Rabbit Kidney Research Articles

Genomic analysis and replication kinetics of the closely related EHV-1 neuropathogenic 21P40 and abortigenic 97P70 strains.

Varicellovirus equidalpha 1, formerly known as Equid alphaherpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), is highly prevalent and can lead to various problems, such as respiratory problems, abortion, neonatal foal death, and neurological disorders. The latter is known as equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Cases of EHM have significantly increased since the beginning of the twenty-first century. The genomic sequences of five isolates associated with the fatal neurological outbreak in Valencia, Spain, in 2021 were analyzed and documented. The genome and replication kinetics of the Belgian EHM isolate 21P40, associated with the Valencia outbreak, and the well-characterized abortigenic strain 97P70 were compared. Both strains exhibited a nucleotide identity of 99.96%, with only seven genetic mutations in ORFs 13, 24, 30, 32, 40, 65, and 71. Isoleucine and asparagine at loci 291 and 207 of ORF30 (DNA polymerase) and ORF65 (ICP22), respectively, were unique to isolates from the Valencia outbreak. The replication kinetics of these two genetically closely related strains were determined in rabbit kidney (RK-13), equine respiratory, and vaginal mucosal explant cells, as well as equine blood monocytes (CD172a+). Both strains replicated equally well in RK-13 cells. The neuropathogenic isolate 21P40 exhibited a more extensive infection in respiratory explants and blood monocytes, as demonstrated by more plaques and single infected leukocytes, and a higher percentage of infected monocytes. In contrast, vaginal explants infected with the abortigenic strain 97P70 demonstrated more plaques and single infected leukocytes. In conclusion, 21P40 replicated significantly different compared to 97P70 but shared similarities with the Belgian well-studied neuropathogenic EHV-1 strain 03P37.

A Comparative Study on Kidney Morphology of Anatolian Ground Squirrels, Rabbits, and Rats

ABSTRACTIn this study, the kidneys of ground squirrels (hibernated and nonhibernated), rabbits, and rats were examined macro and microanatomically. Kidney morphology was investigated by stereo microscopy, light microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Triple and immunohistochemical staining were performed for light microscopic examinations. Cold crushing and takilon injection into the renal arteries were performed for scanning electron microscopic examinations. The course and branching of intrarenal capillaries and morphologic features from glomeruli to foramina papillaria were demonstrated. The location, position, shape, weight, and size of the kidneys of the three species studied were determined. Relative medullary thickness (RMT) and kidney index (Ki) values were calculated from the measurements. Based on the RMT values of the three species, it was concluded that they are mammals belonging to the semiarid and humid habitat category. The number of nephrons with long segments was high in the kidneys of all three species. Structural findings suggested that the rat may produce more concentrated urine than the ground squirrel, and the ground squirrel may produce more concentrated urine than the rabbit. The mean diameter of the renal corpuscles was 112.5 μm in the hibernated ground squirrel, 137.6 μm in the nonhibernated ground squirrel, 138.1 μm in the rabbit, and 137.8 μm in the rat. In hibernated ground squirrels, a narrowing of the cavum glomeruli and a decrease in renal corpuscle diameters were found. In contrast to ground squirrel and rat kidneys, rabbit kidneys showed the presence of species‐specific subcapsular glomeruli. Immunohistochemistry (antinestin antibody) staining and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed the structure of podocytes in detail. Species‐specific area cribrosa configurations were detected in the renal papillae of the kidneys we examined. With this study, new renal morphological findings were obtained in ground squirrels, rabbits, and rats.

KLF10 Induced by Hypothermic Machine Perfusion Alleviates Renal Inflammation Through BIRC2/Noncanonical NF-κB Pathway

Background. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) is becoming the main preservation method for donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidneys. It can provide continuous flow and form shear stress (SS) upon endothelial cells (ECs), thereby regulating EC injury. Krüppel-like factor 10 (KLF10) has been shown to lessen vascular damage. However, how SS and KLF10 impact HMP-regulated injury is unclear. Methods. In this study, we investigated the influences of KLF10 on HMP in animal models and human renal biopsy and explored how SS affected KLF10 expression in a parallel-plate flow chamber system. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing and luciferase assay were performed to seek the target genes of KLF10. The influences of KLF10 on HMP-regulated injury were investigated by transfecting si-KLF10 adeno-associated virus serotype 9 into rat kidneys. The molecular expression was examined using immunofluorescence staining, Western blotting, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results. Our results show KLF10 expression was augmented in human, rabbit, and rat DCD kidneys after HMP. HMP improved ECs and tubule injury and attenuated inflammation; however, the knockdown of KLF10 reversed this effect. SS regulated KLF10 expression in ECs by affecting F-actin, and KLF10 could maintain ECs homeostasis. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation sequencing and luciferase assay revealed that baculoviral inhibitor of apoptosis protein repeat-containing 2 (BIRC2 ) is a target gene of KLF10. Furthermore, BIRC2 linked to nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)-inducing kinase, induced NF-κB)-inducing kinase ubiquitination, and resulted in inhibiting the noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Conclusions. SS can mediate KLF10 expression, whereas HMP can protect against warm ischemic injury by reducing inflammation via KLF10/BIRC2/noncanonical NF-κB pathway. Therefore, KLF10 might be a novel target for improving DCD kidney quality.

Gemcitabine-Loaded Microbeads for Transarterial Chemoembolization of Rabbit Renal Tumor Monitored by 18F-FDG Positron Emission Tomography/X-Ray Computed Tomography Imaging.

The purpose of this study was to develop the gemcitabine-loaded drug-eluting beads (G-DEBs) for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in rabbit renal tumors and to evaluate their antitumor effect using 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/X-ray computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). DEBs were prepared by polyvinyl alcohol-based macromer crosslinked with N-acryl tyrosine and N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide). Gemcitabine was loaded through ion change to obtain G-DEBs. Their particle size and drug release profile were characterized. VX2 tumors were implanted in the right kidney of rabbits to establish the renal tumor model. The tumor-bearing rabbits received pre-scan by 18F-FDG PET/CT, followed by targeted transarterial injection of G-DEBs under digital subtraction angiography (DSA) guidance. The rabbits received another 18F-FDG PET/CT scan 10 or 14 days after the treatment. The therapeutic effect was further validated by histopathological analysis of the dissected tumors. The average particle size of the microspheres was 58.06 ± 0.50 µm, and the polydisperse index was 0.26 ± 0.002. The maximum loading rate of G-DEBs was 18.09 ± 0.35%, with almost 100% encapsulation efficiency. Within 24 h, GEM was eluted from G-DEBs rapidly and completely, and more than 20% was released in different media. DSA illustrated that G-DEBs were delivered to rabbit renal tumors. Compared with the untreated control group with increased tumor volume and intense 18F -FDG uptake, the G-DEBs group showed significant reductions in tumor volume and maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) 10 or 14 days after the treatment. Histopathological analysis confirmed that the proliferating area of tumor cells was significantly reduced in the G-DEBs group. Our results demonstrated that G-DEBs are effective in TACE treatment of rabbit VX2 renal tumors, and 18F-FDG PET/CT provides a non-invasive imaging modality to monitor the antitumor effects of TACE in renal tumors.

Transcutaneous Imaging of Rabbit Kidney Using 3-D Acoustic Wave Sparsely Activated Localization Microscopy with a Row-Column-Addressed Array.

Super-resolution ultrasound (SRUS) imaging through localizing and tracking microbubbles, also known as ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM), can produce sub-diffraction resolution images of micro-vessels. We have recently demonstrated 3-D selective SRUS with a matrix array and phase change contrast agents (PCCAs). However, this method is limited to a small field of view (FOV) and by the complex hardware required. This study proposed 3-D acoustic wave sparsely activated localization microscopy (AWSALM) using PCCAs and a 128+128 row-column-addressed (RCA) array, which offers ultrafast acquisition with over 6 times larger FOV and 4 times reduction in hardware complexity than a 1024-element matrix array. We first validated this method on an in-vitro microflow phantom and subsequently demonstrated non-invasively on a rabbit kidney in-vivo. Our results show that 3-D AWSALM images of the phantom covering a 25×25×40 mm 3 volume can be generated under 5 seconds with an 8 times resolution improvement over the system point spread function. The full volume of the rabbit kidney can be covered to generate 3-D microvascular structure, flow speed and direction super-resolution maps under 15 seconds, combining the large FOV of RCA with the high resolution of SRUS. Additionally, 3-D AWSALM is selective and can visualize the microvasculature within the activation volume and downstream vessels in isolation. Sub-sets of the kidney microvasculature can be imaged through selective activation of PCCAs. Our study demonstrates large FOV 3-D AWSALM using an RCA probe. 3-D AWSALM offers an unique in-vivo imaging tool for fast, selective and large FOV vascular flow mapping.

Histopathological Effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (Nandrolone Decanoate) on Heart, Liver and Kidney of Male Local Rabbits

Histopathological Effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (Nandrolone Decanoate) on Heart, Liver and Kidney of Male Local Rabbits

Effects of Bacillus coagulans on kidney injury caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in rabbits

Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is a zoonotic conditionally pathogenic bacterium with a high prevalence of infection. It often induces purulent inflammation of the rabbit lungs, kidneys and other tissues, with high morbidity and mortality. Bacillus coagulans (BC) has the ability to regulate the balance of host intestinal flora and improve host immunity. However, the mechanism of the protective effect of BC on KP-induced kidney injury in rabbits is not clear. To explore this, we randomly divided fifty 35-day-old Eyplus rabbits into five groups: control, KP, low-dose BC (LBC), medium-dose BC (MBC) and high-dose BC (HBC). On the 1st day of the experiment, rabbits in LBC, MBC and HBC groups were fed diets containing 1 × 106 CFU/g, 5 × 106 CFU/g and 1 × 107 CFU/g BC, respectively, and rabbits in CK and KP groups were fed basal diets. On the 8th day, each rabbit in the KP, LBC, MBC and HBC groups was infused with 4 mL of 1 × 1011 CFU/mL KP bacterial solution, and the CK group was infused with the same amount of sterilised saline for a total of 7 days. Rabbit kidney tissues were collected on the 15th d. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of rabbit kidney tissues, oxidative stress-related indexes were detected by biochemical kits, and the content of inflammatory factors and apoptosis-related factors in kidney tissues were detected by ELISA. The results showed that KP disrupts the normal structure of the kidney, induces oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, and mediates apoptosis by regulating the levels of Bcl-2 family proteins. BC pretreatment significantly reduced kidney structural damage, oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and apoptosis in rabbits. To alleviate KP-induced kidney injury by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the content of anti-apoptotic proteins. Compared with the LBC group and the HBC group, the remission effect was more pronounced in the MBC group. Therefore, in this study, the effect of 5 × 106 CFU/g BC was more significant.

Microbubble tracking based on partial smoothing-based adaptive generalized labelled Multi-Bernoulli filter for super-resolution imaging

Super-resolution ultrasound (SRUS) can image the vasculature at microscopic resolution according to microbubble (MB) localization, with velocity vector maps obtained based on MB tracking information. High MB concentrations can reduce the acquisition time of SRUS imaging, however adjacent and intersecting vessels are difficult to distinguish, thus decreasing resolution. Low acquisition frame rates affect the precision of flow velocity estimation. This study proposes a partial smoothing-based adaptive generalized labeled multi-Bernoulli filter (SAGLMB) to precisely track the MB motion at different flow velocities. SAGLMB employs a generalized labelled multi-Bernoulli filter (GLMB) for MB trajectory allocation to separate adjacent and intersecting vessels. Furthermore, the nonlinear motion of MB was predicted by an unscented Kalman filter, and a cardinalized probability hypothesis density filter was applied to suppress clutter interference. Finally, the trajectories were smoothed by unscented Rauch-Tung-Striebel to improve the resolution of the SRUS image. The simulation results demonstrate that SAGLMB outperforms the conventional bipartite graph-based tracking at high MB concentrations, achieving at least an 8.55 % improvement in the correctly paired precision, with 3 times increase in the structural similarity index measure. Moreover, SAGLMB can obtain more precise flow velocity estimations with a 4 times improvement than the conventional method. The SRUS results of rabbit kidney show that the proposed method significantly improves resolution of adjacent and intersecting vessels at higher MB concentrations and maintains this performance as the acquisition frame rate decreases. Furthermore, the rat brain microvascular network was reconstructed with 9.21 μm (λ/11.1) resolution. Therefore, SAGLMB can achieve robust SRUS imaging at high concentrations and low acquisition frame rates.

Potential applications and effects of silymarin in domestic animals – a review

Silymarin is a mixture of flavonolignan fractions from the medicinal plant milk thistle, which is primarily used as a hepatoprotector in humans and animals, and acts as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, and antiapoptotic agent. As a dietary supplement, it is increasingly used to treat various liver diseases, some intoxications, prevent side effects of chemotherapy and protect the kidneys in dogs, birds, poultry, rabbits, cats, horses and other animals. The use of silymarin in dairy cows showed an improved biochemical profile of cows, reduced occurrence of ketosis and increased milk production. In pigs, nutrient digestibility, total average daily feed intake, and average daily weight gain improved, while in sport horses, silymarin supplementation accelerated the return of cortisol levels to pre-exercise levels. Lipidosis of the liver or fatty liver disease is a common disorder among captive parrots. After long-term administration of 100–150 mg/kg silymarin in food every 8–12 hours, the health condition improved significantly according to the testimonies of parrot owners and veterinarians. In intensive poultry production systems, silymarin is used in broilers as a hepatotonic, to improve carcass characteristics, to boost the immune system and intestinal health, and as a growth promoter, and in laying hens to improve egg quality. In addition, it mitigated the negative effects of mycotoxins in broilers,chickens and Japanese quails. Although numerous studies are known about the effect of milk thistle and silymarin, their use on animals is not yet widespread.

Histopathological Studies on the Effects of the Bovine Blood-Rumen Content Mixture on Selected Organs of Growing Rabbits

A ten-week study was carried out with forty-five (45) rabbits (Dutch x New Zealand white) to investigate the effect of bovine-blood rumen content mixture (BBRCM) on selected organs of growing rabbits. The five diets contained 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% BBRCM respectively. Three rabbits were slaughtered for histopathology from each group at the end of the study. The liver, kidneys and small intestine were used for the histopathological examination. The liver, kidneys and small intestine of rabbits receiving 0 and 10% levels of BBRCM were normal; the small intestine of rabbits fed with 20% BBRCM was also normal. The liver and kidneys of rabbits receiving 20 to 40% BBRCM and the small intestine at 30 to 40% BBRCM showed necrosis and degenerative changes. However, the effects were more severe at 40% BBRCM compared to other levels. Therefore, histopathological findings showed that BBRCM up to 20% level can be included into the diets of growing rabbits without detrimental effect to their health.

Low-rank prior-based Fast-RPCA for clutter filtering and noise suppression in non-contrast ultrasound microvascular imaging

Accurate and real-time separation of blood signal from clutter and noise signals is a critical step in clinical non-contrast ultrasound microvascular imaging. Despite the widespread adoption of singular value decomposition (SVD) and robust principal component analysis (RPCA) for clutter filtering and noise suppression, the SVD’s sensitivity to threshold selection, along with the RPCA’s limitations in undersampling conditions and heavy computational burden often result in suboptimal performance in complex clinical applications. To address those challenges, this study presents a novel low-rank prior-based fast RPCA (LP-fRPCA) approach to enhance the adaptability and robustness of clutter filtering and noise suppression with reduced computational cost. A low-rank prior constraint is integrated into the non-convex RPCA model to achieve a robust and efficient approximation of clutter subspace, while an accelerated alternating projection iterative algorithm is developed to improve convergence speed and computational efficiency. The performance of the LP-fRPCA method was evaluated against SVD with a tissue/blood threshold (SVD1), SVD with both tissue/blood and blood/noise thresholds (SVD2), and the classical RPCA based on the alternating direction method of multipliers algorithm through phantom and in vivo non-contrast experiments on rabbit kidneys. In the slow flow phantom experiment of 0.2 mm/s, LP-fRPCA achieved an average increase in contrast ratio (CR) of 10.68 dB, 9.37 dB, and 8.66 dB compared to SVD1, SVD2, and RPCA, respectively. In the in vivo rabbit kidney experiment, the power Doppler results demonstrate that the LP-fRPCA method achieved a superior balance in the trade-off between insufficient clutter filtering and excessive suppression of blood flow. Additionally, LP-fRPCA significantly reduced the runtime of RPCA by up to 94-fold. Consequently, the LP-fRPCA method promises to be a potential tool for clinical non-contrast ultrasound microvascular imaging.

Elements in Serum, Muscle, Liver, and Kidney of Rabbits Fed Macroalgae-Supplemented Diets.

The addition of marine macroalgae to animal feed has garnered interest due to the demonstrated benefits of gut health in many livestock species. Most macroalgae have a higher mineral content than terrestrial vegetables, making them an attractive, sustainable source of minerals. However, some macroalgae contain elevated concentrations of iodine and arsenic, which may be transferred to the meat of livestock fed with macroalgae. This study evaluated the mineral profile of rabbit serum, muscle, liver, and kidney of rabbits fed diets supplemented with different marine macroalgae, with the goal of improving post-weaning gut health and reducing reliance on antibiotics. We found increased deposition of iodine in muscle, liver, and kidney due to macroalgae supplementation, which is particularly promising for regions with low iodine endemicity. Higher, though relatively low arsenic concentrations, compared to those in other animal meats and food sources, were also detected in the muscle, liver, and kidney of macroalgae-fed rabbits. The absence of apparent interactions with other micronutrients, particularly selenium, suggests that the inclusion of macroalgae in rabbit diets will not affect the overall mineral content. Enhanced bioavailability of elements such as phosphorus and iron may provide additional benefits, potentially reducing the need for mineral supplementation.

Blebbistatin as a novel antiviral agent targeting equid herpesvirus type 8.

Equid herpesvirus type 8 (EqHV-8) poses a significant threat to equine health, leading to miscarriages and respiratory diseases in horses and donkeys, and results in substantial economic losses in the donkey industry. Currently, there are no effective drugs or vaccines available for EqHV-8 infection control. In this study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo antiviral efficacy of Blebbistatin, a myosin II ATPase inhibitor, against EqHV-8. Our results demonstrated that Blebbistatin significantly inhibited EqHV-8 infection in Rabbit kidney (RK-13) and Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Notably, Blebbistatin was found to disrupt EqHV-8 infection at the entry stage by modulating myosin II ATPase activity. Moreover, in vivo experiments revealed that Blebbistatin effectively reduced EqHV-8 replication and mitigated lung pathology in a mouse model. Collectively, these findings suggest that Blebbistatin holds considerable potential as an antiviral agent for the control of EqHV-8 infection, presenting a novel approach to addressing this veterinary challenge.

Serological effects of cypermethrin on the kidneys of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Serological effects of cypermethrin on the kidneys of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Ameliorative effect of aqueous avocado seed extract against chromium-induced oxidative stress and cellular damage in rabbit kidney.

The accumulation of chromium in renal tissues promotes the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to oxidative stress, genomic and cellular harm, and ultimately necrotic and apoptotic cell death induced by free radicals. Hence, the utilization of antioxidant phytochemicals becomes crucial for cellular defense against oxidative damage. This study endeavors to explore the potential protective effects of an aqueous avocado seed extract (ASE) on rabbit kidneys exposed to chromium-induced damage. Fifteen adult rabbits were distributed into three groups: Group 1 was kept as the control. The second and third groups received a daily dose of K2Cr2O7 (5 mg/kg) intraperitoneally for 2 weeks. While the third group was given an oral dose of ASE (400 mg/kg). In rabbits administered with Cr (VI), kidney homogenates showed a marked increase in Malondialdehyde (MDA) (69.3 ± 4.1 nmol/g) along with a decrease in glutathione (59 ± 5.8 nmol/mg) content and the activity superoxide dismutase (SOD) (0.5 ± 0.05 U/mg protein), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (16.7 ± 1.1 μmol/mg protein), and catalase (CAT) (73.8 ± 3.9 U/g protein) compared to the levels in control group. Also, the gene expression data for the enzymes SOD, GPx, and CAT dropped dramatically in kidney tissue following Cr (VI) injection. Additionally, Bowman's capsule and glomerulus showed degenerative alterations in the kidney's histopathology and immunohistochemistry. ASE treatment when administered along with Cr (VI) enhanced the activity and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes and improved histopathological conditions. The findings of this study unequivocally show that avocado seed extract, which is rich in phenolic derivatives, is a potent nephroprotective agent that inhibits nephrotoxicity induced by Cr (VI) in rabbits.

Ultrafast 3-D Transcutaneous Super Resolution Ultrasound Using Row-Column Array Specific Coherence-Based Beamforming and Rolling Acoustic Sub-aperture Processing: In Vitro, in Rabbit and in Human Study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to realise 3-D super-resolution ultrasound imaging transcutaneously with a row-column array which has far fewer independent electronic channels and a wider field of view than typical fully addressed 2-D matrix arrays. The in vivo image quality of the row-column array is generally poor, particularly when imaging non-invasively. This study aimed to develop a suite of image formation and post-processing methods to improve image quality and demonstrate the feasibility of ultrasound localisation microscopy using a row-column array, transcutaneously on a rabbit model and in a human. MethodsTo achieve this, a processing pipeline was developed which included a new type of rolling window image reconstruction, which integrated a row-column array specific coherence-based beamforming technique with acoustic sub-aperture processing. This and other processing steps reduced the ‘secondary’ lobe artefacts, and noise and increased the effective frame rate, thereby enabling ultrasound localisation images to be produced. ResultsUsing an in vitro cross tube, it was found that the procedure reduced the percentage of ‘false’ locations from ∼26% to ∼15% compared to orthogonal plane wave compounding. Additionally, it was found that the noise could be reduced by ∼7 dB and the effective frame rate was increased to over 4000 fps. In vivo, ultrasound localisation microscopy was used to produce images non-invasively of a rabbit kidney and a human thyroid. ConclusionIt has been demonstrated that the proposed methods using a row-column array can produce large field of view super-resolution microvascular images in vivo and in a human non-invasively.

Three-dimensional morphometry of kidney in New Zealand rabbit using unbiased design-based stereology.

The rabbit is widely used as a laboratory animal in experimental models of kidney diseases. This species is also important from a veterinary perspective as a companion animal. Stereology has been accepted as an accurate approach to kidney morphometry. The objective of the present project was to provide normal quantitative stereological parameters for adult rabbit kidneys. The left kidneys of five adult male New Zealand rabbits were used. Isotropic sections were obtained using the orientation method. Total kidney volume was calculated by the Cavalieri principle. The volume fraction of the renal structures was estimated using the point counting system. The lengths of the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) and distal convoluted tubule (DCT) were calculated using counting frames. The total glomerular number was accounted for using the physical/fractionator technique. The mean glomerular volume was obtained by dividing the total volume of glomeruli by their total number. The total volume of rabbit kidneys calculated was 10.39 ± 1.98 cm3. The fractional volume of the kidney cortex and medulla accounted for 57.79 ± 0.65% and 42.2 ± 0.65%, respectively. The total glomerular volume was 2.18 ± 0.32% of the whole kidney. The total number of glomeruli in the rabbit kidney was estimated as 204.68 ± 12 × 103. The mean glomerular volume measured 1.07 ± 0.12 × 106 μm3. The total length of PCT and DCT was 2.96 ± 0.29 km and 1.38 ± 0.24 km, respectively. These findings can be used as a reference in experimental nephrology research and may help to expand the knowledge of nephrology in mammals by comparing with available data on humans and other species. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Three-dimensional morphometry of adult rabbit kidney structures was analyzed using quantitative stereology. Total volume of kidney, fractional volume of cortex and medulla, length of renal tubules and number of nephrons were estimated. These three-dimensional morphometrical data can be used as a reference in experimental nephrology research and may help to expand the knowledge of nephrology in mammals.

27 MHz constant field dielectric warming of kidneys cryopreserved by vitrification

Organs cryopreserved by vitrification are exposed to the lowest possible concentration of cryoprotectants for the least time necessary to successfully avoid ice formation. Faster cooling and warming rates enable lower concentrations and perfusion times, reducing toxicity. Since warming rates necessary to avoid ice formation during recovery from vitrification are typically faster than cooling rates necessary for vitrification, warming speed is a major determining factor for successful vitrification. Dielectric warming uses an oscillating electric field to directly heat water and cryoprotectant molecules inside organs to achieve warming that's faster and more uniform than can be achieved by heat conduction from the organ surface. This work studied 27 MHz dielectric warming of rabbit kidneys perfused with M22 vitrification solution. The 27 MHz frequency was chosen because its long wavelength and penetration depth are suitable for human organs, because it had an anticipated favorable temperature of maximum dielectric absorption in M22, and because it's an allocated frequency for industrial and amateur use with inexpensive amplifiers available. Previously vitrified kidneys were warmed from −100 °C by placement in a 27 MHz electric field formed between parallel capacitor plates in a resonant circuit. Power was varied during warming to maintain constant electric field amplitude between the plates. Maximum power absorption occurred near −70 °C, with a peak warming rate near 150 °C/min in 50 mL total volume with approximately 500 W power. After some optimization, it was possible to warm ∼13 g vitrified kidneys with unprecedentedly little injury from medullary ice formation and a favorable serum creatinine trend after transplant. Distinct behaviors of power absorption and system tuning observed as a function of temperature during warming are promising for non-invasive thermometry and future automated control of the warming process at even faster rates with user-defined temperature dependence.

Drinking magnetized water alters blood constituents, and structure of spleen and kidney in rabbits

This study aimed to investigate the effect of magnetic field on physicochemical properties of water and evaluating the effects of the magnetized water (MW ) on the productive performance, liver enzymes, spleen and kidney structure of rabbits. Water samples were collected to determine pH and electrical conductivity (EC), and water structure was investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Twenty-four weaned Rex rabbits, 21 d old, were allotted into two experimental groups: the first group was assigned as control, received regular tap water (TW), and the treated group, received MW, for 5 weeks. Productive traits were recorded weekly and at the end of the experiment, blood samples, spleen and kidney were collected for examinations. Results showed that pH and EC of MW were higher than those of TW. In addition, the arrangement MW cluster showed a unique alteration on the nano-scale. Growth performance indicators were similar in both experimental treatments, except FCR of the MW rabbits was better than that of the TW rabbits. The MW had no significant effect on plasma concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and creatinine in growing Rex rabbits received MW in comparison with those received regular TW. Spleen histological structure of rabbits of both groups was normal. However, the epithelial cells lining renal tubules of kidneys of rabbits in MW group appeared large with basophilic nuclei in comparison with TW group. Conclusively, magnetic field alters the physicochemical properties of water. The MW may consequently increase blood glucose level and spleen weight % and enhance kidney structure in growing rabbits. Moreover, more studies are still needed to know the benefits of providing the magnetized water to ‎animals. ‎

Hyperoside inhibits EHV-8 infection via alleviating oxidative stress and IFN production through activating JNK/Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Equine herpesvirus type 8 (EHV-8) causes abortion and respiratory disease in horses and donkeys, leading to serious economic losses in the global equine industry. Currently, there is no effective vaccine or drug against EHV-8 infection, underscoring the need for a novel antiviral drug to prevent EHV-8-induced latent infection and decrease the pathogenicity of this virus. The present study demonstrated that hyperoside can exert antiviral effects against EHV-8 infection in RK-13 (rabbit kidney cells), MDBK (Madin-Darby bovine kidney), and NBL-6 cells (E. Derm cells). Mechanistic investigations revealed that hyperoside induces heme oxygenase-1 expression by activating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase/nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 axis, alleviating oxidative stress and triggering a downstream antiviral interferon response. Accordingly, hyperoside inhibits EHV-8 infection. Meanwhile, hyperoside can also mitigate EHV-8-induced injury in the lungs of infected mice. These results indicate that hyperoside may serve as a novel antiviral agent against EHV-8 infection.IMPORTANCEHyperoside has been reported to suppress viral infections, including herpesvirus, hepatitis B virus, infectious bronchitis virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, its mechanism of action against equine herpesvirus type 8 (EHV-8) is currently unknown. Here, we demonstrated that hyperoside significantly inhibits EHV-8 adsorption and internalization in susceptible cells. This process induces HO-1 expression via c-Jun N-terminal kinase/nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 axis activation, alleviating oxidative stress and triggering an antiviral interferon response. These findings indicate that hyperoside could be very effective as a drug against EHV-8.