Treatment options and long-term outcomes of horses with subchondral lucencies of the medial femoral condyle

Subchondral lucencies (SCL) occur in the equine medial femoral condyle (MFC) and can cause lameness and impair performance. Treatment of MFC SCL has evolved over the last 40 years from rest alone to cyst injection to several surgical procedures. Horses most commonly develop MFC SCL in the first 18 months of life, and expectations for performance and sales can impact therapeutic decisions. These complications mean that a single treatment plan cannot be applied to every SCL. An additional issue is accurate long-term performance data. Long-term follow-up can also be difficult to obtain due to horse movement, confidentiality issues after sales, and the complexities of finding new owners and getting their cooperation. This short communication reviews available racing information from publications reporting treatment of MFC SCL and provides long-term follow-up racing data on 13 horses treated with a transcondylar screw. Horses receiving a transcondylar screw raced as well as horses treated with other procedures and had longer careers, further supporting the use of this technique in the treatment of MFC SCL.     

Imaging and histological features of central subchondral osteophytes in racehorses with metacarpophalangeal joint osteoarthritis

Reasons for performing study: Marginal osteophytes represent a well known component of osteoarthritis in man and animals. Conversely, central subchondral osteophytes (COs), which are commonly present in human knees with osteoarthritis, have not been reported in horses. Objectives: To describe and compare computed radiography (CR), single‐slice computed tomography (CT), 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and histological features of COs in equine metacarpophalangeal joints with macroscopic evidence of naturally‐occurring osteoarthritis. Methods: MRI sequences (sagittal spoiled gradient recalled echo [SPGR] with fat saturation, sagittal T2‐weighted fast spin echo with fat saturation [T2‐FS], dorsal and transverse T1‐weighted gradient‐recalled echo [GRE], and sagittal T2*‐weighted gradient echo with fast imaging employing steady state acquisition [FIESTA]), as well as transverse and reformatted sagittal CT, and 4 computed radiographic (CR) views of 20 paired metacarpophalangeal joints were acquired ex vivo. Following macroscopic evaluation, samples were harvested in predetermined sites of the metacarpal condyle for subsequent histology. The prevalence and detection level of COs was determined for each imaging modality. Results: Abnormalities consistent with COs were clearly depicted on MRI, using the SPGR sequence, in 7/20 (35%) joints. They were identified as a focal hypointense protuberance from the subchondral plate into the cartilage, at the palmarodistal aspect (n = 7) and/or at the very dorsal aspect (n = 2) of the metacarpal condyle. COs were visible but less obvious in 5 of the 7 joints using FIESTA and reformatted sagittal CT, and were not identifiable on T2‐FS, T1‐GRE or CR. Microscopically, they consisted of dense bone protruding into the calcified cartilage and disrupting the tidemarks, and they were consistently associated with overlying cartilage defects. Conclusions: Subchondral osteophytes are a feature of osteoarthritis of equine metacarpophalangeal joints and they may be diagnosed using 1.5 Tesla MRI and CT. Potential relevance: Central subchondral osteophytes on MRI represent indirect evidence of cartilage damage in horses.     

A NEW TYPE OF RADIOGRAPHIC BONE REMODELING IN THE DISTAL RADIAL AND ULNAR METAPHYSIS IN 54 NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS

In this longitudinal observational study, 118 growing Newfoundland dogs were followed with sequential radiographic examination of the right front limb, which were scheduled at ages 3, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months to record evidence of skeletal changes. All affected dogs had evidence of changes at 6 months and dogs included in this study had radiographic examination at 6 months and at least two other scheduled examinations that included either 4 or 12 months. The dogs were privately owned and had individualized nutrition and environment with no maintenance protocol required by the project leaders. Irregularities in bone remodeling in the distal radius and ulna were seen in radiographs of 54 of 118 (45.8%) dogs. These irregularities differ from changes previously described in the Newfoundland dog. The reported irregularities were seen as islands of reduced opacity outlined by thickened, radiopaque osseous trabeculae, which were aligned with the axis of stress. All the 54 dogs with irregularities during some phase of development consistently had changes at 6 months of age. Reorganization of the changes in the bone was slow, and residual changes were visible at 18-24 months of age in many cases. The significance of these findings may lie in their potential for misinterpretation if they had been discovered in the presence of clinical signs such as any lameness or growth arrest. Radiographic appearance indicates disturbances in the bone maturation. The etiopathogenesis is unclear. Nutritional, environmental and genetic factors have to be studied.     

氯化镉对小鼠的病理损伤和硒的保护效应

采用腹腔注射的方法在９０只昆明种小鼠中进行了镉中毒与硒解毒的研究。结果表明,镉中毒组在注射后１～５周内,表现出明显的病理变化,特征为全身小动脉血管及肝、肾、心、肺、脑等器官有严重的病理损伤,且肝脏超微病变明显;而硒解毒组小鼠上述变化明显减轻,以肝、心、脾表现最为明显,结果表明硒可颉颃镉在小鼠的毒性。     

Indigestion in young calves. IV. Lesions of ruminal papillae in young calves fed barley and barley plus hay.

Fiftysix calves, in 2 similar experiments, were given 1 of 4 diets including a high lactose milk replacer: ground barley (GB), ground barley plus coarse hay (GB + GH), coarse hay (CH) and the liquid diet only (NS) ; the 2 last diets were held as controls. The calves were on the experimental diet from 1–2 weeks of age until slaughtered at 7-8 weeks of age. As observed by stereo-microscopy, the ruminai papillae in calves fed on GB were thickened, mostly finger- or club-shaped and sometimes nodular; nodular papillae were always arranged on prominent mucosal folds. Scattered nodular papillae had white coats. For calves fed on GB + CH the papillae were mostly finger- or tongue-shaped. Histologically papillae in calves fed on GB had hyperplasia of secondary papillae and epithelial layers. Microabscesses associated with penetrating hairs were frequent, and some calves had dyskeratosis with infiltration of polymorphonuclear leucocytes at the apex of papillae, identified as the white coats. For calves given GB+CH, abscesses and apical dyskeratosis were absent and the hyperplasia of epithelial layers milder than in the case of the GB diet. An ameliorative effect of hay on papillary changes caused by barley is indicated.     

Sheep pox disease outbreaks in Madras Red and Mechery breeds of indigenous sheep in Tamilnadu, India

Sheep pox disease outbreaks were recorded among Madras Red (n=145) and Mechery (n=80) breeds of indigenous sheep on three farms in Tamilnadu. Over both breeds, adult mortality rate ranged from 2.66% to 37.5% and lamb mortality ranged from 10% to 17.33%. However, mortality was more in Mechery sheep (50% overall; 37.5% adults, 12.5% lambs) than in Madras Red sheep (24.28% overall; 10.34% adults, 13.79% lambs). The clinical signs observed were high fever, anorexia, respiratory distress, mucopurulent nasal discharge and in a few cases diarrhoea. Cutaneous lesions were mainly observed around nostrils, eyes, lips, ears and in the abdomen. Most of the lesions were covered with purulent materials and on cleaning with sterile swabs, fresh wounds were observed. Dry scabs were also observed over the oral commissure and maxillary areas, which on removal exposed fresh wounds. Important observations on necropsy were severe nodular lesions in the lungs and intestine. The disease was diagnosed as sheep pox by agar gel immunodiffusion test, isolation of virus and its neutralization in BHK(21) cells by specific antiserum and by electron microscopy.     

Histopathology of culture‐associated skin erosions and papillary hyperplasia of Atlantic halibut,Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.)

Atlantic halibut, Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.), that were cultured in tanks with a smooth bottom (gel‐coated fibreglass) substrate developed papillary hyperplasia and skin erosions on the blind (ventral) side. No viruses, bacteria or parasites were observed in any sections of affected skin. Comparison of microscopic pathology with that of skin from normal, wild‐caught halibut showed severe epidermal proliferation with foci of severe mucous cell hyperplasia. Both epidermal thickness and mucous cell density were significantly greater in fish held on a smooth substrate compared to skin of healthy fish. Spongiosis was present, especially at the base of the papillary, hyperplastic epidermis, and there was a chronic inflammatory infiltrate in the scale pockets composed of lymphocytes, histiocytes and erythrocytes. Skin erosions had various degrees of epidermal loss, in some cases to the basement membrane. A predisposing factor for the epidermal sloughing may have been related to the spongiosis, and the vacuolated, degenerated basal cells. When affected halibut were cultured for an additional 28, 62 or 97 days on a sand substrate, which is conducive to skin lesion healing, there was no apparent change in epidermal thickness over time. However, mucous cell density significantly increased from day 0 to 97 during the healing process.     

疑似鸭新型病毒性传染病在山东的流行情况初步调查及病理学观察

自2010年8月份以来,一种疑似鸭新型病毒病在山东迅速流行,给山东养鸭业造成了巨大损失。为了解本病在山东的流行状况,对临床典型病例临诊症状及剖检病变进行了详细研究,并对其组织器官进行病理组织学观察。结果表明:山东商品蛋鸭、肉种鸭和商品肉鸭均有发病,许多区域的鸭群发病率达100%;流行广、传播快、发病急、发病率高、药物治疗无效、病程长(2～3周)及死淘率(6%～10%)不是很高是该病流行病学的基本特征;临诊主要表现发热、拉稀、采食迅速减少、产蛋严重下降及神经症状;回肠中部黏膜卵圆形肿胀、脾脏灶状坏死、卵泡及输卵管萎缩、肝变性肿胀或出血及心内外膜出血为其主要剖检病变;病理组织学变化主要表现消化道急性卡他性炎症及局部淋巴组织显著增生,心、肝、肾、胰腺变性坏死或出血,脾脏、法氏囊淋巴组织坏死,以及轻度病毒性脑炎。     

Fruit rot of Strawberry pear (pitaya) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bipolaris cactivora</Emphasis>

Strawberry pear (pitahaya, pitaya) [Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britt. and Rose] postharvest fruit rot was found at an agricultural products store in Itoman city, Okinawa Prefecture in 2006. The symptoms included depressed, water-soaked lesions with olive to black powdery spots coalescing into a soft rot. The causal fungus was identified as Bipolaris cactivora (Petrak) Alcorn. This is the first report of strawberry pear fruit rot caused by B. cactivora.     

Evaluation of a rapid diagnostic field test kit for identification of Phytophthora species, including P. ramorum and P. kernoviae at the point of inspection

Plant health regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae require rapid, cost effective diagnostic methods for screening large numbers of plant samples at the time of inspection. Current on-site techniques require expensive equipment, considerable expertise and are not suited for plant health inspectors. Therefore, an extensive evaluation of a commercially available lateral flow device (LFD) for Phytophthora species was performed involving four separate trials and 634 samples. The assay proved simple to use, provided results in a few minutes and on every occasion a control line reacted positively confirming the validity of the test. LFD results were compared with those from testing a parallel sample, using laboratory methods (isolation and real-time PCR). The diagnostic sensitivity of the LFD (87·6%) compared favourably with the standard laboratory methods although the diagnostic specificity was not as stringent (82·9%). There were a small number ( n  = 28) of false negatives, but for statutory purposes where all positive samples must be identified to species level by laboratory testing, overall efficiency was 95·6% as compared with visual assessment of symptoms of between 20-30% for P. ramorum and P. kernoviae . This work demonstrates the value of the LFD for diagnosing Phytophthora species at the time of inspection and as a useful primary screen for selecting samples for laboratory testing to determine the species identification.