Report of the 11th Liaison Meeting

The   11thLiaison   Meeting   between   the   Chairs   of   the   RCMs,   the   ICES   PGCCDBS,   PGMED  and  PGECON,  the  STECF  EWGs  on  the  DCF,  the  Regional  Database  Steering   Committees,  the  ICES  and  GFCM  representatives  and  the  European  Commission  was   held  at  the  DG  Maritime  Affairs  and  Fisheries,  Brussels  from  8th  to  9th  October  2014. The  11th  Liaison  meeting  was  held  in  Brussels  on  8th  and  9th  October  2014  to  address  the   following  terms  of  reference:     TOR  1.  Discussion  on  possible  follow-­‐‑up  to  the  main  outputs/recommendations  of:   • The  2014  RCMs  and  to  the   sp ecific  re commenda tions  a ddr e sse d  to  th e  Liaison   Meeting   • P G ECO N ,  PG CCDBS,  PG Med   –   ou tcome s  an d  r e commendation s  fr om  the ir   2014  meeting     • STECF  EWG  and  STEC F  Plen ary   -­‐‑   ou tcome s  a n d  r e commendation s  fr om  the ir   2014  meeting     • Data  end-­‐‑ users  (IC ES,  G F C M,  RC Ms)   TOR  2.  Compilation  of  recommendations  on  the  DCF   A  compilation  of  DCF  recommendations  will  be  established  by  the  COM  by  end  2014.   LM   needs   to   agree   on   which   recommendations   should   be   included   (i.e.   from   which   bodies)  &  covering  which  years.     TOR  3.  Regional  cooperation   • G r ants  for  str eng thene d  reg ion al  coop eration     • R e g ional  da ta b ases   o O ver view  of  use  of  the  Reg ional  Datab ases  for  R CMs  in  2014,  and  p rob lems   identified   o O ther  deve lop ments  (RDB  training s  in  2014,  RDB  Med&BS  develop ment)   o Chang es  for  the  fu tu re   –  an y  re commen da tions  from  th e  LM?   • R C M  data  calls   –  ove rview  of  h ow  MS  r esp onde d.   TOR  4.  Recommended  meetings/workshops   • P r ep a r e  a  list  of  r ecommen ded  me etin g s  for  2015  as  g u idance  for  MS   TOR  5.  Studies   • O ver view  of  p rocess   • LM  comme nts  and  p r ioritization  of  studies  p r op osed  b y  RC Ms,  PG ECO N ,  ICES,   GFCM   TOR  6.  AOB     1. The  DCF  website  has  been  revamped  by  the  JRC.  Any  comments  on  this?   2. Access  to  the  RCM  SharePoint   3. Derogations  –  List  of  derogations  by  Member  State  has  been  prepared  by  DG   MARE.  Have  any  RCMs  updated  this?     4. ICES  will  provide  an  update  on  their  plans  to  re-­‐‑evaluate  surveys.  Should  this   be  followed  by  STECF  work  on  surveys  to  be  included  in  future  EU  MAP?   5. Annual  reports  –  simplification:  presentation  of  process. 6. Data  transmission:   a. new   platform   for   information   exchanges   between   COM,   MS   and   end-­‐‑ users   b. new   tool   for   reporting   on   how   MS   complied   with   the   DG   MARE/JRC   data  calls     In   addition   to   the   above   Terms   of   Reference,   an   item   was   added   at   the   start   of   the   meeting,  regarding  the  implication  of  the  Landing  Obligation  on  data  collection  and   the  Discard  Plans.

Проблеми інноваційного розвитку підприємств вугільної галузі України

Метою статті є визначення проблем інноваційного розвитку вугільної галузі та напрями його забезпечення шляхом упровадження інновацій

Shark Attacks in Dakar and the Cap Vert Peninsula, Senegal: Low Incidence despite High Occurrence of Potentially Dangerous Species

The International Shark Attack File mentions only four unprovoked shark attacks on the coast of West Africa during the period 1828–2004, an area where high concentrations of sharks and 17 species potentially dangerous to man have been observed. To investigate if the frequency of shark attacks could be really low and not just under-reported and whether there are potentially sharks that might attack in the area, a study was carried out in Dakar and the Cap Vert peninsula, Senegal. and 3 with unidentified sharks.These findings suggest that the frequency of shark attacks on the coast of West Africa is underestimated. However, they also indicate that the risk is very low despite the abundance of sharks. In Dakar area, most encounters along the coastline with potentially dangerous species do not result in an attack. Compared to other causes of water related deaths, the incidence of shark attack appears negligible, at least one thousand fold lower

Multiple imputation for estimating hazard ratios and predictive abilities in case-cohort surveys

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The weighted estimators generally used for analyzing case-cohort studies are not fully efficient and naive estimates of the predictive ability of a model from case-cohort data depend on the subcohort size. However, case-cohort studies represent a special type of incomplete data, and methods for analyzing incomplete data should be appropriate, in particular multiple imputation (MI).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed simulations to validate the MI approach for estimating hazard ratios and the predictive ability of a model or of an additional variable in case-cohort surveys. As an illustration, we analyzed a case-cohort survey from the Three-City study to estimate the predictive ability of D-dimer plasma concentration on coronary heart disease (CHD) and on vascular dementia (VaD) risks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When the imputation model of the phase-2 variable was correctly specified, MI estimates of hazard ratios and predictive abilities were similar to those obtained with full data. When the imputation model was misspecified, MI could provide biased estimates of hazard ratios and predictive abilities. In the Three-City case-cohort study, elevated D-dimer levels increased the risk of VaD (hazard ratio for two consecutive tertiles = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.63-1.74). However, D-dimer levels did not improve the predictive ability of the model.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>MI is a simple approach for analyzing case-cohort data and provides an easy evaluation of the predictive ability of a model or of an additional variable.</p

Technical mitigation measures for sharks and rays in fisheries for tuna and tuna-like species: turning possibility into reality

Tuna fisheries have been identified as one of the major threats to populations of other marine vertebrates, including sea turtles, sharks, seabirds and marine mammals. The development of technical mitigation measures (MM) in fisheries is part of the code of conduct for responsible fisheries. An in-depth analysis of the available literature regarding bycatch mitigation in tuna fisheries with special reference to elasmobranchs was undertaken. Studies highlighting promising MMs were reviewed for four tuna fisheries (longline, purse seine, driftnets and gillnet, and rod and line – including recreational fisheries). The advantages and disadvantages of different MMs are discussed and assessed based on current scientific knowledge. Current management measures for sharks and rays in tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations (t-RFMOs) are presented. A review of relevant studies examining at-vessel and postrelease mortality of elasmobranch bycatch is provided. This review aims to help fisheries managers identify pragmatic solutions to reduce mortality on pelagic elasmobranchs (and other higher vertebrates) whilst minimizing impacts on catches of target tuna species. Recent research efforts have identified several effective MMs that, if endorsed by t-RFMOs, could reduce elasmobranchs mortality rate in international tropical purse seine tuna fisheries. In the case of longline fisheries, the number of operational effective MMs is very limited. Fisheries deploying driftnets in pelagic ecosystems are suspected to have a high elasmobranchs bycatch and their discard survival is uncertain, but no effective MMs have been field validated for these fisheries. The precautionary bans of such gear by the EU and by some t-RFMOs seem therefore appropriate. Recreational tuna fisheries should be accompanied by science-based support to reduce potential negative impacts on shark populations. Priorities for research and management are identified and discussed.S

Latent variables and structural equation models for longitudinal relationships: an illustration in nutritional epidemiology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The use of structural equation modeling and latent variables remains uncommon in epidemiology despite its potential usefulness. The latter was illustrated by studying cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between eating behavior and adiposity, using four different indicators of fat mass.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using data from a longitudinal community-based study, we fitted structural equation models including two latent variables (respectively baseline adiposity and adiposity change after 2 years of follow-up), each being defined, by the four following anthropometric measurement (respectively by their changes): body mass index, waist circumference, skinfold thickness and percent body fat. Latent adiposity variables were hypothesized to depend on a cognitive restraint score, calculated from answers to an eating-behavior questionnaire (TFEQ-18), either cross-sectionally or longitudinally.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that high baseline adiposity was associated with a 2-year increase of the cognitive restraint score and no convincing relationship between baseline cognitive restraint and 2-year adiposity change could be established.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The latent variable modeling approach enabled presentation of synthetic results rather than separate regression models and detailed analysis of the causal effects of interest. In the general population, restrained eating appears to be an adaptive response of subjects prone to gaining weight more than as a risk factor for fat-mass increase.</p

Nutritional therapy and infectious diseases: a two-edged sword

The benefits and risks of nutritional therapies in the prevention and management of infectious diseases in the developed world are reviewed. There is strong evidence that early enteral feeding of patients prevents infections in a variety of traumatic and surgical illnesses. There is, however, little support for similar early feeding in medical illnesses. Parenteral nutrition increases the risk of infection when compared to enteral feeding or delayed nutrition. The use of gastric feedings appears to be as safe and effective as small bowel feedings. Dietary supplementation with glutamine appears to lower the risk of post-surgical infections and the ingestion of cranberry products has value in preventing urinary tract infections in women