Retrospective review of 27 European cases of fatal elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus-haemorrhagic disease reveals evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) is widely acknowledged as the most common cause of mortality in young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in captivity. The objective of the current study was to perform a blinded, retrospective pathology review of European EEHV-HD fatalities, constituting the largest systematic assessment of EEHV-HD pathology to date. Findings between viral genotypes were compared with the aim to investigate if disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) could be substantiated as a significant complicating factor, thereby increasing the understanding of disease pathophysiology. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed endothelial cell (EC) damage and the presence of EC intranuclear inclusion bodies, demonstrating a direct viral cytopathic effect. Microthrombi were observed in 63% of cases in several organs, including lungs, which, together with widespread haemorrhage and thrombocytopenia reported in EEHV-HD case reports, supports the presence of overt DIC as a serious haemostatic complication of active EEHV infection. Death was attributed to widespread vascular damage with multi-organ dysfunction, including severe acute myocardial haemorrhage and subsequent cardiac failure. Systemic inflammation observed in the absence of bacterial infection may be caused by cytokine release syndrome. Findings reinforce the necessity to investigate cytokine responses and haemostatic status during symptomatic and asymptomatic EEHV viraemia, to potentially support the use of anti-inflammatory treatment in conjunction with anti-viral therapy and cardiovascular support.

A comparative study of the effect of two time-alteration techniques on listener comprehension.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if listener comprehension is differentially affected by two different techniques of time alteration: the sampling method and the harmonic compression method. The Nelson-Denny Reading Test, consisting of 8 selections of scientific and literary content appropriate for college students with respect to interest and level of difficulty, was presented to 3 groups of 40 Ss each; each group was given the tape-recorded test after processing at one of the 3 speech rates, normal, half normal, or twice normal rate. Of the 8 selections on this test, 4 were processed by sampling using a VARISPEECH-I compressor/expander, and 4 were processed by harmonic compression using a Lockheed LM-312 Pitch Normalizer. There were of course some differences in listener comprehension as a function of rate, but within each of the rate conditions there were no significant differences as a function of method of time alteration. With the type of speech material used here, and within these rate conditions, these time alteration methods can be used interchangeably in such research.