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Seascape diversity and configuration shape habitat selection across coastal nurseries
No full textBackground:
Many species move among habitats to feed, shelter, reproduce, and disperse, linking ecosystems across land and seascapes. In coastal seascapes, juvenile fish movements connect habitats to form interlinked nurseries. While the concepts of nursery habitats and ontogenetic habitat shifts are widely accepted, how habitat and seascape features influence habitat selection across multiple habitats during ontogenetic shifts remains unclear.
Aims:
We tested for ontogenetic habitat shifts and examined how seascape features, habitat cover, and protection from fishing influence the abundance and distribution of juvenile fish targeted by fisheries across multiple nursery habitats.
Methods:
We surveyed fish from six habitat types using stereo-remote underwater video stations. Surveys were conducted four times over two years at 180 sites along 200 km of the inshore Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Results:
Key fisheries species exhibited clear ontogenetic shifts, migrating from mangroves and/or back-reef habitats to coral reefs at larger body sizes. Variation in seascape properties, particularly the composition and configuration of nursery habitats was linked to changes in the distribution and abundance of key fisheries target species. These strong seascape effects were evident across all habitats and sizes and were more important for nursery function than variation in habitat cover or protection from fishing.
Conclusion:
Our findings provide strong support for the seascape nursery concept, demonstrating that seascape attributes can influence nursery function and illustrate how diverse and inter-connected habitats can form vital seascape nurseries for species that undertake ontogenetic shifts. Effective management will require a deeper understanding of how variation in seascape composition and configuration supports nursery function
Neglected Biodiversity of Fish Assemblages Associated With Antipatharia (Black Corals) on Tropical Shallow Reef Ecosystems
No full textAddressing anthropogenic threats compromising the persistence of tropical marine ecosystems requires a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental ecological functions organisms fulfill in these realms. Habitat provision is a paramount function of corals in tropical marine ecosystems, although most research in this area has concentrated on scleractinians (hard corals). Here, we provide one of the first empirical studies of fish communities on shallow tropical reefs associated with another, lesser-known hexacoral group—the antipatharians (black corals). We quantify (i) the abundance, and taxonomic and functional diversity of fish communities associated with antipatharians and (ii) the type of associations between the fish and the antipatharian colonies. Surveys were conducted on an artificial reef (SS Yongala shipwreck) and on a coral reef (Orpheus Island) in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We documented 28 different species of fish within seven trophic groups and 23 functional entities associated with antipatharians, predominantly using the colonies as shelter. Antipatharians support both taxonomically distinct fish assemblages (> 40% of species) and unique types of associations with the fishes compared to scleractinians. At the functional level, we observed a large overlap in the fish community between antipatharians and scleractinians, reflecting their shared ecological roles, although antipatharians support significantly higher functional diversity. Given the similarity in functional composition of fish assemblages utilising both antipatharians and scleractinians, the presence of antipatharians may help buffer the effects of ongoing hard coral decline in tropical marine ecosystems. Overall, our study provides empirical evidence of the important role of antipatharians in supporting fish functional and taxonomic diversity on shallow tropical reefs
Age at First Sexual Intercourse and Multiple Sexual Partnership Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textBackground: There is evidence that early sexual debut plays a key role in the sexual behaviours of individuals. This study examined the association between age at first sexual intercourse and multiple sexual partnership among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methods: Our study included twenty-two sub-Saharan African countries with data sourced from the Demographic and Health Survey (2015–2022). We included a weighted sample of 69,194 adolescent girls and young women in our study. We presented the results of the proportion of adolescent girls and young women who practiced multiple sexual partnerships using ‘spmap’ in Stata. We performed a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to examine the association between age at first sex and multiple sexual partnerships, controlling for the covariates.
Results: Overall, only 4.63% of adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa engaged in multiple sexual partnerships. The hotspot countries for multiple sexual partnerships were Gabon (13.98%), Liberia (11.36%), Cameroon (7.84%), Cote d'Ivoire (7.59%), Kenya (7.33%), Tanzania (6.74%), and Sierra Leone (6.69%). Compared to young women whose age at first sex was 18 years and above, those who had their first sexual intercourse from 15 to 17 years and 14 years and below had higher odds of engaging in multiple sexual partnerships ([aOR=2.28; 95%CI: 1.96, 2.65] and [aOR=3.28; 95%CI: 2.76, 3.89]), respectively.
Conclusion: Our study has shown that age at first sex is a risk factor for multiple sexual partnerships. Consequently, it becomes imperative for sub-Saharan African countries to develop policies and implement programs aimed at discouraging early sexual debut. One practical approach to achieve this is through the widespread adoption of comprehensive sex education programs across sub-Saharan African countries
Impact of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage on Balance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textPurpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the impacts of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) on balance performance.
Methods: Meta-analyses were conducted to report on standardized mean differences (SMD) and associated p-values for overall balance performance and across four separate conditions, including anterior–posterior direction, mediolateral direction, stable and unstable conditions at 24 and 48 h after the muscle-damaging protocols. Indirect muscle damage markers were also analysed, including creatine kinase (CK) and delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). Meta-analyses were not conducted for outcome measures with fewer than five effect points, and rather, reported qualitatively.
Results: Seven studies, with effect points ranging between 6-11 groups, were included for the forest plots. Overall balance and balance in both stable and unstable conditions were impaired at 24-h and 48-h post-exercise (P < 0.001, respectively), with a larger attenuation observed in the unstable condition according to the SMD value. Qualitative data indicated mixed results for balance performance, with differences between anterior–posterior and mediolateral directions. Some studies reported impairment in both directions, whilst other studies showed no differences. The EIMD markers, including CK and DOMS, increased significantly, whilst muscle performance was impaired at 24-h and 48-h post-exercise in all conditions (P < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion: Balance performance was impaired when EIMD markers were elevated, with greater attenuation in the unstable condition. Although further research is necessary to confirm the effects of EIMD on balance performance in the anterior–posterior and mediolateral directions, caution should be taken to minimize the risk of falls during periods of EIMD, particularly in unstable conditions
Syn- and anti-rotamers of the ortho-stereoisomer [Pt{(o-BrC6F4)N(CH2)2NEt2}Cl(py)]
No full textThe crystal structure of the ortho-isomer trans-[N-(2-bromo-3,4,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl)-N0,N0-diethylethane-1,2-diaminato(1-)]chloridopyridineplatinum(II), [PtBr0.1(C12H14BrF>4N2)Cl0.9(C5H5N)][PtBr0.4(C12H14BrF4N2)Cl0.6(C5H5N)] or [Pt{(o-BrC6F4)N(CH2)2NEt2}Cl(py)], 1o, revealed syn and anti rotamers in a 1:1 ratio in the solid state. 1o crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P1. The Pt-coordinated Cl ligand exhibits partial occupancy with Br, predominantly in the syn-rotamer. Notably, agostic interactions are observed between the Pt centre and a H atom of one of the ethyl groups. The ortho-isomer 1o was successfully isolated as a side product from the reaction of [Pt{H2N(CH2)2NEt2}Cl2], Tlnf2CO3 and C6F5Br. While the para-isomer [Pt{(p-BrC6F4)N(CH2)2NEt2}Cl(py)], 1p, is the main product, the higher solubility of 1o facilitates its isolation
Integrating social workers in Australian primary health care settings
No full textPurpose: This study aims to explore the scope and practice of social workers in Australian general practice and evaluate the outcomes of social work practice in these settings.
Design: Primary health care centres in North Queensland participated in this research. Six clinics were co-funded to employ social workers for a one-year period. Quantitative data collection was utilised via a Qualtrics survey tool to collect descriptive data about social work interventions and seek patient feedback about the social work intervention received. Patient demographics, intervention duration, areas of health, intervention, referral and referral profession information were measured. Patient feedback forms explored satisfaction rates, likelihood of return and sense of improved wellbeing.
Findings: Social workers in Primary Health Care settings applied a broad range of interventions to address diverse patient needs across a spectrum of health domains, including Mental Health, Chronic Health, Families, Ageing, Caring, Housing and Disability. Patients were highly satisfied with the services and valued the integration of social work in primary health care.
Originality: This study showed Social Workers can value-add to Primary Health Care. Social workers responded to many areas of identified health care needs through a range of intervention relevant to patients’ complex social contexts, assisting general practitioners’ engagement with patients to achieve wholistic wellbeing outcomes. Patients appreciated and valued the additional services to support their health needs. Using social workers to contribute to health assessments can open up conversations about social determinants that impact patients’ health and wellbeing while alleviating pressures on general practitioners and providing links to community services
Examining ozone effects on the tropical C4 crop Sorghum bicolor
No full textOzone (O3), a major air pollutant, can negatively impact plant growth and yield. While O3 impacts have been widely documented in crops such as wheat and soybean, few studies have looked at the effects of O3 on sorghum, a C4 plant and the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide. We exposed grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor cv. HAT150843) to a range of O3 concentrations (daytime mean O3 concentrations ranged between 20 and 97 ppb) in open-top chambers, and examined how whole plant and leaf morphological traits varied in response to O3 exposure. Results showed no significant impact of realistic O3 exposure on whole plant biomass and its partitioning in sorghum. These findings suggest that sorghum is generally resistant to O3 and should be considered as a favourable crop in O3 polluted regions, while acknowledging further research is needed to understand the mechanistic basis of O3 tolerance in sorghum
Nature of Partnership
No full text[Extract] Partnership is the relationship which exists between persons carrying on a business in common with a view of profit and, with some modification in Western Australia, includes an incorporated limited partnership
Dealings Between Partners
No full text[Extract] Unless any express or implied agreement between the partners provides otherwise, every partner is entitled to inspect the partnership books, either personally or through an agent and to take part in the management of the partnership business
Multispectral remote sensing and radiometric data for delineating radioelement-enriched zones and their health hazards in Um Domi area, South Eastern Desert, Egypt
No full textThis study combines fieldwork, remote sensing methods, petrographic, and detection radioactive prospective of the Um Domi rocks to enhance the lithological characterization and deduce the possible harmful effects of radiation exposure on human health. In addition to determine the amounts of 40K, 238U, and 232Th radiation present in these rocks, a number of radiological risk factors are assessed in order to determine the possible negative health effects of radiation exposure. Um Domi trachyte possesses an elevated concentrations of 40K (1142.45 ± 181.46 Bqkg−1), 238U (1196.60 ± 323.52 Bqkg−1), and 232Th (755.08–444.32 Bqkg−1) together with the overall amount (avg. 1897.53 ± 577.03 Bqkg−1) employing the NaI (Tl) spectrometer. These outcomes surpass the accepted international norms. A number of radiological components have been used to evaluate the hazard associated with these rocks, and they showed high values relative to the international norms, suggesting substantial impact on the spontaneous gamma radiation released. Utilizing multispectral remote sensing data, it's observed that the clay and OH-bearing minerals are concentrated over granitic rocks, trachyte, and around Um Domi, whereas the altered products of Fe minerals are distributed around the ring of Um Domi. Importantly, it is noticed that the radioactive rich samples are located in the zone of moderate to high concentration of clay and Fe minerals. Additionally, by integrating the potential source rock, high alteration zones, lineament density, major faults, and rock samples containing radioactive mineralization, we can deduced that the radiation potential are structurally controlled