Incidence and risk factors for recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis in horses

Abstract Background Endocrinopathic laminitis is common in horses and ponies, but the recurrence rate of the disease is poorly defined. Objectives To determine the incidence of, and risk factors for, the recurrence of endocrinopathic laminitis. Animals Privately owned horses and ponies with acute laminitis (n = 317, of which 276 cases with endocrinopathic laminitis were followed up to study completion). Methods This prospective cohort study collected data on veterinary‐diagnosed cases of acute laminitis for 2 years. Each case was classified on acceptance to the study as endocrinopathic or non‐endocrinopathic using data collected in a questionnaire completed by the animal's veterinarian. Follow‐up data were collected at regular intervals to determine whether the laminitis recurred in the 2‐year period after diagnosis. Results The recurrence rate for endocrinopathic laminitis was 34.1%. The risk of recurrence during the 2‐year study period increased with basal, fasted serum insulin concentration (P ≤ .05), with the probability of recurrence increasing markedly as the insulin concentration increased beyond the normal range (0‐20 μIU/mL) to over the threshold for normal (up to approximately 45 μIU/mL). Being previously diagnosed with laminitis (before the study; P = .05) was also a risk factor for recurrent laminitis. Cases with a higher Obel grade of laminitis were likely (P = .05) to recur sooner. Conclusions and clinical importance Knowing that hyperinsulinemia and being previously diagnosed with laminitis are significant risk factors for recurrence will enable clinicians to proactively address these factors, thereby potentially reducing the risk of recurrence of laminitis

Epithelial cells of Hydra are dye-coupled

In the past decade, a strong correlation has been established between gap junctions, seen in cell ultrastructure studies, and cell coupling (ionic, metabolic or dye coupling) assayed physiologically1. In Hydra, ultrastructural analyses have indicated that the epithelial cells of both cell layers are connected extensively by gap junctions; lap junctions have also been observed between the two layers. On the basis of these results, one would expect electrical and dye coupling between epithelial cells of Hydra. However, de Laat et al. reported that these cells were neither dye- nor electrically coupled, which was unexpected as cells in another coelenterate have been shown to be coupled ionically. Cell-cell coupling in Hydra is particularly interesting because extensive experiments on head regeneration in this coelenterate have led to well-defined models of patterning that require communication between cells of the type that may be provided by gap junctions. We have re-examined dye coupling in Hydra and we report here that, after injection of Lucifer yellow into single epithelial cells, neighbouring cells were observed to contain the dye. We conclude that the pithelial of cells of Hydra are indeed dye-coupled