David E. Anderson

Pathogen inactivation: making decisions about new technologies Report of a consensus conference

Methods to remove and inactivate pathogens, used extensively in the manufacture of plasma protein fractions, have all but eliminated transmission of infectious agents by these products. 1 Technologies for reducing the risk of infection from single donor blood components have not been embraced as enthusiastically. Several methods have been introduced in Europe. Treatment with solvent/detergent (S/D) or methylene blue have both been applied to plasma components, and psoralen treatment of platelets (PLTs) has begun in several countries. 2-4 Although S/D-treated pooled plasma has been approved for use in the United States and Canada, none of these methods has been adopted for single-donor products in North America. Reasons for slow acceptance include 1) the current safety of the volunteer blood supply; 2) the success of surveillance and development of screening tests to deal with emerging pathogens; 3) the inability of current technologies to inactivate some agents such as spores, prions, and certain small nonencapsulated viruses; 4) concerns regarding remote risks from the residual chemical agents used during the pathogen inactivation (PI) process; 5) absence of any single method to treat whole blood or all components; and 6) the costeffectiveness of these technologies especially compared to strategies to reduce noninfectious risks of transfusion. 5

Electrospun PCL in Vitro: a Microstructural Basis for Mechanical Property Changes

Polymeric tissue-engineering scaffolds must provide mechanical support while host-appropriate cells populate the structure and deposit extracellular matrix (ECM) components specific to the organ targeted for replacement. Even though this concept is widely shared, changes in polymer modulus and other mechanical properties versus biological exposure are largely unknown. This work shows that specific interactions of biological milieu with electrospun scaffolds can exert control over scaffold modulus. The net effects of biological and non-biological environments on electrospun structures following 7 and 28 days of in vitro exposure are established. Reduction of modulus, ultimate tensile strength and elongation occurs without the apparent involvement of classic hydrolysis mechanisms. We describe this phenomenon as deposition-induced inhibition of nanofiber rearrangement. This phenomenon shows that both mechanical and morphological characterization of electrospun structure under load in biological environments is required to tailor scaffold design to pursue specific tissue-engineering goals.

Neonatal diarrhea in llamas and alpacas

Abstract Diarrhea is an important cause of morbidity in neonatal llamas and alpacas. Diarrhea may be multifactorial in etiology including management and nutritional factors as well as a variety of pathogens. Most of the pathogens involved affect other livestock species and some have host-adapted strains. However, the clinical signs, their expected severity and age of onset of disease varies between species in some cases. The most common pathogens causing diarrhea in neonatal camelids are coronavirus, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp. and coccidia. The purpose of this paper is to review the available literature on neonatal diarrhea in camelids and to present clinical data from 55 cases seen at The Ohio State University.

External skeletal fixation in ruminants

External skeletal fixation (ESF) techniques are increasingly being adapted for treatment of fractures in large animals. This article includes detailed information regarding decision making for ESF, biomechanics of ESF, interaction of the bone and implants, general surgical techniques for application of ESF (including traditional ESF, use of acrylic sidebars for ESF, and transfixation, pinning, and casting), discussions of application of ESF to specific bones, and complications associated with the use of ESF. Also, techniques for the management of open, infected fractures are presented. Future directions of ESF research and application also are presented.

Pathogen inactivation : making decisions about new technologies -preliminary report of a consensus conference

H. G. Klein,1 D. Anderson,2 M.-J. Bernardi,3 R. Cable,4 W. Carey,5 J. S. Hoch,6 N. Robitaille,7 M. L. A. Sivilotti8 & F. Smaill9 1Department of Transfusion Medicine, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 2QE II Health Sciences Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 3CRIR – Centre de Recherche Interdisciplinaire en Readaptation, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 4American Red Cross Blood Services, Farmington, CT, USA 5Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada 6St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 7CHU St. Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 8Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada 9McMaster University Health Sciences, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Consensus conference on vCJD screening of blood donors: report of the panel.

From the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Queen Elizabeth II Health Science Center, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; American Red Cross, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Hôpital de l’Enfant-Jésus, Quebec; University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Laboratoire de Santé du Québec, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, Canada; Dalhousie University, Halifax; Queen’s University, Kingston; St. John’s, St. John’s, Canada; Canadian Hemophilia Society, Quebec, Canada; Laval University, Quebec; Canadian Medical Association, the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Address reprint requests to: Jeffrey McCullough, University of Minnesota, MMC 609 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, address; e-mail: mccal001@umn.edu. Received for publication September 17, 2003; revision received January 16, 2004, and accepted January 16, 2004. TRANSFUSION 2004;44:675-683. B L O O D D O N O R S A N D B L O O D C O L L E C T I O N

Lameness Examination in Cattle

Veterinarians are often asked to examine cattle for lameness. A good history, observation of stance and stride, and physical examination are critical to the diagnosis of lameness in cattle. Methods of examination, including observation of the animal at a distance and during movement, are described. Lameness grading systems and ancillary diagnostic tests are also discussed.

Pre-weaning morbidity and mortality of llamas and alpacas.

OBJECTIVES To describe the morbidity and mortality patterns and identify factors associated with morbidity in pre-weaning llamas and alpacas. DESIGN Cross-sectional observational study of 287 crias born on four farms in Ohio, USA. PROCEDURE Historical data representing all crias born over a 6-year period were obtained from two llama farms and two alpaca farms in Ohio. Multivariable generalised linear mixed effects regression models were used to identify factors associated with morbidity outcomes. RESULTS In total, 105 (37%) of the llamas and alpacas had some reported morbidity during the pre-weaning period, and mortality rate was 2.1%. In addition, 51 (18%) of llamas and alpacas experienced morbidity because of infectious disease, and 47 (16%) experienced morbidity during the neonatal period. The three most commonly reported morbidity events were undifferentiated diarrhoea (23%), umbilical hernia (16%) and unspecified infectious disease (15%). Difficult birth was an important risk factor for pre-weaning morbidity in this population. CONCLUSIONS Camelid veterinarians and their clients can expect that pre-weaning health events are common among crias, although mortality is low. Crias experiencing difficult births may require additional monitoring for health events during the pre-weaning period.

Surgical treatment of lameness.

Digital diseases are commonly seen in cattle. Cattle affected by digital disorders do not always respond to conservative therapy and require surgery. Surgical procedures for the common digital disorders are described, with emphasis on the different approaches to the distal interphalangeal joint.

Diagnosis and Management of Tendon Disorders in Cattle

Diagnosis and treatment of congenital and acquired tendon disorders in cattle are discussed. A brief discussion of tendon structure, anatomy, biomechanics, and healing is included. Congenital abnormalities presented include hyperextension deformities, flexural deformities, arthrogryposis, and spastic paresis. Acquired abnormalities discussed include tendon displacement, tendinitis, tendon disruption, and tenosynovitis. Antibiotic selection for musculoskeletal infections is briefly discussed.