Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Defended my master’s thesis today!

My paper was on the epidemiology of suspected theobromine (chocolate) ingestion in UK dogs.

I’m now officially a postgrad! 🎉

Next step is publication and job hunting 😅📝

#mastersdegree #veterinary #epidemiology #RVC

September 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Ed Hill

@edmhill.bsky.social

📰 DEFRA avian influenza update on 06 Mar 2025 #IDSky #IDEpi

🐔 Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 confirmed in commercial poultry premises near Thirsk, North Yorkshire.

📊 26 cases of HPAI H5N1 in England in 2025

🔗 Avian influenza: latest situation in England 👇
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Bird flu (avian influenza): latest situation in England

Find out about the latest bird flu situation in England and guidance for bird keepers and the public.

www.gov.uk

March 7, 2025 at 7:21 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Happy 1st birthday to my gorgeous dwarf hamster Ahsoka! She was the most beautiful pup 🐹🤍 #adopt #rescue #happybirthday

Top image of a white dwarf hamster called Ahsoka. Bottom image of the same dwarf hamster but as a pup (a baby).

November 30, 2024 at 1:41 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Pamela Ann

@justpeachie05.bsky.social

Starter packs are such a great feature of this platform. The first half of my career and grad school were in zoonotic disease research and vet med. Now I work in health informatics but still love to read about vet med!

Rebecca @beka-jane.bsky.social · Nov 21

For anyone new! I have a starter pack for all things veterinary epidemiology, zoonotic disease, and vet public health 🐑🐓🐄🐖

Let me know if you want to be added ☺️

#EpiSky #VetMedSky #IDSky #Veterinary #Epidemiology #publichealth

go.bsky.app/Go5jec9

November 22, 2024 at 5:12 AM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

For anyone new! I have a starter pack for all things veterinary epidemiology, zoonotic disease, and vet public health 🐑🐓🐄🐖

Let me know if you want to be added ☺️

#EpiSky #VetMedSky #IDSky #Veterinary #Epidemiology #publichealth

go.bsky.app/Go5jec9

November 21, 2024 at 12:10 AM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

I have reached 100 followers 🎉 Thanks everyone, it’s been a great couple of weeks since joining 🦋. Looking forward to further building and contributing to the scientific community on BlueSky ☺️

November 19, 2024 at 12:35 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

EC

@elainecboston.bsky.social

H5N1 bird flu has spread to dairy cows in 15 states:
CA, CO, ID, IA, KS, MI, MN, NC, NM, OH, OK, SD, TX, UT & WY

People are being advised NOT to drink raw milk because pasteurization kills the virus in milk (& eggs)

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/11/us-bird-flu-dairy-workers

Bird flu infections more widespread among US dairy workers than thought – study

Rate of dairy workers with antibodies to bird flu significantly higher than known cases of virus

www.theguardian.com

November 17, 2024 at 9:18 AM

Reposted by Rebecca

Brandon Hayes

@brandonhayes.bsky.social

Chuffed to share our latest #EFSA report, investigating the impact of wild boar density on #ASF spread by calibrating a spatially-explicit mechanistic transmission model to high-resolution surveillance data in northern Italy 🕵️🐗🦠🧮🗺️📈
@timvergne.bsky.social @borizook.bsky.social tinyurl.com/yb5s9n6a

Elucidating the influence of wild boar density on African swine fever spread in wild boar populations, Italy, 2022–2023

You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.

efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

November 18, 2024 at 2:29 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Ed Hill

@edmhill.bsky.social

1/ 📄 Avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in dairy cattle: origin, evolution & cross-species transmission | Minireview in mBio

🧪 Discusses epidemiology, evolution, pathogenesis & potential impact of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b in dairy cattle in the United States. #IDsky #EpiSky

doi.org/10.1128/mbio...

Avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in dairy cattle: origin, evolution, and cross-species transmission | mBio

Influenza viruses are classified into four genera, namely Alphainfluenzavirus (influenza A virus [IAV]), Betainfluenzavirus (influenza B virus [IBV]), Gammainfluenzavirus (influenza C virus [ICV]) and...

doi.org

November 17, 2024 at 5:37 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Broadly Epi

@broadlyepi.com

🧪 🛟 H5N1 on the radar: New research maps how mutations in the H5 hemagglutinin protein could impact transmission, stability, and immune escape—key insights for pandemic preparedness. Our Summary: https://buff.ly/4fRbT5w #H5N1 #Influenza #PublicHealth #MedSky #IDSky #EpiSky

Decoding H5 Influenza: How Deep Mutational Scanning Advances Pandemic Preparedness

ALT: an image of a small bird in a tree, with what appears to be a contrasted microscopy image of influenza to its right

buff.ly

November 17, 2024 at 11:00 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Wolf-kissed 🐺 #vpsupport #vprepost #VPBlueMonday #virtualphotography #acvalhalla

Portrait of Eivor from Assassins Creed Valhalla in the rain.

November 18, 2024 at 12:34 AM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

For once a TikTok trend that is actually really fun and joyful! It’s important to have a creative outlet when you’re doing science most days of the week! 🎨

A colouring page of a piebald rabbit wearing earmuffs writing a letter to Santa sitting at their desk watching snow fall outside the window at night. On the desk is a lamp, stationary, and a snow globe. The page was coloured in using alcohol marker pens and gel pens.

November 17, 2024 at 6:05 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

My scientific paper quote of the day “Today’s research will be the basis for tomorrow’s decisions.”

Currently reading papers to critically appraise my own surveillance proposal for early detection surveillance of African Horse Sickness Virus in the UK.

Paper: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22265642/

Policy-driven development of cost-effective, risk-based surveillance strategies - PubMed

Animal health and residue surveillance verifies the good health status of the animal population, thereby supporting international free trade of animals and animal products. However, active surveillanc...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

November 17, 2024 at 3:19 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Hello #StatsSky and #EpiSky !

I would love recommendations of free (or student-budget friendly) resources to teach myself #rstats from scratch.

My university teaches #stata, but a lot of job applications are asking for R.

Any tips for where I should start to learn R basics? Thank you! 📊

November 17, 2024 at 1:43 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Peter Tennant

@pwgtennant.bsky.social

New statistical significance meme!
#StatsSky #EpiSky

Statistics version of the distracted boyfriend meme. The boyfriend is labelled statistical significance. He is turning his head to admire a woman (labelled sample size) to the disgust of his girlfriend (labelled effect size).

November 14, 2024 at 7:46 PM

Reposted by Rebecca

Amy Johnston, PhD

@amydjohn.bsky.social

Step 1: Download all the papers.
Step 2: Never read them.
Step 3: Pretend you’ve got it all under control. #AcademicLife #DigitalHoarder #AcademicSky #EpiSky

November 16, 2024 at 2:48 AM

Reposted by Rebecca

Ed Hill

@edmhill.bsky.social

1/ Summary from this week’s UKHSA influenza surveillance report.

🧪 Seasonal influenza activity in England at baseline levels, increasing slightly across indicators. #IDSky #EpiSky

🗓️ Report based on data up to week 45 2024 (04-10 Nov 2024)

Report 🔗: www.gov.uk/government/s...

Influenza activity.

Influenza activity increased slightly across most indicators compared with the previous reporting week and was circulating at baseline levels. Emergency department (ED) attendances for influenza-like-illness (ILI) increased slightly overall. The number of influenza-confirmed ARI incidents in week 45 increased slightly compared with the previous week.

Weekly influenza vaccine uptake for the 2024 to 2025 season is reported for week 45 (data up to 10 November 2024). Compared with the equivalent week last season (2023 to 2024), vaccine uptake is slightly lower for those aged 2 years, comparable for those aged 3 years, and higher for pregnant women. Data is not comparable to previous seasons for those aged 65 years and over, and those aged under 65 years in clinical risk groups. This is because in previous seasons, these cohorts have been eligible from 1 September, rather than from 3 October this season.

November 16, 2024 at 12:17 AM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Fun data visualisation of different dog breeds. I’m biased to agree with the Miniature Schnauzer positioning! Do you agree where your dog is positioned? #datavis #dogsofbluesky

Source: informationisbeautiful.net/visualizatio...

Dog breeds were examined on intelligence, longevity, genetic ailments and markers to create a data score. This score was plotted against public popularity of various breeds according to the American Kennel Club. Data visualised on a graph ranked dog breeds into 4 sections “hot dogs” “overlooked treasures” “rightly ignored” and “inexplicably overrated” breeds.

November 15, 2024 at 11:49 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

I have created a starter pack for vet epi / zoonotic disease.

Anyone interested in joining the pack feel free to message me! #episky #medsky #IDsky #animalhealth #vetepi

go.bsky.app/Go5jec9

November 15, 2024 at 9:46 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

I have some new followers so time for an intro post!

👩🏼 Hi, I’m Rebecca!

👩🏼‍🎓 I’m currently studying MSc Veterinary Epidemiology at the RVC.

📝 My master’s thesis is on the epidemiology of chocolate ingestion in UK dogs

🐶🐹 I post pics of my dog and hamster!

👾 I dabble in virtual photography!

November 15, 2024 at 8:33 PM

Rebecca

@beka-jane.bsky.social

Hey #episky , #medsky and #IDSky ! I’m on the look out for veterinary epidemiologists to follow, as well as human epidemiologists that are interested in zoonotic diseases! Thanks 🐓🐮

November 15, 2024 at 9:34 AM