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Science Advances Oct 2023Humans are strategic cooperators; we make decisions on the basis of costs and benefits to maintain high levels of cooperation, and this is thought to have played a key...
Humans are strategic cooperators; we make decisions on the basis of costs and benefits to maintain high levels of cooperation, and this is thought to have played a key role in human evolution. In comparison, monkeys and apes might lack the cognitive capacities necessary to develop flexible forms of cooperation. We show that Guinea baboons () can use direct reciprocity and partner choice to develop and maintain high levels of cooperation in a prosocial choice task. Our findings demonstrate that monkeys have the cognitive capacities to adjust their level of cooperation strategically using a combination of partner choice and partner control strategies. Such capacities were likely present in our common ancestor and would have provided the foundations for the evolution of typically human forms of cooperation.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Papio papio; Hominidae; Cooperative Behavior
PubMed: 37889969
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5282 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2021Trichuriasis is among the most prevalent worldwide parasitism caused by helminths. For many years, spp. have been described with a relatively narrow range of both...
Trichuriasis is among the most prevalent worldwide parasitism caused by helminths. For many years, spp. have been described with a relatively narrow range of both morphological and biometrical features. The use of the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) is an alternative and powerful molecular method for inferring phylogenies. Here, we present an overview of the contributions of mitogenome for spp. from human and non-human primates. In addition, we carry out structural and phylogenetic comparative analyses with genomes of species available in public datasets. The complete mt genomes of and sp. from and from are 14,091 bp, 14,047 bp and 14,089 bp in length, respectively. The three mt genomes are circular and consist of 37 genes-13 PCGs (1-3, 1-6, 4L, 6, 8 and b), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), and two rRNAs (L and S). The molecular evidence presented here supports the hypothesis that de (TMF31) and de (TPM1) were similar but genetically different with respect to sp. from macaques (TMM5). The phylogenetic study also supported the evolution of the different species. In conclusion, we suggest the existence of two cryptic species parasitizing .
PubMed: 33562044
DOI: 10.3390/life11020126 -
ILAR Journal Dec 2020Biomedical research involving animal models continues to provide important insights into disease pathogenesis and treatment of diseases that impact human health. In... (Review)
Review
Biomedical research involving animal models continues to provide important insights into disease pathogenesis and treatment of diseases that impact human health. In particular, nonhuman primates (NHPs) have been used extensively in translational research due to their phylogenetic proximity to humans and similarities to disease pathogenesis and treatment responses as assessed in clinical trials. Microscopic changes in tissues remain a significant endpoint in studies involving these models. Spontaneous, expected (ie, incidental or background) histopathologic changes are commonly encountered and influenced by species, genetic variations, age, and geographical origin of animals, including exposure to infectious or parasitic agents. Often, the background findings confound study-related changes, because numbers of NHPs used in research are limited by animal welfare and other considerations. Moreover, background findings in NHPs can be exacerbated by experimental conditions such as treatment with xenobiotics (eg, infectious morphological changes related to immunosuppressive therapy). This review and summary of research-relevant conditions and pathology in rhesus and cynomolgus macaques, baboons, African green monkeys, common marmosets, tamarins, and squirrel and owl monkeys aims to improve the interpretation and validity of NHP studies.
Topics: Animals; Chlorocebus aethiops; Macaca fascicularis; Macaca mulatta; Models, Animal; Papio; Phylogeny; Primates
PubMed: 34129672
DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilab017 -
General and Comparative Endocrinology Feb 2021Hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) are measures of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity and can be used as indicators of chronic stress....
Hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs) are measures of long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) activity and can be used as indicators of chronic stress. However, intrinsic factors such as an animal's age and sex can also have an impact on resulting HCCs. Although baboons are commonly studied in captivity, little is known about baseline HCC in this population. Here we measured HCC in two same-sex groups of captive olive (Papio hamadryas anubis) baboons and olive/yellow baboon (Papio hamadryas cynocephalus) crosses housed in large outdoor corrals, and we assessed the impact of age and sex on HCC as major variables of interest. Hair was gently shaved from the back of the neck when the animals were sedated for routine physicals. Subjects were divided into three age categories: juvenile (2-4 years), adult (9-12 years), and senior (13-19 years). The "senior" category contained only males. Results confirm an effect of sex and age on HCCs. Females had higher levels of hair cortisol than males, and juveniles had higher levels than adults. There was also a significant sex × age interaction. There were no sex differences in HCCs in juveniles, but there was a greater decline in HCCs in adult males than in adult females. Within males, there was a significant difference in levels of hair cortisol across the three age categories. Juveniles had higher levels than did adults and seniors, but adults and seniors were not significantly different from one another. These results provide baseline measures of hair cortisol in captive baboons and demonstrate effects of sex and age on HCCs.
Topics: Animals; Child, Preschool; Female; Hair; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Male; Papio; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 33301757
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113692 -
Molecular Metabolism Apr 2020Considerable uncertainty remains regarding the veracity of measuring myokine irisin more than seven years after its original description. Unresolved issues include the...
OBJECTIVE
Considerable uncertainty remains regarding the veracity of measuring myokine irisin more than seven years after its original description. Unresolved issues include the nature of transcription of the irisin precursor fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5) gene across species, the reliability of irisin levels measured with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), and the overall validity of the recently published reference values for human serum measured with quantitative mass spectrometry. We utilized multiple species and measures to evaluate the robustness of commonly used reagents and methods for reporting irisin.
METHODS
Amplification of cDNA was used to assess the FNDC5 transcript patterns in humans and mice. The specificity and sensitivity of different irisin antibodies were examined via western blotting. Quantification of circulating native irisin was conducted with mass spectrometry using an absolute quantification peptide for irisin.
RESULTS
We show that there is a greater transcript diversity of human FNDC5 than currently annotated, but no indication of the expression of transcripts leading to a truncated form of irisin. Available irisin antibodies still bind to patterns of unspecific serum proteins, which compromise reliable measurements of irisin with ELISAs. Absolute quantification of irisin with labeled peptides by mass spectrometry is an advanced method but requires a multi-step sample preparation introducing uncontrollable variations in the measurement.
CONCLUSION
Our data represent an explicit warning against measuring circulating irisin using available methods. Measuring irisin is akin to chasing shadows.
Topics: Animals; Equidae; Fibronectins; Goats; Humans; Mass Spectrometry; Mice; Muscles; Papio; Rabbits; Rats
PubMed: 32180552
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2020.01.016 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Sep 2022Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone expressed in lactotrophs cells of the pituitary gland in primates. Extra pituitary expression of PRL has been reported, including the eye;...
UNLABELLED
Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone expressed in lactotrophs cells of the pituitary gland in primates. Extra pituitary expression of PRL has been reported, including the eye; however, expression in the developing eye of primates is limited. The aim of the study was determining the expression of and receptor () (mRNAs and proteins) in adult and fetal baboon () ocular tissues.
METHODS
We analyzed PRL and PRLR in baboon eyes tissues by immunofluorescence. The mRNAs of and were detected by RT-PCR, cDNA was cloned, and sequenced. Furthermore, we performed a phylogenetic analysis to identify the evolutionary forces that underlie the divergence of and primate genes.
RESULTS
We observed the expression of PRL and PRLR (mRNAs and proteins) in all retinal cell lineages of fetal and adult baboon. and fit the hypothesis of evolutionary purifying gene selection.
CONCLUSIONS
mRNA and protein of PRL and PRLR are expressed in fetal and adult baboon retinal tissue. PRL may trigger autocrine and paracrine-specific actions in retinal cell lines.
PubMed: 36078009
DOI: 10.3390/ani12172288 -
Scientific Reports Apr 2021Female primates signal impending ovulation with a suite of sexual signals. Studies of these signals have focussed on visual, and to a lesser extent, acoustic signals,...
Female primates signal impending ovulation with a suite of sexual signals. Studies of these signals have focussed on visual, and to a lesser extent, acoustic signals, neglecting olfactory signals. We aimed to investigate the information content of female olfactory signals in captive olive baboons (Papio anubis) and relate these to the female fertile period. We studied eight adult females living in four groups at the CNRS Station de Primatologie, Rousset-sur-Arc, France. We used vaginal cytology to detect ovulation. We investigated the volatile component of odour signals using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We found a total of 74 volatile compounds, of which we tentatively identified 25, including several ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, volatile fatty acids and hydrocarbons that have been identified in odour profiles of other primates. Our results show that vaginal odour intensity differs with sexual cycle stage suggesting that odour might play a role in signalling female baboon fertility. We found differences in vaginal odour between females living in all-female and in mixed sex groups but we could not distinguish the effects of group composition, female age and identity. This study of olfactory signalling improves our understanding of how female primates advertise their sexual receptivity.
Topics: Animals; Female; Fertility; Odorants; Olfactory Perception; Ovulation; Papio anubis; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Vagina; Volatile Organic Compounds
PubMed: 33875713
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87893-6 -
Epilepsy & Behavior : E&B Aug 2021The baboon offers a natural model for genetic generalized epilepsy with photosensitivity. In this review, we will summarize some of the more important clinical,... (Review)
Review
The baboon offers a natural model for genetic generalized epilepsy with photosensitivity. In this review, we will summarize some of the more important clinical, neuroimaging, and elctrophysiological findings form recent work performed at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas), which houses the world's largest captive baboon pedigree. Due to the phylogenetic proximity of the baboon to humans, many of the findings are readily translatable, but there may be some important differences, such as the mutlifocality of the ictal and interictal epileptic discharges (IEDs) on intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) and greater parieto-occipital connectivity of baboon brain networks compared to juvenile myoclonic epilepsy in humans. Furthermore, there is still limited knowledge of the natural history of the epilepsy, which could be transformative for research into epileptogenesis in genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
Topics: Animals; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy, Generalized; Papio; Phylogeny; Texas
PubMed: 34022622
DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.108012 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) May 2021Neuroinflammation and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) upregulation are associated with the pathogenesis of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD),... (Review)
Review
Neuroinflammation and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) upregulation are associated with the pathogenesis of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), epilepsy, and a response to traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke. COX-2 is also induced in acute pain, depression, schizophrenia, various cancers, arthritis and in acute allograft rejection. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging allows for the direct measurement of in vivo COX-2 upregulation and thereby enables disease staging, therapy evaluation and aid quantifying target occupancy of novel nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Thus far, no clinically useful radioligand is established for monitoring COX-2 induction in brain diseases due to the delay in identifying qualified COX-2-selective inhibitors entering the brain. This review examines radiolabeled COX-2 inhibitors reported in the past decade and identifies the most promising radioligands for development as clinically useful PET radioligands. Among the radioligands reported so far, the three tracers that show potential for clinical translation are, [11CTMI], [11C]MC1 and [18F]MTP. These radioligands demonstrated BBB permeablity and in vivo binding to constitutive COX-2 in the brain or induced COX-2 during neuroinflammation.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain; Celecoxib; Central Nervous System Diseases; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Cyclooxygenase 2; Female; Humans; Inflammation; Kinetics; Ligands; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Mice; Papio; Permeability; Positron-Emission Tomography; Rats
PubMed: 34071951
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113208 -
Journal of the American Association For... Jan 2022Swine are widely used in biomedical research, translational research, xenotransplantation, and agriculture. For these uses, physiologic reference intervals are extremely...
Swine are widely used in biomedical research, translational research, xenotransplantation, and agriculture. For these uses, physiologic reference intervals are extremely important for assessing the health status of the swine and diagnosing disease. However, few biochemical and hematologic reference intervals that comply with guidelines from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology are available for swine. These guidelines state that reference intervals should be determined by using 120 subjects or more. The aim of this study was to generate hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for female, juvenile Yorkshire swine () and to compare these values with those for humans and baboons (). Blood samples were collected from the femoral artery or vein of female, juvenile Yorkshire swine, and standard hematologic and biochemical parameters were analyzed in multiple studies. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals were calculated for arterial blood samples from Yorkshire swine ( = 121 to 124); human and baboon reference intervals were obtained from the literature. Arterial reference intervals for Yorkshire swine differed significantly from those for humans and baboons in all commonly measured parameters except platelet count, which did not differ significantly from the human value, and glucose, which was not significantly different from the baboon value. These data provide valuable information for investigators using female, juvenile Yorkshire swine for biomedical re- search, as disease models, and in xenotransplantation studies as well as useful physiologic information for veterinarians and livestock producers. Our findings highlight the need for caution when comparing data and study outcomes between species.
Topics: Animals; Female; Hematologic Tests; Reference Standards; Reference Values; Swine
PubMed: 34903312
DOI: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-21-000014