The effect of adrenergic suppression induced by guanabenz administration on exercising thoroughbred horses.

Reasons For Performing Study: Adrenergic activity accompanies intense exercise and mediates physiological and metabolic responses to exercise. Guanabenz, an antihypertensive drug marketed for human usage, depresses brain vasomotor and cardioaccelerator centres, blocks peripherally adrenergic neurons and is reportedly used as a calming agent in horses but little is known of its effects in the species.

Objectives: To determine if guanabenz induces measurable signs of adrenergic suppression on fit Thoroughbred horses undergoing intense exercise.

Relative ability of biologic specimens and interviews to detect prenatal cocaine use.

For this study, we recruited women admitted to our labor and delivery service, enrolling all consenting patients with a history of prenatal cocaine use and the next admission with no recorded use. During the immediate postpartum period, experienced researchers conducted private, structured interviews to obtain details of prenatal cocaine use and to identify a priori exclusion criteria (other illicit drug use, high alcohol use and chronic illnesses and medications). Specific protocols were used to collect amniotic fluid, cord blood, infant urine, meconium and maternal hair.

Effects of caffeine on exercise performance of physically fit Thoroughbreds.

Objective: To determine the effects of a dose of caffeine (2.5 mg/kg, IV) administered to physically fit Thoroughbreds during incremental exercise testing to fatigue on a treadmill.

Animals: 10 conditioned Thoroughbreds.

Insect repellent [correction of repellant] interactions: sunscreens enhance DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) absorption.

Toxicology studies are typically performed on single compounds, which we hypothesized would miss adverse synergies from chemical mixtures. This hypothesis was tested using an insect repellant and sunscreens because both groups include known permeation enhancers, with prior pediatric reports of toxicity from highly concentrated DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Using real-time mass spectroscopy in a hairless mouse skin model, we confirmed substantial penetration of a 20% DEET standard.

Comparison of serum dexamethasone concentrations in cats after oral or transdermal administration using pluronic lecithin organogel (PLO): a pilot study.

The objective of this study was to measure and compare the serum concentrations of dexamethasone after oral and transdermal administration using pluronic lecithin organogel in six healthy cats. The study was designed as a crossover, in which the cats were randomly assigned to two groups. The cats received a single dose (0.