Ichthyosis fetalis in Polled Hereford and Shorthorn calves
Inherited forms of ichthyosis, or generalized scaling of the skin, have been reported in many animal species, including cattle, and are characterized by an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. We investigated 2 calves affected with ichthyosis fetalis, a Polled Hereford and a Shorthorn. Both cases had hard white plaques on the skin consistent with excessive keratinization. This was confirmed by histopathology, which showed severe diffuse epidermal and follicular orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. The known mutation (H1935R) in gene ABCA12, responsible for ichthyosis fetalis in Chianina cattle, was shown to be absent in both affected calves and their obligate heterozygous parents. These molecular findings indicate that allelic heterogeneity exists for this condition in cattle.
An ABCA12 missense variant in a Shorthorn calf with ichthyosis fetalis.
Two clinical forms of ichthyosis in cattle have been reported, ichthyosis fetalis and congenital ichthyosis. Ichthyosis poses animal welfare and economic issues and the more severe form, ichthyosis fetalis, is lethal. A Shorthorn calf with ichthyosis fetalis was investigated and a likely causal missense variant on chromosome 2 in the ABCA12 gene (NM_001191294.2:c.6776T>C) was identified by whole genome sequencing. Mutations in the ABCA12 gene are known to cause ichthyosis fetalis in cattle and Harlequin ichthyosis in humans. Sanger sequencing of the affected calf and the dam confirmed the variant was homozygous in the affected calf and heterozygous in the dam. Further genotyping of 130 Shorthorn animals from the same property revealed an estimated allele frequency of 3.8%. The presented findings enable genetic testing for breeding and diagnostics.
The Alzheimer's Disease Home Hospice Knowledge Scale: development, validity and reliability.
BACKGROUND
Several instruments are available to assess knowledge about hospice care, but none specifically address knowledge about home hospice for persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD).


AIM
To develop and validate the Alzheimer's Disease Home Hospice Knowledge Scale (AD-HHK-S).


METHODS
A total of 107 Israeli family caregivers of persons with dementia (mean age=71.2; 73% female) participated in the study.


RESULTS
The AD-HHK-S included 28 true/false items assessing 3 areas of knowledge: knowledge about hospice, knowledge about home hospice, and knowledge about home hospice for AD. Good internal reliability was found, with Cronbach alpha ranging from 0.72 to 0.85. Good face, construct and predictive validity were found.


CONCLUSIONS
The AD-HHK-S proved to be a valid and reliable tool to assess knowledge about hospice care in the area of AD. It might provide an effective tool for palliative care nurses to communicate with family caregivers of persons with AD at the end of life.