Expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2, now known as PTGS2), prostaglandin E2 synthase (PTGES, PGES), and prostaglandin F2a synthase (PGFS), of the respective receptors PTGFR (FP), PTGER2 (EP2), and PTGER4 (EP4) and of the progesterone receptor (PGR, PR) was assessed by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), or in situ hybridization (ISH) in utero/placental tissue samples collected from three to five bitches on days 8-12 (pre-implantation), 18-25 (post-implantation), and 35-40 (mid-gestation) of pregnancy and during the prepartal luteolysis. Additionally, ten mid-pregnant bitches were treated with the antiprogestin aglepristone (10 mg/kg bw (2!/24 h)); ovariohysterectomy was 24 and 72 h after the second treatment. Plasma progesterone and 15-ketodihydro-PGF2a (PGFM) concentrations were determined by RIA. Expression of the PGR was highest before implantation and primarily located to the endometrium; expression in the placenta was restricted to the decidual cells. PTGS2 was constantly low expressed until mid-gestation; a strong upregulation occurred at prepartal luteolysis concomitant with an increase in PGFM. PGFS was upregulated after implantation and significantly elevated through early and mid-gestation. PTGES showed a gradual increase and a strong prepartal upregulation. PTGFR, PTGER2, and PTGER4 were downregulated after implantation; a gradual upregulation of PTGFR and PTGER2 occurred towards parturition. ISH and IHC co-localized PGFS, PTGFR, PTGES, and PTGS2 in the trophoblast and endometrium. The changes following application of aglepristone were in the same direction as those observed from mid-gestation to prepartal luteolysis. These data suggest that the prepartal increase of PGF2a results from a strong upregulation of PTGS2 in the fetal trophoblast with the withdrawal of progesterone having a signalling function and the decidual cells playing a key role in the underlying cell-to-cell crosstalk.

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The effect of subclinical mastitis on serum estradiol and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels during oestrus and subsequent fertility was investigated in dairy cows. 40 cows were divided into two groups as healthy control (n=20) and subclinical mastitis (n=20), according to the results of California Mastitis Test (CMT) and bacteriological isolation and identification. Cows were synchronised with a standart 7 day Ovsynch protocol. Following prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2α) administration, cows were examined with trans-rectal ultrasonography at 24, 36 and 48 th h, dominant follicle diameters were recorded and blood samples were collected. Sixteen h after the second gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) administration, cows were inseminated and a final examination of ovaries were performed and dominant follicle diameters were recorded. estradiol and TNF-α concentrations were analysed with ELISA in serum samples. No significant differences were found between the follicular diameters and growth patterns (P>0.05) of the two groups while estradiol concentations were significantly higher in the subclinical mastitis group than the control group at 24 and 48 h after PGF2α injection (P=0.017 and P=0.036 respectively). Also TNF-α levels were significantly higher in cows with subclinical mastitis than the control group (P=0.03). Positive correlations were observed between estradiol and TNF-α levels, in both groups (Control Group: R=0.512, P=0.021; Subclinical Mastitis Group: R=0.826, P<0.001). Overall pregnancy rate was higher in the control group (40%) than the subclinical mastitis (25%) group however the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In conclusion estradiol and TNF-α concentrations were found higher in cows with subclinical mastitis during estrus and this data may be due to a luteal insufficiency during the initiation of synchronization, however further studies are required. Özet Süt ineklerinde subklinik mastitislerin serum östradiol ve tümör nekrozis faktör alfa (TNF-α) düzeyleri ve fertilite üzerine etkileri araştırıldı. Kaliforniya Mastitis Test (CMT) ve bakteriyolojik izolasyon identifikasyon sonuçlarına göre 40 inek sağlıklı kontrol (n=20) ve subklinik mastitisli (n=20) olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. İnekler standart bir 7 günlük Ovsynch protokolü ile senkronize edildi. Prostaglandin F2 alfa (PGF2α) uygulamasını takiben inekler 24, 36 ve 48. saatlerde transrektal ultrasonografi ile muayene edildi, dominant follikül çapları kaydedildi ve kan örnekleri toplandı. İkinci gonadotropin salgılatıcı hormon (GnRH) uygulamasını takiben 16. saatte inekler tohumlandı, son bir ovaryum muayenesi yapıldı ve dominant follikül çapları kaydedildi. Serum örneklerinde östradiol ve TNF-α düzeyleri ELISA ile belirlendi. Folikül çapları ve folliküler gelişim özelliği yönünden iki grup arasında önemli bir fark görülmezken (P>0.05), serum östradiol konsantrasyonları subklinik mastitis grubunda kontrol grubuna göre PGF2α enjeksiyonunu takiben 24 ve 48. saatlerde belirgin ölçüde yüksek bulundu (sırasıyla, P=0.017 ...

Forty-one mammary gland tumors from twenty eight bitches were used for the study. Ultrasonographic examinations of tumor masses were performed before surgical excision and a quadratic region-of-interest (ROI) was chosen randomly on B-mode tumor images for the echotexture analyses. All tumors were evaluated histopathologically after surgery. Contrast (CONT), Mean Gradient (MG), Mean Value (MV), Homogeneity (HOM), Entropy (ENTR) and Gray Value (GV) parameters were used for the texture analyses of ultrasonographic images. Ultrasonographic image characteristics were additionally evaluated by the following macroscopic patterns: tumor shape, invasion of tumor to surrounding tissue, tumor border sharpness, echogenicity of tumor, hyperechogenic artifact, anechogenic artifact, and shadow around tumor. After B-mode ultrasonographic examination, Pulsatility Index (PI), Resistive Index (RI), Peak Systolic Flow Velocity (Vmax) and Number of Color Pixel (CP) parameters were evaluated by means of color Doppler sonography. Statistical analysis of the HOM and GV parameters indicated that there was a significant difference between benign (3.10 and 1.14) and malignant tumors (1.54 and 0.57; P<0.01). Besides, a significant difference was found between images of MalignantMixed Tumors (MMT) and Benign-Mixed Tumors (BMT) with regard to CONT and HOM (p< 0.001). In addition, MV was significantly higher in malignant tumors in comparison to the benign cases (P<0.05). A significant negative correlation was found between tumor size and MV in malignant tumor and adenocarcinoma cases (-0.991/ P<0.05; -0.999/P<0.01, respectively). On the other hand, there was a positive correlation between tumor size and GV (0.961/P<0.05) in malignant tumors. Keywords

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Özet: Bu çalışmanın amacı oksitosin destekli uterus yıkamalarını takiben yapılan hormon uygulamalarının önceki aşım sezonlarında birkaç kez çiftleştirilmelerine karşın gebe kalmayan kısraklarda follikül aktivitesi, ovulasyonun indüksiyonu ve gebelik sonuçları üzerindeki etkisini ortaya koymaktır. Çalışmada önceki aşım sezonlarında infertilite problemi görülen değişik ırklardan 12 kısrak kullanıldı. İntrauterin yıkama (8-10 litre %0.9 NaCl solusyonu en az üç gün süreyle akıntı temiz görülene kadar) hormon uygulamalarından önce, östrus başlangıcında tüm kısraklara uygulandı ve çiftleşmelerden sonra sorun saptananlarda yıkamalar yenilendi. Oksitosin (20 IU, i.v.) The effects of uterine lavage and hormonal treatments on follicular activity and some fertility parameters in the onset of breeding season in mares with reproductive failure Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of uterine lavage and concurrent oxytocin administrations followed by various hormonal treatments on follicular activity, induction of ovulation and pregnancy rates in mares with the history of infertility in previous breeding season. In this study, twelve different breed mares were used. Uterine lavages (8-10 litres of 0.9 % NaCl for at least 3 consecutive days until clean lavage fluid is observed) were done at the onset of oestrous before hormonal administrations and repeated after inseminations if necessary. Oxytocin was administered (20 IU i.v.) for 5 consecutive days. Mares were grouped as follows; Group I (n=4): Intravaginal CIDR-B (1.9 g progesterone) in diestrous for 10 days combined with i.m. PGF2α on day 7 and on the day of CIDR-B removal in combination with i.m. estradiolbenzoate (5 mg) and subcutaneous desloreline acetate (DA; a GnRH analogue; 2.1 mg, Ovuplant ® implant) as follicles reach the diameter of 30 mm. In group II (n=4); DA alone when follicles ≥30 mm are present. In group III (n=4); Control group, no hormonal treatments. Mean ovulation time following DA administrations was 41.16±8.15 h while ovulations occurred at 90.0±22.97 h after ultrasonographic detection of 35 mm diameter follicles in control group mares. Preovulatory follicles (≥35 mm) were detected at 84.0±30.7 h following CIDR-B removal and ovulation of these follicles occurred at 50.7±15.4 h of reaching preovulatory diameter. Percentages of ovulations were 70%, 100% and 40% in groups I, II and III, respectively. Six mares (75%) became pregnant in Group I and II. However, due to embryonic losses, four mares carried their pregnancies to term. Only one (25%) mare became pregnant in the control group. In conclusion, it was observed that uterine lavage and concurrent oxytocin administrations followed by various hormonal treatments were increased reproductive performance in stud farm mares with the history of infertility in previous breeding season.