a b s t r a c t The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between follicular blood flow of the ovulatory follicle and the levels of serum E2 and nitric oxide (NO) in Ossimi ewe. Seven cyclic ewes were synchronized with a double injection PGF2. The follicular wave was examined daily until ovulation (disappearance of the large dominant follicle ultrasonographically) with transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography (8–10 MHz linear array transducer). The number of recruited follicles was 4.8 ± 0.9 (3–8 follicles) with diameter of 2.8 ± 0.1 mm. The interval from PGF2 injection to follicle deviation was 2.35 ± 0.07 days. The diameter of the first largest follicle (LF1) at recruitment day was 4 ± 0.3 mm while the diameter of the second largest follicle (LF2) was 3.7 ± 0.1 mm. The diameter of LF1 at the day of deviation was 5.1 ± 0.5 mm while the diameter of the LF2 was 4 ± 0.7 mm. The diameter of the ovulatory follicle was 6.1 ± 0.5 at day of ovulation. We detected the blood flow area of the ovulatory follicle at D2. At ovulation, the blood flow area and blood flow area percent increased significantly to be 11.9 ± 0.6 mm2 and 44 ± 3.4% respectively. The results showed a positive correlation between E2 and NO (r = 0.85, P 0.009). Both increased concomitantly with the diameter of the ovulatory follicle. Besides, NO and E2 reached a maximum level at ovulation (12.1 ± 1.8 ng/ml and 16.4 ± 1.7 pg/ml respectively).

a b s t r a c t The aim of the present study was to examine the relation between follicular blood flow of the ovulatory follicle and the levels of serum E2 and nitric oxide (NO) in Ossimi ewe. Seven cyclic ewes were synchronized with a double injection PGF2. The follicular wave was examined daily until ovulation (disappearance of the large dominant follicle ultrasonographically) with transrectal color Doppler ultrasonography (8–10 MHz linear array transducer). The number of recruited follicles was 4.8 ± 0.9 (3–8 follicles) with diameter of 2.8 ± 0.1 mm. The interval from PGF2 injection to follicle deviation was 2.35 ± 0.07 days. The diameter of the first largest follicle (LF1) at recruitment day was 4 ± 0.3 mm while the diameter of the second largest follicle (LF2) was 3.7 ± 0.1 mm. The diameter of LF1 at the day of deviation was 5.1 ± 0.5 mm while the diameter of the LF2 was 4 ± 0.7 mm. The diameter of the ovulatory follicle was 6.1 ± 0.5 at day of ovulation. We detected the blood flow area of the ovulatory follicle at D2. At ovulation, the blood flow area and blood flow area percent increased significantly to be 11.9 ± 0.6 mm2 and 44 ± 3.4% respectively. The results showed a positive correlation between E2 and NO (r = 0.85, P 0.009). Both increased concomitantly with the diameter of the ovulatory follicle. Besides, NO and E2 reached a maximum level at ovulation (12.1 ± 1.8 ng/ml and 16.4 ± 1.7 pg/ml respectively).

Although fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) have been detected in various environmental matrices worldwide, no studies have been conducted to evaluate their concentrations in surface water or precipitation. Therefore, we developed a sensitive and reliable method to analyze various environmental aqueous samples for the presence of trace levels of 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOAcr and 8:2 FTOMethacr FTOlefin using gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry. The recoveries obtained using this method ranged from 57.8% to 78.2% and the detection limits were 0.5, 0.2, 0.2, 0.05 and 0.1 ng L−1 for 6:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH, 8:2 FTOAcr and 8:2 FTOMethacr, respectively. Liquid and suspended phases of the examined samples were analyzed. The analysis revealed presence of telomer alcohols from the liquid phase only. Of the FTOHs evaluated, 6:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOMethacr FTOlefin were not found in any of the environmental samples. The average concentrations of 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOAcr of the precipitation samples were 1.97, 0.82 and 0.21 ng L−1, respectively. In surface water samples, the highest concentrations of 8:2 FTOH, 10:2 FTOH and 8:2 FTOAcr were 3.38, 4.06 and 0.16 ng L−1, which were observed in samples from the Daini-Neyagawa, Yamato and Kanzaki rivers, respectively. The total concentration of FTOHs in wastewater treatment plant effluents (23.2 ng L−1) was much higher than that of surface water (10.8 ng L−1). Taken together, the results of this study indicate that FTOHs released into the air contaminate rain and that those released from water disposal sites contaminate surface water

The uterine condition of clinically normal postpartum Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (n = 45) was evaluated once weekly (Weeks 3 to 7) by endometrial cytology, vaginal mucus collection device (VMCD), vaginoscopy, and ultrasonography to establish a relationship with postpartum resumption of ovulatory cycles. The time of first detection of the corpus luteum (CL) by ultrasonography and plasma progesterone concentration 1 ng/mL was recorded. By 49 d postpartum, 78% of the cows (n = 35) had resumed ovarian function (CL group), whereas the remainder (n = 10) had no CL (NCL group). There was a positive correlation between VMCD score and presence of fluid in the uterus in cows with a CL (P 0.01) duringWeek 3 postpartum but no significant correlation in cows without a CL. Percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN%) was higher in the NCL group (mean  SEM, 24.6  9.4%) than in the CL group (11.7  2.2%) duringWeek 5 postpartum (P 0.05). The PMN% (4.5  6.5%) and VMCD (0.5  0.5) scores duringWeek 5 in cows ovulating by Day 28 were lower (P 0.01) than the PMN% (15.0  14.3%) and VMCD (1.1  0.9) scores in those ovulating by Day 49. In conclusion, higher PMN% at 5 wk postpartum was associated with delayed resumption of ovarian cyclicity in high-producing dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the presence or absence of Corpus luteum (CL) on the follicular population during superstimulation in dairy cows (Holstein-Friesian cattle). Animals were divided into two groups as follows: (1) Growing CL group (G1): Cows (n = 7) received a total dose of 28 Armour units (AU) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) through the first 4 d (twice daily) after spontaneous ovulation (Day 0). (2) CL Absence group (G2): Cows (n = 10) received prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) at 9 or 10 d after ovulation. After 36 h, all the follicles (larger than 5 mm) were aspirated (Day 0). The FSH treatment started 24 h after aspiration and continued for 4 d. The number of small (3 to 5 mm), medium (5 to 8 mm), and large (8 mm) follicles was examined on Days 1, 3, and 5 in all groups. Blood samples were collected daily for 5 d, and progesterone (P4), estradiol (E2), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone (GH) in plasma were measured by enzyme immunoassays. The results showed that in G1, the P4 level increased gradually from 0.5 ng/mL at Day 1 to 2 ng/mL at Day 5, whereas in G2, the P4 level was completely below 0.5 ng/mL. All cows of the G2 group showed an increase of E2 at Day 3 or Day 4 followed by an increase of IGF-1 within 24 h, while GH increased concomitantly with the E2 increase in 8 of 10 trials. On the other hand, cows of the G1 group showed neither E2 nor IGF-1 increase. Moreover, at the end of the treatment, the number of follicles in the G2 group was significantly increased compared with that of the G1 group (22.8  2.0 vs. 11.6  2.0). In conclusion, low P4 level during FSH treatment enhanced multiple follicular growth and E2 secretion, which was followed by increase of IGF-1 and GH. Therefore, the absence of the CL may play a critical role in the superovulation response by controlling the number of growing follicles

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the presence or absence of Corpus luteum (CL) on the follicular population during superstimulation in dairy cows (Holstein-Friesian cattle). Animals were divided into two groups as follows: (1) Growing CL group (G1): Cows (n = 7) received a total dose of 28 Armour units (AU) follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) through the first 4 d (twice daily) after spontaneous ovulation (Day 0). (2) CL Absence group (G2): Cows (n = 10) received prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) at 9 or 10 d after ovulation. After 36 h, all the follicles (larger than 5 mm) were aspirated (Day 0). The FSH treatment started 24 h after aspiration and continued for 4 d. The number of small (3 to 5 mm), medium (5 to 8 mm), and large (8 mm) follicles was examined on Days 1, 3, and 5 in all groups. Blood samples were collected daily for 5 d, and progesterone (P4), estradiol (E2), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and growth hormone (GH) in plasma were measured by enzyme immunoassays. The results showed that in G1, the P4 level increased gradually from 0.5 ng/mL at Day 1 to 2 ng/mL at Day 5, whereas in G2, the P4 level was completely below 0.5 ng/mL. All cows of the G2 group showed an increase of E2 at Day 3 or Day 4 followed by an increase of IGF-1 within 24 h, while GH increased concomitantly with the E2 increase in 8 of 10 trials. On the other hand, cows of the G1 group showed neither E2 nor IGF-1 increase. Moreover, at the end of the treatment, the number of follicles in the G2 group was significantly increased compared with that of the G1 group (22.8  2.0 vs. 11.6  2.0). In conclusion, low P4 level during FSH treatment enhanced multiple follicular growth and E2 secretion, which was followed by increase of IGF-1 and GH. Therefore, the absence of the CL may play a critical role in the superovulation response by controlling the number of growing follicles