A rapid procedure for shortening canine teeth of nonhuman primates.

A modified pulp cap procedure was utilized to shorten canine teeth of nonhuman primates. A temporary cap was made by cutting the tooth with a diamond-faced cutting disc, making a conical cavity in the tooth with a carbide dental burr, and filling the cavity with a rapid-hardening filler material. A permanent pulp cap was made by repeating the above technique, making three anchor holes, connecting the holes with a furrow, and capping with quick-setting dental restorative material or amalgam. These procedures provided a simple, rapid and uncomplicated alternative to canine tooth extraction.     

Sociophysiology of well-being in nonhuman primates.

Knowledge of neuroendocrine responsiveness can provide insights into the social and physical conditions that promote well-being in captive primates. Activity and reactivity of stress response systems provide information regarding the degree to which animals are prepared for motoric expression, the kinds of situations that lead to mobilization of resources, and susceptibility to common clinical disorders. Social relationships can alter activity and reactivity of stress response systems. In some instances, social relationships can influence well-being by increasing or decreasing stress responsiveness. Other types of social relationships can influence well-being by altering homeostatic processes that regulate activity and reactivity of neuroendocrine systems. When the breadth of social and physiologic processes is considered, sociophysiologic contributions to well-being are more pervasive than has hitherto been considered.     

Chemical and physical restraint of nonhuman primates.

Numerous publications on primate restraint and anesthesiology have appeared in recent years. This reflects the striking growth of interest in medical primatology and of efforts to improve restraint agents and methods to facilitate humane use of primates in research. For access to earlier literature, readers should consult recent textbooks [12; 29, pp. 469--474], reviews on chemical or physical restraint [3, 4, 16, 27, 30, 37], and other valuable publications on these subjects that have appeared since 1965 [1, 20, 23, 36, 40, 42]. In this brief review we consider publications, principally since 1971, that deal with chemical or physical restraint. We also present previously unpublished data on the clinical use in primates of CI 744 (Telazol), a new dissociative anesthetic that until recently has been available only for investigational use.     

Effects of intrafollicular administration of gonadotropins in two species of nonhuman primates using laparoscopy.

Direct administration of 0.5 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) into the matured ovarian follicles of adult female Saimiri sciureus resulted in ovulation in 45% of the animals treated. When purified ovine luteinizing hormone (LH) was administered, ovulation was observed in 55% of the animals while intrafollicular injection of saline had no effect. Similar injections of HCG into matured follicles of Macaca fascicularis would not cause ovulation but did result in a 55% increase in menstrual cycle length. These results indicate that the necessity of a primate source of LH for inducing ovulation may be due to an extrafollicular mechanism.     

Trends in the use of nonhuman primates in biomedical programmes.

Recent surveys of the use of primates in biomedical laboratories indicate that the demand, especially for imported animals, is declining. Reasons for this trend are not clear, although restrictions on export by countries of origin undoubtedly have a significant effect. More precise survey techniques and terminology would aid comparisons and help to identify the factors involved in changes in demand.     

Effects of intravenous IL-8 administration in nonhuman primates.

IL-8, a cytokine known for its potent and specific neutrophil activation and chemoattractant properties, has been recently detected in the circulation during septic shock, endotoxemia, and after IL-1 alpha administration. Because of its observed in vitro actions, it has been hypothesized that IL-8 may contribute to the dynamics of circulating granulocytes and to the pathologic sequelae seen in sepsis. Here, human rIL-8 is administered to healthy nonhuman primates as a single i.v. injection or as a continuous 8-h i.v. infusion. We demonstrate that both methods of i.v. administration result in a rapid but transient, severe granulocytopenia, followed by a granulocytosis that persists as long as IL-8 levels are detectable in the circulation. There were no hemodynamic changes after IL-8 administration, and animals remained clinically stable during the 24-h observation period. No detectable circulating TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, or IL-6 response was induced by either IL-8 administration regimen. Histopathologic examination revealed mild to moderate neutrophilic margination in lung, liver, and spleen, of greater severity in baboons receiving the 8-h infusion. There was no associated neutrophilic infiltration or tissue injury. Thus, IL-8 modulates circulating granulocyte dynamics and likely directs their actions, but when administered i.v. to healthy animals, either as a bolus dose or as a continuous infusion for up to 8 h, does not induce the hemodynamic and metabolic aberrations or the acute organ damage seen during sepsis.     

Implantation of cranial base metallic markers in nonhuman primates.

Cranial base metallic markers are useful in growth and developmental research on the nonhuman primate model. Metallic implants aid in superimposing serial cephalometric roentgenograms in the study of craniofacial changes. They also enable measurement of linear and angular changes in the cranial base. The design of a special implant gun is described in detail. A suggested technique for placement of tantalum markers in the cranial base of nonhuman primates is discussed.     

Field methodology for lateral cranial radiography of nonhuman primates.

The historical lack of field-based radiographic studies of nonhuman primates within the field of anthropology is likely due to the perceived difficulty of transporting and operating X-ray equipment. Here we present a method for taking lateral cranial radiographs of nonhuman primates in the field that is simple to employ, and that produces exposed films suitable for collection of measurement data useful for growth and development studies, as well as for investigating bone and soft-tissue pathology. Several different X-ray units, film types, and portable power sources were used, all producing suitable images of similar quality, indicating that this methodology is likely not overly sensitive to these important parameters.     

Perspectives on using nonhuman primates to understand the etiology and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

The reproductive physiology and skeletal anatomy of nonhuman primates are very similar to those of women and these similarities have prompted studies of the effects of ovariectomy in monkeys on bone metabolism. Following ovariectomy, monkey bone exhibits increases in remodeling activity resulting in bone loss. Since similar bone changes occur after menopause in women, ovariectomized monkeys provide an excellent model of the early skeletal events following menopause and have been employed to study the skeletal actions of drugs designed to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis. This review describes the motivations for examining monkeys, practical aspects of working with monkeys, comparisons of human and monkey bone anatomy, endocrinological aspects of monkey bone metabolism, and the available data obtained in monkeys related to postmenopausal and other forms of osteoporosis.     

Partial lobectomy via a ligature fracture technique: a method for multiple hepatic biopsies in nonhuman primates.

A ligature fracture technique was used to obtain multiple large (2 to 4 g) liver biopsy samples in both African green and cynomolgus monkeys. The technique was performed 195 times in 84 animals using three different surgical approaches, with no associated illness or mortality. In a subset of 18 animals, a slight decline in hematocrit percentage was noted during 14 days postsurgery (44.6 to 39.4%), but total plasma protein remained unchanged (5.98 to 5.95 g/dl). Serum alanine aminotransferase concentrations rose to 178.11 U/l at day 1 postoperatively, from a baseline value of 93.61 U/l. This elevation was transient, however, and declined to 49.65 U/l by day 14. Our experience has shown that the partial lobectomy via the ligature fracture technique is a safe and effective means to obtain multiple large samples of liver in nonhuman primates.     

Infanticide and the evolution of pair bonds in nonhuman primates

Social relationships between adult males and females vary widely among mammals. In general, interactions between the sexes, particularly those of an affiliative nature, are associated with and, indeed, often limited to the period of copulation or female estrus.¹ Nevertheless, cohesive male-female bonds persist beyond estrus in some species, particularly nonhuman primates,² for reasons that remain largely obscure. Protection from male infanticide has been offered as a potential benefit to females of bonds with males in a variety of primates, including mountain gorillas and gibbons. Here I evaluate this hypothesis within a comparative framework that considers alternative costs and benefits of social relationships between the sexes.