Tetracycline, Sulfonamide, and Erythromycin Residues in Beef, Eggs, and Honey Sold as "Antibiotic-Free" Products in East Tennessee (USA) Farmers' Markets

Foods that contain antibiotic residues have potential adverse health effects on consumers and provide selective pressure for the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study's objective was to measure tetracycline, sulfonamide, and erythromycin residues in beef, eggs, and honey sold as "antibiotic-free" at farmers' markets in East Tennessee (East TN) in the United States (U.S.). Between July and September 2020, 36 "antibiotic-free" food products (9 beef, 18 egg, and 9 honey products) were purchased from East TN farmers' markets and tested for tetracycline, sulfonamide, and erythromycin residues using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (cELISA). All beef, egg, and honey products had tetracycline residue; the median concentrations were 51.75, 30.25, and 77.86 µg/kg, respectively. Sulfonamide residue was present in every sample of beef. Of 18 eggs, 11 eggs had detectable sulfonamide residue; the median concentrations were 3.50 and 1.22 µg/kg in beef and eggs, respectively. Each sample of beef and honey contained erythromycin residue; the median concentrations were 3.67 and 0.68 µg/kg, respectively. Overall, the median concentrations of tetracycline, sulfonamide, and erythromycin residues were below the maximum residue levels (MRLs) set in the U.S. for beef and eggs. Thus, the beef and eggs sold as "antibiotic-free" in East TN farmers' markets can be considered safe for consumption. Safety determination for honey could not be made because MRLs have not been set for honey in the U.S. Because these residues should not be expected in "antibiotic-free" food products, it is important to further investigate the potential sources of these residues in these products.

Pharmacokinetic characterization of fluorocoxib D, a cyclooxygenase-2-targeted optical imaging agent for detection of cancer

SIGNIFICANCE

Fluorocoxib D, N-[(rhodamin-X-yl)but-4-yl]-2-[1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl]acetamide, is a water-soluble optical imaging agent to detect cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-expressing cancer cells.

AIM

We evaluated the pharmacokinetic and safety properties of fluorocoxib D and its ability to detect cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

APPROACH

Pharmacokinetic parameters of fluorocoxib D were assessed from plasma collected at designated time points after intravenous administration of 1  mg  /  kg fluorocoxib D in six research dogs using a high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Safety of fluorocoxib D was assessed for 3 days after its administration using physical assessment, complete blood count, serum chemistry profile, and complete urinalysis in six research dogs. The ability of fluorocoxib D to detect COX-2-expressing cancer cells was performed using human 5637 cells in vitro and during rhinoscopy evaluation of specific fluorocoxib D uptake by canine cancer cells in vivo.

RESULTS

No evidence of toxicity and no clinically relevant adverse events were noted in dogs. Peak concentration of fluorocoxib D (114.8  ±  50.5  ng  /  ml) was detected in plasma collected at 0.5 h after its administration. Pretreatment of celecoxib blocked specific uptake of fluorocoxib D in COX-2-expressing human 5637 cancer cells. Fluorocoxib D uptake was detected in histology-confirmed COX-2-expressing head and neck cancer during rhinoscopy in a client-owned dog in vivo. Specific tumor-to-normal tissue ratio of detected fluorocoxib D signal was in an average of 3.7  ±  0.9 using Image J analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that fluorocoxib D is a safe optical imaging agent used for detection of COX-2-expressing cancers and their margins during image-guided minimally invasive biopsy and surgical procedures.

Determination of plasma-chlortetracycline (CTC) concentrations in grazing beef cattle fed one of four FDA approved free-choice CTC-medicated minerals

Control of active bovine anaplasmosis in the United States is predicated on the use of chlortetracycline (CTC)-medicated feed throughout the vector season. However, data describing population pharmacokinetics of chlortetracycline in cows, on pasture, having free-choice access to CTC-medicated mineral for consecutive months is lacking. This study documented plasma-CTC concentrations in grazing cows during peak vector season in an anaplasmosis endemic herd. Each pasture was administered one of the four Food and Drug Administration approved CTC-medicated mineral formulations and were assigned as follows: 0.77 g/kg, Aureo Anaplaz C700 Pressed (Sweetlix Livestock Supplements, Mankato, MN); 5.5 g/kg, Purina Anaplasmosis Block (Purina Animal Nutrition, Gray Summit, MO); 6.6 g/kg, Stockmaster Aureo FC C6000 Mineral (Hubbard Feeds, Mankato, MN); 8.8 g/kg, MoorMan's Special Range Minerals AU 168XFE (ADM Animal Nutrition, Quincy, IL). Blood samples were collected monthly for determining plasma drug concentration by Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and mass spectrometry. Continued plasma-CTC monitoring allowed for characterization of trends between treatment groups (pastures), age groups (<3 yr or >4 yr), and sampling times (June to October). Results indicate formulation (pasture) and time were significant factors affecting concentrations of CTC in plasma. Cows exposed to 5.5 g/kg block formulation recorded higher CTC plasma concentrations compared with other pasture groups (P = 0.037). Plasma-CTC concentrations increased over time (month of measurement; P = 0.0005). Specifically, concentrations measured after 5 months of continuous CTC treatment were higher than those measured in earlier months.

Mathematical modeling and simulation in animal health. Part III: Using nonlinear mixed-effects to characterize and quantify variability in drug pharmacokinetics

A common feature of human and veterinary pharmacokinetics is the importance of identifying and quantifying the key determinants of between-patient variability in drug disposition and effects. Some of these attributes are already well known to the field of human pharmacology such as bodyweight, age, or sex, while others are more specific to veterinary medicine, such as species, breed, and social behavior. Identification of these attributes has the potential to allow a better and more tailored use of therapeutic drugs both in companion and food-producing animals. Nonlinear mixed effects (NLME) have been purposely designed to characterize the sources of variability in drug disposition and response. The NLME approach can be used to explore the impact of population-associated variables on the relationship between drug administration, systemic exposure, and the levels of drug residues in tissues. The latter, while different from the method used by the US Food and Drug Administration for setting official withdrawal times (WT) can also be beneficial for estimating WT of approved animal drug products when used in an extralabel manner. Finally, NLME can also prove useful to optimize dosing schedules, or to analyze sparse data collected in situations where intensive blood collection is technically challenging, as in small animal species presenting limited blood volume such as poultry and fish.

Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam after intramuscular and oral administration of a single dose to American flamingos (Phoenicopertus ruber)

OBJECTIVE To determine pharmacokinetics after IM and oral administration of a single dose of meloxicam to American flamingos (Phoenicopertus ruber). ANIMALS 14 adult flamingos. PROCEDURES Flamingos were allocated to 2 groups. Each group received a dose of meloxicam (1 mg/kg) by the IM or oral route. After a 4-week washout period, groups received meloxicam via the other route of administration. Plasma meloxicam concentrations were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. Data for each bird were analyzed. Estimated values of selected pharmacokinetic parameters were compared by use of a linear mixed-effects ANOVA. Pooled concentration-time profiles for each route of administration were analyzed to examine the influence of body weight on pharmacokinetics. RESULTS Mean ± SD maximum plasma concentration was 1.00 ± 0.88 μg/mL after oral administration. This was approximately 15% of the mean maximum plasma concentration of 5.50 ± 2.86 μg/mL after IM administration. Mean time to maximum plasma concentration was 1.33 ± 1.32 hours after oral administration and 0.28 ± 0.17 hours after IM administration. Mean half-life of the terminal phase after oral administration (3.83 ± 2.64 hours) was approximately twice that after IM administration (1.83 ± 1.22 hours). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that the extent and rate of meloxicam absorption were less after oral administration than after IM administration. Intramuscular administration resulted in a short period during which mean plasma concentrations met or exceeded reported efficacious analgesic concentrations in other species, whereas oral administration did not. These results suggested that higher doses may be required for oral administration.

Pharmacokinetics of orally administered low-dose rapamycin in healthy dogs

OBJECTIVE

To determine the pharmacokinetics of orally administered rapamycin in healthy dogs.

ANIMALS

5 healthy purpose-bred hounds.

PROCEDURES

The study consisted of 2 experiments. In experiment 1, each dog received rapamycin (0.1 mg/kg, PO) once; blood samples were obtained immediately before and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after administration. In experiment 2, each dog received rapamycin (0.1 mg/kg, PO) once daily for 5 days; blood samples were obtained immediately before and at 3, 6, 24, 27, 30, 48, 51, 54, 72, 75, 78, 96, 96.5, 97, 98, 100, 102, 108, 120, 144, and 168 hours after the first dose. Blood rapamycin concentration was determined by a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by compartmental and noncompartmental analyses.

RESULTS

Mean ± SD blood rapamycin terminal half-life, area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 48 hours after dosing, and maximum concentration were 38.7 ± 12.7 h, 140 ± 23.9 ng•h/mL, and 8.39 ± 1.73 ng/mL, respectively, for experiment 1, and 99.5 ± 89.5 h, 126 ± 27.1 ng•h/mL, and 5.49 ± 1.99 ng/mL, respectively, for experiment 2. Pharmacokinetic parameters for rapamycin after administration of 5 daily doses differed significantly from those after administration of 1 dose.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results indicated that oral administration of low-dose (0.1 mg/kg) rapamycin to healthy dogs achieved blood concentrations measured in nanograms per milliliter. The optimal dose and administration frequency of rapamcyin required to achieve therapeutic effects in tumor-bearing dogs, as well as toxicity after chronic dosing, need to be determined.

Animal Health Modeling & Simulation Society: a new society promoting model-based approaches in veterinary pharmacology

The Animal Health Modeling & Simulation Society (AHM&S) is a newly founded association (2012) that aims to promote the development, application, and dissemination of modeling and simulation techniques in the field of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology. The association is co-chaired by Pr. Johan Gabrielsson (Europe), Pr. Jim Riviere (USA), and secretary Dr. Jonathan Mochel (Switzerland). This short communication aims at presenting the membership, rationale and objectives of this group.

Single-dose safety and pharmacokinetic evaluation of fluorocoxib A: pilot study of novel cyclooxygenase-2-targeted optical imaging agent in a canine model

We evaluated preclinical single-dose safety, pharmacokinetic properties, and specific uptake of the new optical imaging agent fluorocoxib A in dogs. Fluorocoxib A, N-[(5-carboxy-X-rhodaminyl)but-4-yl]-2-[1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl]acetamide, selectively binds and inhibits the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme, which is overexpressed in many cancers. Safety pilot studies were performed in research dogs following intravenous (i.v.) administration of 0.1 and 1  mg/kg fluorocoxib A. Blood and urine samples collected three days after administration of each dose of fluorocoxib A revealed no evidence of toxicity, and no clinically relevant adverse events were noted on physical examination of exposed dogs over that time period. Pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed in additional research dogs from plasma collected at several time points after i.v. administration of fluorocoxib A using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The pharmacokinetic studies using 1  mg/kg showed a peak of fluorocoxib A (92±28  ng/ml) in plasma collected at 0.5 h. Tumor specific uptake of fluorocoxib A was demonstrated using a dog diagnosed with colorectal cancer expressing COX-2. Our data support the safe single-dose administration and in vivo efficacy of fluorocoxib A, suggesting a high potential for successful translation to clinical use as an imaging agent for improved tumor detection in humans.

An acute reversible experimental model of pneumonia in pigs: time-related histological and clinical signs changes

The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term survival rates, clinical response, and lung gross and microscopic changes in pigs treated intratracheally with lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli 0111:B4 (LPS-Ec). Healthy pigs were randomly allocated to three groups: (i) no-LPS-Ec (n=1), (ii) LPS-Ec-T1 (1 mg/mL, 10 mL/pig) (n=7), and (iii) LPS-Ec-T2 (0.5 mg/mL, 10 mL/pig) (n=6). Two pigs from each dose group were euthanized at 24 (n=3 for T1), 48 and 144 h post-LPS-Ec challenge. LPS-Ec-treated animals showed macroscopic lesions in middle lobes of the lung. A reversible recruitment of macrophages and neutrophils was observed at 24, 48, and 144 h post-LPS-Ec challenge. The highest cellular infiltration level was observed at 24 h after challenge. The highest clinical scores were evident in both experimental dose levels within 3 and 5 h after LPS-Ec administration. Administration of LPS-Ec, under the conditions evaluated, can be used to induce a reproducible model of acute pulmonary inflammation in pigs.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous and oral tramadol in the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

Analgesia is becoming increasingly important in veterinary medicine, and little research has been performed that examined pain control in avian species. Tramadol is a relatively new drug that provides analgesia by opioid (mu), serotonin, and norepinephrine pathways, with minimal adverse effects. To determine the pharmacokinetics of tramadol and its major metabolite O-desmethyltramadol (M1) in eagles, 6 bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were each dosed with tramadol administered intravenously (4 mg/kg) and orally (11 mg/kg) in a crossover study. Blood was collected at various time points between 0 and 600 minutes and then analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography to determine levels of tramadol and M1, the predominate active metabolite. The terminal half-life of tramadol after intravenous dosing was 2.46 hours. The maximum plasma concentration, time of maximum plasma concentration, and terminal half life for tramadol after oral dosing were 2156.7 ng/ml, 3.75 hours, and 3.14 hours, respec vely. In addition, the oral bioavailability was 97.9%. Although plasma concentrations of ramadol and M1 associated with analgesia in any avian species is unknown, based on the obtained data and known therapeutic levels in humans, a dosage of 5 mg/kg PO q12h is recommended for bald eagles. Pharmacodynamic studies are needed to better determine plasma levels of tramadol and M1 associated with analgesia in birds.

Effects of acepromazine and butorphanol on tiletamine-zolazepam anesthesia in llamas

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate sedative, antinociceptive, and physiologic effects of acepromazine and butorphanol during tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) anesthesia in llamas.

ANIMALS

5 young adult llamas.

PROCEDURES

Llamas received each of 5 treatments IM (1-week intervals): A (acepromazine, 0.05 mg/kg), B1 (butorphanol, 0.1 mg/kg), AB (acepromazine, 0.05 mg/kg, and butorphanol, 0.1 mg/kg), B2 (butorphanol, 0.2 mg/kg), or C (saline [0.9% NaCl] solution). Sedation was evaluated during a 30-minute period prior to anesthesia with TZ (2 mg/kg, IM). Anesthesia and recovery characteristics and selected cardiorespiratory variables were recorded at intervals. Antinociception was assessed via a toe-clamp technique.

RESULTS

Sedation was not evident following any treatment. Times to sternal and lateral recumbency did not differ among treatments. Duration of lateral recumbency was significantly longer for treatment AB than for treatment C. Duration of antinociception was significantly longer for treatments A and AB, compared with treatment C, and longer for treatment AB, compared with treatment B2. Treatment B1 resulted in a significant decrease in respiratory rate, compared with treatment C. Compared with treatment C, diastolic and mean blood pressures were lower after treatment A. Heart rate was increased with treatment A, compared with treatment B1 or treatment C. Although severe hypoxemia developed in llamas anesthetized with TZ alone and with each treatment-TZ combination, hemoglobin saturation remained high and the hypoxemia was not considered clinically important.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Sedation or changes in heart and respiratory rates were not detected with any treatment before administration of TZ. Acepromazine alone and acepromazine with butorphanol (0.1 mg/kg) prolonged the duration of antinociception in TZ-treated llamas.

Effects of porcine small intestinal submucosa on elution characteristics of gentamicin-impregnated plaster of Paris

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate effects of small intestinal submucosa (SIS) on elution properties of plaster of Paris (POP).

SAMPLE POPULATION

27 POP cylinders, 27 POP spheres, and 9 polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spheres.

PROCEDURES

Pellets were loaded with gentamicin (50 mg/g) and divided into 7 groups of 9 beads each: PMMA spheres; POP cylinders coated with 0, 4, or 8 layers of SIS; and POP spheres coated with 0, 4, or 8 layers of SIS. Gentamicin concentration was measured 6, 12, 18, 24, 32, 40, and 48 hours and 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 days after wrapping. Porosity was evaluated via scanning electron microscopy. Curvature factor of elution curves, total amount of drug released (TDR), time required to reach 50% of total release (TDR(t50)), and number of days with concentrations > or = 1 microg/mL were compared among groups.

RESULTS

SIS decreased the curvature factor and increased the TDR(t50) and TDR of POP spheres and cylinders. Curvature factor of the PMMA-release curve remained lower than that for any POP group, but all POP groups wrapped in SIS released more gentamicin than PMMA spheres. Gentamicin concentrations remained > or = 1 microg/mL in SIS-wrapped POP and PMMA groups throughout the study. Wrapping POP in SIS minimized the increase in porosity of pellets.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Wrapping POP with SIS slows the release and increases the amount of gentamicin leaching from spheres and cylinders. All groups wrapped in SIS maintained antimicrobial concentrations greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration of most pathogens.

Effects of oral dosing paradigms (gavage versus diet) on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

In cancer chemopreventive studies, test agents are typically administered via diet, while the preclinical safety studies normally employ oral gavage dosing. Correspondence in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles between the two dosing approaches cannot be assumed a priori. Sulindac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent with potential chemopreventive activity, was used to assess effects of the two oral dosing paradigms on its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Time-dependent concentrations of sulindac and its sulfone metabolite were determined in plasma and potential target organ, mammary gland. Prostaglandin E(2) was used as a pharmacodynamic biomarker and measured in mammary gland. An inverse linear relationship was detected between pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic markers, area under the curve for prostaglandin E(2) levels and sulindac sulfone concentrations, respectively, in the mammary tissue. Marked differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were observed after administration of sulindac by the two oral dosing paradigms. In general, oral gavage resulted in higher peak and lower trough concentrations of sulindac in plasma and mammary tissue, higher area under concentration-time curve in plasma and mammary tissue, and greater effect on prostaglandin E(2) levels than the corresponding diet dosing. This study illustrates potential pitfalls and limitations in trying to generalize based on data obtained with different oral dosing schemes and their extrapolation to potential efficacy and health risks in humans.

Cardiopulmonary effects of fentanyl in conscious dogs and dogs sedated with a continuous rate infusion of medetomidine

OBJECTIVE

To determine the hemodynamic consequences of the coadministration of a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of medetomidine with a fentanyl bolus in dogs.

ANIMALS

12 healthy sexually intact male dogs weighing 30.3 -/+ 4.2 kg (mean +/- SD).

PROCEDURE

Dogs received either fentanyl alone (15.0 microg/kg, i.v. bolus) or the same dose of fentanyl during an 11-hour CRI of medetomidine (1.5 microg/kg/h, i.v.). Prior to drug administration, dogs were instrumented for measurement of cardiac output, left atrial pressure, and systemic arterial blood pressures. Additionally, blood samples were collected from the pulmonary artery and left atrium for blood gas analysis.

RESULTS

Medetomidine infusion reduced the cardiac index, heart rate, and O2, delivery while increasing left atrial pressure. Subsequent fentanyl administration further decreased the cardiac index. The Pao2 was not significantly different between the 2 treatment groups; however, fentanyl transiently decreased Pao2 from baseline values in dogs receiving a CRI of medetomidine.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Because of the prolonged hemodynamic changes associated with the CRI of medetomidine, its safety should be further evaluated before being clinically implemented in dogs.

Interspecies allometric analysis of the comparative pharmacokinetics of 44 drugs across veterinary and laboratory animal species

The purpose of this study was to apply the method of allometric analysis to a study of the comparative disposition of veterinary drugs using the Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) as a source of the comparative pharmacokinetic data. An initial filtration of the FARAD data was performed in order to exclude drugs for which no pharmacokinetic data were available, in at least four species the route of administration was other than intravenous, and the matrix was different from blood, plasma or serum. This process restricted the study to a total of 44 candidate drugs. The primary pharmacokinetic parameter selected for study was half-life (t1/2). As this parameter is a composite of clearance (Cl) and volume of distribution (Vd), it was considered to be the most robust for interspecies scaling. Volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) and clearance showed weak allometric correlations with weight across species. The relationships between body weight and elimination half-life (51/2 beta) were determined for this selected group of drugs by using the empirically determined function Y = a Wb. The function Y represents the parameter of concern (half-life), a is a coefficient typical of every drug (intercept), W is the species average body weight, and b is the scaling exponent. A total of 11 drugs (tetracycline, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, erythromycin, diazepam, prednisolone, cephapirin, ampicillin, gentamicin, apramycin and carbenicillin) showed statistically significant correlations and consequently are excellent candidates for interspecies extrapolation of pharmacokinetic parameters (half-life) in species of relevance to veterinary medicine. The remaining 33 drugs were divided into two groups which showed various degrees of lack of correlation. Many of the drugs that showed no allometric correlation were low hepatic extraction drugs. However, some other drugs demonstrated equivocal results which could either be due to a true lack of allometric correlation, or be inconclusive due to the lack of quality data or excessive variability due to the multi-laboratory origin of the FARAD data. The results of this study show that interspecies scaling is applicable to certain veterinary drugs. The experimental determination of the coefficients of the allometric equation for relevant pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance and volume of distribution) could be an important tool in estimating dose in species where the drug has never been studied. This could have important consequences in terms of avoiding the use of dose-titration studies in Phase I of drug development, for drugs that are experimentally 'well behaved.'

Pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory effects of equine and human chorionic gonadotropins administered singly and in combination in the domestic cat

Pregnancy success and embryo survival are low with the use of assisted reproduction in felids treated with exogenous gonadotropins. In this study, the pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory effects of eCG and hCG were evaluated in the domestic cat. Catheterized anestrual queens (n = 4 per treatment [Trt] group) were given 100 IU eCG i.v. (Trt 1), 100 IU eCG i.m. (Trt 2), 75 IU hCG i.v. (Trt 3), 75 IU hCG i.m. (Trt 4), or 100 IU eCG i.m. followed 80 h later by 75 IU hCG i.m. (Trt 5). Blood samples were collected at 0, 5, 30, and 60 min and 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, and 168 h postinjection, and serum samples were analyzed for estradiol-17beta, progesterone, eCG, and hCG. Pharmacokinetic traits (volume of distribution, Vd; elimination half-life, t1/2beta; clearance rate, Clr) were calculated for eCG and hCG. When i.v. and i.m. administration were compared, no differences (p > 0.05) were observed in follicle or corpus luteum (CL) number or hormone concentrations for queens receiving eCG or hCG alone. Number of mature ovarian follicles (> or = 2 mm diameter) observed at 168 h postinjection did not differ (p > 0.05) for eCG (mean +/- SEM, 10.5 +/- 2.0) vs. hCG (11.1 +/- 3.0), indicating that these were equally effective in inducing follicular growth. In most queens (> 90%) given single gonadotropins (i.m. or i.v.), eCG and hCG persisted in circulation for at least 120 h and 96 h after injection, respectively, reflecting similar (p > 0.05) pharmacokinetic (i.v.) values for Vd (eCG, 91.4 +/- 24.8 ml/kg; hCG, 59.1 +/- 7.9 ml/kg), t1/2beta (eCG, 23.0 +/- 2.4 h; hCG, 22.9 +/- 4.1 h), and Clr (eCG, 2.7 +/- 0.5 ml/h per kg; hCG, 1.8 +/- 0.1 ml/h per kg). Sequential treatment with eCG+hCG did not affect (p > 0.05) the t1/2beta of individual gonadotropins. In summary, eCG and hCG have comparable pharmacokinetics and ovarian-stimulatory activity when administered alone to the domestic cat. These findings suggest that hCG promotes the ancillary follicle formation that is frequently observed after ovulation in cats treated with eCG+hCG regimens, possibly disrupting the maternal environment and decreasing fecundity following assisted reproductive procedures.

Plasma cell dyscrasia with polyneuritis and dermato-endocrine alterations. Report of a new case outside Japan

A new syndrome has been described comprising polyneuropathy, oedema, hyperpigmentation and thickening of the skin, gynaecomastia in males and amenorrhoea in females, monoclonal gammopathy, papilloedema and diabetes. There is frequent osteosclerosis with or without plasmacytoma, hepatosplenomegaly and polycythaemia. There is a good response to corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs and occasionally to excision or irradiation of the plasmacytoma. This syndrome was first described in Japan, and is still seen predominantly there, and only occasionally in other areas. An example in a 51-year-old Spanish female is described: she had a spectacular response to prednisone and melphalan. The aetiopathogenic possibilities are discussed.