Zealand Rabbits Research Articles

Investigating the effect of eye drops based on iodine nanoparticles in the treatment of corneal ulcers in rabbit eyes

BackgroundVarious organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause corneal ulcers. One of the leading causes of vision loss and disability worldwide is corneal ulceration. Practical, accessible, and affordable treatment for this disease seems essential.Materials and methodsFifteen New Zealand rabbits infected with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) corneal ulcers were randomly divided into three groups of five for the present study. (I, II, and III). Group I was used as the control group (without treatment). The second group received an iodine solution (1.25%) without a nanoparticle structure (betadine). The third group received an iodine solution with a nanoparticle structure used as eye drops. Drops in the corneal ulcer group were used five times daily for 14 days.Microbial counts and disease severity scores were measured on the first, second, fifth, and fourteenth days and compared between groups separately for each disease.ResultsThe results showed that the changes in microbial load were significant in the group that received betadine and nanoparticles. The microbial load was further reduced when using iodine nanoparticles than betadine. The betadine and nano-iodine groups significantly reduced the severity of the disease in rabbits with corneal ulcers (p < 0.05). The average changes in disease severity score were 4.8 ± 1.3, -2.6 ± 0.89, and -2.22 ± 1.22 in the untreated, nano iodine, and betadine groups, respectively. However, a significant increase in disease severity was observed in the untreated group (p = 0.001). It shows a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the nano iodine, betadine, and untreated groups. However, the difference in disease severity changes between nano iodine and non-nano iodine groups was insignificant.ConclusionNanoparticle iodine is more effective than non-nanoparticle iodine in reducing bacterial load. In reducing the severity of the disease, both types of iodine were superior to no treatment. But there was no apparent difference between the two groups treated with iodine.

Effect of electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B2) on senescence of nucleus pulposus cells of degenerated lumbar intervertebral disc in rabbits.

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at "Jiaji"(EX-B2) on body mass, motor function, expression of caveolin-1 (Cav-1) in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus tissue, telomerase activi-ty, relative telomere length and different cell cycle ratio of nucleus pulposus cells in rabbits with intervertebral disc degeneration(IVDD), so as to investigate its mechanism underlying delaying senescence of the degenerated lumbar intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cells. Twenty-five male New Zealand rabbits with mature bones were divided into control, sham operation, model, EA, and acupuncture groups, with 5 rabbits in each group. The IVDD model was established by inserting kirschner wires to the vertebral bone surface between the lumbar (L)4 and L5 vertebrae, followed by applying continuous axial pressure for 28 d. EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1-2 mA) or acupuncture (only insertion of acupuncture needles into bilateral EX-B2, but without electrical stimulation) was applied to bilateral EX-B2 for 20 min, once daily, 6 times a week for 4 weeks. The hindlimb locomotor function (locomotor score) was assessed by using Faden's and colleagues' methods. The general conditions of rabbits in each group were observed, and their body weight changes were measured every week. Nucleus pulposus cells were isolated using enzyme digestion method. After the treatment, the Cav-1 positive cell counts in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the telomerase activity of nucleus pulposus cells was detected by PCR-ELISA. The relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells was measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time qPCR), and the cell cycle of nucleus pulposus was detected by flow cytometry. Compared with the sham operation group, the body mass from 4 to 11 week, locomotor score at 4, 7 and 11 week, telomerase activity, relative telomere length and the proportion of cells in G2/M phase of nucleus pulposus cells were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while Cav-1 positive cell counts of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissue, and the proportion of nucleus pulposus cells in the G0/G1 phase considerably increased (P<0.01) in the model group. Relevant to the model group, the EA group rather than the acupuncture group had an increase in the body mass from 8 to 11 week, locomotor score at 11 week, telomerase activity, relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells, and the proportion of nucleus pulposus cells in G2/M phase (P<0.01), and a decrease in the Cav-1 positive cell counts of nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus tissue and the proportion of cells in G0/G1 phase (P<0.01). No significant differences were found between the model and acupuncture groups in all the indexes mentioned above. EA at EX-B2 has a bene-ficial effect in improving motor function in rabbits with IVDD, which may be related to its functions in reducing the expression of Cav-1 in nucleus pulposus cells and annulus fibrosus, improving cycle arrest, enhancing the telomerase activity and the relative telomere length of nucleus pulposus cells, delaying the senescence of nucleus pulposus cells of the degenerated lumbar intervertebral discs.

Rapid Establishment and Validation of an Experimental Model of Osteoporosis for Implant-Bone Analysis.

Osteoporosis is an increasingly prevalent disease. The development of an osteoporosis-like experimental animal model is of great importance for the study of peri-implant osteogenesis in osteoporosis. The present authors aimed to establish a rapid modeling method of osteoporotic rabbits for implant-bone analysis and validate whether the models can affect the implant osseointegration. The present study included 29 female New Zealand rabbits (age: 5 to 6 months). Two rabbits were lost during anesthetization. Of the remaining 27 rabbits, 18 received an ovariectomy, with 9 receiving dexamethasone injections for 8 weeks (OVX+D group) and 9 receiving equivalent-volume saline injections (OVX group). As a control group, the remaining 9 rabbits were sham-operated and received an equivalent volume of normal saline (SHAM group). Then, serum biochemical markers of bone metabolism were detected and densitometric measurements were performed. Implants were then placed in the tibias of each rabbit. Bone samples (including implants) were obtained after 4, 8, and 12 weeks of healing and were subjected to histologic and histomorphometric analyses. The results showed that the OVX+D group experienced a 32% reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) from baseline. The BMD of the OVX+D group was significantly lower than that of the SHAM and OVX groups. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) blood concentrations of in the OVX+D group were increased significantly. The osteoporotic rabbits exhibited marked decreases in osseointegration, characterized by slowed bone formation and decreased bone-to-implant contact (BIC). The combination of an ovariectomy and dexamethasone injections could experimentally induce osteoporosis in rabbits in the short term, which can be used as an appropriate animal model to study the osseointegration of implants under osteoporosis.

Explosomes: A new modality for DEB-TACE local delivery of sorafenib: In vivo proof of sustained release

The current medical practice in treating Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using Drug Eluting Transarterial chemoembolization (DEB-TACE) technique is limited only to hydrophilic ionizable drugs, that can be attached ionically to the oppositely charged beads. This limitation has forced physicians to subscribe the more hydrophobic, first treatment option drugs, like sorafenib systemically via the oral route, thus flooding the patient system with a very powerful, non-specific, multiple-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is associated with notorious side effects. In this paper, a new modality is introduced, where highly charged, drug loaded liposomes are added to oppositely charged DEBs in a manner causing them to “explode” and the drug is eventually attached to the beads in the lipid patches covering their surfaces; therefore we call them “Explosomes”. After fully describing the preparation process and in vitro characterization, this manuscript delves into an in vivo pharmacokinetic study over 50 New Zealand rabbits, where explosomal loading is challenged vs oral as well as current practice of emulsifying sorafenib in lipiodol. Over 14 days of follow up, and compared to other groups, explosomal loading of SRF on embolic beads proved to cause a slower release pattern with longer Tmax, lower Cmax and less washout to general circulation in healthy animals. This treatment modality opens a new untapped door for local sustained delivery of hydrophobic drugs in catheterized organs.

Determination of the Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate on Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis and Sperm Quality in Rabbit Semen

Objectives;In this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on the cryopreservation of rabbit semen. &#x0D; Material and metod; For this purpose, semen was collected from six male New Zealand rabbits. Collected semen were divided into 5 groups as control, 25 µM, 50 µM, 100 µM and 200 µM. Semen samples were reconstituted and frozen after adding EGCG. Frozen straws were then thawed. &#x0D; Results; After freezing and thawing, total motility, progressive motility, and rate of fast and medium speed sperm were significantly higher in the 50 µM group than in the other groups. Static sperm ratio was found to be lower in the 50 µM group than in the other groups. When the flow cytometry results were examined, there was no statistical difference between the groups in terms of the ratio of dead and live sperm. However, the rate of dead sperm with acrosome damage was found to be the lowest in the 50 µM group. High mitochondrial membrane potential sperm ratio was found higher in 50 µM and 100 µM groups compared to other groups (p

[Transcriptome sequencing for identification of the genes associated with restenosis of venous grafts in rabbits].

To identify the genes associated with venous graft restenosis in rabbits using transcriptome sequencing. Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into experimental group and control group, and in the experimental group, the left external jugular veins of the rabbits were engrafted to the left common carotid artery with continuous running suture; the rabbits in the control group received no operation. At 2 and 4 weeks after the operation, 10 rabbits from each group were euthanized and the venous grafts (in experimental group) or left external jugular vein (in control group) were harvested for measurement of the intima-media thickness using HE staining. RNA high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the venous grafts and the control veins, and the biological functions of the DEGs were analyzed using GO and KEEG databases. In the experimental group, intima-media thickening with increased extracellular matrix and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation occurred in the venous grafts at 2 weeks and aggravated at 4 weeks after the operation. RNA high-throughput sequencing identified 1583 up-regulated genes and 608 down-regulated genes in the venous grafts in the experimental group, and GO and KEGG analysis of the DEGs pinpointed 10 hub genes, namely CD4, ZAP70, SYK, CD28, PIK3CD, CXCR4, CCR5, ITK, CCL5 and BTK. CD4, ZAP70, SYK, CD28, PIK3CD, CXCR4, CCR5, ITK, CCL5 and BTK are probably the key genes associated with vein graft restenosis in rabbits.

Sperm lipid profile status of New Zealand rabbits during chilled storage for up to 72 hours concerning the addition of glutathione and taurine: An in vitro study

Sperm lipid profile status of New Zealand rabbits during chilled storage for up to 72 hours concerning the addition of glutathione and taurine: An in vitro study

Insight into the invasion process and immune-protective evaluation of Tp0971, a membrane lipoprotein from Treponema pallidum.

Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum), the pathogen of syphilis, can invade organisms through mucous membranes or broken skin and proliferate in the host. It spreads rapidly and causes chronic systemic multi-organ damage. Currently, the invasion and pathogenesis of T. pallidum remain a mystery. In this study, we established a T. pallidum infection model in New Zealand rabbits, and the T. pallidum burden in various tissues and organs was detected to investigate the dynamic spread of T. pallidum in different organs. Our results indicated that the T. pallidum burden in rabbits was in a cyclic and repeated dynamic process of decreasing and increasing after infection. In addition, the localization of lipoprotein Tp0971 was confirmed by using the gel microdroplet method. We found that Tp0971 might be a membrane lipoprotein that exists in the inner and outer membranes of T. pallidum. The immune-protective effect of the T. pallidum infection-dependent antigen Tp0971 was evaluated. Tp0971/CpG can induce high levels of Tp0971-specific antibodies, delay skin damage, and promote healing at the infected sites of T. pallidum in New Zealand rabbits. This indicated that Tp0971 may serve as a vaccine antigen candidate. Our results provide new ideas for future research on the proliferation, spread mechanism, and vaccine development of T. pallidum. IMPORTANCE The past two decades have seen a worldwide resurgence in infections caused by Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum) subsp. pallidum, the syphilis spirochete. The well-recognized capacity of the syphilis spirochete for early dissemination and immune evasion has earned it the designation "the stealth pathogen." There are many hurdles to studying syphilis pathogenesis, most notably the difficulty of culturing and genetically manipulating T. pallidum, as well as the absence of an effective vaccine for T. pallidum prevention. T. pallidum infection in humans is a complex and lengthy process. In this study, we investigated the invasion process and the function of the infection-dependent antigen Tp0971 as an immunogen to inhibit the dissemination of T. pallidum in an animal infection model. This enables a better understanding of the specific pathogenic mechanism of this pathogen, syphilis pathogenesis, and vaccine research.

Experimental Study for the Evaluation of Titanium Disc Decontamination and Osseointegration in the Rabbit Tibia Model

Peri-implantitis is an inflammatory lesion leading to bone destruction resulting from bacterial infection and biofilm formation. Treatments of peri-implantitis aim at bacterial controls and decontamination to promote re-osseointegration. The present study aimed to assess the decontamination of biofilm and the osseointegration of titanium discs in a rabbit tibia model. Discs were immersed in culture medium inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus and incubated at 37 °C for 24 h and allocated to different treatments (n = five per group). The decontamination methods were an air-polishing system, 0.12% chlorhexidine rinse, and Er:Yag laser treatments. Each disc from the experimental groups was observed using scanning electron micrography. The rest of the discs were then implanted in four male New Zealand rabbits. Histological and radiographic evaluations were performed. For the quantification of bone density in radiographic data, the fractal dimension (FD) and mean grayscale value (GV) were measured. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare bone density (p &lt; 0.05). Statistically significant differences in FD were observed between the air-polishing treatment with chlorhexidine rinse and the air-polishing treatment with chlorhexidine rinse and Er:Yag laser treatment compared to the contaminated group (p &lt; 0.05). Also, there were statistically significant differences in the results obtained for the group undergoing air-polishing treatment with chlorhexidine rinse and Er:Yag laser treatment compared to the contaminated group (p &lt; 0.05). The decontamination method using air polishing treatment, chlorhexidine rinse, and Er:Yag treatment showed favorable osseointegration with good bone quality.

Assessment of degradability and endothelialization of modified poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) atrial septal defect (ASD) occluders over time in vivo

ObjectiveTo evaluate the fiber-degradation and endothelialization of a modified poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) atrial septal defect (ASD) occluder for a long time in vivo.MethodsA total of 57 New Zealand rabbits were selected to establish the vasculature implantation model, which would be used to characterize the mechanical properties and pathological reaction of PLLA filaments (a raw polymer of ASD occluder). In total, 27 Experimental piglets were used to create the ASD model for the catheter implantation of PLLA ASD occluders. Then, X-ray imaging, transthoracic echocardiography, histopathology, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were performed in the experimental animals at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after implantation.ResultsIn the rabbit models, the fibrocystic grade was 0 and the inflammatory response was grade 2 at 6 months after vasculature implantation of the PLLA filaments. The mass loss of PLLA filaments increased appreciably with the increasing duration of implantation, but their mechanical strength was decreased without broken. In the porcine models, the cardiac gross anatomy showed that all PLLA ASD occluders were stable in the interatrial septum without any vegetation or thrombus formation. At 24 months, the occluders had been embedded into endogenous host tissue nearly. Pathological observations suggested that the occluders degraded gradually without complications at different periods. SEM showed that the occluders were endothelialized completely and essentially became an integral part of the body over time.ConclusionIn the animal model, the modified PLLA ASD occluders exhibited good degradability and endothelialization in this long-term follow-up study.

EFFECTS OF MONDIA WHITEI ON THE TEAR FUNCTION OF RABBIT EYES

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background:&lt;/strong&gt; Dry eye is a serious problem affecting up to 20% of the world’s population. &lt;em&gt;Mondia whitei&lt;/em&gt;’s rich androgenic properties create an interest in research focused on its efficacy as an alternative and complementary therapy for the treatment and control of the symptoms of dry eye-related diseases associated with androgen deficiency. &lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;This study aimed to investigate the effect of &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; on the quality and quantity of tears in rabbit eyes.&lt;strong&gt; Setting: &lt;/strong&gt;This study was carried out at the animal house at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kakamega, Kenya. &lt;strong&gt;Materials and methods:&lt;/strong&gt; The study adopted an experimental study design with 16 New Zealand rabbits. A simple random sampling technique was used to place the rabbits into 4 groups, each group with 4 rabbits. They were tested for tear function to establish a baseline before administration of Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC) (to induce dry eye) and &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; extract. Schirmer’s test and fluorescein staining were conducted to observe the tear quantity and quality over a period of 6 days after treatment. The data collected was then cleaned and analyzed. &lt;strong&gt;Results:&lt;/strong&gt; The researchers found that the average mean during baseline tear quantity measurement for the groups was 26.5mm, during instilling of BAC the mean dropped to 24.0mm and when &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; was administered the mean rose to 27.94mm, indicating that &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; greatly improved tear quantity. During baseline tear quality assessment, the average mean for the groups was 0.00 which dropped to 0.94 showing mild staining and when &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; was administered dropped further to 1.67 indicating that &lt;em&gt;M. whitei&lt;/em&gt; did not improve the tear quality. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion and Recommendations:&lt;/strong&gt; The researchers recommended that more research be done on &lt;em&gt;M. whitei &lt;/em&gt;with fewer limitations such as time, to ascertain its effectiveness on tear quality and quantity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0065/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Reinforcement of colon anastomosis healing with leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin in rabbit model

AimThis study investigated the regenerative efficacy of leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) on colon anastomotic healing in rabbits. Main methodsThirty-six healthy male white New Zealand rabbits were subjected to complete transactions of the ascending colon. The rabbits were equally divided into two groups: the control group, where the transected colon ends were anastomosed by a simple interrupted suture pattern, and the L-PRF-treated group, in which L-PRF was wrapped entirely around the anastomotic line. The postoperative acute pain scale was assessed using the Bristol Rabbit Pain Scale before surgery and at each four-hour interval post-operatively. After euthanizing the rabbits, the adhesion degree score, anastomotic bursting pressure, and stenosis degree of the anastomotic colon were assessed, and histopathological examination at the 7th, 14th, and 28th days postoperatively. Key findingsRabbits in both groups showed a significant increase in pain scores compared to baseline. Postoperatively, the L-PRF group exhibited significantly lower pain scores, adhesion scores, and stenosis degrees than the control group. However, the anastomotic bursting pressure was significantly higher in the L-PRF group. Re-epithelialization, polymorphonuclear neutrophil infiltration, granulation tissue formation, and collagen deposition scores were improved considerably in the L-PRF group compared to the control group. Immunostaining of growth factor expression was significantly lower in the control than in the L-PRF group. SignificanceThe L-PRF can augment collagen deposition, re-epithelialize the mucosa, promote angiogenesis, reduce adhesions, and diminish the stenosis degree scores. Therefore, it can be considered a promising aid in healing bowel anastomoses.

Magnetic properties of Al3+ doped Fe3O4 by solid-solid reaction and biological applications of GQDs grafted MNPs

2.79 % Al3+ doped Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Al-Fe3O4 MNPs) was prepared by a solid–solid reaction between aluminum formic acid hydrazide and as-prepared Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles. The obtained Al-Fe3O4 MNPs were strongly ferromagnetic, and their greatest saturation magnetization value was 82.3 electromagnetic units per gram (emu/g). The Al-Fe3O4 MNPs were subsequently coated with SiO2. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and vibrating-sample magnetometry (VSM) were used to characterize the morphology, structure, magnetic properties, and doping mechanism of the doped magnetic particles, respectively. Then graphene quantum dot (GQD) is loaded on the surface of aminated Al-Fe3O4@SiO2 (AFS) MNPs by a covalent connection, and Al-Fe3O4@SiO2-GQDs (AFSG) MNPs. Furthermore, AFSG MNPs were labeled with the metastable nuclear isomer of technetium-99 (99mTc) and their in vivo targeting performance was investigated. The AFSG-99mTc MNPs demonstrated a relatively strong magnetic response in a pulsed magnetic gradient field. The data obtained from the control and experimental groups indicated that the ability to uptake radioactivity of the livers of New Zealand rabbits via the magnetic targeted intervention was 3.69 times higher than that without the magnetic targeted intervention.

Bioequivalence Evaluation of Topical Metronidazole Products Using Dermal Microdialysis in New Zealand Rabbits.

Comparative assessment of cutaneous pharmacokinetics (cPK) by dermal microdialysis (dMD) appears to be suitable to evaluate the bioequivalence (BE) of topical dermatological drug products applied to the skin (TDDPs). Although dMD studies in the literature have reported inconclusive BE assessments, we have addressed several methodological deficiencies to improve dMD's capability to assess BE between reference (R) and approved generic (referred to as test (T)) gel and cream products of metronidazole (MTZ). The 90% confidence interval (CI) of the geometric mean ratios for the Ln(AUC0-24) and Ln(Cmax) endpoints was centered within the BE limits of 80-125%. The CIs extended outside this range as the proof-of-principle study was not statistically powered to demonstrate BE (N = 7 rabbits). A power analysis suggests that, with the variability observed in this study, 21 rabbits for the cream and 11 rabbits for the gel would be sufficient to support an evaluation of BE with the 2 probe replicates we used, and only 10 and 5 rabbits would be sufficient to power the study for the cream and gel, respectively, if 4 probe replicates are used for each treatment per rabbit. These results indicate that dMD when properly controlling variables can be used to support BE assessments for TDDPs.

Polymeric nanocomposite hydrogel scaffold for jawbone regeneration: The role of rosuvastatin calcium-loaded silica nanoparticles

Bones are subject to different types of damages ranging from simple fatigue to profound defects. In serious cases, the endogenous healing mechanism is not capable of healing the damage or restoring the normal structure and function of the bony tissue. The aim of this research was to achieve a sustained delivery of rosuvastatin and assess its efficacy in healing bone tissue damage. Rosuvastatin was entrapped into silica nanoparticles and the system was loaded into an alginate hydrogel to be implanted in the damaged tissue. Silica nanoparticles were formulated based on a modified Stöber technique and alginate hydrogel was prepared via sprinkling alginate onto silica nanoparticle dispersion followed by addition of CaCl2 to promote crosslinking and hydrogel rigidification. The selected nanoparticle formulation possessed high % drug content (100.22±0.67%), the smallest particle size (221.00±7.30 nm) and a sustained drug release up to 4 weeks (98.72±0.52%). The fabricated hydrogel exhibited a further delay in drug release (81.52±4.81% after 4 weeks). FT-IR indicated the silica nanoparticle formation and hydrogel crosslinking. SEM visualized the porous and dense surface of hydrogel. In-vivo testing on induced bone defects in New Zealand rabbits revealed the enhanced rate of new bone tissue formation, its homogeneity in color as well as similarity in structure to the original tissue.

Deep learning for fast denoising filtering in ultrasound localization microscopy

Objective. Addition of a denoising filter step in ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) has been shown to effectively reduce the error localizations of microbubbles (MBs) and achieve resolution improvement for super-resolution ultrasound (SR-US) imaging. However, previous image-denoising methods (e.g. block-matching 3D, BM3D) requires long data processing times, making ULM only able to be processed offline. This work introduces a new way to reduce data processing time through deep learning. Approach. In this study, we propose deep learning (DL) denoising based on contrastive semi-supervised network (CS-Net). The neural network is mainly trained with simulated MBs data to extract MB signals from noise. And the performances of CS-Net denoising are evaluated in both in vitro flow phantom experiment and in vivo experiment of New Zealand rabbit tumor. Main results. For in vitro flow phantom experiment, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of single microbubble image are 26.91 dB and 4.01 dB, repectively. For in vivo animal experiment , the SNR and CNR were 12.29 dB and 6.06 dB. In addition, single microvessel of 24 μm and two microvessels separated by 46 μm could be clearly displayed. Most importantly,, the CS-Net denoising speeds for in vitro and in vivo experiments were 0.041 s frame−1 and 0.062 s frame−1, respectively. Significance. DL denoising based on CS-Net can improve the resolution of SR-US as well as reducing denoising time, thereby making further contributions to the clinical real-time imaging of ULM.

Comparative Regenerative Effects of Allogeneic Bone Marrow and Patellar Ligament Fat Pad Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Experimental Superficial Digital Flexor Tendonitis in New Zealand Rabbits

Background: Cell therapy is applied in tendonitis to speed the healing process of tendon tissue and restore its functional properties. Almost all types of stem cells can differentiate from the recipient cells after transplantation. Objectives: The main goal of this study is to compare the effects of two sources of mesenchymal stem cells on tendon regeneration. Methods: This study randomly divided 32 New Zealand rabbits into 4 groups. The bacterial collagenase was induced at the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) of all rabbits, and the treatment was performed 48 hours after collagenase induction. Group 1 was treated with allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). Group 2 was treated with adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) from the patellar ligament fat pad. Group 3 (sham group) was treated with 0.9% normal saline, and group 4 (control group) was left with no treatment. All rabbits were euthanized 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, and tendon samples were harvested. The histopathology was assessed by hematoxylin-eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and Vangieson’s dye, and tendon structure, fiber arrangement, cell nuclei, tissue inflammation, vascularity (angiogenesis), and density were surveyed. Results: The tendon healing process in the BMMSC and ADSC groups revealed better regeneration than the control and sham groups (P≤0.05). Significant changes (P≤0.05) in some microscopic parameters were seen by comparing the BMMSC and ADSC groups. Conclusion: According to the present study, the injection of mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs or ADSCs) showed beneficial results in tendon tissue healing. Furthermore, ADSCs showed better regeneration of the injured tendon tissue than BMMSCs.

Far-infrared treatment of experimental sinusitis in rabbits: a pilot study.

Thermal therapy has existed for thousands of years and dates back to ancient civilizations such as the Finns, Romans, ancient Chinese, American Indians, and Egyptians. Sun therapy is a form of natural Far Infrared Rays (FIR) thermal therapy. Far infrared rays are invisible rays with the longest wavelength of natural sunlight. However, sunbathing should only be done in moderation, as sunlight contains ultraviolet rays that can burn and damage the skin. More than 30 million people in Asia, Europe, and Australia receive Far Infrared Therapy with FIR lamps. They emit 2-25-micron wavebands. We aimed to investigate whether FIR therapy that uses a similar waveband improves sinusitis symptoms. This study was conducted on 10 New Zealand rabbits of both sexes, 7-8 months old, with an average weight of 1.8-2.4 kg. They were divided into four study groups. Sinusitis was induced in rabbits by blocking the sinus ostium, whereas some were left as control. Far infrared treatment with an infra-sin device was given with or without antibiotics. Mucosal samples were evaluated microscopically regarding epithelial eruption, epithelial vacuolization, interstitial edema, vascular congestion, leukocyte infiltration, and mucosal thickening. We found clinical and histopathological improvements in rabbits with sinusitis on the right side of the nose, to which we applied FIR treatment with the device Infra-Sin. Our findings in this animal study led us to conclude that it would be beneficial to study the effects of FIR treatment on people with allergic rhinitis and sinusitis and to identify the optimal dosing, treatment duration, and intensity. To add to our findings, looking into whether FIR therapy can be used as an alternative to antibiotic treatment for human sinusitis is essential.

Surface-Modified Nano-Hydroxyapatite Uniformly Dispersed on High-Porous GelMA Scaffold Surfaces for Enhanced Osteochondral Regeneration.

This study aims to investigate the impact of enhancing subchondral bone repair on the efficacy of articular cartilage restoration, thereby achieving improved osteochondral regeneration outcomes. In this study, we modified the surface of nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HAp) through alkylation reactions to prepare n-HApMA. Characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy scanning, thermogravimetric analysis, particle size analysis, and electron microscopy, were employed to analyze n-HApMA. Bioinks were prepared using n-HApMA, high porosity GelMA hydrogel, and adipose tissue derived stromal cells (ADSCs). The rheological properties of the bioinks during photocuring were investigated using a rheometer. Based on these bioinks, a biphasic scaffold was constructed. The viability of cells within the scaffold was observed using live-dead cell staining, while the internal morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy. The stiffness of the scaffold was evaluated through compression testing. Scaffolds were implanted into the osteochondral defects of New Zealand rabbit knees, and microCT was utilized to observe the subchondral bone repair. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and Safranin O/Fast Green staining were performed to assess the regeneration of subchondral bone and cartilage. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect the expression of osteogenic and chondrogenic-related molecules. Scaffold characterization revealed that surface modification enables the uniform distribution of n-HApMA within the GelMA matrix. The incorporation of 5% n-HApMA notably enhanced the elastic modulus and stiffness of the 6% high-porosity GelMA in comparison to n-HAp. Moreover, in-vivo study showed that the homogeneous dispersion of n-HApMA on the GelMA matrix facilitated the osteogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and promoted osteochondral tissue regeneration. These findings suggest potential applications of the n-HApMA/GelMA composite in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

The effect of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) on the pharmacokinetic/toxicokinetic dispositions of ivermectin and carprofen in rabbits.

Intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) has been widely used as an effective antidote in both veterinary and human medicine for the treatment of acute intoxications caused by drugs and pesticides with high lipid solubility. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of ILE co-administration on the kinetic dispositions of ivermectin (IVM) and carprofen (CRP) following intravenous bolus administration at subtoxic doses in rabbits.Twenty-four male New Zealand rabbits weighing 2.78 ± 0.2kg were used in this study. Rabbits were divided into four groups (Group 1: IVM and Group 2: IVM + ILE or Group 3: CRP and Group 4: CRP + ILE), each group consisting of 6 animals. In the IVM study, Group 1 received IVM (0.6mg/kg) alone while Group 2 received IVM (0.6mg/kg) and ILE (2.5ml/kg). In the CRP study, Group 3 received CRP (12mg/kg) alone while Group 4 received CRP (12mg/kg) and ILE (2.5ml/kg). In both drug groups, ILE was administered 3 times as an i.v. bolus at the 10th min and repeated 4th and 8th h after the drug administration. Blood samples were collected from the auricular vein at various times after drug administration. The drug concentrations in plasma samples were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Kinetic parameters were calculated using a non-compartmental model for both CRP and IVM.The C0 and area under the concentration-time curve from zero up to ∞ (AUC0-∞) values were significantly greater with ILE co-administration (2136ng/ml and 360.84ng.d/ml) compared to the IVM alone (1340.63ng/ml and 206ng.d/ml), respectively. Moreover, the volume of distribution (Vdss) and clearance (Cl) of IVM were reduced by approximately 42% and 46% with ILE co-administration compared to IVM alone resulting in a reduction of the distribution and slower elimination, respectively. Similar differences in C0, and Vdss values were also observed in CRP with ILE co-administration compared to CRP alone. ILE co-administration changed significantly the kinetic profile of both IVM and CRP in rabbits, supporting the lipid sink theory in which highly lipid-soluble compounds are absorbed into the lipid phase of plasma from peripheral organs such as the heart and brain affected by the acute toxicity of the compounds.