A circular (5.5 mm diameter) full-thickness cartilage defect was created on the medial ridge of the talus in 12 skeletally mature dogs. In 6 dogs, the articular surface of the lesion was repaired, using an osteochondral graft obtained from the ipsilateral manus. The graft (digit I, first phalanx, distal articular surface and diaphysis) was contoured to obtain a press fit in the drilled talar recipient site. In 6 dogs, the lesion was not treated and healed by fibrous tissue replacement. Functional assessment (lameness, hock range of motion, joint stability, joint crepitus, and mid-femoral muscle circumference) was completed before surgery and at postoperative weeks 2 through 20. Radiographic assessment (periarticular soft tissue width, joint space width, osteophyte formation, and graft incorporation) was completed before surgery and at postoperative weeks 0, 6, 12, and 20. To facilitate histologic assessment, tissues were stained with toluidine blue and H&E. Histologic assessment of the articular surface on the surgically treated talus, ipsilateral tibia, and contralateral talus was completed, using a modification of the Mankin grading system. Subchondral bone was examined to assess graft viability and incorporation. Analysis of the ordinal data was completed, using a Mann-Whitney rank sum test. All dogs were fully weight bearing by postoperative week 7. Dogs without grafts had significantly (P = 0.036) better clinical function at postoperative week 6. Significant difference in functional assessment was not evident at postoperative week 20. Immediate postoperative radiographic assessment revealed significant (P = 0.005) difference between nongrafted and grafted groups. Significant difference was not observed at postoperative week 6, 12, or 20. All grafts appeared radiographically incorporated by postoperative week 12. All grafts restored joint surface congruity, whereas 3 of 6 nongrafted lesions had poor articular congruity. Of 6 grafts, 4 partially retained normal hyaline cartilage, resulting in significantly (P = 0.014) lower Mankin grades. Significant histologic differences between groups were not apparent when the apposing tibia and control talus were examined. Talar reconstruction by use of a phalangeal osteochondral graft is a viable surgical procedure. These data indicate that normal articular and subchondral architecture are more closely approximated by osteochondral reconstruction than by fibrous tissue repair.

A preliminary study of nearinfraredreflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)for the feasibility of analytical monitoring ofamino acids and total protein compositionsin edible bird’s nest (EBN) was conducted.The training (n=134) and validation sets todevelop the equations were built with localunprocessed EBN samples sourced fromdifferent states of Malaysia. The regressionmethod employed was modified partialleast-squares (MPLS). The values ofstandard error for cross validation (SECV)and the coefficient of determination (r2)of the calibrations of these constituentsfor use to predict of amino acids in EBNwere determined, but with a low predictiveability. To find an acceptable accuracyfor each constituent is to increase thenumber of training samples. The findings,however, showed a potential alternativefor the implementation of near-infraredreflectance spectroscopy technology inthis field of analysis.

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in pigs to assess bacterial contamination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) obtained by use of the method and to determine the aerobic bacterial species in bronchoalveolar airways of healthy pigs. Bacterial contamination of BALF caused by insertion of the bronchoscope was evaluated, using a chromogenic bacterial tracer strain, and was found to be 0.22% of total colony-forming units (CFU), with range between 0 and 1.6%. A total of 164 pulmonary-healthy pigs from 6 closed herds were selected. The BALF obtained from these pigs were examined bacteriologically. Bacteria could not be isolated from 10.4% of all BALF; 5.5% of the BALF samples yielded pure cultures; and 84.1% yielded mixed aerobic bacterial growth. In BALF from 29.2% of the pigs, less than or equal to 5 X 10(2) CFU of bacteria/ml were isolated. The total number of bacteria in BALF from 50% of the pigs varied between 5 X 10(2) and 10(3) CFU/ml; 10.4% of BALF samples contained between 10(3) CFU/ml and 5 X 103 CFU/ml. More than 1 bacterial species were isolated from a single lung lavage of 84.1% of the pigs. Up to 6 species were isolated from a single BALF sample. A total of 443 bacterial isolates were differentiated into 25 bacterial genera and species. Samples of BALF yielded staphylococci (67.6%: Staphylococcus hyicus from 13.4% of the samples and S aureus from 2.4%), alpha-hemolytic streptococci (49.4%), Escherichia coli (42.1%), non-hemolytic streptococci (26.2%), Klebsiella spp (18.3%), micrococci (12.8%), and Coryneformes (11.0%). Other bacterial species were found, but less frequently. In our study, BALF from all pigs yielded < 5 X 103 CFU/ ml. Thus, low numbers of bacteria known to be facultative pathogens were isolated from BALF without causing detectable pneumonia.