Embryotoxicity and maternal serum concentrations of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

A single dose of MPA (Depo-Provera; Upjohn Co.; USA) was administered intramuscularly on day 27 (+/- 2) of gestation to three dosage groups of pregnant baboons. The dosage expressed as mg/kg corresponded to 1 (2.5 mg/kg), 10 (25 mg/kg) and 40 (100 mg/kg) times the human contraceptive dose equivalent (HDE) based on body weight. Injectable MPA was not teratogenic in baboons at 1x HDE. The teratogenicity was confined to the higher doses which included malformations of the external genitalia at 10x and 40x HDE and adrenal gland hypoplasia at 40x HDE. The maternal serum MPA concentrations were high during the critical period of adrenal and genital development. The pattern of MPA concentrations in maternal sera was similar between animals in the low dose group (10x HDE). In contrast, animals in the high dose group (40x HDE) showed interanimal variations in maternal serum concentrations of MPA. This study has demonstrated that injectable MPA is not teratogenic in baboons at human contraceptive dose equivalent and, even at higher doses, does not result in any nontarget organ malformations.     

Gender and environment as determinants of behavior in infant common baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

Two groups of infant baboons were observed. The breast-fed group was housed in a gang cage with nursing mothers (n = 13) and the other motherless group was in a wire-cage nursery habitat (n = 20). Differences in behavior due to gender and environment were tested by analysis of variance. The results do not support the hypothesis that innate sex differences exist in baboons aged 0–3 months. Nursery-reared subjects had significantly higher scores for rough-and-tumble play, stereotypy, threat, avoid, explore, high tension, and nonaggressive social behaviors, but these behaviors are not significantly different between sexes in either group.This research was supported by Public Health Service Grant No. HL-15914.This article is based on an unpublished M.A. thesis, Behavioral sex differences in the infant common baboon (Papio cynocephalus), by George H. Young, The University of Texas at Austin, August 1976.     

Schistosome migration in primates: a study in the olive baboon (Papio anubis)

The migration of isotopically labelled schistosomula of Schistosoma mansoni from the skin to the hepatic portal system of baboons was tracked by autoradiography of compressed organ preparations. Passage of schistosomula from skin to lungs was rapid between days 2 and 5, 72% of applied parasites being detected in the lungs at the latter time. There was an equally rapid migration from lungs to liver, 60% of the adult worm burden having arrived by day 9. Perfusion data indicated a final maturation of not less than 78%. No evidence was found to support or refute a systemic phase of migration. Thus, in comparison to rodents, schistosome migration in baboons appears to be faster and more successful, possibly because the lungs do not represent a significant obstacle to migration.     

Sexual activity and risk-taking in later life

The primary study objective was to identify the prevalence of sexual activity and sexual risk-taking behaviour among a sample of older community-based adults. Secondary objectives included gathering data about past experiences of consultations regarding sexual health issues with general practitioners (GPs) and at genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, and exploring participants' STI and HIV/AIDS-related information needs. Individuals over the age of 50 were identified from four electoral wards within Sheffield, UK by means of a postal screen based on the electoral register. Respondents self completed a short postal questionnaire. Three hundred and nineteen individuals aged over 50 years selected at random from the general population responded. Approximately 80% of respondents were currently sexually active and 7% engaged in behaviours that may place them at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Risk takers were typically male, aged between 50 and 60 years and married. Being male was also related to reporting current or past sexual health concerns. In total, of 75 respondents reporting such concerns, two thirds had discussed these concerns with their GP or attended a GUM clinic. Levels of satisfaction with such consultations were generally high, but declined with increasing age. Overall, most participants felt they had not received very much information about STIs and HIV, and about one quarter reported that they would like to receive more information on these topics. These data have implications for all health and social care professionals who work with older people and indicate a potential need for education to help professionals meet the sexual health needs of their older patients/clients. Further implications for sexual health promotion and the need for additional research in this field are also discussed.     

Sexual activity and temperament in polish transsexuals

Two groups of 23 female-to-male and 14 male-to-female transsexuals were compared to a representative sample of Polish controls along following dimensions: (i) temperamental features including reactivity and mobility of nervous processes, as measured by Strelau's Temperament Inventory; and (ii) patterns of sexual activity, measured with Dulko's Questionnaire for Measurement of Transsexualism. Transsexuals were found to resemble respective controls on temperamental dimensions according to their sense of gender identity and not their somatic sex. Male-to-female transsexuals were more similar to control females than to control males and the reverse was true for female-to-male subjects. With respect to forms of sexual activity, transsexuals, particularly the female-to-male, were found to have a relatively versatile erotic life. Both groups experienced more dreams with erotic content than respective controls. However, they also manifested fewer successes at satisfying their erotic needs.     

The pathology of experimental lead encephalopathy in the baboon (Papio anubis)

Hopkins, A. P., and Dayan, A. D. (1974).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,31, 128-133. The pathology of experimental lead encephalopathy in the baboon (Papio anubis). Baboons(Papio anubis) were intoxicated by intratracheal injections of lead carbonate. The main pathological findings were of widespread cerebral oedema and focal cortical necroses. The mechanism by which lead produces these changes is not known.     

Failure of female baboons (Papio anubis) to conceive following immunization with recombinant non-human primate zona pellucida glycoprotein-B expressed in Escherichia coli

Progress in the development of an immunocontraceptive vaccine based on zona pellucida glycoproteins has been hampered due to observed ovarian dysfunction associated with immunization using these as immunogens. In this study four female baboons (Papio anubis) were immunized with recombinant bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata) zona pellucida glycoprotein-B (r-bmZPB) expressed in Escherichia coli and conjugated to diphtheria toxoid (DT) using Arlacel-A and Squalene as adjuvants. All the immunized animals elicited a good antibody response against r-bmZPB, continued to have ovulatory cycles and showed no disturbance in the cyclicity. In presence of high titres of circulating anti-bmZPB antibodies (>2x10(3) antibody units), the immunized animals failed to conceive following mating with males of proven fertility. Pregnancy was observed in the immunized animals subsequent to the decline in anti-r-bmZPB antibody titres. These results, though preliminary, suggest that immunization with ZPB may be used for immunocontraception without obvious ovarian dysfunction.     

Toxoplasmosis in free-ranging chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) from the Kruger National Park

Serological evidence of toxoplasmosis was found in 11 of 94 (11·7% ) free-ranging chacma baboons from the Kruger National Park. 4 of these animals also showed typical cysts in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscles, without any accompanying inflammatory response.     

环境内分泌干扰物对儿童早期性别角色行为影响的研究进展

环境内分泌干扰物能够影响人类的神经发育。已有研究表明多氯联苯、二英、邻苯二甲酸酯及大豆异黄酮等能够影响性别角色行为,其可能机制是通过干扰在大脑发育中起关键调节作用的下丘脑-垂体-甲状腺或下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴,影响性激素分泌,从而影响神经发育。但环境内分泌干扰物如何调控性激素对性别角色行为作用的具体机制尚不清楚。该文在现有研究的基础上,综述了环境内分泌干扰物对儿童性别角色行为的影响及可能作用机制。     

Schistosoma mansoni in the Kenyan baboon (Papio anubis): the development and predictability of resistance to homologous challenge.

Groups of baboons were exposed to primary infections of either 500 or 2,000 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae per baboon (c.p.b.). Five from each infection level and five uninfected baboons were challenged with 2,500 c.p.b. at one of four intervals of time after primary infection and killed ten weeks later, together with unchallenged appropriate primary infection controls. Primary faecal egg excretion was related to the cercarial dose, showing some systematic fluctuations during the 78 weeks of the experiment. Challenge infections increased faecal egg excretion in certain cases only. Faecal and tissue egg production were usually suppressed in the challenge worms. In contrast to less heavily infected, challenge-control baboons bearing primary infections, the challenged baboons had minimal gross pathology and there were no deaths due to acute schistosomiasis from the challenge infection. Over-all resistance to reinfection was low and unrelated to the age or intensity of the primary infections. However, seven baboons yielded less than 50% of the expected challenge worms. An in vitro assay, measuring anti-schistosomula antibody and peripheral leucocyte cytotoxic activity, successfully identified the in vivo immune status at thetime of challenge of 14/18 baboons tested. The in vivo significance of the immunological mechanism upon which the test is based is discussed in relation to possible future baboon and human studies.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Sexual Activity and Function in Women: Results from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey

Relatively few studies have measured sexual functioning in women using a large, diverse, community-based sample with measures that allow for direct comparisons with previous findings. In this article, we: (1) describe prevalence of sexual activity in women by key sociodemographic characteristics, including age, race/ethnicity, marital status, and socioeconomic status; and (2) estimate the influence of key correlates on sexual problems. Data were analyzed from the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) Survey, a 2002–2005 community-based epidemiologic study of urologic and gynecologic symptoms, sociodemographics, health status, and psychosocial characteristics in a diverse sample of Boston area residents (N = 3,205 women aged 30–79 years). Analyses of sexual activity prevalence and reasons for inactivity were conducted on the full sample, while analyses of sexual problems and their correlates were conducted for the subset of women who engaged in sexual activity with a partner in the previous 4 weeks. A total of 49% of participants were not sexually active, citing lack of interest (51.5%) and lack of a partner (60.8%) as the most common reasons. Data pertaining to five dimensions of sexual functioning were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire adapted from the Female Sexual Function Index, measuring desire among all women and arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain among those who were sexually active. Among the sexually active, we obtained a 38.4% prevalence rate of sexual problems and 34.9% of those participants reported that they were also dissatisfied with their sex lives. Therefore, only 13.7% of the sexually active sample exhibited both sexual problems and dissatisfaction with their overall sex lives. Age was strongly and positively associated with sexual problems. In terms of psychosocial factors, depression, sexual and physical abuse in adulthood, global mental health functioning, and alcohol were associated with sexual problems, with variation across racial/ethnic groups.     

Ongoing Pain, Sexual Desire, and Frequency of Sexual Intercourses in Females with Different Chronic Pain Syndromes

The aim of this study was to assess the importance of an active sex life, the ability to feel sexual desire, and the frequency of sexual intercourses in females suffering from four different chronic pain syndromes. Forty female pain patients and forty-one healthy control subjects participated. The following parameters were assessed: pain intensity, pain duration, the importance of an active sex life, the ability to feel sexual desire, and the frequency of sexual intercourses. The patients found an active sex life less important than the healthy control subjects. A total of 23 (58%) of the females with chronic non-malignant pain experienced no ability to feel sexual desire at all. The pain patients had a significantly lower frequency of sexual intercourses than the control subjects (2 per month versus 9 per month) (p<0.01). Chronic non-malignant pain of different aetiologies was shown to have a significant influence on the rating of the importance of an active sex life, the ability to feel sexual desire, and the frequency of sexual intercourses. This may be an important aspect to include when counseling pain patients and their partners.     

Sexual activity as a trigger for ventricular tachycardia in a patient with implantable cardioverter defibrillator

Occurrence of life threatening arrhythmias and sudden death during or following sexual activity is infrequent. We describe a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator who developed increased ventricular ectopic activity followed by sustained ventricular tachycardia during extramarital coitus. A review of literature and management is discussed.     

Locomotor activity of rats housed in novel activity cages: Effects of vitamin B-6 and temperature

An apparatus for measuring locomotor activity (LA) of rats is described and demonstrated. Conventional cages were modified to tilt in response to animal LA. Cage movements were detected by a piezoelectric crystal transducer, and the amplified signals outputted to electronic digital counters. The activity cages were utilized to investigate the effects of several dietary levels of vitamin B-6 (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 6.0 mg pyridoxine-HCl/kg diet) and two different temperature conditions (23° and 27°) on the LA of post-weanling rats. Throughout most of the 31/2 week study period, animals in the 0 and 0.5 mg groups were less active (p<0.001) than the 1.0 and 6.0 mg groups. Activity levels were also reduced (p<0.0001) at the higher temperature. These data provide an example of how nutritional and environmental conditions may affect one form of animal behavior. The relevance of behavioral measurements to nutritional studies is discussed.