Hoof accelerations and ground reaction forces of Thoroughbred racehorses measured on dirt, synthetic, and turf track surfaces.

Objective: To compare hoof acceleration and ground reaction force (GRF) data among dirt, synthetic, and turf surfaces in Thoroughbred racehorses.

Animals: 3 healthy Thoroughbred racehorses.

Procedures: Forelimb hoof accelerations and GRFs were measured with an accelerometer and a dynamometric horseshoe during trot and canter on dirt, synthetic, and turf track surfaces at a racecourse.

Measurement of wheat germ agglutinin binding with a fluorescence microscope.

Signal intensity in fluorescence microscopy is often measured relative to arbitrary standards. We propose a calibration method based on a solution of the same fluorophore, whose binding to cells needs to be quantified. The method utilizes the low sensitivity of intensity to the object distance in wide-field imaging of uniform materials.