Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-132) Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 74-81).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-112).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Inaug.-Diss.--Berlin. / At head of title; Aus der chirugischen abteilung des krankenhauses "Am urban" zu Berlin (Direktor: prof. dr. Gohrbandt). Lebenslauf. "Literaturangabe": p. [57]-58.

Thesis (DTech (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / Many environmental, physiological, and genetic factors have been shown to impair sperm function through oxidative damage. Oxidative stress (OS) arises as a consequence of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and/or impaired antioxidant defence mechanisms. The decline in male reproductive health generated considerable public and scientific concerns about the possible role of environmental contaminants. A better understanding of how OS affects sperm function will be beneficial as it might help in the design of new and effective treatment strategies to combat the problem of increasing male subfertility. Studies have suggested that antioxidant nutrients and/or medicines play a protective role in human health. Crude red palm oil (RPO) is known to be the richest natural plant source of antioxidants such as carotenoids, tocopherols and metalloporpheryns. The aims of this study were twofold: (i) To establish an in vivo animal model of OS by exposing rat to organic hydroperoxide such as t-butyl hydroperoxide (tbHP) and cumene hydroperoxide (cHP) through repeated intraperitoneal injections that can be used for studying these effects on testicular tissue, epididymal sperm and sperm function as well as male reproductive parameters in general. (ii) To investigate the effects of a RPO supplemented diet on male reproductive parameters and tissue in animals exposed to OS. In the first part of the study, male Wistar rats aged 10-12 weeks were randomly placed in groups and received standard rat chow (SRC) and water ad lib. Animals were injected intraperitoneally with saline (0.5 ml), t-butyl hydroperoxide (5µM, 10µM, 20µM and 40µM; 0.5 ml) or cumene hydroperoxide cHP (2.5µM, 5µM, 10µM and 20µM; 0.5 ml) over a 60 day period. In the second part, male Wistar rats aged 10-12 weeks were placed randomly in three groups and fed with SRC. Group 1 received no supplement while the food of groups 2 and 3 were supplemented with 2 mL and 4 mL RPO (in 25 gm SRC/day) respectively. Each group was further divided into 3 subgroups and injected intraperitoneally daily with either saline, 10µM cHP or 20µM tbHP respectively. This was done for 5 consecutive days per week over a 60 day period. Sperm concentrations, and motility, lipid peroxidation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) activities as well as apoptosis were assessed.

Orientador: César Roberto Esper / Banca: Paulo Henrique Franceschini / Banca: Vera Fernanda Martins Hossepian de Lima / Banca: Rogerio Taveira Barbosa / Banca: Rubens Paes de Arruda / Resumo: Três grupos de 8 touros, sendo cada grupo formado por 4 animais da raça Simental (Bos taurus taurus) e 4 da raça Nelore (Bos taurus indicus), perfazendo um total de 24 touros com idade aproximada de 30 meses foram submetidos a dietas isoenergéticas com diferentes níveis de proteína degradável no rúmen e água ad libitum. As rações foram constituídas basicamente de feno de Tifton 85, farelo de soja, milho e uréia (Nitrogênio Não Protéico) e formuladas individualmente para cada touro de acordo com a análise bromatológica dos ingredientes, peso e ingestão dos animais. Na dieta do grupo controle (C) foram seguidas as normas do NRC (1996) para nutrição de touros em reprodução. Na dieta do grupo "gradual" (G) foram acrescidas 30% e, após quatro semanas, 75% de proteína degradável em relação à dieta controle, através do aumento na quantidade fornecida de uréia (NNP). Na dieta do grupo "Choque" o nível de proteína degradável foi 110% superior à ração do grupo controle durante todo o período experimental. Os touros permaneceram em baias individuais e após o período de adaptação de 21 dias foram submetidos semanalmente a colheitas de sêmen. O sêmen dos animais foram obtidos por eletroejaculação e avaliados quanto aos exames físicos do sêmen (turbilhonamento, motilidade, vigor e concentração) e morfologia espermática durante o período experimental de 15 semanas. Foram realizadas colheitas semanais de sangue 2 horas após a alimentação dos animais com a finalidade de mensurar os níveis plasmáticos de amônia e uréia durante seu pico de produção. Os ejaculados dos touros dos grupos tratados (Cq e G) apresentaram menor turbilhonamento, motilidade, vigor e concentração em relação ao grupo controle (C) a partir da décima terceira semana de experimento (P<0,01). / Abstract: Three experimental groups, each containing eight bulls, were given isoenergetic diets with different levels of ruminal-degradable protein and ad libitum water. Each group was constituted by four Fleckvieh (Bos taurus taurus) and four Nellore (Bos taurus indicus) bulls, in a total of 24 animals with mean age of 30 months. Diets were composed basically of Tifton 85 hay, soy bran, corn and urea (non-proteic nitrogen; NPN) and formulated for each animal individually, according to ingredients' bromatologic analysis, animal's weight and uptake capacity. For the Control-group (C-group) diet, NRC (1996) nutrition recommendations for bulls on reproduction were followed. In the Gradual-group (G-group) diet, 30% more ruminal-degradable protein (compared to the C-group) was added, and after four weeks, the level increased to 75% through the addition of urea (NPN). For the Choque-group (Cq-group), degradable protein level was 110% higher than in Cgroup during all experimental period. Bulls were maintained in individual boxes and after an adaptation period of 21 days, semen samples were collected. Semen was obtained through electroejaculation and analysed for physical (whirl movement, motility, vigour and concentration) and morphological characteristics during the period of 15 weeks. Blood sampling was performed weekly two hours after feeding in order to measure ammonia and ureal levels during its peak production. Treatment groups (Cq-group and G-group) presented lower whirl movement, motility, vigor and concentration than the C-group after the 13th week (P<0,01). Spermatic morphology showed increased levels of greater spermatic defects for taurines (P<0,05) during all experimental period, but no significant differences were observed among treatments for these characteristics. Significant differences in plasmatic urea (P<0,01) occurred. / Doutor

Orientador: Mary Massumi Itoyama / Banca: Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo-Oliveira / Banca: Fernanda Cristina Alcântara dos Santos / Resumo: Heteroptera é uma Subordem da Ordem Hemiptera, que possui cerca de 40 mil espécies distribuídas em oitenta famílias, dentre elas está a família Pentatomidae que se destaca por ser uma das maiores famílias com cerca de 4.100 espécies, representando, aproximadamente, 11% do total de espécies de Heteroptera. As espécies de Pentatomidae Chinavia impicticornis, Edessa meditabunda, E. collaris e Thyanta perditor foram estudadas nesse trabalho devido ao sua importância econômica, tendo em vista que são espécies fitófagas que causam grandes perdas em diversas culturas. Os machos das espécies foram coletados na região de São José do Rio Preto, os testículos foram fixados e posteriormente processados para analise em microscopia eletrônica de transmissão, os blocos obtidos foram trimados, cortados, contrastados e analisados com microscópio eletrônico de transmissão Leo - Zeiss, do Centro de Microscopia e Microanálise (IBILCE-UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP) e com o microscópio eletrônico de transmissão Jeol JEM - 100 CXII da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP-USP). As eletromicrografias das espécies estudadas apresentaram características ultraestruturais semelhantes às encontradas para diversos indivíduos de diferentes ordens, dentre essas características estão a formação do acrossomo, a partir de uma grande vesícula secretada pelo complexo de Golgi e que se localiza na região apical/lateral do núcleo. O núcleo, também, sofre transformações semelhantes às relatadas para grande parte dos insetos passando de um estado grande e esférico com a cromatina dispersa para um estado pequeno e fusiforme e com a cromatina extremamente condensada. Outra estrutura observada foi o adjunto do centríolo que se mostrou uma estrutura eletrondensa na região basal do núcleo. Também foi observada a migração das mitocôndrias para um polo celular... / Abstract: Heteroptera is a suborder of the Hemiptera order, which has approximately 40,000 species distributed in eighty families, among them is the Pentatomidae family that stands out for being one of the largest families with approximately 4,100, representing approximately 11% of the total species of Heteroptera. The species of Pentatomidae Chinavia impicticornis, Edessa meditabunda, E. collaris and Thyanta perditor were studied in this work because of their economic importance, given that they are phytophagous species that cause great losses in several crops. Males of the species were collected in the region of São José do Rio Preto, the testes were fixed and then processed for analysis by transmission electron microscopy, the obtained blocks were trimmed, cut, contrasted and analyzed with transmission electron microscope Leo - Zeiss, of the Centro de Microscopia e Microanálise (IBILCE-UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP) and the transmission electron microscope Jeol JEM - 100 CXII of Faculdade de Medicina of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP-USP). The species have similar ultrastructural characteristics to those found in many individuals of different orders, among these features is the acrosome formation from a large vesicle secreted by Golgi apparatus and located in the apical/lateral area of the nucleus. The nucleus also undergoes changes similar to those reported for most insects, passing of a great and spherical state with chromatin dispersed to a small and fusiform state and highly condensed chromatin. Another structure was observed the centriolar adjunct that showed electrodense structure in the basal region of the nucleus. We also observe the migration of mitochondria for the cell and its subsequent fusion was observed forming the mitochondrial complex or "Nebenkern", which later splits to form two symmetrical mitochondrial derivatives, with the presence of paracrystalline structures / Mestre

Environmental pollution and its effect on the living organisms has attracted lots of attention recently. There is a growing body of evidence that we are exposed to environmental pollutants at low concentrations in everyday life. The cells and organisms have tools to identify, neutralize and excrete the majority of the toxic compounds. The most dangerous are those that can escape this process or act at low trace concentrations. Endocrine disruptors (EDs) belong to the latter group. Endocrine disruptors can be of natural and anthropogenic origin. EDs target corresponding hormonal receptors and can act at low concentrations. A wide family of nuclear receptors recognize steroid hormones. The majority of EDs can pass through the cytoplasmic membrane, use the hydrophobic nature of the receptor-ligand binding, trigger hormone response and change the expression of the sensitive genes. By interfering with estrogen and androgen signaling, EDs can have effect on the whole organism, but the reproductive system is influenced most. In the present work, our aim was to develop the methods for ED detection and monitoring, analyze the estrogenic potency of EDs, and evaluate the effects of natural estrogens and EDs on male reproductive functions, including sperm and testicular physiology and endocrine functions. First, we...

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The role of male germ cell death in spermatogenesis is an important one as it removes dysfunctional or genetically damaged germ cells and is necessary to maintain an optimal germ cell to Sertoli cell ratio. The formation of the bloodtestis barrier requires the elimination of excessive germ cells and a surge of germ cell apoptosis occurs prior to puberty regulating the ratio of germ cells to Sertoli cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of four apoptotic markers on sperm from patients with various grades of fertility using flow cytometry. Furthermore, any correlations between the apoptotic marker assays and the standard semen analysis results were identified. This study compares early and late parameters of apoptosis with morphological features in spermatozoa in the same samples. The three sample groups were identified as: teratozoospermic [G-pattern] (n=26), teratozoospermic [P-pattern] (n=98) and oligoteratozoospermic [Ppattern] (n=36). Standard semen analysis was conducted on the semen samples according to the WHO guidelines. Four apoptotic marker assays using flow cytometry was applied in this study to examine the apoptotic alterations in ejaculate sperm. These assays included the Annexin-V staining for the determination of phosphatidylserine exposure, APO-Direct to identify DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 to detect expression of this active protease during early apoptosis and Fas expression. For the Annexin-V and caspase-3 assays, statistically significant differences (P&lt;0.05) were evident between the three groups. No significant differences (P&gt;0.05) were found between the groups with respect to the APO-Direct assay. A significant difference (P&lt;0.05) was found when comparing the teratozoospermic [G-pattern] group and the oligoteratozoospermic [P-pattern] group for the Fas assay. A strong positive correlation was evident between the Fas and the caspase-3 assays in the teratozoospermic [G-pattern] group. For the teratozoospermic [P-pattern group] the following positive correlations existed between the APO-Direct and the Fas assays, APO-Direct and caspase-3 assays and between caspase-3 and Fas assays. The only strong positive correlation was between the caspase-3 and APO-Direct assays in the oligoteratozoospermic [P-pattern] group. The presence of spermatozoa showing microscopic features resembling apoptosis has been identified in ten human ejaculate samples per sample group. Electron microscopy was used to identify morphological features of apoptosis in these human sperm samples. Classical apoptosis as observed in diploid cells could be identified in sperm and these included: loose fibrillarmicrogranular chromatin network, presence of vacuoles in the nuclear chromatin, membranous bodies within the vacuoles of the chromatin, partially disrupted nuclear membranes, plasma membrane protuberances and apoptotic bodies containing cytoplasmic vacuoles and dense masses. This study has confirmed that semen samples with abnormal semen parameters exhibit the presence of apoptotic markers in sperm. The identification of apoptotic markers on the sperm suggests that abnormalities occur during their developmental process, however, the exact mechanism thereof remains unclear. These findings may suggest that certain apoptotic markers may be an indicator of abnormal sperm function and possibly indicative of male infertility. / South Africa