Males perceive honest information from female released sex pheromone in a moth

There is accumulating evidence that male insects advertise their quality to conspecific females through pheromones. However, most studies of female released sex pheromone assume information transfer regarding merely the species of the female and her mating status. We show that more and precise information is conveyed through the female sex pheromone, positioning it as an honest sexual trait. We demonstrate that females in bad physical conditions (small, starved or old) lay significantly fewer eggs than females in good conditions (large, fed or young). The ratio of the sex pheromone blend in gland extracts of female pink bollworm moths accurately describes the female phenotypic condition whereas the pheromone amount in the glands fails to provide an honest signal of quality. Moreover, males use the female released pheromone blend to choose their mates and approach females that signal higher reproductive potential. In addition, surrogating the female effect, using synthetic pheromone blend that represents that of higher quality females (0.6:0.4 ZZ:ZE) more males were attracted to this blend than to the blend representing the population mean (0.5:0.5 ZZ:ZE). Both, female advertisement for males and the male choosiness, suggest that pheromones have evolved as sexual traits under directional, sexual selection.

Maternal Characteristics Affect Fetal Growth Response to Maternal Supplements in the Women First Preconception Trial (WF) (P10-017-19)

Objectives Determine if maternal characteristics modified newborn anthropometric outcomes in the WF trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01883193). Methods Secondary analysis included combined data for all 1465 maternal infant dyads in WF sites in Guatemala, India, and Pakistan who had 1st trimester ultrasounds and newborn anthropometry with the three WF arms maintained: Arm 1 commenced a comprehensive nutrition supplement ≥3 months prior to conception; Arm 2 commenced the same supplement in the 1st trimester, and Arm 3 received no trial supplements. Maternal characteristics included were: baseline, BMI, hemoglobin, age, education, SES, and parity plus newborn sex. Newborn outcomes were Z-scores for length (LAZ), weight (WAZ), and weight-to-length ratio (WLRZ). Mixed effect regression models were fit for each outcome, including treatment arm, effect modifier, and treatment arm x effect modifier interaction as predictors and controlling for study site, maternal characteristics, and newborn sex. Results Parity, anemia and newborn sex were significant effect modifiers favoring para 0 vs para ≥1, anemia vs non anemia, and newborn male vs female. Effect of Arm 1 vs 3 was significantly larger for para 0 vs ≥1 women on length and weight (Table). Arm 2 vs 3 was not associated with improvements for para 0 in weight (P = 0.273) or WLRZ (P = 0.710). Arms 1 and 2 (vs 3) were associated with significantly higher length, weight, and WLRZ for anemic women. For parity and anemia, effect sizes for Arm 1 were greater than for Arm 2 for WAZ and WLZ (P < 0.05), but not LAZ. Arm 1 and 2 were associated with significantly higher weight and WLRZ for male vs female newborn. Conclusions In diverse low resource populations, impaired fetal growth (weight and length) is substantially improved in nulliparous and in anemic women but minimally or not at all in parous and in non-anemic women. Correction of weight decrements is most pronounced with improvement in maternal nutrition commencing prior to conception. Funding Sources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; NIH, NICHD and ODS. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

UPAYA PENGEMBANGAN POPULASI TERNAK BABI MELALUI TEKNIK INSEMINASI BUATAN DIPROVINSI SULAWESI UTARA

ABSTRACTEXPEDIENCY OF INCREASING PIG POPULATION BY ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION TECHNIQUE IN NORTH SULAWESI PROVINCE.The objective of this study was to evaluate dominant factors affecting pig population breeding by artificial insemination (AI) in North Sulawesi province. Semen of boar (Landrace, Yorkshire and Duroc breeds) were usedto mate the same breeds using AI.Data of 345 piglets from 33 sows were involved in this study. Reproductive data of sows and productivity of piglet form AI were observed at laboratory and field belonging to farmers in Minahasa regency. Pair data of male and female effect were analyzed by t-test for variables.Dominant reproduction factors affecting pig population breeding in North Sulawesi were includingservice per conception, Farrowing rate, AI service efficiency, and Farrowing index.Group of male and superior piglets were higher in productivity that those of female and inferior piglets. Preweaning Average Daily Gain (PW-ADG)groups of inferior (84.85g/h/d)were significantly lower compared with normal (86.59g/h/d), butnot significantly different with PW-ADG of superior birth weight group (85.64 g/h/d).PW-ADG.Thelitter size produced from semen bya boar naturally mated with the same sowsreached the average of 21 piglets per year, while those by a boar mated using AI technique with the same sowsreached the average of 225 piglets per year. Keywords:Artificial insemination. Pig reproduction, North Sulawesi province

Effect of Client-Therapist Gender Match on the Therapeutic Relationship: An Exploratory Analysis

Matching clients and counselors on the basis of heuristics, such as gender, is common in clinical practice. Considerable research has examined the effect of gender matching on the therapeutic alliance with equivocal results. Researchers have offered various hypotheses to explain these findings without consensus. This study sought to examine gender matching in a naturalistic setting and proposed that gender matching varies in importance depending upon the stage of the therapeutic relationship. It was hypothesized that gender matching affects the therapeutic alliance initially and then becomes less important as other factors come into play. Results did not support the hypothesis but showed a general “female effect.” Across all stages of therapy, female clients matched with female therapists reported therapeutic alliance ratings higher than dyads with a male therapist. Dyads with a female therapist and male client also reported alliance higher than male gender matched dyads. Implications of these results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.

The “female effect” positively affects the appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviour and testosterone concentrations of Alpine male goats under subtropical conditions

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible action of the &ldquo;female effect&rdquo; by evaluating if exposure to estrogenized females would affect sexual behaviour and testosterone concentrations while affecting the length of the reproductive season of Alpine bucks in northern Mexico (26&deg;N). In January, two experimental groups were formed: (i) treated males (MH; n = 8) kept in a pen aside to another pen with four estrogenized females during four weeks; pens were separated by a metal mesh, and (ii) control males (GC; n = 8) which had no contact with any female during the same period. At the end of the study, an appetitive and consummatory sexual behaviour test was performed by exposing males from both groups to estrogenized females. Besides, serum concentrations of testosterone were quantified in each male on days 0 and 28. On day 0 the serum levels of testosterone were similar in both groups (217 &plusmn; 86 vs 320 &plusmn; 89 ng/dl in MH and GC respectively; P &gt; 0.05). However, on day 28, serum testosterone levels favoured to the MH group (164 &plusmn; 56 vs 49 &plusmn; 18 ng/dl; P = 0.06). With respect to the consummatory (80%) and appetitive (62%) sexual behaviour, the best reproductive performance was depicted by the MH&nbsp;group with respect to the GC group (P &lt; 0.05). Results obtained confirm a positive action of the &ldquo;female effect&rdquo; upon behavioural, reproductive, and endocrinological outcomes, while extending the breeding season of Alpine male goats. These findings should be relevant in the design of clean, green, and ethical reproductive management strategies in goat production systems and potentially important to the animal industry. &nbsp;

Influence of nutritional and socio-sexual cues upon reproductive efficiency of goats exposed to the male effect under extensive conditions

This study evaluated the effect of nutritional supplementation and socio-sexual cues upon reproductive efficiency of goats exposed to the male effect under rangeland grazing conditions (22°N). Criollo goats (n = 73) were distributed in four experimental groups: (1) continuous males (CM, n = 19) in which males (n = 2) remained together with females from 7 March to 28 July; (2) supplemented males (SM, n = 16) in which males (n = 2) were kept separately and were individually supplemented with 18% crude protein and 2.77 Mcal ME kg–1 DM, during a 30-day period; (3) supplemented males exposed to the female effect (SM + FE, n = 19), in which supplemented males (n = 2) were maintained with females induced to oestrus before being used for male effect; and (4) supplemented males and supplemented females (SM + SF, n = 19) in which males (n = 2) were supplemented as in group SM, and females received the same supplementation as males 30 days before and 30 days after male introduction. Grazing was performed from 0900 to 1900 hours; liveweight (LW) was registered weekly before grazing and (or) supplementation. Ovarian activity was evaluated (serum P4 concentrations) in the four groups before and after male introduction. At the beginning of the study and supplementation, female LW did not differ among treatments (P > 0.01). However, during the supplementation phase, LW increased in a different fashion among groups (P < 0.002), favouring the SM, SM + FE and SM + SF groups. A positive correlation between female LW at the beginning of the rainy season and the onset of ovulatory activity was observed (r = +0.90; P < 0.01). The average date for the onset of ovarian activity differed (P < 0.001) among groups, being earlier in the SM + SF group (9 May ± 4.3 days), which also depicted the shortest interval between the introduction of males until the onset of ovulatory activity (P < 0.001). Results of the present study indicate that nutritional signalling of the reproductive activity of both female and male Criollo goats reared under marginal conditions surmounts the inhibitory effects of long-day photoperiods during the non-reproductive season. An increased level of nutrition during the anestrous season may be used to increase reproductive function of both male and female goats reared in harsh nutritional conditions and applied as a green, clean, and ethical reproductive tool at these latitudes.

Female effect on antlers of pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus)

Size and bone mineralization of deer antlers are related to testosterone concentrations, and antler cast is observed after withdrawal of testosterone concentration. Our objectives were to determine if (i) contact with hinds stimulates antler development and increases hard antler period length in pampas deer ( Ozotoceros bezoarticus (L., 1758)) and (ii) antlers from males that were or were not in contact with hinds differ in colour. While 5 males were in breeding paddocks consisting of 1 adult stag and 5–10 hinds, the other 6 males were allocated as a single-male group. We collected, weighed, and measured the volume, circumferences, and lengths of antlers, and determined their colour. First antler cast tended to be later in males in contact with females than those in the single-male group. Antler mass and volume were greater in antlers from males in contact with females. Circumference at the base of first and second tines was also greater in antlers collected from males in contact with females. Surfaces of antlers from these males were darker than those of antlers from males that remained isolated from females in all points. Hind contact stimulated male pampas deer, increasing antler mass, size, and darkness, as well as possibly hard antler period length.