| 1. |
- Fall, Tove, et al.
(author)
-
Early Exposure to Dogs and Farm Animals and the Risk of Childhood Asthma
- 2015
-
In: JAMA pediatrics. - Stockholm : American Medical Association. - 2168-6203 .- 2168-6211. ; 169:11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- IMPORTANCE: The association between early exposure to animals and childhood asthma is not clear, and previous studies have yielded contradictory results.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether exposure to dogs and farm animals confers a risk of asthma.DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In a nationwide cohort study, the association between early exposure to dogs and farm animals and the risk of asthma was evaluated and included all children born in Sweden from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2010 (N = 1 011 051), using registry data on dog and farm registration, asthma medication, diagnosis, and confounders for parents and their children. The association was assessed as the odds ratio (OR) for a current diagnosis of asthma at age 6 years for school-aged children and as the hazard ratio (HR) for incident asthma at ages 1 to 5 years for preschool-aged children. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2007, to September 30, 2012.EXPOSURES: Living with a dog or farm animal.MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Childhood asthma diagnosis and medication used.RESULTS: Of the 1 011 051 children born during the study period, 376 638 preschool-aged (53 460 [14.2%] exposed to dogs and 1729 [0.5%] exposed to farm animals) and 276 298 school-aged children (22 629 [8.2%] exposed to dogs and 958 [0.3%] exposed to farm animals) were included in the analyses. Of these, 18 799 children (5.0%) in the preschool-aged children's cohort experienced an asthmatic event before baseline, and 28 511 cases of asthma and 906 071 years at risk were recorded during follow-up (incidence rate, 3.1 cases per 1000 years at risk). In the school-aged children's cohort, 11 585 children (4.2%) experienced an asthmatic event during the seventh year of life. Dog exposure during the first year of life was associated with a decreased risk of asthma in school-aged children (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81-0.93) and in preschool-aged children 3 years or older (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83-0.99) but not in children younger than 3 years (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00-1.07). Results were comparable when analyzing only first-born children. Farm animal exposure was associated with a reduced risk of asthma in both school-aged children and preschool-aged children (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.76, and HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.56-0.84), respectively.CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, the data support the hypothesis that exposure to dogs and farm animals during the first year of life reduces the risk of asthma in children at age 6 years. This information might be helpful in decision making for families and physicians on the appropriateness and timing of early animal exposure.
|
|
| 2. |
- Vaysse, Amaury, et al.
(author)
-
Identification of genomic regions associated with phenotypic variation between dog breeds using selection mapping
- 2011
-
In: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 7:10, s. e1002316-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The extraordinary phenotypic diversity of dog breeds has been sculpted by a unique population history accompanied by selection for novel and desirable traits. Here we perform a comprehensive analysis using multiple test statistics to identify regions under selection in 509 dogs from 46 diverse breeds using a newly developed high-density genotyping array consisting of >170,000 evenly spaced SNPs. We first identify 44 genomic regions exhibiting extreme differentiation across multiple breeds. Genetic variation in these regions correlates with variation in several phenotypic traits that vary between breeds, and we identify novel associations with both morphological and behavioral traits. We next scan the genome for signatures of selective sweeps in single breeds, characterized by long regions of reduced heterozygosity and fixation of extended haplotypes. These scans identify hundreds of regions, including 22 blocks of homozygosity longer than one megabase in certain breeds. Candidate selection loci are strongly enriched for developmental genes. We chose one highly differentiated region, associated with body size and ear morphology, and characterized it using high-throughput sequencing to provide a list of variants that may directly affect these traits. This study provides a catalogue of genomic regions showing extreme reduction in genetic variation or population differentiation in dogs, including many linked to phenotypic variation. The many blocks of reduced haplotype diversity observed across the genome in dog breeds are the result of both selection and genetic drift, but extended blocks of homozygosity on a megabase scale appear to be best explained by selection. Further elucidation of the variants under selection will help to uncover the genetic basis of complex traits and disease.
|
|
| 3. |
- Bonnett, Brenda, et al.
(author)
-
Lifestyle risk factors for progesterone-related diabetes mellitus in elkhounds - a case-control study
- 2011
-
In: Journal of Small Animal Practice. - : Wiley. - 0022-4510 .- 1748-5827. ; 52, s. 240-245
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Methods: Owners of 48 diabetic elkhounds and 58 healthy elkhounds were interviewed by phone concerning lifetime diet and exercise routines. A logistic model was developed to assess the impact of diet and exercise on diabetes diagnosis. The agreement between lifetime owner-perceived body condition score (BCS) and veterinary-perceived BCS at inclusion was estimated in healthy control dogs using the Kappa statistic.Results: The model showed that diabetic dogs had increased odds for having been overweight (before diagnosis) compared with controls (OR=2 center dot 8, 95% confidence interval 1 center dot 1-7 center dot 5, P=0 center dot 034). Although feeding other food than commercial dog feed was associated with diabetes case status, the effect was not significant after BCS was entered into the model. The overall agreement between lifetime owner- and veterinary-perceived BCS at inclusion in the study was 75% and had a Kappa statistic of 0 center dot 16 (P=0 center dot 12).Clinical Significance: This study indicates that a high owner-perceived lifetime BCS is associated with progesterone-related diabetes in elkhounds.
|
|
