Search results for "Endocrine System"
showing 10 items of 1530 documents
Differential expression of estrogen receptors (ER?/ER?) in testis of mature and immature pigs
2004
High affinity estrogen receptors (ERs) mediate estrogen action in male reproductive tissues. The objective of the present study was the immunolocalization of estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta in immature and mature testes of pig, a species in which the role of estrogens on gonadal function is scarcely known. Testes from 3 and 18 month-old pigs were investigated. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin embedded-tissues using both mouse anti-human monoclonal IgG ERalpha and IgG ERbeta 1 isoform. Western blot analysis demonstrated antibody specificity. ERalpha staining was not observed in immature testes, but it was detected in spermatogonia, spermatocytes and in the mo…
Data from: Not only for egg yolk - functional and evolutionary insights from expression, selection and structural analyses of Formica ant vitellogeni…
2015
Vitellogenin, a storage protein, has been extensively studied for its egg-yolk precursor role, and it has been suggested to be fundamentally involved in caste differences in social insects. More than one vitellogenin copy has been reported in several oviparous species, including ants. However, the number and function of different vitellogenins, their phylogenetic relatedness and their role in reproductive queens and non-reproductive workers has been studied in few species only. We studied caste biased expression of vitellogenins in seven Formica ant species. Only one copy of conventional vitellogenin was identified in Formica species, and three vitellogenin homologues, derived from ancient …
The Guilty Couch Potato: The Role of Ego Depletion in Reducing Recovery Through Media Use
2014
This article addresses ego depletion as a mechanism influencing media-based stress recovery processes. Using structural equation modeling, relationships between ego depletion, procrastination, guilt, enjoyment, vitality, and recovery experience were tested using data from an online survey (N = 471). Results suggest that ego depletion may increase the risk of negatively appraising the use of interactive (video games) and noninteractive (television) entertaining media as a form of procrastination. The resulting guilt is negatively related to the recovery experience associated with using entertainment. Therefore, ego-depleted individuals may benefit less from the psychological recovery potenti…
Dense genotyping of immune-related disease regions identifies nine new risk loci for primary sclerosing cholangitis
2013
To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the page Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a severe liver disease of unknown etiology leading to fibrotic destruction of the bile ducts and ultimately to the need for liver transplantation. We compared 3,789 PSC cases of European ancestry to 25,079 population controls across 130,422 SNPs genotyped using the Immunochip. We identified 12 genome-wide significant associations outside the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex, 9 of which were new, increasing the number of known PSC risk loci to 16. Despite comorbidity with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 72% of the cases, 6 of the 12 loci sh…
Polymorphisms in FTO and near TMEM18 associate with type 2 diabetes and predispose to younger age at diagnosis of diabetes
2013
Variations in the FTO gene and near the TMEM18 gene are risk factors for common form of obesity, but have also been linked with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Our aim was to investigate the contribution of these variants to risk of T2D in a population in Latvia. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the first and fourth intronic regions of FTO and one close to TMEM18 were genotyped in 987 patients with T2D and 1080 controls selected from the Latvian Genome Data Base (LGDB). We confirmed association of SNPs in the first intron (rs11642015, rs62048402 and rs9939609) of FTO and rs7561317 representing the TMEM18 locus with T2D. Association between SNP in FTO and T2D remained significant after c…
Beta- and gamma-melanocortins inhibit lipopolysaccharide induced nitric oxide production in mice brain.
2003
The pro-opiomelanocortin-derived peptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) mediates many diverse physiological actions, including anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, little is known about the physiological roles of the other melanocortins, beta- and gamma-MSH. Here, we investigated the effects of melanocortin peptides in an in vivo neuroinflammation model. Six hours following intracisternal (i.c.) administration of 10 microg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mice a five-fold increase in the nitric oxide (NO) level was seen in the animals' brains, when detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). All tested melanocortins, alpha-, beta-, gamma1- and gamma2-…
The lipopolysaccharide O side chain of Vibrio vulnificus serogroup E is a virulence determinant for eels
1997
Vibrio vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium capable of producing septicemic infections in eels and immunocompromised humans. Two biotypes are classically recognized, with the virulence for eels being specific to strains belonging to biotype 2, which constitutes a homogeneous lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-based O serogroup (which we have designated serogroup E). In the present study we demonstrated that the O side chain of this LPS determines the selective virulence of biotype 2 for eels: (i) biotype 1 strains (which do not belong to serogroup E) are destroyed by the bactericidal action of nonimmune eel serum (NIS) through activation of the alternative pathway of complement, (ii) biotype 2 str…
Predictive Capacity of Boar Sperm Morphometry and Morphometric Sub-Populations on Reproductive Success after Artificial Insemination
2021
The aim of the study was to compare the morphometric features of sperm head sizeand shape from the Pietrain line and the Duroc×Pietrain boar crossbred terminal lines, and toevaluate their relationship with reproductive success after artificial insemination of sows producedfrom crossbreeding the York, Landrace and Pietrain breeds. Semen samples were collected from 11sexually mature boars. Only ejaculates with greater than 70% motility rate and <15% of abnormalsperm were used for artificial inseminations (AI) and included in the study. Samples were analyzedusing an ISAS®v1 computer-assisted sperm analysis system for eight morphometric parameters ofhead shape and size (CASA-Morph). Sub-populat…
Relationship between Fertility Traits and Kinematics in Clusters of Boar Ejaculates
2021
The aim was to determine the relationship between kinematic parameters of boar spermatozoa and fertility rates of sow, as well as to assess the effect of sperm clusters on the fertility capacity of the ejaculate. Semen samples were collected from 11 sexually mature boars. Samples were analyzed by an ISAS®v1 CASA-Mot system for eight kinematic parameters. Ejaculate clusters were characterized using multivariate procedures, such as principal factors (PFs) analysis and clustering methods (the k-means model). Four different ejaculate clusters were identified from two kinematic PFs which involved linear trajectory and velocity. There were differences (p 0.05) between dam lines and ejaculate clus…
Maternal Motivation: Exploring the Roles of Prolactin and Pup Stimuli
2020
Motherhood entails increased motivation for pups, which become strong reinforcers and guide maternal behaviours. This depends on steroids and lactogens acting on the brain of females during pregnancy and postpartum. Since virgin female mice exposed to pups are nearly spontaneously maternal, the specific roles of endocrine and pup-derived signals in the induction of maternal motivation remain unclear. This work investigates maternal motivation in dams and virgin female mice, using a novel variant of the pup retrieval paradigm, the motivated pup retrieval test. We also analyse the role of prolactin (PRL) and of stimuli derived from a litter of pups and its mother, in the acquisition of matern…