Search

A longitudinal retrospective study was carried out to investigate the attrition of Thoroughbred (TB) and Standardbred (SB) horses racing at New York racetracks during the 2016 to 2019 seasons. The data were collected from the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) Equine Breakdown, Death, Injury and Incident (EBDII), The Jockey Club InCompass Solutions, and The United States Trotting Association Pathway databases. Survival analysis was used to compare the predisposing factors by breed of the horse. The study included 431 horses (360 TB and 71 SB). There was a significant difference between the average incidence of attrition events per start for TB (0.304) and SB (0.035) horses. There was a significant difference in the median age to attrition between TB (4.2 years) and SB (7.5 years) horses. There was also a significant difference between the average number of starts to attrition for TB (13.6) and SB (125.5) horses. Among the causes of attrition events in the two breeds musculoskeletal injuries and medical conditions were significantly higher among TB horses, while sudden death was significantly higher among SB horses. The multivariate analysis showed that the hazard of attrition was affected by the age of the horse, age at first start, whether the horse was intact male, type of activity (racing training or other) and the breed of the horse. SB horses were less likely to experience attrition events in comparison to TB horses.

IntroductionThe shape of the glucose curve during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) reflects β-cell function in populations without diabetes but has not been as well studied in those with diabetes. A monophasic shape has been associated with higher risk of diabetes, while a biphasic pattern has been associated with lower risk. We sought to determine if phenotypic or metabolic characteristics were associated with glucose response curve shape in adults with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin alone.Research design and methodsThis is a cross-sectional analysis of 3108 metformin-treated adults with type 2 diabetes diagnosed ResultsThe monophasic profile was the most common (67.8% monophasic, 5.5% biphasic, 26.7% continuous rise). The monophasic subgroup was younger, more likely male and white, and had higher body mass index (BMI), while the continuous rise subgroup was more likely female and African American/black. HOMA2-S and fasting glucose did not differ among the subgroups. The biphasic subgroup had the highest early, late, and total insulin and C peptide responses (all pConclusionsBased on the large multiethnic GRADE cohort, sex, race, age, and BMI were found to be important determinants of the shape of the glucose response curve. A pattern of a continuously rising glucose at 2 hours reflected reduced β-cell function and may portend increased glycemic failure rates.Trial registration numberNCT01794143.

Foodborne illness has been determined to be one of the major limitations to the advancement of world health. Bacterial pathogens among the leading causes of foodborne illness are Escherichia coli (E. coli), Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Listeria. The risk of these pathogens was investigated among gastroenteritis cases in the diverse population of the state of Qatar. Fecal samples from patients admitted to Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) with complaints of gastroenteritis were screened for the targeted pathogens using a combination of bacterial enrichments and molecular detection. Salmonella was the most common pathogen (42.9%), followed by E. coli (35.3%), and Campylobacter (21.0%). C. jejuni was the most common species of Campylobacter (67.4%). The probability of detection of E. coli decreased with age. Meanwhile, both probabilities of detection of Campylobacter and Salmonella increased with age. Listeria monocytogenes was much less common among gastroenteritis cases compared to the other pathogens.

Cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) is a heterotrimeric AB-type genotoxin produced by several clinically important bacterial pathogens. To better understand the risk of CDT within the food supply and human gastroenteritis patients in Qatar, we investigated the frequency of the CDT gene (cdtB) among Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains recovered from food products, animal livestock, and human gastroenteritis patients. In this cross-sectional study, E. coli isolates were screened for cdtB using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). cdtB positive strains were further examined for E. coli cdtB gene types (cdt I, cdt II, cdt III, cdt IV and cdtV), serotypes O157: H7, and non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. Screening for other virulent factors, stx (Shiga toxin gene) and eae (gene that encodes intimin) genes were also performed. The cdtB gene was detected in E. coli isolates sourced from all three groups; animal livestock (17%), retail foods (8%), and human gastroenteritis patients (3%). Although the incidence of cdtB gene harboring E. coli is relatively low among gastroenteritis patients, there is still a risk of infection from animal reservoirs as well as retail food products. Among the three groups, E. coli isolates from humans had the lowest occurrence of cdtB, stx, eae, and O157: H7. Furthermore, we advise implementing monitoring at the food production and preparation level.

Objective Data from our laboratory suggest that recovery from a traumatic brain injury depends on the time of day at which it occurred. In this study, we examined whether traumatic brain injury -induced damage is related to circadian variation in N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor expression in rat cortex. Results We confirmed that traumatic brain injury recovery depended on the time of day at which the damage occurred. We also found that motor cortex N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor subunit NR1 expression exhibited diurnal variation in both control and traumatic brain injury-subjected rats. However, this rhythm is more pronounced in traumatic brain injury—subjected rats, with minimum expression in those injured during nighttime hours. These findings suggest that traumatic brain injury occurrence times should be considered in future clinical studies and when designing neuroprotective strategies for patients.

Neurofilaments (NFs) are structural proteins of neurons that are released in significant quantities in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood as a result of neuronal degeneration or axonal damage. Therefore, NFs have potential as biomarkers for neurologic disorders. Neural degeneration increases with age and has the potential to confound the utility of NFs as biomarkers in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders. We investigated this relationship in horses with and without neurological diagnosis. While controlling for horse type (draft, pleasure, and racing), we evaluated the relationship between serum heavy-chain phosphorylated neurofilaments (pNF-H) and age, sex, and serum vitamin E concentrations. Serum pNF-H concentrations increased by 0.002 ng/ml for each year increase in age. There were significant differences in the serum pNF-H concentration among the type of activity performed by the horse. The highest serum pNF-H concentration was found in horses performing heavy work activity (racehorse) and with lower serum pNF-H concentration found among light (pleasure riding) and moderate (draft) activity. There was no significant association between the pNF-H concentration and sex or vitamin E concentration. Serum pNF-H concentration was elevated among horses afflicted with EMND and EPM when compared with control horses without evidence of neurologic disorders. Accordingly, serum pNF-H concentration can serve as a useful biomarker to complement the existing diagnostic work-up of horses suspected of having EPM or EMND.

When COVID-19 caused worldwide cancellations of summer research immersion programs in 2020, Mayo Clinic rallied to create an alternate virtual experience called Summer Foundations in Research (SFIR). SFIR was designed not only to ensure the continuance of science pathways training for undergraduate scientists but also to support undergraduate mental wellbeing, given the known pandemic stressors. A total of 170 participants took part in the program and were surveyed pre-post for outcomes in biomedical research career knowledge, biomedical research career interest, research skills confidence, and three dimensions of mental wellbeing. Knowledge of and interest in careers involving biomedical research rose significantly following participation in SFIR. The participants’ mean research skills confidence also rose between 0.08 and 1.32 points on a 7-point scale across 12 items from the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory. Success in science pathways support was accompanied by positive shifts in participant mental wellbeing. Measurable decreases in stress (Perceived Stress Scale, p &lt, 0.0001) accompanied gains in resilience (Brief Resilience Scale, p &lt, 0.0001) and life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale, p = 0.0005). Collectively, the data suggest that core objectives of traditional in-person summer research programming can be accomplished virtually and that these programs can simultaneously impact student wellbeing. This theoretical framework is particularly salient during COVID-19, but the increased accessibility of virtual programs such as SFIR can continue to bolster science education pathways long after the pandemic is gone.

The endocannabinoid system is a component of the neuroprotective mechanisms that an organism displays after traumatic brain injury (TBI). A diurnal variation in several components of this system has been reported. This variation may influence the recovery and survival rate after TBI. We have previously reported that the recovery and survival rate of rats is higher if TBI occurs at 1:00 than at 13:00. This could be explained by a diurnal variation of the endocannabinoid system. Here, we describe the effects of anandamide administration in rats prior to the induction of TBI at two different times of the day: 1:00 and 13:00. We found that anandamide reduced the neurological damage at both times. Nevertheless, its effects on bleeding, survival, food intake, and body weight were dependent on the time of TBI. In addition, we analyzed the diurnal variation of the expression of the cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R in the cerebral cortex of both control rats and rats subjected to TBI. We found that CB1R protein was expressed more during the day, whereas its mRNA level was higher during the night. We did not find a diurnal variation for the CB2R. In addition, we also found that TBI increased CB1R and CB2R in the contralateral hemisphere and disrupted the CB1R diurnal cycle.

Many studies indicate that the hour of the day at which the onset of stroke occurs is very important in patient recovery. Furthermore, multiple studies have been conducted which show that ischemia in rats produces different magnitudes of injury depending on the hour of the day at which it was induced. Using a traumatic brain injury (TBI) model, we analyzed the effect of the time of day on the recovery of rats and obtained a higher survival rate if TBI was induced at 01:00 h as compared with TBI induced at 13:00 h. We also analyzed the effect of the protease inhibitor cystatin C (CC) on the recovery of rats from TBI and found that it increased mortality and bleeding, and that these effects were more pronounced at 13:00 h. © 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

During the process of a brain injury, responses to produce damage and cell death are activated, but self-protective responses that attempt to maintain the integrity and functionality of the brain are also activated. We have previously reported that the recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is better in rats if it occurs during the dark phase of the diurnal cycle when rats are in the waking period. This suggests that wakefulness causes a neuroprotective role in this type of injury. Here we report that 24 h of total sleep deprivation after a TBI reduces the morphological damage and enhances the recovery of the rats, as seen on a neurobiological scale.