Management of concurrent patellar luxation and cranial cruciate ligament rupture using modified tibial plateau levelling

Objectives : To evaluate a novel surgery aimed at managing concurrent medial patellar luxation (MPL) and cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) ruptures in dogs weighing more than 30 kg. Methods : Tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) and femoral trochleopasty were performed. The principal tibial fragment was laterally translated by 3 to 6 mm and was externally and abaxially rotated to create a wedge measuring 1·5 to 2·5 mm at the medial and cranial aspect and 1 to 3 mm at the medial and distal aspect of the tibial plateau fragment. The fragments were stabilised with a narrow TPLO plate. Results : Thirteen surgeries were performed in 12 dogs with a mean weight of 39·8 kg. The mean postoperative tibial plateau slope was 8·1°. Additional surgery was required in two cases, one due to failure of fixation and another due to screw breakage. The mean lameness score was 3·5 (out of 5) before surgery, 0·7 after 8 to 12 weeks, and 0·3 at final follow-up. Median follow-up was 1115 days (range, 270 to 2040 days). No patella luxated after surgery. Clinical Significance : MPL and CCL ruptures may be successfully managed by performing a TPLO and simultaneously altering the relationship of the principal and tibial plateau fragments during surgery.     

Clinical Course of Acute Canine Polyradiculoneuritis Following Treatment with Human IV Immunoglobulin

Treatment of dogs with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis (ACP) is restricted to physical rehabilitation and supportive care. In humans with Guillain-Barré syndrome, the counterpart of ACP, randomized trials show that IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) speeds recovery. The authors of the current study hypothesized that dogs with ACP would tolerate IVIg well and recover faster than dogs managed with supportive treatment only. Sixteen client-owned dogs with ACP were treated with IVIg, and 14 client-owned dogs served as a retrospective control group. Diagnosis was confirmed using clinical features, electrodiagnostics, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and muscle/nerve biopsies. The duration of the initial progressive phase, the time from IVIg administration until the dogs were ambulating without assistance, and the duration of the complete episode were evaluated. Adverse reactions (anaphylaxis, mild hematuria) were observed in two dogs. Dogs treated with IVIg were ambulating without assistance after a median of 27.5 days (range, 15-127 days) from onset of clinical signs. The control group was ambulatory without assistance at a median of 75.5 days (range, 5-220 days). Even though this result is not statistically significant, there is a clear trend toward faster recovery in dogs treated with IVIg.     

The extent of historic translocation of Norway spruce forest reproductive material in Europe

Key message

Norway spruce seed has been traded extensively for at least three centuries throughout the natural distribution range in Europe and beyond. However, our knowledge about these transfers is limited. Historic data are essential tools to trace back human-mediated gene flow and for interpretation of recent genetic studies.

Context

Human-mediated gene flow can potentially have a major impact on the genetic composition of forest tree populations, yet our knowledge about seed sources used within the current species’ range is still limited. Norway spruce is one of the most important coniferous species in European forestry, and data drawing conclusions about the genetic composition of current populations are vital with regard to gene conservation and sustainable forest management. Because molecular data are not available on a more detailed scale, historic records provide crucial information about translocations.

Aims

Our aim is to provide the first pan-European review on Norway spruce translocations from the seventeenth until the twentieth century.

Methods

We analysed historic and recent literature compiling information on the cultivation and transfer of Norway spruce reproductive material. Historic records are compared with recent molecular studies.

Results

Seed exchanges have profoundly altered the native genetic population structure of Norway spruce. Especially, Central European seeds have been used throughout and beyond the natural distribution area. Figures illustrating the historic plantings in Europe are provided.

Conclusion

Recent molecular data reveal persisting effects of past translocations. Historical records can be extremely useful for providing information about autochthony and thus guide gene conservation strategies and explain the performance of extant populations.

     

Effects of soil properties and land management on the structure of grassland snail assemblages in SW Germany

Quantitative analyses of the snail assemblages of four a priori defined categories of grassland sites, characterized by soil moisture, land use and management, were conducted in SW Germany. Topsoil pH and calcium content were determined for each of 39 sites. The objectives were to study the effects of these habitat characteristics on snail density, species richness and quantitative structure of the land snail assemblages. With one exception, no significant relationships between soil pH (as a proxy for Ca supply) and the total numbers of individuals and species at the four site categories were observed. Snail density and species richness on groundwater soils, represented by rarely mown sedge stands and regularly mown meadows, were clearly higher than on intermediate moisture soils (as defined by the climatic water balance) of regularly mown meadows, indicating that soil moisture was the most important factor accounting for these differences. Furthermore, we observed specific conditions associated with the presence of trees in the category of meadow orchards on intermediate moisture soils. There, numbers of individuals and species were significantly higher than in the meadows on intermediate moisture soils. A posteriori cluster analysis of quantitative similarity of all snail assemblages showed that soil moisture accounts for the major differences between the site categories with respect to snail density, species richness and quantitative composition of the grassland snail assemblages. As these results are in contrast to the findings of many woodland studies, we suggest that the occurrence or abundance of certain species in the site categories are explained by land management, especially by frequent disturbances at the soil surface caused by mowing.     

Effect of Geotrichum candidum protein substitution in pelleted fish feed on the growth of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Rich.) and on utilization of the diet

Three experiments were conducted with rainbow trout to determine if Geotrichum candidum GC single cell protein could replace 100, 75 or 50% of fish meal in a pelleted diet. When the fish meal was completely replaced by GC the fish growth was retarded after 3 weeks of the experiment. With the larger fish (individual weight 47–54 g) in the short trial there were significant differences between fish fed the control diet (fish meal) and those fed the 75% substitution of GC diet. The most remarkable differences in fish growth appeared in a 42-day trial with small fish (5 g individual weight) when fish groups fed diets with 0.50 and 75% replacement gave significantly different results (P < 0.05), being 93,9, 46.6 and 34.2% gain, with feed coefficients of 1.49, 2.77 and 3.67, respectively. With large fish fed diets with 0,50 and 75% GC replacement, apparent digestibility of protein was 64.7, 68.2 and 37.5%, but fat digestibility was 79.5, 91.1 and 81.0%, respectively. No significant differences in amounts of free plasma amino acid (PAA) were found between rainbow trout fed diets with 0 or 50% substitution, but there was a marked decrease in PAA in the group fed the diet with 75% GC substitution. Analysis of chosen heavy metals was made on diets, fish and faeces, and Cu in particular was found not to be accumulated in the fish body.     

Judging Fitness for Purpose of a X-ray Fluorescence Based Method Investigating the Vertical Distribution of Metals and Metalloids in Soil Profiles

A column of soil, excavated from a contaminated landscape was evaluated by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis. The measurements were intended to assess the vertical distribution of heavy metals and toxic elements in the depth profile. To judge fitness for purpose of the analytical method used the element specific power functions were derived yielding the minimum detectable variations of analyte concentrations refer to the investigated soil profile. The required measurement uncertainty components caused by both the sampling procedure and chemical analysis were empirically estimated using a nested sampling design (duplicate method). For this purpose the full length of the soil core was divided into horizontal layers. From each selected layer (sampling target) two composite samples were taken by simple random sampling to represent the typical composition of the sampling target. The pool of measurement results, obtained for the nested sampling design finally was subjected to variance analysis. The evaluation of the estimated variance components in terms of the percentage of total variance confirmed fitness for purpose for the method used.