Increased Levels of Leukocyte-Derived MMP-9 in Patients with Stable Angina Pectoris

Objective: There is a growing interest for matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in plasma as novel biomarkers in coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to identify the sources of MMP-8, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 among peripheral blood cells and further explore whether gene expression or protein release was altered in patients with stable angina pectoris (SA). Methods: In total, plasma MMP-9 was measured in 44 SA patients and 47 healthy controls. From 10 patients and 10 controls, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and neutrophils were isolated and stimulated ex vivo. MMPs, TIMPs and myeloperoxidase were measured in plasma and supernatants by ELISA. The corresponding gene expression was measured by real-time PCR. Results: Neutrophils were the dominant source of MMP-8 and MMP-9. Upon moderate stimulation with IL-8, the neutrophil release of MMP-9 was higher in the SA patients compared with controls (p,0.05). In PBMC, the TIMP-1 and MMP-9 mRNA expression was higher in SA patients compared with controls, p,0.01 and 0.05, respectively. There were no differences in plasma levels between patients and controls except for TIMP-2, which was lower in patients, p,0.01. Conclusion: Measurements of MMPs and TIMPs in plasma may be of limited use. Despite similar plasma levels in SA patients and controls, the leukocyte-derived MMP-9 and TIMP-1 are significantly altered in patients. The findings indicate that th

Horseshoe characteristics as possible risk factors for fatal musculoskeletal injury of Thoroughbred racehorses

abstract: 201 Thoroughbred racehorses that died or were killed at California race-tracks between August 1992 and July 1994 were examined PM. Shoe characteristics were compared between case horses affected by fatal musculoskeletal injury (FMI, 155 horses), suspensory apparatus failure (SAF, 79), and cannon bone condylar fracture (CDY, 41) and 46 control horses that died for reasons unrelated to the appendicular musculoskeletal system. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for FMI, SAF and CDY. Toe grabs were identified as possible risk factors for FMI, SAF and CDY. The odds of FMI, SAF and CDY were 1.8, 6.5 and 7.0, respectively, times greater for horses shod with low toe grabs than for horses shod without toe grabs on front shoes. Horses shod with regular toe grabs on front shoes had odds 3.5, 15.6 and 17.1 times greater for FMI, SAF and CDY, respectively, compared with horses shod without toe grabs. The odds of horses shod with rim shoes were a third of those shod without rim shoes for either FMI or SAF. It is suggested that the apparent association between toe grab type and CDY may, in part, be attributable to concurrent SAF and CDY injuries in many horses. It is concluded that avoiding the use of toe grabs should decrease the incidence of FMI, especially SAF, in Thoroughbred racehorses

Postmortem evaluation of homotypic variation in shoe characteristics of 201 Thoroughbred racehorses

abstract: Shoe characteristics of Thoroughbred racehorses that died or were killed at California race-tracks between August 1992 and July 1994 were measured. Percentage of agreement was used to compare shoe characteristics between limbs. Using χ² analysis, shoe characteristics were compared between horses grouped by age and sex. Toe grabs were present on 90.5% of horses, and rim shoes were present on 15.9% of horses. Heel traction devices were less frequent on front (2.5%) than rear (6%) hooves. Pads were present on 24.9% of horses, with bonded rim pads commonest. Special types of shoes were present on 5% of horses. Percentage of agreement between left and right front hooves and between left and right rear hooves was high (20/25 variables; % agreement ≥99). In contrast, percentage of agreement between left front and left rear hooves and between right front and right rear hooves was low (2/25 variables; % agreement ≥99). Presence of a pad was significantly associated with age, and several shoe variables (size, presence of a special shoe, overall wear matched) were significantly associated with sex

Association between long periods without high-speed workouts and risk of complete humeral or pelvic fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses: 54 cases (1991-1994)

abstract: Thoroughbred racehorses in California that were destroyed because of a complete humeral or pelvic fracture were investigated to determine whether a two-month or longer period without official high-speed workouts (lay-up) is associated with humeral or pelvic fracture. Age, sex, activity, number of lay-ups, number of days from a race or official timed workout to fracture, number of days from end of last lay-up to fracture, mean duration of lay-ups, and total number of days in race training were compared between horses with humeral fractures and horses with pelvic fractures. A case-crossover study was used to estimate relative risk for fracture of the humerus or pelvis occurring within hazard periods of 10 and 21 days following lay-up, compared with periods following more regular participation in official racing or timed workout events. Horses with pelvic fractures were more often female, older, and had 0 or ≥ 2 lay-ups. Horses with humeral fractures were typically 3-year-old males that had 1 lay-up. Horses with pelvic fractures had more total days in race training, fewer days from last exercise event to fracture, and a greater number of days from end of last lay-up to fracture than horses with humeral fractures. Return from lay-up was strongly associated with risk for humeral fracture during hazard periods of 10 and 21 days (relative risk = 71 and 45, respectively). Risk of humeral fracture may be reduced if horses are cautiously reintroduced into race training after lay-up

Pathologic and bacteriologic findings in 27-week-old commercial laying hens experimentally infected with Salmonella enteritidis, phage type 4

abstract: Two strains of 27-wk-old commercial laying chickens (strain A, brown-egg-laying type and strain B, white-egg-laying type) were inoculated either orally (PO) or intravenously (IV) with a field isolate of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 4. Chickens were sequentially necropsied at regular intervals throughout the 17-wk observation period. Gross and microscopic lesions were most evident between 1 and 14 days postinoculation (DPI). Gross lesions consisted of enlarged livers with white foci, enlarged and mottled white spleens, fibrinous exudate in the peritoneum, and atretic, misshapen ovarian follicles. Microscopic lesions included multifocal coagulative necrosis of hepatocytes and inflammation, fibrinous exudation in vascular sinuses of the spleen, and fibrinosuppurative inflammation of the peritoneum and ovarian follicles. The proportion of reproductive organ infections (ovary and oviduct) in the IV group, 83% (20/24, P = 0.007; 50% and 33% for strains A and strain B birds, respectively), was higher than that of the PO group, 46% (11/24; 29% and 17% for strains A and B, respectively), for the first 16 days of observation postinoculation. The proportion of fecal shedding for the IV group of birds was significantly (P = 0.009) lower, 29% (7/24; 33% and 25% respectively for strain A and strain B birds, respectively), than the PO group, 67% (16/24; 75% and 58% for strain A and strain B birds, respectively). Three (2.6%) of 234 egg pools were culture-positive for group D Salmonella from strain A chickens (1 of 119 pools from the IV group and 2 of 115 pools from the PO group of birds). Chickens infected with the field strain of S. enteritidis phage type 4 harbored the organism in tissues only for a brief time, most clearing within 8 DPI and nearly all within 16 DPI. Overall the percentage of culture-positive birds did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between birds with and without lesions, but isolation of S. enteritidis tended to be more frequent when lesions were evident. This experiment also demonstrated that brown-egg-laying-type chickens were more susceptible than white-egg-laying-type chickens to S. enteritidis phage type 4 isolated from California based on gross and microscopic lesions and bacteriologic findings

High-speed exercise history and catastrophic racing fracture in Thoroughbreds

Racing and officially timed workout histories were obtained for each of 64 Thoroughbreds euthanized during a 9-month period in 1991 at a California racetrack because of a catastrophic fracture incurred while racing. For each race in which a fatal skeletal injury (FSI) occurred, 1 control horse was randomly selected from the non-catastrophically injured participants. High total and high average daily rates of exercise distance accumulation within a 2-month period were associated with higher risks for FSI during racing, yet career patterns, such as age at first race or total proportion of career spent laid up, were not found to be associated with risk for FSI. A horse that had accumulated a total of 35 furlongs of race and timed-work distance in 2 months, compared with a horse with 25 furlongs accumulated, had an estimated 3.9-fold increase in risk for racing-related FSI. A horse that had accumulated race and timed-work furlongs at an average rate of 0.6 furlongs/day within a 2-month period, compared with a horse with an average of 0.5 furlongs/day, had an estimated 1.8-fold increase in risk for racing-related FSI. It is concluded that Thoroughbred racehorses that either accumulate large total high-speed distances or rapidly accumulate high-speed distances within a 2-month period may be at increased risk for FSI during racing.ID: 6600; Accession Number: 19972200544. Publication Type: Journal Article. Language: English. Number of References: 30 ref. Subject Subsets: Veterinary Science; Veterinary ScienceSource type: Electronic(1

Sensitivity and specificity of western blot testing of cerebrospinal fluid and serum for diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses with and without neurologic abnormalities

abstract: Objective - To determine sensitivity and specificity of western blot testing (WBT) of CSF and serum for diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses with and without neurologic abnormalities. Design - Prospective investigation. Animals - 65 horses with and 169 horses without neurologic abnormalities. Procedure - CSF and serum from horses submitted for necropsy were tested for Sarcocystis neurona-specific antibody with a WBT. Results of postmortem examination were used as the gold standard against which results of the WBT were compared. Results - Sensitivity of WBT of CSF was 87% for horses with and 88% for horses without neurologic abnormalities. Specificity of WBT of CSF was 44% for horses with and 60% for horses without neurologic abnormalities. Regardless of whether horses did or did not have neurologic abnormalities, sensitivity and specificity of WBT of serum were not significantly different from values for WBT of CSF. Ninety-four horses without EPM had histologic evidence of slight CNS inflammation. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - The low specificity of WBT of CSF indicated that it is inappropriate to diagnose EPM on the basis of a positive test result alone because of the possibility of false-positive test results. The high sensitivity, however, means that a negative result is useful in ruling out EPM. There was no advantage in testing CSF versus serum in horses without neurologic abnormalities. Slight CNS inflammation was common in horses with and without S. neurona-specific antibodies in the CSF and should not be considered an indication of CNS infection with S. neurona