Aggression and the composition of conflicting pairs in green monkeys.

Aggressive behavior was studied in green monkeys kept in two groups in corrals in the Adler Primate Center. Studies addressed the effects of the composition of conflicting pairs, the nature of the relationship, relatedness, and hierarchical relationships between antagonists on the intensity and structure of their aggressive interactions. The frequency of contact aggression was found to be essentially independent of the composition of the conflicting pairs.

Pineal peptides restore the age-related disturbances in hormonal functions of the pineal gland and the pancreas.

The purpose of this research was to study age-related changes in functioning of pineal and pancreatic glands of non-human primates, rhesus monkeys, and to elucidate the possibility of their corrections with the help of epitalon, a synthetic analogue of the pharmacopoeia drug epithalamin. In old (20-27 years) animals, the basal plasma levels of glucose and insulin were found to be higher, while the night melatonin level was lower in comparison with (6-8 years) young animals. After the glucose administration to old monkeys, a larger area under the curve of the plasma glucose response, a reduced glucose 'disappearance' rate, and a reduced insulin peak (5 min after the glucose administration) were observed in comparison with young animals in similar experiments.

Age-related endocrine dysfunction in nonhuman primates.

Peculiarities of functioning of some parts of the endocrine system (the pineal gland, pancreatic gland, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis) in an aging nonhuman primate model (Papio hamadryas and Macaca mulatta) are described in this article. It has been established that basal activity of some endocrine functions (glucocorticoid, corticotropic, pancreatic, male estradiol producing) varies little with age. Other functions significantly decrease (DHEA/DHEAS-producing, pineal, testicular) or increase (male gonadotropic) with age.

Functions of the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal system in aging in female monkeys.

Comparative studies on the functioning of the adrenal cortex in female rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of different ages are reported - animals were aged 6-9 years (young adults; n = 5) and 20-26 years (old adults; n = 5). Corticosteroid concentrations (cortisol (F) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS)) were determined by specific radioimmunological and immunoenzyme methods in basal conditions, after acute stress (insulin-induced hypoglycemia, 2-h movement restriction), and after administration of dexamethasone. Basal F levels showed no marked age differences, while DHEAS concentrations in older animals decreased sharply.

[An outbreak of Streptococcus zooepidemicus-caused infection among laboratory primates].

An outbreak of septicemia caused by S. zooepidemicus in representatives of 5 species of lower monkeys, viz. Macaca mulatta (5), Macaca nemestrina (1), Macaca fascicularis (2), Cercopithecus aethiops (2), Mandrillus sphinx (1), is described.