Effects of induction of low plasma progesterone concentrations with a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device on follicular turnover and fertility in cattle.

The effects of concentration of progesterone in plasma on development and fertility of the first wave dominant follicle were studied in cattle. To identify a source of exogenous progesterone that would permit extension of the first wave dominant follicle, nonlactating Holstein cows (n = 6) received on day 8 of two successive oestrous cycles an injection of PGF2 alpha (25 mg) and a new (1.9 g of progesterone (Period 1)) or used (approximately 1.2 g of progesterone (Period 2)) CIDR-B device that was removed on day 17. Control cows (n = 6) received a new CIDR-B device on day 8 that was removed on day 17 and a PGF2 alpha injection (25 mg) on day 17. Ultrasonography and collection of blood samples were performed on alternate days throughout the experiment. Plasma concentrations of progesterone and oestradiol were different between treatments (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The dominant follicle was maintained until day 17 and ovulated upon removal of the intravaginal device in 1 of 6, 6 of 6 and 0 of 6 in new CIDR-B, used CIDR-B and control groups, respectively (P < 0.01). The preovulatory dominant follicles were 14.2 +/- 1.6 mm, 20 +/- 1.3 mm and 10 +/- 1.3 mm, respectively (P < 0.001) on day 17. There were fewer 5-9 mm follicles in cows having a persistent dominant follicle (P < 0.01). The interval to onset of oestrus was negatively correlated with size of the dominant follicle on day 17 (P < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Growth of the cranial base in craniosynostosis.

The configuration of the neurocranium has long been used as a diagnostic tool in assessing infants with abnormal head shape. In the case of craniosynostosis, a characteristic shape is caused by a constraint placed on growth of the neurocranium by prematurely closed sutures and secondary accommodation to that constraint. This investigation is a preliminary test of our hypotheses of growth of the cranial base under these constraints. Three dimensional landmark coordinate data were collected from pre-, peri-, and postoperative CT scans of eleven patients from The Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Deformities Institute, St. Louis, MO. These data were used in two sets of analytical comparisons. Comparisons of preoperative and perioperative morphology were taken to represent preoperative growth, while comparisons of perioperative to postoperative CT scans represent postoperative growth. Finite-element scaling analysis (FESA) and Euclidean distance matrix analysis (EDMA) were used to make these comparisons. Our results show that in cases involving premature closure of the metopic, sagittal, and bilateral coronary sutures, predictions about growth of the cranial base made prior to analysis prove correct. In these forms of craniosynostosis there are characteristic and consistent changes in the cranial base in both pre- and postoperative growth. Preoperative and postoperative growth in patients diagnosed with unicoronal synostosis show a greater degree of individual variability and do not follow a predictable pattern.

Pharmacokinetics of the anti-leishmanian agent WR 6026 in dogs.

The pharmacokinetics of the anti-leishmanial agent WR 6026 (8-(6-diethylaminohexylamino)-6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline dihydrochloride) has been studied after single intravenous infusion and oral doses of 5 mg (base)/kg to 6 Beagle dogs. After single intravenous infusions of 15 min, plasma concentrations of unchanged drug declined bi-exponentially from a mean maximum of 1203 ng/ml +/- 277 SD at the end of infusion to the limit of quantitation during 16 hours. After single oral doses, the mean Cmax of 23 ng/ml +/- 14 SD occurred at a mean Tmax of 2.2 hours +/- 1.3 SD. During 72 hours after the intravenous and oral doses, 0.6% and less than 0.2% of the dose respectively was excreted unchanged in the urine. The mean terminal-life of WR 6026 after the infusion doses was +/- 0.3 SD, but after the oral doses, plasma concentrations of drug were too low to allow estimation of the terminal half-life. The systemic clearance of WR 6026 (43.5 ml/min/kg) greatly exceeded the nomina, plasma flow (ca. 22 ml/min/kg) and indicated considerable extra-hepatic and extra-renal elimination of WR 6026 in dogs. The mean systemic availability of WR 6026 after the oral doses was ca.4%. The mean volumes of distribution of WR 6026 in dogs were 3.3 litres/kg +/- 1.1 SD (V(ss)) and 7.7 litres/kg +/- 2.4 SD (V(area)). These data characterise WR 6026 as a drug of relatively high systemic clearance, large volume of distribution, relatively short half-life and low systemic availability, probably due to presystematic elimination in the liver.

Determination of ximoprofen and its metabolites in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection.

A simple, sensitive and selective method for the determination of ximoprofen and its keto and hydroxy metabolites in human urine has been developed using high-performance liquid chromatography in the reversed-phase mode. The limit of reliable determination of ximoprofen and each of its metabolites in urine is about 1 microgram/ml (4 nmol/ml). The method has been applied to urine samples obtained from human volunteers after administration of single intravenous doses of 30 mg of ximoprofen and about 70% dose was accounted for in terms of these compounds and their glucuronic acid conjugates.