Frontiers in Veterinary Science

Background: Lumbar disc herniation, with or without concomitant disc degeneration, is a major cause of lumbar radiculopathy and low back pain, which also a key public musculoskeletal disorder without an exact pathophysiology. Studies have suggested that inflammatory cells and biochemical markers of inflammation also play an important role in lumbar radiculopathy in addition to nerve compression. The aim of the present study was to assess the association of selected circulatory inflammatory markers (CRP, hs-CRP and E-selectin) in patients with lumbar disc herniation without radiological degeneration (LDH) and lumbar disc herniation with radiological degeneration (LDHD). Materials & methods: This case-control study included 208 participants, comprising 104 patients with lumbar disc pathology and 104 controls. Patients were further stratified into LDH (n=67) and LDHD (n=37). Serum CRP, hs-CRP and E-selectin concentrations were measured. Results: Among the patients, 35.6 % presented with LDHD while 64.4 % had only LDH. Significantly increased median hs-CRP (p<0.001) and CRP (p<0.001) were observed in patients groups compared to controls, while CRP showing a consistent independent association across the combined disease (OR=1.68, 95% CI=1.33-2.14, p<0.001), LDHD (OR=1.62, 95% CI=1.16-2.20, p=0.005) and LDH (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.30-2.20, p<0.001) multivariable models. No significant difference was observed in serum E-selectin between the study groups. Multivariable models incorporating inflammatory and clinical variables demonstrated substantially greater discriminatory performance than individual biomarkers alone. Conclusion: Elevated circulating CRP and hs-CRP concentrations were associated with lumbar disc pathology, with CRP showing a consistent independent association across the combined disease, LDH and LDHD multivariable models, whereas E-selectin showed no significant association. Multivariable models incorporating inflammatory and clinical variables demonstrated greater discriminatory performance than individual biomarkers. These findings support a potential systemic inflammatory component in lumbar disc pathology, although the cross-sectional nature of the measurements does not establish causality or a local inflammatory response within the disc.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) remains an economically important pathogen of cattle despite widespread vaccination. A homozygous CD46-edited Gir heifer (Ginger) was previously shown to have significantly reduced susceptibility to BVDV. The edited allele contains an in-frame six amino acid substitution within the virus-binding domain of the BVDV entry receptor CD46, replacing residues G82QVLAL with A82LPTFS. Here, we investigated whether reduced BVDV susceptibility is maintained when the edited allele is inherited in the heterozygous state. Ginger was artificially inseminated with semen from an unedited Gir bull and produced a healthy heterozygous CD46-edited bull calf (Giraldo). Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the inheritance and structural integrity of Giraldo's edited allele. Compared with Ginger, Giraldo exhibited similarly reduced ex vivo BVDV susceptibility across primary fibroblasts, lymphocytes, and monocytes, despite inheriting a wild-type CD46 allele from the sire. Allele-specific CD46 RNA expression analysis demonstrated expression of both the edited and wild-type CD46 alleles. Thus, the reduced-susceptibility phenotype was not attributable to transcriptional silencing of the wild-type allele. Lentiviral complementation studies in CD46-knockout Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells further demonstrated that this wild-type CD46 allele was competent to support BVDV infection when expressed independently. Together, these findings indicate that the CD46 A82LPTFS allele can confer reduced BVDV susceptibility in the heterozygous state despite expression of a functional wild-type CD46 allele. This result suggests the potential to more rapidly disseminate reduced BVDV susceptibility through conventional breeding using homozygous CD46-edited sires.

Study design Retrospective cohort study. Objectives To correlate Hounsfield unit (HU) values, using elliptical regions of interest (ROI), that can be easily defined in routine clinical practice with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2-hyperintense area fraction, as a surrogate for paraspinal muscle fat infiltration and to establish specific HU screening thresholds that may be applied with standard picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Methods We included 136 patients (71 men; 61.0 {+/-} 15.4 years) who underwent preoperative computed tomography (CT) and MRI within an 8-week period. Elliptical ROI HU values were measured at L2/3 and L4/5 for erector spinae, multifidus, and psoas major. MRI T2-hyperintense area fraction (Otsu thresholding) served as the fat infiltration reference. Linear mixed-effects (LME) models were used to assess the HU-T2 association and level-specific receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses (lower HU value side; n=136 per muscle-level) to identify thresholds for [&ge;]30% and [&ge;]50% infiltration criteria. Results Intraclass coefficients = 0.709 (HU) and 0.857 (T2 fraction); Goutallier weighted kappa = 0.579. In the overall LME, {beta} was -0.880 HU per 1% T2-fraction increase (95% confidence interval -0.935 to -0.825; marginal R2 =0.502); the association was steeper in multifidus ({beta} = -1.020) than in erector spinae ({beta} = -0.753). Psoas major (R = -0.226) was excluded from ROC analyses. Difference between L2/3 and L4/5 HU cutoffs was ~20 HU. The [&ge;]50% criterion revealed higher discrimination. Conclusions Elliptical ROI-based HU measurements may reliably screen paraspinal muscle fat infiltration in erector spinae and multifidus using standard PACS. Specific thresholds may allow practical preoperative evaluation without additional costs or radiation.

Background Little evidence is available on the epidemiology of different knee injuries at a whole-of-population level. The objective of this article is to provide accurate estimates of knee injury incidence by harnessing the unique comprehensive, population-wide data of New Zealand's universal no-fault injury insurance provider, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). Methods We obtained insurance claims data from ACC covering all knee injury insurance claims approved between 2015 and 2024. We calculated the number of injuries and the incidence rate per 100 000 population, by injury type, year, sex, ethnicity, and age. Results The total number of injuries increased from 184 710 (4 067 per 100 000 population) in 2015 to 244 155 (4 701 per 100 000) in 2024. The most common injuries were other/unspecified ligament sprains, contusions, and collateral ligament sprains. Ligament and cartilage injuries were more common for males than for females, while contusions were more common for females. Ligament tears and dislocations were more common in younger people (15 to 35 years of age), while cartilage injuries were more common at older ages (40 to 65 years). Discussion and Conclusions The rate of knee injuries observed in this study was higher than previously reported in other settings, probably due to broader coverage of injuries treated in primary and community care settings. A broad range of injuries were common, including those that have received less attention in the epidemiological literature to date. More research is needed on the prevention, burden, and outcomes of different knee injuries, beyond a narrow focus on cruciate ligament injuries.

Occupational ocular injuries are a preventable yet neglected public health problem, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Maintenance workers are exposed to diverse ocular hazards daily, yet compliance with protective measures is consistently poor. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 85 maintenance workers at the Maintenance and Essential Services Organization (MESO) of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, recruited through stratified convenience sampling across seven occupational sections. A structured questionnaire assessed knowledge of ocular hazards and protective equipment, attitudes toward ocular safety, and safety practices. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA); chi-square and Fishers exact tests assessed associations (p < 0.05). Participants were predominantly male (84/85, 98.8%), with a mean age of 44.5 {+/-} 10.4 years. Overall knowledge was good (mean 9.40 {+/-} 1.59 out of 11), but attitude and practice scores were average (2.78 {+/-} 0.92 and 3.27 {+/-} 0.93, respectively). Most workers correctly identified goggles and face shields as protective, but only about half recognized that ordinary sunglasses and spectacles offer inadequate protection. Although 97.6% (83/85) recognized the need for ocular protection, only 7.1% (6/85) reported consistent protective eyewear use, and fewer than half (45.9%, 39/85) had received formal ocular safety training. Routine general protective equipment use was significantly associated with ocular protection use (Fishers exact test, p = 0.011). Sand and dust particles were the leading causes of injury and only 25% (5/20) of injured workers sought formal care. Workers demonstrated good knowledge but poor attitudes and practices toward ocular safety, suggesting that knowledge alone does not translate into protective behaviour even within a relatively well-resourced institutional setting. Findings suggest that limited access to task-appropriate protective eyewear may represent an important institutional barrier. Institutional PPE supply and section-specific safety training are essential to bridge this knowledge-practice gap.

Occupational injuries remain a cause of preventable morbidity and death, but evidence from emergency departments in Nigeria is limited. This retrospective study described occupational injuries treated at two hydropower plant hospitals between May 2020 and December 2022. Records of 120 patients were reviewed using a standardized abstraction form. Data were summarized using frequencies and percentages, and associations were assessed using chi-square tests. Vehicular crashes were the leading cause of injury (50.0%), lacerations were the most frequent injury type (39.2%), and the head/face was the most commonly affected single site (30.0%). Most patients were discharged (85.0%); 12.5% were transferred and 3.3% died. Serious injuries accounted for 40.8% of cases. Injury type was associated with discharge and injury severity, while injury site was associated with discharge and transfer. These findings support stronger workplace prevention, timely emergency assessment, and clearer referral pathways for injured workers.

Objective White smoke inhalation injury (WSI) causes severe acute lung damage with no specific therapy currently available. Sphingolipid metabolism is implicated in pulmonary inflammation, but its transcriptional regulatory landscape in WSI remains unexplored. This study aimed to identify key sphingolipid metabolism related genes and evaluate their regulatory roles and therapeutic potential in WSI. Methods We established a rat model of WSI and performed integrated bulk RNA sequencing, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA), and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) to screen for differentially expressed sphingolipid metabolism-related genes (DESRGs). Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network with four centrality algorithms was used to prioritize hub genes. In silico gene knockout and molecular docking were conducted to assess regulatory functions and identify potential drug candidates. Results We identified 22 DESRGs that were predominantly enriched in DNA replication and cell cycle pathways rather than canonical sphingolipid metabolic processes. PPI consensus prioritized three hub genes--Top2a, Ttk, and Ccna2--with Top2a exhibiting the highest expression in epithelial cells and significant downregulation after smoke exposure. ScRNAseq revealed immune cell infiltration and epithelial differentiation trajectories. Virtual knockout showed that Top2a depletion affected the largest transcriptomic fraction (~0.4%) and was enriched in lysosome biogenesis, innate immunity, phagocytosis, and lipid catabolism. Molecular docking identified thalidomide as a high affinity ligand for Top2a (Vina score: -8.5 kcal/mol). Conclusion Our multiomics integrative framework identifies Top2a as a central regulatory hub linking sphingolipid associated inflammation to epithelial responses in WSI, and nominates thalidomide as a potential drug repurposing candidate. These findings provide prioritized targets for future translational investigation.

Objectives To analyse the long-term effects of a cruciate ligament (CL) injury on health and socioeconomic outcomes. Methods We used a comprehensive national injury insurance database to identify CL injuries occurring in New Zealand between 2009 and 2022, and employed a doubly robust staggered difference-in-differences research design to identify the effects of these injuries on outcomes up to 10 years after injury. The outcomes of interest were healthcare use (hospitalisations, emergency department visits, medications, knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis), associated healthcare costs, and labour market outcomes (employment rates, income, and government benefit payments). Results We identified 61 344 CL injuries for inclusion in the analysis. Over 10-year follow-up, a CL injury resulted in increased healthcare use (0.6 more hospitalizations [95%CI 0.4 to 0.7], 1.7 more days spent in hospital [95%CI 1.3 to 2.1], 0.4 more emergency department visits [95%CI 0.3 to 0.6], 2.5 more outpatient visits [95%CI 1.8 to 3.2], and 4.7 more medications dispensed [95%CI -1.8 to 11.2]) and public healthcare costs ($7 537; 95%CI 5 888 to 9 186), reduced income (-$6 060; 95%CI -11 644 to -475), and increased benefit payments ($1 152; 95%CI 542 to 1 761). Conclusion CL injuries have long-term impacts on healthcare use and socioeconomic outcomes. Strategies to reduce the incidence of CL injuries have the potential to realise large health and economic benefits.

Background: Heatwrap is recommended for acute low back pain (ALBP), and previous research found heatwrap plus exercise more effective than each intervention alone. While recommended by clinical guidelines, their impact on mechanistic outcomes is unknown. This trial aimed to (i) assess immediate and short-term effects of heatwrap alone or combined with exercise, compared with a sham heatwrap, on pain sensitivity, lumbar muscle activity, current pain intensity, and trunk flexion range of motion, and (ii) explore whether changes in pain sensitivity and lumbar muscle activity are associated with changes in clinical symptoms from baseline to 1-week follow-up. Methods: A randomised controlled trial took place at a single research center. Of 315 individuals screened for eligibility, 99 adults with ALBP were recruited and assigned to one of three intervention groups: heatwrap plus exercise (n=34), heatwrap alone (n=33) or sham heatwrap (n=32). Interventions were applied for one hour at the first visit, and immediate effects were measured. Then, interventions were applied for 7 days, and short-term effects were measured at 1-week follow-up. Outcomes included pressure pain threshold, temporal summation of pain, flexion-relaxation ratio, trunk range of motion and current pain intensity. Results: Heatwrap and exercise did not produce greater effects over time than heatwrap alone or a sham heatwrap on all outcomes, and changes in sensorimotor outcomes at one week were not associated with changes in symptoms. Conclusions: Heatwrap and/or exercises did not influence specifically the potential sensorimotor mechanisms tested in individuals with ALBP. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; registration number: NCT03986047

Background: In Denmark, perioperative high-dose glucocorticoid treatment were step-wisely implemented for total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). We aimed to estimate the effect of a single high dose of glucocorticoids on opioid consumption following primary THA, TKA, and UKA. Methods: This was a prespecified analysis of a multicenter natural experiment using electronic health record data. We included elective THA, TKA, or UKA surgeries performed in Eastern Denmark from 2017-2025. At each center, surgeries before implementation of high-dose glucocorticoids served as controls, whereas surgeries after implementation comprised the intervention group. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in cumulative 0-24h opioid consumption, which included preemptive end-of-surgery doses. The predefined minimal important difference was set at 5 mg IV morphine equivalents. Secondary outcomes were maximum 0-10 numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score and incidence of opioid-related adverse events within 24 hours, hospital length of stay, and days alive and out of hospital at 30 days. Results: A total of 47,317 surgeries performed at nine centers were analyzed: 13,010 controls and 34,307 in the intervention group. During the study period, five centers implemented high-dose glucocorticoids for THA patients, two for TKA/UKA patients. High-dose glucocorticoids were administered to 6% of patients before implementation versus 92% after. High-dose glucocorticoids resulted in a mean reduction of 3.8 mg intravenous (IV) morphine equivalents (95% CI 3.3;4.3). The intervention also reduced the maximum 0-24h NRS pain score by 0.8 points (99% CI 0.7;0.9), but there was no difference in adverse events, length of stay, or days alive and out of hospital. Conclusions: Implementation of high-dose glucocorticoids reduced 0-24-hour opioid consumption by 3.8 mg IV morphine equivalents after elective hip and knee arthroplasty. This difference was below the prespecified minimal important difference threshold. Online registration: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.11.11.25339982

Background: Chronic wounds, ulcers, and lacerations require staged debridement and irrigation to promote healing. However, conventional techniques of debridement, such as surgical, chemical, or autolytic, struggle to fully remove residual necrotic tissue, slough, and unhealthy granulation from wound sites, especially when lodged within wound clefts and cavities, and in wounds with exposed structures. This promotes polymicrobial biofilms, delays wound closure, and causes significant discomfort with increased morbidity. Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of using an indigenously developed tunable flat-jet hydro-debridement device (presently termed as CleanseJet), a frugal wound debridement system designed for deployment in resource-constrained clinical settings. Methods: An open-label, interventional, single-centre, parallel-group pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted to clinically evaluate an indigenously developed tunable flat-jet hydro-debridement device in patients with wounds of varied aetiology. The device provided adjustable spray impact force and coverage area tailored to wound characteristics. Outcomes were compared with a control group receiving standard wound care alone, with time to complete granulation serving as the primary healing endpoint. Outcomes were compared with a control cohort receiving standard of care alone. Results: The removal of loose devitalized tissue, slough, and biofilms from the wound bed improved the healing, which were monitored using the SINBAD scoring system. No adverse events were reported, supporting the feasibility and safety of CleanseJet. Conclusion: While commercial hydro-debridement systems are effective, they are often costly, rely on disposable components, and require specialized training. In contrast, CleanseJet provides a low-cost, easy-to-use alternative that can be operated with minimal training, making it suitable for broader clinical use without observed adverse effects.

Background: Newly available arm angle data offers a new dimension to understand rising rates of arm injury in MLB pitchers. Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between arm angle, pitch characteristics, and elbow and forearm injury in MLB pitchers.<br><br> Study Design: Retrospective cohort study; Level of evidence, 3 Methods: Statcast data from 2020 to 2025 and MLB injured list (IL) data were used to evaluate arm angle and pitch characteristics in relation to elbow and forearm injuries. Results are presented with and without requirements on prior season workload and for same-season and next-season injury incidence. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to capture non-linear dependence and interactions between selected features and injury incidence to the elbow or forearm. Average marginal effect (AME) odds ratios are reported for main effect terms. Results: N = 3,812 pitcher-seasons were included. 29% pitchers who underwent UCLR did so in the same season as a forearm injury (tmean=44, tmedian=27 days to surgery). Arm angle, fastball usage, and their interaction were the three most predictive features. Arm angle was positively related to incidence of injury (ORmeanAME=1.014), fastball usage was inversely related to incidence of injury (ORmeanAME=0.243), and arm angle moderated the effect fastball usage at high arm angle, where increased usage was no longer protective. Slider velocity (ORmeanAME=1.072), spin rate (ORmeanAME=1.001), and usage (ORmeanAME=2.039) also significantly predicted injury risk. Fastball velocity was not significant in any fit, with ORmeanAME=0.999 across all fits. Fit-level Nagelkerke R2 values ranged from .019 to .052. Conclusion: Fastball usage and arm angle, not velocity, predicted elbow and forearm injury risk among MLB pitchers, and arm angle was the single most predictive feature. The heterogeneity of risk factors as a function of arm angle, and the novelty of MLB arm angle data, may explain why fastball usage has been previously underexplored as a risk factor. Keywords: baseball; arm angle; fastball velocity; fastball usage; spin rate; UCL; ulnar collateral ligament; elbow injury; forearm injury; Statcast

Three-dimensional (3D) mural cell morphology is heterogeneous and coupled to vessel geometry, however, measurements from two-dimensional (2D) maximum intensity projections (MIP) obscure overlapping processes and cell-vessel contacts. Accordingly, we developed Mural-VISTA, a semi-automated Python workflow for mural cell-vessel interaction and single-cell topo-morphology analysis of reconstructed surface meshes. This workflow integrates mesh pretreatment, interactive centerline extraction, hierarchical segmentation of cell soma, main axis and secondary processes (branches), and extraction of 36 multiscale (cell process segment level, process level, and whole cell level) topo-morphological and vessel-referenced metrics. Mural-VISTA identified morphological changes in pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) with altered RhoA activity. Constitutive active RhoA (RhoA CA) over-expression reduced branch complexity and increased process alignment in both cell types, while increased whole-cell and branch solidity only in vSMCs. Dominant negative RhoA (RhoA DN) over-expression increased branch abundance and reduced branch solidity in pericytes but not vSMCs, suggesting cell-type specific effect of reduced RhoA activity. In conclusion, Mural-VISTA enables quantitative 3D profiling of mural cell architecture and its spatial relationship with the vessel.

Background: Fluctuations in pain intensity are intrinsic to non-specific chronic low back pain (nsCLBP). Nevertheless, pain fluctuations have rarely been considered when investigating pathophysiological mechanisms. Therefore, a novel study protocol was developed and implemented to systematically assess the impact of fluctuating pain states on pain-related measures. Methods: The final study cohort consisted of 45 nsCLBP patients and 47 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Patients participated in three visits, conducted during different pain states (i.e. clinically relevant pain, low-intensity clinical pain / pain-free, clinically irrelevant pain induced using a Qutenza 8% capsaicin patch). Pain fluctuations were monitored through online assessments every four days and guided the pseudorandomized visit scheduling. HCs participated in a single visit. Each study visit comprised a multimodal battery of pain-related measures. Results: 93.33% of patients completed all three visit types in a pseudorandomized order (chi-squared=1.50, p=0.826). Visit scheduling was possible due to the high self-report adherence (median=93.48%), unrelated to self-report burden (rho=-0.097, p=0.53). Study visits were conducted during different pain states, as indicated by: i) the significantly higher low back pain intensity in the clinically relevant pain visit (mean[SD]: 3.98[0.90]), compared to the low-intensity clinical pain (1.03[0.86]) and clinically irrelevant pain (1.13[0.82]) visits (p-values<0.001), as well as by ii) the successful induction of a moderate-to-high clinically irrelevant pain across assessments. Conclusion: Despite scheduling complexity and pain state transition uncertainty, a pain state-dependent pseudorandomized study design is feasible and could improve the understanding of nsCLBP mechanisms.

Background and purpose: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a multifaceted condition where proximal, local, and distal factors may contribute to symptoms and limitations. How these factors collectively contribute to PFPS remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study compared proximal, local, and distal mechanical characteristics between individuals with and without PFPS and investigated their association with pain intensity and functional disability. Methods: Eighty participants were included: 40 individuals with unilateral or bilateral PFPS, 40 healthy controls. Isometric muscle strength of hip, trunk, and ankle was assessed using a handheld dynamometer. Joint alignment (Q-angle, rearfoot angle, pelvic tilt) and muscle flexibility (iliotibial band, hamstrings, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and soleus) were measured using standard clinical techniques. Pain severity was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and functional disability was evaluated using the Kujala score. Results: Individuals with PFPS showed reduced iliotibial band flexibility, decreased hamstring and soleus length, lower hip abductor strength, and greater anterior and lateral pelvic tilt (all p < 0.02). Multivariate analysis identified reduced iliotibial band flexibility (OR = 7.48) and greater anterior pelvic tilt (OR = 11.75) as independent associates of PFPS. Anterior pelvic tilt predicted pain severity, while anterior trunk muscle strength and Q-angle predicted disability. Discussion: Reduced iliotibial band flexibility and increased anterior pelvic tilt were independently associated with PFPS, while anterior pelvic tilt predicted pain severity and anterior trunk muscle strength and Q-angle predicted functional disability. Clinical assessment and rehabilitation of PFPS should therefore extend beyond the knee to include iliotibial band flexibility, pelvic alignment, and trunk muscle strength.

The southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) population at San Nicolas Island, California, has been monitored annually since the translocation of 140 sea otters to the island was completed in 1990. Monitoring efforts have varied in frequency and method across years. In 2017, in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally initiated a sea otter monitoring and research plan to determine the effects of military readiness activities on the growth or decline of the southern sea otter population at San Nicolas Island. The monitoring program, at its basic level, includes quarterly seasonal surveys of population abundance, distribution, and foraging activity. This report presents data from the program with a focus on the recent three years from winter 2023 through winter (February) 2026. From 2023 to 2026, we measured an 8.1-percent per annum decrease in population abundance (95-percent confidence interval =1.1-14.6 percent), with 106 total individuals counted as of February 2026. Historically, sea otter habitat usage at San Nicolas Island was concentrated on the west end of the island. Between 2017 and 2019, we observed increased seasonal usage of the north and south sides of the island, and in 2020-2022, a large (approximately 30-40 individuals) group of sea otters (raft) took up residence off the east end. During 2023-2026 the east end raft disappeared, and sea otters returned to their historical habitat usage patterns at the west end of the island. Foraging data were collected from summer 2023 to winter 2026 on a total of 461 foraging dives in 32 foraging bouts, and the majority of identified prey on successful dives (n=325) were sea urchins (124) followed by snails (48), bivalves (41) and crabs (23). One lobster and one octopus were also identified among the sea otter prey items. We combined these data with data from 2020-2022 to estimate overall energy intake rates that averaged 7.7 kilocalories per minute (95-percent credible interval =6.6-9.1 kilocalories per minute). These results can be useful to the planning of future monitoring and research of sea otters at San Nicolas Island.

Objective: To determine whether the most cited and the most publicly discussed benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) literature describe the same body of work, and whether clinicians and patients read different evidence. Methods: Four Boolean Web of Science searches and four matched Altmetric Explorer searches were run in February 2024, restricted to literature indexed with urologic terminology, and screened in duplicate. Two arms were assembled: the 50 most-cited articles (citation census May 2024) and the 50 with the highest Altmetric Attention Scores. Funding source and intervention focus were hand-coded from the full text of all 100 articles; open-access status came from Unpaywall. Arms were compared with Mann-Whitney U and Fisher exact tests Results: Eight of 50 articles (16%) appeared in both arms. Citation selected articles were older (median 2008 versus 2018, p<0.001), more often randomized trials (58% versus 22%, p<0.001), and more often published in urology-specific journals (96% versus 66%, p<0.001). Industry funded 50% versus 18% of articles (p=0.001) and non-industry sources 8% versus 36% (p=0.001). Only 10% of citation-selected articles were open access versus 56% (p<0.001). Attention data were recoverable for only 13 citation-selected articles (median score 9 versus 17). The two arms were cited in the 2026 AUA BPH Guideline at indistinguishable rates (22% versus 20%, p=1.00). Conclusions: These are largely distinct bodies of work, separated most decisively by whether they can be read without a subscription, yet both inform guideline development equally. Patients arrive with evidence systematically different from, and no less guideline-relevant than, that underpinning their urologist's training.

Background: Sweeping sliders with large horizontal break are hypothesized to be associated with arm injury, and prior work suggests a link between slider usage, arm angle, and injury. Purpose: To evaluate whether arm angle and slider horizontal movement are associated with elbow or forearm injury risk in MLB pitchers. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study; Level of evidence, 3 Methods: Statcast data from 2020-2025 and injury data were used to study the relationship between sliders and arm injuries. Pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched (IP) were evaluated for same- and next-season injury incidence to the Elbow, Forearm, or Elbow/Forearm. A generalized additive model (GAM) related pitch-level variables to injury incidence, and average marginal effect (AME) odds ratios are reported for main effects. Results: All fits were significant at p<.01. Fits for same-season (N=1,957, p=.00008, R2=.066) and next-season (N=2,511, p=.00005, R2=.053) Elbow/Forearm injury were significant at p<.001. Same-season (R2=.061) and next-season (R2=.055) Forearm injury fits had p=.001. Main effects for slider glove-side movement and fastball usage, their interactions with arm angle, and arm angle main effects were the most predictive features. Across the three fits where the slider glove-side movement main effect was significant, odds ratios ranged from 1.03 to 1.07, meaning that each additional inch of slider glove-side movement was associated with a 3% to 7% increase in the observed injury incidence. Furthermore, this effect was magnified at high arm angle and muted at low arm angle. Conclusion: We observed that slider horizontal movement, arm angle, and their interaction were significantly associated with incidence of Forearm and combined Elbow/Forearm injury. This effect was weak or non-existent at low arm angles and strong at high arm angles, suggesting that arm angle moderates the risk of slider horizontal movement, and providing evidence that sliders with large horizontal break (e.g. sweepers) may pose an injury risk. Keywords: baseball; sweeper; slider; arm angle; horizontal movement; elbow injury; forearm injury

The exponential increase in the number of genotyped animals, combined with the availability of high-density SNP chips has introduced computational challenges for routine genomic evaluations, particularly during the construction of the genomic relationship matrix. Although higher-density SNP panels can facilitate the identification of causal mutations, their use substantially increases computational requirements without a proportional gain in genomic prediction performance. To optimize computational efficiency while maintaining accuracy of genomic predictions, this study compared five SNP selection strategies (i.e., random sampling, random sampling with inclusion of informative SNPs, linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based pruning, a Shannon entropy-based machine learning approach, and [[EQUATION]]-based prioritization) to develop reduced-density panels for Nellore cattle. Using high-density (HD) genotype data comprising 437,650 SNPs from 304,782 animals (after quality control) as reference, three reduced-density panels (25K, 45K, and 65K SNPs) panels were tested across five traits (i.e., Age at first calving, Stayability, Weaning weight, Yearling weight, Muscling) with diverse genetic architectures. Genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) derived from these reduced panels were compared to those obtained from the HD reference panel using Pearsons correlations, under both genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) methods. In the GBLUP model, prediction accuracy generally improved with increased marker density. Random selection with and without the informative SNPs consistently yielded the highest accuracies, whereas the [[EQUATION]]-based approach showed the lowest agreement with the HD reference across all densities. In contrast, ssGBLUP demonstrated strong robustness to marker reduction, producing uniformly high correlations {approx}1.00) across all SNP densities and selection strategies. These findings indicate that optimized low-density SNP panels maintain prediction accuracy comparable to HD panels, offering a cost-effective tool for large-scale genomic evaluations.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) comprise a highly diverse group of seven serotypes (from A-G) and over 40 subtypes worldwide. Previous primer- and probe-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for detection of BoNT encoding genes are challenged by high levels of nucleotide polymorphism both across and within subtypes. In this study, multiple BoNT gene sequences were aligned to identify highly conserved regions for the design of new primers that enable the detection of all seven serotypes under the same conditions. Specific primer sets were designed and validated using in silico, conventional and real-time PCR with constructed plasmids carrying the target fragments and spiked food matrices. The established procedure achieved highly specific and sensitive detection of BoNT serotypes A-G with sensitivity of 10 copies/reaction and a total turnaround time of approximately 1.5 hours. The procedure also eliminated the carryover PCR product by using uracil-N-glycosylase in combination with dUTP in the assay reaction mix. This study provides an alternative NAAT with higher coverage and compliments the traditional mouse bioassays in enhancing global botulism surveillance capabilities.