Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the United Kingdom. Recent studies suggest that obesity is associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness and higher recurrence rates after treatment. Prognosis may therefore be improved by maintaining healthy weight but research on weight management is relatively scarce. Therefore a weight management programme was designed for prostate cancer patients and a pilot feasibility trial conducted with the aim to evaluate the compliance and effectiveness. Three preliminary studies; a systematic review, a questionnaire survey and qualitative research among patients and their partners, were carried out to inform the optimal design and delivery of the intervention. To identify effective components of the intervention, 778 titles and abstracts were screened in a systematic review. Twenty randomised controlled trials were included in the final review which consisted of six diet interventions, eight exercise interventions and six combined diet and exercise interventions. 256 men completed a mailed questionnaire survey and 48 participants (34 men and 14 partners) participated in six focus group discussions. This mixed-methods research informed the choice of the components, setting and mode of delivery of the intervention. A pilot feasibility study using a two arm randomised controlled trial design compared change in weight and quality of life (QoL) between a 12 week package of a group session, consultant's encouragement letter, monthly individual telephone-based dietitian-led consultations, web-based self-help resources, and pedometer in the intervention group and no intervention in a wait-list control group. 286 men with localized and locally advanced prostate cancer from UCAN (Urology CANcer Charity) Care Centre database were invited to participate of whom 95 responded. Sixty-two eligible men were randomly assigned to intervention (n=31) or wait-list control group (n=31) using minimisation on age, BMI and time since diagnosis. One man in the intervention group and three in the control group withdrew before baseline data collection. Another four men in the intervention group cannot be accommodated into the group schedule. The mean age of the remaining 54 participants at enrolment was 65.5 years (SD 5.6), mean weight 88.9 kg (SD 11.7), BMI 29.6 kgm-2 (SD 2.9) and QoL score 76.6 points (SD 19.0), with no significant difference between the two groups. At 12 weeks, the weight change in the intervention group was greater than in the wait-list control group with a significant group difference of −2.13 kg (95% CI −3.50 to −0.76 kg); p=0.003. The general QoL score change in the intervention group was also greater than in the wait-list control group with a significant group difference of +11.9 points (95% CI 4.6 to 19.2); p=0.002, after adjustment for baseline age, BMI and time since diagnosis. Over weeks 13-24, the intervention group continued to lose weight with a median (IQR) weight change of −1.25 (−3.45, 0.38) kg, which contributed to the overall weight change of −3.40 kg (95% CI −5.27 to −1.53 kg); p=0.001, from week 0-24. The wait-list control was offered a lower-cost mini-intervention of a consultant's encouragement letter, pedometer and the access to the same self-help resources of the weight management programme, but no group meeting or dietetic consultation, from week 13-24. Over this period, the mini-intervention group had a significant weight loss with a weight change of −2.37 kg (95% CI −3.24 to −1.50 kg); p=<0.001. There was no significant change in general QoL or any individual functional or symptom scales in either the intervention or wait-list control group from 12 to 24 weeks. This study can contribute to the future work in this new area which could help to improve clinical outcome in men treated for prostate cancer and inform clinical practice.

El present treball analitza al microscopi òptic i al microscopi electrònic de transmissió les glàndules sexuals accessòries de Sus domesticus (raça Landrace - varietat anglesa) a partir de mascles reproductors porcins adults i sans. Un millor coneixement dels patrons estructural i ultraestructural normals de las glàndules sexuals accessòries permetrà diagnosticar amb facilitat quina ha estat l'estructura o la funció glandular afectada en mascles en els que s'observa una disminució de la qualitat del semen. Per altra banda, els estudis anatomopatològics s'han de complementar amb tècniques histoquímiques que generalment permeten confirmar o excloure un diagnòstic histopatològic previ.Les glàndules sexuals accessòries del mascle reproductor porcí estan molt desenvolupades i inclouen les glàndules vesiculars, la pròstata i les glàndules bulbouretrals. L'epiteli secretor de les glàndules vesiculars està format per cèl·lules columnars, cèl·lules basals i mastòcits. Les cèl·lules columnars es caracteritzen per presentar tres morfologies diferents que es consideren diferents estadis d'un mateix tipus cel·lular: les cèl·lules principals, les cèl·lules clares i les cèl·lules denses. Les cèl·lules principals secreten activament glicoproteïnes N- i O- glicosilades amb residus d'&#945;-L-fucosa, &#945;(1&#61543;6)fucosa, &#945;-D-mannosa, &#945;-D-glucosa, &#945;- i &#61538;-D-N-acetilgalactosamina, &#61538;-D-galactosa-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamina, &#945;-D-galactosa, galactosa-&#61538;(1&#61543;4)-N-acetilglucosamina, D-N-acetilglucosamina i àcid neuramínic. Aquestes glicoproteïnes afavoreixen les interaccions entre l'espermatozoide i l'occit i regulen la permeabilitat de la membrana espermàtica. La pròstata està formada per dues porcions glandulars, el cos de la pròstata (BP) y la pròstata disseminada (DP), entre las quals s'observen diferencies estructurals, ultraestructurals, histoquímiques i funcionals. En ambdues porcions, l'epiteli secretor està constituït per cèl·lules columnars principals, denses i cèl·lules basals, i també per cèl·lules cúbiques en el BP i per cèl·lules mucoses en la DP. En ambdues porcions glandulars, se sintetitzen i secreten N- i O- glicoproteïnes neutres i àcides. Aquestes glicoproteïnes s'alliberen mitjançant un mecanisme regulat en el BP y mitjançant un mecanisme regulat i un constitutiu en la DP. Les glucoproteïnes luminals del BP contenen residus de fucosa, mannosa, &#945;- i &#61538;-D-N-acetilgalactosamina, galactosa-&#61538;(1&#61543;4)-N-acetilglucosamina, D-N-acetilglucosamina i àcid neuramínic. En la DP les glicoproteïnes presenten, a més, &#61538;-D-galactosa-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamina i &#945;-D-galactosa. Les glicoproteïnes secretades en el BP i en la DP per via regulada, participen en el control de l'estabilitat del plasmalemma dels espermatozoides, eviten la resposta immune uterina i l'aglutinació dels espermatozoides i afavoreixen la seva motilitat progressiva. Les glicoproteïnes secretades per via constitutiva en la DP protegeixen i lubrifiquen la uretra pelviana.L'epiteli secretor de les glàndules bulbouretrals està format per cèl·lules piramidals principals i denses. Les cèl·lules principals sintetitzen i secreten principalment O-glicoproteïnes àcides carboxilades i sulfatades amb residus glicosídics d'N-acetilgalactosamina, &#61538;-D-galactosa-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamina, &#945;-D-galactosa, D-N-acetilglucosamina i àcid neuramínic. Aquests residus proporcionen resistència a la proteolisi a les O-glicoproteïnes secretades, les quals participen en la lubrificació y protecció de l'epiteli, i intervenen en el control de la permeabilitat del plasmalemma dels espermatozoides i en el transport d'ions al seu través. / The present study evaluates by means of light and transmission electron microscopy, the accessory sex glands coming from adult and healthy boars (Sus domesticus Landrace breed - British variety). A deeper knowledge of the normal structural and ultrastructural patterns of the accessory sex glands will allow diagnosing easily the structure or the glandular function affected when a low spermatic quality is observed. On the other hand, anatomopathological studies must to be complemented with histochemical techniques which generally allow confirming or rejecting a previous histopathological diagnostic. The boar accessory sex glands were very developed and formed by the vesicular glands, the prostate and the bulbourethral glands. Columnar cells, basal cells and mast cells composed the secretory epithelium of the vesicular glands. Columnar cells showed three morphologies, which were considered different stages of the same cell typology and named: principal cells, clear cells and dense cells. Principal cells secreted actively N- and O- glycoproteins that exhibited residues of: &#945;-L-fucose, &#945;(1&#61543;6)fucose, &#945;-D-mannose, &#945;-D-glucose, &#945;- and &#61538;-D-N-acetilgalactosamine, &#61538;-D-galactose-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamine, &#945;-D-galactose, galactose-&#61538;(1&#61543;4)-N-acetilglucosamine, D-N-acetilglucosamine and neuraminic acid. These glycoproteins improve sperm-oocyte interactions and regulate plasma membrane permeability.The prostate was constituted by two glandular portions, the prostate body (PB) and the disseminate prostate (DP). Both of them showed structural, ultrastructural, histochemical and functional differences. Principal columnar cells, dense columnar cells and basal cells composed the secretory epithelium of these two glandular parts. The PB contained also cubic cells and the DP contained mucous cells. Both glandular portions synthesised and secreted N- and O- neutral and acid glycoproteins. These glycoproteins were thought to be released by a regulated pathway in the BP while in the DP the glycoproteins seemed to follow a regulated and a constitutive pathway. The BP luminal glycoproteins exhibited residues of: fucose, mannose, &#945;- and &#61538;-D-N-acetilgalactosamine, galactose-&#61538;(1&#61543;4)-N-acetilglucosamine, D-N-acetilglucosamine and neuraminic acid. The DP glycoproteins also contained &#61538;-D-galactose-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamine and &#945;-D-galactose residues.The BP and the DP glycoproteins secreted by the regulated pathway participate in the control of sperm membrane stability, avoid uterine immune response and sperm agglutination and, improve their progressive motility. The DP glycoproteins secreted by the constitutive pathway protect and lubricate the pelvic urethra.Principal and dense piramidal cells composed the secretory epithelium of the bulbourethral glands. The principal cells mainly synthesised and secreted carboxylated and sulfated acid O-glycoproteins with residues of: N-acetilgalactosamine, &#61538;-D-galactose-&#61538;(1&#61543;3)-D-N-acetilgalactosamine, &#945;-D-galactose, D-N-acetilglucosamine and neuraminic acid. These O-linked oligosaccharides make these proteins extremely resistant to proteolysis, provide lubrication and protection to the epithelium, and participate in ion transport throughout the plasma membrane.