Forty canine patients with a presumptive diagnosis of the intervertebral disc herniation at the thoracolumbar region were imaged. A neurological examination was performed and all patients were classified under four grades by the examination. The degrees of attenuation of the herniated disc material were measured in Housefield units (HU) in each image. The ratio of the area to herniated disc material and the height to disc material were measured. The clinical grade was correlated with the area ratio of the herniated disc material to the spinal cord, but not correlated with the height ratio of that. In the patients with epidural hemorrhage at surgery, HUs of the herniated disc material was lower than those with no epidural hemorrhage at surgery. Non-contrast computed tomography scans of the spine can be useful in diagnosing acute intervertebral disc disease in chondrodystrophoid breeds, evaluating patient status and identifying concurrent epidural hemorrhage.
Animals ; Dog Diseases/*pathology/radiography ; Dogs ; Intervertebral Disk Displacement/radiography/*veterinary ; Lumbar Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Vertebrae/*pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods/standards/*veterinary

To evaluate the effect of amniotic membrane on corneal wound healing, using the VISX 193-nanometer excimer laser, the wound model of 150 micrometer depth, 6.0 mmdiameter area was created in 30 white rabbits (60 eyes). The treatment of corneal wound was categorized into three groups :topicalantibiotics alone (control), therapeutic contact lens application and amniotic membrane graft. The area of epithelial defect, proliferation of epithelial cells and inflammatory cell infiltration were evaluated during the entire observation period. Epithelial healing rates calculated by radius regression in control, contact lens and amniotic membrane groups were 42.5 micrometer/hr, 33.4 micrometer/hr and 53.4micrometer/hr respectively thus the effect of amniotic membrane was significantly outstanding (P<0.05). The epithelium was healed almost within 72 hours in eyes of amniotic membrane group but significantly delayed in contact lens group. The number of inflammatory cells in stroma were significantly lower in amniotic membrane group than others. The number of PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) immunoreactive cells has increased in amniotic membrane group than other groups and regionally at basal cell layer of limbus comparing to wound margin at first, third days after treatment. In view of the above findings, amniotic membrane on corneal wound accelerates the process of wound healing, with minimal complications.
Amnion* ; Cornea* ; Epithelial Cells ; Epithelium ; Lasers, Excimer ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; Rabbits ; Radius ; Transplants ; Wound Healing* ; Wounds and Injuries*

This study was performed to investigate histopathologically the effect of amniotic membrane graft (AMG)on haze in deep stromal wound of cornea. The excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK)was used to create the wound model of 150 micrometerdepth, 6.0 mmdiameter area in 72 white rabbitsbilaterally.Each eye was randomized to three groups: control (topical antibiotic alone), contact lens application and AMG. Corneal haze,the number of anterior stromal keratocytes and thickness of the regenerated stroma were evaluated after treatments in corneal wound, and also the morphological changes of anterior stroma connected with corneal haze were analyzed. The score of corneal haze in AMG group was significantly lower than those in the others at postoperative 3 days, 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks. The anterior stromal keratocytes in AMG group significantly remained more than those in the others at postoperative 3 days. The number of keratocytes and thickness of regenerated stromal tissue in wound area of AMG group were statistically lower as compared with those of the other groups at postoperative 4 weeks. The architecture of stromal lamella was most reg-ular in AMG group. Transmission electron microscopic observation demonstrated that the cells in anterior stroma were the active fibroblastic cells with prominent rough endoplasmic reticulum at postoperative 8 weeks. These findings indicate that corneal haze is closely connected with proliferation of corneal stroma , suggesting that AMG on deep corneal stromal wound reduces corneal haze by preventing proliferation of abnormal collagen and fibroblasts at the anterior stroma of the wound area.
Amnion* ; Collagen ; Cornea ; Corneal Stroma ; Endoplasmic Reticulum, Rough ; Fibroblasts ; Lasers, Excimer ; Transplants ; Wounds and Injuries

A 12-year-old castrated Toy Poodle was referred to the Kangwon National University Animal Hospital with an oligotrophic nonunion fracture in the distal 1/3 of the left radius and an intact ulna. After fixation by a locking plate and screws, adipose-derived mesenchymal stem-cell sheets expressing bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) were transplanted to the fracture site to enhance the healing activity. The fracture was healed at 9 weeks after surgery. In the present case, the mesenchymal stem-cell sheets expressing BMP-7 promoted bone regeneration and healing in a nonunion fracture.
Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 ; Bone Regeneration ; Child ; Dogs ; Fractures, Ununited ; Gangwon-do ; Hospitals, Animal ; Humans ; Play and Playthings* ; Radius ; Ulna

BACKGROUND: It is important that hospitals conduct disaster drills to ensure prompt response in case of a pandemic and thereby prevent a biological disaster. METHODS: In a university hospital of Seoul, a drill was arranged by the members of the drill preparation team who were a part of the response team for infection control of novel influenza A (H1N1). The drill preparation team designed the scenario for the drill, made plans to resolve the potential problems that could occur during that scenario, and organized a survey team and a survey methodology. The scenario consisted of 2 modules: (1) for an intensive care unit and (2) for an emergency care center. The surveyors and field participants were evaluated after the drill exercise. RESULTS: This drill was conducted to improve the response to outbreaks of new infectious diseases. The drill event showed that the communication among the members responsible for the infection control was effective. However, the drill revealed certain drawbacks in the process; this drawbacks involved availability of adequate quarantine space, education on using personal protective equipments, assignment of medical and nonmedical staff, management of visitors, and installment of air-conditioners, heaters, and ventilation units in the areas with H1N1 outbreak. CONCLUSION: This drill helped to improve the process of infection control and overcome the drawbacks in the current process, and thereby helped in achieving positive outcome during the actual pandemic situation when the number of hospital visits and admissions because of H1N1 pandemic had rapidly increased. Although disaster plans and drills are not actively performed, the drill for infection control is essential because the risk for an outbreak of a new infectious disease is increasing.
Communicable Diseases ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Dietary Sucrose ; Disasters ; Disease Outbreaks ; Emergency Medical Services ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Influenza, Human ; Intensive Care Units ; Mandrillus ; Pandemics ; Quarantine ; Ventilation

We concentrated ourselves to evaluate the prognostic significance of the p53 gene mutations, its protein expression and MIB-1 index as a proliferative marker in canine mammary tumors. In the present study, a total of 20 cases were examined, among which there were 5 malignant mixed tumors, 4 mammary gland adenocarcinomas, 1 papillary adenocarcinoma, 8 benign mixed tumors and 2 mammary gland adenomas. Positive immunostaining for p53 with PAb240 antibody was found in 2 benign (20%) and 3 malignant (30%) tumors. However, PAb421 antibody did not give positive result at all. In Western blot analysis, the p53 expression in benign and malignant tumors was detected in 4 and 3 cases, respectively. p53 mutations were found in 6 cases out of the cases with detected p53 protein expression. The MIB-1 index in benign and malignant tumors were 17.6+/-20.8% and 29.0+/-27.2%, respectively and there was no significant difference between tumor types. There was a significant correlation between p53 mutations and p53 overexpression (correlation coefficient = 0.5, p < 0.05). In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the p53 index was associated with significantly shortened survival time (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, p53 overexpression was only an independent factor for indicator of worse prognosis in canine mammary tumors (p = 0.01). These results demonstrated that p53 gene mutations and protein overexpression using the PAb240 anti-p53 antibody were useful predictors of increased malignant potential and poor prognosis in canine mammary tumors.
Animals ; Antibodies, Antinuclear/metabolism ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/metabolism ; Blotting, Western/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/genetics/*metabolism ; Dogs ; Female ; Genes, p53/*genetics ; Immunohistochemistry/veterinary ; Ki-67 Antigen/metabolism ; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal/genetics/*metabolism ; *Mutation ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/*biosynthesis/genetics

No abstract available.
Carcinosarcoma* ; Lung*

Mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene has been related in the pathogenesis of numerous human and canine cancers, including breast cancers and mammary tumors. We have investigated exons 5-8 of the p53 gene for mutations in 20 spontaneous canine mammary tumors using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with direct sequence analysis to evaluate the role of this gene in canine mammary tumorigenesis and analyzed to compare with other clinicopathological parameters including age, histology, stage, recurrence and death from tumor. Four missense (one case had two missense mutations) and one nonsense mutations were detected in 10 malignant lesions (40%), and two missense and one silent mutations were found in 10 benign mammary tumors (30%). Five of the missense mutations were located in highly conserved domains II, III, IV and V. After a follow-up period, four dogs showed a progression and three of these patients revealed death from mammary carcinoma with p53 mutation. These results demonstrated that the p53 gene mutations might be involved in the development of canine mammary tumors and contribute to the prognostic status in canine mammary carcinomas.
Animals ; Codon, Nonsense/genetics ; DNA, Neoplasm/chemistry/genetics ; Dog Diseases/*genetics ; Dogs ; Female ; Genes, p53/*genetics ; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal/*genetics ; Mutation, Missense/genetics ; Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Survival Analysis ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics

The 150 microl and 50 micol was reversed in the labeled line of the insert box in above article, on page 92, Fig. 4. The correct figure is printed below. We apologize for any confusion resulting from this error.

Thirty-four dogs with no deep pain perception due to acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease underwent decompression surgery within 1 week of diagnosis. All dogs underwent hemilaminectomy. Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) were transplanted into the injured spinal cord parenchyma for the AD-MSCs transplant dogs. Long-term outcome was evaluated at the end of the follow-up period (> 6 months). AD-MSCs combination treatment showed better recovery outcomes compared to decompression surgery alone. These results indicate that this stem cell therapy is a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome the limitations of treatment for spinal cord injury in clinical medicine.
Acute Disease ; Adipose Tissue/cytology ; Animals ; Decompression, Surgical/veterinary ; Dog Diseases/*therapy ; Dogs ; Female ; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/therapy/*veterinary ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement/therapy/*veterinary ; Male ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/*veterinary ; Pain Perception ; Treatment Outcome