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PubMed1984

An environmental model for sows: materializing physical and behavioural needs.

Animals experience welfare when their behavioural and physical needs are fulfilled. To enable an animal to show all kinds of behavioural patterns, the environment has to meet certain requirements. Satisfying physical needs generally results in good health. This also implies certain environmental characteristics. Behavioural and physical needs can therefore be translated into environmental characteristics, which constitute an environmental model. When it can be decided to what extent certain needs are essential for the animals, the necessity that certain environmental provisions are available within the animals environment can be derived. Essential needs correspond with provisions. These provisions should, from an animal welfare point of view, be available and together constitute a minimum environmental model. In this paper an attempt is made to draw up an environmental model for sows. Provisions are such that the occurrence of aberrations in behaviour and health should, to a large extent, be prevented. Therefore a lying area, space to walk, a feeding place, food, a dunging area, and stimuli for exploration are included in the model. Climatic conditions are favourable, and social behaviour, comfort behaviour and exploratory behaviour can be carried out. By comparing existing housing systems with this model, it is easy to find out whether minimal welfare requirements are met, and if improvements are thought to be necessary and in what direction these should be sought.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1982

Behaviour-dependent changes of visually evoked potentials and their correlation to the respiration rate in freely moving rats.

The variability of visually evoked potentials (VEP) during spontaneous changes of behavioural activity was investigated in freely moving rats with electrodes in the visual and frontal cortex, olfactory bulb and other brain structures. Averaged VEP were recorded and compared during periods of characteristic behaviour types like drowsiness, relaxed wakefulness, attentiveness, grooming and exploratory behaviour. These behavioural patterns, which are clearly distinguishable by observation, were characterized by a certain degree of visually evoked afterdischarges, recorded movements, EEG-patterns and mean respiration rate. The evaluation of early components of the VEP from single recorded samples and of the correspondent momentary respiration rate (respiration intervals) revealed strongly negative correlations. In general, the increasing behavioural activity is characterized by a decrease in the amplitudes of VEP-components, inversely correlated to the log of momentary respiration rate. During drowsiness and enhanced attentiveness, certain components are increased. During strong movements and distraction of attention (e.g. intensive scratching and licking) the VEP-components were decreased stronger. The negative complex around 62 ms increased during certain forms of behavioural activation and locomotion. The VEP-component N31, the respiration rate, and the quotient N31: N61 were found suitable parameters to characterize certain types of behaviour in comparison to relaxed wakefulness.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Changes in the injecting risk behaviour of injecting drug users in London, 1990-1993.

OBJECTIVE: To describe changes in the injecting risk behaviour of injecting drug users (IDU) in London between 1990 and 1993. DESIGN: Injecting risk behaviour was measured over 4 years (1990-1993) in a serial point HIV prevalence study of 2062 IDU recruited in both drug treatment and non-treatment community-based settings within greater London. The study used a structured questionnaire and common sampling and interview strategy developed by a World Health Organization technical group and implemented in 13 cities. METHODS: Log-linear models were used to assess patterns of change over years and of differences in injecting risk behaviour, including syringe sharing and syringe hygiene between 1990 and 1993. The log likelihood chi 2 statistic, G2, was used to test statistical significance. Changes in the mean values were assessed first using parametric tests assuming normality and the results were compared with Kruskal-Wallis (non-parametric) tests. Pearsons chi 2 was used to measure differences in frequency of sharing occasions and partner selectivity. RESULTS: An overall reduction in injecting risk behaviour was observed during the first 2 years of this study, including a decline in syringe sharing (both accepting and passing on used syringes), the number of sharing partners and the frequency of sharing occasions. Most sharers restricted sharing to sexual partners and close friends. The majority of sharers reported always cleaning injecting equipment. Main source of sterile equipment was pharmacies and syringe exchanges. Indirect sharing (of spoons, filters, and by front- or backloading) was reported. Since 1991 there has been a stabilization in risk behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that IDU in London have made positive reductions in risk behaviour. Levels of syringe sharing were substantially lower than those reported up to 1987 before AIDS awareness and the introduction of HIV prevention measures. The majority did not share syringes or confined their sharing to close friends and sexual partners, and if shared, cleaned their syringes. Continuation of indirect sharing indicates the need for more detailed prevention messages. While the initial decline in syringe-sharing rates may be attributed to the wide availability of sterile injecting equipment and other preventive measures, it may now be necessary to look beyond current intervention initiatives to develop interventions which seek to change the social etiquette of sharing and move towards the long-term maintenance of low levels of injecting risk behaviour.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Inhibition of mouse-killing behaviour in magnesium-deficient rats: effect of pharmacological doses of magnesium pidolate, magnesium aspartate, magnesium lactate, magnesium gluconate and magnesium chloride.

Magnesium deprivation induced interspecific aggressive behaviour (muricidal behaviour) in rats undoubtedly attributable to magnesium deficiency since magnesium chloride, by correcting magnesium deficiency, suppressed it. Inhibition of magnesium deficiency-induced behaviour by various magnesium salts should enable the classification of the therapeutic effects of these salts. Consequently we compared the effects of various magnesium salts used therapeutically on the inhibition of the acute muricidal behaviour induced by magnesium deficiency. All the magnesium salts used (chloride, pidolate, aspartate, gluconate, lactate) suppressed the muricidal behaviour. There was no significant difference in the duration of the treatment needed to inhibit this comportment for each of the salts studied. In contrast, significant differences appeared, concerning the different phases of muricidal behaviour. Magnesium pidolate significantly increased the attack latency (P < 0.05). By repeating the muricidal assays, we showed that magnesium pidolate treated rats had a muricidal behaviour rate which was lower than that of the other magnesium salt-treated rat groups. Consequently, it can be assumed that all the magnesium salts used had an acute anti-muricidal, perhaps anti-stress, effect and that magnesium pidolate presented, on this experimental model the greatest efficacy.

Aggression↗
PubMed1993

The influence of vibrissae removal on copulatory behaviour in male rats.

The influence of vibrissae removal on copulatory behaviour was tested in both sexually naive and experienced male rats. The experiment consisted of 3 experimental and 3 control sessions. In some sexually naive rats, the removal of the vibrissae caused absence of copulatory behaviour during the first or all 3 experimental sessions, while in other ones this procedure remained without any apparent influence on copulatory behaviour. Three weeks later, after vibrissae have regrown, all of these rats displayed the copulatory behaviour. However, after the regrowth of the vibrissae, in rats with previously impaired copulatory behaviour a shortening of postejaculatory intervals was observed, while in rats with unaffected copulatory behaviour no such differences were observed. In contrast to observations in the sexually naive rats, in the sexually experienced ones removal of vibrissae led to the activation of copulatory behaviour, manifested by shortening of ejaculation latencies and mean interintromission intervals and an increase in hit rate.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Structured observations of hygiene behaviours in Burkina Faso: validity, variability, and utility.

The use of observation techniques has been promoted for the study of hygiene practices; however, questions still remain about the validity and repeatability of such techniques. In this article we compare data on hygiene behaviours obtained from questionnaires with data obtained using a structured observation approach and examine the repeatability of structured observations of behaviours and spot observations of environmental conditions. Poor agreement between questionnaire responses and observations was found for child defecation and stool disposal practices (kappa statistic: 0.25 and 0.28, respectively). There was evidence of over-reporting of "good" behaviours (P < 0.0001). Repeated observations of child defecation and stool disposal behaviours showed better agreement (kappa statistic: 0.76 and 0.62, respectively) based on small sample sizes. These findings suggest that our questionnaire data are less valid than data obtained by direct observation. However, different approaches to questioning may be less prone to over-reporting of "good" behaviours than our approach. Further research into the validity of different forms of question is warranted. Behaviours and conditions related to hygiene vary. Observations may be useful in determining the frequency of different behaviours/conditions in the community. However, individual practices may be too variable to assign individuals to exposed and non-exposed groups for the purpose of identifying links with health outcomes. Further studies on the variability of behaviours and the repeatability of observations are therefore needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Relationship between sexual experience and non-sexual behaviours among secondary school students in Arusha, Tanzania.

A sexual behaviour study was conducted among 655 secondary school students to assess the association between sexual experience and non-sexual behaviours. Among students aged 15-19 years, the prevalence of nonvirginity increased with age, from 58.8% to 85.6% for males, and from 21.9% to 44.9% for females. Sexual experience correlated positively with measures of problem behaviours (r = .31) and negatively with a measure of church or mosque attendance (r = -.09). Overall, the relationship between sexual experience and non-sexual behaviours demonstrated the conventionality-unconventionality polarity suggested by problem behavior theory. The observed relationships were relatively stronger at young ages and declined with increasing age, suggesting the developmental functions of these behaviours. Hence, the relations between sexual experience and non-sexual behaviours provided empirical support of the potential utility of the theory of problem behaviour in HIV/AIDS prevention and control among students in Arusha, Tanzania.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Perceptions of effective clinical teaching behaviours in a hospital-based nurse training programme.

Clinical teaching behaviour is a critical determinant for quality clinical learning experiences of student nurses. It is believed that a better understanding of the perceptions of clinical teaching behaviours between student nurses and nurse educators will enhance clinical teaching. This study examined the perceptions of effective clinical teaching behaviours of nurse educators by student nurses (n = 81) and nurse educators (n = 10) in a hospital-based 3-year general nurse training programme in Hong Kong. Knox & Mogan's Nursing Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI) (1985) was adopted. The respondents were asked to rate the importance of each discrete behaviour on a seven-point scale. It was found that there was greater agreement in the 10 most important behaviours than the 10 least important behaviours among the four groups: students, junior students, senior students and nurse educators. No statistically significant difference could be identified in the perceptions between the nurse educators and students as well as between the junior and senior students regarding the five behavioural categories. The nature and the student status of the nursing programme was accountable for most of the discrepancies between the findings of this study and those of past studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The effect of an educational intervention package about aggressive behaviour directed at the nursing staff on a continuing care psychogeriatric ward.

INTRODUCTION: Levels of aggressive behaviour on continuing care wards are high. Various staffing factors, potentially amenable to improvement by training, are important in reducing and preventing aggressive behaviour. METHOD: The efficacy of an educational package, directed at the nursing staff, in reducing aggressive behaviour on a psychogeriatric continuing care ward was prospectively evaluated over an 18-week period. The package was administered during the middle 6-week period. Aggressive behaviour was measured using the RAGE and SOAS scales. RESULTS: Aggressive behaviour on both these scales was reduced after the educational package, and the educational intervention package may explain this reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The educational package may have genuinely reduced aggressive behaviour or improved the nursing staffs tolerance and reporting threshold for aggressive behaviour. Studies with improved methodology in several different settings are suggested.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

5HT1A-receptors and behaviour under chronic stress: selective counteraction by testosterone.

Behaviour of chronically stressed male tree shrews is characterized by a reduction in scent marking, self-grooming and overall locomotor activity. It has been proposed that this subordination behaviour is related to the down-regulation of 5HT1A-receptors occurring in distinct brain regions of the animals. The high cortisol concentrations which accompany chronic stress are supposed to induce 5HT1A-receptor down-regulation. Because chronic stress in males also decreases androgen levels we investigated whether behaviour and 5HT1A-receptor expression could be renormalized by testosterone replacement. Male tree shrews were submitted to subordination stress for 28 days, while during the last 18 days, one group was treated with testosterone and one with vehicle. Scent marking, self-grooming, and overall locomotor activity were monitored, and cortisol levels were measured in morning urine during the whole experiment. Brain 5HT1A-receptors were quantified by in vitro receptor autoradiography. Although in subordinate animals cortisol levels remained high during the testosterone treatment, 5HT1A-receptors in the hippocampal formation and the occipital cortex were renormalized to control levels by the androgen, but 5HT1A-receptors in the ventromedial thalamic nucleus did not return to base line levels. Scent marking and self-grooming behaviour were both renormalized by testosterone, but overall locomotor activity did not return to base line levels. These data indicate that a balance between glucocorticoids and androgens is necessary to maintain 'normal' numbers of the monoamine receptors. The fact that both, 5HT1A-receptors and certain behaviours can be renormalized by the sex steroid supports the view that 5HT1A-receptor are involved in the regulation of stress behaviour. However, the fact that overall locomotor activity was not returned to baseline indicates that different types of behaviour are distinctly regulated.

8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin↗
PubMed1997

Effect of novel antipsychotic drugs on phencyclidine-induced stereotyped behaviour and social isolation in the rat social interaction test.

Phencyclidine (PCP) induces stereotyped behaviour and social isolation in rats; comparisons with clinical observations have suggested that these behaviours may mimic certain aspects of the positive and the negative symptoms, respectively, of an acute schizophrenic episode. Novel antipsychotics are effective in treating the positive symptoms in schizophrenic patients and have also shown some promise in treating the negative symptoms. In the present study the effects of the novel antipsychotics remoxipride (2.5-20 mg/kg), risperidone (0.02-0.63 mg/kg), sertindole (0.01-2.5 mg/kg), olanzapine (0.16-2.5 mg/kg) and quetiapine (0.16-10 mg/kg) on PCP-induced behaviours were determined. The drugs were administered daily for 3 or 21 days in combination with vehicle or 2.0 mg/kg of PCP for the last 3 days of the administration regime, and the rats were tested using the social interaction test. The antipsychotic drugs all reliably reduced the level of PCP-induced stereotyped behaviour and had distinct effects on PCP-induced social isolation. Comparison with clinical findings suggests that the PCP-induced behaviours respond to treatment with antipsychotic drugs in a manner that correlates well with clinical observations, and that this animal model of schizophrenia may be useful for evaluating novel drug candidates. However, the study also showed that additional experiments are required to determine the specificity by which antipsychotic drugs alleviate PCP-induced behaviours because most of the drugs also affected considerably the behaviour of the control animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Multiple-risk behaviour in adolescents and young adults.

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the prevalence of four risk behaviours among teenagers and young adults: smoking, binge drinking, sex with multiple partners, and sex without a condom. DATA SOURCE: The data are from a Health Canada-sponsored supplement to the 1994/95 National Population Health Survey. The analysis is based on 905 respondents aged 15 to 19 and 1,055 respondents aged 20 to 24. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES: Prevalence estimates of the four risk behaviours were calculated for males and females in each age group. An index of multiple-risk behaviour was derived by summing the four risk behaviours. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine how sets of variables are related to multiple-risk behaviour. MAIN RESULTS: Multiple-risk behaviour was higher among young people who had never married, who were not students, and who did not live with a parent. Feeling distressed was positively linked with multiple-risk behaviour, while regular attendance at religious services was negatively linked with such conduct.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Parental use of alcohol and children's behavioural health: a household production analysis.

This study uses the 1988 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to examine the effects of both heavy and problem drinking as well as moderate or light parental alcohol use on children's behaviour problems. The analysis is formulated within Becker's household production function framework. The production of child behavioural health is estimated using items from the Behavior Problems Index, a battery of 32 questions about behaviour problems which is derived from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a widely-used parent report instrument. Measures of parents' alcohol consumption are constructed from the NHIS Alcohol Supplement that was administered to one randomly selected adult in each household in 1988. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and two-stage least squares (TSLS) results are presented. The results provide consistent evidence that parental alcohol use is an input with negative marginal product in the production of child behavioural health, regardless of which parent drinks. The magnitude of the effect is generally larger in the TSLS specification. There is also strong evidence of relationships between some family structure variables and child behavioural health and between parental physical health and child behavioural health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Behavioural disturbances in psychiatric inpatients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type in Taiwan.

This report studied behavioural disturbances in psychiatric inpatients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) in Taiwan. The sample consisted of 75 inpatients with DAT who were consecutively admitted to the geropsychiatric ward. Their behavioural disturbances were obtained from semistructured interviews with families and ward observation. There were eight main behavioural disturbances: getting lost, repetitive phenomena, sleep disturbance, aggression, wandering, hyperphagia, hoarding behaviour, and inappropriate sexual behaviour. Number of behavioural disturbances, wandering, hyperphagia and sleep disturbance were significantly associated with the severity of cognitive impairment.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Incidence and relationship between behavioural and psychological symptoms in Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the frequency and type of psychological and behavioural symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients in Poland, in various stages of the disease. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-nine patients with a diagnosis of probable AD in Global Deterioration (GDS) stages 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of dementia were examined in a search for behavioural and psychological symptoms. RESULTS: Behavioural and psychotic symptoms were most often found in GDS stages 5 and 6 of AD, except for depressive disorder, which was observed most frequently in GDS stage 4 and whose frequently decreased towards the terminal stages of dementia. From an analysis of the relationship between behavioural symptoms in the Polish AD patients, the following syndromes may be discriminated: psychotic syndrome (delusions and hallucinations), delusions with aggressive behaviour and hallucinations and anxiety. With more severe dementia, the syndromes, which could be the result of delirium, became more common. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis of delirium should be considered in moderately severe and severe dementia whenever a sudden change in patients' behaviour occurs.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Donepezil for behavioural disorders associated with Lewy bodies: a case series.

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) has been associated with important behavioural disturbances, such as psychotic symptoms. Unfortunately, neuroleptic sensitivity in these patients limits effective pharmacological management of these symptoms. Seven patients, five male and two female (mean age 75.3+/-4.7 years, range 68-81), diagnosed with DLB were treated with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil (5-10 mg once daily) to determine its effect on treating behavioural disorders. Although the intended length of treatment was a minimum of 8 weeks, only three patients completed 8 weeks of therapy, one patient completed 6 weeks, two patients completed 4 weeks and one patient was discontinued after 5 days. The primary outcome (behavioural disturbances) was measured prospectively by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), while other outcomes included cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) and Clinical Global Impression. Three of the seven subjects showed marked improvement in behaviour, with NPI scores dropping significantly over time. Donepezil therapy was discontinued prematurely in three of the cases due to insufficient response and/or adverse events. Overall, five of the seven patients were rated at least minimally improved in behavioural symptoms. Our experience with donepezil in this group of patients shows promise. Given the limited experience with this agent in treating behavioural disorders associated with DLB, further studies are warranted.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Contact chemostimuli in the mating behaviour of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus.

Mating of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus is mediated by chemical stimuli on the cuticle of females. Males are arrested on the dorsum of females attached to the host, frequently sample the substrate, and then tip-over to the ventrally located gonopore. These behaviours are also observed in vitro when males are placed on a small glass bead treated with a female extract. Time spent and tip-over by male ticks on dummies is used in an assay to test the behavioural significance of fractions of the extract. TLC separation yields one apolar fraction that arrests males, though much less so than the whole extract, but lost tip-over behaviour. This apolar fraction contains a series of cholesteryl esters that, when tested individually, show no arrestment activity at levels present in the extract but, when combined, are as active as the fraction. When a small silica column is used for fractionation, all biological activity is reproduced after recombining the fractions. In addition to the early eluting apolar fraction containing cholesteryl esters, a set of highly active more polar fractions is isolated. Electrophysiological recordings from gustatory sensilla on the pedipalps of male B. microplus, which are regularly brought into contact with the cuticle of the female during mating, provide evidence for receptors in two of them responding to the whole extract and to the behaviourally active polar fractions. Mating behaviour involving arrestment and tip-over is clearly initiated by a mixture of chemical stimuli, and tip-over behaviour is associated with the more polar material.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Prolegomena to a model of continuity and change in behavioural development.

It is now widely acknowledged that personality and behaviour are shaped in large measure by interactions between the person and the environment. There are many kinds of interaction but we suggest that three types play particularly important roles both in sustaining behavioural continuity across the life course and in guiding the trajectory of the life course itself. Reactive interaction occurs when different individuals exposed to the same environment experience it, interpret it and react to it differently. Evocative interaction occurs when an individual's personality evokes distinctive responses from others. Proactive interaction occurs when individuals select or create environments of their own. Within this framework we also examine systematic change and turning points in behavioural development. We have recently advanced a paradoxical theory suggesting that behavioural continuities are especially likely to be evident during periods of social discontinuity; that is, dispositional factors influence behaviour most when individuals enter new situations and assume new statuses. This model receives empirical support from both experimental and longitudinal-correlational research. The model also presents interesting implications for our understanding of turning points in behavioural development: to effect change in the life course, new situations must eliminate old options and create new opportunities. Convergent evidence from experimental and naturalistic designs is introduced to support this claim.

Behavior↗