Genetic analysis of kinematic traits at the trot in Lusitano horse subpopulations with different types of training

The possibility of using quantitative kinematic traits as indirect selection criteria for sport performance could be beneficial to perform an early genetic evaluation of the animals. The genetic parameters for objectively measured kinematic traits under field conditions have been estimated for the first time, in order to potentially use these traits as indicators of gait quality in future selection of the Lusitano breed. The repeatability within three different types of training (dressage, bullfighting and untrained) was also discussed. A total of 176 males (4 to 14 years old) were recorded at trot in hand using a 3D videographic system. The speed and 10 kinematic traits were studied (one temporal, two linear and seven angular variables). The genetic parameters of the kinematic variables were estimated using VCE software. The heritability estimates were moderate to high (0.18 to 0.53). The stride length and the forelimb angular variables presented the highest heritabilities (0.49 to 0.53), whereas the hindlimb angular variables revealed the lowest values (0.18 to 0.40). More than half of the genetic correlations were moderately to highly positive (mostly 0.20 to 0.70; up to 0.88 between hindlimb traits). The dressage and bullfighting groups presented the highest repeatabilities (over 0.6) in the majority of the traits, maybe because of the acquired gait regularity expected in animals subjected to specific training, and suggesting a greater influence of the individuals over the kinematic traits studied in these two subpopulations than in the untrained subpopulation. The longer swing phase duration and the larger range of motion of the elbow, hock and pelvis joints observed in the dressage group may indicate a better gait quality of this group, according to FEI (International Equestrian Federation) standards. The bullfighting and untrained groups were more similar to each other in terms of kinematic traits. Selection of young horses for characteristics such as stride length and the hindlimbs traits can apparently contribute to further genetic improvement of the performance of Lusitano breed

Genetic parameters of biokinematic variables of the trot in Spanish Purebred horses under experimental treadmill conditions

The purpose of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of biokinematic variables in Spanish Purebred (SPB) horses in order to select those of sufficient interest to be measured in the pre-selection of the animals for possible inclusion in the breeding programme. Kinematic analysis of 130 SPB horses 4.6 ± 1.5 years old were recorded at the trot (4 m/s) on a treadmill. Genetic parameters were estimated using VCE software and a bivariate mixed animal model including age and stud as fixed effects and animal additive genetic effect and residual error as random effects. In general, heritabilities were high (0.33–0.88). The angular variables presented the lowest heritabilities, whereas the maximum height of the fore-hoof and the duration of swing phase in the hindlimb gave the highest scores. Genetic correlations were also very high, so it was possible to reduce the number of breeding programme characteristics to stride duration, hindlimb swing phase duration, range of stifle and elbow angles, minimal angle of carpus, and minimal retraction-protraction angle of the hindlimb.Unión Europea 1FD97-089

Walk and trot in the horse at driving: kinematic adaptation of its natural gaits

The walk and trot at hand and at driving of five Andalusian Purebred stallions were studied by a 2D semiautomatic analysis system. Linear, temporal and angular variables from the right fore and hind limbs were obtained by using a 2D kinematic analysis system. In order to identify significant differences between handled and driving gaits, a paired Student $t$-test was performed. The swing period and the stride lengths of both fore and hind limbs and the overreach distance were lower at driving. Stride durations and Retraction-Protraction angle values in the hind limbs at trot did not differ under different conditions but scapular values at walk and trot, fore fetlock variables at trot and some of the stifle and tarsus parameters at walk and trot were modified by the use of the vehicle. It may be assumed that at fixed speeds driving horses try to maintain the stride duration of their natural gaits.Le pas et le trot chez le cheval à l'attelage : adaptation cinématique des allures naturelles. Le pas et le trot à la main et à l'attelage de cinq étalons Andalous ont été étudiés à l'aide d'un système d'analyse semi-automatique du mouvement en 2 dimensions. Des variables linéaires, temporelles et d'angles des membres antérieur et postérieur droits ont été obtenues en utilisant la méthode cinématique en 2D. Afin d'identifier les différences significatives entre les allures à la main et les allures à l'attelage un test de Student apparié a été mis en oeuvre. La période de balancement et la longueur des foulées des membres antérieur et postérieur et la distance entre deux posers successifs des pieds avant et arrière (overreach distance) étaient inférieures lorsque les animaux étaient menés à l'attelage. La durée des foulées et les valeurs des angles de Rétraction-Protraction pour les membres postérieurs au trot n'ont pas différé dans ces conditions, en revanche, les valeurs obtenues pour les omoplates chez le cheval au pas et au trot, les variables du boulet au trot et certains paramètres du grasset et du tarse à la main et au trot ont été modifiés lors de l'utilisation de la voiture attelée. On peut supposer qu'à vitesse constante les chevaux à l'attelage essayent de maintenir la durée des foulées au niveau de celle de leurs allures naturelles

Efectos del entrenamiento y desentrenamiento sobre la proporción de los tipos de fibras musculares en diferentes razas de caballo

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar el efecto de un programa de entrenamiento de 3 meses de dura­ción seguido por 3 meses de inactividad sobre la proporción de los diferentes tipos histoquímicos de fibras musculares en diferentes razas de caballos. Un total de 20 sementales adultos (5-14 años) de diferentes razas (8 Andaluces, 7 Árabes y 5 Anglo­árabes) fueron entrenados convencionalmente para resistencia durante 3 meses. Antes y después del entrenamiento, y después de 3 meses de inactividad, se tomaron biopsias a 2 profundidades diferentes (2 y 6cm) del músculo gluteus medius de cada caballo. Las muestras fueron examinadas histoquímicamen­te, estableciéndose el porcentaje de los distintos tipos de fibras (I, IIA, IIB oxidativas y IIB no oxi­dativas). La composición fibrilar del músculo varió significativamente entre razas, especialmente en la región superficial del músculo, tanto antes como después de los períodos de entrenamiento y desen­trenamiento. En general, no existieron cambios sig­nificativos de la composición fibrilar tras el entrena­miento, pero un incremento significativo del porcentaje de fibras tipo I fue detectado en los caba­llos Andaluces, así como un incremento del porcen­taje de fibras tipo lIB oxidativas en los caballos Anglo-árabes. Parte de las adaptaciones musculares al entrenamiento persistieron después de 3 meses de inactividad.Palabras claves: Entrenamiento, fibra muscular, caballo.AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a months endurance training program followed of 3 months of detraining on muscle fiber type composition in several breeds of horses. Twenty stallions ranging frorn five to 14 years of age of several breeds (8 Andalusians, 7 Arabians and 4 Angloarabians) were endurance-trained conventionally for 3 months. Muscle biopsy  samples were obtained before and after training as well as after 3 months of detraining. Biopsy samples were obtained from the right gluteus medius muscles at depths of 2 (superficial region) and 6 (deep region) cm below the fascia. Muscle samples were histochemically analyzed for myosin ATPase and NADH–tetrazolium reduc­tase reaction, and the mean percentage of the various fiber types (I, IIA, IIB oxidative and IIB nonoxidative) were calculated for each muscle biopsy specimen. The muscle fiber types composition varied significantly among breeds, both before and after training and detrai­ning periods. In general, significant increment of type I fibers was observed in Andalusians, as well as an increase of type IIB oxidative fibers in Anglo–arabians. Part of these adptations was conserved after 3 months of detraining.Key words: Training, muscle fiber, horse.

Efectos del entrenamiento y desentrenamiento sobre la proporción de los tipos de fibras musculares en diferentes razas de caballo

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar el efecto de un programa de entrenamiento de 3 meses de dura­ción seguido por 3 meses de inactividad sobre la proporción de los diferentes tipos histoquímicos de fibras musculares en diferentes razas de caballos. Un total de 20 sementales adultos (5-14 años) de diferentes razas (8 Andaluces, 7 Árabes y 5 Anglo­árabes) fueron entrenados convencionalmente para resistencia durante 3 meses. Antes y después del entrenamiento, y después de 3 meses de inactividad, se tomaron biopsias a 2 profundidades diferentes (2 y 6cm) del músculo gluteus medius de cada caballo. Las muestras fueron examinadas histoquímicamen­te, estableciéndose el porcentaje de los distintos tipos de fibras (I, IIA, IIB oxidativas y IIB no oxi­dativas). La composición fibrilar del músculo varió significativamente entre razas, especialmente en la región superficial del músculo, tanto antes como después de los períodos de entrenamiento y desen­trenamiento. En general, no existieron cambios sig­nificativos de la composición fibrilar tras el entrena­miento, pero un incremento significativo del porcentaje de fibras tipo I fue detectado en los caba­llos Andaluces, así como un incremento del porcen­taje de fibras tipo lIB oxidativas en los caballos Anglo-árabes. Parte de las adaptaciones musculares al entrenamiento persistieron después de 3 meses de inactividad.Palabras claves: Entrenamiento, fibra muscular, caballo.AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a months endurance training program followed of 3 months of detraining on muscle fiber type composition in several breeds of horses. Twenty stallions ranging frorn five to 14 years of age of several breeds (8 Andalusians, 7 Arabians and 4 Angloarabians) were endurance-trained conventionally for 3 months. Muscle biopsy  samples were obtained before and after training as well as after 3 months of detraining. Biopsy samples were obtained from the right gluteus medius muscles at depths of 2 (superficial region) and 6 (deep region) cm below the fascia. Muscle samples were histochemically analyzed for myosin ATPase and NADH–tetrazolium reduc­tase reaction, and the mean percentage of the various fiber types (I, IIA, IIB oxidative and IIB nonoxidative) were calculated for each muscle biopsy specimen. The muscle fiber types composition varied significantly among breeds, both before and after training and detrai­ning periods. In general, significant increment of type I fibers was observed in Andalusians, as well as an increase of type IIB oxidative fibers in Anglo–arabians. Part of these adptations was conserved after 3 months of detraining.Key words: Training, muscle fiber, horse.

Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis Show an Altered Flexion/Relaxation Phenomenon

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic disease characterized by the presence of inflammatory back pain. In patients with chronic low back pain, the lumbar flexion relaxation phenomenon measured by surface electromyography (sEMG) differs from that in healthy individuals. However, sEMG activity in axSpA patients has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze the flexion relaxation phenomenon in axSpA patients. A study evaluating 39 axSpA patients and 35 healthy controls was conducted. sEMG activity at the erector spinae muscles was measured during lumbar full flexion movements. sEMG activity was compared between axSpA patients and the controls, as well as between active (BASDAI ≥ 4) and non-active (BASDAI 0.8 for 1/FRR) and criterion validity. ROC analysis showed good discriminant validity for axSpA patients (AUC = 0.835) vs. the control group using 1/FRR. An abnormal flexion/relaxation phenomenon exists in axSpA patients compared with controls. sEMG could be an additional objective tool in the evaluation of patient function and disease activity status.This research has been funded by Health Innovation Projects of Junta de Andalucía (PIN-0079–2016) and Research Promotion Program (2016) of the University of Córdoba.Ye

Design and implementation of an online tool for managing the availability of high-cost perishable medicines.

Due to their impact on healthcare systems, the sustainability and optimization of high-cost drugs is an issue of concern for several countries. Different strategies have been implemented such as centralized purchasing to optimize budgetary resources. However, there is still a need for a mechanism to optimize these drugs further. We conducted this prospective multicenter intervention study in five hospitals in the Andalusian Public Health System of Cádiz (Spain) between July 2019 and September 2021. We developed an online website (Farmastock) and implemented it to determine the availability of high-cost, low-use, and near-expiry medicines in each hospital. We used a simple analysis using operational variables to assess the project intervention's savings impact on managing these high-cost drugs. The implementation of Farmastock in Cádiz resulted in savings of 675,757.52 € for the Andalusian Public Health System, with 238 medicines transferred out of the 373 available. Of these medicines offered, the most considerable percentage were medicines used for pathologies with high clinical instability and accounted for nearly 80% of the medicines optimized by the tool. Farmastock allowed the Andalusian Public Health System to make substantial financial savings by not making new purchases of high-cost drugs available in other centers of this health network that were not being used. Therefore, this tool is a very efficient measure to contribute to the sustainability of the APHS and could be implemented in more hospitals soon

Elaboración de modelos anatómicos mediante técnicas de plastinación como alternativa al uso de animales en docencia y como recurso esencial en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje

La implantación del principio de las 3Rs (Reducción, Refinamiento y Reemplazo), descritas por Russell y Burch en 1959, fue el punto de partida de numerosos cambios en la utilización de los animales, tanto en el ámbito de la investigación como de la docencia. Por tanto, es necesario ir propiciando el empleo de alternativas y que el profesorado disponga de recursos y de una buena información. Este proyecto se propone como objetivo esencial la elaboración de modelos animales mediante técnicas de plastinación como recurso docente alternativo al uso de animales vivos, y proporcionando al profesorado la disposición de medios y recursos esenciales en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del alumnado.Los alumnos podrán disponer de una variedad de modelos animales en las sesiones prácticas, y/o teórico/prácticas de las distintas disciplinas en las que sea necesario el uso de animales. Podrán trabajar con un modelo fiel al original sin necesidad de utilizar modelos vivos y podrán desarrollar las distintas técnicas y procedimientos que realizarían in vivo sin necesidad de generar un estrés innecesario a los animales por su manejo por personal aún no capacitado para ello, evitando situaciones que hagan peligrar el bienestar animal (RD 53/2003). El desarrollo de estos modelos plastinados supondrá recurso docente esencial para la adquisición de las habilidades específicas en distintas disciplinas Biomédicas que conlleven el uso de animales, tales como los Grados en Veterinaria, Biología, Medicina, Enfermería, etc