The role of the contralateral limb in below-knee amputee gait

Very little quantitative biomechanical research has been carried out evaluating issues relevant to prosthetic management. The literature available suggests that amputees may demonstrate an asymmetrical gait pattern. Furthermore, studies suggest that the forces occurring during amputee gait may be unequally distributed between the contralateral and prosthetic lower limbs. This study investigates the role of the contralateral limb in amputee gait by determining lower limb joint reaction forces and symmetry of motion in an amputee and non-amputee population. Seven adult below-knee amputees and four non-amputees participated in the study. Testing involved collection of kinematic coordinate data employing a WATSMART video system and ground reaction force data using a Kistler force plate. The degree of lower limb symmetry was determined using bilateral angle-angle diagrams and a chain encoding technique. Ankle, knee and hip joint reaction forces were estimated in order to evaluate the forces acting across the joints of the amputee's contralateral limb. The amputees demonstrated a lesser degree of lower limb symmetry than the non-amputees. This asymmetrical movement was attributed to the inherent variability of the actions of the prosthetic lower limb. The forces acting across the joints of the contralateral limb were not significantly higher than that of the non-amputee. This suggests that, providing the adult amputee has a good prosthetic fit, there will not be increased forces across the joints of the contralateral limb and consequently no predisposition for the long-term wearer to develop premature degenerative arthritis.

Electrochemotherapy with Bleomycin of Different types of Cutaneous Tumours in a Ferret (Mustela Putorius Furo)

Background

Mast cell tumour, sebaceous gland adenoma, and less common squamous papilloma are skin tumours in ferrets (Mustela putorius furo), and early excisional surgery is usually the treatment of choice. The aim of our study was to investigate the effectiveness of electrochemotherapy (ECT), a new, minimally invasive non-surgical method, as first treatment option of different types of ferret skin tumours located on surgically difficult sites.

Materials and methods

A 5-year-old castrated male ferret with two cutaneous masses, presenting 4 months apart and a 7-year-old spayed female ferret with two cutaneous masses, that appeared simultaneously on two locations are presented. In the first patient, both masses were diagnosed as mast cell tumours, and in the second patient, squamous papilloma and sebaceous adenoma were diagnosed. One session of ECT with bleomycin injected intratumourally was applied in all tumours.

Results

Complete response (CR) of all tumours was obtained, without recurrence during observation period of 15 months after ECT for first tumour and 11 months after ECT of the tumour located on the right hock in first patient, and 8 months after treatment for the second patient.

Conclusions

In present study, ECT with bleomycin proved to be safe and effective against different cutaneous tumours in ferrets. Due of good results, low cost and relatively easy procedure, ECT could be the treatment of choice instead of surgery for the selected skin tumours in ferrets.

Uterine heterologous malignant mixed Müllerian tumor in a dwarf rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Malignant mixed Müllerian tumor (MMMT) is a rare neoplasm of the female genital system. A case of MMMT in the uterus of an 8-year-old female dwarf rabbit, which died with clinical signs associated with severe acute dyspnea and anorexia, is described. At necropsy, an oval, firm tumor was found in each of the 2 uterine horns. Numerous metastases were scattered throughout the mediastinum, thoracic diaphragm, and all pulmonary lobes. Microscopically, the tumors consisted of a poorly demarcated, unencapsulated neoplasm, composed of closely associated carcinomatous and sarcomatous components and areas of osteosarcomatous differentiation. Metastases were composed entirely of the sarcomatous component with osteosarcomatous differentiation. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic epithelial component was positive for cytokeratin and negative for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin, and desmin. The sarcomatous component was diffusely and strongly positive for vimentin, focally positive for α-SMA (<20% of cells positive), and negative for desmin. The neoplasm was diagnosed as a heterologous MMMT with metastases to the lung, mediastinum, and thoracic diaphragm.

Experimental and numerical investigations of sedimentation of porous wastewater sludge flocs

The paper studies the properties and sedimentation characteristics of sludge flocs, as they appear in biological wastewater treatment (BWT) plants. The flocs are described as porous and permeable bodies, with their properties defined based on conducted experimental study. The derivation is based on established geometrical properties, high-speed camera data on settling velocities and non-linear numerical model, linking settling velocity with physical properties of porous flocs. The numerical model for derivation is based on generalized Stokes model, with permeability of the floc described by the Brinkman model. As a result, correlation for flocs porosity is obtained as a function of floc diameter. This data is used in establishing a CFD numerical model of sedimentation of flocs in test conditions, as recorded during experimental investigation. The CFD model is based on Euler-Lagrange formulation, where the Lagrange formulation is chosen for computation of flocs trajectories during sedimentation. The results of numerical simulations are compared with experimental results and very good agreement is observed.

Trichomonosis outbreak in a flock of canaries (Serinus canaria f. domestica) caused by a finch epidemic strain of Trichomonas gallinae

In the present paper, an outbreak of trichomonosis in a flock of 15 breeding pairs of canaries is described. Trichomonosis was diagnosed on characteristic clinical signs, microscopic examination of crop/esophageal swabs, gross pathology and histopathology. Trichomonads were successfully grown in culture media and were characterized by multi-locus sequence typing. The three genomic loci ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, 18S rRNA and Fe-hydrogenase were analyzed. Molecular characterization confirmed the finch trichomonosis strain, identical to the strain that caused emerging disease in free-living passerine birds in Europe. Flock treatment with metronidazole (200mg/L) in drinking water for 5days was partially effective. After individual treatment with oral application of metronidazole (20mg/kg SID) for 5days no further clinical signs were observed in the flock over next 30 months.

Occurrence of Bacterial and Viral Pathogens in Common and Noninvasive Diagnostic Sampling from Parrots and Racing Pigeons in Slovenia

Airborne pathogens can cause infections within parrot (Psittaciformes) and pigeon (Columbiformes) holdings and, in the case of zoonoses, can even spread to humans. Air sampling is a useful, noninvasive method which can enhance the common sampling methods for detection of microorganisms in bird flocks. In this study, fecal and air samples were taken from four parrot holdings. Additionally, cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs as well as air samples were taken from 15 racing pigeon holdings. Parrots were examined for psittacine beak and feather disease virus (PBFDV), proventricular dilatation disease virus (PDDV), adenoviruses (AdVs), avian paramyxovirus type-1 (APMV-1), avian influenza virus (AIV), Chlamydia psittaci (CP), and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). MAC and AdVs were detected in three parrot holdings, CP was detected in two parrot holdings, and PBFDV and PDDV were each detected in one parrot holding. Pigeons were examined for the pigeon circovirus (PiCV), AdVs, and CP; PiCV and AdVs were detected in all investigated pigeon holdings and CP was detected in five pigeon holdings.

Spontaneous Tumors and Non-Neoplastic Proliferative Lesions in Pet Degus (Octodon degus)

In recent years, degus (Octodon degus), rodents native to South America, have been becoming increasingly popular as pet animals. Data about neoplastic diseases in this species are still sparse and mainly limited to single-case reports. The aim of this study was to present neoplastic and non-neoplastic proliferative changes in 16/100 pet degus examined at the Veterinary Faculty University of Ljubljana from 2010 to 2015 and to describe the clinic-pathological features of these lesions. Twenty different lesions of the integumentary, musculoskeletal, genitourinary and gastrointestinal systems were diagnosed: amongst these were 13 malignant tumors, six benign tumors, and one non-neoplastic lesion. Cutaneous fibrosarcoma was the most common tumor (7/16 degus). It was detected more often in females (6/7 degus) and lesions were located mainly in hind limbs. The gastrointestinal tract was frequently affected, namely with two malignant neoplasms - an intestinal lymphoma and a mesenteric mesothelioma, four benign tumors - two biliary cystadenomas, an oral squamous papilloma and a hepatocellular adenoma, and a single non-neoplastic proliferative lesion. In one animal, two organic systems were involved in neoplastic lesions.

Experimental and stochastic analysis of lyophilisation

The development of the freeze-drying processes through the use of a combination of targeted experiments and the application of multidimensional computational models is applied increasingly in pharmaceutical practice, especially for scale-up purposes. This study deals with the analysis of uncertainties in the data on material properties and model parameters, and their influence on the results delivered by advanced computational models of lyophilisation. As a means of uncertainty analysis, the Stochastic Collocation Method is applied, allowing the use of existing reliable deterministic models as black boxes in the stochastic computations. As a deterministic model, the lyophilisation model is used, based on the axisymmetric approximation of a vial, and the Boundary Element Method as a solver. Five parameters, covering material properties, process conditions and model constants, are selected for the sensitivity analysis simulation of the lyophilisation of an aqueous mannitol solution. The results show that during the initial stage of the primary drying heat transfer from the shelf is crucial, and that the uncertainties in the contact surface area and material properties of the vial play a more important role than the thermal properties of the drying material. When the temperature of the material reaches its distinct primary drying stage level the mass transfer through the porous cake becomes the most important, with great sensitivity to the Knudsen diffusivity in the porous cake. We observed uncertainties in the results for the primary drying time in the order of ±6%, and uncertainties in the results for temperatures of ±0.6°C in the frozen material and ±3°C in the porous cake. The uncertainty analysis proved to be a great help in determining the critical parameters in the heat and mass transfer during the important primary drying step, which led to a better definition of the numerical model for use in the context of design space determination.

Molecular characterization, prevalence and clinical relevance of Phodopus sungorus papillomavirus type 1 (PsuPV1) naturally infecting Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)

Phodopus sungorus papillomavirus type 1 (PsuPV1), naturally infecting Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) and clustering in the genus Pipapillomavirus (Pi-PV), is only the second PV type isolated from the subfamily of hamsters. In silico analysis of three independent complete viral genomes obtained from cervical adenocarcinoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma and normal oral mucosa revealed that PsuPV1 encodes characteristic viral proteins (E1, E2, E4, E6, E7, L1 and L2) with conserved functional domains and a highly conserved non-coding region. The overall high prevalence (102/114; 89.5 %) of PsuPV1 infection in normal oral and anogenital mucosa suggests that asymptomatic infection with PsuPV1 is very frequent in healthy Siberian hamsters from an early age onward, and that the virus is often transmitted between both anatomical sites. Using type-specific real-time PCR and chromogenic in situ hybridization, the presence of PsuPV1 was additionally detected in several investigated tumours (cervical adenocarcinoma, cervical adenomyoma, vaginal carcinoma in situ, ovarian granulosa cell tumour, mammary ductal carcinoma, oral fibrosarcoma, hibernoma and squamous cell papilloma) and normal tissues of adult animals. In the tissue sample of the oral squamous cell carcinoma individual, punctuated PsuPV1-specific in situ hybridization spots were detected within the nuclei of infected animal cells, suggesting viral integration into the host genome and a potential etiological association of PsuPV1 with sporadic cases of this neoplasm.

Oral and Dental Examination Findings in a Family of Zoo Suricates ( Suricata Suricatta)

Although similar oral and dental diseases as seen in dogs, cats, ferrets, and other carnivores are expected in suricates, published data on their oral and dental diseases are rare. The objective of this report is therefore to describe oral and dental examination findings in a family of zoo suricates. In this cross-sectional clinical study, detailed oral and dental examination and full-mouth dental radiographs were performed in 6 suricates undergoing general anesthesia for their regular annual wellness check. Attrition/abrasion was commonly observed less so were dental fractures, but both conditions were found to be associated with endodontic disease. Periodontal disease of different stages was also commonly observed. As expected, dental radiography was essential to determine dental anatomy, to accurately diagnose oral and dental diseases, and to plan treatment. This report illustrates that several painful oral and dental diseases can affect suricates in captivity. Therefore, thorough oral and dental examination supported by dental radiography under general anesthesia is warranted also in these animals as a part of their annual wellness checks.

Vibration Fatigue Analysis of Two Different Variants of Oil Suction Pipes

In order to reduce the overall mass of the product, an improved variant of the engine oil suction pipe in hybrid design is developed and analysed as part of this paper. The vibration fatigue analysis of a simple all-metal suction pipe and the new hybrid suction pipe variant is derived using computer FEA simulations and vibration measurements on the shaker. The hybrid design of the technical components makes it possible to combine different types of materials in order to achieve the best possible properties and behaviours for the components under the influence of external loads. In our case, we combine a suction pipe made of S235JR mild steel with a 3D-printed polyamide intake funnel featuring a grid designed to prevent particles from entering the engine's lubrication circuit. This design reduces the mass and shifts the centre of gravity closer to the attachment point of the pipe, as well as to the engine crankcase, which has a positive effect on the values of natural frequencies and vibration amplitudes. The main objective of such a hybrid suction pipe is precisely to reduce vibrations, and thus extend the service life of the components.

Fettinfusion bei polytraumatisierten Intensivpatienten in der Frühphase der Behandlung

<i>Ziel:</i> Untersuchung der metabolischen Auswirkung einer Fettinfusion in steigender Dosierung in der frühen Phase der totalen parenteralen Ernährung (TPN). <i>Design</i>: Offene, prospektive Untersuchung an männlichen Patienten nach multiplem Trauma. <i>Rahmen</i>: Intensivstation einer Universitätsklinik. <i>Patienten</i>: 21 männliche, maschinell beatmete Patienten nach einem schweren Trauma. <i>Interventionen:</i> Fettinfusion (Elolipid 20%, Fa. Leopold, Graz, Osterreich) vom 3. Aufnahmetag an in steigender Dosierung: 0,075 g/kg Körpergewicht/h am 3. Tag; 0,125 g/kg KG am 5. Tag und 0,15 g/kg KG am 7. Tag i. v. über jeweils 8 h. <i>Ergebnisse</i>: Die Triglyzeridwerte stiegen am 3. Behandlungstag während und nach der Infusion signifikant an, während der prozentuale Anstieg (gewichtet auf 1 g/kg KG) am 5. Behandlungstag nur unter laufender Fettzufuhr signifikant war. Die Werte nach Beendigung der Fettzufuhr lagen in alien Fallen niedriger als unter laufender Fettzufuhr. Eine Hyperglykämie konnte besonders am 3. Tag beobachtet werden. Es konnte keine Senkung der Harnstoff-Produktionsrate nach hochdosierter Fettgabe beobachtet werden. <i>Schlußfolgerungen</i>: Unter der vorgegebenen Fettzufuhr dürfte es zu einer Überschreitung der Fettelimination gekommen sein, wobei nicht geklärt ist, ob die Clearance oder die Oxidation vermindert war. Das gestörte Verhalten im Glukose-stoffwechsel scheint diese Annahme zu unterstützen. Daraus ergibt sich unseres Erachtens die Notwendigkeit einer entsprechenden Dosisanpassung und einer kontinuierlichen Applikation von Fett über 24 h, wenn die Kohlenhydratzufuhr bedarfsdeckend erfolgt und die Glukosewerte sich im Normbereich befinden, um bei schwer traumatisierten Patienten metabolische Störungen zu vermeiden.

Fatigue Behaviour of PA66 GF30 at Different Temperatures

A comprehensive experimental investigation to understand the mechanical properties and fatigue behaviour of glass-reinforced polyamide (PA66 GF30) at different temperatures is presented in this paper. The specimens for quasi-static and fatigue testing were machined from previously extruded plates, where two orientations were considered: (i) the extrusion direction (ED) and (ii) the direction perpendicular to extrusion (PED). Both the quasi-static and fatigue tests were performed under different temperatures (22 °C and 100 °C). The fatigue tests were performed in a load control regime under pulsating loading (R = 0.1) to create S-N curves for all the temperatures and loading directions. The experimental results of the quasi-static tests showed that the test specimens manufactured in the extrusion direction have better mechanical properties when compared to those of the specimens manufactured perpendicular to the extrusion direction. Furthermore, the analysis of the quasi-static tensile test results showed that tensile strength, yield strength, and the modulus of elasticity are significantly dependent on the temperature and deteriorate when the temperature is increased from 22 °C to 100 °C. The results of the fatigue tests showed that at both the temperatures (22 °C and 100 °C), the samples produced in the direction of extrusion exhibited higher fatigue strength than those produced perpendicular to the direction of extrusion. For all the sample orientations, the fatigue strength decreased significantly with increasing temperature. The obtained experimental results could be very useful when designing and dimensioning different dynamically loaded engineering components made of PA66 GF30 subjected to high temperatures.

Oral and Dental Examination Findings in European Polecats (Mustela putorius)

Dental and oral diseases in the domestic ferret have been reported, but comparison with their closest wild relative, the European polecat (Mustela putorius), is lacking. Dental and orofacial pathology was evaluated by means of visual examination and dental radiographical analysis of 234 museum skulls. Most of these (70.5%) originated from Austria and the remainder came from seven other European countries. Linguoverted mandibular second incisor teeth were noted in 77% of the skulls. There were 7,268 (91.4% of all potential) teeth available for examination. Few (0.3%) were presumed congenitally missing and 0.5% were presumed missing by acquired means. Supernumerary teeth were present in 2.6% of the skulls. Most (65.6%) of the maxillary first molar teeth were three rooted with the palatal root protruding into the orbit. Most (67.2%) of the mandibular first molar teeth were three rooted with the smaller third root being positioned in the furcation of the two larger roots. Thirty-one percent of the teeth were four rooted, with the smaller fourth root also being positioned in the furcation of the two largest roots. Attrition/abrasion was shown by 17.2% of the teeth in 47% of the skulls. Periodontitis was recognized in 57.6% of the teeth in 91.9% of the skulls and dental fractures were noted in 7.2% of the teeth in 62% of the skulls. Radiographical evidence of endodontic disease was found in 25% of the fractured teeth. Tooth resorption, in the form of external inflammatory resorption associated with endodontic disease, was found in 0.1% of teeth in 2.1% of skulls. Extrusion affected 44% of the canine teeth. Lesions consistent with infection by the helminth Troglotrema acutum were identified in 33.3% of the skulls. Oral and dental disease was significant and varied, often consistent with reports of the species domestic counterpart - the ferret. Comparison with other mustelids, notably the beech marten (Martes foina), showed both clear consistencies and discrepancies, dependent on the type of pathology.

[Lipid infusion in multiple trauma intensive care patients in the early phase of treatment]

OBJECTIVES

To study the metabolic effects of a high-dose fat infusion application in the early phase of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) after major trauma.

DESIGN

Prospective study in male patients after major trauma.

SETTING

Intensive care unit of the University Clinic.

PATIENTS

21 male, mechanically ventilated patients after major trauma.

INTERVENTIONS

Infusion of Elolipid 20% (Fa. Leopold, Graz, Austria), starting on the 3rd day after ICU admission (0.075 g/kg body weight/h) in 8 h. The dose was increased on the 5th day (0.125 g/kg BW/h) and on the 7th day (0.15 g/kg BW/h).

RESULTS

There was a pathologic rise in serum triglycerides on days 3, 5 and 7 during the infusion period. A serious diabetic metabolic state was shown on the 3rd day. No significant changes in urea production rate could be demonstrated after the high-dose fat infusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The reason for the decreased fat elimination in patients after major trauma after high-dose fat infusion (8 h) remains unclear (fat clearance or fat oxidation failure). Therefore the fat infusion should be started after normalization of the blood glucose level. Thus the fat infusion should be given continuously over 24 h to avoid serious metabolic complications.