Infrared Spectroscopy of Synovial Fluid Shows Accuracy as an Early Biomarker in an Equine Model of Traumatic Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of lameness and joint disease in horses. A simple, economical, and accurate diagnostic test is required for routine screening for OA. This study aimed to evaluate infrared (IR)-based synovial fluid biomarker profiling to detect early changes associated with a traumatically induced model of equine carpal osteoarthritis (OA). Unilateral carpal OA was induced arthroscopically in 9 of 17 healthy thoroughbred fillies; the remainder served as Sham-operated controls. The median age of both groups was 2 years. Synovial fluid (SF) was obtained before surgical induction of OA (Day 0) and weekly until Day 63. IR absorbance spectra were acquired from dried SF films. Following spectral pre-processing, predictive models using random forests were used to differentiate OA, Sham, and Control samples. The accuracy for distinguishing between OA and any other joint group was 80%. The classification accuracy by sampling day was 87%. For paired classification tasks, the accuracies by joint were 75% for OA vs. OA Control and 70% for OA vs. Sham. The accuracy for separating horses by group (OA vs. Sham) was 68%. In conclusion, SF IR spectroscopy accurately discriminates traumatically induced OA joints from controls.

Human Injuries Associated with the Transport of Horses by Road.

There is an increased understanding of shared human-animal risk in terms of "one welfare", whereby when animals are at risk, so are people, so preventing injury to one species may also prevent injury to the other. Because transport-related injuries to horses are common, the authors considered this paradigm to study road equine transport-related injuries to humans in New Zealand. The aim was to determine their frequency and associated factors by distributing a survey to horse industry participants through industry organisations asking about their horse activities, road transport experiences, and any related self-injury. There were 112/1067 (10.5%) handlers injured while preparing (13/112), loading (39/112), traveling (6/112), or unloading (33/112). Of these, 40% had multiple injury types, and 33% had several body regions affected. Hand injuries were most common (46%), followed by the foot (25%), arm (17%), and head or face (15%). Median recovery time was 7 days. Injuries were associated with the responder's industry educational background, years of driving experience, and reporting a horse injured during road transport in the past two years. Wearing helmets and gloves, and adopting strategies designed to eliminate equine injuries associated with the road transport of horses to reduce the risk of injury to their handlers are recommended.

Plasma and Synovial Fluid Cell-Free DNA Concentrations Following Induction of Osteoarthritis in Horses.

Biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA) in horses have been extensively investigated, but translation into clinical use has been limited due to cost, limited sensitivity, and practicality. Identifying novel biomarkers that overcome these limitations could facilitate early diagnosis and therapy. This study aimed to compare the concentrations of synovial fluid (SF) and plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) over time in control horses with those with induced carpal OA. Following an established model, unilateral carpal OA was induced in 9 of 17 healthy Thoroughbred fillies, while the remainder were sham-operated controls. Synovial fluid and plasma samples were obtained before induction of OA (Day 0) and weekly thereafter until Day 63, and cfDNA concentrations were determined using fluorometry. The SF cfDNA concentrations were significantly higher for OA joints than for sham-operated joints on Days 28 (median 1430 µg/L and 631 µg/L, respectively, p = 0.017) and 63 (median 1537 µg/L and 606 µg/L, respectively, p = 0.021). There were no significant differences in plasma cfDNA between the OA and the sham groups after induction of carpal OA. Plasma cfDNA measurement is not sufficiently sensitive for diagnostic purposes in this induced model of OA. Synovial fluid cfDNA measurement may be used as a biomarker to monitor early disease progression in horses with OA.

Pilot Study on Annual Horse Movements by Air and the Possible Effect of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

There is a lack of information on the number of horses shipped globally by air annually, the purpose of air travel and the routes of their journeys. This pilot study aimed to collect retrospective data on the international movements of horses by air from 2018 to 2021, describe their routes, and identify the possible effects of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Equine transport data was gathered from 7 of 15 international shipping companies (ISCs) and 5 of 8 airlines contacted by email. The seven ISCs performed a median of 10,401 horse movements annually, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand movements per company, most frequently in Europe (Western and Northern Europe), Middle East/Africa (Middle East, Southern Africa), Asia Pacific (Australia), and the Americas (North and South America). The five airlines performed a median of 10,656 horse movements annually, importing and exporting horses to and from Europe, North America, Australasia, and the Middle East. For all but one airline, the number of horse movements decreased in 2020. The number and journey characteristics of horses transported by air require further scientific studies focused on the epidemiological and welfare risks unique to this type of transport to enable the development and implementation of best practices and regulations based on objective evidence.

A Survey-Based Analysis of Injuries to Horses Associated with Transport by Road in New Zealand.

Negative outcomes associated with the road transport of horses are a significant welfare issue. This study aimed to describe the injuries sustained by horses during road transport in New Zealand and factors associated with trauma while in transit. New Zealand horse industry participants were surveyed on their horse transport experiences and equine industry involvement. Participants were solicited through horse organisations. The data were tabulated, and a logistic regression was performed to identify significant (p < 0.05) factors associated with transport-related injury. In total, 201/1133 (17.7%/2 years) eligible surveys reported at least one horse injured during road transport. Most incidents occurred in transit (137/169; 81%), or when transported with one (76/193; 39.4%) or more (41/193; 21.2%) other horses. Most commonly, the hindlimbs, the head, or the forelimbs were injured (59.1%; 110/186 horses), ranging in severity from bruises to catastrophic orthopaedic trauma necessitating euthanasia. Eventing, not always checking horses' fitness for transport, using a tail guard or bandage, a stallion guard in the vehicle, bedding type on the floor, and behavioural problems were associated with injuries. This survey identified a significant incidence of injury and related death when horses are transported by road in New Zealand, and the key risk factors associated with the odds of injury.

Immune response to allogeneic equine mesenchymal stromal cells.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are believed to be hypoimmunogeneic with potential use for allogeneic administration. METHODS: Bone marrow was harvested from Connemara (n = 1), Standardbred (n = 6), and Thoroughbred (n = 3) horses. MSCs were grouped by their level of expression of major histocompatibility factor II (MHC II). MSCs were then sub-grouped by those MSCs derived from universal blood donor horses. MSCs were isolated and cultured using media containing fetal bovine serum until adequate numbers were acquired. The MSCs were cultured in xenogen-free media for 48 h prior to use and during all assays. Autologous and allogeneic MSCs were then directly co-cultured with responder leukocytes from the Connemara horse in varying concentrations of MSCs to leukocytes (1:1, 1:10, and 1:100). MSCs were also cultured with complement present and heat-inactivated complement to determine whether complement alone would decrease MSC viability. MSCs underwent haplotyping of their equine leukocyte antigen (ELA) to determine whether the MHC factors were matched or mismatched between the donor MSCs and the responder leukocytes. RESULTS: All allogeneic MSCs were found to be ELA mismatched with the responder leukocytes. MHC II-low and universal blood donor MSCs caused no peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation, no increase in B cells, and no activation of CD8 lymphocytes. Universal blood donor MSCs stimulated a significant increase in the number of T regulatory cells. Neutrophil interaction with MSCs showed that universal blood donor and MHC II-high allogeneic MSCs at the 6 h time point in co-culture caused greater neutrophil activation than the other co-culture groups. Complement-mediated cytotoxicity did not consistently cause MSC death in cultures with active complement as compared to those with inactivated complement. Gene expression assays revealed that the universal blood donor group and the MHC II-low MSCs were more metabolically active both in the anabolic and catabolic gene categories when cultured with allogeneic lymphocytes as compared to the other co-cultures. These upregulated genes included CD59, FGF-2, HGF, IDO, IL-10, IL-RA, IL-2, SOX2, TGF-ß1, ADAMSTS-4, ADAMSTS-5, CCL2, CXCLB/IL-8, IFNγ, IL-1ß, and TNFα. CONCLUSIONS: MHC II-low MSCs are the most appropriate type of allogeneic MSC to prevent activation of the innate and cell-mediated component of the adaptive immune systems and have increased gene expression as compared to other allogeneic MSCs.

Heat hypersensitivity at a site proximal to a surgically induced osteochondral fracture in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate thermal nociceptive thresholds (TNTs) before and after inducing a standardized radiocarpal bone osteochondral fracture (OCF) in horses. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, controlled, randomized, masked study. ANIMALS: A group of 10 Thoroughbred fillies aged 2 years. METHODS: Skin temperature and TNTs were measured on the skin over the triceps brachii muscle in both the thoracic limbs before (week 0) and weekly (weeks 1-8) after unilateral arthroscopic induction of a radiocarpal OCF (n = 4) or sham surgery (n = 6) followed by a standardized exercise programme. The contralateral, non-operated thoracic limb was used as a control within each horse. Percentage thermal excursion (%TE) defined as %TE = 100 ∗ (TNT - skin temperature)/(cut-off temperature - skin temperature) was calculated. Data were analysed with a mixed-effects model followed by Dunnett's and Tukey's tests for within and between-limbs comparisons, respectively; p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Skin temperature in the control limb of OCF horses was significantly higher at week 7 than at week 0 (p = 0.0125). At week 1, TNTs and %TE values in operated limbs of OCF horses were significantly reduced compared with their baseline values at week 0 (p ≤ 0.0153) and their values in contralateral control limbs (p ≤ 0.0024) and operated limbs of sham-operated horses (p ≤ 0.0162). At week 2, TNTs and %TE values in operated limbs of OCF horses remained significantly reduced compared with values in operated limbs of sham-operated horses (p ≤ 0.0248). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Creation of an OCF in a radiocarpal bone induced transitory (<2 weeks) ipsilateral heat hypersensitivity proximal to the surgery site (skin over the triceps brachii muscle) in horses. Surgically induced OCF may cause somatosensory abnormalities consistent with secondary thermal hyperalgesia.

Community science data suggests that urbanization and forest habitat loss threaten aphidophagous native lady beetles.

Community scientists have illustrated rapid declines of several aphidophagous lady beetle (Coccinellidae) species. These declines coincide with the establishment of alien coccinellids. We established the Buckeye Lady Beetle Blitz program to measure the seasonal occupancy of coccinellids within gardens across a wide range of landscape contexts. Following the Habitat Compression Hypothesis, we predicted that gardens within agricultural landscapes would be alien-dominated, whereas captures of natives would be higher within landscapes encompassing a high concentration of natural habitat.Within the state of Ohio, USA, community scientists collected lady beetles for a 7-day period across 4 years in June and August using yellow sticky card traps. All identifications were verified by professional scientists and beetles were classified by three traits: status (alien or native), mean body length, and primary diet. We compared the relative abundance and diversity of coccinellids seasonally and determined if the distribution of beetles by size, status, and diet was related to landscape features.Alien species dominated the aphidophagous fauna. Native aphidophagous coccinellid abundance was positively correlated with forest habitat while alien species were more common when gardens were embedded within agricultural landscapes. Urbanization was negatively associated with both aphidophagous alien and native coccinellids. Synthesis and Applications: Our census of native coccinellid species within residential gardens-a widespread and understudied habitat-was enabled by volunteers. These data will serve as an important baseline to track future changes within coccinellid communities within this region. We found that native coccinellid species richness and native aphidophagous coccinellid abundance in gardens were positively associated with forest habitat at a landscape scale of 2 km. However, our understanding of when and why (overwintering, summer foraging, or both) forest habitats are important remains unclear. Our findings highlight the need to understand how declining aphidophagous native species utilize forest habitats as a conservation priority.

A Novel Load Cell-Supported Research Platform to Measure Vertical and Horizontal Motion of a Horse's Centre of Mass During Trailer Transport.

During transport, horses are subjected to acceleration in three dimensions, rapid braking, turning, noise, and other stressors. The animal's ability to make postural corrections may be insufficient to prevent injury or distress, and so knowledge of the compensatory motion patterns of the horse in the trailer is a necessary precondition for smart design of transport systems. A custom two-horse trailer was built for this project. It had a horse compartment 1.85 m wide by 3.95 m long, with adjustable bulkheads and a centre divider separating the horses. The floor was instrumented with 24 shearbeam load cells to measure the vertical load imposed by each horse and its horizontal motion. Two horses were driven on a 56 km trip on both rural and urban roads. Load data were collected at 100 Hz for the 58-minute trip and were filtered with a cut-off frequency of 5 Hz using a Butterworth low-pass filter and then vertical acceleration computed. A pivot table counted sign reversals in the vertical acceleration signal, and vertical displacement was calculated using the fundamental frequency of the resulting acceleration data. Total vertical motion was calculated by making the negative displacements absolute and summing these with the positive displacements, and vertical work done was calculated by multiplying the force by the displacement measures. Horizontal motion was calculated by averaging the transverse and cranio-caudal position of the centre of pressure every second and adding the resultant displacements. Absolute vertical displacement of the two horses was 69.55 m and 97.56 m. In addition to the work done by standing, vertical work done in response to vibration was 322.4 kJ and 443.2 kJ. Horizontal excursion was 227.1 m and 243.0 m. This is a first effort to quantify the additional workload imposed on animals during transport, which will aid in the design of smart transport vehicles that will minimize the stress to horses.

Equine Transport-Related Problem Behaviors and Injuries: A Survey of Italian Horse Industry Members.

An online survey was conducted to determine associations between equine transport management and transport-related injuries and problem behaviors in Italy. The survey was composed of four sections: respondents' demographic information and background, transport management practices, journey details and vehicle design, and transport injuries experienced by the horse in the previous two-year period. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression with a binary outcome variable was performed to explore associations between variables (respondents' and journeys' details and transport practices) and equine transport-related problem behaviors (TRPBs) and injuries. TRPBs were also considered an explanatory variable for injuries. The survey generated 201 responses; only 148 were complete and analyzed. TRPBs were reported by 14.45% of the respondents and the odds of TRPBs was linked to the respondent gender (p = 0.034), the use of tranquilizers prior to transport (p = 0.002), the use of a whip for loading (p = 0.049), the lack of protection equipment (p = 0.050), and shavings (p = 0.025) on the vehicle floor. Horse injuries (11.49%) were reported by more respondents who did not check the brakes of their transport vehicle before traveling (p = 0.043), had vehicles with padding on the chest bar (p = 0.038), and for horses reported to display TRPBs (p = 0.001). Finally, 10 respondents reported they were injured during horse transport (10/140; 7.14%), 50% simultaneously with their horses. The study findings should be interpreted with caution due to small sample size bias and participants' recall bias. Nevertheless, the results are in concordance with the literature, confirming that horse transport is a risk for the horse's and handler's health and well-being. Further studies are needed to identify best management practices to educate equine industry members on how to minimize transport-related problems.

Evaluation of serum MMP-2 and MMP-3, synovial fluid IL-8, MCP-1, and KC concentrations as biomarkers of stifle osteoarthritis associated with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament rupture in dogs.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) -2 and MMP-3 in serum, and keratinocyte-derived chemoattractant (KC), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant 1 (MCP-1) in synovial fluid (SF) as stifle osteoarthritis (OA) biomarkers in dogs. Dogs with naturally occurring cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) rupture (OA group) and healthy controls were recruited. Stifles with CrCL deficiency were surgically stabilized. Serum, SF, and synovial biopsy samples were collected from the OA group preoperatively, whereas samples were collected once from control dogs. A blinded veterinary pathologist graded synovial biopsies. Serum and SF analyses were performed using xMAP technology. General linear regression was used for statistical comparisons of serum biomarkers, and mixed linear regression for SF biomarkers and temporal concentration changes. The overall discriminative ability was quantified using area under curve (AUC). Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations between synovial histology grades and the biomarkers. Samples from 62 dogs in the OA group and 50 controls were included. The MMP-2 and MMP-3 concentrations between the OA and control groups were not significantly different, and both with an AUC indicating a poor discriminative ability. All three SF biomarker concentrations were significantly different between the OA group and controls (P <0.05). The MCP-1 was the only biomarker showing an acceptable discriminative performance with an AUC of 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.98). The sum of the inflammatory infiltrate score was significantly correlated with all three SF biomarkers (P <0.01). Summed synovial stroma, and all scores combined were significantly correlated with IL-8 and MCP-1 concentrations (P <0.003), and the summed synoviocyte scores were significantly correlated with MCP-1 concentrations (P <0.001). Correlations between MCP-1 concentrations and synovial histopathologic grading and its discriminative ability suggest its potential as a synovitis biomarker in canine stifle OA associated with CrCL rupture.

Anti-fibrotic Actions of Equine Interleukin-10 on Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1-Stimulated Dermal Fibroblasts Isolated From Limbs of Horses.

Fibroproliferative disorders occur in both humans and horses following skin injury. In horses, wound healing on the limb is often complicated by the formation of fibroproliferative exuberant granulation tissue, characterized by persistent expression of pro-fibrotic transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-ß1) and deficient expression of anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 (IL-10). IL-10 has been shown to directly modulate fibrotic gene expression in human fibroblasts, so we hypothesized that equine IL-10 (eIL-10) may exert similar anti-fibrotic effects on equine dermal fibroblasts. Cell-lines were created from the limb skin of six individual horses. Recombinant eIL-10 was produced and purified, and its effects on the cells investigated in the presence and absence of equine TGF-ß1 (eTGF-ß1). Myofibroblast differentiation and collagen production were examined using immunofluorescent cytometry, cell contractility in a collagen gel assay, and fibrotic gene expression using quantitative PCR. In response to eTGF-ß1, fibroblasts increased in contractility and expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin, collagen types 1 and 3, and matrix metalloproteinase 1, 2, and 9. Equine IL-10 limited cell contractility and production of alpha-smooth muscle actin and type 3 collagen, and decreased mRNA levels of eCol3a1 and eMMP9, while increasing that of eMMP1. Opposing effects on eTGF-ßR3 and eIL-10R1 gene expression were also observed, with mRNA levels decreasing following eTGF-ß1 treatment, and increasing with eIL-10 treatment. These findings indicate that eIL-10 limits the pro-fibrotic effects of eTGF-ß1, potentially through the modulation of fibrotic and receptor gene expression. Further investigations are warranted to assess the therapeutic utility of eIL-10 in the treatment of exuberant granulation tissue.

Isolates, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Profiles and Multidrug Resistance of Bacteria Cultured from Pig Submissions in New Zealand.

Data on the scope of bacterial pathogens present and the frequency of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in New Zealand's pigs are limited. This study describes bacterial isolates, antimicrobial susceptibility data, and multidrug resistance (MDR; resistance to ≥3 antimicrobial classes) from New Zealand pig submissions. Porcine test data from June 2003 to February 2016 were obtained from commercial veterinary pathology laboratory records. In total, 470/477 unique submissions resulted in bacterial growth, yielding 779 isolates. Sample type was recorded for 360/477 (75.5%); lung (79/360; 21.9%), faecal (61/360; 16.9%) and intestinal (45/360; 12.5%) were most common. The most common isolates were Escherichia coli (186/779, 23.9%), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (43/779; 5.5%), Streptococcus suis (43/779; 5.5%), unidentified Campylobacter spp. (38/779; 4.9%), alpha haemolytic Streptococci (32/779; 4.1%), coagulase negative Staphylococcus spp. (26/779; 3.3%), and Pasteurella multocida (25/779; 3.2%). Susceptibility results were available for 141/779 (18.1%) isolates from 62/470 (13.2%) submissions. Most were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulphonamide (75/81; 92.6%), but fewer were susceptible to penicillin (37/77; 48.1%), tilmicosin (18/43; 41.9%), or tetracyclines (41/114; 36.0%). No susceptibility data were available for Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., or Yersinia spp. isolates. MDR was present in 60/141 (42.6%) isolates. More data on sample submission drivers, antimicrobial drug use, and susceptibilities of important porcine bacterial isolates are required to inform guidelines for prudent antimicrobial use, to reduce their prevalence, human transmission, and to minimise AMR and MDR.

CellTrace Violet™ inhibits equine lymphocyte proliferation.

CellTrace Violet™ is a commonly used fluorescent dye used with flow cytometry to identify cell proliferation. Activated equine lymphocytes were examined using flow cytometry, microscopy and tritiated thymidine proliferation assays. CellTrace Violet™ was incorporated into the equine lymphocytes effectively. Equine lymphocytes proliferated when activated with pokeweed mitogen, but did not proliferate when previously stained with CellTrace Violet™. Serial dilutions of CellTrace Violet™ did not eliminate the inhibition of activated lymphocytes. Equine lymphocyte viability was greater than 90 % for both stained and unstained cells. Based on these data, CellTrace Violet™ is not recommended for the assessment of lymphocyte proliferation in equine cells. The mechanism of inhibition of equine lymphocyte proliferation by CellTrace Violet™ is unknown.

Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover and ecosystem services across United States cities.

Examining the distributional equity of urban tree canopy cover (UTCC) has increasingly become an important interdisciplinary focus of ecologists and social scientists working within the field of environmental justice. However, while UTCC may serve as a useful proxy for the benefits provided by the urban forest, it is ultimately not a direct measure. In this study, we quantified the monetary value of multiple ecosystem services (ESD) provisioned by urban forests across nine U.S. cities. Next, we examined the distributional equity of UTCC and ESD using a number of commonly investigated socioeconomic variables. Based on trends in the literature, we predicted that UTCC and ESD would be positively associated with the variables median income and percent with an undergraduate degree and negatively associated with the variables percent minority, percent poverty, percent without a high school degree, percent renters, median year home built, and population density. We also predicted that there would be differences in the relationships between each response variable (UTCC and ESD) and the suite of socioeconomic predictor variables examined because of differences in how each response variable is derived. We utilized methods promoted within the environmental justice literature, including a multi-city comparative analysis, the incorporation of high-resolution social and environmental datasets, and the use of spatially explicit models. Patterns between the socioeconomic variables and UTCC and ESD did not consistently support our predictions, highlighting that inequities are generally not universal but rather context dependent. Our results also illustrated that although the variables UTCC and ESD had largely similar relationships with the predictor variables, differences did occur between them. Future distributional equity research should move beyond the use of proxies for environmental amenities when possible while making sure to consider that the use of ecosystem service estimates may result in different patterns with socioeconomic variables of interest. Based on our findings, we conclude that understanding and remedying the challenges associated with inequities requires an understanding of the local social-ecological system if larger sustainability goals are to be achieved.

Interactions Between Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and the Recipient Immune System: A Comparative Review With Relevance to Equine Outcomes.

Despite significant immunosuppressive activity, allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) carry an inherent risk of immune rejection when transferred into a recipient. In naïve recipients, this immune response is initially driven by the innate immune system, an immediate reaction to the foreign cells, and later, the adaptive immune system, a delayed response that causes cell death due to recognition of specific alloantigens by host cells and antibodies. This review describes the actions of MSCs to both suppress and activate the different arms of the immune system. We then review the survival and effectiveness of the currently used allogeneic MSC treatments.

Infrared spectroscopy of synovial fluid as a potential screening approach for the diagnosis of naturally occurring canine osteoarthritis associated with cranial cruciate ligament rupture.

Objective: To evaluate infrared (IR) spectroscopy of synovial fluid (SF) as tool to differentiate between knees of dogs with naturally occurring OA associated with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CrCLR) and controls. Method: 104 adult dogs with CrCLR (affected group) and 50 adult control dogs were recruited in a prospective observational study. Synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected preoperatively from dogs with CrCLR and from a subset of these at 4-, and 12-week post-surgery. Knee samples were collected bilaterally once from control dogs. Dried synovial fluid films were made, and IR absorbance spectra acquired. After preprocessing, partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) were used to evaluate group and temporal differences, and to develop predictive models. Results: There were statistically significant spectral differences between the SF of OA affected and control dogs at all three time-points (P < 0.001). Pairwise comparison of spectral SF of knees with CrCLR over time showed statistically significant differences amongst all three time-points (P < 0.001). The predictive model for identifying the affected group from control had sensitivity, specificity and overall accuracy of 97.6%, 99.7% and 98.6%, respectively. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the ability of FTIR-spectroscopy of synovial fluid combined with chemometric methods to accurately differentiate dogs with OA secondary to CrCLR from controls. The role of this IR-based screening test as a diagnostic and monitoring biomarker for OA specific to the joint being sampled warrants further investigation.

Blood type and breed-associated differences in cell marker expression on equine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells including major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression.

BACKGROUND: As the search for an immune privileged allogeneic donor mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) line continues in equine medicine, the characterization of the cells between different sources becomes important. Our research seeks to more clearly define the MSC marker expression of different equine MSC donors. METHODS: The bone marrow-derived MSCs from two equine breeds and different blood donor-types were compared over successive culture passages to determine the differential expression of important antigens. Eighteen Thoroughbreds and 18 Standardbreds, including 8 blood donor (erythrocyte Aa, Ca, and Qa antigen negative) horses, were evaluated. Bone marrow was taken from each horse for isolation and culture of MSCs. Samples from passages 2, 4, 6, and 8 were labelled and evaluated by flow cytometry. The cell surface expression of CD11a/18, CD44, CD90 and MHC class II antigens were assessed. Trilineage assays for differentiation into adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lines were performed to verify characterization of the cells as MSCs. FINDINGS: There were significant differences in mesenchymal stem cell marker expression between breeds and blood antigen-type groups over time. Standardbred horses showed a significantly lower expression of MHC class II than did Thoroughbred horses at passages 2, 4 and 6. CD90 was significantly higher in universal blood donor Standardbreds as compared to non-blood donor Standardbreds over all time points. All MSC samples showed high expression of CD44 and low expression of CD11a/18. CONCLUSIONS: Universal blood donor- type Standardbred MSCs from passages 2-4 show the most ideal antigen expression pattern of the horses and passages that we characterized for use as a single treatment of donor bone marrow-derived MSCs. Further work is needed to determine the significance of this differential expression along with the effect of the expression of MHC I on equine bone marrow-derived MSCs.

A Survey-Based Investigation of Human Factors Associated With Transport Related Injuries in Horses.

Injuries resulting from road transport are common in horses and are a potential welfare concern, as well as, a source of economic loss. An online cross sectional survey was used to determine the prevalence of road transport related injuries to horses in New Zealand and the association of human factors including demographics, industry background, training and the horse handling experience of the respondents with transport related injury. The survey generated 1133 valid responses that were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. At least one injured horse was reported by 201/1133 (17.7%) respondents as occurring during the two previous years. Only 191 respondents chose to provide further information on when the injury occurred and most injuries (133/191; 69.6%) occurred in transit. The respondent perceived possible reason for injury was reported by 190, and was most frequently thought to be either horse-associated (87/190; 45.8%) or associated with a driver mistake (18/190; 9.5%). Variables that remained as significantly associated with injury in a multivariate model focusing on human factors were experience in horse handling, the industry sector, and the amateur or professional involvement with the horse industry. The odds of injury associated with professionals may reflect greater exposure due to more frequent transport and larger numbers of horses in their care than amateurs. Findings confirm that human factors are associated with the risk of an injury during transport. Although further studies are required to determine if any of these relationships are causative, education on transport best practices with consideration of these factors may mitigate their influence.