The Effect of Triple Pelvic Osteotomy on Hip Force in Dysplastic Dogs: A Theoretical Analysis

The effect of a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) procedure on the forces acting about the hip joint was examined in five dysplastic canine hips using a previously described theoretical analysis. Hip reaction force (F_h) and its angle of application (θ_h) were calculated from radiographic measurements made before and after TPO procedures which sequentially increased acetabular ventroversion from 0° to 20°, 30°, and 40°. The results of the in vitro study showed that F_h decreased with increasing acetabular ventroversion reaching an asymptotic value between 30° and 40°. The decrease in F_h corresponded to an increase in θ_h toward the vertical, with statistical significance found in both F_h and θ_h between 0° and 20°. The changes observed in F_h and θ_h after TPO were attributed to the medialization of the femoral head resulting from the reduction of the subluxated head. The results of this study suggest that the noted reduction in the magnitude of the forces acting on the hip joint may act in concert with increased coverage of the femoral head to effect the beneficial clinical results observed with the TPO procedure.     

Biomechanical and Histological Evaluation of a Laparoscopic Stapled Gastropexy Technique in Dogs

The biomechanical holding strength and histological characteristics of a laparoscopic stapled gastropexy (LG) adhesion were compared with that of an incisional gastropexy (IG) adhesion. An LG was performed in 14 dogs and an IG was performed in six dogs. During the LG procedure, the abdomen was insufflated with carbon dioxide and three cannulae were placed in the caudal aspect of the right side of the abdomen. A 35 mm laparoscopic stapler was used to staple the gastric antrum to the adjacent right lateral abdominal wall. The IG procedure was performed through a ventral midline celiotomy. A 35 mm IG was made by apposing the gastric antrum to the adjacent right lateral abdominal wall with two continuous rows of suture. Half of each group of dogs was euthanatized at 7 and 30 days after surgery. The mean tensile load to failure at 7 days was 44.86 ± 18.54 N for the LG group and 85.33 ± 23.59 N for the IG group ( P <.05). At 30 days the values were 72.93 ± 18.01 N for the LG group and 71.17 ± 12.11 N for the IG group ( P =.41). The gastropexy adhesions in the 7-day postoperative group contained variable amounts of fibrin, hemorrhage, mononuclear cell inflammation, loose fibrovascular tissue, and mature collagenous connective tissue. Adhesions in the 7-day postoperative group were divided subjectively into three histological subgroups based on the relative amounts of mature connective tissue within the adhesion. The LG and IG adhesions were randomly distributed among these subgroups ( P = 1.0). Adhesions in the 30-day postoperative group contained well-organized fibrous connective tissue. No difference in the amount of connective tissue could be detected histologically in the LG or IG adhesions. Complications with the LG procedure included stomach perforation (2 cases), splenic puncture (2 cases), and subcutaneous emphysema (4 cases).     

Epiglottic Augmentation in the Horse

Epiglottic augmentation with injectable bovine collagen or an autogenous or allogenous auricular cartilage graft was performed in 12 horses with endoscopically and radiographically normal epiglottises. The grafting procedures were easy to perform and did not cause apparent discomfort. Cartilage graft extrusion or resorption may have occurred, but was not seen by endoscopy and lateral laryngeal radiography. Only collagen implants remained evident endoscopically, as smooth round submucosal bulges ventral to the epiglottic cartilage. Two horses with collagen implants, and all horses with cartilage autografts and allografts, were euthanatized at week 16. One horse with a collagen implant was euthanatized at week 4 and one at week 6. The epiglottis appeared thickened in three horses with collagen implants, two horses with autogenous grafts, and three horses with allogenous grafts. Pharyngeal lymphoid tissue was hyperplastic in two horses with autografts and three horses with allografts, but not in horses with collagen implants. Collagen grafts persisted as one or two smooth bulges 8 mm in diameter. Collagen incited a brisk foreign body reaction that was surrounded by a fibrous connective tissue capsule. Epiglottises of the horses with collagen implants were significantly thicker 20 mm from the tip than those of normal horses and horses with allografts. Cartilage graft incorporation was not evident grossly and was seen on microscopic examination in only one autograft. Thickening was caused by submucosal fibrosis.     

Isolation, culture and ultrastructure of a xylem-limited bacterium associated with Sumatra disease of cloves

A xylem-limited bacterium (XLB) previously shown to be associated with Sumatra disease of clove trees was consistently isolated from diseased but not from healthy trees. Isolation of the XLB was most successful using freshly expressed bacterial ooze obtained from root and branch tissues with low to moderate levels of xylem vessel invasion in trees at early stages of disease. XLB were commonly isolated from trees with the rapid form of disease but infrequently from those with slow decline. Bacterial colonies grew slowly on nutrient agar, reaching a maximum diameter of 1 mm in 5-7 days at 28^oC. Cells of the bacterium were 0.5-0.6 μm in width and 1.0-1.5 μm in length and did not possess flagella. The bacterial envelope was strongly rippled and Gram negative.     

Antifollicular cell-mediated and humoral immunity in canine alopecia areata

Abstract A combination of cellular and humoral immunological assaults directed against follicular matrical cells is suspected to cause alopecia areata (AA) in humans. The specific aims of this study were to determine whether cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were increased in the blood and skin lesions of canine AA. Additionally, we wished to determine if circulating antifollicular antibodies were present in the dog. Finally, we aimed to investigate whether bulbar inflammation was associated with decreased matrical cell proliferation and keratinocyte apoptosis. Canine AA lesions were infiltrated by intrabulbar CTL, perifollicular helper T cells and dendritic cells. A higher percentage of CTL was present in canine AA peripheral blood compared with that of normal dogs. Tissue-fixed and circulating antifollicular IgG antibodies were detected. Reduced matrical proliferation and increased keratinocyte apoptosis was observed in inflamed hair bulbs. This study demonstrates the existence of antifollicular cell-mediated and humoral immunological responses in canine AA. Résumé— L'association d'agressions immunologiques cellulaires et humorales dirigées contre les cellules matricielles folliculaires est suspectée d'être à l'origine de l'Alopécie Areata chez l'homme. Le but de cette étude était de montrer si le nombre de lymphocytes T cytotoxiques est augmenté dans le sang et dans les lésions cutanées lors d'Alopécie Areata chez le chien. En plus, nous souhaitions montrer la présence d'anticorps circulants antifolliculaire chez le chien. Enfin, nous voulions voir si l'inflammation du bulbe pileux était associée à une diminution de la prolifération des cellules matricielles et une apoptose des kératinocytes. Lors d'Alopécie Areata chez le chien, existe une infiltration lésionnelle par des lymphocytes T cytotoxiques intrabulbaires, des lymphocytes T auxiliaires périfolliculaires et des cellules dentritiques. Le pourcentage de lymphocytes T cytotoxiques était plus important dans le sang périphérique provenant de sujets à Alopécie Areata que dans le sang d'animaux sains. Par ailleurs, des anticorps antifolliculaire (IgG) circulants et fixés dans les tissus sont détectés. Une réduction de la prolifération des cellules matricielles et une augmentation de l'apoptose des kératinocytes sont observées dans les bulbes pileux atteints. Cette étude démontre l'existence de réponses immunologiques cellulaires et humorales contre le follicule pileux dans l'Alopécie Areata du chien. [Olivry, T., Moore, P.F., Naydan, D.K., Puget, B.J., Affolter, V.K., Kline, A.E. Antifollicular cell-mediated and humoral immunity in canine alopecia areata (Immunité contre le follicule pileux dans l'Alopécie Areata du chien). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 67–79.] Resumen Se cree que la alopecia areata (AA) en la especie humana resulta de la combinación de la acción inmunológica celular y humoral contra células de la matriz folicular. Los objetivos especificos de este estudio fueron determinar si los linfocitos T citotóxicos (CTL) se encontraban aumentados en sangre y en las lesiones cutáneas de animales con AA. Además, descamos investigar la posible presencia de anticuerpos antifoliculares circulantes en el perro. Finalmente, nos propusimos investigar si la inflamación bulbar se encontraba asociada a una disminución en la proliferación de células de la matriz y a la apoptosis de queratinocitos. Las lesiones de la AA canina mostraban infiltración por CTL intrabulbares, células T colaboradoras y células dendríticas. Se encontró un porcentaje mayor de CTL en la sangre periférica de perros con AA respecto a perros normales. Se detectaron anticuerpos IgG antifoliculares circulantes y en tejido fijado. Se observó una disminución en la proliferación matrical y un aumento en queratinocitos apoptóticos en los bulbos foliculares inflamados. Este estudio demuestra la existencia de respuestas inmunitarias antifoliculares de tipo celular y humoral en la AA canina. [Olivry, T., Moore, P.F., Naydan, D.K., Puget, B.J., Affolter, V.K., Kline, A.E. Antifollicular cell-mediated and humoral immunity in canine alopecia areata (Immunidad antifolicular en la alopecia areata canina). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 67–79.] Zusammenfassung— Eine Kombinaton von zellulären und humoralen immunologischen Angriffen, die gegen die follikulären Matrixzellen gerichtet sind, wird als Ursache bei der Alopecia areata (AA) des Menschen vermutet. Die besondere Absicht dieser Studie war, festzustellen, ob die zytotoxischen T-Lymphozyten (CTL) im Blut und in den Hautveränderungen bei kaniner AA erhöht sind. Zusätzlich wollten wir feststellen, ob beim Hund zirkulierende antifollikuläre Antikörper vorkommen. Schließlich beabsichtigten wir, zu untersuchen, ob die bulbäre Entzündung mit verminderter Matrixzellproliferation und Keratinozytenapoptose einhergeht. Die Veränderungen bei kaniner AA wurden von intrabulbären CTL, perifollikulären T-Helferzellen und dendritischen Zellen infiltriert. Verglichen mit dem peripheren Blut gesunder Hunde kam bei kaniner AA eine höherer Prozentsatz an CTL vor. Es wurden gewebsfixierte und zirkulierende antifollikuläre IgG-Antikörper festgestellt. In entzündeten Haarbulbi wurde eine reduzierte Matrixproliferation und eine erhöhte Keratinozytenapoptose beobachtet. Diese Studie zeigt die Existenz von antifollikulären zellvermittelten und humoralen immunologischen Reaktionen bei kaniner AA. [Olivry, T., Moore, P. F., Naydan, D. K., Puget, B. J., Affolter, V. K., Kline, A. E. Antifollicular immunity in canine alopecia areata (Antifollikuläre Immunität bei der Alopecia areata des Hundes). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 67–79.]     

Sumatra disease in cloves induced by a xylem-limited bacterium following mechanical inoculation

Suspensions of a Gram negative, non motile nutritionally fastidious bacterium, cultured from clove trees affected by Sumatra disease and inoculated by needle puncture into the xylem of seedling cloves and young trees, caused the death of over 60% of the plants withing 2 year. Bacteria, confined to zylem vesssels, occurred throughout the vascular systems of dying plants and were also still active in some of the plants which survived for 3 years after inoculation. Bactria resembling those used as inoculum were readily reisolated form dying plants but not from any water-treated controls. Symptoms in experimental plants and the appearance and distribution of vessels occluded by bacteria were indistinguishable from those resulting from natural infection. All clove types tested were susceptible, including progeny from trees which had survived past disease attack. Result suggest the importance of using vigorously growing plants and providing protection against full sunlight during incubation for the successful establishment of beacterial infection in juvenile clove plants follwing mechanical inoculation.