No abstract

Summary Daily oral administration of 30 mg allyl trenbolone (Regumate) for 10 to 15 days to 61 barren, maiden and lactating Thoroughbred mares which were exhibiting either deep anoestrus, shallow anoestrus, prolonged spring oestrus or lactation anoestrus, resulted in 54 mares (88 per cent) showing oestrous behaviour within 8 days, and 51 mares (84 per cent) ovulating within 18 days, after the last dose of compound. Response rate was lowest in mares in deep anoestrus. Of the 38 Regumatetreated mares which were covered during the induced oestrus, 21 (55 per cent) conceived. The practical value of this form of progesterone withdrawal therapy as a method for hastening the onset of the breeding season in Thoroughbred mares is discussed. Résumé L'administration orale de 30 mg d'allyl trenbolone (Regumate), durant 10 à 15 jours, à 61 juments vides, soit en lactation, soit vierges, soit en anoestrus profond, soit en anoestrus léger, soit en anoestrus prolongé, soit en anoestrus de lactation, suscita chez 54 juments (88%), un comportement d'oestrus dans les 8 jours, et 51 juments (84%) ovulèrent dans les 18 jours succédant à la dernière administration du produit. Le taux de réponse fut plus bas chez les juments en anoestrus profond. Parmi les 38 juments traitées par ce produit qui furent saillies sur la chaleur provoquée, 21 (55%) furent gestantes. La valeur pratique de cette thérapeutique soustractive de progestérone comme méthode pour accélérer le démarrage de la saison de monte che les Pur Sangs, est discutée. Zusammenfassung Bei täglicher Gabe von 30 mg Allyl‐Trenbolon (Regumate) während 10–15 Tagen an 61 Vollblutstuten (leere, laktierende und Maidenstuten), die entweder ausgeprägten Anoestrus, seichten Anoestrus, verlängerten Frühjahrsoestrus oder Laktationsanoestrus zeigten, provozierte bei 54 Stuten (88%) Brunstverhalten innert 8 Tagen und bei 51 Stuten (84%) eine Ovulation innert 18 Tagen nach der letzten Dosis. Die Stuten mit ausgeprägtem Anoestrus reagierten am schlechtesten. Von 38 behandelten und im induzierten Oestrus gedeckten Stuten konzipierten deren 21 (55%). Der praktische Wert einer derartigen Progesteron‐Entzugstherapie als einer Methode zum frühe***ren Beginn der Deckperiode bei Vollblutstuten wird diskutiert.

A new method for visualising proteins in two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels was developed. Proteins were labelled with the fluorophore 2-methoxy-2,4-diphenyl-3(2H)furanone (MDPF) while present in the first-dimensional gel after isoelectric focusing and subsequently electrophoresed into the second-dimensional gel. High resolution spot patterns were produced and compared with other methods of visualisation. A new rapid imaging system based on a cooled charge-coupled-device was used to view the two-dimensional fluorescent protein spot patterns. The method allows the immediate and rapid imaging of two-dimensional gels at the end of electrophoresis with no further processing.

No abstract

Summary The concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and progesterone were measured in serial blood samples taken throughout one or more oestrous cycles from 12 Thoroughbred mares, some of which exhibited single and others twin ovulations. The resulting profiles clearly demonstrated that no simple relationship exists between circulating gonadotrophin levels and subsequent ovulation rate in the mare. However, plasma progesterone concentrations during dioestrus are, as expected, higher following twin than single ovulations. The findings suggest that the underlying cause of twin ovulation in some mares may exist at the ovarian end of the pituitary‐ovarian axis which controls follicular development and ovulation. Résumé Les concentrations de FSH, LH et progesterone ont été mesurées sur des sangs prélevés en série durant un ou plusieurs cycles oestraux chez 12 poulinières de pur sang. Quelques unes avaient une double ovulation. Les profils obtenus montrent clairement qu'il n'y a pas chez la jument une relation simple entre le taux de gonadotrophines circulantes el l'ovulation. Cependant les concentrations plasmatiques de progesterone durant le di‐oestrus sont plus élevées à la suite d'une ovulation simple. Les recherches montrent que la cause sous‐jacente d'une ovulation double peut chez certaines juments résider au niveau ovarien de l'axe ovaire —hypophyse qui contrôle le développement folliculaire et l'ovulation. Zusammenfassung Die Konzentrationen von Follikel‐stimulierendem und luteinisierendem Hormon und von Progesteron wurden in Serien von Blutproben gemessen, die während eines oder mehrerer Brunstzyklen von zwölf Vollblutstuten entnommen worden waren. Einige Stuten wiesen einzelne, andere Zwillings‐Ovulationen auf. Die resultierenden Profile demonstrieren klar, dass zwischen zirkulierenden Gonadotropinspiegeln und späterer Ovulationsrate kein einfacher Zusammenhang besteht. Immerhin liegen die Plasma‐Progesteronkonzentrationen während des Dioestrus wie erwartet höher nach Zwillingsovulationen als nach einzelnen Eisprüngen. Die Befunde lassen vermuten, dass die Ursache der Zwillingsovulation bei gewissen Stuten am “Eierstocksende” der Hypophysen‐Eierstocksachse, die Follikelentwicklung und den Eisprung kontrolliert, zu suchen sein wird.

A soluble protein of unknown function was shown, by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, to be present in Neisseria gonorrhoeae at significantly higher concentrations than in the other related bacteria tested. The data indicate the possibility of this protein being specific to Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This protein was designated as NG 8.4 and purified. A radioimmunoassay was developed for the measurement of this protein and subsequently used to determine the degree of cross reaction exhibited by a number of species of bacteria. Of the bacteria tested only those of the genus Neisseria gave a significant reaction in the assay.

Heterologous double-antibody radioimmunoassay were developed for the measurement of FSH and LH concentrations in the serum of both horses and donkeys. The FSH assay employed a rabbit anti-ovine FSH serum which showed a complete lack of cross-reaction with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) and negligible cross-reaction with equine LH. The LH assay utilized an antiserum raised against highly purified eCG. This similarly showed negligible cross-reaction with equine FSH but its high cross-reactivity with eCG prevented the measurement of equine LH concentrations in serum when eCG was also present. In both assays serial dilutions of horse and donkey serum were parallel to the standard. The assays were used to monitor changes in serum concentrations of FSH and LH during the first 100 days of pregnancy in pony mares and jenny donkeys. In both species during pregnancy LH levels reached a peak 1-2 days after ovulation. They then decreased rapidly to baseline levels where they remained until days 35-40 when the commencement of eCG production prevented their further measurement. Serum FSH concentrations, on the other hand, continued to fluctuate markedly throughout the first 100 days of pregnancy in both the ponies and donkeys. Pronounced surges in FSH levels occurred at regular intervals in some animals but the pattern of release was quite irregular in the others. The results of this study support the concept that it is continued pituitary FSH release, not eCG secretion, which is responsible for stimulating the secondary follicles which develop during early equine pregnancy. However, it appears likely that it is the LH-like activity of eCG which causes the subsequent ovulation and/or luteinization of these secondary follicles to produce accessory corpora lutea.