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Finseth TT, Smith B, Van Steenis AL, Glahn DC, Johnson M, Ruttle P, Shirtcliff BA, Shirtcliff EA. When virtual reality becomes psychoneuroendocrine reality: A stress(or) review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107061. [PMID: 38701607 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
This review article was awarded the Dirk Hellhammer award from ISPNE in 2023. It explores the dynamic relationship between stressors and stress from a historical view as well as a vision towards the future of stress research via virtual reality (VR). We introduce the concept of a "syncytium," a permeable boundary that blurs the distinction between stress and stressor, in order to understand why the field of stress biology continues to inadequately measure stress alone as a proxy for the force of external stressors. Using Virtual Reality (VR) as an illustrative example to explicate the black box of stressors, we examine the distinction between 'immersion' and 'presence' as analogous terms for stressor and stress, respectively. We argue that the conventional psychological approaches to stress measurement and appraisal theory unfortunately fall short in quantifying the force of the stressor, leading to reverse causality fallacies. Further, the concept of affordances is introduced as an ecological or holistic tool to measure and design a stressor's force, bridging the gap between the external environment and an individual's physiological response to stress. Affordances also serve to ameliorate shortcomings in stress appraisal by integrating ecological interdependencies. By combining VR and psychobiological measures, this paper aims to unravel the complexity of the stressor-stress syncytium, highlighting the necessity of assessing both the internal and external facets to gain a holistic understanding of stress physiology and shift away from reverse causality reasoning. We find that the utility of VR extends beyond presence to include affordance-based measures of immersion, which can effectively model stressor force. Future research should prioritize the development of tools that can measure both immersion and presence, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of how external stressors interact with individual psychological states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandon Smith
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
| | | | - David C Glahn
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Megan Johnson
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
| | - Paula Ruttle
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
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2
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Bertrand DA, Berman CM, Heistermann M, Agil M, Sutiah U, Engelhardt A. Effects of Tourist and Researcher Presence on Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Wild, Habituated Sulawesi Crested Macaques ( Macaca nigra). Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2842. [PMID: 37760243 PMCID: PMC10525950 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ecotourism managers and researchers often assume that apparently habituated primate groups no longer experience adverse consequences of prolonged exposure to tourists or researchers. We examined the effects of tourists and researchers on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite output (FGCM) in three critically endangered, wild crested macaque (Macaca nigra) groups in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia. We assayed FGCM from 456 fecal samples collected from thirty-three adults. Tourists can walk through and among macaque groups freely. Hence, we examined the possible effects of tourists both (1) in the reserve when away and not interacting with the study groups and (2) when they were present within the macaque groups. Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) analysis indicated that when tourists were present in the forest, but not directly among the macaques, FGCM levels in the macaque tourism groups were higher in months with more tourists. When tourists were among the macaque groups, some female macaques experienced rises and subsequent postexposure decreases in FGCM levels, consistent with predictions for acute stress. Male FGCM levels increased with tourist numbers within the group. Nevertheless, they were not significantly different from levels during undisturbed or postexposure conditions. FGCM responses related to researchers in groups varied by group, sex, and tourist presence. However, the temporal patterning of FGCM responses showed little evidence of chronic stress from tourism at this site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carol M. Berman
- Department of Anthropology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14261, USA
- Evolution, Ecology, & Behavior Program, Department of Environment and Sustainability, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Michael Heistermann
- German Primate Centre, Endocrinology Laboratory, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Muhammad Agil
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Uni Sutiah
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bogor Agricultural University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Antje Engelhardt
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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3
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Thierry B, Rebout N, Heistermann M. Hormonal responses to mating competition in male Tonkean macaques. Horm Behav 2023; 154:105395. [PMID: 37390781 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid and androgen hormones play a prominent role in male reproductive effort. Their production usually increases in non-human primates during mating competition, which may include rivalry for access to receptive females, struggles for high dominance rank, or social pressure on low-ranking individuals. It is generally assumed that glucocorticoids and androgens are associated with mating challenges rather than dominance status, but the involvement of multiple factors makes it difficult to disentangle the two. In this regard, Tonkean macaques provide a suitable model because they are characterized by relaxed dominance and year-round breeding, meaning that there is typically no more than one receptive female in a group, and thus first-ranking males can easily monopolize her. We studied two captive groups of Tonkean macaques over an 80-month period, recording the reproductive status of females, collecting urine from males and sampling behaviors in both sexes. Male urinary hormone concentrations could be affected by increased competition caused by the mating period, the number of males and the degree of female attractiveness. The highest increases in androgens were recorded in males performing female mate-guarding. Despite the importance of dominance status in determining which males can mate, we found no significant effect of male rank on glucocorticoids and only a marginal effect on androgens during mate-guarding. Both types of hormones were more directly involved in the mating effort of males than in their dominance status. Our results show that their function can be understood in light of the particular competitive needs generated by the species-specific social system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Thierry
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale et Cognitive, CNRS, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Nancy Rebout
- UMR Herbivores, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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4
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L'Allier S, Schwegel MA, Filazzola A, Mastromonaco G, Chapman CA, Schoof VAM. How individual, social, and ecological conditions influence dispersal decisions in male vervet monkeys. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23426. [PMID: 35942562 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Dispersal between social groups reduces the risk of inbreeding and can improve individuals' reproductive opportunities. However, this movement has costs, such as increased risk of predation and starvation, loss of allies and kin support, and increased aggression associated with entering the new group. Dispersal strategies, such as the timing of movement and decisions on whether to transfer alone or in parallel with a peer, involve different costs and benefits. We used demographic, behavioral, hormonal, and ecological data to examine the causes and consequences of 36 dispersal events from 29 male vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) at Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. Adult males' secondary dispersal coincided with the conception season in females, and males improved their potential access to females by moving to groups with higher female-to-male sex ratios and/or by increasing their dominance rank. Males that dispersed with a peer had lower fecal glucocorticoid and androgen metabolite levels than lone dispersers. Subadult males were not more likely to engage in parallel dispersals compared to adult males. Dispersal was also used as a mechanism to avoid inbreeding, but changes in hormone levels did not seem to be a trigger of dispersal in our population. Our findings illustrate the complex individual strategies used during dispersal, how many factors can influence movement decisions, as well as the value of dominance and hormone analyses for understanding these strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon L'Allier
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Megan A Schwegel
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, Glendon campus, Bilingual Biology Program, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alessandro Filazzola
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Colin A Chapman
- Biology Department, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.,Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Valérie A M Schoof
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Multidisciplinary Studies, Glendon campus, Bilingual Biology Program, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Xia W, Wang F, Wang D, Zeng X, Yang C, Krzton A, Ren B, Li D. Dispersal patterns in Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys. Curr Zool 2022; 68:265-273. [PMID: 35592348 PMCID: PMC9113269 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex-biased dispersal is common in group-living animals. Due to differences in local demographic and environmental factors, sex-biased dispersal presents many irregular patterns. In this study, a habituated, individually identified Yunnan snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus bieti group was observed over 9 years; 192 dispersal events, including 97 male dispersal events (25 natal dispersal and 72 secondary dispersal) and 95 female dispersal events (34 natal dispersal and 61 secondary dispersal) were observed. Males and females showed different dispersal paths, dispersal ages, and dispersal patterns. Females had 2 dispersal paths, whereas males had 4 paths. In terms of age of dispersal, the male age of natal dispersal was younger than for females. Males prefer single dispersal, whereas females prefer parallel dispersal. Our study indicates that the dispersal pattern of R. bieti should be classified as a bisexual dispersal pattern. The differences in dispersal path, average age at dispersal, and dispersal path pattern indicate that Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys may still retain a loose matrilineal social system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wancai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Fan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Dali Wang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Xiaoqin Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Chan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
| | - Ali Krzton
- Auburn University Libraries, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Baoping Ren
- Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands (Ministry of Education), Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan 571158, China
| | - Dayong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong City, Sichuan 637009, China
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Sadoughi B, Lacroix L, Berbesque C, Meunier H, Lehmann J. Effects of social tolerance on stress: hair cortisol concentrations in the tolerant Tonkean macaques ( Macaca tonkeana) and the despotic long-tailed macaques ( Macaca fascicularis). Stress 2021; 24:1033-1041. [PMID: 34756152 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2021.1998443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Group living is a source of stress and an individuals' social environment has been shown to have a significant effect on its health and well-being. However, little is known about how different social organizations affect the stress levels of their members. Is living in a hierarchical society more or less stressful than living in a more tolerant structure? Here, we assess cortisol concentrations in the hair of two macaque species with radically different dominance styles: the egalitarian Tonkean macaque (Macaca Tonkeana) and the despotic long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Hair was sampled in winter and again in late spring in two mixed-sex groups of 22 Tonkean macaques and 9 long-tailed macaques; Hair cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in the egalitarian Tonkean macaques than in the despotic long-tailed macaques, ranging from 161.13 to 938.8 pg/mg (mean ± SD 349.67 ± 126.22) and from 134.46 to 339.86 pg/mg (mean ± SD 231.2 ± 44.24), respectively. There was no difference between male and female cortisol concentrations, but hair cortisol increased with age in males. Dominance rank certainty was lower among female Tonkean macaques compared to long-tailed macaques. Our results suggest that species differences in dominance styles may translate into differences in long-term cortisol concentrations. We suggest that the higher cortisol concentrations in Tonkean macaques could be linked to the instability and lack of predictability and control around social relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Sadoughi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
- Oniris - Nantes Atlantic College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Nantes, France
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Primate Centre of Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
- Centre de Primatologie de l'Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology & Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laurent Lacroix
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
| | | | - Hélène Meunier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, UMR 7364, Primate Centre of Strasbourg University, Strasbourg, France
- Centre de Primatologie de l'Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Julia Lehmann
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, UK
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Balasubramaniam KN, Beisner BA, McCowan B, Bloomsmith MA. Female social structure influences, and is influenced by, male introduction and integration success among captive rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta). BEHAVIOUR 2021; 158:1007-1042. [PMID: 36176722 PMCID: PMC9518721 DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Animal social structure is influenced by multiple socioecological factors. Of these, the links between changes to group demography through the arrival of new individuals and residents' social structure remain unclear. Across seven groups of captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), we examine how male introductions may be influenced by, and in-turn influence, aspects of female social structure. GLMMs revealed that males integrated more successfully into groups in which females showed more 'despotic' social structures, i.e., higher aggression rates, steeper dominance hierarchies, and greater rank-skew in allogrooming network connectedness. Yet during periods that followed males' social integration, females increased their social tolerance (decreased aggression and shallower hierarchies) and group cohesivity (less clustered allogrooming networks), but retained their tendencies to groom dominants. Our findings, independent of group size and matrilineal relatedness, help better understand how dispersal/immigration may influence social structure, and how assessing changes to social structure may inform macaque welfare and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna N. Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis CA 95616, USA
| | - Brianne A. Beisner
- Department of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Emory University, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, USA
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California at Davis, Davis CA 95616, USA
| | - Mollie A. Bloomsmith
- Department of Animal Resources, Yerkes National Primate Research Center Field Station, Emory University, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, USA
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Ebensperger LA, Gómez C, Aspillaga-Cid A, León C, Ramírez-Estrada J, Correa LA, Vera DC, Abades S, Hayes LD. Socially unstable conditions experienced during development prime female Octodon degus to shape the phenotype of their own offspring. Horm Behav 2021; 134:105011. [PMID: 34130042 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Because residents and immigrants from group living species may experience fitness costs associated with permanent changes in group membership, we examined the hypothesis that females experiencing socially unstable or socially stable conditions during development compensate these costs by shaping the phenotype of their own offspring differently. Groups of adult females experiencing either socially stable or unstable conditions in the early social environment were assigned to either socially stable or unstable conditions in the social environment as adults. We quantified affiliative and agonistic interactions among the females during pregnancy and lactation of the focal female, maternal and allomaternal care, hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) acute stress response, and early offspring growth. Social instability during breeding enhanced agonistic interactions among adult females, and offspring that experienced socially unstable conditions exhibited enhanced offspring care, regardless of adult environments. Neither social behavior, offspring care, acute stress physiology, nor early growth was influenced by early or adult social stability conditions. These findings imply that socially unstable conditions prime developing females to shape the phenotype of their offspring to prevent negative effects of socially unstable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Celeste Gómez
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Antonia Aspillaga-Cid
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cecilia León
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Ramírez-Estrada
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loreto A Correa
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Camino la Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela C Vera
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Abades
- GEMA Center for Genomics, Ecology & Environment, Facultad de Estudios Interdisciplinarios, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile
| | - Loren D Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
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Association between stress and bilateral symmetrical alopecia in free-ranging Formosan macaques in Mt. Longevity, Taiwan. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11189. [PMID: 34045621 PMCID: PMC8160012 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90725-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Since 2013, a high incidence of bilateral symmetrical alopecia has been observed in free-ranging Formosan macaques (Macaca cyclopis) in Mt. Longevity, Taiwan. We hypothesized that stress induces alopecia in this population. To verify our hypothesis, we evaluated the histopathological characteristics of skin biopsy and used a validated enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis, which act as an indicator of stress experienced by the individual. Follicular densities were lower (2.1-3.0 mm2) in individuals with symmetrical alopecia than in those with normal hair conditions (4.7 mm2). Furthermore, anagen to catagen/telogen ratios were lower in individuals with alopecia (0-1.4) than in those with normal hair (4.0). The histopathological characteristics of alopecia were similar to those of telogen effluvium, which indicates that stress is one of the possible etiologies. On the basis of the analytical and biological validation of EIAs for FGM analysis, 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone was considered suitable for monitoring adrenocortical activity in both sexes of Formosan macaques. The mean concentrations (standard error; sample size) of 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone were 2.02 (0.17; n = 10) and 1.41 (0.10; n = 31) μg/g for individuals with and without alopecia, respectively. Furthermore, the results of logistic regression analysis show that 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone (p = 0.012) concentration was positively associated with alopecia. Thus, stress was the most likely to trigger symmetrical alopecia in Formosan macaques in Mt. Longevity. Although stress can decrease the fitness of an individual, considering the population status of Formosan macaques in Taiwan is stable and alopecia was only observed in our study area, which is isolated from other populations, the impact on the total population of Formosan macaque in Taiwan is limited. Nonetheless, stress-induced immunosuppression and alopecia might affect the local abundance and increase zoonosis risk due to frequent human-macaque contact in Mt. Longevity. Future studies are suggested to focus on the causative factor of stress and the effects of stress and alopecia on the health and welfare in the Formosan macaques.
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10
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Socioecological conditions predict degu social instability and provide limited cues to forecast subsequent breeding conditions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03017-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Rox A, van Vliet AH, Langermans JAM, Sterck EHM, Louwerse AL. A Stepwise Male Introduction Procedure to Prevent Inbreeding in Naturalistic Macaque Breeding Groups. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020545. [PMID: 33669865 PMCID: PMC7923220 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male introductions into captive primate breeding groups can be risky and unsuccessful. However, they are necessary to prevent inbreeding in naturalistic breeding groups. The procedure used to introduce new individuals may affect the success and influence the risks associated with group introductions. At the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) introductions into naturalistic social groups with a matrilineal structure and without a breeding male achieve relatively high success rates. This paper describes the male introduction procedure used at the BPRC. Males are stepwise familiarized with and introduced to their new group, while all interactions between the new male and the resident females are closely monitored. Monitoring the behaviour of the resident females and their new male during all stages of the introduction provides crucial information as to whether or not it is safe to proceed. The BPRC introduction procedure is widely applicable and may improve the management of captive primate groups in any housing facility worldwide. Thus, the careful introduction management can minimize the risk associated with male introductions and enhance the welfare of captive primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Rox
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Animal Behaviour & Cognition (Formerly Animal Ecology), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - André H. van Vliet
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
| | - Jan A. M. Langermans
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Department Population Health Sciences, Division Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-152-842-620
| | - Elisabeth H. M. Sterck
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Animal Behaviour & Cognition (Formerly Animal Ecology), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annet L. Louwerse
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
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12
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Pain EL, Koenig A, Di Fiore A, Lu A. Behavioral and physiological responses to instability in group membership in wild male woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii). Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23240. [PMID: 33555611 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
In group-living species, integrating into a new social group after dispersal is an important life history milestone associated with physical and social challenges. Generally, this process seems to be accompanied by heightened glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations; however, most studies of physiological responses to group transfer have been conducted on species with despotic social relationships, where integrating individuals are often targets of frequent aggression. Here we present data on fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations during periods of unstable group membership for male woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii), a species with extremely low rates of male-male aggression and generally tolerant male-male associations. We collected data on males in four study groups at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuador, and observed three attempted transfer events, involving a total of four adult males, in one study group. We observed only three instances of overt aggression (chases) between males across the entire study period, though male display behaviors were more frequent. We tested whether rates of displays were higher during periods of unstable group membership using a generalized linear mixed model (LMM). We also examined whether male status, group stability, and the occurrence of intergroup encounters affected fGC concentrations using LMMs. Contrary to our predictions, rates of display behaviors were not higher during periods of unstable group membership. However, both transient/integrating males and those who were already group members showed elevated fGC concentrations during these unstable periods. Our results suggest that even in species with tolerant male-male relationships, the integration of unfamiliar individuals can provoke an increase in GCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn L Pain
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Andreas Koenig
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology and Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.,College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbayá, Ecuador
| | - Amy Lu
- Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA.,Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
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13
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Balasubramaniam KN, Marty PR, Samartino S, Sobrino A, Gill T, Ismail M, Saha R, Beisner BA, Kaburu SSK, Bliss-Moreau E, Arlet ME, Ruppert N, Ismail A, Sah SAM, Mohan L, Rattan SK, Kodandaramaiah U, McCowan B. Impact of individual demographic and social factors on human-wildlife interactions: a comparative study of three macaque species. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21991. [PMID: 33319843 PMCID: PMC7738552 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78881-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite increasing conflict at human-wildlife interfaces, there exists little research on how the attributes and behavior of individual wild animals may influence human-wildlife interactions. Adopting a comparative approach, we examined the impact of animals' life-history and social attributes on interactions between humans and (peri)urban macaques in Asia. For 10 groups of rhesus, long-tailed, and bonnet macaques, we collected social behavior, spatial data, and human-interaction data for 11-20 months on pre-identified individuals. Mixed-model analysis revealed that, across all species, males and spatially peripheral individuals interacted with humans the most, and that high-ranking individuals initiated more interactions with humans than low-rankers. Among bonnet macaques, but not rhesus or long-tailed macaques, individuals who were more well-connected in their grooming network interacted more frequently with humans than less well-connected individuals. From an evolutionary perspective, our results suggest that individuals incurring lower costs related to their life-history (males) and resource-access (high rank; strong social connections within a socially tolerant macaque species), but also higher costs on account of compromising the advantages of being in the core of their group (spatial periphery), are the most likely to take risks by interacting with humans in anthropogenic environments. From a conservation perspective, evaluating individual behavior will better inform efforts to minimize conflict-related costs and zoonotic-risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna N Balasubramaniam
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Pascal R Marty
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Shelby Samartino
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Alvaro Sobrino
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Taniya Gill
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Mohammed Ismail
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Primate Conservation Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Rajarshi Saha
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Brianne A Beisner
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Stefano S K Kaburu
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Biomedical Science and Physiology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY, UK
| | - Eliza Bliss-Moreau
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- Department of Psychology and the California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Malgorzata E Arlet
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Nadine Ruppert
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Ahmad Ismail
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Lalit Mohan
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Sandeep K Rattan
- Himachal Pradesh Forest Department, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Ullasa Kodandaramaiah
- IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), School of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Maruthamala P.O., Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram, 695551, India
| | - Brenda McCowan
- Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM), University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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14
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Sulawesi Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra) Grooming Networks Are Robust to Perturbation While Individual Associations Are More Labile. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSocial and environmental disturbance occurs naturally, and species in bonded social groups should be resilient to it. Empirical evidence of social responses to disturbance in primates, however, remains limited. We constructed social networks using group-level scan samples (N = 299) to test the robustness of grooming networks in a captive group of 20 Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra) to two management interventions involving environmental and social disturbance. During the first, the institution removed six castrated males and one female, contracepted six of the nine remaining females, and moved the group to a new enclosure. The second involved the introduction of a novel, reproductive male five weeks later. Networks remained stable following the first intervention. However, after introduction of the male, the number of grooming partners and the frequency of grooming with non-maternal kin increased in female-only networks. We observed less marked increases in the grooming frequency and number of grooming partners in whole group networks. Ten weeks later, network structure was more similar to that of pre-intervention networks than post-intervention networks. Our results suggest that reproductive males play a more important role in structuring Sulawesi crested macaque social networks than castrated males, as networks expanded and relationships between non-maternal kin occurred more frequently after introduction of the reproductive male. However, network responses to interventions appeared to be temporary as networks following a period of acclimation more closely resembled pre-intervention networks than post-intervention networks. Our study demonstrates the utility of social network analysis for understanding the impact of disturbance on stable social groups.
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15
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Goossens S, Wybouw N, Van Leeuwen T, Bonte D. The physiology of movement. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:5. [PMID: 32042434 PMCID: PMC7001223 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-0192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Movement, from foraging to migration, is known to be under the influence of the environment. The translation of environmental cues to individual movement decision making is determined by an individual's internal state and anticipated to balance costs and benefits. General body condition, metabolic and hormonal physiology mechanistically underpin this internal state. These physiological determinants are tightly, and often genetically linked with each other and hence central to a mechanistic understanding of movement. We here synthesise the available evidence of the physiological drivers and signatures of movement and review (1) how physiological state as measured in its most coarse way by body condition correlates with movement decisions during foraging, migration and dispersal, (2) how hormonal changes underlie changes in these movement strategies and (3) how these can be linked to molecular pathways. We reveale that a high body condition facilitates the efficiency of routine foraging, dispersal and migration. Dispersal decision making is, however, in some cases stimulated by a decreased individual condition. Many of the biotic and abiotic stressors that induce movement initiate a physiological cascade in vertebrates through the production of stress hormones. Movement is therefore associated with hormone levels in vertebrates but also insects, often in interaction with factors related to body or social condition. The underlying molecular and physiological mechanisms are currently studied in few model species, and show -in congruence with our insights on the role of body condition- a central role of energy metabolism during glycolysis, and the coupling with timing processes during migration. Molecular insights into the physiological basis of movement remain, however, highly refractory. We finalise this review with a critical reflection on the importance of these physiological feedbacks for a better mechanistic understanding of movement and its effects on ecological dynamics at all levels of biological organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Goossens
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicky Wybouw
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Leeuwen
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dries Bonte
- Department of Biology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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16
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Marty PR, Beisner B, Kaburu SS, Balasubramaniam K, Bliss-Moreau E, Ruppert N, Mohd Sah SA, Ismail A, Arlet ME, Atwill ER, McCowan B. Time constraints imposed by anthropogenic environments alter social behaviour in longtailed macaques. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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17
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Amici F, Kulik L, Langos D, Widdig A. Growing into adulthood—a review on sex differences in the development of sociality across macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2623-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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18
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Female social behaviour during three male introductions in captive groups of rhesus macaques. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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19
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Akinyi MY, Gesquiere LR, Franz M, Onyango PO, Altmann J, Alberts SC. Hormonal correlates of natal dispersal and rank attainment in wild male baboons. Horm Behav 2017; 94:153-161. [PMID: 28720488 PMCID: PMC5849390 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In many mammals, maturational milestones such as dispersal and the attainment of adult dominance rank mark stages in the onset of reproductive activity and depend on a coordinated set of hormonal and socio-behavioral changes. Studies that focus on the link between hormones and maturational milestones are uncommon in wild mammals because of the challenges of obtaining adequate sample sizes of maturing animals and of tracking the movements of dispersing animals. We examined two maturational milestones in wild male baboons-adult dominance rank attainment and natal dispersal-and measured their association with variation in glucocorticoids (fGC) and fecal testosterone (fT). We found that rank attainment is associated with an increase in fGC levels but not fT levels: males that have achieved any adult rank have higher fGC than males that have not yet attained an adult rank. This indicates that once males have attained an adult rank they experience greater energetic and/or psychosocial demands than they did prior to attaining this milestone, most likely because of the resulting participation in both agonistic and sexual behaviors that accompany rank attainment. In contrast, natal dispersal does not produce sustained increases in either fGC or fT levels, suggesting that individuals are either well adapted to face the challenges associated with dispersal or that the effects of dispersal on hormone levels are ephemeral for male baboons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercy Y Akinyi
- Department of Biology, Duke University, United States; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya.
| | | | - Mathias Franz
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jeanne Altmann
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, United States
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Biology, Duke University, United States; Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya; Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, United States
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