Investigating hill sheep farmers and crofters’ experiences of blackloss in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

Hill sheep farming is an important component of Scottish agriculture and comprises a significant land use in much of the Highlands and Islands. However it faces significant challenges due to the natural constraints of the landscape. Hill sheep farming uses hardy traditional breeds, such as the Scottish blackface and North Country Cheviot to graze extensive areas, where the sheep are not housed and tend to lamb on the open hill. Flocks are gathered several times a year for stock checks, husbandry, and health treatments. Between these handling events, stock will disappear and be unaccounted for. These unexplained losses are known as blackloss in the Highlands and Islands. Previously reported figures for annual lamb blackloss give an average of 18.6%. These losses are in addition to the known losses of lambs and represent a significant welfare and sustainability issue. High parasite burdens, predation, a photosensitisation disease known as plochteach or yellowses, and poor nutrition are often given as presumed reasons for blackloss. A questionnaire was developed to assess the experiences, impacts and understanding flock managers have of blackloss. Typology analysis using partitioning around medoids was used to cluster respondents into three distinct groups: 1- very large extensive farms and Sheep Stock Clubs, 2- medium sized farms, and 3- small-scale crofts. The responses of these groups were subsequently analysed to see if their experiences and perceptions of blackloss differed with relation to lamb health challenges and predation impacts. The groups reported similar health challenges, apart from Group 1 which had a significantly higher plochteach challenge. In terms of predators, Group 1 also perceived white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) as a much higher threat to their lambs than the other groups. It was observed that many of the respondents believed blackloss is inevitable and that predators pose a large threat to lambs. However, most agreed that reducing these losses is important and that understanding the causes would enable them to do so.</p

Long term effects of management intensity and bioclimatic variables on leatherjacket (Tipula paludosa Meigen) populations at farm-scale.

Leatherjackets (Tipula spp.) are soil-dwelling pests associated with agriculture. Land management decisions made at farm scale can have subsequent effects on their populations. Between 1980 and 2020, surveys were conducted across Scotland to collect field histories and larval population data from grassland farms. To assess the impact of management and bioclimatic factors on leatherjacket occurrence over time, this study investigated data from fields continuously sampled between 2009 and 2018. We utilized a Generalized Linear Mixed-Effect Model on a dataset of 61 fields on 19 farms. Results indicated three significant factors affecting larval populations; field size, grazing type and application of insecticides or herbicides (referred to collectively as pesticides). Larval populations were significantly lower in fields that were larger in size and under sheep grazing, compared to no grazing. Pesticide application also caused a significant reduction in larval populations. Management variables were amalgamated to create a Management Intensity Index, revealing significantly increased larval populations under low-management systems. These results, coupled with significant effects of bioclimatic variables, pinpoint predictive signals for high infestations and potential routes for control strategies

Long‐term effects of management intensity and bioclimatic variables on leatherjacket ( Tipula paludosa Meigen) populations at farm scale

Leatherjackets (Tipula spp.) are soil‐dwelling pests associated with agriculture. Land management decisions made at farm scale can have subsequent effects on their populations. Between 1980 and 2020, surveys were conducted across Scotland to collect field histories and larval population data from grassland farms. To assess the impact of management and bioclimatic factors on leatherjacket occurrence over time, this study investigated data from fields continuously sampled between 2009 and 2018. We utilized a Generalized Linear Mixed‐Effect Model on a dataset of 61 fields on 19 farms. Results indicated three significant factors affecting larval populations; field size, grazing type and application of insecticides or herbicides (referred to collectively as pesticides). Larval populations were significantly lower in fields that were larger in size and under sheep grazing, compared to no grazing. Pesticide application also caused a significant reduction in larval populations. Management variables were amalgamated to create a Management Intensity Index, revealing significantly increased larval populations under low‐management systems. These results, coupled with significant effects of bioclimatic variables, pinpoint predictive signals for high infestations and potential routes for control strategies

Improving the Quality of Dentistry (IQuaD):a cluster factorial randomised controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and cost-benefit of oral hygiene advice and/or periodontal instrumentation with routine care for the prevention and management of periodontal disease in dentate adults attending dental primary care

Acknowledgements The authors wish to thank Mark Forrest and the programming team at CHaRT; Cynthia Fraser, our information specialist, for assistance with referencing; Moira Swan, who was the dental research nurse and part of the OA team in Newcastle upon Tyne; Louise Campbell for secretarial support and data management; our original statistician in the group, Andy Elders; senior IT manager Gladys Macpherson; senior trial administrator at the TCOD Marilyn Laird; Luke Vale for his involvement with the design of the health economic analysis at the inception of the trial; Maria Dimitrova, who assisted the health economists in the collection of unit costs; staff of the Scottish Primary Care Research Network, who assisted with screening eligible patients at dental practices; staff of the North East Commissioning Support Unit who assisted with research payments to dental practices in the north-east; members of the TMC and Periodontal Advisory Group for their ongoing advice and support of the trial; the independent members of the TSC and DMC; and the staff at recruitment sites who facilitated recruitment, treatment and follow-up of trial participants. The Health Services Research Unit and the Health Economics Research Unit is core funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The role of physical activity and psychological coping strategies in the management of painful diabetic neuropathy - A systematic review of the literature

© 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Background: Diabetes is rising in prevalence; painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is one complication of diabetes. PDN is primarily managed with medication but analgesic failure is common and people remain in pain and distress. It is unclear whether pain management strategies are appropriate for PDN. Objectives: To establish the effectiveness of physical activity and psychological coping strategies for PDN. Design: Systematic literature review. Data sources: Ten online databases. Eligibility criteria (participants and interventions): Controlled trials reporting specific results for PDN, investigating, (a) physical activity or (b) psychological coping strategies and measuring pain as an outcome. The search was restricted to published research with no restriction on language or date of publication. Study appraisal methods: Methodological quality and risk of bias assessed with Cochrane collaboration and NICE checklist for randomised controlled trials. Results: Of 1306 titles identified, four studies met the inclusion criteria. Two trials investigated physical activity and two investigated psychological coping interventions. Studies showed pain measures improved or did not worsen compared to controls, but methodological quality was moderate and results need cautious interpretation. Limitations: The studies were of small sample size and used a diverse range of outcome measures. There is high risk of bias from lack of blinding and attrition at follow up. Conclusions and implications of key findings: The research literature in this area is sparse and inconsistent, despite the pressing clinical challenge of PDN. Firm conclusions cannot be drawn from the studies included. Further high quality research is required to match treatment provision to patient requirements

Combining host and vector data informs emergence and potential impact of an Usutu virus outbreak in UK wild birds

Following the first detection in the United Kingdom of Usutu virus (USUV) in wild birds in 2020, we undertook a multidisciplinary investigation that combined screening host and vector populations with interrogation of national citizen science monitoring datasets to assess the potential for population impacts on avian hosts. Pathological findings from six USUV-positive wild passerines were non-specific, highlighting the need for molecular and immunohistochemical examinations to confirm infection. Mosquito surveillance at the index site identified USUV RNA in Culex pipiens s.l. following the outbreak. Although the Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) is most frequently impacted by USUV in Europe, national syndromic surveillance failed to detect any increase in occurrence of clinical signs consistent with USUV infection in this species. Furthermore, there was no increase in recoveries of dead blackbirds marked by the national ringing scheme. However, there was regional clustering of blackbird disease incident reports centred near the index site in 2020 and a contemporaneous marked reduction in the frequency with which blackbirds were recorded in gardens in this area, consistent with a hypothesis of disease-mediated population decline. Combining results from multidisciplinary schemes, as we have done, in real-time offers a model for the detection and impact assessment of future disease emergence events

IQuaD dental trial; improving the quality of dentistry : a multicentre randomised controlled trial comparing oral hygiene advice and periodontal instrumentation for the prevention and management of periodontal disease in dentate adults attending dental primary care

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

LPG stove and fuel intervention among pregnant women reduce fine particle air pollution exposures in three countries: Pilot results from the HAPIN trial

The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network trial is a multi-country study on the effects of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove and fuel distribution intervention on women's and children's health. There is limited data on exposure reductions achieved by switching from solid to clean cooking fuels in rural settings across multiple countries. As formative research in 2017, we recruited pregnant women and characterized the impact of the intervention on personal exposures and kitchen levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Guatemala, India, and Rwanda. Forty pregnant women were enrolled in each site. We measured cooking area concentrations of and personal exposures to PM2.5 for 24 or 48 h using gravimetric-based PM2.5 samplers at baseline and two follow-ups over two months after delivery of an LPG cookstove and free fuel supply. Mixed models were used to estimate PM2.5 reductions. Median kitchen PM2.5 concentrations were 296 μg/m3 at baseline (interquartile range, IQR: 158-507), 24 μg/m3 at first follow-up (IQR: 18-37), and 23 μg/m3 at second follow-up (IQR: 14-37). Median personal exposures to PM2.5 were 134 μg/m3 at baseline (IQR: 71-224), 35 μg/m3 at first follow-up (IQR: 23-51), and 32 μg/m3 at second follow-up (IQR: 23-47). Overall, the LPG intervention was associated with a 92% (95% confidence interval (CI): 90-94%) reduction in kitchen PM2.5 concentrations and a 74% (95% CI: 70-79%) reduction in personal PM2.5 exposures. Results were similar for each site. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention was associated with substantial reductions in kitchen and personal PM2.5 overall and in all sites. Results suggest LPG interventions in these rural settings may lower exposures to the WHO annual interim target-1 of 35 μg/m3. The range of exposure contrasts falls on steep sections of estimated exposure-response curves for birthweight, blood pressure, and acute lower respiratory infections, implying potentially important health benefits when transitioning from solid fuels to LPG

Enhanced West Nile virus surveillance in the North Kent marshes, UK

Background As part of efforts to more fully understand the potential risks posed by West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) in the UK, and following on from previous reports of a potential bridge vector Culex modestus for these viruses, at wetland sites in North Kent, mosquito surveillance was undertaken more widely across the Isle of Sheppey, the Hoo Peninsula and the Kent mainland. Methods Larval surveys were conducted and Mosquito Magnet® adult traps were used to collect adult mosquitoes. Pools of female mosquitoes were tested for the presence of WNV using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. A subset of samples was tested for USUV. Results Culex modestus was found in both the pre-imaginal and imago stage at all five locations surveyed, accounting for 90% of adult mosquitoes collected. WNV or USUV were not detected in any sample. Conclusions Although no mosquitoes have been shown to be virus positive, the field survey data from this study demonstrated the dominance of an important bridge vector species for WNV in this region. Its wide geographical distribution highlights the need to update risk assessments on WNV introduction, and to maintain vigilance for WNV in the South East of England