Hamster caput epididymal spermatozoa exhibit a marked 90-180 degree bend when induced to acquire progressive motility in vitro (Cornwall et al, 1988). Flagellar bending is prevented by oxidizing sperm sulfhydryl (SH) groups with diamide. In the present study, the authors examined the SH proteins involved in sperm flagellar bending using two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mon...

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in sperm maturation during epididymal transit, we intended to isolate secretory molecules that are region-specifically expressed along the epididymis and secreted into the lumen of epididymal ducts. By using differential display screening and DNA sequence analyses, we isolated a rat bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) possessing a si...

The prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites and the gross pathological lesions produced by them in different types of poultry were studied from March 2005 to March 2006, in the Department of Parasitology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. In this study, 240 viscera of three types of poultry such as broiler, layer and backyard indigenous chickens were collected from local...

With the expansion of saline-alkaline tolerant rice in China, effects salinity stress (NaCl) on quinclorac-resistant Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv (E. crus-galli) is unclear. In this study, growth chamber experiment was conducted to test germination and physiology seven populations E. with quinclorac-different resistance levels which were collected from Hunan province. The results showed th...

Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski) is an exotic annual grass invading rangelands in the western United States. Medusahead is a serious management concern because it decreases biodiversity, reduces livestock forage production, and degrades the ecological function of rangelands. Despite the obvious importance of ranchers as partners in preventing and managing medusahead in rangel...

Region-specific gene expression is an intriguing feature of the mammalian epididymis. This unique property is essential for sperm maturation and storage, and it also implicates stringent and multi-level regulations of gene expression. Over the past decade, the androgen-driven activation of epididymal gene transcription has been extensively studied. However, it still remains largely unexplored w...

Erythrina crista-galli (Fabaceae) is used in Argentinean ethnopharmacology as anti-inflammatory medication, narcotic, desinfectant, and for the treatment of wounds. The common name of the tree is "ceibo" or coral tree. The dominating endophytes in E. crista-galli all belong to the genus Phomopsis as identified by microscopic features and the analysis of their ITS sequences. To investigate a pos...

Mammalian spermatozoa undergo important plasma membrane maturation steps during epididymal transit. Among these, changes in lipids and cholesterol are of particular interest as they are necessary for fertilization. However, molecular mechanisms regulating these transformations inside the epididymis are still poorly understood. Liver X receptors (LXRs), the nuclear receptors for oxysterols, are ...