Topic:Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis in equine research involves the application of mathematical techniques to collect, review, and interpret data related to horse health, behavior, and performance. This field encompasses a variety of methods, including descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and multivariate analysis, to identify patterns, test hypotheses, and draw conclusions from equine data. Statistical analysis aids in understanding various aspects of equine science, such as disease prevalence, treatment efficacy, genetic traits, and performance metrics. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, applications, and outcomes of statistical analysis in the context of equine studies.
Blunt injuries related to equestrian sports: results from an international prospective trauma database analysis. The objective of this study was to investigate the nature, management, and outcome of major injuries related to equestrian sports and to define the at-risk groups for serious and life-threatening injuries. We analyzed demographic, pre-hospital, clinical, and outcome data from an international population-based prospective trauma database (TraumaRegister DGU®). Patients with major injuries (Injury Severity Score [ISS] ≥9 points) related to equestrian sports activities were included (January 1, 1993, to December 31, 2012). Clinical and outcome parameters were stratified for four different type...
Seroprevalence and risk factors of Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii infections among horses and donkeys in Nigeria, West Africa. Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are considered to be a globally distributed parasites affecting wide range of warm-blooded animals. Neosporosis has caused clinical illness in horses and consumption of horse meat has been epidemiologically linked to clinical toxoplasmosis in humans. This study was conducted to determine Neospora spp. and T. gondii antibodies and risk factors of infection in horses and donkeys from three states of Nigeria. A total of 144 samples were collected from clinically healthy animals (120 horses and 24 donkeys). The sera were tested for antibodies to Neospora spp. an...
Regional ventilation distribution and dead space in anaesthetized horses treated with and without continuous positive airway pressure: novel insights by electrical impedance tomography and volumetric capnography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on regional distribution of ventilation and dead space in anaesthetized horses. Methods: Randomized, experimental, crossover study. Methods: A total of eight healthy adult horses. Methods: Horses were anaesthetized twice with isoflurane in 50% oxygen and medetomidine as continuous infusion in dorsal recumbency, and administered in random order either CPAP (8 cmHO) or NO CPAP for 3 hours. Electrical impedance tomography (and volumetric capnography (VCap) measurements were performed every 30 minutes. L...
Searching for ivermectin resistance in a Strongylidae population of horses stabled in Poland. There are no available studies describing the possible resistance of strongyles to ivermectin in horses in Poland. One hundred seventy three horses from nine stud farms from South-Western Poland were studied. The effectiveness of ivermectin was studied on the 14th day after ivermectin administration using the fecal egg count reduction test, and a long-term observation of the egg reappearance period was carried out. The fecal study was carried out using a modified McMaster method, which typically detects 20 eggs per gram of stool. The results were subjected to statistical analysis that enabled ...
Cross-validation analysis for genetic evaluation models for ranking in endurance horses. Ranking trait was used as a selection criterion for competition horses to estimate racing performance. In the literature the most common approaches to estimate breeding values are the linear or threshold statistical models. However, recent studies have shown that a Thurstonian approach was able to fix the race effect (competitive level of the horses that participate in the same race), thus suggesting a better prediction accuracy of breeding values for ranking trait. The aim of this study was to compare the predictability of linear, threshold and Thurstonian approaches for genetic evaluation of...
Phenotypic and Genetic Analysis of the Leopard Complex Spotting in Noriker Horses. Genetic analyses of coat colors are frequently restricted to subjectively categorized phenotype information. The aim of this study was to develop a method to numerically quantify the variability of leopard complex (LP) spotting phenotypes introducing tools from image analysis. Generalized Procrustes analysis eliminates systematic errors due to imaging process. The binarization of normalized images and the application of principal component analysis (PCA) on the derived pixel matrices, transform pixel information into numerical data space. We applied these methods on 90 images to ascertain the ...
Regional Differences of Densitometric and Geometric Parameters of the Third Metacarpal Bone in Coldblood Horses – pQCT Study. The aim of the study was to analyse selected densitometric and geometric parameters in the third metacarpal bone along the long axis in horses. The densitometric parameters included the cortical and trabecular bone mineral density, while the geometric parameters included the cortical, trabecular, and total areas, strength strain index X, strength strain index Y, and the polar strength strain index. Methods: The parameters were analysed using eight sections from 10% to 80% of the length of the bone. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography was used in the study. Statistical analysis was carr...
Anoplocephala sp. (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea) infection in horses in Central Italy. Species of Anoplocephalidae are cestodes affecting equines worldwide and causing many intestinal disorders. Between October 2010 and September 2013, 284 faecal samples of horses originating from Lazio Region (Central Italy) were tested for the presence of Anoplocephala sp. eggs by a classic copromicroscopic technique. Data regarding pasture‑dependence/non dependence, age, and sex of the horses were also collected. Statistical analysis, aimed at detecting possible associations between these variables and Anoplocephala sp. prevalence, was performed. Anoplocephala sp. eggs were found in 13% of ...
Farming and ranching related injuries in Southern Idaho. Agriculture is an inherently dangerous industry. We sought injury data for use with the Idaho Time Sensitive Emergency (TSE) system to formulate goals and track improvements. Methods: Registries in southern Idaho were queried for ICD-9-CM diagnoses related to agriculture in 2014. Injuries known or likely to have occurred on properties intended for farming, ranching, animal care, or milk production, and relating to those activities were included. Results: Among 72 patients, injuries were related to horses (31%), machinery (17%), ATVs (17%), and hay bales/haystacks (13%). Average age was 45 (3-8...
Quantitative heartbeat coupling measures in human-horse interaction. We present a study focused on a quantitative estimation of a human-horse dynamic interaction. A set of measures based on magnitude and phase coupling between heartbeat dynamics of both humans and horses in three different conditions is reported: no interaction, visual/olfactory interaction and grooming. Specifically, Magnitude Squared Coherence (MSC), Mean Phase Coherence (MPC) and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) have been used as estimators of the amount of coupling between human and horse through the analysis of their heart rate variability (HRV) time series in a group of eleven human subjects, a...
Translational Research for Occupational Therapy: Using SPRE in Hippotherapy for Children with Developmental Disabilities. Translational research is redefined in this paper using a combination of methods in statistics and data science to enhance the understanding of outcomes and practice in occupational therapy. These new methods are applied, using larger data and smaller single-subject data, to a study in hippotherapy for children with developmental disabilities (DD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates DD affects nearly 10 million children, aged 2-19, where diagnoses may be comorbid. Hippotherapy is defined here as a treatment strategy in occupational therapy using equine movement to achieve...
Cytokine levels in colostrum and in foals’ serum pre- and post-suckling. The purpose of this study is to investigate the presence of IL-4, IL-8, IL-13 and IFN-γ in equine colostrum and in foals' serum. Samples were obtained from 14 mares and their healthy foals. Soon after parturition, 10ml of colostrum was collected, filtered, centrifuged and frozen until assayed. Blood samples were obtained from each foal at birth (TO) and again after 24h (T24), after which they were frozen until assayed. Serum IgG was measured at 24h of age with an immunoturbidimetric quantitative method. Cytokine concentration was determined using commercially available ELISA tests. Statistica...
A Point Mutation in a Herpesvirus Co-Determines Neuropathogenicity and Viral Shedding. A point mutation in the DNA polymerase gene in equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is one determinant for the development of neurological disease in horses. Three recently conducted infection experiments using domestic horses and ponies failed to detect statistically significant differences in viral shedding between the neuropathogenic and non-neuropathogenic variants. These results were interpreted as suggesting the absence of a consistent selective advantage of the neuropathogenic variant and therefore appeared to be inconsistent with a systematic increase in the prevalence of neuropathogenic ...
Effects of thiopentone on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. To characterise the effects of thiopentone on the equine electroencephalogram during halothane anaesthesia. Methods: Prospective controlled study. Methods: Eight healthy Welsh mountain pony geldings between 5 and 9 years old and weighing between 270 and 330 kg (mean 301 kg). Methods: Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone and maintained using halothane in oxygen. End tidal halothane was maintained above 0.75 and below 0.85%. EEG was recorded continuously and a binaural broad band click stimulus was provided throughout the experiment at 6.1224 Hz. An infusion of 500 mg thiopentone was given o...
Effects of guaiphenesin on the equine electroencephalogram during anaesthesia with halothane in oxygen. To identify and characterize the effects of guaiphenesin (GGE) on the electroencephalogram during halothane anaesthesia. Methods: Prospective controlled study. Methods: Eight healthy Welsh mountain pony geldings between 5 and 9 years old and weighing between 270 and 330 kg (mean 301 kg). Methods: Anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone and maintained using halothane in oxygen. End tidal halothane was maintained above 0.75 and below 0.85%. The EEG was recorded continuously and a binaural broad band click stimulus was provided throughout the experiment at 6.1224 Hz. An infusion of 1500 mg GGE w...
Dynamics of Parascaris and Strongylus spp. parasites in untreated juvenile horses. Parasite control in foals is of utmost importance due to the high susceptibility to parasitic infection and disease in this age group. Foals are commonly co-infected with strongyle and ascarid parasites, which complicate parasite control strategies. The present study retrospectively investigated necropsy records of foals born into a university herd kept without anthelmintic treatment since 1979. The aims were to statistically analyze the relationship between fecal egg counts, worm burdens, foal age, sex, and season with specific focus on Parascaris and Strongylus spp. A total of 83 foals born ...
Inhomogeneity of the density of Parascaris spp. eggs in faeces of individual foals and the use of hypothesis testing for treatment decision making. Faecal egg counts (FEC) are used widely for monitoring of parasite infection in animals, treatment decision-making and estimation of anthelmintic efficacy. When a single count or sample mean is used as a point estimate of the expectation of the egg distribution over some time interval, the variability in the egg density is not accounted for. Although variability, including quantifying sources, of egg count data has been described, the spatiotemporal distribution of nematode eggs in faeces is not well understood. We believe that statistical inference about the mean egg count for treatment decis...
Chiral Selectivity in Inter-reactant Recognition and Electron Transfer of the Oxidation of Horse Heart Cytochrome c by Trioxalatocobaltate(III). Outer-sphere electron transfer (ET) between optically active transition-metal complexes and either other transition-metal complexes or metalloproteins is a prototype reaction for kinetic chirality. Chirality as the ratio between bimolecular rate constants of two enantiomers mostly amounts to 1.05-1.2 with either the Λ or Δ form the more reactive, but the origin of chirality in ET parameters such as work terms, electronic transmission coefficient, and nuclear reorganization free energy has not been addressed. We report a study of ET between the Λ-/Δ-[Co(Ox)3](3-) pair (Ox = oxalate) and hor...
Effect of auriculopalpebral nerve block on Schirmer tear test I values in normal horses. To compare Schirmer tear test I (STTI) values collected in normal horses with and without an auriculopalpebral nerve block. Methods: Schirmer tear test I values were measured in 20 clinically normal horses (38 eyes) with a median age of 12 years. The order of eyes tested was randomized. Within 24-48 h, at the same time of day, tear measurements were collected again after administration of an auriculopalpebral nerve block. Each block was performed a minimum of 5 min prior to each STT I. A repeated-measures model was used to analyze differences between STT I values in eyes with and without nerve...
High interindividual and intraindividual variation of oxytocin secretion in estrous mares exposed to stallions, but no significant link to mate preferences. Oxytocin is a hormone that may not only influence reproductive mechanisms in mammals but also their social behavior, including pair bonding. We therefore tested if the concentrations of oxytocin and other hormones reveal mate preferences of 13 mares in estrus. Each mare was first exposed to two stallions (haphazardly selected out of seven) and her behavior recorded. The mare was then returned to her box (i.e., no contact to stallions during that time). Approximately 4.5 hours later, venous blood samples were collected every minute during 30 minutes preceding exposure to one of the two previo...
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Adhesion Barriers on Adhesion Formation in the Horse. To determine the efficacy of adhesion barriers in horses using quantitative statistical analysis. Methods: Meta-analytical review. Methods: A search using PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar was performed, followed by secondary searches of veterinary trade journals, bibliographies of relevant articles, manufacturer websites, and technical reference guides. Randomized experimental trials in healthy horses were considered that included both a treatment and control group. The endpoint required was euthanasia or laparoscopy to identify adhesion formation. A meta-analysis was performed using a random...
Nonlinear hierarchical modeling of experimental infection data. In this paper, we propose a nonlinear hierarchical model (NLHM) for analyzing longitudinal experimental infection (EI) data. The NLHM offers several improvements over commonly used alternatives such as repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) and the linear mixed model (LMM). It enables comparison of relevant biological properties of the course of infection including peak intensity, duration and time to peak, rather than simply comparing mean responses at each observation time. We illustrate the practical benefits of this model and the insights it yields using data from experimental i...
Characterization of spinal cord lesions in cattle and horses with rabies: the importance of correct sampling. Twenty-six cattle and 7 horses were diagnosed with rabies. Samples of brain and spinal cord were processed for hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, refrigerated fragments of brain and spinal cord were tested by direct fluorescent antibody test and intracerebral inoculation in mice. Statistical analyses and Fisher exact test were performed by commercial software. Histologic lesions were observed in the spinal cord in all of the cattle and horses. Inflammatory lesions in horses were moderate at the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral levels, and marked at the lumb...
Validation of a novel saliva-based ELISA test for diagnosing tapeworm burden in horses. Tapeworm infections pose a significant threat to equine health as they are associated with clinical cases of colic. Diagnosis of tapeworm burden using fecal egg counts (FECs) is unreliable, and, although a commercial serologic ELISA for anti-tapeworm antibodies is available, it requires a veterinarian to collect the blood sample. A reliable diagnostic test using an owner-accessible sample such as saliva could provide a cost-effective alternative for tapeworm testing in horses, and allow targeted deworming strategies. Objective: The purpose of the study was to statistically validate a saliva ta...
Practical Bias Correction in Aerial Surveys of Large Mammals: Validation of Hybrid Double-Observer with Sightability Method against Known Abundance of Feral Horse (Equus caballus) Populations. Reliably estimating wildlife abundance is fundamental to effective management. Aerial surveys are one of the only spatially robust tools for estimating large mammal populations, but statistical sampling methods are required to address detection biases that affect accuracy and precision of the estimates. Although various methods for correcting aerial survey bias are employed on large mammal species around the world, these have rarely been rigorously validated. Several populations of feral horses (Equus caballus) in the western United States have been intensively studied, resulting in identifica...
Evaluation of a wireless activity monitoring system to quantify locomotor activity in horses in experimental settings. Methods of evaluating locomotor activity can be useful in efforts to quantify behavioural activity in horses objectively. Objective: To evaluate whether an accelerometric device would be adequate to quantify locomotor activity and step frequency in horses, and to distinguish between different levels of activity and different gaits. Methods: Observational study in an experimental setting. Methods: Dual-mode (activity and step count) piezo-electric accelerometric devices were placed at each of 4 locations (head, withers, forelimb and hindlimb) in each of 6 horses performing different controlled ...
Hypoglycin A Concentrations in Maple Tree Species in the Netherlands and the Occurrence of Atypical Myopathy in Horses. Atypical myopathy (AM) in horses is caused by the plant toxin hypoglycin A, which in Europe typically is found in the sycamore maple tree (Acer pseudoplatanus). Owners are concerned about whether their horses are in danger if they graze near maple trees. Objective: To measure hypoglycin A in the most common maple tree species in the Netherlands, and to determine whether concentration of toxin is a predictor of AM in horses. Methods: A total of 278 samples of maple tree leaves, sprouts, and seeds were classified by species. Mean concentrations of hypoglycin A were compared for the type of sampl...