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We investigated the efficacy of electric fencing for preventing Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furness/) invasions of agricultural lands. We installed electric fences (three polywires at heights of 10, 20, and 30 cm above the ground, respectively) to prevent Amami rabbit invasions of a Tankan (C/trus tankan Hayata) orchard (circumference : 100 m, area : approximately 300 m²) on Tokunoshima island. The efficacy of electric fencing was assessed during two periods--23 days before fence setup and 406 days after fence setup. Relative abundance index (RAI) of Amami rabbit invasions photographed by a sensor camera during the former and latter periods was 43.5 and 0.2, respectively, that is, it was significantly reduced after fencing (P < 0.05). We observed the following behavioral responses from moving images of 1,062 heads of Amami rabbits photographed by the sensor camera set along the outside of the fence : one Amami rabbit passed through the wires, five suffered electric shocks by touching the wires with their lips, and most avoided the fences; there was no damage to tankan plants. The materials for the fence cost 77,200 yen and the fence setup took approximately an hour of work from two people. The farmer confirmed that maintenance of the fence was not burdensome. In conclusion, electric fencing is useful for preventing Amami rabbit invasions of agricultural lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many diseases are associated with "neuropathic pain", which is not usually manageable with common analgesics, such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen. Calcium ion channel α2δ ligands, serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, and tricyclic antidepressants have been used as first-line drugs. If there are no improvements after using these drugs for a while, vaccinia virus inoculation of rabbit inflammatory skin extract, tramadol, and eventually opioid analgesics, may be considered.

Since intracranial aneurysm(IA)is a disease that follows an extremely unpredictable course, from initiation to rupture, experimental models have greatly contributed to a better understanding of IA pathophysiology. This article aims to review the history of IA models through the pivotal theme of the ideal IA model. In addition, this article introduces updated findings from the application of these experimental models. Though the first IA model, known as a venous pouch model, was reported in 1954, it mimicked only the shape of the IA, without reproducing its pathological structure or blood-flow characteristics. Currently, two models are generally applied: the "Hashimoto model," produced by unilateral common carotid artery(CCA)ligation followed by systemic hypertension and weakening of the vascular wall, and the "elastase injection model," induced by intraventricular elastase injection and also followed by systemic hypertension. In addition, other models, including a rabbit basilar top IA, developed after bilateral CCA ligation, and an artificial bifurcation model, generated by an anastomosis between the CCAs, have been found to be valuable for computational fluid dynamics analysis. Through this advancement, the IA model has gradually elucidated the pathophysiology of IA as a flow-induced inflammatory disease. Nowadays, vascular inflammation is suggested to be regulated by bacterial flora. Further development of IA models and a better understanding of IA pathophysiology are expected in the future.

Na ionophores increase intracellular Na + ([Na + ]i). Membrane potentials and currents were measured using microelectrode and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Monensin (10 -6 -3×10 -5 M) reduced the slope of the pacemaker potentials and shortened the action potential duration (APD) in sino-atrial nodal and Purkinje cells. Monensin (10 -5 M) shortened the APD and reduced the amplitude of the plateau phase in ventricular myocytes. Monensin decreased the hyperpolarization-activated inward current (I f ), and it increased the transient outward potassium current (I to ) in Purkinje cells. In addition, monensin decreased the sodium current (I Na ), shifting the inactivation curve to the hyperpolarized direction. Moreover, monensin decreased the L-type calcium current (I Ca ) in ventricular myocytes. The Na + -Ca 2+ exchange current (I Na-Ca ) was augmented particularly in the reverse mode, and the Na + -K + pump current (I Na-K ) was also activated by monensin in cardiomyocytes. The ATP-activated potassium current (I K,ATP ) could be induced by monensin. Notably, the inward rectifying K + current (I K1 ), and the slow delayed outward K + current (I Ks ) were not affected evidently by monensin. Collectively, alteration of [Na + ]i can influence the activities of various ion channels and transporters. Thus, the significance of altered [Na + ]i should be taken into consideration in the action of drugs affecting [Na + ]i such as digitalis, Na + channel blockers, and Na + channel activating agents.

We report a case of pseudo-prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), which was suspected to be caused by an animal-derived phospholipid. A 78-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of an unexplained APTT prolongation. She had compensated alcoholic liver cirrhosis, with modestly decreased platelet count and normal prothrombin time, and no bleeding tendency. The APTT was 66 seconds in a test using phospholipid extracted from rabbit brain but was 34.9 seconds with synthetic phospholipids. The artifactual pseudo-prolongation of the APTT was seemingly attributable to the susceptibility of the test reagents to low factor XII levels. Thus, tests with different APTT reagents would be useful to physicians in the diagnosis of similar cases.

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder worldwide and one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. We have reported that the novel sodium hyaluronate derivative chemically linked with diclofenac (DF), diclofenac etalhyaluronate (SI-613), exerted a potent and long-lasting analgesic effect in experimental arthritis models. In this study, we evaluated the properties of residual SI-613 in the knee joint after an intra-articular (IA) administration. After IA administration of fluorescent labeled SI-613 (FA-SI-613) or fluorescent labeled hyaluronic acid (FA-HA) to rabbits, fluorescence intensities in the synovial membrane and cartilage were higher in the FA-SI-613 group until 7 d after administration than in the FA-HA group. After IA administration of radiolabeled SI-613 ( 14 C-SI-613) to rabbits, the radioactivity remained in the joint cavity and the joint tissues such as synovial membrane and cartilage until 84 d after administration. This residual radioactivity was identified mainly as HA linked with DF, since 14 C-SI-613 was labeled at the benzene ring of DF and since more DF-linked HA oligomer was detected on metabolite analysis than free DF in the synovial membrane and synovial lavage fluid up to 28 d after administration. These results suggested that intra-articularly administered SI-613 remained for a longer time in the joint as HA linked with DF than when HA was administered. Therefore, SI-613 was considered to prolong the pharmacological effects of both HA and DF by remaining in the joint as HA linked with DF.

Bisphosphonates (BPs) are chemically characterized by a P-C-P bond with two lateral side chains on the carbon atom, and have been widely used as anti-resorptive agents in various metabolic bone diseases. 4-[(methylthio) phenylthio] methanebisphosphonate (MPMBP) is a novel non-nitrogen-containing BP with an antioxidant side chain that possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Since inflammation is known to be a cause of the pathological bone resorption, we investigated the effects of MPMBP on bone metabolism both in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that: i) MPMBP dose-dependently increased alkaline-phosphatase activity in a culture of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells, ii) MPMBP increased the synthesis of collagen (type-I) in an organ culture of mouse calvaria, iii) local injection of MPMBP to alveolar bone induced prominent increases in both the bone mass and thickness of alveolar bone at the local site of injection in rabbits, iv) MPMBP increased the mRNA expression of alkaline-phosphatase, type-I collagen, osteocalcin, and bone sialoprotein in MC3T3-E1 cells, v) MPMBP inhibited the translocation of NF-κB/p65 to the nuclei in osteoblasts of cultured mouse calvaria. Taken together, these findings suggest that MPMBP is a promising agent to prevent bone loss, or even accelerate new bone formation, through inducing an uncoupling between bone resorption and bone formation, which is preferable to maintain bone mass and quality.

Surgical trauma to the pericardial mesothelium during open heart procedures has formation of fibrovascular adhesions. Surgeons are confronted with cardiac adhesions, leading to an increased surgical risk such as intractable bleeding and possible catastrophic hemorrhage. In order to solve the problem, the anti-adhesion membrane has been developed and used. However, their performances are far from perfect, so it has been expected to develop a novel anti-adhesive material. For preparing an anti-adhesive material, there is 1 serious problem, a lack of golden standard of animal model for evaluation of anti-adhesivity. In this study, we tried to establish a standard system for evaluation of the performance of anti-adhesive materials for the chest-area surgery using rabbit. Setting the condition of the damage to heart, the objective evaluation system was established. And we performed experimental study to evaluate prevention of adhesions with pericardial substitutes and our product under development based on this model.

Rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG) is an effective immunosuppressive therapy for patients with aplastic anemia (AA). However, Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV-LPD) is a rare but serious complication of the therapy. An 81-year-old man was diagnosed with severe AA on the occasion of melena. Because cyclosporine monotherapy did not improve his condition, rabbit ATG was additionally administered. Thirty-one days after the administration of rabbit ATG, the patient presented with fever and general malaise. His liver and renal function tests showed rapid decline, and the patient went into shock. Although atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, hepatosplenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy were not detected, the peripheral blood EBV-DNA load and serum ferritin levels were high, and his bone marrow aspiration specimen revealed hemophagocytic findings, leading to a diagnosis of EBV-LPD. He was treated with rituximab and recovered immediately. A total of 480 days have passed since the patient was administered the rabbit ATG, and he remains in AA remission without EBV-LPD relapse. This case suggests that rituximab is an effective therapy for EBV-LPD manifesting as EBV-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and indicates that monitoring the EBV-DNA load contributes to the diagnosis.

The concentration of ganciclovir eye drops for hospital preparation was changed from 0.5% to 2.0% at the Nagasaki University Hospital from March 2015. We investigated the incidence of side effects in 12 patients using 2.0% ganciclovir eye drops and evaluated the cytotoxicity of 2.0% ganciclovir eye drops using cultured rabbit corneal cells in vitro. As a side effect of 2.0% ganciclovir eye drops, three patients exhibited an early feeling of transient stimulation. The 2.0% ganciclovir eye drops did not demonstrate cell cytotoxicity for cultured corneal cells after 5 min, but did after 10 min. These findings suggested that the 2.0% ganciclovir eye drops can be used without corneal epithelium disorder in clinical settings.