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Carbon monoxide (CO) is the most common cause of fatal poisoning all over the world. At the cellular level, a combination of tissue hypoxia and direct cellular damage underlie the pathophysiology of CO toxicity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of CO treatment on oxidative stress parameters in mitochondria isolated from male and female rat brains. Mitochondria prepared from frontal cortex, hippocampus and corpus striatum were treated with 0.1% CO at 37°C for 30 minutes; control samples were not exposed to CO. Cytochrome c oxidase activity (COX), lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive species = TBARS), protein oxidation (protein carbonyls) and glutathione (GSH) levels were measured in CO treated and control samples. Our results confirmed previous studies reporting the inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase activity by CO in rat brain. Additionally, protein carbonyl levels in the hippocampus and striatum significantly increased after CO treatment in male rats. While CO treatment caused a significant decrease in GSH levels in the cortex and striatum in male rats, reduced GSH levels were observed in the cortex and hippocampus in female rats following CO exposure. Taken together, our data suggest a role for mitochondrial oxidative stress in CO toxicity at the cellular level during CO poisoning. Human & Experimental Toxicology (2007) 26, 645—651

In this study, the efficiency of the "Needle Immersed Vitrification" technique was tested on cryopreserved feline ovarian tissue. For vitrification, ovarian fragments (0.5-1.5 mm) from each ovary were collected; the grafts were exposed to 7.5-15% ethylene glycol and 7.5-15% dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature and stored in liquid nitrogen at least 1 week. Morphologic examinations, expression of genes such as B cell lymphoma 2, B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein, Bone morphogenetic protein 15, zone of polarizing activity, zona pellucida C protein and DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1, ultrastructural analysis and viability tests were carried out from collected grafts. Light microscopy examinations revealed the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles in a fresh group which was significantly higher than the treatment groups (p < 0.001). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and anti-caspase-3 staining observed in oocytes, follicle cells, interstitial tissue showed higher rates of apoptosis for post-vitrification and -transplantation groups than freshly grafted ovarian tissues. Furthermore, we observed significant downregulation of zone of polarizing activity and zona pellucida C protein gene expression in vitrified ovarian tissue grafts than in the fresh grafts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that the needle immersed vitrification method is a convenient, cheap, and feasible vitrification method for cat ovarian tissues. However, further studies need to be performed to determine more optimal vitrification solutions and equilibration times for the needle immersed vitrification method in order to adapt it for cat ovaries.

The aim of this study was to determine the serum concentrations, ovarian presence and expression of anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) in pre‐pubertal, bitches with signs of ovarian remnant syndrome (ORS) and intact bitches. In addition, we aimed to verify the suitability of serum AMH concentrations for diagnostic purposes in sterilized bitches and/or in suspected cases of ORS in the field of veterinary medicine. For this purpose, 36 healthy female dogs divided into six groups: proestrus, oestrus, dioestrus, anoestrus, pre‐pubertal and ORS. Serum AMH concentrations were determined by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, and ovarian presence and distribution of AMH was confirmed by immunohistochemical and qPCR techniques. According to the results of qPCR, while the expression values of AMH were at the highest concentrations in the proestrus and oestrus, there was a statistically significant decrease in these values at the later stages of the cycle (p < 0.05). According to hormone analysis, the serum AMH values of the ORS group had decreased significantly compared with the proestrus and oestrus (p < 0.05). Although serum AMH levels of ORS group were increased compared with anestrus and pre‐pubertal groups, this increase was statistically non‐significant (p > 0.05). Immunohistochemically, AMH expression was first observed in the granulosa cells of primordial follicles in folliculogenesis. Expression values were the highest in the proestrous and oestrus groups, but values from bitches in later stages of the cycle were statistically significant decrease in comparison with these groups (p < 0.05). As a result, AMH concentration and expression were found to be higher in proestrus and oestrus than in other periods (p < 0.05). In addition, the measurable level of AMH concentration in bitches with ORS is an indication that it can be used in the diagnosis of ORS.

In this study the effect of carprofen treatment on conception rate after insemination in Holstein cows that did not conceive for a long time after parturition was evaluated. In the study, 200 Holstein cows with days in milk >120 were used. A progesterone + ovsynch-based estrus synchronization protocol was applied to the cows included in the study. For this purpose, the progesterone device was placed intravaginally together with GnRH injection. Seven days later, the progesterone source was removed from the vagina and PGF2α injection was administered. GnRH injection was administered 48 hours following PGF2α injection and fixed-time insemination was performed 12-16 hours later. After insemination, animals were randomly divided into 2 groups. Subcutaneous carprofen was applied to the carprofen group (n = 100) on the 14th day after insemination and physiological saline was applied to the control group (n = 100) on the same day. Three cows from the carprofen group and 5 cows from the control group were excluded from the study for various reasons. The pregnancy rate was 42.26% (41/97) in the carprofen group and 25.26% (24/95) in the control group (p <0.05). However, the rate of conception was found to be the lowest (10.52%) in cows with high milk yield (>30 kg) in the control group. In addition, it was found that carprofen administration to cows with high milk yield increased the rate of conception. However, it was determined that the days in milk had no effect on pregnancy rate. As a result, it was concluded that the administration of carprofen on the 14th day after insemination to cows who could not conceive for a long time after parturition may be effective in increasing the rate of conception.

Objectives Termination rates for the highly recommended aglepristone (AGL) treatment are low in late-term pregnancy in queens. We studied the effects of an AGL and cloprostenol (CLO) combination in the termination of late-term pregnancy. Methods Pregnant queens were assigned to two groups. Queens in the AGL group (n = 10) received AGL 10 mg/kg, twice, 24 h apart. Queens in the AGL-CLO group (n = 9) were additionally injected with a single dose of CLO (5 μg/kg) 24 h after the second dose of AGL. Progesterone, 17beta(β)-oestradiol, cortisol, oxytocin and prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2α) metabolite were measured in sera obtained at days 0, 1 and 2, and on the day of abortion. Results Average gestational age in both groups was similar (AGL 38.61 ± 0.91 days vs AGL-CLO 39.39 ± 1.35 days; P >0.05). Termination rates were 80% and 100% in the AGL and AGL-CLO groups, respectively ( P <0.05). Fetal expulsion time was significantly longer ( P <0.001) in the AGL group (96.9 ± 6 h) compared with the AGL-CLO group (69.8 ± 3.3 h). Duration of abortion was 19.8 ± 2.6 h and 12.6 ± 1.4 h in the AGL and AGL-CLO groups, respectively ( P <0.05). Both treatments were well tolerated. Significantly ( P <0.05) lower serum progesterone concentrations were observed in both groups at the day of abortion and concentrations in the AGL-CLO group (4.19 ± 0.80 ng/ml) were lower than in the AGL group (9.89 ± 2.21 ng/ml; P <0.05). Conclusions and relevance AGL and CLO combination increases pregnancy termination rate in late-term pregnant queens. In addition, CLO contributes to a decrease in luteal function in AGL-treated late-term pregnant queens.

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