Thesis (M. Sc.(Natural and agricultural science))-University of Pretoria, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Horses are at high risk to develop systemic inflammation due to the release of bacterial endotoxin from an inflamed gastrointestinal tract. Neutrophils are critical for mounting an immune response to bacterial endotoxins. Neutrophil activation following engagement of bacterial endotoxin expands their lifespan through suppression of their constitutive apoptosis. The prolonged lifespan of neutrophils propagates acute inflammation and delays the resolution of inflammation. Since equine neutrophil lifespan has not been well-studied, I investigated the occurrence of equine neutrophil apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. First, I investigated the effect of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment on the occurrence of equine neutrophil apoptosis in vitro. LPS treatment delayed in vitro equine neutrophil apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner at concentrations of 0.1-10 μg/ml through toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 signaling and down-regulation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, specifically through reduced caspase-9 activity. Next, I found that ex vivo neutrophil apoptosis was delayed in two models of intestinal inflammation, jejunal ischemia and reperfusion (IR) and oligofructose-induced colitis, through down-regulation of both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways via reduced caspase-3, -8, and -9 activities. Pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) depletion with systemic gadolinium chloride (GC) prevented the prolongation of ex vivo neutrophil lifespan in horses undergoing jejunal IR through modulation of caspase-3, -8 and -9 activities. PIM depletion in IR horses resulted in an earlier and greater increase in tumor necrosis factor-alpha and a concomitant decrease in interleukin-10 to suggest an enhanced systemic pro-inflammatory response. I examined the effect of neutrophil concentration and co-incubation with aged, apoptotic neutrophils on the occurrence of neutrophil apoptosis in vitro. Neutrophil apoptosis was delayed with increasing concentrations of neutrophils in vitro, which may contribute to delayed neutrophil apoptosis in systemic inflammation. However, co-incubation with aged, apoptotic neutrophils did not alter in vitro neutrophil lifespan. Taken together, the data show that LPS delays equine neutrophils apoptosis in vitro in a TLR4-dependent manner through inhibition of caspase-9. Ex vivo neutrophil apoptosis was also delayed with systemic inflammation via down-regulation of caspase activity. A novel finding of this work was the reversal of delayed neutrophil apoptosis by depletion of PIMs in horses experiencing intestinal IR.

De nombreuses études se sont déjà intéressées aux questions techniques et tactiques liées au char dans l’Orient ancien, y compris en égyptologie. Le véhicule fut à l’origine de profonds changements sociaux et culturels, et ce dans toutes les civilisations qui l’adoptèrent. L’Egypte en particulier en fit un emblème incontournable du pouvoir royal au Nouvel Empire et participa pleinement à une « culture du char » commune à tout l’Orient de l’Âge du Bronze Récent. L’objectif de cette thèse, au-delà de l’importance du char dans l’histoire militaire ou l’histoire des techniques, est d’étudier la place qu’occupe le véhicule dans la pensée égyptienne. Le volume principal de cette thèse se découpe en cinq parties. La première partie, comprenant trois chapitres, revient d’une part sur les travaux antérieurs menés sur le char et les chevaux dans l’Egypte ancienne, puis présente succinctement les sources à disposition sur le sujet. Suivent deux chapitres revenant respectivement sur la question du char en Orient et sur celle du char en Egypte. La deuxième partie est consacrée à la réception linguistique du véhicule. La troisième partie s’intéresse à la place du char dans l’idéologie royale et des élites. Les deux premiers chapitres sont dédiés au roi en char et au char du roi. Une attention particulière est accordée ensuite à la problématique du char à l’époque amarnienne. Le quatrième chapitre se concentre quant à lui sur le char en tant que véhicule de l’élite. Il est suivi d’une étude portant sur les représentations humoristiques impliquant le char. La quatrième partie concerne la réception religieuse du véhicule. Un premier chapitre s’intéresse à la place du char dans le monde funéraire, puis est évoqué le lien entre certaines divinités, le char et les chevaux. Le troisième chapitre s’intéresse particulièrement l’iconographie d’Horus-Ched en char, puis un dernier chapitre interroge la notion de « char solaire » en Egypte. La cinquième et dernière partie est une étude sur la réception littéraire du char, s’intéressant particulièrement à l’Hymne au roi en char, un poème qui place le véhicule au centre de sa composition, traduit et commenté en compagnie d’autres textes littéraires. / There are already many studies about technical and tactical questions linked to the chariot in Ancient Near East, even in Egyptology. This vehicle had been behind deep cultural and social changes in every civilisation which used it. In Egypt particularly it was an emblem of royal power in New Empire, and in a common « chariot’s culture » during the Late Bronze Age in Ancient Near East. Beyond the importance of the chariot in military or technical history, this thesis’ purpose is to study the place of this vehicle in Egyptian’s mind. The thesis is divided in five parts. The first part, divided in three chapters, explains both previous researches about the chariot and horses in Ancient Egypt, then presents briefly the available sources about this subject. The two following chapters respectively focus on the chariot in Near East and in Egypt. The second part focuses on the vehicle’s linguistic reception. The third part is interested in the chariot’s place in royal and elites’ ideology. The two first chapters are both dedicated to the king in his chariot and the king’s vehicle. A special attention is given to question of the chariot during Armanian Period. The forth chapter focuses about the chariot as the elite’s vehicle. It is followed by a study about satirical representations including the chariot. The forth part is related to the vehicle’s religious reception. A first chapter is about the place of the chariot in funerary practices, then the link between some gods, chariots and horses is studied. The third chapter details the particular case of Horus-Shed’s iconography on his chariot. The last chapter questions the notion of « solar chariot » in Ancient Egypt. The last and fifth part is a study about the chariot’s literary reception, studying especially a poem which places the vehicle in the center of its composition called Hymn to the King on his Chariot, translated and commentated on, as well as other literary texts.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University / A quantitative study of the dentition of the Thomas Farm fossil horses indicates that Anchitherium clarencei Simpson, Miohippus sp. (?), Parahippus blackbergi Hay and P. leonensis Sellards occurred at this locality during the Early Miocene. The amount of cement on the teeth as a diagnostic character of Thomas Farm fossil horses is held to be invalid and in this case its importance as an indication of evolutionary grade is questioned.

Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences / Department of Clinical Sciences / Elizabeth G. Davis / The primary study objective was to compare the pharmacokinetics of p.o. terbinafine alone to p.o. terbinafine administered with p.o. cimetidine in healthy adult horses. The second objective was to assess the pharmacokinetics of terbinafine when administered per rectum in two different suspensions at 30 mg/kg to adult horses. Six healthy adult horses were included in this crossover study. Plasma terbinafine concentrations were quantified with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The half-life (geometric mean) was 8.38 and 10.76 h, for p.o. alone and p.o. with cimetidine, respectively. The mean maximum plasma concentrations were 0.291 lg/mL at 1.54 h and 0.418 lg/mL at 1.28 h for p.o. alone and p.o. with cimetidine, respectively. Terbinafine with cimetidine had an average CMAX 44% higher and the relative F was 153% compared p.o. terbinafine alone but was not statistically different (P > 0.05). Terbinafine was infrequently detected when administered per rectum in two different suspensions (water or olive oil). Minor adverse effects included oral irritation, fever, and colic. All resolved spontaneously. More pharmacokinetic studies are indicated assessing drug–drug interactions and using multiple dosing intervals to improve our knowledge of effective oral dosing, the potential for drug accumulation, and systemic adverse effect of terbinafine in horses.

The main aim of the diploma thesis is to compare the effectivity of homeopathy and classic chemical way of deworming of horses. In total 18 horses were included in the observation, who were all stabled on one farm. The observation took place during one pasture season. The first faecal examination was carried out for the purpose of qualitative analysis of occurrence of parasites in horses' digestive tract. Subsequently, each faecal examination was realized as a quantitative analysis using the modified McMaster technique. Faecal analysis was carried out always before and after the use of both dewormers (homeopathic and allopathic). The horses treated with homeopathic dewormer were tested more frequently. Faecal sample diagnostics showed contamination by only two types of parasites, small and large strongyles. Coprology analysis proved excellent effectivity of allopathic dewormers and zero resistance to the active substance. The homeopathic dewormer managed to keep some horses at low level infection, where EPG was below 200 (eggs per gram). The effectivity of both dewormers was realized in three cases. Faecal analysis after anthelmintic treatment was chosen in the first case. In the second case the difference between the two dewormers was analyzed after a given period of time following the application. In the third case the overall differences between both dewormers were assessed. It can be stated that the homeopathic dewormer PVB etat vermieux can be successfully used as supplementary and prophylactic treatment of horses during the year. At the same time it is important to give attention to regular faecal analysis and eventual use of allopathic dewormers after the testing. The use of homeopathy, however, is advantageous from both the ecological and health point of view.

The representation of Revolution and revolutionaries develops as one of the main themes in Russian literary texts of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It would not be an overstatement to say that most active writers during this time referred to these themes in their works. These themes developed in consort with the historical and political developments occurring within the country. The literature of the twentieth century led to a culmination in the understanding of this complex topic. This thesis will present an analysis of several types of Revolutionary characters and their concepts of what Revolution is and should be. It will present an overview of Revolution's origin and development as a background of early twentieth century Russian literary works. The close reading of the selected twentieth century works will be discussed within the body of this thesis. In particular we will review Alexander Blok's poem The Twelve, Isaac Babel's collection of stories Red Cavalry, Vladimir Zazubrin's The Chip: A Story about a Chip and About Her, and Boris Savinkov's Pale Horse.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:48:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 mendes_rg_me_botfmvz.pdf: 632338 bytes, checksum: d9886ea6c6ef32f7b0807c6462fa9082 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / Eqüinos da raça Quarto de Milha, 30 machos e 30 fêmeas com idade entre 42 a 48 meses que apresentavam a epífise distal do radio fechada, em plena atividade esportiva, foram analisados em seus valores da densidade mineral óssea do osso acessório carpo em milímetros de alumínio (mmAl). A avaliação foi realizada por meio de um programa computacional (Software) especialmente desenvolvido para medida de densidade óptica em filmes de raio-X, que contém a imagem radiográfica do osso carpo acessório e degraus de uma escala de alumínio (phantom) em milímetros, que permite a medida de densidade mineral óssea. Os valores encontrados para as fêmeas foram de 4,49 ± 0,69 mmAl com idade média de 43 ± 2 meses e para os machos de 4,43 ± 0,81 mmAl, com idade média de 45 ± 2 meses, não existindo associação entre idade e densidade mineral óssea (DMO) e também, nenhuma diferença estatística significativa entre os sexos. / Equines of Quarter Horse, 30 males and 30 females aging between 42 and 48 months that presented distal epiphysis of the radio closed, in full sport activity, had been analyzed as to their values of the osseous mineral density of the accessory carp bone in milimeters of aluminum (mmAl). The evaluation was carried out through a computational program (Software) especially developed for measuring optical density in ray-X films, that contain radiographical image of the accessory carp bone and steps of an aluminum scale (phantom) in milimeters, that allows the measure of osseous mineral density. The values found for female were 4.49 ± 0.69 mmAl with average age of 43 ± 2 months and for male 4.43 ± 0.81 mmAl, with 45 average age of 45 ± 2 months without association between age and osseous mineral density (DMO) and also, no significant statistics difference between male and female.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:55:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 584112 bytes, checksum: a7c18b045b74693958d5dfb7232f1660 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-07-25 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive parameters and the profile of testosterone release and their average concentrations in Mangalarga Marchador stallions. It was evaluated in two periods, during breed season and outside the breed season, in Viçosa, Muriaé and Teófilo Otoni-MG. The research was divided in two phases (First: July and August, 2013 and the second: January and February, 2014), using eleven stallions at the first one and eight at the second one, age between 5 and 25 years old. To determine the serum testosterone, they were blood sampled about 20 days after the beginning of winter(1st phase) and 20 days after the beginning of summer(2nd phase). The samples were collected for 12 hours/day, from 7am to 7pm, each 30 minutes. The testicular biometry was measured at the same Day of the blood sample. To determine the seminal parameters, sêmen was collected from the stallions the two days following the blood samples. At this time, during the semen collects, the reproductive behaviour was evaluated. Regarding the measurements of the testis, the quantitative variables, height, width, lengh and volume of right and left testis did not differ significantly between seasons(P>0.05). The same was observed about seminal and behavioral parameters, volume, appearance, motility, vigor, concentration, membrane integrity, reaction time, latency time, copulation time and number of mounts, in which the results do not indicate differences between seasons(P>0.05). Dispite the fact that the profile of testosterone release are differents during the seasons, there was no difference in means of concentrations (P>0,05). This differences were bigger during the morning, when the concentrations in this time were higher during breeding season. However, there was difference between animal interaction and season,which suggests that in some animals the mean androgen concentrations displayed a seasonal pattern, while in other animals, this behavior was not observed. It was concluded that seasonality has no effect on the reproductive characteristics as testis size, sexual behavior and semen parameters, beyond the average testosterone secretion, so that the influence on the latter not presented correlations with other important traits studied. / O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os parâmetros reprodutivos e o perfil de testosterona de garanhões da raça Mangalarga Marchador, em dois períodos, dentro da estação de monta e fora da estação reprodutiva, criados nos município de Viçosa, Muriaé e Teófilo Otoni MG e mantidos em regime semi-estabulado. O estudo foi divido em duas etapas (1a etapa: julho e agosto de 2013 e 2a etapa: janeiro e fevereiro de 2014) utilizando onze garanhões na primeira etapa e oito na segunda, com idades entre 5 e 25 anos que foram submetidos a colheitas de sangue para determinação da concentração de testosterona sérica, 20 dias após o início do inverno (1aetapa) e 20 dias após o início do verão (2a etapa). As colheitas foram realizadas durante 12 horas, intervaladas por 30 minutos. Foi mensurada, no mesmo dia da colheita de sangue, a biometria testicular de cada animal. Para a determinação dos parâmetros seminais, fez-se nos dois dias consecutivos da colheita de sangue, as colheitas de sêmen, totalizando dois ejaculados de cada garanhão por estação, momento em que também foi avaliado o comportamento pré-cópula de cada animal. Em relação à biometria testicular, percebeu-se que as variáveis quantitativas avaliadas, altura, largura, comprimento e volume dos testículos direito e esquerdo não tiveram diferenças entre as estações (P>0,05). Do mesmo modo, os parâmetros seminais e comportamentais, volume, aspecto seminal, motilidade, vigor e concentração eseprmática, integridade de membrana dos espermatozóides, tempo de reação, tempo de latência, tempo de monta e número de montas não apresentaram diferenças entre as estações do ano (P>0,05). Apesar de que a distribuição dos valores absolutos de testosterona serem diferentes dentro e fora da estação, não se observou diferença nas médias das concentrações (P>0,05). Essas diferenças foram maiores nas amostras feitas pela manhã, em que as concentrações no período durante a estação de monta foram maiores do que fora da estação reprodutiva (P>0,05). No entanto, ocorreu interação de animal e estação, o que permitiu concluir que em alguns animais as concentrações médias do andrógeno apresentaram comportamento sazonal, enquanto em outros animais, esse comportamento não foi observado. Portanto, sazonalidade não exerce efeito sobre as características reprodutivas como biometria testicular, comportamento sexual e parâmetros seminais, além da secreção de testosterona, sendo que a influência sobre esta última não apresenta correlações importantes com as demais características estudadas.

Orientador: Luiz Carlos Vulcano / Resumo: Eqüinos da raça Quarto de Milha, 30 machos e 30 fêmeas com idade entre 42 a 48 meses que apresentavam a epífise distal do radio fechada, em plena atividade esportiva, foram analisados em seus valores da densidade mineral óssea do osso acessório carpo em milímetros de alumínio (mmAl). A avaliação foi realizada por meio de um programa computacional (Software) especialmente desenvolvido para medida de densidade óptica em filmes de raio-X, que contém a imagem radiográfica do osso carpo acessório e degraus de uma escala de alumínio (phantom) em milímetros, que permite a medida de densidade mineral óssea. Os valores encontrados para as fêmeas foram de 4,49 ± 0,69 mmAl com idade média de 43 ± 2 meses e para os machos de 4,43 ± 0,81 mmAl, com idade média de 45 ± 2 meses, não existindo associação entre idade e densidade mineral óssea (DMO) e também, nenhuma diferença estatística significativa entre os sexos. / Abstract: Equines of Quarter Horse, 30 males and 30 females aging between 42 and 48 months that presented distal epiphysis of the radio closed, in full sport activity, had been analyzed as to their values of the osseous mineral density of the accessory carp bone in milimeters of aluminum (mmAl). The evaluation was carried out through a computational program (Software) especially developed for measuring optical density in ray-X films, that contain radiographical image of the accessory carp bone and steps of an aluminum scale (phantom) in milimeters, that allows the measure of osseous mineral density. The values found for female were 4.49 ± 0.69 mmAl with average age of 43 ± 2 months and for male 4.43 ± 0.81 mmAl, with 45 average age of 45 ± 2 months without association between age and osseous mineral density (DMO) and also, no significant statistics difference between male and female. / Mestre