Browsing by Subject "Equine"
Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item An object-oriented framework to organize genomic data(2009-05-15) Wei, NingBioinformatics resources should provide simple and flexible support for genomics research. A huge amount of gene mapping data, micro-array expression data, expressed sequence tags (EST), BAC sequence data and genome sequence data are already, or will soon be available for a number of livestock species. These species will have different requirements compared to typical biomedical model organisms and will need an informatics framework to deal with the data. In term of exploring complex-intertwined genomic data, the way to organize them will be addressed in this study. Therefore, we investigated two issues in this study: one is an independent informatics framework including both back end and front end; another is how an informatics framework simplifies the user interface to explore data. We have developed a fundamental informatics framework that makes it easy to organize and manipulate the complex relations between genomic data, and allow for query results to be presented via a user friendly web interface. A genome object-oriented framework (GOOF) was proposed with object-oriented Java technology and is independent of any database system. This framework seamlessly links the database system and web presentation components. The data models of GOOF collect the data relationships in order to provide users with access to relations across different types of data, meaning that users avoid constructing queries within the interface layer. Moreover, the module-based interface provided by GOOF could allow different users to access data in different interfaces and ways. In another words, GOOF not only gives a whole solution to informatics infrastructure, but also simplifies the organization of data modeling and presentation. In order to be a fast development solution, GOOF provides an automatic code engine by using meta-programming facilities in Java, which could allow users to generate a large amount of routine program codes. Moreover, the pre-built data layer in GOOF connecting with Chado simplifies the process to manage genomic data in the Chado schema. In summary, we studied the way to model genomic data into an informatics framework, a one-stop approach, to organize the data and addressed how GOOF constructs a bioinformatics infrastructure for users to access genomic data.Item Density and geometry of the third metacarpal in juvenile racehorses treated with exogenous equine somatotropin(Texas A&M University, 2005-11-01) Thomson, Katherine LenoreThe effect of exogenous somatotropin (eST) on bone changes were evaluated in twenty-nine juvenile horses in race training using radiographs of the third metacarpal obtained over the course of a 128 day research project. A biodensitometer was used to measure bone density, and a micrometer was used to measure cortical bone width and medullary cavity width. Fifteen horses were given daily intramuscular injections of eST and fourteen horses were given daily intramuscular injections of sterile saline and served as the control group. By day 128, the increase in total radiographic bone aluminum equivalence (RBAE) was significantly greater in the eST horses than in the control horses. The increases in RBAE in the dorsal and the medial cortices were greater in the eST horses than in the control horses, but these differences were not significant. There was a trend for changes in the ratio of RBAE in the dorsal to palmar and in the medial to lateral cortices to be greater in the eST than in the control horses. By day 128, the increases in both the dorsal and the medial cortical bone width were significantly greater in the eST than in the control group of horses. The eST horses had a significantly greater decrease in dorsal to palmar medullary cavity width, and increase in dorsal to palmar bone diameter than the control group. A computed index of dorsal cortical bone increased significantly more in the eST than in the control group. The stresses applied to bone are greater in the dorso-medial direction in racehorses. To decrease the strain, bone must either increase in bone mineral density, cortical width, and/or bone diameter. Both the eST group and the control group did make these changes in bone over time, but the eST group more effectively remodeled and modeled bone to increase the strength of the third metacarpal than did the control group of horses. In this research project, exogenous somatotropin treatment had a positive effect on the density and geometry of the third metacarpal. These changes are believed to result in a decreased risk of bone injury to the eST treated horses.Item Effect of Seminal Plasma on Equine Sperm Quality: Preparation and Storage Techniques(2013-09-03) Whigham, Alison RThis study had four experimental aims. We investigated whether fresh (unfrozen) or snap-frozen homologous seminal plasma yielded similar sperm quality in cool-stored semen. We compared sperm quality following exposure to homologous versus heterologous seminal plasma. Various freezing methods for long-term storage of seminal plasma were also tested to identify any impacts on longevity of sperm quality. Finally, we adapted a freeze-drying protocol originally developed for human blood plasma for use with stallion seminal plasma with the goal of comparing sperm quality in cooled-stored semen prepared with fresh, frozen/thawed or lyophilized seminal plasma. Prior to the lyophilization study, we evaluated different vials and rubber stoppers to identify the most appropriate storage container for this purpose. Experimental endpoints for sperm quality included percent total motility (TMOT), percent progressive motility (PMOT), curvilinear velocity (VCL; ?m/s), straightness of track trajectory (([straight-line velocity/average-path velocity] x 100); %), percent viable (VIAB), percent acrosome intact (AI), and percentage of sperm with abnormal sperm DNA (COMP; %) Motility values were obtained using a computerized sperm motility analyzer, whereas values for VIAB, AI, and COMP were obtained using a flow cytometer. No significant difference was detected between fresh and frozen/thawed seminal plasma for any experimental endpoint (P>0.05). Sperm from two of three stallions yielded similar values for sperm quality with homologous versus heterologous seminal plasma (P>0.05), whereas PMOT and STR in the remaining stallion were greater in heterologous seminal plasma, as compared to homologous seminal plasma (P<0.05). Various methods for processing and freezing seminal plasma prior to use resulted in only minor differences in sperm quality following cooled storage in extender. Prolonged exposure of sperm to chlorobutyl-isoprene blend rubber stoppers resulted in lower values for TMOT, PMOT, and VCL, as compared to chlorobutyl rubber stoppers or plastic vials (P<0.05); therefore, chlorobutyl stoppers were used in the lyophilization experiment. Lyophilization of seminal plasma resulted in similar values for TMOT, PMOT, VCL, VIAB, AI, and COMP, as compared to fresh or frozen/thawed seminal plasma (P>0.05). Variable STR was slightly lower with lyophilized seminal plasma, as compared to fresh or frozen/thawed seminal plasma (P<0.05).Item Effects of Crude Protein Content on Intake and Digestion of Coastal Bermudagrass Hay by Horses(2011-08-08) Spurgin, Chelsey L.This study was conducted to determine the effect of forage CP level on intake and digestion of Coastal bermudagrass hay by horses. Four cecally fistulated geldings were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square design with four treatments and four periods. Horses were fed one of four Coastal bermudagrass hays consisting of 7, 10, 13, or 16% CP during each of the 4 15-d periods. Intake and apparent digestibility were determined for each horse at the end of each period by total fecal collection. In addition, cecal fluid and blood samples were collected from each horse on the last day of each period for determination of cecal ammonia, cecal pH, plasma urea nitrogen, and plasma glucose concentrations. Crude protein concentration of Coastal bermudagrass hay influenced equine intake and digestion. Increasing CP concentration linearly increased digestible OM intake (DOMI) from 3.79 to 5.98 kg/d for 7 and 16% CP hay, respectively (P = 0.04). Furthermore, as forage CP level increased, CP intake increased linearly (P < 0.01). Forage CP level had no effect on forage DM intake. Quadratic effects (P less than or equal to 0.05) were observed for forage OM, NDF, ADF, and digestible energy. Overall digestibility was lowest for the 7% CP hay and highest for the 10% CP hay. Cecal pH remained above 6.62 irrespective of treatment and time, indicating that cecal pH was suitable for microbial growth. As forage CP level increased, cecal ammonia concentration increased linearly from 0.03 mM for the 7% to 1.74 mM for the 15% CP hay (P < 0.01). Concentration of plasma glucose also linearly increased (P = 0.04) from 68.77 to 73.68 mg/dL as CP concentration increased from 7% to 16% CP. Plasma urea nitrogen exhibited a quadratic effect as concentration increased (P < 0.01) from 4.34 to 5.61 mM for the 7 and 16% CP hays, respectively.Item Functional Analyses of the Molecular mechanisms Underlying Two Equine Respiratory Diseases: Recurrent Airway Obstruction and Rhodococcus equi Pneumonia(2012-07-16) Kachroo, PriyankaRecurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) pneumonia are two equine respiratory diseases. RAO is an allergic asthma like disease of the middle-aged horses while the R. equi pneumonia affects only young foals. Respiratory disease is considered among the major causes of economic loss to the equine industry and tops the priority list for research that will focus on preventative and diagnostic facets of such disease. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of antigen exposure and remission (via allergen avoidance and/or drug) on chronically affected RAO horses. Additionally, we also wanted to understand the changes in equine neonatal immune system due to R. equi exposure and identify molecular biomarkers for early disease screening. Various biological samples (lung tissue for the RAO study and blood leukocytes and nasal epithelial cells for the R. equi study) were used to extract ribonucleic acid (RNA). Complimentary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) obtained from RNA was used to perform microarray hybridization experiments. Our findings suggest that compared to control horses allergen exposure leads to an elevated protein synthesis and inflammation that contributes to aggravation of symptoms and airway changes. We found that allergen avoidance controls inflammation and causes an improvement in lung function and other chronic features of RAO. The drug administration led to an accelerated remission in the chronic RAO features; a complete remission could however not be achieved. Hence it appears that although not a complete resolution, but allergen avoidance and drugs will help in a better management of chronic RAO symptoms. Our results suggest that the neonatal immune system is capable of initiating a protective immune response through birth up to 8 weeks of age. However there are also processes present that may be counter-productive to the host. Induction of such suppressive mechanisms may be a result of bacterial modulation of the host immune response or a result of immature host immune system. We also identified molecular biomarkers that will have the potential to screen foals for R. equi pneumonia soon after birth and before the onset of clinical symptoms. The research findings of this study will improve the current understanding of the two equine diseases.Item Immunogenicity and Effects on Fecal Microbiome of an Electron-Beam Inactivated Rhodococcus equi Vaccine in Neonatal Foals(2014-05-03) Bordin, Angela IlhaRhodococcus equi is a bacterium commonly isolated from soil that primarily causes pneumonia in foals and immunocompromised adult horses. Many vaccines were designed and tested to protect foals from developing pneumonia; however, to date, there is no vaccine that will protect foals from intrabronchial challenge with R. equi, except live, virulent R. equi. To evaluate electron-beam (e-beam) irradiation as a method of inactivation of R. equi, 2 concentrations (Concentration 1, 1 ? 10^(8) colony-forming units/ml [CFU/ml] or Concentration 2, 1 ? 10^(9) CFU/ml) of R. equi were submitted to a range of e-beam radiation doses, ranging from 0 to 7 kGy. All microorganisms of Concentrations 1 and 2 were adequately inactivated by 4 and 5 kGy, respectively, and the bacterial cell wall remained intact, whereas heat-inactivated samples indicated a compromised cell wall. Both concentrations were tested for immunogenicity and effects on fecal microbiome in neonatal foals. Mucosal and serum antibody responses were studied, as well as cell-mediated immune responses. Enteral administration of e-beam inactivated R. equi increased IFN-? production and generated naso-pharyngeal R. equi-specific IgA in newborn foals. The inactivated vaccine appeared safe and immunogenic in neonatal foals in the presence of maternal antibody. No impact of treatment on fecal microbiome composition or diversity was observed among vaccinated foals; however, marked and significant differences in microbial communities and diversity were observed between foals at 32 days of age relative to 2 days of age regardless of treatment. In conclusion, electron-beam irradiation is an appropriate method for inactivation of R. equi, and e-beam irradiated R. equi vaccine is immunogenic in neonatal foals. Also, age-related changes in immune responses and the fecal microbial population occurred in healthy foals vaccinated enterally with e-beam inactivated R. equi. Mucosal vaccination does not result in major changes of the fecal microbiome in foals.Item Influence of Surface Protein V6 Region of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus on Cytokine Gene Expression(2014-08-14) Lamon, Tennille KrystalEquine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a member of the lentivirus group of the family Retroviridae. EIAV encodes a highly glycosylated SU (surface) protein with interspersed conserved and variable regions. The variable regions are thought to play a key role in virulence determination and virus neutralization. The role of SU in virulence is thought to be based on induction of cytokine gene expression upon binding of the virus to permissive cells leading to clinical signs that are associated with the infection. The proposed experiments will look specifically at one variable region (V6) of SU. My hypothesis was that V6 plays a major role in virulence by inducing cytokine induction upon binding. I used two EIAV strains with distinct phenotypes (virulent EIAV17 and avirulent EIAV19) to test the contribution of V6 to increased cytokine induction. The findings of these studies will aid in the long term goal of vaccine development and potential treatments for EIAV and other retroviruses.Item Use of unique collection device improves conception rates of bovine and equine(Texas Tech University, 2008-12) Graves-Evenson, Kory K.; Prien, Samuel D.; Albin, Robert C.; Jackson, Samuel P.; Thompson, Leslie D.While the practice of artificial insemination may date back eight centuries, there is still a need for improved techniques for semen handling. Previous research from this laboratory using a canine or equine model, demonstrated that semen collected in a modified collection device, the Device for Improved Semen Collection (DISC), remained fertile for longer periods as compared to samples collected using standard techniques. The object of the present study was to perform controlled breeding trials involving cattle and horses comparing semen collected in the DISC to a traditional control (TC). All sires were collected in both the DISC and the TC. Following collection, all semen samples were processed using standard techniques designed to produce breeding doses consistent with industry standards. Cells were then held a minimum of 24 hrs prior to breeding. In two separate trials, cattle were synchronized with a standard 2-shot prostaglandin protocol. Horses were bred using cells that had been held for periods of 24, 48 or 72hrs post extension. Data collected from the present study supports earlier work, demonstrating extended motility (and in theory fertility) from semen collected in the DISC. Pregnancy data from all three fertility trials demonstrate higher conception rates in animals bred with sperm collected in the DISC unit. Further, to date, no birth defects have been recorded. These data indicate that the DISC to be a superior system for semen collection, resulting in higher conception rates without increased risk of birth defects.