Grain sorghum is a rich source of phytochemicals that could potentially benefit human health. In this study, male hamsters were fed AIN-93M diets supplemented with a hexane-extractable lipid fraction from grain sorghum whole kernels. The grain sorghum lipids (GSL) comprised 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, or 5.0% of the diet by weight. After 4 wk, dietary GSL significantly reduced plasma non-HDL cholesterol concentration in a dose-dependent manner with reductions of 18, 36, and 69% in hamsters fed 0.5, 1.0, and 5.0% GSL, respectively, compared with controls. Liver cholesteryl ester concentration was also significantly reduced in hamsters fed GSL. Plasma HDL cholesterol concentration was not altered (P > 0.05) by dietary treatment. Cholesterol absorption efficiency was significantly reduced by GSL in a dose-dependent manner. Cholesterol absorption was also directly correlated with plasma non-HDL cholesterol concentration (r = 0.97, P < 0.05), suggesting that dietary GSL lowers non-HDL cholesterol, at least in part, by inhibiting cholesterol absorption. TLC and GLC analyses of the GSL extract revealed the presence of plant sterols and policosanols at concentrations of 0.35 and 8.0 g/100 g GSL, respectively. Although plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption, policosanols may inhibit endogenous cholesterol synthesis. The data suggest that these components of GSL extract may work collectively in lowering plasma and liver cholesterol concentrations. Our findings further indicate that grain sorghum contains beneficial components that could be used as food ingredients or dietary supplements to manage cholesterol levels in humans.

A Pd-catalyzed reaction of vinyl iodides and N-tosylhydrazones that assembles η(3)-allyl ligands through carbene insertion is demonstrated. Intramolecular trapping with nitrogen nucleophiles generates good yields of cinnamyl and pentadienyl amines like those found in alkaloid natural products. Carbenylative amination was the key reaction to complete the synthesis of the alkaloid caulophyllumine B. Migratory insertion was biased to provide allylamines with optical purity up to 64% ee, but in a lower yield.

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Embryonic death has been shown to be a direct cause of lowered fertility in repeat-breeding cows. In a study of 104 such animals, Tanabe and Casida (1949) reported that 66 per cent of the cows with no clinical detectable abnormality had fertilized ova. At 34 days those having normal embryos had decreased to 23 per cent. Since these ova lived for a time after fertilization, it is reasonable to believe that embryonic death may have been due to failure of the embryo to implant in the uterus. This failure could have resulted from the fact that the uterus was not prepared for implantation. One of the conditions essential for the implantation of ova in the uterus appears to be a secretory condition of the endometrium, and this depends largely on progesterone. Insufficient available progesterone a t the time of nidation could be a major cause of "repeat breeders."The object of this study was to determine the effects of the administration of progesterone on reproductive efficiency in normal cows. Experimental ProcedureAll the females in the University of Idaho dairy herd were given a rectal examination at estrus when the animal was due for first breeding. Animals in which the ovaries were of normal size ( 2 to 4 cm. in diameter for cows and 1.5 to 3 cm. for heifers), with a single, well-developed Graafian follicle, and free from detectable infection and disease, were considered to be ready for breeding.After the animals were bred, alternate cows were treated with a reposital type of progesterone, while the other animals were not treated and were used as controls. The treated group received 100 mg. of a reposital progesterone intramuscularly on days 2, 3, 4, 6, and 9 after the first breeding only. This dosage level and time interval were determined from the success of preliminary work at the Idaho station in the treatment of repeat-breeder cows. Twenty females having had from 4 to 9 infertile services each to a male of known fertility were treated with a reposital progesterone (Johnson, 1955). Sixteen of the animals conceived on first breeding, 3 on second, and 1 on third breeding after treatment, giving a breeding efficiency of 80.0 per cent. Results and DiscussionOne hundred and fifteen females of the Holstein and Jersey breeds were given a rectal examination at estrus during which the animal was due for first breeding and were considered ready for breeding. Forty-eight of the animals were treated with a reposital-type progesterone a t first service. Thirty-three conceived at first service, a breeding eficiency of 68.7 per cent. Eleven of the animals conceived at second service, 2 a t third, and 577