Cercopithecus Research Articles

Kingdon on Colouration: Crested Rats, Guenons and Zebras

Kingdon on Colouration: Crested Rats, Guenons and Zebras

The African Green Monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops) as a non-human primate model for infections with Cyclospora Cayetanensis

Clinical epidemiology and pathogenesis of Cyclospora species was studied in 64 wild-trapped Cercopithecus aethiops at the Institute of Primate Research, Nairobi, Kenya. The monkeys were screened for Cyclospora parasites using conventional microscopy, examination of hot Safranin stained faecal smears, Cyclospora specific antibody responses and molecular characterization of DNA following nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification. Efficacy of Trimethoprim-Sulphamethoxazole therapy for Cyclospora positive monkeys was evaluated. Experimental Cyclospora infections were established by oral inoculation. Oocyst shedding was used to confirm establishment and duration of infection. Gross and histopathological characteristics were described . The animals remained asymptomatic. Cyclospora parasites were identified in 41 (64%) of animals with infections mostly in male adults. Incubation period was 14-17 days, the duration of infection one to two months. A PCR product of 294 base pair was visualized, confirming Cyclospora species in the natural and experimental infections. Cyclospora specific antibody responses were recorded in positive monkeys. Response to treatment was evaluated by cessation Cyclospora oocyst shedding by D17 post-treatment and decreased Cyclospora specific antibody levels. Relapse infections occurred in 33% of the treated animals but responded to second TMP-SMX therapy. Pathological findings recorded were moderate haemorrhagic enteritis, parasites vacuoles in the enterocytes, mild lymph node enlargement, lymphocytic infiltrations, focal necrosis and granulomas in the liver. In conclusion, the study demonstrated that AGM may offer a suitable model for study of cyclosporiasis.

Changes in group size and composition of the blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) between 1984 and 2009 at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

AbstractGroup counts were conducted on five groups of blue monkeys at the Ngogo study site, Kibale National Park, Uganda between January and June 2009. Group sizes were compared with those obtained using similar methods at the same site during 1983‐84 by Tom Butynski. During the present study, group size ranged from 16 to 28 monkeys. The results show that the group size of blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) has increased significantly between 1984 and 2009. Mean group size has increased over two‐fold from 9 after the fission of group 33 during Butynski s study to 21.6 animals per group in 2009. These results strongly suggest that the density of blue monkeys at Ngogo has increased although census data indicate that group density has remained more or less the same.

Tradition and Modern World: Questions of Symbolism

The concept of ”Public Art” or ”Public” can never be obvious. The stage set of ”The Asian Art and Aesthetics” itself, raises a question on the issue of the individuality of Oriental Art from the Western (Occident) Art. That is to say, there is a question raised whether the concept of ”art” is only limited to the internal culture, or if it really has the universality that exceeds any particular form of a culture. Then, what does it truly mean when we speak of ”Public Art” in our time? If there is a thing that can be called the ”peculiar art” does really exist in a culture, if it is really accepted only within the interior of a specific culture, would not the Public Art also be accepted only within the interior of the individual culture? On the other hand, if the ”Public sphere” is that which entirely covers the present (modern) world, and, if the ”Public Art” is that which covers a ”global” range, the relation between the Public Art and Asian Art becomes completely contradictory. This rough sketch is enough to tell us that the concept of Public can never be separated from the historicity of a culture and the conflict of the modernity. When we bring Public Sphere of the art or a culture into a question, the question what we must raise is the confrontation between tradition and anti-tradition in the modern world. My paper will review the intercultural commensurability based upon the works of Rene Guenon who offered us a coherent discussion about the concept of the tradition. According to Guenon, the modern world has no relation to the true globalism. Because the universality which abstracts the identity of the region is the ”Anti-traditional” thought, that is to say a tendency peculiar to the Western world (at least in the era when Guenon; non lived). Anti-tradition makes the mutual understanding of different cultures impossible. On the contrary, in order that different traditions will cultivate the mutual understanding, the identity of the tradition must be kept up. When a specific tradition maintains its own particularity, the insight into the principle will be sustained. Since every tradition comes from the same principle as mutually different actus, such insight makes an inter-cultural understanding possible. Guenon considers the essence of the culture in the view of a tradition, and recognizes its main point in the form of the religion. But, in this paper, I try to draw Guenon's thought into the problem of the art.

Feeding ecology and dietary differences between blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanniMatschie) groups in logged and unlogged forest, Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda

Several studies have investigated the effects of logging on primate population density, and attempted to relate density differences to changes in vegetation composition. As population density in some forest primates may be considerably influenced by dietary quality, it is important to understand how the effects of vegetation changes commonly associated with logging influence primate feeding ecology. Results are presented from a study carried out in the Budongo Forest Reserve in Uganda to investigate differences in blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) feeding ecology in forest blocks with different logging history. Dietary composition differed between logged and unlogged forest, with a higher proportion of unripe fruit consumed in logged forest. By contrast, the proportion of young leaves, invertebrates and seeds in the diet was higher in unlogged forest. Variations in the intake of fruit was also higher in unlogged forest, but feeding patterns on other dietary items were more selective. These differences in diet reflect differences in availability of different categories of food items, as determined by tree species composition, abundance and plant phenological patterns. The observed differences between feeding ecology in logged and unlogged forest are discussed in relation to primate feeding ecology and habitat composition in Budongo. Plusieurs études se sont intéressées aux effets des coupes de bois sur les densités de population de primates et ont tenté de relier les différences de densités à des changements de la composition de la végétation. Comme la densité des populations de primates peut être considérablement influencée par la qualité de l'alimentation, il est important de comprendre comment les effets des changements de végétation régulièrement associés aux coupes de bois peuvent influencer l'écologie alimentaire des primates. On présente ici les résultats d'une étude réalisée dans la Réserve forestière de Budongo, en Ouganda, pour étudier les différences de l'écologie alimentaire du cercopithèque à diadème (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni) dans des blocs forestiers dont l'historique des coupes est différent. La composition du régime était différente dans les forêts selon qu'elles avaient ou non connu des coupes, avec une plus grande proportion de fruits pas encore mûrs dans les forêts exploitées. Par contre, la proportion de jeunes feuilles, d'invertébrés et de semences était plus forte dans les forêts intactes. Les variations dans l'absorption de fruits étaient aussi plus grandes dans les forêts non exploitées mais les schémas alimentaires concernant les autres produits étaient plus sélectifs. Ces différences dans le régime reflètent les différences de disponibilité des différentes catégories d'aliments, déterminées par la composition des espèces d'arbres, l'abondance et les schémas phénologiques végétaux. On discute les différences d'écologie alimentaire entre les forêts exploitées ou non, en fonction de l'écologie alimentaire des primates et de la composition de l'habitat à Budongo.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Simian T Lymphotropic Virus Type I from Kenyan Olive Baboons (Papio anubis), Lowland Sykes Monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), and Vervet Monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus)

781 H UM AN T CELL LEU KEM IA/lymphotropic virus type I (HTLVI) strains have a worldwide distribution and are characterized by the genetic stability of their genome and their limited horizontal transmission. Simian T cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type I (STLV-I) strains have been found in Old World nonhuman primates in Africa and Asia. Together, these two virus groups are referred to as primate T lymphotropic viruses (PTLVs) and have been found in all three Old World African primate families: the Cercopithecidae, 2±4 the Pongidae, and the Hominidae. These viruses cannot be separate d into distinct phyloge netic lineages according to the fam ilies or species of origin, but rather accordi ng to geographical regions , which suggest s multiple interspe cies transm issions in the past. Although uncertain, it is thought that the origina l virus infected nonhu man simian ancesto rs that eventua lly infected humans. 2 Understan ding the sequence diversit y among STLV-I strains may therefor e provide valuable insight into the evolutio n of the PTLV-I group. In this study, we analyze d the HTLV-I sequenc e of 13 nonhum an primates, using HTLV-I cross-r eacting antibod ies provide d with the HTLV-I Serodia particle aggluti nation assay (Fujirebio , Tokyo, Japan). The animals were either colony born (Institu te of Primate Research [IPR], Nairobi, Kenya) or trapped in Kibwezi (eastern Kenya) and in Gilgil and Namanga (Rift Valley Province) . The animals include d four vervet monkeys (Cercopit hecus aethiop s pygerythrus ), two lowland Sykes monkeys (Cercopit hecus mitis), and seven olive baboons (Papio anubis ) (Table 1). We have focused on the diverge nt long terminal repeat (LTR) region because it is more inform ative for sequence analysi s and subtyping, and because of the availab ility of inform ation on other PTLV-I LTR sequenc es. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a QiaAmp blood kit (Qiagen GmbH, Hilden, Germany). The LTR region was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primer pairs HFL1/HFL6 and HFL5/HFL6, as described. 11 PCR products were cloned using the PCR-Script SK( 1 ) cloning kit (Stratagene, La Jolla, CA) according to the manufacturer instructions. Sequencing was performed using the Applied Biosystem s model 373 automatic DNA sequencer (Applied Biosystems/Perkin-Elmer , Foster City, CA). Nucleotide sequences were aligned with CLUSTAL V together with reference sequences from the GenBank database. Kimura distance calculation, 13 bootstrap analysis, 14 and tree construction were done with the TREECON software package. Nucleotide sequences were submitted to GenBank under accession numbers AF117282±AF117294. Comparison of the LTR region of the strains revealed that the elements that are critical for viral gene expression were well conserved. No nucleotide changes were observed in the polyadenylation signal (AATAAA), the TATA box (TATAAA), and the splice donor site (TAGGTAA). In the tree containing the LTR sequence (Fig. 1), STLV and HTLV-I clusters were identified as containing sequences representative of many different subtypes.

Tunica vaginalis sperm reservoir in a monkey model of vas deferens obstruction.

Repeat microscopic epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) is used to treat congenital absence of the vas deferens (CAVD). Use of alloplastic implants as reservoirs results in poor sperm motility and pregnancy rates. An autoplastic tunica vaginalis reservoir for epididymal sperm has been used in four patients, with one resultant pregnancy. We studied this technique in a monkey model. Eight reservoirs were created in four monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops). The vas deferens was ligated close to the epididymis. A transverse incision was made in the caput epididymis, and sperm were aspirated for analysis. Cut margins of the epididymal duct were sutured open to the visceral layer of the tunica vaginalis. The defect in the parietal layer of the tunica vaginalis was repaired, and sterile Tyrode's solution was instilled in the potential space between the parietal and visceral layers. Initial epididymal sperm obtained at the creation of the sperm reservoir demonstrated adequate mean motility (60.5%, grade 1.5), morphology (82.8% normal), and viability by Eosin-Y exclusion (69.9%). At 4 weeks, no reservoirs were palpable. Percutaneous aspiration (25-gauge angiocatheter) yielded no fluid. Surgical exposure of the reservoirs demonstrated significant adhesions and scar formation between the parietal and visceral layers of the tunica vaginalis, obliterating the potential space. No sperm were detected in irrigant fluids at this time. In conclusion, adhesion and scar formation may prevent use of the tunica vaginalis reservoir as an alternative to repeat MESA in treatment of CAVD.

Response to maintenance of tourniquet inflation in a primate model.

Several theories have been proposed, but the etiology and pathway of neural transmission for the sensation of tourniquet pain remain unknown. This study was designed to observe the circulatory response and to measure the stress response markers associated with maintenance of tourniquet inflation in an anesthetized primate model. Eight African Green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) were anesthetized, and heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) were measured every five minutes. In each animal, a control trial without tourniquet inflation was compared to an experimental trial with tourniquet inflation on the left lower extremity to 300 mmHg for a period of 90 minutes. After maintenance of tourniquet inflation for a period of 30-45 minutes, each animal demonstrated a gradual, progressive increase in HR, SBP and DBP as compared to preinflation baseline values (p less than 0.05). An increase in serum cortisol and plasma norepinephrine was demonstrated to correlate with the circulatory response in this model. The results of this study suggest that the circulatory response to maintenance of tourniquet inflation in this animal model may be mediated by a neurohumoral response to tourniquet pain and that an animal model may be appropriate for further studies into the etiology and neural pathways associated with the sensation of tourniquet pain.

Twins in Green Guenon

Twins in Green Guenon