Head Rubbing and Licking Reinforce Social Bonds in a Group of Captive African Lions, Panthera leo

AbstractMany social animals have a species-specific repertoire of affiliative behaviours that characterise individualised relationshipswithin a group. To date, however, quantitative studies on intragroup affiliative behaviours in social carnivores have beenlimited. Here, we investigated the social functions of the two most commonly observed affiliative behaviours in captiveAfrican lions (Panthera leo): head rubbing and licking. We conducted behavioural observations on a captive group of lionscomposed of 7 males and 14 females, and tested hypotheses regarding three social functions: tension reduction, socialbonding, and social status expression. Disproportionately frequent male–male and female-to-male head rubbing wasobserved, while more than 95% of all licking interactions occurred in female–female dyads. In accordance with the socialbond hypothesis, and in disagreement with the social status expression hypothesis, both head rubbing and lickinginteractions were reciprocal. After controlling for spatial association, the dyadic frequency of head rubbing was negativelycorrelated with age difference while licking was positively correlated with relatedness. Group reunion after daily separationdid not affect the frequencies of the affiliative behaviours, which was in disagreement with the predictions from the tensionreduction hypothesis. These results support the social bond hypothesis for the functions of head rubbing and licking.Different patterns of affiliative behaviour between the sexes may reflect differences in the relationship quality in each sex orthe differential predisposition to licking due to its original function in offspring care

Effect of prior deformation on dimensional change and precipitation process in a Cu-1.8wt%Be-0.2wt%Co alloy aged at 320C

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系The influence of prior cold work (90% reduction) on the length change and precipitation behaviour of a Cu-1.8wt%Be-0.2wt%Co alloy aged at 320C up to 350 h has been investigated. The alloy gradually expands to a maximum and then contracts during ageing. The maximum expansion is attributable to both the expansion due to the loss of Be solute atoms and the contraction due to precipitation of the [image omitted], I, m and \u27 phases. The subsequent contraction results from the decrease in amounts of the [image omitted] and m phases and the increase in amount of the \u27 phase. The new-found m phase, consisting of alternate Be and Cu matrix layers parallel to the matrix {001}, is body-centred monoclinic with a = b = 0.263 nm and c = 0.279 nm and = 83, and aligns with the matrix according to the Bain orientation relationship. The Guinier-Preston (GP) zone transforms continuously to the m or I phase via \u27\u27 and [image omitted]. The transformation from the GP zone to \u27 via \u27\u27, [image omitted] and I is retarded in comparison with that for the un-deformed alloy.全文公開20100

Predictive Model for Adverse Events and Immune Response Based on the Production of Antibodies After the Second-Dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine

Background: The BNT162b mRNA vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019, which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), mimics the immune response to natural infection. Few studies have predicted the adverse effects (AEs) after the second-dose vaccination. We present a predictive model for AEs and immune response after the second-dose of the BNT162b mRNA vaccine. Methods: To predict AEs, 282 healthcare workers (HCWs) were enrolled in this prospective observational study. The classification and regression tree (CART) model was established, and its predictive efficacy was assessed. To predict immune response, 282 HCWs were included in the analysis. Moreover, the factors affected by anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein RBD antibody (s-IgG) were evaluated using serum samples collected 2 months after the second-dose vaccination. The s-IgG level was assessed using Lumipulse G1200. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to evaluate variables associated with anti-s-IgG titer levels. Results: The most common AEs after the second-dose vaccination were pain (87.6%), redness (17.0%) at the injection site, fatigue (68.8%), headache (53.5%), and fever (37.5%). Based on the CART model, headache after the first-dose vaccination and age < 30 years were identified as the first and second discriminators for predicting the headache after the second-dose vaccination, respectively. In the multiple linear regression model, anti-s-IgG titer levels were associated with age, female sex, and AEs including headache and induration at the injection site after the second-dose vaccination. Conclusion: Headache after the first-dose vaccination can be a predictor of headache after the second-dose vaccination, and AEs are indicators of immune response