Patchy Progress On Obesity Prevention: Emerging Exemplars, Entrenched Barriers, and New Thinking

Although there have been positive pockets of change, no country has yet turned around its obesity epidemic. Preventing an increase in obesity prevalence will require urgent actions from government as well as a broader spectrum of stakeholders than previously emphasized. In this paper, we review a number of regulatory and non-regulatory actions taken around the world to address obesity and discuss some of the reasons for the patchy progress. In addition, we preview the papers in this Lancet series, which each identify priority actions on key obesity issues and challenge some of the entrenched dichotomies that present obesity and its solutions in “either/or” terms. Although obesity is acknowledged as a complex issue, many debates about its causes and solutions are centered around overly simple dichotomies that present seemingly competing perspectives. Examples of such dichotomies explored in this series include: individual versus environmental causes of obesity, personal versus collective responsibilities for actions, supply versus demand explanations for consumption of unhealthy food, government regulation versus industry self-regulation, top down versus bottom up drivers for change, treatment versus prevention priorities, and under versus over nutrition focus. In the current paper, we explore the dichotomy of individual versus environmental drivers of obesity, which lay out two truths: people bear some personal responsibility for their health and environmental factors can readily support or undermine the ability of people to act in their self-interest. We propose a re-framing of obesity that emphasizes the reciprocal nature of the interaction between the environment and individual. Current food environments exploit people’s biological, psychological, social, and economic vulnerabilities, making it easier for them to eat unhealthful foods. This leads to preferences and demands for foods of poor nutritional quality, thus sustaining the unhealthful food environments. Breaking these vicious cycles will need regulatory actions from governments and greater efforts from industry and civil society

Ongoing studies on the bats of Danum Valley Borneo

Here we provide an update on the batting activities of the James Cook University's biannual undergraduate field trip to Danum Valley Field Centre in Borneo. The 2013 trip focussed on various bat surveying techniques, with an emphasis on the use and effectiveness of the EM3 full-spectrum and Anabat II ZCAM ultrasonic detectors. We captured a total of thirty-three individuals of 12 different species in harp traps and mist nets, three species of which had not been encountered on previous surveys. We collected an additional 16,500 call files and in total, we now have a call library of 43 microbat species (of which 28 can be allocated to individual species) along with high-quality photographs of 20 micro- and megabats. It will be no surprise that Terry Reardon also took dynamic photographs of individuals in flight upon release, and generously donated his flash-setup to the staff of Danum Valley. Future field trips will continue to build the call and photo library as well as collect tissue samples for collaborative studies with scientists in Malaysia and Australia. We plan to make the calls and photos available via an open-access WWW page

Data quality and 30-day survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the UK out-of-hospital cardiac arrest registry: A data linkage study

© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted. Objectives The Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) project aims to understand the epidemiology and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) across the UK. This data linkage study is a subproject of OHCAO. The aim was to establish the feasibility of linking OHCAO data to National Health Service (NHS) patient demographic data and Office for National Statistics (ONS) date of death data held on the NHS Personal Demographics Service (PDS) database to improve OHCAO demographic data quality and enable analysis of 30-day survival from OHCA. Design and setting Data were collected from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014 as part of a prospective, observational study of OHCA attended by 10 English NHS Ambulance Services. 28 729 OHCA cases had resuscitation attempted by Emergency Medical Services and were included in the study. Data linkage was carried out using a data linkage service provided by NHS Digital, a national provider of health-related data. To assess data linkage feasibility a random sample of 3120 cases was selected. The sample was securely transferred to NHS Digital to be matched using OHCAO patient demographic data to return previously missing demographic data and provide ONS date of death data. Results A total of 2513 (80.5%) OHCAO cases were matched to patients in the NHS PDS database. Using the linkage process, missing demographic data were retrieved for 1636 (72.7%) out of 2249 OHCAO cases that had previously incomplete demographic data. Returned ONS date of death data allowed analysis of 30-day survival status. The results showed a 30-day survival rate of 9.3%, reducing unknown survival status from 46.1% to 8.5%. Conclusions In this sample, data linkage between the OHCAO registry and NHS PDS database was shown to be feasible, improving demographic data quality and allowing analysis of 30-day survival status

Epidemiology and outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in England

Introduction This study reports the epidemiology and outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in England during 2014. Methods Prospective observational study from the national OHCA registry. The incidence, demographic and outcomes of patients who were treated for an OHCA between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2014 in 10 English ambulance service (EMS) regions, serving a population of almost 54 million, are reported in accordance with Utstein recommendations. Results 28,729 OHCA cases of EMS treated cardiac arrests were reported (53 per 100,000 of resident population). The mean age was 68.6 (SD = 19.6) years and 41.3% were female. Most (83%) occurred in a place of residence, 52.7% were witnessed by either the EMS or a bystander. In non-EMS witnessed cases, 55.2% received bystander CPR whilst public access defibrillation was used rarely (2.3%). Cardiac aetiology was the leading cause of cardiac arrest (60.9%). The initial rhythm was asystole in 42.4% of all cases and was shockable (VF or pVT) in 20.6%. Return of spontaneous circulation at hospital transfer was evident in 25.8% (n = 6302) and survival to hospital discharge was 7.9%. Conclusion Cardiac arrest is an important cause of death in England. With less than one in ten patients surviving, there is scope to improve outcomes. Survival rates were highest amongst those who received bystander CPR and public access defibrillation

Attitudes to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Defibrillator Use: A Survey of UK Adults in 2017

Background Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and publically accessible defibrillator (PAD) use can save lives of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. Little is known about proportions of UK adults trained in either, their characteristics, willingness to act if witnessing an OHCA or the public’s knowledge regarding where their nearest PAD is located. Methods and Results An online survey was administered by YouGov(UK) to a non-probabilistic purposive sample of UK adults achieving 2084 participants, from a panel and matched to be representative of the population. We used descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression modelling for analysis. Almost 54% were women, 60% were under 55 years old and 19% had witnessed an OHCA. Proportions ever trained were: 60% in chest-compression only resuscitation (CO-CPR), 59% in CPR, 19.4% in PAD use. Most with any resuscitation technique training had trained at work (54.7%). Compared to people not trained, those trained in PAD use said they were more likely to use one (OR=2.61) and, those trained in CPR or CO-CPR, more likely to perform it (OR=5.39). Characteristics associated with being trained in any resuscitation technique included youth, being female, from a higher social grade and being in full time work. Conclusions In the UK, training makes a difference in people’s willingness to act in the event of a cardiac arrest. While there is considerable room to increase the proportion of the general population trained in CPR, consideration should be also given to encourage training in PAD use and targeting training for those who are older or from lower social grades

Crop Updates 2000 - Lupins

This session covers nineteen papers from different authors: 1.1999 Lupin Highlights, Bill O’Neill, LUPIN PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT LUPIN ANTHRACNOSE 2. Anthracnose – 1999/2000, Geoff Thomas and Mark Sweetingham, Agriculture Western Australia LUPIN BREEDING AND AGRONOMY 3. The genetic control of mildly restricted branching in narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus augustifolius L), Kedar Adhikari1,3, Nick Galwey1,3 and Miles Dracup2,3 1Plant Sciences, University of Western Australia 2Agriculture Western Australia 3Cooperative Research Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Western Australia 4. Genotype x time of sowing interaction in lupins – Mingenew, Bob French, Agriculture Western Australia 5. Genotype x time of sowing interaction in lupins – Wongan Hills, Bob French, Agriculture Western Australia 6. Genetic variation in lupin tolerance to Brown Leaf Spot, Bob French, Agriculture Western Australia 7. Yellow lupin management in Western Australia, Bob French, Agriculture Western Australia APHIDS AND VIRUS CONTROL 8. Forecasting aphid and virus risk in lupins, Debbie Thackray, Jenny Hawkes and Roger Jones, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture and Agriculture Western Australia 9. When should lupin crops be sprayed for aphids to achieve maximum yield response? Françoise Berlandier, Agriculture Western Australia 10. Yield limiting potential of the new, non-necrotic strain of bean yellow mosaic virus in narrow-leafed lupin, Roger Jones, Yvonne Cheng and Lisa Smith, Crop Improvement Institute, Agriculture Western Australia, and Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture LUPIN NUTRITION 11. Increasing the value of a rotation by applying lime, Chris Gazey and Michael O’Connell, Agriculture Western Australia HERBICIDE TOLERANCE AND WEED CONTROL 12. Herbicide damage does not mean lower yield in Lupins, Peter Carlton, Trials Coordinator, Elders Limited 13. Effect of herbicides Tordonä 75D and Lontrelä, used for eradication of Skeleton Weed, on production of Lupins in following seasons, John R. Peirce and Brad J. Rayner, Agriculture Western Australia 14. Herbicide tolerance of lupins, Terry Piper, Agriculture Western Australia 15. Tanjil lupins will tolerate metribuzin under the right conditions, Peter Newman, Agronomist Elders Limited and Cameron Weeks, Mingenew/Irwin Group LUPIN ESTABLISHMENT 16. A new seed pressing system for ryegrass suppression and healthy lupin establishment, Mohammad Amjad and Glen Riethmuller,Agriculture Western Australia 17. Banded surfactant for better lupin yield on non-wetting sand, Dr Paul Blackwell, Agriculture Western Australia DROUGHT TOLERANCE 18. Drought tolerance of lupin genotypes in Western Australia, Jairo A. Palta1,2,, Neil C. Turner1,2, Robert J. French2,3 ,1CSIRO Plant Industry, Centre for Mediterranean Agricultural Research, 2Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture, University of Western Australia, 3Agriculture Western Australia, 19. Stem carbohydrate in lupins: a possible buffer to maintain seed growth under adverse conditions, Bob French1, Tim Setter2, Jairo Palta3 , 1Agriculture Western Australia, and CLIMA, 2Agriculture Western Australia, 3CSIRO, Floreat Park, and CLIM

A randomised controlled trial of a theory-based intervention to improve sun protective behaviour in adolescents ('you can still be HOT in the shade'): study protocol

Background: Most skin cancers are preventable by encouraging consistent use of sun protective behaviour. In Australia, adolescents have high levels of knowledge and awareness of the risks of skin cancer but exhibit significantly lower sun protection behaviours than adults. There is limited research aimed at understanding why people do or do not engage in sun protective behaviour, and an associated absence of theory-based interventions to improve sun safe behaviour. This paper presents the study protocol for a school-based intervention which aims to improve the sun safe behaviour of adolescents. Methods/design: Approximately 400 adolescents (aged 12-17 years) will be recruited through Queensland, Australia public and private schools and randomized to the intervention (n = 200) or 'wait-list' control group (n = 200). The intervention focuses on encouraging supportive sun protective attitudes and beliefs, fostering perceptions of normative support for sun protection behaviour, and increasing perceptions of control/self-efficacy over using sun protection. It will be delivered during three × one hour sessions over a three week period from a trained facilitator during class time. Data will be collected one week pre-intervention (Time 1), and at one week (Time 2) and four weeks (Time 3) post-intervention. Primary outcomes are intentions to sun protect and sun protection behaviour. Secondary outcomes include attitudes toward performing sun protective behaviours (i.e., attitudes), perceptions of normative support to sun protect (i.e., subjective norms, group norms, and image norms), and perceived control over performing sun protective behaviours (i.e., perceived behavioural control). Discussion: The study will provide valuable information about the effectiveness of the intervention in improving the sun protective behaviour of adolescents

Crop Updates 2001 - Weeds

This session covers forty six papers from different authors: 1. INTRODUCTION, Vanessa Stewart, Agriculture Western Australia PLENARY 2. Wild radish – the implications for our rotations, David Bowran, Centre for Cropping Systems INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT IWM system studies/demonstration sites 3. Integrated weed management: Cadoux, Alexandra Wallace, Agriculture Western Australia 4. A system approach to managing resistant ryegrass, Bill Roy, Agricultural Consulting and Research Services Pty Ltd, York 5. Long term herbicide resistance demonstration, Peter Newman, Agriculture Western Australia, Cameron Weeks, Tony Blake and Dave Nicholson 6. Integrated weed management: Katanning, Alexandra Wallace, Agriculture Western Australia 7. Integrated weed management: Merredin, Vanessa Stewart, Agriculture Western Australia 8. Short term pasture phases for weed control, Clinton Revell and Candy Hudson, Agriculture Western Australia Weed biology – implications for IWM 9. Competitivness of wild radish in a wheat-lupin rotation , Abul Hashem, Nerys Wilkins, and Terry Piper, Agriculture Western Australia 10. Population explosion and persistence of wild radish in a wheat-lupin rotation, Abul Hashem, Nerys Wilkins, Aik Cheam and Terry Piper , Agriculture Western Australia 11. Variation is seed dormancy and management of annual ryegrass, Amanda Ellery and Ross Chapman, CSIRO 12. Can we eradicate barley grass, Sally Peltzer, Agriculture Western Australia Adoption and modelling 13. Where to with RIM? Vanessa Stewart1 and Robert Barrett-Lennard2, 1Agriculture Western Australia, 2Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI) 14. Multi-species RIM model, Marta Monjardino1,2, David Pannell2 and Stephen Powles1 1Western Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative (WAHRI), 2ARE, University of Western Australia 15. What causes WA grain growers to adopt IWM practices? Rick Llewellyn, WAHRI/ARE, Faculty of Agriculture, University of WA New options for IWM? 16. Fuzzy tramlines for more yield and less weeds, Paul Blackwell Agriculture Western Australia, and Maurice Black, Harbour Lights Estate, Geraldton 17. Inter-row knockdowns for profitable lupins, Paul Blackwell, Agriculture Western Australia and Miles Obst, Farmer Mingenew 18. Row cropping and weed control in lupins, Mike Collins and Julie Roche, Agriculture Western Australia 19. Cross seedimg suppresses annual ryegrass and increases wheat yield, Abul Hashem, Dave Nicholson and Nerys Wilkins Agriculture Western Australia 20. Weed control by chaff burial, Mike Collins, Agriculture Western Australia HERBICIDE RESISTANCE 21. Resistance in wild oats to Fop and Dim herbicides in Western Australia, Abul Hashem and Harmohinder Dhammu, Agriculture Western Australia 22. Triazine and diflufenican resistance in wild radish: what it means to the lupin industry, Aik Cheam, Siew Lee, David Nicholson and Peter Newman, Agriculture Western Australia 23. Comparison if in situ v seed testing for determining herbicide resistance, Bill Roy, Agricultural Consulting and Research Services Pty Ltd, York HERBICIDE TOLERANCE 24. Phenoxy herbicide tolerance of wheat, Peter Newman and Dave Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia 25. Tolerance of wheat to phenoxy herbicides, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and Mario F. D\u27Antuono, Agriculture Western Australia 26. Herbicide tolerance of new wheats, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and David F. Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia 27. Herbicide tolerance of durum wheats, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper and David F. Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia 28. Herbicide tolerance of new field pea varieties, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper, David F. Nicholson, and Mario F. D\u27Antuono, Agriculture Western Australia 29. Herbicide tolerance of Cooke field peas on marginal soil, Harmohinder S. Dhammu, Terry Piper, David F. Nicholson, and Mario F. D\u27Antuono, Agriculture Western Australia 30. Herbicide tolerance of some annual pasture legumes adapted to coarse textured sandy soils, Clinton Revell and Ian Rose, Agriculture Western Australia 31 Herbicide tolerance of some annual pasture legumes adapted to fine textured clay soils, Clinton Revell and Ian Rose, Agriculture Western Australia WEED CONTROL IN LUCERNE 32. Management of weeds for Lucerne establishment, Diana Fedorenko, Clayton Butterly, Stuart McAlpine, Terry Piper and David Bowran, Centre for Cropping Systems, Agriculture Western Australia 33. Management of weeds in the second year of Lucerne, Diana Fedorenko, Clayton Butterly, Stuart McAlpine, Terry Piper and David Bowran, Centre for Cropping Systems, Agriculture Western Australia 34. Residual effects of weed management in the third year of Lucerne, Diana Fedorenko, Clayton Butterly, Stuart McAlpine, Terry Piper and David Bowran, Centre for Cropping Systems, Agriculture Western Australia 35. Herbicide tolerance and weed control in Lucerne, Peter Newman, Dave Nicholson and Keith Devenish Agriculture Western Australia HERBICIDES – NEW PRODUCTS/PRODUCE USES; USE New products or product use 36. New herbicide options for canola, John Moore and Paul Matson, Agriculture Western Australia 37. Chemical broadleaf weed management in Peaola, Shannon Barraclough and Lionel Martin, Muresk Institute of Agriculture, Curtin University of Technology 38. Balance® - a new broad leaf herbicide for the chickpea industry, Mike Clarke, Jonas Hodgson and Lawrence Price, Aventis CropScience 39. Marshmallow – robust herbicide strategies, Craig Brown, IAMA Agribusiness 40. Affinity DF – a prospective option for selective in-crop marshmallow control, Gordon Cumming, Technical Officer, Crop Care Australasia 41. A new formulation of Carfentrazone-ethyl for pre-seeding knockdown control of broadleaved weeds including Marshmallow, Gordon Cumming, Technical Officer, Crop Care Australasia Herbicide use 42. Autumn applied trifluralin can be effective! Bill Crabtree, Scientific Officer, Western Australian No-Tillage Farmers Association 43. Which knockdown herbicide for small ryegrass? Peter Newman and Dave Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia 44. Poor radish control with Group D herbicides in lupins, Peter Newman and Dave Nicholson, Agriculture Western Australia WEED ISSUES 45. Distribution and incidence of aphids and barley yellow dwarf virus in over-summering grasses in the WA wheatbelt, Jenny Hawkes and Roger Jones, CLIMA and Agriculture Western Australia 46. e-weed, Vanessa Stewart, Agriculture Western Australia CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR CONTACT DETAIL

A multi-disciplinary commentary on preclinical research to investigate vascular contributions to dementia

Although dementia research has been dominated by Alzheimer's disease (AD), most dementia in older people is now recognised to be due to mixed pathologies, usually combining vascular and AD brain pathology. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), which encompasses vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia. Models of VCI have been delayed by limited understanding of the underlying aetiology and pathogenesis. This review by a multidisciplinary, diverse (in terms of sex, geography and career stage), cross-institute team provides a perspective on limitations to current VCI models and recommendations for improving translation and reproducibility. We discuss reproducibility, clinical features of VCI and corresponding assessments in models, human pathology, bioinformatics approaches, and data sharing. We offer recommendations for future research, particularly focusing on small vessel disease as a main underpinning disorder

A Multi-disciplinary Commentary on Preclinical Research to investigate Vascular Contributions to Dementia

Although dementia research has been dominated by Alzheimer's disease (AD), most dementia in older people is now recognised to be due to mixed pathologies, usually combining vascular and AD brain pathology. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), which encompasses vascular dementia (VaD) is the second most common type of dementia. Models of VCI have been delayed by limited understanding of the underlying aetiology and pathogenesis. This review by a multidisciplinary, diverse (in terms of sex, geography and career stage), cross-institute team provides a perspective on limitations to current VCI models and recommendations for improving translation and reproducibility. We discuss reproducibility, clinical features of VCI and corresponding assessments in models, human pathology, bioinformatics approaches, and data sharing. We offer recommendations for future research, particularly focusing on small vessel disease as a main underpinning disorder.</p