Arthroscopic Removal of Palmar/Plantar Osteochondral Fragments from the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint in Four Horses

Objective— To describe anatomic considerations and arthroscopic technique in horses for arthroscopic removal of palmar/plantar osteochondral fragments from the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint. Study Design— Retrospective study. Animals— Adult horses (n=4) with osteochondral fragments of the palmar/plantar PIP joint. Methods— Arthroscopic removal of palmar/plantar osteochondral fragments within the PIP joint was performed with horses in dorsal recumbency under general anesthesia. Medical records of affected horses were reviewed to determine history; physical, lameness, and radiological findings; surgical technique; complications and outcome. Results— Two horses had lameness localized to the PIP joint. Two other horses had lameness suspected, but not confirmed to the pastern region. One of these horses had a history of intermittent lameness, but was not lame on admission. All horses had radiographic evidence of palmar/plantar osteochondral fragmentation within the PIP joint. Fragmentation was located abaxially in 2 horses in the hind limb and axially in 2 horses in the left forelimb. Osteochondral fragments were successfully removed via a palmar/plantar arthroscopic approach in all horses. Three horses returned to previous levels of athletic performance; 1 horse was used for trail riding instead of reining. Conclusions— Arthroscopy of the palmar/plantar pouch of the PIP joint allowed limited assessment of the joint and removal of osteochondral fragments. Clinical Relevance— Arthroscopy of the palmar/plantar PIP joint pouch for assessment and removal of osteochondral fragments is possible and should be considered when lameness is localized to this joint.     

Multiple high-throughput analyses monitor the response of E. coli to perturbations

Analysis of cellular components at multiple levels of biological information can provide valuable functional insights. We performed multiple high-throughput measurements to study the response of Escherichia coli cells to genetic and environmental perturbations. Analysis of metabolic enzyme gene disruptants revealed unexpectedly small changes in messenger RNA and proteins for most disruptants. Overall, metabolite levels were also stable, reflecting the rerouting of fluxes in the metabolic network. In contrast, E. coli actively regulated enzyme levels to maintain a stable metabolic state in response to changes in growth rate. E. coli thus seems to use complementary strategies that result in a metabolic network robust against perturbations.     

Kinematic Motion Patterns of the Cranial and Caudal Canine Cervical Spine

Objective: To define the kinematic motion patterns of the canine cervical spine, with a particular emphasis on identifying differences between the cranial (C₂–C₄) and caudal (C₅–C₇) segments, and to determine the significance of coupled motions (CM) in the canine cervical spine. Study Design: Cadaveric biomechanical study. Sample Population: Cervical spines of 8 Foxhounds. Methods: Spinal specimens were considered free of pathology based on radiographic, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging examinations. All musculature was removed without damaging ligaments or joint capsules. Spines were mounted in a customized pure‐moment spine testing jig, and data were collected using an optoelectronic motion capture system. Range of motion, neutral zone and CM in flexion/extension, left/right lateral bending and left/right axial rotation were established. Data were analyzed using mixed‐effects maximum likelihood regression models. Results: Total flexion/extension did not change across the 4 levels. There was no difference between flexion and extension, and no CM was identified. Lateral bending was not different across levels, but tended to be greater in the cranial spine. Axial rotation was ～2.6 times greater in the caudal segments. Lateral bending and axial rotation were coupled. Conclusions: Kinematics of the cranial and caudal cervical spine differed markedly with greater mobility in the caudal cervical spine.     

Genetic parameters for survival during the grow‐out period in the GIFT strain of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and correlated response to selection for harvest weight

The aims of this study were the estimation of genetic parameters for survival rate from tagging until harvest and the evaluation of the correlated response in survival rate to selection for harvest weight in the genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) strain. The heritability for survival rate was low (0.038), and so was its genetic correlation with harvest weight (0.065), suggesting that selecting for the latter trait would have had no effect on survival. The calculation of the probability of survival by spawning season and line, fitting a model that included the random effects of individual animal and common environment, confirmed this prediction. There were very small and variable between line differences in the probability of survival, which generally favoured the selection line. We conclude that the focus of the GIFT programme on improving harvest weight was not detrimental to the survival of the fish during the grow‐out phase.     

Effect of Ischemia and Reperfusion on Neutrophil Accumulation in Equine Microvascular Tissue Flaps

Objective— To investigate neutrophil accumulation after ischemia and reperfusion (IR) in microvascular tissue flaps in horses.
Study Design— Randomized controlled experiment.
Sample Population— A total of 8 horses between 1 and 10 years of age, 4 of each sex.
Methods— Control and experimental myocutaneous island flaps based on the superficial branch of the deep circumflex iliac vessels were dissected on each horse. Atraumatic vascular clamps were applied to the pedicle of the experimental flap for 90 minutes and then removed to allow reperfusion. Based on the assumption that rapid infiltration of neutrophils into affected tissues is a hallmark of IR injury, radiolabeled autogenous leukocytes were used to indirectly quantify neutrophil accumulation in flap tissues. Labeled leukocytes were administered through a jugular catheter 30 minutes before flap reperfusion. Biopsies were collected from each flap over a 6 hour postischemia time period; in group 1 (  n = 4  ) from 0 to 6 hours postischemia, and in group 2 (  n = 4  ) from 24 to 30 hours postischemia. Biopsies were examined scintigraphically and histologically for evidence of neutrophil infiltration.
Results— All control flaps survived and 6 of 8 experimental flaps survived. There was no significant evidence of acute neutrophil infiltration into flap tissues after reperfusion in either group.
Conclusions— The results of this study suggest that equine myocutaneous flap tissues can survive a 90-minute ischemic period and reperfusion. No significant evidence of the occurrence of IR injury in flap tissues was found.
Clinical Relevance— The reasons for the previously reported failures of equine free tissue transfer remain uncertain, but they do not appear to be caused by neutrophil mediated injury associated with ischemia and reperfusion.     

Melanesian blond hair is caused by an amino acid change in TYRP1

Naturally blond hair is rare in humans and found almost exclusively in Europe and Oceania. Here, we identify an arginine-to-cysteine change at a highly conserved residue in tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) as a major determinant of blond hair in Solomon Islanders. This missense mutation is predicted to affect catalytic activity of TYRP1 and causes blond hair through a recessive mode of inheritance. The mutation is at a frequency of 26% in the Solomon Islands, is absent outside of Oceania, represents a strong common genetic effect on a complex human phenotype, and highlights the importance of examining genetic associations worldwide.     

Effects of Short-term Hyper- and Hypoprolactinaemia on Hormones of the Pituitary, Gonad and -Thyroid Axis and on Semen Quality in Male Beagles

Effects of a short-term hyper- and hypoprolactinaemia on serum concentrations of LH, testosterone and semen quality in six male Beagles were investigated. Blood samples were collected at 3-day intervals for 12 weeks. The time span was divided into five 3-week periods: pre-treatment, metoclopramide (MCP) treatment (0.2 mg/kg orally three times daily), cabergoline (CAB) treatment (5 μg/kg orally once daily), post-treatment 1 and post-treatment 2. In the latter, only semen characteristics were evaluated. Semen parameters were analyzed once per week during the whole 15-week investigation time. At the end of each period, the effects of a single intravenous injection of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH; 10 μg/kg) on the secretion of prolactin (PRL), LH, testosterone, thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroxine (T4) were investigated. Pre-treatment serum PRL concentration increased under MCP (p < 0.05), followed by a decrease under CAB administration (p < 0.05). Luteinizing hormone and testosterone concentrations were not affected. Except for straight-line sperm velocity, semen quality did not differ between collection periods. A single iv TRH injection induced a significant PRL increase at 20 min in all experimental periods except during CAB treatment. Luteinizing hormone and testosterone did not show clear TRH-related changes. Basic T4 levels were significantly reduced after CAB treatment (p < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that MCP-induced short-term hyperprolactinaemia in male beagles does not seriously affect the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and semen quality.     

Morphology,phylogeny and pathogenicity of Fusarium species from Sansevieria trifasciata in Malaysia

Leaf blight is a common disease affecting Sansevieria trifasciata in many countries, including Malaysia. In the present study, Fusarium isolates were consistently recovered from the diseased leaves collected from various locations throughout the country. Based on morphology and multigene phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU), intergenic spacer region (IGS) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1-α) gene sequences, seven Fusarium species were identified, with F. oxysporum being the most prevalent (67.6%) among 34 isolates. Pathogenicity tests resulted in the discovery of pathogenic isolates that belonged to F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum, and F. pseudocircinatum, whereas all isolates of F. brachygibbosum, F. concentricum, F. mangiferae, and F. solani were nonpathogenic. The results suggest that several Fusarium species are accountable for causing disease on S. trifasciata in Malaysia.