Bioprospecting for Antibacterial Drugs: a Multidisciplinary Perspective on Natural Product Source Material, Bioassay Selection and Avoidable Pitfalls.

Bioprospecting is the exploration, extraction and screening of biological material and sometimes indigenous knowledge to discover and develop new drugs and other products. Most antibiotics in current clinical use (eg. β-lactams, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, macrolides) were discovered using this approach, and there are strong arguments to reprioritize bioprospecting over other strategies in the search for new antibacterial drugs.

Match performance in a reference futsal team during an international tournament - implications for talent development in soccer.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that futsal can aid talent development for 11 a-side soccer through the potential for transfer of the game's skills and constraints. However, additional scientific research is necessary to enhance understanding of the technical and physical demands of futsal and the potential returns for soccer player development. Accordingly, this study examined selected characteristics of physical (internal and external loads) and technical performance in international futsal match-play in order to study the potential of these for skill transfer and aiding soccer player development.

Attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy to diagnose osteoarthritis in equine serum.

Background: Reliable and validated biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA) are currently lacking.

Objectives: To develop an accurate and minimally invasive method to assess OA-affected horses and provide potential spectral markers indicative of disease.

Study Design: Observational, cross-sectional study.

The effect of cut-off frequency when high-pass filtering equine sEMG signals during locomotion.

High-pass filtering (HPF) is a fundamental signal processing method for the attenuation of low-frequency noise contamination, namely baseline noise and movement artefact noise, in human surface electromyography (sEMG) research. Despite this, HPF is largely overlooked in equine sEMG research, with many studies not applying, or failing to describe, the application of HPF. An optimal HPF cut-off frequency maximally attenuates noise while minimally affecting sEMG signal power, but this has not been investigated for equine sEMG signals.

Comparing subjective and objective evaluation of show jumping competition and warm-up arena surfaces.

The development of safety and quality standards for equestrian surfaces needs to be based on objective, repeatable measurements which allow comparisons between surfaces. These measurements should incorporate the assessment of surface performance by riders. This study provides data from objective and subjective assessment of functional properties of high-level show jumping competition and warm-up arenas.

A Comparison of GPS Workload Demands in Match Play and Small-Sided Games by the Positional Role in Youth Soccer.

The external demands of small-sided games (SSGs) according to the positional role are currently unknown. Using a Catapult Minimax X3 5 Hz GPS, with a 100 Hz tri-axial accelerometer, we compared the accumulated tri-axial player workload per min (PLacc·min) during friendly youth match play (MP) (11 vs. 11) and SSGs (2 vs.

Mannan oligosaccharide prepartum supplementation: effects on dairy cow colostrum quality and quantity.

Providing the neonatal calf with a sufficient quantity and quality of colostrum may optimise future health, performance and reduce the risk of morbidity. A 6-month double blind trial with 80 prepartum dairy cows was conducted to determine if supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) influences colostrum quality, quantity and subsequent calf performance. The Holstein cross Friesian 80 cows (no heifers) were allocated into a control and treatment group at the point of drying off by previous lactation number and yield.

A simple method for equine kinematic gait event detection.

Background: Previous studies have validated methods for determining kinematic gait events using threshold-based techniques. However, a simple method that can be successfully applied to walk, trot and canter is yet to be identified.

Objectives: To develop a simple kinematic method to identify the timing of hoof contact (hoof-on), peak vertical force and lift off (hoof-off), which can be applied in walk, trot and canter.

A test of the universal applicability of a commonly used principle of hoof balance.

This study used a UK trimming protocol to determine whether hoof balance is achieved (as defined by equivalence of geometric proportions) in cadaver limbs (n = 49) and two cohorts of horses (shod, n = 6, and unshod, n = 20; three trimming cycles). To determine equivalence, dorsal hoof wall length (DHWL), distance from the heel buttress to the centre of pressure (HBUT-COP) and distance from dorsal toe to centre of rotation (DT-COR) were calculated as a proportion of bearing border length (BBL) using digital photography. Geometric proportions were tested using Fieller's test of equivalence with limits of difference of 2.

Liming can decrease legume crop yield and leaf gas exchange by enhancing root to shoot ABA signalling.

To meet future requirements for food production, sustainable intensive agricultural systems need to optimize nutrient availability to maximize yield, traditionally achieved by maintaining soil pH within an optimal range (6-6.5) by applying lime (calcium carbonate). However, a field trial that applied recommended liming rates to a sandy loam soil (increasing soil pH from 5.

Posture, flexibility and grip strength in horse riders.

Since the ability to train the horse to be ambidextrous is considered highly desirable, rider asymmetry is recognized as a negative trait. Acquired postural and functional asymmetry can originate from numerous anatomical regions, so it is difficult to suggest if any is developed due to riding. The aim of this study was therefore to assess symmetry of posture, strength and flexibility in a large population of riders and to determine whether typical traits exist due to riding.

Two potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties differ in drought tolerance due to differences in root growth at depth.

To test the hypothesis that root growth at depth is a key trait explaining some genotypic differences in drought tolerance in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), two varieties (Horizon and Maris Piper) differing in drought tolerance were subjected to different irrigation regimes in pots in a glasshouse and in the field under a polytunnel. In the glasshouse, both cultivars showed similar gas exchange, leaf water potential, leaf xylem ABA concentration and shoot biomass independently of whether plants were grown under well watered or water deficit conditions.

Hoof renewal time from birth of Thoroughbred foals.

A circumferential ring in the hoof horn of foals occurs at birth and grows down to the distal border as the fetal hoof is replaced. Horn growth and complete hoof capsule renewal have not been measured in Thoroughbred foals but the determination of time of hoof renewal may allow accurate predictions of healing time to be made in cases of hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to measure the time taken for the fetal hoof of newborn foals to grow to the distal border and be replaced by hoof grown since birth.

The effect of two preparation procedures on an equine arena surface in relation to motion of the hoof and metacarpophalangeal joint.

A link between surface characteristics and injury has been identified in equine disciplines. Maintenance procedures are reported to affect surface characteristics and could influence horse movement. The study investigated limb and hoof movement on a synthetic surface following two different preparations (harrowing and rolling).

Effects of a stretching regime on stride length and range of motion in equine trot.

The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of two different 8-week stretching regimes on stride length (SL) and range of motion (ROM) in the equine trot. Eighteen horses were divided into three matched groups: a 6 days/week stretching regime (6DSR), a 3 days/week stretching regime (3DSR) and a control no-stretching regime (NSR). SL and ROM data were collected at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 for trot in-hand.

Double blind investigation of the effects of oral supplementation of combined glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCL) and chondroitin sulphate (CS) on stride characteristics of veteran horses.

Reasons For Performing Study: Oral chondroprotective supplements are commercially popular for veteran (and other athletic or arthritic) horses prone to joint degeneration, yet lack conclusive scientific support.

Objectives: To quantify the effects of an oral joint supplement (combination glucosamine hydrochloride (GHCL), chondroitin sulphate (CS) and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine) in vivo on stride parameters of veteran horses.

Methods: Twenty veteran horses were randomly assigned to a treatment (n = 15) or placebo group (n = 5).