COVID-19 and Biomedical Experts: When Epistemic Authority is (Probably) Not Enough

This critical essay evaluates the potential integration of distinct kinds of expertise in policymaking, especially during situations of critical emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This article relies on two case studies: (i) herd immunity (UK) and (ii) restricted access to ventilators for disabled people (USA). These case studies are discussed as examples of experts’ recommendations that have not been widely accepted, though they were made within the boundaries of expert epistemic authority. While the fundamental contribution of biomedical experts in devising public health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic is fully recognized, this paper intends to discuss potential issues and limitations that may arise when adopting a strict expert-based approach. By drawing attention to the interests of minorities (disenfranchized and underrepresented groups), the paper also claims a broader notion of “relevant expertise.” This critical essay thus calls for the necessity of wider inclusiveness and representativeness in the process underlying public health policymaking

Strain rate, temperature and deformation state effect on Ecoflex 00-50 silicone mechanical behaviour

Silicone elastomers are extremely attractive materials due to their wide range of possible applications, from biomedical engineering to soft robotics. In this work, an extensive thermo-mechanical characterization of Ecoflex Shore hardness 00–50, a commercially available silicone elastomer, has been carried out to compensate for the lack of relevant literature. The mechanical behaviour of the material has been characterized by performing monotonic and cyclic loading tests. These tests were performed in different deformation states, i.e. uniaxial tension, pure shear and biaxial tension, at different strain rates and temperatures. Experimental findings allowed to highlight the material time-dependent response and quantify the contribution of dissipative deformation phenomena to the overall strain energy. Uniaxial tensile tests performed at different temperatures (between −40 °C and 140 °C) showed that the material mechanical behaviour is sensitive to temperature in this range: a decrease of the ultimate stress and strain has been observed with increasing temperature. Finally, the data obtained from the latter tests have been used to define a failure envelope, applied for the first time to Ecoflex silicones, and valuable to describe the material ultimate stress and strain at any temperature and strain rate

Stress evaluation in hares (Lepus europaeus Pallas) captured for traslocation

With the aim to evaluate the capturing techniques some haematic and physiological parameters were studied to discrim- inate stressed hares from non stressed hares. A total of 66 wild hares (experimental group) were sampled in 14 different non-hunting areas, where hares are usually captured for later release in low-density areas. In the same season a total of 30 hares (about 1 year old), reared in cages and thus showing a reduced fear of man, were sampled (control group). In each area the hares were captured by cours- ing with 3-4 dogs (greyhounds or lurches). The dogs were released by the different hunter teams to find and drive into trammel nets any hare that was seen running. After capture, the hares remained inside darkened, wooden capture-boxes for a variable period of time before blood drawing. For blood sample collection all the hares were physically restrained and their eyes immediately covered. Blood, always collected within 1-2 minutes, was drawn from the auricular vein. Blood samples (plasma) were analysed for glucose, AST, ALT, CPK and cortisol concentrations. Body temperature, heart and respiratory rate, sex, and age were evaluated in each hare. The effect of origin, sex and age on haematic and physiolog- ical parameters was analysed by ANOVA. Every measured parameter of the hares bearing to the capture group or the control group (reared) was then subjected to stepwise and to discriminant analysis, in order to select the groups of stressed (discriminated by the controls) and non-stressed hares. CPK, AST and glucose were found to be the best parameters for distinguishing stressed from non-stressed hares. The intensive exercise suffered by the wild hares induced a depletion of energetic reserves, so that most of the captured hares showed lower glucose and higher CPK activity in the plasma, probably due to muscle damage (P< 0.05). After reclassi- fying the hares in the two groups of stressed and non stressed hares, the reference values (means ± SE) resulted as fol- lows: estimated non-stressed hares, glucose 234 ± 9 .4 mg/dl, AST 112 ± 22.2 U/l, CPK 1334 ± 734 U/l; estimated stressed hares, glucose 128 ± 7 mg/dl, AST 164 ± 13 U/l, CPK 4658 ± 454 U/l. These three cheap and quickly analysable analytes can be useful to the game manager in detecting stressed and non stressed hares, in order to improve the capturing techniques by the evaluation of the following relationship: (number of stressed hares + number of the dead hares during the capture)/number of total captured hares

Preslaughter Mortality in Broiler Chickens, Turkeys, and Spent Hens Under Commercial Slaughtering

Abstract The incidence of dead on arrival (DOA) birds was surveyed over 33 broiler, 11 turkey, and 19 spent hen abattoirs representing the majority (around 70%) of the Italian poultry slaughter plants. Data were recorded monthly during a 4-yr period (August 2001 to July 2005), considering a total of 1,266 million chicken broilers, 118 million turkeys, and 54 million spent hens, which represent 67.7, 84.0, and 28.4% of the national production, respectively. The overall average incidence of DOA was found to be 0.35, 0.38, and 1.22% in broilers, turkeys, and spent hens, respectively. The season significantly (P ≤ 0.01) influenced the mortality of all considered poultry categories, with higher incidence being observed during the summer (0.47, 0.52, and 1.62% for broilers, turkeys, and spent layers, respectively). The incidence of DOA broilers was found to be lower in small slaughter plants compared with medium and large slaughter plants (0.28 vs. 0.38 and 0.35%, P ≤ 0.01). The data obtained in this study might be used for establishing limit values of DOA as a welfare indicator during the preslaughter time of birds, including catching, loading, transportation, and lairage

Detection of replicative Kashmir Bee Virus and Black Queen Cell Virus in Asian hornet Vespa velutina (Lepelieter 1836) in Italy

Information concerning the pathogenic role of honey bee viruses in invasive species are still scarce. The aim of this investigation was to assess the presence of several honey bee viruses, such as Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV), Slow Paralysis Virus (SPV), Sac Brood Virus (SBV), Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV), in Vespa velutina specimens collected in Italy during 2017. Results of this investigation indicate that among pathogens, replicative form of KBV and BQCV were detected, assessing the spillover effect of both these viruses from managed honey bees to hornets

Quantitative risk assessment of hepatitis E virus: modelling the occurrence of viraemic pigs and the presence of the virus in organs of food safety interest

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen with consumption of pork and derived products identified in different countries as a risk factor for human exposure to HEV. Great efforts have been made to understand the dynamics of virus transmission within domestic swine populations through modelling. However, from a food safety prospective, it is critical to integrate the parameters involved in the transmission dynamics with those governing the actual presence of HEV in the bloodstream, the liver, gallbladder or faeces. To date, several aspects related to the pathogenesis of the disease are still unknown or characterized by significant levels of uncertainty, making this conjunction challenging. We used published serological data obtained from pigs in a farrow-to-finish farm to implement an Immune-Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (MSIR) model reproducing the on-farm dynamics that lead to the occurrence of viraemic pigs at slaughter. Expert opinion on the length of time infectious HEV can be detected in liver, gallbladder/bile and faeces after recovery from viraemic status were used to inform a stochastic model aimed at estimating the expected proportion of viraemic pigs, pigs with infectious HEV in liver, gallbladder/bile and faeces entering the slaughterhouse. To simulate the potential effect of on-farm mitigation strategies, we estimated the changes in outcomes of interest as a function of variations in the baseline transmission parameters. The model predicted a proportion of viraemic pigs entering the slaughterhouse of 13.8% while the proportions of, and ranged from 13.8% to 94.4%, 13.8% to 94.7% and from 25.3% to 30.8% respectively, due to the uncertainty surrounding the experts’ opinions. Variations in MSIR model’s parameters alert of the need to carefully consider the application of mitigation strategies aimed at delaying the decay of maternal immunity or the peak of the within herd transmission. When the rate of decay of maternal immunity and the transmission rate were decreased between 80% and 5% and 40% and 5% from the baseline values respectively, adverse effects on were observed. The model highlights the relevance of specific aspects in the pathogenesis of the disease from a food safety prospective and it was developed to be easily reproducible and updatable as soon as accurate data becomes available. As presented, the model can be directly connected to existing or future pig-related models to estimate the significance of the identified parameters on the risk of human exposure to HEV through consumption of pork products

Assessment of climate change vulnerability of farm households in Pyapon District, a delta region in Myanmar

Sea level rise causes saltwater intrusion and flooding of agricultural land and ultimately threatens the livelihoods of farm households in the delta region of Myanmar. Empirical research on the effects of climate change on the delta's agriculture and an assessment of the vulnerability are becoming necessary. This study explores the vulnerability of farm households to sea level rise using two methods: the Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI), which is comprised of 37 indicators, and the Socioeconomic Vulnerability Index (SeVI), which contains 35 indicators. Interviews with 178 farmers were conducted in Bogale, Pyapon and Dedaye Townships in Pyapon District. In addition, 7 focus group discussions were performed, with at least 2 discussions in each Township. Both methods identify Bogale to be the most vulnerable Township, followed by Dedaye and Pyapon Townships. Following the LVI approach, Bogale Township has the highest sensitivity to climate effects and the highest exposure to natural hazards, but also a higher adaptive capacity than the other townships. In contrast using the SeVI approach, Bogale was found to have the highest sensitivity and exposure to natural hazards but the lowest adaptive capacity score. The study found that the climate change adaptation measures taken by the farmers are important to limit vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and thus promotion of the adaptive capacity of farmers is important for the delta region of Myanmar

Viraemic pigs entering the food chain are the most likely source of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in pork meat: Modelling the fate of HEV during slaughtering of pigs

Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) is an emerging foodborne pathogen and consumption of raw or undercooked pork products has been associated with increased risk of human infection. This work represents the first attempt to evaluate the risk of HEV being present on pig carcasses and in meat at the end of the slaughtering process considering the steps of bleeding, scalding, dehairing, singeing, polishing, evisceration and trimming. Based on available knowledge on the epidemiology and biology of HEV, the risk pathways leading to the presence of HEV on carcasses as a consequence of (i) faecal contamination of the skin from environment and contacts with contaminated faeces during transport and lairage, (ii) contact with viraemic blood at bleeding and (iii) faecal/bile cross-contamination during evisceration were assessed qualitatively. The pathway through which HEV could be present in meat of viraemic pigs, as conveyed by residual blood in muscular tissue after bleeding was instead modelled quantitatively. Of the three risk pathways evaluated qualitatively, only the occurrence of HEV on carcasses as a consequence of accidental rupture of the gut or gallbladder at evisceration was found to be non-negligible, but with a very low likelihood of occurrence. The quantitative output for the expected amount of HEV in meat of viraemic pigs shows minimum and maximum values of 0.10 and 1.1 × 104 genome copies (gc)/g respectively with 4.8 × 102 and 5.3 × 103 gc/g at 95th and 99th percentile of the cumulative distribution. These results are consistent with the existing evidence that levels of HEV RNA in meat samples are usually low even in the presence of high viral loads in livers of the same animals. Results of the sensitivity analysis confirm highly viraemic pigs entering the slaughter line as those posing the greater risk for consumers. Our study suggests that prevention of HEV infection through consumption of pork meat at pre-harvest/harvest stages should focus on reducing the flow of highly viraemic pigs into the food chain

Host range of mammalian orthoreovirus type 3 widening to alpine chamois

Mammalian orthoreoviruses (MRV) type 3 have been recently identified in human and several animal hosts, highlighting the apparent lack of species barriers. Here we report the identification and genetic characterization of MRVs strains in alpine chamois, one of the most abundant wild ungulate in the Alps. Serological survey was also performed by MRV neutralization test in chamois population during five consecutive years (2008-2012). Three novel MRVs were isolated on cell culture from chamois lung tissues. No respiratory or other clinical symptoms neither lung macroscopic lesions were observed in the chamois population. MRV strains were classified as MRV-3 within the lineage III, based on S1 phylogeny, and were closely related to Italian strains identified in dog, bat and diarrheic pig. The full genome sequence was obtained by next-generation sequencing and phylogenetic analyses showed that other segments were more similar to MRVs of different geographic locations, serotypes and hosts, including human, highlighting genome reassortment and lack of host specific barriers. By using serum neutralization test, a high prevalence of MRV-3 antibodies was observed in chamois population throughout the monitored period, showing an endemic level of infection and suggesting a self-maintenance of MRV and/or a continuous spill-over of infection from other animal species