The rhythm of horse gaits.

What makes animal gaits so audibly rhythmic? To answer this question, we recorded the footfall sound of 19 horses and quantified the rhythmic differences in the temporal structure of three natural gaits: walk, trot, and canter. Our analyses show that each gait displays a strikingly specific rhythmic pattern and that all gaits are organized according to small-integer ratios, those found when adjacent temporal intervals are related by a mathematically simple relationship of integer numbers. Walk and trot exhibit an isochronous structure (1:1)-similar to a ticking clock-while canter is characterized by three small-integer ratios (1:1, 1:2, 2:1).

Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) in Horses: A Scoping Review.

Obtaining a healthy wound environment that is conductive to healing in horses can be challenging. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been employed in humans to enhance wound healing for decades. The existing evidence for the effectiveness of NPWT remains uncertain in equine medicine.

Reattachment of Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions in the Lateral Femoral Trochlear Ridge With Bioabsorbable Screws in 4 Yearling Standardbreds.

This case series describes an alternative surgical technique to obtain reattachment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur (LTRF) as well as the clinical and radiological outcome of treated cases. Four Standardbred yearlings (6 lesions in total) underwent surgical fixation of large OCD defects in the LTRF under arthroscopic guidance. Reattachment of the OCD lesions was obtained using 3.

Fetlock Joint Angle Pattern and Range of Motion Quantification Using Two Synchronized Wearable Inertial Sensors per Limb in Sound Horses and Horses with Single Limb Naturally Occurring Lameness.

Fetlock joint angle (FJA) pattern is a sensitive indicator of lameness. The first aim of this study is to describe a network of inertial measurement units system (IMUs) for quantifying FJA simultaneously in all limbs. The second aim is to evaluate the accuracy of IMUs for quantifying the sagittal plane FJA overground in comparison to bi-dimensional (2-D) optical motion capture (OMC).

Multibody Computer Model of the Entire Equine Forelimb Simulates Forces Causing Catastrophic Fractures of the Carpus during a Traditional Race.

A catastrophic fracture of the radial carpal bone experienced by a racehorse during a Palio race was analyzed. Computational modelling of the carpal joint at the point of failure informed by live data was generated using a multibody code for dynamics simulation. The circuit design in a turn, the speed of the animal and the surface characteristics were considered in the model.

Effect of intravenous tiludronate disodium administration on the radiographic progression of osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint in Standardbred racehorses.

Objective: To compare the effects of tiludronate disodium and 3 other medical treatments on clinical and radiographic findings and biomarkers of disease progression in horses with osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint.

Animals: 100 Standardbred racehorses with spontaneous traumatic injury of the fetlock joint.

Procedures: Horses were retrospectively grouped by whether they received tiludronate IV or triamcinolone acetonide and hyaluronan, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan, or interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein intra-articularly.

Transdermal Application of Anesthetic Preparations Is Effective in Increasing Mechanical Nociceptive Threshold at Perineural Injection Sites in Horses.

Perineural anaesthesia is an essential part of lameness investigation in horses. Painful reactions to injections imply a high risk of accidents for veterinarians. To evaluate the efficacy of two topical anaesthetic creams on desensitization of the skin at two perineural injection sites and to evaluate the effects these formulations may have on pain perception distally to the application sites.

Prognostic Indicators after Musculoskeletal Injuries in Standardbred Racehorses in Italy.

The objective of this study was to report recovery time, retirement rate, racing performance, and presence of compensation pattern after musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) in Standardbred racehorses (STBRs). This is a retrospective single open-cohort study, enrolling 356 STBRs in training in a single racetrack. Musculoskeletal injury was defined as any training-related injury after which the horse did not train for at least 15 days.

Diffusion of Radiodense Contrast Medium Following Perineural Injection of the Deep Branch of the Lateral Plantar Nerve Using Two Different Techniques in Horses: an In Vivo Study.

Objectives:  This article evaluates and compares the diffusion pattern of radiopaque contrast medium following perineural analgesia of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve performed using two different techniques: weight-bearing or flexed.

Study Design:  This was an experimental study.

Methods:  Eight horses were enrolled.

Clinical findings and prognosis of interference injuries to the palmar aspect of the forelimbs in Standardbred racehorses: A study on 74 cases.

Background: Information on interference injuries in racehorses is lacking.

Objective: To describe clinical findings and prognosis of palmar forelimb interference injuries in Standardbreds.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Pro-inflammatory cytokines and structural biomarkers are effective to categorize osteoarthritis phenotype and progression in Standardbred racehorses over five years of racing career.

Background: Joint impact injuries initiate a progressive articular damage finally leading to post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). Racehorses represent an ideal, naturally available, animal model of the disease. Standardbred racehorses developing traumatic osteoarthritis of the fetlock joint during the first year of their career were enrolled in our study.

Ex vivo comparison of the giant and transfixing knot in equine open and closed castration.

Reasons For Performing Study: In equine castration, application of a ligature on the spermatic cord to prevent complications such as haemorrhage and evisceration has been reported with controversial results. Characteristics of commonly used knots have not been studied.

Objectives: To compare the modified transfixing and giant knots and the emasculator in open and closed equine castration techniques.

Ipilimumab and immune-mediated adverse events: a case report of anti-CTLA4 induced ileitis.

Background: Ipilimumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody directed against cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 , a key negative regulator of T-cell activation approved by the Food and Drug Administration as of March 2011 for the treatment of metastatic melanoma. As a result of the up-regulation of the immune system, several immune-mediated adverse effects have been reported including colitis, dermatitis, hepatitis and rarely hypophysitis. The most frequent immune-mediated adverse effects described in literature include gastrointestinal toxicity such as diarrhea, colitis and case of colitis and ileitis.

Parallel alternating sliding knots are effective for ligation of mesenteric arteries during resection and anastomosis of the equine jejunum.

Background: In literature only one article describes and compares methods of achieving hemostasis in equine mesenteric arteries during jejunal resection and anastomosis, and most textbooks favor ligating-dividing mechanical devices. The latter method cannot always be used, not least because the devices are expensive and in some cases even contra-indicated. Various types of knots, including sliding knots, are widely used to provide hemostasis in laparoscopy.

Detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer: prospective evaluation of gray scale US versus SonoVue® low mechanical index real time-enhanced US as compared with multidetector-CT or Gd-BOPTA-MRI.

Purpose: To compare ultrasound (US), low-mechanical index contrast enhanced US (CEUS) and multidetector-CT (MDCT) for the detection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer.

Methods And Materials: From January to June 2006, 110 patients (65 males, 45 females; mean age 62 years; range 39-78) with suspected hepatic lesions from colorectal cancer were prospectively evaluated with US, CEUS and MDCT by two independent readers. Intraoperative ultrasonography (IOUS, n = 45) or a follow-up up for at least 6 months by using MDCT or Gd-BOPTA-enhanced MRI was considered the gold standard.

Diagnostic imaging in the study of human hepatobiliary fascioliasis.

Purpose: Fascioliasis is a rare zoonotic disease caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica. We present the typical patterns of hepatobiliary fascioliasis observed in ten patients studied with multimodality imaging.

Materials And Methods: Between 2002 and 2005, ten women with fascioliasis were admitted to the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (BWH), with abdominal pain and mild fever.

Is contrast-enhanced US alternative to spiral CT in the assessment of treatment outcome of radiofrequency ablation in hepatocellular carcinoma?

Purpose: The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasound with low mechanical index in evaluating the response of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by comparing it with 4-row spiral computed tomography.

Materials And Methods: 100 consecutive patients (65 men and 35 women; age range: 62 - 76 years) with solitary hepatocellular carcinomas (mean lesion diameter: 3.7 cm +/- 1.

Behavior of hepatocellular adenoma on real-time low-mechanical index contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with a second-generation contrast agent.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the behavior of histologically proven hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) on low-mechanical index (MI) contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS).

Methods: A review of the databases from 4 academic hospitals revealed 18 patients (15 female and 3 male; mean age, 40 years; range, 25-71 years) with 25 histologically proven HCA lesions who were studied with CEUS at a low MI (0.04-0.

Depiction of normal gastrointestinal anatomy with MDCT: comparison of low- and high-attenuation oral contrast media.

Purpose: To compare low- and high-attenuation oral contrast media for depiction of normal gastrointestinal anatomy with multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT).

Materials And Methods: A prospective, randomized study of 90 consecutive patients without known or suspected gastrointestinal disease was conducted after the approval of our Institutional Review Board. All patients underwent IV contrast-enhanced abdominal and pelvic CT scans after oral administration of 900 ml of either low- or high-attenuation barium sulphate suspension.

Post-transplant hepatic complications: Imaging findings.

Transplantation is considered definitive therapy for acute or chronic irreversible pathologies of the liver, and the increased survival rates are mainly due to improved immunosuppressive therapies and surgical techniques. However, early diagnosis of possible graft dysfunction is crucial to liver graft survival. Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in the evaluation of the liver before and after transplant and in the detection of complications such as vascular and biliary diseases, acute and chronic rejection and neoplastic recurrence.

Benign and malignant breast lesions: efficacy of real time contrast-enhanced ultrasound vs. magnetic resonance imaging.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of low mechanical index (MI) real time grey scale contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) in the differentiation of breast lesions in comparison to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: 50 lesions previously detected at mammography or conventional US were evaluated by means of CEUS and MRI. Contrast-enhanced examinations were performed with a dedicated equipment (Esatune, Esaote, Genoa, Italy), before and after injection of 4.

Contrast-enhanced sonography with SonoVue: enhancement patterns of benign focal liver lesions and correlation with dynamic gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI.

Objective: Contrast-enhanced real-time low-mechanical-index sonography is a new diagnostic technique for the assessment of macro- and microcirculation. The purpose of our article is to describe contrast-enhancement patterns of different benign focal liver lesions using the second-generation contrast agent SonoVue and to compare these findings with those of gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI.

Conclusion: SonoVue-enhanced real-time low-mechanical-index sonography provides specific contrast-enhancement patterns of different benign focal liver lesions, allowing accurate characterization.