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Topic:Comparative Study
Comparative studies in equine research involve the systematic analysis of different horse breeds, management practices, or physiological responses to identify variations and similarities. These studies are instrumental in understanding how different factors influence health, performance, and behavior in horses. Common areas of comparison include genetic traits, nutritional requirements, disease resistance, and response to training. By evaluating these differences, researchers can develop targeted strategies for breeding, healthcare, and training. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that focus on the methodologies, findings, and implications of comparative studies in the context of equine science.
Age and gender related changes in hematological parameters of thoroughbred foals. Hematological and biochemical profiles commonly are required in equine medicine. We studied hematological parameters including red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (PCV), differential leukocyte counts, mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) in thoroughbred foals at different ages and for both sexes. Sixty healthy thoroughbred foals, 1 day, 3 days and 1 year old were used. Each age group consisted of 10 male and 10 female animals. We found significant differences related to age in RBC...
Endogenous plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration does not correlate with plasma total antioxidant capacity level in healthy untrained horses. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential cofactor in the mitochondrial electron transport pathway, and is also the only known endogenously synthesized lipid-soluble antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to determine, for the first time, endogenous plasma CoQ10 concentration and its correlation with plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum total cholesterol (TC) in a population of healthy untrained horses. Thirty-one horses were included in the study. Plasma CoQ10 concentration ranged from 0.380 to 2.090 mg/L, which is in general agreement with plasma CoQ10 concentration in humans....
In vitro diazepam metabolism in horses. There is little information about drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics in horses. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize the profiles of drug metabolites for the safe use of drugs. In this study, we focused on cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs), which represent an important enzyme group to determine pharmacological effects of drugs. We chose diazepam as the drug of choice for this study. The aim of this study was to elucidate the metabolic pathway of diazepam in horses in comparison with rats, and to clarify CYP subfamilies responsible for diazepam metabolism in horses. Our results showed tema...
Medial femoral condyle morphometrics and subchondral bone density patterns in Thoroughbred racehorses. To characterize medial femoral condyle (MFC) morphometrics and subchondral bone density patterns in Thoroughbred racehorses and to determine whether these variables differ between left and right limbs. Methods: Stifle joints harvested from 6 Thoroughbred racehorses euthanized for reasons other than hind limb lameness. Methods: The distal portion of the left and right femurs of each cadaver was scanned via CT. Hounsfield units were converted to dipotassium phosphate equivalent densities through use of a phantom on each specimen. Medial femoral condyle width, length, height, and curvature; subch...
Characterization and osteogenic potential of equine muscle tissue- and periosteal tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in comparison with bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells. To characterize equine muscle tissue- and periosteal tissue-derived cells as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and assess their proliferation capacity and osteogenic potential in comparison with bone marrow- and adipose tissue-derived MSCs. Methods: Tissues from 10 equine cadavers. Methods: Cells were isolated from left semitendinosus muscle tissue, periosteal tissue from the distomedial aspect of the right tibia, bone marrow aspirates from the fourth and fifth sternebrae, and adipose tissue from the left subcutaneous region. Mesenchymal stem cells were characterized on the basis of morphology, ad...
Effects of equine bone marrow aspirate volume on isolation, proliferation, and differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells. To compare the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) yield and chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation from 5- and 50-mL bone marrow aspirates from horses. Methods: Six 2- to 5-year-old mixed-breed horses. Procedures-2 sequential 5-mL aspirates were drawn from 1 ilium or sternebra. A single 50-mL aspirate was drawn from the contralateral ilium, and 2 sequential 50-mL aspirates were drawn from a second sternebra. The MSC yield was determined through the culture expansion process. Chondrogenesis and osteogenesis were evaluated by means of conventional laboratory methods. Results: The second of the 2 s...
Effects of hypoglossal nerve block and electrical stimulation of the thyrohyoideus muscles on position of the larynx and hyoid apparatus in healthy horses. To determine the effects of hypoglossal nerve block and electrical stimulation of the thyrohyoideus muscles on position of the larynx and hyoid apparatus in resting horses. Methods: 16 healthy horses that underwent hypoglossal nerve block and 5 healthy horses that underwent electrical stimulation of the thyrohyoideus muscles. Methods: Horses underwent bilateral hypoglossal nerve block or electrical stimulation of the thyrohyoideus muscles. Positions of the basihyoid bone, ossified part of the thyroid cartilage, and articulations of the thyrohyoid bones and thyroid cartilage were determined in ...
Serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration after training sessions in Arabian race and endurance horses. Serum amyloid A (SAA) is the major acute phase protein in horses. Its concentration increases in various pathologies but also in response to prolonged, strenuous effort. The purpose of this study was to establish whether routine race and endurance training produces changes in the SAA level in Arabian horses. Additionally, the differences between SAA response in experienced endurance horses and endurance horses that were beginning their career were investigated. Results: There were no changes in SAA concentrations after race training and endurance training in experienced horses. In horses that ...
A comparative evaluation of methicillin-resistant staphylococci isolated from harness racing-horses, breeding mares and riding-horses in Italy. To investigate the prevalence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) which is a potencial risk factor of transmission between animals and humans in different types of horses (harness racing-horses, breeding mares and riding-horses) and to compare the antimicrobial resistance of the isolates. Methods: A total of 191 healthy horses, housed at different locations of the Campania Region (Italy), were included in the study. Nasal swab samples were collected from each nostril of the horses. The mecA gene was detected by a nested PCR technique. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested for each isol...
Influence of fat content on physico-chemical and oxidative stability of foal liver pâté. The effect of fat content on physico-chemical properties and lipid and protein stability of foal liver pâté was studied. For this purpose, two batches (10 units per batch) of foal liver pâté with different pork back fat content [30% (30F) and 40% (40F)] were manufactured. 30F foal liver pâté was darker (lower L* value, P>0.05), redder (higher a*, P<0.001) and harder (higher hardness value; P<0.001) compared to those with 40F. Fat level was closely related to the calorific value of foal liver pâté, being more calorific in those with higher fat contents (352 kcal/100 g; P<0.001). Regardi...
Factors affecting live foal rates of Thoroughbred mares that undergo manual twin elimination. Mares diagnosed with twin vesicles at 13-17 days after ovulation commonly have one of 2 vesicles manually reduced. It is not known whether vesicle location (adjacent vs. nonadjacent), mare age, mare reproductive status, parity, month of breeding or mare plasma progesterone concentration affects live foal rates. Objective: To determine factors associated with a positive outcome (live foal) in mares undergoing manual twin reduction between 13 and 17 days post ovulation when performed by a single operator. Methods: Retrospective case-control study. Methods: Breeding records and the Jockey Club re...
Expression of enzymes and receptors of leukotriene pathway genes in equine endometrium during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. The aims of the present study were to elucidate the expression profiles of leukotriene (LT) pathway mRNA transcription and to determine the possible interaction of LT and prostaglandin (PTG) pathways genes in equine endometrium during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from mares on the day of ovulation (d0), at late diestrous (LD, n = 4), and after luteolysis in the estrus phase (AL, n = 4) of the cycle. Biopsies were also taken on Days 14 (P14; n = 4), 18 (P18, n = 4), and 22 (P22, n = 4) during early pregnancy that were comparable days to cyclic sampli...
Validation of the IDS Octeia ELISA for the determination of insulin-like growth factor 1 in equine serum and tendon tissue extracts. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) is an important mediator of tissue repair in horses. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate whether IGF-1 could be measured reliably in equine serum and tendon tissue extracts, using an IGF-1 ELISA kit developed for human serum and plasma. Methods: A glycyl-glycine pretreatment protocol of samples was compared with the pretreatment procedure recommended by the manufacturer. Intra- and inter-assay imprecision were evaluated by repeated measurements of equine serum pools. Assay inaccuracy was determined based on the linearity of serially diluted equine...
Evaluation of intra-abdominal pressure in horses that crib. To measure intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in horses that crib and compare it with IAP in horses that do not have this vice. Methods: Cohort study. Methods: Healthy cribbing horses (cribbing cohort, n = 8) and 8 healthy noncribbing horses (noncribbing cohort). Methods: A microsensor catheter was introduced into the peritoneal cavity through the right paralumbar fossa, using local anesthesia, for measurement of IAP. These pressures were recorded in 1-minute intervals for 2 hours, while the horses were standing tied in a stall. IAPs of cribbing horses were compared to the noncribbing cohort...
Abnormal plasma neuroactive progestagen derivatives in ill, neonatal foals presented to the neonatal intensive care unit. Increased levels of pregnanes have been reported in foals with neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS). These steroids may cross the blood-brain barrier and have depressive effects in the central nervous system leading to behavioural abnormalities and altered states of consciousness in affected foals. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the pregnane profile of foals with NMS and compare it with that of healthy controls and sick, non-NMS foals. Methods: Prospective-clinical study. Methods: Thirty-two foals with a clinical diagnosis of NMS, 12 foals with other neonatal disorders and ...
Characterization of Prdm9 in equids and sterility in mules. Prdm9 (Meisetz) is the first speciation gene discovered in vertebrates conferring reproductive isolation. This locus encodes a meiosis-specific histone H3 methyltransferase that specifies meiotic recombination hotspots during gametogenesis. Allelic differences in Prdm9, characterized for a variable number of zinc finger (ZF) domains, have been associated with hybrid sterility in male house mice via spermatogenic failure at the pachytene stage. The mule, a classic example of hybrid sterility in mammals also exhibits a similar spermatogenesis breakdown, making Prdm9 an interesting candidate to e...
A histomorphological analysis of human and non-human femora. Histology is used to describe post-mortem bone alterations, trauma, pathology and age estimation and to separate human and non-human bones. Many scholars are however not familiar with the intricate and variable microstructure of bone, and due to the complex nature of some classification systems, bone histomorphology is often incorrectly described or identified. Little information is available on the histomorphology of non-human bones found in southern Africa, and therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the histomorphology of non-human species commonly found in southern Africa, namely,...
Effect of pressure support ventilation during weaning on ventilation and oxygenation indices in healthy horses recovering from general anesthesia. To determine if pressure support ventilation (PSV) weaning from general anesthesia affects ventilation or oxygenation in horses. Methods: Prospective randomized clinical study. Methods: Twenty client-owned healthy horses aged 5 ± 2 years, weighing 456 ± 90 kg. Methods: In the control group (CG; n = 10) weaning was performed by a gradual decrease in respiratory rate (fR ) and in the PSV group (PSVG; n = 10) by a gradual decrease in fR with PSV. The effect of weaning was considered suboptimal if PaCO2 > 50 mmHg, arterial pH < 7.35 plus PaCO2 > 50 mmHg or PaO2 < 60 mmHg were observed at any tim...
Efficient propagation of equine viruses in a newly established equine cell line, FHK-13.1 cells. Equine cells are required for isolation of viruses that infect the horse. However, only a few equine cell lines and cell cultures are available so far. Fetal horse kidney (FHK)-Tcl3.1 cell is a novel cell line established by introducing simian virus 40 (SV40) large T antigen. In the present study, the ability to propagate equine viruses was compared between FHK-Tcl3.1 cells and other equine cells. FHK-Tcl3.1 cells efficiently increased many viruses derived from or having pathogenicity to horses and produced high infective titers in culture fluids. These results indicate that FHK-Tcl3.1 cells w...
Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates from equine infectious endometritis belong to a distinct genetic group. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is the pathogen most commonly isolated from the uterus of mares. S. zooepidemicus is an opportunistic pathogen and part of the resident flora in the caudal reproductive tract. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a genotypically distinct subpopulation of S. zooepidemicus is associated with endometritis in the mare, by genotyping and comparing uterine S. zooepidemicus strains with isolates from the vagina and clitoral fossa. Mares with (n=18) or without (n=11) clinical symptoms of endometritis were included. Uterine samples were obtained using...
Change of antibody levels to ferritin in the sera of foals after birth: possible passive transfer of maternal anti-ferritin autoantibody via colostrum and age-related anti-ferritin autoantibody production. Antibody (immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM or IgA) levels relative to ferritin in six foal sera (three male and three female) after birth (day 0 and 2, 6, 10, 20, 28, 36, 40, 52 and 56 weeks of age) were semi-quantitatively measured with normalization with antibody activity to ferritin in one adult horse serum. After addition of horse spleen ferritin to the serum sample, the complex formed between antibodies to ferritin in the serum and ferritin was co-immunoprecipitated using antibody to horse spleen ferritin. Antibody classes of the co-immnoprecipitate were detected with antibodies specific for h...
Identification of a pegivirus (GB virus-like virus) that infects horses. The recent identification of nonprimate hepaciviruses in dogs and then in horses prompted us to look for pegiviruses (GB virus-like viruses) in these species. Although none were detected in canines, we found widespread natural infection of horses by a novel pegivirus. Unique genomic features and phylogenetic analyses confirmed that the tentatively named equine pegivirus (EPgV) represents a novel species within the Pegivirus genus. We also determined that EPgV causes persistent viremia whereas its clinical significance is undetermined.
Sperm trajectories form chiral ribbons. We report the discovery of an entirely new three-dimensional (3D) swimming pattern observed in human and horse sperms. This motion is in the form of 'chiral ribbons', where the planar swing of the sperm head occurs on an osculating plane creating in some cases a helical ribbon and in some others a twisted ribbon. The latter, i.e., the twisted ribbon trajectory, also defines a minimal surface, exhibiting zero mean curvature for all the points on its surface. These chiral ribbon swimming patterns cannot be represented or understood by already known patterns of sperms or other micro-swimmers. The...
Investigating the efficacy of amnion-derived compared with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in equine tendon and ligament injuries. This is the first study to compare the treatment of horse tendon and ligament injuries with the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) obtained from two different sources: amniotic membrane (AMSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs). The objective was to prove the ability of AMSCs to exert beneficial effects in vivo. Methods: Five million allogeneic frozen-thawed AMSCs or autologous fresh BM-MSCs were injected intralesionally in horses belonging to group A (51 horses) and group B (44 horses). The interval lesion/implantation was of 6-15 days for the AMSCs and 16-35 days for the BM-MSCs. Healing was as...
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in stallions: developmental changes, seasonal variation, and differences between intact stallions, cryptorchid stallions, and geldings. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a homodimeric glycoprotein, is secreted early in fetal life when it exerts a crucial function in sexual differentiation. The secretion of AMH in male humans persists after birth and is characterized by high prepubertal concentrations followed by a significant decrease at the onset of puberty. The expression of AMH in the normal and cryptorchid equine testis is well characterized but data regarding circulating AMH concentrations are lacking. The objectives of this study were to determine serum AMH concentrations in neonatal colts and fillies, prepubertal colts, an...
Serum amyloid A and haptoglobin concentrations in serum and peritoneal fluid of healthy horses and horses with acute abdominal pain. Peritoneal fluid (PF) analysis is a valuable diagnostic tool in equine medicine. Markers such as serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) could facilitate the diagnosis of inflammatory abdominal conditions. Objective: The objectives were to (1) establish reference intervals (RI) for SAA and Hp in serum and PF in healthy horses, (2) compare SAA and Hp concentrations between healthy horses and horses with colic, and (3) to assess the correlation between serum and PF concentrations. Methods: Serum amyloid A and Hp concentrations were determined by automated assays in prospectively enrolled heal...
Age-related changes in the central nervous system in selected domestic mammals and primates. Aging is a process which operates at many levels of physiological, genetic and molecular organization and leads inevitably to death. Brain macroscopic changes by MRI investigation during aging were observed in humans and dogs but chimpanzees did not display significant changes. This suggestion led to the statement that brain aging is different in various species. Although human brain changes, e.g. β-amyloid storage, neurofibrillary tangle formation, lipofuscin, are relatively well known, we are still looking for a suitable animal model to study the mechanisms of aging and neurodegenerative di...
The absence of ER-β results in altered gene expression in ovarian granulosa cells isolated from in vivo preovulatory follicles. Determining the spatial and temporal expression of genes involved in the ovulatory pathway is critical for the understanding of the role of each estrogen receptor in the modulation of folliculogenesis and ovulation. Estrogen receptor (ER)-β is highly expressed in ovarian granulosa cells, and mice lacking ER-β are subfertile due to inefficient ovulation. Previous work has focused on isolated granulosa cells or cultured follicles and, although informative, provides confounding results due to the heterogeneous cell types present including granulosa and theca cells and oocytes and exposure to in...
Descriptive epidemiology and risk factors for eliminations from Fédération Equestre Internationale endurance rides due to lameness and metabolic reasons (2008-2011). There is limited information on international endurance rides and on risk factors for eliminations. Objective: To describe and compare the frequency of occurrence of elimination due to lameness and metabolic reasons from Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) endurance rides (≥100 km) during 2008-2011 in all countries and to assess risk factors for elimination due to lameness and metabolic reasons. Methods: Retrospective unmatched case-control study. Methods: Data collected from the FEI website included the following: the country where the ride was held; the year; the result for each hor...
