PubMed · 11806872
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R Viner. 2002. Splitting hairs.. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.86.1.8
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Cataract prevalence increases with age. As the world's population ages, cataract-induced visual dysfunction and blindness is on the increase. This is a significant global problem. The challenges are to prevent or delay cataract formation, and treat that which does occur. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to cataract formation. However, reducing ocular exposure to UV-B radiation and stopping smoking are the only interventions that can reduce factors that affect the risk of cataract. The cure for cataract is surgery, but this is not equally available to all, and the surgery which is available does not produce equal outcomes. Readily available surgical services capable of delivering good vision rehabilitation must be acceptable and accessible to all in need, no matter what their circumstances. To establish and sustain these services requires comprehensive strategies that go beyond a narrow focus on surgical technique. There must be changes in government priorities, population education, and an integrated approach to surgical and management training. This approach must include supply of start-up capital equipment, establishment of surgical audit, resupply of consumables, and cost-recovery mechanisms. Considerable innovation is required. Nowhere is this more evident than in the pursuit of secure funding for ongoing services.
We present the first quantitative gene expression analysis of cardiac aging under conditions of sedentary and active lifestyles using high-density oligonucleotide arrays representing 11,904 cDNAs and expressed sequence tags (ESTs). With these data, we test the hypothesis that exercise attenuates the gene expression changes that normally occur in the aging heart. Male mice (Mus domesticus) were sampled from the 16th generation of selective breeding for high voluntary exercise. For the selective breeding protocol, breeders were chosen based on the maximum number of wheel revolutions run on days 5 and 6 of a test at 8 wk of age. For the colony sampled herein, mice were housed individually over their entire lifetimes (from weaning) either with or without access to running wheels. The hearts of these two treatment groups (active and sedentary) were assayed at middle age (20 mo) and old age (33 mo). Genes significantly affected by age in the hearts of the sedentary population by at least a 50% expression change (n = 137) were distributed across several major categories, including inflammatory response, stress response, signal transduction, and energy metabolism. Genes significantly affected by age in the active population were fewer (n = 62). Of the 42 changes in gene expression that were common to both treatment groups, 32 (72%) displayed smaller fold changes as a result of exercise. Thus exercise offset many age-related gene expression changes observed in the hearts of the sedentary animals. These results suggest that adaptive physiological mechanisms that are induced by exercise can retard many effects of aging on heart muscle at the transcriptional level.
In order to assist in the accurate prediction of the timing of parturition in the mare true gestation length, along with the potential effect of a number of factors, was investigated. Data from 433 Thoroughbred foal pregnancies were used. Sequential ultrasonic scanning allowed the true gestation length (fertilisation-parturition) to be ascertained, as apposed to previous work, which used the mating-parturition interval. An average gestation length of 344.1 +/- 0.49 days was evident. Colt foal pregnancies were significantly (P < 0.001) longer (346.2 +/- 0.72) than fillies (342.4 +/- 0.65). Month of birth had a significant effect on gestation length in all foals (P < 0.001). With foals born in January having the shortest gestation lengths and those born in April the longest. Mare age, year of birth, stallion age, stud farm and the interval between ovulation and mating had no significant effect. It is concluded that (i) the gestation length range (315-388 days), all resulting in viable foals is noteworthy and of clinical importance when considering the classification of dysmaturity in foals, (ii) mares carrying colt foals due to be born in the middle of the breeding season (April) are likely to have the longer gestation lengths.