CT study of pelvic limb alignment in English Bulldog

Il trattamento delle deformità ossee nel campo della chirurgia ortopedica veterinaria ha subito un’importante evoluzione nelle ultime due decadi facendo crescere i noi chirurghi il bisogno di linee guida sempre più specifiche per approcciare l’allineamento appendicolare delle diverse e sempre più numerose razze canine. In questo lavoro la nostra attenzione è rivolta all’arto pelvico del Bulldog Inglese, razza volutamente condrodistrofica e raramente presa in esame dalla letteratura odierna. Il nostro studio si focalizza sulla lussazione mediale di rotula nel Bulldog inglese, una patologia che determina dolore, zoppia e malattia degenerativa dell'articolazione. Causa principale risulta essere il malallineamento dell’arto pelvico capace di determinare una dislocazione mediale o laterale della patella rispetto al solco trocleare. L’approccio diagnostico e quindi terapeutico deve essere scelto sulla base di un preciso studio dell’allineamento scheletrico e desmo-muscolo-tendineo di tutto l’arto pelvico. Molteplici linee guida sono state sviluppate nel corso degli anni per una misurazione sempre più accurata delle diverse deviazioni assiali dell’osso, ad oggi persiste un ampio dibattito su quale possa essere considerato il metodo migliore da applicare. Questo lavoro scientifico si prefigge di determinare gli angoli femorali e tibiali mediante misurazioni eseguite su ricostruzioni 3D Volume Rendering ottenute da studi CT (Computed Tomographic) di soggetti di razza Bulldog Inglese sani ed affetti da lussazione mediale di rotula in modo da descrivere eventuali differenze tra le due popolazioni prese in esame, definire valori standard di razza e confrontarli con valori appartenenti ad altre razze canine già studiate in letteratura.Bone deformity treatment in dogs has undergone a major evolution in the last two decades. Veterinary orthopedic surgeons are in need of more specific guidelines to approach limb alignment of the various canine breeds. Our study focuses on medial patellar luxation in English Bulldogs, a disease that can cause pain, lameness and degenerative joint disease. According to various authors, the main cause of the disease seems to be the pelvic limb malalignment whish is able to determine a medial or lateral dislocation of the patella from the trochlear groove. The diagnostic approach and subsequent treatment should therefore be chosen on the basis of a precise study of bone alignment, desmo-muscular tissue and tendons of the pelvic limb. Many guidelines have been developed over the years for a more accurate measurement of the different axial deviations of the bone. To date, there is still an interesting debate on what might be considered the best method to apply. The aim of our study is to determine, through measurements on 3D Volume Rendering reconstructions obtained from CT studies (Computed Tomographic), the femoral and tibial angles on both healthy English Bulldog and MPL affected ones in order to describe any differences between the two populations examined, define standard breed angles and compare our results with those already published on other breeds

Treatment of Stifle Joint Luxation in a Cat Using a Temporary Trans-Articular Locking Plate

AbstractThe aim of this study was to report the surgical treatment of stifle joint luxation through temporary immobilization of the joint with locking plates in a cat. Stifle joint was immobilized using a temporary trans-articular locking plate applied medially. Return to function was assessed by physical and radiographic follow-up examinations. The cat had good return to function despite a reduction in range of motion. Moderate chronic gonarthritis developed, as seen radiographically. Under the limitation of this single case, temporary trans-articular plating may be considered as useful method for the treatment of long-standing, severely displaced stifle joint luxations in cats

Treatment of Y-T Humeral Fractures with Polyaxial Locking Plate System (PAX) in 14 Dogs

The aim of this study is to report the results and to review the outcome of 14 cases of Y-T humeral fractures repair using paired polyaxial locking system (PAX) plates through a combined medial and lateral approach. Fourteen consecutive dogs, with traumatic humeral Y-T fractures, met the inclusion criteria. This study includes signalment, preoperative radiographs, type of implants, radiographic bone healing assessment, complications, range of motion (ROM) of the elbow and limb function evaluated at 120 days after surgery. Postoperative radiographs revealed adequate anatomic reconstruction, and in all cases, bone healing has been achieved. No implant failure was observed. Functional outcome was excellent in 7 dogs (no lameness and preserved ROM), good in 4 (slight lameness and moderate ROM reduction) and discrete in 2 (mild lameness and severe ROM reduction). Complications were encountered in 2/14 patients with implant-associated infection resolved after long-term antibiotic treatment and implant removal. The PAX system is shown to be a valid alternative for the treatment of Y-T humeral fractures, offering the benefit of polyaxial insertion of locking screws. The possibility of angle locking screws is helpful in the distal humeral bicondylar fractures, providing additional options for screw placement in juxtarticular fractures, avoiding fracture lines or other implants

GEMIN2 promotes accumulation of RAD51 at double-strand breaks in homologous recombination

RAD51 is a key factor in homologous recombination (HR) and plays an essential role in cellular proliferation by repairing DNA damage during replication. The assembly of RAD51 at DNA damage is strictly controlled by RAD51 mediators, including BRCA1 and BRCA2. We found that human RAD51 directly binds GEMIN2/SIP1, a protein involved in spliceosome biogenesis. Biochemical analyses indicated that GEMIN2 enhances the RAD51–DNA complex formation by inhibiting RAD51 dissociation from DNA, and thereby stimulates RAD51-mediated homologous pairing. GEMIN2 also enhanced the RAD51-mediated strand exchange, when RPA was pre-bound to ssDNA before the addition of RAD51. To analyze the function of GEMIN2, we depleted GEMIN2 in the chicken DT40 line and in human cells. The loss of GEMIN2 reduced HR efficiency and resulted in a significant decrease in the number of RAD51 subnuclear foci, as observed in cells deficient in BRCA1 and BRCA2. These observations and our biochemical analyses reveal that GEMIN2 regulates HR as a novel RAD51 mediator

Pelvic limb alignment measured by computed tomography in purebred English Bulldogs with medial patellar luxation

Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the differences in pelvic limb alignment between healthy purebred English Bulldogs and those with medial patellar luxation through the measurement of femoral and tibial angles on computed tomography images in multiplanar reconstruction modality (MPRCT). Methods: Twenty-one purebred English Bulldogs were included and divided into two groups: one including healthy dogs (15 limbs) and the other including those with medial patellar luxation (24 limbs). Three different observers used MPR-CT to measure the following angles: anatomical lateral proximal femoral angle (aLPFA), anatomical lateral distal femoral angle (aLDFA), mechanical lateral proximal femoral angle (mLPFA), mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA), angle of inclination of the femoral neck (AI), angle of anteversion (AA), mechanical medial proximal tibial angle (mMPTA), mechanical medial distal tibial angle (mMDTA), mechanical caudal distal tibial angle (mCdDTA), mechanical caudal proximal tibial angle (mCdPTA), and the tibial torsion angle (TTA). A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare each variable in both groups. Results: The values for aLDFA and mLDFA in the medial patellar luxation population were significantly increased compared to healthy subjects (p <0.05). No significant differences were observed for the other variables. Clinical significance: In our population, an increased distal femoral varus was associated with medial patellar luxation. Our results could be useful to determine whether or not angular deformity of the femur is present and help determine the degree of correction necessary to restore alignment

Single cycle to failure in bending of three titanium polyaxial locking plates

Objective: Evaluation of the bending properties in one direction of three titanium polyaxial locking plate systems. Materials and methods: The Polyaxial Advanced Locking System (PAX®) straight plate (PAX SP), the PAX® reconstruction plate (PAX RP), and the VetLOX reconstruction plates (VetLOX) were evaluated individually and as constructs applied to a bone model simulating a fracture gap and compared using a two-way analysis of variance and Tukey posthoc analysis. Results: The PAX SP had the highest values of bending stiffness, bending structural stiffness and bending strength. When tested as plates alone, the PAX RP and VetLOX showed no differences with regard to bending stiffness and bending structural stiffness, whilst the PAX RP had significantly higher strength. The PAX RP construct had significantly higher bending stiffness, bending structural stiffness and bending strength than the VetLOX construct. Clinical relevance: The PAX RP and VetLOX reconstruction plates are much more likely to fail when used as bridging implants, thus adjunct support is needed. The lower bending strength of the VetLOX reconstruction plates suggests it should not be used in fractures under high loads

Deus Trinitas: possibilità d'Europa. Una rilettura dell'itinerario teologico di Vincenzo Vitiello

Il contributo intende mostrare l'attualità di una riflessione sulla Trinità che vada anche oltre i confini della teologia dogmatica per evidenziarne la radice etico-politica,come invito a pensare la differenza, pur nella relazione. In quest'ottica si affronteranno i luoghi più significativi della riflessione trinitaria di Vitiello. Si insisterà sul concetto di possibile come via "altra" rispetto alla chiusura circolare della trattazione hegeliana, per evitare di necessitare la kenosi alla salvezza e di "sminuire" la serietà tragica della Croce. La kenosi del Cristo sarà letta come momento di radicale e simultanea possibilità di abbandono e salvezza, oltre la visione agapica tradizionale. I risvolti etici del discorso riguarderanno lo "stare accanto" come testimonia di una possibile coesistenza inquieta tra alterità. Da qui l'ultimo passaggio attraverso le recenti riflessioni politiche di Vitiello e lo sforzo di pensare, con una logica "kenotica", la crisi e l'avvenire d'Europa, come spazio aperto, da sempre differenziale e votato all'ospitalità