Michigan Conifer Growers’ Perspectives on Disease Management

A survey of commercial nursery and Christmas tree growers was implemented online and by mail in 2018 to understand disease issues and information preferences. Overall, the majority of the respondents reported that they prefer online sources of information and many are using Extension bulletins and sources. Cultural, chemical, and weed control methods were considered extremely effective by participants and very few used biological control methods to control disease. Participants identified spruce decline, boxwood blight, and hemlock woolly adelgid as emerging disease threats, so future information to growers should focus on identification and management of these threats

Influence of intellectual disability on exercise regulation: exploring verbal, auditory and visual guidance to contribute to promote inclusive exercise environments.

Objective: The role of intellectual disability (ID) in exercise regulation has remained largely unexplored, yet recent studies have indicated cognitive-related impaired pacing skills in people with ID. In a well-controlled laboratory environment, this study aims to (1) establish the role of ID in pacing and explore the ability of people with and without ID to maintain a steady pace; (2) to investigate if verbal feedback and/or (3) the presence of a pacer can improve the ability of people with ID to maintain a preplanned submaximal velocity. Methods: Participants with (n=10) and without ID (n=10) were recruited and performed 7 min submaximal trials on a cycle ergometer (Velotron). Participants with ID also performed a cycling trial with a pacer (virtual avatar). Results: The non-parametric tests for repeated measures data (p≤0.05) showed that (1) people with ID deviated more from the targeted pace compared with people without ID, (2) the verbal feedback did not influence their ability to keep a steady pace and (3) they deviated less from the targeted pace when a visual pacer was introduced. Conclusion: The results revealed the difficulties of people with ID in planning and monitoring their exercise and the difficulties in appropriately responding to auditory and verbal feedback. Coaches and stakeholders who want to offer inclusive exercise pathways should consider that people with ID perform and pace themselves better when supported by intuitive, visual and personally meaningful stimuli such as other cyclists (avatars)

The role of the social environment in pacing, sports participation, and performance of individuals with intellectual impairments

Pacing, the process in which people need to decide how and when to distribute their energy resources throughout an exercise activity, is impaired in people with Intellectual Impairments (II). This may partially explain their low levels of sports participation and the shortfalls in their performance. The social environment may be pivotal in supporting the pacing of people with II in sports. However, the role of the social environment in sports of people with II is still unknown. Thus, the overarching purpose of this thesis is to explore the role of the social environment in pacing, sports participation, and performance of individuals with II. We developed a theoretical framework that focusses on how the social environment can support the process of pacing and explored the social environment’s role in the sports environment of people with II. Then, this knowledge was used to investigate how the social environment can support the pacing behaviour of people with II in sub-maximal and maximal trials. The findings revealed that the social environment can support the self-regulatory skills which are critical in pacing but impaired in people with II. Moreover, coaches require more guidance to effectively coach people with II. The experimental studies showed the influence of the II in pacing and suggested directions to support people with II in sub-maximal and maximal sports activities. A pacer (e.g., peer) can positively influence the self-regulatory process of exercise regulation and offer an intuitive, visual guidance to people with II during a sub-maximal trial. The presence of an opponent during a maximal trial however, could create a cognitive demanding and anxious situation that negatively influences the pacing and sports performance of people with II. Awareness of these findings could help promote an inclusive, long-term sports participation and help people with II to develop their sport-related skills

Movement of pathogens between horticultural crops and endemic trees in the Kimberleys

Recently a survey of endophytes associated with boabs (Adansonia gregorrii) and associated tree species in the Kimberleys, Western Australia has resulted in the description of seven new species in the Botryosphaeriaceae (Pavlic et al. 2008). Additionally several common species of Lasiodiplodia, (L. theobromae, L. pseudoptheobromae and L. parva) were also isolated as endophytes of endemic tree species. Concurrently, surveys in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA) have revealed Mangiferum indica trees showing symptoms of dieback and cankers. In this project we isolated, identified and determined the pathogenicity of fungi associated with these cankers

Anthropogenic Disturbances and the Emergence of Native Diseases: a Threat to Forest Health

The next century will almost certainly see an unprecedented rise in forest pathogen epidemics, requiring a proactive rather than reactive response. Diseases caused by native pathogens with complex aetiologies will become more common, and recognising, characterising and managing these epidemics are difficult because native pathogens are frequently already widespread, and eradication is not feasible. We need to start approaching these issues from a ‘whole ecosystem’ perspective, highlighting the many aspects and entanglements of forest declines and allowing us to respond with management options tailored to each scenario. The approach proposed here provides logical steps based on six questions to untangle the direct and indirect environmental drivers of tree declines

Effectiveness of physical activity interventions on reducing perceived fatigue among adults with chronic conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

\ua9 2023, Springer Nature Limited. Fatigue is barrier of physical activity participation in adults with chronic conditions. However, physical activity alleviates fatigue symptoms. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to (1) synthesise evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the effects of physical activity interventions on fatigue reduction and (2) evaluate their effectiveness. Medline/CINAHL/EMBASE/Web of Science and Scopus were searched up to June 24th, 2023. Two reviewers independently conducted study screening and selection (RCTs), extracted data and assessed risk of bias (RoB2). Outcome was the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals in fatigue between experimental and control groups. 38 articles met the inclusion criteria. Overall, physical activity interventions moderately reduced fatigue (SMD = 0.54, p < 0.0001). Interventions lasting 2–6 weeks demonstrated a larger effect on fatigue reduction (SMD = 0.86, p < 0.00001). Interventions with 18–24 sessions showed a large effect on fatigue reduction (SMD = 0.97, p < 0.00001). Aerobic cycling and combination training interventions had a large to moderate effect (SMD = 0.66, p = 0.0005; SMD = 0.60, p = 0.0010, respectively). No long-term effects were found during follow-up. Physical activity interventions moderately reduced fatigue among adults with chronic conditions. Duration, total sessions, and mode of physical activity were identified as key factors in intervention effectiveness. Further research is needed to explore the impact of physical activity interventions on fatigue

The Role of Cognition and Social Factors in Competition: How Do People with Intellectual Disabilities Respond to Opponents?

Exploring pacing behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in competition will help to better understand the impact of cognition and social environment in sports, providing support for the shaping of proper inclusive sports environments. The present experimental study aimed to (1) compare the pacing behaviour and performance between people with and without ID who are inexperienced in cycling and (2) investigate how these are influenced by an opponent. Participants with (n = 8) and without ID (n = 10) performed two randomised 4-km maximal cycling trials, alone and against an opponent. Non-parametric tests for repeated measures data (p ≤ 0.05) revealed that people with ID cycled slower, but with higher inter-individual variation (both conditions) and paced themselves differently compared to people without ID when competing against an opponent. In contrast to the previous literature in athletes without ID, the presence of a faster opponent resulted in a decrease in the performance in the participants with ID. The negative influence of the opponent highlights the potential difficulties people with ID experience to adequately use their opponents to enhance their self-regulatory processes and optimize their pacing and performance in maximal exercise trials. Coaches who want to offer inclusive sports environments for people with ID could take these findings into consideration

Longitudinal changes in wellbeing amongst breastfeeding women in Australia and New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted new mothers’ wellbeing and breastfeeding experience. Women have experienced changes in birth and postnatal care and restricted access to their support network. It is unclear how these impacts may have changed over time with shifting rates of infection and policies restricting movement and access to services in Australia and New Zealand. This study investigated the longitudinal effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on breastfeeding and maternal wellbeing in Australia and New Zealand. Mothers (n = 246) completed an online survey every 4 weeks for 6 months that examined feeding methods, maternal mental wellbeing, worries, challenges, and positive experiences during the pandemic. Mothers maintained high full breastfeeding rates at 4 months (81%) which decreased to 37% at 6 months. Perceived low milk supply contributed to the earlier cessation of full breastfeeding. Poor infant sleep was associated with stress, perinatal anxiety, mental wellbeing, and breastfeeding status. Although mothers initially reported that lockdowns helped with family bonding and less pressure, prolonged lockdowns appeared to have adverse effects on access to social networks and extended family support. Conclusion: The results highlight the changing dynamic of the pandemic and the need for adaptable perinatal services which allow mothers access to in-person services and their support network even in lockdowns. Similarly, access to continuous education and clinical care remains critical for women experiencing concerns about their milk supply, infant sleep, and their own wellbeing