Lack of Efect of Short-term Lupin Grain Feeding on Ovulation Rate in Non-prolific Polish Mountain Ewes during the Breeding Season: Ultrasonographic and Endoscopic Assessment of Ovarian Activity.

The specific changes in antral follicle numbers and wave-like development have remained unrevealed in cyclic ewes fed high-protein, high-energy lupin grain for 6 days during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle (i.e., short-term nutritional flushing). This study was mainly conducted to determine ovarian effects of the 6-day lupin grain feeding in non-prolific Polish Mountain ewes, using transrectal ovarian ultrasonography and abdominal videoendoscopy. Estrus and ovulations were synchronized in 24 ewes with progestin-releasing intravaginal sponges for 12 days during the middle portion of the breeding season (September-October; 50.0458°N, 19.8406°E). Twenty-four ewes were assigned to three equal groups (n=8 each), including the Control group being fed the maintenance diet (i.e., hay-only), Treatment 1 receiving 500 g of lupin grain once a day, and Treatment 2 receiving 250 g of lupin grain twice a day, from days 9-14 of the synchronized estrous cycle (day 0=first ovulation of the interovulatory period studied). No differences were observed in the mean ovulation rate among the three groups of Polish Mountain ewes (P>0.05). Ovarian antral follicles emerging in the penultimate wave of the estrous cycle in Treatment 2 ewes had a longer growth phase (p <0.05) and attained a greater diameter (p <0.05) before ovulation, in comparison to those in the other two groups. A final wave of the interovulatory interval emerged ~1 day earlier in Treatment 2 than in Treatment 1 ewes (p <0.05). Nutritional supplementation with lupin grain increased the number of 3-mm follicles in Treatment 2 ewes (p <0.05). The results of this study indicated that short-term nutritional flushing with lupin grain from mid- to late luteal phase did not consistently enhance ovulatory responses in non-prolific genotypes of ewes. Although the administration of lupins altered the timing of wave emergence, ovulatory follicle diameter, or duration of different stages of the follicular lifespan, it failed to increase the number of ovulatory follicles emerging in the penultimate and final waves of the estrous cycle in non-prolific Polish Mountain sheep.

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in fine-needle aspirates from breast carcinoma and benign breast diseases.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the levels of cyclooxygenase (COX), the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin H(2), and of prostaglandins are higher in various tumors and cells during inflammation than in normal tissues. The aim of the present study was to analyze whether COX-2 isoform expression was noticeably higher in fine-needle aspirates (FNA) from breast carcinoma than in FNA from fibroadenoma and fibrocystic breast tissue. COX-2 expression was detected by immunocytochemical (IC) staining and was analyzed by microscopic scoring and computer gray-scale analysis. Evaluation of COX-2 IC positivity in FNA from three groups of patients (nine with breast carcinoma, nine with fibroadenoma, eight with fibrocystic breasts) revealed high COX-2 IC positivity in the majority of patients with breast carcinoma and low or absent COX-2 IC positivity in patients with fibrocystic breast changes. In addition, low or medium COX-2 IC positivity was found in the majority of patients with fibroadenoma, only three of these patients having high COX-2 IC positivity.