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Atwill, E. R., Mohammed, H. O., & Lopez, J. W. (1996). Evaluation of travel and use as a risk factor for seropositivity to Ehrlichia risticii in horses of New York state. Am J Vet Res, 57(3), 272–277.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES--To determine whether mean annual frequency and destination of equine travel was associated with exposure to Ehrlichia risticii and whether these associations were modified by horses' place of residence. DESIGN--Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE POPULATION--511 equine operations containing 2,587 horses were visited in New York state from a target population of 39,000 operations. PROCEDURE--Each horse was tested for serum antibodies against E risticii, using indirect fluorescent antibody. Information on the horse's travel history, farm's management practices, and surrounding ecology was obtained by personal interview and resource maps. Statistical analyses were performed on 2 cohorts of animals: all horses enrolled in the study and horses born on the property or that resided at least 4 years on the farm. Three county-based risk regions (RR) were identified by use of cluster analysis. RESULTS--Mean seroprevalence for each of the 3 RR was 2.4 (low risk), 8.5 (moderate risk), and 18.5% (high risk) for cohort 1 and 2.5, 8.0, and 18.4% for cohort 2. Among cohorts 1 and 2, pleasure riding and breeding trips were associated with exposure to E risticii, but horse residence (low, moderate, or high RR) was an effect modifier for these associations. Among cohort 1 and stratifying the analysis according to the RR for the travel destination, trail riding at low RR and trail riding at high RR were associated with exposure. Among cohort 2 and stratifying the analysis according to the RR for the travel destination, breeding trips were associated with exposure, and strong effect modification was present for horse residence (low, moderate, or high RR). CONCLUSIONS--Only certain types of travel to specific RR were associated with higher risk of exposure to E risticii. In many instances, travel was not associated, or was associated, with a reduced risk of exposure.
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Blazyczek, I., Hamann, H., Deegen, E., Distl, O., & Ohnesorge, B. (2004). Retrospective analysis of 50 cases of guttural pouch tympany in foals. Vet. Rec., 154(9), 261–264.
Abstract: Between 1994 and 2001, guttural pouch tympany was diagnosed in 51 foals; there were approximately three times as many fillies as colts, of Arabian, different German warmblood breeds and Western horse breeds. There were significantly more Arabian and paint horse foals than expected in comparison with the breed distribution of the foals hospitalised at the Clinic for Horses. The foals' breed and sex did not influence the age of onset, the type and severity of the clinical signs or the recurrence rate. A surgical laser technique was used on 50 of the foals; in 35 cases only one surgical treatment was necessary, in seven cases a second operation was required during the foal's initial period of hospitalisation, and in eight cases a second operation was performed during a second period of hospitalisation. Long-term follow-up information was obtained for 44 of the 50 treated horses; 24 of them were under two years of age and 20 were over two years of age. In six horses, no follow-up information was available. Four horses were euthanased for reasons unrelated to the condition or its treatment. The horses over two years of age were in training or were being used for competitions in dressage or jumping or for breeding purposes, and in only one of them was an adventitious respiratory noise reported. All the horses up to two years of age were reported to be healthy.
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Gibson, K. T., Burbidge, H. M., & Anderson, B. H. (1997). Tendonitis of the branches of insertion of the superficial digital flexor tendon in horses. Aust Vet J, 75(4), 253–256.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical findings, ultrasonographic features and outcome of injury to the branches of insertion of the superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendon in horses. DESIGN: Retrospective study of 14 cases. PROCEDURE: Fourteen Thoroughbred horses with tendonitis affecting the branches of insertion of the SDF tendon were examined for lameness, location and amount of swelling, and the presence of other musculoskeletal abnormalities. The flexor tendons were assessed by ultrasonographic examination, and recommendations were made for management of the cases. Outcome was assessed by re-examination of some horses, direct communication with the owner or trainer, and examination of race records. RESULTS: The lateral SDF branch was affected in 10 horses; the medial branch in three, and both branches in one horse. Two horses had concurrent injuries to the SDF tendon in the metacarpal region of the contralateral limb. Ultrasonographic findings included swelling of the affected SDF branch, peritendinous fluid accumulation, disruption of normal fibre alignment on sagittal scan, and variable loss of echogenicity. As healing occurred, there was return of normal echogenicity, but normal fibre alignment did not return completely and apparent adhesions formed between the affected SDF branch and adjacent structures. Seven of 10 horses which returned to their previous use were able to compete without further tendon injury. Recurrence of injury occurred in one case, and another two horses developed tendonitis in the metacarpal region. One horse was retired from racing but was able to compete at dressage without recurrence of injury. Two horses were retired for breeding without returning to training, and one horse was sold and lost to follow up but did not race. CONCLUSION: The prognosis is fair for return to previous use following injury to the branches of insertion of the SDF tendon in athletic horses.
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Bouchard, T. J. J., & Loehlin, J. C. (2001). Genes, evolution, and personality. Behav Genet, 31(3), 243–273.
Abstract: There is abundant evidence, some of it reviewed in this paper, that personality traits are substantially influenced by the genes. Much remains to be understood about how and why this is the case. We argue that placing the behavior genetics of personality in the context of epidemiology, evolutionary psychology, and neighboring psychological domains such as interests and attitudes should help lead to new insights. We suggest that important methodological advances, such as measuring traits from multiple viewpoints, using large samples, and analyzing data by modern multivariate techniques, have already led to major changes in our view of such perennial puzzles as the role of “unshared environment” in personality. In the long run, but not yet, approaches via molecular genetics and brain physiology may also make decisive contributions to understanding the heritability of personality traits. We conclude that the behavior genetics of personality is alive and flourishing but that there remains ample scope for new growth and that much social science research is seriously compromised if it does not incorporate genetic variation in its explanatory models.
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Connor, R. C., Mann, J., Tyack, P. L., & Whitehead, H. (1998). Social evolution in toothed whales. Trends. Ecol. Evol, 13(6), 228–232.
Abstract: Two contrasting results emerge from comparisons of the social systems of several odontocetes with terrestrial mammals. Researchers have identified remarkable convergence in prominent features of the social systems of odontocetes such as the sperm whale and bottlenose dolphin with a few well-known terrestrial mammals such as the elephant and chimpanzee. In contrast, studies on killer whales and Baird's beaked whale reveal novel social solutions to aquatic living. The combination of convergent and novel features in odontocete social systems promise a more general understanding of the ecological determinants of social systems in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, as well as the relationship between relative brain size and social evolution.
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Carmalt, J. L., Carmalt, K. P., & Barber, S. M. (2006). The effect of occlusal equilibration on sport horse performance. J Vet Dent, 23(4), 226–230.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of routine dental occlusal equilibration treatment on dressage horse performance. Sixteen horses (11 treated; 5 untreated) ridden by a single rider performed a standardized dressage test twice and were scored by two experienced dressage judges according to recognized movements and rider cues. All horses were sedated and a full-mouth speculum was used to facilitate a complete oral examination. Treated horses had dental equilibration performed using a motorized dental instrument. The horses performed a second test 48-hours after dental equilibration, exactly as the baseline test, with the judges and rider blinded as to treatment group. The total test score as well as the individual movement scores were evaluated for equality of variance and statistical tests were applied to determine the influence of treatment. There was no significant improvement in the test score of horses that had received occlusal equilibration.
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Pell, M. D. (2006). Cerebral mechanisms for understanding emotional prosody in speech. Brain and Language, 96(2), 221–234.
Abstract: Hemispheric contributions to the processing of emotional speech prosody were investigated by comparing adults with a focal lesion involving the right (n = 9) or left (n = 11) hemisphere and adults without brain damage (n = 12). Participants listened to semantically anomalous utterances in three conditions (discrimination, identification, and rating) which assessed their recognition of five prosodic emotions under the influence of different task- and response-selection demands. Findings revealed that right- and left-hemispheric lesions were associated with impaired comprehension of prosody, although possibly for distinct reasons: right-hemisphere compromise produced a more pervasive insensitivity to emotive features of prosodic stimuli, whereas left-hemisphere damage yielded greater difficulties interpreting prosodic representations as a code embedded with language content.
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Jonsson, H., & Egenvall, A. (2006). Prevalence of gastric ulceration in Swedish Standardbreds in race training. Equine Vet J, 38(3), 209–213.
Abstract: REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: There is little information about the prevalence of gastric ulcers in Standardbred trotters and potential correlations between ulcers and various traits, e.g. age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens, need further elucidation. OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Swedish Standardbreds was estimated and the associations between ulcer score and age, sex, performance, temperament and feeding regimens were determined. METHODS: Eighty Swedish Standardbreds in active race training, trained by 9 different trainers, underwent gastroscopy. Information on age, gender, status of training, performance over the last 4 months compared with the trainer's expectations before that period, behaviour, eating habits, feed type, bedding type, time spent outdoors per day and medical treatment during the last month was collected. Gastroscopy was performed and lesions in the squamous gastric mucosa were scored from 0 to 4 (0 = no lesions; 4 = > 5 lesions with haemorrhage, > 10 lesions with no haemorrhage, or a large area of diffuse loss of surface epithelium). RESULTS: Twenty-four (30%) of the horses had no lesions in the squamous mucosa, 22 (27.5%) had a score of 1; 21 (26.2%) score 2; 9 (11.2%) score 3; and 4 (5%) score 4. Horses that were in preparatory training and those that had raced during the last month were significantly more affected than horses that were fit for racing but had not raced during the last month, using a logistic regression model with trainer incorporated as a random effect. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed a high prevalence of ulcers in the gastric squamous mucosa of Standardbreds in race training. Of the studied parameters only status of training showed a significant association with gastric ulcers of the squamous mucosa. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Gastric ulceration is a common disease and diagnosis should be made by endoscopic examination of the gastric mucosa, since parameters such as age, gender, performance, behaviour, eating habits provide only weak clues as to which horses might be affected. Further studies are needed to determine the aetiology of the syndrome and to find ways to reduce, if possible, the frequency of gastric ulcers.
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Nelson, D. M., Gardner, I. A., Chiles, R. F., Balasuriya, U. B., Eldridge, B. F., Scott, T. W., et al. (2004). Prevalence of antibodies against Saint Louis encephalitis and Jamestown Canyon viruses in California horses. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis, 27(3), 209–215.
Abstract: Jamestown Canyon (JC) and Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) viruses are mosquito-transmitted viruses that have long been present in California. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of these two viruses in horses prior to the introduction of West Nile (WN) virus. Approximately 15% of serum samples collected in 1998 from 425 horses on 44 equine operations horses throughout California had serum antibodies to JC virus, whereas antibodies were not detected to SLE virus. The results indicate that horses in California were commonly infected prior to 1998 with mosquito-transmitted Bunyaviruses that are identical or closely related to JC virus, but not with SLE virus. The different seroprevalence of SLE and JC viruses in horses likely reflects the unique ecology of each virus, and it is predicted that WN virus will have a wider distribution in California than closely related SLE virus.
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Arluke, A. (2004). The use of dogs in medical and veterinary training: understanding and approaching student uneasiness. J Appl Anim Welf Sci, 7(3), 197–204.
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