Testosterone propionate treatment of an XY gonadal dysgenetic chacma baboon

Behavioral studies of an XY gonadal dysgenetic chacma baboon prior to and during testosterone propionate treatment were carried out. The orchidectomized dysgenetic individual, two intact males, a castrate male, and two ovariectomized females were pair-tested with a group of eight ovariectomized stimulus females prior to and during their treatment with estradiol benzoate. Three test series were carried out. One series occurred prior to any treatment of the agonadal focal subject animals. During this series it was only the intact males who showed behavior change during their testing with the estrogen treated females. A second test series occurred after a month of daily testosterone propionate injections (1 mg/kg/day) had been given to the four agonadal subjects. During this test series the castrate male ejaculated once with one of the estrogen-treated females. All of the treated subjects showed increases in their frequency of yawning. Upon completion of this test series the androgen dosage was increased (2 mg/kg/day) and 2 weeks later a third test series was carried out. During this series the castrate male ejaculated with five of his eight estrogen-treated partners. The yawning of all the treated subjects continued. As had been the case in the second series the XY gonadal dysgenetic individual continued to behave as did the ovariectomized females. None of these animals showed any increase in any measure of male sexual behavior. This study establishes the fact that a genetic male primate deprived of in utero exposure to testicular hormones will go on to develop as a normal genetic female and will fail to exhibit increased levels of male sexual behavior during androgen treatment.     

The social interactions of adult conspecifics with an adult XY gonadal dysgenetic chacma baboon (Papio ursinus)

Two separate behavioral studies on an XY gonadal dysgenetic chacma baboon were carried out. In the first experiment the focal subject was treated identically as the control females by her adult male test partners. In contrast to the controls in this experiment the dysgenetic animal reciprocated the agonistic behaviors directed by the males toward her. In the second study intact and castrated males as well as ovariectomized females served as controls for the dysgenetic subject in tests with ovariectomized adult females. The stimulus females presented more to both classes of males than either the subject females or the gonadal dysgenetic individual, suggesting that the focal subject was treated by other female conspecifics as a female.     

Spatial structure of chacma baboon groups

A method is presented for measuring the location of individuals with respect to the center or perimeter of a primate group. The method estimates an individual’s domain of danger: the area in which a hidden predator is closer to the individual than to other group members (cf. Hamilton, 1971). A domain is determined by the directions and distances of particular neighbors from a given individual. Animals at peripheral locations have relatively large domains, whereas animals at central locations have relatively small domains. Domains of danger were sampled for members of two groups of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus)in northern Botswana, to test for nonrandom spatial patterns throughout the day. Females with infants had significantly smaller domains than did females without infants. Domains also were correlated with social ranks of females;high-ranking females had smaller domains than did low-ranking females, possibly because high-ranking females were more likely to have infant offspring. For adult males, however,domain sizes were not significantly correlated with social ranks. Immigration status of adult males, rather than social rank, better accounted for spatial positioning.     

Intertroop relations of chacma baboon (Papio ursinus)

Intertroop relations among four troops of the chacma baboon population on the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, southern Transvaal, South Africa, were studied for 18 months using radiotelemetry. Encounters between troops occurred only rarely and were relatively nonantagonistic in character. Dominance among the four troops was difficult to identify by means of behavior although differences in range quality among the four were marked. The way in which intertroop relations affected the fitness of members of each of the troops was, therefore, unclear. Transfer of individuals from one troop to another was easily accomplished by both males and females and probably negated the effects of differential range quality on individual reproductive fitness.     

A population survey of chacma baboon in the Northern Transvaal

To the farmers in mountainous areas in the Tranvaal, baboons are a menace which cause the death of lambs and the destruction of crops. The Nature Conservation Division thus embarked on a five-year field study to obtain data on the distribution, population density, ecology and social behaviour of baboons in the Transvaal. More than 300 baboon troops were located in the 7000 square mile study area in the Northern Transvaal. The population density varied between three and 18 per square mile in the different habitat types. Baboon troops were followed on foot for 74 days and it was found that the home range sizes varied between five and nine square miles. Capture cages were developed and control measures were applied according to a scheduled management plan. Most of the baboons were captured in heavy populated areas. Population changes were ascribed to dispersion and mortality.     

The spread of exclusive mating in a chacma baboon population

Mating has progressively tended toward pair bonding in a chacma baboon (Papio cynocephalus ursinus) population during eight years of study. Both males and females have been mating with a smaller and smaller percentage of the potential mates available to them. Troop subdivision during the dry winter in the absence of predation was the original cause of mating limitation, but most members of winter subtroops only rarely mated with adults who had not belonged to the same winter subtroop during the summers as well. Following reintroduction of potential predation, both subtroop size and frequency decreased, but mating did not become less exclusive.     

Estradiol benzoate can function as an unconditioned stimulus in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm

The extent to which gonadal steroid hormones can serve as unconditioned stimuli in a conditioned taste aversion paradigm was examined in Rockland-Swiss albino mice. With saccharin serving as the conditioned stimulus, subcutaneously injected estradiol benzoate, but not progesterone or testosterone propionate, was found to be a potent unconditioned stimulus in both male and female mice. Dose-response effects were also observed; increasing dosages of estradiol benzoate led to increasingly stronger conditioned aversions in both males and females. The aversion detected in males was more resistant to extinction than that seen in females. Prepubertal gonadectomy reversed the sex-dependent effects of estradiol benzoate in learned aversions in adulthood; castration of males promoted the extinction process, whereas ovariectomy of females retarded extinction. The results may be useful for our understanding of the mechanisms involved in conditioned taste aversion learning as well as a wide array of hormone-dependent behavioral responses.     

Familial occurrence of gonadal tumors in XY females with breast development

Summary Three sisters with XY gonadal dysgenesis are presented. All of them have primary amenorrhea and breast development, and in two, a gonadal tumor, seminoma (dysgerminoma) was found. The danger of gonadal neoplasm in XY females with normal female build is emphasized.     

Estradiol benzoate given 0 or 24 h after the end of a progestagen treatment in postpartum suckled beef cows

The objective of Experiment 1 was to compare the effects of estradiol benzoate (EB) given 0 or 24h after the end of a progestagen treatment on ovulation and CL formation in anestrous cows. Twenty cows were treated with an intravaginal sponge containing 250 mg of medroxiprogesterone acetate (MPA). At sponge insertion, each cow received 3 mg EB and 10 mg MPA im. At device removal, cows received 0.7 mg EB either at that time (EB0) or 24h later (EB24). Ultrasound examinations and blood sampling to determine plasma progesterone concentrations were performed to detect ovulation and CL formation. Ovulation occurred in 77.8 and 81.8% cows in the EB0 and EB24 groups, respectively. Diameter of the ovulatory follicle (EB0 = 10.9 +/- 0.5mm; EB24 = 12.1 +/- 0.8 mm; P = 0.26) and the interval from sponge removal to ovulation (median = 3 days; P = 0.64) did not differ between treatments. Among the cows that ovulated (n = 16), short-lived CL were present in 2/7 and 2/9 cows in the EB0 and EB24 groups, respectively. Plasma progesterone concentrations and CL area did not differ between treatments (P > 0.05). In Experiment 2, cows were treated with the same protocol as in Experiment 1, but at sponge withdrawal all cows received 250 microg cloprostenol and timed artificial insemination (TAI) was performed 48 h after sponge removal. In Replicate 1 (n = 204 multiparous cows), pregnancy rates were 45.0 and 47.5% for EB0 and EB24, respectively (P > 0.05). In Replicate 2 (n = 69 primiparous cows) pregnancy rate did not differ between EB0 and EB24 (51.4% versus 52.9%). In conclusion, EB given 0 or 24h after the end of a progestagen treatment had the same effect on ovulation rate, time to ovulation, diameter of the ovulatory follicle, incidence of short-lived CL, luteal tissue area, and plasma progesterone concentrations of normal lifespan CL, and pregnancy rate after TAI in suckled beef cows.     

H-Y antigen in Swyer syndrome and the genetics of XY gonadal dysgenesis

Summary The H-Y antigen is a plasma membrane antigen involved in the organogenesis of the mammalian testis. Its expression on human cells is determined by a Y-linked gene. Phenotypic females affected by 46,XY gonadal dysgenesis (Swyer's syndrome) can be either H-Y-positive or H-Y-negative. In this paper we report H-Y antigen and endocrine studies in a sibship with three affected sisters. Immunological studies were performed on two of the patients, and a clearly positive expression was detected in both cases. Endocrine studies consisted in the investigation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which revealed that gonadal hormone insufficiency is the only endocrine abnormality associated with the syndrome. A new genetic interpretation and classification of XY gonadal dysgenesis is proposed.     

Role of gonadal dysgenesis in gonadoblastoma induction in 46, XY individuals. The Leuven experience in 46, XY pure gonadal dysgenesis and testicular feminization syndromes.

To stress the importance of gonadal dysgenesis in the genesis of gonadoblastoma in the presence of the Y-chromosome, the authors report their experience on 7 patients with 46, XY Pure Gonadal Dysgenesis (PGD) and 14 patients with complete or incomplete forms of Testicular Feminization (TF) syndrome. The diagnostic criteria and the clinical and pathological findings are reviewed. Four patients with PGD were found to be affected by bilateral (1 patient) or unilateral (1 patient) gonadoblastomas, and by extragonadal (1 patient) or gonadal (1 patient) dysgerminoma, whereas no gonadal tumors were encountered in testes of patients with complete (CTF) or incomplete (ITF) forms of TF, underlining the pathogenic role of the gonadal dysgenesis.     

The effects of captivity stress on the blood chemical values of the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus).

Baboons were trapped and transported to the colony within 3 days of being captured. Blood was collected on Tuesdays and Fridays for blood chemical determinations. The changes in albumin and globulin resulted in marked changes in the albumin: globulin ratio. Cholesterol values showed a sudden and marked drop and the values were still below normal at the end of 9 weeks. Blood sugar values increased to significantly elevated levels and marked changes occurred in the enzyme activity and plasma corticosteroid activity. Male and female animals differed in their response with regard to the values found in some parameters. A period of adaptation or conditioning of 8 weeks was found to be required for an animal to reach stability in its blood chemical values.     

The influence of physical and chemical restraint on the physiology of the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus)

The chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) is extensively used in South Africa for biomedical research. Being a large primate, it is always necessary to apply some measure of chemical or physical restraint. The physiological effects of placing an animal in a restraint chair are compared with the effects of various chemical agents, such as ketamine, halothane, and ketamine/xylazine combination over 90 min. It was found that ketamine and thiopentone infusion were a satisfactory chemical restraint agent that gave a stable physiological state over 90 min.     

Rank and density correlates of inclusive fitness measures in a natural chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) troop

Some demographic characteristics of a group of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus)in a natural environment in northern Botswana were monitored for an 8-year interval. The group size ranged from 73 to 43 individuals. After 3 years at a high density, the group size declined over a 2-year interval, then stabilized again at reduced numbers (−41 %) and biomass (−40%) for over 2 years. The reduction in group size and biomass was followed by an increase in fecundity, greater for high-ranking than for low-ranking females. At the larger group size, survival was lower for infants born to low-ranking than to high-ranking females. Infant survival rates by female rank were equal at the lower density. The mean weight of adult females increased as the density decreased, but there was no correlation between female rank and body mass. We conclude that there is a negative relationship of density to individual condition and reproductive success and that there are fitness advantages to high female rank.     

Management of males with 45,X/46,XY gonadal dysgenesis

Males with the 45,X/46,XY karyotype and malformations of the external genitalia carry an increased risk of developing germ cell neoplasia of the gonads. We have studied gonadal tissue from 10 individuals, 0.3-17 years of age, with a male phenotype and either hypospadias and/or cryptorchidism. Four patients, 0.3-15 years of age, had carcinoma in situ, 1 boy had Sertoli-cell-only pattern and the remainder prepubertal histology. Gonadoblastoma or invasive carcinoma was not found. On the basis of our current knowledge we propose a strategy for management and follow-up of these boys in order to detect possible premalignant histological changes early and prevent development of a gonadal tumour.