Adoption of Plantain within New Zealand Farming Systems

In New Zealand, plantain has been incorporated into the pasture forage base in three ways: as a short-term pure crop; as a major component in “herb mixes” that include clovers and chicory; and as a minor component in perennial grass-based swards. All types are typically grazed in-situ. Given the incentive to optimise the plantain proportion in livestock diet to mitigate nitrogen losses and the observed lack of persistence in grass-dominant pasture over time, there is a need to use various pasture types strategically across a farm system to ensure a long-term sustainable contribution of plantain to feed intake. The inclusion of plantain in the forage base should be relatively straightforward since farmers are already familiar with establishing and managing forage crops and mixed-species pastures. However, there are still technical questions to answer and incentives to implement before we can achieve the region-wide adoption necessary to result in a measurable impact on water quality. The Tararua District, on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, represents a useful case study of adoption in a strong dairy farming region. Some underpinning elements for successful adoption were in place: 1) national agronomic experience in using a plantain cultivar released in 1996; and 2) regulatory push in terms of reducing N leaching losses on farms. However, other initiatives were required to see meaningful progress: provision of data from local dairy farm systems, focused on the impact on forage supply/quality; a targeted extension program by a trusted sector leader agency (DairyNZ); individual farmer risk-taking and leadership in establishing and managing new crops and pastures. After three years, awareness is well embedded in the rural community and approximately 30% of dairy farms within the district have started to use plantain

Dataset of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 genes enriched in adherence to spinach root tissue

A high-throughput positive-selection approach was taken to generate a dataset of Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 genes enriched in adherence to plant tissue. The approach generates a differential dataset based on BAC clones enriched in the output, after adherence, compared to the inoculum used as the input. A BAC clone library derived from STEC isolate 'Sakai' was used since this isolate is associated with a very large-scale outbreak of human disease from consumption of contaminated fresh produce; white radish sprouts. Spinach was used for the screen since it is associated with STEC outbreaks, and the roots provide a suitable site for bacterial colonisation. Four successive of rounds of Sakai BAC clone selection and amplification were applied for spinach root adherence, in parallel to a non-plant control. Genomic DNA was obtained from a total of 7.17 x 108 cfu/ml of bacteria from the plant treatment and 1.13 x 109 cfu/ml of bacteria from the no-plant control. Relative gene abundance of the output compared to the input pools was obtained using an established E. coli DNA microarray chip for STEC. The dataset enables screening for genes enriched under the treatment condition and informs on genes that may play a role in plant-microbe interactions

Spatial distribution of beef cattle on a New Zealand hill country farm: monitoring the use of streams and wet areas

Grazing livestock are an important source of contamination of freshwater, particularly when they have direct access to streams. Cattle in particular contribute to riparian habitat deterioration through stream bank destruction and direct defecation and urination in streams. Exclusion of stock or planting of riparian areas, are the most common catchment management methods used to protect waterways. Given the relatively low returns from beef and sheep farming, both of these strategies are very expensive and often logistically prohibitive in steep hill county landscapes. Despite this, policy trends indicate that fencing of streams in agricultural catchments may become mandatory in the future. It is important that we understand how much time cattle spend in and around hill country streams and wet areas (wetlands and hill side seeps), in order to quantify the likely environmental benefits from such policies. The current study examined cattle movement data obtained using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars from experiments undertaken at Massey University’s hill country research farm, Tuapaka, near Palmerston North, to investigate the amount of time cattle spent in and around streams and wet areas. Animal movement data were collected over seven grazing events, in three winter periods (2012, 2013 and 2015). Permanent streams and wet areas were identified using a digital elevation model derived from 1m LiDAR data, aerial RGB images and RTK measurements. Cattle spent 3.3 – 6% (48 – 86 min/day) of their day in streams and wet areas consistently across the 7 data collections. Cattle spent more time in streams and wet areas during the afternoon. There are differences in the median amount of time individual animals spend in non-risk areas. Further research is necessary to evaluate how we can influence the amount of time cattle spend in riparian areas on hill country and how stream bank behaviour varies at different times of the year

Resource factors for mental health resilience in early childhood: An analysis with multiple methodologies

Extent: 23p.Background: Given that relatively little is known about the development of resilience in early childhood, this longitudinal study aimed to identify preschool resource factors associated with young children’s mental health resilience to family adversity. Methods: A community sample of 474 young Australian children was assessed in preschool (mean age 4.59 years, 49% male), and again two years later after their transition into formal schooling. At each assessment, standard questionnaires were used to obtain ratings from both parents and teachers about the quality of children’s relationships with parents and teachers, children’s self-concept and self-control, mental health (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire), and family adversities (including stressful life events and socioeconomic disadvantage). Results: Greater exposure to cumulative family adversities was associated with both greater teacher- and parent-reported child mental health difficulties two years later. Multiple methodologies for operationalizing resilience were used to identify resources associated with resilient mental health outcomes. Higher quality child–parent and child-teacher relationships, and greater child self-concept and self-control were associated with resilient mental health outcomes. With the exception of child-teacher relationships, these resources were also prospective antecedents of subsequent resilient mental health outcomes in children with no pre-existing mental health difficulties. Child–parent relationships and child self-concept generally had promotive effects, being equally beneficial for children facing both low- and high-adversity. Child self-control demonstrated a small protective effect on teacher-reported outcomes, with greater self-control conferring greater protection to children under conditions of high-adversity. Conclusions: Findings suggest that early intervention and prevention strategies that focus on fostering child-adult relationship quality, self-concept, and self-control in young children may help build children’s mental health and their resilience to family adversities.Lauren R Miller-Lewis, Amelia K Searle, Michael G Sawyer, Peter A Baghurst and Darren Hedle

Nonparametric Estimation of the Case Fatality Ratio with Competing Risks Data: An Application to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndome (SARS)

For diseases with some level of associated mortality, the case fatality ratio measures the proportion of diseased individuals who die from the disease. In principle, it is straightforward to estimate this quantity from individual follow-up data that provides times from onset to death or recovery. In particular, in a competing risks context, the case fatality ratio is defined by the limiting value of the sub-distribution function, associated with death, at infinity. When censoring is present, however, estimation of this quantity is complicated by the possibility of little information in the right tail of of the sub-distribution function, requiring use of estimators evaluated at large or the largest observed death times. With right censoring, the variability of such estimators is large in the tail, suggesting the possibility of using estimators evaluated at smaller death times where bias may be increased but overall mean squared error be smaller. These issues are investigated here for nonparametric estimators of the sub-distribution functions for both death and recovery. The ideas are illustrated on case fatality data for individuals infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong in 2003

Gender perspectives on views and preferences of older people on exercise to prevent falls: a systematic mixed studies review

Background: To offer fall prevention exercise programs that attract older people of both sexes there is a need to understand both womens and mens views and preferences regarding these programs. This paper aims to systematically review the literature to explore any underlying gender perspectives or gender interpretations on older peoples views or preferences regarding uptake and adherence to exercise to prevent falls. Methods: A review of the literature was carried out using a convergent qualitative design based on systematic searches of seven electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Amed, PsycINFO, Scopus, PEDro, and OTseeker). Two investigators identified eligible studies. Each included article was read by at least two authors independently to extract data into tables. Views and preferences reported were coded and summarized in themes of facilitators and barriers using a thematic analysis approach. Results: Nine hundred and nine unique studies were identified. Twenty five studies met the criteria for inclusion. Only five of these contained a gender analysis of mens and womens views on fall prevention exercises. The results suggests that both women and men see women as more receptive to and in more need of fall prevention messages. The synthesis from all 25 studies identified six themes illustrating facilitators and six themes describing barriers for older people either starting or adhering to fall prevention exercise. The facilitators were: support from professionals or family; social interaction; perceived benefits; a supportive exercise context; feelings of commitment; and having fun. Barriers were: practical issues; concerns about exercise; unawareness; reduced health status; lack of support; and lack of interest. Considerably more women than men were included in the studies. Conclusion: Although there is plenty of information on the facilitators and barriers to falls prevention exercise in older people, there is a distinct lack of studies investigating differences or similarities in older womens and mens views regarding fall prevention exercise. In order to ensure that fall prevention exercise is appealing to both sexes and that the inclusion of both men and women are encouraged, more research is needed to find out whether gender differences exists and whether practitioners need to offer a range of opportunities and support strategies to attract both women and men to falls prevention exercise.Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council [2015-03481]; Strategic Research Programme in Care Sciences, Umea University; Karolinska Institute, Sweden; Umea University</p

Fermi Surface as the Driving Mechanism for Helical Antiferromagnetic Ordering in Gd-Y Alloys

The first direct experimental evidence for the Fermi surface (FS) driving the helical antiferromagnetic ordering in a gadolinium-yttrium alloy is reported. The presence of a FS sheet capable of nesting is revealed, and the nesting vector associated with the sheet is found to be in excellent agreement with the periodicity of the helical ordering.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Effect of influenza on cardiorespiratory and all-cause mortality in Hong Kong, Singapore and Guangzhou.

1. Using a common modelling approach, mortality attributable to influenza was higher in the two subtropical cities Guangzhou and Hong Kong than in the tropical city Singapore. 2. The virus activity appeared more synchronised in subtropical cities, whereas seasonality of influenza tended to be less marked in the tropical city. 3. High temperature was associated with increased mortality after influenza infection in Hong Kong, whereas relative humidity was an effect modifier for influenza in Guangzhou. No effect modification was found for Singapore. 4. Seasonal and environmental factors probably play a more important role than socioeconomic factors in regulating seasonality and disease burden of influenza. Further studies are needed in identifying the mechanism behind the regulatory role of environmental factors.published_or_final_versio

The KCNE genes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: a candidate gene study

The original publication is available at http://www.jnrbm.com/content/10/1/12Includes bibliographyAbstract Background The gene family KCNE1-5, which encode modulating β-subunits of several repolarising K+-ion channels, has been associated with genetic cardiac diseases such as long QT syndrome, atrial fibrillation and Brugada syndrome. The minK peptide, encoded by KCNE1, is attached to the Z-disc of the sarcomere as well as the T-tubules of the sarcolemma. It has been suggested that minK forms part of an "electro-mechanical feed-back" which links cardiomyocyte stretching to changes in ion channel function. We examined whether mutations in KCNE genes were associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic disease associated with an improper hypertrophic response. Results The coding regions of KCNE1, KCNE2, KCNE3, KCNE4, and KCNE5 were examined, by direct DNA sequencing, in a cohort of 93 unrelated HCM probands and 188 blood donor controls. Fifteen genetic variants, four previously unknown, were identified in the HCM probands. Eight variants were non-synonymous and one was located in the 3'UTR-region of KCNE4. No disease-causing mutations were found and no significant difference in the frequency of genetic variants was found between HCM probands and controls. Two variants of likely functional significance were found in controls only. Conclusions Mutations in KCNE genes are not a common cause of HCM and polymorphisms in these genes do not seem to be associated with a propensity to develop arrhythmiaPeer Reviewe