Significance for exercise capacity of some electrocardiographic findings in racehorses

Summary Various cardiorespiratory and metabolic indices were assessed during treadmill exercise in Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses with T wave changes in 4 or more leads on the electrocardiogram or second-degree atrio-ventricular (AV) block, and in horses that had no abnormalities on clinical examination, resting electrocardiography or upper respiratory tract endoscopy. No significant differences in heart rate, plasma lactate concentration, arterial blood gases, oxygen uptake, run time, peak velocity, or blood and red cell volumes were found between normal horses and horses with T wave changes or second-degree AV block. These results indicate that some electrocardiographic findings that are considered by some clinicians to indicate cardiac dysfunction, may have little effect on exercise capacity.     

Measurements of the equation of state of deuterium at the fluid insulator-metal transition

A high-intensity laser was used to shock-compress liquid deuterium to pressures from 22 to 340 gigapascals. In this regime deuterium is predicted to transform from an insulating molecular fluid to an atomic metallic fluid. Shock densities and pressures, determined by radiography, revealed an increase in compressibility near 100 gigapascals indicative of such a transition. Velocity interferometry measurements, obtained by reflecting a laser probe directly off the shock front in flight, demonstrated that deuterium shocked above 55 gigapascals has an electrical conductivity characteristic of a liquid metal and independently confirmed the radiography.     

Paediatric HUS Cases Related to the Consumption of Raw Milk Sold by Vending Machines in Italy: Quantitative Risk Assessment Based on Escherichia coli O157 Official Controls over 7 years

A quantitative risk assessment (RA) was developed to estimate haemolytic‐uremic syndrome (HUS) cases in paediatric population associated with the consumption of raw milk sold in vending machines in Italy. The historical national evolution of raw milk consumption phenomenon since 2008, when consumer interest started to grow, and after 7 years of marketing adjustment, is outlined. Exposure assessment was based on the official Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC) microbiological records of raw milk samples from vending machines monitored by the regional Veterinary Authorities from 2008 to 2014, microbial growth during storage, consumption frequency of raw milk, serving size, consumption preference and age of consumers. The differential risk considered milk handled under regulation conditions (4°C throughout all phases) and the worst time–temperature field handling conditions detected. In case of boiling milk before consumption, we assumed that the risk of HUS is fixed at zero. The model estimates clearly show that the public health significance of HUS cases due to raw milk STEC contamination depends on the current variability surrounding the risk profile of the food and the consumer behaviour has more impact than milk storage scenario. The estimated HUS cases predicted by our model are roughly in line with the effective STEC O157‐associated HUS cases notified in Italy only when the proportion of consumers not boiling milk before consumption is assumed to be 1%. Raw milk consumption remains a source of E. coli O157:H7 for humans, but its overall relevance is likely to have subsided and significant caution should be exerted for temporal, geographical and consumers behaviour analysis. Health education programmes and regulatory actions are required to educate people, primarily children, on other STEC sources.     

Prevalence of Cysticercus bovis in Australian cattle

Objective The first national abattoir survey of Cysticercus bovis (‘beef measles’) in cattle was conducted in February 2008. Methods During the data collection period, 493,316 cattle were subjected to standard postmortem procedures, including incision of the masseter and heart muscles. On-site veterinarians were asked to record the location of any C. bovis cysts, as well as the National Livestock Identification System ear tag numbers of infected animals. Veterinarians were asked to submit samples for laboratory confirmation by histology and polymerase chain reaction testing. Results Of the 23 samples submitted, none was positive for C. bovis by either diagnostic method. Conclusions Occasional, isolated diagnoses of beef measles are still made in most states of Australia, but since the last regional surveys were conducted 30 years ago, when the estimated prevalence was 50 to 200 per 100,000 cattle slaughtered, the parasite has become extremely rare.