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Development of an indirect ELISA for the detection of venezuelan equine encephalitis virus specific antibodies in horses

Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) is a re-emerging zoonotic pathogen to which equines are most susceptible mammals hosts with a high mortality rate raging from19 to 83%. The virus, transmitted between vertebrates and mosquitos, causes unpredictable sporadic epizootic outbreaks in equids and humans across Central and South America. Although VEEV is not currently circulating in Europe the combination of global change, increasing international trade and the presence of potentially competent vectors (mosquitoes of the genera Aedes and Culex ), raises a non-negligible risk of its introduction. In response, the European Commission mandated the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for equine diseases to establish an easy-to-implement and fast serological method for detecting VEEV infection in horses. The study aimed to develop a sensitive and specific in-house indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the E2 glycoprotein of VEEV. The assay was evaluated using 469 samples from non-infected horses, naturally infected horses (with VEEV and/or eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and/or western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV)), and horses vaccinated against EEEV/WEEV. The ELISA demonstrated robust diagnostic performance with a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity and 93.8%. This assay is therefore an easy-to-implement diagnostic method, offering an alternative to virus neutralization. It is suitable for sero-epidemiological studies to accurately determine the distribution of VEEV in the America and to monitor potential introduction of the virus in new area, includingEurope.

Long term evaluation of the safety and efficacy of local cooling anesthesia during intravitreal injections: The COOL-2 Trial

Background/Objective To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a medical device providing cooling anesthesia to the eye as local anesthesia for intravitreal (IVT) injections. Subjects/Methods As a multicenter, open label, dose escalation clinical trial, subjects receiving at least 3 IVT injections in the study eye were recruited to participate. All patients received subconjunctival lidocaine as their anesthesia for previous IVT injections. Subjects receiving IVT injections were assigned (non-randomized) to four groups in which the cooling device was applied to the conjunctiva at the location of the intravitreal injection: Group 1: −10˚C for 20 seconds; Group 2: −15˚C for 10 seconds; Group 3: −15˚C for 15 seconds; and Group 4: −15˚C for 20 seconds. The primary outcome was pain during IVT injection assessed by a visual analog scale (0–10). Results Eighty subjects were enrolled at 2 sites. The mean number of prior IVT injections was 20.3 for Group 2 and 15.0 for Group 3. Pain was significantly less for the 10 second vs the 15 second application (2.2 vs 3.6, p = 0.0255). The mean pain score was lower for Group 2 (−15°C for 10 seconds) ranging a score of 1.0 to 2.9 across the study visits, compared with Group 3 (−15°C for 15 seconds) with a mean range of 3.2 to 5.2 across the study visits. Treatment order (visit) significantly decreased by 0.10 pain units per visit (p = 0.0002). Punctate epithelial erosions (PEE) were reported in 20 of 56 eyes (35.7%) in Group 2, none were reported in Group 3. Conclusion Cooling anesthesia device reduced the severity of pain associated with IVT injection during the procedure, although mild and transient PEE may be associated with treatment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT03956797 .

Learning strategies, study behaviors, and academic performance among medical students in Jordan: A cross-sectional study

Academic performance in medical education is influenced by multiple factors, including learning strategies and study behaviors. However, the extent to which these factors are associated with academic performance remains unclear. This study aimed to describe the frequency of learning strategies and examine their associations with academic performance among medical students, with emphasis on evidence-based strategies. A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted among medical students at Jordan University of Science and Technology. Learning strategies were assessed using ten items rated as rarely, sometimes, or often. Composite indices were constructed for overall, evidence-based, and common/passive strategies. Academic performance was categorized as excellent, very good, or good or below. Group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests and ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with excellent performance. Among 556 respondents, 52.2% reported excellent performance. Evidence-based strategies showed a graded increase across performance groups and were independently associated with higher odds of excellent performance (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.16–1.86), whereas common/passive strategies were not. These findings suggest that evidence-based learning strategies are associated with better academic performance, supporting their potential role in medical education. However, the findings are exploratory rather than causal.

Surface modification of carbon-based adsorbents derived from coal gasification slag for the efficient adsorption of trimethoprim

Given that pristine water bodies are irreplaceable for maintaining ecosystem homeostasis, the remediation of antibiotic-contaminated aquatic systems has emerged as a pivotal challenge. This research used flotation residual carbon (FRC) obtained from coal gasification coarse slag (CGCS) as a precursor and adopted the H 2 O 2 liquid-phase oxidation method to prepare a low-cost and efficient adsorbent by optimizing process parameters such as modification temperature, time, and oxidant concentration. The H 2 O 2 treated flotation residual carbon was denoted as HFRC. Batch adsorption assays revealed that, under their respective optimal conditions, equilibrium uptakes of Trimethoprim (TMP) by FRC and HFRC reached 54.02 mg/g and 80.01 mg/g, with equilibrium times of 270 min and 360 min. Comprehensive characterization, molecular simulations, and model fitting collectively elucidated the adsorption mechanism and the kinetic intensification of TMP. H 2 O 2 modification markedly increased the abundance of oxygen-containing functionalities. On this basis, the van der Waals and electrostatic interactions between HFRC and TMP were significantly enhanced, accompanied by a pronounced increase in hydrogen-bond density, which collectively accelerated the TMP adsorption kinetics. HFRC also exhibited exceptional dynamic adsorption performance in the fixed-bed column. Overall, HFRC integrates rapid removal performance with resource-cycling benefits and superior environmental adaptability, offering an economically and ecologically synergistic paradigm for the valorization of CGCS and the remediation of antibiotic-impaired waters.

Barriers, motivations, and understanding: A qualitative study on the acceptability of an academic weight management program

Introduction Obesity is a critical health issue, and West Virginia is a state with an exceptionally high obesity rate. There are evidence-based medical guidelines for treating obesity utilized by medical weight management programs. The primary purpose of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the acceptability of an academic medical weight management program that utilizes guidelines-based treatment for obesity. Methods This study employs a qualitative descriptive approach. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 20 participants enrolled in an academic medical weight management program. Interviews were completed and transcribed. Themes were identified through qualitative content analysis. Results Twenty participants enrolled in a medical weight management clinic participated. Five main themes emerged during analysis of the interview content: 1) satisfaction with clinical and support staff, 2) desire for additional touchpoints with clinical staff, 3) perception of non-judgmental support, 4) perception of support by the clinic following policy changes affecting treatment coverage, and 5) participation due to intrinsic motivation. Conclusion Patients enrolled in medical weight management clinics exhibit a wide diversity of motivations for their desired weight loss, but commonly face a variety of challenges to their care, including unreliable insurance coverage and social stigma related to obesity. However, the resulting themes identify acceptable approaches for medical weight management clinics such as increase touch points, supportive clinical staff who provide non-judgmental support, and an understanding of participants intrinsic motivations.

Welcome to paradise: Measuring vegetation responses to tourism and agricultural activity using Leaf Area Index in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are globally recognized for their biodiversity, yet the high volume of annual visitors and dependence on food imports raise significant concerns regarding human-induced environmental pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a complete halting of tourism and extreme mobility restrictions, presenting a unique natural experiment to quantify how the abrupt reduction of human activity affects vegetation. This study provides the first joint assessment of how the tourism and agricultural sectors reacted in tandem to this mobility shock. Using satellite-based Leaf Area Index (LAI) data and a doubly robust difference-in-differences approach, we examine vegetation density shifts across both touristic and agricultural zones. Our findings reveal a significant 51% increase in vegetation density within tourism areas, specifically the fragile Bushes and Cacti zones, following the cessation of foot traffic. Concurrently, we document a 33% increase in LAI within agricultural zones relative to the counterfactual, signaling an intensification of local production. Further, these structural shifts in vegetation density persisted even as initial restrictions were eased. These quantitative results offer novel insights into the rapid responsiveness of island landscapes to changes in the human footprint, providing a data-driven foundation for resilient land-use policy.

Geospatial variation and machine learning approaches to predict open defecation practice in Zambia

Background Open defecation is the disposal of human feces in fields, bushes, forests, open waterways, beaches, and other open areas. It worsens the environment, contaminates drinking water sources, causes malnutrition and low school attendance in children, and aids in the spread of diseases like cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid, polio, and hepatitis A. The purpose of this study was geospatial variation and machine learning approaches to predict open defecation in Zambia. Methods This study used secondary data analysis from the cross-sectional Zambia Demographic and Health Survey (ZMDHS) 2024. Spatial distribution, spatial autocorrelation, incremental autocorrelation, spatial interpolation, and hot spot area detection were all examined using ArcGIS 10.7. Python was used to identify the features of open defecation practice using machine-learning algorithms. We carried out an 80/20% data split, one-hot data encoding, data transformation and integration, data cleaning, and 10-fold stratified cross-validation. This study employed seven machine-learning algorithms, including adaptive boosting, cat boosting, random forest, light boosting, extreme gradient boosting, decision tree and logistic regression. Results Among 12,808 households in Zambia, 12.1% were practiced open defecation. Spatial analysis revealed significant clustering, with hot spots concentrated in Southern, Western and Eastern regions, highlighting areas in urgent need of intervention. Machine learning models were applied to predict open defecation practices, with light gradient boost performing the best model with AUC of 83.83%. From this study, 198 true positives were generated by the model for the classification of open defecation practice, accurately identifying those who reported engaging in this behavior. Conclusion Wealth index, access to treated water, access to electricity, educational level, and age of household head, access to media, and region were the most significant features of open defecation practice. Governments, NGOs, policy makers, and researchers can use these data to create targeted interventions for improving health and environmental sanitation based on the gaps and disparities discovered.

Effects of a school-based ACT program on motivation, physical activity participation, motor competence, and physical performance in physically inactive female adolescent students

Adolescents face internal barriers like low self-confidence and psychological discomfort that limit physical activity. Adolescence offers a key window to enhance intrinsic motivation. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may effectively improve physical activity and motor competence through psychological flexibility and value-based behavior. This study examined the effects of an ACT-based intervention on physical activity participation, motivation, motor competence, and physical fitness in physically inactive adolescent girls. A randomized controlled trial involved 132 inactive girls aged 13–18, randomly assigned to either an ACT intervention or a control group. Intervention included seven sessions targeting six core ACT processes. Pre-and post-intervention assessments used standardized questionnaires and tests for physical activity participation, motivation, physical activity, motor competence, and fitness. ACT group showed significant improvements in intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, autonomy, and reduced amotivation and external regulation (p ≤ 0.05). Introjected regulation did not show a significant change (p > 0.05). Physical activity participation and fitness performance also improved significantly, along with both perceived and actual motor competence (p ≤ 0.05). ACT-based intervention effectively enhanced motivation, physical activity engagement, motor competence, and fitness. These findings support integrating ACT into school or community programs to promote sustainable physical activity habits in adolescent girls.

Fusogen-induced recovery of spinal cord function and morphology after complete transection

Spinal cord injury is a critical issue in neurosurgery, lacking established clinical methods for functional restoration. This study reports the effects of a fusogen sealant, composed of polyethylene glycol and chitosan, in an experimental model of complete spinal cord transection in pigs. To evaluate the functional and morphological recovery of the spinal cord in an animal model of complete transection following treatment with a polyethylene glycol-chitosan conjugate. Hungarian Mangalica pigs ( m  = 20.0 ± 2.0 kg, N  = 5) underwent complete transection of the thoracic spinal cord, followed by an extended laminectomy and transpedicular fixation. In the experimental group ( N  = 3), a synthesized gel based on a polyethylene glycol-chitosan conjugate was applied to the spinal gap; the other group ( N  = 2) served as a control. The postoperative period lasted 60 days and included multi-component rehabilitation. Clinical-functional status was assessed using established neurological scales. In vivo retrograde tracing of the spinal cord was performed using hydroxystilbamidine (FluoroGold). Following the experiment, immunofluorescent histology was conducted using primary antibodies to neurofilament (NF-200), a fluorochrome-conjugated secondary antibody, and the nuclear dye 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). The resulting morphology was examined via fluorescence and light microscopy. Control animals maintained lower paraplegia, anesthesia, and pelvic dysfunction throughout the experiment. In contrast, the experimental group showed positive changes, including the return of sensation from day two. By the end of the study, all animals in this group could assume an upright posture and ambulate on all limbs. These outcomes were statistically significant. Microscopy revealed axons traversing the injury site in the experimental group, whereas control samples showed degenerative post-traumatic changes. This study demonstrates that a fusogen sealant based on a polyethylene glycol-chitosan conjugate promotes significant morpho-functional recovery after complete spinal cord transection, supporting its therapeutic potential.

Comparison of local large language models for extraction of signs and symptoms data from electronic health records

Electronic health records (EHRs) provide a large source of data that can be used for research purposes. Extraction of information from unstructured clinical notes in EHRs can be automated by large language models (LLMs). Although LLMs are promising for this task, challenges remain in reliable application of LLMs to EHR, including the lack of development and validation for languages other than English. Here, we identified Dutch LLMs and compared their performance in a case study. We selected the MedRoBERTa.nl and RobBERT models based on local applicability, Dutch language compatibility, and model architecture. We evaluated their performance in a case study on the extraction of signs and symptoms from comprehensive Dutch primary care EHRs of patients with a lower respiratory tract infection. Using manually annotated clinical notes, models were trained as direct and prompt-based classifiers with varying amounts of training samples. Performance was expressed by precision, recall, and F1-score. The MedROBERTa.nl and RobBERT models showed good performance as direct classifiers, with a macro-averaged F1-score of 0.74 (range 0.56–0.87) and 0.69 (range 0.46–0.86) using 1600 training samples, respectively. The prompt-based classifiers performed worse with F1-scores of 0.08 (range 0.02–0.30) and 0.08 (range 0.02–0.22), respectively. In general, performance of the models was negatively affected by class imbalance and missingness of signs and symptoms. A minimum of 800 annotated training samples were required to obtain sufficient performance. The selected LLMs showed good performance as direct classifiers in extracting signs and symptoms from Dutch primary care EHRs. However, prompt-based models require performance improvement by further prompt engineering, and caution is warranted with imbalanced or partially missing EHR data.MedROBERTa.nl and RobBERT models, used as direct classifiers, can be considered for clinical research to extract information from clinical notes from Dutch primary care EHRs, potentially reducing manual annotation time and accelerating real-world research and evidence generation.

Optimising the Delphi survey method during core set development: The impact of summarised feedback on stakeholders’ prioritisation of core data items and consensus

Background Core outcome sets are an established method for standardising the collection, measurement and reporting of treatment outcomes in effectiveness trials. Using Delphi survey methodology, core sets are developed by prioritising and re-prioritising data items facilitated by provision of feedback of other stakeholders’ responses. It is unknown how best to provide feedback to ensure that it influences the re-prioritisation of items effectively. This study examined whether informing participants of the top-rated items from the previous survey round may influence the re-prioritisation of data items in a subsequent survey round during the development of core data sets. Methods This study was nested in the development of a registry core data set. In round two of the Delphi survey, participants were randomised to receive ‘standard’ or ‘enhanced’ instructions. ‘Enhanced’ instructions included summarised data of the top five data items scored by participants in the previous survey round) in addition to standard feedback (the median round 1 score per item). Items scored 7–9 by ≥70% of participants in round 2 were considered ‘prioritised’. Concordant/discordant items were determined and extent of agreement between groups calculated (kappa statistics). Results Both groups prioritised a larger number of items in round 2 than in round 1 and there was little difference in the percentage of respondents prioritising the ‘Top 5’ items in round 2 (mean change in prioritisation of Top 5 items for all four core sets combined – 2.3% increase in standard group and 3.2% increase in enhanced group). Overall agreement in data items prioritised by both groups improved in round 2 (discordant items – 11% in round 1 and 4% in round 2). Conclusion Providing participants with additional feedback during the process of item prioritisation did not promote prioritisation of items during development of a core set. In the development of health core sets, where often many items are prioritised, further work to determine how to clearly and optimally communicatee feedback in a manner that promotes consensus effectively is required. Specifically, qualitative work with relevant stakeholders, exploring and clarifying the concepts of prioritisation and consensus, is warranted.

Effectiveness of shortwave diathermy in patients with chronic low back pain: A study protocol for a randomised, single-blinded, multicentre clinical trial

Background Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and a major public health concern in low- and middle-income countries such as Bangladesh. Although international guidelines classify shortwave diathermy as a low-value treatment, it remains widely used in physiotherapy practice. Evidence on the effectiveness of continuous shortwave diathermy (CSWD) for CLBP is limited and inconsistent. This study aims to determine whether CSWD, when combined with standard physiotherapy, provides additional benefits compared with sham CSWD plus physiotherapy. Methods This multicentre, randomised, single-blind, sham-controlled trial will recruit 208 participants aged 18–65 years with CLBP from tertiary hospitals and physiotherapy clinics in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Participants will be randomly allocated (1:1) to receive CSWD or sham CSWD, each combined with a standardised physiotherapy programme delivered three times weekly for four weeks. The intervention group will receive active CSWD (27.12 MHz, continuous mode, 20 min/session), while the control group will receive sham treatment. Primary outcomes include back pain intensity, leg pain intensity (0–10 numerical rating scale), and activity limitation (Oswestry Disability Index). Secondary outcomes include the Brief Pain Inventory, Global Rating of Change, Satisfaction with Treatment, DASS-21, Insomnia Severity Index, Treatment Credibility Questionnaire, and healthcare utilisation. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Data will be analysed using an intention-to-treat approach with linear mixed-effects models. Discussion This trial will provide high-quality, context-specific evidence on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of CSWD for CLBP in a resource-constrained setting. The findings will inform physiotherapy practice in Bangladesh and may guide the appropriate use or de-implementation of this commonly used modality. The rigorous sham-controlled design will also contribute to the broader evidence base on electrotherapy for chronic pain.

One-Shot Carbon Insertion Unlocks Polycyclic Frameworks and Near-Infrared Photocatalysts

A novel adaptive quasi-Newton-type update and its global convergence without Lipschitz condition for constrained system of nonlinear monotone equations

This paper presents a new iterative method with a restart feature for solving constrained system of nonlinear monotone equations. The scheme, which is a double-parameter method, was initiated by considering a positive-definite adaptation of the quasi-Newton update proposed by Andrei (J. Comput. Appl. Math. 332, 26–44 (2018)) for unconstrained optimization. The two scaling parameters of the method are obtained by employing the measure function by Byrd and Nocedal (SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 26, 727–739 (1989)), which ensures that the condition number of the update is minimized. Another important attribute of the method is that its global convergence analysis is conducted without the Lipschitz assumption, which is a strong condition. Furthermore, the two parameters embedded in the scheme help in maintaining a balance in the distribution of the eigenvalues of its update matrix. The method converges globally regardless of the line search procedure employed. Numerical experiments with some methods in the literature show that the scheme is effective.

Clinical usefulness of repeated sputum culture for the identification of pneumonia pathogens: A retrospective study

Sputum culture is essential for identifying pneumonia pathogens, but its sensitivity remains limited. This study evaluated the clinical utility of repeated sputum cultures and factors associated with detecting additional significant isolates in subsequent cultures. We retrospectively analyzed adult patients with pneumonia who underwent three serial sputum cultures at a tertiary hospital between January 2021 and December 2022. We excluded patients with over 48 h interval between each sputum sample or those with coronavirus disease 2019. Initial and subsequent culture results were compared, and clinical factors associated with detecting additional significant isolates were evaluated. A total of 132 patients were included. Sputum quality (p = 0.71) and culture positivity rates (p = 0.25) were similar across serial cultures. Fungi, particularly Candida species, were more frequently isolated from subsequent cultures (p = 0.02). The cumulative detection rate of significant isolates did not improve, although the cumulative number was higher in third than initial cultures (p = 0.01). Hypertension, inappropriate empirical antibiotics, shorter intervals to repeat culture, and greater pneumonia severity were independent risk factors for detecting additional significant isolates. Serial sputum cultures provided limited additional diagnostic information and were not associated with meaningful improvement in the sputum quality, culture positivity, or cumulative detection of significant isolates.

Clinical outcomes of critical limb ischemia in Buerger disease: A contemporary analysis from an academic referral center in Jordan

Objective Buerger disease (BD), thromboangiitis obliterans , is a rare occlusive peripheral arterial disease affecting young smokers. To date, no study has investigated the burden of this disease in Jordan. This study aimed to assess the clinical course and factors associated with adverse outcomes of BD patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) in Jordan. Methods The medical records of all patients with BD who presented with CLI at King Abdullah University Hospital in Jordan between January 2015 and January 2024 were retrospectively retrieved. The epidemiological profile of retrieved cases was collected along with the course of treatment, adverse events, and outcome. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the relationships between patient presentation, treatment course, and outcome. Results The study comprised 41 BD patients with Rutherford categories (RC) (IV-VI). The majority were males (95.1%) in their third decade (51.2%). Most patients (92.7%) presented with ischemic ulcerations (RC V, VI). A multivariable regression model revealed that increased C-reactive protein levels (OR = 1.044, 95% CI [1.003, 1.087], p = 0.035), gangrene at presentation (RC VI) (OR = 11.545, 95% CI [1.444, 92.332], p = 0.021), and limb infections at admission (OR = 7.745, 95% CI [1.182, 50.755], p = 0.033) were practical predictors of ending up with major limb amputation. Conclusion In Jordan, BD is associated with a high rate of amputation, which imposes considerable financial and social burdens. Prompt recognition, early management, and stringent smoking cessation measures are imperative to slowing disease progression.

Generalized escape criteria for fractals via convex viscosity approximation iterations

In this manuscript, we present the generation of Mandelbrot sets, Julia set fractals, and Biomorphs using a two-step viscosity approximation method applied to the complex function W ( z ) = z n + u z + r , where n ≥ 2 and u , r ∈ C . The two-step viscosity approximation method is employed to establish new escape criteria for Julia sets, Mandelbrot sets, and Biomorphs. Subsequently, the viscosity approximation process is extended by incorporating m -convexity, and the corresponding escape criteria are generalized for these fractals. Further, we introduce the viscosity approximation process with s -convexity and develop the associated escape criteria for the same fractal structures. Additionally, we provide a comparative visualization of Mandelbrot sets, Julia set fractals, and Biomorphs using the standard viscosity approximation process, as well as its m -convex and s -convex variants, applied to the same complex polynomial function. High-resolution fractal images are produced using MATLAB R2024a with 50 iterations and a figure resolution of 800, highlighting the differences in the resulting structures for identical parameter values.

Fresh aboveground net primary productivity of Tibetan grasslands: Responses of different plant functional groups to climate change and human activities and implications for ecosystem management

Uncertainties remain regarding how climate change and human activities affect the aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of grassland ecosystems, particularly the differential responses of distinct plant functional groups. Here, we investigate the alpine grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau from 2000 to 2022, focusing on the fresh ANPP of the whole plant community and three key functional groups (sedges, graminoids, and forbs). Our objectives are to identify the spatiotemporal trends of ANPP and to determine the dominant drivers (climate vs. human activities) of these changes. Under the combined effects of climate change and human activities, the spatially averaged relative changes in fresh ANPP were –1.15% for the whole community, + 5.67% for sedges, –1.55% for graminoids, and –2.26% for forbs. Regional patterns varied, with some areas showing increasing or decreasing trends over time, while others exhibited no significant change. Climate change dominated 20.79% of the grassland area, human activities dominated 54.26%, and the two drivers jointly dominated 24.95%. When the ANPP of the three functional groups were considered together, the area where all three groups jointly regulated grassland fresh ANPP accounted for the largest proportion (39.12%), followed by areas dominated by forbs (35.43%), sedges (18.27%), and graminoids (7.18%). These results reveal pronounced geographical heterogeneity in the trends of fresh ANPP, both for the whole community and for individual functional groups. Human activities exert a larger controlling influence than climate change over the observed ANPP changes. Moreover, the contribution of each functional group to community ANPP varies spatially. Our findings provide a scientific basis for understanding grassland ecosystem functioning and for developing targeted conservation and management strategies.

To the moon: Retail investor attention and sentiment across asset types in online media

Social media facilitates community building for users of varied and broad interests. Personal and retail (individual non-professional) investment communities have grown popular, and some engage in commentary on currencies and market events, while others coordinate action within markets. This analysis quantifies online and social media data about the US dollar and gold, as well as cryptocurrencies and stocks subject to attention shocks (including meme stocks), from 2020 through 2023. Using Quid’s social media listening platform, mentions of these four distinct topics were collected and analyzed separately to quantify the volume of mentions and sentiment of search results on a weekly basis. Statistical relationships between the asset groups and major events in the study period are explored; we assess public reactions to the regional bank failures, GameStop and AMC short squeeze events and the evolution of the crypto market. Large volumes of online media commentary on these topics suggest a sustained high level of interest in currency and investment markets, with evidence of the increasing influence of online communities in how the public views or talks about these markets.

Seasonal metabolic and growth responses of grazing beef heifers divergent in residual feed intake

This study involved 41 crossbred, black-hided beef heifers that were measured in a drylot for residual feed intake (RFI) at 11 ± 1 months of age and classified into more (LOW-RFI; n = 21; –0.96 ± 0.70 kg DM/day) or less efficient (HIGH-RFI; n = 20; 1.40 ± 1.00 kg DM/day) groups. Heifer metabolism and growth performance were evaluated from 14 ± 1 months of age (351 ± 40 kg initial body weight [BW]) across summer and winter in Western Canada. Weather conditions were characterized using the Comprehensive Climate Index (CCI). Rumen temperature (RT) was recorded every 10 minutes using an automated bolus device. Plasma and BW were collected every 18 ± 5 days from July to August and January to March to measure urea nitrogen, non-esterified fatty acids, insulin-like growth factor 1, β-hydroxybutyric acid, leptin, free triiodothyronine (fT 3 ), haptoglobin, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), gamma-aminobutyric acid, and serotonin, and growth performance. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using SAS 9.4. LOW-RFI tended to have greater fT 3 and HSP70 ( P  = 0.08), while exhibiting lower haptoglobin concentrations ( P  = 0.02) in summer. Gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations were greater in LOW-RFI during periods of no heat stress ( P  = 0.01) and tended to decrease in HIGH-RFI under severe risk of cold stress ( P  = 0.08) based on CCI. Comparatively, HIGH-RFI had higher leptin concentrations during winter ( P  = 0.04) than LOW-RFI. During summer, HIGH-RFI exhibited greater RT between 1:00–6:00, 10:00–12:00, and 20:00–22:00 ( P  = 0.002). In contrast, HIGH-RFI had lower RTs on the coldest winter days ( P  = 0.009). In both seasons, growth performance did not differ between RFI groups ( P  ≥ 0.24). In conclusion, feed efficiency measured in the drylot was associated with subsequent metabolic responses during grazing, and these responses were influenced by weather-related stress, with more efficient animals showing greater adaptability to weather fluctuations.