Impact of Craniocerebral Hypothermia and Cryopreserved Cord Blood on Reproductive Function of Male Rats with Chronic Alcohol Intoxication

In this work, we have studied the impact of chronic alcohol intoxication (CAI) on reproductive function in male rats. Prolonged alcohol abuse has been shown to significantly reduce the manifestation rate of sexual activation and testosterone level in blood serum of male rats with CAI following exposure to a receptive female, as well as to change their seminal fl uid composition. The rhythmic craniocerebral hypothermia (rCCH), combined with the administration of cryopreserved cord blood leukoconcentrate (cCBL) ensured to a greater extent the dynamics of functional integrity recovery of the CAI-altered reproductive system in male rats, if compared to each of these methods used solely. The authors have hypothesized the rCCH and cCBL to activate the hypothalamicpituitary system, affecting thereby the testosterone synthesis and spermatogenesis stimulation.

Seeing what you want to see: Sexual activation makes potential partners seem more appealing and romantically interested

Recent studies have indicated that activation of the sexual system fosters relationship initiation. In three studies, we expand on this work to investigate whether sexual activation encourages initiating relationship with prospective partners by biasing the way they are perceived. In all studies, participants encountered a potential partner and rated this partner’s attractiveness and romantic interest following sexual activation. Participants’ interest in the partner was self-reported or evaluated by raters. Study 1 revealed that sexual activation led participants to perceive potential partners as more attractive and interested in oneself. Study 2 added to these findings, providing a test of sexual priming rather than more general closeness priming. Mediational analyses in Study 3 indicated that heightened romantic interest mediated the link between sexual activation and perceiving potential partners as more interested in oneself. These findings suggest that sexual activation facilitates relationship initiation by motivating projection of one’s desires onto prospective partners.

Fueled by desire: Sexual activation facilitates the enactment of relationship-initiating behaviors

Sexual desire has long been theorized to serve a relationship-initiation function by bringing partners together. Four studies addressed this possibility, examining whether activation of the sexual system encouraged the enactment of nonsexual behaviors that signal warmth and contact readiness. In Study 1, participants mimed together with an opposite-sex confederate to prerecorded music. Participant’s desire for the confederate was associated with coded immediacy behaviors toward the confederate (e.g., proximity seeking, synchronization). Study 2 extended these findings, showing that participants, who slow danced with a confederate perceived to be more desirable, were more synchronized with the confederate. Synchronization, in turn, was associated with greater interest in future interactions with the confederate. Studies 3 and 4 established a causal connection between sexual activation and engagement in relationship-promoting behaviors (provision of responsiveness and help, respectively). These findings suggest that intense desire, which attracts new partners to each other, elicits behaviors that support the attachment-bonding process.

Role of some types of serotonin receptors in murine hypophyseal-testicular complex activation induced by the presence of a female

Placement of a sexually receptive female mouse behind a partition that prevents physical contacts, but permits it to see and smell caused an increase in the blood levels of testosterone in male mice. The selective 5-HTIA-serotonin receptor agonist 08-OH- DPAT (0.1 mg/kg) and the mixed 5-HTIA/IB agonist eltoprazine, 3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg, blocked the activating effect of female exposure on the male pituitary-testicular system. The 5-HT/-receptor agonist p-MPPI (0.2 mg/kg) prevented the inhibitory effects of 8-OH-DPATand eltoprazine. The 5-HT/B-receptor agonist CGS- 12066A (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) exerted no effect while the mixed 5-HTIB/2C-receptor agonist TFMPP (5.2 mg/kg) inhibited a female-induced increase in the levels of male blood testosterone. The 5-HT/-receptor agonist keranserin (1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) prevented a female-induced increase in the levels of testosterone. The 5-HT3-receptor agonist ondansetron (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) elevated the baseline level of plasma testosterone, but blocked receptive female-induced activation of the male hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular system (HPTS). It is concluded that 5-HTIA-receptors are involved in the control of male sexual activation. At the same time different types and even subtypes of the same type of 5-HT-receptors produce varying inhibitory and activating effects on the receptive female-induced activation of HPTS. Blocking of the female-induced activation of HPTS seems to be realized by involving 5-HTu- and 5-HT2C-receptors and its activation occurs with the participation of 5-HT^- and 5- HT3-receptors.

THE ZYGOTE OF CHLAMYDOMONAS MOEWUSII

The processes of gamete fusion, zygote development, and zygote germination in Chlamydomonas moewusii are described. Light, previously shown to be essential for vegetative growth and for sexual activation, also appeared to be required for gamete fusion and for zygote maturation, but not for germination. Fully mature zygospores, enclosed in thick, impermeable walls, germinated erratically; experimental efforts to promote their earlier and more regular germination were unsuccessful. Germination as high as 60 to 90% was achieved by limiting the illumination which the zygotes received during their development.