A retinoscopic survey of 333 horses and ponies in the UK

Introduction: Ophthalmic examination in the horse is generally limited to crude assessment of vision and screening for ocular lesions. The refractive state of equine eyes and the potential impact on vision and performance requires further investigation. Objective: To assess the refractive state of a large, mixed breed sample of horses and ponies in the United Kingdom (UK). Procedure: The refractive state of both eyes of 333 horses and ponies was determined by streak retinoscopy and the effect of age, height, gender, breed and management regime on the refractive state assessed. Results: The majority of eyes tested were emmetropic (83.63%), with 68.5% of horses having refractive errors of ≤ -0.50D or ≥ +0.50D. Refractive errors of greater than 1.50D (in either direction) were found in 2.7% of the eyes tested. Ametropic eyes included hyperopia (54%) and myopia (46%). Anisometropia was found in 30.3% of horses and ponies. Breed of horse/pony was the only factor that affected refractive state (in the left eye only, p<0.05) with 2 Thoroughbred crosses having a tendency towards myopia and Warmbloods / Shires towards hyperopia. Discussion / Conclusion: The retinoscopic survey found emmetropia to be the predominant refractive state of the equine eye with no evidence of an overall trend towards myopia or hyperopia. However, individual and breed related differences were found. Such factors should be considered in the selection of horses for sport and leisure, and when evaluating their performance potential. More comprehensive visual testing would be valuable in identifying underlying causes of behavioural problems

The Leadership Experience of Female Chief Admissions Officers: A Phenomenological Research Study

College admissions is a highly-competitive, business-oriented, and collaborative profession where women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions. A study is needed of the barriers that have the potential to hinder the advancement of women in this unique and challenging field, as well as the opportunities and approaches to leadership that may lead to their success. The southeast region of the U.S. was chosen for this study because it is an area where women have been successful in advancing into leadership roles in admissions. The primary research question was: How do female chief admissions officers describe their lived leadership experiences? The secondary research questions delved into the leadership journeys of the women and their current leadership experiences. A review of the literature identified a number of relevant studies concerning the career development and obstacles to advancement of female leaders as well as issues related to the current roles/responsibilities and challenges of chief admissions officers. The researcher conducted this review and the overall investigation with a critical and feminist theoretical orientation. Using the methodical structure outlined by van Manen (1990), the researcher conducted a phenomenological study. Six participants from public master\u27s and research institutions in the southeast U.S. were selected for the study through purposive sampling and then interviewed at their institutions. The data that was collected from the interviews was analyzed and coded according to a holistic and line-by-line approach (van Manen, 1990). The following eight themes emerged that described the essence of the leadership experience of the participants: (1) Entering the Profession, (2) Sucked In, (3) Mentors, (4) Chipping Away at the Big Issues, (5) Balancing, (6) Like a Roller Coaster, (7) Leadership as a Social Process, and (8) Creating Positive Outcomes. The findings reveal that the leadership experience of female chief admissions officers is characterized by their adaptation to elements of the traditional bureaucratic organization as well as their development of a relational style of leadership that is built upon social interaction and positive outcomes. Their experience is also impacted by relationships with mentors and the complex world of admissions in which they function. A data display was developed to illustrate the interplay between these components of the phenomenon. The researcher offered a critical and feminist interpretation of the results and presented recommendations for practice and further study that may help other women attain a presence and succeed in the male-dominated world of leadership

Visual Acceleration Perception for Simple and Complex Motion Patterns.

Humans are able to judge whether a target is accelerating in many viewing contexts, but it is an open question how the motion pattern per se affects visual acceleration perception. We measured acceleration and deceleration detection using patterns of random dots with horizontal (simpler) or radial motion (more visually complex). The results suggest that we detect acceleration better when viewing radial optic flow than horizontal translation. However, the direction within each type of pattern has no effect on performance and observers detect acceleration and deceleration similarly within each condition. We conclude that sensitivity to the presence of acceleration is generally higher for more complex patterns, regardless of the direction within each type of pattern or the sign of acceleration

Acute alcohol consumption impairs controlled but not automatic processes in a psychophysical pointing paradigm.

Numerous studies have investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on controlled and automatic cognitive processes. Such studies have shown that alcohol impairs performance on tasks requiring conscious, intentional control, while leaving automatic performance relatively intact. Here, we sought to extend these findings to aspects of visuomotor control by investigating the effects of alcohol in a visuomotor pointing paradigm that allowed us to separate the influence of controlled and automatic processes. Six male participants were assigned to an experimental correction condition in which they were instructed to point at a visual target as quickly and accurately as possible. On a small percentage of trials, the target jumped to a new location. On these trials, the participants\u27 task was to amend their movement such that they pointed to the new target location. A second group of 6 participants were assigned to a countermanding condition, in which they were instructed to terminate their movements upon detection of target jumps . In both the correction and countermanding conditions, participants served as their own controls, taking part in alcohol and no-alcohol conditions on separate days. Alcohol had no effect on participants\u27 ability to correct movements in flight , but impaired the ability to withhold such automatic corrections. Our data support the notion that alcohol selectively impairs controlled processes in the visuomotor domain

Stigma, fear of compassion and chronic pain

Section one details a thematic synthesis that sought to understand men’s experiences of chronic pain. Systematic searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed and PsycINFO identified 14 qualitative studies. Five domains were identified: ‘The effort and unpredictability of being in pain’, ‘Becoming a burden’, ‘Being judged as less of a man’, ‘Trying to hold on to a ‘masculine’ identity’ and ‘Rebuilding and rehabilitating’. Domains were interconnected and represented a process following pain onset. Men initially described a wish to control both the pain and its impact on their daily lives. Reductions in daily functioning and the effect of social judgements led men to feel burdensome and the prevailing Western masculine hegemony shaped men’s responses to these stigmatising experiences. Over time, men built a new understanding of the self, renegotiating their masculinity and sought to rebuild and rehabilitate. Section two describes correlation analyses, hierarchical linear regressions and moderation analyses that sought to understand if: (1) stigma, fear of compassion from others (FOCO) and fear of compassion from self (FOCS) independently predict outcomes of painrelated anxiety, depression or pain interference, and (2) FOCO or FOCS moderate the relationship between pain intensity or stigma and outcomes of psychological distress. FOCO and FOCS significantly correlated with depression, anxiety and pain interference. Pain intensity and stigma were independent predictors of depression, anxiety and pain interference. FOCO significantly predicted depression and anxiety but not pain interference. FOCS predicted depression but not anxiety or pain interference. For the first time in chronic pain, FOCO was demonstrated to moderate the relationship between stigma and depression. This study demonstrates that FOC is an important psychological factor in the experiences of individuals with chronic pain. Section three provides a critical appraisal of the work presented in this thesis, including an exploration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the process

EquiFACS: the Equine Facial Action Coding System

Although previous studies of horses have investigated their facial expressions in specific contexts, e.g. pain, until now there has been no methodology available that documents all the possible facial movements of the horse and provides a way to record all potential facial configurations. This is essential for an objective description of horse facial expressions across a range of contexts that reflect different emotional states. Facial Action Coding Systems (FACS) provide a systematic methodology of identifying and coding facial expressions on the basis of underlying facial musculature and muscle movement. FACS are anatomically based and document all possible facial movements rather than a configuration of movements associated with a particular situation. Consequently, FACS can be applied as a tool for a wide range of research questions. We developed FACS for the domestic horse (Equus caballus) through anatomical investigation of the underlying musculature and subsequent analysis of naturally occurring behaviour captured on high quality video. Discrete facial movements were identified and described in terms of the underlying muscle contractions, in correspondence with previous FACS systems. The reliability of others to be able to learn this system (EquiFACS) and consistently code behavioural sequences was high—and this included people with no previous experience of horses. A wide range of facial movements were identified, including many that are also seen in primates and other domestic animals (dogs and cats). EquiFACS provides a method that can now be used to document the facial movements associated with different social contexts and thus to address questions relevant to understanding social cognition and comparative psychology, as well as informing current veterinary and animal welfare practices

The light harvesting 2 antenna complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

This thesis presents an analysis of the contribution that the polypeptide Puc2B makes to the binding of BChl(s) within the purified LH2 complexes. Mass spectroscopy established for the first time that Puc2B is incorperated within the LH2 in native complexes. The effect the second puc operon has on the ability of the cell to adapt to high light conditions was measured; it was shown that the puc2BA gene pair is crucial in modulating levels of LH2 complex assembly under these conditions. Using AFM, initial attempts were made to analyse the effects of the second puc operon upon the membrane architecture. Images of Rba. sphaeroides 2.4.1. ,12BA membranes were obtained, with large scale hexagonally packed arrays of LH2 observed for the first time. The development of a purification protocol for a LH2 complex possessing only PuclB as its ~-polypeptide (LH2-l B lA) is described. The crystallisation of LH2 complexes purified using this protocol is detailed, along with the unsuccessful attempts to obtain structural data from the resulting crystals by X-ray crystallography. A previously undescribed protein, RSP6l24, was identified during the purification of LH2-lB 1 A. A bio-informatic analysis of this protein is presented. Although its role within the organism is still unclear, there is evidence which suggests that strong electrostatic interactions between RSP6l24 and the extrinsic regions of the LH2 complex may exist. Contamination of the purified LH2-l B 1 A sample with RSP6124 provides an alternative explanation for current failures to obtain crystals of sufficient quality to yield high resolution diffraction data. Two new deletion strains of Rba. sphaeroides 2.4.1. that lack the ability to assemble any LH2, LH 1 or RC complex have been created. Assembly levels of the LH2 complex in the deletion strains lacking both puc operons were shown to be markedly lower than in a deletion strain which carries puc2BA on its genome. The spectroscopic characteristics of LH2 complexes comprising exclusively Puc 1 B, Puc2B or a mixture of both were analysed while bound within the native membrane. Puc2B is shown to be integral to B800 BChl binding within the LH2 complex of Rba. sphaeroides 2.4.1. A hypothesis to account for the reduction of B800 BChl binding in the absence of Puc2B is proposed. The final chapter describes the specific attachment of purified LH2 complexes from Rba. sphaeroides to patterned self assembled monolayers on the micron scale. Surface plasmon resonance studies were used to select SAMs possessing tail groups with specific chemical properties. Two surfaces that have contrasting attractive and repUlsive responses to membrane protein adsorption have been identified. Confocal microscopy was used to demonstrate the functionality of the purified LH2 complexes whilst they are covalently attached to the surface

Effects of ethanol on anti-saccade task performance.

It has been shown that saccade-related neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) display an increased level of prestimulus activity and a higher stimulus-related burst in action potentials preceding direction errors in the anti-saccade task compared with correct anti-saccades. From this, it has been hypothesized that errors occur when the incoming visual signal in the SC passes a threshold and triggers a reflexive saccade. This hypothesis predicts that an attenuated visual signal will reduce the number of direction errors. Since ethanol has been shown to have a suppressive effect on cortical visual event-related potentials (ERPs), the purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of moderate ethanol consumption on anti-saccade performance. Under both placebo and ethanol conditions, we recorded ERPs and measured eye movements in male subjects during the performance of an anti-saccade task in which the fixation point disappeared 200 ms prior to stimulus presentation. Compared with the placebo condition, we found in the ethanol condition: (1). a decrease in ERP amplitudes during the gap period and after stimulus presentation, (2). an increase in the latencies of anti-saccades, and (3). a decrease in the percentage of direction errors. These data demonstrate the effects of ethanol on anti-saccade task performance and provide further support for the hypothesis that errors in the anti-saccade task are triggered by the incoming visual signal

Nucleocytoplasmic transport: a thermodynamic mechanism

The nuclear pore supports molecular communication between cytoplasm and nucleus in eukaryotic cells. Selective transport of proteins is mediated by soluble receptors, whose regulation by the small GTPase Ran leads to cargo accumulation in, or depletion from the nucleus, i.e., nuclear import or nuclear export. We consider the operation of this transport system by a combined analytical and experimental approach. Provocative predictions of a simple model were tested using cell-free nuclei reconstituted in Xenopus egg extract, a system well suited to quantitative studies. We found that accumulation capacity is limited, so that introduction of one import cargo leads to egress of another. Clearly, the pore per se does not determine transport directionality. Moreover, different cargo reach a similar ratio of nuclear to cytoplasmic concentration in steady-state. The model shows that this ratio should in fact be independent of the receptor-cargo affinity, though kinetics may be strongly influenced. Numerical conservation of the system components highlights a conflict between the observations and the popular concept of transport cycles. We suggest that chemical partitioning provides a framework to understand the capacity to generate concentration gradients by equilibration of the receptor-cargo intermediary.Comment: in press at HFSP Journal, vol 3 16 text pages, 1 table, 4 figures, plus Supplementary Material include

Karyopherins regulate nuclear pore complex barrier and transport function

Nucleocytoplasmic transport is sustained by karyopherins (Kaps) and a Ran guanosine triphosphate (RanGTP) gradient that imports nuclear localization signal (NLS)–specific cargoes (NLS-cargoes) into the nucleus. However, how nuclear pore complex (NPC) barrier selectivity, Kap traffic, and NLS-cargo release are systematically linked and simultaneously regulated remains incoherent. In this study, we show that Kap α facilitates Kap β 1 turnover and occupancy at the NPC in a RanGTP-dependent manner that is directly coupled to NLS-cargo release and NPC barrier function. This is underpinned by the binding affinity of Kap β 1 to phenylalanine–glycine nucleoporins (FG Nups), which is comparable with RanGTP·Kap β 1, but stronger for Kap α ·Kap β 1. On this basis, RanGTP is ineffective at releasing standalone Kap β 1 from NPCs. Depleting Kap α ·Kap β 1 by RanGTP further abrogates NPC barrier function, whereas adding back Kap β 1 rescues it while Kap β 1 turnover softens it. Therefore, the FG Nups are necessary but insufficient for NPC barrier function. We conclude that Kaps constitute integral constituents of the NPC whose barrier, transport, and cargo release functionalities establish a continuum under a mechanism of Kap-centric control