Characteristics of equine summer eczema with emphasis on differences between Finnhorses and Icelandic horses in a 11-year study

Summer eczema, allergic dermatitis of the horse, was studied on 275 affected horses in Finland in 1997–2007. Features of the horses, clinical signs of the disease and owners' opinions of aggravating factors were recorded. Differences, especially, between two of the native Scandinavian horse breeds, the Finnhorse and the Icelandic horse, were evaluated. The study was based on clinical examination and information from the owners. Of the horses, 50% were Finnhorses, 26% Icelandic horses and 24% consisted of different breeds of ponies and other horses. Of the Finnhorses, 76% had summer eczema by the age of 5 years, but in the Icelandic horses born in Finland the average age at onset was 7 years. The vast majority of the horses, 75%, had moderate clinical signs, while 16% showed severe and 9% mild. The severity of clinical signs did not depend on the duration of the disease nor was it related to the age at onset. The only linkage to severity was the breed of the horse or import from Iceland; New Forest ponies and imported Icelandic horses showed severe clinical signs significantly more often than Finnhorses. Of the owners, 38% regarded insects as the only aggravating factor, 24% mentioned several simultaneous factors, including grass fodder and sunlight, while 22% could not specify any. In Finland, a typical horse breed suffering from summer eczema is the Finnhorse and the characteristics of the disease are mainly uniform with the other breeds affected. Equine summer eczema seems to be aggravated by various combinations of environmental factors

Improving gait classification in horses by using inertial measurement unit (IMU) generated data and machine learning

For centuries humans have been fascinated by the natural beauty of horses in motion and their different gaits. Gait classification (GC) is commonly performed through visual assessment and reliable, automated methods for real-time objective GC in horses are warranted. In this study, we used a full body network of wireless, high sampling-rate sensors combined with machine learning to fully automatically classify gait. Using data from 120 horses of four different domestic breeds, equipped with seven motion sensors, we included 7576 strides from eight different gaits. GC was trained using several machine-learning approaches, both from feature-extracted data and from raw sensor data. Our best GC model achieved 97% accuracy. Our technique facilitated accurate, GC that enables in-depth biomechanical studies and allows for highly accurate phenotyping of gait for genetic research and breeding. Our approach lends itself for potential use in other quadrupedal species without the need for developing gait/animal specific algorithms

Potential Transcriptional Biomarkers to Guide Glucocorticoid Replacement in Autoimmune Addison's Disease

Background No reliable biomarkers exist to guide glucocorticoid (GC) replacement treatment in autoimmune Addison’s disease (AAD), leading to overtreatment with alarming and persistent side effects or undertreatment, which could be fatal. Objective To explore changes in gene expression following different GC replacement doses as a means of identifying candidate transcriptional biomarkers to guide GC replacement in AAD. Methods Step 1: Global microarray expression analysis on RNA from whole blood before and after intravenous infusion of 100 mg hydrocortisone (HC) in 10 patients with AAD. In 3 of the most highly upregulated genes, we performed real-time PCR (rt-PCR) to compare gene expression levels before and 3, 4, and 6 hours after the HC infusion. Step 2: Rt-PCR to compare expression levels of 93 GC-regulated genes in normal versus very low morning cortisol levels in 27 patients with AAD. Results Step 1: Two hours after infusion of 100 mg HC, there was a marked increase in FKBP5, MMP9, and DSIPI expression levels. MMP9 and DSIPI expression levels correlated with serum cortisol. Step 2: Expression levels of CEBPB, DDIT4, FKBP5, DSIPI, and VDR were increased and levels of ADARB1, ARIDB5, and POU2F1 decreased in normal versus very low morning cortisol. Normal serum cortisol levels positively correlated with DSIPI, DDIT4, and FKBP5 expression. Conclusions We introduce gene expression as a novel approach to guide GC replacement in AAD. We suggest that gene expression of DSIPI, DDIT4, and FKBP5 are particularly promising candidate biomarkers of GC replacement, followed by MMP9, CEBPB, VDR, ADARB1, ARID5B, and POU2F1.publishedVersio

Low prevalence of hepatitis E in Iceland: a seroepidemiological study

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowOBJECTIVE: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has been reported to be more prevalent in the developed countries than previously thought. HEV infection is an important differential diagnosis in patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The prevalence of hepatitis E was investigated in the general population of Iceland, among pig farmers and patients with DILI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum samples were tested for hepatitis E IgG, with two commercial ELISA tests: Diagnostic Bioprobes Srl. (Dia Pro) and the Wantai HEV IgG and subjects repeatedly reactive were tested with an immunoblot assay (RecomLINE). Three groups were tested: (1) healthy volunteers (HV), (2) pig farm workers (PFWs) and (3) patients participating in a nationwide prospective study on DILI. RESULTS: Overall 291 individuals were tested, HV (n = 195), PFW (n = 21) and DILI (n = 75). Only 6/291 (2.1%) tested positive for IgG antibodies to HEV in all three tests. Three HV were HEV IgG antibody positive and three in the DILI group. One PFW tested positive in the Dia Pro and Wantai tests but not in the immunoblot assay. All but one of the positive individuals in all three tests was either of foreign national origin or had spent extended period of time outside of Iceland. CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of hepatitis E appears to be lower in Iceland than majority of recent studies in other western countries have demonstrated. This may be due to relative isolation and severe restriction on import of livestock from other countries.Science fund of the Landspitali-University Hospital Research Fun

Cloning of IgE-binding proteins from Simulium vittatum and their potential significance as allergens for equine insect bite hypersensitivity

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of horses caused by bites of Culicoides and sometimes Simulium spp. The aim of this investigation was to identify Simulium allergens associated with IBH. A phage surface display cDNA library expressing recombinant Simulium vittatum salivary gland proteins was screened using sera of IBH-affected horses sensitized to S. vittatum salivary gland proteins as shown in immunoblot, resulting in the identification of seven cDNAs encoding IgE-binding proteins. The deduced amino acid sequences of these proteins showed sequence similarities to antigen 5 like protein (Sim v 1), to a serine protease inhibitor (Sim v 2), to two alpha-amylases (Sim v 3 and Sim v 4), and to three S. vittatum erythema proteins (SVEPs). The cDNA inserts were subcloned and expressed as [His](6)-tagged protein in Escherichia coli and purified using Ni(2+)-chelate affinity chromatography. Mice were immunised with the seven recombinant proteins and the antibodies tested against the recombinant proteins and salivary gland extract (SGE) of S. vittatum and Culicoides nubeculosus in immunoblot analyses. r-Sim v 1 specific mouse Abs recognized a band of about 32 kDa in immunoblots of both S. vittatum and C. nubeculosus SGE, detectable also by serum IgE of IBH-affected horses. Preincubation of horse serum with r-Sim v 1 completely inhibited IgE binding to the 32 kDa band demonstrating the presence of cross-reactive antigen 5 like proteins in both SGE. Determination of IgE levels against the r-Sim v proteins and crude S. vittatum extract by ELISA in sera from 25 IBH-affected and 20 control horses showed that IBH-affected horses had significantly higher IgE levels than controls against r-Sim v 1, 2, 3, 4 and S. vittatum extract, whereas the r-SVEP showed only marginal IgE binding. Further analyses showed that 60% of IBH-affected horses reacted to r-Sim v 1, suggesting that this could be a major allergen for IBH. Forty to twenty percent of the IBH-affected horses reacted with r-Sim v 2, 3 or 4. Combination of the results obtained with the 4 r-Sim v proteins showed that 92% of the IBH-affected but only 15% of the healthy horses had IgE levels against one or more of the 4 r-Sim v proteins. Seventy percent of the healthy horses had detectable IgE against S. vittatum extract, indicating a low specificity of the detection system used. Optimization of the ELISA system will be required to determine reliable cut-off values for the IBH-related allergens. Their in vivo relevance needs to be carefully assessed

Insomnia complaints in lean patients with obstructive sleep apnea negatively affect positive airway pressure treatment adherence.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowThe objective of this study was to evaluate the determinants of long-term adherence to positive airway pressure treatment among patients with obstructive sleep apnea, with special emphasis on patients who stop positive airway pressure treatment within 1 year. This is a prospective long-term follow-up of subjects in the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort who were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea between 2005 and 2009, and started on positive airway pressure treatment. In October 2014, positive airway pressure adherence was obtained by systematically evaluating available clinical files (n = 796; 644 males, 152 females) with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea (apnea-hypopnea index ≥15 events per h). The mean follow-up time was 6.7 ± 1.2 years. In total, 123 subjects (15.5%) returned their positive airway pressure device within the first year, 170 (21.4%) returned it later and 503 (63.2%) were still using positive airway pressure. The quitters within the first year had lower body mass index, milder obstructive sleep apnea, less sleepiness, and more often had symptoms of initial and late insomnia compared with long-term positive airway pressure users at baseline. Both initial and late insomnia were after adjustment still significantly associated with being an early quitter among subjects with body mass index <30 kg m(-2) , but not among those with body mass index ≥30 kg m(-2) . The prevalence of early quitters decreased significantly during the study period (2005-2009). Almost two-thirds of patients with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea are positive airway pressure users after 7 years. Obesity level, obstructive sleep apnea severity and daytime sleepiness are important determinants of long-term adherence. Symptoms of initial and late insomnia are associated with early quitting on positive airway pressure among non-obese subjects.NI