The effect or indomethacin and its vehicle on blood pressure was studied in conscious rabbits during the infusion of three vasopressors. The cyclooxygenase inhibitor raised mean arterial pressure 12 (vehicle: 3) mm Hg during norepinephrine infusion, 5 (vehicle: 0) mm Hg during angioten- sin II infusion, and 5 (vehicle: −8) mm Hg during arginine vasopressin infusion. When saline was given in place of vasopressors, indomethacin failed to alter blood pressure. Since indomethacin elevated pressure in the presence, but not the absence, of all three vasopressors, the possibility that elevation of blood pressure per se stimulates synthesis of vasodilator prostaglandins was considered. A pressor action of indomethacin was observed in ganglion-blocked animals, in which absolute blood pressure remained below normotensive levels during angiotensin II infusion. Thus, indomethacin raised arterial pressure during the infusion of norepinephrine, angiotensin II, and vasopressin, and this action was not influenced by manipulation of blood pressure. These results suggest that each vasopressor promotes prostaglandin synthesis independently to a degree sufficient to restrain its pressor action.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of platelet activating factor (PAF) on the acrosome reaction and fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa, and development of the resulting embryos in the rabbit. Rabbit spermatozoa were exposed to PAF, Iyso-PAF, or high ionic strength medium (HIS) prior to subzonal sperm injection (SUZI) into 326 mature oocytes, or morphological assessment of the acrosome reaction. The rates of fertilization and blastocyst formation were compared among the three treatment groups. Acrosome reaction was assessed by fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA) staining and electron microscopy. PAF-treated spermatozoa fertilized the oocytes at a significantly higher rate (56.1%) than did lyso-PAF-(36.8%, P< 0.01) or HIS- (38.2%, P < 0.05) treated spermatozoa. The embryos produced by PAF-treated spermatozoa showed significantly higher blastocyst formation rates (34.0%) than lyso-PAF- (8.6%, P < 0.050) or HIS-(8.8%, P< 0.05) treated spermatozoa. FITC-PSA staining demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of acrosome reaction in PAF-treated spermatozoa (45.8%) than in Iyso-PAF- (28.0%, P < 0.01) or HIS- (34.9%, P < 0.01) treated spermatozoa. Acrosome reaction of PAF-treated spermatozoa was also confirmed by electron microscopy. PAF treatment of spermatozoa enhances fertilizing capacity for SUZI possibly by augmenting the acrosome reaction. Enhanced embryonic development was also found in the oocytes fertilized by SUZI of PAF-treated spermatozoa.

The purpose of this report is to describe (1) the demographic pattern of a black-tailed jackrabbit (Lopus californicus) population in 450-square-mile Curlow Valley, northern Utah and southern Idaho, during the period April, 1962 through March, 1965; and (2) the methodology developed to obtain the data on which the description is based. The research discussed here occupied the first 3 years of a projected, long-range study of the population ecology of the species in this area with special attention to the mechanics and causes of short-term fluctuations.

Every country in the world is affected by one or more forms of malnutrition. Malnutrition includes three conditions: undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies or excesses, or overnutrition. Obesity is a greater contributor to death than undernutrition. Age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education level affect obesity. The rates of obesity vary considerably between states and regions of the country. The state of Mississippi is ranked as the poorest state in the nation and Mississippi has the highest adult obesity rate at 40.8% (Farberman & Kelley, 2020). Rabbit meat production and consumption is a possible solution to malnutrition worldwide (Petrescu & Petrescu-Mag, 2018). Relatively easy to raise with overall economical maintenance, raising rabbits for food has many benefits. However, its consumption falls behind other protein sources like beef, pork, chicken, and turkey (Petrescu & Petrescu-Mag, 2018). Understanding backyard grower-consumers’ perceptions of rabbit meat consumption could improve support and adoption of backyard rabbit programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the perceptions of meat rabbit growers in Mississippi backyards and relative to rabbit rearing and consumption, were growers’ practices affected by external variables outside of their control. A qualitative study was useful in both an exploratory context as well as in an explanatory context to understand not how much or how many people consume rabbit meat, but instead the how and why of raising meat rabbits in your backyard. The results of this study provide a description of underlying reasons, opinions, motivations, and potential barriers in addition to insights into the reasons some Mississippians raise meat rabbits in their backyard for consumption. Reasons for raising meat rabbits included the desire to be more self-sufficient or to at least provide some sources of food security. Participants found rabbits an attractive protein source because they are easy to raise and relatively disease free needing no vaccines or antibiotics. Weather seemed to pose the greatest barrier or challenge to growers especially the summer heat experienced in the state of Mississippi. This information can prove helpful when developing programs and recruiting those individuals to participate because of their likelihood in adopting this lifestyle.

Utilizing the polyvinyl sponge-implant model in the rabbit we have previously demonstrated modification in low density lipoproteins (LDL) of interstitial tissue fluid obtained in association with a cellular inflammatory response. In order to examine the interaction between the inflammatory response and lipoproteins from hypercholesterolemic rabbits, 30 male, New Zealand White rabbits were fed standard chow supplemented with 0.5% cholesterol for 4 weeks prior to sponge implantation. Lipoproteins were prepared from interstitial inflammatory fluid (IF) as well as homologous whole plasma (WP). Total IF cholesterol was positively correlated with plasma cholesterol (459 ± 43 vs. 1485 ± 130 mg/dl, X ± SEM, r = 0.81, P < 0.01). Distribution of lipoproteins in IF was similar to WP in both particle size and density. Beta-migrating VLDL were the predominant particles in both WP and IF, containing 43.7 ± 3.4 and 42.2 ± 5.1% of WP and IF cholesterol, respectively. IF-VLDL were similar to WP-VLDL in lipid and apoprotein composition, morphology and particle size distribution. We conclude from these data that the observed dramatic alterations in lipoprotein distribution in response to a dietary cholesterol challenge in rabbit plasma is essentially unaltered in interstitial inflammatory fluid obtained from these animals.

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