Veterinary research in horses encompasses the study of diseases, health management, and medical treatments specific to equine species. This field investigates various aspects of horse health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and musculoskeletal conditions. Researchers focus on understanding the pathophysiology of equine ailments, developing diagnostic tools, and evaluating therapeutic interventions. The study of horse health also involves examining preventive measures such as vaccination protocols and nutritional management to promote overall well-being. This page collects peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the diverse areas of veterinary science related to horses, providing insights into disease mechanisms, treatment strategies, and advancements in equine healthcare.
Andrews FM, Sifferman RL, Bernard W, Hughes FE, Holste JE, Daurio CP, Alva R, Cox JL.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is very common among performance horses, with a reported prevalence of approximately 90% in racehorses, and also > 50% in foals. Omeprazole, an acid pump inhibitor 5 times more potent than ranitidine, has been used with great success to treat EGUS. This multicentre study of Thoroughbred racehorses with endoscopically verified gastric ulcers was designed to demonstrate the efficacy of an equine oral paste formulation of omeprazole in the treatment and prevention of recurrence of EGUS. Of the 100 horses entered into the study, 25 were sham-dosed for the full ...
Venner M, Lauffs S, Deegen E.This study compared the study of a pectin-lecithin complex (Pronutrin) on gastric ulcer healing during an 11 day period in 2 groups of 12 horses each. Twenty-four horses suffering from gastric lesions of differing severity were selected from a larger group of clinical cases on the basis of gastroscopic examination. Both gastric mucosal erosions as well as gastric ulcers were found in the 2 mucosal regions (pars nonglandularis and pars glandularis). The gastric mucosal lesions occurred predominantly in the pars nonglandularis in the vicinity of the margo plicatus. The 24 horses were divided equ...
Merritt AM.This article represents an attempt to provide an overview of the current knowledge of equine gastroduodenal secretory and motor activity, with respect to how these functions are controlled and interact. First, the equine gastric mucosal anatomy is discussed in comparison with other monogastric species, with some attention directed at the large nonglandular portion in relation to its function, or lack thereof. Next, control of gastric acid secretion, as assessed by the collection of gastric contents from a cannula or continuous measurement of their changes in pH, is reviewed, pointing out that ...
Olivry T, Borrillo AK, Xu L, Dunston SM, Slovis NM, Affolter VK, Demanuelle TC, Chan LS.Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune subepithelial blistering dermatosis of humans, dogs, cats and pigs. It is characterized by skin-fixed and circulating IgG autoantibodies that target one or both BP antigens. An immunological homologue of BP in humans was diagnosed in two horses with cutaneous and mucosal ulcerations as well as microscopic subepithelial vesiculation. Immunological investigations revealed similar findings for both the horses. Direct immunofluorescence demonstrated the presence of IgG deposited linearly at the dermoepidermal junction in mucosal and skin biopsy specimens. I...
Berschneider HM, Blikslager AT, Roberts MC.Gastric contents were sampled in horses via nasogastric tube to determine changes in pH and bile salt concentrations during feeding and fasting periods. The horses were rotated through 4 feeding protocols. (1) hay; (2) hay with twice daily grain meals; (3) and (4) fasting preceded by either hay only or hay and grain. Sequential, hourly samples were collected from 3 horses prepared with gastric cannulas. Horses were fed hay twice daily and grain mix either twice daily or in small aliquots dispensed every 90 min. The horses were sampled during normal feeding or after 14 h of feed deprivation. Ga...
Pusterla N, Madigan JE, Chae JS, DeRock E, Johnson E, Pusterla JB.We report successful helminthic transmission of Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever, using trematode stages collected from Juga yrekaensis snails. The ehrlichial agent was isolated from the blood of experimentally infected horses by culture in murine monocytic cells and identified as E. risticii ultrastructurally and by characterization of three different genes.
Woods PR, Drost WT, Clarke CR, Rodebush CJ.Ten healthy horses were injected intravenously with 99mTc-MAG3 and the disappearance of radioactivity from the blood was measured. The total body clearance (Cl(B)) and elimination half-life (t1/2(beta)) were 7.9 +/- 1.5 ml/kg/minute and 32.8 +/- 4.1 minutes, respectively. The disappearance of 99mTc-MAG3 from the blood of 2 horses with compromised renal function was also measured. The data suggest that 99mTc-MAG3 is a useful and clinically applicable radiopharmaceutical for measurement of effective renal blood flow in the horse.
Fernandez CJ, Scott DW, Erb HN.A retrospective study was performed on skin biopsy specimens from horses and cats having eosinophilic granulomas with 'collagen degeneration', eosinophilic skin diseases without 'collagen degeneration' and pyogranulomas without 'collagen degeneration'. Neither the appearance of collagen fibres nor the dominant polymorphonuclear cells, as seen in H & E-stained sections, were predictive of Masson's trichrome findings. Hence, a Masson's trichrome staining abnormality of collagen fibres was no more likely to be present in lesions with 'collagen degeneration' than in those lesions without 'collagen...
Rossano MG, Mansfield LS, Kaneene JB, Murphy AJ, Brown CM, Schott HC, Fox JC.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurological disease of horses and ponies caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Sarcocystis neurona. The purposes of this study were to develop the most stringent criteria possible for a positive test result, to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the EPM Western blot antibody test, and to assess the ability of bovine antibodies to Sarcocystis cruzi to act as a blocking agent to minimize false-positive results in the western blot test for S. neurona. Sarcocystis neurona merozoites harvested from equine dermal cell culture were heat ...
Lawler DF, Hopkins J, Watson ED.Recent evidence indicates that the cells of the immune system and their large network of secretory products, or cytokines, play an active role in the ovary throughout the oestrous cycle. In the present study, immune cell populations (T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, granulocytes and eosinophils) and expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II were investigated in corpora lutea from mares in early (days 2-4), mid- (days 7-10) and late (days 12-14) dioestrus, the post-luteolytic phase (days 16-17) and early pregnancy. The number of T lymphocytes within the corpus luteum increa...
Bowling AT, Del Valle A, Bowling M.Through DNA sequence comparisons of a mitochondrial D-loop hypervariable region, we investigated matrilineal diversity for Arabian horses in the United States. Sixty-two horses were tested. From published pedigrees they traced in the maternal line to 34 mares acquired primarily in the mid to late 19th century from nomadic Bedouin tribes. Compared with the reference sequence (GenBank X79547), these samples showed 27 haplotypes with altogether 31 base substitution sites within 397 bp of sequence. Based on examination of pedigrees from a random sampling of 200 horses in current studbooks of the A...
Solter PF, Farner S.The purpose of this study was to compare 2 different nonradioactive assay methods with a conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA) measuring the concentration of serum thyroxine (T4) in horses. Serum was obtained from 85 adult standardbred horses. The T4 concentration of each sample was analyzed by RIA, chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CEI), and homogeneous enzyme immunoassay (HEI). The correlation between the HEI method and RIA method was significantly greater (r = 0.89) than the correlation between the CEI and the reference method (r = 0.53). In addition, the precision of the HEI method was si...
Martin BB, Reef VB, Parente EJ, Sage AD.To determine results for horses undergoing a high-speed treadmill examination, including videoendoscopy of the pharynx and larynx before and during exercise, echocardiography before and after exercise, and electrocardiography before, during, and after exercise, because of poor performance. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 348 horses. Results: A definitive diagnosis was obtained for 256 (73.5%) horses. One hundred forty-eight horses had dynamic obstruction of the airway during exercise, 33 had clinically important cardiac arrhythmias alone, 22 had a combination of dynamic airway obstructi...
Whitton RC, Kannegieter NJ, Rose RJ.To examine the relationship between medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL) tearing and postoperative performance in racing horses. Methods: The postoperative performance of 42 horses in which the midcarpal joint was examined arthroscopically was followed prospectively. Intra-articular variables examined were the severity of MPICL tearing, subchondral bone damage and articular cartilage damage. Using a scoring system based on the class of race and the position in the race, a mean score was calculated for up to five races before and after surgery. The preoperative score was subtracted from t...
Clayton HM, Schamhardt HC, Willemen MA, Lanovaz JL, Colborne GR.To measure and correlate kinematic and ground reaction force (GRF) data in horses with superficial digital flexor tendinitis. Methods: 6 sound horses. Methods: Horses were evaluated before (sound evaluation) and after (lame evaluation) induction of superficial digital flexor tendinitis in 1 forelimb (randomized) by injection of collagenase. As each horse trotted, kinematic data were collected by use of an optoelectronic system, and GRF data were measured by use of a force plate. Three-dimensional kinematic and GRF data were projected onto a 2-dimensional sagittal plane. Results: Lame limbs had...
Beech J, Fletcher JE, Erwin K, Lindborg SR.To determine sensitivity of equine skeletal muscle to tetrodotoxin and compare that with sensitivity of murine and human skeletal muscles. Methods: Semimembranosus, vastus lateralis, triceps brachii, and masseter muscle specimens from 22 euthanatized horses, vastus lateralis muscle biopsy specimens from 25 clinically normal humans, and diaphragmatic muscle specimens from 6 mice. Methods: Electrically elicited twitch responses were measured in muscle specimens incubated in medium alone and with tetrodotoxin (100 nM, 400 nM, 1.6 microM for equine specimens and 100 nM, 200 nM, 400 nM, 800 nM, 1.6...
Cochard T, Toal RL, Saxton AM.To determine blood flow velocities and indices from spectral waveforms obtained by use of Doppler ultrasonography of thoracic limb arteries of horses and to assess interobserver and patient variability associated with the technique. Methods: 9 clinically normal adult horses. Methods: Left thoracic limb arteries of 8 nonsedated horses were examined at 5 sites by use of pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonography to determine a range of values for peak systolic, end diastolic, and mean velocities and resistive and pulsatility indices. Interobserver and patient variabilities were determined by 2 operator...
van Schie HT, Bakker EM.To develop a method to discriminate between structure-related echoes and echoes resulting from interference, as observed in transverse ultrasonographic images of equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendons. Methods: 2 normal (injury-free) SDF tendons obtained from a 3-year-old Thoroughbred and a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood horse. Methods: Tendons were mounted in a custom-made device that permitted exact transverse and perpendicular sequential scanning with precise steps of 0.5 mm along the long axis of the tendon. Photographs of transverse tendon sections at the exact scanning locations wer...
Steel CM, Robertson ID, Thomas J, Yovich JV.To investigate the effects on wound healing of transforming growth factor-beta 1 as a topical treatment to full-thickness, excisional wounds of the distal limb of horses. Methods: A randomised block study using four horses, each with wounds assigned to four treatment groups. Methods: Four adult Standardbred geldings. Methods: Four, 4 cm2, full-thickness wounds were created on the dorsomedial and dorsolateral aspect of the metacarpus or metatarsus of each limb of four horses, giving a total of 64 wounds. For each limb, wounds were randomly assigned to four treatment groups: no treatment (contro...
Lakritz J, Winder BS, Noorouz-Zadeh J, Huang TL, Buckpitt AR, Hammock BD, Plopper CG.To determine hepatic and pulmonary phase-I and phase-II enzyme activities in horses. Methods: Pulmonary and hepatic tissues from 22 horses that were 4 months to 32 years old. Methods: Pulmonary and hepatic tissues from horses were used to prepare cytosolic (glutathione S-transferase and soluble epoxide hydrolase) and microsomal (cytochrome P450 monooxygenases) enzymes. Rates of microsomal metabolism of ethoxyresorufin, pentoxyresorufin, and naphthalene were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Activities of glutathione S-transferase and soluble epoxide hydrolase were determine...
Clayton HM, Schamhardt HC, Willemen MA, Lanovaz JL, Colborne GR.To determine whether analysis of net joint moments and joint powers is a suitable technique for evaluation of mechanics and energetics of lameness in horses and to measure effects of superficial digital flexor tendinitis. Methods: 6 sound horses. Methods: Horses were evaluated before (sound evaluation) and after (lame evaluation) induction of superficial digital flexor tendinitis in 1 forelimb by injection of collagenase. Recordings were made with an optoelectronic system and a force plate as horses trotted. Net joint moments and joint powers in the sagittal plane at each joint in the forelimb...
Siedek EM, Honnah-Symns N, Fincham SC, Mayall S, Hamblin AS.Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing equine macrophages are scarce. The present study compared the immunocytochemical staining of various equine tissues (lymphoid tissue, lung, liver, small intestine, skin and blood leucocytes) by an antibody, Ki-M6, which detects CD68 in human macrophages and dendritic cells, and by a new anti-equine mAb, JB10, with staining produced by two previously described anti-equine macrophage mAbs, CZ2.2 and CZ3.3. Ki-M6 was shown to identify equine macrophages, which had a distribution different from those identified by CZ2.2 and CZ3.3. JB10 identified equine mac...
Reimer G, Suarez A, Chui YC.A standardbred mare was dosed with 40 mg yohimbine intravenously. Serum and urine samples were collected and analyzed for yohimbine using solvent extraction and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Maximum yohimbine concentrations of 45 and 18 ng/mL were observed in serum and urine samples, respectively. Elimination was rapid, with half-lives of approximately 20 and 53 min observed for serum and urine, respectively. The presence of yohimbine in these samples was confirmed by liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS).
Monos DS, Wolf B, Radka SF, Rifat S, Donawick WJ, Soma LR, Zmijewski CM, Kamoun M.Six mouse and 13 rat monoclonal antibodies (mAb) recognizing HLA-DR, DQ and DP antigens were used for the detection of cell surface class II MHC antigens of equine lymphocytes. The monoclonal antibodies were tested against peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from a panel of thoroughbred horses, using two-color fluorescence flow cytometry. Seven of these mAbs reacted with both surface immunoglobulin positive (sIg+) and surface immunoglobulin negative (sIg-) lymphocytes. sIg+ cells stained consistently brighter than sIg- cells. The fluorescence pattern did not vary from donor to donor for each of...
Desmadril M, Mitraki A, Betton JM, Yon JM.The unfolding-folding transition of phosphoglycerate kinase induced by GuHC1 was studied at equilibrium. Various signals were used to follow the transition: fluorescence emission, difference spectra, circular dichroism and enzymatic activity. The non-coincidence of transition curves obtained from different structural parameters indicate a deviation from a two-state process. The view that structural domains behave as independent "folding units" is critically discussed.
Reijerkerk EP, Veldhuis Kroeze EJ, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Equine sarcoidosis is a rare disorder usually characterized by exfoliative dermatitis, moderate to severe wasting, and sarcoidal granulomatous inflammation of multiple organ systems. It has an unknown aetiopathogenesis. The condition is not related to equine sarcoid. This case report describes generalized cutaneous and systemic sarcoidosis in an 11-year-old Trakehner mare (case A) and in a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (case B). Case A was presented with cutaneous sarcoidosis on the head and body and was diagnosed on the basis of histological examination of skin. Case B presented with mul...
Gough R, McGovern K, Bladon B, De Oliveira F.This report describes two cases of spontaneous small intestinal evisceration via normally inserted umbilical stumps, without abdominal wall trauma. Both cases occurred immediately following uneventful parturition. The authors believe that these represent cases of umbilical cord herniation. This is a well-recognised condition in humans, but has not been previously described in equines. One foal died before veterinary intervention. The second foal underwent a jejunal resection with end-to-end anastomosis and survived to successfully race. This report describes a previously unrecognised condition...
O'Niell FD, Issel CJ.Growth kinetics of equine influenza virus-A1, equine herpesvirus-1, and equine rhinovirus-1 were determined in susceptible cell monolayers and in organ cultures of equine fetal tracheal and nasal turbinate epithelium. Equine influenza virus-A1 was replicated in cell and organ cultures and was released more readily and for longer periods from nasal turbinate epithelium than from tracheal epithelium. Equine herpesvirus-1 was also replicated in cell and organ cultures. During the first 24 hours after inoculation, equine herpesvirus-1 was released more readily from tracheal epithelium than from na...
Smith RL, Murphy DJ, Day RE, Lester GD.To test single cycle to failure tensile strength characteristics of 6 suture material-pattern combinations in equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tenorrhaphy, specifically to compare a 10-strand modification of the Savage core suture technique with the 3-loop pulley technique. Methods: Ex vivo mechanical experiment comparing 3 different suture patterns with 2 different materials. Methods: Forelimb and hindlimb SDF tendons (n=48) harvested from adult Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses of mixed age and gender. Methods: Six suture material-pattern combinations were evaluated: (1) 10-strand ...
Mendoza FJ, Serrano-Rodriguez JM, Buzon-Cuevas A, Perez-Ecija A.Alternatives to surgical castration are necessary for controlling the sexual behaviour of stallions with breeding potential in training and competition. Flutamide is a potent selective non-steroidal androgen receptor competitive antagonist that has been used in human beings as an anti-androgenic drug. In this study, the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of flutamide and its main active metabolite, 2-hydroflutamide, were determined in seven healthy mature stallions. Single doses of flutamide (1mg/kg intravenously, 1mg/kg orally in fasted horses, 5mg/kg orally in fasted horses and 5mg/kg oral...
Marlin DJ, Roberts CA, Schroter RC, Lekeux P.The respiratory stimulant lobeline has been used in equine clinical practice to increase inspiratory and expiratory airflow rates at rest in order to facilitate investigation of both lower and upper airway function. Some of the responses to lobeline in the pony have been reported, but the detailed time course, effect of dose, possible side effects and reproducibility associated with lobeline administration have not been described in the horse. Respiratory airflow rates and oesophageal pressure were measured with a Fleisch No. 5 pneumotachometer and lightweight facemask and a microtip pressure ...
Kim W, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Firth EC, McArdle BH, Broom ND.To investigate the influence of early conditioning exercise on the development of gross cartilage defects and swelling behavior of cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) in the midcarpal joint of horses. Methods: 12 Thoroughbreds. Methods: 6 horses underwent early conditioning exercise from birth to 18 months of age (CONDEX group), and 6 horses were used as control animals (PASTEX group). The horses were euthanized at 18 months of age, and the midcarpal joints were harvested. Gross defects of the cartilage surface were classified and mapped. Opposing surfaces of the third and radial carpal bones...
Brosnahan MM, Silvela EJ, Crumb J, Miller DC, Erb HN, Antczak DF.Invasive trophoblast from Day 34 horse conceptuses survives in extrauterine sites in allogeneic recipients that are immunologically naive to donor major histocompatibility complex class I antigens. The ectopic trophoblast retains its in utero characteristics, including similar lifespan, physiologic effect of its secreted product (equine chorionic gonadotropin) upon the recipient's ovaries, and induction of host immune responses. Immunologic memory has not been considered previously in this experimental system. We hypothesized that primary exposure to ectopic trophoblast would affect the recipi...
Vandeplassche M, Podliachouk L, Beaud R.A study has been made of 44 cases of twin pregnancy in mares. The fetuses, foals, fetal membranes and blood groups of parents and foals were examined in order to determine the incidence of chorio-vascular anastomosis, blood chimaerism and freemartinism. All of the twins proved to be dizygotic and 33 of the 34 pregnancies were bicornual. Fusion of the chorion was seen in 14 of 22 placentas and macroscopic choriovascular bridges were observed in five of these, although blood chimaerism was diagnosed in 11 of 25 cases (44 per cent) examined. This would indicate a high incidence of microchoriovasc...
Samuel CA, Ricketts SW, Rossdale PD, Steven DH, Thurley KW.Endometrial biopsies obtained from mares at different stages of the oestrous cycle, during anoestrus and in various abnormal conditions were examined with the scanning electron microscope. Preliminary observations suggest that the patterns of secretory and ciliary activity in the uterine epithelium are similar to those observed by electron microscopical techniques in laboratory and other large domestic animals. The response of the epithelial cells to hormonal variations and infections is compared with that of the endometrium as seen with the light microscope.
Smith S, Yohe LR, Solounias N.It has been recognized as early as the Victorian era that the apex of the distal phalanx has a distinct embryological development from the main shaft of the distal phalanx. Recent studies in regenerative medicine have placed an emphasis on the role of the apex of the distal phalanx in bone regrowth. Despite knowledge about the unique aspects of the distal phalanx, all phalanges are often treated as equivalent. Our morphological study reiterates and highlights the special anatomical and embryological properties of the apex of the distal phalanx, and names the apex "the bony cap" to distinguish ...
Thomas RJ, Rosenthal DV, Rogers RJ.A toxoid was prepared from type B toxin of Clostridium botulinum by treatment with 0.6% formalin for 6 weeks. The toxoid was adsorbed to aluminium hydroxide and this vaccine was evaluated for safety in guinea pigs, mice and horses, and for immunogenicity in guinea pigs and horses. Neutralising antitoxin was demonstrated in adult horses receiving two 2 ml subcutaneous doses 6 weeks apart, and in a foal which suckled its vaccinated dam. Another vaccinated mare and the passively immunised foal were protected against subcutaneous injection of 1600 and 2000 mouse lethal doses of toxin per kg respec...
Vibe-Petersen G, Nielsen K.Over a period of approx. 3 years, electrocardiograms (ECG) were recorded from 138 horses referred as patients to the Medical Clinic. Of these, 22 horses (approx. 16 per cent) has ECG alterations. The 22 ECG's revealed a total of 29 ECG abnormalities. The most frequent ECG alteration was incomplete AV block, that was seen in 9 horses (31 per cent of the ECG abnormalities). Abnormal (i.e. broad, tent-like and, sometimes, inverted) T waves and deviations of the ST segment were seen each in 5 ECG's from 7 horses, 3 of which had both abnormalities which were associated with severe underlying diseas...
Tortonese DJ, Gregory SJ, Eagle RC, Sneddon CL, Young CL, Townsend J.The intrahypophysial mechanisms involved in the control of gonadotrophin secretion remain unclear. In the horse, a divergent pattern of gonadotrophins is observed at different stages of the reproductive cycle in response to a single secretagogue (gonadotrophin-releasing hormone), and dramatic changes in fertility take place throughout the year in response to photoperiod. This species thus provides a useful model to investigate the regulation of fertility directly at the level of the hypophysis. A series of studies were undertaken to examine the cytological arrangements and heterogeneity of gon...
Hallamaa RE, Saario E, Tallberg T.Healing sarcoids were followed in 18 horses which had taken part in previous clinical studies on a total of 29 horses suffering from either primary or recurrent sarcoids, treated with bio-immunotherapy. In the present study, attention was paid to changes observed in these fibroblastic skin tumours during their regression. The tumours were surgically debulked leaving the base in the skin. The horses were immunized according to bio-immunotherapy at 2- to 4-week intervals with an autogenous vaccine made from the excised part of the tumour until the base had visibly regressed. Healing was followed...
Semevolos SA, Nixon AJ, Strassheim ML.To determine the mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-6 and -2 and a BMP antagonist (Noggin) in horses with osteochondrosis. Methods: Samples of articular cartilage from affected stifle or shoulder joints of 10 immature horses with naturally acquired osteochondrosis and corresponding joints of 9 clinically normal horses of similar age; additionally, samples of distal femoral growth plate cartilage and distal femoral articular cartilage were obtained from a normal equine fetus. Methods: Cartilage specimens were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and total RNA was isolated. Adjacent ...
Chen CL, Goldberg J, Gronwall RR.A radioimmunoassay was developed for prednisolone using IgG purified from rabbit antiserum. The assay was employed to determine the pharmacokinetics of prednisolone following intravenous administration of 450 mg of prednisolone sodium succinate (Solu Delta Cortef) to five adult Thoroughbred horses. The RIA had a sensitivity of 2 ng/ml and was relatively specific. It had cross-reactivity with 21-deoxycortisol (83.3%) cortisol (27.8%), 11-beta-hydroxyprogesterone (39.2%) and 17-hydroxyprogesterone (50%). However, it did not cross-react with naturally occurring steroids (cholesterol, testosterone...