings and personality groups. We conclude that trained horses show little stress when working in a familiar environment and when the workout plan is submaximal. The personality test was adequate and positively correlated with ridden behavior.

Measuring heart rate variability using a heart rate monitor in horses (Equus caballus) during groundwork.

Measuring physiological parameters of stress in horses during groundwork, for example when involved in equine-assisted interventions, is important to gain insight into the stress levels of the horses. Heart rate and heart rate variability can be used as physiological indicators of stress in horses. Heart rate monitors could be easily incorporated into practice, as they are not expensive and easy to use. However, it is questionable whether heart rate monitors present accurate heart rate variability results in exercising horses, similar to electrocardiograms. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of heart rate monitors for the assessment of heart rate variability in horses during groundwork exercise. Simultaneous telemetric electrocardiograms (Televet) and heart rate monitor (Polar H10 transmitter and M430 receiver, Hylofit electrodes) recordings were performed on 28 horses (15 mares and 13 geldings). Results indicate that the heart rate monitor accurately determined heart rate and time-domain heart rate variability parameters when compared to electrocardiograms during both baseline and groundwork conditions. As expected, heart rate significantly increased and the heart rate variability significantly decreased during groundwork compared to baseline conditions. This indicates that the heart rate monitor can be used to accurately determine heart rate variability during groundwork.

The Influence of Environmental Enrichment on Affective and Neural Consequences of Social Isolation Across Development.

Social stress is associated with depression and anxiety, physiological disruptions, and altered brain morphology in central stress circuitry across development. Environmental enrichment strategies may improve responses to social stress. Socially monogamous prairie voles exhibit analogous social and emotion-related behaviors to humans, with potential translational insight into interactions of social stress, age, and environmental enrichment. This study explored the effects of social isolation and environmental enrichment on behaviors related to depression and anxiety, physiological indicators of stress, and dendritic structural changes in amygdala and hippocampal subregions in young adult and aging prairie voles. Forty-nine male prairie voles were assigned to one of six groups divided by age (young adult vs. aging), social structure (paired vs. isolated), and housing environment (enriched vs. non-enriched). Following 4 weeks of these conditions, behaviors related to depression and anxiety were investigated in the forced swim test and elevated plus maze, body and adrenal weights were evaluated, and dendritic morphology analyses were conducted in hippocampus and amygdala subregions. Environmental enrichment decreased immobility duration in the forced swim test, increased open arm exploration in the elevated plus maze, and reduced adrenal/body weight ratio in aging and young adult prairie voles. Age and social isolation influenced dendritic morphology in the basolateral amygdala. Age, but not social isolation, influenced dendritic morphology in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Environmental enrichment did not influence dendritic morphology in either brain region. These data may inform interventions to reduce the effects of social stressors and age-related central changes associated with affective behavioral consequences in humans.

Sulfide Treatment Alters Antioxidant Response and Related Genes Expressions in Rice Field Eel (Monopterus albus)

Sulfide is considered as an environmental factor and toxicant with a wide distribution in aquatic environments. At present, the toxic effects of sulfide stress on rice field eel (Monopterus albus) are poorly understood. To ascertain these effects, the juvenile rice field eels were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of Na2S (0, 0.2154, 2.154, and 21.54 mg/L) for 7, 14, and 28 days. Antioxidant parameters such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and malondialdehyde (MDA) as well as the related gene (including sod, cat) expressions were measured. The expressions of metallothionein (mt) and heat shock protein 90 (hsp90), which are used as physiological stress indices, were also detected. The results showed that exposure to sulfide altered the antioxidant response and related gene expressions in rice field eel. The activities of SOD were inhibited and the MDA contents were increased after exposure to sulfide. The activities of CAT and GPx were increased at 7 days and decreased at 28 days after treatment with sulfide at the highest dose. The expressions of sod, cat, and hsp90 were upregulated at 7 days and downregulated at 14 and 28 days after exposure to high doses of sulfide. The expression of mt was significantly downregulated in all sulfide treated groups. The toxic effects caused by sulfide were in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. In short, oxidative stress and physiological stress were caused in rice field eel after the exposure to sulfide.

Physiological Indicators of Acute and Chronic Stress in Securely and Insecurely Attached Dogs Undergoing a Strange Situation Procedure (SSP): Preliminary Results.

Simple SummaryThe attachment bond that dogs form towards their owners shares similar features with the bond children form towards their caregivers. Insecurely attached children struggle to find support from their caregivers and therefore to regulate their own emotional response in times of distress. We aimed to investigate whether the quality of dog attachment to the owner may affect their physiological response to stress. We selected ten insecure and ten secure dogs from a sample of individuals who underwent a Strange Situation Procedure (SSP) to assess their attachment pattern towards the owner. The SSP is specifically designed to progressively generate stress. We collected saliva samples before and after the test to measure cortisol concentrations, as an indicator of acute stress, as well as a hair sample to assess chronic stress. We also measured blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature after the completion of the test. The results showed that salivary cortisol concentrations were higher in insecure dogs, particularly after the test. Heart rate also tended to be higher in insecure dogs. No difference in hair cortisol levels were found between secure and insecure dogs. Dogs’ physiological response to acute stress may be affected by the quality of the attachment to the owners.The quality of the attachment bond towards the caregiver may affect the dog’s physiological responses to stressful stimuli. This study aimed to measure chronic and acute physiological parameters of stress in ten securely and ten insecurely attached dogs. The twenty experimental subjects were selected from a sample of dogs that participated with their owners in the Strange Situation Procedure. Saliva samples were collected before (T0) and after (T1) the test. Blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and rectal temperature were measured after the test, only. At this time, a hair sample was also collected. RM ANOVA was used to analyse cortisol concentrations between secure and insecure dogs at T0 and T1. Mann–Whitney U test or T test were used for other physiological parameters. Insecure dogs had significant higher salivary cortisol concentrations than secure dogs at T1 (p = 0.024), but only a non-significant trend towards higher cortisol concentrations at T0 (p = 0.099). Post-test heart rate also tended to be higher in insecure compared to secure dogs (p = 0.077). No significant differences in hair cortisol concentration were found. The quality of attachment may affect the dog’s physiological response to acute stress, at least when related to separation from the caregiver. The effect of attachment on chronic stress requires further investigation.

87 Awardee Talk: Frequency of Energy Supplementation Modulates Growth, Reproduction, Immune Function, and Fetal Programming in Beef Cattle

Abstract Fluctuations in nutrient intake and metabolism can be detrimental to beef cattle performance. Multiple studies evaluated the impacts of reducing the frequency of energy supplementation from daily (7X) to once (1X) or 3 times (3X) weekly during heifer development, calf preconditioning, and late gestation of beef cows on growth, reproduction, immune function, and progeny performance. Reducing the supplementation frequency from 7X to 3X weekly: (1) did not impact average daily gain (ADG; P = 0.52) but hastened (P ≤ 0.05) puberty and pregnancy attainment of beef heifers; and (2) reduced ADG (P = 0.02), increased (P ≤ 0.03) plasma indicators of physiological stress (cortisol and haptoblogin), and decreased (P ≤ 0.05) humoral immune response against pathogens associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in preconditioning beef steers. Reducing the supplementation frequency from 7X to either 3X or 1X weekly during late gestation did not (P ≥ 0.21) impact cow prepartum body condition score and reproduction, but linearly decreased (P = 0.05) calf preweaning growth. The negative effects of infrequent energy supplementation may be attributed to greater fluctuations in plasma concentrations of insulin growth factor-1, glucose, insulin, and urea nitrogen compared to frequent energy supplementation. Later attempts to offset such negative effects of infrequent supplementation observed that neither increasing the supplementation amount (P ≥ 0.21) nor altering the timing of vaccination relative to weaning (P ≥ 0.12) prevented performance reductions in beef cattle supplemented infrequently. Only a gradual reduction in supplementation frequency for preconditioning calves prevented a reduction on growth and improved (P ≤ 0.05) the immune response against BRD pathogens. Combined, these results revealed that frequent energy supplementation during preconditioning of beef steers, development of replacement beef heifers, and late gestation of beef cows was required to optimize their growth, immunity, and reproduction, and the growth performance of their progeny.

Impairment in maximal lactate steady state after carbon monoxide inhalation is related to training status.

What is the central question of this study? What is the effect of an elevated carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) concentration following carbon monoxide inhalation on the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in humans and is this effect dependent on aerobic fitness? What is the main finding and its importance? An elevated COHb concentration intensified physiological responses to exercise at the MLSS - including heart rate, ventilation and peripheral fatigue - in general and reduced the MLSS (i.e., destabilized the blood lactate concentration) in trained but not untrained males and females. This study investigated whether a lower effective [Hb], induced by carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation, reduces the peak oxygen uptake ( ) and the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and whether training status explains individual variation in these impairments. Healthy young participants completed two ramp incremental tests (n=20, 10 female) and two trials at MLSS (n=16, eight female) following CO rebreathe tests and sham procedures (SHAM) in random orders. All fitness variables were normalized to fat-free mass (FFM) to account for sex-related differences in body composition, and males and females were matched for aerobic fitness. The (mean (SD): -4.2 (3.7)%), peak power output (PPO) (-3.3 (2.2)%) and respiratory compensation point (RCP) (-6.3 (4.5)%) were reduced in CO compared with SHAM (P<0.001 for all), but the gas exchange threshold (-3.3 (7.1)%) was not (P=0.077). Decreases in (r =-0.45; P=0.047) and PPO (r=-0.49; P=0.029) in CO were correlated with baseline aerobic fitness. Compared to SHAM, physiological and perceptual indicators of exercise-related stress were exacerbated by CO while cycling at MLSS. Notably, the mean blood lactate concentration ([La]) increased (i.e., Δ[La]>1.0mM) between 10min (5.5 (1.4) mM) and 30min (6.8 (1.3) mM; P=0.026) in CO, with 9/16 participants classified as unstable. These unstable participants had a higher (66.2 (8.5) vs. 56.4 (8.8) mlkg FFM-1 min-1 , P=0.042) and at MLSS (55.8 (7.0) vs. 44.3 (7.0) mlkg FFM-1 min-1 , P=0.006) compared to the stable group. In conclusion, a reduced O2 -carrying capacity decreased maximal and submaximal exercise performance, with higher aerobic fitness associated with greater impairments in both.

Comparing behavioral performance and physiological responses of Sebastes schlegelii with different aggressiveness.

In fish, aggression has significant individual differences, and different personalities exhibit distinct behavioral performances and physiological stress responses. Under intensive culture conditions, Sebastes schlegelii juveniles display severe aggression and cannibalism, causing damage to fish welfare and economic loss. Herein, we investigated the alterations in behavioral performance and physiological stress indicators of Sebastes schlegelii juveniles with different aggressiveness. The results revealed that latency to the first movement, distance to center point, mobile frequency, and immobile frequency were significantly lower in high-aggressive individuals than low-aggressive individuals. In contrast, the immobile time was significantly higher in high-aggressive individuals compared to low-aggressive individuals. PCA was performed to identify the key parameters of fish behavior. From the results of PCA, position, motion state, and physical status could be used as behavioral screening indicators for individuals with different aggressiveness. The 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was significantly lower in high-aggressive individuals than in low-aggressive individuals. Moreover, cortisol levels were positively correlated with immobile time, and the ratio of 5-HIAA/5-HT was significantly and positively correlated with the distance to the central point. These results suggested that individuals with different aggressiveness can be effectively distinguished in a short period of time according to behavioral factors such as position, motion state, and physical status. For a single measure, the distance to center point associated with brain monoaminergic activity may be a more direct factor. The results could be a non-invasive method to measure fish aggression and fish welfare, and then build on to improve fish welfare and enhance aquaculture management.

Feed withdrawal coupled with classical conditioning modifies the behavioral, physiological, and productive traits in Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica)

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of different feed withdrawal (FW) and ad libitum dietary protocols on the behavioral, physiological, and productive traits in Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica). A total of 192 chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups (Control, 8-hrs fasting, 12-hrs fasting, and 16-hrs fasting) from the 3rd to the 5th weeks of age. Three replicates were performed for each treatment, with 16 chicks per replicate. Birds were conditioned to the FW-related hunger by introducing an alarm cue. A simple ethogram was created, and the treatment group, model and time of observation were used as fixed factors. The temporal conditioning by adding an alarm cue improved the behavioral responses of birds prior to the start of the FW. In addition, quails reared in the FW groups exhibited significantly lower physiological indicators of stress, i.e., lower corticosterone serum levels and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, than the control group. Histological degenerations were prominent in the 12- and 16-hrs fasting groups. Both body weight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in quails did not significantly differ between treatment groups (p = 1.00 and p = 0.55, respectively) at the end of the rearing period, but those in the 12- and 16-hrs fasting groups showed lower carcass weight. Quails in the different FW groups showed an improvement in meat quality parameters than those in the control group. Overall, FW either for 8 or 12 hrs. a day could be used as a promising dietary strategy in Japanese quails.

Increases in Circulating Cortisol during the COVID-19 Pandemic are Associated with Changes in Perceived Positive and Negative Affect among Adolescents

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread across the world and resulted in over 5 million deaths to date, as well as countless lockdowns, disruptions to daily life, and extended period of social distancing and isolation. The impacts on youth in particular are astounding, with shifts in learning platforms, limited social outlets, and prolonged uncertainty about the future. Surveys have shown that mental health among youth has severely suffered during the pandemic. However, limited research to date has reported on physiological indices of stress surrounding the pandemic, such as cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that typically increases during stressful situations and can have deleterious effects on mental and physical health when chronically heightened. The present study leveraged hair cortisol concentration measurements, which allowed the retrospectiveinvestigation of circulating cortisol prior to- versus after pandemic-related local lockdowns during the first wave of the pandemic. A final sample of 44 youth ages 10- to 18-years-old provided hair samples and reported on their perceived affective well-being and level of concern regarding pandemic-related stressors between May and June of 2020. We found significant levels of concern and decreases in affective well-being following local lockdowns. Moreover, we saw that cortisol robustly increased following local lockdowns, and those increases were predictive of changes in affect. These findings provide critical insights into the underlying neuroendocrinology of stress during the pandemic and support the need for resources to support youths’ mental health and well-being during this globally significant event.

Post-release locomotor activity of ice-angled Northern Pike

The study of the stress response and subsequent recovery of angled fish can inform the development of best practices for catch-and-release (C&R) angling. While large bodies of research exist detailing the impacts of C&R during warm periods of the year (i.e., open water), relatively few studies have been conducted during the colder months when sub-freezing temperatures are prominent, and anglers are targeting fish through the ice. Most research on ice angling has focused on conventional physiological stress indicators (i.e., blood cortisol, lactate, glucose) with comparatively little known about potential post-release behavioral impairments. To that end, we evaluated the consequences that ice angling C&R has on the post-release locomotor activity of Northern Pike (Esox lucius). Over 7 days of ice-angling, 20 Northern Pike were captured, air exposed for 0, 2, or 5 min and then harnessed with a biologger (tri- axial accelerometer) prior to release. The post-release locomotor activity of the Northern Pike was then recorded for 30 min before the biologger was retrieved using a quick release system. It was determined that while overall locomotor activity decreased over time during the post-release monitoring period, there was no difference between air exposure treatment groups in locomotor activity. These data reveal that Northern Pike exhibit similar locomotor activity whether they are air exposed in winter for 0, 2, or 5 min. Nonetheless, there may still be further long-term stresses that were not measured within the time frame of this experiment. Therefore, we recommend anglers fish in a way that minimizes air exposure and as a result reduces the potential for sublethal impairments or mortality.

No evidence for association between late pregnancy maternal cortisol and gray matter volume in a healthy community sample of young adolescents.

A compelling amount of animal and human research has shown that perceived maternal stress during pregnancy can affect the neurodevelopment of the offspring. Prenatal maternal cortisol is frequently proposed as the biological key mechanism underlying this link; however, literature that investigates the effects of prenatal cortisol on subsequent neurodevelopment in humans is scarce. By using longitudinal data from a relatively large community sample of mother–child dyads (N = 73), this pre-registered study prospectively examined the role of maternal prenatal cortisol concentrations on subsequent individual differences in gray matter volume (GMV) and hippocampal subfield volumes at the onset of puberty of the offspring (12 years of age). Two markers of cortisol, that is, evening cortisol and circadian decline over the day, were used as indicators of maternal physiological stress during the last trimester of pregnancy. The results indicate that prenatal maternal cortisol levels were not associated with GMV or hippocampal subfield volumes of the children. These findings suggest that late pregnancy maternal cortisol may not be related to the structural development of the offspring’s brain, at least not in healthy community samples and at the onset of puberty. When examining the influence of prenatal stress on offspring neurodevelopment, future investigations should delineate gestational timing effects of the cortisol exposure, cortisol assessment method, and impact of additional biomarkers, as these were not investigated in this study.

Two Routes to Status, One Route to Health: Trait Dominance and Prestige Differentially Associate with Self-reported Stress and Health in Two US University Populations.

ObjectiveSocial status has been extensively linked to stress and health outcomes. However, two routes by which status can be earned – dominance and prestige – may not uniformly relate to lower stress and better health because of inherent behavioral and stress-exposure differences in these two routes.MethodsIn one exploratory and two preregistered studies, participants (total N = 978) self-reported their trait dominance and prestige and self-reported several stress and health outcomes.ResultsThe meta-effects evident across the three studies indicate that higher trait dominance was associated with worse outcomes – higher stress, poorer physical and mental health, poorer behavioral health, poorer life satisfaction, higher negative affect (range of absolute values of non-zero correlations, |r| = [0.074, 0.315], ps < 0.021) – and higher trait prestige was associated with better outcomes – lower stress, better physical and mental health, better behavioral health, better life satisfaction, higher positive and lower negative mood (|r| = [0.134, 0.478], ps < 0.001). These effects remained evident (with few exceptions) after controlling for socioeconomic status, other status-relevant traits, or self-enhancing motives; associations with behavior relevant to the COVID19 pandemic generally were not robust.ConclusionsThis work indicates that evolved traits related to the preferred route by which status is earned likely impact self-reported stress and health outcomes. Future research is necessary to examine physiological and other objective indicators of stress and health in more diverse populations.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40750-022-00199-3.

Weighted single-step GWAS and RNA sequencing reveals key candidate genes associated with physiological indicators of heat stress in Holstein cattle

BackgroundThe study of molecular processes regulating heat stress response in dairy cattle is paramount for developing mitigation strategies to improve heat tolerance and animal welfare. Therefore, we aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions associated with three physiological indicators of heat stress response in Holstein cattle, including rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate score (RS), and drooling score (DS). We estimated genetic parameters for all three traits. Subsequently, a weighted single-step genome-wide association study (WssGWAS) was performed based on 3200 genotypes, 151,486 phenotypic records, and 38,101 animals in the pedigree file. The candidate genes located within the identified QTL regions were further investigated through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of blood samples for four cows collected in April (non-heat stress group) and four cows collected in July (heat stress group).ResultsThe heritability estimates for RT, RS, and DS were 0.06, 0.04, and 0.03, respectively. Fourteen, 19, and 20 genomic regions explained 2.94%, 3.74%, and 4.01% of the total additive genetic variance of RT, RS, and DS, respectively. Most of these genomic regions are located in the Bos taurus autosome (BTA) BTA3, BTA6, BTA8, BTA12, BTA14, BTA21, and BTA24. No genomic regions overlapped between the three indicators of heat stress, indicating the polygenic nature of heat tolerance and the complementary mechanisms involved in heat stress response. For the RNA-seq analyses, 2627 genes were significantly upregulated and 369 downregulated in the heat stress group in comparison to the control group. When integrating the WssGWAS, RNA-seq results, and existing literature, the key candidate genes associated with physiological indicators of heat stress in Holstein cattle are: PMAIP1, SBK1, TMEM33, GATB, CHORDC1, RTN4IP1, and BTBD7.ConclusionsPhysiological indicators of heat stress are heritable and can be improved through direct selection. Fifty-three QTL regions associated with heat stress indicators confirm the polygenic nature and complex genetic determinism of heat tolerance in dairy cattle. The identified candidate genes will contribute for optimizing genomic evaluation models by assigning higher weights to genetic markers located in these regions as well as to the design of SNP panels containing polymorphisms located within these candidate genes.Graphical

Social Support as a Stress Buffer or Stress Amplifier and the Moderating Role of Implicit Motives: Protocol for a Randomized Study.

BackgroundPrevious research shows that providing social support in socioevaluative stress situations reduces participants’ stress responses. This stress-buffer effect, however, does not hold for everybody, and some studies even found a stress-amplifying effect of social support. Motive disposition research suggests that social motives (affiliation and power) lead to differential and sometimes even opposing affective and physiological responses to interpersonal interaction processes. We here integrate both lines of research and hypothesize that participants with strong affiliation motives benefit, while participants with strong power motives do not benefit from social support in terms of psychobiological responses to a given stressor. Further, participants with strong affiliation and power motives are expected to respond to social support with the arousal of motive-specific affects and reproductive hormone responses (affiliation: progesterone; power: estradiol and testosterone). In addition, we test sex differences in the response to social support and in the strengths of social motives.ObjectiveThe main objective of this study is to test whether social motives and participants’ sex moderate the effects of social support in stressful situations.MethodsWe aim to collect data from 308 participants recruited at our local university. Participants’ social motives are assessed using a standardized measure in motive research (Picture Story Exercise). Then, the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) is used to experimentally induce psychosocial stress. One group of participants receives social support from an associate of the experimenter, while the control group does not receive social support. Stress responses will be assessed by a modified version of the state anxiety scale of the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory and by physiological indicators of stress (cortisol and α-amylase from saliva samples) at 7 measurement points. Reproductive hormones will be analyzed in 4 of these 7 saliva samples. Heart rate and heart rate variability will be assessed continuously. We will additionally measure participants’ performance in an interview (part of the TSST-G) using a self-developed categorization system.ResultsThe Ethics Committee of the University of Constance approved the application to conduct the study on December 18, 2018. Furthermore, the study was retrospectively registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DKRS; ID: DRKS00028503) on March 09, 2022. The start of the experiment was planned for the beginning of 2019, but was postponed to June 2021 due to COVID-19. Publication of the first results is planned for spring 2023.ConclusionsOur theory-driven integration of social motives in social support research and the precise analysis of sex differences might disentangle inconsistent findings in TSST research. The more faceted view on individual differences has direct implications for applied contexts as it provides a framework for tailored conceptualizations of social support programs.Trial RegistrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00028503; https://tinyurl.com/5a87x4daInternational Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/39509

Возможный случай онкологического заболевания у индивидуума золотоордынского времени (по материалам раскопок могильника Натухаевское 5)

Introduction. When examining the osteological collection, which came from the excavations of the Natukhaevskoye 5 mediaeval burial ground in the Krasnodar Region, the skeleton of a young man was found from a ground burial of the 14th century. The purpose of the study was to consider, within the framework of differential diagnosis, the possible cause of pathological changes found on this skeleton. Materials and methods. Identification and description of the state of preservation of the skeletal remains were carried out in accordance with the standards for adult and juvenile osteology. Pathologically altered bone fragments were studied using microfocus radiography. Results. The preservation of the bones is fragmentary; there are large and small fragments of the cranial vault and different parts of the skeleton of male, 16-20 years old. Indicators of physiological stress (multiple enamel hypoplasia, Cribra orbitalia) and consequences of systemic pathology were identified. Visual and radiographic examination of the cranial vault revealed through and non-through defects up to 5 mm in diameter with both rounded and uneven edges. Most lytic damages were observed on the frontal bone and on a fragment of the parietal. The radiograph shows that the formation of foci of destruction is associated with the development of a network of small and large blood vessels. In the diaphysis of large tubular bones, hypertrophied development of the spongy substance is observed. Discussion. The most common paleo-oncological diagnoses are metastatic carcinoma and multiple myeloma, in this case unlikely due to the young age of the individual and the morphological pattern of the defect margins. In paleopathology, there are known cases of lymphocytic leukemia with a peak in children aged 2–5 years. Conclusion. Multiple lesions of the skull bones testify in favor of the diagnosis of metastatic cancer in a young man buried in the Natukhaevskoye-5 burial ground. Although the poor preservation of the remains prevents a more accurate diagnosis, there is evidence to suggest a hematogenous cause of oncology.

The role of inflammatory markers and cortisol in the association between early social cognition abilities and later internalising or externalising problems: Evidence from a UK birth cohort

ObjectiveDeficits in social cognition are associated with internalising (emotional and peer problems) and externalising (conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention) symptoms in youth. It has been suggested that stress may be one of the mechanisms underlying these associations. However, no empirical studies have investigated if physiological stress can explain the prospective associations between social cognition deficits and internalising and externalising symptoms in the general youth population. This study addressed this question and focused on two indicators of physiological stress, dysregulated diurnal cortisol patterns and systemic inflammation. MethodParticipants were 714 individuals from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a UK population-based birth cohort. Bayesian structural equation modelling was used to investigate a) the associations of social cognition abilities at ages 8, 11, and 14 years with internalising and externalising problems at age 17 years and b) the potential mediating effects of cortisol parameters at age 15 years and inflammatory markers [interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP)] at ages 9 and 16 years. ResultsWe found that social cognition difficulties were associated with later internalising and externalising problems. Flattened diurnal cortisol slope was associated with hyperactivity/inattention problems two years later. Lower morning cortisol partially mediated the direct association between social communication deficits at 8 years and hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems at 17 years, even after adjustments for inflammation and confounders (for hyperactivity/inattention: indirect effect = 0.07, 95% CI [0.00, 0.18], p = .042; for conduct problems: indirect effect = 0.04, 95% CI [0.00, 0.11], p = .040). We did not find a significant association between systemic inflammation and social cognition difficulties, internalising problems, or externalising problems. ConclusionOur findings suggest that part of the effect of social communication difficulties in childhood on externalising problems in adolescence was mediated by lower morning cortisol. Hence, our study indicates that the hypoactivity of the hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may be one of the physiological mechanisms linking some social cognition deficits to externalising problems.

Insights on Modelling Physiological, Appraisal, and Affective Indicators of Stress using Audio Features.

Stress is a major threat to well-being that manifests in a variety of physiological and mental symptoms. Utilising speech samples collected while the subject is undergoing an induced stress episode has recently shown promising results for the automatic characterisation of individual stress responses. In this work, we introduce new findings that shed light onto whether speech signals are suited to model physiological biomarkers, as obtained via cortisol measurements, or self-assessed appraisal and affect measurements. Our results show that different indicators impact acoustic features in a diverse way, but that their complimentary information can nevertheless be effectively harnessed by a multi-tasking architecture to improve prediction performance for all of them.

Environmental Stress and the Primate Microbiome: Glucocorticoids Contribute to Structure Gut Bacterial Communities of Black Howler Monkeys in Anthropogenically Disturbed Forest Fragments

Animals living in anthropogenically disturbed habitats are exposed to environmental stressors which can trigger physiological reactions, such as chronic elevations of glucocorticoid hormones. Physiological responses to stressors may induce changes in the gut microbiome, most likely, facilitated by the gut–brain communication. Although these effects have been observed in humans and animal models, elucidating gut bacterial changes in wild animals under natural stressful conditions is still an ongoing task. Here we analyzed the association between physiological stress related to anthropogenic forest disturbance and changes in gut bacterial communities of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) living in forest fragments in Mexico. We measured individuals’ fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) as an index of physiological stress and created inventories of fecal bacterial communities sequencing the 16S rRNA gene to assess gut microbiome change. We evaluated environmental stress by estimating differences in food availability – feeding tree diversity and biomass – in each group’s habitat. We found that both fGCMs and food availability indices were related to gut bacterial community shifts in black howler monkeys. Furthermore, using structural equation modeling, we found that a decrease in food availability, estimated through reductions in feeding tree basal area, increased fGCMs, which in turn induced increases in bacterial richness. Our findings show that the activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis, which is a physiological response sensitive to environmental stressors such as the ecological disturbance of a habitat, contributes to structure the gut microbiome of arboreal primates in disturbed forests.