Podcasts about fluorescein

Drs. Safa Rahmani, Akshay Thomas, and Priya Vakharia join to discuss four recent publications in major ophthalmology journals.Fluorescein Angiography Cost (https://ophthalmologyretina.org/article/S2468-6530(23)00227-0/fulltext)Intravitreal Biosimilar Cost Impact (https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(23)00295-6/fulltext)Practice Consolidation in Ophthalmology (https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(23)00311-1/fulltext)Physician Turnover in Ophthalmology (https://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(23)00308-1/fulltext)Relevant Financial Disclosures: Dr. Rahmani is an investigator for Regeneron. Dr. Thomas is a consultant for Allergan and Novartis. Dr. Vakharia is a consultant for Genentech and Regeneron. Dr. Sridhar is a consultant for Genentech and Regeneron.You can claim CME credits for prior episodes via the AAO website. Visit https://www.aao.org/browse-multimedia?filter=Audi

Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2022.11.27.518097v1?rss=1 Authors: Kahraman, S., Shibue, K., De Jesus, D. F., Hu, J., Manna, D., Wagner, B., Choudhary, A., Kulkarni, R. N. Abstract: Pancreatic -cells secrete glucagon, an insulin counter-regulatory peptide hormone critical for the maintenance of glucose homeostasis. Investigation of the function of human -cells remains a challenge due to the lack of cost-effective purification methods to isolate high-quality -cells from islets. Here, we use the reaction-based probe diacetylated Zinpyr1 (DA-ZP1) to introduce a novel and simple method for enriching live -cells from dissociated human islet cells with greater than 97% purity. The -cells, confirmed by sorting and immunostaining for glucagon, were cultured up to 10 days to form -pseudoislets. The -pseudoislets could be maintained in culture without significant loss of viability, and responded to glucose challenge by secreting appropriate levels of glucagon. RNA-sequencing analyses (RNA-seq) revealed that expression levels of key -cell identity genes were sustained in culture while some of the genes such as DLK1, GSN, SMIM24 were altered in -pseudoislets in a time-dependent manner. In conclusion, we report a method to sort human primary -cells with high purity that can be used for downstream analyses such as functional and transcriptional studies. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info Podcast created by Paper Player, LLC

Dr. Edmund Tsui interviews author Dr. David Sarraf on his recent Ophthalmology Retina article, “Clinical and Morphologic Characteristics of Perivenular Fernlike Leakage on Ultrawide-field Fluorescein Angiography” Clinical and Morphologic Characteristics of Perivenular Fernlike Leakage on Ultrawide-field Fluorescein Angiography. Ramtohul, Prithvi et al. Ophthalmology Retina, Volume 6, Issue 11, 1070 - 1079.

Judea Pearl, a philosopher and MIT professor, discusses the concept of egoism. Egos refer to the notion that people have a limited self-interest that affects their interactions with others. He discusses issues such as unobtrusiveness and wheeziness, which can be manifestations of a person's ego. Pearl discusses the relationship between egoism and Satan, and how doles can be used to manipulate others.

We review the incredible narrative of how FA was invented, simplify and streamline FA interpretation, review ICG and its uses, and leave off with a discussion of the use of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA). You'll also learn about FAs in cats! 

The Swan Rabbit Breed This is a now extinct rabbit breed, and may heave been a mixed or mongrel derived from Giant Breeds, and in particular the Patagonian. They have been extinct since about 1885, and there has been very little documented about this very unusual breed. It seems to have been indigenous to the Isle of Man, or at least that is where several breeders located stock to take to the British mainland. It was a very large rabbit that was not particularly handsome. It weighed in at 16-20lbs, with a brown-grey fur color, on a large frame. The ears were only 2 inches long, with the hollow insides pointed towards the front, and not towards the sides of the head. It is written that when you cross the Swan Rabbit with the Patagonian, the progeny's ears would be of a much shorter length. It was like the Patagonian, a useful meat and fur rabbit. https://books.google.com/books?id=O069kBAETeIC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=%22swan+rabbit%22+breed&source=bl&ots=B6LFvVnBhB&sig=9cJ0mvEvCic5iGcqyL24hRQRQ04&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwifjKWttbPdAhWmTt8KHTUDC2AQ6AEwCXoECAQQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22swan%20rabbit%22%20breed&f=false Hyperemia and Red Eye in Rabbits Red eye is a relatively common condition which causes swelling or irritation in the rabbit's eye or eyelid. This appearance of blood vessels in the eyeball can develop because of various reasons, including many systemic or body diseases. If your rabbit has red eye, seek veterinary advice immediately, as it is generally a secondary symptom to a more serious condition. Symptoms and Types The signs and symptoms of red eye and related conditions often depend on the underlying cause. For example, if the red eye is due to a dental disorder, there may be signs of tooth decay or dental disease in the animal. Other common signs and symptoms may include: Impaired vision Swollen eyelids Eye discharge Extra tissue around the eyes Nasal discharge and upper respiratory infection or cold Hair loss and crusting in the mucous membrane, especially around the eyes, nasal area and cheeks Lethargy Depression Abnormal posture Facial masses Causes Because there are many causes to rabbit red eye, it is often difficult to identify the exact cause. However, some factors may include: Bacterial infections, including Treponema cuniculi (or rabbit syphilis), which can cause swollen eyelids Conjunctivitis, a common disorder causing red eye that can result from allergies, bacterial or viral irritants; sometimes occurring as a side-effect of a respiratory tract infection Keratitis, which is usually a fungal infection of the eye, and which can follow an injury to the eye Glaucoma, which if left untreated, can cause blindness Dental diseases, which can bring debris in the eye, causing inflammation or blocking a tear duct Diagnosis The veterinarian will run a variety of laboratory tests to diagnose the cause for the rabbit's red eye. This includes skin and other type of cultures, as well as exams testing for cataracts and other ocular diseases that can impair vision and health. If the veterinarian is still unable to diagnose the condition, they may run special tests including: Tonometry – measures the eye pressure in order to diagnose glaucoma and other related disorders Schirmer tear test – detects dry eye , a condition which can lead to red eye Cytologic examinations – identifies infections within the tear ducts and surrounding tissues Fluorescein stains – helps rule out ulcerative keratitis, a condition which can lead to red eye. Treatment is almost always dependent on the underlying cause of the condition. For example, if the rabbit's red eye is due to a dental disease, a tooth extraction may be necessary; whereas a case of bacterial-caused red eye may require an antibiotic prescription. To alleviate the rabbit's pain, the veterinarian will prescribe topical anti-inflammatory medication. In some cases, animals will require a short-course of topical steroid agents, especially rabbits with ulcers, delayed wound healing, and those with certain infections. Living and Management Some animals may require long-term pain management. Still others may require repeat eye exams to help ensure the rabbit's eye inflammation is managed properly, and that eye pressure remains stable to help prevent blindness. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/eyes/c_rb_red_eye The Swan There was once a young Norwegian girl who lived in the village of Ranrike in the time of the Vikings. She was a pretty little girl, with curly golden blonde hair that shined as bright as the Goddess Sunna herself. Her name was Bekkhild, and she loved to play outdoors in the fresh air, and bright sunshine. That is until one day when a spider crawled up her arm and bit her ! The bite from the horribly ugly spider hurt, and made the little girl feel sick. A few days later she felt better, but from that time on she was afraid of all of nature's creatures whether they were big or small. Little Bekkhild was terrified by the birds in the air, the furry animals that scurried about, and of course by the bugs that crawled upon the ground, or flew with tiny wings. Little Bekkhild did, however, love flowers. She loved big flowers, little flowers, and especially the ones that bloomed into pretty colors like red, blue, orange, or yellow. Often she would venture out to look at these beautiful blossoms that surrounded her home, but as soon as she saw a bee, or an animal, she would run home to the safety of her house. Her parents took her down to the meadow often to see the flowers in bloom there, but unless they held her hand to protect her from the insects and animals, she would cry, and want to go home. One day her mother and father brought her to the pond at the edge of the meadow, and laid out a large blanket for them to sit upon. After a while her mother and father fell asleep in the warm sunshine. Bekkhild had been told to stay away from the water, but she had seen beautiful white flowers floating in the pond among the green leaves, and she hoped to get a closer look at them . Her mother had told her that they were called pond lilies, and they were so pretty that she wanted to pick one. Bekkhild cautiously walked down to the edge of the pond, keeping her eyes wide open for any creatures that might attack her. She turned around from time to time to make sure that her mother and father were still there to protect her. With her parents safely in sight, and the lovely flower within reach, she leaned over to snatch up the beautiful bloom. Just as she was about to get hold of the flower a large pure white swan swam around the corner right in front of her ! Bekkhild was so scared she did not even scream as she fell backwards onto the ground . As tears welled up in the little girls eyes the swan stopped and turned its neck as if it were examining her. Bekkhild was about to get up, and run back to her parents, when the swan began to sparkle. To Bekkhild's astonishment the swan turned into a beautiful woman, who was wearing a dress as white as the feathers on the swan. Her hair was as golden blonde as hers, and the woman had a pleasant ,friendly smile. The swan - woman reached out with her hand, and wiped away the little girls tears, before asking : " Why are you afraid of me princess ? " Bekkhild stuttered as she replied : " I..I...I am scared of aminals! " The swan - woman laughed, and corrected her. " You mean a-n-i-m-a-l-s, don' t you little princess ? " Bekkhild stood up, and put her hands on her hips. " That is what I said ! Aminals ! " she said with a frown. " What are you ? " asked Bekkhild . " I am a Valkyrie, little princess. My name is Swanhild, and I ride with Odin ! " The Valkyrie said boldly. " My name is Bekkhild ! " The little girl blurted out. The Valkyrie laughed a little when she replied : " Well, that is a pretty name for a little princess. " The Valkyrie reached down, and held the little girl's hand. " You should not be afraid of the animals that walk or fly. Nor should you fear insects that crawl, or take to the sky on tiny wings. They are all a part of nature's beauty, and are a gift from the Gods. " Swanhild said in a soothing tone. " Come with me, and I will show you, little princess." she added. They walked holding hands for only a moment before they spotted a rabbit feeding in the grass. Bekkhild quickly retreated behind Swanhild's leg for protection ! The Valkyrie, however, gently pulled her to her side, and then knelt down to pick up some fresh green grass. She handed it to Bekkhild, and motioned for her to give it to the rabbit. Bekkhild trembled as the rabbit slowly crept over to the leafy meal she held out to the furry little creature. The Valkyrie held her hand even tighter, to give the little girl strength, as the rabbit began to feed on the grass. As the rabbit chewed the munching motion made its little nose wriggle back and forth. Bekkhild giggled, and without even realizing it she had stopped shaking, and was no longer afraid. When the rabbit finished its meal it slowly hopped away back into the grass. Bekkhild jumped up and down, and laughed as it went to feed in another part of the meadow. Next the Valkyrie held out her finger up into the air, and a beautiful yellow bird flew over and landed on it. The bird was so pretty that Bekkhild just stood there staring up at the tiny bird for a moment. It had a pretty yellow head, a yellow breast, and the feathers on its back were black and yellow. As the bird sat nervously on her finger the Valkyrie told Bekkhild in a whisper : " This little bird is known as the Yellow Hammer. It comes here from the Germanic lands in the summer, and then it returns south to warmer lands in the winter." Bekkhild was flushed with joy ! She had never seen anything so beautiful ! " It is so pretty : " she said in a low whisper so as not to scare away the little bird. The Valkyrie placed her finger over her lips and said : " Shhh . Listen little princess ! " The Yellow Hammer suddenly started to chirp a lovely little song. A moment later, from off in the distance, another Yellow Hammer sang the same tune. The tiny bird then took to its wings, and flew off in the direction of the other bird. " You see little princess you do not have to fear nature' s creatures. They will not harm you if you do not try to harm them. " Swanhild said with a smile. " Yes, they are pretty, but it was a nasty bug that bit me ! " Bekkhild replied in a whining tone. " Not all insects are harmful little princess. " The Valkyrie said in response. The woman in white held out her hand and a beautiful butterfly fluttered onto her palm. It had a black body, and beautiful orange wings, with black spots on them. It flapped its wings a few times, and then held them upright as if it were showing Bekkhild exactly how beautiful it was. " I know that butterflies are pretty, but most bugs are ugly. " Bekkhild complained. The Valkyrie allowed the butterfly to fly away, and then took Bekkhild over to an old oak tree. On one of the lower limb's leaves there was a small multi - legged creature that was chewing on the edge of the leaf. " This is what a butterfly looks like before it becomes a butterfly princess. " Swanhild said as she showed the insect to her. Bekkhild looked at the bug in disbelief. " But... but...., that is ugly ! " replied the little girl. " How can that turn into a pretty butterfly? " she asked. The Valkyrie broke off the branch, with the insect on it, and told Bekkhild : " Well princess, this little insect is called a caterpillar, and it eats a lot to give itself enough energy to turn itself into a butterfly. When it is ready it builds itself a little house, called a cocoon, and it lives in there while it changes. When it is ready, it comes out, dries its wings, and then flies away. " Bekkhild put her hands to her mouth, and smiled from ear to ear as she said in amazement : " Oh my ! " The Valkyrie then walked Bekkhild back over to the edge of the pond. As they reached the water's edge Swanhild reached down, and picked a beautiful large white lily from among the pads growing there, and handed it to Bekkhild. " I have to go now princess my sisters are waiting for me. " Swanhild pointed to three swans swimming a short way off in the pond as she spoke. Bekkhild looked sad as she said : " Can I ask you a question ? " Swanhild nodded her approval. " Why do you call me princess ? My name is Bekkhild . " As the Valkyrie began to sparkle, and turn back into a swan, she told Bekkhild : " Because one day you will be Princess Bekkhild ! " - Glenn Bergen http://www.anindependentasatru.com/-blog/short-children-s-story-the-swan © Copyrighted

Hello Listener! Thank you for listening.  If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. What do you need? Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger.   English Spots are a very old breed of rabbit. There are 7 recognized varieties (colors): Black, Blue, Chocolate, Gold, Grey, Lilac, and Tortoise. Adult English Spots weigh 5 to 8 pounds, between 2.3 and 3.6 kg. They are a fully arched breed and are allowed to run up and down the table to show off their type and markings while being judged. This week we traveled to a few family events including a second year birthday party and a graduation party. We traveled through 5 states and the District of Columbia all in one day! We were not sure if we were able to get out of our development. We have experienced some extreme rain, and the bridge to get into our development was washed out, as well as the road was washed away in another place. The counties to the North and South were looking for people that were washed away in the flooding. The main road to get to town is still closed, and we need to take side roads. Now enough about our adventures this week, and on with the English Spot. English Spot Rabbit Breed History/Origin English Spots are believed to have been developed in the late 1800s, of course, in England. Though spotted (broken pattern) rabbits had roamed England for well over 200 years, they were nothing special until the beginning of the 1800s. They generally weighed 7-10 pounds, and were the average spotted meat rabbit, several in every barn. In the early 1820’s, as the general interest in rabbits began to increase, extensive descriptions of the “perfect” spotting patterns was made. It was difficult to get all the various markings aggregated correctly in the same rabbit, which was fine, because farmers rose to the challenge for the next 100 years. In 1893, a drawing of “the perfect English Spot” was published in Britain’s Fur & Feather. The same standard is in use today, and describes the herringbone, butterfly, eye circle, cheek spot, ears and ear base, leg marking, and the chain and hip spots that together make up the side pattern. Ten years after the drawing was published, the winning rabbits in English shows more and more closely approximated that ideal. Photos in 1905 showed rabbits that were clearly Eng. Spot rabbits, though their hip markings were still blotchy and congested. Saddle markings had given way to the desired herringbone stripe. The breed was imported to Germany in 1889, and from there to other countries in Europe. According to the AESRC (American English Spot Rabbit Club) 1947 guidebook, 1890 was the first time English were on the table across the pond. In 1891 the National English Rabbit Club was formed and the markings we all know and love were standardized. The English Spot Rabbit is one of the oldest rabbit breeds, dating back to the mid-19th century. The main purpose for developing this particular breed of rabbit was for show purposes, which back in those days, was uncommon since rabbits were mainly used for meat and fur purposes. It is suggested that they may have come from the Great Lorrainese which is now known as the Giant Papillon, although it is also said that they may have descended from the English Butterfly and/or the Checkered Giant. According to the 1975 guidebook English Spots were in America by 1910. In 1910, the English Spot Rabbit was imported to North America and 12 years later in 1924, the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) accepted it as a recognized breed, and subsequently, the American English Spot Rabbit Club was established. The AESRC was founded in 1924. The first group of members organized the club at the Trenton Inter-State Fair in Trenton, NJ. The first National All English show was held in 1952 in Louisville, KY. In the UK, the breed is known simply as the "English" rabbit. The French named the breed "Lapin Papillon Anglais", or the English Butterfly Rabbit from the butterfly marking on the nose. Previous generations of the breed entailed a white rabbit with patches of color and through the years has acquired clearly defined markings. English Spots have a specific marking pattern and must meet certain marking requirements to be showable in ARBA sanctioned shows. The Eng. Spot is a medium-sized breed with an arched body type. Its weight has been set at 6 - 8 pounds (2.72 - 3.62 kg) in the UK, and 6 - 8 pounds in the USA. The standard for the markings remains the same since 1893. Their markings consist of a butterfly marking on the muzzle; eye circles; cheek spot which is a small spot on the cheek wisker; colored ears; a spine marking which is a stripe from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail that widends above the hips with a herring bone effect meaning jagged marks on each side; and a sweep of side spot markings consisting of a chain, body markings, and hip markings. The side marking spots should start out small in the chain and gradually get larger with the largest spot in the center of the hip markings. The spots should start out with two chain spots at the nape and sweep down, increasing in number, along the belly then swirl up around the hip. All spots should be round and separated from other spots or markings. The rabbits should be free of stray spots on the head and stray spots near the spine. The markings should also be balanced - meaning the two sides of the body and head should be mirror image in size, shape, and placement of the markings. Two other breeds have similar markings (Rhinelander and Checkered Giant), but the English Spot is the only one of the three to have spots on the shoulder. Some of the English Spot marking disqualifications include: more than one break in the spine marking or a break that exceeds 1/4 inch; a missing cheek spot; more than one stray spot on the head; any head markings that touch each other; and white spots in the upper half of the ears. It is permissible for Spots to have colored/mismatched toenails. English Spots that do the best in competition have good type and like to show off and have clean sharp markings with round spots and are free of stray spots. Character English Spots are a very active breed. They are very friendly and love attention. They make a good pet or 4-H project for older children and are a challenging breed for rabbit raisers to breed and show. The English Spot rabbit is an active and hardy breed. They are noted for being very friendly, inquisitive rabbit breed with an engaging personality. They are very lively and energetic and as an active breed they require plenty of exercise with enough space to run and jump. They are very playful and display some entertaining acrobatics most of the time. They are usually sweet in nature and are very good with children, and also excellent as pets. As a playful breed, the English Spot rabbit needs some toys for playing and exercising. The average lifespan of an English Spot rabbit is about 5 to 8 years. Like the majority of rabbits, the most important component of the diet of an English Spot rabbit is hay, a roughage that reduces the chance of blockages and malocclusion whilst providing indigestible fiber necessary to keep the gut moving. Grass hays such as timothy are generally preferred over legume hays like clover and alfalfa. Legume hays are higher in protein, calories, and calcium, which in excess can cause kidney stones and loose stool. This type of hay should be reserved for young kits or lactating does. Some of the vegetables that rabbits enjoy are parsley, thyme, cilantro, dandelion, and basil. The green, leafy tops of radishes and carrots also are excellent sources of nutrients—more than the vegetable itself. New vegetables should be introduced slowly due to the delicate digestive systems of rabbits. It is recommended that cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce and cabbage be avoided, as they cause gas and can lead to gastrointestinal stasis, which can be fatal. Vegetables such as potatoes and corn should also avoided due to their high starch content. All breeds of rabbits also require an unlimited amount of fresh water, usually provided for in a water crock, tip-proof ceramic pet dish, or hanging water bottle. It is challenging to breed a well marked English Spot because not all babies in a litter will be marked, not to mention showable, or marked well. When a pair of marked English Spots are bred together the litter will consist of 1/2 marked, 1/4 Solid (solid colored with no white), and 1/4 Charlie (mostly white with colored ears, partial butterfly, and some other partial markings). Although they can not be shown, the Solids and Charlies can be used in breeding programs. If a Solid is bred to a Charlie, the entire litter will be marked; and when a Self or a Charlie is bred to a marked English Spot, 1/2 the litter will be marked. Breeding English Spots English Spots are a challenging breed to raise because not all English Spots are marked and it is very difficult to get an English Spot that is marked very well. Marked Spots may have marking disqualifications. Markings (as well as type, fur, and color) can be improved by careful selection at breeding and thoughtful selection of breeding stock. Because there are 7 recognized varieties of English Spots, breeding can become more complicated when unrecognized colors or Spots with poor color are part of the litter. Even though they can be difficult, the challenge of deciding which rabbits to breed together and the excitement of looking in the nest box to see what the doe has makes them a lot of fun. Their playful and active temperament also makes them fun. English Spot does are supposed to be very good mothers - they produce a lot of milk for the babies, make good nests and take good care of the babies. Most of the time they have large litters with 6-9 babies and the does are very good about taking on foster babies. Markings English Spots are either Solid, Charlies, or Marked. A Solid is a colored rabbit with no white. A Charlie is a mostly white rabbit with colored ears, a partial butterfly sort of like a mustache, and some other partial marking like a thin spine marking, cheek spots, and sometimes a few side spots. The partially marked babies "typically have a mustache similar to Charlie Chaplin" and therefore are called 'charlies'. A Marked Spot usually has a full butterfly marking and a spine marking that extends all the way to the tail. A Marked Spot is not necessarily showable. Spots are only showable based on their markings when they meet all the requirements in the Standard. Although Solid and Charlies are not showable, they can be useful in a breeding program. A very plainly marked Spot is not a true Charlie - Charlies has very little color. A true Charlie in a breeding program will never have a Solid baby. The butterfly should be faulted for irregularly shaped wings, drags of color, runs of white, nose fork out of proportion, or blunt/crooked/off centered nose fork. Disqualify for split butterfly or white spots in the butterfly. The English Spot pattern is caused by the broken gene. In fact, the symbol for the broken gene is “En” referring to “English Spotting.” When you breed broken to broken – or spot to spot – about 50% of the offspring will be broken colored, 25% will be solid, and 25% will be very lightly marked rabbits known as “charlies.” You can predict the percentages of Solids, Charlies, and Marked Spots in a litter of English Spots - at least theoretically. Marked X Marked = 50% Marked, 25% Solid, and 25% Charlie. Marked X Charlie = 50% Marked & 50% Charlie Marked X Solid = 50% Marked & 50% Solid Solid X Charlie = 100% Marked Charlie X Charlie = 100% Charlie Solid X Solid = 100% Solid Even though you can predict the percentage of marked babies (genetically), individual litters vary. When 2 Marked rabbits are bred together it is certainly possible to have an all marked litter or a litter with no marked babies at all. Color Because English Spots are most known for their markings and the markings are worth the most points when showing, it is tempting to breed rabbits based on their markings regardless of color. Pairing rabbits with incompatible color can cause problems in later generations - it could increase the chances of getting unrecognized colors and could ruin the quality of the color. Even though color is not worth a lot of points, poor color can detract from the general appearance of the rabbit or make markings look less defined. Even worse - you may have to cull some very well marked Spots from your breeding program because they are an unrecognized color or they have a color disqualification. In the USA, the accepted colors are black, blue chocolate, gold, gray, lilac, and tortoise. In the UK, English rabbits are recognized in black, blue, tortoiseshell, chocolate, and gray only. All other colors are specifically rejected as "inadmissible." When choosing breeding stock and making decisions about mating, it is important to look at the colors in the rabbits' pedigree and not just the color of the rabbits you want to breed. Although the colors in the pedigree give you an idea what colors rabbits likely carry, it does not tell you what colors the ancestors' siblings were. For instance there may be no dilutes (ie. Blue, Lilac) in the pedigree, but the rabbits could carry the gene and there are probably siblings of the rabbits in the pedigree that have been dilutes. Be wary of Chocolate in the pedigrees of Greys - if a Grey carries Chocolate, even when bred to Black it can produce Ambers (chocolate greys/chocolate agouti). Blue and Lilac appear to be similar colors, but if you compare good Blues and Lilacs, they are a very different color - they are just both dilutes (Blues are the dilute of Black and Lilacs are the dilute of Chocolate). Crossing Blues and Lilacs will lead to poor blue color and lilacs that are bluish. A pregnant English Spot will require adequate food to support her and her young. Three weeks into the pregnancy, it is common for breeders to provide the doe with a nest box filled with straw. The doe will burrow in the straw and begin lining the nest with hair she pulls from her stomach, in order to insulate her litter and keep them warm, and when ready, she will have her young in the nest. When the kits are 8 weeks of age, it is advised for the young to be separated from their mother. Type Type is very important in Spots and should always be considered when deciding which Spots to breed together. Avoid breeding Spots with the same type flaws together, especially the common type problems in English Spots like chopped hindquarters, short legs, and compact body types. Improving a marking problem through culling is easier than improving a type problem through culling. It can also be difficult to make the decision to cull a very well marked rabbit that does not have good type. Is there any rabbit so remarkable to look at and yet so difficult to produce as the English Spot? Sports, Charlies, and mis-marks all frustrate the English Spot breeder, but he or she keeps at it for the satisfaction of a seeing a well-marked “Spotted Beauty” running home to win. That’s right – English Spots, as well as other full-arch type breeds, do not pose on the show table but run the length of it, end to end and back again. This is the best way to show off their markings, and they are quite fun to watch and to judge. The ideal body type is long and lean, with the belly carried well off the table. Body type and marking are of nearly equal importance in the English Spot standard. Organizations National English Rabbit Club The American English Spot Rabbit Club (AESRC) The American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) http://americanenglishspot.weebly.com/breed-history.html http://www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/english-spot-rabbit/ https://sites.google.com/site/watchmerunspots/englis-spots The US national club: www.AmericanEnglishSpot.weebly.com https://www.raising-rabbits.com/english-spot.html http://rabbitbreeders.us/english-spot-rabbits http://www.roysfarm.com/english-spot-rabbit/ http://americanenglishspot.weebly.com/standard.html Red Eye in Rabbits Hyperemia and Red Eye in Rabbits Red eye is a relatively common condition which causes swelling or irritation in the rabbit's eye or eyelid. This appearance of blood vessels in the eyeball can develop because of various reasons, including many systemic or body diseases. If your rabbit has red eye, seek veterinary advice immediately, as it is generally a secondary symptom to a more serious condition. Symptoms and Types The signs and symptoms of red eye and related conditions often depend on the underlying cause. For example, if the red eye is due to a dental disorder, there may be signs of tooth decay or dental disease in the animal. Other common signs and symptoms may include: Impaired vision Swollen eyelids Eye discharge Extra tissue around the eyes Nasal discharge and upper respiratory infection or cold Hair loss and crusting in the mucous membrane, especially around the eyes, nasal area and cheeks Lethargy Depression Abnormal posture Facial masses Causes: Because there are many causes to rabbit red eye, it is often difficult to identify the exact cause. However, some factors may include: Bacterial infections, including Treponema cuniculi (or rabbit syphilis), which can cause swollen eyelids Conjunctivitis, a common disorder causing red eye that can result from allergies, bacterial or viral irritants; sometimes occurring as a side-effect of a respiratory tract infection Keratitis, which is usually a fungal infection of the eye, and which can follow an injury to the eye Glaucoma, which if left untreated, can cause blindness Dental diseases, which can bring debris in the eye, causing inflammation or blocking a tear duct Diagnosis The veterinarian will run a variety of laboratory tests to diagnose the cause for the rabbit's red eye. This includes skin and other type of cultures, as well as exams testing for cataracts and other ocular diseases that can impair vision and health. If the veterinarian is still unable to diagnose the condition, they may run special tests including: Tonometry – measures the eye pressure in order to diagnose glaucoma and other related disorders Schirmer tear test – detects dry eye , a condition which can lead to red eye Cytologic examinations – identifies infections within the tear ducts and surrounding tissues Fluorescein stains – helps rule out ulcerative keratitis, a condition which can lead to red eye Treatment Treatment is almost always dependent on the underlying cause of the condition. For example, if the rabbit's red eye is due to a dental disease, a tooth extraction may be necessary; whereas a case of bacterial-caused red eye may require an antibiotic prescription. To alleviate the rabbit's pain, the veterinarian will prescribe topical anti-inflammatory medication. In some cases, animals will require a short-course of topical steroid agents, especially rabbits with ulcers, delayed wound healing, and those with certain infections. Living and Management Some animals may require long-term pain management. Still others may require repeat eye exams to help ensure the rabbit's eye inflammation is managed properly, and that eye pressure remains stable to help prevent blindness. https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/eyes/c_rb_red_eye The Story of the Perverted Message Hottentot Like many other [First Nation peoples], the Namaquas or Hottentots story of the associate the phases of the moon with the idea of immortality, the apparent waning and waxing of the luminary Moon and being understood by them as a real process of alternate disintegration and reintegration, of decay and growth repeated perpetually. Even the rising and setting of the moon is interpreted by them as its birth and death. They say that once on a time the Moon wished to send to mankind a message of immortality, and the hare undertook to act as messenger. So the Moon charged him to go to men and say, ” As I die and rise to life again, so shall you die and rise to life again.” Accordingly the hare went to men, but either out of forgetfulness or malice he reversed the message and said, ” As I die and do not rise to life again, so you shall also die and not rise to life again.” Then he went back to the Moon, and she asked him what he had said. He told her, and when she heard how he had given the wrong message, she was so angry that he threw a stick at him which split his lip. That is why the hare’s lip is still cloven. So the hare ran away and is still running to this day. Some people, however, say that before he fled he clawed the Moon’s face, which still bears the marks of the scratching, as anybody may see for himself on a clear moonlight night. But the Namaquas are still angry with the hare for robbing them of immortality. The old men of the tribe used to say, ” We are still enraged with the hare, because he brought such a bad message, and we will not eat him.” Hence from the day when a youth comes of age and takes his place among the men, he is forbidden to eat hare’s flesh, or even to come into contact with a fire on which a hare has been cooked. If a man breaks the rule, he is not infrequently banished the village. However, on the payment of a fine he may be readmitted to the community. A similar tale, with some minor differences, is told by Bushman the Bushmen). According to them, the Moon formerly said originally of death # to men, ” As I die and come to life again, so shall ye do ; [death# ] then when ye die, ye shall not die altogether but shall rise again.” the hare [relayed the message s-i-c]. But one man would not believe the glad tidings of immortality, and he would not consent to hold his tongue. For his mother had died, he loudly lamented her, and nothing, could persuade him that she would come to life again. A heated altercation ensued between him and the Moon on this painful subject. “Your mother’s asleep,” says, the Moon. # She’s dead,” says the man, and at it they went again, hammer and tongs, till at last the Moon lost patience and struck the man on the face with her fist, cleaving his mouth with the blow. And as she did so, she cursed him saying, ” His mouth shall be always like this, even when he is a hare. For a hare he shall be. He shall spring away, he shall come doubling back. The dogs shall chase him, and when they have caught him they shall tear him in pieces. He shall altogether die. And all men, when they die, shall die outright. For he would not agree with me, when I bid him not to weep for his mother, for she would live again. * No,’ says he to mc, * my mother will not live again.’ Therefore he shall altogether become a hare. And the people, they shall altogether die, because he contradicted me flat when I told him that the people would do as I do, returning to life after they were dead.” So a righteous retribution overtook the skeptic for his skepticism, for he was turned into a hare, and a hare he has been ever since. But still he has human flesh in his thigh, and that is why, when the Bushmen kill a hare, they will not eat that portion 6f the thigh, but cut it out, because it is human flesh. And still the Bushmen say, ” It was on account of the hare that the Moon cursed us, so that we die altogether. If it had not been for him, we should have come to life again when we died. But he would not believe what the Moon told him, he contradicted her flat.” In this Bushman version of the story the hare is not the animal messenger of God to men, but a human skeptic who, for doubting the gospel of eternal life, is turned into a hare and involves the whole human race in the doom of mortality. This may be an older form of the story than the Hottentot version, in which the hare is a hare and nothing more. https://japanesemythology.wordpress.com/moon-viewing-tradition/african-tales-of-how-the-hare-got-to-the-moon-and-how-mankind-lost-immortality/ In a pan–African story, the Moon sends Hare, her divine messenger, down to earth to give mankind the gift of immortality. “Tell them,” she says, “that just as the Moon dies and rises again, so shall you.” But Hare, in the role of trickster buffoon, manages to get the message wrong, bestowing mortality instead and bringing death to the human world. The Moon is so angry, she beats Hare with a stick, splitting his nose (as it remains today). It is Hare’s role to lead the dead to the Afterlife in penance for what he’s done. https://ronelthemythmaker.wordpress.com/2017/02/23/rabbits-and-hares-of-folklore-folklorethursday/ Word of the week: Latitude © Copyrighted

Kat Arney discovers the compound that first coloured the Chicago river green for St Patrick's Day

In 'Dye the Eye', we take you through the different dyes that we use in Ophthalmology. So much that all of them cannot be covered in a single episode. So we broke it down into multiple episodes. In the first part we cover Fluorescein, the most commonly used dye. Stay tuned for the next part. www.ophthocast.com

Host-Guest chemistry based on mesoporous silica materials has attracted increasing attention in the past two decades. Potential applications for these functionalized materials are in the fields of controlled drug delivery, catalysis, separation or encapsulation of functional biomolecules. The present work is focused on the synthesis of nanosized, mesoporous drug delivery devices, which are able to release a preloaded drug as a result of a certain trigger action, e.g. during the endocytosis in a cancer cell. For this purpose, several different synthesis strategies had to be developed in order to incorporate the different required functional groups within one mesoporous silica nanoparticle. A spatial separation of two different functionalities was achieved by the development of a sequential co-condensation approach. With this approach, core-shell bifunctionalized colloidal mesoporous silica could be synthesized. The obtained particles are an important prerequisite for other systems presented in this work. The applicability of the copper-(I)-catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click reaction) as mild synthetic tool for the immobilization of biomolecules in the channels of mesoporous silica was investigated. In this joint project between our group and the research group of Prof. Ernst Wagner (LMU), it was shown that a sensitive enzyme can be immobilized with this strategy in the pores of SBA-15. It was demonstrated that the recoverability and long-term stability of the active enzyme benefits from the encapsulation in the host. The well-known strong biotin-avidin interaction was used for the construction of a protease-responsive cap system for controlling the release from colloidal mesoporous silica. Fluorescein was released from the nanoparticles as a model compound for small drug molecules. In order to monitor the release, a custom-made two-compartment fluorescence cuvette was designed. Thermoresponsive opening through protein denaturation was demonstrated for temperatures higher than 90 °C. A programmable opening temperature for this concept became possible by using DNA-linkers between the silica surface and the avidin cap. It was demonstrated that the length of the double-stranded DNA controls the opening temperature of the avidin cap. This work was carried out as a join project between our group, the research group of Prof. Thomas Carell (LMU) and the baseclick GmbH. Redox-responsive drug delivery was investigated in living cells. In this context, the release of disulfide-linked, dye-labeled cystein from the core of colloidal mesoporous silica was monitored by confocal fluorescence microscopy at a single cell level, in collaboration with the research group of Prof. Christoph Bräuchle. It was shown by photoinduced endosomal rupture that the endosomal escape is a bottleneck in redox-based drug delivery. This concept was extended through the synthesis of photosensitizer-functionalized, PEGylated colloidal mesoporous silica. It was demonstrated that particle-loaded endosomes collapse under irradiation with 405 nm light and release the particles into the cytosol. In another joint project between the groups of Prof. Bein, Prof. Bräuchle, Prof. Rädler and Prof. Leonhardt together with Dr. Ulrich Rothbauer (all LMU), the novel photosensitizer-functionalized porous nanoparticles were used as carriers for the delivery of small GFP-binding antibodies from Camelidae sp. into GFP-tubulin expressing HuH7 cancer cells. Additionally, the particles were encapsulated by a supported lipid bilayer. The attached photosensitizer was shown to play a key role in the delivery mechanism. Light-irradiation was used to destroy both surrounding membranes (supported lipid bilayer and endosomal membrane). Finally, the pH-responsive release of the membrane-intercalating peptide mellitin from a mesoporous SBA-15 host was demonstrated. This was possible through the use of pH-sensitive acetal linkers. The release of the peptide was shown by the lysis of mouse erythrocytes. This work was carried out in collaboration with the group of Prof. Ernst Wagner. To summarize, mesoporous silica materials were functionalized with different biomolecules in order to generate novel materials for potential applications in drug delivery or other controlled release applications. The newly developed concepts provide a basis for future work on mesoporous silica as a powerful and versatile drug delivery platform.

Purpose: To compare and correlate imaging of classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with noninvasive 3-dimensional imaging by the retinal thickness analyzer (RTA) to conventional fluorescein angiography (FA). Methods: A total of 29 eyes of 29 consecutive patients with predominantly classic CNV eligible for photodynamic therapy underwent FA and RTA imaging. The FA dimensions of the CNV were measured independently by two graders. With the RTA, masked to FA the size of the CNV itself as imaged in 3-dimensional reconstruction, the size of significantly thickened retina overlying the CNV and the maximum retinal thickness were measured. Results: The mean diameter of the CNV determined from 3-dimensional RTA reconstructions showed an excellent correlation with measurements from FA (r = 0.91, p < 0.001). The area of retinal thickening was by a mean of 0.7 mm in diameter larger and correlated moderately well with the size of the CNV on FA (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). In contrast, there was no correlation between the absolute retinal thickness and the CNV size on FA. Conclusions: Noninvasive quantitative mapping of predominantly classic CNV by RTA is feasible and also allows 3-dimensional measurement of the lesion itself. The results correlate well with FA assessment but visualize different properties of the disease. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.