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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.
Selenium and Vitamin E Concentrations in a Healthy Donkey Population in Central Italy. Selenium and vitamin E protect the body against oxidative stress. Clinical manifestations of their deficiency in equids include neurologic and muscular symptoms. Despite the importance of donkeys as working and production animals, there is a dearth of scientific data on selenium and vitamin E normal values. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the plasma concentrations of selenium and vitamin E in healthy donkeys belonging to different ages, sexes, and productive phases. Animals were divided into five groups including foals (group A: n = 7, n = 4 males and n = 3 females), wea...
Corneal cross-linking (CXL)-A clinical study to evaluate CXL as a treatment in comparison with medical treatment for ulcerative keratitis in horses. Compare CXL treatment with medical treatment alone in horses with stromal, ulcerative keratitis. Methods: 24 horses (24 eyes) with stromal, ulcerative keratitis were included. Methods: 12 horses were initially treated with CXL, and 12 horses were given conventional medical treatment. Topical medical treatment was added to horses in the CXL group if necessary. Parameters including cytology, microbial growth, time to fluorescein negativity, and time to inhibition of stromal melting were evaluated. Results: After the first day of treatments, a decrease in inflammatory signs and pain from the eye ...
Comparison of the microbiome, metabolome, and lipidome of obese and non-obese horses. Metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans have been linked to alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota and metabolome. Knowledge of these associations has improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of these diseases and guided development of diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic interventions. The cellular and molecular pathophysiology of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) and obesity in horses, however, remain ill-defined. Thus, the objectives of this study were to characterize the fecal microbiome, fecal metabolome, and circulating lipidome in obese and non-o...
A candidate gene approach identifies variants in SLC45A2 that explain dilute phenotypes, pearl and sunshine, in compound heterozygote horses. Variations in the SLC45A2 gene are responsible for the dilution phenotypes cream and pearl in domestic horses. Cream dilution is inherited in an incomplete dominant manner, diluting only red in the heterozygous state but both red and black pigments when two alleles are present. The pearl dilution is recessive and dilutes only the red and black pigment in the homozygous state or when paired with a cream allele. Horses that inherit one copy of pearl (C ) and one copy of the dominant cream allele (C ) display a dilution phenotype similar to that of homozygous cream, suggesting that pearl is the ...
Genetic evaluation of bovine papillomavirus types detected in equine sarcoids in Poland. Equine sarcoids are the most common neoplasms in horses. Bovine papilloma- virus type 1 (BPV-1) is the main viral type identified in equine sarcoids in Europe. Objective: The aim of the present study was to genetically evaluate BPV types based on DNA analyses of the CDS of the L1 gene. The presence of BPV DNA was confirmed by Degenerate Oligonucleotide-Primed Polymerase Chain Reaction (DOP PCR) with FAP59/FAP64 consensus primers. Results: The DNA was detected in 21/40 (52.5%) of clinically diagnosed sarcoids. More than half of 14 isolates (66.7%) shared 100% homology with BPV-1 Deltapapillomav...
Testing for Behavioral and Physiological Responses of Domestic Horses (Equus caballus) Across Different Contexts – Consistency Over Time and Effects of Context. In a number of species, consistent behavioral differences between individuals have been described in standardized tests, e.g., novel object, open field test. Different behavioral expressions are reflective of different coping strategies of individuals in stressful situations. A causal link between behavioral responses and the activation of the physiological stress response is assumed but not thoroughly studied. Also, most standard paradigms investigating individual behavioral differences are framed in a fearful context, therefore the present study aimed to add a test in a more positive context...
Analysis of mesenchymal cells (MSCs) from bone marrow, synovial fluid and mesenteric, neck and tail adipose tissue sources from equines. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in equines as an alternative therapy. A comparative study about the phenotype and in vitro performance of different MSCs tissue sources in adult equines was needed. This study might serve to provide the knowledge to select a valuable harvesting source of MSCs. Bone marrow, synovial and adipose (mesenteric, neck and tail fat) tissues were collected from adult equines. Cell surface markers expression (CD11α/CD18, CD45, CD79α, CD90, CD105 and MHC II) and in vitro differentiation assays were made. In vitro cell migration, cell growth and wound healing...
Coconut Water as an Extender Component for Cooled Equine Sperm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of coconut water as a component of extender in different formulations for cooling equine sperm. One ejaculate of fourteen stallions was collected. Sperm was diluted to 50 × 10 sperm/mL using five different extenders: ACP-105: powdered coconut water extender (ACP-105, ACP Biotecnologia, Brazil); ACP-Milk: ACP-105 + 20 g/L of skimmed milk; ACP-EY 2.5%: ACP-105 + 2.5% of egg yolk; ACP-EY 5%: ACP-105 + 5% of egg yolk; and BotuSêmen (Botupharma, Botucatu, Brazil) and cooled in passive cooling device (BotuFlex, Botupharma, Botucatu, Brazil) at 5...
Intestinal ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora) in Brazilian domestic horses (Equus caballus L.) and a review on the ciliate communities associated with horses around the world. The aims of this study were to identify and quantify the gastrointestinal ciliates from Brazilian domestic horses, to compare the data obtained with previous studies and to review data on ciliate communities associated with horses around the world. We used eight domestic horses, kept under extensive management. Fecal samples were obtained immediately after defecation of animals and fixed in 18.5% formaldehyde. We identify 24 species of endosymbiotic ciliates, distributed in two subclasses, two orders, five families and 13 genera. The ciliate composition was similar among the animals analyzed. ...
Evaluation of Fertilizing Ability of Frozen Equine Sperm Using a Bovine Zona Pellucida Binding Assay. Frozen equine semen has lower fertility compared to cooled semen. Due to the difficulty to obtain equine oocytes, a heterologous zona pellucida binding assay (ZBA) is an alternative method to predict the fertilizing capability of equine frozen sperm. The rate of capacitated and hyperactivated sperm according to their motility characteristics were analyzed with a Computer Assisted Sperm Analyzer. We believe this report describes for the first time the in vitro hyperactivation induction and the heterologous ZBA to predict the fertilizing ability of frozen equine sperm. Objective: This work aimed...
Comparing assignment-based approaches to breed identification within a large set of horses. Considering the extensive data sets and statistical techniques, animal breeding embodies a branch of machine learning that has a constantly increasing impact on breeding. In our study, information regarding the potential of machine learning and data mining within a large set of horses and breeds is presented. The individual assignment methods and factors influencing the success rate of the procedure are compared at the Czech population scale. The fixation index values ranged from 0.057 (HMS1) to 0.144 (HTG6), and the overall genetic differentiation amounted to 8.9% among the breeds. The highes...
A retrospective comparison of the efficiency of different assisted reproductive techniques in the horse, emphasizing the impact of maternal age. Advancing maternal age is known to negatively affect fertility in the horse. This age-related decrease in fertility has been linked primarily to reduced oocyte quality rather than to impaired uterine function. In the past decade, the use of ovum pick-up (OPU) and ICSI to produce foals has rapidly gaining popularity amongst sport horse breeders. However, it is not yet known how maternal age influences the efficiency of a commercial OPU-ICSI program and whether the age effect is similar to that observed for other ART in the horse. To answer this question, reproductive records of 289 mares bred b...
Enterococcus infections in foals. Enterococci have been increasing in prevalence in foal sepsis over the past three decades. There are no published studies in the peer-reviewed literature documenting common sites of infection, antimicrobial susceptibility, or outcome specifically associated with enterococcal infections in foals. Our objectives were to evaluate the sites of origin, antimicrobial susceptibility, and survival outcome to discharge in foals with enterococcal infections compared with foals with sepsis of another bacterial etiology. Seventy-five foals 0-30 days of age with cultures positive for Enterococcus and 170 c...
Influence of plate type and placement on the immobilization of bilateral equine mandibular osteotomies: Ex vivo study. To determine the influence of plate fixation (locking or dynamic compression) and the site of application (ventral [V] or ventrolateral [VL]) on the resistance to bending of transverse mandibular fractures. Methods: Ex vivo, simple randomized study. Methods: Mandibles harvested from adult equine cadavers (n = 18). Methods: Bilateral osteotomies were created 1 cm caudal to the mental foramen and perpendicular to the long axis of each mandible. Mandibles were fixed with 1 of 3 methods: (1) VL dynamic compression plate (DCP), (2) V-DCP, or (3) VL locking compression plating (LCP). Construct...
The effect of insulin infusion on heart rate and systemic blood pressure in horses with equine metabolic syndrome. There is little evidence that horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) have higher resting blood pressures than horses with normal insulin sensitivity. However, there are indications that EMS horses have an altered dynamic response to the cardiovascular effects of insulin. Objective: To examine heart rate and the systemic blood pressure response in EMS and control horses during insulin infusion. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Horses were examined with an oral sugar test (OST) and a euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp (EHC). Based on the results from the OST, the horses were classi...
Immunogenicity of Potomac horse fever vaccine when simultaneously co-administered with rabies vaccine in a multivalent vaccine or as two monovalent vaccines at separate sites. Potomac horse fever (PHF) is a potentially fatal enterocolitis of horses caused by Neorickettsia risticii. The disease was originally recognised almost 40 years ago in the state of Maryland in the US. It is now known to occur in many areas of North America, as well as having been described in South America and Europe. Monocomponent PHF vaccines are available, but clinical protection with vaccination has been reported to be inconsistent. Objective: This study was designed to assess the immunogenicity of a commercially available Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) vaccine when administered as either a mo...
Evaluation of a Novel System for Linear Conformation, Gait, and Personality Trait Scoring and Automatic Ranking of Horses at Breed Shows: A Pilot Study in American Quarter Horses. The study compared results of the traditional horse judging system (T) using subjective grades with those of a novel system of linear scoring (LS) using an application ("Breed Show App"). The horse's quality in relation to the total breeding aim was evaluated based on weighting factors for 57 individual traits commonly regarded in T, thus allowing immediate ranking of the horses. Results were stated as total grade in percent for both systems. One thousand nine hundred nine American Quarter horses were judged at regular breed shows with either T (n = 883), LS (n = 1,026), or both systems (n ...
Effects of Diet Versus Exercise on Morphometric Measurements, Blood Hormone Concentrations, and Oral Sugar Test Response in Obese Horses. Weight loss plans in horses typically use dietary restriction, but exercise may have additional benefits. This study aimed to compare the effects of a diet or exercise protocol resulting in comparable caloric restriction in obese horses. Ten obese horses were paired according to sex, age, and breed or breed type. One horse from each pair was randomly assigned to either diet (DIET)-intake restricted to approximately 85% of digestible energy requirements or exercise (EX)-exercised to expend approximately 15% of digestible energy requirements, resulting in 85% of requirements available, for 4 we...
Evaluation of the bacterial ocular surface microbiome in clinically normal horses before and after treatment with topical neomycin-polymyxin-bacitracin. Next generation sequencing (NGS) studies have demonstrated a rich and diverse ocular surface-associated microbiota in people that was previously undetected by traditional culture-based methods. The ocular surface microbiome of horses has yet to be investigated using NGS techniques. This study aimed to determine the bacterial composition of the ocular surface microbiome in healthy horses, and to identify whether there are microbial community changes over time and following topical antibiotic use. One eye of 12 horses was treated 3 times daily for 1 week with neomycin-polymyxin-bacitracin ophtha...
Markers for oxidative stress in the synovial fluid of Thoroughbred horses with carpal bone fracture. Arthritis is thought to cause oxidative stress in synovial fluid in humans, but there have been few reports in horses. To evaluate oxidative stress in synovial fluid in horses, this study used 19 horses with unilateral fracture of the carpal joint bone. Synovial fluid was collected from the carpal joint on the fracture (arthritis group) and contralateral (control group) sides. Diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) were then measured, and the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. d-ROMs and OSI of the arthritis group were significantly hi...
Whole genome sequencing analysis of horse populations inhabiting the Korean Peninsula and Przewalski’s horse. The Jeju horse is an indigenous horse breed in Korea. However, there is a severe lack of genomic studies on Korean horse breeds. The objective of this study was to report genomic characteristics of domestic horse populations that inhabit South Korea (Jeju, Jeju crossbred, and Thoroughbred) and a wild horse breed (Przewalski's horse). Using the equine reference genome assembly (EquCab 2.0), more than ~ 6.5 billion sequence reads were successfully mapped, which generated an average of 40.87-fold coverage throughout the genome. Using these data, we detected a total of 12.88 million SNPs, of w...
Diagnostic value of noninvasive pulse pressure measurements in Warmblood horses with aortic regurgitation. Noninvasive blood pressures (NIBP) and pulse pressures (PP) have not been published in horses with aortic and mitral regurgitation (AR or MR). Objective: To investigate NIBP and PP in healthy Warmblood horses and horses with AR and MR and propose PP cutoffs to identify and stage AR severity. Methods: Seventy-three Warmblood horses (healthy, 10; AR, 31; MR, 32). Methods: Retrospective study. All horses had NIBP and an echocardiogram recorded. Cases were categorized based on severity of regurgitation. Pulse pressures were compared among healthy, MR, and AR groups and among AR severity groups. Cu...
Anti-Influenza A Virus Activities of Type I/III Interferons-Induced Mx1 GTPases from Different Mammalian Species. Type I/III interferons provide powerful and universal innate intracellular defense mechanisms against viruses. Among the antiviral effectors induced, Mx proteins of some species appear as key components of defense against influenza A viruses. It is expected that such an antiviral protein must display a platform dedicated to the recognition of said viruses. In an attempt to identify such platform in human MxA, an evolution-guided approach capitalizing on the antagonistic arms race between MxA and its viral targets and the genomic signature it left on primate genomes revealed that the surface-ex...
Neuroanatomy of the equine brain as revealed by high-field (3Tesla) magnetic-resonance-imaging. In this study, the morphology of the horse brain (Equus caballus) is decribed in detail using high field MRI. The study includes sagittal, dorsal, and transverse T2-weighted images at 0.25 mm resolution at 3 Tesla and 3D models of the brain presenting the external morphology of the brain. Representative gallocyanin stained histological slides of the same brain are presented. The images represent a useful tool for MR image interpretation in horses and may serve as a starting point for further research aiming at in vivo analysis in this species.
Are mule pregnancies really longer than equine pregnancies? Comparison between mule and equine pregnancies. In equine management, it is important to predict the approximate foaling date of mares to monitor parturition and allow early identification and intervention of problems during the perinatal period. There are no studies comparing accurate gestational length (GL) when mares are carrying mule foals and no controlled comparisons between GL of mares pregnant with equine or mule foals. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to compare GL of mares pregnant with equine or mule foals and establish normal reference values for GL of mares pregnant with male and female mules. Gestational length of ...
Insights into animal models for cell-based therapies in translational studies of lung diseases: Is the horse with naturally occurring asthma the right choice? Human asthma is a widespread disease associated with chronic inflammation of the airways, leading to loss of quality of life, disability and death. Corticosteroid administration is the mainstream treatment for asthmatic patients. Corticosteroids reduce airway obstruction and improve quality of life, although symptoms persist despite treatment in many patients. Moreover, available therapies failed to reverse the lung pathology present in asthma. Animal models, mostly rats and mice, in which the disease is experimentally induced, have been studied to identify new therapeutic targets for human as...
Quantitative characterization of viscoelastic properties of synovial fluid from forelimb joints of orthopedically normal Thoroughbreds and warmblood horses. To determine whether differences existed in the viscoelastic properties of synovial fluid samples from the metacarpophalangeal, intercarpal, and distal interphalangeal joints of orthopedically normal athletic horses. Methods: 45 warmblood horses and 30 Thoroughbreds (age range, 4 to 16 years). Methods: Synovial fluid samples were aseptically obtained via arthrocentesis from 1 metacarpophalangeal, intercarpal, and distal interphalangeal joint of each horse, and nucleated cell counts were performed. A commercial ELISA was used to measure sample hyaluronic acid concentrations, and full rheologica...
Comparing the clinical success rate of the dorsolateral approach to the medial approach for injection of the centrodistal joint in the horse. Centrodistal joint injection is an important component of lameness evaluation and treatment. Successful injection is poor for the medial approach. The dorsolateral approach is an alternative but has not been validated with contrast medium. Radiograph-guidance has not been studied to determine its necessity or benefit for either approach. Objective: To determine if the dorsolateral approach to the centrodistal joint is more successful than the medial approach. To determine if radiograph-guidance is beneficial. Methods: Prospective, randomised study. Methods: Three operators injected 98 centrodi...
Behavioral Signs Associated With Equine Periapical Infection in Cheek Teeth. No studies have focused on dental pain signs associated with periapical infection in cheek teeth (CT) of horses. Moreover, the ability of owners to recognize signs of dental pain in horses has not been reported. We hypothesized that periapical infection will usually induce pain that manifests in the behavior of the horse. Removing the infected tooth will reduce the expression of such behaviors. Owners of 47 horses whose CT had been removed because of periapical infection participated in this study. They filled an internet-based questionnaire including 23 questions about eating behavior, bit be...
RAPID COMMUNICATION: TLR4 expressed but with reduced functionality on equine B lymphocytes. Varying susceptibility exists among mammalian species to the development of potentially fatal endotoxemia due to gram-negative bacteria molecular component, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is responsible for LPS-associated immune response and is expressed on numerous immune cells including B lymphocytes. TLR4 is expressed in a functional form on mouse B lymphocytes, a species much less susceptible to endotoxemia compared with humans who are highly sensitive to endotoxin. Humans possess B lymphocytes that are not responsive to LPS. Likewise, horses are highly susceptible t...
