Search

Mycotoxicoses are usually a consideration in large animal species but can affect companion animals as well. Due to increasing interest and the ease of using rabbits as laboratory models, a growing number of published experimental studies discuss the effects of various mycotoxins on this species. However, the available evidence is fragmented and heterogeneous, and has not recently been collated in a review, to my knowledge. Although mycotoxicoses in rabbits are typically subclinical, clinical signs can include weight loss, anorexia, gastrointestinal disorders, stunted growth, reproductive abnormalities, and susceptibility to infections. An antemortem diagnosis typically relies on a comprehensive clinical history, and assessment of clinical signs and relevant laboratory findings, with confirmation of exposure achieved through the measurement of mycotoxin concentrations in feed or target organs. My review focuses on the clinicopathologic and histopathologic effects of the mycotoxins most important in rabbits, including fumonisins, ochratoxins, aflatoxins, trichothecenes, and zearalenone. This review offers a thorough overview of the effects of mycotoxins in rabbits, serving as a one-stop resource for veterinary practitioners, diagnosticians, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even among vaccinated rabbits, the virus that causes rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease (RHDV) has been increasing in Egypt recently. So, the current study screened the emergent RHDV of vaccinated and unvaccinated domestic rabbits in some Egyptian provinces between 2022 and 2023. 40 pooled Samples were collected from different rabbit flocks with age range of 2 months up to 4 months with high mortality rates, clinical symptoms, and post-mortem lesions related to RHDV. Hemagglutination (HA) test, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeting the partial VP60 and sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were conducted for genotyping of RHDV strains. The results revealed that 16 out of 40 cases that were positive for RHDV and were hemagglutinin-positive, with titer ranging from 2³ to 214 Randomly six isolates were selected for genetic sequence and phylogenetic analysis which revealed their clustering with RHDV2 strains which were detected for the first time in Upper Egypt and submitted on GenBank as (OQ925947 Assiut .vac1 to OQ925952Assiut .vac6). The nucleotide sequence identities of the six isolates were 98.8-100 % compared to each other. The recently isolated strains had nucleotide difference 23, 1 % when compared to commonly vaccinal strain (JQ995154Giza 2006). The inoculated rabbits expressed RHDV-typical signs and postmortem findings and Ninety percent (90 %) mortality rate was recorded within3-6 days post-infection. Microscopic examination revealed that presence of acute necrotizing hepatitis, congestion and widespread hemorrhages in all internal organs; liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys and brain. In conclusion, the presence of RHDV- 2 strains was detected for the first time in some Upper Egypt provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to investigate the effects of different stocking densities on fattening performance, slaughter, carcass, meat quality characteristics, and fatty acid composition in New Zealand rabbits raised in cage conditions and also determine the ideal housing frequency so that yields were not adversely affected. In the study, 36 New Zealand rabbits were used. After weaning, the fattening was started and rabbits were put into cages at different stocking densities as 1 rabbit/cage, 2 rabbits/cage, and 3 rabbits/cage. The live weight of rabbits and feed consumption data were taken every week. At the end of 8 weeks of fattening, slaughtering was carried out and slaughter weights of the rabbits were recorded. The internal organ weights and hot carcass weights were determined. After 24 h, chilled carcass weight and reference carcass weight were defined. As quality parameters of meat; pH, color, cooking loss, water holding capacity, drip loss, and fatty acid composition were determined. In the results of the study, 3 rabbits/cage group had the lowest final live weight (2353.60 g) and daily live weight gain (25.62 g) but 1 rabbit/cage group had the lowest feed conservation ratio (3.56) (p = 0.05). There were no significant differences in dressing out percentage, hot, chilled, and reference carcass weight. Head and hind part percentages were higher for 2 rabbits/cage and 3 rabbits/cage groups (p = 0.05). Stocking density had no relationship between meat quality and fatty acid composition data except b* value for the longissimus dorsi muscle measured at the 24th h and for the biceps femoris muscle measured at the 0th h (p = 0.05). In conclusion, 1 rabbit/cage and 2 rabbits/cage groups had better fattening performance values comparing the 3 rabbits/cage group because of movement area, social and hierarchical behavior between rabbits and advised for laboratory and commercial rabbit breeding for uniformity and profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory rabbits are fed foods rich with cationic metals, and while fasting cannot empty gastric contents because of their coprophagic habits. This implies that, in rabbits, the oral bioavailability of chelating drugs could be modulated by the slow gastric emptying rates and the interaction (chelation, adsorption) with gastric metals. In the present study, we tried to develop a rabbit model with low amounts of cationic metals in the stomach for preclinical oral bioavailability studies of chelating drugs. The elimination of gastric metals was achieved by preventing food intake and coprophagy and administering a low concentration of EDTA 2Na solution one day before experiments. Control rabbits were fasted but coprophagy was not prevented. The efficacy of rabbits treated with EDTA 2Na was evaluated by comparing the gastric contents, gastric metal contents and gastric pH between EDTA-treated and control rabbits. The treatment with more than 10 mL of 1 mg/mL EDTA 2Na solution decreased the amounts of gastric contents, cationic metals and gastric pH, without causing mucosal damage. The absolute oral bioavailabilities (mean values) of levofloxacin (LFX), ciprofloxacin (CFX) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), chelating antibiotics, were significantly higher in EDTA-treated rabbits than those in control rabbits as follows: 119.0 vs. 87.2%, 9.37 vs. 13.7%, and 4.90 vs. 2.59%, respectively. The oral bioavailabilities of these drugs were significantly decreased when Al(OH)3 was administered concomitantly in both control and EDTA-treated rabbits. In contrast, the absolute oral bioavailabilities of ethoxycarbonyl 1-ethyl hemiacetal ester (EHE) prodrugs of LFX and CFX (LFX-EHE, CFX-EHE), which are non-chelating prodrugs at least in in vitro condition, were comparable between control and EDTA-treated rabbits irrespective of the presence of Al(OH)3, although some variation was observed among rabbits. The oral bioavailabilities of LFX and CFX from their EHE prodrugs were comparable with LFX and CFX alone, respectively, even in the presence of Al(OH)3. In conclusion, LFX, CFX and TC exhibited higher oral bioavailabilities in EDTA-treated rabbits than in control rabbits, indicating that the oral bioavailabilities of these chelating drugs are reduced in untreated rabbits. In conclusion, EDTA-treated rabbits were found to exhibit low gastric contents including metals and low gastric pH, without causing mucosal damage. Ester prodrug of CFX was effective in preventing chelate formation with Al(OH)3 in vitro and in vivo, as well as in the case of ester prodrugs of LFX. EDTA-treated rabbits are expected to provide great advantages in preclinical oral bioavailability studies of various drugs and dosage formulations. However, a marked interspecies difference was still observed in the oral bioavailability of CFX and TC between EDTA-treated rabbits and humans, possibly due to the contribution of adsorptive interaction in rabbits. Further study is necessary to seek out the usefulness of the EDTA-treated rabbit with less gastric contents and metals as an experimental animal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the osteogenic potential of 6 osteoconductive grafting materials derived from human, bovine, and synthetic sources: HTR, BOP, Biogran, Laddec, Dembone, and Osteograf. Twenty-eight New Zealand rabbits were used in this study. The active group consisted of 24 animals and the control group consisted of 4 animals. The median condyle of each tibia was drilled with a 5-mm-diameter bur to form 8-mm-deep cavities. A control group included 8 osseous cavities, with 1 hole in each tibia. These cavities were washed and left unfilled. In the active group, each grafting material filled 8 osseous cavities in 8 tibiae of different animals. Half of the active and control osseous cavities were investigated with decalcified hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. The other half were studied with scanning electron microscopy. It was concluded that Laddec bovine bone granules possessed the best potential for an osteoconductive grafting material, followed by the bioglass crystals of Biogran and the hydroxyapatite particles of Osteograf, respectively. The least potential for rapid bone formation was demonstrated by the copolymers of HTR and BOP, and Dembone allograft bone particles did not reveal active bone healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antigenic components of adrenal extract were fractionated by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. Using a stepwise elution procedure, it was found that a component of major interest, termed Pk3b, was eluted by a buffer of pH 6.70 and 0.09 M in phosphate-chloride. This antigenic preparation reacted with several rabbit antisera that had been prepared by isoimmunization with rabbit adrenal homogenate, in contrast to several other fractions, which reacted with only one (or two) of the antisera. Pk3b also showed a high degree of homogeneity, as shown by immunodiffusion, paper electrophoresis, and analytical ultracentrifugation. By the latter technique, an extrapolated sedimentation coefficient of 4.45S was determined. The further comparison of this antigen in immunodiffusion, along with an antiserum and the adrenal extract from the antiserum-providing animal, confirmed again that this is an autoantigen, and that it is one of five autoantigens of the adrenal gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem affecting more than 200 million people worldwide. The use of different animal models, for the study of its pathophysiology and treatments, is important being actually the ovariectomized rat the most widely used; although this model has several problems due its small size, lack of true closure of epiphyseal plate and bone differences with humans. This review is aimed at summarizing the most common methods published for osteoporosis induction in rabbits as model for human disease with their advantages and disadvantages. The paper shows the advantages of the use of this specie compared with the rat. All the techniques seemed to achieve the osteoporotic condition, but the one which obtained the most consistent bone mineral reduction in less time was the combination of surgery and corticoid treatment. The conclusion of the review was that rabbits are promising as a model of osteoporosis research because of their size, haversian remodelling and closure of epiphyseal plate, which solve some of the problems of the rat model. There are different techniques in the literature used to achieve the osteoporotic condition with diverse results, but there is a lack of consensus as to the best one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tramadol is an effective analgesic used in the treatment of mild to severe pains, but unregulated use may cause deleterious effects on the reproductive system of males. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of graded doses and duration of Tramadol on sperm indices and histomorphology of testes in male rabbits. Method: This is an experimental study of 24 male rabbits, divided into eight groups of three rabbits in each group. The rabbits were administered 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg daily doses of Tramadol intramuscularly for 15 and 30 days while F and G received intramuscular Tramadol of 10 and 20 mg/kg daily respectively for 15 days and were left to recover for 15 days. Group H received physiological saline only and served as the control group. Rabbits in each group were sacrificed and the caudal epididymis was excised from the rabbits for semen analysis. The left testes were removed for histological examinations. Results: The sperm motility, viability, and count were significantly lower (p<0.001), while sperm head abnormality was higher (p<0.001) with increasing concentrations and duration of Tramadol administration. There was no significant difference in semen pH. Upon withdrawal and recovery, sperm motility, viability, and count returned to near those of control rabbits. However, the differences in sperm head abnormality and semen pH were not significant compared with control rabbits. The germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubules showed disturbance in the spermatogenic layers, with the reduced number of sperms and hypertrophic Leydig cells in the recovery Tramadol group, reduced number of Leydig cells and wide inter-tubular spaces in the chronic Tramadol group. Conclusion: The study indicated the harmful and damaging effects of Tramadol administration on the reproductive system of rabbits. It is suggested that the use of Tramadol should be regulated and dose monitored to prevent its deleterious effects on male fertility potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zdravotnicke listy is the property of Alexander Dubcek University in Trencin, Faculty of Nursing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A total number of 72 post-weaned rabbits (aged 35 days, meat line M91 a P91 hybrid rabbits), reared in an intensive breeding in the Slovak Republic, were used in the experiment. The rabbits were randomly divided into 3 similar groups, 24 animals in each group (control -EG1, experimental groups - EG2 and EG3) and kept in standard metal cages, two animals per cage. This study investigated the effects of different feeding on growth performance, chemical composition, fatty acid profile and content of essential amino acids of the Musculus longissimus thoracis and lumborum of growing rabbits. This in vivo study was designed to reveal whether the antimicrobial effect of Enterocin M (produced by non-rabbit origin strain Enteroccocus faecium AL41-CCM8558), is able to influence the meat quality of rabbits. Every day at the same time in the morning the rabbits in EG 2 received 50 µl dose of Ent M per animal per day, administered into their drinking water. The rabbits of experimental group (EG3) had commercial diet enriched with the supplement of 1% natural zeolite (a product of ZEOCEM Company, Bystré, Slovakia) and the drinking water did not contain any coccidiostatic drugs during the experiment. The experiment was lasted for 42 days. The fat of rabbits in the 2EG had a higher (P = 0.05) concentration of n-3 and n-6, MUFA, while the ratio of SFA in the control was lower (32.92%) than in 2EG and 3EG reared rabbits (34.61% vs. 34.71%). Feeding of natural substances to rabbits did not influence biochemical and zootechnical parameters and it had no negative effect on growth performance in rabbits. It had positive effect on health status and it reduced the number of Eimeria spp. Oocysts were not detected in rabbits' intestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the study scaffolds of polylactic acid (PLA) and hydroxyapatite (HA) processed by electrospinning and covered with polypyrrole with iodine (PPy-I) synthetized by plasma polymerization. Two kinds of samples were prepared: PLA/HA and PLA/HA/PPy-I, each with two different HA concentrations (18.1 and 35.7%). 7-day in vitro test with osteoblasts of autologous mesenchymal stem cells was performed. In vivo test was done in the back of a rabbit for 30 days. After extraction, cell viability, immunohistochemistry, histological, and tension tests were performed. Scaffolds PLA/HA (35.7%)/PPy-I showed higher cell viability. Tension test showed better integration in high HA samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper presents the use of the texture matching method to measure the rabbit carotid artery elasticity value of the experimental group and control group respectively. It compares the experimental rabbits, when they are prompted by pathological histology to be at the period of carotid atherosclerosis fatty streaks and fiber plaques, with the control group.Methods: We have used ultrasound linear array probe for scanning the rabbit carotid arteries. This allows us to obtain the wall shear stress (WSS) and the elasticity values in the atherosclerotic arteries. Using statistical analysis, we are able to clarify whether the texture matching method can diagnose atherosclerosis at the early stage. We also analyze the rabbit carotid artery elasticity and WSS values to make sure whether there is a correlation between both. Combining the texture matching method with the WSS quantitative analysis in the future can enable better prediction of the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis by using noninvasive medical imaging techniques.Results: This study has confirmed that from the 2nd to the 10th week, with the development of atherosclerosis, the arterial WSS reduction has a negative correlation with the increasing of artery wall elasticity, which means that as the arterial WSS decreases the arterial wall becomes less elastic. Correlating shear stress with atherosclerosis can clarify that WSS can be used as one of the effective parameters of early diagnosis of atherosclerosis.Conclusion: In summary, we have found that the elasticity value can reflect the degree of atherosclerosis more objectively. Therefore, by using noninvasive imaging, the quantitative analysis of shear stress and combined with texture matching method can assist in the early diagnosis of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper presents quantitative analysis of blood flow shear stress by measuring the carotid arterial wall shear stress (WSS) and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of experimental rabbits fed with high-fat feedstuff on a weekly basis in order to cause atherosclerosis.Methods: This study is based on establishing an atherosclerosis model of high-fat rabbits, and measuring the rabbits' common carotid arterial WSS of the experimental group and control group on a weekly basis. Detailed analysis was performed by using WSS quantification.Results: We have demonstrated small significant difference of rabbit carotid artery WSS between the experimental group and the control group (P<0.01) from the 1st week onwards, while the IMT of experimental group had larger differences from 5th week compared with the control group (P<0.05). Next, we have shown that with increasing blood lipids, the rabbit carotid artery shear stress decreases and the rabbit carotid artery IMT goes up. The decrease of shear stress appears before the start of IMT growth. Furthermore, our receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that when the mean value of shear stress is 1.198 dyne/cm2, the rabbit common carotid atherosclerosis fatty streaks sensitivity is 89.8%, and the specificity is 81.3%. The area under the ROC curve is 0.9283.Conclusions: All these data goes to show that WSS decreasing to 1.198 dyne/cm2 can be used as an indicator that rabbit common carotid artery comes into the period of fibrous plaques. In conclusion, our study is able to find and confirm that the decrease of the arterial WSS can predict the occurrence of atherosclerosis earlier, and offer help for positive clinical intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disadvantages associated with routine toxicological samples, such as blood samples, have encouraged the forensic toxicologist to use vitreous humour as an alternative matrix. However, its use is still limited. The reason for this is the lack of a systematic study in this domain. Moreover, the phenomena of drug disposition in ocular tissues are mostly unexplored. This paper presents a controlled study to investigate the distribution of diazepam in post-mortem blood, vitreous humour and ocular tissues using rabbit as an animal model. This study reveals that diazepam levels in vitreous and aqueous humour increase with their decrease in whole blood at post-mortem. A further study on the distribution of diazepam in ocular tissues reveals that the anterior and posterior segment tissues might be responsible for the increase in diazepam levels in aqueous humour and vitreous humour respectively. The present study strengthens the possibility of using vitreous humour as a complementary sample to blood in forensic toxicological investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims: Worldwide, studies regarding antimicrobial resistance in rabbits are scarce. In addition, it seems that rearing conditions have important impact on emergence and spread of antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria. Thus, the authors sought to (1) assess the role of rabbits residing across diverse ecosystems as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial‐resistant enterococci and (2) investigate the genetic background of detected resistances. Methods and Results: Faecal samples from 60 healthy farmed rabbits (one farm), 35 laboratory rabbits and 31 wild rabbits were analysed. Overall, 97 enterococci isolates were accumulated, as follows: 44 E. faecium, 37 E. faecalis, 7 E. gallinarum, 5 E. durans and 4 E. avium. E. faecalis isolates were statistically associated with farm rabbits and wild rabbits (p < 0.05). High rates of resistance were observed for tetracycline (60.8%; tetM [n = 48; 81.3%], tetO [n = 7; 11.8%] and tetL [n = 1; 1.7%]), erythromycin (43.3%; msr(A) [n = 14; 33.3%] and ermB [n = 13; 31%]), ampicillin (29.9%), streptomycin (26.8%; ant(6)‐Ia [n = 3, 11.5%]) and vancomycin (21.6%; vanA [one E. faecium + one E. faecalis; 9.5%]). Low frequencies of resistance were observed for teicoplanin (9.2%), linezolid (8.2%), ciprofloxacin (7.2%) and gentamicin (1%; aac(6′)‐Ie‐aph(2″)‐Ia). Resistance to ampicillin and vancomycin was associated with laboratory rabbits (p < 0.05). Int‐Tn (Tn916/1545) was detected in 27 (27.8%) isolates, of which 10 isolates co‐harboured tetM and ermB genes, while 16 comprised tetM. Conclusion: Findings indicate that clinically relevant enterococci species isolated from rabbits are frequently resistant to antimicrobials and harbour a range of genes associated with the Tn916/1545 family. Significance and Impact of the study: This study highlights the high rates of antimicrobial‐resistant enterococci from rabbits and the occurrence of both vancomycin‐ and linezolid‐resistant isolates, potentially representing a very serious threat to human and animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Tooth decay is the main cause of pulp and periapical diseases, and when the pulp involves the tooth, there is no other choice but to drain the pulp to save the tooth. The emergence of new methods of regenerative treatments has made it possible to restore dental pulp and dentin. Since regenerative treatments have been limited to immature teeth, this study was conducted to regenerate mature pulp tissue by dental pulp stem cell transplantation along with Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Matrix in rabbits. Methods: This experimental pilot study was conducted on a maxillary central incisor in a 1-year-old 2kg adult male albino rabbit. After completely cleaning the pulp tissue from the root and crown and washing the root canal, File #30 was passed through the apex to cause bleeding. Then dental pulp stem cells along with PRP were injected into the canal and the crown was sealed with glass ionomer cement. After 14 days, a radiograph was taken from the tooth, the extracted tooth was stained by hematoxylin-eosin and examined by light microscope. Findings: In the histological examination, in the inner wall of the root canal of odontoblasts, small thickness was observed in tubular dentin (about 1 mm) and pseudovascular structures. Furthermore, the entire space of the root canal was filled with a small and scattered number of inflammatory cells and pulp-like living tissue. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the observation of pseudovascular structures indicates the regenerative potential of dental pulp stem cells and opens a window for studies with more samples to effectively regenerate the dental pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the effects of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheet transplantation on healing of chemically induced oral ulceration in a rabbit animal model.Methods: Oral mucosal ulcers were induced by topical application of filter paper soaked with 70% acetic acid to the anterior gingiva and buccal mucosa of 12 New Zealand white rabbits. The animals were randomly assigned to two groups: with (treatment group, n = 6) or without (control group, n = 6) cell sheets applied to ulcers. Gross findings were sequentially evaluated, and histologic examination was performed on day 7.Results: Based on gross inspection, ulceration resolved before day 5 in the treatment group; however, in the control group, healing was incomplete on day 7. In the treatment group, the total area of the ulcer decreased significantly from day 2 to day 5 (P < 0.001) and from day 5 to day 7 (P = 0.020), whereas the area decreased significantly from day 5 to day 7 in the control group (P < 0.001). Histologic and immunofluorescence examination revealed full-thickness mucosa healing and complete basal cell coverage in the treatment group; in contrast, only partial healing was observed on day 7 in the control group.Conclusions: Cell sheet technology using MSC can be an alternative treatment for oral ulcerations in that it can decrease healing time without invasive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, we refer to a method of primary closure of congenital defects of the anterior abdominal wall with tensionless viscero-abdominal disproportion. The study group included 10 animals subjected to surgery of the abdominal wall defect closure with bovine pericardium graft preserved in 0.5% formaldehyde, and 5 rabbits of the same breed and weight, in which bovine fascia graft was used as implant, being preserved in 0.5% formaldehyde. The abdominal anterior wall defect was made surgically by excision of the musculo-fascial structures and peritoneum. Bovine pericardium graft and bovine fascia graft were placed and fixed posteriorly to rectus abdominals muscles, having direct contact with the intra-abdominal contents and protected by suturing skin and subcutaneous layer. The purpose of the study was to perform a comparative postoperative evaluation of local macroscopic and microscopic changes that develop after reconstruction of the major abdominal wall defects experimentally induced in rabbits, using bovine pericardium and bovine fascia grafts preserved in 0.5% formaldehyde. In cases of major fascial defects of the anterior abdominal wall, bovine pericardium graft has acceptable strength and biocompatibility, having stabilizing properties of the abdominal wall due to the development of the connective tissue layer located between the implant and the subcutaneous layer. Bovine fascia grafts preserved in formaldehyde have an insignificant irritating and inflammatory action on the intestinal loops compared with bovine pericardium, and do not induce the development of a significant abdominal adhesion process, this allowing their use in the abdominal fascial defects closure with placement in direct contact with the abdominal contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate an axisymmetric model of intimal thickening using hyperelasticity theory. Our model describes the growth of the arterial intima due to cell proliferation which, in turn, is driven by the release of a cytokine such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). With the growth rate tied to both local stress and the local concentration of PDGF, we derive a quadruple free boundary problem with different regions of the vessel wall characterized by different homeostatic stress. We compare our model predictions to rabbit and rodent models of atherosclerosis and find that in order to achieve the growth rates reported in the experiments, growth must be mainly cytokine induced rather than stress induced. Our model is also able to reproduce Glagov remodelling where, as a vessel becomes more diseased, the lumen expands before rapidly contracting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the thrombolytic effect of low-frequency ultrasound combined with targeted urokinase-containing microbubble contrast agents on treatment of thrombosis in rabbit femoral artery; and to determine the optimal combination of parameters for achieving thrombolysis in this model. A biotinylated-avidin method was used to prepare microbubble contrast agents carrying urokinase and Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) peptides. Following femoral artery thrombosis in New Zealand white rabbits, microbubble contrast agents were injected intravenously, and ultrasonic exposure was applied. A 3 × 2 × 2 factorial table was applied to categorize the experimental animals based on different levels of combination of ultrasonic frequencies (Factor A: 1.6 MHz, 2.2 MHz, 2.8 MHz), doses of urokinase (Factor B: 90,000 IU/Kg, 180,000 IU/Kg) and ultrasound exposure time (Factor C: 30 min, 60 min). A total of 72 experimental animals were randomly divided into 12 groups (n = 6/group). Doppler techniques were used to assess blood flow in the distal end of the thrombotic femoral artery during the 120 minutes thrombolysis experiment. The rate of recanalization following thrombolysis was calculated, and thrombolytic efficacy was evaluated and compared. The thrombolytic recanalization rate for all experimental subjects after thrombolytic therapy was 68.1%. The optimal parameters for thrombolysis were determined to be 1) an ultrasound frequency of 2.2 MHz and 2) a 90,000 IU/kg dose of urokinase. Ultrasound exposure time (30 min vs. 60 min) had no significant effect on the thrombolytic effects. The combination of local low-frequency ultrasound radiation, targeted microbubbles, and thrombolytic urokinase induced thrombolysis of femoral artery thrombosis in a rabbit model. The ultrasonic frequency of 2.2 MHz and urokinase dose of 90,000 IU/kg induced optimal thrombolytic effects, while the application of either 30 min or 60 min of ultrasound exposure had similar effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective in this study was to enhance osteogenic responses (in vitro and in vivo) to roughened titanium (Ti) dental implants through the formation of superhydrophilic TiO2 nanonetwork surface structure. Sandblasting and acid etching (SLA) was used to roughen the Ti surface. An electrochemical anodization process was then used to form a superhydrophilic TiO2 nanonetwork on the SLA Ti surfaces. The pore size of the nanonetwork structure ranged from a few nanometers to more than 100 nm, which is on the same scale as many biological species. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were used as an in vitro test model. The TiO2 nanonetwork structure was shown to have a significantly positive effect on hydrophilicity, protein adsorption, cell adhesion, cell migration, cell mineralization, and the gene and protein expression of osteogenic markers. The osseointegration of an anodized SLA screw-type Ti dental implant was investigated in vivo via implantation in the femur of New Zealand white rabbits for durations of 4 or 12 wk. The presence of a superhydrophilic surface TiO2 nanonetwork was shown to significantly enhance the bone-to-implant contact of the roughened SLA screw-type Ti dental implants. Overall, the proposed superhydrophilic TiO2 nanonetwork structure on the roughened SLA Ti surface proved highly effective in enhancing osteogenic responses in vitro and in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S. epidermidis is an ocular pathogen and a leading cause of keratitis. It produces hemolysins and at least 3 proteases. The purpose of the present study is to compare the secretion of hemolysins and proteases between 28 ocular isolates and one non-ocular strain and to determine their relationship to ocular virulence in selected strains using a rabbit model of infection. Culture supernatants were compared for protease production and hemolysis. Selected strains were injected into rabbit corneas and their virulence and pathology recorded. The major protease activity in a virulent strain was identified and the gene was cloned and expressed as a recombinant protein. The corneal toxicity of this protease was determined. Antibodies to the native protease were generated and tested for neutralizing activity in vivo and in vitro. The corneal pathology of the S. epidermidis protease was compared to the pathology of S. aureus V8 protease. Strains that exhibited the least protease activity in vitro caused significantly less ocular pathology in vivo (p ≤ 0.003). Strains that were hemolytic and secreted a major protease had numerically higher SLE scores. This protease was identified as the serine protease Esp. The recombinant Esp protease caused extensive pathology when injected into the corneal stroma (7.62 ± 0.33). Antibody generated against native Esp did not neutralize the activity of the protease in vivo or in vitro. The antibody reacted with Esp proteases secreted by other S. epidermidis strains. S. epidermidis Esp protease and its homologue in S. aureus caused similar ocular pathology when injected in the rabbit corneal stroma. Hemolysins and proteases seem to be important in corneal pathology caused by S. epidermidis infections. The Esp protease mediates significant corneal damage. S. epidermidis Esp and S. aureus V8 protease caused similar and extensive edema in rabbit corneas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteophyte is an additional bony growth on a normal bone surface limiting or stopping motion at a deteriorating joint. Detection and quantification of osteophytes from computed tomography (CT) images is helpful in assessing disease status as well as treatment and surgery planning. However, it is difficult to distinguish between osteophytes and healthy bones using simple thresholding or edge/texture features due to the similarity of their material composition. In this paper, we present a new method primarily based on the active shape model (ASM) to solve this problem and evaluate its application to the anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) rabbit femur model via micro-CT imaging. The common idea behind most ASM-based segmentation methods is to first build a parametric shape model from a training dataset and then apply the model to find a shape instance in a target image. A common challenge with such approaches is that a diseased bone shape is significantly altered at regions with osteophyte deposition misguiding an ASM method and eventually leading to suboptimum segmentations. This difficulty is overcome using a new partial-ASM method that uses bone shape over healthy regions and extrapolates it over the diseased region according to the underlying shape model. Finally, osteophytes are segmented by subtracting partial-ASM-derived shape from the overall diseased shape. Also, a new semiautomatic method is presented in this paper for efficiently building a 3-D shape model for an anatomic region using manual reference of a few anatomically defined fiducial landmarks that are highly reproducible on individuals. Accuracy of the method has been examined on simulated phantoms while reproducibility and sensitivity have been evaluated on micro-CT images of 2-, 4- and 8-week post-ACLT and sham-treated rabbit femurs. Experimental results have shown that the method is highly accurate (R^\bm 2=0.99), reproducible (ICC = 0.97), and sensitive in detecting disease progression ($p$ values: 0.065, 0.001, and < 0.001 for 2 weeks versus 4 weeks, 4 weeks versus 8 weeks, and 2 weeks versus 8 weeks, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Crude aqueous bark extract of Cinnamon loureiroi. was evaluated for counter irritant activity. Irritation was induced by the clockwise frictional movement of fine sand paper to the ear of rabbits of average 1.5 kg body weight. The counter-irritant activity was determined by calculating the mean decrease in redness and erythma with those of control. cinnamon extract (25, 50, 75, 100μg / 10 ml) showed counter irritant when compared with standard drug dexamethasone. All the extracts, showed the counter irritant activity. Highest (91.97% inhibition) and the lowest (41.39 % inhibition) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Input for fully implantable hearing devices (FIHDs) is provided by an implantable microphone under the skin of the temporal bone. However, the implanted microphone can be affected when the FIHDs user chews. In this paper, a dual implantable microphone was designed that can filter out the noise from mastication. For the in vivo experiment, a fabricated microphone was implanted in a rabbit. Pure-tone sounds of 1 kHz through a standard speaker were applied to the rabbit, which was given food simultaneously. To evaluate noise reduction, the measured signals were processed using a MATLAB program based adaptive filter. To verify the proposed method, the correlation coefficients and signal to-noise ratio before and after signal processing were calculated. By comparing the results, signal-to-noise ratio and correlation coefficients are enhanced by 6.07dB and 0.529 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of kidneys from donation after brain death (DBD) donors with acute kidney injury (AKI) is a strategy to expand the donor pool. The aim of this study was to evaluate how kidney transplantation (KT) from a donor with AKI affects long-term graft survival in various situations. All patients who underwent KT from DBD donors between June 2003 and April 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. The KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes) criteria were used to classify donor AKI. The cohort included 376 donors (no AKI group, n = 117 [31.1%]; AKI group n = 259 [68.9%]). Death-censored graft survival was similar according to the presence of AKI, AKI severity, and the AKI trend (p = 0.929, p = 0.077, and p = 0.658, respectively). Patients whose donors had AKI who received using low dose (1.5 mg/kg for three days) rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (r-ATG) as the induction agent had significantly superior death-censored graft survival compared with patients in that group who received basiliximab (p = 0.039). AKI in DBD donors did not affect long-term death-censored graft survival. Low-dose r-ATG may be considered as an induction immunosuppression in recipients receiving kidneys with AKI because it showed better graft survival than basiliximab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical ventilation can damage the lungs, a condition called Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI). However, the mechanisms leading to VILI at the microscopic scale remain poorly understood. Here we investigated the within-tidal dynamics of cyclic recruitment/derecruitment (R/D) using synchrotron radiation phase-contrast imaging (PCI), and the relation between R/D and cell infiltration, in a model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in 6 anaesthetized and mechanically ventilated New-Zealand White rabbits. Dynamic PCI was performed at 22.6 µm voxel size, under protective mechanical ventilation [tidal volume: 6 ml/kg; positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP): 5 cmH2O]. Videos and quantitative maps of within-tidal R/D showed that injury propagated outwards from non-aerated regions towards adjacent regions where cyclic R/D was present. R/D of peripheral airspaces was both pressure and time-dependent, occurring throughout the respiratory cycle with significant scatter of opening/closing pressures. There was a significant association between R/D and regional lung cellular infiltration (p = 0.04) suggesting that tidal R/D of the lung parenchyma may contribute to regional lung inflammation or capillary-alveolar barrier dysfunction and to the progression of lung injury. PEEP may not fully mitigate this phenomenon even at high levels. Ventilation strategies utilizing the time-dependence of R/D may be helpful in reducing R/D and associated injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the damage effects and injury mechanism of free-field explosion shock waves on rabbit lungs. Six free-field explosion experiments, each with 500 g trinitrotoluene (TNT), were conducted as the shock wave overpressure acting on the rabbits was measured. The peak overpressure of the shock wave was 533, 390, 249, 102, and 69 kPa at the respective test points. Damage to the rabbit lungs caused by shock wave overpressure was investigated through observation, anatomical analysis, and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining processing. The shock wave overpressure of 69–102 kPa caused mild-to-moderate injury; the shock wave overpressure of 102–249 kPa caused moderate injury; the shock wave overpressure of 249–390 kPa resulted in moderate-to-severe injury; and the shock wave overpressure of 390–533 kPa caused severe injury to the rabbit. Mild, moderate, and severe injuries destroyed some, most, or all alveolar structures, correspondingly, as well as producing partial cell apoptosis. The overpressure damage mechanism primarily involves the collapse and rupture of pulmonary alveolus in the lung tissue. As a novel attempt, the investigation provided here may serve to improve the current shock wave injury mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leporacarus gibbus is a highly specific acarian parasitizing in rabbits, with a proven zoonotic potential. While the majority of cases of L. gibbus infestation are asymptomatic, several cases of pruritic cutaneous condition in both laboratory and pet rabbits were reported. Up to date, L. gibbus has not been linked with clinical signs in any other species than rabbits and humans. Case presentation: This case report described the clinical case of a 14-month-old cat with a dermatitis linked to L. gibbus. Mites specimens were collected by brushing, followed by light microscopy examination and species identification. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of L. gibbus-related dermatitis in cat. Conclusions: L. gibbus infestation should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis of pruritic skin conditions in cat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurokinin B exists as a member of tachykinin family, which is encoded by Tac3 gene and binds to Tac3R. Several studies have shown that neurokinin B is involved in secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone and maintenance of reproductive function. No data on the effect of neurokinin B on accessory sex glands is available till date. The current study is designed to determine the dose dependent effects of neurokinin B on seminal vesicles of New Zealand White Rabbits. For experimental procedure, 18 New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were purchased from National Institute Health, Islamabad Pakistan. Adult laboratory rabbits were administrated with neurokinin B at two different dose concentrations (1 ηg and 1 µg) twice daily for a period of continuous 12 days. The results demonstrated a significant increase in seminal vesicles weight and epithelial cell height at all tested doses (P < 0.05). Marked increase in epithelial folds was readily manifested, however the lumen was irregular. In this study histological and structural alterations in seminal vesicles manifest a progressive effect on seminal vesicles subsequent to subcutaneous twice-daily administration of Neurokinin B for 12 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embryo cryopreservation remains an important technique to enhance the reconstitution and distribution of animal populations with high genetic merit. One of the major detrimental factors to this technique is the damage caused by oxidative stress. Melatonin is widely known as an antioxidant with multi-faceted ways to counteract the oxidative stress. In this paper, we investigated the role of melatonin in protecting rabbit embryos during preimplantation development from the potential harmful effects of oxidative stress induced by in vitro culture or vitrification. Rabbit embryos at morula stages were cultured for 2 hr with 0 or 10−3 M melatonin (C or M groups). Embryos of each group were either transferred to fresh culture media (CF and MF groups) or vitrified/devitrified (CV and MV groups), then cultured in vitro for 48 hr until the blastocyst stage. The culture media were used to measure the activity of antioxidant enzymes: glutathione-s-transferase (GST) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as the levels of two oxidative substrates: lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO). The blastocysts from each group were used to measure the expression of developmental-related genes (GJA1, POU5F1 and Nanog) and oxidative-stress-response-related genes (NFE2L2, SOD1 and GPX1). The data showed that melatonin promoted significantly (P<0.05) the blastocyst rate by 17% and 12% in MF and MV groups compared to their controls (CF and CV groups). The GST and SOD activity significantly increased by the treatment of melatonin in fresh or vitrified embryos, while the levels of LPO and NO decreased (P<0.05). Additionally, melatonin considerably stimulated the relative expression of GJA1, NFE2L2 and SOD1 genes in MF and MV embryos compared to CF group. Furthermore, melatonin significantly ameliorated the reduction of POU5F1 and GPX1 expression induced by vitrification. The results obtained from the current investigation provide new and clear molecular aspects regarding the mechanisms by which melatonin promotes development of both fresh and vitrified rabbit embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal degradation of rabbit skin glue, a collagen-based proteinaceous material used as a paint binder in paintings, was investigated in this paper. Paint reconstructions of the glue on its own or mixed with azurite (Cu(CO)(OH)), calcium carbonate (CaCO), hematite (FeO· nHO) and red lead (PbO) were analysed using a thermoanalytical approach. This method enabled us to investigate the interactions between the glue and pigments before and after artificial indoor light ageing. The study was carried out using differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and thermogravimetry/FTIR analysis already successfully employed to characterize the paint binders. The results highlighted that all the inorganic pigments interact with rabbit skin glue, thus decreasing the thermal stability of the binder. Light ageing further decreased the thermal stability of pigmented paint replicas, suggesting a moderate increase in the rate of the degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high competence of D. reticulatus in transmission of tick-borne pathogens prompts investigations of the effect of chemicals used as repellents and acaricides on the behaviour of the tick on the host. Therefore, this paper presents the effect of permethrin and deltamethrin on the attachment and feeding in this tick species. Findings: Attachment to rabbit skin of D. reticulatus females sprayed with pyrethroids and the effect of different doses thereof on feeding were assessed at a temperature of 20 ± 3 °C and 50 % humidity. The dynamics of attachment of D. reticulatus females varied in a dose-dependent manner after the application of both pyrethroids. Within the first 0.5 h of the experiments, there was an over six-fold and over twelve-fold increase in the number of females attached to host skin after application of permethrin concentrations of 0.3906-0.7812 μg and 1.5625-3.1250 μg/1 specimen, respectively. In the case of deltamethrin, females treated with the dose of 0.0390 μg of the compound were able to attach to host skin only 4 hours after the infestation. The toxic activity of both pyrethroids increased the duration of the feeding period and decreased the body weight of engorged females and the feeding efficiency index. Conclusions: The accelerated attachment of D. reticulatus females caused by sublethal permethrin doses and delayed or inhibited attachment caused by deltamethrin suggest a necessity of careful selection of the type and dose of pyrethroids to protect hosts from tick attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the characterization study of topical and intraocular biocompatibility and toxicity of cationic hydroxyethylcellulose Polyquaternium 10 (PQ10). It also evaluates the rheological properties of gels. The cytotoxicity assays were done in two cell lines: HEp-2 and VERO (human larynx epidermoid carcinoma cell and African green monkey kidney cells respectively). For the in vivo study, New Zealand albino rabbits were used. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of PQ10 shows no statistically significant differences in relation to the control of hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) in any of the cell lines used in this study. Similarly, the signs of inflammation observed after treatment showed no significant difference between the groups of animals treated with the polymer compared to the control group. Normal histological characteristics were seen in both groups with no histological inflammatory reaction. After 1 month of the intracameral application of 2 % PQ10 (treatment group) or 0.3 % HPMC (control group), electroretinograms showed similar levels of a- and b-waves latencies and amplitude. In summary, PQ10 gel was well tolerated in these experiments, with proper monitoring, it could stand as a new alternative in the development of ophthalmic viscosurgical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacokinetic (PK) profiling of a novel flavonoid “Viscosine” was carried out in healthy rabbits following both IV and oral administration. Various PK parameters were investigated using the developed HPLC–UV method. The concentration of the Viscosine in plasma samples following both IV and oral administration was plotted as a function of time on normal and semi-log graph papers. The plasma drug concentration as a function of time profile of the Viscosine following IV bolus administration and oral administration showed the bi-exponential decline that indicates that PK of the Viscosine follows two compartment open model. The Viscosine is rapidly but incompletely absorbed following oral administration from hard gelatin capsules and tmaxwas achieved just in 0.5 hr (30 min). The mean ± SD of Cmaxwas 0.981 ± 0.021 µg/mL. The very low plasma drug concentration achieved shows that Viscosine has lower permeability following oral administration. Similarly, following IV bolus drug administration, the plasma drug concentration as a function of time curve of Viscosine was a bi-exponential curve that follows two compartment open model. Viscosine is readily distributed and established equilibrium between central and peripheral compartments. Higher volume of distribution (Vd) shows the longer stay in the peripheral compartments. The β-elimination half-life is approximately 3.8 hr. The AUC values also indicate the distribution of the drug in various body fluids. In summary, the bioavailability of the drug after oral administration (F = 0.32) indicates that Viscosine is a low soluble drug; however, the Vd was higher compared with the IV bolus injection while MRT was about 15.45 hr. These studies indicate that capsules can be used as a suitable dosage form for the administration of Viscosine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The t-tubular system plays a central role in the synchronisation of calcium signalling and excitation-contraction coupling in most striated muscle cells. Light microscopy has been used for imaging t-tubules for well over 100 years and together with electron microscopy (EM), has revealed the three-dimensional complexities of the t-system topology within cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle fibres from a range of species. The emerging super-resolution single molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM) techniques are offering a near 10-fold improvement over the resolution of conventional fluorescence light microscopy methods, with the ability to spectrally resolve nanometre scale distributions of multiple molecular targets. In conjunction with the next generation of electron microscopy, SMLM has allowed the visualisation and quantification of intricate t-tubule morphologies within large areas of muscle cells at an unprecedented level of detail. In this paper, we review recent advancements in the ttubule structural biology with the utility of various microscopy techniques. We outline the technical considerations in adapting SMLM to study t-tubules and its potential to further our understanding of the molecular processes that underlie the sub-micron scale structural alterations observed in a range of muscle pathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnosis of retinal vascular diseases depends on ophthalmoscopic findings that most often occur after severe visual loss (as in vein occlusions) or chronic changes that are irreversible (as in diabetic retinopathy). Despite recent advances, diagnostic imaging currently reveals very little about the vascular function and local oxygen delivery. One potentially useful measure of vascular function is measurement of hemoglobin oxygen content. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel method of accurately, rapidly and easily measuring oxygen saturation within retinal vessels using in vivo imaging spectroscopy. This method uses a commercially available fundus camera coupled to two-dimensional diffracting optics that scatter the incident light onto a focal plane array in a calibrated pattern. Computed tomographic algorithms are used to reconstruct the diffracted spectral patterns into wavelength components of the original image. In this paper the spectral components of oxy- and deoxyhemoglobin are analyzed from the vessels within the image. Up to 76 spectral measurements can be made in only a few milliseconds and used to quantify the oxygen saturation within the retinal vessels over a 10-15 degree field. The method described here can acquire 10-fold more spectral data in much less time than conventional oximetry systems (while utilizing the commonly accepted fundus camera platform). Application of this method to animal models of retinal vascular disease and clinical subjects will provide useful and novel information about retinal vascular disease and physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an automatic detection method for thin boundaries of silver-stained endothelial cells (ECs) imaged using light microscopy of endotheliummono-layers from rabbit aortas. To achieve this, a segmentation technique was developed, which relies on a rich feature space to describe the spatial neighbourhood of each pixel and employs a Support Vector Machine (SVM) as a classifier. This segmentation approach is compared, using hand-labelled data, to a number of standard segmentation/thresholding methods commonly applied in microscopy. The importance of different features is also assessed using the method of minimum Redundancy, Maximum Relevance (mRMR), and the effect of different SVM kernels is also considered. The results show that the approach suggested in this paper attains much greater accuracy than standard techniques; in our comparisons with manually labelled data, our proposed technique is able to identify boundary pixels to an accuracy of 93%. More significantly, out of a set of 56 regions of image data, 43 regions were binarised to a useful level of accuracy. The results obtained from the image segmentation technique developed here may be used for the study of shape and alignment of ECs, and hence patterns of blood flow, around arterial branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although manuscripts for multiple species recommending nervous system sampling for histopathology evaluation in safety assessment have been published in the past 15 years, none have addressed the laboratory rabbit. Here, we describe 2 trimming schemes for evaluating the rabbit brain in nonclinical toxicity studies. In both schemes, the intact brain is cut in the coronal plane to permit bilateral assessment. The first scheme is recommended for general toxicity studies (tier 1) in screening agents where there is no anticipated neurotoxic potential; this 6-section approach is consistent with the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) "best practice" recommendations for brain sampling in nonrodents (Toxicol Pathol 41: 1028-1048, 20131). The second trimming scheme is intended for dedicated neurotoxicity studies (tier 2) to characterize known or suspected neurotoxicants where the nervous system is a key target organ. This tier 2 strategy relies on coronal trimming of the whole brain into 3-mm-thick slices and then evaluating 12 sections. Collection of spinal cord, ganglia, and nerve specimens for rabbits during nonclinical studies should follow published STP "best practice" recommendations for sampling the central nervous system1 and peripheral nervous system (Toxicol Pathol 46: 372-402, 20182). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of TongLuoZhiTong Gel in the treatment of frozen shoulder model and the effects of frozen shoulder-related factors IL-1β, TNF-毩 and MMP-3 in rabbit. Methods: Twenty-four male healthy adult rabbits were randomly divided into the following three groups: blank group (group A), model control group (group B), and TongLuoZhiTong Gel treatment group (group C). Except for the blank group, the rabbits were subjected to a frozen shoulder model by continuous mechanical strain and ice application. After the model was completed, both groups A and B were not treated; group C was treated with external application of TongLuoZhiTong Gel, 5 times a week for 2 weeks. Two weeks later, the synovial tissue was abstracted in the frozen shoulder joint, and then observed under the light microscope after HE staining. The Krenn grading of chronic synovitis was used to evaluated the degree of inflammation of the synovium. At the same time, the expression levels of IL-1β, TNF-α毩 and MMP-3 in serum and periarticular tissues of each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Compared with the blank group, the Krenn score of the shoulder group was significantly increased after model establishment (P<0.05), and the local skin was red and swollen, suggesting successful modeling. Compared with the model group, after two weeks treatment of TongLuoZhiTong Gel, the inflammatory infiltration of the synovial tissue sections was significantly relieved, and the Krenn score was significantly decreased (P<0.05). In terms of fibrogenic chemical factors and inflammatory chemical factors, TongLuoZhiTong Gel treatment group can significantly reduce the expression of IL-1β, TNF-毩 and MMP-3 in rabbit serum and periarticular tissue homogenate (P< 0.05). Conclusion: TongLuoZhiTong Gel can effectively alleviate the synovial inflammation of the frozen shoulder model of rabbits, and can significantly reduce the levels of IL-1β, TNF-毩α and MMP-3 in the serum and surrounding tissues of rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is important to use objective methods for assessing intraocular inflammation in the practical management of uveitis. Previously, we have found that, on day 1 of unilaterally induced non-infectious anterior and intermediate uveitis in rabbits, the temperature in ciliary body projection onto the ocular surface increased to 35.7°С (р = 0.002) for the challenged eyes and to 35.0°С (р=0.05) for the fellow eyes compared to eyes of intact rabbits (34.1°С). Purpose: To assess the histomorphology of the healthy fellow eye in rabbits with unilaterally induced non-infectious anterior and intermediate uveitis. Material and Methods: Seventeen Chinchilla rabbits (34 eyes; weight, 2.5-3.0 kg) were included in this study. Non-infectious anterior or intermediate uveitis was induced in the right eye of each rabbit, while the left was intact. Histomorphological studies of the fellow eyes were performed at various time points after challenge. Results: The fellow eyes showed normal histomorphology. Conclusion: A significant increase in the temperature in ciliary body projection onto the ocular surface to 35.0°С (р=0.05) for the fellow eyes compared to eyes of intact rabbits on day 1 of induced non-infectious anterior and intermediate uveitis in rabbits was not accompanied by any histomorphological or pathological changes, and was functional in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balloon catheter endothelial denudation in New Zealand white rabbits fed high cholesterol diet is a validated atherosclerosis model. Well-characterized in terms of atherosclerosis induction and progression, the metabolic changes associated with the atherosclerosis progression remain indeterminate. Non-targeted metabolomics permits to develop such elucidation and allows to evaluate the metabolic consequences of colchicine treatment, an anti-inflammatory drug that could revert these changes. 16 rabbits underwent 18 weeks of atherosclerosis induction by diet and aortic denudation. Thereafter animals were randomly assigned to colchicine treatment or placebo for 18 weeks while on diet. Plasma samples were obtained before randomization and at 36 weeks. Multiplatform (GC/MS, CE/MS, RP-HPLC/MS) metabolomics was applied. Plasma fingerprints were pre-processed, and the resulting matrixes analyzed to unveil differentially expressed features. Different chemical annotation strategies were accomplished for those significant features. We found metabolites associated with either atherosclerosis progression, or colchicine treatment, or both. Atherosclerosis was profoundly associated with an increase in circulating bile acids. Most of the changes associated with sterol metabolism could not be reverted by colchicine treatment. However, the variations in lysine, tryptophan and cysteine metabolism among others, have shown new potential mechanisms of action of the drug, also related to atherosclerosis progression, but not previously described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic heart disease is a leading cause of mortality in the world. This study aimed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of germinated brown rice (GBR) on a rabbit model of chronic myocardial infarction. Eighteen New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups receiving: 1) regular rabbit food; 2) regular rabbit food plus vehicle; and 3) regular rabbit food plus GBR for 120 d. The left circumflex coronary artery was ligated to induce myocardial ischemia 60 d after starting the experiment (baseline). Heart functions were monitored by electrocardiography and echocardiography at 0, 30, and 60 d after coronary artery ligation. The incidences of heart rate (HR) and ventricular arrhythmias have been compared between groups. GBR showed the effects to prevent life-threatening ventricular tachycardia and electrocardiographic signs of myocardial ischemia in a model of arrhythmias. GBR consumption group exhibited significantly improved cardiac function and reduced the HR, along with reduced mean arterial pressure and plasma glucose level. The results demonstrated that GBR exerts cardioprotective effects against chronic myocardial injury in rabbits. These biological actions of GBR may explain the benefits gained from the use of GBR products as a possible prophylactic lifestyle intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Usage of dental implants has become common for the treatment of edentulous patients, but concerns exist over the use of implants in patients where orofacial bone loss occurs. In the present study, the osseointegration of implants in rabbits under osteoporosis-like (OP-like) conditions simulating several clinically relevant conditions is reported. Materials and Methods: Forty rabbits were divided into 4 groups of 10. Three groups of animals received daily intramuscular injections of glucocorticoids (7.5 mg/kg) for 8 weeks to induce OP-like conditions either before, simultaneous to, or after implant placement. Results: The injections of glucocorticoids resulted in cortical thinning, irregular trabecular patterns, and impaired extracellular (ECM) matrix formation and mineralization. Although interfacial strength (8.5 ± 1.3 MPa for the control group; 9.3 ± 4.0 to 10.1 ± 4.0 MPa for the experimental groups) was apparently not affected in this limited sample cohort (n = 3 per group), statistically significant decreases (P < .05) in implant-bone contact were observed in animals with OP-like conditions (49% ± 10% for the control group; 24% ± 16% to 42% ± 16% for the experimental groups). Discussion: Histologic features characteristic of OP-like conditions were observed in each experimental group. ECM expression also appeared to be altered and compromised in all animals with OP-like conditions, which may affect long-term biomechanical stability of the implants. Conclusion: OP-like conditions affect the osseointegration characteristics of implants, but long-term biomechanical stability under forces of mastication is unknown as yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Our primary aim was to use a rabbit guided bone augmentation model to evaluate whether use of autogeneic bone grafts or bovine bone mineral (BBM) combined with a space-making barrier enhances bone augmentation compared with a barrier alone. Materials and Methods: Sixteen rabbits were studied. In each rabbit, 2 titanium cylinders, each with 1 titanium lid, were placed subcutaneously in perforated slits made in the cortical bones, with their open ends facing the parietal bones. One cylinder was left empty and the other was filled with either autogeneic skull bone chips or BBM. Bone labels were injected after 4 and 11 weeks. After 12 weeks, the animals were sacrificed to obtain ground sections for histology and histomorphometry. Results: Significantly more tissue was augmented in the 2 test groups than in the control group. Most of the autografts were resorbed, leaving only minute amounts in the upper third of the cylinders. Slender new bone trabeculae were distributed mainly from the contiguous bone plate that had no contact with the remaining graft material. In the BBM group, most of the BBM remained evenly distributed in the cylinder. In the upper third of the cylinder, the BBM was surrounded by soft connective tissue, while in the lower two thirds, mainly mineralized bone enclosed the BBM. Equal amounts of mineralized bone were found in both test groups. Comparisons of contact between bone and BBM on one hand and bone and bone cylinder wall on the other revealed that the greatest bone contact was with the BBM in the lower third of the cylinder. In the middle and upper third of the cylinder, bone-BBM contact and bone-cylinder wall contact were similar. Fluorescent label intensity was higher in the autograft group than in the BBM group. In all 3 groups the intensity of the early label was similar to that of the late label, indicating that the graft materials do not seem to retard mineralization. Discussion: BBM was found to promote as much new bone as did autogeneic bone. In addition, BBM appears to have at least the same osteoconductive properties as titanium, provided BBM is contained in a stable environment. Conclusions: Placement of autogeneic bone or BBM in conjunction with a stiff space-making barrier generated more tissue than a barrier only. In this model, autogeneic bone chips and BBM augmented similar amounts of new mineralized bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim was to answer a fundamental question: Do the chemical properties of titanium implants influence osseointegration? Materials and Methods: Screw-type implants produced of turned commercially pure (grade 1) titanium (controls) and electrochemically calcium-deposited titanium implants (Ca test implants) were placed in the tibiae and femora of a total of 10 mature New Zealand white rabbits. The macro arc oxidation method was applied for Ca implants. Surface oxides were characterized with different analytic techniques, including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, auger electron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thin-film x-ray diffractometry, and TopScan 3D. The bone response was evaluated by biomechanical tests, histology, and histomorphometry. Results: After a follow-up period of 6 weeks, test Ca implants showed a significant increase in mean peak removal torque (P = .0001) and in the histomorphometric measurement of bone-to-metal contact around the implants (P = .028) in comparison to controls. In addition, more mature mineralized bone was observed adjacent to test Ca implants compared to controls, as evaluated on 10-μm undecalcified, toluidine blue-stained, cut, and ground sections. Discussion: The potential role of surface Ca chemistry to a superior bone response is discussed with specific reference to interaction with Ca+-binding proteins and function as binding sites of calcium phosphate mineral. Conclusion: The present results suggest that the surface chemical composition of titanium implants is of great importance for the bone response. Ca ion-deposited titanium implants showed fast and strong osseointegration in the rabbit bone model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of coating implants with hydroxyapatite (HA) by an ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) method and to compare them with implants prepared with sandblasted and machined surfaces. Examination of osteoblast cultures displayed no difference in the secretion of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) between the various surfaces, but the IBAD-HA specimen showed low ALP secretion (P < .05). Removal torque tests showed that implants coated with HA by the IBAD method had values similar to the implants with a sandblasted surface, but values for the machined-surface implants differed. Implants placed in a group of ovariectomized rabbits showed lower mechanical test values than implants placed in sham-operated rabbits (P < .05). Implants coated with HA by the IBAD method demonstrated the highest mean bone-to-metal contact ratio on all threads and on the 3 best consecutive threads, followed by the implants with a sandblasted surface and implants with a machined surface (P < .05). Hydroxyapatite-coated implants showed a slightly higher bone-to-implant contact ratio than sandblasted implants, but no statistically significant difference was seen between the 2 materials. The implants placed in ovariectomized rabbits showed lower amounts of bone-to-metal contact than the implants placed in sham-operated rabbits, but no statistically significant difference was seen between the 2 groups. Evaluation of bone volume on all threads and the 3 best consecutive threads showed no statistically significant difference among the different surface treatment groups, but lower bone volume was seen in the ovariectomized rabbits than in the shamoperated animals (P < .05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Quantification and characterization of the hemodynamic environment created after flow diversion treatment of cerebral aneurysms is important to understand the effects of flow diverters and their interactions with the biology of the aneurysm wall and the thrombosis process that takes place subsequently. This paper describes the construction of multi-modality image-based subject-specific CFD models of experimentally created aneurysms in rabbits and subsequently treated with flow diverters. Briefly, anatomical models were constructed from 3D rotational angiography images, flow conditions were derived from Doppler ultrasound measurements, stent models were created and virtually deployed, and the results were compared with in vivo digital subtraction angiography and Doppler ultrasound images. The models were capable of reproducing in vivoobservations, including velocity waveforms measured in the parent artery, peak velocity values measured in the aneurysm, and flow structures observed with digital subtraction angiography before and after deployment of flow diverters. The results indicate that regions of aneurysm occlusion after flow diversion coincide with slow and smooth flow patterns, whereas regions still permeable at the time of animal sacrifice were observed in parts of the aneurysm exposed to larger flow activity, that is, higher velocities, more swirling, and more complex flow structures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]