The paper reviews the various factors affecting dystocia in cattle. It is based mainly on the recent studies found in the literature of the subject but refers occasionally to some older papers as well. The factors are grouped into four main categories: direct factors, phenotypic factors related to calf and cow, non-genetic and genetic factors. The first group includes malpresentations and uterine torsion. The second one includes: calf birth weight, multiple calvings, perinatal mortality, cow pelvic area, cow body weight and body condition at calving, gestation length. The non-genetic factors are: cow age and parity, year and season of calving, place of calving, maintenance practises, disorders, calf sex and nutrition. Other non-genetic factors are the level of hormones in the periparturient period, in vitro production of embryos and embryo cloning. Finally, the genotypes of cow, bull and calf, inbreeding, muscular hypertrophy, selection and quantitative trait loci form the fourth group of genetic factors.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of training on haematological and biochemical blood parameters as well as on the changes in body surface temperature in horses. In order to identify the predictive value of surface temperature measurements as a marker of animal's performance, their correlations with blood parameters were investigated. The study was carried out on nine horses divided into two groups: routinely ridden and never ridden. Infrared thermography was used to assess surface temperature changes before (BT) and just after training (JAT) on a treadmill. Seven regions of interest (ROIs) located on the neck, shoulder, elbow, back, chest, gluteus and quarter were analysed. The blood samples were taken BT, JAT and 30 min after training (30AT). Haematological parameters including white blood cells, lymphocytes (LYMs), monocytes (MONOs), granulocytes (GRAs), eosinophils (EOSs), haematocrit (HCT) and platelets (PLTs) as well as biochemical parameters such as glucose (GLUC), urea, chemnormalNa+, chemnormalK+ and chemnormalCa2+, and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) were analysed. Our results indicated a significant increase in surface temperature JAT (p=0.043) in the neck, shoulder, elbow, gluteus and quarter in routinely ridden horses. Significant changes in EOS (p=0.046) and HCT (p=0.043) in the case of the never-ridden and routinely ridden group, respectively, were found between the times of blood collection. In addition, there was a significant effect of the horse group and the time of blood collection on the CPK activity (p=0.025 to p=0.045) and urea concentrations (p=0.027 to p=0.045). In the routinely ridden horses, there were significant correlations between the changes in MONO (ρ=0.40), GRA (ρ=-0.40), PLT (ρ=-0.77), HCT (ρ=-0.36), GLUC (ρ=0.56) and urea (ρ=0.56) and the total ROI temperature changes. Moreover, significant correlations between the changes in MONO (ρ=-0.86), EOS (ρ=-0.65), GLUC (ρ=0.85), urea (ρ=0.85), chemnormalNa+ (ρ=0.59) and chemnormalK+ (ρ=-0.85) and the total ROI temperature changes were found in never-ridden horses. Different changes in body surface temperature and blood parameters in routinely ridden and never-ridden horses could be associated with different conditioning and performance. A significantly higher surface temperature in routinely ridden horses, as well as the dynamics of changes in HCT, CPK and urea after training indicate better performance of these horses. Significant correlations between MONO, GLUC, and urea and a total ROI surface temperature as well as a negative correlation between MONO and the total ROI temperature in never-ridden horses indicated poor performance.

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The quality of life (QoL) in patients with advanced venous insufficiency (including venous stasis ulcers, skin discoloration, stasis eczema, and lipodermatosclerosis) assessed using the Clinical Etiological Anatomical Pathophysiological (CEAP) and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS) classifications is presented. Also, disease features such as: intensity of pain, edema and inflammatory response that exerted the most profound effect on different domains of QoL are reported. The global QoL in patients with lower leg venous ulcerations was relatively similar to that observed in other patients with chronic venous insufficiency. The presence of venous ulcerations was associated with lower QoL in a Physical domain. Significant correlations were found between pain intensity and the values of Physical, Physiological, Level of Independence and Environmental domains, between edema intensity and Social domain as well as between the intensity of inflammatory response and Physical and Spiritual domains.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the g.2582481G＞A, g.2583935G ＞A and g.2584057C＞T single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the lactate dehydrogenase A gene (LDHA) coding for lactate dehydrogenase isoform A and the racing performance of homing pigeons. As a measure of racing performance, we used the mean values of ace points won by individual birds during the whole season. The estimated heritability of the racing performance of pigeons was relatively low (h 2 ＝0. 0596; SE＝0. 0249). The analysis performed for all race reports together showed that the factors such as gender, weather conditions at the start and at the end of the race affect the analyzed trait. Of the 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms, only the effect of the g.2582481G ＞A genotype on the performance of racing pigeons was significant. Statistical analysis indicated the difference in the value of ace points between the animals of GG and GA genotypes for the g.2582481G＞A SNP. The study showed that the genotype homozygous for g.2582481A is linked to the highest mean value of ace points. Consequently, the relationship between the genotype for g.2582481G＞A and the racing performance was shown.

CDU has considerable potential for evaluating hemodynamic changes in the retrobulbar circulation in relation to age. Age laboratory standards for a specific CDU device should be established for further analyses of blood flow in ocular diseases of vascular origin.

The impact of a rider’s and saddle’s mass on saddle thermal pattern distribution was evaluated using infrared thermography (IRT). Eighteen racehorses were ridden by four riders with their own saddle. Images of the saddle panels were captured at each of six thermographic examinations. On each image, six regions of interest (ROIs) were marked on the saddle panels. The mean temperature for each ROI was extracted. To evaluate the influence of load on saddle fit, 4 indicators were used: ΔT max (difference between the mean temperature of the warmest and coolest ROI); standard deviation of the mean temperature of the six ROIs; right/left; bridging/rocking and front/back thermal pattern indicator. Incorrect saddle fit was found in 25 measurements (23.1%) with ΔT max greater than 2°C. The relationships between rider and saddle fit as well as saddle fit and horse were significant (p<0.001). An average ΔT max in rider A was significantly higher than in other riders (p<0.001). The right/left thermal pattern differed significantly from the optimal value for riders A and B; while the bridging/rocking thermal pattern differed significantly from this value for riders A, C and D (p<0.05). Front saddle thermal pattern was most frequent for rider A (41.5%), whereas back saddle thermal pattern was most frequent for rider C (85.7%). Measurement of the mean temperature in 6 ROIs on saddle panels after training was helpful in assessing the influence of rider and saddle mass on saddle fit. IRT offered a non-invasive, rapid and simple method for assessing load on thermal pattern distribution in race saddles.