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Heart failure is the common final pathway of several cardiovascular conditions and a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aberrant activation of the adaptive immune system in response to myocardial necrosis has recently been implicated in the development of heart failure. The ß‐adrenergic agonist isoproterenol hydrochloride is used for its cardiac effects in a variety of different dosing regimens with high doses causing acute cardiomyocyte necrosis. To assess whether isoproterenol‐induced cardiomyocyte necrosis triggers an adaptive immune response against the heart, we treated C57BL/6J mice with a single intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol. We confirmed tissue damage reminiscent of human type 2 myocardial infarction. This is followed by an adaptive immune response targeting the heart as demonstrated by the activation of T cells, the presence of anti‐heart auto‐antibodies in the serum as late as 12 weeks after initial challenge and IgG deposition in the myocardium. All of these are hallmark signs of an established autoimmune response. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes from isoproterenol‐treated mice induces left ventricular dilation and impairs cardiac function in healthy recipients. In summary, a single administration of a high dose of isoproterenol is a suitable high‐throughput model for future studies of the pathological mechanisms of anti‐heart autoimmunity and to test potential immunomodulatory therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural zoonotic outbreaks can cause widespread devastation, and several zoonoses can be transmitted as agents of bioterrorism. Although veterinarians can be vital in controlling the transmission of zoonotic diseases, many lack knowledge about their roles in emergency response and about zoonoses. A training session titled "Prevention of Zoonotic Disease Transmission" was provided for New York veterinarians. The training was evaluated using pre-training, post-training, and follow-up surveys, which measured increase in and retention of knowledge. Seventy-five (75) veterinary professionals participated in the training, and 91% responded on pre- and post-training surveys. The percentage of respondents who correctly answered the objective knowledge questions increased from pre-training to post-training. Furthermore, follow-up surveys demonstrated that participants were able to retain much of the information from the training session. Very little research has been found that evaluates a similar training event. As knowledge increases, additional training conferences could benefit veterinarians and supplement this research. The results of the pre-training, post-training, and follow-up surveys indicate that veterinary professionals' knowledge of zoonoses can be significantly improved after receiving training; participants found the training to be useful and requested additional training, indicating that veterinary professionals have a desire to learn about emergency preparedness topics.