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Strong, affiliative bonds often function to facilitate social competition through cooperative defence of resources, but the benefits of social bonds may be low when direct competition is less intense or less beneficial. In such cases, one possible outcome is that relationships are weak and undifferentiated. Alternatively, negotiating stable, selectively tolerant relationships may be a strategy to mitigate the costs and risks of sharing space when direct competition is undesirable. We investigated dyadic social tolerance among wild adult female eastern chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii , who engage in low rates of affiliation and aggression with one another. While females associate with one another at different rates, these patterns could reflect shared patterns of behaviour (e.g. ranging) rather than social preference or variation in relationship quality. We first determined whether patterns of dyadic spatial association (5 m proximity) were differentiated and stable over time. To assess whether dyadic spatial association reflected preference and variation in social tolerance, we tested whether spatial association was actively maintained by waiting and following behaviour and associated with decreased aggression and increased co-feeding. Spatial associations were differentiated, and stronger associations were more stable. Frequent associates used following and waiting behaviour to actively maintain associations. Association positively predicted time co-feeding and negatively predicted aggression. These patterns were true among related and unrelated dyads. Among unrelated females, dyads with stronger associations maintained proximity more mutually. This study highlights social tolerance as a stable relationship attribute that can predict and explain patterns of behaviour and social network structure, distinct from, or in the absence of, affiliation. • Female chimpanzees formed stable, differentiated spatial associations. • Females actively maintained proximity to preferred associates. • Association frequency predicted tolerant co-feeding and low aggression. • Frequent proximity explained tolerant behaviour better than grooming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It never rains in standard lab-confinements; thus we have limited understanding of animal reactions to water and wetness. To address this issue, we sprayed water on different body parts of rats and measured drying and fur temperature by thermal imaging while manipulating behavior, sensory cues and fur. Spraying water on rats resulted in fur changes (hair clumping, apex formation), grooming, shaking, and scratching. Anesthesia abolished behavioral responses, interfered with fur changes, and slowed drying. Spraying water on different body parts resulted in differential behavioral drying responses. Spraying the head resulted in grooming and shaking responses; water evaporated from the head twice as fast as water sprayed on the animal's back or belly. We observed no effect of whisker removal on post-water-spraying behavior. In contrast, local anesthesia of dorsal facial skin reduced post-water-spraying behavioral responses. Shaving of head fur drastically enhanced post-water-spraying behaviors, but reduced water loss during drying; indicating that fur promotes evaporation, acting in tandem with behavior to mediate drying. Excised wet fur patches dried and cooled faster than shaved excised wet skin. Water was sucked into distal hair tips, where it evaporated. We propose the wet-fur-heat-pump-hypothesis; fur might extract heat required for drying by cooling ambient air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Zhejiang University: Science B is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Social network analysis (SNA) is a powerful, quantitative tool to measure animals direct and indirect social connectedness in the context of social groups. However, the extent to which behavioural sampling methods influence SNA metrics remains unclear. To fill this gap, here we compare network indices of grooming, huddling, and aggression calculated from data collected from three macaque species through two sampling methods: focal animal sampling (FAS) and all-occurrences behaviour sampling (ABS). We found that measures of direct connectedness (degree centrality, and network density) were correlated between FAS and ABS for all social behaviours. Eigenvector and betweenness centralities were correlated for grooming and aggression networks across all species. By contrast, for huddling, we found a correlation only for betweenness centrality while eigenvector centralities were correlated only for the tolerant bonnet macaque but not so for the despotic rhesus macaque. Grooming and huddling network modularity and centralization were correlated between FAS and ABS for all but three of the eight groups. By contrast, for aggression network, we found a correlation for network centralization but not modularity between the sampling methodologies. We discuss how our findings provide researchers with new guidelines regarding choosing the appropriate sampling method to estimate social network metrics.

Among the different micro- and nanostructures located on cuticular surfaces, grooming devices represent fundamental tools for insect survival. The present study describes the grooming microstructures of the damselfly Ischnura elegans (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) at the adult stage. These structures, situated on the foreleg tibiae, were observed using scanning electron microscopy, and the presence and distribution of resilin, an elastomeric protein that enhances cuticle flexibility, were analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Eye and antennal grooming behavior were analyzed to evaluate the particle removal efficiency in intact insects and in insects with ablated grooming devices. The grooming devices are constituted of long setae from which a concave cuticular lamina develops towards the medial side of the leg. Each seta shows a material gradient of resilin from its basal to the distal portion and from the seta to the cuticular lamina. The removal of the grooming devices induces a strong increase in the contaminated areas on the eyes after grooming. Further studies on insect grooming can provide valuable data on the functional morphology of insect micro- and nanostructures and can represent a starting point to develop advanced biomimetic cleaning tools.

Abstract It never rains in standard lab-confinements; thus we have limited understanding of animal reactions to water and wetness. To address this issue, we sprayed water on different body parts of rats and measured drying and fur temperature by thermal imaging while manipulating behavior, sensory cues and fur. Spraying water on rats resulted in fur changes (hair clumping, apex formation), grooming, shaking, and scratching. Anesthesia abolished behavioral responses, interfered with fur changes, and slowed drying. Spraying water on different body parts resulted in differential behavioral drying responses. Spraying the head resulted in grooming and shaking responses; water evaporated from the head twice as fast as water sprayed on the animal’s back or belly. We observed no effect of whisker removal on post-water-spraying behavior. In contrast, local anesthesia of dorsal facial skin reduced post-water-spraying behavioral responses. Shaving of head fur drastically enhanced post-water-spraying behaviors, but reduced water loss during drying; indicating that fur promotes evaporation, acting in tandem with behavior to mediate drying. Excised wet fur patches dried and cooled faster than shaved excised wet skin. Water was sucked into distal hair tips, where it evaporated. We propose the wet-fur-heat-pump-hypothesis; fur might extract heat required for drying by cooling ambient air.

Proximate mechanisms of 'social ageing', i.e. shifts in social activity and narrowing of social networks, are understudied. It is proposed that energetic deficiencies (which are often seen in older individuals) may restrict movement and, in turn, sociality, but empirical tests of these intermediary mechanisms are lacking. Here, we study wild chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), combining measures of faecal triiodothyronine (fT3), a non-invasive proxy for energy availability, high-resolution GPS data (movement and social proximity) and accelerometry (social grooming durations). Higher (individual mean-centred) fT3 was associated with increased residency time (i.e. remaining in the same area longer), which, in turn, was positively related to social opportunities (i.e. close physical proximity). Individuals with more frequent social opportunities received more grooming, whereas for grooming given, fT3 moderated this effect, suggesting an energetic cost of giving grooming. While our results support the spirit of the energetic deficiencies hypothesis, the directionality of the relationship between energy availability and movement is unexpected and suggests that lower-energy individuals may use strategies to reduce the costs of intermittent locomotion. Thus, future work should consider whether age-related declines in sociality may be a by-product of a strategy to conserve energy. This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Understanding age and society using natural populations'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The present theoretical review explored the dimensions, stages and factors involved in the grooming process from the perspective of the both victim and the aggressor. Understanding the dynamics of the grooming process is highly relevant for the investigative process and for the forensic psychological assessment of the victim. The analysis was conducted with the purpose of conceptual clarification of factors and processes, emphasizing their relevance for preventing victimization. Materials and methods. The research method used was a literature review on the concept of grooming. APA PsycNet, ScienceDirect, PubMed and EBSCOhost databases were accessed. Studies investigating the definition and evolution of the concept of grooming, victim vulnerability factors, characteristics of the sexual offender, comparative analysis of the phenomenon in physical versus online environments, and methods of preventing the phenomenon were included, both qualitative and quantitative. The time interval used was 2003–2023. Results. The analysis revealed a series of stages in the grooming process, depending on the characteristics of the situation and people involved, such as target selection, gaining access, building trust, fulfilling needs, isolating the target, and sexualizing the relationship. Moreover, a number of victim vulnerability factors covering three areas were identified in the literature. Regarding sex offenders, the motivational theories of sexual abuse revealed a number of characteristics of the abuser. Conclusions. Information about the victim and offender characteristics and the dynamics of the grooming process are discussed in relation to the prevention of the phenomenon, which cannot be done without adequate education about its characteristics.

Simple Summary: In China, dairy cow production has intensified in response to strong demand for milk products. Modern farms house their cows continuously without providing access to pasture, even though there are likely to be health and welfare benefits from the additional exercise. It is most feasible to provide access to an exercise paddock during the time between lactation periods when cows do not need to be brought to a milking parlor each day. We investigated the effects of providing an exercise paddock on the behavior and health of cows during this 'dry period'. All cows had access to conserved feed indoors, but half were also given access to the exercise paddock. Cows in the group with paddock access spent less time lying down and more time drinking and allogrooming, compared with those in the shed-only group. Lying bouts were shorter in the exercise paddock group. Non-esterified fatty acids, an indicator of a negative nutritional state, increased in cows with the exercise paddock, which may reflect the demands of the increased activity. Fiber and protein digestibility increased with the exercise yard. Overall, our results suggest that providing an exercise paddock was beneficial by increasing physical activity and allogrooming activity during the dry period, with less time spent lying, and increased feed digestibility. Providing an exercise paddock may improve the behavior and health of cows in their dry period. We compared a control group of cows in a shed with no exercise paddock and an experimental group in the same shed but with access to an exercise paddock. Both groups had ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) indoors combined with access to a paddock (Group EX). The other group was just offered TMR indoors (Group IN). Total lying time was longer for cows without the exercise paddock (859 min/d) than for those with the paddock (733 min/d) (p = 0.012). Lying bouts were shorter, there were more allogrooming bouts, and drinking time was longer if an exercise paddock was provided. Cows with the paddock spent on average 76 min/d in paddock activity. Non-esterified fatty acids in the blood were increased by providing the exercise paddock. No significant differences in postpartum milk yield and calf weight of dry cows with or without access to exercise paddock were observed. However, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were increased by providing the exercise paddock. The results suggest that providing an exercise paddock for cows in their dry period increased activity, including allogrooming, reduced lying, and improved digestibility of some major nutrients in the feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sexual harassment and abuse (SHA) can be perpetrated by various individuals in sport, coaches have been studied as one of the most frequent perpetrators due to their physical and emotional proximity to athletes. This systematic review attempted to evaluate the past 20 years of research (2003–2023) examining SHA and inappropriate intimate relationships between coaches and athletes. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline, 20 studies that met the eligibility criteria were identified using four databases (PubMed, PsycNET, ScienceDirect and SportDiscus). Findings reveal common thematic measures among the studies reviewed, including characteristics of SHA (n = 9), coach-athlete sexual relationships (CASR; n = 7) and grooming (n = 4). Based on the narrative synthesis of each thematic measure, SHA in sport is experienced and/or perceived as various forms of sexual misconduct, ranging from harassment (e.g. sexual jokes, unwanted comments, fondling) to abusive behaviors (e.g. kissing, showing coach's private body parts, sexual intercourse). Although some studies show the acceptance of CASR especially when athletes are above the age of legal consent, the strong majority of studies suggest that CASR in general is harmful and unacceptable given the unequal power dynamics between the two parties. Additionally, grooming was often involved as a conscious strategy to cross athletes’ personal boundaries for eventual sexual misconduct through building trust and manifesting seemingly innocuous behaviors. Overall, these findings shed light on the current state of research on SHA occurring between coaches and athletes and have implications for sport governing bodies and organizations to be better aware of the issue, which in turn can result in creating a safer environment for youth athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the everyday policing processes surrounding men's bodily grooming and white-collar masculinities in Japan. Amidst increasing scrutiny of men's bodies, research has highlighted how men understand their grooming in relation to masculinities privileged by class, race, and sexuality. Less is understood, however, about men's experiences of everyday policing processes surrounding grooming. Japanese white-collar cultures where good grooming stands for professionalism provide fruitful contexts to address these gaps. Interviews with 33 socially privileged white-collar men in Tokyo demonstrate how participants understand grooming vis-à-vis masculine ideals of professional competency. Participants are particularly conscious of scrutiny from superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. While past scholarship has often overlooked the vulnerability of privileged men's positions, for white-collar men in Japan, being subject to often cruel policing processes threatens their place on gendered hierarchies. Thus, I argue that even for privileged men, policing of their grooming presents real costs to their hegemonic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oesophageal obstruction due to hairballs in cats is very rare. Excessive grooming behaviour in cats due to skin infection can lead to impaction in the digestive tract, resulting in deprivation of food and water and ultimately death. This report described a case of a rescued jungle cat showing signs of marked dehydration after death. On postmortem examination, a blockade of hairballs was observed in the oesophagus. Further examination of hair revealed that the hair was from the same species, not the prey species. This suggests that the over‐grooming behaviour of cats can lead to the over‐ingestion of hair, which might cause a blockage in the digestive tract, leading to death. The rescue centres should be well aware and prepared to diagnose such problems and manage the case accordingly for effective treatment of rescued animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Allogrooming is a widespread, pervasive activity among non-human primates. Besides its hygienic function, it is thought to be instrumental in maintaining social bonds and establishing hierarchical structures within groups. However, the question arises as to whether the physiological and social benefits derived from social touch stem directly from body stimulation, or whether other mechanisms come into play. We address this question by analyzing an elaborate social behavior that we observed in two adult male macaques. This behavior demonstrates the existence of a persistent motivation to interact through a form of simulated grooming, as the animals were housed in adjacent enclosures separated by a glass panel preventing direct tactile contact. We find that such virtual grooming produces similar physiological sensations and social effects as allogrooming. We suggest that this behavior engages affective and reward brain circuits to the same extent as real social touch, and that this is probably achieved through high level processes similar to those involved in bodily illusions or synaesthetic phenomena previously described in humans. This observation reveals the unsuspected capacity of non-human primates to invent alternative, quasi-symbolic strategies to obtain effects similar to those provided by direct bodily interaction, which are so important for maintaining social bonds.

Abstract Background Pubic hair grooming involves the partial or complete removal of pubic hair, and it is a common practice among men and women. Grooming is more prevalent in women, who employ various methods such as shaving, waxing and laser removal. However, it is associated with variable rates of post-grooming adverse outcomes including lacerations and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis comparing women’s sexual health outcomes between those who groom and those who don’t. Methods We followed the MOOSE guidelines and conducted a computerized-based search using (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid Medline), till June 20th, 2022, for eligible studies using the relevant keywords; (pubic hair grooming) OR (pubic hair removal OR Genital hairless OR Bikini hair removal OR pubic hair depilation). Cross-sectional studies included which compared grooming practices among women in terms of motivation and health outcomes. Women’s satisfaction and incidence of STIs were pooled as standardized mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) respectively. Results Twenty-Two cross-sectional studies were included in our review with 73,091 participant.The odds of having gram-negative gonorrheal and chlamydial infection in Pubic hair groomers were found to be statistically significant (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.31, 1.84], P

Social networks are expanding more and more, attracting more subscribers and adolescents consume these services in a poorly controlled manner, allowing an interaction with strangers from anywhere in the world. This has allowed cybercriminals to abuse their victims with mechanisms such as sexting and grooming, especially affecting the adolescent population. This article aims to propose a cybersecurity strategy that supports the adolescent population based on gamification, giving a point of prevention associated with sexting and grooming to reduce different levels of risk. The method used was to make use of processes for the identification of cybersecurity problems on the Internet, through different controls and applying them in a cybersecurity educational strategy to students from a primary education institution in the city of Medellín, Colombia. As a result, in the diagnostic test it was found that only 31.2% of the students responded positively to the questionnaire and once the strategy using gamification was applied, it was found that 93.7% of the students significantly improved their answers. With the application of the non-parametric test using the statistical method for the calculation of the sign test, it was found that the cybersecurity strategies using gamification managed to increase the level of awareness. It is concluded that for the identification and prevention of risks on the Internet that go against adolescents the application of mechanisms that manage to generate controls such as awareness through gamification becomes essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grooming is a complex innate animal behavior that can serve as a marker of physiological state of rodents under stress. Here, we analyze the impact of various experimental factors, including genetic, pharmacological and physiological, on self-grooming behavior of laboratory mice and rats. Analyses of grooming behavior assess not only the number and duration of its bouts but also its microstructure, i.e. frequency, sequence, localization, and consistency. Rodent grooming and its microstructure can serve as a sensitive marker for changes in the brain, its response to stress, and predisposition to pathological conditions simulating such human mental disorders as obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism and depression. Studying rodent self-grooming microstructure can provide valuable information about the mechanisms of brain pathogenesis, having multiple translational implications for neuroscience research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barbering is a behavior which involves the plucking or nibbling of fur, hair, or whiskers (vibrissae), leading to focal hair loss, and is often seen in laboratory mice and rats. The role of this behavior, including its relationship with stress, aggression, grooming, and aberrant stereotypic behavior, is actively discussed. Insights into the nature of barbering and its impact on laboratory rodents should be considered when planning experimental studies. Here, we discuss recent data on the neurobiology and genetics of barbering, as well as its role in the behavior and central nervous system of laboratory rodents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Debate Jurídico Ecuador is the property of Universidad Regional Autonoma de los Andes (UNIANDES) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cognitive constraint hypothesis maintains reciprocity is rare among animals because it requires cognitive capabilities that are rare, if not absent, in animals. In particular, it suggests that temporal discounting, limited memory, and limited capability of complex calculations make long‐term reciprocation essentially impossible for animals. The cognitive constraint hypothesis therefore predicts that, if reciprocity ever occurs in animals, it should always be immediate. In this study, we tested for long‐term reciprocation in Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus), a species that is not notable for its advanced cognitive capabilities. We showed that tahr are able to reciprocate grooming over extended time periods, that is, that they groom preferentially those individuals from which they receive more grooming even when all cases of immediate reciprocation are excluded from analysis. These results do not support the cognitive constraint hypothesis. We note the cognitive constraint hypothesis makes two silent assumptions: that all reciprocation is necessarily calculated and that it is based on partner control processes. We suggest these assumptions are unwarranted, and that most group living animals base their ability to reciprocate on emotionally based partner choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pubic hair grooming involves the partial or complete removal of pubic hair, and it is a common practice among men and women. Grooming is more prevalent in women, who employ various methods such as shaving, waxing and laser removal. However, it is associated with variable rates of post-grooming adverse outcomes including lacerations and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review and meta-analysis comparing women's sexual health outcomes between those who groom and those who don't. Methods: We followed the MOOSE guidelines and conducted a computerized-based search using (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Ovid Medline), till June 20th, 2022, for eligible studies using the relevant keywords; (pubic hair grooming) OR (pubic hair removal OR Genital hairless OR Bikini hair removal OR pubic hair depilation). Cross-sectional studies included which compared grooming practices among women in terms of motivation and health outcomes. Women's satisfaction and incidence of STIs were pooled as standardized mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) respectively. Results: Twenty-Two cross-sectional studies were included in our review with 73,091 participant.The odds of having gram-negative gonorrheal and chlamydial infection in Pubic hair groomers were found to be statistically significant (OR = 1.55, 95% CI [1.31, 1.84], P < 0.001) (OR = 1.56, 95% CI [1.32, 1.85], P < 0.001] respectively. There was no difference between groomer and non-groomer women regarding viral infections such as genital herpes (OR = 1.40, 95% CI [0.56, 3.50], P = 0.47) and Condyloma acuminata (OR = 1.75, 95% CI [0.51, 6.01], P = 0.37). The most common grooming side effect is genital itching (prevalence = 26.9%, P < 0.001). Non-electrical razor (prevalence = 69.3%, P < 0.001) is the most common grooming method. White women (prevalence = 80.2%, P < 0.001) remove pubic hair more frequently compared to black women (prevalence = 12.2%, P < 0.001). Women practice complete grooming (50.3%, P < 0.001) of the pubic hair more frequently than partial grooming (33.1%, P < 0.001). There are no differences in women's satisfaction between the two groups (SMD = 0.12, 95% CI [-0.16, 0.40], P = 0.39). Conclusion: This review aligns with previous observational studies regarding sexual health outcomes of pubic hair grooming. There is a need to raise awareness among women regarding the safe practice of pubic hair grooming, emphasizing the clarification of hazards and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kocatepe Veterinary Journal / Kocatepe Veteriner Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Reciprocity allows animals to balance the costs and benefits of cooperative interactions by switching roles over time. Reciprocity can be based on two different processes: a within-dyad process based on temporal relations between cooperative events (partner control) and an across-dyad process based on preferences for the most cooperative partners (partner choice). The relative roles of the two processes remain debated. The aim of our study was to assess how the opportunity of interaction modulates grooming reciprocity in wild Geoffroy’s spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), a species with low grooming rates and variable opportunities for group members to interact due to a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics. We investigated the roles of the aforementioned processes in grooming reciprocity, and the factors affecting them. Receiving grooming increased the probability of immediately returning grooming to the same partner (within-dyad temporal relations between cooperative events). In contrast, we found no evidence that spider monkeys directed most of their grooming to those individuals from which they received most grooming during the entire study period (across-dyad preferences for the most cooperative partners). The probability of returning grooming to the same partner was higher for dyads that spent less time together in the same subgroup, but was unaffected by maternal kinship. Our results suggest the opportunity to interact is a potent modulator of reciprocity. In species characterized by a high degree of fission-fusion dynamics and low grooming rates, short-term reciprocation based on partner control can be favored at the expense of a longer-term process based on partner choice.Significance statement: Reciprocity is considered one of the key mechanisms allowing the evolution of cooperation. However, the processes guiding reciprocity are seldom explored, as the relative prevalence of within-dyad temporal relations between cooperative events (partner control) and of across-dyad preferences for the most cooperative partners (partner choice) is rarely investigated. Our study is the first to quantify the roles of these two separate processes in supporting reciprocity in spider monkeys. Specifically, our study is the first to assess how the opportunity two group members have to interact with each other modulates reciprocity. We found that the within-dyad process based on temporal relations between grooming events is the prevalent process, and that a low probability of partners to be together again promoted short-term reciprocation. Our study contributes to broaden our knowledge on reciprocity, providing insight into the interplay between the opportunity for interaction and the rarity of the cooperative act in modulating reciprocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grooming behavior is one of the mechanisms of social immunity in Apis mellifera. This behavior has been proposed as an active strategy of honey bees to restrain the population growth of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies. The characterization of honey bee stocks with high grooming behavior is of utmost importance for honey bee breeding programs to set the background for mite resistance biomarker-based selection. In this study, we analyzed the expression level of 11 candidate genes putatively involved in grooming and hygiene behaviors in adult workers from mite-resistant (R) and mite-susceptible (S) honey bee stocks. Heads and bodies of worker bees from both stocks, previously tested for grooming response to two treatments (mite infestation and a paintbrush touch control stimulus) were assessed by qPCR. In the head, R bees exposed to mite infestation showed higher levels of Nrx1 and Dop2 and lower levels of Obp3 than S bees. At the body level, R and S bees differed in the expression levels of Nrx1, Oa1, Obp4, Obp14, Obp16, Obp18, Spf45, CYP9Q3, with no stimulus-specific pattern. Overall, our results suggest the involvement of some of the analyzed genes in the specific response to mite infestation, possibly related to the sensitivity and specificity of the R bee to this stimulus at the head level, while other genes would be involved in the non-specific motor response to irritants at the body level. The present study provides new insights into the characterization of the grooming behavior in a selected honey bee stock and increases the available information on its underlying molecular mechanisms. We discuss the putative functions and use of the assessed genes as potential tools for biomarker-assisted selection and improvement of Varroa mite control strategies in honey bee colonies.

Though uncommon, adoption of orphaned infants has been observed in both wild and captive non-human primates. In two groups of wild bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata), we observed five instances of infants being cared for after they lost their mothers at a pre-weaning age (

El artículo tiene como objetivo analizar el modo en el que se construyen los sentidos de la ciudadanía (a)sexual infantil mediante el análisis discursivo del debate parlamentario sobre la ley de grooming en Argentina en ambas cámaras legislativas. Se consideran como premisas los aportes de estudios de sexualidad(es) y de los estudios sociales de infancia, desde una metodología sociosemiótica. El análisis enfoca específicamente el repertorio temático del debate: las dislocaciones de la espacialidad, la temporalidad y la autoridad familiar que imponen las nuevas tecnologías al gobierno de la infancia, como así también, la función protectora del estado. El relevamiento y análisis de los tópicos emergentes en el debate permiten mostrar cómo los discursos de prevención de la violencia sexual hilvanan una axiología moral que regula los modos aceptables de experimentar la sexualidad en la infancia y la reproducción del orden heterofamiliar.

Pandemics caused by pathogens that originate in wildlife highlight the importance of understanding the behavioral ecology of disease outbreaks at human-wildlife interfaces. Specifically, the relative effects of human-wildlife and wildlife-wildlife interactions on disease outbreaks among wildlife populations in urban and peri-urban environments remain unclear. We used social network analysis and epidemiological Susceptible-Infected-Recovered models to simulate zooanthroponotic outbreaks, through wild animals' joint propensities to co-interact with humans, and their social grooming of conspecifics. On 10 groups of macaques (Macaca spp.) in peri-urban environments in Asia, we collected behavioral data using event sampling of human-macaque interactions within the same time and space, and focal sampling of macaques' social interactions with conspecifics and overall anthropogenic exposure. Model-predicted outbreak sizes were related to structural features of macaques' networks. For all three species, and for both anthropogenic (co-interactions) and social (grooming) contexts, outbreak sizes were positively correlated to the network centrality of first-infected macaques. Across host species and contexts, the above effects were stronger through macaques' human co-interaction networks than through their grooming networks, particularly for rhesus and bonnet macaques. Long-tailed macaques appeared to show intraspecific variation in these effects. Our findings suggest that among wildlife in anthropogenically-impacted environments, the structure of their aggregations around anthropogenic factors makes them more vulnerable to zooanthroponotic outbreaks than their social structure. The global features of these networks that influence disease outbreaks, and their underlying socio-ecological covariates, need further investigation. Animals that consistently interact with both humans and their conspecifics are important targets for disease control.

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most important managed pollinator to sustainable agriculture and our ecosystem. Yet managed honey bee colonies in the United States experience 30-40% losses annually. Among the many biotic stressors, the parasitic mite Varroa destructor is considered one of the main causes of colony losses. Bees' mite-biting behavior has been selected as a Varroa-tolerant or Varroa-resistant trait in the state of Indiana for more than a decade. A survey of damaged mites from the bottom of a colony can be used as an extended phenotype to evaluate the mite-biting behavior of a colony. In this study, on average, 37% of mites sampled from the breeding stocks of 59 colonies of mite biters in Indiana were damaged or mutilated, which is significantly higher than the 19% of damaged mites found in commercial colonies in the southern United States. Indiana mite biter colonies had a higher proportion of damaged mites, although among the damaged mites, the number of missing legs was not significantly higher. In addition, the morphology of pollen-forager worker bee mandibles was compared by X-ray microcomputed tomography for six parameters in two populations, and a difference was detected in one parameter. Our results provide scientific evidence that potentially explains the defensive mechanism against Varroa mites: structural changes in the worker bee mandibles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As machine learning technology continues to advance and the need for standardized behavioral quantification grows, commercial and open-source automated behavioral analysis tools are gaining prominence in behavioral neuroscience. We present a comparative analysis of three behavioral analysis pipelines--DeepLabCut (DLC) and Simple Behavioral Analysis (SimBA), HomeCageScan (HCS), and manual scoring--in measuring repetitive selfgrooming among mice. Methods: Grooming behavior of mice was recorded at baseline and after water spray or restraint treatments. Videos were processed and analyzed in parallel using 3 methods (DLC/SimBA, HCS, and manual scoring), quantifying both total number of grooming bouts and total grooming duration. Results: Both treatment conditions (water spray and restraint) resulted in significant elevation in both total grooming duration and number of grooming bouts. HCS measures of grooming duration were significantly elevated relative to those derived from manual scoring: specifically, HCS tended to overestimate duration at low levels of grooming. DLC/SimBA duration measurements were not significantly different than those derived from manual scoring. However, both SimBA and HCS measures of the number of grooming bouts were significantly different than those derived from manual scoring; the magnitude and direction of the difference depended on treatment condition. Conclusion: DLC/SimBA provides a high-throughput pipeline for quantifying grooming duration that correlates well with manual scoring. However, grooming bout data derived from both DLC/SimBA and HCS did not reliably estimate measures obtained via manual scoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existential philosophy is an infinite conversation across time and space, yet why are some voices idolised whilst others are exiled? This paper explores the encompassing phenomenon of colonialism through the lens of disciplinary decadence, advocating a paradigm shift away from a culture of exclusion and denial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have caused drastic changes in the relational dynamics of adolescents, providing new channels to exercise and suffer violence. The objective of this research is threefold: it is intended to evaluate the possession, use and parental supervision of the mobile phone in the group of adolescents; identify digital violence in adolescents’ first affective/sexual relationships; and verify its relationship with other forms of online violence such as cyberbullying, cyberstalking and grooming. The sample is made up of 715 adolescents (47% girls) with an age range that goes from 13 to 19 years, with a mean of 15.64 (DT = 1.28) years. The results confirm the omnipresence of ICTs in the lives of adolescent couples and establish a relationship between digital violence and the use of technological devices and virtual spaces, which they access with little parental supervision. In addition, it is evident that adolescents face multiple forms of violence in the online environment, both at the sentimental level through cybercontrol and aggression, as well as insults or humiliation; as well as in the social sphere, since they have been victims of cyberbullying, grooming and cyberstalking. In short, new challenges of educational intervention are revealed for education professionals and families, in the face of the commitment to ensure that the youngest live their relationships free of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: While studies have focused on pro‐ana communities and pro‐anorexia websites, no research has been conducted on the presence of pro‐anorexia coaches within these communities. This study aimed to gain insight into the modus operandi of pro‐anorexia coaches. Method: First, three fake profiles were used to attempt interaction with pro‐anorexia coaches (n = 31). Second, an online questionnaire on experiences with pro‐anorexia coaches was completed by 79 respondents. Third, a follow‐up in‐depth interview was conducted with 14 of these respondents. Results: The results show that pro‐anorexia coaches' behavior fits a five‐staged model which has similarities to stages of online grooming. They focus on (1) building trust and developing a dependency relationship with the aim of (2) obtaining sexually explicit materials. Subsequently, they (3) increase pressure, (4) utilize blackmail methods with acquired content, and (5) groom respondents to meet in person. Discussion: Pro‐anorexia coaches deliberately abuse vulnerable young people who suffer from eating disorders to receive sexually explicit material or to meet face‐to‐face with a sexual intention. This study shows that the modus operandi of pro‐ana coaches is similar to online grooming. Clinical professionals need to be aware of this practice to detect victims and potential victims in order to support and treat them. Prevention is invaluable to further combat pro‐anorexia coaches and protect potential victims. Public Significance: Individuals with an eating disorder are avid internet users. A minority frequent pro‐anorexia websites and fora seeking help in losing weight. This study showed that pro‐anorexia coaches prey on these individuals, often to obtain sexually explicit content. The modus operandi of pro‐anorexia coaches shows similarities to online grooming. Awareness of this phenomenon and the way in which pro‐anorexia coaches operate is valuable for clinicians, parents, and teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to some non‐human primate species, human females do not show overt cues to fertility. Previous research argued that women still show systematic changes in their appearance across their ovulatory cycle to enhance their mating success when fertile. We report five studies investigating whether women's clothing style and grooming behaviour change across the ovulatory cycle. All studies were large (with N = 157 in Study 1, N = 109 in Study 2, N = 257 in Studies 3–5), longitudinal studies with four testing sessions per participant. They involved salivary hormone samples and luteinizing hormone tests to validate conception risk estimates. Across all studies, our results suggest no compelling evidence for cycle shifts in clothing style and grooming. Rather, two studies suggest effects in the opposite direction as hypothesized, as women wore more skin‐revealing clothes when non‐fertile. One study suggests small effects of wearing necklaces more and eyeglasses less often when fertile. However, these effects were not robust across all studies. Our results are in line with other recent null replications and suggest that, if existent, cues to fertility might be even more subtle than previously assumed. We discuss the need for testing competing theories that explain the evolution of concealed ovulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a paucity of information on neonatal behaviour of tropical livestock species despite its adaptive value. One hundred and ninety West African Dwarf (WAD) kids and their mothers were studied to establish the influence of neonatal and maternal factors on neonatal behaviour. Environmental temperatures and relative humidity (RH) at birth were also recorded. Single born kids and those dropped by older and multiparous mothers sucked earlier (p < 0.05). Vigour levels were higher (p < 0.05) in kids dropped by multiparous does and those whose grooming commenced earlier than those dropped by primiparous does and those with long latency to groom, respectively. Moderate negative correlations (p < 0.01) existed between duration of grooming and birthweight and duration of grooming and latency to groom. Similarly, strong and positive correlations (p < 0.01) existed between duration of grooming and neonatal vigour and time of first successful sucking and number of attempts at standing postpartum. Moderate positive correlations (p < 0.01) existed between time of first successful standing and number of attempts at standing postpartum, birthweight and vigour, rectal and ambient temperatures, latency to groom and birthweight, latency to groom and time of first successful sucking postpartum and number of attempts at sucking and time of first successful sucking postpartum. Strong negative correlations (p < 0.01) existed between RH and latency to groom (p < 0.01) and latency to groom and number of attempts at standing postpartum. Maternal care was higher in WAD goats during periods of higher RH and also in vulnerable and low birth weight kids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance of new ways of committing sexual violence via technological media and virtual spaces has produced countless situations where sexual abuse of minors may occur. This is the digital scenario surrounding the phenomenon of grooming. The present study focuses on analyzing grooming experienced by Spanish university students during childhood. The sample comprised 3293 students in higher education, 68.3% of whom were female, 30.5% were male, and 1.2% identified as non-binary. The mean age was 18.83 years (SD = 2.28). The results confirmed that sexual abuse of minors has moved towards virtual environments, indicating a prevalence of 12.2% for grooming, which was more likely to have affected women and non-binary people. In addition, student victims of grooming were more often also victims of sextortion. Consumption of pornography was also shown to be particularly important, with the results indicating that students who consumed it and started consuming it before they were 16 years old were more often victims of grooming. These findings should encourage the educational community to develop preventive actions that match the reality of online child sexual abuse. In summary, the only path towards preventing and detecting grooming is to invest in high-quality digital education and sex education from a gender perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Endocannabinoid (eCB) signalling gates many aspects of the stress response, including the hypothalamic--pituitary--adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is controlled by corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) producing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Disruption of eCB signalling increases drive to the HPA axis, but the mechanisms subserving this process are poorly understood. Experimental Approach: Using an array of cellular, endocrine and behavioural readouts associated with activation of CRH neurons in the PVN, we evaluated the contributions of tonic eCB signalling to the generation of a stress response. Key Results: The CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist AM251, neutral antagonist NESS243 and NAPE PLD inhibitor LEI401 all uniformly increased Fos in the PVN, unmasked stress-linked behaviours, such as grooming, and increased circulating CORT, recapitulating the effects of stress. Similar effects were also seen after direct administration of AM251 into the PVN, while optogenetic inhibition of PVN CRH neurons ameliorated stress-like behavioural changes produced by disruption of eCB signalling. Conclusions and Implications: These data indicate that under resting conditions, constitutive eCB signalling restricts activation of the HPA axis through local regulation of CRH neurons in the PVN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grooming is a common cooperative behavior whose exact costs and benefits are still to be fully elucidated. In this study, we evaluated the emotional consequences of giving and receiving grooming in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), and how these may change along time after the termination of grooming. We used scratching as a behavioral indicator of anxiety‐like emotions. Groomees showed increased scratching immediately after the termination of grooming, while in the subsequent minutes scratching decreased below baseline. The initial increase was larger after longer grooming events, suggesting it represented a case of postinhibitory rebound. The subsequent decline in scratching rates was larger after grooming received by a kin, suggesting interactions with kin are particularly relaxing. Scratching rates shown by groomers were unaffected by grooming interactions. These results highlight that the emotional states following grooming can have a complex time course, and may contribute to explain the inconsistencies found in the previous literature. Research highlights: Receiving grooming had rapidly changing emotional consequences, as measured by scratching rates.Scratching increased above baseline immediately after grooming, particularly after longer grooming bouts.Scratching decreased below baseline in the subsequent minutes, particularly after grooming received from kin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The material scope of the research problem in the text encompasses selected issues concerning the content and sense of the elements characterizing the offense of establishing contact with a minor via ICT systems and telecommunications networks (also referred to as "grooming") under Polish criminal law. In the legislation currently in force the offense of grooming is criminalized under Art. 200a §1–2 of the Criminal Code. The main purpose of the analysis is to perform a substantive criminal examination of the offense of grooming under Polish law, taking into account a practical case study. The analysis contained in the text is chiefly an overview, and includes mainly an institutional and legal analysis performed with the aid of textual, functional and doctrinal interpretations, which have been supplemented with the author's own conclusions and opinions concerning de lege lata and de lege ferenda solutions. The institutional and legal analysis has been supplemented with an abstract case study of grooming. The presented abstract case study is helpful in considering selected legal problems, and ultimately in presenting example legal classifications of the described acts referred to as grooming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanosensory neurons located across the body surface respond to tactile stimuli and elicit diverse behavioral responses, from relatively simple stimulus location-aimed movements to complex movement sequences. How mechanosensory neurons and their postsynaptic circuits influence such diverse behaviors remains unclear. We previously discovered that Drosophila perform a body location-prioritized grooming sequence when mechanosensory neurons at different locations on the head and body are simultaneously stimulated by dust (Hampel et al., 2017; Seeds et al., 2014). Here, we identify nearly all mechanosensory neurons on the Drosophila head that individually elicit aimed grooming of specific head locations, while collectively eliciting a whole head grooming sequence. Different tracing methods were used to reconstruct the projections of these neurons from different locations on the head to their distinct arborizations in the brain. This provides the first synaptic resolution somatotopic map of a head, and defines the parallel-projecting mechanosensory pathways that elicit head grooming.

Providing an exercise paddock may improve the behavior and health of cows in their dry period. We compared a control group of cows in a shed with no exercise paddock and an experimental group in the same shed but with access to an exercise paddock. Both groups had ad libitum total mixed ration (TMR) indoors combined with access to a paddock (Group EX). The other group was just offered TMR indoors (Group IN). Total lying time was longer for cows without the exercise paddock (859 min/d) than for those with the paddock (733 min/d) (p = 0.012). Lying bouts were shorter, there were more allogrooming bouts, and drinking time was longer if an exercise paddock was provided. Cows with the paddock spent on average 76 min/d in paddock activity. Non-esterified fatty acids in the blood were increased by providing the exercise paddock. No significant differences in postpartum milk yield and calf weight of dry cows with or without access to exercise paddock were observed. However, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibility were increased by providing the exercise paddock. The results suggest that providing an exercise paddock for cows in their dry period increased activity, including allogrooming, reduced lying, and improved digestibility of some major nutrients in the feed.