Cross-neutralisation of Australian brown snake, taipan and death adder venoms by monovalent antibodies

An understanding of the cross-neutralisation of snake venoms by antibodies is important for snake antivenom development. We investigated the cross-neutralisation of brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis) venom, taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) venom and death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) with commercial antivenoms and monovalent anti-snake IgG, using enzyme immunoassays, in vitro clotting and neurotoxicity assays. Each commercial antivenom bound all three venoms, and neutralised clotting activity of brown snake and taipan venoms and neurotoxicity of death adder venom. The ‘in-house’ monovalent anti-snake venom IgG raised against procoagulant brown snake and taipan venoms, did not neutralise the neurotoxic effects of death adder venom. However, they did cross-neutralise the procoagulant effects of both procoagulant venoms. This supports the idea of developing antivenoms against groups of snake toxins rather than individual snake venoms

Cardiologic Manifestations in Omicron‐Type Versus Wild‐Type COVID‐19: A Systematic Echocardiographic Study

Background Information about the cardiac manifestations of the Omicron variant of COVID‐19 is limited. We performed a systematic prospective echocardiographic evaluation of consecutive patients hospitalized with the Omicron variant of COVID‐19 infection and compared them with similarly recruited patients were propensity matched with the wild‐type variant. Methods and Results A total of 162 consecutive patients hospitalized with Omicron COVID‐19 underwent complete echocardiographic evaluation within 24 hours of admission and were compared with propensity‐matched patients with the wild‐type variant (148 pairs). Echocardiography included left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic, right ventricular (RV), strain, and hemodynamic assessment. Echocardiographic parameters during acute infection were compared with historic exams in 62 patients with the Omicron variant and 19 patients with the wild‐type variant who had a previous exam within 1 year. Of the patients, 85 (53%) had a normal echocardiogram. The most common cardiac pathology was RV dilatation and dysfunction (33%), followed by elevated LV filling pressure (E/e′ ≥14, 29%) and LV systolic dysfunction (ejection fraction <50%, 10%). Compared with the matched wild‐type cohort, patients with Omicron had smaller RV end‐systolic areas (9.3±4 versus 12.3±4 cm2; P=0.0003), improved RV function (RV fractional‐area change, 53.2%±10% versus 39.7%±13% [P<0.0001]; RV S′, 12.0±3 versus 10.7±3 cm/s [P=0.001]), and higher stroke volume index (35.6 versus 32.5 mL/m2; P=0.004), all possibly related to lower mean pulmonary pressure (34.6±12 versus 41.1±14 mm Hg; P=0.0001) and the pulmonary vascular resistance index (P=0.0003). LV systolic or diastolic parameters were mostly similar to the wild‐type variant‐matched cohort apart from larger LV size. However, in patients who had a previous echocardiographic exam, these LV abnormalities were recorded before acute Omicron infection, but not in the wild‐type cohort. Numerous echocardiographic parameters were associated with higher in‐hospital mortality (LV ejection fraction, stroke volume index, E/e′, RV S′). Conclusions In patients with Omicron, RV function is impaired to a lower extent compared with the wild‐type variant, possibly related to the attenuated pulmonary parenchymal and/or vascular disease. LV systolic and diastolic abnormalities are as common as in the wild‐type variant but were usually recorded before acute infection and probably reflect background cardiac morbidity. Numerous LV and RV abnormalities are associated with adverse outcome in patients with Omicron

Explaining the development of false memories.

We review six explanatory dimensions of false memory in children that are relevant to forensic practice: measurement, development, social factors, individual differences, varieties of memories and memory judgments, and varieties of procedures that induce false memories. We conclude that, despite greater fidelity to real-world false memory contexts, recent studies fail to use known techniques that separate mere acquiescence from memory changes. Acquiescence and memory interact in interrogation through a dynamic process of construing both questions and memories. Fuzzy-trace theory Is verbatim-gist distinction offers an explanation for how this construal process can transform acquiescence into false memory. Acquiescence and false memory are further exacerbated by individual differences in cognition, personality, and social factors. To avoid such effects, interviewers should not encourage children to consider, imagine, or interpret alternative versions of events, especially with repeated specific questions rather than open-ended free recall. The goal of interviews should be not only to separate truth from falsity, but also to separate the fuzzy truth, the construal of questions and gist memories, from the verbatim "just-the-facts" truth required for the administration of justic