The Biogeography and Evolution of Female Homosexual Behavior in Japanese Macaques

In certain Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) populations, females routinely engage in same-sex courtship, mounting, and consortship activity. Drawing on behavioral, biogeographic, and genetic research, we suggest that female homosexual behavior may be associated with genetically distinct free-ranging populations of Japanese macaques. In addition, we briefly discuss the implications of this research for the evolution of female homosexual behavior in this species.     

Inter-rater reliability of the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS).

We assessed the inter-rater reliability of the 100-point International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS). Three neurologists independently rated videotaped ICARS examinations of 22 subjects with genetically determined ataxias (spinocerebellar ataxia [SCA] Type 1 in 11; SCA Type 2 in 1; Friedreich's ataxia in 10) and 4 controls. Scores on live ICARS assessment had ranged from 0 to 7 for controls and 11 to 74 for ataxic subjects (clinically very mildly affected to wheelchair-bound). Inter-rater correlation was very high for the total score (Kendall's omega 0.994, 95% confidence interval, 0.988-0.997), and high to very high for each component subscore (0.791 for speech to 0.994 for posture/gait). All correlations were significant at P < 0.00001. The ICARS exhibits very high inter-rater reliability even without prior observer standardisation and is sensitive to a range of ataxia severities from very mild to severe.     

High dose cyclophosphamide, BCNU, and VP-16 (CBV) as a conditioning regimen for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for patients with acute leukemia

A high dose combination chemotherapy regimen (CBV) consisting of cyclophosphamide (1.5 gm/m2 day 1 to day 4); BCNU (300 mg/m2 day 1) and etoposide (100 mg/m2 every 12 hours for 6 doses), followed by bone marrow transplant from human leukocyte antigen (HLA) identical sibling donors, was evaluated in 29 patients in whom acute leukemia was in relapse or remission. Engraftment of donor cell type occurred in all but one of 21 patients, in whom marker differences between donor and recipient were established. Two of 11 patients transplanted during relapse of the disease, lived beyond 1 year after bone marrow transplantation. One patient died free of leukemia, 41 months after transplantation of meningitis. Two of seven patients transplanted during the second remission of the disease, are alive and free of leukemia at 42+, and 8+ months. All patients transplanted during the third or fourth remission of the disease have died from either a further relapse, or transplant related causes. The low incidence of organ toxicity with CBV allows for further dose escalation of its drug components.     

Perforated colorectal neoplasms: correlation of clinical, contrast enema, and CT examinations

Results of clinical, contrast enema (CE), and computed tomographic (CT) examinations in 39 patients with perforated colorectal neoplasms were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty patients were toxemic at initial presentation, but in only four patients was the diagnosis of perforated colorectal neoplasm initially suspected clinically. CE study was performed in 22 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 11 cases, neoplasm alone in eight, and neither neoplasm nor perforation in three. CT was performed in 38 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 36; pericolic phlegmon but no mass lesion was evident in two. In 16 patients, CT also demonstrated metastatic disease. Because of its reliability in establishing the diagnosis and staging the extent of the inflammatory and neoplastic disease, CT is indicated in cases of suspected or proved perforated colorectal neoplasm and in cases in which CE study findings are indeterminate or suggestive of perforated neoplasm.     

Differential inhibitory effects of nitroglycerin on contractile responses to the alpha-adrenoceptor agonists, methoxamine and clonidine, in rabbit aorta

The vasoinhibitory action of nitroglycerin was examined on contractile responses to methoxamine and clonidine in isolated rabbit aorta. Nitroglycerin at 10(-5) M, but not 10(-6)-10(-8) M, shifted the concentration response curve for methoxamine to the right. Nitroglycerin (10(-8)-10(-5) M), however, noncompetitively inhibited responses to clonidine in a concentration dependent manner. Nitroglycerin (10(-5) M) had no effect on responses to potassium (10-70 mM), but slightly inhibited responses to Ca2+ (0.1-5 mM) in a Ca2+-free medium containing potassium. Nifedipine (10(-6) and 10(-5) M), however, almost abolished responses to both potassium and Ca2+ but had no effect on responses to either methoxamine or clonidine. Agonist-antagonist interactions using prazosin and yohimbine revealed that responses to both methoxamine and clonidine were due to activation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Results with phenoxybenzamine suggested that the aorta has more receptor reserve for methoxamine than for clonidine. Furthermore, in tissues pretreated with phenoxybenzamine, nitroglycerin (10(-5) M) inhibited the maximal contractile response to methoxamine (3 x 10(-4) M). The maximal response to clonidine in tissues pretreated with phenoxybenzamine was not affected by nitroglycerin (10(-8) M). Nitroglycerin (10(-9)-10(-4) M) had greater inhibitory effect on residual responses to clonidine (10(-5) M) than that to methoxamine (10(-5) M) in a Ca2+-free medium containing EGTA. The contractile responses to Ca2+ (2 mM) in a Ca2+-free medium containing EGTA, nifedipine, and either methoxamine (5 x 10(-7) M) or clonidine (3 x 10(-7) M) were inhibited by nitroglycerin (10(-9) - 10(-5) M). The effect of nitroglycerin was greater on responses in the presence of clonidine than methoxamine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)