Fish may respond to different social situations with changes in both physiology and behaviour. A unique feature of fish is that social interactions between males and females strongly affect the sexual characteristics of individuals. Here we provide the first insight into the endocrine background of two phenomena that occur in mono-sex groups of the black molly (Poecilia sphenops): masculinizati...

In female rats, food intake is reduced during the period in the estrous cycle when the rat is sexually receptive and ovulation is imminent (Wade and Gray, 1979). By contrast, food intake is increased during lactation in the postpartum period (Linden et al, 1990) and sexual behaviour and ovulation are inhibited (Sodersten et al, 1983). There are several examples demonstrating that the neuroendoc...

Recent studies of Drosophila courtship mutants provide a molecular foundation for sexual orientation and behaviour.

This study is based on quantitative data collected from 347 school children in grades 8, 9 and 10 from three high schools in Windhoek, Namibia. Three schools were randomly selected from three strata (that is; one from low fees, another from medium fees and the last from high fees schools). This was done in order to accommodate children from different financial background. The main objective of ...

BACKGROUND Since nearly half of new HIV infections worldwide occur among young people aged 15-24 years, changing sexual behaviour in this group will be crucial in tackling the pandemic. Qualitative research is starting to reveal how social and cultural forces shape young people's sexual behaviour and can help explain why information campaigns and condom distribution programmes alone are often n...

Donkeys are bred throughout the world and often play an important role in agriculture. They are also bred to produce mules. Traditionally, jacks are considered challenging to breed in domestic conditions, whether for natural breeding or semen collection using either jennies or mares. The donkey’s natural sexual behaviour significantly differs from that of other domestic animals. This presents c...

Understanding the relationships among variables can be difficult if the variables covary with time. Using a simple, commonly used statistical procedure to control for the passage of time, we demonstrate that some hormonal changes traditionally assumed to be causally related to the transition from sexual to parental behaviour can be explained by seasonal changes in the hormones and the fact that...

This paper discusses sexual behaviour findings collected through eleven homogenous focus group discussions conducted among women and men in a predominantly Zulu population in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The objective of this paper is to shed light on sexual behaviour in a rural community. The findings suggest that sex is a taboo subject and the discussion around it is concealed in the us...

This paper reviews the influence of social mechanisms on oestrus and sexual motivation in pigs. The social relations between the animals and the signals they send out can inhibit as well as encourage their social motivation. Social stimuli from both boars and other sows in oestrus tend to induce and synchronise oestrus and ovulation amongst sows. The courting behaviour of boars is also facilita...

In developing countries risky sexual behaviour among young people is on the increase. This study examined the likelihood of HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in reducing risky sexual behaviour among undergraduates in Lagos Metropolis in Nigeria. The main hypothesis tested in the study was the uptake of HCT is likely to reduce risky sexual behaviour among young undergraduates. A multistage sampl...