Objective environmental risks - subjective risk perception in the public - an unsolvable discrepancy? Presentation by a comparison of the final disposal of radioactive and chemotoxical wastes, proposals for overcoming this problem, questions of realization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrlich, D.

2005-01-01

The main results of a BMU research project are presented, comprising comparisons of quantities of radioactive and chemotoxical wastes, of the respective hazardous potentials, of the regulatory requirements and safety standards, of the costs, and of the discrepancy between objective risk and risk perception in the public. (orig.)

Arterial double-contrast dual-energy MDCT: in-vivo rabbit atherosclerosis with iodinated nanoparticles and gadolinium agents

Science.gov (United States)

Carmi, Raz; Kafri, Galit; Altman, Ami; Goshen, Liran; Planer, David; Sosna, Jacob

2010-03-01

An in-vivo feasibility study of potentially improved atherosclerosis CT imaging is presented. By administration of two different contrast agents to rabbits with induced atherosclerotic plaques we aim at identifying both soft plaque and vessel lumen simultaneously. Initial injection of iodinated nanoparticle (INP) contrast agent (N1177 - Nanoscan Imaging), two to four hours before scan, leads to its later accumulation in macrophage-rich soft plaque, while a second gadolinium contrast agent (Magnevist) injected immediately prior to the scan blends with the aortic blood. The distinction between the two agents in a single scan is achieved with a double-layer dual-energy MDCT (Philips Healthcare) following material separation analysis using the reconstructed images of the different x-ray spectra. A single contrast agent injection scan, where only INP was injected two hours prior to the scan, was compared to a double-contrast scan taken four hours after INP injection and immediately after gadolinium injection. On the single contrast agent scan we observed along the aorta walls, localized iodine accumulation which can point on INP uptake by atherosclerotic plaque. In the double-contrast scan the gadolinium contributes a clearer depiction of the vessel lumen in addition to the lasting INP presence. The material separation shows a good correlation to the pathologies inferred from the conventional CT images of the two different scans while performing only a single scan prevents miss-registration problems and reduces radiation dose. These results suggest that a double-contrast dual-energy CT may be used for advanced clinical diagnostic applications.

Local production of donkey anti-rabbit's sera for human prolactin radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, Ammar Mohamed Elamin

2001-11-01

Pure Rabbit's IgG was used in this study to raise donkey anti rabbit's sera to be used as separating agent in radioimmunoassay. Two healthy donkeys have been immunized. The anti rabbit's sera have been titrated as (i) crude, (ii) purified and dialysed coupled to magnetic particles. Then this antibody was used as separating agent in a radioimmunoassay for measurement of human prolactin (PRL). Coupled Sudanese donkey and rabbit's sera (Sud-DARS) was used as 1/8 titre using chelsea RIA kit for human prolactin while 1/200 of liquid Sud-DARS was found to be the best titre using the Chinese kit. The best condition for estimation of the prolactin were optimized by determining the suitable incubation time and temperature. The assay can be done at room temperature but it should be incubated for 6 hours as recommended by the Chinese kit. Validity tests were done. The regression coefficients were 0.994 and 0.999 for linearity and recovery tests respectively. Measurement of human PRL wa found to be reproducible using Sud-DARS as separating agent since the coefficient of variation (C.V. %) was found to be less than 15% for both within batch and between assays. Comparing Sud D ARS to the Chinese kit, separating agent as reference agent, regression coefficient was found to be 0.977 which indicate that Sud-DARS can be used as separating agent. Prolactin in Sudanese subject was determined using the Chinese kit the Sud-DARS as separating agent. The ranges were 74-398 mIU/L in males and 102-414 mI/L in the preovulatory phase for the females while in the post ovulatory phase it was 114-442 mIU/L. Ovulation was confirmed by measurement of progesterone level 7 days before the next suspected mensuration. (Author)

Delivery of antifibroblast agents as adjuncts to filtration surgery. Part I--Periocular clearance of cobalt-57 bleomycin in experimental drug delivery: pilot study in the rabbit

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Kay, J.S.; Litin, B.S.; Woolfenden, J.M.; Chvapil, M.; Herschler, J.

1986-10-01

Antitumor and antifibroblast agents show promise as adjuncts after glaucoma filtration surgery in reducing postoperative scarring and failure. We used nuclear imaging in rabbits to investigate periocular clearance of one such agent (/sup 57/Co-bleomycin). Sub-Tenon injection was compared to other delivery techniques. Our results showed that a collagen sponge and a silastic disc implant with a microhole prolonged drug delivery when compared to sub-Tenon injection alone or injection with a viscosity enhancing agent (0.5% sodium hyaluronate). We theorize that if an antifibroblast agent can be delivered in small and sustained amounts after filtration surgery, this may prolong bleb longevity and avoid unnecessary drug toxicity.

Delivery of antifibroblast agents as adjuncts to filtration surgery. Part I--Periocular clearance of cobalt-57 bleomycin in experimental drug delivery: pilot study in the rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, J.S.; Litin, B.S.; Woolfenden, J.M.; Chvapil, M.; Herschler, J.

1986-01-01

Antitumor and antifibroblast agents show promise as adjuncts after glaucoma filtration surgery in reducing postoperative scarring and failure. We used nuclear imaging in rabbits to investigate periocular clearance of one such agent ( 57 Co-bleomycin). Sub-Tenon injection was compared to other delivery techniques. Our results showed that a collagen sponge and a silastic disc implant with a microhole prolonged drug delivery when compared to sub-Tenon injection alone or injection with a viscosity enhancing agent (0.5% sodium hyaluronate). We theorize that if an antifibroblast agent can be delivered in small and sustained amounts after filtration surgery, this may prolong bleb longevity and avoid unnecessary drug toxicity

Teratogenic effect of formaldehyde in rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. A. Al–Saraj

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Thirty three pregnant rabbits were exposed to vapour of 10% formaldehyde (12 ppm throughout the gestation period to know its effect on newborns. The results showed no abortion or foetal mortality but there were some anomalies (23.8% among the newborns rabbits which includes: meromelia (6.8%, encephalocele (6.1%, Oligodactyly (4.1%, Umbilical hernia (3.4% and Short tail (3.4%; besides that small for date and decrease in the body weight of the newborns were also noticed. These findings suggest that formaldehyde is a teratogenic agent.

[Destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis by ultrasonic cavitation in rabbits].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling-yan; Qiu, Li; Wang, Lei; Lin, Ling; Wen, Xiao-rong

2011-11-01

To optimize the conditions of ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble of ultrasound cavitation on destruction of synovial pannus of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in rabbits. Antigen-induced arthritis was successfully induced on bilateral knee joints of 85 rabbits. Each 10 AIA rabbits were divided into two groups to compare various peak negative pressures, different ultrasonic pulse durations, various pulse repetition frequencies, different irradiance duration, different dosages of microbubble contrast agents, different ultrasonic irradiance times. With intravenous infusion of Sonovue to the rabbits, ultrasonic irradiance was performed on the right knee joint using the above condition of ultrasound cavitation. At the day 1 after ultrasonic irradiance, MRI and pathological examination were employed to evaluate the optimal conditions. The optimal parameters and conditions for ultrasonic irradiance included intermittent ultrasonic application (in 6 s intervals), 0.6 mL/kg of microbubble contrast agent, 4.6 MPa of ultrasonic peak negative pressure, 100 cycles of pulse duration, 50 Hz of pulse repetition frequency, 5 min of ultrasonic duration, 0.6 mL/kg of dosages of microbubble contrast agents and multi-sessional ultrasonic irradiance. After the ultrasonic irradiance, the thickness of right knee synovium measured by MRI was thinner than that of left knee and synovial necrosis was confirmed by the pathological finding. Under optimal ultrasonic irradiation and microbubble conditions, ultrasonic cavitation could destroy synovial pannus of AIA in rabbits.

Pharmacokinetics of pirfenidone after topical administration in rabbit eye

OpenAIRE

Sun, Guoying; Lin, Xianchai; Zhong, Hua; Yang, Yangfan; Qiu, Xuan; Ye, Chengtian; Wu, Kaili; Yu, Minbin

2011-01-01

Purpose Pirfenidone (5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-[1H]-pyridone) is a new, broad-spectrum agent that has an inhibition effect on the proliferation, migration, and collagen contraction of human Tenon’s fibroblasts, and thus modulating the wound healing process of glaucoma filtering surgical site. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of topically administered pirfenidone (0.5%) in rabbit eyes. Methods Pirfenidone solution (50 μl) was instilled into the rabbit’s conjunctival sac. The rabbits were...

Prevalence of lapine rotavirus, astrovirus, and hepatitis E virus in Canadian domestic rabbit populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, XiaoTing; Bil, Joanna; Shantz, Emily; Hammermueller, Jutta; Nagy, Eva; Turner, Patricia V

2017-09-01

Lapine rotavirus and astrovirus have been associated with disease in rabbits, and there is strong evidence of zoonotic transmission of lapine hepatitis E virus (HEV). Outbreaks of enteritis are common on commercial meat farms, resulting in poor welfare, high rabbit mortality, and significant financial losses for rabbit producers. Currently, none of these viruses are routinely tested by diagnostic laboratories. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of rotavirus, astrovirus, and HEV RNA in 205 pooled and individual fecal samples from healthy Canadian laboratory, companion, shelter and commercial meat rabbit populations. Viral RNA were extracted and amplified via RT-PCR using virus-specific primers. Positive samples from the first cohort of samples tested were sequenced and aligned to previously identified viruses to confirm the products. Almost 45% (13/29) of the surveyed commercial rabbit farms were astrovirus-positive. Three commercial meat rabbit samples were positive for rotavirus, and either astrovirus or HEV RNA was also detected. Three companion rabbit samples also tested positive for lapine HEV. Samples from specific pathogen-free laboratory animals were negative for all viruses. Sequencing results showed highest identity to rotavirus A strain 30-96, lapine astrovirus strain 2208 and lapine HEV strain CMC-1. These results permit a better understanding of the prevalence of rotavirus, astrovirus, and hepatitis E virus in Canadian domestic rabbit populations, and continued screening for viruses may help to reduce risk of zoonotic agent transmission as well as providing a better understanding of potential causative agents of rabbit enteritis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Rabbit as a Model for Studying Lung Disease and Stem Cell Therapy

OpenAIRE

Kamaruzaman, Nurfatin Asyikhin; Kardia, Egi; Kamaldin, Nurulain ‘Atikah; Latahir, Ahmad Zaeri; Yahaya, Badrul Hisham

2013-01-01

No single animal model can reproduce all of the human features of both acute and chronic lung diseases. However, the rabbit is a reliable model and clinically relevant facsimile of human disease. The similarities between rabbits and humans in terms of airway anatomy and responses to inflammatory mediators highlight the value of this species in the investigation of lung disease pathophysiology and in the development of therapeutic agents. The inflammatory responses shown by the rabbit model, e...

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using a macromolecular MR contrast agent (P792): Evaluation of antivascular drug effect in a rabbit VX2 liver tumor model

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Park, Hee Sun [Dept. of Radiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Han, Joon Koo; Lee, Jeong Min; Woo, Sung Min; Choi, Byung Ihn [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Young Il [Dept. of Radiology, Sheikh Khalifa Specialty Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates); Choi, Jin Young [Dept. of Radiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

To evaluate the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) using macromolecular contrast agent (P792) for assessment of vascular disrupting drug effect in rabbit VX2 liver tumor models. This study was approved by our Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. DCE-MRI was performed with 3-T scanner in 13 VX2 liver tumor-bearing rabbits, before, 4 hours after, and 24 hours after administration of vascular disrupting agent (VDA), using gadomelitol (P792, n = 7) or low molecular weight contrast agent (gadoterate meglumine [Gd-DOTA], n = 6). P792 was injected at a of dose 0.05 mmol/kg, while that of Gd-DOTA was 0.2 mmol/kg. DCE-MRI parameters including volume transfer coefficient (Ktrans) and initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve until 60 seconds (iAUC) of tumors were compared between the 2 groups at each time point. DCE-MRI parameters were correlated with tumor histopathology. Reproducibility in measurement of DCE-MRI parameters and image quality of source MR were compared between groups. P792 group showed a more prominent decrease in Ktrans and iAUC at 4 hours and 24 hours, as compared to the Gd-DOTA group. Changes in DCE-MRI parameters showed a weak correlation with histologic parameters (necrotic fraction and microvessel density) in both groups. Reproducibility of DCE-MRI parameters and overall image quality was not significantly better in the P792 group, as compared to the Gd-DOTA group. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using a macromolecular contrast agent shows changes of hepatic perfusion more clearly after administration of the VDA. Gadolinium was required at smaller doses than a low molecular contrast agent.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI using a macromolecular MR contrast agent (P792): Evaluation of antivascular drug effect in a rabbit VX2 liver tumor model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Hee Sun; Han, Joon Koo; Lee, Jeong Min; Woo, Sung Min; Choi, Byung Ihn; Kim, Young Il; Choi, Jin Young

2015-01-01

To evaluate the utility of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) using macromolecular contrast agent (P792) for assessment of vascular disrupting drug effect in rabbit VX2 liver tumor models. This study was approved by our Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. DCE-MRI was performed with 3-T scanner in 13 VX2 liver tumor-bearing rabbits, before, 4 hours after, and 24 hours after administration of vascular disrupting agent (VDA), using gadomelitol (P792, n = 7) or low molecular weight contrast agent (gadoterate meglumine [Gd-DOTA], n = 6). P792 was injected at a of dose 0.05 mmol/kg, while that of Gd-DOTA was 0.2 mmol/kg. DCE-MRI parameters including volume transfer coefficient (Ktrans) and initial area under the gadolinium concentration-time curve until 60 seconds (iAUC) of tumors were compared between the 2 groups at each time point. DCE-MRI parameters were correlated with tumor histopathology. Reproducibility in measurement of DCE-MRI parameters and image quality of source MR were compared between groups. P792 group showed a more prominent decrease in Ktrans and iAUC at 4 hours and 24 hours, as compared to the Gd-DOTA group. Changes in DCE-MRI parameters showed a weak correlation with histologic parameters (necrotic fraction and microvessel density) in both groups. Reproducibility of DCE-MRI parameters and overall image quality was not significantly better in the P792 group, as compared to the Gd-DOTA group. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using a macromolecular contrast agent shows changes of hepatic perfusion more clearly after administration of the VDA. Gadolinium was required at smaller doses than a low molecular contrast agent

Effects of a topical hemostatic agent on an epistaxis model in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtaran, Hanifi; Ark, Nebil; Serife Ugur, K; Sert, Huseyin; Ozboduroglu, Akin Altug; Kosar, Ali; Gunduz, Mehmet

2010-04-01

Ankaferd BloodStopper (ABS) is a standardized herbal compound consisting of 5 different plant extracts. ABS, as a topical medicinal product, has been approved by the Turkish Ministry of Health for the management of dermal, external postsurgical and postdental surgery bleedings. The aim of this study was to assess the hemostatic effect of ABS in an experimental epistaxis model. Adult female New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. Standardized full-thickness mucosal wounds were created to provide bleeding on the right and left side of the nasal septum of rabbits with a 3-mm surgical punch. To stop bleeding, the wounds were treated with topical ABS on one side and with topical isotonic saline solution as a control on the other side of the nasal septum. Investigators were blinded to treatment. The duration of bleeding was measured in order to compare the hemo-static effect with ABS or topical isotonic saline solution. The wounds were observed for the duration of bleeding in order to compare the hemostatic effect of ABS with isotonic saline solution and acute adverse effects (AEs) for 30 minutes by a researcher blinded to treatment groups. Six rabbits (mean weight, 2.6 kg [range, 2.3-3.1 kg]) were used in this study. Mean (SD) bleeding time in the wounds administered ABS (98 [17] sec) was significantly less than that of the controls (266 [36] sec; P = 0.004). No AEs were observed up to 30 minutes after study initiation. This study suggests that ABS may be more effective in reducing time to hemostasis when compared with isotonic saline solution in this epistaxis model in rabbits.

Efficacy of anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and pleiotropic agents in reversing nitrogen mustard-induced injury in ex vivo cultured rabbit cornea.

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Goswami, Dinesh G; Kant, Rama; Tewari-Singh, Neera; Agarwal, Rajesh

2018-09-01

Vesicating agent, Sulfur mustard (SM), causes devastating eye injury; however, there are no effective antidotes available. Using nitrogen mustard (NM), a bi-functional analog of SM, we have earlier reported that NM-induced corneal injury in ex vivo rabbit cornea organ culture model parallels corneal injury reported with SM. Using this model, we have demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of dexamethasone (DEX), doxycycline (DOX) and silibinin (SB) in reversing NM (2h exposure)-induced corneal injuries when added immediately after washing NM. In the present study, we further examined the efficacy of similar/higher doses of these agents when added immediately, 2, or 4h after washing NM following its 2h exposure. All three treatment agents caused a reversal in established NM-induced injury biomarkers when added immediately or 2h after washing NM following its 2h exposure; however, when treatments were carried out 4h after washing NM, there was no significant effect. Together, our results further show the beneficial effect of these agents in reversing NM-induced corneal injury and indicate the time window for effective treatment. This could be useful towards future development of targeted therapeutics against vesicant-induced ocular injury. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emergence of a new lagovirus related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus

OpenAIRE

Le Gall-Recule, Ghislaine; Lavazza, Antonio; Marchandeau, Stephane; Bertagnoli, Stéphane; Zwingelstein, Francoise; Cavadini, Patrizia; Martinelli, Nicola; Lombardi, Guerino; Guérin, Jean-Luc; Lemaitre, Evelyne; Decors, Anouk; Boucher, Samuel; Le Normand, Bernadette; Capucci, Lorenzo

2013-01-01

Since summer 2010, numerous cases of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) have been reported in north-western France both in rabbitries, affecting RHD-vaccinated rabbits, and in wild populations. We demonstrate that the aetiological agent was a lagovirus phylogenetically distinct from other lagoviruses and which presents a unique antigenic profile. Experimental results show that the disease differs from RHD in terms of disease duration, mortality rates, higher occurrence of subacute/chronic form...

THE PRESENCE OF ENDOGENOUS PYROGEN IN NORMAL RABBIT TISSUES.

Science.gov (United States)

SNELL, E S; ATKINS, E

1965-06-01

Saline extracts of homogenized, uninfected, rabbit tissues produced febrile responses when injected intravenously into rabbits. Extracts of muscle, lung, and heart evoked fevers that were similar to those induced by leucocyte pyrogen; extracts of spleen, liver, and kidney caused more sustained fevers. The minimal pyrogenic dose appeared to be between 1.5 and 3 gm wet weight of tissue. Evidence is presented that neither Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin nor polymorphonuclear leucocytes (circulating or sequestered in the tissues) can be implicated as the source of pyrogen in tissue extracts. It seems likely, therefore, that a pyrogenic material of truly endogenous origin is widely distributed in tissues. Tissue pyrogen appears to be a large molecule which is relatively resistant to treatment with acid but not with alkali. Possible pathological roles for this endogenous agent (or agents) are briefly indicated.

Teratology Studies on Lewisite and Sulfur Mustard Agents: Effects of Sulfur Mustard in Rats and Rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hackett, P. L.; Rommereim, R. L.; Burton, F. G.; Buschbom, R. L.; Sasser, L . B.

1987-09-30

Sulfur mustard (HD) was administered to rats and rabbits by intragastric intubation. Rats were dosed daily from 6 through 15 days of gestation (dg) with 0. 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg of HD/kg; rabbits were dosed with 0, 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mg/kg on 6 through 19 dg. Maternal animals were weighed periodically and, at necropsy, were examined for gross lesions of major organs and reproductive performance; live fetuses were weighed and examined for external, internal and skeletal defects. In rats, reductions in body weights were observed in maternal animals and their female fetuses at the lowest administered dose (0.5 mg/kg), but the incidence of fetal malformations was not increased. In rabbits the highest administered dose (0.8 mg/kg) induced maternal mortality and depressed body weight measures but did not affect fetal development. These results suggest that orally administered HD is not teratogenic in rats and rabbits since fetal effects were observed only at dose levels that induced frank maternal toxicity. Estimations of dose ranges for "no observable effects levels" in rats and rabbits, respectively, were: < 0.5 and < 0.4 mg/kg in maternal animals and < 0.5 and > 0.8 mg/kg in their fetuses.

The Rabbit as a Model for Studying Lung Disease and Stem Cell Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurfatin Asyikhin Kamaruzaman

2013-01-01

Full Text Available No single animal model can reproduce all of the human features of both acute and chronic lung diseases. However, the rabbit is a reliable model and clinically relevant facsimile of human disease. The similarities between rabbits and humans in terms of airway anatomy and responses to inflammatory mediators highlight the value of this species in the investigation of lung disease pathophysiology and in the development of therapeutic agents. The inflammatory responses shown by the rabbit model, especially in the case of asthma, are comparable with those that occur in humans. The allergic rabbit model has been used extensively in drug screening tests, and this model and humans appear to be sensitive to similar drugs. In addition, recent studies have shown that the rabbit serves as a good platform for cell delivery for the purpose of stem-cell-based therapy.

Cancer-selective, single agent chemoradiosensitising gold nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Grellet, Sophie; Tzelepi, Konstantina; Roskamp, Meike; Williams, Phil; Sharif, Aquila; Slade-Carter, Richard; Goldie, Peter; Whilde, Nicky; Śmiałek, Małgorzata A.; Mason, Nigel J.

2017-01-01

Two nanometre gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), bearing sugar moieties and/or thiol-polyethylene glycol-amine (PEG-amine), were synthesised and evaluated for their in vitro toxicity and ability to radiosensitise cells with 220 kV and 6 MV X-rays, using four cell lines representing normal and cancerous skin and breast tissues. Acute 3 h exposure of cells to AuNPs, bearing PEG-amine only or a 50:50 ratio of alpha-galactose derivative and PEG-amine resulted in selective uptake and toxicity towards cancer cells at unprecedentedly low nanomolar concentrations. Chemotoxicity was prevented by co-administration of N-acetyl cysteine antioxidant, or partially prevented by the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. In addition to their intrinsic cancer-selective chemotoxicity, these AuNPs acted as radiosensitisers in combination with 220 kV or 6 MV X-rays. The ability of AuNPs bearing simple ligands to act as cancer-selective chemoradiosensitisers at low concentrations is a novel discovery that holds great promise in developing low-cost cancer nanotherapeutics. PMID:28700660

Cancer-selective, single agent chemoradiosensitising gold nanoparticles.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Grellet

Full Text Available Two nanometre gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, bearing sugar moieties and/or thiol-polyethylene glycol-amine (PEG-amine, were synthesised and evaluated for their in vitro toxicity and ability to radiosensitise cells with 220 kV and 6 MV X-rays, using four cell lines representing normal and cancerous skin and breast tissues. Acute 3 h exposure of cells to AuNPs, bearing PEG-amine only or a 50:50 ratio of alpha-galactose derivative and PEG-amine resulted in selective uptake and toxicity towards cancer cells at unprecedentedly low nanomolar concentrations. Chemotoxicity was prevented by co-administration of N-acetyl cysteine antioxidant, or partially prevented by the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. In addition to their intrinsic cancer-selective chemotoxicity, these AuNPs acted as radiosensitisers in combination with 220 kV or 6 MV X-rays. The ability of AuNPs bearing simple ligands to act as cancer-selective chemoradiosensitisers at low concentrations is a novel discovery that holds great promise in developing low-cost cancer nanotherapeutics.

Studies on uptake and distribution of chemotherapeutic agents to malignant tumors of the head and neck in rabbits, 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Ryuichi

1981-01-01

Experiments were performed to investigate incorporation and distribution of chemotherapeutic agents into malignant tumors of the head and neck by microautoradiographic and electron microscopic-autoradiographic observations of VX2 carcinoma transplanted in the lower genial region of rabbits after injection of 3 H-Adriamycin as a tracer. The following findings were obtained. 1. On microautoradiograms, 3 H-Adriamycin was distributed predominantly in the nucleoplasm, rather than in the cytoplasm, of tumor tissues. 2. At the ultrastructural level, 3 H-Adriamycin was localized in the nuclear membrane and nucleoli within the nucleoplasm and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and secretory granules within the cytoplasm. 3. These findings seem to indicate that Adriamycin may inhibit the synthesis of DNA and RNA in the nucleoplasm. (author)

Clozapine-induced rabbit syndrome: a case report

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Cicek Hocaoglu

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Rabbit syndrome (RS is an antipsychoticinduced rhythmic motion of the mouth/lips resembling the chewing movements of a rabbit. The movement consists of a vertical-only motion, at about 5 Hz, with no involvement of the tongue. Long-term exposure to typical antipsychotics has clearly been associated with RS, but little is known of the risk of RS due to exposure to newer atypical antipsychotics. There have been isolated reports of RS in patients treated with the atypical agents risperidone, aripiprazole, olanzapine, and clozapine. We present the case history of a 44-year old female patient treated for paranoid schizophrenia for 22 years and RS during her last 10-month clozapine treatment. Background information from the literature is also discussed.

Fungus infection in immunocompromised rabbits: correlation of thin-section CT findings and histopathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Feng; Liu Shiyuan; Xie Lixuan; Liu Kai; Zhang Jian; Chen Yousan; Li Huimin; He Jin

2009-01-01

Objective: To compare the thin-section CT findings of pulmonary candidiasis, aspergillosis and cryptococcosis with histopathology in immunocompromised rabbits and improve the diagnostic accuracy of fungus infection. Methods: Healthy New Zealand white rabbits were used for immunocompromised animal models. Thin-section CT scan was performed before and 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 d after inoculation. The pattern and distribution of the pulmonary abnormalities were retrospectively assessed by two thoracic radiologists and compared with histopathology. The granulocyte count was compared before and after administration of immunosuppressive agents. The paired t test, chi square test and the Fisher's exact test were used for the statistics. Results: Fourteen rabbits had candidiasis, 16 rabbits had eryptococcosis, 15 rabbits had aspergillosis. The granulocyte counts before and after administration of immunosuppressive agents were (2.91±0.92) and (0.35±0.19) x 10 9 /L respectively in candidiasis group, there was a significant difference (t=12.484, P 9 /L in aspergillosis group, there was a significant difference (t=5.792, P 9 /L in cryptococcosis group, there was a significant difference (t=8.199, P 0.05). Ground glass opacity (GGO) and consolidation were the two most common findings in immunocompromised rabbits with three fungus infections, areas of GGO was correlated with the congestion, hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration and interstitial hyperplasia in pathology. Consolidation was correlated with the severe congestion, hemorrhage, inflammatory cell infiltration, interstitial hyperplasia, necrosis and vascular embolism in pathology. Conclusion: GGO and consolidation are the two most common findings of fungus infections in immunocompromised animal models and thin-section CT findings can reflect the pathological changes. (authors)

Effects of genipin corneal crosslinking in rabbit corneas.

Science.gov (United States)

Avila, Marcel Y; Narvaez, Mauricio; Castañeda, Juan P

2016-07-01

To evaluate the effect of genipin, a natural crosslinking agent, in rabbit eyes. Department of Ophthalmology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Centro de Tecnologia Oftalmica, Bogotá, Colombia. Experimental study. Ex vivo rabbit eyes (16; 8 rabbits) were treated with genipin 1.00%, 0.50%, and 0.25% for 5 minutes with a vacuum device to increase corneal permeability. Penetration was evaluated using Scheimpflug pachymetry (Pentacam). In the in vivo model (20 rabbits; 1 eye treated, 1 eye with vehicle), corneas were crosslinked with genipin as described. Corneal curvature, corneal pachymetry, and intraocular pressure (IOP) assessments as well as slitlamp examinations were performed 0, 7, 30, and 60 days after treatment. In the ex vivo model, Scheimpflug pachymetry showed deep penetration in the rabbit corneas with an increase in corneal density and a dose-dependent relationship. Corneal flattening was observed in treated eyes (mean 4.4 diopters ± 0.5 [SD]) compared with the control eyes. Pachymetry and IOP were stable in all evaluations. No eye showed toxicity in the anterior chamber or in the lens. Corneal crosslinking induced by genipin produced significant flattening of the cornea with no toxicity in rabbit eyes. This crosslinking could be useful in the treatment of corneal ectasia and in the modification of corneal curvature. None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Copyright © 2016 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Targeting cancer chemotherapeutic agents by use of lipiodol contrast medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konno, T.

1990-01-01

Arterially administered Lipiodol Ultrafluid contrast medium selectively remained in various malignant solid tumors because of the difference in time required for the removal of Lipiodol contrast medium from normal capillaries and tumor neovasculature. Although blood flow was maintained in the tumor, even immediately after injection Lipiodol contrast medium remained in the neovasculature of the tumor. To target anti-cancer agents to tumors by using Lipiodol contrast medium as a carrier, the characteristics of the agents were examined. Anti-cancer agents had to be soluble in Lipiodol, be stable in it, and separate gradually from it so that the anti-cancer agents would selectively remain in the tumor. These conditions were found to be necessary on the basis of the measurement of radioactivity in VX2 tumors implanted in the liver of 16 rabbits that received arterial injections of 14C-labeled doxorubicin. Antitumor activities and side effects of arterial injections of two types of anti-cancer agents were compared in 76 rabbits with VX2 tumors. Oily anti-cancer agents that had characteristics essential for targeting were compared with simple mixtures of anti-cancer agents with Lipiodol contrast medium that did not have these essential characteristics. Groups of rabbits that received oily anti-cancer agents responded significantly better than groups that received simple mixtures, and side effects were observed more frequently in the groups that received the simple mixtures. These results suggest that targeting of the anti-cancer agent to the tumor is important for treatment of solid malignant tumors

Myxoma virus in the European rabbit: interactions between the virus and its susceptible host.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanford, Marianne M; Werden, Steven J; McFadden, Grant

2007-01-01

Myxoma virus (MV) is a poxvirus that evolved in Sylvilagus lagomorphs, and is the causative agent of myxomatosis in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). This virus is not a natural pathogen of O. cuniculus, yet is able to subvert the host rabbit immune system defenses and cause a highly lethal systemic infection. The interaction of MV proteins and the rabbit immune system has been an ideal model to help elucidate host/poxvirus interactions, and has led to a greater understanding of how other poxvirus pathogens are able to cause disease in their respective hosts. This review will examine how MV causes myxomatosis, by examining a selection of the identified immunomodulatory proteins that this virus expresses to subvert the immune and inflammatory pathways of infected rabbit hosts.

Garlic used as an alternative medicine to control diabetic mellitus in alloxan-induced male rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahesar, H.; Bhutto, M.A.; Khand, A.A.

2010-01-01

Herbal medicines are widely used because of their effectiveness, less side effects and low cost, so investigation on such agents from traditional medicinal plants has become more important in present day studies on medical sciences. Garlic is one of the most popular herbs used as an anti-diabetic agent. In present study possible anti diabetic effects of garlic were studied in alloxan induced diabetic male rabbits, compared to normal control and diabetic control male rabbits. The blood samples were collected every third day and anti-diabetic effects of garlic were observed every time. The serum cholesterol level and body weight were also studied. With an aqueous extract of garlic (1% solution/Kg) body weight for 30 days significantly lowered serum glucose level (38.88%) and serum cholesterol level (57%). Results and Conclusion: The results indicate that garlic possesses a beneficial anti-hyperglycaemic effect in alloxan-induced rabbits. (author)

RABBIT POX : II. PATHOLOGY OF THE EPIDEMIC DISEASE.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, H S

1934-09-30

The lesions found in animals with epidemic rabbit pox have been described in this paper. The most distinctive gross lesion in all organs and tissues was the small nodule or papule which was found to consist of mononuclear infiltration and necrosis. Diffuse lesions were also found in which the infiltration was widespread and accompanied by edema, hemorrhage and extensive necrosis of affected tissues and organs. The possibility of the diffuse lesions being due to the action of secondary invaders was considered, but available evidence indicated that the different types, including pneumonia, represented reactions to a single causative agent. Moreover, an intimate relationship was observed to exist between lesions and small blood vessels in which primary endothelial damage was usually apparent. The degree of vascular damage generally corresponded to the extent of the lesion and it is probable that this in turn corresponded to the dose of the causative agent. The close analogy between the clinical manifestations and pathological processes of this disease in the rabbit and small pox in man led to the conclusion that the disease in the rabbit is essentially the same as small pox, and that it is probably produced by a virus closely related to the virus of small pox. Available evidence indicated that the infection originated in the Institute and that it spread in atypical form or masked by some other disease until it reached the breeding colony as a clearly defined epidemic infection.

Trichostatin A (TSA) improves the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies cloned embryos, but not rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Li-Hong; Miao, Yi-Liang; Ouyang, Ying-Chun; Huang, Jun-Cheng; Lei, Zi-Li; Yang, Ji-Wen; Han, Zhi-Ming; Song, Xiang-Fen; Sun, Qing-Yuan; Chen, Da-Yuan

2008-03-01

The interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iSCNT) technique for therapeutic cloning gives great promise for treatment of many human diseases. However, the incomplete nuclear reprogramming and the low blastocyst rate of iSCNT are still big problems. Herein, we observed the effect of TSA on the development of rabbit-rabbit intraspecies and rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos. After treatment with TSA for 6 hr during activation, we found that the blastocyst rate of rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos was more than two times higher than that of untreated embryos; however, the blastocyst rate of TSA-treated rabbit-human interspecies cloned embryos decreased. We also found evident time-dependent histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in rabbit-rabbit cloned embryos, but not in rabbit-human cloned embryos from fusion to 6 hr after activation. Our results suggest that TSA-treatment does not improve blastocyst development of rabbit-human iSCNT embryos and that abnormal histone deacetylation-reacetylation changes in iSCNT embryos may account for their poor blastocyst development. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hepatitis E Virus in Farmed Rabbits, Wild Rabbits and Petting Farm Rabbits in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burt, S.A.; Veltman, Jorg; Hakze-van der Honing, Renate; Schmitt, Heike; van der Poel, Wim H.M.

2016-01-01

Rabbits have been suggested as a zoonotic source of Hepatitis E virus. Phylogenetic analysis of HEV isolates from farmed, wild and pet rabbits in the Netherlands (23, 0, and 60 % respectively) showed them to be grouped amongst published rabbit HEV sequences and distinct from most human isolates.

In vitro host erythrocyte specificity and differential morphology of Babesia divergens and a zoonotic Babesia sp. from eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus).

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Angela M; Goethert, Heidi K; Telford, Samuel R; Holman, Patricia J

2006-04-01

A Babesia sp. isolated from eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) is morphologically similar and genetically identical, based on SSU rRNA gene comparisons, to 2 agents responsible for human babesiosis in the United States. This zoonotic agent is closely related to the European parasite, Babesia divergens. The 2 organisms were characterized by in vitro comparisons. In vitro growth of the rabbit Babesia sp. was supported in human and cottontail rabbit erythrocytes, but not in bovine cells. Babesia divergens was supported in vitro in bovine and human erythrocytes, but not in cottontail rabbit cells. Morphometric analysis classifies B. divergens as a small babesia in bovine erythrocytes, but the parasite exceeds this size in human erythrocytes. The rabbit Babesia sp. is large, the same size in both human or rabbit erythrocytes, and is significantly larger than B. divergens. Eight or more rabbit Babesia sp. parasites may occur within a single erythrocyte, sometimes in a floret array, unlike B. divergens. The erythrocyte specificity and morphological differences reported in this study agree with previous in vivo results and validate the use of in vitro methods for characterization of Babesia species.

Comparison of gadolinium Cy2DOTA, a new hepatobiliary agent, and gadolinium HP-DO3A, an extracellular agent, in healthy liver and metastatic disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Runge, V.M.; Wells, J.W.; Williams, N.M.

1995-01-01

A new gadolinium (Gd) chelate with preferential hepatobiliary uptake, Gd Cy 2 DOTA, was compared in two animal species with Gd HP-DO3A (gadoteridol), a clinically approved contrast agent with extracellular distribution. Liver enhancement was evaluated for these two contrast agents using magnetic resonance imaging, whereas an experimental model of metastatic disease was used to evaluate the agents' efficacy for liver-lesion delineation. The two agents were compared in four healthy Rhesus monkeys (eight studies) and five New Zealand White rabbits with implanted VX-2 liver tumors (ten studies). The contrast dose was 0.1 mmol/kg, with the agents given in random order and at least 72 hours between contrast injections. Breathhold T1-weighted spin echo scans were obtained at 1.5 tesla (T) before and after contrast was administered. Postcontrast scans were obtained 1 to 90 minutes after injection in the monkeys and 1 to 240 minutes after injection in the rabbits. Prolonged hepatic enhancement, superior in degree to that with Gd HP-DO3A, was noted to both monkeys and rabbits after injection of Gd Cy 2 DOTA. Two minutes after contrast, liver SI was 1.94 ± 0.05 with Gd Cy 2 DOTA compared with 1.5 ± 0.05 with Gd HP-DO3A in monkeys. Sixty minutes after contrast, liver SI was 1.60 ± 0.09 compared with 1.20 ± 0.02. The difference between agents was significant at all times from 2 to 60 minutes after contrast injection (P 2 DOTA but not with Gd HP-DO3A. The maximum improvement in lesion conspicuity (rabbit) occurred 45 minutes after injection of Gd Cy 2 DOTA and 5 minutes after injection of Gd HP-DO3A. 22 refs., 12 figs

Hepatitis E Virus in Farmed Rabbits, Wild Rabbits and Petting Farm Rabbits in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Burt, Sara A.; Veltman, Jorg; Hakze-van der Honing, Renate; Schmitt, Heike; Poel, van der Wim H.M.

2016-01-01

Rabbits have been suggested as a zoonotic source of Hepatitis E virus. Phylogenetic analysis of HEV isolates from farmed, wild and pet rabbits in the Netherlands (23, 0, and 60 % respectively) showed them to be grouped amongst published rabbit HEV sequences and distinct from most human isolates.

Oral Transmucosal Detomidine Gel in New Zealand White Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Morika D; Long, C Tyler; Durrant, Jessica R; McKeon, Gabriel P; Shive, Heather R; Griffith, Emily H; Messenger, Kristen M; Fish, Richard E

2017-07-01

Handling and restraining rabbits for routine procedures may be impossible without prior sedation, result in unnecessary stress or injury to the rabbit or handler, and increase experimental variability. Parenteral administration of sedatives can cause stress also, as well as localized pain and tissue damage, especially in fractious animals. Detomidine hydrochloride, an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist, is commercially available in an oral transmucosal (OTM) gel formulation that is FDA-approved for sedation and restraint in horses. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of detomidine gel as an alternative to injectable sedation in rabbits. Eight adult male New Zealand White rabbits each received 0.6, 1.2, or 1.8 mg/kg OTM detomidine gel. Physiologic parameters and sedation scores (SS) were assessed at 10-min intervals from before administration until 100 min afterward. Histopathology of cardiac tissue was scored through 12 d after dosing. Gel administration increased the SS in all rabbits, but none of the animals developed clinically effective sedation (SS of 10 or greater, based on 5 reflex responses on a 3- or 4-point scale). The SS did not differ among dosage groups, and the time-dose interaction was not statistically significant. Heart rate decreased rapidly in all rabbits, with no difference among dosage groups, and there was no effect of time or dosage on peripheral capillary oxygen saturation. Minimal to mild degenerative changes were seen in the myocardium of all treated rabbits, but myocyte necrosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and mural thrombi-reported previously in rabbits that had received parenteral detomidine-did not occur. OTM detomidine gel was safely and easily administered to rabbits, but the duration and level of sedation were unpredictable. The use of OTM detomidine as a sole agent to facilitate handling and restraint of rabbits does not offer advantages over existing parenteral regimens.

Prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in fecal Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica in Canadian commercial meat, companion, laboratory, and shelter rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and its association with routine antimicrobial use in commercial meat rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kylie, Jennifer; McEwen, Scott A; Boerlin, Patrick; Reid-Smith, Richard J; Weese, J Scott; Turner, Patricia V

2017-11-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in zoonotic (e.g. Salmonella spp.), pathogenic, and opportunistic (e.g. E. coli) bacteria in animals represents a potential reservoir of antimicrobial resistant bacteria and resistance genes to bacteria infecting humans and other animals. This study evaluated the prevalence of E. coli and Salmonella enterica, and the presence of associated AMR in commercial meat, companion, research, and shelter rabbits in Canada. Associations between antimicrobial usage and prevalence of AMR in bacterial isolates were also examined in commercial meat rabbits. Culture and susceptibility testing was conducted on pooled fecal samples from weanling and adult commercial meat rabbits taken during both summer and winter months (n=100, 27 farms), and from pooled laboratory (n=14, 8 laboratory facilities), companion (n=53), and shelter (n=15, 4 shelters) rabbit fecal samples. At the facility level, E. coli was identified in samples from each commercial rabbit farm, laboratory facility, and 3 of 4 shelters, and in 6 of 53 companion rabbit fecal samples. Seventy-nine of 314 (25.2%; CI: 20.7-30.2%) E. coli isolates demonstrated resistance to >1 antimicrobial agent. At least one E. coli isolate resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent was present in samples from 55.6% of commercial farms, and from 25% of each laboratory and shelter facilities, with resistance to tetracycline being most common; no resistance was identified in companion animal samples. Salmonella enterica subsp. was identified exclusively in pooled fecal samples from commercial rabbit farms; Salmonella enterica serovar London from one farm and Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky from another. The S. Kentucky isolate was resistant to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefoxitin, ceftiofur, ceftriaxone, streptomycin, and tetracycline, whereas the S. London isolate was pansusceptible. Routine use of antimicrobials on commercial meat rabbit farms was not significantly associated with the

Evaluation of hydroxyapatite-putty as a hemostatic agent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momota, Y.; Miyamoto, Y.; Takechi, M.; Yuasa, T.; Toh, T.; Nagayama, M. [Tokushima Univ. (Japan). First Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Ishikawa, K.; Suzuki, K. [Okayama Univ. Dental School (Japan). Dept. of Biomaterials

2001-07-01

Although bone wax is often used as a hemostatic agent for bone in surgery, some problems in biocompatibility have been pointed out. Therefore, we have evaluated hydroxyapatite-putty (HAP-putty) as a hemostatic agent for bone. Adhesive strength of HAP-putty to bone increased with the amount of sodium alginate, reaching maximum value in case of containing 8% sodium alginate. An actual hemostatic ability of HAP-putty was evaluated using rabbits. Bleeding from bone was arrested within 3 minutes. Thus, HAP-putty showed excellent hemostatic ability. Soft tissue response to HAP-putty was evaluated in rabbit subcutaneous tissue. Histological observation revealed slight inflammatory response around HAP-putty. HAP-putty partially transformed to HAP 24 hours after the implantation. In conclusion, HAP-putty could be a useful hemostatic agent for bone due to its good hemostatic ability and excellent biocompatibility. (orig.)

Molecular epidemiology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in Australia: when one became many

OpenAIRE

Kovaliski, John; Sinclair, Ron; Mutze, Greg; Peacock, David; Strive, Tanja; Abrantes, Joana; Esteves, Pedro J.; Holmes, Edward C.

2013-01-01

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced into Australia in 1995 as a biological control agent against the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We evaluated its evolution over a 16 year period (1995–2011) by examining 50 isolates collected throughout Australia, as well as the original inoculum strains. Phylogenetic analysis of capsid protein VP60 sequences of the Australian isolates, compared to those sampled globally, revealed that they form a monophyletic group with t...

Heated lipiodol as an embolization agent for transhepatic arterial embolization in VX2 rabbit liver cancer model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Wei; Wan Yi; Liang Zhihui; Duan Yunyou; Liu Xi; Wang Zhimin; Liu Yiyong; Zhu Jia; Liu Xiongtao; Zhang Hongxin

2010-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of heated (60 deg. C) lipiodol via hepatic artery administration in a rabbit model of VX2 liver cancer. Materials and methods: Thirty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 10 rabbits assigned to each group. VX2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left hepatic lobe. The tumors were allowed to grow for 2 weeks, and studies were performed until the diameter of the tumors detected by ultrasonograph reached 2-3 cm. Under anesthesia, trans-catheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed and doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) (1 mL), lipiodol (60 deg. C) (1 mL) or control (physiological saline (37 deg. C) (1 mL)) solution was injected into the hepatic arteries of animals in the three groups. One week later, the volume of the tumor was measured by ultrasonograph again. The serum of all rabbits was collected before injection and at 4 and 7 days after injection, and the level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was checked. The survival period of the three groups of rabbits after treatment was also recorded. During the last course of their disease, the rabbits were given analgesics to relieve suffering. Results: The tumor growth rate in the lipiodol (60 deg. C) group (0.92 ± 0.21, tumor volume from 1811 ± 435 to 1670 ± 564 mm 3 ) was significantly lower than that in the control group (3.48 ± 1.17, tumor volume from 1808 ± 756 to 5747 ± 1341 mm 3 ) (P 3 ) (P -1 ) and the doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) group (139.7 ± 12.3 U L -1 ) (P > 0.05). However, the serum AST level in the lipiodol (60 deg. C) group was significantly higher at 4 days after injection (P -1 ). Conclusions: Treatment with lipiodol (60 deg. C) resulted in an effect on serum AST levels similar to that caused by treatment with doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C). Thus, lipiodol (60 deg. C) treatment could greatly prolong the survival period of rabbits with VX2 cancer by inhibiting tumor growth.

An experimental study on tissue reaction of various contrast agents on endometrium, tuber mucosa, and peritoneum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae Seung; Kim, Seung Hyup; Park, In Ae; Park, Jae Hyung; Yoon, Dae Young; Yeon, Kyung Mo

1994-01-01

To compare the tissue reactions of various water-soluble and oil-based contrast agents on the endometrium, salpingeal mumosa, and peritoneum. Thirty-three rabbits were used for evaluating the histologic reactions of uterine endometrium, salpinx, and peritoneum. Hysterosalpingography(HSG) was underwent in these rabbits by used Lipiodol, Hexabrix, Rayvist. Ultravist-300, Ultravist-370, and normal saline. Pathologic results were obtained in each of the six groups from the uterine endometrium, salpingeal mucosa, and peritoneum without knowledge of the contrast agent used and time interval from HSG. Mild inflammations were observed in the endometrium, salpingeal mucosa, and peritoneum during the first week of HSG in all rabbits in which water-soluble contrast agents were used. Although there was no significant difference in the degree of inflammation among the groups using various contrast agents, the group with oil-based contrast agent(Lipiodol) showed delayed absorption of contrast agent in the peritoneum, frequent intravasation, fat granuloma, peritoneal adhesion, or uterine infarction. Our results suggest that water-soluble contrast agents can be used safely for HSG, but the use of oil-based contrast agent is questional in safety and should be avoid in patients with tubal obstruction, salpingitis, or endometritis

Penelitian jumlah penggunaan bating agent pada penyamakan kulit sarung tangan (fashion glove dari kulit kelinci

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muchtar Lutfi

1994-04-01

Full Text Available The objective of this research is to identify the quatity of bating agent used in tanning rabbit skins to be glove leather, to make use rabbit skins which can not be tanned to fur rabbit skin leather. The materials used in this research were of 40 pieces of lokal salt preservated rabbit skins originated from Yogyakarta having quality III and IV. They were grouped into four and the groups consisted of ten pieces each were tanned to be fashion glove leather using 4% formaline as pretanning agent and followed by chrome tanning agent as the retanning agent. Before carrying out both tanning processes bating was done on them using Pancreol Bate as bating agent. The quantity of bating agent added was varried as 0,65%, 1,2%, 1,8% and 2,4%. The process used was of usually carried - out by IRDLAI. The leather produced were tested on their sotfness, with sheepskin glove leather was used as the measuring- rod; their tensile strength resistance and flexibility with SII. 0061 – 74 (Quality and test method for goatsheep skin glove and garment leather as the standard of comparison. The test results were statistically evaluated. A conclusion can be down from this research that by using 0,6% Pancreol Bate on bating process, soft glove leathers having good tensile strength and flexibility which fulfill the requirements of SII. 0061 - 74 can be produced.

Development of contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krause, W.

1993-01-01

Description of all contrast media (ionic and nonionic monomers, ionic and nonionic dimers) was presented. Chemotoxicity, osmolality and viscosity of some contrast agents were analyzed. The main adverse reactions to ionic and nonionic contrast media were described

Comparative quantitative monitoring of rabbit haemorrhagic disease viruses in rabbit kittens.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthaei, Markus; Kerr, Peter J; Read, Andrew J; Hick, Paul; Haboury, Stephanie; Wright, John D; Strive, Tanja

2014-06-09

Only one strain (the Czech CAPM-v351) of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) has been released in Australia and New Zealand to control pest populations of the European rabbit O. cuniculus. Antigenic variants of RHDV known as RHDVa strains are reportedly replacing RHDV strains in other parts of the world, and Australia is currently investigating the usefulness of RHDVa to complement rabbit biocontrol efforts in Australia and New Zealand. RHDV efficiently kills adult rabbits but not rabbit kittens, which are more resistant to RHD the younger they are and which may carry the virus without signs of disease for prolonged periods. These different infection patterns in young rabbits may significantly influence RHDV epidemiology in the field and hence attempts to control rabbit numbers. We quantified RHDV replication and shedding in 4-5 week old rabbits using quantitative real time PCR to assess their potential to shape RHDV epidemiology by shedding and transmitting virus. We further compared RHDV-v351 with an antigenic variant strain of RHDVa in kittens that is currently being considered as a potential RHDV strain for future release to improve rabbit biocontrol in Australia. Kittens were susceptible to infection with virus doses as low as 10 ID50. Virus growth, shedding and transmission after RHDVa infection was found to be comparable or non-significantly lower compared to RHDV. Virus replication and shedding was observed in all kittens infected, but was low in comparison to adult rabbits. Both viruses were shed and transmitted to bystander rabbits. While blood titres indicated that 4-5 week old kittens mostly clear the infection even in the absence of maternal antibodies, virus titres in liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph node were still high on day 5 post infection. Rabbit kittens are susceptible to infection with very low doses of RHDV, and can transmit virus before they seroconvert. They may therefore play an important role in RHDV field epidemiology, in

Accumulation of 125I-factor XI in atheroma of rabbit with hereditary hyperlipidemia (WHHL-rabbit)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komiyama, Y.; Masuda, M.; Murakami, T.; Nishikado, H.; Egawa, H.; Nishimura, T.; Morii, S.; Murata, K.

1989-01-01

We have studied the turnover and accumulation of rabbit factor XI (F.XI) in atherosclerotic lesion in Watanabe-hereditable hyperlipidemic rabbit (WHHL rabbit) to reveal the participation of blood coagulation in atherosclerotic lesion. Rabbit F.XI was iodinated and administered intravenously to WHHL rabbits and Japanese white rabbits. The turnover of 125 I-rabbit F.XI was significantly faster in WHHL rabbits (T1/2 = 2.84 +/- 0.44 days) than in normal rabbits (T1/2 = 4.44 +/- 0.42 days). The thoracic aorta of WHHL rabbit was strongly labelled with 125 I-rabbit F.XI, in sections obtained after 5 days by en-face autoradiography, whereas no radioactivity was detected in normal aorta. By an immunohistochemical study of WHHL rabbit aorta, we confirmed that many F.XI- and fibrin-related compounds existed in the atheroma, whereas albumin did not in these area. These results suggest that the activation of F.XI proceeds on the atherosclerotic lesions of WHHL rabbits

Allergy to Rabbits. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, J.A.; Longbottom, J.L.

1986-01-01

Investigations have been carried out into the presence of antibody light chains in rabbit allergenic extracts and the interference in RAST and crossed-radioimmunoelectrophoresis (XRIE) caused by antibodies directed against them. A ''non-specific'' uptake of radioactivity in XRIE has been demonstrated to be caused by direct cross-linking of the 125 I rabbit anti-human IgE by the sheep antibodies in the immunoprecipitate of rabbit light chains. Preincubation with normal rabbit serum blocked this direct uptake of the labelled antibody and enabled specific IgE uptake on the light chains to be demonstrated for rabbit allergic sera. Verification of the allergenicity of the light chains was obtained from a specific light chain RAST. Elution from a Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration column indicated a MW of approx. 50Kd and confirmation of the components as light chain dimers, not Fab fragments, was obtained by allotyping for loci present on heavy chains and light chains in the Fab region. Light chains were detected in urine from rabbits of all ages and in an extract of dust collected in a rabbit housing area. No background staining was observed in XRIE using rabbit antisera, either with rabbit allergic sera with specific IgE or with a human serum containing specific IgG antibodies to rabbit IgG. This latter serum also showed no evidence of uptake on all immunoprecipitates in systems using rabbit antisera, and did not give false positive RAST results when the labelled rabbit anti-human IgE contained unlabelled rabbit IgG. Those sera with specific IgE to light chains showed no uptake in XRIE using rabbit antisera, indicating that the IgE was possibly specific for epitopes revealed by the dissociation on the whole IgG molecule. (author)

Characterization of a novel alphaherpesvirus associated with fatal infections of domestic rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, L.; Loehr, C.V.; Vanarsdall, A.L.; Baker, R.J.; Moerdyk-Schauwecker, M.; Levine, C.; Gerlach, R.F.; Cohen, S.A.; Alvarado, D.E.; Rohrmann, G.F.

2008-01-01

A virus was found to be associated with a severe disease affecting rabbits on a farm near Anchorage, Alaska. Extracts from the skin of infected rabbits produced syncytia and cell lysis in cultured rabbit skin, rabbit kidney, and Vero cells. Examination of the infectious agent by electron microscopy revealed an icosahedral nucleocapsid surrounded by an envelope with a diameter of about 120 nm, suggesting that it was a herpesvirus. The viral genome was determined to be composed of double-stranded DNA of 120-130 kbp. PCR using degenerate primers to conserved herpesvirus genes was used to amplify sequences from purified viral DNA. Sequencing of these products allowed the design of specific primers so that complete sequence data for a number of genes could be determined. Analysis of these data indicated that the virus is most closely related to bovine herpesvirus 2. The next most closely related viruses are human herpesviruses 1 and 2, and a number of cercopithecine herpesviruses. Experimental exposure of domestic rabbits to the isolate resulted in severe clinical disease and necrosis in the spleen and lymph node. In addition, viral DNA was identified in a variety of tissues by PCR, consistent with a systemic infection. Taken together, these data suggest that this virus is highly pathogenic for domestic rabbits and belongs to the family Herpesviridae, subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, genus Simplexvirus

Rabbit analgesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Barter, Linda S

2011-01-01

With the increasing popularity of rabbits as household pets, the complexity of diagnostic and surgical procedures performed on rabbits is increasing, along with the frequency of routine surgical procedures. More practitioners are faced with the need to provide adequate analgesia for this species. Preemptive analgesia prior to planned surgical interventions may reduce nervous system changes in response to noxious input, as well as reduce postoperative pain levels and analgesic drug requirements. Concurrent administration of analgesic drugs to anesthetized rabbits undergoing painful procedures is warranted both pre- and intraoperatively as well as postoperatively. This article discusses the neuropharmacologic and pharmacologic aspects of pain in rabbits, and reviews current protocols for the use of analgesic drugs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Teratology Studies on Lewisite and Sulfur Mustard Agents: Effects of Sulfur Mustard in Rats and Rabbits - Part 2, Appendices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hackett, P L; Rommereim, R L; Burton, F G; Buschbom, R L; Sasser, L B

1987-09-30

Sulfur mustard (HD) was administered to rats and rabbits by intragastric intubation. Rats were dosed daily from 6 through 15 days of gestation (dg) with o. 0.5, 1 .0 or 2.0 mg of HD/kg; rabbits were dosed with 0, 0.4, 0.6 or 0.8 mg/kg on 6 through 19 dg. Maternal animals were weighed periodically and, at necropsy, were examined for gross lesions of major organs and reproductive performance; live fetuses were weighed and examined for external, internal and skeletal defects. In rats, reductions in body weights were observed in maternal animals and their female fetuses at the lowest administered dose (0.5 mg/kg), but the incidence of fetal malformations was not increased. In rabbits the highest administered dose (0.8 mg/kg) induced maternal mortality and depressed body weight measures but did not affect fetal development These results suggest that orally administered HD is not teratogenic in rats • and rabbits since fetal effects were obs~rved only at dose levels that induced frank maternal toxicity. Estimations of dose ranges for •no observable effects levers· in rats and rabbits, respectively, were: < 0.5 and < 0.4 mg/kg in maternal animals and < 0.5 and > 0.8 mg/kg in their fetuses.

Penelitian jumlah penggunaan bating agent pada penyamakan kulit sarung tangan (fashion glove) dari kulit kelinci

OpenAIRE

Muchtar Lutfi; Widhiati Widhiati; Esti Rahayu; Kasmin Nainggolan

1994-01-01

The objective of this research is to identify the quatity of bating agent used in tanning rabbit skins to be glove leather, to make use rabbit skins which can not be tanned to fur rabbit skin leather. The materials used in this research were of 40 pieces of lokal salt preservated rabbit skins originated from Yogyakarta having quality III and IV. They were grouped into four and the groups consisted of ten pieces each were tanned to be fashion glove leather using 4% formaline as pretanning agen...

Penelitian Jumlah Penggunaan Bating Agent Pada Penyamakan Kulit Sarung Tangan (Fashion Glove) Dari Kulit Kelinci

OpenAIRE

Lutfi, Muchtar; Widhiati, Widhiati; Rahayu, Esti; Nainggolan, Kasmin

1994-01-01

The objective of this research is to identify the quatity of bating agent used in tanning rabbit skins to be glove leather, to make use rabbit skins which can not be tanned to fur rabbit skin leather. The materials used in this research were of 40 pieces of lokal salt preservated rabbit skins originated from Yogyakarta having quality III and IV. They were grouped into four and the groups consisted of ten pieces each were tanned to be fashion glove leather using 4% formaline as pretanning agen...

Pharmacokinetics of pirfenidone after topical administration in rabbit eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Guoying; Lin, Xianchai; Zhong, Hua; Yang, Yangfan; Qiu, Xuan; Ye, Chengtian; Wu, Kaili; Yu, Minbin

2011-01-01

Pirfenidone (5-methyl-1-phenyl-2-[1H]-pyridone) is a new, broad-spectrum agent that has an inhibition effect on the proliferation, migration, and collagen contraction of human Tenon's fibroblasts, and thus modulating the wound healing process of glaucoma filtering surgical site. This study investigated the pharmacokinetics of topically administered pirfenidone (0.5%) in rabbit eyes. Pirfenidone solution (50 μl) was instilled into the rabbit's conjunctival sac. The rabbits were quickly sacrificed at 2, 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after the administration and ocular tissues were obtained. The concentrations of pirfenidone in conjunctiva, sclera, cornea, aqueous humor, and vitreous were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. After topical administration, there was wide distribution and fast clearance of pirfenidone among the various ocular tissues. The mean maximum concentrations (C(max)) of pirfenidone in cornea, conjunctiva, sclera, aqueous humor, and vitreous were 9.64 mg/g, 9.62 mg/g, 2.13 mg/g, 34.88 mg/l and 0.52 mg/l, respectively. The half-life for these tissues was 18.26, 34.16, 15.71, 70.91, and 39.48 min, respectively. Measurable concentrations of pirfenidone are achieved in ocular tissues after topical application in rabbit model. Topical administration of pirfenidone may be an effective approach for modulation of wound healing responses in glaucoma filtration surgical site.

How does domain replacement affect fibril formation of the rabbit/human prion proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Yan

Full Text Available It is known that in vivo human prion protein (PrP have the tendency to form fibril deposits and are associated with infectious fatal prion diseases, while the rabbit PrP does not readily form fibrils and is unlikely to cause prion diseases. Although we have previously demonstrated that amyloid fibrils formed by the rabbit PrP and the human PrP have different secondary structures and macromolecular crowding has different effects on fibril formation of the rabbit/human PrPs, we do not know which domains of PrPs cause such differences. In this study, we have constructed two PrP chimeras, rabbit chimera and human chimera, and investigated how domain replacement affects fibril formation of the rabbit/human PrPs.As revealed by thioflavin T binding assays and Sarkosyl-soluble SDS-PAGE, the presence of a strong crowding agent dramatically promotes fibril formation of both chimeras. As evidenced by circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and proteinase K digestion assays, amyloid fibrils formed by human chimera have secondary structures and proteinase K-resistant features similar to those formed by the human PrP. However, amyloid fibrils formed by rabbit chimera have proteinase K-resistant features and secondary structures in crowded physiological environments different from those formed by the rabbit PrP, and secondary structures in dilute solutions similar to the rabbit PrP. The results from transmission electron microscopy show that macromolecular crowding caused human chimera but not rabbit chimera to form short fibrils and non-fibrillar particles.We demonstrate for the first time that the domains beyond PrP-H2H3 (β-strand 1, α-helix 1, and β-strand 2 have a remarkable effect on fibrillization of the rabbit PrP but almost no effect on the human PrP. Our findings can help to explain why amyloid fibrils formed by the rabbit PrP and the human PrP have different secondary structures and why macromolecular crowding has different

Heated lipiodol as an embolization agent for transhepatic arterial embolization in VX2 rabbit liver cancer model

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Cao Wei [Department of Interventional Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.1 Xinshi Road, Shaanxi Province, Xi' an 710038 (China)], E-mail: zjfurong2008@126.com; Wan Yi [Department of Health Statistics, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 17 West Changle Road, Xi' an 710032 (China); Liang Zhihui [Department of Radiology, Bethune International Peace Hospital, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province 050082 (China); Duan Yunyou; Liu Xi [Department of Ultrasonography, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 1 Xinshi Road, Xi' an 710038 (China); Wang Zhimin; Liu Yiyong; Zhu Jia; Liu Xiongtao [Department of Interventional Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.1 Xinshi Road, Shaanxi Province, Xi' an 710038 (China); Zhang Hongxin [Department of Interventional Radiology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No.1 Xinshi Road, Shaanxi Province, Xi' an 710038 (China)], E-mail: cawe-001@163.com

2010-02-15

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of heated (60 deg. C) lipiodol via hepatic artery administration in a rabbit model of VX2 liver cancer. Materials and methods: Thirty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 10 rabbits assigned to each group. VX2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left hepatic lobe. The tumors were allowed to grow for 2 weeks, and studies were performed until the diameter of the tumors detected by ultrasonograph reached 2-3 cm. Under anesthesia, trans-catheter hepatic arterial embolization was performed and doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) (1 mL), lipiodol (60 deg. C) (1 mL) or control (physiological saline (37 deg. C) (1 mL)) solution was injected into the hepatic arteries of animals in the three groups. One week later, the volume of the tumor was measured by ultrasonograph again. The serum of all rabbits was collected before injection and at 4 and 7 days after injection, and the level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was checked. The survival period of the three groups of rabbits after treatment was also recorded. During the last course of their disease, the rabbits were given analgesics to relieve suffering. Results: The tumor growth rate in the lipiodol (60 deg. C) group (0.92 {+-} 0.21, tumor volume from 1811 {+-} 435 to 1670 {+-} 564 mm{sup 3}) was significantly lower than that in the control group (3.48 {+-} 1.17, tumor volume from 1808 {+-} 756 to 5747 {+-} 1341 mm{sup 3}) (P < 0.05) and in the doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) group (1.69 {+-} 0.26, tumor volume from 1881 {+-} 641 to 2428 {+-} 752 mm{sup 3}) (P < 0.05). Consequently, the survival period of the animals in the lipiodol (60 deg. C) group (41.0 {+-} 3.0 days) was significantly greater than that in the doxorubicin-lipiodol (37 deg. C) group (38.0 {+-} 2.5 days) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, there was no statistically significant difference in serum AST levels between the lipiodol (60 deg. C) group (148.2 {+-} 11

Synchrotron radiation microimaging in rabbit models of cancer for preclinical testing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Umetani, Keiji [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, SPring-8, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan)], E-mail: umetani@spring8.or.jp; Uesugi, Kentaro [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, SPring-8, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5198 (Japan); Kobatake, Makito; Yamamoto, Akira; Yamashita, Takenori; Imai, Shigeki [Kawasaki Medical School, Matsushima, Kurashiki-shi, Okayama 701-0192 (Japan)

2009-10-01

Preclinical laboratory animal imaging modalities such as microangiography and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) have been developed at the SPring-8 BL20B2 bending magnet beamline. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of microangiography systems for physiological examinations of live animals and micro-CT systems for postmortem morphological examinations. Synchrotron radiation microangiography and micro-CT with contrast agents present the main advantageous capability of depicting the anatomy of small blood vessels with tens of micrometers' diameter. This paper reports two imaging instrument types and their respective applications to preclinical imaging of tumor angiogenic blood vessels in tumor-bearing rabbits, where tumor angiogenesis is characterized morphologically by an increased number of blood vessels. A microangiography system with spatial resolution around 10 {mu}m has been used for therapeutically evaluating angiogenic vessels in a rabbit model of cancer for evaluating embolization materials in transcatheter arterial embolization and for radiation therapy. After an iodine contrast agent was injected into an artery, in vivo imaging was carried out using a high-resolution real-time detector incorporating an X-ray direct-conversion-type SATICON pickup tube. On the other hand, a micro-CT system capably performed three-dimensional visualization of tumor angiogenic blood vessels using tumor-transplanted rabbit specimens with a barium sulfate contrast agent injected into the blood vessels. For specimen imaging, a large-field high-resolution micro-CT system based on a 10-megapixel CCD camera was developed to study tumor-associated alterations in angioarchitecture. Evidence of increased vascularity by tumor angiogenesis and decreased vascularity by tumor treatments was achieved by physiological evaluation of angiogenic small blood vessels in microangiographic imaging and by morphological assessment in micro-CT imaging. These results

Synchrotron radiation microimaging in rabbit models of cancer for preclinical testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umetani, Keiji; Uesugi, Kentaro; Kobatake, Makito; Yamamoto, Akira; Yamashita, Takenori; Imai, Shigeki

2009-01-01

Preclinical laboratory animal imaging modalities such as microangiography and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) have been developed at the SPring-8 BL20B2 bending magnet beamline. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the usefulness of microangiography systems for physiological examinations of live animals and micro-CT systems for postmortem morphological examinations. Synchrotron radiation microangiography and micro-CT with contrast agents present the main advantageous capability of depicting the anatomy of small blood vessels with tens of micrometers' diameter. This paper reports two imaging instrument types and their respective applications to preclinical imaging of tumor angiogenic blood vessels in tumor-bearing rabbits, where tumor angiogenesis is characterized morphologically by an increased number of blood vessels. A microangiography system with spatial resolution around 10 μm has been used for therapeutically evaluating angiogenic vessels in a rabbit model of cancer for evaluating embolization materials in transcatheter arterial embolization and for radiation therapy. After an iodine contrast agent was injected into an artery, in vivo imaging was carried out using a high-resolution real-time detector incorporating an X-ray direct-conversion-type SATICON pickup tube. On the other hand, a micro-CT system capably performed three-dimensional visualization of tumor angiogenic blood vessels using tumor-transplanted rabbit specimens with a barium sulfate contrast agent injected into the blood vessels. For specimen imaging, a large-field high-resolution micro-CT system based on a 10-megapixel CCD camera was developed to study tumor-associated alterations in angioarchitecture. Evidence of increased vascularity by tumor angiogenesis and decreased vascularity by tumor treatments was achieved by physiological evaluation of angiogenic small blood vessels in microangiographic imaging and by morphological assessment in micro-CT imaging. These results

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of donkeys responses to immunization by rabbits' IgG

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, A. M. E.; Saeed, A. M.

2012-12-01

In this study two apparently healthy donkeys were immunized with highly pure rabbit's 1gG using a revised protocol. Qualitative test using the same immuno gen was done as a primary test to eva lute the immune system response. However, the same 1gG was iodinated with 1 25I using chloramine T method and the labeled 1gG was used to quantitatively study the immune response. The two donkeys showed good response with the younger one having the best response. The obtained donkey anti rabbit sera was used as separating agent for RIA assay for human PRL. (Author)

Studies on uptake and distribution of chemotherapeutic agents to malignant tumors of the head and neck in rabbits, 2. /sup 3/H-Adriamycin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, R. (Gifu Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

1981-09-01

Experiments were performed to investigate incorporation and distribution of chemotherapeutic agents into malignant tumors of the head and neck by microautoradiographic and electron microscopic-autoradiographic observations of VX2 carcinoma transplanted in the lower genial region of rabbits after injection of /sup 3/H-Adriamycin as a tracer. The following findings were obtained. 1. On microautoradiograms, /sup 3/H-Adriamycin was distributed predominantly in the nucleoplasm, rather than in the cytoplasm, of tumor tissues. 2. At the ultrastructural level, /sup 3/H-Adriamycin was localized in the nuclear membrane and nucleoli within the nucleoplasm and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum and secretory granules within the cytoplasm. 3. These findings seem to indicate that Adriamycin may inhibit the synthesis of DNA and RNA in the nucleoplasm.

Divalent cations in tears, and their influence on tear film stability in humans and rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xiaojia Eric; Markoulli, Maria; Millar, Thomas J; Willcox, Mark D P; Zhao, Zhenjun

2012-06-05

Reduced tear film stability is reported to contribute to dry eye. Rabbits are known to have a more stable tear film than humans. Thus, we sought to examine the tears of rabbits and humans for metal cations, and to test how they influence tear film stability. Tears were collected from 10 healthy humans and 6 rabbits. Tear osmolality was measured by vapor pressure osmometer, and metals analyzed using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry or ICP atomic emission spectroscopy. The influence of divalent cations on tears was analyzed by measuring surface tension using the Langmuir trough in vitro, using different concentrations of cations in the subphase, and grading the tear break-up in rabbits in vivo after instillation of chelating agents. Rabbit tears had a higher osmolality compared to humans. Major metals did not differ between species; however, rabbits had higher levels of Mg(2+) (1.13 vs. 0.39 mM) and Ca(2+) (0.75 vs. 0.36 mM). In rabbit tears in vitro, diminishing divalent cations resulted in a decrease in the maximum surface pressure from 37 to 30 mN/m. In vivo, an increase in the amount of tear film that was broken-up was found. In contrast, when changing divalent cation concentrations in human tears, the maximum surface pressure remained at 26 mN/m. The normal osmolality of rabbit tears is significantly higher than that in humans. While divalent cations had little influence on human tears, they appear to have an important role in maintaining tear film stability in rabbits.

Sildenafil Stimulates Aqueous Humor Turnover in Rabbits

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Lawrence J.; Zamudio, Aldo C.; Candia, Oscar A.

2013-01-01

Sildenafil citrate increases ocular blood flow and accelerates the rate of anterior chamber refilling after paracentesis. The latter effect could have resulted from a reduction in outflow facility or from an increase in aqueous humor (AH) production. In this study, we used scanning ocular fluorophotometry to examine the effects of sildenafil on AH turnover, and thus, AH production in eyes of live normal rabbits. For this, the rate of aqueous humor flow (AHF) was quantified with a commercially available fluorophotometer that measured the rate of fluorescein clearance from the anterior segment, which predominantly occurs via the trabecular meshwork. After ≈ 2 hrs of control scans to determine the baseline rate of AHF, the rabbits were fed 33 mg of sildenafil and allowed ≈ 45 min for the drug to enter the systemic circulation. Thereafter, fluorescence scans were retaken for an additional 90–120 min. Sildenafil ingestion increased AHF by about 36%, from 2.31 μL/min to 3.14 μL/min (PViagra, Revatio), stimulates AHF in rabbits. Our results seem consistent with reports indicating that the drug dilates intraocular arteries and augments intraocular vascular flow. These physiological responses to the agent apparently led to increased fluid entry into the anterior chamber. As such, the drug might have utility in patients with ocular hypotony resulting from insufficient AH formation. PMID:23562660

Characterization of New Zealand White Rabbit Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues and Use as Viral Oncology Animal Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Haines, Robyn A; Urbiztondo, Rebeccah A; Haynes, Rashade A H; Simpson, Elaine; Niewiesk, Stefan; Lairmore, Michael D

2016-01-01

Rabbits have served as a valuable animal model for the pathogenesis of various human diseases, including those related to agents that gain entry through the gastrointestinal tract such as human T cell leukemia virus type 1. However, limited information is available regarding the spatial distribution and phenotypic characterization of major rabbit leukocyte populations in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues. Herein, we describe the spatial distribution and phenotypic characterization of leukocytes from gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) from 12-week-old New Zealand White rabbits. Our data indicate that rabbits have similar distribution of leukocyte subsets as humans, both in the GALT inductive and effector sites and in mesenteric lymph nodes, spleen, and peripheral blood. GALT inductive sites, including appendix, cecal tonsil, Peyer's patches, and ileocecal plaque, had variable B cell/T cell ratios (ranging from 4.0 to 0.8) with a predominance of CD4 T cells within the T cell population in all four tissues. Intraepithelial and lamina propria compartments contained mostly T cells, with CD4 T cells predominating in the lamina propria compartment and CD8 T cells predominating in the intraepithelial compartment. Mesenteric lymph node, peripheral blood, and splenic samples contained approximately equal percentages of B cells and T cells, with a high proportion of CD4 T cells compared with CD8 T cells. Collectively, our data indicate that New Zealand White rabbits are comparable with humans throughout their GALT and support future studies that use the rabbit model to study human gut-associated disease or infectious agents that gain entry by the oral route. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The parasympatholytic effects of atropine sulfate and glycopyrrolate in rats and rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, M E; Vizzutti, D; Morck, D W; Cox, A K

1994-01-01

Nine groups of rats (n = 5 per group) received an intramuscular (IM) injection of one of the following drugs or drug combinations: saline, atropine (0.05 mg/kg), glycopyrrolate (0.5 mg/kg), ketamine:xylazine (85:15 mg/kg), ketamine:detomidine (60:10 mg/kg), atropine:ketamine:xylazine (0.05: 85:15 mg/kg), glycopyrrolate: ketamine:xylazine (0.5:85:15 mg/kg), atropine:ketamine:detomidine (0.05: 60:10 mg/kg) or glycopyrrolate: ketamine:detomidine (0.5:60:10). Similarly six groups of rabbits (n = 5) received an IM injection of either saline, atropine (0.2 mg/kg), atropine (2 mg/kg), glycopyrrolate (0.1 mg/kg), ketamine:xylazine (35:10 mg/kg) or glycopyrrolate:ketamine:xylazine (0.1:35:10 mg/kg). In rats, atropine sulfate (0.05 mg/kg) and glycopyrrolate (0.5 mg/kg) produced an increase in heart rate for 30 and 240 min, respectively. In rabbits atropine sulfate at either 0.2 or 2.0 mg/kg did not induce a significant increase in heart rate, but glycopyrrolate (0.1 mg/kg) elevated the heart rate above saline treated animals for over 50 min. Both atropine and glycopyrrolate provided protection against a decrease in heart rate in rats anesthetized with ketamine: xylazine (85:15 mg/kg) or ketamine: detomidine (60:10 mg/kg); however, glycopyrrolate was significantly more effective in maintaining the heart rate within the normal range. Glycopprrolate also prevented a decrease in heart rate in rabbits anesthetized with ketamine:xylazine (35:5 mg/kg). Neither glycopyrrolate nor atropine influenced respiration rate, core body temperature or systolic blood pressure when used alone or when combined with the injectable anesthetic. Glycopyrrolate is an effective anticholinergic agent in rabbits and rodents and more useful as a preanesthetic agent than atropine sulfate in these animals. PMID:7889456

Cellular proliferation and regeneration following tissue damage. Progress report. [Eyes

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Harding, C.V.

1976-10-01

Results are reported from a study of wound healing in tissues of the eye, particularly lens, cornea, and surrounding tissues. The reactions of these tissues to mechanical injuries, as well as injuries induced by chemotoxic agents were studied. It is postulated that a better understanding of the basic reactions of the eye to injurious agents may be of importance in the evaluation of potential environmental hazards.

Ação de diferentes agentes curtentes utilizados no curtimento de peles de coelhos: testes físico-mecânicos dos couros = Action of different tanning agents used on rabbit hide tanning: physicalmechanic tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilson do Prado Franco

2009-10-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar a ação de diferentes agentes curtentes no processamento das peles de coelhos, sobre a resistência do couro. Cinquenta peles de coelhos foram submetidas a diferentes agentes curtentes na etapa de curtimento (T1 = 6% sais de cromoChromossal B®, T2 = 22% tanino vegetal Clarotan-x8®; T3 = 22% tanino sintético Syntac CW®; T4 = 12% tanino vegetal Weibull® + 10% tanino sintético Syntac F®; T5 = 22% tanino vegetal Weibull®. Foram retirados os corpos de prova do couro, na região dorsal, no sentidolongitudinal e transversal em relação ao eixo céfalo-caudal. Os agentes curtentes e retirada dos corpos de prova não influenciaram no teste de tração (9,28 N mm-2 a 11,63 N mm-2 e força aplicada (17,91 N a 24,85 N nos testes. Os curtimentos com sais de cromo (62,85% e Clarotan–x8® (70,28% proporcionaram maiores valores de alongamento em relação aos demais agentes curtentes utilizados. Os corpos de prova do couro no sentido transversal (59,12% apresentaram maior alongamento comparado ao longitudinal (49,72%. Os curtimentos com sais de cromo (22,70 N mm-1, Clarotan–x8® (25,94 N mm-1 e Weibull® (21,58 N mm-1 proporcionaram couros com maior resistência ao rasgamento. O sentido de retirada dos corpos de prova no couro não influenciou no rasgamento progressivo. As técnicas de curtimento com sais de cromo e Clarotan-x8® proporcionaram couros com melhores valores de resistência ao alongamento e rasgamento progressivo.The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the action of different tanning agents in the processing of rabbit hides over skin resistance. Fifty skins of rabbit hides were submitted to different tanning agents in the tanning stage (T1 = 6% Chromossal B® chromesalts; T2 = 22% Clarotan–x8® vegetable tannin; T3 = 22% Syntac CW® synthetic tannin; T4 = 12% Weibull® vegetable tannin + 10% Syntac F® synthetic tannin; T5 = 22% Weibull® vegetable tannin. The specimens were removed

Myocardial kinetics of hexakis (trimethylphosphite) technetium-99m (I) chloride (Tc-TMP) in rats, rabbits, dogs, cats and pigs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robbins, M.S.; Adams, M.D.

1984-01-01

Tc-TMP is readily taken up by the myocardium following intravenous administration to rats and dogs. In order to assess its potential as a myocardial perfusion imaging agent, the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of Tc-TMP were evaluated following intravenous administration to rats, rabbits, dogs, cats and miniature pigs. Rats and rabbits were killed at several time points within a 24 hr period after treatment and tissue samples were assayed for radioactivity. In rats, estimated heart, liver and lung half-lives were 14.4 hr, 24 min and 40 min, respectively. In rabbits, 0.6% dose/g was observed in the heart at 30 min. Corresponding heart/blood, heart/liver and heart/lung ratios were 39.1, 10.7 and 5.1. Gamma camera imaging experiments were conducted in rabbits, dogs, cats and pigs over a 1-2 hr period following administration of Tc-TMP. All species exhibited myocardial uptake resulting in sustained visualization, although myocardial image intensity was less pronounced in the pig compared to the other species. Regions of interest were selected over the heart, liver and background, and time-activity curves were generated. Minimal myocardial clearance was observed in all species during the imaging time course. Hepatic activity was rapidly cleared in rabbits and pigs (t1/2 < 1.0 hr) resulting in improved heart/liver ratios at later time intervals. The myocardial accumulation and retention of Tc-TMP, demonstrated in five species, supports clinical evaluation as a myocardial imaging agent

Efficacy of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor agonist in the treatment of virus-associated haemophagocytic syndrome in a rabbit model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Wen-Chuan; Lan, Bau-Shin; Chen, Yi-Ling; Chang, Yao; Chuang, Huai-Chia; Su, Ih-Jen

2010-01-01

Virus-associated haemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) is a fatal complication of viral infections, such as Epstein-Barr virus and H5N1 influenza, that results from macrophage activation and pro inflammatory cytokine injuries. The high comorbidity and mortality of current therapy urgently demands an ideal agent based on VAHS pathogenesis. Peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) agonists, regulators of metabolic syndrome, can exhibit immunomodulatory effects on macrophage activation and cytokine secretion. In this study, we adopted rosiglitazone, a PPAR-gamma agonist, for VAHS control in a Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-infected rabbit model. Various doses of rosiglitazone were orally administered to rabbits on day 7 or day 20 after intravenous challenge with 5 x 10(7) copies of HVP. The rabbits that received 4 mg/day rosiglitazone had significantly increased survival when treated at an early stage of infection (P<0.01), whereas a higher dose (8 mg/day) was required at the advanced stage of the disease (P<0.05). All rosiglitazone-treated rabbits had significantly improved laboratory parameters and plasma tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels. Importantly, rosiglitazone could also inhibit viral replication in vitro and in vivo. PPAR agonists could represent a potentially new agent for the therapy of VAHS.

Bone mineral measurements of subchondral and trabecular bone in healthy and osteoporotic rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castaneda, S; Largo, R.; Marcos, M.E.; Herrero-Beaumont, G.; Calvo, E.; Rodriguez-Salvanes, F.; Diaz-Curiel, M.

2006-01-01

Experimental models of osteoporosis in rabbits are useful to investigate anabolic agents because this animal has a fast bone turnover with predominant remodelling over the modelling processes. For that purpose, it is necessary to characterize the densitometric values of each type of bony tissue. To determine areal bone mass measurement in the spine and in trabecular, cortical and subchondral bone of the knee in healthy and osteoporotic rabbits. Bone mineral content and bone mineral density were measured in lumbar spine, global knee, and subchondral and cortical bone of the knee with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry using a Hologic QDR-1000/W densitometer in 29 skeletally mature female healthy New Zealand rabbits. Ten rabbits underwent triplicate scans for evaluation of the effect of repositioning. Osteoporosis was experimentally induced in 15 rabbits by bilateral ovariectomy and postoperative corticosteroid treatment for 4 weeks. Identical dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) studies were performed thereafter. Mean values of bone mineral content at the lumbar spine, global knee, subchondral bone and cortical tibial metaphysis were: 1934±217 mg, 878±83 mg, 149±14 mg and 29±7.0 mg, respectively. The mean values of bone mineral density at the same regions were: 298±24 mg/cm 2 , 455±32 mg/cm 2 , 617±60 mg/cm 2 and 678±163 mg/cm 2 , respectively. (orig.)

Combined Effect of Ambient Temperature with Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation in Rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Kyu; Choi, Dae Seong; Komarova, Ludmila N.; Petin, Vladislav G.

2010-01-01

There has been an increasing interest in synergistic effects observed after combined action of various agents. Many studies have shown that numerous physical and chemical agents combined with hyperthermia can interact in a synergistic manner when the effect produced by both agents used in combination exceeded the expected results from simple summation of the every effect produced by heat and the particular agent. I t was found that ambient temperature had a profound effect on the thermoregulatory responses to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RFR) in various animals and humans. An extensive quantitative investigation of synergistic interaction of ambient temperature and microwaves has been published for rabbit heating. I t would be of interest to estimate whether or not the general features of the combined action revealed with unicellular organisms can be expressed for animals exposed to microwave power combined with a higher environmental temperature.

Effects of intraarticular contrast media on synovial membrane and cartilage: An electron microscopic evaluation in rabbit knees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kose, N.; Inan, U.; Omeroglu, H.; Seber, S.; Baycu, C.; Omeroglu, H.

2007-01-01

To evaluate the histological and ultrastructural alterations in rabbit knee joint cartilage and synovia induced by intraarticular injections of 2 water soluble contrast agents. The study was conducted at the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical Faculty, Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey in January 2002. To examine the effect of contrast agents on articular cartilage and synovial membrane, rabbit model was used. Specimens from 62 knee joints were examined by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy one hour, one day, one week and 2 weeks after intraarticular administration of gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid, iopromide or saline. In the knees injected with saline, light microscopic changes of the synovium consisted of edema only. Edema and hyperemia were seen in contrast agent injected knees. Ultrastructurally, numerous and large pinocytotic vesicles in A cells of the synovial membrane were seen in contrast agent injected groups. In the knees injected with saline the cartilage were ultrastructurally normal but contrast agent injected knees showed increased activation of chondrocytes with increase of dense glycogen accumulation, large lipid vacuoles and matrix material. There were very rare pycnotic cells in these samples. The rating scale has been used and the means of the total scores were determined for the groups. The effects of contrast agents reduced gradually on the cartilage and synovium in general but did not become completely normal in the observation period. (author)

Ozone-Induced Hypertussive Responses in Rabbits and Guinea Pigs

Science.gov (United States)

Clay, Emlyn; Patacchini, Riccardo; Trevisani, Marcello; Preti, Delia; Branà, Maria Pia; Spina, Domenico

2016-01-01

Cough remains a major unmet clinical need, and preclinical animal models are not predictive for new antitussive agents. We have investigated the mechanisms and pharmacological sensitivity of ozone-induced hypertussive responses in rabbits and guinea pigs. Ozone induced a significant increase in cough frequency and a decrease in time to first cough to inhaled citric acid in both conscious guinea pigs and rabbits. This response was inhibited by the established antitussive drugs codeine and levodropropizine. In contrast to the guinea pig, hypertussive responses in the rabbit were not inhibited by bronchodilator drugs (β2 agonists or muscarinic receptor antagonists), suggesting that the observed hypertussive state was not secondary to bronchoconstriction in this species. The ozone-induced hypertussive response in the rabbit was inhibited by chronic pretreatment with capsaicin, suggestive of a sensitization of airway sensory nerve fibers. However, we could find no evidence for a role of TRPA1 in this response, suggesting that ozone was not sensitizing airway sensory nerves via activation of this receptor. Whereas the ozone-induced hypertussive response was accompanied by a significant influx of neutrophils into the airway, the hypertussive response was not inhibited by the anti-inflammatory phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor roflumilast at a dose that clearly exhibited anti-inflammatory activity. In summary, our results suggest that ozone-induced hypertussive responses to citric acid may provide a useful model for the investigation of novel drugs for the treatment of cough, but some important differences were noted between the two species with respect to sensitivity to bronchodilator drugs. PMID:26837703

Electromechanical effects of bepridil on rabbit isolated hearts.

OpenAIRE

Anno, T.; Furuta, T.; Itoh, M.; Kodama, I.; Toyama, J.; Yamada, K.

1984-01-01

Electromechanical effects of a new antianginal agent, bepridil, on Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were compared with those of verapamil and lidocaine. Bepridil at concentrations above 2 X 10(-7)M caused a dose-related decrease in heart rate (HR), a prolongation of the atrio-His bundle conduction time (A-H interval) and a prolongation of the functional refractory period (FRP) of the atrioventricular (A-V) node. Similar changes in HR, A-H interval and the FRP of the A-V node were observed w...

Vestibulo-ocular reflexes in rabbits: reduction by intravenous injection of diazepam.

Science.gov (United States)

Barmack, N H; Pettorossi, V E

1980-11-01

We have studied the influence of intravenously administered diazepam on the horizontal (HVOR) and vertical (VVOR) vestibulo-ocular reflexes of the rabbit. The HVOR and VVOR were evoked by sinusoidal oscillation of rabbits on a rate table (0.01 to 0.8 Hz, +/- 10 degrees), and eye movements were measured with an infrared light-projection technique. The gains of the HVOR and VVOR (evoked eye velocity/head velocity) were reduced by diazepam injections of 5 microgram/kg. The dose required to produce a 50% reduction in HVOR gain was 500 microgram/kg. The time required to reduce the HVOR gain to 50% of its maximal reduction at dose of 400 microgram/kg (0.4 Hz +/- 10 degrees) was 60 s. These data suggest that diazepam might be effective as an anti-motion-sickness agent.

The Rabbit Stream Cipher

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boesgaard, Martin; Vesterager, Mette; Zenner, Erik

2008-01-01

The stream cipher Rabbit was first presented at FSE 2003, and no attacks against it have been published until now. With a measured encryption/decryption speed of 3.7 clock cycles per byte on a Pentium III processor, Rabbit does also provide very high performance. This paper gives a concise...... description of the Rabbit design and some of the cryptanalytic results available....

A strain-specific multiplex RT-PCR for Australian rabbit haemorrhagic disease viruses uncovers a new recombinant virus variant in rabbits and hares.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, R N; Mahar, J E; Read, A J; Mourant, R; Piper, M; Huang, N; Strive, T

2018-04-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV, or GI.1) is a calicivirus in the genus Lagovirus that has been widely utilized in Australia as a biological control agent for the management of overabundant wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations since 1996. Recently, two exotic incursions of pathogenic lagoviruses have been reported in Australia; GI.1a-Aus, previously called RHDVa-Aus, is a GI.1a virus detected in January 2014, and the novel lagovirus GI.2 (previously known as RHDV2). Furthermore, an additional GI.1a strain, GI.1a-K5 (also known as 08Q712), was released nationwide in March 2017 as a supplementary tool for wild rabbit management. To discriminate between these lagoviruses, a highly sensitive strain-specific multiplex RT-PCR assay was developed, which allows fast, cost-effective and sensitive detection of the four pathogenic lagoviruses currently known to be circulating in Australia. In addition, we developed a universal RT-qPCR assay to be used in conjunction with the multiplex assay that broadly detects all four viruses and facilitates quantification of viral RNA load in samples. These assays enable rapid detection, identification and quantification of pathogenic lagoviruses in the Australian context. Using these assays, a novel recombinant lagovirus was detected in rabbit tissue samples, which contained the non-structural genes of GI.1a-Aus and the structural genes of GI.2. This variant was also recovered from the liver of a European brown hare (Lepus europaeus). The impact of this novel recombinant on Australian wild lagomorph populations and its competitiveness in relation to circulating field strains, particularly GI.2, requires further studies. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

166Ho-chitosan as a radiation synovectomy agent - antigen-induced arthritis in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sug Jun; Lee, Soo Yong; Jeon, Dae Geun; Lee, Jong Seok

1998-01-01

Radiation synovectomy is a noninvasive therapy that has been investigated as an alternative to surgical synovectomy. It has been successfully employed in the treatment of synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthropathies. In this study, we developed experimental animal model for radiation synovectomy. A model system in which a single injection of ovalbumin into the knee joints of previously sensitized rabbits consistently produced a chronic arthritis which was histologically similiar to human rheumatoid arthritis. (author). 8 refs., 8 figs

Pheromone-Induced Olfactory Memory in Newborn Rabbits: Involvement of Consolidation and Reconsolidation Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Coureaud, Gerard; Languille, Solene; Schaal, Benoist; Hars, Bernard

2009-01-01

Mammary pheromone (MP)-induced odor memory is a new model of appetitive memory functioning early in a mammal, the newborn rabbit. Some properties of this associative memory are analyzed by the use of anisomycin as an amnesic agent. Long-term memory (LTM) was impaired by anisomycin delivered immediately, but not 4 h after either acquisition or…

Efficacy of topotecan treatment on antioxidant enzymes and TBA-RS levels in submandibular glands of rabbits: an experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Muluk, Nuray Bayar; Kisa, Uçler; Kaçmaz, Murat; Apan, Alpaslan; Koç, Can

2005-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of topotecan (Hycamtin), a topoisomerase I inhibiting anticancer agent, on antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px) and TBA-RS values of the submandibular glands of the rabbits. The study was conveyed in two groups (Group I, II) and control with a total of 24 rabbits. Eight rabbits in group I received intravenous (i.v.) topotecan (0.25 mg/kg once daily) for 3 days. Eight rabbits in group II received i.v. topotecan (0.5 mg/kg once daily) for 3 days. On the 15th day after administration of topotecan, submandibular glands were removed and levels of the SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px and the TBA-RS in the submandibular glands of the rabbits were examined. SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px values were significantly higher in high-dose topotecan group compared to control group (P TBA-RS values were significantly higher in high-dose topotecan group compared to low-dose topotecan group (P TBA-RS values in group II showed that permanent damage was present because of high-dose topotecan administration in the submandibular glands of the rabbits.

An intravenously injectable emulsified iodinated oil contrast agent for liver CT. Experimental study of lipiodol emulsion emulsified by lecithin (LEL38) in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamei, Tsuyoshi

1994-01-01

LEL38 (lipiodol emulsion emulsified by lecithin 38 mgI/ml, mean diameter 200 nm) is a new intravenously injectable oil contrast agent for liver CT. The aim of this report was to evaluate its ability to enhance contrast in the liver of 46 rabbits with regard to the correlation of density with time at an injected dose of 76 mgI/kg (before to 120 minutes after), the correlation of density with dose (0-760 mgI/kg) and the detectability of liver mass. The time-density correlation of LEL38 in the liver, that is, peak density, was achieved after 30 minutes, and it was elevated to 20.9 H. U. Thereafter, it decreased slowly. In the blood vessels, it reached a sharp peak after immediately being elevated to 14. 7 H. U. Thereafter detectability decreased quickly. The maximum difference in density between liver and blood vessels was 34 H. U. after 60 minutes. The dose-density correlation in the liver and blood vessels was linear. Tumors were detected as clear areas of low density. The minimal detectability was about 3 mm. LEL38 may be an effective contrast agent for screening CT studies of liver disease. (author)

RabbitMQ essentials

CERN Document Server

Dossot, David

2014-01-01

This book is a quick and concise introduction to RabbitMQ. Follow the unique case study of Clever Coney Media as they progressively discover how to fully utilize RabbitMQ, containing clever examples and detailed explanations.Whether you are someone who develops enterprise messaging products professionally or a hobbyist who is already familiar with open source Message Queuing software and you are looking for a new challenge, then this is the book for you. Although you should be familiar with Java, Ruby, and Python to get the most out of the examples, RabbitMQ Essentials will give you the push y

Epidemiology of RHDV2 (Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2) in free-living wild European rabbits in Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouco, C; Abrantes, J; Serronha, A; Lopes, A M; Maio, E; Magalhães, M J; Blanco, E; Bárcena, J; Esteves, P J; Santos, N; Alves, P C; Monterroso, P

2018-04-01

As the detection of the first outbreak of a novel aetiological agent of rabbit haemorrhagic disease commonly called RHDV2 or RHDVb (Lagovirus europaeus/GI.2, henceforth GI.2) in France in 2010, the virus rapidly spread throughout continental Europe and nearby islands such as Great Britain, Sardinia, Sicily, the Azores and the Canary Islands among others. The outbreaks of this new lagovirus cause important economic losses in rabbitries, and ecological disruptions by affecting the conservation of rabbit-sensitive top predators. We analysed 550 rabbit carcasses collected in the field between May 2013 and March 2016, to investigate the epidemiology of GI.2 in free-living populations and to perform a comparative analysis with the epidemiology of classical rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus forms (RHDV, henceforth GI.1) in Portugal. Rabbits were sexed, aged and liver and blood samples were collected for subsequent RHDV screening and serology. A total of 172 samples were PCR-positive to GI.2, whereas GI.1 strains were not detected in any of the samples. The outbreaks of GI.2 revealed a marked seasonality, with peaks during the breeding season (November-May). We also found that approximately, one-third of free-ranging European rabbits in Portugal have seroconverted to GI.2. We demonstrate that the GI.2 lagovirus is currently widespread in wild populations in Portugal and is affecting a high proportion of adults and juveniles. Therefore, ongoing monitoring and surveillance are required to assess the effects of GI.2 on wild rabbit populations, its evolution, and to guide management actions aimed at mitigating the impacts of rabbit declines in the ecosystem and in rural economies. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Serological Survey for RHD Antibodies in Rabbits from Two Types of Rabbit Breeding Farms.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzner, A; Niedbalski, W

2016-09-01

Seroprevalence studies of RHDV antibodies in domestic rabbits were conducted between 2008-2014. A total of 12,169 sera from the provinces of central, southern and south-east Poland, including 7,570 samples collected from mixed-breed rabbits reared in smallholder farms and nearly 4,600 sera taken mainly from unvaccinated rabbits kept in industrial farms, were examined using ELISA tests. Additionally, cross-reactivity of selected tested and control archival sera using both classic RHDV and RHDVa antigens was determined by HI assay. The overall seroprevalence was 13.3%. In rabbits with unkown history of immunisation or RHD infection which came from small farms, RHDV antibodies were detected in 6.1% ranging between 1.0% to 17.2% of animals. In rabbits of the same group, but with a declared vaccination status, or confirmed exposure to an infectious virus, or coming from exposed females, the seroprevalence ranged from 83% to 100%. Among unvaccinated meat rabbits aged 71 to 90 days from industrial farms, low (1.85%, 4.17%, 11%), medium (34%, 54%) or high rates (98.7%) of seropositivity were detected. The seroconversion recorded in adult vaccinated females from industrial farms was 70% and 95%. Generally, the antibody levels examined by ELISAs and HI were comparable. However, a number of sera from the rabbits from small farms, as well as archival sera, showed clear differences. Several-fold differences in antibody titers, evidenced mainly in the postoutbreak sera, indictaed the contact of animals with RHDVa antigen. The overall results of the survey revealed a great proportion of seronegative rabbits potentially highly susceptible to RHD infection. In combination with the emergence of a novel pathogenic RHD virus type (RHDV2), it poses a severe risk of a next wave of fatal disease cases spreading in the native population of domestic rabbits, especially in farms with a traditional system of husbandry.

Mitomycin C dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel: target tissue concentrations in the rabbit eye.

Science.gov (United States)

Ichien, K; Yamamoto, T; Kitazawa, Y; Oguri, A; Ando, H; Kondo, Y

1997-01-01

To determine whether a new, reversible thermosetting gel enhances mitomycin C transfer to target ocular tissues in the rabbit eye. A 0.1 ml solution of mitomycin C containing 0.22 microgram, 2.9 micrograms, or 28 micrograms of the agent dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel consisting of methylcellulose, citric acid, and polyethylene glycol was injected subconjunctivally in 30 New Zealand albino rabbits. Scleral and conjunctival tissues were excised at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 24 hours after the injection and mitomycin C concentrations in these tissues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The concentration over time was approximated to a single exponential curve, and initial mitomycin C concentrations, time constants, and half life values were determined. Finally, the areas under the curves (AUCs) between 0.5 and 24 hours were calculated. The mitomycin C concentrations in the target tissues were dose dependent and decreased rapidly over 24 hours. Both the initial mitomycin C concentrations as well as AUCs in these eyes treated with mitomycin C, dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel, were higher than those in eyes treated similarly in a previous study in which the gel was not used. Applied subconjunctivally in the rabbit eye, mitomycin C dissolved in the reversible thermosetting gel enhanced transfer of the agent to the sclera and the conjunctiva.

Radiation-induced heart disease due to intrathonacic tumor radiotherapy of a single dose to the rabbits' heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Weibing; Feng Yan; Chen Jiayi; Luo Quanyong

2007-01-01

Objective: To observe the changes of radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) in the rabbits irradiated in clinical related dose, and to evaluate the apoptosis and hypoxia in the irradiated heart by the new scintigraphic agents of 99 Tc m -HL91 and 99 Tc m -Annexin V of heart SPECT. Methods: Tenty-four New Zealand white rabbits 4-month old and 2-3 kg by weight were divided into two groups. Group 1 (clinical related dose group): 16 irradiated by a single close from 0 to 18 Gy. Group 2 (high dose group): 8 irradiated dose from 22 to 80 Gy. The serum cTnI/CKMB, ECG, and heart SPECT(using 99 Tc m -MIBI, 99 Tc m -HL91 and 99 Tc m -Annexin V as agents) were detected before and after irradiation. The animals were followed for 5 months. Then biopsy of rabbit heart was performed and pathologic examination was made by H.E. stain. Results: In the 16 rabbits of clinical related dose group, none died of RIHD. Whereas 2 rabbits died of RIHD in the high dose group. One died of myocardial infarction and the other of congestive heart failure. According to the Stewart introduced heart lesion grading system, of the clinical close ann, there were moderate in 1 rabbit, minimal in 14; and of the high dose ann, it was severe in 2, marked in 1, moderate in 5. The parallel relation was observed between the ECG results and the pathological changes (χ 2 =0.08, P=0.771). Serum value of cTnI, was elevated at the 12th hour after irradiation reaching the peak and maintained for 4 months. However, it came down in the 5th month. The difference of serum cTnI value before and after radiation was statistically significant. Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy tested by heart SPECT ( 99 Tc m -MIBI) showed defects was present in all irradiated rabbits. The relationship between the defects and radiation dose or between the defects and the real RIHD was uncertain. The SPECT images displayed that 99 Tc m -HL91 and 99m Tc-Annexin V did not accumulate in the irradiated heart. Conclusions: No serious damage is

Simple Additive Weighting to Diagnose Rabbit Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Ramadiani; Marissa, Dyna; Jundillah, Muhammad Labib; Azainil; Hatta, Heliza Rahmania

2018-02-01

Rabbit is one of the many pets maintained by the general public in Indonesia. Like other pet, rabbits are also susceptible to various diseases. Society in general does not understand correctly the type of rabbit disease and the way of treatment. To help care for sick rabbits it is necessary a decision support system recommendation diagnosis of rabbit disease. The purpose of this research is to make the application of rabbit disease diagnosis system so that can help user in taking care of rabbit. This application diagnoses the disease by tracing the symptoms and calculating the recommendation of the disease using Simple Additive Weighting method. This research produces a web-based decision support system that is used to help rabbit breeders and the general public.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Campylobacter Cuniculorum Isolated from Rabbits Reared in Intensive and Rural Farms

Science.gov (United States)

Piva, Silvia; Florio, Daniela; Mion, Domenico; Zanoni, Renato Giulio

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility in Campylobacter cuniculorum. To do so, 29 isolates from rabbits reared in 18 intensive and 11 rural farms not epidemiologically correlated were tested. Minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 antimicrobial agents was determined using the agar dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (Wayne, PA, USA), modified – for what supplements in the base medium and incubation conditions concern – for C. cuniculorum isolates. The isolates obtained from rural farming resulted susceptible to all the antimicrobial agents tested, with the exception of one isolate resistant to nalidixic acid. All the isolates obtained from intensively farmed rabbits were sensitive to chloramphenicol and ampicillin; 16 isolates were resistant to tetracycline; 15 to nalidixic acid and erythromycin; 13 and 10 isolates to ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, respectively; and only 1 to gentamicin. The resistance of several isolates to macrolides and fluoroquinolones, which are the drugs of choice in treatment of human campylobacteriosis, could pose a risk to human health if a pathogenic role of C. cuniculorum was demonstrated. PMID:27853713

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Campylobacter cuniculorum isolated from rabbits reared in intensive and rural farms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Piva

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility in Campylobacter cuniculorum. To do so, 29 isolates from rabbits reared in 18 intensive and 11 rural farms not epidemiologically correlated were tested. Minimum inhibitory concentration of 8 antimicrobial agents was determined using the agar dilution method recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (Wayne, PA, USA, modified – for what supplements in the base medium and incubation conditions concern – for C. cuniculorum isolates. The isolates obtained from rural farming resulted susceptible to all the antimicrobial agents tested, with the exception of one isolate resistant to nalidixic acid. All the isolates obtained from intensively farmed rabbits were sensitive to chloramphenicol and ampicillin; 16 isolates were resistant to tetracycline; 15 to nalidixic acid and erythromycin; 13 and 10 isolates to ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin, respectively; and only 1 to gentamicin. The resistance of several isolates to macrolides and fluoroquinolones, which are the drugs of choice in treatment of human campylobacteriosis, could pose a risk to human health if a pathogenic role of C. cuniculorum was demonstrated.

[Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor and tumor necrosis factor receptor for treatment of avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits].

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Zhi-ming; Zhou, Ming-qian; Gao, Ji-min

2008-12-01

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) on avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head was induced in 26 New Zealand white rabbits by injections of horse serum and prednisolone. The rabbits were then divided into VEGF/TNFR treatment group, VEGF treatment group, and untreated model group, with another 4 normal rabbits as the normal control group. In the two treatment groups, the therapeutic agents were injected percutaneously into the femoral head. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the concentration of TNF-alpha in rabbit serum followed by pathological examination of the changes in the bone tissues, bone marrow hematopoietic tissue and the blood vessels in the femoral head. Compared with the model group, the rabbits with both VEGF and TNFR treatment showed decreased serum concentration of TNF-alpha with obvious new vessel formation, decreased empty bone lacunae in the femoral head and hematopoietic tissue proliferation in the bone marrow cavity. Percutaneous injection of VEGF and TNFR into the femoral head can significantly enhance bone tissue angiogenesis and ameliorate osteonecrosis in rabbits with experimental femoral head necrosis.

An in vivo system for directed experimental evolution of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Robyn N; Capucci, Lorenzo; Matthaei, Markus; Esposito, Simona; Kerr, Peter J; Frese, Michael; Strive, Tanja

2017-01-01

The calicivirus Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) is widely used in Australia as a biocontrol agent to manage wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations. However, widespread herd immunity limits the effectiveness of the currently used strain, CAPM V-351. To overcome this, we developed an experimental platform for the selection and characterisation of novel RHDV strains. As RHDV does not replicate in cell culture, variant viruses were selected by serially passaging a highly virulent RHDV field isolate in immunologically naïve laboratory rabbits that were passively immunised 18-24 hours post-challenge with a neutralising monoclonal antibody. After seven passages, two amino acid substitutions in the P2 domain of the capsid protein became fixed within the virus population. Furthermore, a synonymous substitution within the coding sequence of the viral polymerase appeared and was also maintained in all subsequent passages. These findings demonstrate proof-of-concept that RHDV evolution can be experimentally manipulated to select for virus variants with altered phenotypes, in this case partial immune escape.

Simple Additive Weighting to Diagnose Rabbit Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramadiani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Rabbit is one of the many pets maintained by the general public in Indonesia. Like other pet, rabbits are also susceptible to various diseases. Society in general does not understand correctly the type of rabbit disease and the way of treatment. To help care for sick rabbits it is necessary a decision support system recommendation diagnosis of rabbit disease. The purpose of this research is to make the application of rabbit disease diagnosis system so that can help user in taking care of rabbit. This application diagnoses the disease by tracing the symptoms and calculating the recommendation of the disease using Simple Additive Weighting method. This research produces a web-based decision support system that is used to help rabbit breeders and the general public.

In vivo quantification by SPECT of [123I] ADAM bound to serotonin transporters in the brains of rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye, X.-X.; Hwang, J.-J.; Hsieh, J.-F.; Chen, J.-C.; Chou, Y.-T.; Tu, K.-Y.; Wey, S.-P.; Ting Gann

2004-01-01

Background: A novel radioiodine ligand [ 123 I] ADAM (2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine) has been suggested as a promising serotonin transporter (SERT) imaging agent for the central nervous system. In this study, the biodistribution of SERTs in the rabbit brain was investigated using [ 123 I] ADAM and mapping images of the same animal produced by both single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and microautoradiography. A semiquantification method was adopted to deduce the optimum time for SPECT imaging, whereas the input for a simple fully quantitative tracer kinetic model was provided from arterial blood sampling data. Methods: SPECT imaging was performed on female rabbits postinjection of 185 MBq [ 123 I] ADAM. The time-activity curve obtained from the SPECT images was used to quantify the SERTs, for which the binding potential was calculated from the kinetic modeling of [ 123 I] ADAM. The kinetic data were analyzed by the nonlinear least squares method. The effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors fluoxetine and p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) on rabbits were also evaluated. After scanning, the same animal was sacrificed and the brain was removed for microautoradiography. Regions-of-interest were analyzed using both SPECT and microautoradiography images. The SPECT images were coregistered manually with the corresponding microautoradiography images for comparative study. Results: During the time interval 90-100 min postinjection, the peak specific binding levels in different brain regions were compared and the brain stem was shown to have the highest activity. The target-to-background ratio was 1.89±0.02. Similar studies with fluoxetine and PCA showed a background level for SERT occupation. Microautoradiography demonstrated a higher level of anatomical details of the [ 123 I] ADAM distribution than that obtained by SPECT imaging of the rabbit brain. Conclusion: SPECT imaging of the rabbit brain with [ 123 I] ADAM showed

AV-block and conduction slowing prevail over TdP arrhythmias in the methoxamine-sensitized pro-arrhythmic rabbit model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Varkevisser, Rosanne; Vos, Marc A; Beekman, Jet; Tieland, Ralph G; Van Der Heyden, Marcel A

INTRODUCTION: The methoxamine-sensitized rabbit model is widely used to screen drugs for proarrhythmic properties, especially repolarization-dependent TdP arrhythmias. With the change of anesthesia and/or sensitizing agent, conduction disturbances have been reported as well. Therefore, we compared

Coccidian and nematode infections influence prevalence of antibody to myxoma and rabbit hemorrhagic disease viruses in European rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertó-Moran, Alejandro; Pacios, Isabel; Serrano, Emmanuel; Moreno, Sacramento; Rouco, Carlos

2013-01-01

The interaction among several parasites in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is crucial to host fitness and to the epidemiology of myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease. These diseases have caused significant reductions in rabbit populations on the Iberian Peninsula. Most studies have focused on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of these viruses individually, and little is known about interactions between these viruses and other parasites. Taking advantage of an experimental restocking program in Spain, the effects of coccidian and nematode infections on the probability of having detectable antibody to myxoma and rabbit hemorrhagic disease viruses were tested in European wild rabbits. For 14 mo, we monitored rabbit abundance and parasite loads (coccidia and nematodes) in three reintroduced rabbit populations. While coccidian and nematode loads explained seasonal antibody prevalences to myxoma virus, the pattern was less clear for rabbit hemorrhagic disease. Contrary to expectations, prevalence of antibody to myxoma virus was inversely proportional to coccidian load, while nematode load seemed to play a minor role. These results have implications for viral disease epidemiology and for disease management intended to increase rabbit populations in areas where they are important for ecosystem conservation.

Anti diabetic effect of Momordica charantia (bitter melone on alloxan induced diabetic rabbits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yakaiah Vangoori, Mishra SS, Ambudas B, Ramesh P, Meghavani G, Deepika K, Prathibha A

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: to investigate the anti diabetic effect of the bitter melon on Alloxan induced diabetes in experimental animals (rabbits. Materials and Methods: the alcohol extract of whole fruit was tested for its efficacy in Alloxan (150mg/kg induced diabetic rabbit. The diabetic rabbits were divided into 5groups. Group I (control received 2% gumacasia, groupie (positive control received standard drug Metformin (62.5mg+2%GA, group III, IV, V (T1 T2 T3 were treated orally with a daily dose of 0.5(gm 1gm, 1.5gm respectively for 35 days, for all diabetic rabbits after giving TEST,NC,PC preparations, the blood samples were collected and determined the blood glucose level 0,1,3,24hrs intervals. 0hr reading is before drug giving and remaining 3 readings after drugs giving. 24th her reading is considered as 0hr reading for the next day. Results: administration of alcohol of an extract of bitter melon produced a dose dependent decrease in blood glucose levels in Alloxan induced rabbits. There was a significant fall in blood sugar level in High dose (1.5GM/kg in comparison to low dose (0.5gm/kg and median dose (1gm/kg shown by LSD test. This is comparable to the effect of Metformin. Conclusion: the results of this study show that chronic oral administration of an extract of Momordica charantia fruit at an appropriate dosage may be good alternative anti diabetic agent.

Prostaglandin synthesis and catabolism in the gastric mucosa: studies in normal rabbits and rabbits immunized with prostaglandin E2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redfern, J.S.

1988-01-01

Antral and fundic mucosal homogenates obtained from prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits converted 14C-arachidonic acid to prostaglandin E2, 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha, prostaglandin F2 alpha, and prostaglandin D2. Percentage conversion of 14C-arachidonic acid to these prostaglandin products was not significantly different in prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits compared with control rabbits (thyroglobulin-immunized and unimmunized rabbits combined). Synthesis of 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha, prostaglandin E2 and 13,14-dihydro 15-keto prostaglandin E2 from endogenous arachidonic acid after vortex mixing fundic mucosal homogenates was similar in prostaglandin E2 immunized rabbits and control rabbits. Both in prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits and controls, 3H-prostaglandin E2 was catabolized extensively by the fundic mucosa, whereas 3H-6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha, 3H-prostaglandin F2 alpha, and 3H-prostaglandin D2 were not catabolized to any appreciable extent. The rate of catabolism of PGs was not significantly different in prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits and control rabbits, with the exception of prostaglandin F2 alpha which was catabolized slightly more rapidly in prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits. These results indicate that development of gastric ulcers in prostaglandin E2-immunized rabbits is not associated with an alteration in the capacity of the gastric mucosa to synthesize or catabolize prostaglandins

Dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraemer, A; Mueller, R S; Werckenthin, C; Straubinger, R K; Hein, J

2012-05-25

The frequency of dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits. To determine the frequency and types of dermatophytes in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits. First, 2153 samples collected from pet Guinea pigs (n=1132) and rabbits (n=1021) with suspected dermatophytosis and submitted to three different laboratories for fungal culture were analysed. Subsequently, healthy Guinea pigs and rabbits, animals with skin lesions and with noncutaneous diseases were examined prospectively for dermatophytes. Trichophyton (T.) mentagrophytes was the most common fungal species isolated (91.6% and 72.3% of positive cultures from Guinea pigs (n=431) and rabbits (n=83), respectively). Animals with positive fungal culture did not show any gender predisposition, but affected animals were younger than those with negative fungal culture (PGuinea pigs and 0/140 healthy rabbits. In addition, fungal cultures of Guinea pigs with skin lesions (n=26) and other diseases (n=25) were positive in 7.7% and 8.0% respectively. Samples collected from 17 rabbits with skin lesions and 32 rabbits with noncutaneous disease were all negative in culture. T. mentagrophytes is the most common dermatophyte in pet Guinea pigs and rabbits, asymptomatic carriers are regularly seen in Guinea pigs, but not in rabbits. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence-Based Advances in Rabbit Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Summa, Noémie M; Brandão, João

2017-09-01

Rabbit medicine has been continuously evolving over time with increasing popularity and demand. Tremendous advances have been made in rabbit medicine over the past 5 years, including the use of imaging tools for otitis and dental disease management, the development of laboratory testing for encephalitozoonosis, or determination of prognosis in rabbits. Recent pharmacokinetic studies have been published, providing additional information on commonly used antibiotics and motility-enhancer drugs, as well as benzimidazole toxicosis. This article presents a review of evidence-based advances for liver lobe torsions, thymoma, and dental disease in rabbits and controversial and new future promising areas in rabbit medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is there a difference between hare syphilis and rabbit syphilis? Cross infection experiments between rabbits and hares

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lumeij, J.T.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073286826; Mikalová, L.; Smajs, D.

2013-01-01

Abstract Cross infection of rabbits and hares with Treponema paraluiscuniculi from rabbits and the related microorganism from hares, which was provisionally named "Treponema paraluisleporis", revealed that T. paraluiscuniculi affects rabbits clinically, but only causes seroconversion in hares

Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidative Stress Effects of Oryzanol in Glaucomatous Rabbits

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Shital S. Panchal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. γ-Oryzanol works by anti-inflammatory and radical scavenging activity as a neuroprotective, anticancer, antiulcer, and immunosuppressive agent. The present study was conducted to investigate effect of oryzanol in acute and chronic experimental glaucoma in rabbits. Methods. Effect of oryzanol was evaluated in 5% dextrose induced acute model of ocular hypertension in rabbit eye. Chronic model of glaucoma was induced with subconjunctival injection of 5% of 0.3 ml phenol. Treatment with oryzanol was given for next two weeks after induction of glaucoma. From anterior chamber of rabbit eye aqueous humor was collected to assess various oxidative stress parameters like malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, nitric oxide, and inflammatory parameters like TNF-α and IL-6. Structural damage in eye was examined by histopathological studies. Results. In acute model of ocular hypertension oryzanol did not alter raised intraocular pressure. In chronic model of glaucoma oryzanol exhibited significant reduction in oxidative stress followed by reduction in intraocular pressure. Oryzanol treatment reduced level of TNF-α and IL-6. Histopathological studies revealed decreased structural damage of trabecular meshwork, lamina cribrosa, and retina with oryzanol treatment. Conclusions. Oryzanol showed protective effect against glaucoma by its antioxidative stress and anti-inflammatory property. Treatment with oryzanol can reduce optic nerve damage.

{sup 166}Ho-chitosan as a radiation synovectomy agent - antigen-induced arthritis in rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sug Jun; Lee, Soo Yong; Jeon, Dae Geun; Lee, Jong Seok [Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1998-01-01

Radiation synovectomy is a noninvasive therapy that has been investigated as an alternative to surgical synovectomy. It has been successfully employed in the treatment of synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory arthropathies. In this study, we developed experimental animal model for radiation synovectomy. A model system in which a single injection of ovalbumin into the knee joints of previously sensitized rabbits consistently produced a chronic arthritis which was histologically similiar to human rheumatoid arthritis. (author). 8 refs., 8 figs

Rabbit biocontrol and landscape-scale recovery of threatened desert mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedler, Reece D; Brandle, Robert; Read, John L; Southgate, Richard; Bird, Peter; Moseby, Katherine E

2016-08-01

Funding for species conservation is insufficient to meet the current challenges facing global biodiversity, yet many programs use expensive single-species recovery actions and neglect broader management that addresses threatening processes. Arid Australia has the world's worst modern mammalian extinction record, largely attributable to competition from introduced herbivores, particularly European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and predation by feral cats (Felis catus) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). The biological control agent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) was introduced to Australia in 1995 and resulted in dramatic, widespread rabbit suppression. We compared the area of occupancy and extent of occurrence of 4 extant species of small mammals before and after RHDV outbreak, relative to rainfall, sampling effort, and rabbit and predator populations. Despite low rainfall during the first 14 years after RHDV, 2 native rodents listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the dusky hopping-mouse (Notomys fuscus) and plains mouse (Pseudomys australis), increased their extent of occurrence by 241-365%. A threatened marsupial micropredator, the crest-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda), underwent a 70-fold increase in extent of occurrence and a 20-fold increase in area of occupancy. Both bottom-up and top-down trophic effects were attributed to RHDV, namely decreased competition for food resources and declines in rabbit-dependent predators. Based on these sustained increases, these 3 previously threatened species now qualify for threat-category downgrading on the IUCN Red List. These recoveries are on a scale rarely documented in mammals and give impetus to programs aimed at targeted use of RHDV in Australia, rather than simply employing top-down threat-based management of arid ecosystems. Conservation programs that take big-picture approaches to addressing threatening processes over large spatial scales should be prioritized to maximize

Rare earth contrast agents in hepatic computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seltzer, S.E.

1981-01-01

Materials with atomic numbers ranging from the upper 50's to the lower 70's proved to have the highest computed tomography (CT) numbers when scanned at 120 kVp. Therefore, to produce particulate contrast agents possessing maximum radiopacity, suspensions of cerium oxide, gadolinium, and dysprosium oxides as well as silver iodide colloid were prepared. All 4 agents were selectively concentrated in the reticulo-endothelial system. The agents produced greater and longer opacification of the normal liver and larger liver-to-tumor differences in rabbits with hepatic tumors than did equivalent amounts of standard intravenous iodinated agents. Lesions as small as 5 mm were visible with CT. These materials have favorable characteristics as hepatic contrast agents, but their toxicity (LD 50 in mice = 5.4 g/kg for Ce) and long-term retention may limit clinical use. (Auth.)

Detection and localization of rabbit hepatitis e virus and antigen in systemic tissues from experimentally intraperitoneally infected rabbits.

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Jingjing Mao

Full Text Available Rabbit hepatitis E virus (HEV is a novel genotype of HEV, and is considered to pose a risk of zoonotic transmission. Research into the systemic distribution of rabbit HEV in rabbits during different periods of infection has rarely been reported. To better understand this virus, we infected rabbits with second-passage rabbit HEV via an intraperitoneal route. After inoculation, the infection showed two types, temporary and constant infection. The detection of HEV RNA in the feces varied with time, and serum antigen correlated with fecal HEV RNA. Viremia only appeared 72 days after inoculation. The rabbits remained antibody negative throughout the experimental period. When HEV was localized, several organs besides the liver were HEV RNA positive. Tissue antigen was observed immunohistochemically in the different cells of various organs, especially in parts of the small intestine and the characteristic rabbit gut-associated lymphoid tissue. These data provide valuable information for future research into the pathogenesis of HEV.

Comparison of microporous polysaccharide hemospheres and Ankaferd Blood Stopper in a rabbit epistaxis model.

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Yurttas, Veysel; Sereflican, Murat; Terzi, Elçin Hakan; Ozyalvaçlı, Gulzade; Kazaz, Hasan

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the histopathological impact, effectiveness, and safety of two hemostatic agents, Ankaferd Blood Stopper (ABS) and microporous polysaccharide hemospheres (MPH), in an experimental rabbit epistaxis model. Rabbits were randomly assigned, using a computerized random number generator, to the following three groups of six animals: group 1 (control, irrigated with saline); group 2 (ABS-treated); and group 3 (MPH-treated). In all groups, a standardized rabbit epistaxis model was used. Hemostasis time and extent of nasal bleeding were measured to compare the hemostatic effect of ABS and MPH among groups. Septums were removed for histopathological analysis, 7 days after the procedure. ABS reduced hemostasis time to 104.2 s and amount of bleeding to 20.5 mg. MPH reduced hemostasis time to 71.7 s and amount of bleeding to 11.5 mg. Mean bleeding time in wounds administered ABS and MPH was significantly shorter compared with wounds administered isotonic saline solution (p = 0.004). ABS and MPH application decreased bleeding significantly compared with the control group (p = 0.004). Bleeding time and amount in the MPH group was significantly reduced compared with the ABS group (p = 0.013 and p = 0.004, respectively). There was no significant difference in the histopathological evaluation results between the ABS, MPH, and control groups. Our data indicate that both ABS and MPH represent safe, effective, and fast-acting hemostatic agents in the management of epistaxis. MPH was more effective than ABS in terms of hemostasis time and amount of bleeding.

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease: are Australian rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) evolving resistance to infection with Czech CAPM 351 RHDV?

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Elsworth, P G; Kovaliski, J; Cooke, B D

2012-11-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease is a major tool for the management of introduced, wild rabbits in Australia. However, new evidence suggests that rabbits may be developing resistance to the disease. Rabbits sourced from wild populations in central and southeastern Australia, and domestic rabbits for comparison, were experimentally challenged with a low 60 ID50 oral dose of commercially available Czech CAPM 351 virus - the original strain released in Australia. Levels of resistance to infection were generally higher than for unselected domestic rabbits and also differed (0-73% infection rates) between wild populations. Resistance was lower in populations from cooler, wetter regions and also low in arid regions with the highest resistance seen within zones of moderate rainfall. These findings suggest the external influences of non-pathogenic calicivirus in cooler, wetter areas and poor recruitment in arid populations may influence the development rate of resistance in Australia.

Radioiodine labelled SP-4 as an imaging agent for atherosclerotic plaques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yongxue; Wu Zhijian; Cao Wei

2000-01-01

The clinical prospect of radioiodinated SP-4 as an atherosclerotic plaque imaging agent was studied. The SP-4 was synthesized by a solid phase method and identified by an amino acid analysis after purification with HPLC. SP-4 was labelled with 131 I and 125 I by the Chloramine-T method and purified through Sephadex G-25 column. Twelve New Zealand rabbits were divided into an atherosclerotic group (n = 7, AR) and a control group (n = 5, NR). All of the atherosclerotic rabbits were intravenous administrated with bovine serum albumin, then feb with high cholesterol and fat diet. 125 I-SP-4 was intravenous administrated to the rabbits of both groups. The biodistribution of 125 I-SP-4 in rabbits was investigated. The uptakes (% ID/g) in blood and thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta were calculated 4 hours postinjection. Macro-autoradiography and micro-autoradiography were performed in 2 AR atherosclerotic abdominal aortas. The clearance of radioactivity from plasma was very rapid. 125 I-SP-4 was mainly excreted through kidneys. The radioactive uptakes of abdominal aorta and thoracic aorta of AR at 4 hours postinjection were significantly higher than that of NR. The films of macro-autoradiography showed focal accumulation of the radioactivity in the areas of a newly formed edges of atherosclerotic plaques. On the slices of micro-autoradiography, the obvious radioactive accumulation could be found in the atherosclerotic plaques. Thus it was seen that the SP-4 remained its biological activity after radioiodination and was located at atherosclerotic lesions, it is potentially useful as an atherosclerotic plaque imaging agent

N-nitrosamines induced infertility and hepatotoxicity in male rabbits.

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Sheweita, S A; El Banna, Y Y; Balbaa, M; Abdullah, I A; Hassan, H E

2017-09-01

N-nitrosamines are widely spread environmental pollutants of well-known toxicity and carcinogenicity in various animal species. These compounds are metabolically activated by cytochrome P450 system predominantly in the liver and in other tissues into more active metabolites leading to generation of both alkylating agents that alkylate DNA and reactive oxygen species. In the current study, we investigated the influence of four types of N-nitrosamines that are commonly present in the environment [methyethylnitrosamine, (MEN), diethylnitrosamine (DEN), diphenylnitroasamine (DPN) and dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)] on both livers and testes of male rabbits through assessment of 17 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 β-HSD) activity. The protein expression of the three cytochrome P450s (CYP11A1, CYP19A1, and CYP21A2) is involved in the steroidogenesis. The levels of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) were also determined in the plasma of N-nitrosamines-treated rabbits after one, four-, eight- and twelve weeks of treatment of male New Zealand rabbits with an oral dose of 0.5 mg/kg B.W/day of each compound. In addition, activities of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and levels of free radicals measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and reduced glutathione (GSH) level were quantified in both livers and testes. The present study showed that levels of free radicals (TBARS) were markedly increased, whereas GSH levels were depleted in the tissues of both livers and testes after treatment of rabbits with any of N-nitrosamines. In addition, all tested N-nitrosamines inhibited the activities of antioxidant enzyme activities (GR, GST, SOD, and CAT) in hepatic and testicular tissues of rabbits after 12 weeks of treatment. Histopathological examination showed that N-nitrosamines caused lymphocytic infiltration with vascular degeneration and necrosis, congestion of central vein with RBCs hemolysis, dilated sinusoids, as well as

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease: advantages of cELISA in assessing immunity in wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

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Zheng, Tao; Parkes, John P

2011-12-15

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is an acute fatal disease of domestic and wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) caused by RHD virus (RHDV). Accurate assessment of immunity is of great importance for the conservation and control of wild rabbits. We evaluated a competitive ELISA (cELISA) against isotype ELISAs for assessing the protective immunity against the disease by challenging 50 wild-caught rabbits with a lethal dose of RHDV. Death or survival to the challenge was used as a criterion to determine the performance characteristics of the assay for the assessment of immunity in rabbits. At 1:10 dilution, a serum exhibiting ≥ 25% inhibition (1:10(25)) was regarded as the presence of RHDV-specific antibodies. Eleven of 16 (68.8%) rabbits with antibodies at 1:10(25) (<1:40) died of RHD. When the cut-off was moved from 25% to 50% inhibition (1:10(50)) at 1:10 serum dilution, the assay sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the protective immunity were improved from 84%, 54.2% and 69.4% to 84%, 100% and 91.8%, respectively. We also demonstrated at the epitope amino acid sequence level why the presence of the RHDV-cross reactive benign rabbit calicivirus, which interfered with isotype ELISAs, had little impact on the specificity of the cELISA for the diagnosis of RHDV infection. The presence of RHDV-specific antibody at 1:10(50) by the cELISA is a reliable indicator for the protective immunity. In contrast to isotype ELISAs, the cELISA is a valuable specific tool for monitoring the herd immunity to RHD for the conservation and management of wild rabbits in the field. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High rabbit abundance proves detrimental to the population growth rate in European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L. extensive breeding enclosures

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L. Ruiz-Aizpurua

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus L. is a key prey species in Mediterranean ecosystems that has declined in its natural ranges as a result of diseases and loss of habitat. This situation has led to the production of wild rabbits in enclosures in which they can acclimate and breed. The efficiency of these enclosures as extensive breeding systems is defined by their population growth rate (PGR. The aim of this study is to analyse the effect of rabbit abundance on the PGR. This has been done by creating general linear models to explain autumn and spring PGR with the use of rabbit abundance estimates, enclosure size, aerial predation and previous PGR as possible explanatory variables. Rabbit abundance and enclosure size negatively affected the autumn PGR, while only rabbit abundance affected the spring PGR in the best-fit models. It is suggested that maintaining rabbit densities at fewer than 30 rabbits per hectare might help to optimise the efficiency inside enclosures.

Efficacy of silk fibroin–nano silver against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in a rabbit model of sinusitis

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Jia M

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Minghui Jia,1,2 Zhongchun Chen,2 Yongwei Guo,2 Xin Chen,3 Xia Zhao2 1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 2Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 3State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, China Background: Staphylococcus aureus biofilms contribute significantly to the recalcitrant nature of chronic rhinosinusitis. In previous studies, it has been shown that silk fibroin–nano silver solution can eliminate S. aureus biofilms in vitro, which suggests a potential role of this novel agent in the treatment of biofilm-associated diseases, such as sinusitis.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of silk fibroin–nano silver solution as a topical anti-biofilm agent in a rabbit model of sinusitis.Methods: Biofilm-associated sinusitis models were established in 24 New Zealand White rabbits by gelatin sponge placement and S. aureus inoculation through a hole drilled into the anterolateral wall of the right maxillary sinus. After 4 weeks, indwelling catheters were placed into the maxillary sinus. Different concentrations of silk fibroin–nano silver solution or normal saline were irrigated slowly into the maxillary sinus via the indwelling catheters. After 7 days of irrigation, the rabbits were sacrificed. The sinus mucosa was harvested and examined for biofilm biomass as well as morphological integrity of the epithelium by scanning electron microscopy.Results: Silk fibroin–nano silver solution was found to be most effective in reducing the biomass of the S. aureus biofilms at a concentration of 384 mg/L, followed by the concentration of 153.6 mg/L, when compared with saline. After treatment with 384 mg/L silk fibroin–nano silver solution, the biofilms were completely

Emergence of a new lagovirus related to Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus.

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Le Gall-Reculé, Ghislaine; Lavazza, Antonio; Marchandeau, Stéphane; Bertagnoli, Stéphane; Zwingelstein, Françoise; Cavadini, Patrizia; Martinelli, Nicola; Lombardi, Guerino; Guérin, Jean-Luc; Lemaitre, Evelyne; Decors, Anouk; Boucher, Samuel; Le Normand, Bernadette; Capucci, Lorenzo

2013-09-08

Since summer 2010, numerous cases of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) have been reported in north-western France both in rabbitries, affecting RHD-vaccinated rabbits, and in wild populations. We demonstrate that the aetiological agent was a lagovirus phylogenetically distinct from other lagoviruses and which presents a unique antigenic profile. Experimental results show that the disease differs from RHD in terms of disease duration, mortality rates, higher occurrence of subacute/chronic forms and that partial cross-protection occurs between RHDV and the new RHDV variant, designated RHDV2. These data support the hypothesis that RHDV2 is a new member of the Lagovirus genus. A molecular epidemiology study detected RHDV2 in France a few months before the first recorded cases and revealed that one year after its discovery it had spread throughout the country and had almost replaced RHDV strains. RHDV2 was detected in continental Italy in June 2011, then four months later in Sardinia.

Scintigraphic imaging with 99mTc- exorphin C in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ertay, T.; Uenak, P.; Tasci, C.; Zihnioglu, F.; Durak, H.

2005-01-01

Exorphin C is a peptide with five amino acids [(Tyr-Pro-Ile-Ser-Leu) Trifluoroacetate salt] (Sigma) that has an affinity to opioid receptor-expressing tissues and tumors. Exorphin-C was labeled with 99m Tc using glucoheptonate (GH) as bifunctional chelating agent. Then, we investigated its radiopharmaceutical potential as opioid receptor-expressing tissue on rabbits. Quality controls were performed by ITLC, paper electrophoresis and HPLC. Labeling efficiency was higher than 98%. The compound was stable for at least 5 h at room temperature. Scintigraphic imaging with 99m Tc-GH-exorphin C ( 99m Tc-GE) was performed on male Albino rabbits. Static images were obtained from anterior projection using a Camstar XR/T gamma camera at several time intervals. Although a significant amount of activity was seen in the brain, less activity was seen on receptor saturation studies at 30 min. Slight hepatobiliary excretion was seen, though the main excretion route was renal. After saturating, the receptor hepatobiliary excretion was not seen; the only excretion route was renal

Quantification of in-stent restenosis parameters in rabbits by micro-CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langheinrich, A.C.; Zoerb, C.; Jajima, J.; Lommel, D.; Rau, W.S.; Walker, G.; Mueller, K.M.; Bohle, R.M.

2005-01-01

Purpose: The well-defined model of angioplasty and stent implantation in the rabbit aorta is useful in experimental studies of restenosis. This study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of Micro-CT for quantification of in-stent restenosis in a rabbit aortic in-stent restenosis model. Material and Methods: To induce in-stent restenosis seven female New Zealand rabbits underwent balloon dilation and denudation prior to stenting the abdominal aorta. After six weeks on atherogenic diet, animals were killed and the aorta was perfused with contrast agent. Micro-CT morphometric analysis of balloon and stent injured arteries obtained by 700 transverse sections (voxel size 10 μm) was compared to conventional histological analysis. Results: Intimal hyperplasia was present in stented and balloon injured arteries with a moderate intimal area assessed by Micro-CT and conventional histology (3.91±0.5 mm 2 vs. 4.18±0.42; r=0.9). High significant correlations between Micro-CT image analysis and conventional histomorphometry were obtained for lesion size, size of media, size of lumen and stent area (r=0.84 to 0.96). Conclusion: Micro-CT is feasible for quantitative information about restenosis following balloon angioplasty and stent implantation and has the potential to become a standard technique in many laboratories which will augment serial histology as the reference method for ex-vivo studies of restenosis. (orig.)

Exploration of alternative test methods to evaluate phototoxicity of ophthalmic agents by using Statens Seruminstitut Rabbit Cornea cell lines and 3D human reconstituted cornea models.

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Soyoung Kim

Full Text Available Many chemicals have been reported to induce phototoxicity. The absorbance of light energy within the sunlight range is a common characteristic of phototoxicity. The 3T3 NRU phototoxicity test (PT in 3T3 mouse skin fibroblasts has been used to identify the phototoxic potential induced by excited chemicals after exposure to ultra violet (UV. However, as phototoxicity may occur in ocular cells, it is necessary to develop a more suitable test for cornea-derived cells. In this study, we attempted to establish a new in vitro PT method in rabbit corneal cell lines (SIRC. We evaluated five ophthalmic agents, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, norfloxacin, and tetracycline, for their cytotoxic potential and in vitro phototoxicity. The results obtained using 3D human corneal models revealed that the UV-induced eye tissue toxicity by the test substances showed good correlation with those obtained using the in vitro phototoxicity test. However, the results from the 3D PT for ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and tetracycline in the 3D human cornea model were only partially comparable. Therefore, we suggest the SIRC cell line as a new phototoxicity test model; however, a sequential testing strategy, such as 3D PT, was also proposed to obtain relevant information for topical eye agents.

In vivo quantification by SPECT of [{sup 123}I] ADAM bound to serotonin transporters in the brains of rabbits

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Ye, X.-X. [Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Hwang, J.-J. [Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Hsieh, J.-F. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chi-Mei Foundation Medical Center, Yungkang City 710, Taiwan (China); Chen, J.-C. [Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: jcchen@ym.edu.tw; Chou, Y.-T. [Institute of Physiology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan (China); Tu, K.-Y. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Mackey Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan 104 (China); Wey, S.-P. [Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan 333 (China); Ting Gann [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Tao- Yuan 335, Taiwan (China)

2004-11-01

Background: A novel radioiodine ligand [{sup 123}I] ADAM (2-((2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl)thio)-5-iodophenylamine) has been suggested as a promising serotonin transporter (SERT) imaging agent for the central nervous system. In this study, the biodistribution of SERTs in the rabbit brain was investigated using [{sup 123}I] ADAM and mapping images of the same animal produced by both single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and microautoradiography. A semiquantification method was adopted to deduce the optimum time for SPECT imaging, whereas the input for a simple fully quantitative tracer kinetic model was provided from arterial blood sampling data. Methods: SPECT imaging was performed on female rabbits postinjection of 185 MBq [{sup 123}I] ADAM. The time-activity curve obtained from the SPECT images was used to quantify the SERTs, for which the binding potential was calculated from the kinetic modeling of [{sup 123}I] ADAM. The kinetic data were analyzed by the nonlinear least squares method. The effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors fluoxetine and p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) on rabbits were also evaluated. After scanning, the same animal was sacrificed and the brain was removed for microautoradiography. Regions-of-interest were analyzed using both SPECT and microautoradiography images. The SPECT images were coregistered manually with the corresponding microautoradiography images for comparative study. Results: During the time interval 90-100 min postinjection, the peak specific binding levels in different brain regions were compared and the brain stem was shown to have the highest activity. The target-to-background ratio was 1.89{+-}0.02. Similar studies with fluoxetine and PCA showed a background level for SERT occupation. Microautoradiography demonstrated a higher level of anatomical details of the [{sup 123}I] ADAM distribution than that obtained by SPECT imaging of the rabbit brain. Conclusion: SPECT imaging of the rabbit brain with

Some factors affecting rabbit production under egyptian environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nessim, M.Z.

1994-01-01

The present work was carried out in the rabbit of the department of animal production, faculty of agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt, Blood biochemical analysis and hormonal assay were conducted in tracer bio climatology Unit., Department of radiobiology, nuclear research centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt. Eighty male New Zealand white (NZW) and 80 male californian (Cal) rabbits aged 5-6 weeks were used. The animals were housed in rabbit building, naturally ventilated. Rabbits cages were provided with automatic nipple drinkers and drinking and drinking water ad libitum.Rabbits were fed ad libitum on balanced growing pelted rabbit ration. 21 tabs.,13 figs.,158 refs

Light colour preference of growing rabbits

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Zsolt Szendrő

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the light colour preference of growing rabbits placed in a free-choice cage. The experiment was carried out on 128 Pannon White growing rabbits weaned at the age of 5 weeks and placed into blocks (2m2 of four cages. The rabbits could move freely among the four cages (0.5m2 each through swing doors. The cages differed only in the colour of the light applied (white, yellow, green or blue. The lighting schedule was 16L: 8D. From 6 until 10 weeks of age, infrared video recording was performed once a week (24 hours. The number of rabbits in each cage was counted every 15 minutes. Feed consumption was measured weekly. Between 6 and 10 weeks of age the rabbits significantly preferred white light (28.0%. The preference order was the following: yellow (26.3%, blue (23.4% and green (22.3% (P<0.001. No significant differences were recorded in the feed consumption among the cages. In conclusion, the cage preference of the rabbits was slightly affected by the light colour.

Possible interaction between myxomatosis and calicivirosis related to rabbit haemorrhagic disease affecting the European rabbit.

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Marchandeau, S; Bertagnoli, S; Peralta, B; Boucraut-Baralon, C; Letty, J; Reitz, F

2004-11-06

Serological data on myxoma virus, rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) virus and RHD-like viruses in juvenile rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) trapped in 1995, 1996 and 1997 in two areas of France were analysed. For each disease, the effects of bodyweight, year, month and seropositivity for the other disease were modelled by using logistic regressions. In one area, a model including RHD seropositivity was selected to explain the myxoma virus seropositivity. Models including myxoma virus seropositivity were selected to explain the RHD seropositivity in both areas, and the odds of a rabbit being seropositive to both viruses were 5.1 and 8.4 times higher than the odds of a rabbit being seronegative to myxoma virus and seropositive to RHD. The year and bodyweight had significant effects for myxomatosis in one area and for RHD in both areas.

Effect of D-valine and cytosine arabinoside on [3H]thymidine incorporation in rat and rabbit epididymal epithelial cell cultures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orgebin-Crist, M.C.; Jonas-Davies, J.; Storey, P.; Olson, G.E.

1984-01-01

Epithelial cell enriched primary cultures were established from the rat and the rabbit epididymis. Epithelial cell aggregates, obtained after pronase digestion of minced epididymis, attached to the culture dish and after 72 h in vitro spread out to form discrete patches of cells. These cells have an epithelioid morphology and form a monolayer of closely apposed polygonal cells where DNA synthesis, as judged by [ 3 H]thymidine uptake, is very low. In L-valine medium the nonepithelial cell contamination was no more than 10% in rat and rabbit epididymal primary cultures. The labeling index of rat epididymal cells cultured in D-valine medium was significantly lower than that of cells cultured in L-valine medium. In contrast, the labeling index of rabbit epididymal cells cultured in D-valine medium was significantly higher than that of cells cultured in L-valine medium. Cytosine arabinoside decreased the number of labeled cells in both L-valine and D-valine cultures. From these results, it appears that D-valine is a selective agent for rat epididymal epithelial cells, but not for rabbit epithelial cells, and that cytosine arabinoside is a simple and effective means to control the proliferation of fibroblast-like cells in both rat and rabbit epididymal cell cultures

Therapeutic trials for a rabbit model of EBV-associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome (HPS): effects of vidarabine or CHOP, and development of Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-negative lymphomas surrounded by HVP-infected lymphoproliferative disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, K; Joko, H; Koirala, T R; Onoda, S; Jin, Z-S; Munemasa, M; Ohara, N; Oda, W; Tanaka, T; Oka, T; Kondo, E; Yoshino, T; Takahashi, K; Yamada, M; Akagi, T

2003-10-01

Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (EBV-AHS), which is often associated with fatal infectious mononucleosis or T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases (LPD), is a distinct disease characterized by high mortality. Treatment of patients with EBV-AHS has proved challenging. To develop some therapeutic interventions for EBV-AHS, we examined the effectiveness of an antiviral agent (vidarabine) or chemotherapy (CHOP), using a rabbit model for EBV-AHS. Fourteen untreated rabbits were inoculated intravenously with cell-free virions of the EBV-like virus Herpesvirus papio (HVP). All of the rabbits died of HVP-associated (LPD) and hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) between 21 and 31 days after inoculation. Furthermore, three HVP-infected rabbits treated with vidarabine died between days 23 and 28 after inoculation, and their clinicopathological features were no different from those of untreated rabbits, indicating that this drug is not effective at all to treat HVP-induced rabbit LPD and HPS. Three of the infected rabbits that were treated with one course, with an incomplete set of three courses, or with three full courses of CHOP treatment died of HVP-induced LPD and HPS with a bleeding tendency and/or with opportunistic infections. They died on the 26th, 62nd and 105th day after virus inoculation, respectively. CHOP treatment transiently suppressed the HVP-induced LPD and contributed to the prolonged survival time of two infected rabbits. However, it did not remove all of the HVP-infected cells from the infected rabbits, and residual HVP-infected lymphocytes caused recurrences of rabbit LPD and HPS. The most interesting finding of this experiment was observed in the infected rabbit with the longest survival time of 105 days: HVP-negative lymphomas surrounded by HVP-induced LPD developed in the larynx and ileum of this rabbit, causing an obstruction of the lumen. We concluded that these were not secondary lymphomas caused by CHOP treatment, because no suspicious

Early quantification of the therapeutic efficacy of the vascular disrupting agent, CKD-516, using dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in rabbit VX2 liver tumors

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Joo, Ijin; Kim, Jung Hoon; Lee, Jeong Min; Choi, Jin Woo; Han, Joon Koo; Choi, Byung Ihn [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-03-15

To evaluate the usefulness of dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (DCE-US) in the early quantification of hemodynamic change following administration of the vascular disrupting agent (VDA) CKD-516 using a rabbit VX2 liver tumor model. This study was approved by our institutional animal care and use committee. Eight VX2 liver-tumor-bearing rabbits were treated with intravenous CKD-516, and all underwent DCE-US using SonoVue before and again 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours following their treatment. The tumor perfusion parameters were obtained from the time-intensity curve of the DCE-US data. Repeated measures analysis of variance was performed to assess any significant change in tumor perfusion over time. Relative changes in the DCE-US parameters between the baseline and follow-up assessments were correlated with the relative changes in tumor size over the course of seven days using Pearson correlation. CKD-516 treatment resulted in significant changes in the DCE-US parameters, including the peak intensity, total area under the time-intensity curve (AUCtotal), and AUC during wash-out (AUCout) over time (P<0.05). Pairwise comparison tests revealed that the AUCtotal and AUC during wash-in (AUCin) seen on the two-hour follow-up were significantly lower than the baseline values (P<0.05). However, none of early changes in the DCE-US parameters until 24-hour follow-up showed a significant correlation with the relative changes in tumor size during seven days after CKD-516 treatment. Our results suggest that a novel VDA (CKD-516) can cause disruption of tumor perfusion as early as two hours after treatment and that the therapeutic effect of CKD-516 treatment can be effectively quantified using DCE-US.

A case of low success of blind vaccination campaigns against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease on survival of adult European wild rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Rouco, Carlos; Moreno, Sacramento; Santoro, Simone

2016-10-01

Vaccination campaigns against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) are commonly used in translocation programs conducted for the purpose of recovering wild European rabbit populations in Iberian Mediterranean ecosystems. In most cases rabbits are vaccinated 'blind' (i.e. without assessing their prior immunological status) for economic and logistic reasons. However, there is conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of such an approach. We tested whether blind vaccination against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease improved rabbit survival in a rabbit translocation program where wild rabbits were kept in semi-natural conditions in three enclosures. We conducted nine capture sessions over two years (2008-2010) and used the information collected to compare the survival of vaccinated (n=511) versus unvaccinated (n=161) adult wild rabbits using capture-mark-recapture analysis. Average monthly survival was no different for vaccinated versus unvaccinated individuals, both in the period between release and first capture (short-term) and after the first capture onward (long-term). Rabbit survival was lower in the short term than in the long term regardless of whether rabbits were vaccinated or not. Lower survival in the short-term could be due to the stress induced by the translocation process itself (e.g. handling stress). However, we did not find any overall effect of vaccination on survival which could be explained by two non-exclusive reasons. First, interference of the vaccine with the natural antibodies in the donor population. Due to donor populations have high density of rabbits with, likely, high prevalence of antibodies as a result of previous natural exposure to these diseases. Second, the lack of severe outbreaks during the study period. Based on our findings we argue that blind vaccination of adult rabbits in translocation programs may be often mostly ineffective and unnecessarily costly. In particular, since outbreaks are hard to predict

Parasitic infections of wild rabbits and hares

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Ilić Tamara

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the most important parasitic infections of wild rabbits and hares, which harmful effect in this animal population is manifested as a gradual weakening of the immune system, reduction in fertility, weight loss and constant exhaustion. Order of Lagomorpha (hares or lagomorphs belongs to superorder of higher mammals which includes the family of rabbits (Leporidae which are represented in Europe as well as the family of whistleblowers (Ochotonidae which live only in North America and Northern regions of Asia. The most important representatives of Leporidae family are European hare (Lepus europeus and wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus. The most important endoparasitosis of hares and wild rabbits are: coccidiosis, encephalitozoonosis (nosemosis, toxoplasmosis, sarcocystosis, giardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, protostrongylosis, trichostrngylodosis, passalurosis, anoplocephalidosis, cysticercosis and fasciolosis. The most frequent ectoparasites of rabbits and wild hares are fleas, lice and ticks. Reduction in hare population, which is noticed in whole Europe including Serbia, is caused by changed living conditions, quantitatively and qualitatively insufficient nutrition, increased use of herbicides as well as various infectious diseases and the diseases of parasitic etiology. Since wild rabbits and hares pose a threat to health of domestic rabbits and people, knowledge of parasitic fauna of these wild animals is of extreme epizootiological and epidemiological importance.

Welfare aspects in rabbit rearing and transport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Cavani

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The review starts with the description of the rabbits’ (Oryctolagus cuniculus main habits and the current situation concerning the rabbit husbandry and management systems, as well as their effects on the welfare of these animals. As far as the intensive rabbit husbandry systems are concerned, the main problems are related to the time since rabbits have been domesticated and their adaptive capacity and coping styles as respects the farming environment and management systems. Both these aspects have implications in the present and future of rabbit rearing for different purposes. Examples are given on the effects of different housing and management systems on rabbit welfare, as well as examples of the ethological, physiological and productive indicators used to evaluate these effects. Transportation and, more generally, preslaughter phases including catching, fasting and lairage at the abattoir are considered major stressors for farmed rabbits and might have deleterious effects on health, well-being, performance, and finally, product quality. A general statement of the recent scientific studies considering the effects of pre-slaughter factors on physiological and productive measurements are reported. Finally, some indications in order to improve rabbit welfare, already present at the European level, are also outlined, together with the European Food Safety Authority opinions.

Blood Profile of Rabbits Infected with Eimeria magna

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A Hana

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract. The research aimed at determining the blood profile of local rabbits infected with different dose of Eimeria magna oocysts. This research used 45 male rabbits with the age of 4 month old, range from 1.5 to 1.8 kg, clinically healthy and free from coccidiosis. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups, group I as control (K-0 was given 1.0 ml distilled water/rabbit orally, group II (K-10 was infected with single dose of 10x106 oocysts of E. magna/rabbit orally, and group III (K-20 was infected with single dose of 20x106 oocysts of E. magna/rabbit orally. After infection, rabbits were examined for clinical signs, body weight and temperature daily for five days. Blood samples were drawn from the vena marginalis to examine the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobine, packed cell volume (PCV, leukocytes and its deferent, total protein plasma (TPP and fibrinogen, activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP, alanine amino transferase (ALT, and aspartat aminotransferase (AST. The data were statistically analyzed by two-way anova using factorial design. The results of this research showed that the infection of E. magna in rabbits caused fever and weight loss, accompanied by normochromic microcytic anemia (at doses of 10x106 oocysts, macrocytic normochromic (at doses of 20x106 oocysts, leukocytosis, lymphocytosis, hiperfibrinogenemia, and increased of ALP activity. There were correlations between clinical symptoms and blood profile of rabbits infected with E. magna for five days. The higher the dose and the longer the infection of E. magna in rabbits caused weight loss, increased body temperature, MCV (microcytic to macrocytic, leukocyte, fibrinogen and ALP activity. These findings were useful to have a better understanding of pathophysiology of E. magna infection in  rabbits. Key Words: Eimeria magna, oocyst, rabbit, blood profile A Hana et al/Animal Production 13(3:185-190 (2011

Protection against myxomatosis and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease with recombinant myxoma viruses expressing rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus capsid protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertagnoli, S; Gelfi, J; Le Gall, G; Boilletot, E; Vautherot, J F; Rasschaert, D; Laurent, S; Petit, F; Boucraut-Baralon, C; Milon, A

1996-08-01

Two myxoma virus-rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) recombinant viruses were constructed with the SG33 strain of myxoma virus to protect rabbits against myxomatosis and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease. These recombinant viruses expressed the RHDV capsid protein (VP60). The recombinant protein, which is 60 kDa in size, was antigenic, as revealed by its reaction in immunoprecipitation with antibodies raised against RHDV. Both recombinant viruses induced high levels of RHDV- and myxoma virus-specific antibodies in rabbits after immunization. Inoculations by the intradermal route protected animals against virulent RHDV and myxoma virus challenges.

Usefulness of high-resolution sonography in early diagnosis of rabbit clonorchiasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Jae Hoon; Choi, Don Gil; Chung, Il Gyu; Phyun, Lae Hyun; Pyeun, Yong Seon; Hong, Sung Tae; Lee, Me Jeong

1999-01-01

To determine the role of high-resolution sonography in the early diagnosis of experimentally induced clonorchiasis in rabbits. We performed sonographic examination weekly in 22 lightly-infected rabbits (10 rabbits infected with 10 metacercariae, 6 rabbits infected with 20 metacercariae, and 6 rabbits infected with 40 metacercariae), and 10 heavily-infected rabbits (500 metacercariae). The sonographic criterion of diagnosis with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts. We sacrificed lightly-infected rabbits and counted numbers of adult worms of clonorchis sinensis 9 weeks after infection. Sonographic abnormalities were found 3 weeks after infection in 2 lightly-infected rabbits and 5 heavily-infected rabbits. On sonography at 9 weeks after infection, we observed dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts in 11 (65%) of 17 lightly-infected rabbits and all of 10 heavily-infected rabbits. High-resolution sonography is very useful in early diagnosis of rabbits clonorchiasis.

Usefulness of high-resolution sonography in early diagnosis of rabbit clonorchiasis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Jae Hoon; Choi, Don Gil; Chung, Il Gyu; Phyun, Lae Hyun; Pyeun, Yong Seon [Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Sung Tae; Lee, Me Jeong [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-09-15

To determine the role of high-resolution sonography in the early diagnosis of experimentally induced clonorchiasis in rabbits. We performed sonographic examination weekly in 22 lightly-infected rabbits (10 rabbits infected with 10 metacercariae, 6 rabbits infected with 20 metacercariae, and 6 rabbits infected with 40 metacercariae), and 10 heavily-infected rabbits (500 metacercariae). The sonographic criterion of diagnosis with dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts. We sacrificed lightly-infected rabbits and counted numbers of adult worms of clonorchis sinensis 9 weeks after infection. Sonographic abnormalities were found 3 weeks after infection in 2 lightly-infected rabbits and 5 heavily-infected rabbits. On sonography at 9 weeks after infection, we observed dilatation of the intrahepatic ducts in 11 (65%) of 17 lightly-infected rabbits and all of 10 heavily-infected rabbits. High-resolution sonography is very useful in early diagnosis of rabbits clonorchiasis.

Innate resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in England*

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, J.; Sanders, M. F.

1977-01-01

Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from one study area in England have been used over a period of 11 years to investigate the possible appearance of innate resistance to myxomatosis. Rabbits of 4-6 weeks old were captured alive, retained in the laboratory until at least 4 months old, and then infected with a type of myxoma virus which kills 90-95% of laboratory rabbits. Observations were made of symptoms, mortality rate and survival times. In the first 4 years of the study (1966-9), mortality rates were not significantly different from those of laboratory rabbits, although survival times of wild rabbits were appreciably longer. In 1970, the mortality rate amongst wild rabbits was 59%, in 1974 it was 17%, and in 1976 it was 20%, thus showing that a considerable degree of inherited resistance to myxomatosis has developed. The types of myxoma virus most commonly isolated from wild rabbits in Great Britain in recent years have been those which cause 70-95% mortality in laboratory rabbits. Therefore, if the degree of innate resistance demonstrated is widespread in Great Britain, there are serious implications regarding the size of the rabbit population, because myxomatosis has been an important factor in holding rabbit numbers at a relatively low level. PMID:270526

Innate resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, J; Sanders, M F

1977-12-01

Wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) from one study area in England have been used over a period of 11 years to investigate the possible appearance of innate resistance to myxomatosis. Rabbits of 4-6 weeks old were captured alive, retained in the laboratory until at least 4 months old, and then infected with a type of myxoma virus which kills 90-95% of laboratory rabbits. Observations were made of symptoms, mortality rate and survival times.In the first 4 years of the study (1966-9), mortality rates were not significantly different from those of laboratory rabbits, although survival times of wild rabbits were appreciably longer. In 1970, the mortality rate amongst wild rabbits was 59%, in 1974 it was 17%, and in 1976 it was 20%, thus showing that a considerable degree of inherited resistance to myxomatosis has developed.The types of myxoma virus most commonly isolated from wild rabbits in Great Britain in recent years have been those which cause 70-95% mortality in laboratory rabbits. Therefore, if the degree of innate resistance demonstrated is widespread in Great Britain, there are serious implications regarding the size of the rabbit population, because myxomatosis has been an important factor in holding rabbit numbers at a relatively low level.

Welfare assessment in pet rabbits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schepers, F.; Koene, P.; Beerda, B.

2009-01-01

One million pet rabbits are kept in The Netherlands, but there are no data available on their behaviour and welfare. This study seeks to assess the welfare of pet rabbits in Dutch households and is a first step in the development of a welfare assessment system. In an internet survey, housing

Market Driving to Develop Rabbit Meat Products in Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Atien Priyanti; Yono Cahyo Rahadjo

2012-01-01

Rabbit meat is a nutritional food containing high protein and low cholesterol, fat and sodium. Current research in rabbit production is aimed for developing production strategies to increase the nutritional and economic values of rabbit meat products as functional food. Nowadays, producing rabbit is a popular farming activity in many parts of Indonesia as a small and medium scale operation for food security and cash income. Rabbit farming is to produce meat, skin and hides, fur, organic ferti...

Andrographolide Enhances Proliferation and Prevents Dedifferentiation of Rabbit Articular Chondrocytes: An In Vitro Study

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Li-ke Luo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As the main active constituent of Andrographis paniculata that was applied in treatment of many diseases including inflammation in ancient China, andrographolide (ANDRO was found to facilitate reduction of edema and analgesia in arthritis. This suggested that ANDRO may be promising anti-inflammatory agent to relieve destruction and degeneration of cartilage after inflammation. In this study, the effect of ANDRO on rabbit articular chondrocytes in vitro was investigated. Results showed that not more than 8 μM ANDRO did no harm to chondrocytes (P0.05. The viability assay, hematoxylin-eosin, safranin O, and immunohistochemical staining also showed better performances in ANDRO groups. As to the doses, 3 μM ANDRO showed the best performance. The results indicate that ANDRO can accelerate proliferation of rabbit articular chondrocytes in vitro and meanwhile maintain the phenotype, which may provide valuable references for further exploration on arthritis.

Evaluation of MR lymphography with positive lymphotropic contrast agent in diagnosing lymph node lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Zhengyang; Yu Haiping; Chen Junkun; Zhu Bin

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the interstital MR lymphography using positive lymphotropic contrast agent for differentiation of metastatic lymph nodes from inflammatory lymph nodes hyperplasm. Methods: Eighteen New Zealand white rabbits weighted at 2. 0-2. 5 kg were used. Inflammatory hyperplastic popliteal lymph node model was established in 9 rabbits by injection of complete freund adjuvant into the interdigitial skin of the dorsal aspect of one hind leg, and tumor-bearing popliteal lymph node model was established in another 9 rabbits by injection of VX2 tumor cell suspension. The popliteal lymph nodes of another hind leg of all 18 rabbits were assigned to the normal contral group. In each group, every rabbit underwent MR lymphography examination before and after the inoculation. Volumes of 0.2 ml of Gd [ DTPA-bis ( 2-aminoethoxy ) ethane ] polymeric contrast agent ( Gd-poly-DTPA-EOEA ) injection were injected subcutaneously into the dorsal feet of both hind legs of two groups of rabbits. T 1 -weighted 3D gradient-echo images were obtained, and source images were used to reconstruct images of MIP before and after the administration of agent. The maximum short-axis diameter (MSAD) of each popliteal lymph node was measured on the enhanced 3D MIP images, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) measurement was performed in the largest popliteal node of each rabbit at each time point in delayed scan. Independent- samples t test was used to compare the sizes of popliteal nodes in MSADs between inflammatorily hyperplastic and tumor-bearing nodes after the inoculation, and the values of SNRs of popliteal nodes at each time point between inflammatorily hyperplastic, tumor-bearing and normal popliteal lymph nodes. Imaging results of the popliteal nodes were analyzed and correlated with pathological findings. Results: All of the rabbits were successfully inoculated except of the 2 rabbits in tumor-bearing nodal group. The size in MSAD of 13 inflammatorily hyperplastic and 11 tumor

Confirmation and phylogenetic analysis of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus in free-living rabbits from the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Bildt, M. W. G.; van Bolhuis, G. H.; van Zijderveld, F.; van Riel, D.; Drees, J. M.; Osterhaus, A. D. M. E.; Kuiken, T.

2006-01-01

The number of free-living European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in the Netherlands has declined dramatically in recent years. Although rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) infection has been implicated as a possible cause of this decline, the definitive diagnosis has not been reported. We

Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibition alters gene expression and improves isoniazid-mediated clearance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in rabbit lungs.

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Selvakumar Subbian

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Tuberculosis (TB treatment is hampered by the long duration of antibiotic therapy required to achieve cure. This indolent response has been partly attributed to the ability of subpopulations of less metabolically active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb to withstand killing by current anti-TB drugs. We have used immune modulation with a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4 inhibitor, CC-3052, that reduces tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α production by increasing intracellular cAMP in macrophages, to examine the crosstalk between host and pathogen in rabbits with pulmonary TB during treatment with isoniazid (INH. Based on DNA microarray, changes in host gene expression during CC-3052 treatment of Mtb infected rabbits support a link between PDE4 inhibition and specific down-regulation of the innate immune response. The overall pattern of host gene expression in the lungs of infected rabbits treated with CC-3052, compared to untreated rabbits, was similar to that described in vitro in resting Mtb infected macrophages, suggesting suboptimal macrophage activation. These alterations in host immunity were associated with corresponding down-regulation of a number of Mtb genes that have been associated with a metabolic shift towards dormancy. Moreover, treatment with CC-3052 and INH resulted in reduced expression of those genes associated with the bacterial response to INH. Importantly, CC-3052 treatment of infected rabbits was associated with reduced ability of Mtb to withstand INH killing, shown by improved bacillary clearance, from the lungs of co-treated animals compared to rabbits treated with INH alone. The results of our study suggest that changes in Mtb gene expression, in response to changes in the host immune response, can alter the responsiveness of the bacteria to antimicrobial agents. These findings provide a basis for exploring the potential use of adjunctive immune modulation with PDE4 inhibitors to enhance the efficacy of existing anti-TB treatment.

Ultrastructure of Reissner's membrane in the rabbit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qvortrup, K.; Rostgaard, Jørgen; Bretlau, P.

1994-01-01

Anatomy, Reissner's membrane, electron microscopy, tubulocisternal endoplasmic reticulum, subsurface cisterns, rabbit......Anatomy, Reissner's membrane, electron microscopy, tubulocisternal endoplasmic reticulum, subsurface cisterns, rabbit...

Impact of myxomatosis in relation to local persistence in wild rabbit populations: the role of waning immunity and the reproductive period.

Science.gov (United States)

Fouchet, David; Guitton, Jean-Sébastien; Marchandeau, Stéphane; Pontier, Dominique

2008-02-21

Many diseases are less severe when they are contracted in early life. For highly lethal diseases, such as myxomatosis in rabbits, getting infected early in life can represent the best chance for an individual to survive the disease. For myxomatosis, early infections are attenuated by maternal antibodies. This may lead to the immunisation of the host, preventing the subsequent development of the lethal form of the disease. But early infection of young individuals requires specific demographic and epidemiological contexts, such as a high transmission rate of the pathogen agent. To investigate other factors involved in the impact of such diseases, we have built a stochastic model of a rabbit metapopulation infected by myxomatosis. We show that the impact of the pathogen agent can be reduced by early infections only when the agent has a long local persistence time and/or when the host subpopulations are highly connected. The length of the reproductive period and the duration of acquired immunity are also important factors influencing the persistence of the pathogen and thus, the impact of the disease. Besides confirming the role of classical factors in the persistence of a pathogen agent, such as the size of the subpopulation or the degree of connectivity, our results highlight novel factors that can modulate the impact of diseases whose severity increase with age.

Antioxidants attenuate atherosclerotic plaque development in a balloon-denuded and -radiated hypercholesterolemic rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leborgne, Laurent; Fournadjiev, Jana; Pakala, Rajbabu; Dilcher, Christian; Cheneau, Edouard; Wolfram, Roswitha; Hellinga, David; Seaborn, Rufus; O'Tio, Fermin; Waksman, Ron

2003-01-01

Background: Oxidation of lipoproteins is considered to be a key contributor to atherogenesis. Antioxidants are potential antiatherogenic agents because they can inhibit lipoprotein oxidation. Radiation has been shown to increase oxidative stress leading to increased atherogenesis. This study is designed to test the potential of antioxidants to inhibit atherosclerotic plaque progression in balloon-denuded and -radiated rabbits. Methods and Results: Two groups of New Zealand white rabbits (n=36) were fed with 1% cholesterol diet (control diet) or with 1% cholesterol diet containing a mixture of various antioxidants for 1 week. Iliac arteries in all the animals were balloon denuded and continued to fed with 0.15% cholesterol diet or 0.15% cholesterol diet containing antioxidants (antioxidant diet). Four weeks after balloon denudation one iliac artery in 12 animals from each group was radiated and all the animals were continued to be fed with the same diet. Four weeks after radiation animals were sacrificed and morphometric analysis of iliac arteries (n=12) in nonradiated and radiated animals were performed. Plaque area (PA) in the rabbits that were fed with cholesterol diet is 0.2±0.12 mm 2 , and it is increased by 2.75-fold (P<.05) in the radiated arteries of animals fed with cholesterol diet. Plaque area in the animals fed with antioxidant diet is 50% less then the one in the animals fed with cholesterol diet. Similarly, plaque area in radiated arteries of the animals fed with antioxidant diet is 50% less then the animals fed with cholesterol diet. Conclusion: Antioxidants significantly attenuate atherosclerotic plaque progression in balloon-injured and -radiated hypercholesterolemic rabbits

Occurrence of Gastrointestinal Helminths in rabbits with special ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-09-25

Sep 25, 2013 ... droppings to digest their food further and extract sufficient nutrients (Oaktreevet, 2010). Rabbits are generally infected with numerous parasites. Parasitic infections have caused considerable losses to rabbits in the region. Numbers of parasites are responsible for illness of rabbits (Allan et al., 1999).

Market Driving to Develop Rabbit Meat Products in Indonesia

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Atien Priyanti

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Rabbit meat is a nutritional food containing high protein and low cholesterol, fat and sodium. Current research in rabbit production is aimed for developing production strategies to increase the nutritional and economic values of rabbit meat products as functional food. Nowadays, producing rabbit is a popular farming activity in many parts of Indonesia as a small and medium scale operation for food security and cash income. Rabbit farming is to produce meat, skin and hides, fur, organic fertilizers and pet or fancy animals. Consumption of rabbit meat is considered very low, due partly to low meat supply and inavailability of marketing. In some tourist areas, such as Lembang (West Java, Tawangmangu (Central Java, Sarangan and Batu (East Java rabbit meat is a specific food. Attempt to create and drive rabbit markets will simultaneously increase meat production to fulfill the demand and meet economic scale of farming. Hence, this will give significant impact to the farmers’ welfare. Availability of good quality meat, dissemination and diversification of meat products, production efficiency toward competitive price along with its proper marketing strategy will drive consumers’ preferences to consume more rabbit meat. Market driving needs to be created in order to promote rabbit meat products by establishing food outlets. This program has been developed by a farmers group in Magelang, Central Java. During the period of 2006 – 2007 the food outlets had increased to 5 outlets, and in 2012 become 9 outlets. This market driving will also have an impact on changing orientation of rabbit farming from traditional to a small and medium economic scale that will influence the production efficiency.

Biocompatibility of Bletilla striata Microspheres as a Novel Embolic Agent

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ShiHua Luo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We have prepared Chinese traditional herb Bletilla striata into microspheres as a novel embolic agent for decades. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of Bletilla striata microspheres (BSMs. After a thermal test of BSMs in vitro, the cell biocompatibility of BSMs was investigated in mouse fibroblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells using the methyl tetrazolium (MTT assay. In addition, blood biocompatibility was evaluated. In vivo intramuscular implantation and renal artery embolization in rabbits with BSMs were used to examine the inflammatory response. The experimental rabbits did not develop any fever symptoms after injection of BSMs, and BSMs exhibited no cytotoxicity in cultured mouse fibroblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Additionally, BSMs exhibited high compatibility with red blood cells and no hemolysis activity. Intramuscular implantation with BSMs resulted in a gradually lessened mild inflammatory reaction that disappeared after eight weeks. The occlusion of small renal vessels was associated with a mild perivascular inflammatory reaction without significant renal and liver function damage. In conclusion, we believe that BSMs exhibit high biocompatibility and are a promising embolic agent.

Detection of the new emerging rabbit haemorrhagic disease type 2 virus (RHDV2) in Sicily from rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and Italian hare (Lepus corsicanus).

Science.gov (United States)

Camarda, A; Pugliese, N; Cavadini, P; Circella, E; Capucci, L; Caroli, A; Legretto, M; Mallia, E; Lavazza, A

2014-12-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a member of the genus Lagovirus, causes rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), a fatal hepatitis of rabbits, not previously reported in hares. Recently, a new RHDV-related virus emerged, called RHDV2. This lagovirus can cause RHD in rabbits and disease and mortality in Lepus capensis (Cape hare). Here we describe a case of RHDV2 infection in another hare species, Lepus corsicanus, during a concurrent RHD outbreak in a group of wild rabbits. The same RHDV2 strain infected rabbits and a hare, also causing a RHD-like syndrome in the latter. Our findings confirmed the capability of RHDV2 to infect hosts other than rabbits and improve the knowledge about the epidemiology and the host range of this new lagovirus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance characteristics of Weaner rabbits fed Moringa oleifera ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was designed to investigate the utilization of Moringa oleifera (MO) and Moringa stenopetala (MS) by weaner rabbit. In a twelve week feeding trial, forty eight weaner rabbits of about five weeks old were allotted into three treatments with each treatment consisting of sixteen rabbits in a completely randomized ...

PHARMACOKINETIC VARIATIONS OF OFLOXACIN IN NORMAL AND FEBRILE RABBITS

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M. AHMAD, H. RAZA, G. MURTAZA AND N. AKHTAR

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The influence of experimentally Escherichia coli-induced fever (EEIF on the pharmacokinetics of ofloxacin was evaluated. Ofloxacin was administered @ 20 mg.kg-1 body weight intravenously to a group of eight healthy rabbits and compared these results to values in same eight rabbits with EEIF. Pharmacokinetic parameters of ofloxacin in normal and febrile rabbits were determined by using two compartment open kinetic model. Peak plasma level (Cmax and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-α in normal and febrile rabbits did not differ (P>0.05. However, area under first moment of plasma concentration-time curve (AUMC0-α in febrile rabbits was significantly (P<0.05 higher than that in normal rabbits. Mean values for elimination rate constant (Ke, elimination half life (t1/2β and apparent volume of distribution (Vd were significantly (P<0.05 lower in febrile rabbits compared to normal rabbits, while mean residence time (MRT and total body clearance (Cl of ofloxacin did not show any significant difference in the normal and febrile rabbits. Clinical significance of the above results can be related to the changes in the volume of distribution and elimination half life that illustrates an altered steady state in febrile condition; hence, the need for an adjustment of dosage regimen in EEIF is required.

Myxomatosis in farmland rabbit populations in England and Wales.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, J; Tittensor, A M; Fox, A P; Sanders, M F

1989-10-01

The overall pattern and consequences of myxomatosis in wild rabbit populations were studied at three farmland sites in lowland southern England and upland central Wales between 1971 and 1978. When results from all years were combined, the disease showed a clear two-peaked annual cycle, with a main autumn peak between August and January, and a subsidiary spring peak during February to April. Rabbit fleas, the main vectors of myxomatosis in Britain, were present on full-grown rabbits in sufficient numbers for transmission to occur throughout the year, but the observed seasonal pattern of the disease appeared to be influenced by seasonal mass movements of these fleas. However other factors were also important including the timing and success of the main rabbit breeding season, the proportion of rabbits which had recovered from the disease and the timing and extent of autumn rabbit mortality from other causes. Significantly more males than females, and more adults and immatures than juveniles, were observed to be infected by myxomatosis. Only 25-27% of the total populations were seen to be infected during outbreaks. Using two independent methods of calculation, it was estimated that between 47 and 69% of infected rabbits died from the disease (much lower than the expected 90-95% for fully susceptible rabbits with the partly attenuated virus strains that predominated). Thus it was estimated that 12-19% of the total rabbit populations were known to have died directly or indirectly from myxomatosis. Although the effects of myxomatosis were much less than during the 1950s and 1960s, it continued to be an important mortality factor. It may still have a regulatory effect on rabbit numbers, with autumn/winter peaks of disease reducing the numbers of rabbits present at the start of the breeding season.

Rabbit Model of Retinoblastoma

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Shin Jeong Kang

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We created a rabbit model of retinoblastoma and confirmed the tumor clinically and histopathologically. Seventeen New Zealand rabbits were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A at doses of 10–15 mg/kg. At day 3, the animals received a 30 μl subretinal injection of 1×106 cultured WERI retinoblastoma cells. Digital fundus images were captured before euthanasia, and the eyes were submitted for histopathology. Retinoblastoma cells grew in all the inoculated eyes and established a tumor under the retina and/or in the vitreous. New blood vessels in the tumor were observed starting at week 5. Cuffs of viable tumor cells surrounded the blood vessels with regions of necrosis present at 70–80 μm from nutrient vessels. Occasional tumor seeds in the vitreous histologically exhibited central necrosis. This rabbit model demonstrated similar fundus appearance and pathologic features to human retinoblastoma and may be used as a model to test various routes of drug delivery for retinoblastoma.

Electroacupuncture analgesia in a rabbit ovariohysterectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Parmen, Valentin

2014-02-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of electroacupuncture analgesia (EAA) at local and paravertebral acupoints for a rabbit undergoing an ovariohysterectomy. Twelve clinically healthy New Zealand white rabbits were chosen and divided into two groups: the control group (5 rabbits) and the experimental group (7 rabbits). A neuroleptanalgesic (ketamine + xylazine) was administered to the control group (NLA group); the experimental group received EAA treatment (EAA group). The EAA treatment includes one acupuncture formula for local stimulation at the incision site and systemic stimulation. Results of clinical research have shown postoperative analgesia using EAA treatment to be superior to that using NLA. The average postoperative recovery time was 5.2 times longer in the NLA group than in the EAA group. Because consciousness was maintained, EAA presented an advantage in thermoregulation. Animals administered NLA had prolonged thermal homeostasis because of neurovegetative disconnection. For the EAA group, the operative times were characterized as excellent (28%, p = 0.28) or good (72%, p = 0.72). Local stimulation at the incision site provided excellent analgesia of the abdominal wall (100%). In conclusion, EA can provide general analgesia with a considerable analgesic effect for a rabbit undergoing an ovariohysterectomy, resulting in a short postoperative recovery time. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

AV-block and conduction slowing prevail over TdP arrhythmias in the methoxamine-sensitized pro-arrhythmic rabbit model.

Science.gov (United States)

Varkevisser, Rosanne; Vos, Marc A; Beekman, Jet D; Tieland, Ralph G; Van Der Heyden, Marcel A

2015-01-01

The methoxamine-sensitized rabbit model is widely used to screen drugs for proarrhythmic properties, especially repolarization-dependent TdP arrhythmias. With the change of anesthesia and/or sensitizing agent, conduction disturbances have been reported as well. Therefore, we compared currently available in-house anesthetics in order to preserve arrhythmia sensitivity and preclude conduction disturbances. Rabbits were randomly assigned to 3 groups: (1) 35 mg/kg ketamine + 5 mg/kg xylazine; (2) 0.5 mL/kg hypnorm + 3 mg/kg midazolam; (3) 35 mg/kg ketamine + 20 mg/kg propofol. Anesthesia was maintained by 1.5% isoflurane. Concomitant infusion of methoxamine (17 μg/kg/min for 40 minutes) and dofetilide (10 μg/kg/min for 30 minutes) was used to induce arrhythmias. Sole methoxamine infusion exclusively decreased HR in groups 1 and 3. Dofetilide lengthened repolarization, followed in time by PQ/QRS prolongation, second-degree AV block, and subsequently TdP arrhythmias. TdP was seen in 80%, 0%, and 33% of the rabbits in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Decreasing the dose of dofetilide to 5 μg/kg/min in ketamine/xylazine anesthetized rabbits resulted in a drop in TdP incidence (25%) while conduction disturbances persisted. Flunarizine (n = 6) suppressed all TdP arrhythmias while conduction disturbances remained present. TdP incidence in the methoxamine-sensitized rabbit could be dramatically influenced by anesthesia, drug dose, and flunarizine, while conduction slowing remained present. Thus, conduction slowing seems to be the integral outcome in this model. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Performance evaluation and nutrient digestibility of rabbits fed ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A total of 32 weaned rabbits (56 days old; 586 ± 60.31g body weight) were selected to investigate the effect of dietary growth promoters on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of rabbits. The rabbits were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (n = 8) including a basal diet (control), ...

Protection against myxomatosis and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease with recombinant myxoma viruses expressing rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus capsid protein

OpenAIRE

Bertagnoli, Stéphane; Gelfi, Jacqueline; Le Gall, Ghislaine; Boilletot, Eric; Vautherot, Jean-François; Rasschaert, Denis; Laurent, Sylvie; Petit, Frédérique; Boucraut-Baralon, Corine; Milon, Alain

1996-01-01

Two myxoma virus-rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) recombinant viruses were constructed with the SG33 strain of myxoma virus to protect rabbits against myxomatosis and rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease. These recombinant viruses expressed the RHDV capsid protein (VP60). The recombinant protein, which is 60 kDa in size, was antigenic, as revealed by its reaction in immunoprecipitation with antibodies raised against RHDV. Both recombinant viruses induced high levels of RHDV- and myxoma vir...

Bee pollen supplementation in diets for rabbit does and growing rabbits - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v35i4.18950

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Daisa Mirelle Borges Dias

2013-10-01

Full Text Available It was evaluated the effects of bee pollen (BP on the doe and kits productivity and on the carcass and organs of the rabbits. Twenty White New Zealand does and their kits were used in a randomized block design, with four treatments and five blocks, in a factorial arrangement 2 x 2 with two supplementation levels for the doe and for the kits after the weaning. BP supplementation for the does did not influence (p > 0.05 the doe and kit productivity during the lactation, except by the kits survival rate (p 0.05 the rabbit performance from the weaning until the slaughter age, the slaughter weight, carcass characteristics, except by the spleen and small intestine weights, higher in supplemented rabbits. It was not recommended that BP supplementation for does and/or rabbits for not improving the rabbit productive performance.  

Carcass traits of four rabbit genotypes

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Ajda Kermauner

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Seventy-three rabbits of four genotypes (A - SIKA maternal line; C - SIKA sire line; AxC - hybrids between line A and C; AxCal - crossbreds between line A and the Californian breed were used to evaluate the effect of genotype on carcass traits. Rabbits were weaned at 35 days and slaughtered at 93 days of age. Rabbits were fed standard feed mixture ad libitum. The highest live weight at slaughter and dressing percentage was achieved by line C, and the lowest in line A. Hybrids between line A and C exhibited slightly worse carcass traits than rabbits in line C, but the differences were not statistically significant. The Californian breed gave worse results than crossbreeding with line C, though in most cases the differences between AxC and AxCal were not significant. The differences between genotypes in hind leg tissue composition, pH and meat colour were not statistically significant.

Love-Wave Sensors Combined with Microfluidics for Fast Detection of Biological Warfare Agents

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Daniel Matatagui

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The following paper examines a time-efficient method for detecting biological warfare agents (BWAs. The method is based on a system of a Love-wave immunosensor combined with a microfluidic chip which detects BWA samples in a dynamic mode. In this way a continuous flow-through of the sample is created, promoting the reaction between antigen and antibody and allowing a fast detection of the BWAs. In order to prove this method, static and dynamic modes have been simulated and different concentrations of BWA simulants have been tested with two immunoreactions: phage M13 has been detected using the mouse monoclonal antibody anti-M13 (AM13, and the rabbit immunoglobulin (Rabbit IgG has been detected using the polyclonal antibody goat anti-rabbit (GAR. Finally, different concentrations of each BWA simulants have been detected with a fast response time and a desirable level of discrimination among them has been achieved.

Rabbit meat processing: historical perspective to future directions

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Massimiliano Petracci

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In past centuries, because rabbits are relatively small, animals slaughtered for consumption were generally eaten immediately. However, since a single rabbit would offer little more product than could be consumed at one sitting, little effort was devoted to developing preserved rabbit products (such as salted or dried meat, sausages, etc.. For this reason, although there is a rich history of recipes using rabbit meat in the Mediterranean area, there are few traditional further-processed products. Nowadays, even though the processing industry is pushing more and more towards the introduction of more attractive products (i.e. ready meals, ready-to-cook, etc. for consumers with little time for meal preparation, most rabbit meat worldwide is still sold as whole carcass or cut-up parts. This review analyses the main strength and weakness factors regarding the use of rabbit meat to manufacture further processed products. Bearing in mind these considerations, it then describes the more promising processing technologies for raw meat materials to obtain added-value products (marinated, formed, emulsified, coated, etc. by exploiting rabbit meat’s intrinsic characteristics, such as high protein/low fat content coupled with a balanced n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratio, low cholesterol and heme-iron content. Major trends in meat product formulation (modulation of lipid content and composition, use of novel antioxidants and salt reduction are also discussed by highlighting strategies to provide healthier meat products meeting current nutritional needs. Finally, major packaging solutions for rabbit meat and meat products (ordinary and modified atmosphere, vacuum are considered.

Effects of myxoma virus and rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus on the physiological condition of wild European rabbits: Is blood biochemistry a useful monitoring tool?

Science.gov (United States)

Pacios-Palma, Isabel; Santoro, Simone; Bertó-Moran, Alejandro; Moreno, Sacramento; Rouco, Carlos

2016-12-01

Myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) are the major viral diseases that affect the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). These diseases arrived in Europe within the last decades and have caused wild rabbit populations to decline dramatically. Both viruses are currently considered to be endemic in the Iberian Peninsula; periodic outbreaks that strongly impact wild populations regularly occur. Myxoma virus (MV) and rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) alter the physiology of infected rabbits, resulting in physical deterioration. Consequently, the persistence and viability of natural populations are affected. The main goal of our study was to determine if blood biochemistry is correlated with serostatus in wild European rabbits. We carried out seven live-trapping sessions in three wild rabbit populations over a two-year period. Blood samples were collected to measure anti-MV and anti-RHDV antibody concentrations and to measure biochemical parameters related to organ function, protein metabolism, and nutritional status. Overall, we found no significant relationships between rabbit serostatus and biochemistry. Our main result was that rabbits that were seropositive for both MV and RHDV had low gamma glutamyltransferase concentrations. Given the robustness of our analyses, the lack of significant relationships may indicate that the biochemical parameters measured are poor proxies for serostatus. Another explanation is that wild rabbits might be producing attenuated physiological responses to these viruses because the latter are now enzootic in the study area. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creating a Long-Term Diabetic Rabbit Model

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Jianpu Wang

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study was to create a long-term rabbit model of diabetes mellitus for medical studies of up to one year or longer and to evaluate the effects of chronic hyperglycemia on damage of major organs. A single dose of alloxan monohydrate (100 mg/kg was given intravenously to 20 young New Zealand White rabbits. Another 12 age-matched normal rabbits were used as controls. Hyperglycemia developed within 48 hours after treatment with alloxan. Insulin was given daily after diabetes developed. All animals gained some body weight, but the gain was much less than the age-matched nondiabetic rabbits. Hyperlipidemia, higher blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were found in the diabetic animals. Histologically, the pancreas showed marked beta cell damage. The kidneys showed significantly thickened afferent glomerular arterioles with narrowed lumens along with glomerular atrophy. Lipid accumulation in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes appeared as vacuoles. Full-thickness skin wound healing was delayed. In summary, with careful management, alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits can be maintained for one year or longer in reasonably good health for diabetic studies.

Immune response in rabbit ovaries following infection of a recombinant myxoma virus expressing rabbit zona pellucida protein B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Wenyi; Holland, Michael; Janssens, Peter; Seamark, Robert; Kerr, Peter

2004-01-01

In this study, we investigated the autoimmune response in rabbit ovaries following infection with a recombinant myxoma virus expressing rabbit zona pellucida protein B (MV-ZPB). A specific IgG antibody response to ZPB was elicited in the serum of infected rabbits and the antibody strongly bound to the zona pellucida of oocytes in secondary and tertiary follicles. T cell infiltration in the ovary was detected in a small proportion of the infected rabbits. In spite of this, the mean number of preovulatory and tertiary follicles in the ovary was significantly reduced at 30 days postinfection compared with that of the infected and uninfected controls. Histological analysis revealed that the cortex and medulla of these ovaries had accumulated a large number of probably luteinized cells and there were no follicles in these areas, indicating the ovaries were in a severe pathological condition. The data suggest that the delivery of ZP antigens using a recombinant myxoma virus is a prospective way to develop immunocontraceptive vaccines for rabbit population control, but that more understanding of the kinetics of the autoimmune response induced by viral delivery is needed

Contrast-enhanced CT with a High-Affinity Cationic Contrast Agent for Imaging ex Vivo Bovine, Intact ex Vivo Rabbit, and in Vivo Rabbit Cartilage

OpenAIRE

Stewart, Rachel C.; Bansal, Prashant N.; Entezari, Vahid; Lusic, Hrvoje; Nazarian, Rosalynn M.; Snyder, Brian D.; Grinstaff, Mark W.

2013-01-01

The high affinity of a cationic iodinated contrast agent for cartilage provides better tissue visualization, easier segmentation, higher contrast-to-noise ratios, and longer usable imaging windows and requires a lower dose of injected contrast agent compared with an anionic contrast agent.

Impact of Pregnancy on Zonisamide Pharmacokinetics in Rabbits

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Kamal M. Matar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Pregnancy is associated with various physiological changes which may lead to significant alterations in the pharmacokinetics of many drugs. The present study was aimed to investigate the potential effects of pregnancy on the pharmacokinetic profile of zonisamide (ZNM in the rabbit. Seven female rabbits were used in this study. The pregnant and nonpregnant rabbits received ZNM orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg and blood samples were collected from the animals just before receiving the drug and then serially for up to 24 h. The plasma samples were analyzed using tandem mass spectrometric method. Following a single oral dose of ZNM to the rabbits, the mean values of ZNM plasma concentrations at different times were consistently low in pregnant compared to nonpregnant rabbits. The mean values of ZNM’s Cmax and AUC0-∞ were significantly (P<0.05 decreased, whereas the CL/F exhibited substantial increase (P<0.05 in pregnant compared to nonpregnant rabbits. Tmax, t1/2abs, t1/2el, MRT, and Vd/F showed no significant differences between the two groups. The present study demonstrates that pregnancy decreased ZNM plasma concentrations in rabbits and that the decrease could be due to decreased extent of gastrointestinal absorption, induced hepatic metabolism, or enhanced renal elimination of the drug.

Rabbit Oncology : Diseases, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Zeeland, Yvonne

Neoplasia has long been reported as a rare finding in rabbits, but over the past decades the number of reports on neoplastic disease in rabbits has risen considerably. Similar to other animals, neoplastic changes may occur in any organ system, but the rate in which the organ systems are affected

Pharmacokinetics of topically applied sparfloxacin in rabbits

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Satia Milan

2005-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Fluoroquinolones are antimicrobial agents that have a broad spectrum of activity and are widely used against many of the ocular pathogens, responsible for conjunctivitis, blepharitis, corneal ulcers etc. The aim of our study was to evaluate the ocular pharmacokinetics of sparfloxacin (0.3% w/v in the aqueous humour of rabbits. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pharmacokinetics of topically administered sparfloxacin were determined after a single application of 50 µl topically. The aqueous humour samples were collected at 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 hours after instillation. High Performance Thin Layer Chromatographic method was used to analyse the drug concentration in the aqueous humour samples. RESULTS: Fifteen minutes after the instillation of 50 µl of sparfloxacin 0.3% solution, the mean concentration in aqueous humour was found to be 1.4 µg/ml, which reaches the peak level of 3.7 µg/ml after 1.3 hours. At 6 hours, the sparfloxacin aqueous levels were 0.562 µg/ml. The clinical efficacy was predicted based on the Maximum Concentration (Cmax: Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC and Area Under the Concentration-time curve (AUC:MIC ratios. CONCLUSION: The sparfloxacin levels in aqueous humour of rabbits are sufficiently high up to the 6 hours after instillation in the conjunctival sac to provide bactericidal effect against most of the ocular pathogens. Both Cmax:MIC and AUC:MIC ratios are high enough to provide bactericidal effect against most of the ocular pathogens. Sparfloxacin (0.3% ophthalmic preparation has excellent penetration through cornea.

An Experimental Study for Radiation Nephritis in Rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Myung Jae [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1972-09-15

Experimental radiation nephritis was produced in 15 rabbits by X-irradiation. About 2, 000gamma(tissue doses) were given to both kidneys of a rabbit in 5 days. Other tissues and organs except both kidneys were protected with 2 mm thickened lead plates. 5 weeks after the last irradiation, blood pictures, blood pressures, B.U.N., serum creatinine, Ca, Mg, Fe levels and serum erythropoietin activity of the irradiated rabbits were studied. After finishing above studies, rabbits were sacrificed and both kidneys were removed and examined histopathologically. Same laboratory and pathological studies were performed in 6 control rabbits. In this study, the author obtained following results. 1) Both kidneys of rabbits with experimental radiation nephritis showed marked histopathological changes, i.e.: renal tubules showed diffuse cloudy swelling, impacted intraluminal hyaline casts and focal precipitations of lime salts on the tubular epithelium. Diffuse interstitial fatty necrosis and various degrees of fibrotic infiltrations on the interstitium were also seen in association with focal lymphocytic infiltrations. Hyaline degenerations were observed on the glomeruli and small vessels. 2) Experimental radiation nephritis rabbits showed marked lowering in R.B.C. counts, decreased hemoglobin levels, low hematocrit values and leucopenia in comparison with those of control rabbits. (P<0.01). (Table 1 and 2). 3) Mild proteinuria were observed in experimental radiation nephritis in rabbits. 4) The levels of B.U.N. and serum creatinine increased in experimental radiation nephritis. (P<0.01). (Table 1, 3 and 4). 5) The levels of serum Ca and Mg Showed no statistical difference in comparison with those of control rabbits. (P>0.05). (Table 3 and 4). 6) No statistical correlations were observable between the levels of B.U.N. and Hb. values. (gamma=-0. 223). No close correlations (gamma=-0.338) were noticed between the levels of B.U.N. and serum iron levels. 7) Erythropoietin activity (R

Short-lived cyclotron produced radionuclides evaluation on the myocardial imaging agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rikitake, Tomoyuki; Tateno, Yukio; Yamane, Akiko; Matsumoto, Touru; Umegaki, Youichiro

1978-01-01

Organ uptake after venous administration of 13 N-ammonia, 43 K, 86 Rb, 201 Tl and after rectal administration of 13 N-ammonia was studied. Each nuclides highly accumulated in myocardium after intravenous injection, but rectal administrated 13 N-ammonia did not show this tendency. Intravenously injected 13 N-ammonia showed very early myocardial uptake and early secretion from kidney. Rectal administrated 13 N-ammonia was less accumulated in myocardium. 43 KCl and 13 NH 4 Cl were injected intravenously and administrated from the rectum to the rabbits under imaging scintilator system. Whole-body scintiscanner with display-processing unit was used for a 43 KCl injected rabbit. A positroncamera with computer system (TOSBAC 3400 on line system) was used for 13 NH 4 Cl (i.v. and rectal ad.) rabbits. The dynamic studies of 43 KCl, 13 NH 4 Cl were made from these imaging data. The countratio of heart to the liver after 43 K injection was nearly equal or less than the liver. The peakcount was at 15 min after 13 NH 4 Cl intravenous injection. 13 N accumulated promptly at upper mediastinal part and kidney, and soon disappeared from these part. Uptake of the heat was high and that of the liver was low. When 13 NH 4 Cl was administrated from the rectum, 13 N trapped at the liver, and uptake of the heart was very low level. Scintiscanning after 13 KCl intravenously injected, did not show the high resolution. Rabbit heart was distinguishable from the liver, but there are no visibility of the detail. Seeing positronscintigram after 13 NH 4 Cl administration both from intravenously and from rectum, the detail was well visible. We concluded the positron scintigram after 13 NH 4 Cl injection should be a good myocardial imaging agent. Furthermore, 13 Nh 4 Cl has two eminent characters as a myocardial imaging agent comparing 201 TlCl. One is prompt making of image, the others is the very low radiation dose. (auth.)

Baicalein attenuates vinorelbine-induced vascular endothelial cell injury and chemotherapeutic phlebitis in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ge, Gang-Feng; Shi, Wei-Wen; Yu, Chen-Huan; Jin, Xiao-Yin; Zhang, Huan-Huan; Zhang, Wen-You; Wang, Lu-Chen; Yu, Bing

2017-01-01

Chemotherapy is one of the major strategies for cancer treatment. Several antineoplastic drugs including vinorelbine (VRB) are commonly intravenously infused and liable to cause serious phlebitis. The therapeutic drugs for preventing this complication are limited. In this study, the mechanism of baicalein (BCN) was investigated on VRB-induced phlebitis in vivo and vascular endothelial cell injury in vitro. Treatment with BCN obviously attenuated vascular endothelial cell loss, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration and blood clots, and reduced the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and ICAM-1 in the rabbit model of phlebitis induced by intravenous injection of VRB compared with vehicle. Further tests in vitro demonstrated that BCN lessened VRB-induced endothelial cell apoptosis, decreased intracellular ROS levels, suppressed phosphorylation of p38 and eventually inhibited activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. And these effects could be reversed by p38 agonist P79350. These results suggested that BCN exerted the protective effects against VRB-induced endothelial disruption in the rabbit model of phlebitis via inhibition of intracellular ROS generation and inactivation of p38/NF-κB pathway, leading to the decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, BCN could be used as a potential agent for the treatment of phlebitis. - Highlights: • Baicalein attenuated vinorelbine-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis. • Baicalein inhibited vinorelbine-induced oxidative stress in HUVECs. • Baicalein inhibited activation of p38/NF-κB signaling. • Baicalein attenuated vinorelbine-induced phlebitis and inflammation in rabbits.

Baicalein attenuates vinorelbine-induced vascular endothelial cell injury and chemotherapeutic phlebitis in rabbits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ge, Gang-Feng [Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053 (China); Shi, Wei-Wen [Zhejiang Medical Science and Education Development Center, Hangzhou 310006 (China); Yu, Chen-Huan; Jin, Xiao-Yin; Zhang, Huan-Huan; Zhang, Wen-You [Key Laboratory of Experimental Animal and Safety Evaluation, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013 (China); Wang, Lu-Chen [Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053 (China); Yu, Bing, E-mail: Jellycook2002@163.com [Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053 (China)

2017-03-01

Chemotherapy is one of the major strategies for cancer treatment. Several antineoplastic drugs including vinorelbine (VRB) are commonly intravenously infused and liable to cause serious phlebitis. The therapeutic drugs for preventing this complication are limited. In this study, the mechanism of baicalein (BCN) was investigated on VRB-induced phlebitis in vivo and vascular endothelial cell injury in vitro. Treatment with BCN obviously attenuated vascular endothelial cell loss, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration and blood clots, and reduced the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and ICAM-1 in the rabbit model of phlebitis induced by intravenous injection of VRB compared with vehicle. Further tests in vitro demonstrated that BCN lessened VRB-induced endothelial cell apoptosis, decreased intracellular ROS levels, suppressed phosphorylation of p38 and eventually inhibited activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. And these effects could be reversed by p38 agonist P79350. These results suggested that BCN exerted the protective effects against VRB-induced endothelial disruption in the rabbit model of phlebitis via inhibition of intracellular ROS generation and inactivation of p38/NF-κB pathway, leading to the decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, BCN could be used as a potential agent for the treatment of phlebitis. - Highlights: • Baicalein attenuated vinorelbine-induced vascular endothelial cell apoptosis. • Baicalein inhibited vinorelbine-induced oxidative stress in HUVECs. • Baicalein inhibited activation of p38/NF-κB signaling. • Baicalein attenuated vinorelbine-induced phlebitis and inflammation in rabbits.

Molecular epidemiology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus in Australia: when one became many.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovaliski, John; Sinclair, Ron; Mutze, Greg; Peacock, David; Strive, Tanja; Abrantes, Joana; Esteves, Pedro J; Holmes, Edward C

2014-02-01

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced into Australia in 1995 as a biological control agent against the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We evaluated its evolution over a 16-year period (1995-2011) by examining 50 isolates collected throughout Australia, as well as the original inoculum strains. Phylogenetic analysis of capsid protein VP60 sequences of the Australian isolates, compared with those sampled globally, revealed that they form a monophyletic group with the inoculum strains (CAPM V-351 and RHDV351INOC). Strikingly, despite more than 3000 rereleases of RHDV351INOC since 1995, only a single viral lineage has sustained its transmission in the long-term, indicative of a major competitive advantage. In addition, we find evidence for widespread viral gene flow, in which multiple lineages entered individual geographic locations, resulting in a marked turnover of viral lineages with time, as well as a continual increase in viral genetic diversity. The rate of RHDV evolution recorded in Australia -4.0 (3.3-4.7) × 10(-3) nucleotide substitutions per site per year - was higher than previously observed in RHDV, and evidence for adaptive evolution was obtained at two VP60 residues. Finally, more intensive study of a single rabbit population (Turretfield) in South Australia provided no evidence for viral persistence between outbreaks, with genetic diversity instead generated by continual strain importation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Retinitis-pigmentosa-like tapetoretinal degeneration in a rabbit breed.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichenbach, A; Baar, U

1985-08-15

By chance, we found a rabbit strain with retinal dystrophy. The eyes of these rabbits were examined by ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography, histology, and cytology--the latter after retina dissociation with papaine. The results suggest this rabbit strain to be a possible animal model for human retinitis pigmentosa.

Comparing rat and rabbit embryo-fetal developmental toxicity ...

Science.gov (United States)

A database of embryo-fetal developmental toxicity (EFDT) studies of 379 pharmaceutical compounds in rat and rabbit was analyzed for species differences based on toxicokinetic parameters of area under the curve (AUC) and maximum concentration (Cmax) at the developmental adverse effect level (dLOAEL). For the vast majority of cases (83% based on AUC of n=283), dLOAELs in rats and rabbits were within the same order of magnitude (less than 10-fold different) when compared based on available data on AUC and Cmax exposures. For 13.5% of the compounds the rabbit was more sensitive and for 3.5% of compounds the rat was more sensitive when compared based on AUC exposures. For 12% of the compounds the rabbit was more sensitive and for 1.3% of compounds the rat was more sensitive based on Cmax exposures. When evaluated based on human equivalent dose (HED) conversion using standard factors, the rat and rabbit were equally sensitive. The relative extent of embryo-fetal toxicity in the presence of maternal toxicity was not different between species. Overall effect severity incidences were distributed similarly in rat and rabbit studies. Individual rat and rabbit strains did not show a different general distribution of systemic exposure LOAELs as compared to all strains combined for each species. There were no apparent species differences in the occurrence of embryo-fetal variations. Based on power of detection and given differences in the nature of developmental effects betwe

Comparison of rat and rabbit embryo-fetal developmental ...

Science.gov (United States)

Regulatory non-clinical safety testing of human pharmaceutical compounds typically requires embryo fetal developmental toxicity (EFDT) testing in two species, (one rodent and one non-rodent, usually the rat and the rabbit). The question has been raised whether under some conditions EFDT testing could be limited to one species, or whether the need for testing in a second species could be decided on a case by case basis. As part of an RIVM/CBG-MEB/HESI/US EPA consortium initiative, we built and queried a database of 379 EFDT studies conducted for marketed and non-marketed pharmaceutical compounds. The animal models (rat and rabbit) were assessed for their potential for adverse developmental and maternal outcomes. The database was analyzed for the prevalence of EFDT incidence and the nature and severity of adverse findings in the two species. Some manifestation of EFDT in either one or both species (rat and rabbit) was demonstrated for 282 compounds (74%), and EFDT was detected in only one species (rat or rabbit) in almost a third (31%, 118 compounds), with approximately 58% rat and 42% rabbit studies identifying an EFDT signal among the 379 compounds tested. For 24 compounds (6%), fetal malformations were observed in one species (rat or rabbit) in the absence of any EFDT in the second species. In general, growth retardation, fetal variations, and malformations were more prominent in the rat, whereas embryo-fetal death was observed more often in the rabbit. Discor

Chemotherapy-induced pulmonary hypertension: role of alkylating agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Ranchoux, Benoît; Günther, Sven; Quarck, Rozenn; Chaumais, Marie-Camille; Dorfmüller, Peter; Antigny, Fabrice; Dumas, Sébastien J; Raymond, Nicolas; Lau, Edmund; Savale, Laurent; Jaïs, Xavier; Sitbon, Olivier; Simonneau, Gérald; Stenmark, Kurt; Cohen-Kaminsky, Sylvia; Humbert, Marc; Montani, David; Perros, Frédéric

2015-02-01

Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) is an uncommon form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) characterized by progressive obstruction of small pulmonary veins and a dismal prognosis. Limited case series have reported a possible association between different chemotherapeutic agents and PVOD. We evaluated the relationship between chemotherapeutic agents and PVOD. Cases of chemotherapy-induced PVOD from the French PH network and literature were reviewed. Consequences of chemotherapy exposure on the pulmonary vasculature and hemodynamics were investigated in three different animal models (mouse, rat, and rabbit). Thirty-seven cases of chemotherapy-associated PVOD were identified in the French PH network and systematic literature analysis. Exposure to alkylating agents was observed in 83.8% of cases, mostly represented by cyclophosphamide (43.2%). In three different animal models, cyclophosphamide was able to induce PH on the basis of hemodynamic, morphological, and biological parameters. In these models, histopathological assessment confirmed significant pulmonary venous involvement highly suggestive of PVOD. Together, clinical data and animal models demonstrated a plausible cause-effect relationship between alkylating agents and PVOD. Clinicians should be aware of this uncommon, but severe, pulmonary vascular complication of alkylating agents. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pentosan polysulfate inhibits atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits: differential modulation of metalloproteinase-2 and -9.

Science.gov (United States)

Lupia, Enrico; Zheng, Feng; Grosjean, Fabrizio; Tack, Ivan; Doublier, Sophie; Elliot, Sharon J; Vlassara, Helen; Striker, Gary E

2012-02-01

Pentosan polysulfate (PPS), a heparinoid compound essentially devoid of anticoagulant activity, modulates cell growth and decreases inflammation. We investigated the effect of PPS on the progression of established atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits. After severe atherosclerosis developed on an atherogenic diet, WHHL rabbits were treated with oral PPS or tap water for 1 month. The aortic intima-to-media ratio and macrophage infiltration were reduced, plaque collagen content was increased, and plaque fibrous caps were preserved by PPS treatment. Plasma lipid levels and post-heparin hepatic lipase activity remained unchanged. However, net collagenolytic activity in aortic extracts was decreased, and the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) activity were increased by PPS. Moreover, PPS treatment decreased tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-stimulated proinflammatory responses, in particular activation of nuclear factor-κB and p38, and activation of MMPs in macrophages. In conclusion, oral PPS treatment prevents progression of established atherosclerosis in WHHL rabbits. This effect may be partially mediated by increased MMP-2 and TIMP activities in the aortic wall and reduced TNFα-stimulated inflammation and MMP activation in macrophages. Thus, PPS may be a useful agent in inhibiting the progression of atherosclerosis.

Rabbit tissue model (RTM) harvesting technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Marelyn

2002-01-01

A method for creating a tissue model using a female rabbit for laparoscopic simulation exercises is described. The specimen is called a Rabbit Tissue Model (RTM). Dissection techniques are described for transforming the rabbit carcass into a small, compact unit that can be used for multiple training sessions. Preservation is accomplished by using saline and refrigeration. Only the animal trunk is used, with the rest of the animal carcass being discarded. Practice exercises are provided for using the preserved organs. Basic surgical skills, such as dissection, suturing, and knot tying, can be practiced on this model. In addition, the RTM can be used with any pelvic trainer that permits placement of larger practice specimens within its confines.

Effect of l-arginine therapy on plasma NO/sub 2/ and NO/sub 3/ levels, and blood pressure in uremic rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanif, M.; Khemomal, A.

2011-01-01

Background: Normal kidney function is regulated by Nitric oxide (NO) and Superoxide (O/sub 2/-) in the body, and consequently controls blood pressure. Nitric Oxide promotes natriuresis and diuresis, and therefore results in reduction of blood pressure. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of L-arginine supplementation on blood pressure, urinary protein, nitrite and nitrate in addition to blood urea, serum creatinine and creatinine clearance in uremic rabbits. Methods: This study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi. A total of 48 rabbits were included in the study. Twenty-four of the rabbits on surgical intervention were prepared as uremic and so became hypertensive as well. Two groups were uremic, one group was given L-arginine and the other was remained untreated. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured on week 0, week 2, week 4, and week 6, while blood and urine was collected on week 0 and week 6. Results: On supplementation with L-arginine to uremic rabbits systolic and diastolic blood pressures were decreased significantly. Nitrite/nitrate and urinary protein were corrected to some extent while blood urea and serum creatinine were unaffected. Conclusion: L-arginine has a beneficial role as blood pressure lowering agent in uremic rabbits. It corrects NO/sub 2/NO/sub 3/ plasma level and proteinuria which is indicator of renal failure. (author)

Viral skin diseases of the rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Meredith, Anna L

2013-09-01

This article describes the viral skin diseases affecting the domestic rabbit, the most important being myxomatosis. Transmission and pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and control are described and the article will be of interest to veterinary practitioners who treat rabbits. Shope fibroma virus, Shope papilloma virus, and rabbitpox are also discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

FELASA recommendations for the health monitoring of mouse, rat, hamster, guinea pig and rabbit colonies in breeding and experimental units.

Science.gov (United States)

Mähler Convenor, M; Berard, M; Feinstein, R; Gallagher, A; Illgen-Wilcke, B; Pritchett-Corning, K; Raspa, M

2014-07-01

The microbiological quality of experimental animals can critically influence animal welfare and the validity and reproducibility of research data. It is therefore important for breeding and experimental facilities to establish a laboratory animal health monitoring (HM) programme as an integrated part of any quality assurance system. FELASA has published recommendations for the HM of rodent and rabbit colonies in breeding and experimental units (Nicklas et al. Laboratory Animals, 2002), with the intention of harmonizing HM programmes. As stated in the preamble, these recommendations need to be adapted periodically to meet current developments in laboratory animal medicine. Accordingly, previous recommendations have been revised and shall be replaced by the present recommendations. These recommendations are aimed at all breeders and users of laboratory mice, rats, Syrian hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits as well as diagnostic laboratories. They describe essential aspects of HM, such as the choice of agents, selection of animals and tissues for testing, frequency of sampling, commonly used test methods, interpretation of results and HM reporting. Compared with previous recommendations, more emphasis is put on the role of a person with sufficient understanding of the principles of HM, opportunistic agents, the use of sentinel animals (particularly under conditions of cage-level containment) and the interpretation and reporting of HM results. Relevant agents, testing frequencies and literature references are updated. Supplementary information on specific agents and the number of animals to be monitored and an example of a HM programme description is provided in the appendices. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Cutaneous lesions in pet rabbits following subcutaneous administration of a novel bivalent vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Selleri, Paolo; Di Girolamo, Nicola; Vögtlin, Andrea; Fileccia, Ivan; Hoop, Richard; Bongiovanni, Laura

2014-12-01

A novel bivalent vaccine to protect against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease is commercially available for pet rabbits. To describe the appearance of cutaneous lesions arising in pet rabbits positive for myxoma virus (MV) by RT-PCR evaluation shortly after vaccination. Four pet rabbits presenting with papular, crusting skin lesions ~10 days after vaccination. Histological evaluation of formalin-fixed skin biopsies obtained from lesional skin (case 1). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) evaluation of paraffin-embedded tissue from skin biopsies (case 1) and crusts obtained from the lesion surface (cases 2-4) for myxoma virus are reported as cycle threshold (Ct ) values. Lesions affecting the ear pinna, dorsal aspect of the nose, vulva and/or conjunctiva are reported. Histopathological findings included severe ulcerative, necrotizing dermatitis and intralesional cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in myxoma cells. DNA was amplified from all the paraffin-embedded skin biopsies (Ct  = 34-35) and crusts (Ct  = 20-24). Although a wild virus challenge cannot be definitively excluded, veterinarians and pet-owners should be aware that cutaneous lesions have been observed after vaccination with this novel vaccine in low numbers of rabbits. © 2014 ESVD and ACVD.

Development of a Zealand white rabbit deposition model to study inhalation anthrax

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asgharian, Bahman; Price, Owen; Kabilan, Senthil; Jacob, Richard E.; Einstein, Daniel R.; Kuprat, Andrew P.; Corley, Richard A.

2016-01-28

Despite using rabbits in several inhalation exposure experiments to study diseases such as anthrax, there is a lack of understanding regarding deposition characteristics and fate of inhaled particles (bio-aerosols and viruses) in the respiratory tracts of rabbits. Such information allows dosimetric extrapolation to humans to inform human outcomes. The lung geometry of the New Zealand white rabbit (referred to simply as rabbits throughout the article) was constructed using recently acquired scanned images of the conducting airways of rabbits and available information on its acinar region. In addition, functional relationships were developed for the lung and breathing parameters of rabbits as a function of body weight. The lung geometry and breathing parameters were used to extend the existing deposition model for humans and several other species to rabbits. Evaluation of the deposition model for rabbits was made by comparing predictions with available measurements in the literature. Deposition predictions in the lungs of rabbits indicated smaller deposition fractions compared to those found in humans across various particle diameter ranges. The application of the deposition model for rabbits was demonstrated by extrapolating deposition predictions in rabbits to find equivalent human exposure concentrations assuming the same dose-response relationship between the two species. Human equivalent exposure concentration levels were found to be much smaller than those for rabbits.

Insights into the evolution of the new variant rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (GI.2) and the identification of novel recombinant strains.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvério, D; Lopes, A M; Melo-Ferreira, J; Magalhães, M J; Monterroso, P; Serronha, A; Maio, E; Alves, P C; Esteves, P J; Abrantes, J

2018-02-11

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is a viral disease that affects the European rabbit. RHD was detected in 1984 in China and rapidly disseminated worldwide causing a severe decline in wild rabbit populations. The aetiological agent, rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), is an RNA virus of the family Caliciviridae, genus Lagovirus. Pathogenic (G1-G6 or variants GI.1a-GI.1d) and non-pathogenic strains (GI.4) have been characterized. In 2010, a new variant of RHDV, RHDV2/RHDVb/GI.2, was detected in France. GI.2 arrived to the Iberian Peninsula in 2011, and several recombination events were reported. Here, we sequenced full genomes of 19 samples collected in Portugal between 2014 and 2016. New GI.2 recombinant strains were detected, including triple recombinants. These recombinants possess a non-structural protein p16 related to a non-pathogenic strain. Evolutionary analyses were conducted on GI.2 VP60 sequences. Estimated time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) suggests an emergence of GI.2 in July 2008, not distant from its first detection in 2010. This is the first study on GI.2 evolution and highlights the need of continued monitoring and characterization of complete genome sequences when studying lagoviruses' evolution. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Nutritional studies on growing rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, A.M.E.A.M.

2013-01-01

This work was carried out to study the effect of adding drinking water with either, copper sulfate, ascorbic acid or drinking cooled water on growth performance (live body weight,body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and water consumption), digestibility coefficients of nutrients, carcass traits, some physiological parameters and economical efficiency of growing NZW rabbits under Egyptian summer conditions. Ninety six weanling New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits at five weeks of age and nearly similar average body weight (650.3 ±3.7 g) were randomly divided into eight treatment groups (twelve rabbits in each group), and then each group was subdivided into four replicates, each of three rabbits. The rabbits were assigned to drinking water as follow: the 1 st group was given fresh tap water without any additives as a control. The 2 n d, 3 r d and 4 t h groups were given tap fresh water supplemented with copper sulfate at levels of 40, 80 and 120 mg/L drinking water, respectively. The 5 t h, 6 t h and 7 t h groups were given tap fresh water supplemented with ascorbic acid at levels of 250, 500 and 750 mg/L drinking water, respectively. The 8 t h group was given cooled drinking water (CW) at 10-15 degree C. Results showed that supplementation of 40 or 80 mg copper sulfate/L or 500 mg ascorbic acid/L to heat-stressed rabbits drinking water improved final live body weight, body weight gain, daily water consumption, feed conversion ratio, performance index and economical efficiency. Hot carcass percentage was significantly (P<0.01) decreased with 80 mg/L copper sulfate and increased significantly (P<0.01) due to supplementation the drinking water with 250 mg ascorbic acid/L. Cooled water (10-15 degree C) improved significantly (P<0.01) each of final body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, performance index, economical efficiency and decreased significantly (P<0.01) each of hot carcass %, dressed weight %, heart %, total giblets %, rectal

Isolation and characterization of a novel Betacoronavirus subgroup A coronavirus, rabbit coronavirus HKU14, from domestic rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Susanna K P; Woo, Patrick C Y; Yip, Cyril C Y; Fan, Rachel Y Y; Huang, Yi; Wang, Ming; Guo, Rongtong; Lam, Carol S F; Tsang, Alan K L; Lai, Kenneth K Y; Chan, Kwok-Hung; Che, Xiao-Yan; Zheng, Bo-Jian; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2012-05-01

We describe the isolation and characterization of a novel Betacoronavirus subgroup A coronavirus, rabbit coronavirus HKU14 (RbCoV HKU14), from domestic rabbits. The virus was detected in 11 (8.1%) of 136 rabbit fecal samples by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), with a viral load of up to 10(8) copies/ml. RbCoV HKU14 was able to replicate in HRT-18G and RK13 cells with cytopathic effects. Northern blotting confirmed the production of subgenomic mRNAs coding for the HE, S, NS5a, E, M, and N proteins. Subgenomic mRNA analysis revealed a transcription regulatory sequence, 5'-UCUAAAC-3'. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RbCoV HKU14 formed a distinct branch among Betacoronavirus subgroup A coronaviruses, being most closely related to but separate from the species Betacoronavirus 1. A comparison of the conserved replicase domains showed that RbCoV HKU14 possessed N-protein-based Western blot assay, whereas neutralizing antibody was detected in 1 of these 20 rabbits.

Hypercholesterolemia Impaired Sperm Functionality in Rabbits

Science.gov (United States)

Monclus, Maria A.; Cabrillana, Maria E.; Clementi, Marisa A.; Espínola, Leandro S.; Cid Barría, Jose L.; Vincenti, Amanda E.; Santi, Analia G.; Fornés, Miguel W.

2010-01-01

Hypercholesterolemia represents a high risk factor for frequent diseases and it has also been associated with poor semen quality that may lead to male infertility. The aim of this study was to analyze semen and sperm function in diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Twelve adult White New Zealand male rabbits were fed ad libitum a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.05% cholesterol. Rabbits under cholesterol-enriched diet significantly increased total cholesterol level in the serum. Semen examination revealed a significant reduction in semen volume and sperm motility in hypercholesterolemic rabbits (HCR). Sperm cell morphology was seriously affected, displaying primarily a “folded head”-head fold along the major axe-, and the presence of cytoplasmic droplet on sperm flagellum. Cholesterol was particularly increased in acrosomal region when detected by filipin probe. The rise in cholesterol concentration in sperm cells was determined quantitatively by Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses. We also found a reduction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in sperm incubated under capacitating conditions from HCR. Interestingly, the addition of Protein Kinase A pathway activators -dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and iso-butylmethylxanthine- to the medium restored sperm capacitation. Finally, it was also reported a significant decrease in the percentage of reacted sperm in the presence of progesterone. In conclusion, our data showed that diet-induced hypercholesterolemia adversely affects semen quality and sperm motility, capacitation and acrosomal reaction in rabbits; probably due to an increase in cellular cholesterol content that alters membrane related events. PMID:20976152

Rabbit dietary supplementation with pale purple coneflower. 2. Effects on the performances, bacterial community, blood parameters and immunity of growing rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovitvadhi, A; Gai, F; Dabbou, S; Ferrocino, I; Rotolo, L; Falzone, M; Vignolini, C; Gennero, M S; Bergagna, S; Dezzutto, Daniela; Barbero, R; Nebbia, P; Rosati, S; Cocolin, L; Zoccarato, I; Gasco, L

2016-07-01

Echinacea pallida (EPAL), a herbaceous flowering plant with immunomodulatory properties, has been chosen to determine the pre- and post-supplementary effects on the growth performances, bacterial community, blood parameters and immunity of growing rabbits. The same Grimaud does (14-week-old) from the studied in the first part of this study were randomly divided into two groups (n=50/group). The first group was fed a basal diet without supplementation (Control group, C) while the another group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 3 g EPAL/kg diet (Echinacea group, E). From the second parturition, 80 weaned kits (40 from the C does and 40 from the E does) were randomly assigned to four groups of 20 animals each and were fed a growing commercial diet supplemented with or without a 3 g EPAL/kg diet: the CC group (rabbits from the C does fed the control diet), CE group (rabbits from the C does fed the supplemented diet), EC (rabbits from the E does fed the control diet) and EE group (rabbits from the E does fed the supplemented diet). The dietary EPAL treatment did not affect the growth performance. Ten fattening rabbits from each group were selected to evaluate the bacterial community and blood parameters, while the remaining rabbits (n=10/group) were used to study phagocytosis and the humoral immune response. The variability was evaluated from hard faeces at 35, 49 and 89 days, and the caecal content at 89 days. The variability of the bacterial community of the EE group was higher than that of the other groups. The phagocytic activity was higher in the CE and EE groups than in the CC and EC ones (30.9 and 29.7 v. 21.2 and 21.8%; Pbacterial community, blood parameters or humoral immune responses in growing rabbits, except for an increase in phagocytic activities.

Transfection of the Human Heme Oxygenase Gene Into Rabbit Coronary Microvessel Endothelial Cells: Protective Effect Against Heme and Hemoglobin Toxicity

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, N. G.; Lavrovsky, Y.; Schwartzman, M. L.; Stoltz, R. A.; Levere, R. D.; Gerritsen, M. E.

1995-07-01

Heme oxygenase (HO) is a stress protein and has been suggested to participate in defense mechanisms against agents that may induce oxidative injury such as metals, endotoxin, heme/hemoglobin, and various cytokines. Overexpression of HO in cells might therefore protect against oxidative stress produced by certain of these agents, specifically heme and hemoglobin, by catalyzing their degradation to bilirubin, which itself has antioxidant properties. We report here the successful in vitro transfection of rabbit coronary microvessel endothelial cells with a functioning gene encoding the human HO enzyme. A plasmid containing the cytomegalovirus promoter and the human HO cDNA complexed to cationic liposomes (Lipofectin) was used to transfect rabbit endothelial cells. Cells transfected with human HO exhibited an ≈3.0-fold increase in enzyme activity and expressed a severalfold induction of human HO mRNA as compared with endogenous rabbit HO mRNA. Transfected and nontransfected cells expressed factor VIII antigen and exhibited similar acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake (two important features that characterize endothelial cells) with >85% of cells staining positive for each marker. Moreover, cells transfected with the human HO gene acquired substantial resistance to toxicity produced by exposure to recombinant hemoglobin and heme as compared with nontransfected cells. The protective effect of HO overexpression against heme/hemoglobin toxicity in endothelial cells shown in these studies provides direct evidence that the inductive response of human HO to such injurious stimuli represents an important tissue adaptive mechanism for moderating the severity of cell damage produced by these blood components.

Problems and prospects of rabbit production in Nigeria - a review ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rabbits are characterized by small body size, short gestation period, high ... feeders and other equipment for rabbits can be made using readily available materials such as ... Limitations to rabbit production in developing countries include the ...

Mass transport properties of the rabbit aortic wall.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emma L Bailey

Full Text Available Uptake of circulating macromolecules by the arterial wall may be a critical step in atherogenesis. Here we investigate the age-related changes in patterns of uptake that occur in the rabbit. In immature aortas, uptake was elevated in a triangle downstream of branch ostia, a region prone to disease in immature rabbits and children. By 16-22 months, uptake was high lateral to ostia, as is lesion prevalence in mature rabbits and young adults. In older rabbits there was a more upstream pattern, similar to the disease distribution in older people. These variations were predominantly caused by the branches themselves, rather than reflecting larger patterns within which the branches happened to be situated (as may occur with patterns of haemodynamic wall shear stress. The narrow streaks of high uptake reported in some previous studies were shown to be post mortem artefacts. Finally, heparin (which interferes with the NO pathway had no effect on the difference in uptake between regions upstream and downstream of branches in immature rabbits but reversed the difference in older rabbits, as does inhibiting NO synthesis directly. Nevertheless, examination of uptake all around the branch showed that changes occurred at both ages and that they were quite subtle, potentially explaining why inhibiting NO has only minor effects on lesion patterns in mature rabbits and contradicting the earlier conclusion that mechanotransduction pathways change with age. We suggest that recently-established changes in the patterns of haemodynamic forces themselves are more likely to account for the age-dependence of uptake patterns.

Evaluation of Qualitative Indices of Meat Production in Rabbits

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Tatiana Dabija

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Meat, in most cases, is a basic production in rabbits. The influence on meat quality and quantity have such factors as breed, age, slaughter gain, sex, etc. By age, adult rabbits have a higher body weight compared with the young, but their meat is more expensive. The most convenient is intensive growth of youth as the age of 3 months to be 2.3 to 2.5 kg body weight, food and labor costs during this period was minimal. It is considered optimal as young rabbits are slaughtered when they reach 50-60% by weight of adult animals. The biological material which was used was represented in two groups of Chinchilla rabbit and Flanders breed, each one consisting of seven rabbits of various sex. Groups of rabbits had the same conditions of maintenance and nutrition. Carcass weight was determined at slaughter, carcass meat, bones, by-products, blood, head, skin of young rabbit. The largest share of the carcass of live weight was obtained at age 4 months - 59%, and meat in the carcass weight at 2 months of life - 71.2% at Chinchilla breed. On average 31.9% had bones, by-products - 6.23%, blood - 3.78% head - 8.21% and skin of young rabbit - 11.9%. Average of carcass weight from live weight was 52.76%, in Flanders breed the highest recorded at age 4 months and 66.78% of the carcass meat, the highest being at 2 months old. The average weight of bones was 33.21%, by-products - 6.25%, blood - 3.53%, the head - 7.86%, and the skin of young rabbit - 11.89%. Slaughter gain ranged from 47% to 59% at Chinchilla breed, and from 47% to 60% in Flanders breed. The highest index was recorded in both breeds at the age of four months.

Development of a Zealand White Rabbit Deposition Model to Study Inhalation Anthrax

Science.gov (United States)

Asgharian, Bahman; Price, Owen; Kabilan, Senthil; Jacob, Richard E.; Einstein, Daniel R.; Kuprat, A.P.; Corley, Richard A.

2016-01-01

Despite using rabbits in several inhalation exposure experiments to study diseases such as anthrax, there is a lack of understanding regarding deposition characteristics and fate of inhaled particles (bio-aerosols and viruses) in the respiratory tracts of rabbits. Such information allows dosimetric extrapolation to humans to inform human outcomes. The lung geometry of the New Zealand white rabbit (referred to simply as rabbits throughout the article) was constructed using recently acquired scanned images of the conducting airways of rabbits and available information on its acinar region. In addition, functional relationships were developed for the lung and breathing parameters of rabbits as a function of body weight. The lung geometry and breathing parameters were used to extend the existing deposition model for humans and several other species to rabbits. Evaluation of the deposition model for rabbits was made by comparing predictions with available measurements in the literature. Deposition predictions in the lungs of rabbits indicated smaller deposition fractions compared to those found in humans across various particle diameter ranges. The application of the deposition model for rabbits was demonstrated by extrapolating deposition predictions in rabbits to find equivalent human exposure concentrations assuming the same dose-response relationship between the two species. Human equivalent exposure concentration levels were found to be much smaller than those for rabbits. PMID:26895308

Effect of Cigarette Smoke on Rabbit Testicular Lipid Peroxidation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of cigarette smoke on oxidative status of liver and testis was evaluated. Three groups of male weaned rabbits (1.0 – 1.5kg) were used. Group 1, the basal control group consisted of 2 rabbits which were sacrificed immediately after one week acclimatization (week O). Group 2 – (S) group consisted of 6 rabbits.

Performance and nutrient digestibility of rabbits fed urea treated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of varying levels of urea treated and untreated cowpea husk on the performance of weaner rabbits. Thirty-two mongrel weaner rabbits of both sexes, 6 – 8 weeks old with an average weight of 822g were randomly distributed to four dietary treatments with four rabbits per ...

Natural immunity factors in Polish mixed breed rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokarz-Deptuła, B; Niedźwiedzka-Rystwej, P; Adamiak, M; Hukowska-Szematowicz, B; Trzeciak-Ryczek, A; Deptuła, W

2015-01-01

Mixed-breed rabbits in Poland are widely used for diagnostic and scientific research and as utility animals, therefore there is a need to know their immunological status, as well as their haematological status. In this study natural immunity factors were analyzed in Polish mixed-breed rabbits and Polish mixed-breed rabbits with addition of blood of meet-breed, considering the impact of sex and season of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter) using measurement of non-specific cellular and humoral immunity parameters in peripheral blood. The study has revealed that there is a variety between the two commonly used mixed-breed types of rabbits, especially when sex and season is concerned, which is crucial for using these animals in experiments.

Abstratcs of the 5th American Rabbit Congress

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5th American Rabbit Congress Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico, September 8-11, 2014

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The 5th American Rabbit Congress was held in Toluca, Mexico State, Mexico from September 8th to the 11th, 2014. Research works representing 14 countries were accepted to take part at the congress, including papers from Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, France, Hungary, Italy, México, Uruguay, the USA and Venezuela. These research works highlight the enormous interest, effort and commitment of the scientific community that bonds the trinomium of Research+Innovation+Technology Transfer, in favour of the integral development of rabbit rearing as an important primary activity that generates permanent employment, as well as healthy and nutritive meals for their respective countries for the XXI Century World. One major impact at this 5th American Rabbit Congress was the participation of Argentina, Brazil and China. The latter country’s report was presented by Laping Wu and Dong Wang (2014, showing that from 2005 to 2010, meat production of swine, beef and poultry underwent average growth of 2.6%, whereas rabbit meat production reported an annual average growth of 6.29%, reaching an annual volume of 761 000 tons, positioning China as the world’s main rabbit meat producer. This data highlights the great potential of rabbit production, both as an economic activity and a key strategy in the fight against hunger and poverty in many countries all over the world. During the congress, scientific works were presented related with the fields of Ethology, Housing & Welfare; Genetics; Reproduction; Digestive Physiology and Basic Nutrition; Feed Evaluation and Feeding; Pathology & Hygiene, Meat Quality, Safety & Dining; Management, Social & Economy. Furthermore, the meeting of the AB-WRSA chaired by the AB-WRSA founder, Dr. Steven Lukefahr, also took place at this congress, in which the new board of the American Branch was elected and the proposal put forward for the next American Rabbit Congress to be held in Costa

Radioiodinate labeling of atherosclerotic plaque imaging agent SP-4 and preliminary experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Y.; Wu, Z.

2000-01-01

SP-4 was oligopeptide contained 18 amino-acid. It was a part of apolipoprotein B. To study labeling SP-4 with 131 I and its clinical prospect as an atherosclerotic plaque imaging agent. SP-4 was synthesized by solid phase method and identified by amino acid analysis after purification with preparation-model HPLC. SP-4 was labeled with 131 I by the Chloramine-T method and purified through Sephadex G-25, then the radiochemical purity of 131 SP-4 and its stability in vitro were analyzed. 12 New Zealand rabbits were divided into atherosclerosis group (n=7, group A) and control group (n=5, group B). All of them were administrated with bovine serum albumen through i.v., then the rabbits of group A were fed on high cholesterol and high fat diet and group B, on normal diet. Purified 131 I-SP-4 was injected intravenously. %ID/g in blood and thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta at 4 hrs after injection and biodistribution of 131 I-SP-4 was investigated. The amino acid formation of the pure product was identified to be correct through amino-acid analysis. The radiochemical purity of 131 I-SP-4 was 96.2% after being purified, but less than 90% after being stored for 20 hrs. One of 7 rabbits in group A died after being fed for three weeks, the others were alive and atherosclerotic lesions were found after being fed for two mon. On the contrary, 5 rabbits in group B were visualized not to have atherosclerotic lesions. The uptakes of group A and group B at 4 hr after injection were 0.0378±0.0028 and 0.0371±0.038 in blood (p>0.05), 0.0882 ±0.0101 and 0.0276 ±0.0044 in abdominal aorta (p 131 I-SP-4 was mainly excreted through kidneys. SP-4 remained its biological activity after radioiodination and was located at atherosclerotic lesions. It was potentially useful as an atherosclerotic plaque imaging agent

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (GI.2) is replacing endemic strains of RHDV in the Australian landscape within 18 months of its arrival.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahar, Jackie E; Hall, Robyn N; Peacock, David; Kovaliski, John; Piper, Melissa; Mourant, Roslyn; Huang, Nina; Campbell, Susan; Gu, Xingnian; Read, Andrew; Urakova, Nadya; Cox, Tarnya; Holmes, Edward C; Strive, Tanja

2017-11-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2; Lagovirus GI.2) is a pathogenic calicivirus that affects European rabbits ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) and various hare ( Lepus ) species. GI.2 was first detected in France in 2010 and subsequently caused epidemics in wild and domestic lagomorph populations throughout Europe. In May 2015 GI.2 was detected in Australia. Within 18 months of its initial detection GI.2 had spread to all Australian states and territories and rapidly became the dominant circulating strain, replacing Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV/GI.1) in mainland Australia. Reconstruction of the evolutionary history of 127 Australian GI.2 isolates revealed that the virus arrived in Australia at least several months before its initial description and likely circulated unnoticed in wild rabbit populations in the east of the continent prior to its detection. GI.2 sequences isolated from five hares clustered with sequences from sympatric rabbit populations sampled contemporaneously, indicating multiple spillover events into hares rather than an adaptation of the Australian GI.2 to a new host. Since the presence of GI.2 in Australia may have wide ranging consequences for rabbit biocontrol, particularly with the release of the novel biocontrol agent GI.1a/RHDVa-K5 in March 2017, ongoing surveillance is critical to understanding the interactions of the various lagoviruses in Australia, and their impact on host populations. IMPORTANCE This study describes the spread and distribution of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease virus 2 (GI.2) in Australia since its first detection in May 2015. Within the first 18 months following its detection, RHDV2 spread from east to west across the continent and became the dominant strain in all mainland states of Australia. This has important implications for pest animal management and for owners of pet and farmed rabbits, as there is currently no effective vaccine available in Australia for GI.2. The closely related RHDV (GI.1) is used

Anatomy and Surgical Approaches to the Rabbit Nasal Septum.

Science.gov (United States)

Badran, Karam W; Chang, John C; Kuan, Edward C; Wong, Brian J F

2017-09-01

The rabbit is the primary animal model used to investigate aspects of nasal surgery. Although several studies have used this model, none has provided a comprehensive analysis of the surgical anatomy and techniques used to gain access to the rabbit nasal fossae and septum. To describe and optimize the surgical anatomy and approach to the rabbit nasal vault and septal cartilage. In an ex vivo animal study conducted at an academic medical center, preliminary cadaveric dissections were performed on rabbit head specimens to establish familiarity with relevant anatomy and rehearse various approaches. Live Pasteurella-free New Zealand white rabbits (3.5-4.0 kg) were used to further develop this surgical technique developed here. Access of the nasal vault was gained through a midline nasal dorsum incision and creation of an osteoplastic flap with a drill. Submucosal resection was performed with preservation of the mucoperichondrium. All rabbits were monitored daily for 4 weeks in the postoperative period for signs of infection, pain, and complications. The study was conducted from June 1, 2014, to December 1, 2014. Surgical anatomy and techniques used to gain access to the rabbit nasal vault and harvest septal cartilage. Four Pasteurella-free New Zealand white rabbits (Western Organ Rabbit Co), ranging in age from 9 to 12 months and weighing between 3.5 and 4.0 kg, were used in this study. Initial dissections demonstrated the feasibility of harvesting septal cartilage while preserving the mucoperichondrial envelope. Access to the nasal vault through this 3-osteotomy approach allowed for maximal exposure to the nasal cavity bilaterally while maintaining the integrity of the mucoperichondrium following septal cartilage harvest. The maximum amount of bulk, en bloc, cartilage harvested was 1.0 × 2.5 cm. Following surgical dissection, all animals maintained adequate airway patency and support to midface structures. Furthermore, all specimens preserved the integrity of the

Teratology studies in the rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Allais, Linda; Reynaud, Lucie

2013-01-01

The rabbit is generally the non-rodent species or second species after the rat recommended by the regulatory authorities and is part of the package of regulatory reproductive studies for the detection of potential embryotoxic and/or teratogenic effects of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food additives, and other compounds, including vaccines (see Chapters 1-7).Its availability, practicality in housing and in mating as well as its large size makes the rabbit the preferred choice as a non-rodent species. The study protocols are essentially similar to those established for the rat (Chapter 9), with some particularities. The study designs are well defined in guidelines and are relatively standardized between testing laboratories across the world.As for the rat, large litter sizes and extensive background data in the rabbit are valuable criteria for an optimal assessment of in utero development of the embryo or fetus and for the detection of potential external or internal fetal malformations.

Evaluation of rabbit meat microbiota from the viewpoint of marketing method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Cwiková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Microbiological analysis was performed on carcasses of rabbits coming from domestic slaughter, purchased at butcher shops, vacuum-packaged and purchased in supermarkets, as well as frozen. The total number of analysed rabbits was 20. For all samples the following microbiological parameters were determined: total microorganisms count (TAC, the count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB, psychrotropic microorganisms, moulds and yeasts, as well as bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family. Total microorganisms count was the highest (p <0.05 in rabbit meat from butcher shops (5.34 log CFU.g-1. The counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB in rabbit meat originating from domestic breeding was 2.58 log CFU.g-1, in vacuum-packaged rabbits 3.18 log CFU.g-1, in frozen rabbits 2.29 log CFU.g-1, and in rabbit meat purchased from butcher shops 3.58 log CFU.g-1. The highest count (p <0.05 of Enterobacteriaceae was observed in samples from butcher shops, namely 2.91 log CFU.g-1. In contrast the lowest count (p <0.05 was in rabbit meat from home slaughtering at 1.47 log CFU.g-1 and in frozen ones at 1.36 log CFU.g-1. The lowest counts (p <0.05 of moulds and yeasts were observed in rabbit meat from domestic slaughter, namely 1.12 log CFU.g-1. The highest counts (p <0.05 were in rabbit meat from butcher shops 2.97 log CFU.g-1. The highest counts (p <0.05 of psychrotrophic microorganisms were detected in rabbit meat from butcher shops, namely 4.98 log CFU g-1 and the lowest ones (p <0.05 in the meat of domestically slaughtered rabbits at 2.52 log CFU.g-1. In all monitored microbiological indicators, we have found differences (p <0.05 in their counts on the surface and inside the muscle tissue, both on the front and rear parts of the rabbit carcass

Knowledge and attitudes of 52 UK pet rabbit owners at the point of sale.

Science.gov (United States)

Edgar, J L; Mullan, S M

2011-04-02

The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of pet rabbit owners at the time of buying their rabbit(s) and to investigate factors influencing the planned husbandry and housing of their rabbit(s). A questionnaire was used to assess the impact of demographics, knowledge and attitudes on the likelihood that respondents would neuter their rabbit(s), feed them an appropriate diet, house them in appropriately sized housing and provide them with an appropriate companion. Knowledge and attitudes were significant factors in whether respondents planned to neuter their rabbit(s) and provide them with an appropriate companion. The attribution of secondary emotions to rabbits was associated with plans to feed a mix-type diet. The majority of owners had carried out prior research into pet rabbits, but owners had a limited knowledge of the needs of rabbits, particularly with respect to their diet and social needs. Respondents who had decided to purchase a rabbit on the day were less likely to intend to get their rabbit neutered than those who had taken more time to decide to buy a rabbit.

Molecular epidemiology of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in Australia: when one became many

Science.gov (United States)

Kovaliski, John; Sinclair, Ron; Mutze, Greg; Peacock, David; Strive, Tanja; Abrantes, Joana; Esteves, Pedro J.; Holmes, Edward C.

2015-01-01

Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced into Australia in 1995 as a biological control agent against the wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). We evaluated its evolution over a 16 year period (1995–2011) by examining 50 isolates collected throughout Australia, as well as the original inoculum strains. Phylogenetic analysis of capsid protein VP60 sequences of the Australian isolates, compared to those sampled globally, revealed that they form a monophyletic group with the inoculum strains (CAPM V-351 and RHDV351INOC). Strikingly, despite more than 3000 re-releases of RHDV351INOC since 1995, only a single viral lineage has sustained its transmission in the long-term, indicative of a major competitive advantage. In addition, we find evidence for widespread viral gene flow, in which multiple lineages entered individual geographic locations, resulting in a marked turnover of viral lineages with time, as well as a continual increase in viral genetic diversity. The rate of RHDV evolution recorded in Australia – 4.0 (3.3 – 4.7) × 10−3 nucleotide substitutions per site per year – was higher than previously observed in RHDV, and evidence for adaptive evolution was obtained at two VP60 residues. Finally, more intensive study of a single rabbit population (Turretfield) in South Australia provided no evidence for viral persistence between outbreaks, with genetic diversity instead generated by continual strain importation. PMID:24251353

Histological analysis of femoral bones in rabbits administered by amygdalin

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Veronika Kováčová

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Cyanogenic glycosides are present in several economically important plant foods. Amygdalin, one of the most common cyanoglucoside, can be found abundantly in the seeds of apples, bitter almonds, apricots, peaches, various beans, cereals, cassava and sorghum. Amygdalin has been used for the treatment of cancer, it shows killing effects on cancer cells by release of cyanide. However, its effect on bone structure has not been investigated to date. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine a possible effect of amygdalin application on femoral bone microstructure in adult rabbits. Four month old rabbits were randomly divided into two groups of three animals each. Rabbits from E group received amygdalin intramuscularly at a dose 0.6 mg.kg-1 body weight (bw (group E, n = 3 one time per day during 28 days. The second group of rabbits without amygdalin supplementation served as a control (group C, n = 3. After 28 days, histological structure of femoral bones in both groups of rabbits was analysed and compared. Rabbits from E group displayed different microstructure in middle part of the compact bone and near endosteal bone surface. For endosteal border, an absence of the primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was typical. This part of the bone was formed by irregular Haversian and/or by dense Haversian bone tissues. In the middle part of substantia compacta, primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was observed. Cortical bone thickness did not change between rabbits from E and C groups. However, rabbits from E group had a significantly lower values of primary osteons' vascular canals and secondary osteons as compared to the C group. On the other hand, all measured parameters of Haversian canals did not differ between rabbits from both groups. Our results demonstrate that intramuscular application of amygdalin at the dose used in our study affects femoral bone microstructure in rabbits.

Environmental Bacteria Associated With an Institutional Rabbit House

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rev Dr Olaleye

associated with rabbit houses was undertaken to determine the occurrence of bacteria in rabbit ... biomedical research since these latent organisms may produce clinical conditions when .... frequently incriminated in bovine mastitis by. Jones ...

Pharmacokinetics of orally administered tramadol in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Marcy J; Greenacre, Cheryl B; Cox, Sherry K

2008-08-01

To determine the pharmacokinetics of an orally administered dose of tramadol in domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). 6 healthy adult sexually intact female New Zealand White rabbits. Physical examinations and plasma biochemical analyses were performed to ensure rabbits were healthy prior to the experiment. Rabbits were anesthetized with isoflurane, and IV catheters were placed in a medial saphenous or jugular vein for collection of blood samples. One blood sample was collected before treatment with tramadol. Rabbits were allowed to recover from anesthesia a minimum of 1 hour before treatment. Then, tramadol (11 mg/kg, PO) was administered once, and blood samples were collected at various time points up to 360 minutes after administration. Blood samples were analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography to determine plasma concentrations of tramadol and its major metabolite (O-desmethyltramadol). No adverse effects were detected after oral administration of tramadol to rabbits. Mean +/- SD half-life of tramadol after administration was 145.4 +/- 81.0 minutes; mean +/- SD maximum plasma concentration was 135.3 +/- 89.1 ng/mL. Although the dose of tramadol required to provide analgesia in rabbits is unknown, the dose administered in the study reported here did not reach a plasma concentration of tramadol or O-desmethyltramadol that would provide sufficient analgesia in humans for clinically acceptable periods. Many factors may influence absorption of orally administered tramadol in rabbits.

Development and partial metabolic characterization of a dietary cholesterol-resistant colony of rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Overturf, M.L.; Smith, S.A.; Hewett-Emmett, D.; Loose-Mitchell, D.S.; Soma, M.R.; Gotto, A.M. Jr.; Morrisett, J.D.

1989-01-01

A colony of New Zealand white rabbits has been developed which, when fed a cholesterol-supplemented diet, exhibit unusual resistance to hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, disorders usually observed in normal cholesterol-fed rabbits. When resistant rabbits (RT) were fed a normal low cholesterol diet (ND), their plasma lipoprotein patterns were significantly different from those of normal rabbits (NR) fed the same diet. The low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c)/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) ratio and LDL-c/very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c) ratio were lower in the resistant rabbits. The hydrated density of HDL of the normal-responsive rabbits was greater than that of the resistant rabbits. LDL from resistant rabbits contained a lower proportion of esterified cholesterol and protein than LDL from normal rabbits. Peripheral mononuclear cells from resistant rabbits bound about 30% more 125 I-labeled rabbit LDL than mononuclear cells from normal rabbits. These results demonstrate that the plasma cholesterol levels of these animals is at least partly under genetic control and that compositional differences exist between the major plasma lipoprotein classes of normal and resistant rabbits even during the ingestion of low-cholesterol diet. The results indicate that at least a part of the difference in the cholesterolemic responses between the two rabbit groups is due to an enhanced LDL uptake by the mononuclear cells, and presumably by other somatic cells of the resistant group

Energy partitioning for growth by rabbits fed groundnut and stylo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Forty eight crossbred (California X New Zealand White) rabbits were used to evaluate energy partitioning of rabbits fed forages supplemented with concentrate. The rabbits were randomly allocated to three treatments consisting of sole Stylosanthes hamata (stylo),sole Arachis hypogea (groundnut) haulms and 50:50 mixture ...

The use of rabbits in atherosclerosis research. Diet and drug intervention in different rabbit models exposed to selected dietary fats and the calcium antagonist (-)-anipamil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Alicja

Laboratory animal models play an important role in atherosclerosis research. One of the most popular laboratory animal species in this field of research is the rabbit. The rabbit fulfils most of the criteria for an animal model for human atherosclerosis. Three rabbit models were established...

COMPOSTING OF RABBIT MORTALITIES IMPLEMENTD IN THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM AT CHAPINGO AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY

OpenAIRE

Y. Jerónimo-Romero; L.A. Miranda-Romero; L.A. Saavedra-Jiménez

2014-01-01

In order to investigate the feasibility of composting rabbit carcasses with various substrates, six treatments were established according to the substrate used: oat straw-rabbit manure-dead rabbit (PAEC), wood shavings- rabbit manure- dead rabbit (EVC) and oat straw-dead rabbit (PAC), with or without the addition of 0.3 % ( v / w) mixed microbial inoculum consisting of Streptomyces spp, Aspergillus sp, Cladosporium sp. Temperature, pH, dry matter (DM ), moisture, organic matter (OM), ash and ...

Intra-articular decorin influences the fibrosis genetic expression profile in a rabbit model of joint contracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel, M P; Morrey, M E; Barlow, J D; Grill, D E; Kolbert, C P; An, K N; Steinmann, S P; Morrey, B F; Sanchez-Sotelo, J

2014-01-01

The goal of this study was to determine whether intra-articular administration of the potentially anti-fibrotic agent decorin influences the expression of genes involved in the fibrotic cascade, and ultimately leads to less contracture, in an animal model. A total of 18 rabbits underwent an operation on their right knees to form contractures. Six limbs in group 1 received four intra-articular injections of decorin; six limbs in group 2 received four intra-articular injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA) over eight days; six limbs in group 3 received no injections. The contracted limbs of rabbits in group 1 were biomechanically and genetically compared with the contracted limbs of rabbits in groups 2 and 3, with the use of a calibrated joint measuring device and custom microarray, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the flexion contracture angles between those limbs that received intra-articular decorin versus those that received intra-articular BSA (66° vs 69°; p = 0.41). Likewise, there was no statistical difference between those limbs that received intra-articular decorin versus those who had no injection (66° vs 72°; p = 0.27). When compared with BSA, decorin led to a statistically significant increase in the mRNA expression of 12 genes (p Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:82-8.

Iodinated chlorin p6 copper complex induces anti-proliferative effect in oral cancer cells through elevation of intracellular reactive oxygen species.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarbadhikary, Paromita; Dube, Alok

2017-11-01

We investigated the anticancer chemotoxicity of previously reported iodinated chlorin p 6 copper complex (ICp 6 -Cu), a novel chlorophyll derivative in which copper is attached to the side chain carboxylate groups via coordination. Human oral carcinoma cells NT8e, 4451 and the non-cancerous keratinocyte HaCaT cells were treated with ICp 6 -Cu for 48 h in dark and cell viability, proliferation and morphological alterations were examined. ICp 6 -Cu showed pronounced cytotoxicity in cancer cells with IC 50 ∼40 μM, whereas, the viability of HaCaT cells was not affected. Cell proliferation assay revealed that ICp 6 -Cu at IC 50 concentration led to complete inhibition of cell proliferation in both the cell lines. Cell morphology studied by confocal microscopy showed absence of cell death via necrosis or apoptosis. Instead, the treated cells displayed distinct features of non-apoptotic death such as highly vacuolated cytoplasm, lysosomal membrane permeabilization and damage to cytoskeleton F-actin filaments. In addition, ICp 6 -Cu treatment led to time dependent increase in the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the cytotoxicity of ICp 6 -Cu was significantly inhibited by pre-treatment of cells with antioxidants (glutathione and trolox). These findings revealed that ICp 6 -Cu is a potent chemotoxic agent which can induce cytotoxic effect in cancer cells through elevation of intracellular ROS. It is suggested that ICp 6 -Cu may provide tumor selective chemotoxicity by exploiting difference of redox environment in normal and cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fattening and slaughter traits of four rabbit genotypes

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Silvester Zgur

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Growth rate of 4 genotypes, two lines of Slovene SIKA meat rabbit (maternal line A and sire line C, both 50 rabbits, hybrid AxC (50 rabbits and crossbred AxCal (A and Californian, 38 rabbits was recorded from weaning (35 days of age to slaughter (93 days. Growth performance and slaughter traits of AxC were different from line A (live weight at 91st day: A 2720, C 3158, AxC 3043 g (P£0.05, heterosis effect (H +3.38%; carcass weight: A 1490, C 1787, AxC 1716 g (P£0.05, H +5.65%; dressing percentage: A 54.1, C 55.6, AxC 55.5% (P£0.05; H +1.26%. Weaning weight of AxCal was significantly lower than of AxC (AxCal 843, AxC 1050 g, P£0.05, but at the end of the experiment the weight of AxCal rabbits was very close to AxC (AxCal 2958, AxC 3043 g, P>0.05. Other growth and slaughter traits did not differ between AxC and AxCal group.

Detection of rabbit Haemorrhagic disease virus 2 during the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) eradication from the Berlengas archipelago, Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Abade Dos Santos, F A; Carvalho, C; Nuno, Oliveira; Correia, J J; Henriques, M; Peleteiro, M C; Fevereiro, M; Duarte, M D

2017-11-15

In the regular wildlife monitoring action carried out in the summer of the past few years at the Berlenga Island, wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) have been repeatedly found dead. However, the origin of those deaths was never investigated. Our aim was to investigate the cause of death of 11 rabbits collected between April and May 2016. While screening samples from rabbit carcasses for the major viral rabbit pathogens, five tested positive to RHDV2 but all were negative for RHDV and myxoma virus (MYXV). For six RHDV2-negative specimens, emaciation and parasitism were considered the most probable cause of death. Lesions identified in the RHDV2-positive rabbits included non-suppurative diffuse hepatic necrosis and pulmonary lesions varying from congestion and oedema of the lungs to interstitial pneumonia. Sequencing analysis of the vp60 gene obtained from two specimens showed identical vp60 sequences. Comparison with other known RHDV2 strains from public databases through BLAST analysis revealed a closer similarity with strains from Alentejo collected during 2013. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis showed that the 2016 strains from the archipelago have a higher resemblance with a group of strains mostly collected in the South of Portugal between 2013 and 2014. The results suggest that RHDV2 may have been introduced on the Berlenga Island a few years ago, having evolved separately from mainland strains due to insularity.

REPLACEMENT IN RABBIT HERDS: A REVIEW

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Ibrahim F.M. Marai

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Doe rabbit's replacement constitutes the annual renewal rate of new breeders that must be incorporated into the production stock. Criterion for culling non-productive animals differs significantly among fryer production colonies, foundation stocks and a colony with continuous enzootic disease or continuous malnourishment. In commercial rabbit production, good management improves the health and productivity of the entire herd, by reducing the all-time high replacement rates and improving economic viability. In the present article, a comprehensive review of numerous experiences in the rabbit production field of different countries, was presented. Basic recommendations for professional breeders were highlighted, covering critical issues such as the need for continuously upgrading the health status of the colony, the positive effect of   genetic selection and the nutritional conditioning and special treatment of young does being groomed as future replacements.

Virulence Genes and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Pasteurella multocida Strains Isolated from Rabbits in Brazil

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Thais Sebastiana Porfida Ferreira

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Pasteurella multocida is responsible for a wide range of diseases in domestic animals. In rabbits, the agent is related to nasal discharge, pneumonia, otitis media, pyometra, orchitis, abscess, and septicemia. One hundred and forty rabbits with respiratory diseases from four rabbitries in São Paulo State, Brazil were evaluated for the detection of P. multocida in their nasal cavities. A total of twenty-nine animals were positive to P. multocida isolation, and 46 strains were selected and characterized by means of biochemical tests and PCR. P. multocida strains were tested for capsular type, virulence genes, and resistance profile. A total of 45.6% (21/46 of isolates belonged to capsular type A, and 54.34% (25/46 of the isolates were untypeable. None of the strains harboured toxA or pfhA genes. The frequency of the other twenty genes tested was variable, and the data generated was used to build a dendrogram, showing the relatedness of strains, which were clustered according to origin. Resistance revealed to be more common against sulfonamides and cotrimoxazole, followed by erythromycin, penicillin, and amoxicillin.

The Efficiency of Vascular Embolization Using Alginate Gel : An Experimental Study in Rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Woo Baek; Kang, Yeong Han; Kim, Jong Ki

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of poly-L-guluronic alginate (PGA) gel in vascular embolization with angiography simulation. To prepare a gel-forming PGA from no guluronate-rich Laminaria japonica, a new acid hydrolysis method was employed with a lower HCL concentration (0.03 M) and a shorter treatment time (5 min). The obtained PGAs were selected based on gel stability and viscosity. Glass aneurysm model was used to simulate gel embolization in vitro. Then, finally, the PGA was used to embolize the renal vascular system by using a rabbit model and angiography. Glass aneurysm model was made to simulate gel embolization procedure. PGA solution was injected from pump through 2-way catheter. Subsequent injection of CaCl 2 successfully formed gels inside aneurysm model that conforming to its inner contour. In rabbit model, first, renal artery and aorta leading to the right kidney were ligated to block blood flow, then conventional contrast agent was injected through aorta to check the arterial patency to the left kidney. In sequential artery injection method, PGA and CaCl 2 were injected through renal artery sequentially via a single catheter. Re-injection of contrast agent after removing ligated aorta showed blood flow to the right kidney but no flow in the left kidney. This result demonstrated a complete blocking of blood flow due to gel formation in vascular bed of the left kidney. Instillation of calcium alginate into aneurysm model and arterial system in vivo produced an embolization that better fills and conforms to the contour of aneurysms or blocking vascular bed completely. Therefore, PGA was effective endovascular occlusion materials and provide an efficiency of vascular angiography.

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of rabbit litters from rabbit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of restricted feeding and realimentation during pregnancy was studied to know the carryover effect on carcass characteristics and meat quality of rabbit litters.Young does fed ad libitum diets often show parturition problems (Dystokia and abnormal presentation) with the subsequent reduction of number of kits, ...

Detection and Circulation of a Novel Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Mahar, Jackie E.; Read, Andrew J.; Gu, Xingnian; Urakova, Nadya; Mourant, Roslyn; Piper, Melissa; Haboury, Stéphanie; Holmes, Edward C.; Strive, Tanja

2018-01-01

The highly virulent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) has been widely used in Australia and New Zealand since the mid-1990s to control wild rabbits, an invasive vertebrate pest in these countries. In January 2014, an exotic RHDV was detected in Australia, and 8 additional outbreaks were reported in both domestic and wild rabbits in the 15 months following its detection. Full-length genomic analysis revealed that this virus is a recombinant containing an RHDVa capsid gene and nonstructural genes most closely related to nonpathogenic rabbit caliciviruses. Nationwide monitoring efforts need to be expanded to assess if the increasing number of different RHDV variants circulating in the Australian environment will affect biological control of rabbits. At the same time, updated vaccines and vaccination protocols are urgently needed to protect pet and farmed rabbits from these novel rabbit caliciviruses. PMID:29260677

Deliberate introduction of the European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, into Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenner, F

2010-04-01

The European rabbit was brought to Australia as a companion animal by early settlers. It sometimes escaped, but failed to survive in the Australian bush. In 1879 wild rabbits were deliberately sent to Victoria to provide game for wealthy settlers to shoot. They soon spread all over Australia, except in the tropics, and became Australia's major animal pest. After careful testing in Australian wildlife and in humans, control by myxoma virus was introduced at various sites between 1937 and 1950, spreading all over the Murray-Darling Basin in 1950. Within one year mutations in the virus had led to slightly less virulence, and these continued for the next 50 years. In the early 21st Century testing viruses obtained from wild rabbits showed that the majority of these viruses were more virulent than the virus used to initiate the epidemic. In 1995 another virus specific for European rabbits, rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, escaped from areas in which field trials were being carried out and spread around Australia. It was more successful than myxomatosis for rabbit control in arid regions.

The role of rabbit meat as functional food.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalle Zotte, Antonella; Szendro, Zsolt

2011-07-01

Increasing consumer knowledge of the link between diet and health has raised the awareness and demand for functional food ingredients. Meat and its derivatives may be considered functional foods to the extent that they contain numerous compounds thought to be functional. This review will attempt to outline the excellent nutritional and dietetic properties of rabbit meat and offer an overview of the studies performed on the strategies adopted to improve the functional value of rabbit meat. Dietary manipulation has been seen to be very effective in increasing the levels of essential FA, EPA, DHA, CLA, branched chain FA, vitamin E, and selenium in rabbit meat. Dietary fortification with vitamin E or natural products such as oregano essential oil, chia seed oil, and Spirulina platensis microalga seem promising in improving the oxidative stability of rabbit meat while also adding functional ingredients. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of developmental toxicity of coniine to rats and rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsyth, C S; Frank, A A

1993-07-01

Conium maculatum (poison hemlock, CM) is teratogenic in several domestic species, presumably due to its piperidine alkaloids, including coniine, which has been verified to be teratogenic in cattle. Coniine/CM teratogenicity culminates in production of arthrogryposis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate coniine-induced teratogenicity in two laboratory animal species, Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand white rabbits. Pregnant rats were given coniine (25 mg/kg body weight) by oral gavage at 8-hour intervals on gestation days 16-18. Pregnant rabbits were given coniine (40 mg/kg body weight) by oral gavage at 8-hour intervals on gestation days 20-24. Rats were killed on day 19 and rabbits on day 29. Fetuses were immediately removed, weighed, and examined for external abnormalities. Alternate fetuses were either stained for skeletal examinations with alizarin red-S or fixed in Bouin's solution for visceral examination. Symptoms of maternal intoxication due to coniine administration were observed in both the rat and the rabbit, and higher doses were uniformly lethal. Rabbits treated with coniine appeared to lose more weight and eat less than controls, but there was no statistically significant difference between groups. Fetal weights were significantly lower in coniine-exposed rat and rabbit fetuses indicating fetotoxicity. The only statistically significant treatment-related visceral or skeletal malformation was a reduction of cranial ossification of rabbit fetuses, probably related to maternal toxicity. Coniine-exposed rabbit litters tended to be affected by arthrogryposis (no bony deformities noted on skeletal exam) more than controls (2/6 vs. 0/9).

Development and validation of impurity-profiling UPLC method for the determination of sodium cromoglicate and tetryzoline hydrochloride: Application on rabbit aqueous humor.

Science.gov (United States)

Lotfy, Hayam M; Saleh, Sarah S; Hassan, Nagiba Y; Salem, Hesham

2015-12-01

Sodium cromoglicate (SCG), antihistaminic agent, and tetryzoline hydrochloride (TZH), a sympathomimetic agent, are formulated together as an ophthalmic preparation. An ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection (UPLC-UV) was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of SCG and TZH in rabbit aqueous humor. Due to the instability of both SCG and TZH under alkaline conditions, the UPLC method was applied for their determination in the presence of their possible degradation impurities. The separation was performed using C18 column (1.7μm particle size) and isocratic elution system with methanol: 1% o-phosphoric acid (65: 35, v/v).The optimum flow rate was 0.5ml/min and the detection was done at 230nm. The suggested method was validated in compliance with the ICH guidelines and was successfully applied for determination of sodium cromoglicate (SCG) and tetryzoline HCl (TZH) as prepared synthetically in laboratory mixtures, and in the presence of their alkali-induced degradation impurities. The suggested method was effectively applied the determination of spiked rabbit aqueous humor samples as well as commercial pharmaceutical formulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel bivalent vectored vaccine for control of myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Spibey, N; McCabe, V J; Greenwood, N M; Jack, S C; Sutton, D; van der Waart, L

2012-03-24

A novel, recombinant myxoma virus-rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) vaccine has been developed for the prevention of myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD). A number of laboratory studies are described illustrating the safety and efficacy of the vaccine following subcutaneous administration in laboratory rabbits from four weeks of age onwards. In these studies, both vaccinated and unvaccinated control rabbits were challenged using pathogenic strains of RHD and myxoma viruses, and 100 per cent of the vaccinated rabbits were protected against both myxomatosis and RHD.

Abstracts of the 24th Hungary conference on rabbit production

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24TH Conference on rabbit production Kaposvár, Hungary. 30th May, 2012

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Some 100 guests took part in the 24th Hungarian Conference on Rabbit Production in Kaposvár, organised by the University of Kaposvár, the Hungarian Branch of the WRSA and the Rabbit Production Board. This is the largest and most popular event for rabbit breeders in Hungary. Seventeen papers were presented, both by senior and young scientists. Topics of the papers covered all fields of rabbit production (production, housing and welfare, reproduction, genetics, nutrition, meat quality and pathology. Full papers are available from the organiser (matics.zsolt@ke.hu on request.

An experimental study for efficacy of acetic acid as a sclerosing agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Chan; Oh, Ju Hyung; Yoon, Yup; Ko, Young Tae; Choi, Woo Suk; Kim, Eui Jong; Lim, Joo Won

1997-01-01

To evaluate the efficacy of acetic acid as a sclerosing agent by observation of histologic change in urinary bladder epithelium after the instillation of acetic acid. Urinary bladder of the rabbit was catheterized with a Foley catheter, and acetic acid of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% concentration was instilled for 5 minutes. After evacuation of the acid, the bladder was irrigated three times with normal saline. After two days, gross and histologic examinations of the bladder were performed. A bladder into which 10% acetic acid had been instilled revealed a nearly normal epithelium without denudation. In two cases, 20% acetic acid was instilled;one revealed partial denudation of the epithelium and the other revealed complete denudation. Mild to moderate interstitial edema and vascular congestion of the bladder wall were evident in all cases in which acid at a concentration of 30% or more had been instilled. In all cases in which the concentration of acid was greater than 30%, the epithelium was completely denuded. An acetic acid concentration of 40% or more is sufficient to completely destroy the epithelium of rabbit urinary bladder, and may be effective as a new sclerosing agent in cases of renal or hepatic cyst

In vivo cleavage rate of a dextran-bound magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent: preparation and intravascular pharmacokinetic characteristics in the rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Hals, Petter Arnt; Sontum, Per Christian; Holtz, Eckart; Klaveness, Jo; Rongved, Pål

2013-02-01

Earlier described dextran-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprising the gadolinium chelate diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (GdDTPA, 1) have shown significantly shorter in vivo contrast duration in rat than what would be expected from the initial average molecular weight (Mw) of the dextran fraction (71.4 kD). To investigate this further, four dextran fractions with given initial average molecular weight (Mw) of 10.4, 41.0, 71.4 and 580 kD were used as starting material to prepare products 2-5 where one of the carboxylic acid functionalities in GdDTPA was used as a direct covalent ester linker to hydroxyl groups in dextrans. A fifth derivative (6) was an amide-ester bound β-alanine-DTPAGd conjugate with dextran having Mw 71.4 kD. The reference compound GdDTPA (1) and gadoliniumlabelled dextran derivatives 2-6 were injected intravenously in rabbits. Pharmacokinetic parameters showed that when GdDTPA is ester-bound directly to dextran hydroxyls, the cleavage rates of 2-5 were only moderately dependent on the molecular weights of the dextrans, having blood pool half-lives comparable to the low-molecular reference compound (t 1/2,β 0.3 - 0.5 hrs.). Presence of a β-alanine spacer in 6 prolonged the plasma half-life t 1/2,β to 6.9 hours, rendering a blood residence time suitable for blood pool slow release of GdDTPA. Biological cleavage regenerates the clinically acceptable carrier dextran and the β-alanine derivative of GdDTPA, pointing at a clinically acceptable product class for blood-pool contrast in MRI.

Renal nerves dynamically regulate renal blood flow in conscious, healthy rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiller, Alicia M; Pellegrino, Peter R; Zucker, Irving H

2016-01-15

Despite significant clinical interest in renal denervation as a therapy, the role of the renal nerves in the physiological regulation of renal blood flow (RBF) remains debated. We hypothesized that the renal nerves physiologically regulate beat-to-beat RBF variability (RBFV). This was tested in chronically instrumented, healthy rabbits that underwent either bilateral surgical renal denervation (DDNx) or a sham denervation procedure (INV). Artifact-free segments of RBF and arterial pressure (AP) from calmly resting, conscious rabbits were used to extract RBFV and AP variability for time-domain, frequency-domain, and nonlinear analysis. Whereas steady-state measures of RBF, AP, and heart rate did not statistically differ between groups, DDNx rabbits had greater RBFV than INV rabbits. AP-RBF transfer function analysis showed greater admittance gain in DDNx rabbits than in INV rabbits, particularly in the low-frequency (LF) range where systemic sympathetic vasomotion gives rise to AP oscillations. In the LF range, INV rabbits exhibited a negative AP-RBF phase shift and low coherence, consistent with the presence of an active control system. Neither of these features were present in the LF range of DDNx rabbits, which showed no phase shift and high coherence, consistent with a passive, Ohm's law pressure-flow relationship. Renal denervation did not significantly affect nonlinear RBFV measures of chaos, self-affinity, or complexity, nor did it significantly affect glomerular filtration rate or extracellular fluid volume. Cumulatively, these data suggest that the renal nerves mediate LF renal sympathetic vasomotion, which buffers RBF from LF AP oscillations in conscious, healthy rabbits. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Characterization of a rabbit germ-line VH gene that is a candidate donor for VH gene conversion in mutant Alicia rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, H T; Alexander, C B; Mage, R G

1995-06-15

Normal rabbits preferentially rearrange the 3'-most VH gene, VH1, to encode Igs with VHa allotypes, which constitute the majority of rabbit serum Igs. A gene conversion-like mechanism is employed to diversify the primary Ab repertoire. In mutant Alicia rabbits that derived from a rabbit with VHa2 allotype, the VH1 gene was deleted. Our previous studies showed that the first functional gene (VH4) or VH4-like genes were rearranged in 2- to 8-wk-old homozygous Alicia. The VH1a2-like sequences that were found in splenic mRNA from 6-wk and older Alicia rabbits still had some residues that were typical of VH4. The appearances of sequences resembling that of VH1a2 may have been caused by gene conversions that altered the sequences of the rearranged VH or there may have been rearrangement of upstream VH1a2-like genes later in development. To investigate this further, we constructed a cosmid library and isolated a VH1a2-like gene, VH12-1-6, with a sequence almost identical to VH1a2. This gene had a deleted base in the heptamer of its recombination signal sequence. However, even if this defect diminished or eliminated its ability to rearrange, the a2-like gene could have acted as a donor for gene-conversion-like alteration of rearranged VH genes. Sequence comparisons suggested that this gene or a gene like it could have acted as a donor for gene conversion in mutant Alicia and in normal rabbits.

A practical method for quantifying atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C; Zheng, H; Yu, Q; Yang, P; Li, Y; Cheng, F; Fan, J; Liu, E

2010-01-01

The rabbit has been widely used for the study of human atherosclerosis; however, the method for analysis of the atherosclerotic lesions has not been standardized between laboratories. The present study reports a practical method for quantifying the changes that occur in aortic atherosclerosis of rabbits. Male Japanese white rabbits were fed with either a standard chow or a diet containing 10% fat and 0.3% cholesterol for 16 weeks. Plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein were measured. Aortic atherosclerotic lesions were assessed in quantitative fashion using an image analysis system that measured (1) the gross area of the entire aorta affected by atherosclerosis as defined by Sudan IV staining, (2) the microscopical intimal lesion defined by the elastic van Gieson stain and (3) the infiltration of macrophages and smooth muscle cell proliferation as determined immunohistochemically. The rabbits developed severe aortic atherosclerosis without apparent abnormality of glucose metabolism. The quantitative method described here will be useful for the further investigation of atherosclerosis in rabbits. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear triiodothyronine receptors in rabbit heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, S.K.; Ulrich, J.M.; Kaldor, G.J.

1986-01-01

Nuclear triiodothyronine receptors from rat liver have been characterized in detail by several investigators. However, little work has been done in this area using heart tissue. In this study they examined and characterized the triiodothyronine binding in rabbit hearts. Nuclei have been prepared from ventricular muscle cells of normal and thyrotoxic rabbits as well as from atrial muscle cells of normal rabbit. Hearts were perfused with a minimum essential medium containing collagenase and bovine serum albumin. Myocardial cells were isolated and then disrupted by sonication and washing with a Triton X-100 buffer solution. A discontinuous sucrose density gradient was then used to isolate the mycoardial nuclei. Radiolabelled triiodothyronine (T 3 ) binding to nuclei was examined using conditions described by established procedures. Scatchard analysis of the binding data yields maximum binding capacity (B/sub max/) of 0.17 +/- 0.2 pmol/mg DNA and apparent dissociation constant (K/sub d/) of 400 +/- 50 pM for normal heart T 3 -receptors. The apparent capacity for T 3 binding is approximately 40% greater in myocardial nuclei prepared from hearts of hyperthyroid rabbits. The binding capacity of atrial muscle nuclei is about fourfold lower than ventricular cell nuclei. The results suggest that binding capacity for T 3 -receptor in the atrium is considerably lower than that found in the ventricle

Hafnium-Based Contrast Agents for X-ray Computed Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Markus; Bauser, Marcus; Frenzel, Thomas; Hilger, Christoph Stephan; Jost, Gregor; Lauria, Silvia; Morgenstern, Bernd; Neis, Christian; Pietsch, Hubertus; Sülzle, Detlev; Hegetschweiler, Kaspar

2017-05-15

Heavy-metal-based contrast agents (CAs) offer enhanced X-ray absorption for X-ray computed tomography (CT) compared to the currently used iodinated CAs. We report the discovery of new lanthanide and hafnium azainositol complexes and their optimization with respect to high water solubility and stability. Our efforts culminated in the synthesis of BAY-576, an uncharged hafnium complex with 3:2 stoichiometry and broken complex symmetry. The superior properties of this asymmetrically substituted hafnium CA were demonstrated by a CT angiography study in rabbits that revealed excellent signal contrast enhancement.

INFECTIOUS MYXOMATOSIS (SANARELLI) IN PREGNANT RABBITS

Science.gov (United States)

Sprunt, Douglas H.

1932-01-01

Pregnancy in rabbits alters the reactivity of the tissues to the virus of infectious myxomatosis. The livers of pregnant animals with the myxoma have a central acidophilic necrosis. Secondary lesions in the lungs are much more numerous and larger in the pregnant than in the non-gravid animals. In like manner the lesions in the spleen are more extensive in the pregnant rabbit. On the other hand the skin lesions of the pregnant animal are decreased in size. PMID:19870088

Myxomatosis in farmland rabbit populations in England and Wales.

OpenAIRE

Ross, J.; Tittensor, A. M.; Fox, A. P.; Sanders, M. F.

1989-01-01

The overall pattern and consequences of myxomatosis in wild rabbit populations were studied at three farmland sites in lowland southern England and upland central Wales between 1971 and 1978. When results from all years were combined, the disease showed a clear two-peaked annual cycle, with a main autumn peak between August and January, and a subsidiary spring peak during February to April. Rabbit fleas, the main vectors of myxomatosis in Britain, were present on full-grown rabbits in suffici...

Characterisation of wild rabbit commercial game farms in Spain

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Pedro González-Redondo

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to characterise the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus commercial game farms in Spain using variables related to structure, management and marketing. To this end, a structured survey was administered in 2009 to 21 privately-owned farms. This subsector was an average age of 13. The average size of the breeding stock of the farms was 431 does and 64 bucks. Eighty-five percent of the farms kept all or part of the breeding stock in cages and 38.1% used artificial insemination. All the farms carried out breeder self-replacement, 4.8% by buying wild rabbits from other farms, whereas 38.1% captured wild rabbits for this purpose. Nineteen percent of the wild rabbit game farms also produced other game species, mainly red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa, pheasant (Phasianus colchicus and quail (Coturnix coturnix. Fourteen percent of the farms supplied wild rabbits to be used as prey to be released in programmes for the conservation of endangered predators, and 38.1% supplied breeding rabbits to be used by other farms to replace culled animals. Eighty-six percent of the farms offered the service of transporting the animals from the farm to the hunting grounds to their clients, and 14.3% advised customers on how to successfully release and restock hunting grounds. Seventy-six percent of the farms marketed their products throughout Spain, and 38.1% exported wild rabbits to neighbouring countries, mainly Portugal and France. Forty-three percent of the farms advertised themselves in hunting magazines, 19.1% promoted themselves by attending livestock and game fairs, and 38.1% had their own websites. In conclusion, this alternative rabbit production system constitutes a well-established subsector in Spain, despite being only 2 decades old. It also seems that it has not yet reached its development maturity. It shows wide diversity in terms of farm size and structure, as well as marketing and promotional activities.

Health survey of 167 pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Mäkitaipale, J; Harcourt-Brown, F M; Laitinen-Vapaavuori, O

2015-10-24

Only a limited amount of information is available about health status of pet rabbits. The aim of this study was to obtain data about the health status of pet rabbits considered healthy by the owners in Finland. Physical examination and lateral abdominal and lateral skull radiography were performed on 167 pet rabbits of which 118 (70.7 per cent) had abnormal findings in at least one examination. The most common findings were acquired dental disease (n=67, 40.1 per cent), vertebral column deformities and degenerative lesions (n=52, 31.1 per cent), skin disorders (n=28, 16.8 per cent) and eye disorders (n=12, 7.2 per cent). Vertebral column angulating deformities were significantly more common in dwarf lop rabbits (P≤0.001). The prevalence of health disorders was significantly higher in rabbits over three years of age of which 51 (82.3 per cent) had findings in at least one examination (Phealth problems. Because of the high prevalence of clinical and radiological findings in apparently healthy pet rabbits, regular physical examinations are advised, especially for animals over three years old. British Veterinary Association.

Sex effect in mutual olfactory relationships of individually caged rabbits

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Alessandro Finzi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available To assess the sex influence on sniffing behavior of rabbits, sets of three rabbits each were located for seven days in contiguous cages divided by a metal wall with holes that prevented the neighboring rabbits to see each other. A buck was located in the central cage, with a doe at each side. Rabbit behavior was video recorded to observe animals sniffing with the muzzle near the wall. The bucks displayed an olfactory preference towards one of the two does, which decreased in few days. The significance was p  0.05. The interest of bucks towards the does was also characterized by a frenetic scratching of the separation wall, contemporary with intense sniffing, displayed only for the first 35 min of the first day. The sniffing behavior of does at the central cage housing the male was not so marked as in bucks, and it progressively changed across the trial (p < 0.01. In conclusion, rabbits establish a transitory sex-oriented olfactory relationship with the conspecifics housed in contiguous cages, which looks no longer necessary once the rabbits have recognized each other.

Sequential computed tomographic imaging of a transplantable rabbit brain tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, A.J.; Rosenbaum, A.E.; Beck, T.J.; Ahn, H.S.; Anderson, J.

1986-01-01

The accuracy of CT imaging in evaluating VX-2 tumor growth in the rabbit brain was assessed. CT scanning was performed in 5 outbred New Zealand white male rabbits before and at 4, 7, 9 and 13 (in 3 animals) days after surgical implantation of 3 x 10 5 viable VX-2 tumor cells in the frontoparietal lobes. The CT studies were correlated with gross pathology in each. The tumor was visualized with CT in all 5 rabbits by the 9th day post implantation when the tumor ranged in size from 4-6 x 3-4 x 2-3 mm. Between the 9th and 13th day, the tumor increased 6-fold in two rabbits and 12-fold in the third rabbit. CT is a useful technique to evaluate brain tumor growth in this model and should be valuable in documenting the efficacy of chemotherapy on tumor growth. (orig.)

Preclinical Assessment of a 68Ga-DOTA-Functionalized Depsipeptide as a Radiodiagnostic Infection Imaging Agent.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebenhan, Thomas; Mokaleng, Botshelo Brenda; Venter, Jacobus Daniel; Kruger, Hendrik Gert; Zeevaart, Jan Rijn; Sathekge, Mike

2017-08-24

The study assessed a radiolabeled depsipeptide conjugate ( 68 Ga-DOTA-TBIA101) for its potential as an imaging agent targeting infection or infection-associated inflammation. 68 Ga-labeled DOTA-TBIA101 imaging was performed in (NZR1) healthy rabbits; (NZR2) rabbits bearing muscular sterile inflammation and Staphylococcus aureus (SA) infection; and (NZR3) rabbits infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) combined with a subcutaneous scruff infection of SA in the same animal. All animals were imaged using a PET/CT scanner at 5 and 60 min post injection. Images showed elevated accumulation of 68 Ga-DOTA-TBIA101 in the sterile muscular inflammation site (T/NT ratio = 2.6 ± 0.37 (5 min) and 2.8 ± 2.3 (60 min)) and muscles infected with MTB (T/NT ratio = 2.6 ± 0.35 (5 min) and 2.8 ± 0.16 (60 min)). The findings suggest that 68 Ga-DOTA-TBIA101-PET/CT may detect MTB-associated inflammation, although more foundational studies need to be performed to rationalize the diagnostic value of this technique.

Ultrastructural studies of human and rabbit alpha-M-globulins.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloth, B; Chesebro, B; Svehag, S E

1968-04-01

Electron micrographs of isolated human alpha(2)M-molecules, obtained by the negative contrast technique, revealed morphologically homogenous structures resembling a graceful monogram of the two letters H and I. The modal values for the length and width of the alpha(2)M particles were 170 A and 100 A, respectively. Purified rabbit alphamacroglobulins contained about 80% alpha(1)M- and 20% alpha(2)M-globulins. The isolated rabbit alpha(1)M- and alpha(2)M-molecules were morphologically indistinguishable from one another and from human alpha(2)M-molecules. Preliminary immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that the two rabbit alphaM-globulins were antigenically different. Sedimentation constant determinations gave s(20, w) values of 18.8 and 18.2 for rabbit alpha(1)M and alpha(2)M, respectively.

Environmental bacteria associated with an institutional rabbit house ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

There is the need for regular microbiological surveillance to protect our growing rabbitaries and the rabbit models in biomedical research since these latent organisms may produce clinical conditions when the rabbits are exposed to stress conditions. Above all the importance of good hygiene and management in rabbitaries ...

Viral Genome-Linked Protein (VPg Is Essential for Translation Initiation of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV.

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Jie Zhu

Full Text Available Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV, the causative agent of rabbit hemorrhagic disease, is an important member of the caliciviridae family. Currently, no suitable tissue culture system is available for proliferating RHDV, limiting the study of the pathogenesis of RHDV. In addition, the mechanisms underlying RHDV translation and replication are largely unknown compared with other caliciviridae viruses. The RHDV replicon recently constructed in our laboratory provides an appropriate model to study the pathogenesis of RHDV without in vitro RHDV propagation and culture. Using this RHDV replicon, we demonstrated that the viral genome-linked protein (VPg is essential for RHDV translation in RK-13 cells for the first time. In addition, we showed that VPg interacts with eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E in vivo and in vitro and that eIF4E silencing inhibits RHDV translation, suggesting the interaction between VPg and eIF4E is involved in RHDV translation. Our results support the hypothesis that VPg serves as a novel cap substitute during the initiation of RHDV translation.

The rabbit meat quality after different feeding

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Adriana Pavelková

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of this present work was to evaluation the effect of feeding on selected chemical and physical parameters rabbit meat. For testing was used rabbits incurred by the crossing of two breeds: the mother - Nitriansky králik and father - Nemecký obrovitý strakoš. Rabbits came from domestic breeding and were 8 weeks old separated from the mother. We created two groups: group A was fed by feed wheat and group B was fed by granulated fodder Králik gold forte. During all the time of fattening, rabbits were fed with hay, respectively green fodder. Rabbits were slaughtered at the age of 19 weeks. After slaughtering was dissection obtained fresh rabbit meat for analysis. From chemical parameters were determined: dry matter, fat, protein, ash, energy value and biogenic amines as putrescine, cadaverine, tyramine, spermidine and spermine. From physical parameter was measured pH of meat. The initial value of pH in group A was 6.12 and after 48 hours was 6.38 and in group B was 7.32 and 6.40, respectively.Dry matter in group A was 24.86 g.100 g-1 and in group B was 24.70 g.100 g-1, content of fat was 1.44 g.100g-1 and 1.33 g.100 g-1, protein was 20.94 g.100 g-1 and 21.12 g.100 g-1, ash was 1.18 g.100 g-1 and 1.25 g.100 g-1, energy value was 461.89 kJ.100 g-1 and 440.27 kJ.100 g-1, respectively. Statistical evaluation of all results we found statistically significant differences (p <0.05 only between the groups A and B only in biogenic amine - spermidine. Experiment was shown a high correlation between biogenic amines putrescine and tyramine, putrescine and spermine, cadaverine and tyramine. Normal 0 21 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

Ação de diferentes agentes curtentes utilizados no curtimento de peles de coelhos: testes físico-mecânicos dos couros - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i4.5592 Action of different tanning agents used on rabbit hide tanning: physical-mechanic tests - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i4.5592

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilson do Prado Franco

2009-10-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar a ação de diferentes agentes curtentes no processamento das peles de coelhos, sobre a resistência do couro. Cinquenta peles de coelhos foram submetidas a diferentes agentes curtentes na etapa de curtimento (T1 = 6% sais de cromo Chromossal B®, T2 = 22% tanino vegetal Clarotan-x8®; T3 = 22% tanino sintético Syntac CW®; T4 = 12% tanino vegetal Weibull® + 10% tanino sintético Syntac F®; T5 = 22% tanino vegetal Weibull®. Foram retirados os corpos de prova do couro, na região dorsal, no sentido longitudinal e transversal em relação ao eixo céfalo-caudal. Os agentes curtentes e retirada dos corpos de prova não influenciaram no teste de tração (9,28 a 11,63 N mm-2 e força aplicada (17,91 N a 24,85 N nos testes. Os curtimentos com sais de cromo (62,85% e Clarotan–x8® (70,28% proporcionaram maiores valores de alongamento em relação aos demais agentes curtentes utilizados. Os corpos de prova do couro no sentido transversal (59,12% apresentaram maior alongamento comparado ao longitudinal (49,72%. Os curtimentos com sais de cromo (22,70 N mm-1, Clarotan–x8® (25,94 N mm-1 e Weibull® (21,58 N mm-1 proporcionaram couros com maior resistência ao rasgamento. O sentido de retirada dos corpos de prova no couro não influenciou no rasgamento progressivo. As técnicas de curtimento com sais de cromo e Clarotan-x8® proporcionaram couros com melhores valores de resistência ao alongamento e rasgamento progressivo.The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the action of different tanning agents in the processing of rabbit hides over skin resistance. Fifty skins of rabbit hides were submitted to different tanning agents in the tanning stage (T1 = 6% Chromossal B® chrome salts; T2 = 22% Clarotan–x8® vegetable tannin; T3 = 22% Syntac CW® synthetic tannin; T4 = 12% Weibull® vegetable tannin + 10% Syntac F® synthetic tannin; T5 = 22% Weibull® vegetable tannin. The specimens were removed from

(-)-anipamil retards atherosclerosis in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, B F; Mortensen, A; Hansen, J F

1995-01-01

Calcium antagonists have been reported to limit atherosclerosis in cholesterol fed rabbits. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the calcium antagonist (-)-anipamil on the spontaneous development of atherosclerosis in homozygote WHHL rabbits. From the age of 7 weeks, three groups...... differences were found in serum lipids (i.e., VLDL, IDL, LDL, HDL) in the study period among the three groups. Plasma anipamil at the end of the study was 0.23 +/- 6, and 202 +/- 19 ng/ml, respectively, in the three treatment groups. The degree of atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta was significantly lower...... (p atherosclerosis in the abdominal aorta in WHHL rabbits....

The cytolethal distending toxin of Haemophilus ducreyi aggravates dermal lesions in a rabbit model of chancroid.

Science.gov (United States)

Wising, Catharina; Mölne, Lena; Jonsson, Ing-Marie; Ahlman, Karin; Lagergård, Teresa

2005-05-01

Haemophilus ducreyi, the etiologic agent of the sexually transmitted disease chancroid, produces a cytolethal distending toxin (HdCDT) that inhibits cultured cell proliferation, leading to cell death. A rabbit model of dermal infection was used to investigate the roles of H. ducreyi bacteria and HdCDT in the development, clinical appearance, and persistence of infection. A non-toxin producing H. ducreyi strain, and for comparison purposes a non-capsulated Haemophilus influenzae strain, were inoculated intradermally, with and without co-administration of purified HdCDT. Co-administration of HdCDT resulted in significant aggravation of H. ducreyi-induced inflammatory lesions, and development of ulcers in rabbit skin. Less pronounced inflammatory lesions and lack of epithelial eruption were observed after inoculation with H. influenzae. Histopathological sections of the H. ducreyi-induced lesions, in both the presence and absence of HdCDT, showed dense infiltrates of the same type inflammatory cells, with the exception of a prominent endothelial cell proliferation noted in sections from lesions caused by H. ducreyi and toxin. Signs of chronic inflammation with involvement of T cells, macrophages, eosinophils, and granuloma formation were observed after H. ducreyi inoculation both with and without toxin. In conclusion, H. ducreyi causes a pronounced, chronic inflammation with involvement of T cells and macrophages, and in combination with HdCDT production of ulcers in the rabbit model. These pathogenic mechanisms may promote the development and persistence of chancroid ulcers.

Abstracts of the “26th Hungarian Conference on Rabbit Production”

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26th Hungarian Conference on Rabbit Prod Kaposvár, Hungary, May 31, 2014

2015-03-01

Full Text Available About 100 participants attended the 26th Hungarian Conference on Rabbit Production at Kaposvár, organised by Kaposvár University, the Hungarian Branch of the WRSA and the Rabbit Production Board. This is the largest and most popular event for rabbit breeders in Hungary. Twenty papers were presented by senior and young scientists. Topics of the papers covered all fields of rabbit production (production, housing and welfare, reproduction, genetics, nutrition, meat quality. Full papers are available from the organiser (matics.zsolt@ke.hu on request.

Rabbit Model for Human EBV-Associated Hemophagocytic Syndrome (HPS)

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Kazuhiko; Jin, Zaishun; Onoda, Sachiyo; Joko, Hiromasa; Teramoto, Norihiro; Ohara, Nobuya; Oda, Wakako; Tanaka, Takehiro; Liu, Yi-Xuan; Koirala, Tirtha Raj; Oka, Takashi; Kondo, Eisaku; Yoshino, Tadashi; Takahashi, Kiyoshi; Akagi, Tadaatsu

2003-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (EBV-AHS) is often associated with fatal infectious mononucleosis or T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases (LPD). To elucidate the true nature of fatal LPD observed in Herpesvirus papio (HVP)-induced rabbit hemophagocytosis, reactive or neoplastic, we analyzed sequential development of HVP-induced rabbit LPD and their cell lines. All of the seven Japanese White rabbits inoculated intravenously with HVP died of fatal LPD 18 to 27 days after inoculation. LPD was also accompanied by hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) in five of these seven rabbits. Sequential autopsy revealed splenomegaly and swollen lymph nodes, often accompanied by bleeding, which developed in the last week. Atypical lymphoid cells infiltrated many organs with a “starry sky” pattern, frequently involving the spleen, lymph nodes, and liver. HVP-small RNA-1 expression in these lymphoid cells was clearly demonstrated by a newly developed in situ hybridization (ISH) system. HVP-ISH of immunomagnetically purified lymphoid cells from spleen or lymph nodes revealed HVP-EBER1+ cells in each CD4+, CD8+, or CD79a+ fraction. Hemophagocytic histiocytosis was observed in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and thymus. HVP-DNA was detected in the tissues and peripheral blood from the infected rabbits by PCR or Southern blot analysis. Clonality analysis of HVP-induced LPD by Southern blotting with TCR gene probe revealed polyclonal bands, suggesting polyclonal proliferation. Six IL-2-dependent rabbit T-cell lines were established from transplanted scid mouse tumors from LPD. These showed latency type I/II HVP infection and had normal karyotypes except for one line, and three of them showed tumorigenicity in nude mice. These data suggest that HVP-induced fatal LPD in rabbits is reactive polyclonally in nature. PMID:12707056

Comparison of febrile responsiveness of rats and rabbits to endogenous pyrogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Stitt, J T; Shimada, S G; Bernheim, H A

1985-12-01

The fever responses of rats and rabbits were compared in detail using a single common source of semipurified endogenous pyrogen prepared from human monocytes. The characteristics and dynamics of the fever-response curves for each species were examined and their dose-response curves were determined and compared. The fevers displayed by rats were qualitatively similar to those of rabbits, but, typically, they developed and terminated more rapidly than those of rabbits. Rabbits were much more sensitive to the endogenous pyrogen than rats. The threshold dose of pyrogen required to elicit a fever was 5 times lower in the rabbit, and the slope of the rabbit's dose-response curve was 1.5 times steeper than that of the rat. The maximum fevers attainable in rabbits were approximately twice those attainable in rats. It was also shown that the more rapid febrile responses of the rat were not due to the 10-fold smaller mass of the rat; instead, we proposed that this difference was more likely due to a closer diffusional proximity of the pyrogen receptor sites to the circulation in rats. The lower sensitivity of the rat to endogenous pyrogen was attributed to a relative insensitivity of the pyrogen receptor sites in rats in the translation of the endogenous pyrogen stimulus into fever.

Reproductive performance of rabbits fed maize-milling waste based ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Owner

The influence of maize-milling waste on the reproductive performance of rabbits was assessed. The .... stored in air-tight polythene bags prior to use in the experimental .... Nutrient digestibility and effect of heat treatment, J. Appl. Rabbit Res.

Intrinsic connectivity of neural networks in the awake rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Matthew P; Weiss, Craig; Procissi, Daniel; Disterhoft, John F; Wang, Lei

2016-04-01

The way in which the brain is functionally connected into different networks has emerged as an important research topic in order to understand normal neural processing and signaling. Since some experimental manipulations are difficult or unethical to perform in humans, animal models are better suited to investigate this topic. Rabbits are a species that can undergo MRI scanning in an awake and conscious state with minimal preparation and habituation. In this study, we characterized the intrinsic functional networks of the resting New Zealand White rabbit brain using BOLD fMRI data. Group independent component analysis revealed seven networks similar to those previously found in humans, non-human primates and/or rodents including the hippocampus, default mode, cerebellum, thalamus, and visual, somatosensory, and parietal cortices. For the first time, the intrinsic functional networks of the resting rabbit brain have been elucidated demonstrating the rabbit's applicability as a translational animal model. Without the confounding effects of anesthetics or sedatives, future experiments may employ rabbits to understand changes in neural connectivity and brain functioning as a result of experimental manipulation (e.g., temporary or permanent network disruption, learning-related changes, and drug administration). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flagella-induced immunity against experimental cholera in adult rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Yancey, R J; Willis, D L; Berry, L J

1979-07-01

The adult rabbit ligated ileal loop model was used to evaluate the prophylactic potential of a crude flagellar (CF) vaccine produced from the classical. Inaba strain CA401. A greater than 1,000-fold increase in the challenge inoculum was required to induce an intestinal fluid response in actively immunized adult rabbits equivalent to that produced in unimmunized animals. Similar protection was afforded against challenge with classical and El Tor biotypes of both Inaba and Ogawa serotypes. Highly virulent 35S-labeled vibrios were inhibited in their ability to associated with the intestinal mucosa of CF-immunized rabbits. The protection conferred by CF immunization was found to be superior to that of a commercial bivalent vaccine and also to that of glutaraldehyde-treated cholera toxoid. The critical immunogenic component of CF appears to be a flagella-derived protein. The immunogenicity of CF was destroyed by heat treatment, and absorption of CF-immune serum with aflagellated mutant vibrios did not diminish its ability to confer a high level of passive protection. The intestinal protection of CF-immunized rabbits was completely reversed by the introduction of both goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulins A and G, but by neither alone.

Concomitant administration of nitrous oxide and remifentanil reduces oral tissue blood flow without decreasing blood pressure during sevoflurane anesthesia in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasahara, Masataka; Ichinohe, Tatsuya; Okamoto, Sota; Okada, Reina; Kanbe, Hiroaki; Matsuura, Nobuyuki

2015-06-01

To determine whether continuous administration of nitrous oxide and remifentanil—either alone or together—alters blood flow in oral tissues during sevoflurane anesthesia. Eight male tracheotomized Japanese white rabbits were anesthetized with sevoflurane under mechanical ventilation. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), common carotid arterial blood flow (CCBF), tongue mucosal blood flow (TMBF), mandibular bone marrow blood flow (BBF), masseter muscle blood flow (MBF), upper alveolar tissue blood flow (UBF), and lower alveolar tissue blood flow (LBF) were recorded in the absence of all test agents and after administration of the test agents (50 % nitrous oxide, 0.4 μg/kg/min remifentanil, and their combination) for 20 min. Nitrous oxide increased SBP, DBP, MAP, CCBF, BBF, MBF, UBF, and LBF relative to baseline values but did not affect HR or TMBF. Remifentanil decreased all hemodynamic variables except DBP. Combined administration of nitrous oxide and remifentanil recovered SBP, DBP, MAP, and CCBF to baseline levels, but HR and oral tissue blood flow remained lower than control values. Our findings suggest that concomitant administration of nitrous oxide and remifentanil reduces blood flow in oral tissues without decreasing blood pressure during sevoflurane anesthesia in rabbits.

Causes of Rabbit Mortality at Mankon Research Station, Cameroon (1983-1987

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Nfi, AN.

1996-01-01

Full Text Available A study was carried out to determine the causes of mortality in rabbits raised at the Institute of Zootechnical and Veterinary Research Station (IRZV Mankon between 1983-1987. Three breeds of rabbits the Californian, the New Zealand White and their crosses with local rabbits were used in the study. Within the period under review, all dead animals were necropsied and faecal and gastro-intestinal tract samples were examined in the laboratory. It was shown that high mortalities in rabbits were due to snuffles, pneumonia, mucoid enteritis, coccidiosis, mange, enterotoxaemia and Tyzzer's disease. 3060 rabbits died of various diseases comprising 1591 (52 % kittens, 1220 (39.7 % fryers and 280 (9.2 % adults. Kitten mortality compared to fryer and adult was highest ail through the period of study.

The Efficiency of Vascular Embolization Using Alginate Gel : An Experimental Study in Rabbit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Woo Baek; Kang, Yeong Han [Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jong Ki [Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

2009-03-15

The purpose of this study was to investigate the applicability of poly-L-guluronic alginate (PGA) gel in vascular embolization with angiography simulation. To prepare a gel-forming PGA from no guluronate-rich Laminaria japonica, a new acid hydrolysis method was employed with a lower HCL concentration (0.03 M) and a shorter treatment time (5 min). The obtained PGAs were selected based on gel stability and viscosity. Glass aneurysm model was used to simulate gel embolization in vitro. Then, finally, the PGA was used to embolize the renal vascular system by using a rabbit model and angiography. Glass aneurysm model was made to simulate gel embolization procedure. PGA solution was injected from pump through 2-way catheter. Subsequent injection of CaCl{sub 2} successfully formed gels inside aneurysm model that conforming to its inner contour. In rabbit model, first, renal artery and aorta leading to the right kidney were ligated to block blood flow, then conventional contrast agent was injected through aorta to check the arterial patency to the left kidney. In sequential artery injection method, PGA and CaCl{sub 2} were injected through renal artery sequentially via a single catheter. Re-injection of contrast agent after removing ligated aorta showed blood flow to the right kidney but no flow in the left kidney. This result demonstrated a complete blocking of blood flow due to gel formation in vascular bed of the left kidney. Instillation of calcium alginate into aneurysm model and arterial system in vivo produced an embolization that better fills and conforms to the contour of aneurysms or blocking vascular bed completely. Therefore, PGA was effective endovascular occlusion materials and provide an efficiency of vascular angiography.

Virulence and pathogenesis of the MSW and MSD strains of Californian myxoma virus in European rabbits with genetic resistance to myxomatosis compared to rabbits with no genetic resistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Silvers, L; Inglis, B; Labudovic, A; Janssens, P A; van Leeuwen, B H; Kerr, P J

2006-04-25

The pathogenesis of two Californian strains of myxoma virus (MSW and MSD) was examined in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that were either susceptible to myxomatosis (laboratory rabbits) or had undergone natural selection for genetic resistance to myxomatosis (Australian wild rabbits). MSW was highly lethal for both types of rabbits with average survival times of 7.3 and 9.4 days, respectively, and 100% mortality. Classical clinical signs of myxomatosis were not present except in one rabbit that survived for 13 days following infection. Previously described clinical signs of trembling and shaking were observed in laboratory but not wild rabbits. Despite the high resistance of wild rabbits to myxomatosis caused by South American strains of myxoma virus, the MSW strain was of such high virulence that it was able to overcome resistance. The acute nature of the infection, relatively low viral titers in the tissues and destruction of lymphoid tissues, suggested that death was probably due to an acute and overwhelming immunopathological response to the virus. No virus was found in the brain. The MSD strain was attenuated compared to previously published descriptions and therefore was only characterized in laboratory rabbits. It is concluded that Californian MSW strain of myxoma virus is at the extreme end of a continuum of myxoma virus virulence but that the basic pathophysiology of the disease induced is not broadly different to other strains of myxoma virus.

Baicalein attenuates vinorelbine-induced vascular endothelial cell injury and chemotherapeutic phlebitis in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Gang-Feng; Shi, Wei-Wen; Yu, Chen-Huan; Jin, Xiao-Yin; Zhang, Huan-Huan; Zhang, Wen-You; Wang, Lu-Chen; Yu, Bing

2017-03-01

Chemotherapy is one of the major strategies for cancer treatment. Several antineoplastic drugs including vinorelbine (VRB) are commonly intravenously infused and liable to cause serious phlebitis. The therapeutic drugs for preventing this complication are limited. In this study, the mechanism of baicalein (BCN) was investigated on VRB-induced phlebitis in vivo and vascular endothelial cell injury in vitro. Treatment with BCN obviously attenuated vascular endothelial cell loss, edema, inflammatory cell infiltration and blood clots, and reduced the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and ICAM-1 in the rabbit model of phlebitis induced by intravenous injection of VRB compared with vehicle. Further tests in vitro demonstrated that BCN lessened VRB-induced endothelial cell apoptosis, decreased intracellular ROS levels, suppressed phosphorylation of p38 and eventually inhibited activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. And these effects could be reversed by p38 agonist P79350. These results suggested that BCN exerted the protective effects against VRB-induced endothelial disruption in the rabbit model of phlebitis via inhibition of intracellular ROS generation and inactivation of p38/NF-κB pathway, leading to the decreased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, BCN could be used as a potential agent for the treatment of phlebitis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypocholesterolemic and Antiatherosclerotic Potential of Basella alba Leaf Extract in Hypercholesterolemia-Induced Rabbits

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Gunasekaran Baskaran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Hypercholesterolemia is the major risk factor that leads to atherosclerosis. Nowadays, alternative treatment using medicinal plants gained much attention since the usage of statins leads to adverse health effects, especially liver and muscle toxicity. This study was designed to investigate the hypocholesterolemic and antiatherosclerotic effects of Basella alba (B. alba using hypercholesterolemia-induced rabbits. Twenty New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 5 groups and fed with varying diets: normal diet, 2% high cholesterol diet (HCD, 2% HCD + 10 mg/kg simvastatin, 2% HCD + 100 mg/kg B. alba extract, and 2% HCD + 200 mg/kg B. alba extract, respectively. The treatment with B. alba extract significantly lowered the levels of total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides and increased HDL and antioxidant enzymes (SOD and GPx levels. The elevated levels of liver enzymes (AST and ALT and creatine kinase were noted in hypercholesterolemic and statin treated groups indicating liver and muscle injuries. Treatment with B. alba extract also significantly suppressed the aortic plaque formation and reduced the intima: media ratio as observed in simvastatin-treated group. This is the first in vivo study on B. alba that suggests its potential as an alternative therapeutic agent for hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis.

Antiadhesive Property of Photoreactive Azidophenyl Low-Molecular-Weight Chitosan in Rabbit Laminotomy Model

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Jong Won Kim

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Newly developed photoreactive azidophenyl chitosan (P-ALMC has characteristics of a transformable gel type and its outer layer could be sealed up like a film after UV radiation. We aim to evaluate the antiadhesive properties of P-ALMC through comparing it with hyaluronic acid-carboxymethylcellulose membrane (HA-CMC in a rabbit laminotomy model. Laminotomies were performed at the L3-4, L4-5, and L5-6 levels in 41 rabbits and each level was randomly assigned to either receive saline (group I, HA-CMC (group II, or P-ALMC (group III. The extent of peridural fibrosis, density of fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, and dural thickness were evaluated at 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively. In the groups II and III, the extents of peridural fibrosis and dural thickness were significantly smaller than those in group I (P<0.001 and no differences between groups II and III were found at the postoperative 6 and 12 weeks. There were no differences of cell density among groups. P-ALMC showed effective antiadhesive properties comparable to HA-CMC and could be one of the candidates as an anti-adhesive agent for spine surgery even further study is required to identify the effectiveness of its unique characteristics as mechanical barrier.

Rabbit relinquishment through online classified advertisements in the United Kingdom: when, why, and how many?

Science.gov (United States)

Neville, Vikki; Hinde, Keith; Line, Elaine; Todd, Rae; Saunders, Richard Anthony

2018-03-06

To identify implicit causes of companion rabbit relinquishment, this study investigated whether there was annual and seasonal variation in the number of advertisements and ages of rabbits posted as free or for sale on classified websites in the United Kingdom. The number of advertisements posted decreased from 2014 to 2016. There was an increase in the number of advertisements for free rabbits in winter compared with other seasons, which could be a result of caregivers' reduced willingness to interact with their rabbits and carry out husbandry during periods of inclement weather. Rabbits advertised as free were older than rabbits advertised for sale, and rabbits relinquished due to human-related reasons were older than those relinquished because of rabbit-related factors. It is recommended that further research is undertaken to elucidate whether providing education to prospective rabbit caregivers regarding the life span of rabbits and their substantial husbandry requirements, especially in winter, would deter the purchase of rabbits by caregivers unable or unwilling to care for them in the long term.

Phacoemulsification of bilateral cataracts in two pet rabbits | Gomes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two 3 year-old, healthy, client-owned Lop rabbits presented with bilateral cataracts. After performing a physical examination, bloodwork, ocular ultrasonography and electroretinography, both animals were deemed good surgical candidates for phacoemulsification. Bilateral cataract surgery was performed and both rabbits ...

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits: Experimental animal study

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Sirajudeen KNS

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Alkali injury is one of the most devastating injuries to the eye. It results in permanent unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Chemical eye injury is accompanied by an increase in the oxidative stress. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents play a major role in the treatment of chemical eye injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory (clinical and histopathological and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey versus conventional treatment in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits. Methods A preliminary study was carried out prior to the actual study to establish the alkali chemical injury on rabbit's cornea and we found that alkali chemical injury with 2 N NaOH showed severe clinical inflammatory features. In actual study, alkali injury with 2 N NaOH was induced in the right eye of 10 New Zealand White rabbits' cornea. The rabbits were divided into two groups, Group A was given conventional treatment and Group B was treated with both topical and oral Tualang honey. Clinical inflammatory features of the right eye were recorded at 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours, 5th day and 7th day post induction of alkali burn on the cornea. The histopathological inflammatory features of the right corneas of all rabbits were also evaluated on day-7. The level of total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation products in the aqueous humour, vitreous humour and serum at day-7 were estimated biochemically. Fisher's Exact, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyse the data. Results There was no statistically significant difference in clinical inflammatory features (p > 0.05 between honey treated and the conventional treated group at different times of examination. Histopathological examination of the cornea showed the number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes was below 50 for both groups (mild grade. There was also no significant difference in the level of total antioxidant status as well as lipid

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits: experimental animal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bashkaran, Karuppannan; Zunaina, Embong; Bakiah, Shaharuddin; Sulaiman, Siti Amrah; Sirajudeen, Kns; Naik, Venkatesh

2011-10-09

Alkali injury is one of the most devastating injuries to the eye. It results in permanent unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Chemical eye injury is accompanied by an increase in the oxidative stress. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents play a major role in the treatment of chemical eye injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory (clinical and histopathological) and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey versus conventional treatment in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits. A preliminary study was carried out prior to the actual study to establish the alkali chemical injury on rabbit's cornea and we found that alkali chemical injury with 2 N NaOH showed severe clinical inflammatory features. In actual study, alkali injury with 2 N NaOH was induced in the right eye of 10 New Zealand White rabbits' cornea. The rabbits were divided into two groups, Group A was given conventional treatment and Group B was treated with both topical and oral Tualang honey. Clinical inflammatory features of the right eye were recorded at 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours, 5th day and 7th day post induction of alkali burn on the cornea. The histopathological inflammatory features of the right corneas of all rabbits were also evaluated on day-7. The level of total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation products in the aqueous humour, vitreous humour and serum at day-7 were estimated biochemically. Fisher's Exact, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyse the data. There was no statistically significant difference in clinical inflammatory features (p > 0.05) between honey treated and the conventional treated group at different times of examination. Histopathological examination of the cornea showed the number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes was below 50 for both groups (mild grade). There was also no significant difference in the level of total antioxidant status as well as lipid peroxidation products in aqueous humour (p = 0.117, p = 0

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits: Experimental animal study

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Alkali injury is one of the most devastating injuries to the eye. It results in permanent unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Chemical eye injury is accompanied by an increase in the oxidative stress. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents play a major role in the treatment of chemical eye injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory (clinical and histopathological) and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey versus conventional treatment in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits. Methods A preliminary study was carried out prior to the actual study to establish the alkali chemical injury on rabbit's cornea and we found that alkali chemical injury with 2 N NaOH showed severe clinical inflammatory features. In actual study, alkali injury with 2 N NaOH was induced in the right eye of 10 New Zealand White rabbits' cornea. The rabbits were divided into two groups, Group A was given conventional treatment and Group B was treated with both topical and oral Tualang honey. Clinical inflammatory features of the right eye were recorded at 12 hours, 24 hours, 72 hours, 5th day and 7th day post induction of alkali burn on the cornea. The histopathological inflammatory features of the right corneas of all rabbits were also evaluated on day-7. The level of total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation products in the aqueous humour, vitreous humour and serum at day-7 were estimated biochemically. Fisher's Exact, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney test were used to analyse the data. Results There was no statistically significant difference in clinical inflammatory features (p > 0.05) between honey treated and the conventional treated group at different times of examination. Histopathological examination of the cornea showed the number of polymorphonuclear leucocytes was below 50 for both groups (mild grade). There was also no significant difference in the level of total antioxidant status as well as lipid peroxidation products in aqueous

A rabbit model of non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteremia.

Science.gov (United States)

Panda, Aruna; Tatarov, Ivan; Masek, Billie Jo; Hardick, Justin; Crusan, Annabelle; Wakefield, Teresa; Carroll, Karen; Yang, Samuel; Hsieh, Yu-Hsiang; Lipsky, Michael M; McLeod, Charles G; Levine, Myron M; Rothman, Richard E; Gaydos, Charlotte A; DeTolla, Louis J

2014-09-01

Bacteremia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in humans. In this study, we focused on the development of an animal model of bacteremia induced by non-typhoidal Salmonella. New Zealand White rabbits were inoculated with a human isolate of non-typhoidal Salmonella strain CVD J73 via the intra-peritoneal route. Blood samples were collected at specific time points and at euthanasia from infected rabbits. Additionally, tissue samples from the heart, lungs, spleen, gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys were obtained at euthanasia. All experimentally infected rabbits displayed clinical signs of disease (fever, dehydration, weight loss and lethargy). Tissues collected at necropsy from the animals exhibited histopathological changes indicative of bacteremia. Non-typhoidal Salmonella bacteria were detected in the blood and tissue samples of infected rabbits by microbiological culture and real-time PCR assays. The development of this animal model of bacteremia could prove to be a useful tool for studying how non-typhoidal Salmonella infections disseminate and spread in humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiocesium movement in a gray rabbit brush community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klepper, B.; Rogers, L.E.; Hedlund, J.D.; Schreckhise, R.G.; Price, K.R.

1978-01-01

Gray rabbit brush, Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Compositae), is the dominant shrub on disturbed land surfaces on much of the Energy Research and Development Administration's Hanford Reservation in south-central Washington State. A stand of rabbit brush growing on an inactive liquid-waste-disposal crib was studied. Thirty percent of the shrubs showed low but detectable radiation levels in a field survey. The primary radionuclide was 137 Cs. The source of 137 Cs in shrubs was the gravel drain field in the crib, at least 2.4 m below the surface, which was the approximate maximum depth of penetration of rabbit brush taproots. Cesium-137 was observed in roots of certain rabbit brush plants, in the upper 1 cm of soil, and in litter beneath contaminated plants but was not detectable in soil samples taken at depths of 15, 50, 100, and 150 cm. Invertebrates associated with a contaminated shrub showed higher concentrations of 137 Cs than did wider-ranging species. Two of seven pocket mice trapped on the crib contaminated detectable amounts of 137 Cs

Effect of Monocular Deprivation on Rabbit Neural Retinal Cell Densities

OpenAIRE

Mwachaka, Philip Maseghe; Saidi, Hassan; Odula, Paul Ochieng; Mandela, Pamela Idenya

2015-01-01

Purpose: To describe the effect of monocular deprivation on densities of neural retinal cells in rabbits. Methods: Thirty rabbits, comprised of 18 subject and 12 control animals, were included and monocular deprivation was achieved through unilateral lid suturing in all subject animals. The rabbits were observed for three weeks. At the end of each week, 6 experimental and 3 control animals were euthanized, their retinas was harvested and processed for light microscopy. Photomicrographs of ...

Full-Mouth Intraoral Radiographic Survey in Rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Regalado, Adriana; Legendre, Loïc

2017-09-01

Dental pathologies are highly prevalent in pet rabbit populations, making oral radiography an essential tool in the evaluation of lagomorph dentitions. The unique anatomy of the rabbit's mouth limits the examination of the conscious animal to the rostral portion of it's mouth. In addition, the oral examination of an aradicular hypsodont tooth is restricted to the short coronal fraction of its crown. Erstwhile images obtained by the extraoral technique were once considered the most practical and informative tool in rabbit dentistry; however, limited visualization of the key structures of individual teeth became the major drawback of this technique. As new imaging technologies are becoming widely available and affordable for veterinarians, intraoral radiography offers the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat oral pathologies in lagomorphs. This article describes a step-by-step procedure to obtain a full-mouth radiographic survey in rabbits. For this technique, a standard dental X-ray generator and intraoral storage phosphor plates are used while applying the bisecting angle technique. Among the advantages of this technique are detailed visualization of internal and external dental structures, identification of early lesions, and detection of occult pathologies. Furthermore, intraoral images offer superior resolution and higher diagnostic quality with minimal radiation exposure, making this method safer for the veterinarian, staff members, and their patients.

The effects of Vitamin C on Xylazine anaesthesia in rabbits | Kisani ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was conducted to determine the effects of vitamin C on zylazine anaesthesia in rabbits. Ten apparently healthy rabbits of both sexes, aged 6 months and weighing 0.8-1.3 kg were grouped into two of five each. Xylazine at a dose of 4 mg/kg was administered intramuscularly to rabbits in both groups. Ten minutes ...

International Conference on Immunogenetics of the Rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-12-09

Md. 20205 We have recently described a method for the direct removal of T lymphocytes by " panning " of rabbit splenocytes on plastic dishes coated...Research University of Illinois Washington, DC 20012 Chicago, IL 60612 Hammadi Ayadi Linda Cook Institut Jacques Monod University of Illinois, Chicago...other species and tested for its ability to inhibit a rabbit Id-anti-Id reaction. Guinea pigs, mice, goats, and chickens were immunized with al IgG and

The CareRabbit

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blom, Sanne; Stegwee, R.A.; Boere-Boonekamp, Magda

2010-01-01

The CareRabbit (ZorgKonijn) is an e-health device that can be used to play messages (e.g. text, MP3) sent through the Internet. It is used in children's departments in hospitals. Its aim is to make children feel comfortable and make their stay more pleasant. Motivation - Our goal is to investigate

Evaluation of objects and food for environmental enrichment of NZW rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, L D; Custer, L B; Soranaka, E T; Burge, J R; Ruble, G R

2001-01-01

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals states that both structural and social environments should be considered when addressing the husbandry needs of laboratory animals. The purpose of this study was to investigate environmental enrichment strategies that could potentially enhance the well-being of rabbits. Male and female 6-week old New Zealand White rabbits were divided into three groups: food-enriched (Bunny Stix, Bunny Blocks, or celery), non-food enriched (Jingle Ball, Kong toy, or Nylabone), and not enriched. Animals were given a particular enrichment for 1 h daily for 15 days. Home cages were fitted with specially designed plexiglass doors, which allowed the animals' interactions with the objects to be videotaped. The amount of time the animal interacted with each object and the total activity during the 1-h taped session were recorded for each rabbit. Rabbits were weighed weekly. Rabbits spent significantly more time interacting with the Bunny Stix than any other food item or non-food object. In addition, total activity time was significantly greater for all rabbits enriched with food versus any of the non-food items. Weight gains after 15 days did not differ significantly, but there was a trend towards increased weight gains in food-enriched rabbits. In this study, food was a stronger, more sustained enrichment device than were non-food objects.

Paraquat-poisoning in the rabbit lungs: high resolution computed tomographic findings and pathologic correlation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Kyung Soo; Kim, Eui Han; Lee, Byoung Ho; Kim, Kun Sang

1992-01-01

The authors evaluated high resolution computed tomographic (HRCT) findings of the isolated rabbit lungs with paraquat poisoning, and the findings were correlated with pathologic specimens. The purposes of this study are 1) to obtain the HRCT findings of the normal rabbit lung. 2) to find out if pulmonary pathology can be induced in rabbits by paraquat, and 3) to correlate the HRCT findings to those of pathology. Thirty rabbits were divided into three groups: group I included four control rabbits; group II included 16 rabbits given paraquat intraperitoneally (IP group); and group III included 10 rabbits given paraquat intravenously (IV group). The rabbits were sacrificed seven, 10, and 14 days after injection of various amount of paraquat, and then the lungs were isolated for HRCT and pathologic studies. Gross and microscopic findings of the three groups of control and paraquat-injected rabbit lungs were correlated with HRCT findings. Pulmonary congestion, mild thickening of alveolar walls and septae, and multifocal micro-atelectasis were the man pathologic findings of the lungs in both groups of the rabbits. Pulmonary hemorrhage was noted in five (31%) of 16 rabbits of IP group and three (30%) of 10 IV group. Pulmonary edema was seen in one rabbits (6%) of IP and four (40%) of IV group. Typical pulmonary fibrosis was seen in one rabbit of IP (6%) and IV (10%) group, respectively. There was no correlation between the amount of paraquat and frequency of the pulmonary pathology. Pulmonary fibrosis was seen at least one week after the paraquat injection. On HRCT, pulmonary hemorrhage and edema appeared as diffuse air-space consolidation and pulmonary fibrosis as linear or band-like opacities. However, minimal changes such as mild congestion

The development of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in Britain.

OpenAIRE

Ross, J.; Sanders, M. F.

1984-01-01

The presence of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in a sample of wild rabbits from one area in England was reported in 1977. Rabbits from three other areas in Great Britain have been tested subsequently, and all cases showed similar resistance to a moderately virulent strain of myxoma virus. Rabbits from one area also showed a significant degree of resistance to a fully virulent strain of virus. It is concluded that genetic resistance to myxomatosis is widespread in wild rabbit populations in...

The distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, H.Y.; In, J.W.; Min, B.S.

1978-01-01

For clinical application of radioreceptor assay, we studied preliminarily the distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit by a dextran-charcoal method using 6,7- 3 H-es-tradiol. The results were expressed as binding index, which is the ratio of specific estradiol receptor binding radioactivity to total radioactivity. The materials consist of 5 female rabbits and 3 male rabbits. For female rabbits the binding index was highest in the uterine tissue. This binding index of the uterine tissue was 9.4 times that of the liver, 21.9 times that of the kidney, 24.6 times that of the brain, 28.1 times that of the lung and 65.7 times that of the muscle. For male rabbits the binding index was highest in the liver and decreased in the order of the kidney, the testis, the lung, the brain and the muscle. It is suggested that the estrogen receptor is not confined to any specific target organ but is widely distributed in the various organs, to a different degree. (author)

The Distribution of Estrogen Receptor in Various Organs of Rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Ho Young; In, Jae Whan; Min, Byong Sok

1978-01-01

For clinical application of radioreceptor assay, we studied preliminarily the distribution of estrogen receptor in various organs of rabbit by a dextran-charcoal method using 6, 7- 3 H-estradiol. The results were expressed as binding index, which is the ratio of specific estradiol receptor binding radioactivity to total radioactivity. The materials consist of 5 female rabbits and 3 male rabbits. The results were as follows: 1) Female rabbits. The binding index was highest in the uterine tissue. This binding index of the uterine tissue was 9.4 times that of the liver, 21.9 times that of the kidney, 24.6 times that of the brain, 28.1 times that of the lung and 65.7 times that of the muscle. 2) Male rabbits. The binding index was highest in the liver and decreased in the order of the kidney, the testis, the lung, the brain and the muscle. It is suggested that the estrogen receptor is not confined to any specific target organ but is widely distributed in the various organs, to a different degree.

POTENTIAL OF BREAD FRUIT- AN ECOLOGICALLY FOREST BASED FEED RESOURCE IN RABBIT NUTRITION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oso Abimbola Oladele

2009-09-01

Full Text Available  Productive response of rabbits fed with diets containing graded levels of sun dried breadfruit (SBFM meal were studied using 80 unsexed weaner rabbits. Four dietary treatments were formulated such that SBFM replaced maize weight for weight at 0%, 22.2%, 44.4% and 66.6% levels respectively. Rabbits were randomly allotted to the dietary treatments such that there were 20 rabbits per treatment. Growth response, nutrient utilization, haematological indices, serum biochemistry, carcass yield and meat composition were evaluated. Rabbits fed with 22.2% maize replaced with SBFM recorded the highest (P

the assessment of fasciola gigantica infection in the rabbit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study, the rabbit was assessed as a laboratory host for the helminthes parasite, Fasciola gigantica. Three groups of rabbits were Infected experimentally with 5, 10 end 15 metacercariae of F. gigantica respectively. Clinical signs found included pale mucous membrane, progressive emaciation and rough hair coat.

Post-splenectomy β-amyloid level changes in Rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji Xueli; Yu Jiwei; Ji Zhe; Zhou Zhengzhong

2002-01-01

Objective: To study the effect of splenectomy on serum β-amyloid (Aβ) levels in rabbit. Methods: Thirty 3yr-old rabbits underwent splenectomy and fifteen others underwent a sham-operation of laparectomy only. Serum Aβ levels were determined with RIA before and at regular intervals after operation. Results: In the splenectomy group, the Aβ levels were increased greatly after the operation and reached the peak at 5 th week. The levels then gradually declined but remained significantly higher than the pre-operative value at 6 th month. In the sham operation group, the value was no drastically changed but increased slowly (as an aging process). Conclusion: Splenectomy in rabbit would markedly increase the serum Aβ level, possibly due to a hypoimmune state impairing clearance of the substance

Effect of hypothyroidism on the purinergic responses of corpus cavernosal smooth muscle in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Yildirim, M K; Bagcivan, I; Sarac, B; Kilicarslan, H; Yildirim, S; Kaya, T

2008-01-01

Several studies have reported evidence of hormonal abnormalities in 25-35% of impotent men. Hypothyroidism has been reported to occur in 6% of impotent men. In the present study, we examined purinergic relaxation responses in hypothyroidism in an experimental rabbit model and compared them with controls to evaluate the possible involvement of the purinergic pathway. The study comprised 20 male New Zealand white rabbits. The rabbits were divided into two equal groups. We tested the effects of ATP, alpha beta ATP, and adenosine precontracted with phenylephrine on the isolated corpus cavernosum preparations from control and hypothyroid rabbits. We also evaluated the effects of ATP, alpha beta ATP, and adenosine on the cGMP levels in the isolated corpus cavernosum preparations from control and hypothyroid rabbits. T3, T4, and testosterone levels were significantly lower in hypothyroid rabbits. ATP, alpha beta ATP, carbachol, and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced frequency-dependent relaxation responses in the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum strips precontracted with phenylephrine reduced significantly (Phypothyroid rabbits. Reduction of relaxation response in hypothyroid rabbits corpus cavernosum can depend on a decreased release of nitric oxide (NO) from nitrergic nerves and endothelium.

Pharmacokinetics of MMB4 DMS in rats, rabbits, and dogs following a single IV administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, S Peter; Gibbs, Seth T; Kobs, Dean J; Osheroff, Merrill R; Johnson, Jerry D; Burback, Brian L

2013-01-01

Organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents pose tremendous threats to both military and civilian populations. The substance 1,1'-methylenebis[4-[(hydroxyimino)methyl]-pyridinium] (MMB4) is being developed as a replacement for the currently fielded 2-pyridine aldoxime, or pralidoxime (2-PAM) as a treatment for OP nerve agent-induced toxicity. The present study characterized pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of MMB4 in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, New Zealand White rabbits, and beagle dogs given a single intravenous (IV) administration of MMB4 dimethanesulfonate (DMS) at 55, 25, and 15 mg/kg dose, respectively. The plasma MMB4 concentration versus time profiles were biphasic for all species tested and fit a 2-compartment model with first-order elimination. There were no overt sex-related differences in the calculated PK parameters. For the rat, rabbit, and dog, the average systemic exposure parameters predicted Cmax (µg/mL) and AUC∞ (µg·h/mL) were 273 and 71.0, 115 and 48.1, and 87.4 and 39.6; the average volume of distribution (mL/kg) values to the central and peripheral compartments were 207 and 143, 242 and 172, and 198 and 213; and the average elimination half-life (hour) and clearance (mL/h/kg) values were 0.18 and 778, 0.29 and 577, and 0.32 and 430, respectively, when the PK parameters for males and females were combined. The current study revealed a similarity in the volume of distribution to the central compartment for MMB4 among the 3 species tested while demonstrating species-related differences in the elimination half-life and clearance of MMB4.

Baccaurea angulata fruit juice reduces atherosclerotic lesions in diet-induced Hypercholesterolemic rabbits.

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Ibrahim, Muhammad; Ahmed, Idris Adewale; Mikail, Maryam Abimbola; Ishola, Afeez Adekunle; Draman, Samsul; Isa, Muhammad Lokman Md; Yusof, Afzan Mat

2017-07-07

Atherosclerosis is the most common disease of large and medium-sized arteries linked to oxidative stress, dyslipidemia as well as chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential health benefits of Baccaurea angulata (BA) fruit juice on the aorta of diet-induced hypercholesterolemic rabbits, to detect an accumulation of fatty streak and evaluate the percentage of atherosclerotic lesion accrued. Thirty-five healthy male adults New Zealand White rabbits were assigned to seven different groups. Four groups were fed 1% cholesterol diet and 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mL of BA fruit juice per kg of rabbit daily (atherogenic groups), while the other three groups were fed commercial rabbit pellet and 0, 0.5, and 1.0 mL of juice per kg of rabbit daily (normocholesterolemic groups) for 90 days. The thoracic and abdominal aorta between the heart origin and bifurcation into iliac arteries of all the rabbits were carefully removed and analyzed accordingly. The supplementation of the high-cholesterol diet of hypercholesterolemic rabbits with only 0.5 mL BA/kg rabbit per day significantly (p < 0.001) improved aortic lipid profile, attenuated aortic fatty streak development and reduced intima thickening. Higher BA doses used (1.0 and 1.5 mL/kg rabbit per day) also significantly (p < 0.001) decreased further the development of aortic fatty streaks, reduced the thickening of the tunica intima layer and preserved endothelial healing following arterial injury. Therefore, BA fruit is a potential novel functional food with effective anti-inflammatory, anti-atherogenic and hypocholesterolemic activities.

Rabbit Production in Selected Urban Areas of Southern Ghana: Status and Implications for Policy and Research

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DY Osei

2012-05-01

Full Text Available A survey was conducted to elicit information on rabbit keeping in 26 urban areas of southern Ghana. The average age of the rabbit keepers was 44.3 years, and 95.5% of the keepers had formal education. Most of the producers got into rabbit keeping for money to meet urgent family needs, while household consumption was a major factor influencing the decision for rearing rabbits. Personal savings was the main source of income for the establishment of the rabbit enterprises. The major breeds of rabbits kept were the California White, New Zealand White and crossbreds of varied genetic variations. Backyard, small-scale and medium-scale commercial rabbit holdings were held by 18.2, 51.7 and 30.2% of the keepers respectively. The average rabbit population per farm was 77.8, with an average of 8.4 bucks, 21.6 does. Young rabbits formed 70.0% of the rabbit population. Owners of rabbitries usually cared for their animals as hired labour was expensive and often not available. High cost of feed was the most significant constraint to rabbit keeping, and mange was the most common disease affecting the rabbits. Marketing of rabbits was not organized, and this served as a disincentive to expanding the holdings. The rabbits were mostly sold either life or as fresh carcasses at the farm gate. To ensure a rapid growth of the rabbit industry, research should be undertaken to address the identified constraints to production while appropriate policies are put in place to enhance the growth of the industry. Keywords: rabbit keeping, socio-economic characteristics, farming technologies   Animal Production 14(2:131-139

Comparison of degrees of maturity of rabbit lines selected for different traits

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M. Pascual

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study whether commercial nucleus lines of rabbits selected for different traits, and experimental lines having commercial purposes, have the same degree of maturity when compared at the same slaughter age. The study was carried out with 17897 rabbits from Universitat Politècnica de València. Rabbits came from the maternal lines A (3902 rabbits; 44th generation, V (4238 rabbits; 39th generation and LP (6115 rabbits; 9th generation, selected for litter size at weaning; the paternal line R (2023 rabbits; 25th generation, selected for growth rate between 28 and 63 days of age; the maternal line OR (586 rabbits; 11th generation selected for ovulation rate; and the lines High (503 rabbits; 5th generation and Low (530 rabbits; 5thgeneration lines, from a divergent selection for high and low intramuscular fat, respectively. Rabbits were weighted at 28 (W28 and 63 (W63 days of age. Rabbit does (42, 25, 39, 94, 14, 32 and 22 from lines A, V, R, LP, OR, High and Low, respectively were weighed between 30 and 80 wk of age to determine adult weight (AW. Line R had higher W28 and W63, growth rate between 28 and 63 d of age and AW than lines A, V and LP (5802 g vs. 4410, 4222, and 4391 g for AW, respectively. No relevant differences between lines in degrees of maturity at 28 and 63 d of age and time to reach 40% of degree of maturity (percentage of weight compared to AW were found between lines A, V, R and LP, but the degree of maturity at 2000 g and the time taken to reach that weight were lower in line R (34.7% and 55.2 d than in lines A (45.5% and 71.1 d, V (47.4% and 69.6 d, and LP (45.8% and 68.0 d. No relevant differences were found between lines OR, High and Low in the traits analysed. A robustness analysis showed that results can be extrapolated to other commercial lines and other slaughter weights. In conclusion, comparison of lines at similar slaughter age could be considered a valid approach for comparisons at the same

Prevention and treatment of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection in immunosuppressed rabbits with fenbendazole.

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Abu-Akkada, S S; Oda, S S

2016-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of oral administration of fenbendazole (20 mg/kg body weight) prior to and after experimental infection of immunosuppressed rabbits with Encephalitozoon cuniculi . A total of thirty rabbits were divided into five groups: NN (non-immunosuppressed; non-infected), IN (immunosuppressed; non-infected), IPI (immunosuppressed; protected-infected), ITI (immunosuppressed; treated-infected), and II (immunosuppressed; infected) groups. Fenbendazole was administered as a prophylactic for seven successive days before infection with E. cuniculi and as a treatment for four weeks initiated on the 28th day post-challenge (PC). Experimental rabbits were infected with intraperitoneal injection of 2 × 10 5 E. cuniculi spores. Parameters evaluated were body weight, detection of spores in urine, serum antibody assay, hematological, biochemical and histopathological changes. The IPI and ITI groups showed a significant better final bwt than the II group. Spores were detected in urine of all infected rabbits from the 28th day PC until the end of the study. The IPI group showed the least values of antibodies (IgG) compared to the ITI and II groups. Concerning histopathological changes, the intensity of the lesions was marked particularly in the II rabbits and to a lesser extent in the ITI rabbits. Noticeable improvement was found in the IPI rabbits. It could be concluded that fenbendazole was effective to some extent in protection of rabbits against E. cuniculi infection, while when administered as a therapeutic no significant effects were observed.

Beta adrenoreceptors in the rabbit bladder detrusor muscle

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Anderson, G.F.; Marks, B.H.

1984-02-01

This study examines the beta adrenergic receptors of the rabbit detrusor smooth muscle, employing (/sup 125/I)iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) as a ligand for the binding of beta adrenergic receptors. Saturation binding experiments on the isolated membrane fraction yielded a KD for ICYP of 14.7 pM and a maximum binding of 147.6 fmol/mg of protein. Displacement of labeled ICYP by a series of beta adrenergic agents yielded the following KD values for the combined high and low affinity binding sites: I-propranolol, 0.76 nM; ICI 118,551, 1.7 nM; zinterol, 38.0 nM; metoprolol, 3.5 microM; and practolol, 61.4 microM. When these displacement experimental results were compared to KD values from other reported binding studies with ICYP for beta adrenoreceptors, both the order of potency and the KD values indicated primarily beta-2 adrenergic receptor subtypes. Computer program Scatfit analysis of the displacement curves indicated a single slope and affinity constant for all five beta adrenergic agents. Hofstee plots for zinterol, ICI 118,551 and metoprolol, however, were not linear and indicated that minor populations of beta-1 adrenoreceptors were also present as both high and low affinity binding sites could be defined. It is concluded that the primary receptor population is beta-2 and that this tissue is heterogenous with a small population of beta-1 adrenoreceptors representing approximately 13 to 23% of the total beta adrenoreceptor population.

Beta adrenoreceptors in the rabbit bladder detrusor muscle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, G.F.; Marks, B.H.

1984-01-01

This study examines the beta adrenergic receptors of the rabbit detrusor smooth muscle, employing [ 125 I]iodocyanopindolol (ICYP) as a ligand for the binding of beta adrenergic receptors. Saturation binding experiments on the isolated membrane fraction yielded a KD for ICYP of 14.7 pM and a maximum binding of 147.6 fmol/mg of protein. Displacement of labeled ICYP by a series of beta adrenergic agents yielded the following KD values for the combined high and low affinity binding sites: I-propranolol, 0.76 nM; ICI 118,551, 1.7 nM; zinterol, 38.0 nM; metoprolol, 3.5 microM; and practolol, 61.4 microM. When these displacement experimental results were compared to KD values from other reported binding studies with ICYP for beta adrenoreceptors, both the order of potency and the KD values indicated primarily beta-2 adrenergic receptor subtypes. Computer program Scatfit analysis of the displacement curves indicated a single slope and affinity constant for all five beta adrenergic agents. Hofstee plots for zinterol, ICI 118,551 and metoprolol, however, were not linear and indicated that minor populations of beta-1 adrenoreceptors were also present as both high and low affinity binding sites could be defined. It is concluded that the primary receptor population is beta-2 and that this tissue is heterogenous with a small population of beta-1 adrenoreceptors representing approximately 13 to 23% of the total beta adrenoreceptor population

Effect of Garlic on Perfusion Scintigraphy of Rabbit's Lungs ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To study of the effect of garlic on rabbit's lungs, with the aid of perfusion scintigraphy, after experimentally-induced pulmonary embolism. Methods: Twelve adult rabbits were anesthetized. Prepared macroaggregated albumin- technetium 99m (99mTc-MAA) radiopharmaceutical was injected into the ear vein at a ...

Outcome of limb fracture repair in rabbits: 139 cases (2007-2015).

Science.gov (United States)

Sasai, Hiroshi; Fujita, Daisuke; Seto, Eiko; Denda, Yuki; Imai, Yutaro; Okamoto, Kanako; Okamura, Kensaku; Furuya, Masaru; Tani, Hiroyuki; Sasai, Kazumi

2018-02-15

OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcome of limb fracture repair in rabbits. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 139 client-owned rabbits with limb fractures treated between 2007 and 2015. PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed for information on fracture location, fracture treatment, and time to fracture healing. RESULTS 25 rabbits had fractures involving the distal aspects of the limbs (ie, metacarpal or metatarsal bones, phalanges, and calcaneus or talus). Fractures were treated in 23 of these 25 rabbits (external coaptation, n = 17; external skeletal fixation, 4; and intramedullary pinning, 2) and healed in all 23, with a median healing time of 28 days (range, 20 to 45 days). One hundred ten rabbits had long bone fractures, and fractures were treated in 100 of the 110 (external skeletal fixation, n = 89; bone plating, 1; intramedullary pinning, 3; and external coaptation, 7). The percentage of fractures that healed was significantly lower for open (14/18) than for closed (26/26) tibial fractures and was significantly lower for femoral (19/26) and treated humeral (4/6) fractures than for radial (23/24) or closed tibial (26/26) fractures. Micro-CT was used to assess fracture realignment during external skeletal fixator application and to evaluate fracture healing. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The prognosis for rabbits with limb fractures was good, with fractures healing in most rabbits following fracture repair (109/123). Micro-CT was useful in assessing fracture realignment and evaluating fracture healing.

Rabbit models for the study of human atherosclerosis: from pathophysiological mechanisms to translational medicine.

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Fan, Jianglin; Kitajima, Shuji; Watanabe, Teruo; Xu, Jie; Zhang, Jifeng; Liu, Enqi; Chen, Y Eugene

2015-02-01

Laboratory animal models play an important role in the study of human diseases. Using appropriate animals is critical not only for basic research but also for the development of therapeutics and diagnostic tools. Rabbits are widely used for the study of human atherosclerosis. Because rabbits have a unique feature of lipoprotein metabolism (like humans but unlike rodents) and are sensitive to a cholesterol diet, rabbit models have not only provided many insights into the pathogenesis and development of human atherosclerosis but also made a great contribution to translational research. In fact, rabbit was the first animal model used for studying human atherosclerosis, more than a century ago. Currently, three types of rabbit model are commonly used for the study of human atherosclerosis and lipid metabolism: (1) cholesterol-fed rabbits, (2) Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits, analogous to human familial hypercholesterolemia due to genetic deficiency of LDL receptors, and (3) genetically modified (transgenic and knock-out) rabbits. Despite their importance, compared with the mouse, the most widely used laboratory animal model nowadays, the use of rabbit models is still limited. In this review, we focus on the features of rabbit lipoprotein metabolism and pathology of atherosclerotic lesions that make it the optimal model for human atherosclerotic disease, especially for the translational medicine. For the sake of clarity, the review is not an attempt to be completely inclusive, but instead attempts to summarize substantial information concisely and provide a guideline for experiments using rabbits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intravitreal flomoxef sodium in rabbits.

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Mochizuki, K; Torisaki, M; Yamashita, Y; Komatsu, M; Tanahashi, T

1993-01-01

We studied the intraocular concentration of flomoxef sodium in nonvitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes of albino rabbits after intravenous administration of 100 mg/kg flomoxef sodium. The concentration of flomoxef sodium in the vitreous body was undetectable (flomoxef sodium was investigated with ophthalmoscopy, electroretinography (ERG) and light microscopy after intravitreal injection of 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 micrograms flomoxef sodium in albino and pigmented rabbits. No ERG changes were induced with 200 micrograms. Other higher doses caused transient ERG changes. After the 200-micrograms injection, the intravitreal concentration decreased exponentially, the half-life being 4.4 h. The antibacterial activity, broad coverage and low intravitreal toxicity of flomoxef sodium suggest that this compound may be used to treat bacterial endophthalmitis.

Biocompatible Polyhydroxyethylaspartamide-based Micelles with Gadolinium for MRI Contrast Agents

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Kim Hyo Jeong

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Biocompatible poly-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl-d,l-aspartamide]-methoxypoly(ethyleneglycol-hexadecylamine (PHEA-mPEG-C16 conjugated with 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecan-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid-gadolinium (DOTA-Gd via ethylenediamine (ED was synthesized as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI contrast agent. Amphiphilic PHEA-mPEG-C16-ED-DOTA-Gd forms micelle in aqueous solution. All the synthesized materials were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR. Micelle size and shape were examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS and atomic force microscopy (AFM. Micelles with PHEA-mPEG-C16-ED-DOTA-Gd showed higher relaxivities than the commercially available gadolinium contrast agent. Moreover, the signal intensity of a rabbit liver was effectively increased after intravenous injection of PHEA-mPEG-C16-ED-DOTA-Gd.

Species differences in methanol and formic acid pharmacokinetics in mice, rabbits and primates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sweeting, J. Nicole; Siu, Michelle; McCallum, Gordon P.; Miller, Lutfiya; Wells, Peter G.

2010-01-01

Methanol (MeOH) is metabolized primarily by alcohol dehydrogenase in humans, but by catalase in rodents, with species variations in the pharmacokinetics of its formic acid (FA) metabolite. The teratogenic potential of MeOH in humans is unknown, and its teratogenicity in rodents may not accurately reflect human developmental risk due to differential species metabolism, as for some other teratogens. To determine if human MeOH metabolism might be better reflected in rabbits than rodents, the plasma pharmacokinetics of MeOH and FA were compared in male CD-1 mice, New Zealand white rabbits and cynomolgus monkeys over time (24, 48 and 6 h, respectively) following a single intraperitoneal injection of 0.5 or 2 g/kg MeOH or its saline vehicle. Following the high dose, MeOH exhibited saturated elimination kinetics in all 3 species, with similar peak concentrations and a 2.5-fold higher clearance in mice than rabbits. FA accumulation within 6 h in primates was 5-fold and 43-fold higher than in rabbits and mice respectively, with accumulation being 10-fold higher in rabbits than mice. Over 48 h, FA accumulation was nearly 5-fold higher in rabbits than mice. Low-dose MeOH in mice and rabbits resulted in similarly saturated MeOH elimination in both species, but with approximately 2-fold higher clearance rates in mice. FA accumulation was 3.8-fold higher in rabbits than mice. Rabbits more closely than mice reflected primates for in vivo MeOH metabolism, and particularly FA accumulation, suggesting that developmental studies in rabbits may be useful for assessing potential human teratological risk.

Context-dependent responses to neighbours and strangers in wild European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

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Monclús, Raquel; Saavedra, Irene; de Miguel, Javier

2014-07-01

Territorial animals defend their territories against intruders. The level of aggression directed to intruders depends on the familiarity and/or the relative threat they pose, and it could be modified by the context of the interaction. We explored in a wild social mammal, the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), whether residents responded more aggressively to strangers or to neighbours (dear enemy or nasty neighbour effects, respectively). We simulated the intrusion of neighbours or strangers in different parts of the territory of wild European rabbits in a suburban area in central Spain. For that, we placed faecal pellets of neighbouring or stranger rabbits in the territory of 5 rabbit colonies. Resident rabbits counter-marked preferably the odour stations with stranger odour, compared to the ones with neighbour odour, and they did not make a difference between neighbour and a non-odour control stimuli. The results suggest that rabbits show a dear enemy effect. However, repeated intrusions escalated the responses of rabbits towards neighbours. The location within the territory or the sex of the stranger did not affect the level of response. We conclude that in rabbits the relative threat posed by the intruder triggers the intensity of the interaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative toxicokinetics of MMB4 DMS in rats, rabbits, dogs, and monkeys following single and repeated intramuscular administration.

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Hong, S Peter; Gibbs, Seth T; Kobs, Dean J; Hawk, Michael A; Croutch, Claire R; Osheroff, Merrill R; Johnson, Jerry D; Burback, Brian L

2013-01-01

1,1'-Methylenebis[4-[(hydroxyimino)methyl]-pyridinium] (MMB4) dimethanesulfonate (DMS) is a bisquaternary pyridinium aldoxime that reactivates acetylcholinesterase inhibited by organophosphorus nerve agent. Time courses of MMB4 concentrations in plasma were characterized following 7-day repeated intramuscular (IM) administrations of MMB4 DMS to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, New Zealand White rabbits, beagle dogs (single dose only), and rhesus monkeys at drug dose levels used in earlier toxicology studies. In general, there were no significant differences in MMB4 toxicokinetic (TK) parameters between males and females for all the species tested in these studies. After a single IM administration to rats, rabbits, dogs, and monkeys, MMB4 DMS was rapidly absorbed, resulting in average T max values ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. Although C max values did not increase dose proportionally, the overall exposure to MMB4 in these preclinical species, as indicated by area under the curve (AUC) extrapolated to the infinity (AUC∞) values, increased in an approximately dose-proportional manner. The MMB4 DMS was extensively absorbed into the systemic circulation after IM administration as demonstrated by greater than 80% absolute bioavailability values for rats, rabbits, and dogs. Repeated administrations of MMB4 DMS for 7 days did not overtly alter TK parameters for MMB4 in rats, rabbits, and monkeys (150 and 300 mg/kg/d dose groups only). However, C max and AUC values decreased in monkeys given 450 and 600 mg/kg IM doses of MMB4 DMS following repeated administrations for 7 days. Based on the TK results obtained from the current study and published investigations, it was found that the apparent volume of distribution and clearance values were similar among various preclinical species, except for the rat.

Cloning and functional characterization of the rabbit C-C chemokine receptor 2

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Hamdouchi Chafiq

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background CC-family chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2 is implicated in the trafficking of blood-borne monocytes to sites of inflammation and is implicated in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and atherosclerosis. The major challenge in the development of small molecule chemokine receptor antagonists is the lack of cross-species activity to the receptor in the preclinical species. Rabbit models have been widely used to study the role of various inflammatory molecules in the development of inflammatory processes. Therefore, in this study, we report the cloning and characterization of rabbit CCR2. Data regarding the activity of the CCR2 antagonist will provide valuable tools to perform toxicology and efficacy studies in the rabbit model. Results Sequence alignment indicated that rabbit CCR2 shares 80 % identity to human CCR2b. Tissue distribution indicated that rabbit CCR2 is abundantly expressed in spleen and lung. Recombinant rabbit CCR2 expressed as stable transfectants in U-937 cells binds radiolabeled 125I-mouse JE (murine MCP-1 with a calculated Kd of 0.1 nM. In competition binding assays, binding of radiolabeled mouse JE to rabbit CCR2 is differentially competed by human MCP-1, -2, -3 and -4, but not by RANTES, MIP-1α or MIP-1β. U-937/rabbit CCR2 stable transfectants undergo chemotaxis in response to both human MCP-1 and mouse JE with potencies comparable to those reported for human CCR2b. Finally, TAK-779, a dual CCR2/CCR5 antagonist effectively inhibits the binding of 125I-mouse JE (IC50 = 2.3 nM to rabbit CCR2 and effectively blocks CCR2-mediated chemotaxis. Conclusion In this study, we report the cloning of rabbit CCR2 and demonstrate that this receptor is a functional chemotactic receptor for MCP-1.

SEMEN QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBIT BUCKS

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Martyna Błaszczyk

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Rabbits have been extensively used as a model for large animals and humans. All the reproduction techniques employed with farm animals can be performed with the low-cost rabbit model, and certain placental membrane characteristics make them especially relevant for studies of human teratology. The purpose of this study was to assess semen quality of New Zealand White rabbits. The material represents semen samples collected from adult rabbits (n=30. The semen was obtained by means of artificial vagina. All samples were analyzed using CASA Sperm VisionTM system. To assessed spermatozoa morphology (the length and the width of head and tail; presence of abnormal spermatozoa we used QuickPhoto Micro system. Received data were statistically analyzed. Our research showed decrease of semen parameters value after one hour storage in 37°C. Correlation analysis showed negative correlation between presence of spermatozoa with separated flagellum and CASA parameters value e.g. motility, progressive motility, DAP, DCL, DSL, VAP, VCL, VSL, ALH and BCF. From among 3000 analyzed spermatozoa 14.2% posed abnormal forms. We observed negative influence of semen storage on its quality. Also negative correlations between all types of tail defect and motility of spermatozoa were detectedRabbits have been extensively used as a model for large animals and humans. All the reproduction techniques employed with farm animals can be performed with the low-cost rabbit model, and certain placental membrane characteristics make them especially relevant for studies of human teratology. The purpose of this study was to assess semen quality of New Zealand White rabbits. The material represents semen samples collected from adult rabbits (n=30. The semen was obtained by means of artificial vagina. All samples were analyzed using CASA Sperm VisionTM system. To assessed spermatozoa morphology (the length and the width of head and tail; presence of abnormal spermatozoa we used Quick

RESEARCHES ON THE PHENOTYPIC CORRELATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT MEASUREMENTS ON THE CARCASS OF RABBITS

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DANIELA MARCELA TOBĂ (GOINA

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this experiment was to get more experimental data on newmethodologies for rabbit meat production evaluation. The trial was carried out on30 rabbits. The rabbits were weaned at 35 days, having an average live weight of499.11+25.98 g. Rabbits were all slaughtered on the same day, that was on the 84th day of living (at this time the average live weight was 1701.7+34.07, andsome linear measurements (body length, loin width, chest width, carcass lengthchest dept and hind leg length were performed on cold carcasses. The rabbitshave been kept in wire fattening cages: 6 rabbits / cage.

Mechanism of kolaviron-induced relaxation of rabbit aortic smooth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

(KV) and the exert mechanisms of action on VSM of rabbit aorta have not been reported. The present study examines the vascular effect of kolaviron on VSM of rabbit aorta and the possible mechanism of its vasorelaxant effect. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Extraction of Kolaviron (KV). Garcinia Kola seeds were obtained ...

Rabbit management and occurrences of mange mite infestations in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Morogoro Municipality between September and December 2015 to explore the rabbit farming and assess the common health problems with a focus on epidemiology of mange infestation. A total of 18 rabbit farms with 622 animals from 9 wards were investigated. A questionnaire ...

X-Ray structure and biophysical properties of rabbit fibroblast growth factor 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jihun; Blaber, Sachiko I.; Irsigler, Andre; Aspinwall, Eric; Blaber, Michael; (FSU)

2010-01-14

The rabbit is an important and de facto animal model in the study of ischemic disease and angiogenic therapy. Additionally, fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF-1) is emerging as one of the most important growth factors for novel pro-angiogenic and pro-arteriogenic therapy. However, despite its significance, the fundamental biophysical properties of rabbit FGF-1, including its X-ray structure, have never been reported. Here, the cloning, crystallization, X-ray structure and determination of the biophysical properties of rabbit FGF-1 are described. The X-ray structure shows that the amino-acid differences between human and rabbit FGF-1 are solvent-exposed and therefore potentially immunogenic, while the biophysical studies identify differences in thermostability and receptor-binding affinity that distinguish rabbit FGF-1 from human FGF-1.

Assessing Anticalcification Treatments in Bioprosthetic Tissue by Using the New Zealand Rabbit Intramuscular Model

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Wright, Gregory A; Faught, Joelle M; Olin, Jane M

2009-01-01

The objective of this work was to demonstrate that the New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit intramuscular model can be used for detecting calcification in bioprosthetic tissue and to compare the calcification in the rabbit to that of native human valves. The rabbit model was compared with the commonly used Sprague–Dawley rat subcutaneous model. Eighteen rabbits and 18 rats were used to assess calcification in bioprosthetic tissue over time (7, 14, 30, and 90 d). The explanted rabbit and rat tissue discs were measured for calcium by using atomic absorption and Raman spectroscopy. Calcium deposits on the human valve explants were assessed by using Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the NZW rabbit model is robust for detecting calcification in a shorter duration (14 d), with less infection complications, more space to implant tissue groups (thereby reducing animal use numbers), and a more metabolically and mechanically dynamic environment than the rat subcutaneous model . The human explanted valves and rabbit explanted tissue both showed Raman peaks at 960 cm−1 which is representative of hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is the final calcium and phosphate species in the calcification of bioprosthetic heart valves and rabbit intramuscular implants. The NZW rabbit intramuscular model is an effective model for assessing calcification in bioprosthetic tissue. PMID:19619417

Epidemiology of viral haemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis in a free-living population of wild rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvete, C; Estrada, R; Villafuerte, R; Osácar, J J; Lucientes, J

2002-06-22

From January 1993 to June 1996, the epidemiology of myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) was studied in a free-living population of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Spain by means of serological surveys and radiotracking. Myxomatosis was endemic and associated with the breeding period. Its serological pattern was characterised by a 100 per cent prevalence of antibodies in adult rabbits and a rapid increase in antibodies in young rabbits in their first year. No mortality from myxomatosis was detected in adults, and mortality in young rabbits could not be estimated because of interference by predators and scavengers and the deaths of many radiotagged rabbits inside their burrows. VHD was also an endemic disease associated with the breeding period. Adults had a higher prevalence of antibodies against VHD than young rabbits, reaching values of 80 to 90 per cent. During the study, there was an increase in rabbit numbers as a result of a decrease in mortality from predation which was associated with an increase in mortality due to VHD and in the prevalence of antibodies to VHD. Mortality from VHD was lower in rabbits with VHD antibodies than in seronegative rabbits, but some mortality from the disease was also detected in seropositive rabbits. The annual mean mortality rate due to VHD in adult rabbits was estimated to be 21.8 per cent.

Performance characteristics of growing rabbits fed diet based on a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

conventional ingredient. ... Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa ... groups of 8 rabbits each and the groups were assigned randomly to the three diets with each rabbit serving as a replicate in a Complete Randomized Design experiment.

Establishment and characterization of CAG/EGFP transgenic rabbit line.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Ri-ichi; Kuramochi, Takashi; Aoyagi, Kazuki; Hashimoto, Shu; Miyoshi, Ichiro; Kasai, Noriyuki; Hakamata, Yoji; Kobayashi, Eiji; Ueda, Masatsugu

2007-02-01

Cell marking is a very important procedure for identifying donor cells after cell and/or organ transplantation in vivo. Transgenic animals expressing marker proteins such as enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in their tissues are a powerful tool for research in fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The purpose of this study was to establish transgenic rabbit lines that ubiquitously express EGFP under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate early enhancer/beta-actin promoter (CAG) to provide a fluorescent transgenic animal as a bioresource. We microinjected the EGFP expression vector into 945 rabbit eggs and 4 independent transgenic candidate pups were obtained. Two of them died before sexual maturation and one was infertile. One transgenic male candidate founder rabbit was obtained and could be bred by artificial insemination. The rabbit transmitted the transgene in a Mendelian manner. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, we detected the transgene at 7q11 on chromosome 7 as a large centromeric region in two F1 offspring (one female and one male). Eventually, one transgenic line was established. Ubiquitous EGFP fluorescence was confirmed in all examined organs. There were no gender-related differences in fluorescence. The established CAG/EGFP transgenic rabbit will be an important bioresource and a useful tool for various studies in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Vaccine breaks: Outbreaks of myxomatosis on Spanish commercial rabbit farms.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalton, K P; Nicieza, I; de Llano, D; Gullón, J; Inza, M; Petralanda, M; Arroita, Z; Parra, F

2015-08-05

Despite the success of vaccination against myxoma virus, myxomatosis remains a problem on rabbit farms throughout Spain and Europe. In this study we set out to evaluate possible causes of myxoma virus (MYXV) vaccine failures addressing key issues with regard to pathogen, vaccine and vaccination strategies. This was done by genetically characterising MYXV field isolates from farm outbreaks, selecting a representative strain for which to assay its virulence and measuring the protective capability of a commercial vaccine against this strain. Finally, we compare methods (route) of vaccine administration under farm conditions and evaluate immune response in vaccinated rabbits. The data presented here show that the vaccine tested is capable of eliciting protection in rabbits that show high levels of seroconversion. However, the number of animals failing to seroconvert following subcutaneous vaccination may leave a large number of rabbits unprotected following vaccine administration. Successful vaccination requires the strict implication of workable, planned, on farm programs. Following this, analysis to confirm seroconversion rates may be advisable. Factors such as the wild rabbit reservoir, control of biting insects and good hygienic practices must be taken into consideration to prevent vaccine failures from occurring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of adult weight and CT-based selection on rabbit meat quality

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Zsolt Szendrő

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This study compared the meat quality of different genotypes. Maternal (M; adult weight/AW/=4.0-4.5kg; selected for the number of kits born alive, Pannon White (P; AW=4.3-4.8kg and Large type (L; AW=4.8-5.4kg rabbits were analysed. P and L genotypes were selected for carcass traits based on CT/Computer tomography/data. Rabbits were slaughtered at 11wk of age and hindleg (HL meat and M. Longissimus dorsi (LD were analysed for proximate composition and fatty acid (FA profile. Proximate composition was unaffected by the selection programme, even though the meat of P rabbits was leaner and had higher ash content (P<0.10. The LD meat of P rabbits exhibited significantly lower MUFA contents compared to M and L rabbits (25.4 vs 28.0 vs 27.7%; P<0.01 and higher PUFA content compared to M rabbits (31.9 vs 24.9%; P<0.05. This study revealed that long-term CT-based selection is effective in increasing meat leanness and PUFA content.

Derivation of Rabbit Embryonic Stem Cells from Vitrified–Thawed Embryos

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chien-Hong; Li, Yi; Hu, Yeshu; An, Li-You; Yang, Lan; Zhang, Jifeng; Chen, Y. Eugene

2015-01-01

Abstract The rabbit is a useful animal model for regenerative medicine. We previously developed pluripotent rabbit embryonic stem cell (rbESC) lines using fresh embryos. We also successfully cryopreserved rabbit embryos by vitrification. In the present work, we combined these two technologies to derive rbESCs using vitrified–thawed (V/T) embryos. We demonstrate that V/T blastocysts (BLs) can be used to derive pluripotent rbESCs with efficiencies comparable to those using fresh BLs. These ESCs are undistinguishable from the ones derived from fresh embryos. We tested the developmental capacity of rbESCs derived from V/T embryos by BL injection experiments and produced chimeric kits. Our work adds cryopreservation to the toolbox of rabbit stem cell research and applications and will greatly expand the available research materials for regenerative medicine in a clinically relevant animal model. PMID:26579970

SCM-198 attenuates early atherosclerotic lesions in hypercholesterolemic rabbits via modulation of the inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanfei; Guo, Wei; Wen, Yadan; Xiong, Qinghui; Liu, Hongrui; Wu, Jian; Zou, Yunzeng; Zhu, Yizhun

2012-09-01

GPx in the aorta. In a rabbit atherosclerotic model, SCM-198 dose-dependently ameliorated the progression of atherosclerotic lesions and vascular dysfunction accompanied by the suppression of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress. These findings suggested that SCM-198 might be a potential agent for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ocular pharmacokinetics and tolerability of bimatoprost ophthalmic solutions administered once or twice daily in rabbits, and clinical dosing implications

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Goodkin, Margot L; Tong, Warren; Attar, Mayssa

2017-01-01

Purpose Fixed-combination medications can benefit patients requiring multiple agents to lower their intraocular pressure (IOP), but combining agents with complementary mechanisms of action is challenging if their dosing frequency differs. This study compares in vivo pharmacokinetic and ocular tolerability of bimatoprost 0.01% ophthalmic solutions dosed once or twice daily. Reports of twice-daily dosing in glaucoma patients are also reviewed. Methods New Zealand White rabbits were administered bimatoprost 0.01% monotherapy or fixed-combination bimatoprost 0.01%/brimonidine 0.1%, once or twice daily in both eyes for 4 days. Ocular tissues were harvested and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetic parameters calculated included maximum observed concentration, time to maximum concentration, and area under the concentration-time curve. Results Due to extensive metabolism, bimatoprost concentration was below the quantitation limit by 1 hour post-dose in all samples. Bimatoprost acid exposure, however, could be measured up to 6–8 hours post-dose and was similar in the aqueous humor and iris-ciliary body (pharmacological site of action) of animals treated once or twice daily with either bimatoprost 0.01% or fixed-combination bimatoprost 0.01%/brimonidine 0.1%. Increasing dosage frequency in rabbits did not raise the incidence of drug-related conjunctival hyperemia (most common adverse event associated with bimatoprost use in humans), suggesting comparable ocular tolerability of the once- and twice-daily regimens for each formulation. Conclusion Bimatoprost 0.01% administered once or twice daily as monotherapy and in fixed-combination with brimonidine 0.1% in rabbits show similar pharmacokinetic profiles of bimatoprost acid, especially in the iris-ciliary body. Key findings from previous clinical studies suggest that by varying the concentration of benzalkonium chloride (a preservative with corneal penetration-enhancing properties

Arrival of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 to northern Europe: Emergence and outbreaks in wild and domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Neimanis, A S; Ahola, H; Zohari, S; Larsson Pettersson, U; Bröjer, C; Capucci, L; Gavier-Widén, D

2018-02-01

Incursion of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) into Sweden was documented in 1990 and it is now considered endemic in wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) populations. Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2), a new, related lagovirus was first detected in France in 2010, and has spread rapidly throughout Europe and beyond. However, knowledge of RHDV2 in northern Europe is sporadic and incomplete, and in Sweden, routinely available diagnostic methods to detect rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) do not distinguish between types of virus causing disease. Using RHDV2-specific RT-qPCR, sequencing of the VP60 gene and immunological virus typing of archived and prospective case material from the National Veterinary Institute's (SVA) wildlife disease surveillance programme and diagnostic pathology service, we describe the emergence of RHDV2 in Sweden in both wild and domestic rabbits. The earliest documented outbreak occurred on 22 May 2013, and from May 2013 to May 2016, 10 separate incidents of RHDV2 were documented from six different municipalities in the southern half of Sweden. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP60 gene shows clear clustering of Swedish isolates into three separate clusters within two different clades according to geographic location and time, suggesting viral evolution, multiple introduction events or both. Almost all cases of RHD examined by SVA from May 2013 to May 2016 were caused by RHDV2, suggesting that RHDV2 may be replacing RHDV as the predominant cause of RHD in Sweden. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Quantitative Assessment of Synovial Vascularity Using Contrast-Enhanced Power Doppler Ultrasonography: Correlation with Histologic Findings and MR Imaging Findings in Arthritic Rabbit Knee Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Sang Hoon; Shin, Myung Jin; Kim, Seong Moon; Kim, Namkug; Suh, Sang Hyun; Suh, Jin Suck

2008-01-01

To validate contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonography (PD US) for the evaluation of synovial vascularity in an arthritic rabbit knee model in correlation with MR and histological findings. Power Doppler ultrasonography was performed for carrageenin-induced arthritic left knee and control right knee of 13 rabbits, first without and then with sonic contrast agent enhancement (Levovist, Schering, Berlin Germany), followed by gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging. Synovial vascularity was quantitatively assessed by calculating the color pixel area in power Doppler sonography using a computer-aided image analysis program and by grading the enhancement on MR images: grade 1, enhancement of knee joint is less than one-third of the area; grade 2, one-third to two-thirds enhancement; and grade 3, more than two-thirds enhancement. Microvessel density (MVD) was measured on slides stained immunohistochemically for CD31 antigen for histological assessment. The mean area of color pixels in PD US changed from 4.37 to 16.42 mm 2 in the arthritic knee after enhancement (p 2 in the control knee (p 0.05). Sonic contrast-enhanced PD US improves the visualization of synovial vascularity and allows quantitative measurement in experimentally induced rabbit arthritic knees

Surface Ig on rabbit lymphocytes. Rabbit B and T cells are distinct populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bast, B J; Catty, D; Manten-Slingerland, R; Jansen, J T; Veldhuis, Dick H.; Roholl, P; Ballieux, R E

1979-01-01

Rabbit peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were analyzed by immunofluorescence using anti-T cell conjugates and anti-Fab, anti-a1 allotype, anti-IgM and anti-IgA conjugates. In addition, T cells were demonstrated by rosetting with papain-treated homologous erythrocytes. Control experiments, using

[Influence of high-voltage electric burn on the microcirculation of heart in rabbit].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qing-fu; Zhou, Hui-min; Wang, Che-jiang; Shao, Hong-bo

2012-06-01

To study the influence of high-voltage electric burn on the microcirculation of heart in rabbit. One-hundred and twenty New Zealand rabbits of clean grade were divided into control group (C) and electric burn group (EB) according to the random number table, with 60 rabbits in each group. Rabbits in EB group were subjected to high-voltage electric burn (the electrical current flow into the left foreleg at the lateral side of proximal end and out from the corresponding site of the right hind leg) with voltage regulator and experimental transformer. Rabbits in C group were sham injured with the same devices without electrification. At 15 minutes before injury, and 5 minutes, 1, 2, 4, 8 hour (s) post injury (PIM or PIH), ten rabbits in each group were chosen to examine the cardiac apex microcirculation hemoperfusion (CAMH) with laser Doppler hemoperfusion image instrument. The morphologic changes of microvessels of left ventricular wall tissues of 2 rabbits from each of the 10 rabbits collected at above-mentioned time points were observed with light microscope and transmission electron microscope. Auricular vein blood of rabbit was harvested at above-mentioned time points for the determination of aspartate amino transferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (HBDH), creatine kinase (CK), and creatine kinase isozyme MB (CK-MB) by full-automatic biochemical analyzer. Data were processed with two-factor analysis of variance and LSD test. (1) The differences between C group and EB group in detection results were statistically significant, with F values from 425.991 to 3046.834, P values all below 0.01. Only the data within EB group were comparable. (2) At PIM 5, the CAMH value of rabbits in EB group was (1.96 ± 0.09) V, which was lower than that at 15 minutes before injury [(4.34 ± 0.35) V, P electric burn can bring damage to the microvessels of heart in rabbits and change blood flow of microcirculation, which should be given adequate

Milkweed control by food imprinted rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducs, Anita; Kazi, Andrea; Bilkó, Ágnes; Altbäcker, Vilmos

2016-09-01

Many species of invasive plants are spreading out rapidly in Europe. The common milkweed occupies increasingly more area. Being poisonous, most animals will not graze on it however rabbits would be an effective organism for the biological control of milkweed. Rabbit kittens can learn the maternal diet in various ways. They prefer aromatic foods which their mother had eaten during pregnancy or lactation period, -even if it is poisonous- but they can also learn the maternal diet from the fecal pellets deposited by the mother into the nest during the nursing events. The present study was aimed to investigate if rabbit kittens can learn that the common milkweed is a potential food also. In the first 10days of their lives kits got fecal pellets originating from individuals having fed on common milkweed previously. When weaned on day 28 postpartum, these pups preferred the milkweed in the 3-way food choice test, opposite to the control group. Most surprisingly in a second experiment it was also shown that the common milkweed was also preferred by the kittens if their mother ate it not during, but one month before pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vivo behavior of detergent-solubilized purified rabbit thrombomodulin on intravenous injection into rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehrlich, H.J.; Esmon, N.L.; Bang, N.U.

1990-01-01

Thrombomodulin is a thrombin endothelial cell membrane receptor. The thrombomodulin-thrombin complex rapidly activates protein C resulting in anticoagulant activity. We investigated the anticoagulant effects and pharmacokinetic behavior of detergent-solubilized purified rabbit thrombomodulin labeled with iodine 125 when intravenously injected into rabbits. Thrombomodulin half-life (t1/2) was determined by tracking the 125I-radiolabeled protein and the biologic activity as determined by the prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and thrombin clotting time (TCT). When 200 micrograms/kg 125I-thrombomodulin was injected into rabbits, the APTT and TCT were immediately prolonged, whereas no effect on the prothrombin time was seen. In vitro calibration curves enabled us to convert the prolongations of the clotting times into micrograms per milliliter thrombomodulin equivalents. The best fit (r greater than 0.99) for the disappearance curves was provided by a two-compartment model with mean t1/2 alpha (distribution phase) of 18 minutes for 125I, 12 minutes for APTT, and 20 minutes for TCT, and mean t1/2 beta (elimination phase) of 385 minutes for 125I, 460 for APTT, and 179 for TCT. The administration of two doses of endotoxin (50 micrograms/kg) 24 hours apart did not accelerate the turnover rate of 125I-thrombomodulin as measured by the disappearance of 125I from the circulation. Thus, detergent-solubilized purified thrombomodulin administered intravenously circulates in a biologically active form for appreciable time periods

Determination of Tropical Forage Preferences Using Two Offering Methods in Rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. Safwat

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Two methods of feed preference trials were compared to evaluate the acceptability of 5 fresh foliages: Leucaena leucocephala, Moringa oleifera, Portulaca oleracea, Guazuma ulmifolia, and Brosimum alicastrum that was included as control. The evaluation included chemical analyses and forage intake by rabbits. The first method was a cafeteria trial; 12 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated in individual cages, were offered the five forage plants at the same time inside the cage, while in the second trial 60 California growing rabbits aged 8 wk, allocated individually, were randomly distributed into 5 experimental groups (n = 12/group; for each group just one forage species was offered at a time. The testing period for each method lasted for 7 d, preceded by one week of adaptation. The results showed that B. alicastrum and L. lecocephala were the most preferred forages while on the contrary G. ulmifolia was the least preferred one by rabbits. The results also revealed that the CV% value for the 2nd method (16.32%, which the tested forages were presented separately to rabbits, was lower and methodologically more acceptable than such value for the 1st method (34.28%, which all forages were presented together at the same time. It can be concluded that a range of tropical forages were consumed in acceptable quantities by rabbits, suggesting that diets based on such forages with a concentrate supplement could be used successfully for rabbit production. However, growth performance studies are still needed before recommendations could be made on appropriate ration formulations for commercial use.

Laparoscopic ovariectomy in rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Al-Badrany

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A comparative evaluation of three different techniques of laparoscopic ovariectomy was carried out in 33 healthy female in rabbits, which included resection and removal of ovary after clip application, electrocautery of the ovary, then resection, and pulling ovary outside abdomen, ligation by silk, then ovary was removed. The ovaries and associated structures were better visualized by laparoscopy and all three techniques were carried out perfectly. All rabbits after operation were healthy and they were monitored for one month after operation. However, 3 of them died after operation, two of them died due to bleeding and the other of them died due to unknown causes. General anesthesia by using ketamine-xylazine i.m., was suitable for this technique, and the anesthesia provided good analgesia and good muscle relaxation. CO2 was used to establish pneumoperitoneum. In conclusion, resection and removal of the ovaries after clip application technique was found superior to the other two techniques.

Pharmacological activation of Kv11.1 in transgenic long QT-1 rabbits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bentzen, Bo Hjorth; Bahrke, Sophia; Wu, Kezhong

2011-01-01

Transgenic rabbits expressing pore mutants of K(V)7.1 display a long QT syndrome 1 (LQT1) phenotype. Recently, NS1643 has been described to increase I(Kr).We hypothesized that NS1643 would shorten the action potential duration (APD(90)) in LQT1 rabbits. Transgenic LQT1 rabbits were compared...... with littermate control (LMC) rabbits. In vivo electrocardiogram studies in sedated animals were performed at baseline and during 45 minutes of intravenous infusion of NS1643 or vehicle in a crossover design. Ex vivo monophasic action potentials were recorded from Langendorff-perfused hearts at baseline...

The development of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in wild rabbits in Britain.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, J; Sanders, M F

1984-06-01

The presence of genetic resistance to myxomatosis in a sample of wild rabbits from one area in England was reported in 1977. Rabbits from three other areas in Great Britain have been tested subsequently, and all cases showed similar resistance to a moderately virulent strain of myxoma virus. Rabbits from one area also showed a significant degree of resistance to a fully virulent strain of virus. It is concluded that genetic resistance to myxomatosis is widespread in wild rabbit populations in Britain. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to the co-evolution of the disease and its host.

Diagnosis of renal disease in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Harcourt-Brown, Frances Margaret

2013-01-01

There are differences in renal anatomy and physiology between rabbits and other domestic species. Neurogenic renal ischemia occurs readily. Reversible prerenal azotemia may be seen in conjunction with gut stasis. Potentially fatal acute renal failure may be due to structural kidney damage or post-renal disease. Chronic renal failure is often associated with encephalitozoonosis. Affected rabbits cannot vomit and often eat well. Weight loss, lethargy, and cachexia are common clinical signs. Polydypsia/polyuria may be present. Derangements in calcium and phosphorus metabolism are features of renal disease. Radiography is always indicated. Urolithiasis, osteosclerosis, aortic and renal calcification are easily seen on radiographs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Silibinin, dexamethasone, and doxycycline as potential therapeutic agents for treating vesicant-inflicted ocular injuries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tewari-Singh, Neera; Jain, Anil K.; Inturi, Swetha; Ammar, David A.; Agarwal, Chapla; Tyagi, Puneet; Kompella, Uday B.; Enzenauer, Robert W.; Petrash, J. Mark; Agarwal, Rajesh

2012-01-01

There are no effective and approved therapies against devastating ocular injuries caused by vesicating chemical agents sulfur mustard (SM) and nitrogen mustard (NM). Herein, studies were carried out in rabbit corneal cultures to establish relevant ocular injury biomarkers with NM for screening potential efficacious agents in laboratory settings. NM (100 nmol) exposure of the corneas for 2 h (cultured for 24 h), showed increases in epithelial thickness, ulceration, apoptotic cell death, epithelial detachment microbullae formation, and the levels of VEGF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Employing these biomarkers, efficacy studies were performed with agent treatments 2 h and every 4 h thereafter, for 24 h following NM exposure. Three agents were evaluated, including prescription drugs dexamethasone (0.1%; anti-inflammatory steroid) and doxycycline (100 nmol; antibiotic and MMP inhibitor) that have been studied earlier for treating vesicant-induced eye injuries. We also examined silibinin (100 μg), a non-toxic natural flavanone found to be effective in treating SM analog-induced skin injuries in our earlier studies. Treatments of doxycycline + dexamethasone, and silibinin were more effective than doxycycline or dexamethasone alone in reversing NM-induced epithelial thickening, microbullae formation, apoptotic cell death, and MMP-9 elevation. However, dexamethasone and silibinin alone were more effective in reversing NM-induced VEGF levels. Doxycycline, dexamethasone and silibinin were all effective in reversing NM-induced COX-2 levels. Apart from therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline and dexamethasone, these results show strong multifunctional efficacy of silibinin in reversing NM-induced ocular injuries, which could help develop effective and safe therapeutics against ocular injuries by vesicants. -- Highlights: ► Established injury biomarkers in rabbit corneal culture with nitrogen mustard (NM) ► This NM model is a cost effective

Silibinin, dexamethasone, and doxycycline as potential therapeutic agents for treating vesicant-inflicted ocular injuries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tewari-Singh, Neera, E-mail: Neera.Tewari-Singh@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Jain, Anil K., E-mail: Anil.Jain@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Inturi, Swetha, E-mail: Swetha.Inturi@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Ammar, David A., E-mail: David.Ammar@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Agarwal, Chapla, E-mail: Chapla.Agarwal@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Tyagi, Puneet, E-mail: Puneet.Tyagi@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Kompella, Uday B., E-mail: Uday.Kompella@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Enzenauer, Robert W., E-mail: Robert.Enzenauer@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Petrash, J. Mark, E-mail: Mark.Petrash@ucdenver.edu [Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States); Agarwal, Rajesh, E-mail: Rajesh.Agarwal@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Aurora, CO 80045 (United States)

2012-10-01

There are no effective and approved therapies against devastating ocular injuries caused by vesicating chemical agents sulfur mustard (SM) and nitrogen mustard (NM). Herein, studies were carried out in rabbit corneal cultures to establish relevant ocular injury biomarkers with NM for screening potential efficacious agents in laboratory settings. NM (100 nmol) exposure of the corneas for 2 h (cultured for 24 h), showed increases in epithelial thickness, ulceration, apoptotic cell death, epithelial detachment microbullae formation, and the levels of VEGF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Employing these biomarkers, efficacy studies were performed with agent treatments 2 h and every 4 h thereafter, for 24 h following NM exposure. Three agents were evaluated, including prescription drugs dexamethasone (0.1%; anti-inflammatory steroid) and doxycycline (100 nmol; antibiotic and MMP inhibitor) that have been studied earlier for treating vesicant-induced eye injuries. We also examined silibinin (100 μg), a non-toxic natural flavanone found to be effective in treating SM analog-induced skin injuries in our earlier studies. Treatments of doxycycline + dexamethasone, and silibinin were more effective than doxycycline or dexamethasone alone in reversing NM-induced epithelial thickening, microbullae formation, apoptotic cell death, and MMP-9 elevation. However, dexamethasone and silibinin alone were more effective in reversing NM-induced VEGF levels. Doxycycline, dexamethasone and silibinin were all effective in reversing NM-induced COX-2 levels. Apart from therapeutic efficacy of doxycycline and dexamethasone, these results show strong multifunctional efficacy of silibinin in reversing NM-induced ocular injuries, which could help develop effective and safe therapeutics against ocular injuries by vesicants. -- Highlights: ► Established injury biomarkers in rabbit corneal culture with nitrogen mustard (NM) ► This NM model is a cost effective

Labelling of m-trimethyl silylphenyl-ethylidene-1, i-bisphosphonate with /sup 99m/Tc and its evaluation as an imaging agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajid, K.M.; Mahmood, R.

2012-01-01

Technetium-99m labeled phosphates and phosphonates have since long been in use for bone imaging to diagnose bone infection, bone metastasis and bone fracture. /sup 131/ I -labeled bisphosphonates have also been prepared for targeted radiotherapy of bone metastasis. Although animal experiments show good accumulation of bisphosphonates in bone. The agent has never been tried in humans because of high gamma and beta energy. The agent must first be tested in humans using a relatively safe radioisotope. Technitium-99m (/sup 99m/Tc) a radioisotope with relatively low gamma energy 99m and short half-life can serve as a good label. Whether /sup 99m/Tc-labeled bisphosphonates can be used as good imaging agents is another aspect that needs further investigation. A study was therefore, conducted to label m-trimethyl silylphenyl)-ethylidene-1, 1-bisphosphonate with /sup 99m/Tc and standardize the labeling procedure. The labeling procedure - involved reduction of technetium (TcO/sub 4/) with stannous chloride followed by chelation of technetium with bisphosphonates. Radiochemical purity was checked by paper chromatography. Pyrogenicity was checked by administration of the labeled compound into rabbits. The stability of the compound was determined by noting the radiochemical binding at several intervals of half an hour after preparation. Biodistribution of the agent was studied by injecting the labeled compound into rabbits. The results showed that the compound could be labeled with /sup 99m/Tc without any difficulty. The ease of binding was excellent. There was more than 95% binding of technetium with the compound and the labelled compound was reasonably stable for 5 hours after labeling. The rectal temperature remained stable during this period, which showed that the animal accepted the compound and there were no pyrogenic reactions. Biodistribution studies on rabbit showed that accumulation of agent was poor in bones and the labeled compound remains in blood even after 4

Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Chlamydia Infection in Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoting Ni

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Chlamydia spp. are obligate intracellular bacteria distributed all over the world, known to cause various forms of diseases in animals and humans. In the present study, a serological survey was conducted to detect the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with rabbit chlamydiosis in northeast China, including Liaoning province, Jilin province, Heilongjiang province, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Antibodies to Chlamydia were determined by indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA. The overall seroprevalence was estimated at 17.88% in total of 800 blood samples. The Chlamydia seroprevalence varied in domestic rabbits from different factors, and genders of domestic rabbits were considered as major risk factors associated with Chlamydia infection. Our study revealed a widespread and high prevalence of Chlamydia infection in domestic rabbits in northeast China, with higher exposure risk in female domestic rabbits. These findings suggested the potential importance of domestic rabbits in the transmission of zoonotic Chlamydia infection, and thus Chlamydia should be taken into consideration in diagnosing rabbit diseases. To our knowledge, there is no report of Chlamydia infection in domestic rabbits in China and the results extend the host range for Chlamydia, which has important implications for public health and the local economy.

Investigation into Host Selection of the Cecal Acetogen Population in Rabbits after Weaning.

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Chunlei Yang

Full Text Available Homoacetogenic bacteria have received attention as a hydrogenotrophic population that offers a significant energetic advantage to the host animal. Reductive acetogenesis is likely an important hydrogen disposal mechanism in the cecum of rabbits. However, molecular ecology information about cecal acetogen candidates has rarely been reported. To better understand the effect of host selection in the rabbit cecal acetogen community with respect to growth, rabbits at four different age stages (30, 60, 120 and 180 days with the same diet were studied. Although the abundance of potential acetogens and methanogens was high in the cecum of rabbits undergoing growth, many novel potential acetogen populations were observed in the cecum of rabbits across all age groups. Young and adult rabbits had their own distinct acetogen community although they received the same diet, which suggests that as the rabbit ages, acetogens in the cecum undergo developmental changes because of host selection that are independent of diet, and perhaps the different acetogen communities result in different hydrogenotrophic characteristics. The within-group similarity increased with age, indicating that the acetogen community converges to a more homogeneous and stable arrangement with aging.

Antidiabetic and renoprotective effect of Fagonia cretica L. methanolic extract and Citrus paradise Macfad. juice in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sairah H. Kamran

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Context: Fagonia cretica is a medicinal herb reported to have flavanoids of potential therapeutic value and Citrus paradisi is a fruit, whose juice is of great therapeutic value due to its anti-hyperglycemic effects. Aims: To determine anti-hyperglycemic and renal protective effect of methanolic extract of Fagonia cretica and Citrus paradisi juice (grapefruit juice in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits. Methods: Diabetes was induced in rabbits by alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg, i.p.. The therapies including Fagonia cretica methanolic extract (500 mg/kg, Citrus paradisi juice (7 mL/kg and sitagliptin (10 mg/kg were administered (p.o. to diabetic groups for 14 days. The biochemical parameters, glucose, creatinine, urea, bilirubin, albumin, total protein, globulins and albumin/globulin ratio were estimated. Results: Fagonia cretica extract and grapefruit juice therapy significantly (p<0.05 reduced glucose levels in diabetic rats. Fagonia cretica extract was more effective anti-hyperglycemic agent than Citrus paradisi juice and sitagliptin. Significant (p<0.05 improvement in kidney function was observed in treated groups, the plant extract showing significant improvement as compared to the other two treatments. The histopathological results verified improvement in structural damage of kidney, liver and pancreas with these treatments. Conclusions: Fagonica cretica and Citrus paradisi juice therapy markedly improved hyperglycemia and kidney functions in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

Apoptosis of rabbit retinal cell after eyeball rupture.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xue-Min; Zhu, Yu

2013-04-13

To establish rabbit eyeball rupture model by air gun in order to observe and analyze the early injury condition and reasons of retinal cell after eyeball rupture. Forty eight healthy rabbits were randomly divided into control group and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after injury groups. After anesthesia, the rabbit eyeball rupture model was established by air gun. Then the early pathological changes of rabbit retina were observed, and apoptotic index (AI), oncosis index (OI), the relationship between the expression amounts of apoptosis-related genes and AI were analyzed. Obvious pathological lesion appeared in retina 6 h after injury. Irreversible damage occurred 12-24 h after injury. The results of AI and OI indicated that the OI peak appeared 6 h after injury and then gradually declined, while the AI increased with the prolongation of time, and the AI was higher than OI in 12 h after injury. Immunohistochemical results indicated that there was no obvious bcl-2 protein expression change. Compared with the control group and the 3, 6, 12 and 24 h after the injury groups, the expressions of p53 and Caspase-3 were significantly improved and peaked at 12 h (Peyeball rupture. Copyright © 2013 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The model of pulmonary embolism caused by autologous thrombus in rabbits

OpenAIRE

Yu-Jiao Ding; Yang Chen

2017-01-01

Objective: To establish a model of pulmonary embolism in rabbits by using autologous thrombosis of rabbit ear vein, to study the method of establishing acute pulmonary embolism by using autologous thrombus and to explore the diagnostic value of oxygen partial pressure in acute pulmonary embolism. Methods: Twenty rabbits were randomly divided into normal group (n=5), 7 h group, 24h group, 1 week after model establishment Group. The arterial blood gas analysis was performed on th...

Effect of Garlic on Perfusion Scintigraphy of Rabbit's Lungs ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Animals. A total number of 12 mixed bred rabbits weighing. 3.5 ± 0.5 kg were selected. Then, the necessary blood and parasite analysis as well as clinical ..... 8. Flecknell PA, Ed. BSAVA manual of rabbit medicine and surgery. London: British Small Animal Veterinary. Association; 2000; pp 30-31, 106. 9. Ji Y, Gao H, Zhang ...

The effect of rapid decompression on femur blood flow of rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Shaoning; Tian Wuxun; Zhu Xiangqi

1997-01-01

PURPOSE: To study the influence of regional blood flow in femur trochanter (FT) of rabbits' under rapid decompression after exposure to hyperbaric air. METHODS: Rabbits were placed in a hyperbaric chamber and exposed to the pressure of 0.5 MPa for 1.5 h, and the pressure was reduced to the atmosphere pressure at a uniform rate of 0.03 mPa/min. The regional blood flow of FT in rabbits were measured with 133 Xe washout methods. RESULTS: The normal average regional blood flow in left and right FT were 14.5 +- 1.7 and 14.1 +- 1.9 ml/(min·100g) respectively. After exposure to hyperbaric air with rapid decompression, the average regional blood flow of left and right FT were 11.1 +- 1.2 and 10.5 +- 1.6 ml/(min·100g) respectively. But the symptoms of dysbarism in these rabbits were various each other. CONCLUSIONS: After being exposed to hyperbaric air with rapid decompression, the blood flow of rabbits' femur trochanter were noticeably reduced

Effect of Stocking Density on Performance of Growing Rabbits in Semi-Humid Tropics

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Iyeghe-Erakpotobor Grace, T.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate the adoption possibility of Maize- Mucuna-Fertiliser (mineral System (MMFS, for soil fertilisation in the southern part of Togo, 52 farms from three representative villages of the region were analysed and classified into three types according to their adoption potential for the innovation: type A characterised by heads of farm being in majority land owners; type B whose head of farm are young, literate and in majority land tenants; and type C whose heads are old mainly land tenants. Participatory surveys, based on contingent ranking of the constraints, conducted with homogenous groups of farmers chosen according to three types of farm, helped to sort out the major constraints to the adoption of MMFS. These constraints, having a high degree of severity (≥ 45%, were in order of importance: the lack of money/loan, the land problem (lack of arable lands and insecurity on rented ones, the suppression of mixed cropping by the MMFS and the non availability of mucuna seed. For the farmers of type A, the non availability of mucuna seed and the lack of money/loan presented a degree of severity of 100% each. For those of type B and C, the land problem was the most important: it presented a degree of severity of 100% for the farmers of type B and 80% for those of type C. Sixty growing rabbits were housed at densities of 6.7, 10, 13.3, 16.7 and 20 rabbits/m2 in wood and poultry wire mesh cages for six weeks and fed a common diet of 22.6% CP and 2600 kcal/kg ME. Parameters measured were feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, body condition, fur condition and body bites. Stocking density significantly (P< 0.05 affected feed intake and weight gain but not feed conversion ratio of rabbits. Rabbits stocked at densities of 6.7, 10 and 13.3 rabbits/m2 had higher average daily gain than those stocked at higher densities. Feed intake was higher at higher densities. The trend shows a significant decrease in feed intake by individual

INFLUENCE OF NATURAL IMMUNOMODULATORS ON PROTEIN FRACTIONS AND CORTISOL CONTENT IN RABBIT BLOOD UNDER STRESS

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Grabovskyi S.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The results of determination of protein fractions, cortisol content in blood of rabbits, which further added to the feed of natural origin biologically active substances are presented in the article. As an antistressors and immunomodulators in pre-slaughter period are using of spleen extract biologically active substances were obtained with ultrasound application. The purpose of research — determination of changes of protein fractions, cortisol content in rabbits blood before slaughter and their correction of natural origin biologically active substances (spleen extract. Object and research methods. The experiment was conducted on 15 rabbits with standard diet. Three groups of rabbits five month of age (5 rabbits each was formed for research. The spleen extract were using as an biologically active substances to the feed rabbits in pre-slaughter period (five days before slaughter. The extracts were applied to feed by aerosol method (70 °alcohol solution of spleen extract volume of 1.4 ml per rabbit (group I. The rabbits (group II received to the feed in the same way of 70 °alcohol solution in the same volume. The control group rabbits received the standard feed in the same volume. The feed eating by rabbits was exercised daily. The rabbits ate food completely. The rabbits slaughter was carried out in the morning. The blood plasma protein fractions separation was carried out by horizontal electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel (PAAG. Mathematical treatment of the research results worked statistically using the software package Statistica 6.0 and Microsoft Excel for Windows XP. Probability differences was assessed by Student t-test and results considered likely at P ≤ 0.05. Results and discussion. We measured the ratio of blood plasma protein fractions of rabbits, which in addition to the feed fed of natural origin biologically active substances. As a result of research was found that aerosol introduction of the spleen extract to the rabbits

Placental transfer of radioactive salts in the pregnant rabbit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schachner, E.; Shani, J.; Shechtman, M.; Pfeiffer, Y.

1985-01-01

The risks of radionuclidic contamination due to the easy transfer of water-soluble ions from the circulation of the pregnant woman to her fetus, encouraged us to study whether the ease of penetration of such ions is size-dependent. Three radiochemicals--/sup 22/NaCl, /sup 99m/TcO/sub 4/Na and /sup 201/TlCl were injected i.v. into pregnant rabbits on the 16th day of their pregnancy, and the rabbits were killed 15, 30, 60 or 120 min later. From each rabbit the blood, heart, kidney, liver and muscle were sampled and counted as well as placenta, amniotic fluid and some fetuses. At 15 and 60 min hearts and livers were excised from selected fetuses and blood clearance, organ-to-muscle and fetus-to-placenta ratios were calculated. The results indicate that the transplacental transfer of the small radionuclide /sup 22/Na+ is faster than that of 99mTcO4- and /sup 201/Tl+, reaching equilibrium about 3 h after its injection to the pregnant rabbit. /sup 201/Tl+ demonstrated a high localization in the pregnant rabbits' and fetuses' heart and kidneys, with a similar myocardial retention in both groups. Due to the concentration of /sup 201/Tl+, in spite of its large diameter, into the fetuses' heart muscle, careful consideration should be taken when injecting /sup 201/TlCl into pregnant women for myocardial imaging.

Thymus morphometry of New Zealand White Rabbits treated with gentamicin

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Matheus Henrique Magalhães Silva

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometry of cortical and medullary thymic lobes individualized by determination of area (μm2, perimeter (μm, maximum and minimum diameter (μm and shape factor in New Zealand White rabbits. The spleens of ten rabbits treated with gentamicin and ten control rabbits (males and females were histologically processed. The gentamicin dosage and the time of administration of this aminoglicoside were according to therapeutic recommendation. This antibiotic did not cause any alteration in the morphometry of the spleen, and it seemed not to be an immunosuppressive drug.

Thymus morphometry of New Zealand White Rabbits treated with gentamicin

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Matheus Henrique Magalhães Silva

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometry of cortical and medullary thymic lobes individualized by determination of area (µm2, perimeter (µm, maximum and minimum diameter (µm and shape factor in New Zealand White rabbits. The spleens of ten rabbits treated with gentamicin and ten control rabbits (males and females were histologically processed. The gentamicin dosage and the time of administration of this aminoglicoside were according to therapeutic recommendation. This antibiotic did not cause any alteration in the morphometry of the spleen, and it seemed not to be an immunosuppressive drug.

Evaluation of milled pearl millet in the feeding of growing rabbits

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Fernanda Catelan

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Two experiments were carried out in order to estimate the nutritional value and the performance of growing rabbits fed different levels of pearl millet (ADR 7010. In the digestibility trial, nutritional values of pearl millet were determined in 22 45-day-old New Zealand White rabbits, allotted in a completely randomized design, subjected to two treatments - a reference diet and a test diet with 70% of its volume composed of reference diet and 30% of pearl millet - and 11 replications. The apparent digestibility values of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and gross energy of the pearl millet were 88.7, 85.4, 24.4 and 75.0%, respectively. In the performance trial, 120 32-day-old New Zealand White rabbits were used. Rabbits were allotted in a completely randomized design and subjected to six treatments, with 10 replications and two animals for each experimental unit. The diets were formulated with increasing levels of pearl millet (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%, substituting the corn in the reference diet, according to the digestible energy. No differences were observed in daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion, carcass traits and feed cost per kilogram of rabbit. Regardless of the amount of corn substituted, pearl can replace corn in diets for growing rabbits.

Biotransformation of hydralazine (HDZ) in monolayer cultures of rabbit hepatocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McQueen, C.A.; Rosado, R.R.

1990-01-01

Adverse reactions to HDZ have been associated with the acetylator polymorphism; slow acetylators are more likely to develop HDZ-induced lupus erythematosus. In studying the role of this polymorphism in susceptibility to HDZ toxicity, the biotransformation of HDZ was investigated in rabbit hepatocytes. New Zealand white rabbits, like humans, are classified as rapid or slow acetylators. Heptocytes were isolated from rapid acetylator rabbits by collagenase perfusion. Monolayer cultures were initiated and exposed to 14 C-HDZ. Since HDZ is unstable at neutral pH, parallel incubations were done in the absence of cells. Metabolites in the media were determined by reverse phase HPLC. Phthalazine (P), phthalazinone (PZ), triazoloph-thalazine (TP), methyl TP (MTP) and 3-hydroxy MTP were identified. In the absence of cells, more TP was formed than MTP, probably resulting from reaction of HDZ with components in the medium. In the presence of cells, there was a three-fold increase in MTP, while the amount of TP was relatively constant. Only trace amounts of P, PZ 3-hydroxy MTP were detected. These data indicate that monolayer cultures of rapid acetylator rabbit hepatocytes were capable of metabolizing HDZ with acetylation playing a major role. These studies are being extended to cells from slow acetylator rabbits

Quercetin-induced changes in femoral bone microstructure of adult male rabbits

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Ramona Babosová

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Flavonoids are a group of plant metabolites with antioxidant effects. One of the most abundant flavonoids in the human diet is quercetin. It is found widely in fruits, vegetables and has a lot of beneficial effects on human health. Quercetin has a positive pharmacological effect on bone metabolism and it prevents the organism against bone loss. However, its impact on the size of basic structural units of the compact bone is still unknown. Therefore, the aim of present study was to investigate the impact of the quercetin on femoral bone microstructure in 5-month-old male rabbits. Five rabbits of Californian broiler line were randomly divided into two groups. In the experimental group (E group; n=3, animals were intramuscularly injected with quercetin at dose 1000 μg.kg-1 body weight (bw for 90 days, 3 times per week. Two rabbits without quercetin administration served as a control group (C group. According to our results, intramuscular application of quercetin had an insignificant effect on cortical bone thickness in male rabbits. In these rabbits, changes in qualitative histological characteristics were present in the middle part of the compacta, where primary vascular longitudinal bone tissue was present and expanded there from the periosteum. Also, a lower number of secondary osteons was found in these animals. From the histomorphometrical point of view, significantly decreased sizes of primary osteons' vascular canals and secondary osteons (p <0.05 were found in rabbits administered by quercetin. Our findings indicate that subchronic administration of quercetin at the dose used in our study had considerable impact on both qualitative and quantitative histological characteristics of the compact bone in adult male rabbits.

Journey length and high temperatures: effects on rabbit welfare and meat quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Liste, G; María, G A; Buil, T; García-Belenguer, S; Chacón, G; Olleta, J L; Sañudo, C; Villarroel, M

2006-02-01

The transport of domestic animals by road can increase levels of stress and decrease meat quality, especially in unfavourable climates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of journey duration and vertical position on the transport truck on some physiological indicators of stress and on instrumental meat quality parameters in commercial rabbits. In the summer months (June and July, 2003), 78 rabbits were subjected to either long (7 h) (LJ) or short (1 h) (SJ) journeys (3 replicates each, n = 6) between the farm and an abattoir in northern Spain. The position (top, middle, or bottom) occupied by the rabbits on the Multi-Floor cage Rolling Stand (MFRS) of the transport truck was recorded. Blood samples were collected at sticking and meat pH was measured at 24 h post-mortem (pH24). At 48 h post-mortem, samples of the M. longissimus dorsi were used to determine water-holding capacity (WHC) and instrumental tenderness using an INSTRON machine. The levels of corticosterone, glucose, lactate, and creatine kinase were slightly higher in LJ than in SJ samples, but the difference was not statistically significant (p MFRS showed higher levels (p < or = 0.05) of glucose and creatine kinase (middle), and corticosterone (bottom) than the rabbits located at the top floor. The pH 24 and WHC values of the SJ and LJ rabbits did not differ significantly. Journey length had a significant effect (p < or = 0.01) on meat tenderness. The meat from rabbits subjected to LJ had higher values of maximum stress and total toughness than did the SJ rabbits (p < or = 0.05). There were similar differences (p < or = 0.05) between LJ and SJ rabbits in their stress values of compression at 20% and 40% (measures of the tenderness of raw meat). In hot weather, the position on the transport truck appeared to have a greater effect on rabbit welfare than the duration of the journey.

Incomplete bone regeneration of rabbit calvarial defects using different membranes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aaboe, M; Pinholt, E M; Schou, S

1998-01-01

The present study describes the use of a degradable and a non-degradable material for guided bone regeneration. Forty rabbits were divided into 5 groups. Bicortical defects 15 mm in diameter were prepared in rabbit calvaria. A titanium microplate was placed over the defect to prevent collapse...

Effects of single injection of local anesthetic agents on intervertebral disc degeneration: ex vivo and long-term in vivo experimental study.

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Koji Iwasaki

Full Text Available Analgesic discography (discoblock can be used to diagnose or treat discogenic low back pain by injecting a small amount of local anesthetics. However, recent in vitro studies have revealed cytotoxic effects of local anesthetics on intervertebral disc (IVD cells. Here we aimed to investigate the deteriorative effects of lidocaine and bupivacaine on rabbit IVDs using an organotypic culture model and an in vivo long-term follow-up model.For the organotypic culture model, rabbit IVDs were harvested and cultured for 3 or 7 days after intradiscal injection of local anesthetics (1% lidocaine or 0.5% bupivacaine. Nucleus pulposus (NP cell death was measured using confocal microscopy. Histological and TUNEL assays were performed. For in vivo study, each local anesthetic was injected into rabbit lumbar IVDs under a fluoroscope. Six or 12 months after the injection, each IVD was prepared for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and histological analysis.In the organotypic culture model, both anesthetic agents induced time-dependent NP cell death; when compared with injected saline solution, significant effects were detected within 7 days. Compared with the saline group, TUNEL-positive NP cells were significantly increased in the bupivacaine group. In the in vivo study, MRI analysis did not show any significant difference. Histological analysis revealed that IVD degeneration occurred to a significantly level in the saline- and local anesthetics-injected groups compared with the untreated control or puncture-only groups. However, there was no significant difference between the saline and anesthetic agents groups.In the in vivo model using healthy IVDs, there was no strong evidence to suggest that discoblock with local anesthetics has the potential of inducing IVD degeneration other than the initial mechanical damage of the pressurized injection. Further studies should be performed to investigate the deteriorative effects of the local injection of analgesic agents

First field trial of a transmissible recombinant vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, J M; Sánchez, C; Ramírez, M A; Morales, M; Bárcena, J; Ferrer, J; Espuña, E; Pagès-Manté, A; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2001-08-14

As a novel approach for immunisation of wild rabbits, we have recently developed a transmissible vaccine against myxomatosis and rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) based on a recombinant myxoma virus (MV) expressing the RHDV capsid protein [J. Virol. 74 (2000) 1114]. The efficacy and safety of the vaccine have been extensively evaluated under laboratory conditions. In this study, we report the first limited field trial of the candidate vaccine that was undertaken in an island of 34 Has containing a population of around 300 rabbits. Following administration by the subcutaneous route to 76 rabbits, the vaccine induced specific antibody responses against both myxomatosis and RHDV in all the inoculated rabbits. Furthermore, the recombinant virus exhibited a limited horizontal transmission capacity, promoting seroconversion of around 50% of the uninoculated rabbit population. No evidence of undesirable effects due to the recombinant virus field release was detected.

Magnetic susceptibility imaging with a nonionic contrast agent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cacheris, W.; Rocklage, S.M.; Quay, S.; Dow, W.; Love, D.; Worah, D.; Lim, K.

1988-01-01

The magnetic susceptibility mechanism for MR imaging contrast enhancement has the advantage of providing useful information, such as cerebral blood flow, without crossing the blood-brain barrier. In this paper the authors report the use of a highly effective, relatively nontoxic chelate as a magnetic susceptibility agent. Dy-DTPA-bis(methylamide) (Dy-DTPA-BMA) has an extremely low acute toxicity (LD-50, intravenous, mice ∼ 40 mmol/kg). Doses of 1 mmol/kg and 2 mmol/kg Dy-DTPA-BMA lowered the initial signal intensity 63% to 57%, respectively. The utility of this technique in detecting areas of reduced blood flow within the brain was demonstrated by imaging a rabbit with a cerebral perfusion deficit

Meta-analysis of treatment with rabbit and horse antithymocyte globulin for aplastic anemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayakawa, Jin; Kanda, Junya; Akahoshi, Yu; Harada, Naonori; Kameda, Kazuaki; Ugai, Tomotaka; Wada, Hidenori; Ishihara, Yuko; Kawamura, Koji; Sakamoto, Kana; Ashizawa, Masahiro; Sato, Miki; Terasako-Saito, Kiriko; Kimura, Shun-Ichi; Kikuchi, Misato; Yamazaki, Rie; Kako, Shinichi; Kanda, Yoshinobu

2017-05-01

Aplastic anemia patients who received rabbit antithymocyte globulin exhibited response and survival rates inferior to those who received horse antithymocyte globulin in several studies. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to compare rabbit and horse antithymocyte globulin as immunosuppressive therapy for aplastic anemia. We searched online databases for studies that compared antithymocyte globulin regimens as first-line treatment for aplastic anemia, including both randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. The early mortality rate at 3 months and overall response rate at 6 months were evaluated. Thirteen studies were included in the analysis. The risk ratio (RR) of early mortality for rabbit vs. horse antithymocyte globulin was 1.33 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-2.57; P = 0.39], with significant heterogeneity. A sensitivity analysis suggested higher early mortality rate in patients who received rabbit antithymocyte globulin. The overall response rate was significantly higher in patients who received horse antithymocyte globulin (RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.05-1.54; P = 0.015). In conclusion, in aplastic anemia patients treated with ATG, early mortality rate was not significantly different in patients receiving horse or rabbit ATG, although a sensitivity analysis showed higher early mortality in the rabbit ATG group. Horse ATG was associated with significantly higher response rate than rabbit ATG.

Roles of the WHHL Rabbit in Translational Research on Hypercholesterolemia and Cardiovascular Diseases

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Tsutomu Kobayashi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Conquering cardiovascular diseases is one of the most important problems in human health. To overcome cardiovascular diseases, animal models have played important roles. Although the prevalence of genetically modified animals, particularly mice and rats, has contributed greatly to biomedical research, not all human diseases can be investigated in this way. In the study of cardiovascular diseases, mice and rats are inappropriate because of marked differences in lipoprotein metabolism, pathophysiological findings of atherosclerosis, and cardiac function. On the other hand, since lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits closely resemble those in humans, several useful animal models for these diseases have been developed in rabbits. One of the most famous of these is the Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL rabbit, which develops hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis spontaneously due to genetic and functional deficiencies of the low-density lipoprotein (LDL receptor. The WHHL rabbit has been improved to develop myocardial infarction, and the new strain was designated the myocardial infarction-prone WHHL (WHHLMI rabbit. This review summarizes the importance of selecting animal species for translational research in biomedical science, the development of WHHL and WHHLMI rabbits, their application to the development of hypocholesterolemic and/or antiatherosclerotic drugs, and future prospects regarding WHHL and WHHLMI rabbits.

COMPOSTING OF RABBIT MORTALITIES IMPLEMENTD IN THE EXPERIMENTAL FARM AT CHAPINGO AUTONOMOUS UNIVERSITY

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Y. Jerónimo-Romero

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In order to investigate the feasibility of composting rabbit carcasses with various substrates, six treatments were established according to the substrate used: oat straw-rabbit manure-dead rabbit (PAEC, wood shavings- rabbit manure- dead rabbit (EVC and oat straw-dead rabbit (PAC, with or without the addition of 0.3 % ( v / w mixed microbial inoculum consisting of Streptomyces spp, Aspergillus sp, Cladosporium sp. Temperature, pH, dry matter (DM , moisture, organic matter (OM, ash and ammonia was measured. The substrates were aerated by turning at 25 days of composting. The analysis was performed with the GLM procedure (SAS, 2009 and the Tukey test. The inoculum had no effect on the composting of the substrates investigated. The PAC had the highest substrate temperature (30 ° C, although this is low compared to conventional composting which manure. After the substrates were overturned, the temperature increased only in PAEC. Compost PAC had a low content of organic matter and a more alkaline pH. It was concluded that it is feasible composting dead rabbit, but to optimize the process requires improving the conditions of composting to achieve a higher temperature and mineralization and reduce nitrogen loss by degradation of the protein of meat.

The rabbit as an experimental model in laryngology

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Carneiro, Christiano de Giacomo

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the research in laryngology we normally use animal models. The animal experimentation may also contribute largely for this evolution, mainly for the easy access compared to human larynxes and for they are more easily controlled. Objective: The objective of this work is to analyze the laryngofissure with vocal cords graft as an experimental surgical technique in male adult rabbits. Method: We studied 46 New Zealand albino rabbits submitted to microsurgery in both vocal cords with autologous unilateral or bilateral graft of fat or fascia. Results: There were 4 losses of 3 animals until the first week of the postoperative period and another after 19 days after surgery. In the subsequent animals there were no infection, hematoma or sutures dehiscence. Conclusion: The study enables the conclusion that the experimental laryngofissure in rabbits is a safe method that may be used for laryngological studies.

Streptococcus agalactiae infection in domestic rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, S Y; Geng, Y; Wang, K Y; Zhou, Z Y; Liu, X X; He, M; Peng, X; Wu, C Y; Lai, W M

2014-12-01

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B streptococcus, GBS) has emerged as an important pathogen that affects humans and animals, including aquatic species. In August 2011, a severe infectious disease affecting rabbits, which caused 42% mortality, occurred in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, China. The main clinical signs included acute respiratory distress syndrome, fever, paddling and convulsions. A Gram-positive, chain-forming coccus was isolated from the primary organs and tissues of diseased rabbits and then identified as S. agalactiae by morphology, biochemical and physiological characteristics, 16S rDNA and gyrB gene sequences analysis. All isolates of S. agalactiae showed a similar antibiotic susceptibility, which were sensitive to florfenicol, ampicillin,gentamicin and norfloxacin, as well as being resistant to penicillin, amoxicillin and tetracycline. To our knowledge, this is the first report on S. agalactiae natural infection in domestic rabbits. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Optimum rabbit density over fish ponds to optimise Nile tilapia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although previous studies have suggested that rabbit excreta can be used as high-quality manure for sustaining plankton production due to their gradual nutrient release, integrated rabbit–fish production systems are still not widely used. Between 2006 and 2010 optimal rabbit densities for sustainable integrated rabbit–Nile ...

Response of rabbits to varying levels of cassava and Leucaena ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Response of rabbits to varying levels of cassava and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal diets. ... Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa ... An experiment was carried out to determine the performance, haematology, carcass characteristics and sensory evaluation of meat from rabbits (n = 30) fed varying levels of ...

Bacteriocin-producing Enterococci from Rabbit Meat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szabóová, R.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: Enterococci are lactic acid bacteria belonging to the division Firmicutes. They occur in different ecosystems, rabbits including. Enterococci can possess probiotic properties and produce antimicrobial substances-bacteriocins. Rabbit meat as nutritionally healthy food offers novel source to study bacteriocin-producing and/or probiotic enterococci. Methodology and results: Enterococci were detected from rabbit meat samples (42. Most of the isolates were allotted to the species Enterococcus faecium by PCR method. The isolates have possessed the structural genes for enterocins A, P, B production. The inhibitory substances produced by the isolated enterococci inhibited the growth of 12 indicators. Of 34 isolates, 15 strains have shown the antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes CCM 4699, 12 strains against S. aureus 3A3, 10 strains against S. aureus 5A2 as well as Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis PT4. Moreover, enterococci have tolerated 5 % bile, low pH; they have produced lactid acid in the amount from 0.740 ± 0.091 to 1.720 ± 0.095 mmol/l. The isolates were mostly sensitive to antibiotics. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Bacteriocin-producing strain E. faecium M3a has been selected for more detail characterization of its bacteriocin and probiotic properties with the aim for its further application as an additive.

Fabrication and imaging study of ultrasound/fluorescence bi-modal contrast agent based on polymeric microbubbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Zhanwen; Ke Hengte; Wang Jinrui; Zhao Bo; Qu Enze; Yue Xiuli; Dai Zhifei

2013-01-01

Objective: To fabricate an ultrasound/fluorescence bi-modal contrast agent by encapsulating fluorescent quantum dots into polymeric ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles. Methods: Polylactic acid (PLA, 500 mg), (1R)-(+)-camphor (50 mg) and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (0.5 ml, 2.3 μmol/L)were dissolved or dispersed in dichloromethane (10 ml) to form in an organic phase. Ammonium carbonate solution and poly (vinyl alcohol) solution were employed as the internal and external water phase, respectively. The fluorescent microbubbles were generated using double emulsion solvent evaporation and lyophilization methods. The morphology and illumination were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence spectrophotometry. Synchronized contrast-enhanced ultrasound and fluorescence imaging was acquired by injecting fluorescent microbubbles into the silicone tube coupled to a self-made ultrasound/fluorescence imaging device. Ultrasound/fluorescence bi-modal in vivo imaging was acquired on the kidney of New Zealand rabbits and suckling mice. Results: The fluorescent microbubbles were hollow spheres with an averaged diameter of (1.62 ± 1.47) μm. More than 99% of these microbubbles were less than 8 μm in diameter, which met the size criteria for ultrasound contrast agents. The fluorescence emission peak of the microbubbles appeared at 632 nm, indicating that good luminescence properties of quantum dots were maintained. In vitro ultrasound/fluorescence imaging showed no echoic signal when the silicone tube was filled with saline, but there was a strong echo when filled with fluorescent microbubbles. The liquid column with fluorescent microbubbles emitted red luminescence under ultraviolet irradiation. The kidney of the rabbit was remarkably enhanced after the administration of fluorescent microbubbles. Bright fluorescence could be observed at the injection site of the suckling mice via subcutaneous injection. Conclusions: A bi-modal but single contrast agent

Labeling of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes with indium-111: a new method for the quantitation of in-vivo accumulation of PMNLs in rabbit skin

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Wahba, A.V.; Barnes, B.; Lazarus, G.S.

1984-02-01

A precise method for quantitation of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) accumulation in skin in vivo, has been developed so that the proinflammatory effects of various agents can be compared. This method can also be used to evaluate the effect of therapeutic agents on PMNL accumulation in vivo. Rabbit PMNLs were purified from heparinized blood by dextran sedimentation, hypotonic lysis, and separation on Ficoll-Hypaque. The PMNLs were labeled with 3-5 microCi per 10(6) cells of /sup 111/In oxine and reinfused coincidentally with different concentrations of different chemotactic and proinflammatory materials injected intradermally into the back. In some experiments, varying concentrations of acetic acid were applied topically. Four to 18 hours later, the rabbits were sacrificed. Eight-millimeter punch biopsies were obtained from the injection sites and counted in a gamma counter. The number of PMNLs infiltrating the dermis was also quantitated in histologic sections. A significant correlation was found between the percent increase in radioactivity and the percent increase in PMNL accumulation morphologically. Dose-response curves were generated using such proinflammatory materials as formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, lipopolysaccharide, activated serum, trypsin, glycogen, and acetic acid. These curves were highly reproducible from animal to animal. Using this assay, we found that as little as 1 microgram of trypsin induced detectable PMNL accumulation. This is 2-3 logs more sensitive than injecting mice intraperitoneally with trypsin. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate-inactivation of trypsin inhibited PMNL accumulation. This sensitive and quantitative bioassay of PMNL accumulation permits evaluation of multiple agents in the same animal, which decreases animal to animal variation.

Quantification of HTLV-I proviral load in experimentally infected rabbits

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Kindt Thomas J

2005-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Levels of proviral load in HTLV-1 infected patients correlate with clinical outcome and are reasonably prognostic. Adaptation of proviral load measurement techniques is examined here for use in an experimental rabbit model of HTLV-1 infection. Initial efforts sought to correlate proviral load with route and dose of inoculation and with clinical outcome in this model. These methods contribute to our continuing goal of using the model to test treatments that alleviate virus infection. Results A real-time PCR assay was used to measure proviral load in blood and tissue samples from a series of rabbits infected using HTLV-1 inocula prepared as either cell-free virus particles, infected cells or blood, or by naked DNA injection. Proviral loads from asymptomatically infected rabbits showed levels corresponding to those reported for human patients with clinically silent HTLV-1 infections. Proviral load was comparably increased in 50% of experimentally infected rabbits that developed either spontaneous benign or malignant tumors while infected. Similarly elevated provirus was found in organs of rabbits with experimentally induced acute leukemia/lymphoma-like disease. Levels of provirus in organs taken at necropsy varied widely suggesting that reservoirs of infections exist in non-lymphoid organs not traditionally thought to be targets for HTLV-1. Conclusion Proviral load measurement is a valuable enhancement to the rabbit model for HTLV-1 infection providing a metric to monitor clinical status of the infected animals as well as a means for the testing of treatment to combat infection. In some cases proviral load in blood did not reflect organ proviral levels, revealing a limitation of this method for monitoring health status of HTLV-1 infected individuals.

Acute cigarette smoke exposure increases alveolar permeability in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Witten, M.L.; Lemen, R.J.; Quan, S.F.; Sobonya, R.E.; Roseberry, H.; Stevenson, J.L.; Clayton, J.

1985-01-01

The authors measured lung clearance of aerosolized technetium-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (/sup 99m/TcDTPA) as an index of alveolar epithelial permeability in rabbits exposed to cigarette smoke. Eighteen rabbits were randomly assigned to 3 equal-size groups: control, all smoke exposure (ASE), and limited smoke exposure (LSE). Cigarette or sham smoke was delivered by syringe in a series of 5, 10, 20, and 30 tidal volume breaths with a 20-min counting period between each subset of breaths to determine /sup 99m/TcDTPA biologic half-life (T 1 / 2 ). Mean T 1 / 2 minimum was significantly lower for ASE and LSE rabbits than by control rabbits. They observed a significant difference at 20 and 30 breath exposures between the control and ASE group mean values for T 1 / 2 , arterial blood pressure, and peak airway pressure. A combination of light and electron microscopy showed focal alveolar edema and hemorrhage in the ASE and LSE groups but no alveolar-capillary membrane damage. In summary, acute cigarette smoke exposure increases alveolar permeability as measured by /sup 99m/TcDTPA clearance, but there was no detectable ultrastructural alteration of the alveolar-capillary membrane

Cryotherapy increases features of plaque stability in atherosclerotic rabbits.

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Verheye, Stefan; Roth, Lynn; De Meyer, Inge; Van Hove, Cor E; Nahon, Daniel; Santoianni, Domenic; Yianni, John; Martinet, Wim; Buchbinder, Maurice; De Meyer, Guido R Y

2016-08-20

In the last 10 years, cryotherapy has been investigated as a new technology to treat vascular disease. The efficiency of cryotherapy in stabilising atherosclerotic plaques has never been described. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of catheter-based cryotherapy on atherosclerotic plaque composition in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis. Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were fed a 0.3% cholesterol-supplemented diet for 24 weeks. At two predefined sites of the atherosclerotic thoracic aorta, catheter-based cryotherapy, applying either single-dose, double-dose cryotherapy or control inflation, was performed after randomisation. Rabbits were continued on a cholesterol-supplemented diet for one day (acute) or four weeks (chronic). One day after cryotherapy, apoptotic cell death of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and endothelial cells (ECs) was observed, whereas macrophages were unaffected. Four weeks later, the amount of SMCs was restored, the EC layer was regenerated, and a subendothelial macrophage-free layer was formed, indicative of a more stable plaque. In addition, both the thickness and the type I collagen content of the fibrous cap were increased. The present study demonstrated that cryotherapy is feasible and appears to stabilise atherosclerotic plaques in a rabbit model.

Effects of cysteine protease inhibitors on rabbit cathepsin D maturation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samarel, A.M.; Ferguson, A.G.; Decker, R.S.; Lesch, M.

1989-01-01

To examine the effects of cysteine protease inhibitors on cathepsin D intracellular transport, proteolytic processing, and secretion, primary cultures of rabbit cardiac fibroblasts were grown to confluence and exposed to media containing leupeptin, E 64, or chloroquine. Cathepsin D maturation was then evaluated in pulse-chase biosynthetic labeling experiments. None of the three agents affected the charge modification of procathepsin D within the Golgi apparatus. However, all three agents interfered with the subsequent proteolytic processing of procathepsin D isoforms to active cathepsin D. Both leupeptin and E 64 caused the intracellular accumulation of large amounts of a Mr 51,000 processing intermediate. Trace amounts of this intermediate were also detected in chloroquine-treated cells. Combined activity assay and radioimmunoassay of cell lysates indicated that this partially processed form of cathepsin D possessed proteolytic activity. Whereas low medium concentrations of leupeptin (10-100 microM) but not E 64 appeared to stimulate procathepsin D secretion, neither agent appeared to have a major effect on the rate of proenzyme secretion at doses required to inhibit proteolytic maturation (1-10 mM). Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with 10 mM leupeptin appeared only to delay, but not prevent, the intracellular transport of cathepsin D to lysosomes. In contrast, chloroquine increased procathepsin D secretion in a dose-dependent manner, diverting the majority of newly synthesized procathepsin D from the intracellular protease(s) responsible for proteolytic processing. These results suggest that cysteine proteases participate in the proteolytic maturation of procathepsin D during the transport of newly synthesized enzyme to lysosomes, but cysteine protease-mediated proteolytic processing is not required for cathepsin D activation or lysosomal translocation

A bovine herpesvirus 5 recombinant defective in the thymidine kinase (TK gene and a double mutant lacking TK and the glycoprotein E gene are fully attenuated for rabbits

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S.C. Silva

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Bovine herpesvirus 5 (BoHV-5, the agent of herpetic meningoencephalitis in cattle, is an important pathogen of cattle in South America and several efforts have been made to produce safer and more effective vaccines. In the present study, we investigated in rabbits the virulence of three recombinant viruses constructed from a neurovirulent Brazilian BoHV-5 strain (SV507/99. The recombinants are defective in glycoprotein E (BoHV-5gEΔ, thymidine kinase (BoHV-5TKΔ and both proteins (BoHV-5gEΔTKΔ. Rabbits inoculated with the parental virus (N = 8 developed neurological disease and died or were euthanized in extremis between days 7 and 13 post-infection (pi. Infectivity was detected in several areas of their brains. Three of 8 rabbits inoculated with the recombinant BoHV-5gEΔ developed neurological signs between days 10 and 15 pi and were also euthanized. A more restricted virus distribution was detected in the brain of these animals. Rabbits inoculated with the recombinants BoHV-5TKΔ (N = 8 or BoHV-5gEΔTKΔ (N = 8 remained healthy throughout the experiment in spite of variable levels of virus replication in the nose. Dexamethasone (Dx administration to rabbits inoculated with the three recombinants at day 42 pi did not result in viral reactivation, as demonstrated by absence of virus shedding and/or increase in virus neutralizing titers. Nevertheless, viral DNA was detected in the trigeminal ganglia or olfactory bulbs of all animals at day 28 post-Dx, demonstrating they were latently infected. These results show that recombinants BoHV-5TKΔ and BoHV-5gEΔTKΔ are attenuated for rabbits and constitute potential vaccine candidates upon the confirmation of this phenotype in cattle.

Subunit Rotavirus Vaccine Administered Parenterally to Rabbits Induces Active Protective Immunity

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Ciarlet, Max; Crawford, Sue E.; Barone, Christopher; Bertolotti-Ciarlet, Andrea; Ramig, Robert F.; Estes, Mary K.; Conner, Margaret E.

1998-01-01

Virus-like particles (VLPs) are being evaluated as a candidate rotavirus vaccine. The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of different formulations of VLPs administered parenterally to rabbits were tested. Two doses of VLPs (2/6-, G3 2/6/7-, or P[2], G3 2/4/6/7-VLPs) or SA11 simian rotavirus in Freund’s adjuvants, QS-21 (saponin adjuvant), or aluminum phosphate (AlP) were administered. Serological and mucosal immune responses were evaluated in all vaccinated and control rabbits before and after oral challenge with 103 50% infective doses of live P[14], G3 ALA lapine rotavirus. All VLP- and SA11-vaccinated rabbits developed high levels of rotavirus-specific serum and intestinal immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies but not intestinal IgA antibodies. SA11 and 2/4/6/7-VLPs afforded similar but much higher mean levels of protection than 2/6/7- or 2/6-VLPs in QS-21. The presence of neutralizing antibodies to VP4 correlated (P < 0.001, r = 0.55; Pearson’s correlation coefficient) with enhanced protection rates, suggesting that these antibodies are important for protection. Although the inclusion of VP4 resulted in higher mean protection levels, high levels of protection (87 to 100%) from infection were observed in individual rabbits immunized with 2/6/7- or 2/6-VLPs in Freund’s adjuvants. Therefore, neither VP7 nor VP4 was absolutely required to achieve protection from infection in the rabbit model when Freund’s adjuvant was used. Our results show that VLPs are immunogenic when administered parenterally to rabbits and that Freund’s adjuvant is a better adjuvant than QS-21. The use of the rabbit model may help further our understanding of the critical rotavirus proteins needed to induce active protection. VLPs are a promising candidate for a parenterally administered subunit rotavirus vaccine. PMID:9765471

Growth response of rabbits fed graded levels of processed and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of processed and undehulled sunflower seed (PUSS) as feed supplement, on the performance of growing rabbits was studied.The eight weeks feeding trial involving twenty four, six weeks old male and female New Zealand white rabbits weighing 600-650g in a completely randomized design were feed three ...

Establishment of a rabbit Oct4 promoter-based EGFP reporter system.

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Longquan Quan

Full Text Available Rabbits are commonly used as laboratory animal models to investigate human diseases and phylogenetic development. However, pluripotent stem cells that contribute to germline transmission have yet to be established in rabbits. The transcription factor Oct4, also known as Pou5f1, is considered essential for the maintenance of the pluripotency of stem cells. Hence, pluripotent cells can be identified by monitoring Oct4 expression using a well-established Oct4 promoter-based reporter system. This study developed a rabbit Oct4 promoter-based enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP reporter system by transfecting pROP2-EGFP into rabbit fetal fibroblasts (RFFs. The transgenic RFFs were used as donor cells for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT. The EGFP expression was detected in the blastocysts and genital ridges of SCNT fetuses. Fibroblasts and neural stem cells (NSCs were derived from the SCNT fetuses. EGFP was also reactivated in blastocysts after the second SCNT, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs were obtained after reprogramming using Yamanaka's factors. The results above indicated that a rabbit reporter system used to monitor the differentiating status of cells was successfully developed.

Ocular distribution of topically applied adrenaline in albino and pigmented rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urtti, A.; Periviita, L.; Salminen, L.

1984-01-01

Systemic absorption, ocular distribution and ocular metabolism in albino and pigmented rabbit of topically applied 1% [ 3 H]1-adrenaline eye drops was studied by liquid scintillation counting and thin layer chromatography. The effect of adrenaline on the pupillary diameter was also registered. The peak plasma level of adrenaline was reached at 150 min. The corneal adrenaline metabolism was substantial, but did not vary with the rabbit strain. At 30 min after instillation, the total adrenaline concentration of pigmented iris and ciliary body exceeded that of corresponding albino tissues. At 180 min the drug concentration of the iris and ciliary body did not differ between the rabbit strains. Th time course of adrenaline induced mydriasis was equal in both rabbit strains. Since neither total adrenaline concentration at 180 min nor the time course of adrenaline induced mydriasis differed between the rabbit strains, the higher initial adrenaline uptake by pigmented tissues is not explained by pigment binding. It is proposed that the increased initial binding of adrenaline by pigmented tissues is caused by a difference between pigmented and albino tissues in the number of adrenergic neurones; this is also supported by the literature. (author)

Mining Naïve Rabbit Antibody Repertoires by Phage Display for Monoclonal Antibodies of Therapeutic Utility.

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Peng, Haiyong; Nerreter, Thomas; Chang, Jing; Qi, Junpeng; Li, Xiuling; Karunadharma, Pabalu; Martinez, Gustavo J; Fallahi, Mohammad; Soden, Jo; Freeth, Jim; Beerli, Roger R; Grawunder, Ulf; Hudecek, Michael; Rader, Christoph

2017-09-15

Owing to their high affinities and specificities, rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have demonstrated value and potential primarily as basic research and diagnostic reagents, but, in some cases, also as therapeutics. To accelerate access to rabbit mAbs bypassing immunization, we generated a large naïve rabbit antibody repertoire represented by a phage display library encompassing >10 billion independent antibodies in chimeric rabbit/human Fab format and validated it by next-generation sequencing. Panels of rabbit mAbs selected from this library against two emerging cancer targets, ROR1 and ROR2, revealed high diversity, affinity, and specificity. Moreover, ROR1- and ROR2-targeting rabbit mAbs demonstrated therapeutic utility as components of chimeric antigen receptor-engineered T cells, further corroborating the value of the naïve rabbit antibody library as a rich and virtually unlimited source of rabbit mAbs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrasound features of kidneys in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus

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R S Dimitrov

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine the normal sonographic features of rabbit kidneys with regard to their use in diagnostic imaging of renal lesions in this species. Materials: Twelve sexually mature clinically healthy New Zealand White rabbits weighing 2.8 kg to 3.2 kg were examined after anaesthesia. Methods: A diagnostic ultrasound system with microconvex multifrequency 6.5 MHz probe was used. The animals were positioned in dorsal recumbency. The transabdominal paravertebral imaging approach was used. Longitudinal and transverse scans of the kidneys were obtained. Six rabbits were sacrificed, their kidneys removed and studied in isotonic liquid medium. Results: The shape of kidneys was elliptical. The fibrous capsule was visualized as a straight hyperechoic band. The fatty capsule was hyperechoic and with irregular borders. The cortex exhibited a heterogeneous echogenicity. The acoustic density of the cortex was lower than that of the liver. The echoicity of the medulla was lower as compared to the cortex and the structures of the kidney pelvis. The latter appeared as a centrally located hyperechoic structure. The post mortem examination showed that kidneys were oval and hyperechoic. The kidney pelvis was seen as a centrally located longitudinal finding, and the renal hilum – as a centrally located hyperechoic finding. Conclusions: The transabdominal paravertebral approach was a good method for visualization of rabbit kidneys. The dorsal recumbency of the subjects allowed the visualization. The in vivo results corresponded to those from the post mortem study. The rabbit kidney was oval in shape. The hypoechoic peripheral zone is occupied by the cortex and the medulla, while the hyperechoic central zone – by the kidney pelvis. The cortex was less echoic than the liver parenchyma. The kidney pelvic cavity had a lower acoustic density than its walls, due to the presence of peripelvic adipose tissue. The present results could be used in the interpretation

Comparative anatomy of rabbit and human achilles tendons with magnetic resonance and ultrasound imaging.

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Doherty, Geoffrey P; Koike, Yoichi; Uhthoff, Hans K; Lecompte, Martin; Trudel, Guy

2006-02-01

We sought to describe the comparative anatomy of the Achilles tendon in rabbits and humans by using macroscopic observation, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography. The calcaneus-Achilles tendon-gastrocnemius-soleus complexes from 18 New Zealand white rabbits underwent ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and gross anatomic sectioning; these results were compared with those from a cadaveric gastrocnemius-soleus-Achilles tendon-calcaneus specimen from a 68-y-old human male. The medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscle tendons merged 5.2 +/- 0.6 mm proximal to the calcaneal insertion macroscopically, at 93% of their course, different from the gastrocnemius human tendons, which merged at 23% of their overall course. The rabbit flexor digitorum superficialis tendon, corresponding to the flexor digitorum longus tendon in human and comparable in size with the gastrocnemius tendons, was located medial and anterior to the medial gastrocnemius tendon proximally and rotated dorsally and laterally to run posterior to the Achilles tendon-calcaneus insertion. In humans, the flexor digitorum longus tendon tracks posteriorly to the medial malleolus. The soleus muscle and tendon are negligible in the rabbit; these particular comparative anatomic features in the rabbit were confirmed on the MR images. Therefore the rabbit Achilles tendon shows distinctive gross anatomical and MR imaging features that must be considered when using the rabbit as a research model, especially for mechanical testing, or when generalizing results from rabbits to humans.

Key role of European rabbits in the conservation of the Western Mediterranean basin hotspot.

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Delibes-Mateos, Miguel; Delibes, Miguel; Ferreras, Pablo; Villafuerte, Rafael

2008-10-01

The Mediterranean Basin is a global hotspot of biodiversity. Hotspots are said to be experiencing a major loss of habitat, but an added risk could be the decline of some species having a special role in ecological relationships of the system. We reviewed the role of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as a keystone species in the Iberian Peninsula portion of the Mediterranean hotspot. Rabbits conspicuously alter plant species composition and vegetation structure through grazing and seed dispersal, which creates open areas and preserves plant species diversity. Moreover, rabbit latrines have a demonstrable effect on soil fertility and plant growth and provide new feeding resources for many invertebrate species. Rabbit burrows provide nest sites and shelter for vertebrates and invertebrates. In addition, rabbits serve as prey for a number of predators, including the critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) and Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti). Thus, the Mediterranean ecosystem of the Iberian Peninsula should be termed "the rabbit's ecosystem." To our knowledge, this is the first empirical support for existence of a multifunctional keystone species in a global hotspot of biodiversity. Rabbit populations have declined drastically on the Iberian Peninsula, with potential cascading effects and serious ecological and economic consequences. From this perspective, rabbit recovery is one of the biggest challenges for conservation of the Mediterranean Basin hotspot.

N-(m-[125I]iodophenyl)maleimide: an agent for high yield radiolabeling of antibodies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khawli, L.A.; Van den Abbeele, A.D.; Kassis, A.I.

1992-01-01

In an effort to radiolabel antibodies, N-(m-[ 125 I]iodophenyl)maleimide (m-[ 125 I]IPM) was prepared by the demetallation of an N-[m-tri-(n-butyl)stannylphenyl]maleimide intermediate. The unlabeled intermediate was synthesized in ≥ 75% yield using a palladium catalyzed reaction of hexabutylditin with m-bromoaniline, followed by reaction with maleic anhydride and ring annulation. All products were confirmed by NMR and elemental analysis. Labeling with 125 I was carried out in a biphasic mixture containing chloramine-T (radiochemical yield ≥ 70%). Rabbit IgG modified with the heterobifunctional crosslinking agent N-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) and bovine serum albumin were conjugated with m-[ 125 I]IPM (yield: 40 and 80%, respectively). In addition, m-[ 125 I]IPM was conjugated to rabbit IgG subunits (HL) in 70% yield. The in vitro stability of the radiolabeled proteins in serum showed < 1% deiodination over 24h. (author)

Myocardial hydroxyproline reduced by early administration of methylprednisolone or ibuprofen to rabbits with radiation-induced heart disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, W.C.; Cunningham, D.; Schwiter, E.J.; Abt, A.; Skarlatos, S.; Wood, M.A.; Whitesell, L.

1982-01-01

The ability of methylprednisolone (MP) and ibuprofen (IB) to reduce the severity of the late state of radiation-induced heart disease was assessed in 57 New Zealand white rabbits. Before and shortly after cardiac irradiation, 15 rabbits received i.v. MP, 30 mg/kg twice daily for 3 days, and 15 others received IB, 12.5 mg/kg twice daily for 2 days. No drug administered to 14 irradiated rabbits, and neither irradiation nor drugs were administered to 13 rabbits that served as controls. All 15 rabbits treated with MP and 13 of the 15 treated with IB lived for 100 days. Only seven of the untreated, irradiated rabbits lived that long. Longevity of each treated group of rabbits was better (p < 0.01 and 0.05) than that of the untreated, irradiated rabbits. Surviving rabbits were killed 100 days after irradiation. Pericarditis (p < 0.05) and pericardial effusion (p < 0.01) were less frequent in the treated, irradiated groups than in the untreated, irradiated rabbits. At least some rabbits in each irradiated group had microscopic evidence of myocardial fibrosis. The fibrosis was quantitated by determination of myocardial hydroxyproline concentrations (MHP). MHP concentration in the untreated, irradiated rabbits was greater than in those treated with MP (p < 0.05) or IB (p < 0.01) and in the untreated, unirradiated rabbits (p < 0.01). Early administrative of MP or IB retarded the development of myocardial fibrosis, pericarditis and pericardial effusin, and improved survival in this experimental model of radiation-induced heart disease

Effect of parity on endometrial glands in gravid rabbits | Pulei ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of parity on endometrial glands in gravid rabbits. ... Anatomy Journal of Africa ... Image J. Endometrial gland density was noted to decrease with a rise in parity such that the percentage proportion in the primigravid rabbit was 45% compared to that of 34% and 37.5% in the biparous and multiparous groups respectively.

The E7 protein of the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus immortalizes normal rabbit keratinocytes and reduces pRb levels, while E6 cooperates in immortalization but neither degrades p53 nor binds E6AP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganzenmueller, Tina; Matthaei, Markus; Muench, Peter; Scheible, Michael; Iftner, Angelika; Hiller, Thomas; Leiprecht, Natalie; Probst, Sonja; Stubenrauch, Frank; Iftner, Thomas

2008-01-01

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause cervical cancer and are associated with the development of non-melanoma skin cancer. A suitable animal model for papillomavirus-associated skin carcinogenesis is the infection of domestic rabbits with the cottontail rabbit papillomavirus (CRPV). As the immortalizing activity of CRPV genes in the natural target cells remains unknown, we investigated the properties of CRPV E6 and E7 in rabbit keratinocytes (RK) and their influence on the cell cycle. Interestingly, CRPV E7 immortalized RK after a cellular crisis but showed no such activity in human keratinocytes. Co-expressed CRPV E6 prevented cellular crisis. The HPV16 or CRPV E7 protein reduced rabbit pRb levels thereby causing rabbit p19 ARF induction and accumulation of p53 without affecting cellular proliferation. Both CRPV E6 proteins failed to degrade rabbit p53 in vitro or to bind E6AP; however, p53 was still inducible by mitomycin C. In summary, CRPV E7 immortalizes rabbit keratinocytes in a species-specific manner and E6 contributes to immortalization without directly affecting p53

Differential Decomposition Among Pig, Rabbit, and Human Remains.

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Dautartas, Angela; Kenyhercz, Michael W; Vidoli, Giovanna M; Meadows Jantz, Lee; Mundorff, Amy; Steadman, Dawnie Wolfe

2018-03-30

While nonhuman animal remains are often utilized in forensic research to develop methods to estimate the postmortem interval, systematic studies that directly validate animals as proxies for human decomposition are lacking. The current project compared decomposition rates among pigs, rabbits, and humans at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility across three seasonal trials that spanned nearly 2 years. The Total Body Score (TBS) method was applied to quantify decomposition changes and calculate the postmortem interval (PMI) in accumulated degree days (ADD). Decomposition trajectories were analyzed by comparing the estimated and actual ADD for each seasonal trial and by fuzzy cluster analysis. The cluster analysis demonstrated that the rabbits formed one group while pigs and humans, although more similar to each other than either to rabbits, still showed important differences in decomposition patterns. The decomposition trends show that neither nonhuman model captured the pattern, rate, and variability of human decomposition. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Experimental and finite element analysis of tibial stress fractures using a rabbit model.

Science.gov (United States)

Franklyn, Melanie; Field, Bruce

2013-01-01

To determine if rabbit models can be used to quantify the mechanical behaviour involved in tibial stress fracture (TSF) development. Fresh rabbit tibiae were loaded under compression using a specifically-designed test apparatus. Weights were incrementally added up to a load of 30 kg and the mechanical behaviour of the tibia was analysed using tests for buckling, bone strain and hysteresis. Structural mechanics equations were subsequently employed to verify that the results were within the range of values predicted by theory. A finite element (FE) model was developed using cross-sectional computer tomography (CT) images scanned from one of the rabbit bones, and a static load of 6 kg (1.5 times the rabbit's body weight) was applied to represent running. The model was validated using the experimental strain gauge data, then geometric and elemental convergence tests were performed in order to find the minimum number of cross-sectional scans and elements respectively required for convergence. The analysis was then performed using both the model and the experimental results to investigate the mechanical behaviour of the rabbit tibia under compressive load and to examine crack initiation. The experimental tests showed that under a compressive load of up to 12 kg, the rabbit tibia demonstrates linear behaviour with little hysteresis. Up to 30 kg, the bone does not fail by elastic buckling; however, there are low levels of tensile stress which predominately occur at and adjacent to the anterior border of the tibial midshaft: this suggests that fatigue failure occurs in these regions, since bone under cyclic loading initially fails in tension. The FE model predictions were consistent with both mechanics theory and the strain gauge results. The model was highly sensitive to small changes in the position of the applied load due to the high slenderness ratio of the rabbit's tibia. The modelling technique used in the current study could have applications in the development of

Utilization of tropical rabbits

African Journals Online (AJOL)

5,0' a,b"differ (P<0,05) for reproducing rabbits, and may aid the prevention of enteric diseases. In Trial 3, ADG of several tropical legumes was the same as that obtained with alfalfa (Table 3). Gains with guinea grass, cassava, stylosanthes and the winged bean were lower than with alfalfa. Digestibilityof the protein and fibre ...

Vaccination of free-living juvenile wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) against myxomatosis improved their survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Guitton, Jean-Sébastien; Devillard, Sébastien; Guénézan, Michel; Fouchet, David; Pontier, Dominique; Marchandeau, Stéphane

2008-04-17

For several decades, the populations of the European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) have declined, which is partly due to myxomatosis. Vaccination against this disease is expected to contribute to restoration of rabbit populations but the actual impact of myxomatosis is not well known and vaccination might have some negative effects. We analyzed the capture-mark-recapture data obtained in a 4-year field experiment (1991-1994) in a park near Paris, France wherein 300 out of 565 seronegative juvenile rabbits were vaccinated at first capture against myxomatosis with the nontransmissible Dervaximyxo SG33 vaccine. After accounting for weight at first capture, age-class (juvenile/adult), "trap-happiness" and season (spring/autumn) of the capture event, vaccinated rabbits had 1.8-fold greater odds of surviving than the unvaccinated rabbits. The average summer survival risk for vaccinated juveniles was 0.63 (+/-0.08 S.E.) whereas it was 0.48 (+/-0.08 S.E.) for unvaccinated juvenile rabbits.

AHP 47: THE PROVOCATIVE RABBIT

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Rnam rgyal རྣམ་རྒྱལ།

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A retreatant finished chanting for a family, packed up the offerings from the host, and started back to his hermitage feeling satisfied. A rabbit, called Ja dkrug mgo 'Trouble Maker', watched the retreatant through an evergreen bush, and decided he wanted to cheat the retreatant out of his offerings. Trouble Maker came out of the bush and stood in front of the retreatant in the middle of the path. As the retreatant came closer, Trouble Maker ran forward a few steps and then again turned back to watch the retreatant, who chased the rabbit for a while, but the heavy bag burdened him and he soon got very tired. He finally threw down his bag and chased Trouble Maker, who ran just beyond the retreatant’s grasp. Finally, having left the retreatant far behind, Trouble Maker doubled back, picked up the retreatant's bag, and carried it off. ...

Effects of Minimum and Maximum Doses of Furosemide on Fractional Shortening Parameter in Echocardiography of the New Zealand White Rabbit

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Roham Vali, Mohammad Nasrollahzadeh Masouleh* and Siamak Mashhady Rafie1

2013-04-01

Full Text Available There is no data on the effect of maximum and minimum doses of furosemide on heart's work performance and amount of fractional shortening (FS in echocardiography of rabbit. This study was designed to validate probability of the mentionable effect. Twenty-four healthy female New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four equal groups. Maximum and minimum doses of furosemide were used for the first and second groups and the injection solution for the third and fourth groups was sodium chloride 0.9% which had the same calculated volumes of furosemide for the first two groups, respectively. The left ventricle FS in statutory times (0, 2, 5, 15, 30 minutes was determined by echocardiography. Measurements of Mean±SD, maximum and minimum amounts for FS values in all groups before injection and in statutory times were calculated. Statistical analysis revealed non-significant correlation between the means of FS. The results of this study showed that furosemide can be used as a diuretic agent for preparing a window approach in abdominal ultrasonography examination with no harmful effect on cardiac function.

Contrasting effects of climate change on rabbit populations through reproduction.

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Tablado, Zulima; Revilla, Eloy

2012-01-01

Climate change is affecting many physical and biological processes worldwide. Anticipating its effects at the level of populations and species is imperative, especially for organisms of conservation or management concern. Previous studies have focused on estimating future species distributions and extinction probabilities directly from current climatic conditions within their geographical ranges. However, relationships between climate and population parameters may be so complex that to make these high-level predictions we need first to understand the underlying biological processes driving population size, as well as their individual response to climatic alterations. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the influence that climate change may have on species population dynamics through altering breeding season. We used a mechanistic model based on drivers of rabbit reproductive physiology together with demographic simulations to show how future climate-driven changes in breeding season result in contrasting rabbit population trends across Europe. In the Iberian Peninsula, where rabbits are a native species of high ecological and economic value, breeding seasons will shorten and become more variable leading to population declines, higher extinction risk, and lower resilience to perturbations. Whereas towards north-eastern countries, rabbit numbers are expected to increase through longer and more stable reproductive periods, which augment the probability of new rabbit invasions in those areas. Our study reveals the type of mechanisms through which climate will cause alterations at the species level and emphasizes the need to focus on them in order to better foresee large-scale complex population trends. This is especially important in species like the European rabbit whose future responses may aggravate even further its dual keystone/pest problematic. Moreover, this approach allows us to predict not only distribution shifts but also future

Intravitreal docosahexaenoic acid in a rabbit model: preclinical safety assessment.

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Rosa Dolz-Marco

Full Text Available PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the retinal toxicity of a single dose of intravitreal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA in rabbit eyes over a short-term period. METHODS: Sixteen New Zealand albino rabbits were selected for this pre-clinical study. Six concentrations of DHA (Brudy Laboratories, Barcelona, Spain were prepared: 10 mg/50 µl, 5 mg/50 µl, 2'5 mg/50 µl, 50 µg/50 µl, 25 µg/50 µl, and 5 µg/50 µl. Each concentration was injected intravitreally in the right eye of two rabbits. As a control, the vehicle solution was injected in one eye of four animals. Retinal safety was studied by slit-lamp examination, and electroretinography. All the rabbits were euthanized one week after the intravitreal injection of DHA and the eyeballs were processed to morphologic and morphometric histological examination by light microscopy. At the same time aqueous and vitreous humor samples were taken to quantify the concentration of omega-3 acids by gas chromatography. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: Slit-lamp examination revealed an important inflammatory reaction on the anterior chamber of the rabbits injected with the higher concentrations of DHA (10 mg/50 µl, 5 mg/50 µl, 2'5 mg/50 µ Lower concentrations showed no inflammation. Electroretinography and histological studies showed no significant difference between control and DHA-injected groups except for the group injected with 50 µg/50 µl. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that administration of intravitreal DHA is safe in the albino rabbit model up to the maximum tolerated dose of 25 µg/50 µl. Further studies should be performed in order to evaluate the effect of intravitreal injection of DHA as a treatment, alone or in combination, of different retinal diseases.

Haematology and serum profile of rabbits due to generation interval ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A total of ninety-six (96) weaner rabbits (Chinchilla and New Zealand White crossbred) were used for this study and were divided into forty-eight (48) per generation. These fortyeight weaner rabbits were further divided into three replicates of four males (12) and four females each (12) housed in cage (24) and deep litter ...

Effects of vaccination against viral haemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis on long-term mortality rates of European wild rabbits.

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Calvete, C; Estrada, R; Lucientes, J; Osacar, J J; Villafuerte, R

2004-09-25

The effects of vaccination against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) on long-term mortality rates in European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were studied from 1993 to 1996 by radiotracking a free-living population of wild rabbits. During the three months after immunisation, unvaccinated young rabbits weighing between 180 and 600 g were 13.6 times more likely to die than vaccinated young rabbits. In adult rabbits, vaccination did not significantly decrease mortality, mainly owing to the high proportion of rabbits which had previously been exposed to the antigens of both diseases. Compared with adult rabbits with natural antibodies to VHD, rabbits without these antibodies were 5.2 times more likely to die of VHD during annual outbreaks.

Pharmacokinetics of chlorhexidine gluconate 0.02% in the rabbit cornea.

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Xuguang, Sun; Yanchuang, Liang; Feng, Zhang; Shiyun, Luo; Xiaotang, Yin

2006-08-01

The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) in the rabbit cornea. Each eye of 16 New Zealand white rabbits were topically instilled with 50 microL of CHG 0.02% eye drops twice with a 5-min interval. Four (4) corneas of 2 rabbits were harvested at each time point. The concentration of CHG in the cornea was determined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 387 software to simulate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The concentration of CHG in the cornea displayed an open two-compartment model. Tmax was 13.75 min, Cmax 0.713 microg.g1, clearance rate 1.64 microg.g-1.min-1, and t1/2alpha, t1/2beta, and t1/2ka was 2.65, 48.72, and 2.67 min, respectively. The concentration of CHG in the rabbit cornea could be determined by means of HPLC. The maximum concentration of CHG in the corneal tissue was much higher than the trophozoite minimum amoebicidal concentration (TMAC) in vitro.

Animal in vivo models of EBV-associated lymphoproliferative diseases: special references to rabbit models.

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Hayashi, K; Teramoto, N; Akagi, T

2002-10-01

Animal models of human EBV-associated diseases are essential to elucidate the pathogenesis of EBV-associated diseases. Here we review those previous models using EBV or EBV-like herpesviruses and describe the details on our two newly-developed rabbit models of lymphoproliferative diseases (LPD) induced by simian EBV-like viruses. The first is Cynomolgus-EBV-induced T-cell lymphomas in rabbits inoculated intravenously (77-90%) and orally (82-89%) during 2-5 months. EBV-DNA was detected in peripheral blood by PCR from 2 days after oral inoculation, while anti-EBV-VCA IgG was raised 3 weeks later. Rabbit lymphomas and their cell lines contained EBV-DNA and expressed EBV-encoded RNA-1 (EBER-1). Rabbit lymphoma cell lines, most of which have specific chromosomal abnormality, showed tumorigenicity in nude mice. The second is the first animal model for EBV-infected T-cell LPD with virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS), using rabbits infected with an EBV-like herpesvirus, Herpesvirus papio (HVP). Rabbits inoculated intravenously with HVP-producing cells showed increased anti-EBV-VCA-IgG titers, and most (85%) subsequently died of fatal LPD and VAHS, with bleeding and hepatosplenomegaly, during 22-105 days. Peroral spray of cell-free HVP induced viral infection with seroconversion in 3 out of 5 rabbits, with 2 of the 3 infected rabbits dying of LPD with VAHS. Atypical T lymphocytes containing HVP-DNA and expressing EBER-1 were observed in many organs. Hemophagocytic histiocytosis was observed in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and thymus. These rabbit models are also useful and inexpensive alternative experimental model systems for studying the biology and pathogenesis of EBV, and prophylactic and therapeutic regimens.

Impaired atrial electromechanical function and atrial fibrillation promotion in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

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Fu, Huaying; Liu, Changle; Li, Jian; Zhou, Changyu; Cheng, Lijun; Liu, Tong; Li, Guangping

2013-01-01

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the underlying mechanisms are still not clearly elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the atrial electromechanical function, atrial electrophysiological changes and AF inducibility in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits. In 8 alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits and 8 controls, we evaluated atrial electromechanical function by tissue Doppler imaging. Isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts were prepared to measure atrial refractory effective period (AERP) and its dispersion (AERPD), interatrial conduction time (IACT) and vulnerability to AF. Atrial interstitial fibrosis was evaluated by Sirius-Red staining. Compared with controls, left atrial lateral wall Pa'-start interval (Pastart) and right atrial wall Pastart were increased in diabetic rabbits. AERPD was increased and IACT was prolonged in diabetic rabbits. Inducibility of AF in diabetic group was significant higher than controls (6/8 vs. 1/8, p TEMA); left atrial lateral wall Papeak and TEMA, left atrial posterior wall TEMA, and IACT were correlated with atrial areas of fibrosis. Atrial electromechanical function is impaired in diabetic rabbits, and is associated with atrial fibrosis and interatrial electrical conduction delay.

Myocardial hydroxyproline reduced by early administration of methylprednisolone or ibuprofen to rabbits with radiation-induced heart disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, W.C.; Cunningham, D.; Schwiter, E.J.; Abt, A.; Skarlatos, S.; Wood, M.A.; Whitesell, L.

1982-01-01

The ability of methylprednisolone (MP) and ibuprofen (IB) to reduce the severity of the late state of radiation-induced heart disease was assessed in 57 New Zealand white rabbits. Before and shortly after cardiac irradiation, 15 rabbits received i.v. MP, 30 mg/kg twice daily for 3 days, and 15 others received IB, 12.5 mg/kg twice daily for 2 days. No drug was administered to 14 irradiated rabbits, and neither irradiation nor drugs were administered to 13 rabbits that served as controls, All 15 rabbits treated with MP and 13 of the 15 treated with IB lived for 100 days. Only seven of the untreated, irradiated rabbits lived that long. Longevity of each treated group of rabbits was better (p less than 0.01 and 0.05) than that of the untreated, irradiated rabbits. Surviving rabbits were killed 100 days after irradiation. Pericarditis (p less than 0.05) and pericardial effusion (p less than 0.01) were less frequent in the treated, irradiated groups than in the untreated, irradiated rabbits. At least some rabbits in each irradiated group had microscopic evidence of myocardial fibrosis. The fibrosis was quantitated by determination of myocardial hydroxyproline concentrations (MHP). MHP concentration in the untreated, irradiated rabbits was greater than in those treated with MP (p less than 0.05) or IB (p less than 0.01) and in the untreated, unirradiated rabbits (p less than 0.01). Early administration of MP or IB retarded the development of myocardial fibrosis, pericarditis and pericardial effusion, and improved survival in this experimental model of radiation-induced heart disease

An experimental study on MR lymphography with various iron colloid agents

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Okuhata, Yoshitaka (Nihon Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Medicine)

1992-08-01

Magnetic resonance (MR) lymphography with iron colloid agents was evaluated in an animal model. The agents examined were ferric gluconate (FeG), saccharated ferric oxide (SFO), iron chondroitin sulfate (ICS) and cideferron (CiF), which were used as intravenous medication for iron deficiency anemia. The author performed time-dose-response and correlative histologic studies. MR images of the popliteal lymph nodes of rabbits were obtained at 1.5 T with a spin-echo sequence (TR=300, TE=30 msec) before and after subcutaneous injection of the agents to dorsal hind-feet. The images were evaluated by signal intensity (SI). Histologic specimens were evaluated for distribution and relative quantity of stained iron with a color image analyzer. The SI with FeG 4 mgFe increased by 50% at 5 to 60 minutes after injection but returned to the pre-contrast level 48 hours later. The SIs with SFO 8 mgFe, ICS 1 mgFe and CiF 1 mgFe decreased to the background level at 60 minutes and 48 hours after injection. The histologic study in combination with the images indicated that in case of FeG the particles in lymph increased SI while in the other agents those within macrophages decreased SI. Because the agents are already used clinically, they can be safety applied to MR lymphography. (author).

Comparison of behaviour, performance and mortality in restricted and ad libitum-fed growing rabbits.

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Dalmau, A; Abdel-Khalek, A M; Ramon, J; Piles, M; Sanchez, J P; Velarde, A; Rafel, O

2015-07-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether rabbits fed in a restricted regimen (75%) showed increased competition for feeding, drinking and use of specific areas of the cages as compared with those provided feed ad libitum. This evaluation was carried out by measuring their space utilisation in the cage, the incidence of agonistic behaviour and rates of mortality. In total, 504 rabbits between 31 and 66 days of age were used in this study. A total of 200 heavy-weight rabbits and 56 light-weight rabbits were randomly housed in 32 cages, each cage containing eight rabbits: 25 cages housing heavy rabbits and seven cages housing the light-weight ones. They were all fed ad libitum (AD). In addition, a total of 208 heavy-weight rabbits and 40 light-weight rabbits were randomly housed in 31 cages, each of them containing eight rabbits: 26 cages housing heavy weight rabbits and five cages housing light-weight ones. They were all fed a restricted diet (R) regimen. The restriction was calculated to be 75% of the feed consumed by the AD group. The total space available in the cage was 3252 cm(2), with a stocking density of 24.6 animals/m(2). Animals between 32 and 60 days of age from 20 different cages were observed nine times per week (morning or afternoon) by means of scan and focal sampling by one observer. During each period, cages were assessed for 5 min, registering every minute the position of all the animals in relation to Area A (feeder), Area B (central part) or Area C (back and drinker area). The incidence of agonistic behaviour such as displacement, biting and jumping on each other was also assessed. Performance variables such as daily gain and feed conversion ratio, in addition to general health status and mortality rates, were recorded for all rabbits. When the rabbits were under restricted feeding, the competition for feed and drink increased with clear signs of agonistic behaviour such as biting, displacement and animals jumping on top of each other

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Urinary System in New Zealand White Rabbit and Tolai Hare

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Abdolvahed Moarabi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Ultrasonographic examination of urinary system (kidney and urinary bladder was conducted in New Zealand white rabbit [NZwr] and Tolai hare (Lepus tolai. Ultrasound images of the kidney and urinary bladder were evaluated on fifteen healthy rabbits of New Zealand white rabbit and another fifteen Tolai hares. The healthy rabbits were 8-12 months old (mean = 9.3 months, of both sexes and weighed between 1.1-1.7 kg (mean = 1.250 kg. All examinations were performed while the rabbits were in dorsal recumbancy. The kidneys were examined from fossa by the use of an 8 MHz linear real-time scanner. This study revealed the following measurements normal rabbit kidneys: 27.80-35.70 mm and 16.90-22.40 mm in length and width in New Zealand white rabbit, respectively. The length and width were 26.67-34.50 and 15.82-20.60 mm, in Tolai hare, respectively. Bladder wall thickness varies from 1.70-2.50 mm (in New Zealand white rabbit to 1.80-2.60 mm (in Tolai hare. Statistical analysis showed that the gender did not have effect on length, width and weight (P > 0.05, but the type of the animal, had significant effect on the cortex and surface (P < 0.05. In the present study, the renal cortex was uniform in echogenicity, hyperechoic to the renal medulla, hypoechoic to the spleen, and isoechoic to the hepatic parenchyma.

Limited number of immunoglobulin VH regions expressed in the mutant rabbit "Alicia".

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DiPietro, L A; Short, J A; Zhai, S K; Kelus, A S; Meier, D; Knight, K L

1990-06-01

A unique feature of rabbit Ig is the presence of VH region allotypic specificities. In normal rabbits, more than 80% of circulating immunoglobulin molecules bear the VHa allotypic specificities, al, a2 or a3; the remaining 10% to 20% of immunoglobulin molecules lack VHa allotypic specificities and are designated VHa-. A mutant rabbit designated Alicia, in contrast, has predominantly serum immunoglobulin molecules that lack the VHa allotypic specificities (Kelus and Weiss, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1986. 83: 4883). To study the nature and molecular complexity of VHa- molecules, we cloned and determined the nucleotide sequence of seven cDNA prepared from splenic RNA of an Alicia rabbit. Six of the clones appeared to encode VHa- molecules; the framework regions encoded by these clones were remarkably similar to each other, each having an unusual insertion of four amino acids at position 10. This insertion of four amino acids has been seen in only 2 of 54 sequenced rabbit VH genes. The similarity of the sequences of the six VHa- clones to each other and their dissimilarity to most other VH genes leads us to suggest that the VHa- molecules in Alicia rabbits are derived predominantly from one or a small number of very similar VH genes. Such preferential utilization of a small number of VH genes may explain the allelic inheritance of VH allotypes.

Effects Of Chloroquine On Some Visceral Organs In The Rabbit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects Of Chloroquine On Some Visceral Organs In The Rabbit: Histopathological Perspective. ... Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy ... 60 and 90 days in the albino (n=10) and pigmented (n=22) rabbits, with mean weight value of 1.40 ± 0.44kg and mean age value of 9.0 ± 0.25 months were investigated in the ...

Behavioral testing and litter effects in the rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Gümüş, H G; Agyemang, A A; Romantsik, O; Sandgren, R; Karlsson, H; Gram, M; Vallius, S; Ley, D; van den Hove, D L A; Bruschettini, M

2018-02-23

Behavioral testing provides an essential approach in further developing our understanding of brain structure and function. The aim of our study was to outline a more expanded approach to cognition- and anxiety-related behavior in the rabbit. Twenty-one 70-day old rabbits (13 female, 8 male) were exposed to open field test, dark-light box test and object recognition testing with variations in inter-trial-interval, olfactory recognition and object location testing. Independent T-tests were used to compare data by individual baseline characteristics, i.e. birth weight, weight at testing, sex, litter #, litter size. In the open field test, median time spent in the center was 3.64 s (0.84-41.36) for the 9 rabbits who entered the center; median distance moved in the arena was 874.42 cm (54.20-3444.83). In the dark light box test, 12 rabbits entered the light compartment. In the object recognition task, rabbits spent significantly less time exploring the familiar object compared to the novel (0.40 s [0-2.8] vs. 3.17 s [1.30-32.69]; P = 0.003) when using a 30-min inter-trial interval, as well with a 90-min inter-trial interval: 0.87 s [0-7.8] vs. 7.65 s [0-37.6] (P = 0.008). However, recognition was lost when using a 24-h inter-trial interval (time spent exploring the familiar object: 3.33 [0-10.90]; novel object:3.87 [1.15-48.53]; n.s). In the object location task and in olfactory object recognition task, median discrimination indexes were 0.69 (-1 to 1) and 0.37 (-0.38 to 0.78) respectively, higher than level expected by chance (P Litter size >3 during the neonatal period was associated with increased explorative behavior in the dark light box test (P = 0.046) and in the visual object recognition task (P = 0.005), whereas body weight and sex were not. Settings and outcome measures for multiple behavioral tests, providing reference values and considerations for future developmental studies are reported. Discrimination and memory in the rabbit

Rabbit models of cerebral vasospasm established with endovascular puncture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tu Jianfei; Liu Yizhi; Ji Jiansong; Zhao Zhongwei

2008-01-01

Objective: To investigate the method of endovascular puncture to establish rabbit models of cerebral vasospasm. Methods: New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 5 groups (12 h, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d and 7 d) randomly, and each group was separated into subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) subgroup (n=5) and control subgroup (n=2). cerebral vascular spasm (CVS) models were established after SAH with endovascular puncture. CT scans before and after operation were performed. The internal diameters and the wall thicknesses of posterior communicans artery (PcoA) and basilar artery (BA) were measured with HE stain after the animals were executed. Results: CVS model was successfully eastblished in 35 rabbits (SAH subgroup 25, control subgroup 10), resulting a successful rate of 48.61%. Compared with control subgroup, PcoA and BA showed shrinkage of internal diameters of 43.60% and 51.82% 12 h after SAH, respectively, and the shrinkage appeared as biphasic patterns until the 7th study day with another peaks of 29.32% and 45.19%, respectively. Conclusions: Endovascular puncture is an effective method to establish rabbit of CVS. The death rate of animals can be decreased with the asage of new interventional material and perfection for the details of operation. (authors)

The Effect of Feed Form on Diet Digestibility and Cecal Parameters in Rabbits

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Alvarenga, Isabella Corsato; Aldrich, Charles Gregory; Kohles, Micah

2017-01-01

Simple Summary In addition to hay or forage in the diet pet rabbits are commonly fed a supplementary food as a muesli (granular mix), pellets, or extruded croquettes. This study aimed to determine if form of this supplementary diet (pelleted vs. extruded) or composition (muesli) had an effect on the diets total tract digestibility and cecal fermentation patterns. Rabbits had slightly higher intake when fed extruded and pelleted diets compared to muesli. Digestibility results were inconsistent between estimation methods. The extruded diet was more digestible than pelleted according to the total collection digestibility method, but according to internal marker acid insoluble ash the pelleted diet was the most digestible. Both the extruded and pelleted diet had similar fermentation patterns, with lower cecal pH and greater proportions of butyrate. Our findings suggest that diet composition, rather than form, may have a greater impact on nutrient utilization by rabbits. Abstract Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to one of 3 dietary treatment groups of 5 animals each and fed pelleted, extruded, or muesli diets in a completely randomized design experiment. Rabbits were placed in individual cages with ad libitum access to water and food for 45 days acclimation followed by 30 days experimental period. Feed intake of rabbits fed pelleted and extruded diets was greater (p digestibility among the treatments was inconsistent when comparing results obtained from total fecal collection and AIA (please define) as an internal marker. Rabbits fed extruded and pelleted diets had lower (p < 0.05) cecal pH (6.42 and 6.38 vs. 7.02, respectively), and higher (p < 0.05) production of SCFA (18.5 and 19.0 vs. 11.7 mM, respectively) than those fed muesli. The fermentation products from rabbits fed pelleted and extruded diets had a greater proportion of butyrate and less propionate than rabbits fed muesli. The results of this study indicate that the basal dietary composition

Lithium absorption by the rabbit gall-bladder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, C P; Holstein-Rathlou, N H; Skøtt, O

1991-01-01

Lithium (Li+) absorption across the low-resistance epithelium of the rabbit gall-bladder was studied in order to elucidate possible routes and mechanisms of Li+ transfer. Li+ at a concentration of 0.4 mM in both mucosal and serosal media did not affect isosmotic mucosa-to-serosa fluid absorption...... was elicited from the mucosal side and was not accounted for by compensatory Li+ absorption; water and Na+ absorption rates decreased nearly in parallel. The effects of 0.4 mM amiloride and of substitution with 20 mM Li+ were only partly additive. It is concluded that Li+ absorption in the rabbit gall...

Newly formed skeletal muscle fibers are prone to false positive immunostaining by rabbit antibodies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ditte C; Kliem, Anette; Schrøder, Henrik Daa

2011-01-01

rely on controls that reveal non-specific binding by the secondary antibody and neglect that the primary rabbit antibody itself may cause false positive staining of the muscle. We suggest that reliable immuno-based protein detection in newly formed muscle fibers at least requires a nonsense rabbit......Reports on muscle biology and regeneration often implicate immuno(cyto/histo)chemical protein characterization using rabbit polyclonal antibodies. In this study we demonstrate that newly formed myofibers are especially prone to false positive staining by rabbit antibodies and this unwanted staining...

Nutritive value of brewers’ grain and maize silage for fattening rabbits

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H. Guermah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Specific knowledge of the nutritive value of raw materials is fundamental to formulate balanced diets for rabbits and allows greater use of by-products and non-conventional feedstuffs. This paper examines the feeding value of sun-dried brewers’ grain and maize silage (whole plant for fattening rabbits. Twenty-four individually caged 8-wk-old rabbits were used to determine the digestibility. Both wet products were sun-dried and ground before being incorporated into a basal diet. The inclusion level at the expense of all basal ingredients amounted to 30%. Basal diet and both experimental diets were fed ad libitum to 8 rabbits during the 4-d balance trial. The determined digestibility of protein, fat, crude fibre and neutral detergent fibre digestibility amounted to 76.2 and 77.2%; 86.5 and 99.1%; 8.1 and 8.3% and 28.0 and 13.5%, respectively, for brewers’ grain and maize silage. The digestible energy content amounted to 11.66 MJ/kg dry matter (DM (brewers’ grain and 11.10 MJ/kg DM (maize silage. Both by-products have potential as alternative feedstuff in rabbit diets. However, further experiments are necessary to determine the effect of ensilaging the whole maize plant, as a significantly lower (P<0.001 feed intake was observed.

Herbage intake regulation and growth of rabbits raised on grasslands: back to basics and looking forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, G; Duprat, A; Goby, J-P; Theau, J-P; Roinsard, A; Descombes, M; Legendre, H; Gidenne, T

2016-10-01

Organic agriculture is developing worldwide, and organic rabbit production has developed within this context. It entails raising rabbits in moving cages or paddocks, which enables them to graze grasslands. As organic farmers currently lack basic technical information, the objective of this article is to characterize herbage intake, feed intake and the growth rate of rabbits raised on grasslands in different environmental and management contexts (weather conditions, grassland type and complete feed supplementation). Three experiments were performed with moving cages at an experimental station. From weaning, rabbits grazed a natural grassland, a tall fescue grassland and a sainfoin grassland in experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Rabbit diets were supplemented with a complete pelleted feed limited to 69 g dry matter (DM)/rabbit per day in experiment 1 and 52 g DM/rabbit per day in experiments 2 and 3. Herbage allowance and fiber, DM and protein contents, as well as rabbit intake and live weight, were measured weekly. Mean herbage DM intake per rabbit per day differed significantly (P<0.001) between experiments. It was highest in experiment 1 (78.5 g DM/day) and was 43.9 and 51.2 g DM/day in experiments 2 and 3, respectively. Herbage allowance was the most significant determinant of herbage DM intake during grazing, followed by rabbit metabolic weight (live weight0.75) and herbage protein and fiber contents. Across experiments, a 10 g DM increase in herbage allowance and a 100 g increase in rabbit metabolic weight corresponded to a mean increase of 6.8 and 9.6 g of herbage DM intake, respectively. When including complete feed, daily mean DM intakes differed significantly among experiments (P<0.001), ranging from 96.1 g DM/rabbit per day in experiment 2 to 163.6 g DM/rabbit per day in experiment 1. Metabolic weight of rabbits raised on grasslands increased linearly over time in all three experiments, yielding daily mean growth rates of 26.2, 19.2 and 28.5 g/day in

Comparison of efficacy of unheated and heat-treated Sahara honey on wound healing in rabbits

OpenAIRE

Baghdad Khiati; Moussa Ahmed

2015-01-01

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of unheated and heat-treated Sahara honey on wound healing in rabbits on the basis of macroscopic observation changes. Methods: Eight female rabbits were used. Using aseptic surgical technique, a 3 cm incision was made on the back of each rabbit and two rabbits with injuries in each group were treated daily with a topical application of unheated and heated honey, sulfadiazine and sterile saline, respectively. Results: The unheated...

Dietary Niacin Supplementation Suppressed Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in Rabbits

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Lei Liu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of niacin supplementation on hepatic lipid metabolism in rabbits. Rex Rabbits (90 d, n = 32 were allocated to two equal treatment groups: Fed basal diet (control or fed basal diet with additional 200 mg/kg niacin supplementation (niacin. The results show that niacin significantly increased the levels of plasma adiponectin, hepatic apoprotein B and hepatic leptin receptors mRNA (p0.05. However, niacin treatment significantly inhibited the hepatocytes lipid accumulation compared with the control group (p<0.05. In conclusion, niacin treatment can decrease hepatic fatty acids synthesis, but does not alter fatty acids oxidation and triacylglycerol export. And this whole process attenuates lipid accumulation in liver. Besides, the hormones of insulin, leptin and adiponectin are associated with the regulation of niacin in hepatic lipid metabolism in rabbits.

Blood brain barrier and brain tissue injury by Gd-DTPA in uremia-induced rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sun Seob; Huh, Ki Yeong; Han, Jin Yeong; Lee, Yong Chul; Eun, Choong Gi; Yang, Yeong Il

1996-01-01

An experimental study was carried out to evaluate the morphological changes in the blood brain barrier and neighbouring brain tissue caused by Gd-DTPA in uremia-induced rabbits. Bilateral renal arteries and veins of ten rabbits were ligated. Gd-DTPA(0.2mmol/kg) was intravenously injected into seven rabbits immediately after ligation. After MRI, they were sacrificed 2 or 3 days after ligation in order to observe light and electron microscopic changes in the blood brain barrier and brain tissue. MRI findings were normal, except for enhancement of the superior and inferior sagittal sinuses on T1 weighted images in uremia-induced rabbits injected with Gd-DTPA. On light microscopic examination, these rabbits showed perivascular edema and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression: electron microscopic examination showed separation of tight junctions of endothelial cells, duplication/rarefaction of basal lamina, increased lysosomes of neurons with neuronal death, demyelination of myelin, and extravasation of red blood cells. Uremia-induced rabbits injected with Gd-DTPA showed more severe changes than those without Gd-DTPA injection. Injuries to the blood brain barrier and neighbouring brain tissue were aggravated by Gd-DTPA administration in uremia-induced rabbits. These findings appear to be associated with the neurotoxicity of Gd-DTPA

Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Potential of a High Fiber Diet in Healthy versus Diabetic Rabbits

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Raquel Díez

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate potential hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of Plantago ovata husk included in the diet, in healthy and diabetic rabbits. We also examined the effects of this fiber in other biochemical parameters. Two groups of 18 rabbits were used. The first group was fed with standard chow and the second with chow supplemented with Plantago ovata husk (3.5 mg/kg/day. On day 14 diabetes mellitus was induced by the intravenous administration of alloxan (80 mg/kg. After an oral glucose load (3 g, glucose, insulin, and other biochemical parameters were determined on day 14 (healthy rabbits and on day 28 (diabetic rabbits. In healthy rabbits, fiber did not modify glucose or insulin levels but decreased significantly total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, atherogenic index, and glycosylated hemoglobin. In diabetic rabbits, fiber was more beneficial in mild diabetics than in severe diabetics with significant decreases in glucose levels and increases in insulin concentrations. In these animals fiber caused an important reduction in cholesterol, indicating a beneficial effect of Plantago ovata husk in diabetic rabbits. Although further studies in patients are necessary, we think that Plantago ovata husk offers interesting perspectives to be administered to patients with diabetes mellitus.

A study on early microstructural changes in the rabbit gallbladder induced by shock waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oh, Eun Oak [Hong-Sung Koryo Hospital, Hongsung (Korea, Republic of); Shim, Hyung Jin; Kim, Kun Sang; Ryo, Dae Sik; Choi, Yun Sun; Song, In Sup; Kim, Young Koo [College of Medicine, Chung Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1994-05-15

In order to evaluate microstructural changes after shock wave exposure, gross, light microscopic and transmission electron microscopic findings were analyzed with rabbit gallbladders. A preliminary study(2 rabbits) was performed to determine the dosage intensity of shock waves needed to inflict damage, using a EDAP LT 01 piezoelectric extracorporeal shock wave lothotriptor. The Gallbladders of three different groups of rabbits were given shock waves of various intensity. A storage value of 100, 50, 25 at rate of 20/sec under 80% power were given to group I (4 rabbits), group II (4 rabbits), and group III (3 rabbits), respectively. The rabbits were sacrificed 6-12 hours later. The observed pathologic changes in the transmission electron microscopy were vaculization of cytoplasm and swelling of epithelial cells with dilatation and structural alteration of intracellular organelles, especially endoplasmic reticulum. Cell membrane rupture and necrosis were observed at the markedly affected area. The structural changes of intracellular organelles were minimally found at a storage value of 25. However, above pathologic changes with dilatation and structural alterations of endoplasmic reticulums were more profound at value of 100. Early histologic changes induced by shocked waves are dose dependent and findings of cellular damage caused by ESWL might be explained as above.

Study on phototherapeutic keratotomy for bacterial corneal lesions in rabbit

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Xin Zhou

2018-05-01

Full Text Available AIM: To study the effect of phototherapeutic keratectomy(PTKon rabbit bacterial corneal ulcer model and explore the clinical potential of this method. METHODS: Totally 48 eyes from all the 24 New Zealand rabbits were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and bacterial corneal ulcer model was established successfully. At 1d after inoculation, 48 eyes were given levofloxacin eye drops when corneal ulcer was confirmed. Then slit lamp inspection and optical coherence tomography(OCTwere performed to measure the central corneal ulcer depth. All the rabbits right eyes were treated with PTK, as an observation group, left eyes were not treated as a control group. The eye section were observed by slit lamp and central thickness of corneal ulcer was measured by OCT at 3 and 7d after this operation. Rabbits were sacrificed and the cornea was removed for pathological section 7d later. RESULTS: The corneal ulcers in both groups had a tendency to heal, showing a decrease in ulcer area and smoothness of the surface. There was no significant difference in the depth of corneal ulcer between the observation group and the control group before PTK(t=0.706, P=0.484. The difference between the two groups of eyes at 3 and 7d after PTK was obviously(PCONCLUSION: PTK can effectively cure rabbit Staphylococcus aureus corneal ulcer and promote ulcer wound healing, which may be used for clinical treatment of patients with bacterial corneal lesions.

In vivo determination of arterial collagen synthesis in atherosclerotic rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Opsahl, W.P.; DeLuca, D.J.; Ehrhart, L.A.

1986-01-01

Collagen and non-collagen protein synthesis rates were determined in vivo in tissues from rabbits fed a control or atherogenic diet supplemented with 2% peanut oil and 0.25% cholesterol for 4 months. Rabbits received a bolus intravenous injection of L-[ 3 H]-proline (1.0 mCi/kg) and unlabeled L-proline (7 mmoles/kg) in 0.9% NaCl. Plasma proline specific activity decreased only 20% over 5 hr and was similar to the specific activity of free proline in tissues. Thoracic aortas from atherosclerotic rabbits exhibited raised plaques covering at least 75% of the surface. Thoracic intima plus a portion of the media (TIM) was separated from the remaining media plus adventitia (TMA). Dry delipidated weight, total collagen content, and collagen as a percent of dry weight were increased significantly in the TIM of atherosclerotic rabbits. Collagen synthesis rates and collagen synthesis as a percent of total protein synthesis were likewise increased both in the TIM and in the abdominal aortas. No differences from controls either in collagen content or collagen synthesis rates were observed in the TMA, lung or skin. These results demonstrate for the first time in vivo that formation of atherosclerotic plaques is associated with increased rates of collagen synthesis. Furthermore, as previously observed with incubations in vitro, collagen synthesis was elevated to a greater extent than noncollagen protein synthesis in atherosclerotic aortas from rabbits fed cholesterol plus peanut oil

HARMONIZATION OF CRITERIA AND TERMINOLOGY IN RABBIT MEAT RESEARCH

OpenAIRE

Blasco Mateu, Agustín; Ouhayoun, J.; Masoero, G.

1993-01-01

[EN] The harmonization of rabbit carcass criteria is a result of an international work. lts task was to specify the main traits to be considerad from the birth of the animal to carcass analysis, to define these traits with enough accuracy and to propose a common terminology. Work on harmonization has been initialized by the Mediterranean Rabbit Group Conference (BLASCO, OUHAYOUN and MASOERO, 1992), completad by several research teams and, finally, discussed during a round...

Rabbit articular cartilage defects treated by allogenic chondrocyte transplantation

OpenAIRE

Boopalan, P. R. J. V. C.; Sathishkumar, Solomon; Kumar, Senthil; Chittaranjan, Samuel

2006-01-01

Articular cartilage defects have a poor capacity for repair. Most of the current treatment options result in the formation of fibro-cartilage, which is functionally inferior to normal hyaline articular cartilage. We studied the effectiveness of allogenic chondrocyte transplantation for focal articular cartilage defects in rabbits. Chondrocytes were cultured in vitro from cartilage harvested from the knee joints of a New Zealand White rabbit. A 3 mm defect was created in the articular cartilag...

Chondromalacia induced by patellar subluxation in the rabbit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, B.N.; Møller-Larsen, F.; Frich, Lars Henrik

1989-01-01

A unilateral patellar malalignment was induced in 20 young and 20 mature rabbits by lateral displacement of the tibial tuberosity, the other knee serving as osteotomized in situ control. At 6 weeks, all the knees appeared macroscopically normal, but histologically definite cartilage degeneration...... was found on the experimental side. At 3 months, macroscopic changes occurred in 5 of 10 mature rabbits, and histologic cartilage degeneration was found in all the experimental knees, most pronounced in mature animals, and particularly in joint facets submitted to high pressure. This experimental model...

Rabbit urethra replacement with a defined biomatrix or small intestinal submucosa.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nuininga, J.E.; Moerkerk, H.; Hanssen, A.; Hulsbergen-van de Kaa, C.A.; Oosterwijk-Wakka, J.C.; Oosterwijk, E.; Gier, R.P.E. de; Schalken, J.A.; Kuppevelt, A.H.M.S.M. van; Feitz, W.F.J.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of collagen-based biomatrix (SIS COOK((R))) in comparison to a biochemically reconstructed biomatrix for replacement of the urethra in a rabbit model as a preclinical model. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Rabbits underwent partial urethra replacement (resection of 0.5 to 1.0 cm

Myosin heavy chain expression in rabbit masseter muscle during postnatal development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bredman, J. J.; Weijs, W. A.; Korfage, H. A.; Brugman, P.; Moorman, A. F.

1992-01-01

The expression of isoforms of myosin heavy chain (MHC) during postnatal development was studied in the masseter muscle of the rabbit. Evidence is presented that in addition to adult fast and slow myosin, the rabbit masseter contains neonatal and 'cardiac' alpha-MHC. During postnatal growth myosin

Comparative study of the association of Ketamine to Dexmedetomidine, Medetomidine or Xylazine in rabbits

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Dayanne Anunciação Silva Dantas Lima

2014-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Lima D.A.S.D., Souza A.P., Borges O.M.M., Santana V.L., Araújo A.L., Figueirêdo L.C.M., Nóbrega Neto P.I. & Lima W.C. [Comparative study of the association of Ketamine to Dexmedetomidine, Medetomidine or Xylazine in rabbits.] Estudo comparativo da associação de Cetamina à Dexmedetomidina, Medetomidina ou Xilazina em coelhos. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária 36(1:35-41, 2014. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Av. Universitária, s/n, Patos, PB 58708-110, Brasil. E-mail: dayannevet@yahoo.com.br There are a variety of different anesthetic techniques that aim to overcome the various problems of anesthesia in rabbits, such as handling stress and apnea during induction with inhalational anesthetic agents, reducing the risks of the procedure. The objective of this study was to compare the anesthetic effects promoted by ketamine associated/mixed with three different agonists α2 -adrenergics in rabbits. Were used 6 healthy animals, (SRD mixed breed, weighing 2.42+0.36 kg, submerged to treatments called GCX, GCD and GCM. The fixed-dose ketamine (15 mg/kg combined with xylazine (10 mg/kg was administered intramuscularly in the GCX, the dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg/ kg in GCD and medetomidine (0.25 mg/kg in the GCM. Were evaluated the heart rate (HR, respiratory rate (ƒ, rectal temperature (RT, oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2 , mean arterial pressure (MAP, glucose (GLI, variables electrocardiography (Pms, PmV, PRms, QRSms, RmV, QTms, RRms, latency, able anesthetic and recovery period. The records of the variables were initiated before drug administration (basal and every 5 minutes after taking them for 50 minutes. Data were subjected to ANOVA followed by the Tukey test (P<0.05, for the clinical variables, and the “t” test of Student (P<0.05 for the other variables. More stable HR and MAP, respectively were obtained in the GCD and the

Hepatotoxicity induced by horse ATG and reversed by rabbit ATG: a case report

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Al-Anazi Khalid A

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The use of antilymphocyte agents has improved patient and graft survival in hematopoietic stem cell and solid organ transplantation but has been associated with the development of short-term toxicities as well as long-term complications. Case presentation We report a young female with Fanconi anemia who received antithymocyte globulin as part of the conditioning regimen prior to her planned allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh. She developed sudden and severe hepatotoxicity after receiving the first dose of horse antithymocyte globulin, manifested by marked elevation of serum transaminases and mild elevation of serum bilirubin level. Immediately after withdrawal of the offending agent and shifting to the rabbit form of antithymocyte globulin, the gross liver dysfunction started to subside and the hepatic profile results returned to the pre-transplant levels few weeks later. The patient had her allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant as planned without any further hepatic complications. After having a successful allograft, she was discharged from the stem cell transplant unit. During her follow up at the outpatient clinic, the patient remained very well and no major complication was encountered. Conclusion Hepatotoxicity related to the utilization of antithymocyte globulin varies considerably in severity and may be transient or long standing. There may be individual or population based susceptibilities to the development of side effects and these adverse reactions may also vary with the choice of the agent used. Encountering adverse effects with one type of antithymocyte agents should not discourage clinicians from shifting to another type in situations where continuation of the drug is vital.

Effects of diet composition on intake by adult wild European rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Monk, K A

1989-12-01

The voluntary dry matter intake (DMI) of several grass and legume diets, and the amount of dry matter (DM), nitrogen, fibre, and energy assimilated from each diet (i.e. the digestibility coefficients) are presented for the wild European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. The DMI may be predicted from DM% and percentage of total nitrogen (on a DM basis) for a high DM diet (90-95%) but the general relationship may stand for fresh forage also. The metabolizable energy of a diet is correlated with DMI through the DM% and the percentage of nitrogen and fibre in the diet on a DM basis. The DM digestibility coefficient is correlated with fibre content. The wild rabbit's high efficiency of protein digestibility and low fibre digestibility compared with ruminants is also a characteristic of the domestic rabbit. It is suggested that the proportions of different nutrients required by wild rabbits are similar to those required by domestic animals.

Oral administration of myostatin-specific recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae vaccine in rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhongtian; Zhou, Gang; Ren, Chonghua; Xu, Kun; Yan, Qiang; Li, Xinyi; Zhang, Tingting; Zhang, Zhiying

2016-04-29

Yeast is considered as a simple and cost-effective host for protein expression, and our previous studies have proved that Saccharomyces cerevisiae can deliver recombinant protein and DNA into mouse dendritic cells and can further induce immune responses as novel vaccines. In order to know whether similar immune responses can be induced in rabbit by oral administration of such recombinant S. cerevisiae vaccine, we orally fed the rabbits with heat-inactivated myostatin-recombinant S. cerevisiae for 5 weeks, and then myostatin-specific antibody in serum was detected successfully by western blotting and ELISA assay. The rabbits treated with myostatin-recombinant S. cerevisiae vaccine grew faster and their muscles were much heavier than that of the control group. As a common experimental animal and a meat livestock with great economic value, rabbit was proved to be the second animal species that have been successfully orally immunized by recombinant S. cerevisiae vaccine after mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The remnant of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus IgD gene.

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Dennis K Lanning

Full Text Available Although IgD first appeared, along with IgM, in the cartilaginous fishes and has been retained throughout subsequent vertebrate evolution, it has been lost in a diverse group of vertebrate species. We previously showed that, unlike vertebrates that express IgD, the rabbit lacks an IgD (Cδ gene within 13.5 kb downstream of the IgM gene. We report here that, by conducting BLAST searches of rabbit Ig heavy chain genomic DNA with known mammalian IgD exons, we identified the remnant of the rabbit Cδ gene approximately 21 kb downstream of the IgM gene. The remnant Cδ locus lacks the δCH1 and hinge exons, but contains truncated δCH2 and δCH3 exons, as well as largely intact, but non-functional, secretory and transmembrane exons. In addition, we report that the Cδ gene probably became non-functional in leporids at least prior to the divergence of rabbits and hares ~12 million years ago.

Absorption of enzymatically active 125I-labeled bovine milk xanthine oxidase fed to rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rzucidlo, S.J.; Zikakis, J.P.

1990-01-01

Rabbits fed a regular laboratory diet supplemented with a high-fat milk containing xanthine oxidase (XO) were studied to determine the presence of active XO in the blood. A pilot feeding study, where rabbits consumed a high-fat diet containing xanthine oxidase, showed a correlation between dairy food consumption and XO activity in the blood. Antibody to dietary XO was also found. In a second study, rabbits were fed ad libitum the high-fat milk and blood serum samples were tested weekly for XO activity. No elevation in serum XO activity was found. A third study showed that serum XO activity was increased when rabbits were force fed the high-fat milk. The final study consisted of force feeding 125 I-labeled XO to one rabbit to ascertain whether the observed increase in serum XO was due to dietary or endogenous XO. Isoelectric focusing of sera collected from the test rabbit strongly suggested that at least a portion of the serum XO contained the radioactive label. This is the first direct evidence showing the uptake of dietary active XO from the gut

Effect of aguamiel (agave sap) on hematic biometry in rabbits and its antioxidant activity determination

OpenAIRE

Héctor Silos-Espino; José Luis Moreno Hernández-Duque; Fidel Guevara-Lara; Juan Florencio Gómez-Leyva; Luis Lorenzo Valera-Montero; Alejandro Nava-Cedillo; Catarino Perales-Segovia; Clara Lourdes Tovar-Robles

2011-01-01

In this work, we analysed the effect of aguamiel (sap from Agave salmiana) on haematic biometry in rabbits as well as its antioxidant activity with the objective of determining its nutritional value. Nine male Landrace 55-day-old rabbits were sorted into three groups of three rabbits each, which had access to fresh aguamiel, boiled aguamiel and water instead of aguamiel. Commercial rabbit food was supplied ad libitum to each experimental unit. Fresh aguamiel promoted weight increases of about...

Malignant neoplasms of decidual origin (deciduosarcomas) induced by estrogen-progestin-releasing intravaginal devices in rabbits.

OpenAIRE

Zook, B. C.; Spiro, I.; Hertz, R.

1987-01-01

A combination of estrogen and levonorgestrel was continuously delivered to 23 adult rabbits for up to 2 years via a Silastic ring device sutured into the vagina. Twenty-one control rabbits were given similar rings devoid of drugs. A marked decidual reaction of the endometrium occurred in 16 of 23 test rabbits. In 14 test rabbits (61%) malignant tumors developed of decidual type cells not heretofore described. The deciduosarcomas were composed of anaplastic cells that invaded the uterine walls...

[Correlation analysis between single nucleotide polymorphism of FGF5 gene and wool yield in rabbits].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Xiao; Jiang, Mei-Shan; Chen, Shi-Yi; Lai, Song-Jia

2008-07-01

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 1 and 3 of fibroblast growth factor (FGF5) gene was studied by DNA sequencing in Yingjing angora rabbit, Tianfu black rabbit and California rabbit. A frameshift mutation (TCT insert) at base position 217 (site A) of exon 1 and a T/C missense mutation at base position 59 (site B) of exon 3 were found in Yingjing angora rabbit with a high frequency; a T/C same-sense mutation at base position 3 (site C) of exon 3 was found with similar frequency in three rabbit breeds. Least square analysis showed that different genotypes had no significant association with wool yield in site A, and had high significant association with wool yield in site B (Plink with the major gene, and polymorphic loci B and C may be used as molecular markers for im-proving wool yield in angora rabbits.

Modelling landscape-level numerical responses of predators to prey: the case of cats and rabbits.

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Jennyffer Cruz

Full Text Available Predator-prey systems can extend over large geographical areas but empirical modelling of predator-prey dynamics has been largely limited to localised scales. This is due partly to difficulties in estimating predator and prey abundances over large areas. Collection of data at suitably large scales has been a major problem in previous studies of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus and their predators. This applies in Western Europe, where conserving rabbits and predators such as Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus is important, and in other parts of the world where rabbits are an invasive species supporting populations of introduced, and sometimes native, predators. In pastoral regions of New Zealand, rabbits are the primary prey of feral cats (Felis catus that threaten native fauna. We estimate the seasonal numerical response of cats to fluctuations in rabbit numbers in grassland-shrubland habitat across the Otago and Mackenzie regions of the South Island of New Zealand. We use spotlight counts over 1645 km of transects to estimate rabbit and cat abundances with a novel modelling approach that accounts simultaneously for environmental stochasticity, density dependence and varying detection probability. Our model suggests that cat abundance is related consistently to rabbit abundance in spring and summer, possibly through increased rabbit numbers improving the fecundity and juvenile survival of cats. Maintaining rabbits at low abundance should therefore suppress cat numbers, relieving predation pressure on native prey. Our approach provided estimates of the abundance of cats and rabbits over a large geographical area. This was made possible by repeated sampling within each season, which allows estimation of detection probabilities. A similar approach could be applied to predator-prey systems elsewhere, and could be adapted to any method of direct observation in which there is no double-counting of individuals. Reliable estimates of numerical

TAILORING X-RAY BEAM ENERGY SPECTRUM TO ENHANCE IMAGE QUALITY OF NEW RADIOGRAPHY CONTRAST AGENTS BASED ON GD OR OTHER LANTHANIDES.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

DILMANIAN,F.A.; WEINMANN,H.J.; ZHONG,Z.; BACARIAN,T.; RIGON,L.; BUTTON,T.M.; REN,B.; WU,X.Y.; ZHONG,N.; ATKINS,H.L.

2001-02-17

Gadovist, a 1.0-molar Gd contrast agent from Schering AG, Berlin Germany, in use in clinical MPI in Europe, was evaluated as a radiography contrast agent. In a collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Schering AG is developing several such lanthanide-based contrast agents, while BNL evaluates them using different x-my beam energy spectra. These energy spectra include a ''truly'' monochromatic beam (0.2 keV energy bandwidth) from the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), BNL, tuned above the Gd K-edge, and x-ray-tube beams from different kVp settings and beam filtrations. Radiographs of rabbits' kidneys were obtained with Gadovist at the NSLS. Furthermore, a clinical radiography system was used for imaging rabbits' kidneys comparing Gadovist and Conray, an iodinated contrast agent. The study, using 74 kVp and standard Al beam filter for Conray and 66 kVp and an additional 1.5 mm Cu beam filter for Gadovist, produced comparable images for Gadovist and Conray; the injection volumes were the same, while the radiation absorbed dose for Gadovist was slightly smaller. A bent-crystal silicon monochromator operating in the Laue diffraction mode was developed and tested with a conventional x-ray tube beam; it narrows the energy spectrum to about 4 keV around the anode tungsten's Ku line. Preliminary beam-flux results indicate that the method could be implemented in clinical CT if x-ray tubes with {approximately} twice higher output become available.

Chemical risks from nuclear waste repositories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, L.

1988-01-01

Studies concerning the chemical risks of nuclear waste are reviewed. The radiological toxicity of the material is of primary concern but the potential nonradiological toxicity should not be overlooked as the chemotoxic substances may reach the biosphere from a nuclear waste repository. In the report is concluded that the possible chemotoxic effects of a repository for nuclear waste should be studied as a part of the formal risk assessment of the disposal concept. (author)

Ocular pharmacokinetics and tolerability of bimatoprost ophthalmic solutions administered once or twice daily in rabbits, and clinical dosing implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shen J

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Jie Shen,1 Margot L Goodkin,2 Warren Tong,2 Mayssa Attar3 1Clinical Pharmacology, 2Clinical Development, 3Clinical Pharmacology, Metabolism and Immunology, Allergan plc, Irvine, CA, USA Purpose: Fixed-combination medications can benefit patients requiring multiple agents to lower their intraocular pressure (IOP, but combining agents with complementary mechanisms of action is challenging if their dosing frequency differs. This study compares in vivo pharmacokinetic and ocular tolerability of bimatoprost 0.01% ophthalmic solutions dosed once or twice daily. Reports of twice-daily dosing in glaucoma patients are also reviewed.Methods: New Zealand White rabbits were administered bimatoprost 0.01% monotherapy or fixed-combination bimatoprost 0.01%/brimonidine 0.1%, once or twice daily in both eyes for 4 days. Ocular tissues were harvested and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pharmacokinetic parameters calculated included maximum observed concentration, time to maximum concentration, and area under the concentration-time curve.Results: Due to extensive metabolism, bimatoprost concentration was below the quantitation limit by 1 hour post-dose in all samples. Bimatoprost acid exposure, however, could be measured up to 6–8 hours post-dose and was similar in the aqueous humor and iris-ciliary body (pharmacological site of action of animals treated once or twice daily with either bimatoprost 0.01% or fixed-combination bimatoprost 0.01%/brimonidine 0.1%. Increasing dosage frequency in rabbits did not raise the incidence of drug-related conjunctival hyperemia (most common adverse event associated with bimatoprost use in humans, suggesting comparable ocular tolerability of the once- and twice-daily regimens for each formulation.Conclusion: Bimatoprost 0.01% administered once or twice daily as monotherapy and in fixed-combination with brimonidine 0.1% in rabbits show similar pharmacokinetic profiles of bimatoprost acid

The site of action of corticosteroid antipyresis in the rabbit.

Science.gov (United States)

Willies, G H; Woolf, C J

1980-01-01

1. The antipyretic effects of corticosteroids on the fevers produced by bacterial and endogenous pyrogens in the rabbit were investigated. 2. Intravenous infusions of hydrocortisone and methyl prednisolone, when administered simultaneously with bacterial or endogenous pyrogens, failed to produce an antipyresis. 3. Pretreatment of rabbits with methyl prednisolone for 3 days diminished the febrile effect of both bacterial and endogenous pyrogens. 4. The fever produced by intrahypothalamic micro-injections of endogenous pyrogen was significantly attenuated by the simultaneous micro-injection of methyl prednisolone. 5. These results indicate that the antipyretic effect of steroids in the rabbit is the result not of a peripheral inhibition of endogenous pyrogen production, but rather of an action on the central nervous system. PMID:7381781

Andexanet alfa effectively reverses edoxaban anticoagulation effects and associated bleeding in a rabbit acute hemorrhage model

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Genmin; Pine, Polly; Leeds, Janet M.; DeGuzman, Francis; Pratikhya, Pratikhya; Lin, Joyce; Malinowski, John; Hollenbach, Stanley J.; Curnutte, John T.

2018-01-01

Introduction Increasing use of factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors necessitates effective reversal agents to manage bleeding. Andexanet alfa, a novel modified recombinant human FXa, rapidly reverses the anticoagulation effects of direct and indirect FXa inhibitors. Objective To evaluate the ability of andexanet to reverse anticoagulation in vitro and reduce bleeding in rabbits administered edoxaban. Materials and methods In vitro studies characterized the interaction of andexanet with edoxaban and its ability to reverse edoxaban-mediated anti-FXa activity. In a rabbit model of surgically induced, acute hemorrhage, animals received edoxaban vehicle+andexanet vehicle (control), edoxaban (1 mg/kg)+andexanet vehicle, edoxaban+andexanet (75 mg, 5-minute infusion, 20 minutes after edoxaban), or edoxaban vehicle+andexanet prior to injury. Results Andexanet bound edoxaban with high affinity similar to FXa. Andexanet rapidly and dose-dependently reversed the effects of edoxaban on FXa activity and coagulation pharmacodynamic parameters in vitro. In edoxaban-anticoagulated rabbits, andexanet reduced anti-FXa activity by 82% (from 548±87 to 100±41 ng/ml; P<0.0001), mean unbound edoxaban plasma concentration by ~80% (from 100±10 to 21±6 ng/ml; P<0.0001), and blood loss by 80% vs. vehicle (adjusted for control, 2.6 vs. 12.9 g; P = 0.003). The reduction in blood loss correlated with the decrease in anti-FXa activity (r = 0.6993, P<0.0001) and unbound edoxaban (r = 0.5951, P = 0.0035). Conclusion These data demonstrate that andexanet rapidly reversed the anticoagulant effects of edoxaban, suggesting it could be clinically valuable for the management of acute and surgery-related bleeding. Correlation of blood loss with anti-FXa activity supports the use of anti-FXa activity as a biomarker for assessing anticoagulation reversal in clinical trials. PMID:29590221

Pregnancy-induced insulin resistance in liver and skeletal muscles of the conscious rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauguel, S.; Gilbert, M.; Girard, J.

1987-01-01

Insulin sensitivity of maternal nonuterine tissues (liver and skeletal muscles) has been investigated in the conscious rabbit during late gestation (24 and 30 days). The specific effect of insulin on glucose production and utilization was evaluated with the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp technique using two types of labelled microspheres ( 57 Co and 113 Sn). The net balance of glucose across the hindlimb muscles was studied by means of the Fick principle in basal and insulin stimulated conditions (clamp study). The results show that an insulin-resistant state developed between days 24 and 30 of gestation in the rabbit and involves both glucose producing (liver) and utilizing (muscles) tissues. On day 30 of gestation, muscle glucose uptake was not significantly stimulated at a plasma insulin concentration of 700 μU/ml determined by radioimmunoassay, whereas it was stimulated by 30-40% in nonpregnant and 24 day pregnant rabbits. At similar plasma insulin concentration, endogenous glucose production was suppressed by 85% in both nonpregnant and 24 day pregnant rabbits, whereas it was decreased by only 30% in 30 day pregnant rabbits. The present data suggest that hindlimb muscles of late pregnant rabbits are able to reduce their insulin-induced glucose utilization. This could contribute to meet the glucose requirements of pregnant uterus in late gestation

The Effect of Autologous Platelet Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Achilles Tendon Ruptures: An Experimental Study on Rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Şen, Baran; Güler, Serkan; Çeçen, Berivan; Kumtepe, Erdem; Bağrıyanık, Alper; Özkal, Sermin; Ali Özcan, M; Özsan, Hayri; Şanlı, Namık; Tatari, M Hasan

2016-01-01

Achilles tendon ruptures are characterized by a long recovery period, high re-rupture rate and late return to work. To overcome these difficulties and augment tendon repair, many agents have been used. To determine the effect of autologous platelet rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures in rabbits. Animal experimentation. The study included 14 New Zealand albino rabbits that were divided randomly into 2 groups, A and B, each containing seven rabbits. On day zero, all 28 Achilles tendons were tenotomized and repaired. In group A, the tendons were injected with PRP post-surgery, whereas those in group B were left untreated. On day 28, the right tendons in both groups were examined histopathologically via both light and electron microscopy, and the left tendons were subjected to biomechanical testing. The histological and biomechanical findings in both light and electron microscopy in group A were better than those in group B, but the difference was not significant. According to Tang's scale, the mean value in Group A was 3.57, while it was 3.0 in Group B. The mean value of Group A for the length of collagen bands was 48.09 nm while the mean value of Group B was 46.58 nm (p=0.406). In biomechanical tests, although stiffness values were higher in group A, the difference between groups was not significant. In addition, maximum load values did not differ between groups A and B. PRP had no effect on the healing process 28 days post-Achilles tendon rupture.

Comparison of biological behavior of 99Tcm-ciprofloxacin (Infecton) and 99Tcm-HIgG in rabbit models of inflammation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Wei; Chen Shaoliang; Mao Jinlei; Jiang Maosong

2008-01-01

Objective: 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin(Infecton) and 99 Tc m -HIgG are both radiopharmaceuticals for inflammation and infectious disease imaging. It was reported that 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin (Infecton)was able to distinguish inflammation from infection, while 99 Tc m -HIgG was a nonspecific agent. The study was designed to compare the in vivo characteristics between 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin(Infecton) and 99 Tc m -HIgC in rabbit model of inflammation. Methods: Eight rabbits were grouped as inflammation model (the first group), infection mod- el (the second group), concomitant inflammation and infection model (the third group), and control (the fourth group) groups. A total of 185 MBq (0.5 ml) 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin (Infecton) was administered intravenously to each rabbit, a serious dynamic images were acquired till 24 h post-injection. Repeated examination with 99 Tc m -HIgG was carried out 2 d later. Results: 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin (Infecton) scan was negative in the inflammation models and controls, and was positive in the infection models. In the third group 99 Tc m - ciprofloxacin (Infecton) showed infection focus in the left thigh but negative uptake at inflammation focus in the right thigh. 99 Tc m -HIgG scan were positive in all models. The optimal image time for 99 Tc m -ciproftoxacin (Infecton) was 3 h after administration, but positive image could still be observed 24 h later. Conclusion 99 Tc m -ciprofloxacin (Infecton) appears to specifically accumulate in the infective lesion. (authors)

Transport of cholesterol autoxidation products in rabbit lipoproteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Shi-Kaung; Phillips, G.A.; Xia, Guang-Zhi; Morin, R.J.

1987-01-01

Radiolabeled pure [4- 14 C] cholesterol was kept at 60 0 C under air to autoxidize for 5 weeks, after which approximately 12% cholesterol oxidation products were formed. The mixture, suspended in gelatin, was given to rabbits by gastric gavage. Rabbits were killed 4, 24 and 48 h after treatment. Cholesterol and its autoxidation products were separated by thin-layer chromatography into 5 fractions and radioactivities of each fraction were measured. Percentages of each fraction of cholesterol oxidation products and cholesterol in the original mixture before administration and in the rabbit sera after administration were similar, suggesting that the rates of absorption of cholesterol oxidation products are not significantly different from that of cholesterol. Lipoproteins were fractioned by ultracentrifugation into VLDL, LDL and HDL. Radioactivities of each fraction in lipoproteins separated by thin layer chromatography showed that fractions containing cholestane-3β, 5α, 6β-triol, 7α- and 7β-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol were more selectively transported in VLDL, whereas most of the 25-hydroxycholesterol was present in LDL. HDL contained only minute amounts of cholesterol oxidation products. 22 refs

Dissociative anesthetic combination reduces intraocular pressure (IOP in rabbits

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Ewaldo de Mattos-Junior

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was evaluate the effects of three anesthetic combinations, ketamine-midazolam, ketamine-xylazine and tiletamine-zolazepam, on IOP in rabbits. In a experimental, blind, randomized, crossover study, six rabbits were anesthetized with each of 3 treatments in random order. Groups KM (ketamine, 30 mg/kg + midazolam, 1 mg/kg; KX (ketamine, 30 mg/kg + xylazine, 3 mg/kg; and TZ (tiletamine + zolazepam, 20 mg/kg. The drugs were mixed in the same syringe injected intramuscularly (IM into the quadriceps muscle. IOP was measured before drug administration (baseline and at 5-minute intervals for 30 minutes. The data were analyzed by a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA followed by Bonferroni test. All groups had significant decreases in IOP compared to baseline (p 0.05. Administration of either ketamine-midazolam, ketamine-xylazine, or tiletamine-zolazepam similarly decrease IOP in rabbits within 30 minutes of injection.

Chronologic changes of free fat graft in rabbit using CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondo, Norihiro; Kurita, Kenichi; Yajima, Tetsuya; Izumi, Masahiro

2008-01-01

Free fat grafts are now used for preventing osteal readhesion, filling dead space, and protecting grafted nerves and vessels. However, it is reported that grafted fat tissue is unstable resulting in high risk of cicatrization and infection. We grafted free fat to a rabbit's back and observed the chronologic change using CT. Ten adult male Japanese white rabbits (3.5 kg) were used. In five rabbits, fat tissue was obtained from the back under general anaesthesia, and transplanted into the back about 50 mm posterior from the donor site. CT was taken in the fixed scan condition five times (preoperation, immediate postoperation, postoperative 1-month, 2-month, and 3-month). In the remaining five rabbits, only CT scan was taken three times as a control. It was observed that we compared preoperative fat volume with the postoperative volume using RealINTAGE. Grafted fat tissue decreased postoperatively at 1-month and completely disappeared at 3-months. We were able to prove that CT scan is effective to observe the chronologic change of grafted fat tissue. Techniques of tissue engineering are necessary for survival of grafted fat tissue. (author)

Effect of Monocular Deprivation on Rabbit Neural Retinal Cell Densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Mwachaka, Philip Maseghe; Saidi, Hassan; Odula, Paul Ochieng; Mandela, Pamela Idenya

2015-01-01

To describe the effect of monocular deprivation on densities of neural retinal cells in rabbits. Thirty rabbits, comprised of 18 subject and 12 control animals, were included and monocular deprivation was achieved through unilateral lid suturing in all subject animals. The rabbits were observed for three weeks. At the end of each week, 6 experimental and 3 control animals were euthanized, their retinas was harvested and processed for light microscopy. Photomicrographs of the retina were taken and imported into FIJI software for analysis. Neural retinal cell densities of deprived eyes were reduced along with increasing period of deprivation. The percentage of reductions were 60.9% (P < 0.001), 41.6% (P = 0.003), and 18.9% (P = 0.326) for ganglion, inner nuclear, and outer nuclear cells, respectively. In non-deprived eyes, cell densities in contrast were increased by 116% (P < 0.001), 52% (P < 0.001) and 59.6% (P < 0.001) in ganglion, inner nuclear, and outer nuclear cells, respectively. In this rabbit model, monocular deprivation resulted in activity-dependent changes in cell densities of the neural retina in favour of the non-deprived eye along with reduced cell densities in the deprived eye.

Antigenic structure of the capsid protein of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martinez-Torrecuadrada, Jorge L.; Cortes, Elena; Vela, Carmen

1998-01-01

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) causes an important disease in rabbits. The virus capsid is composed of a single 60 kDa protein. The capsid protein gene was cloned in Escherichia coli using the pET3 system, and the antigenic structure of RHDV VP60 was dissected using 11 monoclonal...

Novel mechanism by which probucol lowers low density lipoprotein levels demonstrated in the LDL receptor-deficient rabbit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naruszewicz, M.; Carew, T.E.; Pittman, R.C.; Witztum, J.L.; Steinberg, D.

1984-01-01

Treatment of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-deficient rabbits (WHHL rabbits) with probucol (1% w/w in a chow diet) lowered their LDL-cholesterol levels by 36%, consonant with the reported effectiveness of the drug in patients deficient in the LDL receptor. Initial studies of LDL fractional catabolic rate (FCR) using 125 I-labeled LDL prepared from the serum of untreated WHHL rabbits showed no difference between probucol-treated WHHL rabbits and untreated WHHL rabbits. When, however, 125 I-labeled LDL was prepared from donor WHHL rabbits under treatment with probucol and injected back into them, the FCR was found to be increased by about 50% above that measured simultaneously using 131 I-labeled LDL prepared from untreated WHHL donors. The labeled LDL from probucol-treated donors was also metabolized more rapidly than that from untreated donors when injected into untreated WHHL rabbits or into untreated wild-type New Zealand White rabbits. Finally, it was shown that rabbit skin fibroblasts in culture degraded labeled LDL prepared from probucol-treated WHHL rabbits more rapidly than that prepared from untreated WHHL donors. This was true both for normal rabbit fibroblasts and also for WHHL skin fibroblasts, although the absolute degradation rates in the latter were, of course, much lower for both forms of LDL. The data indicate that a major mechanism by which probucol lowers LDL levels relates not to changes in the cellular mechanisms for LDL uptake or to changes in LDL production but rather to intrinsic changes in the structure and metabolism of the plasma LDL of the probucol-treated animal

MEAT QUALITY OF LOCAL AND HYBRID RABBITS

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G. Paci

2012-08-01

Full Text Available pH, colour and oxidative status were evaluated to study the effect of rabbit genotype on meat quality. Commercial Hybrids, selected for high growth rate and a local population, characterized by slow growing, were used. Meat quality characteristics of L. lumborum and B. femoris muscles showed significant differences between genotypes. Local population had higher pHu values but lower pH fall values than Hybrids. Hybrids showed higher lightness values and TBARS contents than local population. Meat quality parameters were influenced by genotype. The differences between genotypes could be related to the different degree of maturity because the rabbits, in relation to the different growth rate, were slaughtered at the same weight but at different age.

Evaluation of acute toxicity of genabilic acid (menbutone 10% in rabbits

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S. O. El Okle

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 A complete investigation of the acute toxicity of a choleretic compound, menbutone, was performed in rabbits, including lethal dose for 50% of rabbits determination, clinical signs observation and in vivo and post-mortem examinations. Haematological, biochemical and histopathological changes resulting from intramuscular injection of menbutone were also investigated at dose 400 mg/kg body weight. Acute toxicity of menbutone at dose of 400 mg/kg BW induced interstitial myocarditis and multifocal necrosis, whereas serum creatine phosphokinase, creatinine phosphokinase-MB isoenzyme and aspartate aminotransferase activities were significantly increased. Elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities and total bilirubin level associated with lowered albumin content was consistent with histopathological changes of hepatic tissues; hepatic necrosis and fatty infiltration were pronounced indicators of injuries. Renal tubular necrosis and interstitial nephritis were also observed in intoxicated rabbits. Menbutone also induced variations in some haematological parameters. We concluded that acute toxicity of menbutone in rabbits occurred at accidental high doses, as the lethal dose was about 50 fold over the recommended therapeutic dose for other animals. Cardiac muscle, liver and kidneys are the main target organs for menbutone toxicity. Menbutone is not recommended for use in rabbits suffering from any cardiacand hepatic disorders, especially in overdosing situations.

Adenosine-induced coronary flow reserve in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits

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Shimada, Kazuhiro; Yoshida, Katsuya [Chiba Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine; Tadokoro, Hiroyuki [and others

2000-12-01

The Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit develops coronary atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia because of a genetic deficiency of low-density lipoprotein receptors and is therefore a good animal model for studying the relationships of coronary atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and coronary flow reserve. The aim of the present study was to assess myocardial perfusion at baseline and during adenosine infusion (0.2 mg{center_dot}kg{sup -1}{center_dot}min{sup -1}) in 8 WHHL rabbits (13.8{+-}0.5 months) with {sup 13}N-ammonia, small-animal positron emission tomography (PET) and colored microspheres. Results were compared with those from 6 age-matched Japanese white rabbits. Plaque distribution was also examined in the extramural coronary arteries. All 8 WHHL rabbits had coronary plaques, with 6 showing multiple plaques. Mean global myocardial blood flow (ml{center_dot}min{sup -1}{center_dot}g{sup -1}) did not differ significantly between control and WHHL groups both at baseline (3.67{+-}0.72 vs 4.26{+-}1.12 ml{center_dot}min{sup -1}{center_dot}g{sup -1}, p=NS) and with adenosine (7.92{+-}2.00 vs 9.27{+-}2.91 ml{center_dot}min{sup -1}{center_dot}g{sup -1}, p=NS), nor did coronary flow reserve (2.16{+-}0.37 vs 2.18{+-}0.41, p=NS). None showed evidence of regional perfusion abnormalities by visual and semiquantitative analyses of PET images. It was concluded that WHHL rabbits preserve adenosine-induced coronary flow reserve despite coronary atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia, suggesting that a compensatory mechanism develops in this animal model. (author)

Adenosine-induced coronary flow reserve in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Kazuhiro; Yoshida, Katsuya; Tadokoro, Hiroyuki

2000-01-01

The Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbit develops coronary atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia because of a genetic deficiency of low-density lipoprotein receptors and is therefore a good animal model for studying the relationships of coronary atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and coronary flow reserve. The aim of the present study was to assess myocardial perfusion at baseline and during adenosine infusion (0.2 mg·kg -1 ·min -1 ) in 8 WHHL rabbits (13.8±0.5 months) with 13 N-ammonia, small-animal positron emission tomography (PET) and colored microspheres. Results were compared with those from 6 age-matched Japanese white rabbits. Plaque distribution was also examined in the extramural coronary arteries. All 8 WHHL rabbits had coronary plaques, with 6 showing multiple plaques. Mean global myocardial blood flow (ml·min -1 ·g -1 ) did not differ significantly between control and WHHL groups both at baseline (3.67±0.72 vs 4.26±1.12 ml·min -1 ·g -1 , p=NS) and with adenosine (7.92±2.00 vs 9.27±2.91 ml·min -1 ·g -1 , p=NS), nor did coronary flow reserve (2.16±0.37 vs 2.18±0.41, p=NS). None showed evidence of regional perfusion abnormalities by visual and semiquantitative analyses of PET images. It was concluded that WHHL rabbits preserve adenosine-induced coronary flow reserve despite coronary atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia, suggesting that a compensatory mechanism develops in this animal model. (author)

Perceptions among university students in Seville (Spain of the rabbit as livestock and as a companion animal

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Pedro González-Redondo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The rabbit has various utilities and roles, mainly as a meat-producing animal, game species, companion animal, laboratory animal or pest. Among these roles, rabbit breeding for meat has traditionally prevailed in the Mediterranean countries. However, in recent decades the practice of keeping this species as a companion animal has been on the rise; a factor that could be changing public perception of the rabbit. A survey of 492 university students from Seville, Andalusia, Spain, was conducted to determine young people’s perceptions of the rabbit as livestock and as a companion species. The rabbit received the lowest score when regarded as livestock compared to the pig, cow, goat, sheep and hen. Regarding companion animals, young Spanish people preferred the dog and cat, respectively. The rabbit and the hamster were rated at the same level as a pet, while the budgerigar was rated lower than these two mammals by women and higher by men. The goldfish occupied the last position among the pet species in the women’s perceptions. With regard to the perception of various rabbit breeds and varieties when evaluated as pets, it was found that the pet Lop Dwarf, Netherland Dwarf, Angora and Lionhead breeds were rated higher than a typical meat breed (New Zealand White and than the wild rabbit. The gender of the young people surveyed influenced their perception of the rabbit. Women rated the rabbit lower as livestock while they rated it higher as a pet, also rating the pet rabbit breeds higher than men did. It is proposed that, in keeping with the rabbit’s attributes related to its cuteness, conceptually linked with pets, young Andalusian people’s perception of the rabbit is ambivalent and this perception might partly be shifting from perceiving it as livestock to regarding it as a pet.

Qualitative analysis of barium particles coated in small intestinal mucosa of rabbit by using scanning electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Yong Suk; Ha, Hyun Kwon; Lee, Yang Seob; Kim, Jae Kyun; Yoon, Seong Eon; Kim, Jung Hoon; Chung, Dong Jin; Auh, Yong Ho

1998-01-01

To qualitatively analysed barium coating status in the intestinal mucosa, we used scanning electron microscopy to observe barium particles coated in the small intestinal mucosa of rabbit, and we attempted to assess the relationship between electron microscopic findings and radiographic densities. Six different combination of barium and methylcellulose suspensions were infused into the resected small intestines of 15 rabbits. Barium powders were mixed with water to make 40% and 70% w/v barium solutions, and also mixed with 0.5% methylcellulose solutions were used as a double contrast agent. After the infusion of barium suspensions, a mammography unit was used to obtain radiographs of the small intestine, and their optical densities were measured by a densitometer. Thereafter, photographs of barium-coated small intestinal mucosa were obtained using a scanning electron microscope (x 8,000), and the number of barium particles in the unit area were measured. To compare the relationship between the electron microscopic findings and optical densities, statistical analysis using Spearman correlation was performed. This study shows that by using scanning electron microscopy, barium particles coated on the small intestinal mucosa can be qualitatively analysed. It also shows that the number of small barium particles measured by scanning electron microscopy is related to optical densities. (author). 14 refs., 2 figs

Pyrogenicity of interferon and its inducer in rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Won, S J; Lin, M T

1988-03-01

The effects of intracerebral administration of interferon (IFN) or its inducer polyriboinosinic acid-polyribocytidylic acid (poly I:C) on thermoregulatory responses were assessed in conscious rabbits. Administration of IFN (10(2)-10(6) IU) or poly I:C (0.012-12 micrograms) into the preoptic anterior hypothalamus or the third cerebral ventricle caused a dose-dependent fever in rabbits at three ambient temperatures (Ta) tested. In the cold (Ta = 8 degrees C), the fever was due to increased metabolism, whereas in the heat (Ta = 32 degrees C) the fever was due to a reduction in respiratory evaporative heat loss and ear skin blood flow. At the moderate environmental temperature (Ta = 22 degrees C), the fever was due to increased metabolism and cutaneous vasoconstriction. Compared with the febrile responses induced by cerebroventricular route injection of IFN or poly I:C, the hypothalamic route of injection required a much lower dose of IFN or poly I:C to produce a similar fever. Furthermore, the fever induced by intrahypothalamic injection of IFN or poly I:C was reduced by pretreatment of animals with a systemic dose of indomethacin (an inhibitor of all prostaglandins formation) or cycloheximide (an inhibitor of protein synthesis). The data indicate that IFN or its inducer may act through the endogenous release of a prostaglandin or a protein factor of an unknown chemical nature in the preoptic anterior hypothalamic region to induce fever in rabbits. The fever induced by IFN or its inducer is brought about by a decrease in heat loss and/or an increase in heat production in rabbits.

Experimental study on lyophilized irradiation sterilized nerve allografts in rabbits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Zhiyuan; Sun Shiquan; Liu Hechen

1991-01-01

Lyophilized irradiation sterilized nerve grafts in rabbits were used in allogeneic nerve transplantation. The result show that about 76% of experimental rabbits had fairly well morphologic (microscopic and electron microscopic) and electrophysiological recovery 3 month after operation. Preservation of neurilemmal tubes in nerve grafts, repopulation of Schwann cells in this tube and suppression of immune rejection are the key points in allogeneic nerve transplantation

Contrasting effects of climate change on rabbit populations through reproduction.

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Zulima Tablado

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Climate change is affecting many physical and biological processes worldwide. Anticipating its effects at the level of populations and species is imperative, especially for organisms of conservation or management concern. Previous studies have focused on estimating future species distributions and extinction probabilities directly from current climatic conditions within their geographical ranges. However, relationships between climate and population parameters may be so complex that to make these high-level predictions we need first to understand the underlying biological processes driving population size, as well as their individual response to climatic alterations. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the influence that climate change may have on species population dynamics through altering breeding season. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a mechanistic model based on drivers of rabbit reproductive physiology together with demographic simulations to show how future climate-driven changes in breeding season result in contrasting rabbit population trends across Europe. In the Iberian Peninsula, where rabbits are a native species of high ecological and economic value, breeding seasons will shorten and become more variable leading to population declines, higher extinction risk, and lower resilience to perturbations. Whereas towards north-eastern countries, rabbit numbers are expected to increase through longer and more stable reproductive periods, which augment the probability of new rabbit invasions in those areas. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study reveals the type of mechanisms through which climate will cause alterations at the species level and emphasizes the need to focus on them in order to better foresee large-scale complex population trends. This is especially important in species like the European rabbit whose future responses may aggravate even further its dual keystone/pest problematic. Moreover