Capturing fine-scale coral dynamics with a metacommunity modelling framework.

Natural systems exhibit high spatial variability across multiple scales. Models that can capture ecosystem dynamics across space and time by explicitly incorporating major biological mechanisms are crucial, both for management and for ecological insight. In the case of coral reef systems, much focus has been on modelling variability between reefs, despite substantial variability also existing within reefs.

A case-control study and molecular epidemiology of yersiniosis in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The objective of this study was to determine risk factors and sources attributed to yersiniosis in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). A risk factor questionnaire was administered to 247 notified yersiniosis cases and 258 control participants from the Canterbury and/or Wellington regions of NZ. sp.

Improving the Detection and Management of Kidney Health in Primary Care.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, contributing to approximately 20 000 deaths in 2021 in Australia. Importantly, progression of CKD can be substantially reduced if it is detected and treated early. Here we present the perspectives of a general practitioner (primary care physician), a nephrologist and a patient advocate on how the diagnosis and management of CKD in primary care could be improved.

Connectivity modelling identifies sources and sinks of coral recruitment within reef clusters.

Connectivity aids the recovery of populations following disturbances, such as coral bleaching and tropical cyclones. Coral larval connectivity is a function of physical connectivity and larval behaviour. In this study, we used OceanParcels, a particle tracking simulator, with 2D and 3D velocity outputs from a high resolution hydrodynamic-biogeochemical marine model (RECOM) to simulate the dispersal and settlement of larvae from broadcast spawning Acropora corals in the Moore Reef cluster, northern Great Barrier Reef, following the annual spawning events in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Glass Box and Black Box Machine Learning Approaches to Exploit Compositional Descriptors of Molecules in Drug Discovery and Aid the Medicinal Chemist.

The synthetic medicinal chemist plays a vital role in drug discovery. Today there are AI tools to guide next syntheses, but many are "Black Boxes" (BB). One learns little more than the prediction made.

Glass box machine learning for retrospective cohort studies using many patient records. The complex example of bleeding peptic ulcer.

Glass Box Machine Learning is, in this study, a type of partially supervised data mining and prediction technique, like a neural network in which each weight or pattern of mutually relevant weights is now replaced by a meaningful "probabilistic knowledge element." We apply it to retrospective cohort studies using large numbers of structured medical records to help select candidate patients for future cohort studies and similar clinical trials. Here it is applied to aid analysis of approaches to aid Deep Learning, but the method lends itself well to direct computation of odds with "explainability" in study design that can complement "Black Box" Deep Learning.

Examining the impact of COVID-19 on Māori:non-Māori health inequities in Aotearoa, New Zealand: an observational study protocol.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had both direct and indirect impacts on the health of populations worldwide. While racial/ethnic health inequities in COVID-19 infection are now well known (and ongoing), knowledge about the impact of COVID-19 pandemic management on non-COVID-19-related outcomes for Indigenous peoples is less well understood. This article presents the study protocol for the Health Research Council of New Zealand funded project 'Mā te Mōhio ka Mārama: Impact of COVID-19 on Māori:non-Māori inequities'.

Impact of a pharmacy-led screening and intervention in people at risk of or living with chronic kidney disease in a primary care setting: a cluster randomised trial protocol.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly recognised as a growing global public health problem. Early detection and management can significantly reduce the loss of kidney function. The proposed trial aims to evaluate the impact of a community pharmacy-led intervention combining CKD screening and medication review on CKD detection and quality use of medicines (QUM) for patients with CKD.

The effect of catchment load reductions on water quality in the crown-of-thorn starfish outbreak initiation zone.

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (CoTS) population outbreaks contribute to coral cover decline on Indo-Pacific reefs. On the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), enhanced catchment nutrient loads are hypothesised to increase phytoplankton food for CoTS larvae in the outbreak initiation zone. This study examines whether catchment load reductions will improve water quality in this zone during the larval period.

Support for and potential impacts of key Smokefree 2025 strategies among Māori who smoke.

Aim: The recently passed Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act has the potential to profoundly reduce smoking prevalence and related health inequities experienced among Māori. This study examined support for, and potential impacts of, key measures included within the legislation.

Method: Data came from Wave 1 (2017-2019) of the Te Ara Auahi Kore longitudinal study, which was conducted in partnership with five primary health organisations serving Māori communities.

Equity of Cancer and Diabetes Co-Occurrence: A National Study With 44 Million Person-Years of Follow-Up.

Purpose: The co-occurrence of diabetes and cancer is becoming increasingly common, and this is likely to compound existing inequities in outcomes from both conditions within populations.

Methods: In this study, we investigate the co-occurrence of cancer and diabetes by ethnic groups in New Zealand. National-level diabetes and cancer data on nearly five million individuals over 44 million person-years were used to describe the rate of cancer in a national prevalent cohort of peoples with diabetes versus those without diabetes, by ethnic group (Māori, Pacific, South Asian, Other Asian, and European peoples).

Loss of functionally important and regionally endemic species from streams forced into intermittency by global warming.

Climate change is altering hydrological cycles globally, and in Mediterranean (med-) climate regions it is causing the drying of river flow regimes, including the loss of perennial flows. Water regime exerts a strong influence over stream assemblages, which have developed over geological timeframes with the extant flow regime. Consequently, sudden drying in formerly perennial streams is expected to have large, negative impacts on stream fauna.

He Kāinga Oranga: reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing.

This paper reflects on the influences and outcomes of He Kāinga Oranga/Housing and Health Research Programme over 25 years, and their impact on housing and health policy in Aotearoa and internationally. Working in partnership particularly with Māori and Pasifika communities, we have conducted randomised control trials which have shown the health and broad co-benefits of retrofitted insulation, heating and remediation of home hazards, which have underpinned government policy in the Warm Up NZ-Heat Smart programme and the Healthy Homes Standards for rental housing. These trials have been included as evidence in the WHO Housing and Health Guidelines and led to our designation as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Housing and Wellbeing.

Concussion increases within-player injury risk in male professional rugby union.

Objectives: To assess within-player change in injury risk and between-player subsequent injury risk associated with concussive and common non-concussive injuries in professional rugby union.

Methods: This prospective cohort study in Welsh professional male rugby union analysed within-player and between-player injury risk for five common injuries: concussion, thigh haematoma, hamstring muscle strain, lateral ankle sprain and acromioclavicular joint sprain. Survival models quantified within-player injury risk by comparing precommon (before) injury risk to postcommon (after) injury risk, whereas between-player subsequent injury risk was quantified by comparing players who had sustained one of the common injuries against those who had not sustained the common injury.

We still don't count: the under-counting and under-representation of Māori in health and disability sector data.

Aim: To examine ethnicity data quality; in particular, the representation and potential under-counting of Māori in health and disability sector data, as well as implications for inequities.

Methods: Māori and non-Māori ethnicity data are analysed at: 1) a population aggregate level across multiple 2018 datasets (Estimated Resident Population, Census Usually Resident Population, Health Service User (HSU) population and Primary Health Organisation (PHO) enrolments); and 2) an individual level for those linked in PHO and 2018 Census datasets. Ethnicity is drawn from the National Health Index (NHI) in health datasets and variations by age and gender are explored.

Analysis of deprivation distribution in New Zealand by ethnicity, 1991-2013.

Aims: To compare the distribution of Māori and New Zealand (NZ) European populations in Aotearoa New Zealand by neighbourhood deprivation, for the five censuses between 1991 and 2013, and to identify changes in the distribution pattern over time.

Methods: Geographical meshblock data from the 1991-2013 New Zealand censuses, by NZDep Index deprivation score, and by prioritised ethnic group population, were combined to analyse ethnic population counts by deprivation decile and deprivation score. Trends over time were analysed.

Mortality after release from incarceration in New Zealand by gender: A national record linkage study.

Background: People who enter and leave places of incarceration experience considerable health inequities and are at increased risk of premature death compared to the general population. Causes of premature death in this population vary markedly between countries and so country-specific information is needed. Additionally, there is a lack of large population-based studies which can disaggregate mortality risk based on person and incarceration factors.

A function-based typology for Earth's ecosystems.

As the United Nations develops a post-2020 global biodiversity framework for the Convention on Biological Diversity, attention is focusing on how new goals and targets for ecosystem conservation might serve its vision of 'living in harmony with nature'. Advancing dual imperatives to conserve biodiversity and sustain ecosystem services requires reliable and resilient generalizations and predictions about ecosystem responses to environmental change and management. Ecosystems vary in their biota, service provision and relative exposure to risks, yet there is no globally consistent classification of ecosystems that reflects functional responses to change and management.

Mobilization of Escherichia coli and fecal source markers from decomposing cowpats.

In rural environments, the sources of fecal contamination in freshwater environments are often diffuse and a mix of fresh and aged fecal sources. It is important for water monitoring purposes, therefore, to understand the impacts of weathering on detection of the fecal source markers available for mobilization from livestock sources. This study targets the impacts of rainfall events on the mobilization of fecal source tracking (FST) markers from simulated cowpats decomposing in situ for five-and-a-half-months.

Developing an effective marine eDNA monitoring: eDNA detection at pre-outbreak densities of corallivorous seastar (Acanthaster cf. solaris).

Outbreaks of the corallivorous Crown-of-Thorns Seastar (CoTS) Acanthaster cf. solaris contribute significantly to coral reef loss. Control of outbreaks is hampered because standard monitoring techniques do not detect outbreaks at early (low density) stages, thus preventing early intervention.

Locked down: Ontological security and the experience of COVID-19 while living in poor-quality housing.

The aim of the paper is to illustrate how the housing system in the United Kingdom (UK) has contributed to creating vulnerabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the concept of ontological security we look at how living with housing insecurity whilst enduring poor housing conditions has impacted the lives of those living in households. The paper draws on semi-structured interviews with 50 residents and 8 housing professionals.