Volume of the ligamentum capitis femoris in osteoarthritic hip joints of adult dogs

The Selenylation Modification of Epimedium Polysaccharide and Isatis Root Polysaccharide and the Immune-enhancing Activity Comparison of Their Modifiers

Epimedium polysaccharide (EPS) and isatis root polysaccharide (IRPS) were extracted, purified, and selenizingly modified by nitric acid-sodium selenite method to obtain nine selenizing EPSs (sEPSs), sEPS1-sEPS9 and nine selenizing IRPSs (sIRPSs), sIRPS1-sIRPS9, respectively. Their effects on chicken peripheral lymphocyte proliferation in vitro were compared by MTT assay. The results showed that selenium polysaccharides at appropriate concentration could promote lymphocyte proliferation more significantly than unmodified polysaccharides, sEPS5 and sIRPS5 with stronger actions were picked out and injected into the chickens vaccinated with Newcastle disease vaccine in vivo tests. The peripheral lymphocyte proliferation and serum antibody titer were determined. The results showed that sEPS5 and sIRPS5 could elevate serum antibody titer and promote lymphocyte proliferation more significantly than unmodified polysaccharides, sEPS5 possessed the strongest efficacy. These results indicate that selenylation modification can significantly enhance the immune-enhancing activity of EPS and IRPS, and sEPS5 can be as a new-type immunopotentiator of chickens.

The ligaments of the canine hip joint revisited

Numerous conventional anatomical textbooks describe the canine hip joint, but many contradictions, in particular regarding the ligament of the femoral head, are present. This paper presents a brief overview of the different literature descriptions. These are compared with own observations that have resulted in a revised description of the anatomy of the ligament of the femoral head in the dog. To this purpose, the hip joints of 41 dogs, euthanized for reasons not related to this study and devoid of lesions related to hip joint pathology, were examined. It was observed that the ligament of the femoral head is not a single structure that attaches only to the acetabular fossa, as generally accepted, but it also connects to the transverse acetabular ligament and is complemented by a strong accessory ligament that courses in caudal direction to attach in the elongation of the acetabular notch that extends on the cranioventral surface of the body of the ischium. The description of this accessory ligament in conventional anatomical handbooks is incomplete. This description of the accessory ligament of the femoral head could support the research unravelling the etiopathogenesis of hip instability.

[Lig. capitis femoris. Arthroscopic diagnosis and treatment of degenerative and traumatic disorders]

The LT arises from the transverse acetabular ligament and the posterior inferior portion of the acetabular fossa and attaches to the femoral head at the fovea capitis. Lesions of the LT are accompanied by dislocation or subluxation of the hip as well as acetabular fractures. However, rupture may occur simply from a twisting injury in the absence of major trauma. Atraumatic degeneration associated with osteoarthritis and dysplasia as well as after Perthes' disease and slipped epiphysis capitis can occur. The symptoms of pain, popping, locking, and catching are nonspecific for a variety of intra-articular lesions. Most of the patients complain of deep anterior groin pain, but sometimes simply pain upon activity or loss of motion are described. No examination finding would distinguish injury to the ligament. The diagnosis of rupture of the LT remains elusive to various imaging techniques. Magnetic resonance arthrography is much more sensitive than magnetic resonance imaging at detecting various lesions but has a low sensitivity for ruptures of the LT. Lesions of the LT can be diagnosed using arthroscopy and respond remarkably well to arthroscopic débridement. Long-term results and potential consequences of treatment remain to be defined.