Ground reaction force analysis of unilateral coxofemoral denervation for the treatment of canine hip dysplasia.

Coxofemoral denervation has success rates of 90-96% reported retrospectively for palliative treatment of hip dysplasia. The aim of this study was to objectively evaluate ground reaction forces (GRF) in dysplastic dogs after unilateral denervation. Unilateral coxofemoral denervation was performed by means of a previously reported technique on 10 dogs with asymmetric gait. GRF were measured at zero, one and three months. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance and paired t-tests, with p< or =0.05. There was a lack of significant difference in mean peak vertical force (PVF) or vertical impulse (VI) in the operated limb (TX) over time. For the unoperated limb (UnTX), mean PVF and VI significantly decreased over time. The dogs were significantly more lame in the TX limb initially and at one month, however, there was no significant difference between limbs by three months. In the UnTX limb, 40% of dogs decreased PVF by >5%, by three months. Over time, there was no significant difference in mean average rise or mean average fall for TX or UnTX limbs. Between limbs, mean rise in the TX limb was significantly less at zero months, but not at one or three months. Decreased compensatory load shifting to the UnTX limb due to procedural efficacy could explain decreases in the UnTX limb. Worsening disease could also explain decreases in the UnTX limb, and may indicate a protective effect denoted by a lack of change in the TX limb. Longer follow-up would be required in improved dogs in order to document continued efficacy.

Digital measurement of radiographic tibial plateau angle. A comparison to measurement on printed digital images.

Pre-operative digital radiographs from 50 dogs undergoing a tibial plateau leveling osteotomy were evaluated. Tibial plateau angles were measured directly on printed films and measured on digital images using two different commercial DICOM viewers. The radiographs were scored for osteoarthritis and positioning. Using pooled results, the mean TPA from the digital images employing Web1000 (26.47 degrees +/- 3.90) was significantly higher then the mean TPA using film radiographs (25.41 degrees +/- 3.51), or IQ-View Pro (25.48 degrees +/- 3.89). There was not a significant difference between mean TPA using radiographs or IQ-view. Digital TPA measurement using built-in angle calipers in the clinical setting is a valid technique compared to measurements from film radiographs, and produces reproducible results. However, before changing to digital measurements, the chosen software programme should be validated against measurements using film radiographs to determine the magnitude of differences.

E144S active-site mutant of the Bacillus cereus thermolysin-like neutral protease at 2.8 A resolution.

The X-ray crystal structure of the Bacillus cereus neutral protease (CNP) active-site mutant E144S, in which the putative general base proposed for the thermolysin-like zinc neutral proteases, Glu144, has been replaced by serine, has been determined to a resolution of 2.8 A. This represents the first crystal structure of an active-site mutant of a zinc neutral protease. The E 144S mutant was crystallized in the hexagonal space group, P6(5)22, with unit-cell dimensions a = b = 76.57, c = 201.91 A. Although the ligands involved in zinc coordination in the active site are identical to those found in the wild-type protein, the mutation results in a modified environment around the zinc ion; particularly with respect to the water molecules. While the structure of the mutant is similar to that of wild type, its protease activity is reduced to 0.16% that of the wild-type CNP and the protein is virtually resistant to autolysis in the presence of calcium. The lowered protease activity of the mutant is consistent with the role proposed for Glu144 as the general base in the catalysis of thermolysin-like neutral proteases [Matthews (1988). Acc. Chem. Res. 21, 333-340]. We suggest that the residual activity of the E144S mutant arises from a water molecule, which is found within hydrogen-bonding distance of Ser144, acting as a general base in the catalytic function of the mutant.

An abdominal teratoma in a domestic goose (Anseriformes, Anser anser domesticus).

This article reports a spontaneous teratoma in a domestic goose (Anseriformes, Anser anser domesticus). The mass was found in the caudal abdominal cavity attached by a thin pedicle and consisted of an epithelial-lined cyst. It contained ensheathed but fully formed feathers arising from feather follicles complete with erector muscles and nerves. The capsule was composed mainly of adipocytes with a thin squamous serosa.

[Comparative studies of paramyxovirus isolates from wild birds]. / Vergleichende Untersuchungen an Paramyxovirus-Isolaten aus Wildvögeln.

As a result of a surveillance programme in North-Germany, paramyxovirus-isolates of serogroup 1 with different pathogenicity were isolated from different species of feral birds (Black-headed gull, mallard, tawny owl, tree sparrow, mute swan). In chick embryo fibroblast monolayers these isolates produced plaques exhibiting different plaque morphology. After cloning the isolates, further physicochemical, serological and pathogenicity testings were performed. On the basis of mean death time and intracerebral pathogenicity index, two of the isolates were found to be avirulent (lentogenic), whereas the others proved to be virulent (velogenic). SDS-Polyacrylamide-gel-electrophoresis showed polypeptide patterns similar to that of the PMV-1 reference strains. Summarizing all relevant findings of these investigations under consideration of the suggestions for the virological description of avian PMV (Alexander, 1987; Alexander et al., 1987; Who-Expert-Committee, 1980), including the recently established serotyping by means of monoclonal antibodies, the following designations of the PMV isolates tested herein are proposed: 1. PMV-1/black-headed gull/Germany/SSP-233/83, lentogenic NDV, monoclonal antibody group G 2. PMV-1/mallard/Germany/SSP-284/83, lentogenic NDV, monoclonal antibody group H 3. PMV-1/tawny owl/Germany/SSP-262/84, velogenic NDV, monoclonal antibody group B 4. PMV-1/tree sparrow nestling/Germany/SSP-352/84, velogenic NDV, monoclonal antibody group B 5. PMV-1/mute swan/Germany/SSP-204/85, velogenic NDV, monoclonal antibody group B.

An outbreak of disease due to chicken anaemia agent in broiler chickens in England.

Outbreaks of clinical chicken anaemia in four broiler chicken flocks affected chicks which were all the progeny of the same parent flock. Three of the flocks were reared on farms in the south-east of England and in these flocks clinical disease did not occur in other chicks of the same age. The fourth flock was reared in a positive-pressure isolator and clinical disease appeared at 10 days of age. Chicken anaemia agent was isolated from three of the flocks. The clinical signs, post mortem lesions and histopathological changes were similar to those reported in outbreaks of the disease in other countries. The parent flock seroconverted to chicken anaemia agent, as determined by fluorescent antibody tests, during the course of the outbreaks.