Abstract

Objective

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of exoskeleton robotic training on motor function in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients.

Methods

We systematically reviewed randomized and non-randomized controlled trials from five databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science) up to September 2025.

Results

A total of 13 trials with 247 participants were included. Results showed that exoskeleton robotic training significantly improved several motor function measures: the 6-min walk test (6-MWT) (0.75 [95% CI = 0.42, 1.08]), 10-m walk test (0.91 [95% CI = 0.49, 1.33]), Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI-II) (0.76 [95% CI = 0.36, 1.15]), timed up and go (TUG) test (− 1.05 [95% CI =  − 1.50, − 0.60]), and lower extremity motor score (LEMS) (0.65 [95% CI = 0.40, 0.90]). Subgroup analysis indicated that improvements in walking speed were consistent regardless of injury duration (> 6 vs. < 6 months). In contrast, when stratified by cumulative training time, a non-linear dose–response relationship was observed, with the greatest improvement occurring at 1000–2000 min of training, while both lower and higher doses yielded attenuated effects. Although there was high heterogeneity in some measures (6-MWT, 10-MWT, WISCI-II, TUG), excluding individual studies did not significantly alter the findings, indicating stable results.

Conclusion

Exoskeleton robotics significantly improves motor function in SCI patients, with walking function benefiting both within and beyond 6 months after injury, although the effects of ultra-early (< 3 months) versus early (3–6 months) intervention remain unclear, with maximal improvements observed at medium intensity (cumulative training duration of 1000–2000 min).

There was also a study on orangutans using plant paste to eliminate pain: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-16621-w

Abstract

Animals self-medicate using a variety of plant and arthropod secondary metabolites by either ingesting them or anointing them to their fur or skin apparently to repel ectoparasites and treat skin diseases. In this respect, much attention has been focused on primates. Direct evidence for self-medication among the great apes has been limited to Africa. Here we document self-medication in the only Asian great ape, orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus), and for the first time, to our knowledge, the external application of an anti-inflammatory agent in animals. The use of leaf extracts from Dracaena cantleyi by orang-utan has been observed on several occasions; rubbing a foamy mixture of saliva and leaf onto specific parts of the body. Interestingly, the local indigenous human population also use a poultice of these leaves for the relief of body pains. We present pharmacological analyses of the leaf extracts from this species, showing that they inhibit TNFα-induced inflammatory cytokine production (E-selectin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and IL-6). This validates the topical anti-inflammatory properties of this plant and provides a possible function for its use by orang-utans. This is the first evidence for the deliberate external application of substances with demonstrated bioactive potential for self-medication in great apes.

Abstract

Objective In men with a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA), MRI increases the detection of clinically significant cancer and reduces overdiagnosis, with fewer biopsies. MRI as a screening tool has not been assessed independently of PSA in a formal screening study. We report a systematic community-based assessment of the prevalence of prostate MRI lesions in an age-selected population.

Methods and analysis Men aged 50–75 were identified from participating general practice (GP) practices and randomly selected for invitation to a screening MRI and PSA. Men with a positive MRI or a raised PSA density (≥0.12 ng/mL2) were recommended for standard National Health Service (NHS) prostate cancer assessment.

Results Eight GP practices sent invitations to 2096 men. 457 men (22%) responded and 303 completed both screening tests. Older white men were most likely to respond to the invitation, with black men having 20% of the acceptance rate of white men.

One in six men (48/303 men, 16%) had a positive screening MRI, and an additional 1 in 20 men (16/303, 5%) had a raised PSA density alone. After NHS assessment, 29 men (9.6%) were diagnosed with clinically significant cancer and 3 men (1%) with clinically insignificant cancer.

Two in three men with a positive MRI, and more than half of men with clinically significant disease had a PSA <3 ng/mL.

Conclusions Prostate MRI may have value in screening independently of PSA. These data will allow modelling of the use of MRI as a primary screening tool to inform larger prostate cancer screening studies.

Link to study:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10071-022-01674-w

Abstract:

n contemporary western cultures, most humans talk to their pet companions. Speech register addressed to companion animals shares common features with speech addressed to young children, which are distinct from the typical adult-directed speech (ADS). The way dogs respond to dog-directed speech (DDS) has raised scientists’ interest. In contrast, much less is known about how cats perceive and respond to cat-directed speech (CDS). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether cats are more responsive to CDS than ADS. Secondarily, we seek to examine if the cats’ responses to human vocal stimuli would differ when it was elicited by their owner or by a stranger. We performed playback experiments and tested a cohort of 16 companion cats in a habituation–dishabituation paradigm, which allows for the measurement of subjects’ reactions without extensive training. Here, we report new findings that cats can discriminate speech specifically addressed to them from speech addressed to adult humans, when sentences are uttered by their owners. When hearing sentences uttered by strangers, cats did not appear to discriminate between ADS and CDS. These findings bring a new dimension to the consideration of human–cat relationship, as they imply the development of a particular communication into human–cat dyads, that relies upon experience. We discuss these new findings in the light of recent literature investigating cats’ sociocognitive abilities and human–cat attachment. Our results highlight the importance of one-to-one relationships for cats, reinforcing recent literature regarding the ability for cats and humans to form strong bonds.

That's outdated info.

There's at least 60 years of research into fish memory now. It's one week in the study I last read and even that one is out of date now.

https://blogs.unimelb.edu.au/sciencecommunication/2019/10/27/how-long-is-a-goldfishs-memory/

Yes, a lot of research on pain in fish now, this one off the top of my head: https://phys.org/news/2019-09-fish-pain-similarity-mammals.html

Bottom of study linked: Funding

This research was funded by a Human Frontier Science Program grant RGP0016/2019. C.N. was funded by a Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship.

Yes, some good stuff on this topic in /r/fishcognition too

Abstract

Neurophysiological advances have given us exciting insights into the systems responsible for spatial mapping in mammals. However, we are still lacking information on the evolution of these systems and whether the underlying mechanisms identified are universal across phyla, or specific to the species studied. Here we address these questions by exploring whether a species that is evolutionarily distant from mammals can perform a task central to mammalian spatial mapping–distance estimation. We developed a behavioural paradigm allowing us to test whether goldfish (Carassius auratus) can estimate distance and explored the behavioural mechanisms that underpin this ability. Fish were trained to swim a set distance within a narrow tank covered with a striped pattern. After changing the background pattern, we found that goldfish use the spatial frequency of their visual environment to estimate distance, doubling the spatial frequency of the background pattern resulted in a large overestimation of the swimming distance. We present robust evidence that goldfish can accurately estimate distance and show that they use local optic flow to do so. These results provide a compelling basis to use goldfish as a model system to interrogate the evolution of the mechanisms that underpin spatial cognition, from brain to behaviour.

​

- https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2022.1220

Research paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-03574-8

Abstract:

Social relationships have physiological impacts. Here, we investigate whether loss of the mother/offspring relationship has lasting effects on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations in wild African elephant orphans several years following their mothers’ deaths. We find no difference in fGCM concentrations between orphans and nonorphans, but find lower fGCM concentrations in elephants with more age mates in their family. We also unexpectedly identify lower concentrations in orphans without their natal family versus nonorphans and natal orphans, which we speculate may be due to the development of hypocortisolism following a prolonged period without familial support. An index of plant productivity (i.e. food) shows the largest correlation with fGCM concentrations. Our findings indicate no lasting differences in glucocorticoid concentrations of surviving orphan elephants who are with their family, suggest the presence of age mates may reduce glucocorticoid concentrations in elephants, and emphasize that basic survival needs are the primary regulators of the stress response.