New Zealand and Australian governments rely heavily on voluntary industry initiatives to improve population nutrition, such as voluntary front-of-pack nutrition labelling (Health Star Rating [HSR]), industry-led food advertising standards, and optional food reformulation programmes. Research in both countries has shown that food companies vary considerably in their policies and practices on nutrition(1). We aimed to determine if a tailored nutrition support programme for food companies improved their nutrition policies and practices compared with control companies who were not offered the programme. REFORM was a 24-month, two-country, cluster-randomised controlled trial. 132 major packaged food/drink manufacturers (n=96) and fast-food companies (n=36) were randomly assigned (2:1 ratio) to receive a 12-month tailored support programme or to the control group (no intervention). The intervention group was offered a programme designed and delivered by public health academics comprising regular meetings, tailored company reports, and recommendations and resources to improve product composition (e.g., reducing nutrients of concern through reformulation), nutrition labelling (e.g., adoption of HSR labels), marketing to children (reducing the exposure of children to unhealthy products and brands) and improved nutrition policy and corporate sustainability reporting. The primary outcome was the nutrient profile (measured using HSR) of company food and drink products at 24 months. Secondary outcomes were the nutrient content (energy, sodium, total sugar, and saturated fat) of company products, display of HSR labels on packaged products, company nutrition-related policies and commitments, and engagement with the intervention. Eighty-eight eligible intervention companies (9,235 products at baseline) were invited to participate, of whom 21 accepted and were enrolled in the REFORM programme (delivered between September 2021 and December 2022). Forty-four companies (3,551 products at baseline) were randomised to the control arm. At 24 months, the model-adjusted mean HSR of intervention company products was 2.58 compared to 2.68 for control companies, with no significant difference between groups (mean difference -0.10, 95% CI -0.40 to 0.21, p-value 0.53). A per protocol analysis of intervention companies who enrolled in the programme compared to control companies with no major protocol violation also found no significant difference (2.93 vs 2.64, mean difference 0.29, 95% CI -0.13 to 0.72, p-value 0.18). We found no significant differences between the intervention and control groups in any secondary outcome, except in total sugar (g/100g) where the sugar content of intervention company products was higher than that of control companies (12.32 vs 6.98, mean difference 5.34, 95% CI 1.73 to 8.96, p-value 0.004). The per-protocol analysis for sugar did not show a significant difference (10.47 vs 7.44, mean difference 3.03, 95% CI -0.48 to 6.53, p-value 0.09).In conclusion, a 12-month tailored nutrition support for food companies did not improve the nutrient profile of company products.

Metacercariae of Diplostomum spp. are widespread fish parasites. In this study we obtained the first data on infection of Bullhead Cottus koshewnikowi with these larvae in five rivers of northern Europe (Finland and Russia) using molecular and morphological description. Three Diplostomum spp. were revealed in the eyes of bullheads. Diplostomum spathaceum and D. mergi Lineage 3 sensu Georgieva et al. (2013) were found in the lens, while Diplostomum sp. Lineage 6 sensu Blasco-Costa et al. (2014) was found in the retina. We obtained molecular data on these three species and provided morphological characteristics of the latter two species. Partial sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 were amplified for 20 isolates. Using molecular data, we ascertained the species identification and obtained new information on the life cycles of D. mergi Lineage 3 and Diplostomum sp. Lineage 6. Partial cox1 sequences were used to assess the haplotype diversity of D. mergi Lineage 3 and Diplostomum sp. Lineage 6 in the study area. Discriminant analysis showed that D. mergi Lineage 3 was morphometrically close both to the species of the lens complex (D. mergi Lineage 2, D. mergi, D. nordmanni, and D. parviventosum) and to the species from the retina (D. pungiti, D. volvens). Dimensions of Diplostomum gobiorum lay far outside the confidence interval of D. mergi Lineage 3. Our molecular and morphological data and the new information about the hosts and the distribution of these parasites are a crucial step towards elucidating the diversity and life cycles of these important parasites. The data on the infection of bullheads in the River Utsjoki (a tributary of the River Teno, Finland) with metacercariae of Diplostomum spp. offer some insights into the relationships between the introduced host and the native parasites. Infection of bullheads, which are considered invasive in the Teno River system, with metacercariae of Diplostomum spp. may lead to increased infection levels in resident fish.

Gut health is a 50-billion-dollar (US) industry that is forecast to continue growing. This growth is attributed to our increased understanding and interest in the gut microbiome and its association with many chronic diseases, mental health and gut and autoimmune disorders. In 2024, “dysbiosis”, “gut microbiome” and “gut probiotics” were some of the most commonly google searched words but, what constitutes “good gut health”? There is no exact definition but in clinical practice we may use symptoms as a proxy for gut health, for example normal gastrointestinal function and the absence of chronic gastrointestinal symptoms that negatively impact on our quality of life. Consumer research found that consumers regard gut health as well-being and are interested in latest science but that does not inform their purchasing behaviours(1). Interestingly, symptoms of suboptimal gut health, which may include abdominal bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, excessive flatulence, were most likely to influence consumer behaviours.1 In this presentation, I review the latest scientific evidence about foods and dietary patterns that are associated with markers of gut health. I also provide examples of how we can practically educate and advise New Zealanders on implementation of dietary changes that may support sustainable gut health.

Cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), are common. Approximately one in three deaths annually are caused by CVD in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ)(1). The Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with a reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease in epidemiological and interventional studies(2,3). However, implementing the Mediterranean diet into non-Mediterranean populations can be challenging(4). Some of these challeanges include facilitating consumption of unfamiliar foods and the cultural and social context of food consumption. AoNZ produces a rich source of high-quality foods consistent with a Mediterranean dietary pattern. He Rourou Whai Painga is collaborative project combining contributions from food industry partners into a Mediterranean Diet pattern and providing foods, recipes and other support to whole household/whānau. The aim was to test if a New Zealand food-based Mediterranean diet (NZMedDiet) with behavioural intervention improves cardiometabolic health and wellbeing in individuals at risk. This presentation will review the background to the research, the process of forming a collaboration between researchers and the food industry, the design and implementation of a complex study design (see protocol paper)(5), with results from the initial randomised controlled trial. We conducted several pilot studies(6,7,8) to inform the final design of the research, which was a combination of two randomised controlled trials (RCT 1 and 2) and a longitudinal cohort study. RCT-1 compared 12-weeks of the NZMedDiet to usual diet in participants with increased cardiometabolic risk (metabolic syndrome severity score (MetSSS) >0.35). The intervention group were provided with food and recipes to meet 75% of their energy requirements, supported by a behavioural intervention to improve adherence. The primary outcome measure was MetSSS after 12 weeks. Two hundred individuals with mean (SD) age 49.9 (10.9)yrs with 62% women were enrolled with their household/whānau. After 12 weeks, the mean (SD) MetSSS was 1.0 (0.7) in the control (n = 98) and 0.8 (0.5) in the intervention (n = 102) group; estimated difference (95% CI) of -0.05 (-0.16 to 0.06), p=0.35. A Mediterranean diet score (PyrMDS) was greater in the intervention group 1.6 (1.1 to 2.1), p<0.001, consistent with a change to a more Mediterranean dietary pattern. Weight reduced in the NZMedDiet group compared with control (-1.9 kg (-2.0 to -0.34)), p=0.006 and wellbeing, assessed by the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire, improved across all domains p<0.001. In participants with increased cardiometabolic risk, food provision with a Mediterranean dietary pattern and a behavioural intervention did not improve a metabolic risk score but was associated with reduced weight and improved quality of life.

Masters athletes tend to have higher intakes of calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc when compared to Australian national population data from similar age groups(1). However, little is known about the diets of New Zealand Olympians as they get older. This study aimed to describe the micronutrient intakes of New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes over the age of 60 years and make comparisons with National Nutrition Survey data. Thirty-three individuals (mean age 76±8 years, n=27 male) who had represented New Zealand at an Olympic or Commonwealth Games participated in this study. Dietary intake was assessed using three 24-h diet recalls. The first recall was conducted face to face in the participant’s home and the second and third were completed over a voice or video call on non-consecutive days following this. All recalls were performed using a multiple-pass technique and entered into FoodWorks dietary analysis software (Version 9, Xyris Software Ltd., Brisbane, Australia). Mean intakes across the three recalls were used to represent the intake of each individual.This study was approved by the University of Otago Ethics Committee (Health; H23/054, April 2023).The mean intakes of iron (males 13.3±5.1 mg, females 9.9±1.9 mg) and zinc (males 10.7±4.0 mg, females 9.6±1.9 mg) in Olympians were similar to those reported in those over 70 y in the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey, but more than 60% of Olympians had intakes below the estimated average requirements for these nutrients. Intakes of calcium (males 1048±474 mg, females 810±139 mg) and selenium (males 66.7±49.1 µg, females 48.4±17.7 µg) were higher in Olympians when compared to the 2008/09 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey data, however 39% and 61% of Olympians still had intakes below the estimated average requirements, respectively. While this group of older New Zealand Olympians did have higher intakes of some nutrients than a representative sample of their peers, a marked number are still at risk of inadequate intakes and may benefit from a nutrition intervention to improve the overall quality and adequacy of their diet.

Fossil crinoids from the Ordovician–Silurian boundary interval (~ 443.8 million years) are known from relatively few locations worldwide due to a near-global unconformity that formed from eustatic sea-level fall. This rock record bias has severely hindered study of the timing, magnitude, biogeographic signature, and extinction mechanisms of the Late Ordovician mass extinction (LOME). Crinoids underwent a significant faunal transition between the Late Ordovician and early Silurian that resulted in major shifts between dominant clades, but the driving mechanisms and precise timing of this transition remain unclear. Anticosti Island (Québec, Canada) preserves one of the few Late Ordovician–early Silurian successions of highly fossiliferous, shallow-water rocks that includes the Ordovician–Silurian boundary, making fossils from this region instrumental for better understanding the LOME and Ordovician–Silurian crinoid faunal turnover.

Here we report on a new flexible crinoid, Anticosticrinus natiscotecensis n. gen. n. sp., from the Ordovician–Silurian boundary of Anticosti Island. Phylogenetic analysis of Middle Ordovician–early Silurian flexibles recovers Anticosticrinus natiscotecensis n. gen. n. sp. as a member of family Anisocrinidae. We quantified stratigraphic age uncertainty of A. natiscotecensis using a Bayesian approach for estimating tip-occurrence times in a phylogenetic context. Although results do not provide unequivocal support for the specimen’s precise stratigraphic age, the maximum a posteriori estimate indicates a late Hirnantian age. Regardless of its true age, recognition of Anticosticrinus natiscotecensis provides additional data for evaluating the timing of extinction in flexible crinoids, their diversification and increasing dominance during the Silurian, and crinoid faunal turnover between the Ordovician and Silurian.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/864738dd-3fc9-435b-a83c-e19fd4f6Ad9d

The parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is one of the important parasitoids used for the biological control of larval stages of moths such as Pyralidae and Noctuidae, which include major agricultural, orchard, and stored product pests. This wasp species is widely utilised in biological control programmes targeting these economically significant lepidopteran pests. In this study, the sublethal effects of four insecticides (tetranelypyrole, flupyradifurone, flubendiamide, and spirotetramat) on the biological parameters of the parasitoid wasp H. hebetor were investigated using demographic toxicology methods. The parasitoid wasp was reared on larvae VI of the Mediterranean flour moth in a growth chamber (27 ± 2°C, 65 ± 5% RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (light:dark) hours). The estimated LC25 values from the bioassay experiments on the adult stage of the wasp were used. The estimated LC25 values were 30.8, 130.8, 807, and 34.2 µg ai/L for tetraniliprole, flupyradifurone, flubendiamide, and spirotetramat pesticides, respectively. The results showed that the net reproductive rates (R0) due to treatment by tetraniliprole, flupyradifurone, flubendiamide, spirotetramat, and control were 50.25, 50.66, 64.72, 57.49, and 71.33 females per generation, respectively. The intrinsic rate of population increase (rm) was 0.226, 0.240, 0.242, 0.238, and 0.259 females/female/generation for tetraniliprole, flupyradifurone, flubendiamide, spirotetramat, and control, respectively. The population parameters calculated included the age-stage age-specific survival rate (lx) and age-specific fecundity of the total population (mx). The demographic toxicology analysis showed that tetraniliprole had the highest toxicity, while flubendiamide had the lowest toxicity to adult wasps. In case of conducting additional field tests and confirming the laboratory results, it can be concluded that the insecticides flupyradifurone and flubendaimide may be suitable options for integrated pest management programs.

The “Critically Endangered” Cherry-throated Tanager Nemosia rourei is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil, and extremely rare for reasons that are not yet fully understood. We monitored reproductive activities of the only known individuals of the species, at two sites, between October 2018 and November 2023. The birds foraged in social groups of 5–8 individuals. Ten nests, built in trees at heights of 12–26 m, were monitored through continuous direct observation. Most reproductive activity occurred between October and end of November, with one further nest found in March. Clutch size was 3–4 eggs, the incubation and nestling periods were 16 days, and the chicks were fed mainly on invertebrates. Up to six nest helpers, likely young from previous seasons, assisted with the collection of nest material, feeding the chicks, and defending the nest. Reproductive success was 50%, with losses due to climatic conditions (rain and cold) and predation, but may have been enhanced by the efforts of the researchers in scaring away potential predators including Spot-billed Toucanet Selenidera maculirostris and Black Capuchin Sapajus nigritus. These findings reinforce the value of detailed observation of social groups and their nests, and continuing efforts to deter predators. Further research could address how parental care and nest helpers affect reproductive success. The availability of large trees with abundant lichens may be a limiting factor for the reproductive success of species in the long term, and so protecting and restoring habitat with such features is crucial for the long-term conservation of this species.

We aimed to compare the mean sodium content of New Zealand (NZ) packaged breads in 2013 and 2023 and assess compliance with the NZ Heart Foundation (HF) and World Health Organization (WHO) sodium reduction benchmarks. Sodium data were obtained from a supermarket food composition database. Mean differences between years were assessed using independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests. There was a significant reduction in the sodium content of all bread from 2013 (n=345) to 2023 (n=309) of 46 mg/100g (p<0.001). In 2013, 20% (n=70/345) of breads met the HF benchmarks, and 10% (33/345) met the WHO benchmarks; corresponding values for 2023 were 45% (n=138/309) and 18% (n=57/309) (p<0.001 for both). If continued, the modest reduction in sodium content and increase in the percentage of NZ breads meeting relevant sodium reduction benchmarks could positively affect public health, particularly if extended across the packaged food supply.

Seed dormancy is the key factor determining weed emergence patterns in the field. Alopecurus myosuroides (black grass) is a serious cereal weed in Europe that experiences two emergence peaks affecting winter and spring cereals, respectively. Seedlings that emerge in autumn encounter a period of cold winter temperatures, whereas those that emerge in spring do not. In this work, we investigated the effects of this overwintering during vegetative growth on the primary seed dormancy of the offspring. Alopecurus myosuroides plants were propagated under controlled conditions where a proportion of the population was subjected to a simulated winter period (vernalization) as seedlings. The offspring produced by vernalized plants was significantly more dormant, requiring longer after-ripening and cold stratification treatments to germinate at warm temperatures. However, there was no difference in the range of temperatures under which dormant seeds germinated. We hypothesized that this difference in dormancy was the result of an epigenetic memory of vernalization. Global changes in DNA methylation of seeds were quantified using an ELISA-based approach. Imbibition in dormant seeds produced by vernalized plants was associated with a global demethylation event that was not observed in the offspring of plants that had not been vernalized. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of temperature at different stages of the plant lifecycle in determining dormancy levels and consequently weed emergence patterns in the field.

Eocene snakes of India have the potential to shed light on the nature of snake diversification on the subcontinent following the Deccan volcanism at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (K-Pg), when India was still a northward-drifting isolated landmass prior to its collision with Asia. Here, we report a diverse snake fauna from the Eocene of Kutch, western India. The fauna, dominated by aquatic forms, includes palaeophiids, a giant madtsoiid, and a possible nigerophiid. The palaeophiids from the middle Eocene (late Lutetian) comprise ?Palaeophis Owen, 1841 and Pterosphenus rannensis n. sp. Together, these taxa enrich the record of fossil snakes in the poorly known late Lutetian of India and represent the youngest record of Palaeophiidae from the Indian subcontinent. Pterosphenus rannensis n. sp. shows intermediate morphology between Palaeophis and Pterosphenus-grade snakes and is phylogenetically the earliest-diverging member of Pterosphenus Lucas, 1898. Additionally, the middle Eocene Pterosphenus biswasi Rage et al., 2003 is reassessed and retained as a valid taxon based on pterapophyseal morphology and overall form. Biogeographic considerations highlight the importance of the Indian fossil record in understanding the origin and diversification of the genus Pterosphenus. The prevalence of niche partitioning is suggested for the palaeophiids, with Pterosphenus rannensis n. sp. recovered from a tidal setting and ?Palaeophis sp. indet. from a marsh/swamp setting. The new Indian madtsoiid from the middle Eocene (early Lutetian) represents a sympatric taxon with the terrestrial/semiaquatic giant Vasuki indicus Datta and Bajpai, 2024 coexisting in a back-swamp marsh setting. The early Eocene (Ypresian) nigerophiid is among the oldest Cenozoic occurrences of this family globally.

UUID: http://zoobank.org/dc529074-73a6-4869-9b49-44caf9e2d956

Mountainous regions host globally unique biodiversity, but face growing threats from climate and land-use change. The Alps stand out as a key mountain range in Europe, where the ski industry is extensive and impacts ecosystems and their associated biodiversity. However, climate change is projected to reduce natural snow precipitation, thus understanding snow dynamics and the ski industry’s role is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. Ski-piste creation generally has detrimental consequences for mountain biodiversity, yet pistes often retain substantial snow throughout spring that, when melting, may create favourable foraging conditions for mountain birds. This study investigates whether ski-pistes provide suitable foraging habitat and explores their broader importance for mountain avifauna. Field surveys in spring 2023 in the western Italian Alps recorded 17 bird species using the melting snow on ski-pistes as a foraging habitat. Snow presence was a significant factor influencing bird presence. Birds systematically selected areas with intermediate snow cover interspersed with muddy patches, a microhabitat that likely has a high availability of invertebrate prey emerging from the soil. Given that snow is retained on ski-pistes for longer than on the surrounding habitat, the pistes may represent a useful source of food for mountain birds in spring. However, this needs to be considered in relation to the negative impacts of skiing on alpine biodiversity, which may include a likely increased reliance on artificial snow in response to the projected decline in natural snow precipitation under climate change. Understanding these effects is essential to ensure that future conservation strategies support mountain bird communities without exacerbating the environmental costs associated with artificial snow production.

To combat the decline in North American grasslands and prairies, innovative strategies to establish new native grass and forb plantings must be considered. Integrated vegetation management entails the use of many practices to cultivate desirable vegetation along roadsides, including mowing, applying herbicides, burning, and replanting. Currently, only a limited selection of postemergence herbicides are available to improve native plant establishment along roadsides. A greenhouse herbicide screen that included four postemergence herbicides registered for use on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres and rights-of-way was conducted to test their safety for use on four native grasses (big bluestem, buffalograss, sideoats grama, and switchgrass) and seven forb species (ashy sunflower, black-eyed Susan, butterfly milkweed, desert false indigo, Illinois bundleflower, Mexican hat plant, and purple coneflower). Clopyralid (689 g ae ha−1), metsulfuron (4.18 g ai ha−1), and quinclorac (418 g ai ha−1) applied at labeled rates caused no injury to the native grass species or butterfly milkweed. However, florpyrauxifen-benzyl (38.4 g ai ha−1) caused significant injury to buffalograss and switchgrass. None of the herbicides tested were universally safe to use on all forb species evaluated in this trial, with each herbicide causing unacceptable injury (≥25%) to one or more forb species. None of the herbicides studied here would be completely safe for use on mixed stands of native grasses and native forbs at the seedling growth stage, indicating that prairie establishment must use alternative chemistries, plant mixes with fewer species, or avoid postemergence applications shortly after emergence of native forbs.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common medical condition during pregnancy and is linked to short- and long-term complications for both mothers and offspring. However, there is limited information regarding poor glycaemic control in Malaysia. This study aims to determine the predictors of poor glycaemic control among women with GDM and to explore women’s perceptions and experiences in self-managing glycaemic control. An explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted among women with GDM in Northern Terengganu. A proportional-to-size stratified sampling method was used in quantitative research to obtain 238 samples. Logistic regression was applied to determine associations between factors and poor glycaemic control. Then, purposive sampling was done in qualitative inquiry to obtain 12 samples. Thematic analysis was applied to identify recurring themes. The data from both quantitative and qualitative inquiry were then combined to answer research questions. Dietetic counselling (AOR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.41, 6.17; p-value=0.004) and diet self-efficacy (AOR = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.98; p-value=0.040) were associated with poor glycaemic control. Six themes that emerged from the interviews were: fear and worry; knowledge and motivation; dietary preferences and beliefs; family factors; occupational factors; and availability and affordability. The findings provide useful evidence for healthcare providers in delivering comprehensive health education and providing care for women with GDM.