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Social Enterprise as a Pathway to Work, Wellness, and Social Inclusion for Canadians with Mental Illnesses and/or Substance Use Disorders Social Enterprise as a Pathway to Work, Wellness and Social Inclusion for Canadians with Mental Illnesses and/or Substance-Use Disorders’
Get PDFPeople with serious and persistent mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders are among the most economically and socially disenfranchised populations in Canada, and often present with long histories of labour market detachment and underemployment. Work engagement has the potential to improve social determinants of health while also harnessing productive capacity. This article re-ports on a five-year study examining the social, economic, and health impacts of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs) in the mental health sector in Ontario, Canada. The findings shed light on the population that works in WISEs, its levels of social and labour market integration, and or-ganizational features that influence worker outcomes. Results highlight both the importance of WISEs as a means of supporting employment, and challenges to organizational sustainability
Dual ecological and socio-cultural fragmentation induced by hydropower dams: case studies from the Greater Himalayan region of India
Get PDFFirst paragraph: Climate change and biodiversity loss are pressing global challenges (Pörtner et al., 2021). However, as global energy demand continues to increase (IEA, 2021), nations face significant challenges to decarbonization and reaching “net zero” due to trade-offs between the often-competing needs of renewable energy generation and biodiversity conservation. For example, hydropower generates renewable energy (Gibson et al., 2017), yet there are well-documented and severe consequences of dam development for biodiversity (e.g., Zarfl et al., 2019) and people (e.g., Bisht, 2009) due to reservoir creation and disruption of river flows. Despite such potentially damaging ecological and social trade-offs, hydropower currently contributes 70% of global renewable energy and there are at least 3 700 large dams planned or under construction globally (Zhang & Gu, 2023)
Real-world waste dispersion modelling for benthic integrated multi-trophic aquaculture
Get PDFIn real-world situations, marine fish farms accommodate multiple fish species and cohorts within the farm, leading to diverse farm layouts influenced by cage dimensions, configurations, and intricate arrangements. These cage management practices are essential to meet production demands, however, farm-level complexities can impact model predictions of waste deposition and benthic impact near fish cages. This is of particular importance when the cages are used for integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) with benthic feeders, where this waste not only affects environmental conditions but also provides a potential food source. The Cage Aquaculture Particulate Output and Transport (CAPOT) model incorporated multiple species, cohorts, and cage arrangements to estimate waste distribution from a commercial fish farm in the Mediterranean between October 2018 and July 2019. This spreadsheet model estimated dispersion for individual fish cages using a grid resolution of 5 m x 5 m. The study categorized discrete production periods for each fish cage every month, aligning with intermittent changes in biomass and food inputs due to different cage management practices throughout production. This approach facilitated the use of detailed input data and enhanced model representativeness by considering variations in cage biomass, food types, settling velocities, and configurations. Model outputs, represented in contour plots, indicated higher deposition directly below fish cages that varied monthly throughout fish production cycles. Deposition footprints reflected changes in cage biomass, food inputs, and farm-level practices reflecting this real-world scenario where aquaculture does not follow a production continuum. Moreover, cohort dynamics and cage movements associated with the cage management practices of the fish farm influenced the quantity and fate of wastes distributed around fish cages, revealing variability in deposition footprints. Clearly, these findings have important implications for the design of benthic IMTA systems, with species such as sea cucumber and polychaetes. Variability in waste deposition creates challenges in identifying where the benthic organisms should be placed to allow optimal uptake of waste to meet their food requirements and increase survivability. Evidently, models have an important role to play and this study emphasizes the need for representative input data to describe actual food inputs, cage biomass changes, and management practices for more representative farm-scale modelling and essentially to improve particulate waste management. To effectively mitigate benthic impacts through IMTA, models must quantify and resolve particulate waste distribution and impact around fish farms to maintain a balanced system with net removal of wastes. Resolving farm-level complexities provides vital information about the variability of food availability and quality for extractive organisms that helps improve recycling of organic wastes in integrated systems, demanding a more representative modelling approach
Assessing occupational participation among justice involved people ‘with a personality disorder’: Quantitative assessments and their properties
Get PDFIntroduction: There is little evidence for what influences occupational participation for justice-involved people ‘with a personality disorder’ living in community contexts, and no validated occupational participation assessments specific to this group. We assessed a sample of justice-involved people ‘with a personality disorder’ to ascertain what influences occupational participation using commonly applied assessments and evaluated their construct validity. Method: As part of a mixed-methods study, a purposive sample of 18 justice-involved people ‘with a personality disorder’ were scored on the Model of Human Occupational Screening Tool and Occupational Performance History Interview–Version Two scales. Mean scores were calculated per Model of Human Occupational Screening Tool (MOHOST) item and Occupational Performance History Interview–Version Two (OPHI-II) items and scales and compared to published data. Mann–Whitney U Tests were used to identify within-sample differences based on demographic characteristics. Results: Participants had low scores on MOHOST items and OPHI-II items and scales. Differences were identified compared to published data. Within-sample differences were most apparent in comparisons by employment status and ethnicity. The OPHI-II scales did not operate as intended with this population and recommended adjustments impacted its construct validity. Conclusion: Replication is required with a larger random sample. Integrating these data with qualitative exploration would further elucidate factors influencing occupational participation in this population
Interacting impacts of hydrological changes and air temperature warming on lake temperatures highlight the potential for adaptive management
Get PDFGlobally, climate warming is increasing air temperatures and changing river flows, but few studies have explicitly considered the consequences for lake temperatures of these dual effects, or the potential to manage lake inflows to mitigate climate warming impacts. Using a one-dimensional model, we tested the sensitivity of lake temperatures to the separate and interacting effects of changes in air temperature and inflow on a small, short-residence time (annual average ≈ 20 days), temperate lake. Reducing inflow by 70% increased summer lake surface temperatures 1.0–1.2 °C and water column stability by 11–19%, equivalent to the effect of 1.2 °C air temperature warming. Conversely, similar increases in inflow could result in lake summer cooling, sufficient to mitigate 0.75 °C air temperature rise, increasing to more than 1.1 °C if inflow temperature does not rise. We discuss how altering lake inflow volume and temperature could be added to the suite of adaptation measures for lakes
Analysing experienced and inexperienced cyclists’ attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies during varying intensities of fixed perceived effort cycling: A mixed method study
Get PDFUsing a think aloud approach during fixed perceived effort exercise is a unique method to explore the decisionmaking processes that guide the self-regulation of perceived effort during endurance-based activity. In a two-part study, authors investigated the attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies associated with: Part A - perceived effort corresponding to (RPEGET) and above gas exchange threshold (RPE+15%GET); Part B - between experienced and inexperienced cyclists during fixed perceived effort cycling tasks. Eighteen (15 male, 3 female) healthy, active individuals completed three visits (visit 1 – ramped incremental test and familiarisation, visit 2 and 3–30-min fixed perceived effort cycling). During which, power output, heart rate, lactate, think aloud, and perceptual markers were taken. Random-intercepts linear mixed-effects models assessed the condition, time, and condition × time interactions on all dependent variables. Power output, heart rate, lactate and instances of internal sensory monitoring (t195 = 2.57, p = .011, β = 0.95 [0.23, 1.68]) and self-regulation (t195 = 4.14, p = .001, β = 1.69 [0.89, 2.49]) were significantly higher in the RPE+15%GET versus RPEGET trial. No significant differences between inexperienced and experienced cyclists for internal sensory monitoring (t196 = − 1.78, p = .095, β = − 1.73 [− 3.64, 0.18]) or self-regulatory thoughts (t196 = − 0.39, p = .699, β = − 1.06 [− 6.32, 4.21]) were noted but there were significant condition × time interactions for internal monitoring (t196 = 2.02, p = .045, β = 0.44 [0.01, 0.87]) and self-regulation (t196 = 3.45, p = .001, β = 0.85 [0.37, 1.33]). Seemingly, experienced athletes associatively attended to internal psychophysiological state and subsequently self-regulate their psychophysiological state at earlier stages of exercise than inexperienced athletes. This is the first study to exhibit the differences in attentional focus and self-regulatory strategies that are activated based on perceived effort intensity and experience level in cyclists
Modulation of metabolic and immunoregulatory pathways in the gut transcriptome of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) after early nutritional programming during first feeding with plant-based diet
Get PDFIntroduction: Plant-based nutritional programming is the concept of exposing fish at very early life stages to a plant-based diet for a short duration to improve physiological responses when exposed to a similar plant-rich diet at a later developmental stage. The mechanisms of action underlying nutritional programming have not been fully deciphered, and the responses may be controlled at multiple levels. Methods: This 22-week study examines gut transcriptional changes after nutritional programming. Triplicate groups of Atlantic salmon were fed with a plant (V) vs. a marine-rich (M, control) diet for 2 weeks (stimulus phase) at the first exogenous feeding. Both stimulus fish groups (M and V fish) were then fed the M diet for 12 weeks (intermediate phase) and lastly fed the V diet (challenge phase) for 6 weeks, generating two dietary regimes (MMV and VMV) across phases. This study used a whole-transcriptome approach to analyse the effects of the V diet at the end of stimulus (short-term effects) and 22 weeks post-first feeding (long-term effects). After the stimulus, due to its developmental stage, the whole intestine was used, whereas, after the challenge, pyloric caeca and middle and distal intestines were examined. Results and discussion: At the stimulus end, genes with increased expression in V fish enriched pathways including regulatory epigenetic responses and lipid metabolism, and genes involved in innate immune response were downregulated. In the middle intestine at the end of the challenge, expression levels of genes of lipid, carbohydrate, and energy metabolism were increased in V fish, while M fish revealed increased expression of genes associated with autoimmune and acute adaptive immune response. The distal intestine of V fish showed increased expression of genes associated with immune response Frontiers in Immunology Tawfik MM, Betancor MB, McMillan S, Norambuena F, Tocher DR, Douglas A and Martin SAM (2024) Modulation of metabolic and immunoregulatory pathways in the gut transcriptome of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) after early nutritional programming during first feeding with plant-based diet. and potential immune tolerance. Conversely, the distal intestine of M fish at challenge revealed upregulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolic pathways, tissue degeneration, and apoptotic responses. The present study demonstrated nutritional programming-associated changes in the intestinal transcriptome, with altered expression of genes involved in both immune responses and different metabolic processes. While there were limited changes in growth between the groups, the results show that there were transcriptional differences, suggesting a programming response, although the mechanism of this response still requires to be fully elucidated
Finfish aquaculture in northern Nigeria: Characterisation of potential bacterial pathogens, disease management practices and steps towards improvement
No full textNigeria is the largest aquaculture producer in Sub-Saharan Africa but has a fish demand-supply deficit of over 1 million tons. Aquaculture has been promoted as a viable pathway towards bridging this gap and achieving self-sufficiency in fish supply. The sector however, faces infectious disease challenges that threaten both food security and the socioeconomic well-being of the people especially in northern Nigeria, a region with a higher poverty rate and lower food security. Insufficient capacity for fish health management has led to many fish farmers using antibiotics sometimes inappropriately as the primary means of disease control and prevention. This poses a threat to both aquaculture sustainability and the One Health mantra. Despite these challenges, there is still a dearth of information on prevailing pathogenic bacterial strains as well as a poor understanding of general disease management and prevention strategies within the aquaculture sector especially in northern Nigeria. This thesis, therefore, aimed to address these knowledge gaps and characterise prevailing pathogenic bacteria of catfish, conduct a survey of infectious disease outbreaks and associated management practices and propose interventions towards improved biosecurity practice in aquaculture in northern Nigeria.
A bacteriological survey was conducted in the field of 55 catfish (Clarias gariepinus) displaying gross symptoms of infectious disease at nine sampling sites which included seven fish farms and two fish markets distributed across three states of northern Nigeria between June and August 2020. Forty-two bacterial isolates were successfully recovered in the UK from the original 100 isolated bacteria in Nigeria. Sixteen of the recovered bacterial isolates sampled from skin ulcers and kidney of catfish at six different sites were identified as Aeromonas spp. (including A. hydrophila, A. veronii, A. dhakensis, and A. jandaei) through a combination of morphological, biochemical, and molecular techniques (16S rRNA and whole genome sequencing and MLST typing). A further twelve suspected Pseudomonas spp. isolates were also cultured from catfish mainly associated with one market location.
The 16 Aeromonas spp. isolates displayed phenotypic virulence traits that included haemolysis, protease, DNase, gelatinase and lipase enzyme activities in addition to bearing genes that code for these traits. Antibiotic resistance profiles of these 16 Aeromonas spp. against commonly used antibiotics in the study area determined using the microbroth dilution method of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI VET03) revealed that all 16 were wild type (WT) against gentamicin and erythromycin and non-wild type (NWT) against oxytetracycline and sulfamethoxazole, while the majority 15/16 (93.75%) were NWT against both amoxycillin and oxolinic acid. A smaller proportion of 12 (75%), 11 (68.75%) and 2 isolates (12.50%) were NWT against colistin, enrofloxacin and florfenicol respectively. Both chromosomal and plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance determinants were also detected in these Aeromonas spp. field isolates.
A structured questionnaire to inform on current aquaculture husbandry practices, disease occurrence, disease management, and biosecurity practices was administered via telephone interview to 45 catfish farmers across 10 of the 19 states that make up northern Nigeria between September 2021 and February 2022. The survey of fish farms revealed that 25 (56%) farms poorly implemented biosecurity on their farms and another 29 farms (64%) reported disease outbreaks. Only five (11.1%) farms consulted a veterinarian while self-medication with antibiotics was the most common (40/45; 88.89%) method of disease control and prevention. An online training workshop on biosecurity was designed, implemented and its impact on biosecurity practices of participating fish farmers assessed. A significant difference in biosecurity score (p < 0.05) was observed between the cohort that received online biosecurity training and the control group of fish farmers that did not attend the workshop.
This thesis revealed that biosecurity on participating fish farms was poorly implemented, however, an online training workshop on biosecurity significantly improved this outcome. Infectious disease outbreaks were common and disease management commonly involved self-prescribed antibiotics. The most frequently isolated bacteria from diseased catfish were Aeromonas spp. and found to carry multiple virulence and resistance genes. Therefore, the evidence presented here suggests the potential role of aquaculture in the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance. The economic and public health (zoonotic) significance of Aeromonas spp. makes this a significant finding especially in the context of northern Nigeria, a region with an emerging aquaculture sector. A concerted effort is therefore required to improve farms management practices and reduce inappropriate antibiotic use, to ensure sustainable aquaculture production and food security
Vitamin B6 and selenium supplementation induce contrasting effects in the transsulfuration pathway of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with interactive effects in stressed fish
Get PDFThis study aimed to investigate the interactive effects between selenium and vitamin B6 supplementation in the transsulfuration pathway and glutathione metabolism of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and in response to oxidative stress. Four plant protein-based diets (48% crude protein and 23% total lipid) naturally low in selenium and vitamin B6 were designed: CTL, without any selenium or vitamin B6 supplementation; SEL, supplemented with 4 mg selenium per kg diet supplied as selenomethionine (SeMet); PYR, supplemented with 50 mg pyridoxine hydrochloride (PN.HCL) per kg diet and SEPY, co-supplemented with SeMet and PN.HCL. Groups of 50 juvenile rainbow trout (28 ± 3 g) were randomly distributed in a flow-through system in triplicate tanks per treatment and fed on one of the experimental diets two times per day for twelve weeks. In addition, 15 fish per tank were exposed to periodic hyperoxia stress for one week prior to sampling. Therefore, the dissolved oxygen levels in the tanks were increased from 8 mg/l to 13 mg/l during 8 h per day. Dietary SeMet supplementation increased feed intake (1.44 ± 0.03 vs. 1.49 ± 0.02), but without any significant differences in final body weight (180 ± 3 vs 184 ± 3 g) between groups. SeMet supplementation was associated with increased liver and muscle S-adenosylhomocysteine levels. There was a general decrease of transsulfuration metabolites by SeMet supplementation in muscle tissue. On the other hand, PN.HCL supplementation increased the gene expression of the first step transsulfuration pathway enzyme, cbs, in liver tissue with similarly higher levels of transsulfuration metabolite homocysteine and total glutathione. Fish subjected to periodic hyperoxia showed lower reduced glutathione levels in liver tissue, which indicates modifications to the cellular redox system of fish in response to the stress. In stressed fish, interactive effects of SeMet and PN.HCL supplementation were detected on transsulfuration metabolites in both liver and muscle tissue. The results show that SeMet and PN.HCL supplementation can induce contrasting effects in the transsulfuration system of fish. The significant interactions in stressed fish between SeMet and PN.HCL supplementation indicate that both nutrients are required to maintain glutathione homeostasis under challenging environmental conditions
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