Subjective assessment of individual rhesus monkeys

Using behaviourally-defined adjectives, observers rated individuals in a colony of rhesus monkeys on a seven-point scale. Principal component analysis of the ratings produced three main components: CI and CII were stable over three years, and CIII arose from the introduction of new items in the third year. Component I can be described as ranging fromConfident toFearful; and adult males scored higher on it than did adult females or one- to five-year olds. Component II ranged fromActive toSlow; and adult males scored higher on it than did adult females. Component III ranged fromSociable toSolitary; and adult males scored less on it than did adult females or one- to five-year olds. In addition, there was a positive correlation between scores of mothers and their one year olds on CI and CIII.     

The effect of pentagastrin and substance P on the gastric parietal glandulocytes]

Investigations on dogs show that substance P suppresses pentagastrin gastric acid secretion. This effect is abolished by acetylcholinesterase block by calimin. The results indicate that pentagastrin and substance P participate in cholinergic regulation of gastric acid secretion.     

Affects of alcoholic consumption on the activity patterns of individual rhesus monkeys and their behavior in a social group

Activity patterns of rhesus monkeys, including social roles, dominance hierarchies, and the like have previously been investigated. The present paper reports an attempt to determine: (1) the social roles, dominance hierarchy and other activities of a group of rhesus monkeysbefore inducing alcohol into their drinking patterns; (2) the behavior of each individual animalbefore alcohol is consumed; (3) the effects of alcohol on individual behaviorafter consumption, and (4) the changes, if any, in the structure and activity of the social groupafter they have consumed the alcoholic beverage. Results indicated that drinking of an alcoholic beverage by rhesus monkeys does affect both individual as well as social behaviors.     

The human Duffy blood group in rhesus monkeys1

There is good evidence that susceptibility to Plasmodium vivax infection and to P. knowlesi erythrocyte invasion is influenced by certain human Duffy (Fy) blood group antigens. Since P. knowlesi readily infects rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatto), it was not surprising to find an Fy-like antigen on rhesus erythrocytes. Using human Fy antisera in elution and absorption experiments, we found that all 40 rhesus monkeys tested displayed the Fy(a-b +) phenotype. Furthermore, the rhesus Fy^bantigen was inactivated by chymotrypsin but not by trypsin, suggesting that it is homologous to the human Fy^bantigen. Preliminary serological analyses and enzyme hydrolysis experiments suggest that none of the 13 blood group systems that we have described in rhesus are analogous to the human Fy system. Thus, it appears that there is no Duffy-like polymorphism in rhesus monkeys.     

Quantitative analysis of small group interaction in rhesus monkeys

The effect of role relations on social interaction in small groups of rhesus monkeys was examined quantitatively, through use of an interval scale of social behavior. Concurrent pair interactions were tabulated for all possible combinations in 24 triad groups: Six groups containing three males; six groups containing three females; six groups of one male, two females; and six groups of two males and one female. A specific behavior which involves participation of all three animals at once, the incitement interaction, was found to quantitatively alter each monkey's reaction to other social behaviors displayed at the same time. The interaction demonstrates the monkeys' attention to and manipulation of role relations. In all triad types one could quantitatively document the fact that the most subordinate monkey established a role with the most dominant monkey which allowed it some freedom to behave less submissively when interacting with the middle ranking monkey. This general phenomenon in role relations may contribute to group cohesiveness.     

The effect of arachidonic acid on airway responses of rhesus monkeys.

Rhesus monkeys with immediate-type airway responses to ascaris antigen were used to study the effect of arachidonic acid (Ar). Arachidonic acid produced no changes in pulmonary function parameters when delivered by aerosol at varying doses. However, when Ar was aerosolized prior to aerosol antigen challenge this resulted in a selective increase in pulmonary resistance (PR). This effect in PR was variable with intravenous Ar. Indomethacin (I) by aerosol was evaluated to determine whether it would block the post Ar increase in PR. This could not be accomplished because both aerosolized and intravenous I had a similar effect on the PR following antigen challenge. These effects of Ar and I may be due to production of airway reactive prostaglandins, their precursers or substances such as slow reacting substance.     

Further characterization of the G blood group system of rhesus monkeys

We describe a new antiserum that has the unique ability to distinguish homozygous from heterozygous genotypes in the G blood group system of rhesus monkeys. With this new typing serum (reagent), all 10 possible genotypes in this system can be distinguished and the utility of blood typing for genetic studies has been greatly increased.     

The effect of early social deprivation on rhesus monkeys: Social responsiveness

Twelve rhesus infants were subjected to early total social deprivation in a free-ranging environmental situation for the periods of 6, 12, and 18 months. After the termination of treatment at the end of each period, a group of four subjects was tested for social responsiveness with six stimulus animals belonging to both the sexes and three age groups. Responses of the subjects were compared with similarly tested, naturally reared controls. Purpose of the experiment was to separate the effect of social deprivation from that of physical restrictions which had confounded the results of earlier experiments. It is concluded that the deficit in social responsiveness indicated by quantitative measures should be interpreted in the light of qualitative observations. Subjects were found deficit in “social communication” and “social manners” that interfered with social interactions. It is suggested that appropriate social experience enabling the subjects to learn social communication should benefit them as they possess primary social response tendencies to an appreciable degree.     

Changes in the structure of group behavior in callosotomized rhesus monkeys

The studies were performed on 4 intact and 3 callosotomized adult male rhesus monkeys that comprised one social group. Group behaviour of all the monkeys was investigated by the frequency method of social contacts registration. Both aggressive and friendly contacts were registered. The results obtained have shown a considerable decrease in social contacts of callosotomized rhesus monkeys, as compared to normal animals. The aggressive contacts prevailed in the behaviour of the operated monkeys. The data suggest that callosotomy does not only significantly decrease the frequency, but also alters the structure of social contacts in the rhesus monkeys.     

The effect of dietary crude fiber levels on rhesus monkeys during quarantine.

A study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary crude fiber level on intestinal disorders in the feral rheusus monkey (Macaca mulatta) during the first 60 days of the quarantine period. Three experimental baked diets containing 2.4%, 7.0%, and 9.8% crude fiber and a commercially extruded diet containing 2.2% crude fiber were fed during the study. The morbidity rate of intestinal disorders at the 7% crude fiber level was 1.4%, which was significantly less (p less than 0.05) than the 11.1%, 12.5%, and 20.8% morbidity for the monkeys fed the diets containing 2.4%, 9.8%, and 2.2% crude fiber, respectively. Monkeys fed the 7% crude fiber diet had a mean number of treatment days for intestinal disorders per monkey of 0.014, which was significantly lower (p less than 0.05) than the 0.9, 0.5, and 1.4 days for those fed the 2.4%, 9.8%, and 2.2% fiber diets, respectively.     

Immunogenetic studies of rhesus monkeys. 6. Absence of the human Xga blood group on rhesus erythrocytes1

It was not possible to demonstrate Xg^a on the erythrocytes of any of 140 rhesus monkeys of both sexes tested with human antiserum rendered specific for Xg^a by absorption.     

Immunogenetic studies of rhesus monkeys. 6. Absence of the human Xga blood group on rhesus erythrocytes.

It was not possible to demonstrate Xga on the erythrocytes of any of 140 rhesus monkeys of both sexes tested with human antiserum rendered specific for Xga by absorption.     

The effect of indomethacin and substance P on the guinea pig urinary bladder

The effects of indomethacin on the responses of the guinea pig urinary bladder to nerve stimulation, acetylcholine, adenosine 5′ triphosphate and Substance P have been investigated. Indomethacin alone had no significant effect on responses of the bladder to nerve stimulation but did significantly reduce the atropine-resistant contractions. Responses of the tissue to acetylcholine were unaffected by indomethacin but responses to Substance P were significantly reduced. Only the highest dose of ATP (10^?3 M) was significantly reduced by indomethacin. The possibility that Substance P is the transmitter responsible for the atropine-resistant contractions of the urinary bladder to nerve stimulation is discussed.     

Effects of ovarian hormones on eating behaviors, body weight, and glucoregulation in rhesus monkeys

The influences of ovarian hormones on food intake, taste preferences, and glucoregulation were examined in intact and ovariectomized rhesus monkeys. Intake of intact monkeys was lowest in the preovulatory stage of the cycle, when estrogen levels are elevated, and exogenous estradiol transiently suppressed food intake of ovariectomized monkeys in a dose-related manner, confirming previous observations. Progesterone treatment did not affect food intake when given alone, but it did attenuate the effect of estradiol when both hormones were given concurrently. Preferences for sweet solutions were not detectably influenced by chronic treatment with estradiol or progesterone, and compensatory responses to ingestion of sugar were unaltered by hormone treatment. Glucose tolerance tests did not reveal significant influences of ovarian hormones on glycemia, but insulin levels were elevated during periods of progesterone treatment. These results do not support the suggestion that fluctuations in caloric intake during the menstrual cycle are secondary to changes in taste preference or glucoregulation. However, possible changes in sweet preference and glucoregulation shortly after initiation of estrogen treatment, i.e., during the time of suppressed food intake, remain to be examined.     

Dihydrotestosterone propionate effects on dominance and sexual behaviors in gonadectomized male and female rhesus monkeys.

One triad of male and two triads of female gonadectomized rhesus monkeys were observed as social groups assembled for repeated hour-long sessions. Social relationships were measured in terms of aggressive behavior between the members of each group in order to determine the dominance hierarchical order. Sexual performance was assessed for each male, before and after castration, in tests with an estrogen-stimulated ovariectomized female. Similar measures were made when the same female was periodically introduced to the all-male triad. When dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP) was administered for a period of 6 weeks to the middle-ranking member of each group, social status changes occurred in two groups, one male and one female, resulting in the elevation of the treated monkeys to the highest rank in the dominance hierarchy. In the other female group, aggressive behavior was increased with DHTP treatment of the middle-ranking female. Somatic effects, particularly a gain in body weight, occurred in all treated animals. Yawning behavior also increased significantly in those animals receiving DHTP. The latter two effects returned toward pretreatment levels following the cessation of hormone injection; however, changes in dominance hierarchy persisted to the end of the experiment, 6 weeks following the last DHTP treatment.     

The effect of substance P on the neuronal activity of the antinociceptive system

The experiments on rats showed that the 1 micrograms substance P injection to dorsal raphe nucleus caused prolonged (24 hours of study) analgetic effect--it enhances the reaction latent period to thermal nociceptive stimulation, intensifies the background impulse activity, rises the middle frequency of neuron discharges and creates high-frequency neurons as well as the neurons with burst impulse activity. The supposition is being confirmed that the mechanism of antinociceptive structures activation leads to analgesia caused by substance P.