Equine Personality: Association With Breed, Use, and Husbandry Factors.

Temperament can be defined as innate properties of the nervous system, whereas personality includes the complex behavioral traits acquired through life. Association between personality and behavior is important for breeding, selection, and training of horses. For the first time, we evaluated if equine personality components previously identified in Japan and Europe were consistent when applied to American horses. We examined the association of personality with breed, age, sex, management, training, stereotypies, and misbehaviors. The owner directed personality survey consisted of 25 questions. An online version of the survey was created. The principal component analysis method was used to associate behavioral traits with personality components. Factor analysis with orthogonal transformation was performed on scores for personality-related questions. A total of 847 survey responses were used. Quarter Horses, "other" breed, and Thoroughbred were the most common breeds. Three principal personality components were extracted as each behavioral trait belonged to one of these three components. Arabians, Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, and Walking horses were the most nervous and Quarter Horses, and Paints, Appaloosas, and Drafts were the least nervous. No trained discipline was significantly associated with any personality component. There were no significant associations between stereotypies and misbehaviors and nervous or curious personality. For the first time in predominantly American horses, we have evaluated personality components and their association with breed, age, sex, training discipline, and stereotypies. We refute links between personality and trained discipline and confirm the lack of association between nervous personality and stereotypies and misbehaviors.

Pathology of Gray Wolf Shoulders: Lessons in Species and Aging.

We examined scapula glenoids (n = 14) and proximal articular humeri (n = 14) of seven gray wolves that were maintained in a sanctuary park setting. Immediately after death, observations were made visually in situ and by radiography. Further observations were made in a museum laboratory setting, prior to and following clearing of soft tissues. Selected dry bone specimens were evaluated using computed tomography. Significant cartilage erosion and osteoarthropathy were identified in all shoulder joints. No single evaluation method yielded maximal information. Plain film radiography revealed only more severe changes. Computed tomography yielded more detail and clarity than standard radiography. Direct examination of articular cartilage informed about joint soft tissue, and dry bone informed about externally visible bone pathology. These data provide a basis for biological, biomedical, ecological, and archaeological scientists to improve retrospective interpretations of bone lesions. They further support developing plausible differential diagnoses for features of ancient and modern animal bones. We noted a dog-like capacity for wolf longevity in a non-free-roaming environment. However, aged wolves' life spans far exceeded those of similar-sized domestic dogs and breeds, suggesting the possibility of an important species difference that should be explored. We suggest also a hypothesis that the driving force for joint pathology in sheltered non-domestic species may relate significantly to achieving the longevity that is possible biologically, but is uncommon in the wild because of differential stochastic influences. Anat Rec, 299:1338-1347, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Payment reform a primer for taking on risk.

To reduce unnecessary care and improve patient outcomes through bundled payments or population health management, healthcare organizations must define both the population for which they are assuming risk and the services that they will provide. Organizations also must be able to manage variations in cost and quality and demonstrate both the economic and clinical value they provide to the populations they serve. To effectively coordinate care across a patient population, providers--including physicians, hospitals, and postacute care facilities--must be willing to collaborate on efforts to reengineer care delivery.

Suspected hypertrophic osteopathy in an ancient canid: Differential diagnosis of possible etiologies.

Hypertrophic osteopathy (HO) has been reported in numerous mammalian species, but no reports address the range of conditions that can lead to HO, or the implications of those conditions, for archaeological diagnosis. We describe suspected HO from skeletal remains of an ancient large domestic dog recovered in Iowa, USA, at the Cherokee Sewer site. Canid remains from this site date 7430-7020calBP. The site is believed to have been a temporary, low-intensity campsite where bison were procured. Over 100 specimens from two small dogs, two large dogs, and a coyote, are present in the archaeofaunal assemblage. We document five pathological metapodials; an affected left ulna, radius, tuber calcaneus, accessory carpal, radial carpal; and an affected right central, second, and third tarsal within in a proliferative mass. HO was suspected based on gross morphology, radiography, and computed tomography. HO is a paraneoplastic syndrome with undetermined underlying pathogenesis; neuroendocrine complication of a number of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases is suspected. We review known disease associations of HO to provide a balanced field for considering differential diagnosis of suspect archaeological specimens, and suggest that definitive diagnosis of HO, or suspected HO, may be impossible in many instances where only skeletal remains are available for study.

Cracking down on cost outliers.

A systematic approach targeting both the patients and physicians whose costs are above the norm is a sustainable way to effectively reduce costs of care. Finance leaders should build teams of specialists who can provide data on outliers in real time, make changes as problems are identified, and track improvements. Using a care map analytic framework hospitals can identify problem areas while establishing mechanisms to better control and manage costs in the long term.