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‘Puppy dog eyes’ research among most influential studies of 2019
Dr Kaminski's study found that "puppy dog eyes" have evolved from dog's enhanced interaction with humans.

News story published thousands of times by mainstream and social media

A study on the evolution of facial muscle anatomy in dogs has been ranked in the top 100 most influential studies of 2019.

The research, led by Dr Juliane Kaminski from the University of Portsmouth, placed 27th in the 2019 Altmetric Top 100, which tracked mentions of some 2.8 million research papers during the year.


Dr Kaminski’s study found that “puppy dog eyes” have evolved from dogs’ enhanced interaction with humans. The news story on the study was published thousands of times by traditional and social media.

“I was delighted to be able to collaborate with scientists in the US and here, in Portsmouth, who together had extensive expertise in dog and wolf facial anatomy and musculature,” said Dr Kaminski. “That so many people across the world found this interesting is exciting.”

The 2019 Altmetric Top 100 highlights research that has generated the most significant international online attention and discussion. This includes anything from post-publication peer review sites and policy documents to mainstream media, blogs and social media platforms. 


In the past 12 months, Altmetric has documented more than 62.5 million mentions of 2.7 million outputs. These are the most discussed works of 2019 that have truly captured the public imagination.


Artificial intelligence, the climate crisis and vaccines were also among the most discussed and shared scientific works of 2019.

“It is great that our research continues to be globally recognised and provides significant impact on society,” said Professor Bob Nichol, pro-vice-chancellor for research and innovation at Portsmouth. “Juliane’s research is clearly popular exploring our long-term relationship with dogs, and its evolutionary history."

Dr Kaminski’s study was published in June in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

It was co-authored by Professor Bridget Waller (University of Portsmouth), Rui Diogo (Howard University College of Medicine, US) Adam Hartstone-Rose (North Carolina State University, US) and Anne Burrows (Duquesne University, US). 

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
Lords Committee opens Pet Parasite Medication inquiry

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will launch its inquiry into Pet Parasite Medication (PPM) on Wednesday (3 June).

Focusing on treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways and the impacts of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and their owners.

The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.