The treatment of articular cartilage defects seems to be one of the greatest challenges in modern orthopaedics. From a medical point of view there are 3 main goals to achieve for cartilage trauma treatment: restoration of the joints motion, pain relief and elimination/delay of the onset of osteoarthritis. Treatment can be divided into conservative (including pharmacotherapy, arthrocentesis and physiotherapy) and surgical. The last comprises reparative techniques, regenerative methods and symptomatic treatment. While both are focused on reconstruction of the damaged cartilage, the difference lies in the type of filling tissue. Reparative techniques include: drilling of the subchondral bone, spongiolisation, abrasion, mictrofracture, and autologous matrix induced chondrogenesis (AMIC). Regenerative methods contain: periosteal and perichondral grafts, mosaicplasty, autologous chondrocyte implantation and matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI). Nowadays tissue engineering, including gene therapy, is emerging as one of the key approaches to cartilage treatment and holds promises for new achievements and better outcomes of many cartilage diseases and traumas.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of denervation and alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) administration on the development of osteopenia in the turkey radius. At 22 d of age, all turkeys were subjected to neurectomy of the right radius. Control turkeys were given a saline solution into the crop each day for 97 d. Experimental turkeys were given 0.4 g of AKG/kg of BW into the crop each day. After 98 d, BW was not affected by the AKG treatment. Volumetric bone mineral density of the radius was measured by quantitative computed tomography. Mechanical properties were tested using a 3-point bending test. Cross-sectional area, second moment of inertia, and mean relative wall thickness were measured as well. Amino acid concentrations were assessed with the use of ion-exchange chromatography. Denervation had a negative effect on all bone characteristics that were measured except bone length. The AKG had a positive effect on all bone characteristics except bone length. Plasma concentrations of proline and leucine were increased by AKG, whereas concentrations of taurine and glutamine were decreased. The turkey radius appears to be a good model for studying osteopenia because its development can be affected by treatments such as denervation and AKG administration.

Abstract. The aim of the study was to define differences between front and hind hooves in dimensions and proportions of the measurements in horses of various breeds. 77 mares four to thirteen years old of four breeds belonging to different origin types were evaluated: Purebred Arabian horses, halfbred Anglo-Arabian horses, primitive Polish Konik horses and Polish Cold-Blooded horses. The dimensions were measured after trimming. Means in particular groups and differences between fore and hind hooves were estimated with the least square analysis of variance performed separately in each breed. In the four breeds studied, the fore and hind hoof dimensions from the lateral view of the hoof capsule have come out to be similar. The toe to heel length ratio approximates 2 : 1 in both hooves. Viewed from the solar surface, the hind hoof is wider at the heel buttress relative to the fore hoof. The greatest difference between the fore and rear hooves occurs in the capsule width, hence while recording this parameter, it should be defined which foot it concerns. The hoof width is the most highly correlated with other dimensions, as well as the correlations between the fore and hind hooves in this parameter are the highest. The hoof capsule width is the most characteristic parameter of the hoof.

Angiogenesis plays an essential role in the development of a neoplastic tumour by conditioning both its growth and the formation of metastases. The induction of blood vessel growth occurs under the influence of proangiogenic factors, among which Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) seems to be the most important. The aim of this research was to study the level of VEGF measured by ELISA in the serum of dogs with neoplasms of the oral cavity. The study material comprised samples of neoplastic tissue from 17 operated dogs and the serum of the examined animals as well as of dogs from the control group. The tissue samples were taken from dogs of different breeds, aged 6–14 years. The tumour type was determined in accordance with the applicable WHO classification. Blood samples taken from sick dogs and from animals of the control group were centrifuged, and immunoenzymatic labelling of VEGF was performed in the obtained serum using ELISA and R&D system reagents (Quantikine Canine VEGF). All stages of VEGF labelling were performed according to the recommendation of the test manufacturer. The median of VEGF in the serum of the dogs with neoplasms of the oral cavity was 40.64 pg/mL. The lowest value of 14.26 pg/mL was observed in the case of fibrosarcoma, and the highest value of 99.19 pg/mL in the case of squamous cell carcinoma. The VEGF median in the control group amounted to 11.14 pg/mL whereas the VEGF value in the groups of animals diagnosed with benign tumours ranged between 2.30 and 19.74 pg/mL. Elevated VEGF in the blood serum, in comparison with the benign tumour group and the control group, was observed in all examined neoplasms of the oral cavity. It was suggested that overexpression of VEGF can have a prognostic value and is useful in the early detection of neoplasms.

Poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) porous scaffolds were modified with collagen type I (PLGA/coll) or hydroxyapatite (PLGA/HAp) and implanted in rabbits osteochondral defects to check their biocompatibility and bone tissue regeneration potential. The scaffolds were fabricated using solvent casting/particulate leaching method. Their total porosity was 85% and the pore size was in the range of 250–320 µm. The physico-chemical properties of the scaffolds were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), sessile drop, and compression tests. Three types of the scaffolds (unmodified PLGA, PLGA/coll, and PLGA/HAp) were implanted into the defects created in New Zealand rabbit femoral trochlears; empty defect acted as control. Samples were extracted after 1, 4, 12, and 26 weeks from the implantation, evaluated using micro-computed tomography (µCT), and stained by Masson–Goldner and hematoxylin-eosin. The results showed that the proposed method is suitable for fabrication of highly porous PLGA scaffolds. Effective deposition of both coll and HAp was confirmed on all surfaces of the pores through the entire scaffold volume. In the in vivo model, PLGA and PLGA/HAp scaffolds enhanced tissue ingrowth as shown by histological and morphometric analyses. Bone formation was the highest for PLGA/HAp scaffolds as evidenced by µCT. Neo-tissue formation in the defect site was well correlated with degradation kinetics of the scaffold material. Interestingly, around PLGA/coll extensive inflammation and inhibited tissue healing were detected, presumably due to immunological response of the host towards collagen of bovine origin. To summarize, PLGA scaffolds modified with HAp are the most promising materials for bone tissue regeneration.

Sobczyńska-Rak A., Silmanowicz P., Polkowska I.Tumor angiogenesis -factors influencing the development of a tumor vascular network and assessment of neoangiogenesis in histopathological samples

SummaryOzone is a triatomic allotrope of oxygen that can be produced in specially designed machines: ozone generators (ozonators). It breaks down to dioxygen (O 2 ) and active atomic oxygen (O), which is a very strong oxidant. Due to the fact that its bactericidal, virucidal and fungicidal activities are 50 times more powerful than those of chlorine, ozone could be used in a wide range of applications, including disinfection, disinfestation and deodorization. Biochemical properties of ozone make it useful in both human and animal medicine. Ozone therapy has been applied in the treatment of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal tract diseases, many viral, bacterial and fungal infections, corneal diseases, skin disorders, as well as in inflammatory and degenerative joint diseases. Various forms of ozone are utilized for medical purposes, for example, ozone/oxygene mixture, dressing covered with ozonated water or oil, ozonated infusion fluids and ozonated autohemotherapy (AHT). Medical ozone appeared to be successful in the treatment of antibiotic-resistant infections, infected and nonhealing wounds. When properly conducted, ozone therapy is safe and non-toxic, and should therefore be widely used in veterinary and human medicine practice.

BackgroundPatella alta and patella baja are important conditions underlying a predisposition to many joint diseases, including patellar luxation and patellar chondromalacia of the articular cartilage. The frequencies of patella alta and patella baja have not yet been determined. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of patella alta and to determine reference values to the position of the vertical patella according to two modified techniques of the Insall–Salvati method in a group of 65 German shepherd dogs (115 stifle joints).ResultsThe upper limits of reference values for the normal vertical position of the patella were 1.79 and 2.13, depending on the method of measurement. A high prevalence of patella alta was observed in the group of German shepherd dogs. A correlation was demonstrated between the classification of dogs’ joints in the patella alta group and the multiplied risk of canine hip dysplasia (CHD) through the estimation of odds ratios.ConclusionsDogs with patella alta were healthy dogs that did not exhibit orthopaedic problems in the stifle joints. The results revealed that the risk of CHD is twice as high in dogs with higher patellar ligament length to patella length ratio.