Heterosexual interactions of pairs of laboratory-housed stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides) under continuous observation with closed-circuit video recording

Female-male interaction of heterosexual pairs of stumptail macaques, housed together continuously, was studied 24 hr per day using closed-circuit video recording. Two pairs were studied for approximately 2 months each. Although no generalizations can be made from such a small sample, no aspect of behavioral interaction varied significantly with the stage of the menstrual cycle of the female partner. Copulation occurred regularly but only during the daylight hours. Both pairs showed several peak ejaculation days (5-21 ejaculations/day), which were distributed throughout the entire menstrual cycle. In general, the highest number of ejaculations was observed to occur when the animals were put together either for the first time or following a separation of a few days. In one pair the female became pregnant, and from the fifth week of pregnancy onward there was a gradual increase in male aggression, coinciding with a decrease in male sexual and grooming behavior. In a second study eight different pairs were observed during the first day together and male copulatory behavior was studied. Two patterns of copulatory behavior could be discerned: pairs displaying a high number of ejaculations (19-38) and pairs displaying a low number of ejaculations (4-8). With regard to the interejaculatory interval (IEI), the male stumptail appeared to be unique. In contrast to what has been reported for other mammals, i.e., a steady increase in IEI with subsequent ejaculations, the stumptail showed increasing IEIs only during the first three to four, as well as between the last, ejaculations; in between, the IEI remained relatively constant. The maximum number of consecutive ejaculations observed was 38, displayed during a 10-hr time period (mean (± SEM)IEI, 12.9 ± 3.5 min)

SDN-POA volume, sexual behavior, and partner preference of male rats affected by perinatal treatment with ATD

The present study investigated 1) the importance of the aromatization process during the perinatal period for the development of the sexually dimorphic nucleus in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus (SDN-POA) of male rats, and 2) the relationship between SDN-POA volume and parameters of masculinization in male rats that were treated perinatally with the aromatase-inhibitor ATD. Males were treated with ATD either prenatally or pre- and neonatally, or with the vehicle. Masculine sexual behavior and partner preference were investigated in adulthood. Thereafter, animals were sacrificed and SDN-POA volume was measured. The SDN-POA volume was reduced in both the prenatally and the pre- and neonatally treated group, with a larger reduction in the latter than in the former group. Combined pre- and neonatal ATD treatment resulted in reduced frequency of mounts, intromissions, and ejaculations, as well as a reduced preference for a female over a male. The SDN-POA size was significantly and positively correlated with frequency of masculine sexual behavior, as well as preference for a female over a male

Commissioning of inline ECE system within waveguide based ECRH transmission systems on ASDEX upgrade

A CW capable inline electron cyclotron emission (ECE) separation system for feedback control, featuring oversized corrugated waveguides, is commissioned on ASDEX upgrade (AUG). The system is based on a combination of a polarization independent, non-resonant, Mach-Zehnder diplexer equipped with dielectric plate beam splitters [2, 3] employed as corrugated oversized waveguide filter, and a resonant Fast Directional Switch, FADIS [4, 5, 6, 7] as ECE/ECCD separation system. This paper presents an overview of the system, the low power characterisation tests and first high power commissioning on AUG

Does economic development contribute to sex differences in ischaemic heart disease mortality? Hong Kong as a natural experiment using a case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The male excess risk of premature ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality may be partially due to an unknown macro-environmental influence associated with economic development. We examined whether excess male risk of IHD mortality was higher with birth in an economically developed environment.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We used multivariable logistic regression in a population-based case-control study of all adult deaths in Hong Kong Chinese in 1998 to compare sex differences in IHD mortality (1,189 deaths in men, 1,035 deaths in women and 20,842 controls) between Hong Kong residents born in economically developed Hong Kong or in contemporaneously undeveloped Guangdong province in China.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Younger (35–64 years) native-born Hong Kong men had a higher risk of IHD death than such women (odds ratio 2.91, 95% confidence interval 1.66 to 5.13), adjusted for age, socio-economic status and lifestyle. There was no such sex difference in Hong Kong residents who had migrated from Guangdong. There were no sex differences in pneumonia deaths by birth place.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Most of these people migrated as young adults; we speculate that environmentally mediated differences in pubertal maturation (when the male disadvantage in lipids and fat patterning emerges) may contribute to excess male premature IHD mortality in developed environments.</p

A path forward in the debate over health impacts of endocrine disrupting chemicals

Several recent publications reflect debate on the issue of “endocrine disrupting chemicals” (EDCs), indicating that two seemingly mutually exclusive perspectives are being articulated separately and independently. Considering this, a group of scientists with expertise in basic science, medicine and risk assessment reviewed the various aspects of the debate to identify the most significant areas of dispute and to propose a path forward. We identified four areas of debate. The first is about the definitions for terms such as “endocrine disrupting chemical”, “adverse effects”, and “endocrine system”. The second is focused on elements of hormone action including “potency”, “endpoints”, “timing”, “dose” and “thresholds”. The third addresses the information needed to establish sufficient evidence of harm. Finally, the fourth focuses on the need to develop and the characteristics of transparent, systematic methods to review the EDC literature. Herein we identify areas of general consensus and propose resolutions for these four areas that would allow the field to move beyond the current and, in our opinion, ineffective debate

Automatic Mapping of Discontinuity Persistence on Rock Masses Using 3D Point Clouds

Finding new ways to quantify discontinuity persistence values in rock masses in an automatic or semi-automatic manner is a considerable challenge, as an alternative to the use of traditional methods based on measuring patches or traces with tapes. Remote sensing techniques potentially provide new ways of analysing visible data from the rock mass. This work presents a methodology for the automatic mapping of discontinuity persistence on rock masses, using 3D point clouds. The method proposed herein starts by clustering points that belong to patches of a given discontinuity. Coplanar clusters are then merged into a single group of points. Persistence is measured in the directions of the dip and strike for each coplanar set of points, resulting in the extraction of the length of the maximum chord and the area of the convex hull. The proposed approach is implemented in a graphic interface with open source software. Three case studies are utilized to illustrate the methodology: (1) small-scale laboratory setup consisting of a regular distribution of cubes with similar dimensions, (2) more complex geometry consisting of a real rock mass surface in an excavated cavern and (3) slope with persistent sub-vertical discontinuities. Results presented good agreement with field measurements, validating the methodology. Complexities and difficulties related to the method (e.g. natural discontinuity waviness) are reported and discussed. An assessment on the applicability of the method to the 3D point cloud is also presented. Utilization of remote sensing data for a more objective characterization of the persistence of planar discontinuities affecting rock masses is highlighted herein