Evaluation of intra-articular injection of autologous platelet lysate (PL) in horses with osteoarthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint

Background: Regenerative medicine has become one of the most promising therapies of equine osteoarthritis. Platelet lysate (PL) is rich in bioactive proteins and growth factors that play a crucial role in tissue healing.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intra-articularly injected autologous PL in equine athletes with naturally occurring osteoarthritis.

Animals and methods: Fifteen warmblood geldings aged 8–19 years with osteoarthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint were included in this study. They were randomly divided into two groups; 10 horses received intra-articular injections of PL and 5 of normal saline (controls). Before treatment, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) levels in basal plasma and prepared PL were estimated. Each joint was injected twice within a three-week period. Lameness was evaluated using the American Association of Equine Practitioners grading system, before treatment and 10 days after each intra-articular injection. Horses were examined fortnightly for one year. Radiographic examination was performed six months post-treatment. The generalized estimating equation test was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Acceptable levels of PDGF were detected in PLs (mean ± SD: 258.0 ± 52.3 pg/ml). The majority of horses (9/10) responded positively to PL treatment presenting lower lameness grades (p < 0.0005) compared to controls 10 days after the second injection, and returned to normal athletic activity. Radiographs revealed no changes in osteoarthritis lesions six months after treatment. One year post-injections, however, all horses relapsed to their initial degree of lameness.

Conclusion: Intra-articularly injected autologous PL is an efficient method for temporarily managing osteoarthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint in athletic horses.     

Evaluation of ornithine carbamoyl transferase and other serum and liver-derived analytes in diagnosis of fatty liver and postsurgical outcome of left-displaced abomasum in dairy cows

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate postsurgical outcome in dairy cows with left-displaced abomasum (LDA) with regard to severity of fatty liver and assess the usefulness of preoperative determination of serum ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) activity, bile acids concentration, and other variables for evaluating liver function during the postsurgical convalescence period. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 68 Holstein cows. PROCEDURES: Blood and liver biopsy specimens were obtained during standing LDA surgery. Liver tissue was examined histologically and classified by severity of fatty change. Serum activities of liver-derived enzymes and concentrations of total lipids, triglycerides, bile acids, glucose, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, bilirubin, and nonesterified fatty acids were determined. RESULTS: Most cows with LDA and cows with severe fatty liver were detected within the first month after calving. Postsurgical outcome was related to severity of fatty liver. All cows that died had severe fatty liver. Serum activities of OCT, aspartate aminotransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase and serum total bilirubin concentration were sensitive indicators of fatty liver. Serum bile acids concentration was not an accurate indicator of fatty liver. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Postsurgical outcome of cows undergoing surgery to correct LDA was related to fatty liver severity. Assessment of serum activities of OCT, aspartate aminotransferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase and serum total bilirubin concentration is recommended for diagnosis of fatty liver in dairy cows with LDA, whereas determination of bile acids concentration is not. The strong correlation between OCT activity and degree of hepatocellular damage supports use of this enzyme for assessing severity of fatty liver and predicting postsurgical outcome in cows with LDA.     

Effect of variety choice, resistant rootstocks and chitin soil amendments on soil-borne diseases in soil-based, protected tomato production systems

Soil-borne diseases are the most significant crop protection problem in soil-based, low-input and especially organic glasshouse production systems in Europe. While chemical soil disinfestation has been the control method of choice in conventional farming systems, soil steaming has been the main strategy for the control of soil-borne diseases in organic production. Both methods are extremely expensive and have been increasingly restricted for environmental reasons by governments, and integrated and organic farming standard-setting bodies. The use of disease-tolerant varieties, grafting onto resistant rootstocks and chitin soil amendments were evaluated as potential replacements for soil steaming in organic and other low-input tomato production systems. When only Pyrenochaeta lycopersici and/or Meloidogyne spp. were present in soil, grafting and/or chitin soil amendment were found to be as effective in reducing root disease and/or increasing yield as soil steaming, but the efficacy of both treatments was reduced when Verticillum albo-atrum was also present in soil. No additive effects of combining grafting and chitin soil amendments could be detected. A more widespread use of grafting and/or chitin soil amendments may therefore allow significant reductions in the use of steam and chemical soil disinfestation in glasshouse crops. It will also allow integrated and organic farming standard-setting bodies to impose further restrictions on the use of soil disinfestation treatments.     

Monitoring Sensitivity to Land Degradation and Desertification with the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index: The Case of Lesvos Island

In Europe, the most susceptible areas to land degradation and desertification (LDD) are found in the Mediterranean region. The present study focuses on the island of Lesvos (Greece) and maps the environmental sensitivity of the island to LDD between the years 1990 and 2000. Sensitivity is estimated with a modification of the MEDALUS Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI) approach, employing 21 quantitative parameters divided in five main quality indices: climate, vegetation, soils, groundwater and socio‐economic quality. Parameterisation of these indices is achieved via remote sensing and ancillary data in a Geographical Information System (GIS). Results show that ~85% of the island is fragile or critically sensitive in both epochs. Fragile areas are on the increase, covering an estimated 72% of the island in 1990 and 77% in 2000, whereas critically sensitive areas decrease from 214 to 113 km². By modifying the ESAI to include 10 additional parameters related to soil erosion, groundwater quality, demographic and grazing pressure, and by applying the modified ESAI in two—rather than one—periods, this study was able to identify that, contrary to previous belief, critically sensitive areas are also found in the eastern side of the island mainly due to human‐related factors. It is concluded that the proposed methodology is a useful tool for regional scale trend analyses of environmental sensitivity and the identification of LDD hot spots in Mediterranean environments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Diversity among melon landraces (Cucumis melo L.) from Greece and their genetic relationships with other melon germplasm of diverse origins

Diversity among 17 melon landraces and inbred lines of Group Cantalupensis, Inodorus, and Flexuosus germplasm from Greece was assessed using 24 RAPD primers, 11 morphological traits of fruit, two yield-related characteristics, and resistance to powdery mildew. Accessions were genetically diverse and the greatest variation was detected in Group Flexuosus. Comparative analysis of Greek germplasm and an array of previously characterized reference accessions [RA; 68 from Africa (15), United States (U.S.; 5), Central Europe (14), Japan (19), and Spain (15)], spanning major market classes employing 19 RAPD primers (standard marker array), indicates that all but one of the accessions from Greece showed genetic affinities among themselves and with 23 RA of various origin (i.e., Japan, U.S., Central Europe, Spain and Israel) and market class. Accessions from Greece were, however, distinct from the African landraces and most Spanish melons. Greek accessions also showed little genetic affinity with the Casabas (Blanco and Crenshaw), Ogen, and U.S. Eastern Market accessions. Group Flexuosus and Inodorus accessions from Greece possessed genetic affinities with Western Asian (Group Conomon) and Mediterranean (Group Inodorus) market classes, respectively. The uniqueness of Greek melon landraces portends their potential usefulness for the enhancement of U.S., European, and Asian melon market classes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

ASSESSMENT OF SENTINEL LYMPH NODE METASTASIS IN CANINE MAMMARY GLAND TUMORS USING COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC INDIRECT LYMPHOGRAPHY

In the staging process of the breast cancer, demonstrating metastasis of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) has an important prognostic value, in both humans and animals. The aim of this prospective case‐control study was to determine the diagnostic value of computed tomographic indirect lymphography (CT‐LG) for detecting SLN metastasis in dogs with mammary cancer. Thirty‐three female dogs with tumors in the abdominal and inguinal mammary glands were prospectively selected and subjected to CT‐LG, 1 and 5 min after injection of 1 ml of contrast agent (iopamidol) in the subareolar tissue of the neoplastic and the contralateral normal mammary glands. The pattern of postcontrast opacification, degree of postcontrast enhancement, and size and shape were assessed in 65 SLNs in total and were correlated with histopathological findings. The absence of opacification or heterogeneous opacification 1 min after contrast medium injection showed the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy (93%, 100%, and 98.4%, respectively). In images taken 1 min after injection, an absolute density value lower than 444 Hounsfield units (HU) in the center of the SLN also provided significant sensitivity and specificity (93.8% and 75%, respectively). The size and shape of the SLN (maximum and minimum diameter, maximum/minimum diameter ratio, maximum diameter/height of fifth thoracic vertebral body ratio) showed the lowest sensitivity and specificity. Results of this study support the hypothesis that CT‐LG could help in the assessment of SLN metastasis in cases of mammary gland tumors in dogs.     

Clinicopathologic evaluation of hepatic lipidosis in periparturient dairy cattle

BACKGROUND: Fatty change of the liver (FCL) is very common in dairy cattle periparturiently. Many laboratory methods have been implicated in order to assist the diagnosis. HYPOTHESIS: To investigate whether FCL in dairy cattle could be evaluated by assessment of ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT) by means of an assay modified for bovine serum, other enzyme activity, serum bile acids (SBA) concentration, or other biochemical constituents. ANIMALS: A total of 187 dairy cattle were included: 106 were suspected to have liver dysfunction and were examined after referral by veterinarians; 70 were clinically healthy with mild FCL; and 11 were clinically healthy without FCL. METHODS: Blood and liver biopsy samples were obtained after clinical examination. Histologic examination by light microscopy and classification of samples according to the severity of FCL was done, and total lipid and triglyceride concentration was measured. In serum, OCT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT) activity as well as SBA, glucose, ketones, total bilirubin (tBIL), and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentration were measured. RESULTS: OCT and AST activity and tBIL concentration correlate well with the degree of FCL. SBA concentration does not contribute well to FCL diagnosis. The majority of FCL cases appeared within the first 21 days-in-milk (DIM). The majority of moderate-to-severe and severe FCL cases arose in the first 7 DIM. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Except for OCT, AST, and tBIL, none of the biochemical tests used, including SBA, had sufficient discriminatory power to differentiate reliably between mild and severe FCL because of poor sensitivity. A weak correlation between clinical signs and the extent of FCL was evident.     

In vitro investigation into the potential prebiotic activity of honey oligosaccharides

The effect of honey oligosaccharides on the growth of fecal bacteria was studied using an in vitro fermentation system. Prior to treatment, glucose and fructose (31.73 and 21.41 g/100 g of product, respectively) present in honey, which would be digested in the upper gut, were removed to avoid any influence on bacterial populations in the fermentations. Nanofiltration, yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) treatment, and adsorption onto activated charcoal were used to remove monosaccharides. Prebiotic (microbial fermentation) activities of the three honey oligosaccharide fractions and the honey sample were studied and compared with fructooligosaccharide (FOS), using 1% (w/v) fecal bacteria in an in vitro fermentation system (10 mg of carbohydrate, 1.0 mL of basal medium). A prebiotic index (PI) was calculated for each carbohydrate source. Honey oligosaccharides seem to present potential prebiotic activity (PI values between 3.38 and 4.24), increasing the populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, although not to the levels of FOS (PI of 6.89).