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Simple Summary: Fatal injuries in Thoroughbred racehorses typically occur due to an accumulation of bone damage, however, detecting their impending onset can be difficult as there are often no overt signs. In other horse populations, facial grimacing has been shown to be associated with orthopaedic pain. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate facial expressions of Thoroughbred racehorses at the trot to identify if there were subtle signs of pain in mildly lame compared to non-lame horses. Two independent observers assessed 22 facial expression parameters using still photographs of the head from video-recorded trot-ups. There were few expressions associated with lameness except for more exposed whites of the eye in lame horses. Thus, facial pain scoring may not be adequate for the detection of subtle lameness in racehorses who work in a racing stable environment. Musculoskeletal injuries in racehorses are difficult to detect prior to catastrophic breakdown. Lameness is commonly attributed to orthopaedic pain in horses, therefore, subtle lameness may be a pre-clinical sign of injury and, if identified early, could allow for preventative intervention. Our objective was to determine if facial expressions could be used to detect mild lameness as an indicator of orthopaedic pain in 'fit to race' horses. The Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) and the facial expressions in ridden horses (FEReq), were used to score images (n = 380) of mildly lame (n = 21) and non-lame (n = 17) Thoroughbred horses by two independent observers. Using an Equinosis Lameness Locator®, the lameness status of each horse was determined according to published thresholds [forelimb lameness (>|14.5 mm|) and hindlimb lameness (>|7.5 mm|)]. Inter and intraobserver reliability were assessed using two-way random-effects models. Univariable associations between lameness and facial expression parameters were identified using logistic and linear regression. Interobserver reliability was moderate (κ 0.45; 95% CI 0.36, 0.55). Horses with moderate mouth strain (HGS) and tense and extended upper lip (FEReq) were less likely to be lame (p = 0.042 and p = 0.027, respectively). Exposed sclera was associated with lameness (p = 0.045). Higher orbital tightening (HGS) scores were associated with a lower degree of maximum head amplitude (HDmax) lameness (p = 0.044). Tension and moderate tension above the eye, for the HGS and FEReq scores, were associated with increasing amplitude of HDmax (p = 0.048 and p = 0.034, respectively). Inconsistent associations between lameness status and HGS and FEReq scores may limit the potential use of the facial expression for the prediction of mild orthopaedic pain during pre-race lameness examinations. More objective parameters associated with mild orthopaedic pain should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the impact of a major life event–death–on the physical, psychological and social well-being of the deceased’s close friends. We utilised data from a large longitudinal survey covering a period of 14 years (2002–2015) consisting a cohort of 26,515 individuals in Australia, of whom 9,586 had experienced the death of at least one close friend. This longitudinal cohort dataset comprises responses to the SF-36 (health related quality of life measure) and allowed for analysis of the short and longer-term impacts of bereavement. In order to manage the heterogeneity of the socio-demographics of respondents who did/not experience a death event, we use a new and robust approach known as the Entropy Balancing method to construct a set of weights applied to the bereaved group and the control group (the group that did not experience death). This approach enables us to match the two groups so that the distribution of socio-demographic variables between the two groups are balanced. These variables included gender, age, marital status, ethnicity, personality traits, religion, relative socio-economic disadvantage, economic resources, and education and occupation and where they resided. The data show, for the first time, a range of negative and enduring consequences experienced by people following the death of a close friend. Significant adverse physical and psychological well-being, poorer mental health and social functioning occur up to four years following bereavement. Bereaved females experienced a sharper fall in vitality, suffered greater deterioration in mental health, impaired emotional and social functioning than the male counterparts up to four years after the death. The data show that the level of social connectedness plays an important role in bereavement outcomes. Specifically, we found that less socially active respondents experienced a longer deterioration in physical and psychological health. Finally, we found evidence that the death of a close friend lowered the respondent’s satisfaction with their health. Since death of friends is a universal phenomenon, we conclude the paper by reflecting on the need to recognise the death of a close friend as a substantial experience, and to offer support and services to address this disenfranchised grief. Recognising bereaved friends as a group experiencing adverse outcomes can be used internationally to prompt health and psychological services to assist this specific group, noting that there may be substantial longevity to the negative sequelae of the death of a friend. Facilitating bereaved people’s support networks may be a fruitful approach to minimising these negative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the magnitude of responses to vaccination during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is essential for ultimate mitigation of the disease. Here, we describe a cohort of 102 subjects (70 COVID-19-naïve, 32 COVID-19-experienced) who received two doses of one of the mRNA vaccines (BNT162b2 (Pfizer–BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna)). We document that a single exposure to antigen via infection or vaccination induces a variable antibody response which is affected by age, gender, race, and co-morbidities. In response to a second antigen dose, both COVID-19-naïve and experienced subjects exhibited elevated levels of anti-spike and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing activity; however, COVID-19-experienced individuals achieved higher antibody levels and neutralization activity as a group. The COVID-19-experienced subjects exhibited no significant increase in antibody or neutralization titer in response to the second vaccine dose (i.e., third antigen exposure). Finally, we found that COVID-19-naïve individuals who received the Moderna vaccine exhibited a more robust boost response to the second vaccine dose (p = 0.004) as compared to the response to Pfizer–BioNTech. Ongoing studies with this cohort will continue to contribute to our understanding of the range and durability of responses to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]