Trail use, motivations and environmental attitudes of 3780 European mountain bikers: what is sustainable?

Background: The extent to which mountain biking impacts upon the environment is largely determined by rider behaviours. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how mountain bikers interact with the natural environment and explore their attitudes towards sustainability. Methods: 3780 European mountain bikers completed an online cross-sectional survey. Results: Connection to nature was an important source of motivation and the use of mountain bike trails has increased rider’s appreciation of and willingness to protect nature, with a large majority having taken direct action to do so. Mountain bikers are prepared to contribute towards trail maintenance through the provision of labour or financially. Although most mountain bikers make use of wet trails and illegal trails, incidence of conflict is relatively low. A range of characteristics were identified as being fundamental elements of sustainable trails, both in relation to the sustainability of the trail itself and in terms of wider environmental sustainability. Conclusions: European mountain bikers care about the sustainability of the natural environment. Self-reported attitudes and behaviours suggest a willingness to reduce environmental impact and actively protect nature

Rotavirus Serotype G9P[8] and Acute Gastroenteritis Outbreak in Children, Northern Australia

Amino acid substitutions on the VP7 and NSP4 proteins were identified in regions known to influence function and may have contributed to the emergence and increased dominance of the outbreak strains

Temporal Development of Autonomic Dysfunction in Heart Failure: Effects of Age in an Ovine Rapid-pacing Model.

Heart failure (HF) is predominantly a disease of older adults and characterized by extensive sympatho-vagal imbalance leading to impaired reflex control of heart rate (HR). However, whether aging influences the development or extent of the autonomic imbalance in HF remains unclear. To address this, we used an ovine model of aging with tachypacing-induced HF to determine whether aging affects the chronotropic and inotropic responses to autonomic stimulation and reduction in heart rate variability (HRV) in HF. We find that aging is associated with increased cardiac dimensions and reduced contractility before the onset of tachypacing, and these differences persist in HF. Additionally, the chronotropic response to β-adrenergic stimulation was markedly attenuated in HF, and this occurred more rapidly in aged animals. By measuring HR during sequential autonomic blockade, our data are consistent with a reduced parasympathetic control of resting HR in aging, with young HF animals having an attenuated sympathetic influence on HR. Time-domain analyses of HR show a reduction in HRV in both young and aged failing animals, although HRV is lowest in aged HF. In conclusion, aging is associated with altered autonomic control and β-adrenergic responsiveness of HR, and these are exacerbated with the development of HF

High Post-Capture Survival for Sharks, Rays and Chimaeras Discarded in the Main Shark Fishery of Australia?

Most sharks, rays and chimaeras (chondrichthyans) taken in commercial fisheries are discarded (i.e. returned to the ocean either dead or alive). Quantifying the post-capture survival (PCS) of discarded species is therefore essential for the improved management and conservation of this group. For all chondrichthyans taken in the main shark fishery of Australia, we quantified the immediate PCS of individuals reaching the deck of commercial shark gillnet fishing vessels and applied a risk-based method to semi-quantitatively determine delayed and total PCS. Estimates of immediate, delayed and total PCS were consistent, being very high for the most commonly discarded species (Port Jackson shark, Australian swellshark, and spikey dogfish) and low for the most important commercial species (gummy and school sharks). Increasing gillnet soak time or water temperature significantly decreased PCS. Chondrichthyans with bottom-dwelling habits had the highest PCS whereas those with pelagic habits had the lowest PCS. The risk-based approach can be easily implemented as a standard practice of on-board observing programs, providing a convenient first-step assessment of the PCS of all species taken in commercial fisheries

Drivers of Holocene palsa distribution in North America

Palsas and peat plateaus are climatically sensitive landforms in permafrost peatlands. Climate envelope models have previously related palsa/peat plateau distributions in Europe to modern climate, but similar bioclimatic modelling has not been attempted for North America. Recent climate change has rendered many palsas/peat plateaus in this region, and their valuable carbon stores, vulnerable. We fitted a binary logistic regression model to predict palsa/peat plateau presence for North America by relating the distribution of 352 extant landforms to gridded modern climate data. Our model accurately classified 85.3% of grid cells that contain observed palsas/peat plateaus and 77.1% of grid cells without observed palsas/peat plateaus. The model indicates that modern North American palsas/peat plateaus are supported by cold, dry climates with large seasonal temperature ranges and mild growing seasons. We used palaeoclimate simulations from a general circulation model to simulate Holocene distributions of palsas/peat plateaus at 500-year intervals. We constrained these outputs with timings of peat initiation, deglaciation, and postglacial drainage across the continent. Our palaeoclimate simulations indicate that this climate envelope remained stationary in western North America throughout the Holocene, but further east it migrated northwards during 11.5–6.0 ka BP. However, palsa extents in eastern North America were restricted from following this moving climate envelope by late deglaciation, drainage and peat initiation. We validated our Holocene simulations against available palaeoecological records and whilst they agree that permafrost peatlands aggraded earliest in western North America, our simulations contest previous suggestions that late permafrost aggradation in central Canada was climatically-driven

Deciding on a combination of anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs.

Patients being treated for atrial fibrillation may develop cardiovascular disease before or after the onset of their heart rhythm problem, and may require a combination of antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs. This article describes the evidence for the combinations used to treat acute coronary syndrome in patients with atrial fibrillation. </jats:p

Control of Foreign Fisheries: Developing Management Strategies to Maximise National Economic Benefits

Under the provisions of the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), coastal states must provide for access to harvest the living resources within their EEZs. Where the state does not have the capacity to harvest the entire sustainable catch, it must grant other states access to the “surplus allowable catch” through access agreements. High global demand for fish products means there is continuing pressure for distant water fleets to maintain or increase fish supplies to international markets. Attendant economic incentives for foreign vessels to fish illegally are well known. Without sufficient means, developing coastal states are unable to enforce regulations putting the resource under increased pressure from over-exploitation. However, legitimate fishing can be encouraged given sufficient levels of surveillance, penalties and appropriate licence fees. Moreover, revenue generated from licensing foreign vessels can be used to fund monitoring, control and surveillance operations. The optimum terms and conditions that developing coastal states can expect from licensing foreign vessels can be determined. An earlier study to derive maximum economic benefits from foreign fishing for coastal developing countries has been applied to eight case studies around the world to provide specific management recommendations and policy advice to key stakeholders. A spreadsheet-based learning tool to assist the decision-making process was used at a regional workshop in east Africa. Here we detail the underlying issues governing the approach and its use to improve decision-making in developing countries.Keywords: Penalties, Access Agreements, Fisheries, License Fees, Surveillance, Illegal Unreported and Unregulate