Social connectivity among female Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) increases the speed of collective movements.

Social network analysis provides insights into patterns of group movements in primates, but fewer studies to date have focused on the dynamics of how such movements occur. In this study, we proposed and tested two hypotheses about the influence of sex on social connectivity and group movement in Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana): (1) adult females are socially more connected than are adult males and (2) social connectivity facilitates the speed of collective decision-making. We collected data from 128 successful collective movements (≥ 2 individuals followed an initiator within 5 min) over a 2-month period in a group of adult Tibetan macaques at Mt. Huangshan, China. Although high-ranking individuals of both sexes in our dataset were more central in their social network than were low-ranking individuals, our results show that affiliations between females were stronger, with more preferred associations than those between males. Groups with more females reached collective decisions faster than groups with fewer females. We conclude that female Tibetan macaques use their social networks to enhance the speed of collective decision-making, which may have associated fitness benefits.

Marked variation between winter and spring gut microbiota in free-ranging Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana).

Variation in the availability and distribution of food resources is a strong selective pressure on wild primates. We explored variation in Tibetan macaque gut microbiota composition during winter and spring seasons. Our results showed that gut microbial composition and diversity varied by season. In winter, the genus Succinivibrio, which promotes the digestion of cellulose and hemicellulose, was significantly increased. In spring, the abundance of the genus Prevotella, which is associated with digestion of carbohydrates and simple sugars, was significantly increased. PICRUSt analysis revealed that the predicted metagenomes related to the glycan biosynthesis and metabolic pathway was significantly increased in winter samples, which would aid in the digestion of glycan extracted from cellulose and hemicellulose. The predicted metagenomes related to carbohydrate and energy metabolic pathways were significantly increased in spring samples, which could facilitate a monkey's recovery from acute energy loss experienced during winter. We propose that shifts in the composition and function of the gut microbiota provide a buffer against seasonal fluctuations in energy and nutrient intake, thus enabling these primates to adapt to variations in food supply and quality.

Noninvasive saliva collection for DNA analyses from free-ranging Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana).

Cryptic and endangered fauna, including many primate taxa, pose challenges for noninvasive collection of biomaterials. As a result, application of noninvasive genotyping to primates has been limited to the use of samples such as feces and hair for the extraction of PCR-amplifiable DNA. We present a method for noninvasive collection of saliva from habituated, free-ranging monkeys. The method utilizes a low-cost apparatus that controls for contamination and is usable with individual, free-ranging primates. Saliva samples were collected from 18 individuals in a population of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) in the Valley of Wild Monkeys in Huangshan, People's Republic of China. DNA was extracted from these samples and PCR-amplified for both mitochondrial and nuclear genes, Cytochrome B and MHC-DR Beta 1, respectively. These results indicate this is an effective technique for the noninvasive collection of saliva across age and sex class, and dominance rank in a free-ranging, terrestrial primate species. This device could have wide application for obtaining high-quality saliva samples from free-ranging primate populations for use in epidemiological studies, hormonal analyses of HPA axis function, pathogen screening, noninvasive genotyping, and behavioral genetics.

The impact of blood glucose monitoring on depression and distress in insulin-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether a structured self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) protocol reduces depressive symptoms and diabetes distress. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A 12-month, cluster-randomised, clinical trial compared patients who received a collaborative, structured SMBG, physician/patient intervention with an active control. Studied were 483 insulin naïve type 2 diabetes patients (experimental = 256, control = 227) (≥ 7.5% HbA1c) from 34 primary care practices (experimental = 21, control = 13). Experimental patients used a paper tool to record a 7-point SMBG profile on each of three consecutive days prior to their quarterly physician visit. Patients and physicians interpreted SMBG results to make medication and lifestyle changes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NIH Trial Registry Number: NCT00674986. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire: PHQ-8), diabetes-related distress (Diabetes Distress Scale: DDS). HbA1c and SMBG frequency were assessed quarterly; data were analysed using Linear Mixed Models (LMM) for intent-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses. RESULTS: ITT analyses showed significant improvement in depression and disease-related distress among experimental and control patients from baseline to 12 months (p < 0.01 in both cases) with no between-group differences. Experimental patients displayed significantly greater reductions in distress related to regimen adherence than controls. Also, experimental patients with elevated diabetes distress or depressive symptoms at baseline showed significantly greater reductions in distress and depressive symptoms than control patients at 12 months. The greater improvement in mood in the experimental than control group was independent of improvements in glycaemic control and changes in SMBG frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Using well standardised measures, collaborative, structured SMBG leads to reductions, not increases, in depressive symptoms and diabetes distress over time, for the large number of moderately depressed or distressed type 2 patients in poor glycaemic control. Changes in affective status are independent of improvements in glycaemic control and changes in SMBG frequency for these patients.

Anterior segment ischemia and retinal detachment after vertical rectus muscle surgery.

PURPOSE: The authors describe the clinical course of a woman who developed two complications following vertical strabismus repair: anterior segment ischemia (ASI) and retinal detachment. METHODS: A 62 year-old woman is described. She presented with new onset proptosis and left hypertropia with significant diplopia in all fields of gaze. This presentation, her 15 year history of thyroid disease, and preoperative computed tomography (CT) of the orbits were consistent with Graves' ophthalmopathy. Vertical strabismus repair was carried out by recessing the left superior rectus muscle and resecting the left inferior rectus muscle. RESULTS: The diplopia was eliminated. The patient developed significant postoperative ASI and iatrogenic rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in the left eye due to unsuspected globe perforation. She was treated with systemic corticosteroids and radial scleral buckling. CONCLUSIONS: Severe ASI following strabismus surgery is a well recognized complication, with age, thyroid ophthalmopathy, and manipulation of the vertical rectus muscles as risk factors. The retinal detachment soon after strabismus surgery was difficult to detect, possibly due to diminished visualization of the posterior segment as a result of ASI.

Phosphodiesterase inhibition improves agonist-induced relaxation of hypertensive pulmonary arteries.

Pulmonary artery (PA) relaxation in response to vasodilators is significantly attenuated in models of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH). The activity of phosphodiesterases (PDE) which hydrolyze vasodilatory second messengers may be increased by HPH, which thereby contributes to attenuated vasodilatory responses. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PDE inhibition on agonist-induced relaxation of PA from normal rats and rats with HPH (F(IO2), 0.1 for 14 days). Isolated PA rings were suspended in baths containing Krebs-Henseliet salt solution and contracted with U46619 in the presence or absence of a PDE3 (milrinone) or PDE4 (rolipram) inhibitor. Isoproterenol and forskolin induced concentration-dependent relaxation of PA rings from normal rats and rats with HPH, but the degree of relaxation was significantly less (*P < .05; n = 4) in PA from rats with HPH. Treatment with either PDE inhibitor significantly improved (*P < .05; n = 4) the magnitude of agonist-induced relaxation in PA rings from normal rats and rats with HPH. Additionally, PDE3A transcripts (8 and 10 kb) were increased (3.8 +/- 1.6-fold and 3.9 +/- 1.2-fold; n = 3, respectively) in PAs from rats with HPH compared with normal controls. These data show that inhibition of PDE3 and PDE4 activity can significantly improve PA relaxation in HPH and that expression of PDE3A mRNA is increased during HPH. These findings suggest that PDEs play an important role in the development and maintenance of HPH.

Characterization of signal transduction events stimulated by 8-epi-prostaglandin(PG)F2 alpha in rat aortic rings.

One of the most abundant F2 isoprostanes formed under pathological conditions is 8-epi-prostaglandin F2 alpha (8-epi-PGF2 alpha), a potent vasoconstrictor. The purpose of this study was to determine the signal transduction events initiated by 8-epi-PGF2 alpha-induced vasoconstriction. Isolated arterial rings from male Sprague-Dawley rats were suspended in tissue baths containing Krebs-Henseleit salt solution, stretched to optimal resting tension and stimulated. 8-epi-PGF2 alpha induced concentration-dependent contractions in pulmonary arteries (EC50: 7.7 +/- 2.1 microM; n = 3) and aortas (EC50: 0.9 +/- 0.1 microM; n = 4) which were blocked by the TXA2 receptor antagonists SQ29548, L657925 and L657926. The contractile response to 8-epi-PGF2 alpha was significantly (*p < 0.05; n = 4) diminished by: 1) indomethacin and ibuprofen; 2) Ca++ free media; 3) verapamil, a voltage gated Ca++ channel blocker; 4) flunarizine, a T-type Ca++ channel blocker; and 5) calphostin C, a protein kinase C inhibitor. These data suggest that the contractile response to 8-epi-PGF2 alpha is: 1) mediated via activation of TXA2 receptors; 2) partially dependent on the synthesis and release of other cyclooxygenase derived products; 3) dependent on an influx of extracellular Ca++ possibly via Ca++ channels; and 4) may be PKC dependent.