Transscrotal stimulation of the testes and epididymides improves urethral sperm collection in domestic cats

Urethral catheterisation after medetomidine administration is the method of choice for semen collection in cats, but it yields variable results. This study tested whether scrotal manual stimulation can improve urethral sperm collection in domestic cats. The study was performed on 20 male cats, from which two urethral semen samples were collected, one before and one after 2min of transscrotal finger massage of the testes and epididymides. Both sperm samples were assessed for total sperm count and motility using computer-aided sperm analysis, viability and morphology (eosin–nigrosin staining). The transscrotal manual stimulation allowed a significantly higher number of spermatozoa to be obtained (P=0.0015). Viability was similar before and after the stimulation (median 92% and 90.5%), whereas the number of motile (median 60% and 70%) and morphologically normal (median 17% and 30.5%) spermatozoa was higher in the second sample (P=0.03 and P=0.002 respectively), which confirms that transscrotal massage induced the expulsion of a fresh pool of spermatozoa into the urethra. Transscrotal stimulation of the testes and epididymides significantly improves urethral semen collection in domestic cats and can be easily introduced into clinical practice.

The Effect of Pre-milking Stimulation on Teat Morphological Parameters and Milk Traits in the Italian Water Buffalo

Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are very sensitive to environmental stimulus before and during milking, and this explains why disrupted milk ejections due to blood oxytocin level instability are frequent in this species. According to the literature, the manual stimulation (MS) of teats before milking promotes oxytocin release and allows milk ejection to start within 2–3 min. However, the pre-milking stimulation of teats is not always part of the milking routine in Italian buffalo farms; moreover, buffaloes with unstable milk let-down are sometimes treated with exogenous oxytocin (OX). Different types of pre-milking stimulation can impact differently on the mammary gland epithelium and structures and, therefore, on milk yield. In this study, we observed the changes in teat morphological traits before and after the application of three types of stimuli, i.e., no manual stimulation (NS), MS, and OX, in buffaloes reared in an Italian dairy farm. In particular, measurements were available for 23 and 21 buffaloes for front and rear teats, respectively. Subsequently, the effect of the pre-milking stimulation type was estimated on teat morphological characteristics and on milk traits recorded after the application of stimuli. The results showed that the teat canal length was shorter (P < 0.05) after stimulation in the case of MS and OX compared to NS. Cistern diameter was overall greater for MS and lower for OX. On the contrary, teat wall thickness was greater and lower for OX and MS, respectively. Milk yield and quality (fat, protein, and somatic cell score) were similar across the three types of pre-milking stimulation. In perspective, the impact of these types of pre-milking stimulation should be evaluated on a large scale, and the focus might be put on mammary gland epithelium integrity, mastitis incidence, and other udder health indicators in milk, e.g., electrical conductivity, differential somatic cell count, lactose content, and sodium and chloride concentration.

Direct genital manipulation is rare a manifestation of childhood gratification behaviour below 5 years of age: A case series

Childhood masturbation/self-gratification behaviour means self-stimulation of the genitals by an immature child. Literature on this topic is scarce and scattered. Though most of the paediatricians seem to know about this entity, precise knowledge on spectrum of different behavioural patterns these children may show is lacking. Masturbatory activity in infants and young children is difficult to recognise because it often does not involve manual stimulation of the genitalia at all. We hereby report a series of 3 cases of childhood masturbation where direct genital manipulation, a very rare manifestation, was evident during gratification spells.

Effects of Acupuncture on the Urinary Metabolome of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Background The mechanism of action underlying the putative effects of acupuncture in essential hypertension remains unknown but neuronal mechanisms have been explored most extensively to date. We aimed to explore the effects of manual acupuncture (MA) with manual stimulation on blood pressure (BP) and urine metabolites in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of hypertension. Methods After adaptive feeding (with a standard laboratory diet and distilled water) for 1 week, five normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats with normal BP formed the control group. Ten SHRs were randomised into two groups (n=5 each), one of which received MA at ST9 for a total of 14 days (SHR+MA group). The other (SHR group) and the WKY control group underwent needle insertion without manual stimulation. BP was measured pre- and post-acupuncture in all groups and urinary metabolic profiles were investigated using metabonomics methods based on 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and orthogonal to partial least squares discriminant analysis. Results A total of 46 metabolites were clearly separated in the urine by 1H NMR. Loading plots showed significant changes in urinary metabolite contents after acupuncture treatment as well as significant differences between SHR and WKY rats. Acupuncture at ST9 in SHRs increased urine metabolites including α-ketoglutaric acid, N-acetyl glutamic acid, and betaine. Furthermore, systolic and diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly reduced after acupuncture. Conclusions Acupuncture may decrease BP in SHRs by improving the metabolic disorder associated with hypertension.

Time to deconstruct the concepts of “foreplay” and “intercourse”: the real structure of human sexual encounters

Historically, the study of sexual behavior has been affect­ed by diffuse concepts such as foreplay and coitus; the unreliability of self reports; and Eurocentrism. Here we deal with those problems and present data on frequency of sexual positions and stopwatch measure­ments of foreplay activities from direct observation of video recordings by 604 heterosexual Latin American couples.The most frequent posi­tions were “woman on her hands and knees”; “woman on bed with man standing”, and “woman sitting on man”. The most frequent activities were fellatio; manual stimulation of the penis; and manual stimulation of the vulva. The longest mean durations of particular activities were 67 seconds for coitus, 37 s for fellatio and 34 s for petting. These frequency results differ from reports from the USA, possibly because of cultural differences but more probably because our results are based on what the couples actually do (rather on what they report, as in the American studies). Previous studies have merged a complex variety of sexual activities into a single imprecise category called “foreplay” and ours seems to be the first study to “deconstruct” foreplay into its individual components, and to use objective measurements of their duration