In 132 rabbits belonging to the Cunicola La Esperanza Farm of the city of El Alto in the department of La Paz, the principle physical characteristics of the angora rabbit fiber were determined in a period of 3 shearings. As such they were organized into 2 groups, clearly differentiated by their sex (female and male). The obtained fiber of the different shearings were weighed in order to determine the performance of each animal and subsequently analyzed the wool in the Experimental Station of Patacamaya, where they determined the diameter, length of hair and marrow composition. The results were subjected to a statistical analysis with the help of the SAS program. The effects of the principle studied factors (sex, age, number of shearing) showed highly significant differences (p<0.01). The fiber yields for males and females were 70.76 and 81.72 g respectively; as such the fiber yields of 57.77, 82.91, 84.28, 80.01, 71.36, 81.11 and 76.25 g for those under the age of 1 year, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and first shearing, second shearing, third shearings respectively. The age of the animals and the number of shearings were the principle causes of the variation of the performance of the fiber. The male rabbits obtained 13.10 microns in diameter, 56.10% of marrow composition and 4.10 cm of length, and the female rabbits 13.91 microns of diameter, 65.34% of marrow composition y 4.23 cm of length, being the effect of the sex most highly significant (p<0.01). The fineness of fiber of the animals was 12.80, 13.07, 14.28 y 13.88 microns respectively for the ages younger than 1 year, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, a marrow composition of 57.68, 60.54, 60.56 y 64.10%, for the same ages, observing among themselves highly significant differences (p<0.01); except in the variability of the length of the hair. In animals subjected to different numbers of shearing they obtained 13.48, 13.37 and 13.67 microns for the first, second and third shearings respectively and a bone composition of 59.28, 62.32 y 60.56%, observing minimum numerical differences, but not statistical, as in the length of hair.

This study was carried out in the Azafranal community of the Desaguadero municipality, which is in the Ingavi Province of the Department of La Paz. It was conducted at an altitude of 3350 meters above sea level at 16°20’00” south latitude and 69°00’00” west longitude. The study went from December 20, 2003 to June 20, 2004. Our objective was to evaluate hair production in angora rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed with three different rations of reed. The experimental trial was done at the Angorita farm over a 135 day period that was divided into three smaller periods of 45 days. The experiment was done via a completely randomized block design. The means from each treatment (A, B, C, and D) were analyzed by a Duncan test with a level of 95% confidence. The population consisted of 16 male and 16 female English angora rabbits between 90 and 98 days of age. These were divided into four groups of eight individuals. Each group was then subjected to one of four treatments: 1) ration A with 40% reed content, 2) ration B with 30% reed content, 3) ration C with 20% reed content, and 4) ration D as a control with 0% reed content. The variables measured and studied were: hair weight (g), hair diameter (µ), hair length (cm), and length of a lock of hair (cm). The results reflect a positive effect on hair diameter with rations C and A, which had average diameters of 9.48 µ and 9.64 µ respectively. Furthermore, with respect to hair length, ration A had an average of 4.87 cm and ration C had an average of 4.68 cm. Lastly, with respect to length of a lock of hair, ration A had an average of 4.74 cm and ration B had an average of 4.52 cm (P0.05).

This study on the anatomy of the rabbit was based on dissected material from the biological laboratories of the College of the Pacific. Because of existing errors in many of the present references to rabbit anatomy, the guide was prepared to meet the expressed need for a concise, illustrated outline of basic anatomy of the rabbit which might be used by students in an introductory course in mammalian or human anatomy. Since it is assumed that the guide would be supplemented by a dissection manual, syllabus, or textbook, textural material of such an outline is presented here in outline form.

A review of the literature shows that extensive work has been done on the morphology and histology of the adrenal gland of the domesticated rabbit, but it appears that little or no work has been done on other members of the order Lagomorpha. Approximately one hundred specimens of rabbits of various ages and sizes, and of both sexes, were collected over a period of nine months. All adrenal glands were fixed by immersion and were embedded in paraffin. The majority or the glands were sectioned at eight or twelve miora, and were stained with Mallory's triple stain. This investigation shows that the gross morphological variations of the adrenal gland of' each species of native rabbits examined is almost as extensive as the variation found within the different genera and families of the order Lagomorpha. There are fewer histological Variations within a given species, but more extensive variations within genera and families of this order. It must be emphasized that not all morphological and histological structures found in the adrenal gland of all rabbits are the same. What may appear to be a typical histological structure or arrangement in one species of rabbit is not necessarily the typical structure or arrangement in all species.

This document only includes an excerpt of the corresponding thesis or dissertation. To request a digital scan of the full text, please contact the Ruth Lilly Medical Library's Interlibrary Loan Department (rlmlill@iu.edu).

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Fluoride has been used in the treatment of osteoporosis because of its apparent ability to directly initiate bone formation. However, fluoride's therapeutic efficacy is controversial. Clinical trials in the range of 50 to 75 mg/day demonstrated severe side effects and a lack of consistent therapeutic benefits. Animal studies have not fully proven a positive effect of fluoride on bone strength. The objective of this study was to determine the histomorphometric changes in the cortical bone of rabbits caused by high doses of fluoride. The hypothesis was that high-dose fluoride intake enhances bone modeling and inhibits bone remodeling. Twenty-four young adult (four months old) female, Dutch Belted rabbits were randomly divided in two groups. The control group received no fluoride in their drinking water, while the experimental group received 100-ppm fluoride. Both groups received approximately 12-ppm fluoride in their food. A pair of tetracycline labels was given two weeks apart before initiation of the experiment. Fluoride treatment was given for six months. A terminal pair of calcein green labels was given before the animals were euthanized. Histomorphometric measurements were made using stereological point-hit and linear-intercept methods. The histomorphometric findings were correlated with fluoride serum and bone levels and also with strength tests. The study demonstrated that fluoride increases bone modeling by increasing periosteal bone apposition and endosteal bone resorption. The net effect of fluoride was an enlargement of the cortical bone and bone marrow and, therefore, the total tissue cross-section. However, the observed increase in bone mass produced by fluoride did not have a positive effect on the mechanical properties of bone. Fluoride did not produce a change in the primary histomorphometric parameters of osteoid surface (OS/BS%) or mineralizing surface (MS/BS%). Fluoride treatment produced an increase in the cortical periosteal modified mineral apposition rate (CPMAR). The remaining dynamic indices (i.e. endosteal MAR, remodeling MAR, cortical endosteal BFR and total BFR, activation frequency and formation period) were not affected by fluoride. The study failed to show an inhibitory effect of fluoride on bone remodeling.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Endosseous implants have been accepted as a viable dental and medical adjunct and are now used for multiple dental applications. The majority are placed in patients of relatively advanced age, and, as such, the increased use of implants has raised questions in the areas of bone healing and metabolism associated with their placement. This study evaluated the mechanical and histological aspects of the bone/metal interface of endosseous titanium implants in compact and trabecular bone. Two implants were placed: one in the distal metaphysis (M) and one 2.0 cm proximal in the diaphysis (D). Right side limbs were subjected to a sham surgery and served as controls. The rabbits were sacrificed at six, 12, and 24 weeks healing time. Multiple fluorochrome labels were given to mark sites of bone formation. At sacrifice, all implants were tested for interface torque strength. Microradiography and fluorescent light microscopy were used to determine percent volume of bone and marrow space, bone/implant interface characteristics, percent labeled bone surface area, and percent labeled bone volume. D implants required about 20 percent more torque to mechanically disrupt the bone/implant interface than M implants. Values were M (combined groups) 33.4 N-cm ±15.5 N-cm, and D (combined groups) 41.5 N-cm ±16.0 N-cm (Mean ±SD, n = 8, p<.07). The percent of bone in direct contact with the implant surface appeared to increase only slightly with time. Direct contact occurred on 11.2%, 9.5% ±8.5% and 13.9% ±6.6% of the M implant surface in six, 12, and 24 week specimens, respectively. Direct contact occured on 11.7%, 10.2% ±2.4% and 19.5% ±0.35% of the D implant surface in six, 12, and 24 week specimens, respectively. Total bone volume in implanted D specimens was less [Exp.= 91.1% ± 3.1%, Cont. = 95.5% ± 0.73% (Mean ±SD)] and marrow space volume was greater [Exp. = 8.9% ±3.02%, Cont. = 4.6% ±0.73% (Mean ±SD)] than in controls (p<.02). The percent labeled bone volume was greater in the implanted specimens than in their controls (p<.001). This difference decreased over time. Implanted D specimens also showed significantly more (p<.001) labeled bone surface area than controls. These findings suggest that when implants are placed in elderly subjects, normally inactive bone becomes very active. Also, it seems that bone quality, not quantity, determines interface strength.

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