Assessement of effects of cadium chloride exposure on the anaphylaxis reaction to food was done on six week old Swiss and BALB/c female mice. The animals were exposed to cadium as cadium chloride for either three days or six weeks. Intra-peritonal dose of cadium chloride was injected once a day, five days per week for three successive weeks. The animals were then sensitised to cow's milk by force-feeding with cow's milk for three consecutive days. Oral exposure of mice to a high dose of cadium resulted in cytotoxicity of liver and kidney cells. Retardation in growth rate and haematology change were detected. Proliferative response to the T-cell epitope from the circumsporozoite protein of plasmodium falsiparum was decreased in cultures of lymph node cells from cadium chronically treated mice and sensitised with the same peptide. In contrast, an increase of cell proliferation was observed when cow's milk was used instead. Significant increase in Immunoglobulin E level and Anaphylactic reaction dependent on the quantity of cadium exposed were recorded. No protective effect of ascorbic acid or zinc acetate on cadium alteration of immune response was observed / Master of Science (Hons) (Food Science)

Tobacco dependence is high in women who suffer from anxiety disorders yet little is known about the contributions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) on anxiety-like behavior. β2*nAChRs (*denotes assembly with other subunits) are the most abundantly expressed nAChRs in the brain yet little is known about the contributions of β2*nAChRs on anxiety-like behavior in female mice. In this study, antagonism and nicotine effects on anxiety-like behavior was investigated across the life span in 6, 12 and 24-month-old drug-naïve knockout (KO), heterozygous (HET) and a gain of function α6L9S mice and wild type (WT). HET mice showed increased sensitivity to di-hydrobeta-erythroidine compared to WT mice. Aged mice showed decreased locomotor activity and exploratory behavior compared to younger mice. Low doses of nicotine produced anxiolytic-like effects, whilst a high dose of nicotine produced anxiogenic-like effects. Activation of the α6*nAChRs supports an anxiolysis-like phenotype. These results implicate α4β2*nAChRs and α6β2*nAChRs in anxiety-like behavior.

<p> Bisphenol-A (BPA), used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, has established estrogenic properties. Early pregnancy in mice is highly sensitive to exogenous estrogens, particularly during the period of blastocyst implantation. Accordingly, I assessed pregnancy outcome, implantation, urinary hormone levels and uterine morphology following BPA exposure. Subcutaneous injections of BPA administered on days 1 through 4 of gestation reduced litter size at a dose of 3 mg/animal/day and decreased the proportion of parturient females at 10 mg/animal/day. Hysterectomies performed on day 6 of pregnancy confirmed a significant disruption of implantation occurring at doses as low as 6 mg/animal/day. Urinary progesterone levels were also reduced by 10 mg/animal/day. Uterine luminal area expanded substantially in response to increasing doses of BPA. Luminal epithelial cell height increased following exposure to 10.125 mg/animal, whereas there were no differences in the number of corpora lutea among conditions. The proportion of cells staining positively for estrogen receptors was affected non-monotonically, showing highest levels at 3.375 mg/animal and lowest levels at 10.125 mg/animal. Similarly progesterone receptor expression measured through western blots related non-monotonically to dose, being highest at 3.375 mg/animal and diminishing with increasing dose. Effects of a single administration of BPA on days 0, 1, or 2 of gestation were also investigated. A single dose of 10 mg reduced the number of implantation sites when given on day 0 or 1, and 6 mg did so on day 1, but there was no such effect of any dose administered on day 2. Exposure to low, environmentally-relevant doses of BPA did not result in any clear reproductive or hormonal effects. These studies highlight the detrimental effects BPA exposure induces during early pregnancy and provides further evidence of its weak estrogenic properties in vivo.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Female mammals are known to exhibit pregnancy failure when exposed to various stimuli during the implantation phase of pregnancy. When newly inseminated female mice are exposed to novel males in the absence of the sire, implantation is disrupted. This phenomenon is known as the Bruce effect. When females are exposed to novel males in the presence of the sire, pregnancy failure does not occur. This latter effect has been referred to as the sire protection effect. In these studies we examine the nature of female and sire behaviour in the context of novel males. Female interactions with novel males significantly decrease in the presence of the sire. This reduction in female-novel male interaction in seen irrespective of whether sires are free or confined within the female's cage. Novel-male exposed females exhibit pregnancy failure and this pregnancy block is removed when either free of corral-confined sires remain present in the cage. Finally, sires are highly motivated to engage in aggressive conflicts with novel males both in the presence and absence of the pregnant female. Sires were observed to behave aggressively towards novel males through a wire-mesh grid and in this context were able to inflict severe wounding upon novel males through the wire-mesh partition. In a direct exposure paradigm, sires were also witnessed to exhibit this aggression and were found to initiate and win all conflicts with novel males. The sire protection affect is likely to involve a complex of both pheromonal and behavioural cues. Sire aggression towards novel males, pheromonal communication and limited behavioural interaction between the sire and the female, and reduced femalenovel male interaction are all likely components of the effect. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Os ligamentos são estruturas estabilizadoras estáticas das articulações e desempenham um papel importante na junção mecânica. Podem ser influenciadas por fatores de diversas naturezas, inclusive adaptações sofridas durante o período puerperal. Na gravidez existem grandes modificações hormonais que preparam o organismo materno para o desenvolvimento do embrião e feto, bem como para a parturição. Assim, sob ação hormonal os ligamentos e a sínfise púbica têm suas características mecânicas alteradas preparando a mãe para o parto. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar mecanicamente as modificações sofridas na sínfise púbica e no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho, durante a gestação e na fase final. Para o estudo foram utilizadas 44 ratas da raça Wistar, com massa corporal inicial média de 301.1 / 8,1g e idade aproximada de 100 dias. Os animais foram divididos em três grupos experimentais: o grupo controle, grupo prenhez I e o grupo prenhez II. Para constituição do grupo prenhez I e II, fêmeas férteis foram acasaladas com machos e o coito foi comprovado pela presença de espermatozóides no lavado vaginal obtido da fêmea. Confirmando a prenhez, os animais foram mantidos em gaiolas até o décimo sexto dia para o grupo prenhez I e sacrificados, para o grupo prenhez II foi esperado até o vigésimo dia de gestação e sacrificados, sendo coletados a pelve e os joelhos de ambos os grupos. Após preparo, a sínfise púbica e o ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho foram ensaiados mecanicamente em tração, com obtenção dos seguintes parâmetros: carga no limite máximo e rigidez. Os resultados comparados com as fêmeas controles não prenhes mostraram que para a sínfise púbica houve aumento da rigidez e diminuição da carga no limite máximo. Para o ligamento cruzado anterior não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos / Ligaments are static stabilizer structures of the joints and play an important role in the mechanical junction. They may be influenced by factors of several natures, including adaptations suffered during the puerperal period. There are in pregnancy big hormonal modifications that prepare the maternal organism for the embryo and fetus development, as well to parturition. Thus, under hormonal actions the ligaments and the pubic sinfisis have their mechanical features shifted preparing the mother for the labor. This paper aimed to point out the shifts occurred by the pubic sinfisis and by the knee anterior cruciate ligament during pregnancy and in the final phase. For the study were used 44 mice Wistar breed, corporal average mass of 301,1 / 8,1g and approximated age of 100 days. They were divided into 3 experimental groups: control group, pregnancy I group and pregnancy II group. For the disposition of the control group, the animals were expected to complete 120 days, then sacrificed and collected the pelvis and the knees. For pregnancy group I and II, fertile females were mated with males and the coitus was proved with the presence of spermatozoids in the vaginal washed obtained from the female. Once confirmed pregnancy, the animals were kept in cages until the 16th day for pregnancy group I and so only collected the animal’s pelvis. For pregnancy group II was expected until the 23rd day of pregnancy and sacrificed, being collected the pelvis and the knees. After preparing, the pubic sinfisis and the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee were mechanically tested in traction, obtaining the following parameters: load in maximum border line and stiffness. The results compared with non pregnant females showed that to the pubic sinfisis there was an increase of stiffness and a load in maximum border line decrease. For the anterior cruciate ligament there was no significant difference between the groups

Os ligamentos são estruturas estabilizadoras estáticas das articulações e desempenham um papel importante na junção mecânica. Podem ser influenciadas por fatores de diversas naturezas, inclusive adaptações sofridas durante o período puerperal. Na gravidez existem grandes modificações hormonais que preparam o organismo materno para o desenvolvimento do embrião e feto, bem como para a parturição. Assim, sob ação hormonal os ligamentos e a sínfise púbica têm suas características mecânicas alteradas preparando a mãe para o parto. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar mecanicamente as modificações sofridas na sínfise púbica e no ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho, durante a gestação e na fase final. Para o estudo foram utilizadas 44 ratas da raça Wistar, com massa corporal inicial média de 301.1 / 8,1g e idade aproximada de 100 dias. Os animais foram divididos em três grupos experimentais: o grupo controle, grupo prenhez I e o grupo prenhez II. Para constituição do grupo prenhez I e II, fêmeas férteis foram acasaladas com machos e o coito foi comprovado pela presença de espermatozóides no lavado vaginal obtido da fêmea. Confirmando a prenhez, os animais foram mantidos em gaiolas até o décimo sexto dia para o grupo prenhez I e sacrificados, para o grupo prenhez II foi esperado até o vigésimo dia de gestação e sacrificados, sendo coletados a pelve e os joelhos de ambos os grupos. Após preparo, a sínfise púbica e o ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho foram ensaiados mecanicamente em tração, com obtenção dos seguintes parâmetros: carga no limite máximo e rigidez. Os resultados comparados com as fêmeas controles não prenhes mostraram que para a sínfise púbica houve aumento da rigidez e diminuição da carga no limite máximo. Para o ligamento cruzado anterior não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos / Ligaments are static stabilizer structures of the joints and play an important role in the mechanical junction. They may be influenced by factors of several natures, including adaptations suffered during the puerperal period. There are in pregnancy big hormonal modifications that prepare the maternal organism for the embryo and fetus development, as well to parturition. Thus, under hormonal actions the ligaments and the pubic sinfisis have their mechanical features shifted preparing the mother for the labor. This paper aimed to point out the shifts occurred by the pubic sinfisis and by the knee anterior cruciate ligament during pregnancy and in the final phase. For the study were used 44 mice Wistar breed, corporal average mass of 301,1 / 8,1g and approximated age of 100 days. They were divided into 3 experimental groups: control group, pregnancy I group and pregnancy II group. For the disposition of the control group, the animals were expected to complete 120 days, then sacrificed and collected the pelvis and the knees. For pregnancy group I and II, fertile females were mated with males and the coitus was proved with the presence of spermatozoids in the vaginal washed obtained from the female. Once confirmed pregnancy, the animals were kept in cages until the 16th day for pregnancy group I and so only collected the animal’s pelvis. For pregnancy group II was expected until the 23rd day of pregnancy and sacrificed, being collected the pelvis and the knees. After preparing, the pubic sinfisis and the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee were mechanically tested in traction, obtaining the following parameters: load in maximum border line and stiffness. The results compared with non pregnant females showed that to the pubic sinfisis there was an increase of stiffness and a load in maximum border line decrease. For the anterior cruciate ligament there was no significant difference between the groups

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-15T20:31:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 FernandaAS_DISSERT.pdf: 1414995 bytes, checksum: e7e006bb87888d5b4777f2f259d7afd8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-29 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Ovarian xenografting is an auxiliary reproductive technique that allows the conservation of germplasm of high value livestock or endangered species. The use of exogenous gonadotropins assists in developing these xenografted tissues and obtaining viable follicles for in vitro embryo production (IVEP), however this use has not been reported in xenograftings of cats ovaries with C57BL/6 SCID female mice as recipients. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the response of xenografting of domestic cat ovaries to equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) when grafted into C57BL/6 SCID female mice. Therefore, domestic cats ovarian cortex fragments were grafted under the kidney capsule of fifteen C57BL/6 SCID mice after bilateral ovariectomy. At the end of 45 days, the female mice were divided into two groups and those who did not receive hormone induction (eCG ) were euthanized at the time of induction. Females who received hormonal induction (eCG +) were euthanized after 48 hours. All collected tissues were taken for histologic processing. The proportions between the different ovarian follicles were compared by the chi-square test. The morphometric analysis of the follicles were compared between the experimental groups by the Tukey test (primordial follicles, primary and secondary) and Kruskal-Wallis (antral follicles). Macroscopically, it was possible to observe a low number (16%) of antral follicles with more than 1mm in transplants treated with eCG. In the microscopic analysis, follicles from all categories were observed in transplants and all had normal morphology and morphometry for the studied species (Felis catus), being however observed larger primordial and primary follicles in those eCG + transplants. There was a decrease in primordial follicles percentages and an increase in subsequent categories, mainly in antral follicles of eCG + group, and this condition is proposed here characterized as Follicular Right Shift (FRS). Luteinized follicles were also observed in transplants treated with eCG. Thus, it is concluded that the treatment with eCG is effective when it comes to follicular development, but it did not show a good superovulatory response / Xenotransplante ovariano é uma técnica reprodutiva auxiliar que permite a conservação do germoplasma de espécies de alto valor zootécnico ou em perigo de extinção. O uso de gonadotrofinas exógenas auxilia no desenvolvimento desses tecidos xenotransplantados e na obtenção de folículos viáveis para produção in vitro de embriões (PIVE), entretanto esse uso não foi relatado em xenotransplante de ovários de gatas com fêmeas C57BL/6 SCID como receptora. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar a resposta do xenotransplante ovariano de gata doméstica à gonadotrofina coriônica equina (eCG) quando transplantados em fêmeas C57BL/6 SCID. Para tanto, fragmentos de córtex ovariano de gatas domésticas foram transplantados sob a cápsula renal de quinze camundongas C57BL/6 SCID após ovariectomia bilateral. Ao final de 45 dias, as fêmeas foram divididas em dois grupos e aquelas que não receberam indução hormonal (eCG ) foram eutanasiadas no momento da indução. As fêmeas que receberam indução hormonal (eCG +) foram eutanasiadas 48h após. Todos os tecidos colhidos foram levados para processamento histológico. As proporções entre os diferentes folículos ovarianos foram comparadas pelo teste de qui-quadrado. A análise morfométrica dos folículos foi comparada entre os grupos experimentais pelo teste de Tukey (folículos primordial, primário e secundário) e Kruskal-Wallis (folículo antral). Macroscopicamente foi possível observar um baixo número (16%) de folículos antrais com mais de 1mm nos transplantes tratados com eCG. Na análise microscópica, folículos de todas as categorias foram observados nos transplantes e todos apresentaram morfologia e morfometria normais para a espécie estudada (Felis catus), sendo, porém observado folículos primordiais e primários maiores naqueles transplantes eCG +. Houve uma redução nas porcentagens de folículos primordiais e aumento nas categorias subsequentes, principalmente nas de folículos antrais do grupo eCG +, sendo essa condição caracterizada como Follicular Right Shift (FRS). Folículos luteinizados também foram observados nos transplantes tratados com eCG. Dessa maneira, conclui-se que o tratamento com eCG foi eficaz em se tratando de desenvolvimento folicular, mas não apresentou boa resposta superovulatória

Pubertal timing displays wide, normally distributed variation in a healthy population of sexually maturing adolescents. However, like many complex traits, factors contributing to the variation are not well understood. Epigenetic regulation may contribute to some of the population variation. The role that epigenetics, specifically DNA methylation and histone acetylation, may play in regulating pubertal timing was investigated in C57BL/6 female mice: investigating whether population variation in pubertal timing among inbred mice could be explained by environmental factors; whether perturbing the epigenome using a histone deacetylase inhibitor or methyl-donor would alter pubertal timing; and examining genome-wide methylation patterns in hypothalami of early versus late maturing mice. Results demonstrate that measurable micro-environmental factors have only negligible effects on pubertal timing; pubertal timing was significantly altered by administration of epigenetic modifying agents; differences in methylation patterns are subtle. This initial evidence supports the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating pubertal timing.

Pubertal timing displays wide, normally distributed variation in a healthy population of sexually maturing adolescents. However, like many complex traits, factors contributing to the variation are not well understood. Epigenetic regulation may contribute to some of the population variation. The role that epigenetics, specifically DNA methylation and histone acetylation, may play in regulating pubertal timing was investigated in C57BL/6 female mice: investigating whether population variation in pubertal timing among inbred mice could be explained by environmental factors; whether perturbing the epigenome using a histone deacetylase inhibitor or methyl-donor would alter pubertal timing; and examining genome-wide methylation patterns in hypothalami of early versus late maturing mice. Results demonstrate that measurable micro-environmental factors have only negligible effects on pubertal timing; pubertal timing was significantly altered by administration of epigenetic modifying agents; differences in methylation patterns are subtle. This initial evidence supports the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating pubertal timing.