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We investigated the effects of invasion by introduced grey willow (Salix cinerea) on beetle communities within four wetland vegetation types: native vegetation, native vegetation following grey willow removal, native vegetation undergoing grey willow invasion and dense grey willow-dominated vegetation. In total, 1505 beetles from 90 species were collected using modified Malaise traps. Native wetland vegetation had significantly lower beetle species richness than willow-dominated vegetation and was dominated by herbivores, whereas detritivores characterised willow-dominated vegetation. Beetle abundance was highest in the willow-dominated vegetation and mostly comprised detritivores. In contrast, beetle abundance was lowest in native wetland vegetation, but had even proportions of herbivores and detritivores. Native wetland vegetation had a high proportion of native beetles present. As grey willows invaded, introduced beetles became more common. The beetle community composition differed significantly between grey willow-dominated vegetation and native wetland vegetation. These compositional differences were mainly due to the increasing complexity of vegetation structure following grey willow invasion. The beetle communities within restored native wetland vegetation were most similar to those within the native wetland vegetation. From a conservation perspective, these results are encouraging and suggest that, although grey willows dramatically alter the composition of beetle communities present, these communities can be restored to a beetle fauna that is similar to those found within native wetland through the removal of the willows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To evaluate the repeatability of a children's food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) by gender, ethnicity, and age group. DESIGN:: A 117-item FFQ asking about food intake patterns over the past 4 weeks was developed using food records from 428 children (204 boys and 224 girls) and the reproducibility on average 13 days apart was tested in 130 children (78 boys and 52 girls). Children were recruited using clustered probability sampling (n=103), and a convenience sample of 25 Maori children. SETTING:: Children aged 1-14?y from Auckland, Feilding and Shannon, New Zealand. SUBJECTS:: There were 71 Maori, 20?Pacific, and 39 Other children. RESULTS:: Spearman correlations between the two FFQs ranged from 0.50 for bread to 0.82 for fruit, with a median of 0.76 for spreads and nonmilk drinks, and Cronbach's coefficient a's ranged from 0.59 for bread to 0.92 for nonmilk drinks, with a median of 0.85 for mixed meat dishes. There were no significant differences between the two administrations, apart from reporting higher intakes of vegetables and snacks & sweets in the first FFQ. Correlation coefficients tended to be slightly higher in boys than in girls, and in Other ethnic groups compared to Maori and Pacific children. Correlations were slightly higher for the 1-4?y age group, intermediate in the 10-14?y age group, and lowest in the 5-9?y-old age group. CONCLUSIONS:: Overall, the FFQ described here shows similar or better repeatability in New Zealand children of all major ethnic groups compared to other child or adolescent FFQs. SPONSORSHIP:: The New Zealand Ministry of Health contracted this study.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2003) 57, 1498-1503. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601717 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of skin cancer, including melanoma, continues to climb in white populations around the world, imposing a large and growing burden on health systems and individuals. Harmful exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, mostly solar UV, is the most avoidable cause of skin cancer risk and mortality. Many economic evaluations attest to the favourable benefits for governments and citizens from skin cancer prevention programs. This overview presents the current 'state of play' of the economics of skin cancer prevention. More research is required to document contemporary costs of managing skin cancer in Australia and New Zealand to accurately assess the true savings from primary prevention. New directions are proposed for ways that economics could contribute to the investment case for prevention. The majority of skin cancers are avoidable and curable, yet cost the Australian health economy A$1.7 billion each year. Therefore primary prevention of skin cancers must remain high on the public health agenda., Competing Interests: None declared.

There is increasing discussion globally of the value of health-related food taxes and subsidies to address obesity and noncommunicable diseases. In order for such policies to be successful it is important to understand the positions of key stakeholders. This research investigated New Zealand (NZ) stakeholders' views on the feasibility and acceptability of selected health-related food taxes and subsidies over the next 5 to 10 years. Twenty semi-structured interviews were undertaken by telephone from November 2014 to May 2015. The purposive sample of key stakeholders included politicians, bureaucrats, public health experts, food industry leaders and consumer representatives. Prior to interviews participants were sent summary information on the estimated impacts of a range of health-related food taxes and subsidies on dietary intake and mortality. According to key stakeholders there appears to be little appetite for taxes on foods high in saturated fat or salt in NZ. Stakeholders largely agreed that a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and a subsidy on fruit and vegetables were both feasible and likely acceptable. There was strong support for starting with a SSBs tax, possibly framed around protecting children and dental health. Addressing obesity and noncommunicable diseases is a multidimensional challenge. A tax on SSBs and a subsidy on fruit and vegetables, possibly in tandem, could be part of the solution in NZ. There is growing interest in, and evidence for, health-related taxes and subsidies internationally. Given the critical role of stakeholder support for such policies similar research on stakeholders' views may assist the implementation of health-related food taxes and subsidies in other jurisdictions.

Background: A preoperative surgical safety checklist was implemented into three major hospitals performing elective operations in Christchurch (New Zealand) in 2004. A prospective analysis of the results of this "Time Out Procedure" (TOP) was performed upon its implementation and 4 years later., Methods: All members of the surgical team who participated in the TOP were recorded, as were the details of any discrepancies encountered during the TOP. The results of the initial prospective analysis from September 2004 until April 2005 (Phase 1, 10,330 procedures) were compared to a further prospective study 4 years later from October 2008 until September 2009 (Phase 2, 25,086 procedures). Surgeons' attitudes towards the TOP were analysed with a questionnaire., Results: There were no wrong site operations in either phases of the study. Completion of the TOP improved in Phase 2 (98% compared to 87%, p<0.001). The overall discrepancies observed increased, (7.7% in Phase 1 and 9.3% in Phase 2, p<0.001) with surgeon being absent at the TOP resulting in 73% of the discrepancies observed. Only 86% of surgeons believed that TOP was valuable in reducing wrong site operation., Conclusion: This study suggests that surgical checklists such as the TOP are a useful tool in identification and prevention of wrong site surgery. Our practice with consent and limb marking has improved over the two study periods. However, there continues to be surgeon resistance to these checklists, and further research will help to identify the reasons and possible solutions to this phenomenon.