Genome-edited rabbits:Unleashing the potential of a promising experimental animal model across diverse diseases

Animal models are extensively used in all aspects of biomedical research,with substantial contributions to our understanding of diseases,the development of pharmaceuticals,and the exploration of gene functions.The field of genome modification in rabbits has progressed slowly.However,recent advancements,particularly in CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies,have catalyzed the successful development of various genome-edited rabbit models to mimic diverse diseases,including cardiovascular disorders,immunodeficiencies,agingrelated ailments,neurological diseases,and ophthalmic pathologies.These models hold great promise in advancing biomedical research due to their closer physiological and biochemical resemblance to humans compared to mice.This review aims to summarize the novel gene-editing approaches currently available for rabbits and present the applications and prospects of such models in biomedicine,underscoring their impact and future potential in translational medicine.

Effects of Incorporating Mango (Mangifera indica), Avocado (Persea americana) and Guava (Psidium guajava) Leaves Powder in the Ration on Growth Characteristics in Rabbits

A study conducted on burgundy rabbits evaluated the effects of rations containing mango (Mangifera indica), avocado (Persea americana) and guava (Psidium guajava) powder. For this purpose, 36 rabbits (20 males and 16 females) aged 60 to 70 days with an average weight of 1012 ± 133 g were divided randomly into 4 equal groups (T0, T1, T2 and T3) of 9 animals each according to body weight (bw). The rabbits were divided throughout the trial, the animals were fed, those of group T0 (control) with a standard feed without any type of leaf powder, while those of groups 1, 2 and 3 received the standard feed supplemented with Mangifera indica, Persea americana and Psidium guajava leaves powder at the rate of 0.5% respectively. After two months of treatment, the animals were fasted for 12 hours (20 h - 8 h) and sacrificed to evaluate carcass and digestive organ weights. The results revealed that the values of feed intake, live weight and weight gain were non-significantly (p > 0.05) increased in all animals regardless of the ration in reference to the control. The different leaves powder induced an increase in carcass yield in rabbits but this increase was only significant (p M. indica leaf powder (51.03 ± 0.24) as compared to the control (48.63 ± 0.74). Gut length was significantly increased in animals fed rations containing Psidium guajava and Persea americana leaves powder compared to the control. A significant increase in gut weight was observed in animals fed the Persea americana leaf supplemented ration. In general, mango leaf powder performed better than other types of powders.

Betaine addition to the diet alleviates intestinal injury in growing rabbits during the summer heat through the AAT/mTOR pathway

Background The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of different levels of betaine(Bet)inclusion in the diet on the intestinal health of growing rabbits under summer heat.A total of 100 weaned Qixing meat rabbits aged 35 d with body weight of 748.61±38.59 g were randomly divided into 5 treatment groups:control group(basal diet)and Bet groups(basal diet+0.75,1.0,1.5 or 2.0 g/kg Bet).The average daily temperature in the rabbitry during the experiment was 30.48°C and the relative humidity was 69.44%.Results Dietary addition of Bet had no significant effect on growth performance and health status of growing rabbits(P>0.05),but it increased ileal secretory immunoglobulin A content compared to the control under summer heat(P<0.05).Addition of 0.75 g/kg Bet up-regulated jejunal IL-4,down-regulated ileal TNF-αexpression(P<0.05).The addition of 1.0 g/kg Bet increased the villi height(VH)in the jejunum(P<0.05).Serum glucose levels were reduced,and the expression of SLC6A20 was up-regulated in jejunum and ileum of rabbits fed with 1.5 g/kg Bet(P<0.05).When added at 2.0 g/kg,Bet reduced serum HSP70 content,increased jejunal VH,and up-regulated duodenal SLC7A6,SLC38A2,mTOR and 4EBP-2 expression(P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed that intestinal mTOR expression was significantly and positively correlated with SLC7A6,SLC38A2,SLC36A1 and IL-4 expression(P<0.05).Conclusions Dietary addition of Bet can up-regulate the expression of anti-inflammatory factors through the AAT/mTOR pathway,improve the intestinal immune function,alleviate intestinal damage in growing rabbits caused by summer heat,and improve intestinal health.

An Improved Artificial Rabbits Optimization Algorithm with Chaotic Local Search and Opposition-Based Learning for Engineering Problems and Its Applications in Breast Cancer Problem

Artificial rabbits optimization(ARO)is a recently proposed biology-based optimization algorithm inspired by the detour foraging and random hiding behavior of rabbits in nature.However,for solving optimization problems,the ARO algorithm shows slow convergence speed and can fall into local minima.To overcome these drawbacks,this paper proposes chaotic opposition-based learning ARO(COARO),an improved version of the ARO algorithm that incorporates opposition-based learning(OBL)and chaotic local search(CLS)techniques.By adding OBL to ARO,the convergence speed of the algorithm increases and it explores the search space better.Chaotic maps in CLS provide rapid convergence by scanning the search space efficiently,since their ergodicity and non-repetitive properties.The proposed COARO algorithm has been tested using thirty-three distinct benchmark functions.The outcomes have been compared with the most recent optimization algorithms.Additionally,the COARO algorithm’s problem-solving capabilities have been evaluated using six different engineering design problems and compared with various other algorithms.This study also introduces a binary variant of the continuous COARO algorithm,named BCOARO.The performance of BCOARO was evaluated on the breast cancer dataset.The effectiveness of BCOARO has been compared with different feature selection algorithms.The proposed BCOARO outperforms alternative algorithms,according to the findings obtained for real applications in terms of accuracy performance,and fitness value.Extensive experiments show that the COARO and BCOARO algorithms achieve promising results compared to other metaheuristic algorithms.

Intravitreal slow-release dexamethasone alleviates traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy by inhibiting persistent inflammation and Müller cell gliosis in rabbits

AIM:To evaluate the effects of intravitreal slow-release dexamethasone on traumatic proliferative vitreoretinopathy(PVR)and Müller cell gliosis and preliminarily explored the possible inflammatory mechanism in a rabbit model induced by penetrating ocular trauma.METHODS:Traumatic PVR was induced in the right eyes of pigmented rabbits by performing an 8-mm circumferential scleral incision placed 2.5 mm behind the limbus,followed by treatment with a slow-release dexamethasone implant(Ozurdex)or sham injection.Left eyes were used as normal controls.The intraocular pressure(IOP)was monitored using an iCare tonometer.PVR severity was evaluated via anatomical and histopathological examinations every week for 6wk;specific inflammatory cytokine and proliferative marker levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,Western blot,protein chip analysis,or immunofluorescence staining.RESULTS:During the observation period,PVR severity gradually increased.Intense Müller cell gliosis was observed in the peripheral retina near the wound and in the whole retina of PVR group.Ozurdex significantly alleviated PVR development and Müller cell gliosis.Post-traumatic inflammation fluctuated and was persistent.The interleukin-1β(IL-1β)mRNA level was significantly upregulated,peaking on day 3 and increasing again on day 21 after injury.The expression of nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)showed a similar trend that began earlier than that of IL-1βexpression.Ozurdex suppressed the expression of IL-1β,NLRP3,and phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB).The average IOP after treatment was within normal limits.CONCLUSION:The present study demonstrates chronic and fluctuating inflammation in a traumatic PVR rabbit model over 6wk.Ozurdex treatment significantly inhibites inflammatory cytokines expression and Müller cell gliosis,and thus alleviates PVR severity.This study highlights the important role of IL-1β,and Ozurdex inhibites inflammation presumably via the NF-κB/NLRP3/IL-1βinflammatory axis.In summary,Ozurdex provides a potential therapeutic option for traumatic PVR.

In Vitro Developmental Potential of Cloned Embryos Derived from Bovine Somatic Cells and Rabbits Oocyte

reconstituted embryos were produced by nuclear transplantation using bovine ear fibroblasts at G 0 or non-G 0 stage as donor nuclei and oocytes collected from superovulated multiparous or young rabbits as recipients. After cultivation in two kinds of medium M199+10%FBS or RD+10%FBS, 112 of them developed to 2-cell stage (62.2%) and 26 to morula stage (14.4%) and 20 of them eventually developed to blastocyst stage (11.1%). There is no significant difference for the cleavage rates in two groups of reconstituted embryos derived from G 0 -stage and non-G 0 stage donor cells respectively. However, G 0-stage donor cells could result in higher rate of 8-cell16-cell stage embryos significantly (P<0.05), as well as higher rate of blastocysts (P<0.01). It seems that using two different culture systems had no significant effects on the cleavage rate, morula rate or blastocyst rate (P>0.05).

Calcium-chelating peptides from rabbit bone collagen:characterization,identification and mechanism elucidation

This study aimed to characterize and identify calcium-chelating peptides from rabbit bone collagen and explore the underlying chelating mechanism.Collagen peptides and calcium were extracted from rabbit bone by instant ejection steam explosion(ICSE)combined with enzymatic hydrolysis,followed by chelation reaction to prepare rabbit bone peptide-calcium chelate(RBCP-Ca).The chelating sites were further analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass(LC-MS/MS)spectrometry while the chelating mechanism and binding modes were investigated.The structural characterization revealed that RBCP successfully chelated with calcium ions.Furthermore,LC-MS/MS analysis indicated that the binding sites included both acidic amino acids(Asp and Glu)and basic amino acids(Lys and Arg),Interestingly,three binding modes,namely Inter-Linking,Loop-Linking and Mono-Linking were for the first time found,while Inter-Linking mode accounted for the highest proportion(75.1%),suggesting that chelation of calcium ions frequently occurred between two peptides.Overall,this study provides a theoretical basis for the elucidation of chelation mechanism of calcium-chelating peptides.

Effect of taxifolin on cold-shock damages in spermatozoa in rabbits

Objective:To investigate the effect of taxifolin added to rabbit semen on freezing-induced cold-shock damages in spermatozoa.Methods:Semen was collected from six adult New Zealand rabbits once a week by artificial vagina.The collected semen was pooled at 38℃ and divided into four equal volumes.They were diluted with 0,50,100 and 200μM taxifolin-containing Tris+egg yolk extender at 38℃ and their temperatures were lowered to 4℃.Following equilibration,semen drawn into 0.25 mL straws were frozen in an automatic semen freezing device and stored in liquid nitrogen container at-196℃.Samples were thawed in 38℃ water for 25 s and the analyses of motility,kinematic parameters,morphological deformities,changes in membrane integrity,mitochondrial membrane potential,dead-live ratio,acrosomal damages and as well as oxidative stress analyses were performed in semen.Results:Addition of 50μM taxifolin significantly improved motility(total,progressive,rapid and static),high mitochondrial membrane potential and the ratios of spermatozoa with acrosomal damage compared to the control group.Compared to the control group,malondialdehyde(MDA)levels in the 50 and 100μM taxifolin groups were significantly lower,while the MDA level was high and viable spermatozoa ratio was low in the 200μM taxifolin group.There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of kinematic parameters,morphological deformities,membrane integrity and antioxidant levels.Conclusions:The low dose of taxifolin(50μM)has a positive effect and the high dose(200μM)has a negative effect.Therefore,it is concluded that the addition of low-dose(50μM)taxifolin to the extenders would be a useful additive in reducing cold-shock damage that occurs during freezing of rabbit semen.

A novel approach for 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy to evaluate vitreous substitutes in rabbits

AIM:To improve the standard three-port vitrectomy for establishing and evaluating an endotamponade model in rabbits.METHODS:Three ports were prepared near the third eyelid of rabbits,and the infusion port was placed at the inferior nasal quadrant with the inserted cannula linking with a self-designed handheld rigid infusion catheter.All right eyes of rabbits underwent a modified 25-gauge vitrectomy and were subsequently filled with balanced salt solution,silicone oil,and eight-arm polyethylene glycols(8-arm PEGs)hydrogel separately for comparison.Ophthalmic examinations were performed regularly to record the changes after the surgery.RESULTS:Successful vitrectomy was achieved among 44 chinchilla rabbits.The mean operation time was 4.51±1.25min.Four eyes(9.1%)presented limited lens touch and two eyes(4.5%)showed retinal touch during surgery.Incision leakage was found in three eyes(6.8%)after surgery.There was no endophthalmitis,hemorrhage,or retinal detachment during the observation period and ophthalmic examinations after the implantation of vitreous substitutes.CONCLUSION:The modified technique of the standard vitrectomy applied in the endotamponade model in rabbits shows excellent safety and practicality.

Analysis and Identification of miRNA Expression in the Skeletal Muscle of Sichuan White Rabbits

[Objectives]miRNAs play an important role in the proliferation and differentiation of different myoblasts.This study was conducted to elucidate the complex genetic mechanisms that affect the meat production performance of Sichuan white rabbits and reveal the regulatory role of miRNAs in their muscle growth and meat quality formation.[Methods]Three constructed skeletal muscle libraries of Sichuan white rabbits aged six months were sequenced by the solexa technology to identify known miRNAs,predict new miRNAs and construct an expression profile of muscle miRNAs.[Results]A total of 511 known miRNAs and 42 miRNAs were detected in 34089472 pure sequences,and the proportion of miRNAs with a length of 22 nt was the highest.The number of known miRNA sequences accounted for 71.38%of pure sequences,which was much higher than the proportion of other types of RNAs.The proportion of sequences from exons was 0.38%,indicating a low degree of mRNA degradation in the samples.Base U had the highest proportion at the first position,and the bases with the highest proportions at positions 8 and 10 were U and A,respectively.Muscle-specific miRNAs(miR-1,miR-133,and miR-206)ranked in the top 10 in terms of expression level.The number and expression levels of new miRNAs were lower than those of known miRNAs.The length distribution,base bias at different positions and expression profile characteristics of miRNAs might be related to the biological function of miRNAs in regulating muscle proliferation and differentiation and the action mechanisms with target genes.[Conclusions]The identification and expression of miRNAs in muscle tissues of Sichuan white rabbits will help to understand the complex molecular mechanisms of meat production performance and provide a theoretical basis for the functional research of miRNAs in meat rabbits.

Experimental Study on the Repair Effect of Xianlinggubao Capsule on Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture in Rabbits

[Objectives]To observe the effect of Xianlinggubao Capsule on osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture(OVCF)in rabbits and the influence mechanism of the repair of fractures.[Methods]Female June age 30 rabbits were randomly divided into control group,model control group and Xianlinggubao group.After bilateral ovariectomy,the model control group and Xianlinggubao group were injected with dexamethasone continuously for 4 weeks,and then the OVCF compound model was established by surgery.The Xianlinggubao group was treated with Xianlinggubao at a dose of 300 mg/(kg·d)for 60 d,while the blank control group and the model control group were treated with the same amount of normal saline for 60 d.The number of blood vessels and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2)were detected by immunohistochemical staining and the bone mineral density(BMD)in the callus of the third lumbar fracture area of rabbits was measured.The content of serum phosphorus(P),alkaline phosphatase(ALP)and total calcium(TCa)in rabbit venous blood were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer.The content of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and platelet-derived growth factor(PDGF)in rabbit venous blood were measured by ELISA kit.[Results]The number of blood vessels and the expression of BMP-2 in the callus of the third lumbar fracture area of rabbits was high in Xianlinggubao group,the content of serum P,ALP,TCa,VEGF and PDGF was obviously increased,BMD was obviously increased,the bone microstructure of the third lumbar vertebrae fracture area of rabbits was basically restored.Compared with the model control group(P<0.05),the difference was statistically significant.[Conclusions]Xianlinggubao Capsule can increase calcium and phosphorus deposition,promote the formation of blood vessels in the fracture area of OVCF in rabbits,and have a strong repair effect on OVCF in rabbits.

Embryo Transfer Strategies for Women with Recurrent Implantation Failure During the Frozen-thawed Embryo Transfer Cycles:Sequential Embryo Transfer or Double-blastocyst Transfer?

Objective Both sequential embryo transfer(SeET)and double-blastocyst transfer(DBT)can serve as embryo transfer strategies for women with recurrent implantation failure(RIF).This study aims to compare the effects of SeET and DBT on pregnancy outcomes.Methods Totally,261 frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles of 243 RIF women were included in this multicenter retrospective analysis.According to different embryo quality and transfer strategies,they were divided into four groups:group A,good-quality SeET(GQ-SeET,n=38 cycles);group B,poor-quality or mixed-quality SeET(PQ/MQ-SeET,n=31 cycles);group C,good-quality DBT(GQ-DBT,n=121 cycles);and group D,poor-quality or mixed-quality DBT(PQ/MQ-DBT,n=71 cycles).The main outcome,clinical pregnancy rate,was compared,and the generalized estimating equation(GEE)model was used to correct potential confounders that might impact pregnancy outcomes.Results GQ-DBT achieved a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate(aOR 2.588,95%CI 1.267–5.284,P=0.009)and live birth rate(aOR 3.082,95%CI 1.482–6.412,P=0.003)than PQ/MQ-DBT.Similarly,the clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher in GQ-SeET than in PQ/MQ-SeET(aOR 4.047,95%CI 1.218–13.450,P=0.023).The pregnancy outcomes of GQ-SeET were not significantly different from those of GQ-DBT,and the same results were found between PQ/MQ-SeET and PQ/MQ-DBT.Conclusion SeET relative to DBT did not seem to improve pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients if the embryo quality was comparable between the two groups.Better clinical pregnancy outcomes could be obtained by transferring good-quality embryos,no matter whether in SeET or DBT.Embryo quality plays a more important role in pregnancy outcomes for RIF patients.

Factors Affecting the Efficiency of Embryonic Cell Nuclear Transfer in Rabbits

Factors affecting the efficiency of nuclear transfer （NT） in rabbits were examined in the present study. When 100 V mm of pulse strength and 15 us of pulse duration were employed, 3 and 4 electronic pulses resulted in significantly more cytoplasts fused with donor cells compared with 2 electronic pulses （P〈 0.05）, but no significant difference was found in the cleavage rate of reconstructed embryos among the three groups （P〉0.05）. When the duration and number of electronic pulse were fixed at 15 ps and 3 times, increase of pulse intensity from 100 V mm 1 to 150 V mm^-1 and 200 V mm^-1 resulted in a significantly decrease in the cleavage rate of reconstructed embryos （P〈 0.05）, although the fusion rate did not significantly differ among the three groups （P〉 0.05）. Significantly more reconstructed embryos cleaved and developed to blastocysts when they were derived from donor embryos at the 8-16-cell stage, in comparison with the reconstructed embryos derived from donor embryos at the compact morula stage （P 〈 0.05）, although the fusion rate was similar （P 〉 0.05）. Activation of cytoplasts prior to fusion increased the cleavage rate （P〈 0.05） and blastocyst development （P〈 0.05） of reconstructed embryos, but decreased the fusion rate （P 〈 0.05） compared with cytoplasts activated post fusion. More reconstructed embryos developed to blastocysts when they were cultured in TCM ＋ 3% OCS at the first 48 h and then cultured in TCM199＋ 10% FCS, in comparison with the reconstructed embryos cultured in either TCM199＋ 10% FCS or TCM199＋3% OCS （P 〈 0.05）. When 22 NT embryos were transferred into the oviducts of one recipient rabbit, one recipient rabbit delivered a female rabbit at 34 days of gestation. In conclusion, either electrofusion parameter or developmental stage of donor embryos have a significant effect on the efficiency of NT, NT embryos require different concentration of serum at their different development stages.

Clinical validation of the early embryo viability assessment system: Analysis for the blastocyst morphology and pregnancy outcomes

Objective:To determine the relationship between the early embryo viability assessment(EEVA)and blastocyst morphological parameters and pregnancy outcomes.Methods:This retrospective cohort study was conducted on 291 intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles including 2522 embryos with indications of prolonging embryo culture to the blastocyst stage in the Genea embryo review incubator,and 511 single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer cycles from January 2020 to June 2023.The EEVA system produced an EEVA score from E1(best)to E5(worse)for the potential of blastocyst formation.Blastocyst morphology was evaluated.The association between the EEVA score and each type of blastocyst morphology,implantation rate,clinical pregnancy,and ongoing pregnancy were assessed using generalized estimating equations.Results:The inner cell mass A(ICM A),trophectoderm A(TE A),blastocoele expansion degree of 3,4,5,6,7 rates were higher with lower the EEVA score.The adjusted odd ratio(aOR)(E5 vs E1)was 0.3 for ICM A,0.174 for TE A and 0.210 for BL3,4,5,6,7(all P<0.001),suggesting a significant association between lower EEVA scores and improved embryo quality.The implantation,clinical pregnancy,and ongoing pregnancy rate were also higher with lower the EEVA score.The aOR of E5 vs E1 was 0.245 for implantation,0.185 for clinical pregnancy and 0.200 for ongoing pregnancy rate(P<0.001).Conclusions:There were associations between blastocyst morphology,pregnancy outcome and EEVA scores.The good blastocyst morphology and pregnancy outcomes are higher with lower the EEVA score.

Endochondral ossification of hindlimbs in embryonic development of Japanese Quail(Coturnix japonica)

The endochondral ossification of hindlimb is essential to a bird’s ability to stand,walk and fly.Most hindlimb is ossified in the embryos before hatching in precocial birds.However,the molecular mechanisms of hindlimb ossification in birds is still unclear.Therefore,we tried to examine the process of hindlimb ossification and its molecular regulation by using an animal model—Japanese Quail(Coturnix japonica).We selected four critical stages(Embryo Day:E6,E8,E12 and E16) of skeletal development of embryonic quails for hindlimb skeleton staining to show the process of endochondral ossification and to examine the molecular regulation of endochondral osteogenesis by RNA-Seq analysis.The results showed that ossification became increased with embryonic development and most hindlimb was ossified before hatching.RNA-Seq analysis revealed that various signaling pathways were involved with endochondral ossification with thyroid hormone signaling and WNT signaling pathway particularly enriched.Moreover,the expression levels of 42 genes were continuously upregulated and 14 genes were continuously downregulated from E6 to E16.The present study might provide new insights into complex molecular mechanisms in regulation of endochondral ossification.

Embryonic thermal manipulation:a potential strategy to mitigate heat stress in broiler chickens for sustainable poultry production

Due to high environmental temperatures and climate change, heat stress is a severe concern for poultry health and production, increasing the propensity for food insecurity. With climate change causing higher temperatures and erratic weather patterns in recent years, poultry are increasingly vulnerable to this environmental stressor. To mitigate heat stress, nutritional, genetic, and managerial strategies have been implemented with some success. However, these strategies did not adequately and sustainably reduce the heat stress. Therefore, it is crucial to take proactive measures to mitigate the effects of heat stress on poultry, ensuring optimal production and promoting poultry well-being. Embryonic thermal manipulation(TM) involves manipulating the embryonic environment's temperature to enhance broilers' thermotolerance and growth performance. One of the most significant benefits of this approach is its cost-effectiveness and saving time associated with traditional management practices. Given its numerous advantages, embryonic TM is a promising strategy for enhancing broiler production and profitability in the poultry industry. TM increases the standard incubation temperature in the mid or late embryonic stage to induce epigenetic thermal adaption and embryonic metabolism. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the available literature and scientific evidence of the beneficial effect of pre-hatch thermal manipulation on broiler health and performance.

Methods to Reduce the Hypoglycemic Mortality of Alloxan in Diabetic Rabbit Model

Objective: To explore an intervention method to reduce the mortality of alloxan diabetes model, and to preliminarily analyze the mechanism of alloxan induced animal death. Methods: Healthy New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into injection group, control group, experimental group and blank group. The single injection group was injected with 100 mg/kg alloxan once. The control group was given 5% glucose solution and 100 mg/kg alloxan was injected in two times. The experimental group was given 5% glucose solution orally, 100 mg/kg alloxan, 7 mL 0.9% NaCl intravenously and 5 mL 5% glucose intraperitoneally immediately, and blood glucose was continuously monitored, 10 mL 5% glucose intravenously and 10 mL 5% glucose intraperitoneally every 4 h in the hypoglycemic stage. The blank group does nothing. Liver and kidney tissues at different time periods were stained with HE and organ index was evaluated. Results: 1) A single injection of 100 mg/kg alloxan without any intervention resulted in 100% mortality. Before modeling, oral administration of 5% glucose solution, divided into two injections of 100 mg/kg alloxan, mortality reached 100%;A single injection of 100 mg/kg alloxan and continuous intervention of normal saline and glucose for 20 h can significantly reduce the mortality of alloxan induced diabetic rabbit model. 2) Liver and kidney tissues were damaged in different degrees at different time periods, and liver and kidney indexes were significantly increased after alloxan injection compared with the normal group, with statistical significance (P > 0.05). Conclusion: 1) Every 4 hours of hypoglycemia, 10 ml 5% glucose was injected intravenously 10 ml 5% glucose intraperitoneally. It can reduce the death rate of alloxan diabetic rabbit model and shorten the time of blood glucose measurement. 2) After the injection of alloxan, acute lesions of liver and kidney may occur in different degrees, or one of the causes of acute death of experimental animals.

tRNA^(Glu)-derived fragments from embryonic extracellular vesicles modulate bovine embryo hatching

Transfer RNA-derived small RNAs(tsRNAs)have been shown to be involved in early embryo development and repression of endogenous retroelements in embryos and stem cells.However,it is unknown whether tsRNAs also regulate embryo hatching.In this study,we mined the sequencing data of a previous experiment in which we demonstrated that the microRNA(miRNA)cargo of preimplantation embryonic extracellular vesicles(EVs)influences embryo development.We thus profiled the tsRNA cargo of EVs secreted by blastocysts and non-blastocysts.The majority of tsRNAs was identified as tRNA halves originating from the 5'ends of tRNAs.Among the 148 differentially expressed tsRNAs,the 19 nt tRNA fragment(tRF)tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 was found to be significantly up-regulated in EVs derived from non-blastocysts.RT-qPCR assays confirmed its significant up-regulation in non-blastocyst embryos and their conditioned medium compared to the blastocyst group(P<0.05).Inhibition of tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 by supplementing antagomirs to the conditioned medium improved embryo hatching(P<0.05).Transcriptomic analysis of embryos treated with tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 antagomirs further showed differential expression of genes that are associated with embryo hatching and implantation.In summary,tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 is up-regulated in non-blastocyst embryos and their secretions,and inhibition of tDR-14:32-Glu-CTC-1 promotes embryo hatching,while influencing embryo implantation-related genes and pathways.These results indicate that embryonic EVs containing specific tRFs may regulate preimplantation embryo development.

Pre-existing orthorhombic embryos-induced hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation in MnNiSi_(1-x)(CoNiGe)_x alloy

The thermal-elastic martensitic transformation from high-temperature Ni_(2)In-type hexagonal structure to low-temperature TiNiSi-type orthorhombic structure has been widely studied in MnMX(M=Ni or Co,and X=Ge or Si)alloys.However,the answer to how the orthorhombic martensite nucleates and grows within the hexagonal parent is still unclear.In this work,the hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation in a Co and Ge co-substituted MnNiSi is investigated.One can find some orthorhombic laths embedded in the hexagonal parent at a temperature above the martensitic transformation start temperature(M_(s)).With the the sample cooing to M_(s),the laths turn broader,indicating that the martensitic transformation starts from these pre-existing orthorhombic laths.Microstructure observation suggests that these pre-existing orthorhombic laths do not originate from the hexagonal-orthorhombic martensitic transformation because of the difference between atomic occupations of doping elements in the hexagonal parent and those in the preexisting orthorhombic laths.The phenomenological crystallographic theory and experimental investigations prove that the pre-existing orthorhombic lath and generated orthorhombic martensite have the same crystallography relationship to the hexagonal parent.Therefore,the orthorhombic martensite can take these pre-existing laths as embryos and grow up.This work implies that the martensitic transformation in MnNiSi_(1-x)(CoNiGe)_(x) alloy is initiated by orthorhombic embryos.

Effects of Carrot (Daucus carota) Leaves Powder on Reproductive and Growth Characteristics of Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) Does

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of carrot leaf powder in the diet on reproductive and growth characteristics in rabbits. Thirty sexually matured rabbits does of 8 months old, 3.00 to 3.20 kg, were divided into three groups of 10 rabbits each, which were comparable in terms of body weight. Throughout the experiment, the rabbits of group 1 (control group) were fed ad libitum with a feed not containing carrot leaf powder (control ration), while those of groups 2 and 3 received the control ration supplemented with carrot leaf powder in concentrations of 0.5% and 1% respectively. Data was collected on feed intake, weight gain, receptivity, fertility, gestation length of does, litter size, weight, viability and sex ratio of the young rabbits till 5 weeks post-partum. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in the fertility rate, gestation duration and sex ratio of the kits with reference to the control. Litter size at birth was not significantly (P > 0.05) influenced in does fed diets containing carrot leaf powder compared to the control. However, the reversed effects were observed at five weeks post-partum. The live weight of weaned kits and weight gain of rabbit does at birth were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in treated rabbits compared to the control. The supplementation of carrot leaf powder in feed can improve production performance in female rabbits, through their antioxidant activities thanks to their various components, thus fighting against oxidative stress effects to which animals are exposed both from endogenous and environmental sources.