Prostaglandin E₂mediates spontaneous rhythmic contraction in rabbit detrusor muscle.

Introduction: The purpose of this investigation was to determine if prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂) is produced by rabbit detrusor free of urothelium and demonstrate that PGE₂ is responsible for the generation of spontaneous rhythmic contraction (SRC).

Methods: A bioassay was performed in which contraction frequency in strips of rabbit detrusor was compared before and after addition of superfusate from incubating sections of rabbit detrusor. Specificity was determined by testing the effects of SC-51089, a PGE₂(EP1) antagonist.

Measurement of maximum oxygen consumption in Guinea fowl Numida meleagris indicates that birds and mammals display a similar diversity of aerobic scopes during running.

Judgement of exercise performance in birds has been hampered by a paucity of data on maximal aerobic capacity. We measured the maximal rate of oxygen consumption (Vo2,max) in running guinea fowl Numida meleagris, a bird that has been used in several previous studies of avian running. Mean Vo2,max during level treadmill running was 97.