The Nearshore Fish Fauna of Bonne Bay, a Fjord within Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

A standardized survey of the nearshore fish fauna of Bonne Bay, a fjord within Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland, was conducted using beach seines, gill-nets and bottom trawls during the month of June over a seven year period (2002- 2008). The survey documents the presence of 31 fish species (in 17 taxonomic families). Sampling sites varied in benthic habitat and associated fish assemblages. Both juvenile and adult life history stages of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) were present in Bonne Bay, suggesting the presence of a local population or “bay cod stock”. Acadian redfish (Sebastes fasciatus) live in the bay, and may be members of a genetically differentiable population of redfish. Striped wolfish (Anarhichas lupus), a fish species protected under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA), inhabits Bonne Bay. Surrounded by Gros Morne National Park, this bay with a diverse fish fauna is a focus of local stewardship and conservation efforts

Eating disorders

A concise and practical guide to the management of mental illness in sportsmen and sportswome

Three-way fungal interactions affect the potential biological control of Himalayan balsam, Impatiens glandulifera

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is one of the most invasive weeds across Europe. The rust fungus, Puccinia komarovii var. glanduliferae has been introduced as a biological control agent, but success has been patchy. Here, we investigated whether mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi can affect rust efficacy and plant growth. Over three experiments we found that AM fungi and the rust alone or together consistently reduced plant growth, but this depended on the identity of species in the AM inoculum. Meanwhile, AM fungi increased infection frequency of the endophyte Colletotrichum acutatum. Rust inoculation had no detrimental effects on mycorrhizal colonisation or C. acutatum infection, but the latter two fungi reduced rust sporulation. However, plant size was reduced when all three fungal types were present, suggesting that a combined fungal inoculum offers a promising approach for the control of this weed

Economic aspects of hospital acquired infection

Despite the decline in rates of hospital acquired infections (HAI) since the 1950s, the level remains high and a significant proportion of them are unavoidable. International studies show that between 5.9 and 13.5 patients in every hundred are affected by hospital acquired infections, most frequently of the urinary tract, of the lower respiratory tract and in surgical wounds. The evidence from the UK is similar to that from the rest of the world e.g. one study (Meers et al, 1981) found a UK prevalence rate of 9.2 infections per hundred patients. These rates appear to have been largely unchanged for two decades despite evidence that perhaps as many as 1 in 3 infections could be avoided. To reduce the costs and impaired quality of life associated with these infections it is necessary to improve surveillance methods, in particular add an economic (cost) component to identify the resource consequences of increased length of stay and increased medication, and identify cost effective methods of reducing HAIs. It is estimated that hospital acquired infections in England cost the NHS nearly £115 million in 1987. With improved policies of demonstrated cost effectiveness, such as better hygiene and the selective use of prophylactic drugs, perhaps as much as £36 million of these costs to the NHS count be avoided. This would “free up” NHS resources for other patients wishing for beneficial care and would avoid much misery and reduced quality of life for patients unfortunate enough to acquire infections in hospitals.hospital acquired infections

Case-control study of the association between kava use and pneumonia in eastern Arnhem Land Aboriginal communities (Northern Territory, Australia)

Pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in Aboriginal populations in Australia\u27s Northern Territory (NT). Kava, consumed in Arnhem Land since 1982, may be a risk factor for infectious disease including pneumonia. A case-control study (n=115 cases; n=415 controls) was conducted in 7001 Aboriginal people (4217 over 15 years). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by conditional logistic regression with substance use and social factors as confounders. Pneumonia, vas not associated with kava use. Crude OR=1.26 (0.74-2.14, P=0.386), increased after controlling for confounders (OR=1.98, 0.63-6.23, P=0.237) but was not significant. Adjusted OR for pneumonia cases involving kava and alcohol users was 1.19 (0.39-3.62, P=0.756). In communities with longer kava-using histories, adjusted OR was 2.19 (0.67-7.14, P=0.187). There was no kava dose-response relationship. Crude ORs for associations between pneumonia and cannabis use (OR=2.27, 1.18-4.37, P=0.014) and alcohol use (OR=1.95, 1.07-3.53, P=0.026) were statistically significant and approached significance for petrol sniffing (OR=1.98, 0.99-3.95, P=0.056)

Mental Health in Elite Coaches

Context: Coaches play an important role in promoting mental health in elite sports. However, they themselves are exposed to risks affecting their mental health, and their fears and worries are often overlooked. Moreover, it remains unclear how coaches’ mental health affects their athletes’ mental health. Objective: To create a compilation of the literature on (1) elite coaches’ mental health and (2) how coaches’ mental health influences elite athletes’ mental health. Building on this, recommendations for improving coaches’ psychological well-being should be elaborated upon and discussed. Data Sources: A literature search was conducted up to November 30, 2021, using the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and SportDiscus. Study Selection: Studies reporting elite coaches’ mental health symptoms and disorders and the influence of elite coaches’ mental health on elite athletes’ mental health were included. Study Design: Scoping review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Data Extraction: Data regarding elite coaches’ mental health, as well as their influence on athletes’ mental health and performance, were included in a descriptive analysis. The PRISMA guidelines were used to guide this review. Results: Little research has been done on elite coaches’ mental health disorders, although studies confirm that they do experience, for example, symptoms of burnout, anxiety, and depression. The influence of coaches’ mental health on their athletes is underinvestigated, with research focused mainly on the influence of coaches’ stress. Conclusion: Knowledge about coaches’ mental health is still limited. Coaches’ poor mental health diminishes coaching performance and might impair athletes’ mental health. Coaches should receive more support, including sports psychiatric care and education on the importance of mental health. This could improve the mental health of both coaches and athletes, and positively affect athlete performance

Rapid impact of Impatiens glandulifera control on above- and belowground invertebrate communities

The annual plant Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam) is the most widespread invasive non-native weed in the British Isles. Manual control is widely used, but is costly and laborious. Recently, biological control using the rust fungus Puccinia komarovii var. glanduliferae has been trialled. We designed an experiment to assess the impact of these control methods on invertebrate communities in relation to unmanaged and uninvaded habitats, and to determine whether mycorrhizal inoculation aided post-control recovery of these communities. Sixty invaded and twenty uninvaded field soil blocks were transplanted to the experiment site, where a mycorrhizal inoculum was added to half of all blocks. Biological and mechanical control treatments were applied to twenty invaded blocks independently; the twenty remaining invaded blocks were left intact. Above- and belowground invertebrate samples were collected from the blocks at the end of the growing season. Overall, aboveground invertebrate abundance increased with the removal of I. glandulifera, and several groups showed signs of recovery within one growing season. The effect of mechanical control was more variable in belowground invertebrates. Biological control did not affect aboveground invertebrate abundance but resulted in large increases in populations of belowground Collembola. Our experiment demonstrates that mechanical removal of I. glandulifera can cause rapid increases in invertebrate abundance and that its biological control with P. komarovii var. glanduliferae also has the potential to benefit native invertebrate communities

Nurse Education and the Military Veteran

Reprinted with permission of the Australian Nursing & Midwifery FederationNo occupation is more dangerous than serving in a nation’s armed forces, where service-personnel may face atrocious conditions and events. Some experience mental health problems including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression and anxiety. The spouse and children are exposed to frequent moves, and endure long periods separated from a partner or parent. Nurses are well placed to make a substantial difference in the care of veterans and their families, although many Veterans believe healthcare professionals “cannot understand” their experiences (Finnegan et al, 2017). To change this narrative, the UK has introduced a new under-graduate educational initiative. An initial single site pilot study was undertaken at the University of Chester, England in 2017. The aim was to produce educational sessions that provided student nurses with an insight into the Armed Forces Community (AFC) of serving personnel, veterans and their families, and construct an understanding of the biopsychosocial needs aligned to their care, health and wellbeing. The intent was to stimulate critical thinking to focus on the individual and family needs by encouraging a problem solving approach