Analysis of damage to buildings following the 2010–11 Eastern Australia floods

This research analyses the extent of damage to buildings in Brisbane, Ipswich and Grantham during the recent Eastern Australia flooding and explore the role planning and design/construction regulations played in these failures. It highlights weaknesses in the current systems and propose effective solutions to mitigate future damage and financial loss under current or future climates. 2010 and early 2011 saw major flooding throughout much of Eastern Australia. Queensland and Victoria were particularly hard hit, with insured losses in these states reaching $2.5 billion and many thousands of homes inundated. The Queensland cities of Brisbane and Ipswich were the worst affected; around two-thirds of all inundated property/buildings were in these two areas. Other local government areas to record high levels of inundation were Central Highlands and Rockhampton Regional Councils in Queensland, and Buloke, Campaspe, Central Gold Fields and Loddon in Victoria. Flash flooding was a problem in a number of Victorian councils, but the Lockyer Valley west of Ipswich suffered the most extensive damage with 19 lives lost and more than 100 homes completely destroyed. In all more than 28,000 properties were inundated in Queensland and around 2,500 buildings affected in Victoria. Of the residential properties affected in Brisbane, around 90% were in areas developed prior to the introduction of floodplain development controls, with many also suffering inundation during the 1974 floods. The project developed a predictive model for estimating flood loss and occupant displacement. This model can now be used for flood risk assessments or rapid assessment of impacts following a flood event.

Women on the Heritage Register : the case of Nellie McCredie and Uanda House

Uanda house is of historical importance to Queensland both in terms of its architectural design and its social history. Uanda is a low set, single story house built in 1928, located in the inner city Brisbane suburb of Wilston. Architecturally, the house has a number of features that distinguish it from the surrounding bungalow influenced inter-war houses. The house has been described as a Queensland style house with neo-Georgian influences. Historically, it is associated with the entry of women into the profession of architecture in Queensland. Uanda is the only remaining intact work of architect/draftswoman Nellie McCredie and one of a very few examples of works by pioneering women architects in Queensland. The house was entered into the Queensland Heritage Register, in 2000, after an appeal against Brisbane City Council’s refusal of an application to demolish the house was disputed in the Queensland Planning and Environment court in 1998/1999. In the court’s report, Judge Robin QC, DCJ, stated that, “The importance of preserving women's history and heritage, often previously marginalised or lost, is now accepted at government level, recognising that role models are vital for bringing new generations of women into the professions and public life.” While acknowledging women’s contribution to the profession of architecture is an important endeavour, it also has the potential to isolate women architects as separate to a mainstream history of architecture. As Julie Willis writes, it can imply an atypical, feminine style of architecture. What is the impact or potential implications of recognising heritage buildings designed by women architects? The Judge also highlights the absence of a recorded history of unique Brisbane houses and questions the authority of the heritage register. This research looks at these points of difference through a case study of the Uanda house. The paper will investigate the processes of adding the house to the heritage register, the court case and existing research on Nellie McCredie and Uanda House.

Loss of epithelial markers and acquisition of vimentin expression in adriamycin- and vinblastine-resistant human breast cancer cell lines

We have previously observed that breast cancer cell lines could exhibit either epithelial or fibroblastic phenotypes as reflected by their morphologies and intermediate filament protein expression (C. L. Sommers, D. Walker-Jones, S. E. Heckford, P. Worland, E. Valverius, R. Clark, M. Stampfer, and E. P. Gelmann, Cancer Res., 49: 4258-4263, 1989). Fibroblastoid, vimentin-expressing breast cancer cell lines are more invasive in vitro and in vivo (E. W. Thompson, S. Paik, N. Brunner, C. L. Sommers, G. Zugmaier, R. Clarke, T. B. Shima, J. Torri, S. Donahue, M. E. Lippman, G. R. Martin, and R. B. Dickson, J. Cell. Physiol., 150: 534-544, 1992). We hypothesized that a breast cancer cell with an epithelial phenotype could undergo a transition to a fibroblastic phenotype, possibly resulting in more invasive capacity. We now show that two Adriamycin-resistant MCF-7 cell lines and a vinblastine-resistant ZR-75-B cell line have undergone such a transition. Adriamycin-resistant MCF-7 cells express vimentin, have diminished keratin 19 expression, have lost cell adhesion molecule uvomorulin expression, and have reduced formation of desmosomes and tight junctions as determined by reduced immunodetection of their components desmoplakins I and II and zonula occludens (ZO)-1. Other MCF-7 cell lines selected for resistance to vinblastine and to Adriamycin and verapamil did not have these characteristics, indicating that drug selection does not invariably cause these phenotypic changes. In addition, to determine if vimentin expression in MCF-7 cells alone could manifest a fibroblastic phenotype, we transfected the full-length human vimentin complementary DNA into MCF-7 cells. Although vimentin expression was achieved in MCF-7 cells, it did not affect the phenotype of the cells in terms of the distribution of keratins, desmoplakins I and II, ZO-1, or uvomorulin or in terms of in vitro invasiveness. We conclude that vimentin expression is a marker for a fibroblastic and invasive phenotype in breast cancer cells but does not by itself give rise to this phenotype.

Differential regulation of growth and invasiveness of MCF-7 breast cancer cells by antiestrogens

Estrogen increases the ability of the estrogen-dependent MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line to both proliferate and invade through an artificial basement membrane. In studying the response of MCF-7 cells to various antiestrogens, we found that 4-hydroxytamoxifen and tamoxifen inhibited cell proliferation but increased their invasiveness. In contrast, the structurally unrelated benzothiophene antiestrogens, LY117018 and LY156758, were potent antiproliferative agents which did not stimulate invasiveness. The differential effects of these antiestrogenic agents on invasion correlated with changes in production of collagenase IV, while no significant change was seen in the chemotactic activity of the cells. Invasiveness was increased by 17β-estradiol or 4-hydroxytamoxifen after a few hours of treatment and was rapidly lost when 17β-estradiol was withdrawn. Stimulation of invasiveness with 17β-estradiol was blocked by the antiestrogen, LY117018. Cells from the MDA-MB-231 line which lacks estrogen receptors were not affected by estrogen or antiestrogen in terms of proliferation or invasion. These studies indicate that the invasiveness of MCF-7 cells is regulated by antiestrogens through the estrogen receptor and may be mediated by collagenase IV activity. Antiestrogens which reduce both the proliferation and invasiveness of these cells may be interesting new candidates for clinical application.

MMP-9 secretion and MMP-2 activation distinguish invasive and metastatic sublines of a mouse mammary carcinoma system showing epithelial-mesenchymal transition traits

We have investigated the gelatinase profiles and invasiveness of clonal tumour sublines derived from a spontaneously arising mammary tumour in a Balb/cfC3H mouse. The 67NR, 66c14 and 4T1.2 sublines have low, intermediate and high metastatic potential respectively. In Boyden chamber studies, Matrigel invasion was seen to be progressively higher in the more metastatic lines 4T1.2>66c14>67NR, consistent with MMP-2 activation potential, MMP-9 secretion, and migration over either type I or IV collagen, which were low in both 67NR and 66c14 cells compared to 4T1.2 cells. These attributes are consistent with those seen in human breast cancer cell lines which appear to have undergone an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as indicated by vimentin expression. We were, however, surprised to find vimentin expression, MT1-MMP expression and stellate Matrigel outgrowth in the non-invasive, non-metastatic 67NR cells, indicating that they had undergone an EMT despite not being invasive. We conclude that the EMT is manifested to differing degrees in these three clonal cell lines, and that the 67NR cells have either undergone a partial EMT or have since lost certain important attributes of the EMT-derived phenotype. This model should prove useful in further characterizing the regulation of MT1-MMP mediated MMP-2 activation and delineating the EMT in breast cancer progression.

LCC15-MB cells are MDA-MB-435 : a review of misidentified breast and prostate cell lines

Current stocks of the LCC15-MB cell line, which we originally isolated from a human breast-bone metastasis, were found to be genetically matched to the MDA-MB-435 cell line from the Lombardi Cancer Center (MDA-MB-435-LCC) using comparative genomic hybridisation, DNA microsatellite analysis and chromosomal number. LCC15-MB stocks used for our previously published studies as well as the earliest available LCC15-MB cells also showed identity to MDA-MB-435-LCC cells. The original karyotype reported for LCC15-MB cells was considerably different to that of MDA-MB-435 cells, indicating that the original LCC15-MB cells were lost to contamination by MDA-MB-435-LCC cells. Chromosome number is the simplest test to distinguish original LCC 15-MB cells (n ∼ 75) from MDA-MB-435 (n ∼ 52). Collectively, our results prove that LCC15-MB cells currently available are MDA-MB-435 cells and we suggest their re-designation as MDA-MB-435-LCC15 cells. We also review the known misclassification of breast and prostate cancer cell lines to date and have initiated a register maintained at http://www.svi.edu.au/cell_lines_registry.doc.

Food security

INTRODUCTION Globally, one-third of food production is lost annually due to negligent authorities. India alone loses some 21 million tonnes of wheat per year even while it has 200 million food-insecure people in the nation. Disturbingly provocative as it may sound, it is amazing how national and international institutions and governments make use of human hunger for their own survival (Raghib 2013). The global food system is increasingly insecure. Challenges to long-term global food security are encapsulated by resource scarcity, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, climate change, reductions of farm labour and a growing world population. These issues are caused and aggravated by the spread of corporatised and monopolised food systems, dietary change, and urbanisation. These factors have rapidly brought food insecurity under the umbrella of unconventional security threats (Heukelom 2011). For some, humanitarian crises associated with food insecurity, or what has been dubbed ‘the silent tsunami’, is a pending peril, notably for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. For others, the food production industry is an emerging market with unprecedented profits. Despite this problem of food scarcity we are witnessing extraordinary ‘food wastage’, notably in North America and Europe, on a scale that would reportedly be capable of feeding the world’s hungry six times over (Stuart 2012). As the opening quotation to this chapter suggests, governments and corporations are deeply involved in the contexts, politics, and resources associated with food related issues. As many economically developed and advanced industrial nations are reporting a rise out of recession, announcements are made by the world’s richest countries that they are to cut $US2 billion per year from food aid. The head of the World Food Aid Programme, Rosette Sheeran, warns that such cuts could result in ‘the loss of a generation’ (Walters 2011). The global food crisis has also reinvigorated debates about agricultural development and genetically modified (GM) food; as well as fuelling debates about poverty, debt and security. This chapter provides a discussion of the political economy of global food debates and explores the threats and opportunities surrounding food production and future food security.

Lithium release from ß-tricalcium phosphate inducing cementogenic and osteogenic differentiation for both hPDLCs and hBMSCs

It is accepted that the accelerated differentiation of tissue cells on bioactive materials is of great importance to regenerate the lost tissues. It was previously reported that lithium (Li) ions could enhance the in vitro proliferation and differentiation of retinoblastoma cells and endometrium epithelia by activating the Wnt canonical signalling pathway. It is interesting to incorporate Li ions into bioactive ceramics, such as β-tricalcium phosphate (Li-β-TCP), in order to stimulate both osteogenic and cementogenic differentiation of different stem cells for the regeneration of bone/periodontal tissues. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the interactions of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs) and human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) with Li-β-TCP bioceramic bulks and their ionic extracts, and further explore the osteogenic and cementogenic stimulation of Li-β-TCP bioceramics and the possible molecular mechanisms. The results showed that Li-β-TCP bioceramic disks supported the cell attachment and proliferation, and significantly enhanced bone/cementum-related gene expression, Wnt canonical signalling pathway activation for both hPDLCs and hBMSCs, compared to conventional β-TCP bioceramic disks without Li. The release of Li from Li-β-TCP powders could significantly promote the bone/cementum-related gene expression for both hPDLCs and hBMSCs compared to pure β-TCP extracts without Li release. Our results suggest that the combination of Li with β-TCP bioceramics may be a promising method to enhance bone/cementum regeneration as Li-β-TCP possesses excellent in vitro osteogenic and cementogenic stimulation properties by inducing bone/cementum-related gene expression in both hPDLCs and hBMSCs.

Molecular aspects of tissue engineering in the dental field

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field with the potential to replace tissues lost as a result of trauma, cancer surgery, or organ dysfunction. The successful production, integration, and maintenance of any tissue-engineered product are a result of numerous molecular interactions inside and outside the cell. We consider the essential elements for successful tissue engineering to be a matrix scaffold, space, cells, and vasculature, each of which has a significant and distinct molecular underpinning (Fig. 1). Our approach capitalizes on these elements. Originally developed in the rat, our chamber model (Fig. 2) involves the placement of an arteriovenous loop (the vascular supply) in a polycarbonate chamber (protected space) with the addition of cells and an extracellular matrix such as Matrigel or endogenous fibrin (34, 153, 246, 247). This model has also been extended to the rabbit and pig (J. Dolderer, M. Findlay, W. Morrison, manuscript in preparation), and has been modified for the mouse to grow adipose tissue and islet cells (33, 114, 122) (Fig. 3)...

Taxonomic resolution and quantification of freshwater macroinvertebrate samples from an Australian dryland river : The benefits and costs of using species abundance data

In studies using macroinvertebrates as indicators for monitoring rivers and streams, species level identifications in comparison with lower resolution identifications can have greater information content and result in more reliable site classifications and better capacity to discriminate between sites, yet many such programmes identify specimens to the resolution of family rather than species. This is often because it is cheaper to obtain family level data than species level data. Choice of appropriate taxonomic resolution is a compromise between the cost of obtaining data at high taxonomic resolutions and the loss of information at lower resolutions. Optimum taxonomic resolution should be determined by the information required to address programme objectives. Costs saved in identifying macroinvertebrates to family level may not be justified if family level data can not give the answers required and expending the extra cost to obtain species level data may not be warranted if cheaper family level data retains sufficient information to meet objectives. We investigated the influence of taxonomic resolution and sample quantification (abundance vs. presence/absence) on the representation of aquatic macroinvertebrate species assemblage patterns and species richness estimates. The study was conducted in a physically harsh dryland river system (Condamine-Balonne River system, located in south-western Queensland, Australia), characterised by low macroinvertebrate diversity. Our 29 study sites covered a wide geographic range and a diversity of lotic conditions and this was reflected by differences between sites in macroinvertebrate assemblage composition and richness. The usefulness of expending the extra cost necessary to identify macroinvertebrates to species was quantified via the benefits this higher resolution data offered in its capacity to discriminate between sites and give accurate estimates of site species richness. We found that very little information (<6%) was lost by identifying taxa to family (or genus), as opposed to species, and that quantifying the abundance of taxa provided greater resolution for pattern interpretation than simply noting their presence/absence. Species richness was very well represented by genus, family and order richness, so that each of these could be used as surrogates of species richness if, for example, surveying to identify diversity hot-spots. It is suggested that sharing of common ecological responses among species within higher taxonomic units is the most plausible mechanism for the results. Based on a cost/benefit analysis, family level abundance data is recommended as the best resolution for resolving patterns in macroinvertebrate assemblages in this system. The relevance of these findings are discussed in the context of other low diversity, harsh, dryland river systems.

Cybercrime attribution : an Eastern European case study

Phishing and related cybercrime is responsible for billions of dollars in losses annually. Gartner reported more than 5 million U.S. consumers lost money to phishing attacks in the 12 months ending in September 2008 (Gartner 2009). This paper asks whether the majority of organised phishing and related cybercrime originates in Eastern Europe rather than elsewhere such as China or the USA. The Russian “Mafiya” in particular has been popularised by the media and entertainment industries to the point where it can be hard to separate fact from fiction but we have endeavoured to look critically at the information available on this area to produce a survey. We take a particular focus on cybercrime from an Australian perspective, as Australia was one of the first places where Phishing attacks against Internet banks were seen. It is suspected these attacks came from Ukrainian spammers. The survey is built from case studies both where individuals from Eastern Europe have been charged with related crimes or unsolved cases where there is some nexus to Eastern Europe. It also uses some earlier work done looking at those early Phishing attacks, archival analysis of Phishing attacks in July 2006 and new work looking at correlation between the Corruption Perception Index, Internet penetration and tertiary education in Russia and the Ukraine. The value of this work is to inform and educate those charged with responding to cybercrime where a large part of the problem originates and try to understand why.

Behavior of the electron temperature in nonuniform complex plasmas

The response of complex ionized gas systems to the presence of nonuniform distribution of charged grains is investigated using a kinetic model. Contrary to an existing view that the electron temperature inevitably increases in the grain-occupied region because of enhanced ionization to compensate for the electrons lost to the grains, it is shown that this happens only when the ionizing electric field increases in the electron depleted region. The results for two typical plasma systems suggest that when the ionizing electric field depends on the spatially averaged electron density, the electron temperature in the grain containing region can actually decrease.

Withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining medical treatment

• At common law, a competent adult can refuse life-sustaining medical treatment, either contemporaneously or through an advance directive which will operate at a later time when the adult’s capacity is lost. • Legislation in most Australian jurisdictions also provides for a competent adult to complete an advance directive that refuses life-sustaining medical treatment. • At common law, a court exercising its parens patriae jurisdiction can consent to, or authorise, the withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining medical treatment from an adult or child who lacks capacity if that is in the best interests of the person. A court may also declare that the withholding or withdrawal of treatment is lawful. • Guardianship legislation in all jurisdictions allows a substitute decision-maker, in an appropriate case, to refuse life-sustaining medical treatment for an adult who lacks capacity. • In terms of children, a parent may refuse life-sustaining medical treatment for his or her child if it is in the child’s best interests. • While a refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment by a competent child may be valid, this decision can be overturned by a court. • At common law and generally under guardianship statutes, demand for futile treatment need not be complied with by doctors.

Is Australia ready for biosimilars?

The biosimilars market is potentially the single fastest growing pharmaceutical sector with an estimated worth of US$67bn in global sales by 2020. This market generally refers to larger molecule, biological, protein-based pharmaceuticals which have lost its patent. This has stimulated the emergence of non-conventional pharmaceutical investors such as Fujifilm and Samsung as well as host countries such as Brazil, Mexico, China, India, South Korea, Turkey and Russia, which view biosimilars as a key macroeconomic driver of growth. Internationally, the European Medicines Agency has led the regulation of the quality, safety and efficacy of biosimilars; however, many countries have developed their own biosimilar regulatory frameworks. Despite the similarity of these with European guidelines, differences do exist across jurisdictions and have implications for cross-jurisdictional registration and regulation. The consideration of biosimilar regulation, however, demands attention beyond quality, safety and efficacy. The potential implications of extended patent protection, international trade and globalisation require a congruent policy approach to their regulation. Notwithstanding the fact that Australia is a relatively small pharmaceutical market and that there are only 14 biosimilar products currently approved for use, Australia’s geographical proximity to pharm-emerging countries and its trade relation with the major pharmaceutical markets have positioned Australia in a unique position to influence international development and regulation of biosimilars. Australia’s National Medicines Policy (2000) potentially provides the foundation for a partnership approach to biosimilar regulation, minimise duplication of regulatory efforts while at the same time fostering a viable pharmaceutical industry.

MAS NMR measurements of intact articular bovine cartilage

Articular cartilage (AC), an avascular connective tissue lining articulating surfaces of the long bones, comprises extracellular biopolymers. In functionally compromised states such as osteoarthritis, thinned or lost AC causes reduced mobility and increased health-care costs. Understanding of the characteristics responsible for the load bearing efficiency of AC and the factors leading to its degradation are incomplete. DTI shows the structural alignment of collagen in AC [1] and T2 relaxation measurements suggest that the average director of reorientational motion of water molecules depends on the degree of alignment of collagen in AC [2]. Information on the nature of the chemical interactions involved in functional AC is lacking. The need for AC structural integrity makes solid state NMR an ideal tool to study this tissue. We examined the contribution of water in different functional ‘compartments’ using 1H-MAS, 13C-MAS and 13C-CPMAS NMR of bovine patellar cartilage incubated in D2O. 1H-MAS spectra signal intensity was reduced due to H/D exchange without a measureable redistribution of relative signal intensity. Chemical shift anisotropy was estimated by lineshape analysis of multiple peaks in the 1H-MAS spinning sidebands. These asymmetrical sidebands suggested the presence of multiple water species in AC. Therefore, water was added in small aliquots to D2O saturated AC and the influence of H2O and D2O on organic components was studied with 13C-MAS-NMR and 13C-CPMAS-NMR. Signal intensity in 13C-MAS spectra showed no change in relative signal intensity throughout the spectrum. In 13C-CPMAS spectra, displacement of water by D2O resulted in a loss of signal in the aliphatic region due to a reduction in proton availability for cross-polarization. These results complement dehydration studies of cartilage using osmotic manipulation [3] and demonstrate components of cartilage that are in contact with mobile water.