Effects of the hydromethanolic extract of Austroplenckia populnea (Celastraceae) on reproductive parameters of male rats

Austroplenckia populnea (Reiss.) Lundell. was selected for this study because it has been shown that some plants from the Celastraceae family have antifertility effects. Twelve adult male rats were treated with hydromethanolic extract made from the leaves, 500 mg/kg/day, orally, for 70 days. Distilled water was administered to the control animals (n = 10). At the end of the experiment, and before killing the rats, their sexual behavior was evaluated. The number of intromissions, latencies to first mount and ejaculation, and first intromission after ejaculation were significantly reduced in the treated group, but the total number of ejaculations did not differ from the control group. The weight and histology of the reproductive organs, sperm production, spermatogenesis, prostate fructose content, cauda epidydimides duct diameter, and sperm morphology were not affected. Sperm concentration in cauda epidydimides was significantly decreased. The results showed that A. populnea has effects on male rat reproduction, affecting the sexual behavior and epididymal sperm concentration. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of neonatal clomiphene citrate on fertility and sexual behavior in male rats

In order to investigate the participation of estrogen during the period of brain sexual differentiation, male rats were treated with clomiphene citrate in the neonatal phase. Fertility and sexual behavior were assessed during adult life. Sexual maturation, body weight, and wet weight of the testes were unchanged. Although the adult male rats treated with clomiphene in the neonatal phase presented a significant reduction in the frequency of mounts, 90% of these rats were able to mate with normal females, which became pregnant. However, these females exhibited a significantly increased number of pre- and post-implantation losses. When these adult male rats were castrated and received estrogen, 60% presented female sexual behavior (receptive behavior and acceptance of mount). Thus, treatment of pups with clomiphene immediately after birth has a long-term effect on the reproductive physiology and sexual behavior of male rats. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fenvalerate, A Pyrethroid Insecticide, Adversely Affects Sperm Production and Storage in Male Rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Copulatory efficiency and fertility in male rats exposed perinatally to flutamide

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Reproductive effects in male rats exposed to diuron

Diuron is a ureic herbicide considered to have very low toxicity. The present study evaluated several aspects of reproductive toxicity of diuron in adult male rats. Diuron was diluted in corn oil and administered by oral gavage to groups of 18-20 rats at doses of 0, 125 or 250 mg/kg per day for 30 days; the control group received only the corn oil vehicle. At the end of the treatment period, approximately half the animals from each group were assigned to one of two terminal assessment lines: (1) reproductive organ, liver and kidney weights; measurement of diuron concentrations in liver and kidney; plasma testosterone determinations; evaluation of daily sperm production per testis; sperm number and sperm transit time in the epididymis; or (2) sexual behavior assessment during cohabitation with a receptive female; fertility and pregnancy outcome after natural mating; testicular, epididymal, kidney and liver histopathology; sperm morphology. After 30 days of oral diuron treatment, there were no treatment-related changes in body weights, but dose-related diuron residues were detected in the liver of all treated rats and absolute and relative liver weights were increased in both groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the treated and control groups obtained in plasma testosterone concentrations, or in parameters of daily sperm production, sperm reserves in the epididymis, sperm morphology or measured components of male sexual behavior. on the other hand, the number of fetuses in the litters from diuron-treated rats was slightly smaller than litters from control rats. Therefore, although the results did not indicate that diuron exposure resulted in direct male reproductive toxicity in the rat, they suggest that additional studies should be undertaken to investigate the possible effects on fertility and reproductive performance. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of methylmercury on male reproductive functions in Wistar rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Functional and Morphological Reproductive Aspects in Male Rats Exposed to Di-n-Butyl Phthalate (DBP) in Utero and During Lactation

The potential adverse reproductive effects, with emphasis on the epididymis, of in utero and lactational exposure to 100 mg/kg/d di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) in adult male rat offspring were investigated. The fetal testis histopathology was also determined. The selected endpoints included reproductive organ weights, sperm motility and morphology, sperm epididymal transit time, sperm quantity in the testis and epididymis, hormonal status, fetal testis and epididymal histopathology and stereology, and androgen receptor (AR), aquaporin 9 (AQP9), and Ki-67 immunoreactivities. Pregnant females were divided into two groups: control (C) and treated (T). The treated females received DBP (100 mg/kg/d, by gavage) from gestation day (GD) 12 to postnatal day (PND) 21, while control dams received the vehicle. Some pregnant dams were killed by decapitation on GD20, and testes from male fetuses were collected for histopathogy. Male rats from other dams were killed at PND 90. Fetal testes from treated group showed Leydig-cell clusters, presence of multinucleated germinative cells, and increase of the interstitial component. Testosterone levels and reproductive organ weights were similar between the treated and control adult groups. DBP treatment did not markedly affect relative proportions of epithelial, stromal, or luminal compartments in the epididymis; sperm counts in the testis and epididymis; sperm transit time; or sperm morphology and motility in adult rats. The AR and AQP9 immunoreactivities and proliferation index were similar for the two groups. These results showed that fetal testes were affected by DBP as evidenced by testicular histopathologic alterations, but reproductive parameters and epididymal structure/function were not significantly altered in the adult animals exposed to 100 mg/kg DBP in utero and during lactation.

Oral exposure to methylmercury modifies the prostatic microenvironment in adult rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Testosterone Promotes an Anabolic Increase in the Rat Female Prostate (Skene's Paraurethral Gland) Which Acquires a Male Ventral Prostate Phenotype

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

the human hand. I. Movements of the index ANALYSE ELECTROMYOGRAPHIQUE DU PREMIER MUSCLE INTEROSSEUX DORSAL DE LA MAIN HUMAINE

An electromyographic study of the musculus interosseus dorsalis was performed on the right hand of 25 young adult male right-handed volunteers. The electrodes, simple coaxial needles, were implanted one at the ulnar head and the other at the radial head of the muscle. The muscles were analyzed during free movements of the index and against resistance. The same movements were done in four different positions of the fore-arm and hand, without variation in the results for each one of the movements. There was no significant difference between the activities of the ulnar head and radial head. During freely performed movements, muscle activity was recorded only during abduction. During movements against resistance, muscle activity was completely nil only during adduction; during the remaining movements, however, moderate (2+), strong (3+) and very strong activity (4+) was recorded.

Electromyographic behaviour of the gastrocnemius muscle during knee extension and flexion performed on the leg press

The gastrocnemius was analysed in 10 male volunteers during knee flexion and extension with the foot in normal, plantar flexion and dorsal flexion positions. Hewlett-Packard surface electrodes, an electromyographic signal amplifier, a computer equipped with an AID conversion plaque (Model CAD 10/26), a software specially designed to record and analyse the signals, a horizontal leg press, and electrogoniometers were used. The gastrocnemius muscle showed strong potentials at the end of knee extension and beginning of knee flexion. The muscle presented a similar activity both in the zipper and lower platforms. As to bilateral action, the right gastrocnemius presented stronger potentials on the upper platforms, whereas the potentials were bilaterally similar on the lower platforms. As for foot position, the gastrocnemius presented strong potentials when the foot was in plantar flexion. The remaining positions had no effect on the work of the muscle.

Electromyographic validation of the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles in military press exercises with open grip.

It was studied the trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle in 24 male volunteers using a 2-channel TECA TE 4 electromyograph and Hewlett Packard surface electrodes, during the execution of four different modalities of military press exercises with open grip. The results showed that TS acted significantly in the modalities standing and sitting press behind neck, while SI acted in all the modalities, i.e., standing and sitting press behind neck and forward, justifying their inclusion as basic exercises for physical conditioning programmes.

Electromyographic validation of the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles in military press exercises with open and middle grip

Electromyographic activity of the trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle was analysed in 4 different modalities of military press exercises, each of them with 2 grips: open and middle. It was analyzed 24 male volunteers using a 2-channel TECA TE 4 electromyograph and Hewlett Packard surface electrodes. The TS and SI muscles acted with high and very high activity in all the modalities of military press exercises. Statistically, they did not show significative difference in the performance of the exercises with open and middle grip, justifying the inclusion of this group of exercises with both grips for the physical conditioning programmes.

Electromyographic validation of the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles in military press exercises with middle grip

Electromyographic activity of the trapezius muscle and serratus anterior muscle was analysed in 24 male volunteers using a 2-channel TECA TE 4 electromyograp, during the execution of four different modalities of military press exercises with middle grip. The trapezius acted preferentially in the modalities standing press behind neck; and sitting forward and press behind neck, while SI did not show any significative difference among the modalities. The high levels of action potentials with which TS and SI acted justify the inclusion of these exercises in physical programmes.

Reproductive changes in male rats treated perinatally with an aromatase inhibitor.

The effects of maternal exposure to aromatase inhibitor during the perinatal period of sexual brain differentiation were studied. The fertility was assessed in adult, male rat offspring of aromatase inhibitor-treated dams. The following results were obtained: (1) Sexual maturation, body weight, and wet weights of testis, pituitary, seminal vesicle, ventral prostate, and levatori ani muscle were unchanged at adult life. (2) Fifty percent of the animals were able to mate with normal females, which became pregnant but exhibited an increased number of preimplantation loss. (3) There was a decrease in the number of spermatozoa found in the testes and in the daily sperm production. (4) Of those, 25% of the male rats treated with aromatase inhibitor did not present male sexual behavior, showing female behavior when pretreated with estrogen. These results indicate that perinatal exposure to aromatase inhibitor during the critical period of male brain sexual differentiation has a long-term effect on the reproductive physiology and behavior of male rats.