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Biomedical subjects

R M Gregory

Publications and source records attributed to R M Gregory.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Population pharmacokinetics of mefloquine in military personnel for prophylaxis against malaria infection during field deployment.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the population pharmacokinetics of mefloquine in healthy military personnel during prophylaxis for malaria infections. METHODS: The subjects were 1,111 Australian soldiers participating in two studies: a randomised double-blinded study (group A, 161 subjects) and an open-label study (group B, 950 subjects). Following a loading dose (250 mg mefloquine base daily, 3 days), subjects received an oral weekly maintenance dose of 250 mg over 6 months. Blood was collected after the last split loading dose then at weeks 4, 8 and 16 for group A, and at weeks 13 and 26 for group B. Plasma mefloquine concentrations were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pharmacokinetic modelling was performed using NONMEM. RESULTS: A two-compartment model with inter-occasion variability (IOV) for clearance satisfactorily described the pharmacokinetics. Typical values were clearance (CL/F, 2.09 l/h), central volume of distribution (V1/F, 528 l), absorption rate constant (KA, 0.24 h(-1)), inter-compartmental clearance (Q/F, 12.5 l/h), peripheral volume of distribution (V2/F, 483 l) and elimination half-life (t (1/2), 14.0 days). Weight had a positive influence on central volume but was insufficient to warrant dosage adjustments. The inter-individual variability (coefficient of variation, CV%) for CL/F and V1/F was 24.4% and 29.6%, respectively. The IOV for CL/F was 17.8%. The proportional residual error (CV%) for groups A and B was 11.5% and 19.5%, respectively, and the additive error standard deviation (SD) was 57 ng/ml and 149 ng/ml, respectively. CONCLUSION: The typical parameter values were comparable with those estimated in much smaller cohorts of healthy subjects and in malaria patients treated with single-dose mefloquine. The lower unexplained variability in the blinded study suggested these subjects may have been more compliant in taking their medication than soldiers in the open-label study.

Adolescent↗

Improved superovulatory response in beef cattle following ovarian follicular ablation using a simplified transvaginal device.

The influence of the timing for the ablation of dominant follicle(s) prior to superovulatory treatment, and its effect on ovarian follicular growth and embryo yield, still remain elusive in cattle. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of: (1) the day of the estrous cycle, at mid-diestrus, for the onset of superstimulation of follicular development, (2) the presence or absence of large ovarian follicles (ovary status) and (3) the time of follicular ablation, in hours, prior to the superovulatory treatment, on the superovulatory response in cattle. From a total of 244 superovulatory treatments and embryo collections in nulliparous and multiparous females, 76 were conducted after follicular ablation using a simplified transvaginal puncture cannula. Results from the present study indicated that the presence of large palpable follicle(s) at the onset of superstimulation of follicular development markedly reduced the superovulatory response. In addition, follicular ablation at 0 h or at 24 h prior to the onset of the superstimulation treatment significantly increased the number of total viable embryos. However, superovulatory responses were not affected by the day of the estrous cycle for the onset of follicular superstimulation and by the animal category (heifers or cows). In conclusion, the ablation of palpable follicle(s) 24 h or immediately prior to the onset of gonadotropin treatment, from days 8 to 12 of the estrous cycle (day 0, behavioral estrus), increased the total number of transferable embryos per flushing in cattle.

Animals↗

The efficiency of two nonsurgical techniques for bovine embryo recovery on days 6 and 7 of the estrous cycle.

Two nonsurgical techniques for embryo recovery were employed and used in Days 6 and 7 of the estrous cycle. A significant difference between techniques was observed in both days of collection, with the closed system being more efficient in Day 6 and the opened one more efficient in Day 7. The bacteriological contamination of flushing medium (11% for the closed system and 21% for the opened technique) was of saprophytic bacteria and did not affect the percentage of pregnancies in either system.

Journal Article↗