Farming the Iveragh uplands: A tale of humans and nature

The rugged beauty of the Iveragh peninsula has fascinated many a passing visitor and never fails to make some of us linger or stay for good. For those who need proof of the area’s uniqueness, a variety of national and European designations provide ample attestation of the splendour of Iveragh’s scenery, the diversity of its landscape and its heritage. Being surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic, Iveragh is the largest and most geographically isolated peninsula in Ireland whose western extremity, the Great Skellig, forms the westernmost point of Europe. Despite its maritime location, Iveragh’s character is fundamentally determined by the mountains, valleys and streams that form the peninsula’s interior—the bequest of a landscape sculpted by ice thousands of years ago (Crowley and Sheehan, 2009). Distinctive mountain scene in the Bridia Valley, Glencar Perhaps most distinctive, however, are the extensive blanket bogs and upland heather moorlands that cover most of the peninsula and captivate the imagination with the wild and austere appeal of an area where life did not change much for man and beast until relatively recently. Having come into existence in the wake of woodland clearances, the cutting of vegetation for fuel and the harvesting of crops for food and fiber by Neolithic farmers in the first and second millennium BC, this unique cultural landscape continues to be managed by traditional farmers and their animals to the present day. The value of areas such as Iveragh as repositories of a unique flora and fauna has long been recognized, but they have entered a period of major transformation as the agricultural economy that lay behind them no longer exists (Webb, 1998). The single largest danger is that farming communities may not survive the present discussion of how competitive European agriculture should be, as under present market conditions they are unable to compete without fundamentally changing their way of farming (Luick, 1998). The last 10 years have seen a growing debate over the future of areas like the Iveragh peninsula that may be ‘marginal’ in agricultural terms, but that are quite essential to life in Europe as we know and cherish it. Upland farmed landscapes provide clean water, maintain a rich plant and animal life and help to keep families in regions that offer few alternative employment opportunities – at the same time as attracting millions of tourists each year. The Caragh in Glencar—one of Europe’s cleanest rivers. Such areas, also termed high nature value farmland, cover about 25% of all agricultural land in Ireland and include, besides Iveragh, other parts of Kerry, Connemara, Mayo, Donegal, the Comeraghs, Wicklow, the Burren and the offshore Islands. The farming systems of these areas are characterised by extensive mixed livestock grazing and little agro-chemical inputs combined with labour-intensive management practices. Without dedicated farmers and their families, the character of these areas would change completely leading to the disappearance of unique cultural landscapes with effects such as rural depopulation and the loss of local communities. Already farming systems have changed substantially with livestock being concentrated on better quality land while marginal areas are being abandoned. Along with this, there are changes in the animals being farmed. The traditional Scotch Blackface sheep are increasingly crossed with or replaced by lowland breeds to satisfy market demands for heavy lamb. This has led to a softening in sheep and the fear among farmers that the traditional grazers of the uplands may be extinct in years to come. Going, too, is the use of the native rustic Kerry cow that grazed the rough Farming the Iveragh Uplands grasses, bracken, gorse and soft rushes in the winter - growth that sheep cannot control. Unsurprisingly, this disruption over a relatively short time, in what was formerly a sustainable relationship between farming and nature, will have implications for the area’s flora and fauna. Some of the repercussions are obvious; others need to be researched in more depth if appropriate solutions are to be formulated. It is now a stated objective of EU environment and rural development policy to maintain and conserve traditional farming systems like the one practised on Iveragh. Beyond acknowledging the importance of traditional farming for nature conservation and local livelihoods, it is necessary to understand how such farming systems function and to determine how the inevitable process of change can be redirected to provide a way of life that is socially and economically rewarding for farm families while preserving the farming practices necessary for Iveragh’s unique landscape to persist into the future. In this light, University College Cork (UCC) in conjunction with the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) and funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) initiated BioUp, a 3 year research programme to investigate the upland farming system and rich biodiversity associated with it. Managing rural change in the uplands calls for the active involvement of many stakeholders, including farmers and agricultural advisory groups, land owners, conservation groups, forestry, tourism, and local authorities. In the BioUp project, researchers and stakeholders worked closely together. It is hoped that this will help to obtain a better understanding of the social, economic and environmental challenges facing Iveragh and promote greater public appreciation of the indispensable contributions made by farm families to maintaining our unique heritage - a service that has gone unappreciated too long

Embedded motivational interviewing combined with a smartphone application to increase physical activity in people with sub-acute low back pain: a cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundModerately vigorous physical activity (PA) may be beneficial for people with sub-acute low back pain (LBP), but may initially be painful for patients and challenging for physical therapists to facilitate.ObjectivesThis study investigated motivational interviewing (MI) delivered by physical therapists and a smartphone app for increasing PA in people with LBP.MethodsA mixed methods cluster randomised controlled trial involving 46 adults with LBP in Melbourne, Australia. Participants attended weekly 30-min physical therapy consultations for 6 weeks. Experimental group physical therapists were taught to embed MI into consultations and patients were provided with a self-directed app. The primary outcome was accelerometer-derived moderately vigorous PA. Secondary outcomes were LBP disability (Oswestry Disability Index), functional capacity (Patient Specific Functional Scale), and self-efficacy (Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire). Between-group differences were analysed by ANCOVA post-intervention.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference between the experimental group and control group for PA. Between-group differences in LBP disability (MD= 19.4 units, 95% CI: 8.5, 30.3), functional capacity (primary MD= −4.1 units, 95% CI: −6.9, −1.3; average MD= −3.1, 95% CI: −4.9, −1.2) and self-efficacy (MD −11.3 units, 95%CI −20.2 to −2.5) favoured the control group with small to moderate effect sizes. There were low levels of overall engagement with the app.ConclusionThe embedded MI intervention was no more beneficial than physical therapy alone for PA and was associated with poorer LBP disability, function, and self-efficacy. The effectiveness of embedding MI and a smartphone app into usual care for LBP was not supported.Keywords: Low back pain; Motivational interviewing; Randomised controlled trial; Smartphone application, app<br/

Informationの多変数解析への応用について

The Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), at ca. 55.8 Ma, is one of the most studied instances of past greenhouse gas-induced global warming. As such, it provides a rich opportunity to examine the impact of such global change on local climates. The effects of increased continental and sea surface temperatures on local precipitation and humidity during the PETM remain poorly constrained and studies reveal complex, regional differences; whilst some localities appear to experience a net increase in humidity, others exhibit the opposite. Crucially, there are few records of hydrological change from tropical regions. Recent onshore drilling expeditions in Tanzania have yielded expanded sedimentary sections, deposited in a marine environment, that span much of the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene and show exceptionally good preservation of both calcareous microfossils and organic matter. The PETM interval has previously been constrained by both biostratigraphy and carbon isotopic records and spans ca. 7 m of section. Lipid distributions, including various terrestrial, marine and bacterial biomarkers and their hydrogen isotopic compositions, as well as mineralogy, were used to examine East African vegetation and hydrological responses to the global change occurring at the PETM. Although total organic carbon contents decrease, the concentrations of both higher plant (n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids) and soil bacterial (glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers) biomarkers increase dramatically at the onset of the PETM negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE), suggesting an increased discharge of fluvial sedimentary organic matter. Similarly, mineralogical indicators of terrestrial input – including Ti/Al and Si/Al ratios, quartz contents and, notably, the proportion of kaolinite – also increase at the onset of the CIE. However, higher plant leaf wax n-alkanes (C27, C29 and C31) become more deuterium-enriched throughout the same interval, suggesting a more arid and/or hotter, rather than a more humid, environment. This evidence collectively suggests an East African early PETM climate characterised by overall hot and arid conditions punctuated by intense, perhaps seasonal, precipitation events. These data match observations from other locations at mid-latitudes, suggesting that the humid climate often suggested for the PETM was not globally widespread

Embedded motivational interviewing combined with a smartphone application to increase physical activity in people with sub-acute low back pain: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Background Moderately vigorous physical activity (PA) may be beneficial for people with sub-acute low back pain (LBP), but may initially be painful for patients and challenging for physical therapists to facilitate. Objectives This study investigated motivational interviewing (MI) delivered by physical therapists and a smartphone app for increasing PA in people with LBP. Methods A mixed methods cluster randomised controlled trial involving 46 adults with LBP in Melbourne, Australia. Participants attended weekly 30-min physical therapy consultations for 6 weeks. Experimental group physical therapists were taught to embed MI into consultations and patients were provided with a self-directed app. The primary outcome was accelerometer-derived moderately vigorous PA. Secondary outcomes were LBP disability (Oswestry Disability Index), functional capacity (Patient Specific Functional Scale), and self-efficacy (Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire). Between-group differences were analysed by ANCOVA post-intervention. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the experimental group and control group for PA. Between-group differences in LBP disability (MD= 19.4 units, 95% CI: 8.5, 30.3), functional capacity (primary MD= −4.1 units, 95% CI: −6.9, −1.3; average MD= −3.1, 95% CI: −4.9, −1.2) and self-efficacy (MD −11.3 units, 95%CI −20.2, −2.5) favoured the control group with small to moderate effect sizes. There were low levels of overall engagement with the app. Conclusion The embedded MI intervention was no more beneficial than physical therapy alone for PA and was associated with poorer LBP disability, function, and self-efficacy. The effectiveness of embedding MI and a smartphone app into usual care for LBP was not supported

The relationships between golf and health:A scoping review

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationships between golf and health. DESIGN: Scoping review. DATA SOURCES: Published and unpublished reports of any age or language, identified by searching electronic databases, platforms, reference lists, websites and from consulting experts. REVIEW METHODS: A 3-step search strategy identified relevant published primary and secondary studies as well as grey literature. Identified studies were screened for final inclusion. Data were extracted using a standardised tool, to form (1) a descriptive analysis and (2) a thematic summary. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: 4944 records were identified with an initial search. 301 studies met criteria for the scoping review. Golf can provide moderate intensity physical activity and is associated with physical health benefits that include improved cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic profiles, and improved wellness. There is limited evidence related to golf and mental health. The incidence of golfing injury is moderate, with back injuries the most frequent. Accidental head injuries are rare, but can have serious consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners and policymakers can be encouraged to support more people to play golf, due to associated improved physical health and mental well-being, and a potential contribution to increased life expectancy. Injuries and illnesses associated with golf have been identified, and risk reduction strategies are warranted. Further research priorities include systematic reviews to further explore the cause and effect nature of the relationships described. Research characterising golf's contribution to muscular strengthening, balance and falls prevention as well as further assessing the associations and effects between golf and mental health are also indicated

A psychological support intervention to help injured athletes "get back in the game" : Design and development study

BACKGROUND: After a serious knee injury, up to half of athletes do not return to competitive sport, despite recovering sufficient physical function. Athletes often desire psychological support for the return to sport, but rehabilitation clinicians feel ill-equipped to deliver adequate support. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to design and develop an internet-delivered psychological support program for athletes recovering from knee ligament surgery. METHODS: Our work for developing and designing the Back in the Game intervention was guided by a blend of theory-, evidence-, and target population-based strategies for developing complex interventions. We systematically searched for qualitative evidence related to athletes' experiences with, perspectives on, and needs for recovery and return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Two reviewers coded and synthesized the results via thematic meta-synthesis. We systematically searched for randomized controlled trials reporting on psychological support interventions for improving ACL rehabilitation outcomes in athletes. One reviewer extracted the data, including effect estimates; a second reviewer checked the data for accuracy. The results were synthesized descriptively. We conducted feasibility testing in two phases-(1) technical assessment and (2) feasibility and usability testing. For phase 1, we recruited clinicians and people with lived experience of ACL injury. For phase 2, we recruited patients aged between 15 and 30 years who were within 8 weeks of ACL reconstruction surgery. Participants completed a 10-week version of the intervention and semistructured interviews for evaluating acceptability, demand, practicality, and integration. This project was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (approval number: 2018/45-31). RESULTS: The following three analytic themes emerged from the meta-synthesis (studies: n=16; participants: n=164): (1) tools or strategies for supporting rehabilitation progress, (2) barriers and facilitators for the physical readiness to return to sport, and (3) barriers and facilitators for the psychological readiness to return to sport. Coping strategies, relaxation, and goal setting may have a positive effect on rehabilitation outcomes after ACL reconstruction (randomized controlled trials: n=7; participants: n=430). There were no trials of psychological support interventions for improving the return to sport. Eleven people completed phase 1 of feasibility testing (technical assessment) and identified 4 types of software errors, which we fixed. Six participants completed the feasibility and usability testing phase. Their feedback suggested that the intervention was easy to access and addressed the needs of athletes who want to return to sport after ACL reconstruction. We refined the intervention to include more multimedia content and support access to and the use of the intervention features. CONCLUSIONS: The Back in the Game intervention is a 24-week, internet-delivered, self-guided program that comprises 7 modules that complement usual rehabilitation, changes focus as rehabilitation progresses, is easy to access and use, and includes different psychological support strategies

Psychoeducational rehabilitation for health behavior change in coronary artery disease : a systematic review of controlled trials

PURPOSE: Psychoeducation is a recommended component of cardiac rehabilitation, but to date, evidence from high quality trials examining behavior change has not been synthesized. The primary aim of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of psychoeducation on behavior change in adults with coronary artery disease participating in cardiac rehabilitation; and to identify if changes in health behavior had an effect on modifiable physiological risk factors. METHODS: A search of electronic databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials involving adults with a primary diagnosis of myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention, stable angina, or coronary artery disease defined by angiography. Trials comparing psychoeducational programs to exercise only, standard cardiac rehabilitation or medical care were included. Primary outcomes were smoking status, physical activity, dietary habits, supplemental oxygen, or medication use. Included trials were assessed for quality with the PEDro scale, and data synthesized descriptively or with meta-analysis. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials and 1 quasiexperimental trial were included, a total of 536 participants. A meta-analysis from 213 participants showed psychoeducational interventions produced a significant positive effect on physical activity levels over the medium term (6-12 months) when compared with exercise and risk factor education, (δ = .62, 95% CI 0.3-0.94). However, there was limited positive evidence for change in smoking and dietary behavior. No effect was found on physiological risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Psychoeducational interventions produce a significant positive effect on physical activity levels and potentially on dietary habits and smoking. Strategies such as goal setting, problem solving, self-monitoring, and role modeling appear to be influential in this change