Test of the enemy release hypothesis: the native magpie moth prefers a native fireweed (Senecio pinnatifolius) to its introduced congener (S.Madagascariensis)

Abstract The enemy release hypothesis predicts that native herbivores will either prefer or cause more damage to native than introduced plant species. We tested this using preference and performance experiments in the laboratory and surveys of leaf damage caused by the magpie moth Nyctemera amica on a co-occuring native and introduced species of fireweed (Senecio) in eastern Australia. In the laboratory, ovipositing females and feeding larvae preferred the native S. pinnatifolius over the introduced S. madagascariensis. Larvae performed equally well on foliage of S. pinnatifolius and S. madagascariensis: pupal weights did not differ between insects reared on the two species, but growth rates were significantly faster on S. pinnatifolius. In the field, foliage damage was significantly greater on native S. pinnatifolius than introduced S. madagascariensis. These results support the enemy release hypothesis, and suggest that the failure of native consumers to switch to introduced species contributes to their invasive success. Both plant species experienced reduced, rather than increased, levels of herbivory when growing in mixed populations, as opposed to pure stands in the field; thus, there was no evidence that apparent competition occurred.

Channel blurring and consumer expectations : evidence in Chile

An important trend in Chilean retailing industry is the increase in channel blurring. This investigation attempts to identify the relevant store attributes for different retail formats (grocery, department store, drug store, and home improvement). Do consumer store attribute saliency vary for different retail formats? Interviews identified twelve salient store attributes for the different retail formats. Survey results showed differences in store attribute saliencies for consumers when shopping at different formats. Seven of the twelve variables showed significant differences across formats. However, two attributes were relatively important for all four retail formats: product quality and responsiveness of employees.

Mechanisms of change in negative thinking and urinary monoamines in depressed patients during acute treatment with group cognitive behavior therapy and antidepressant medication

This naturalistic study investigated the mechanisms of change in measures of negative thinking and in 24-h urinary metabolites of noradrenaline (norepinephrine), dopamine and serotonin in a sample of 43 depressed hospital patients attending an eight-session group cognitive behavior therapy program. Most participants (91%) were taking antidepressant medication throughout the therapy period according to their treating Psychiatrists' prescriptions. The sample was divided into outcome categories (19 Responders and 24 Non-responders) on the basis of a clinically reliable change index [Jacobson, N.S., & Truax, P., 1991. Clinical significance: a statistical approach to defining meaningful change in psychotherapy research. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 59, 12–19.] applied to the Beck Depression Inventory scores at the end of the therapy. Results of repeated measures analysis of variance [ANOVA] analyses of variance indicated that all measures of negative thinking improved significantly during therapy, and significantly more so in the Responders as expected. The treatment had a significant impact on urinary adrenaline and metadrenaline excretion however, these changes occurred in both Responders and Non-responders. Acute treatment did not significantly influence the six other monoamine metabolites. In summary, changes in urinary monoamine levels during combined treatment for depression were not associated with self-reported changes in mood symptoms.

Rethinking public service media and citizenship : digital strategies for news and current affairs at Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS)

This article considers the concept of media citizenship in relation to the digital strategies of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS). At SBS, Australia’s multicultural public broadcaster, there is a critical appraisal of its strategies to harness user-created content (UCC) and social media to promote greater audience participation through its news and current affairs Web sites. The article looks at the opportunities and challenges that user-related content presents for public service media organizations as they consolidate multiplatform service delivery. Also analyzed are the implications of radio and television broadcasters’ moves to develop online services. It is proposed that case study methodologies enable an understanding of media citizenship to be developed that maintains a focus on the interaction between delivery technologies, organizational structures and cultures, and program content that is essential for understanding the changing focus of 21st-century public service media.

Preparing general technology teachers in China for new roles and responsibilities

This paper discusses the conceptualization, implementation and initial findings of a professional learning program (PLP) which used LEGO® robotics as one of the tools for teaching general technology (GT)in China’s secondary schools. The program encouraged teachers to design learning environments that can be realistic, authentic, engaging and fun. 100 general technology teachers from high schools in 30 provinces of China participated. The program aimed to transform teacher classroom practice, change their beliefs and attitudes, allow teachers to reflect deeply on what they do and in turn to provide their students with meaningful learning. Preliminary findings indicate that these teachers had a huge capacity for change. They were open-minded and absorbed new ways of learning and teaching. They became designers who developed innovative models of learning which incorporated learning processes that effectively used LEGO® robotics as one of the more creative tools for teaching GT.

Institutional and individual labor market discrimination based on hukou status : an artefactual field experiment

We study discrimination based on the hukou system that segregates citizens in groups of migrants and locals in urban China. We use an artefactual field experiment with a labor market framing. We recruit workers on their real labor market as experimental participants and investigate if official discrimination motivates individual discrimination based on hukou status. In our experimental results we observe discrimination based on the hukou characteristic: however, statistical discrimination does not seem to be the source of this, as status is exogeneous for our participants and migrants and locals behave similarly. Furthermore, discrimination increases between two experimental frameworks when motives for statistical discrimination are removed.

Arts-health intersections : a model of practice for consistency in the arts-health sector

The field of Arts-Health practice and research has grown exponentially in the past 30 years. While researchers are using applied arts as the subject of investigation in research, the evaluation of practice and participant benefits has a limited general focus. In recent years, the field has witnessed a growing concentration on the evaluation of health outcomes, outputs and tangential benefits for participants engaging in Arts-Health practice. The wide range of methodological approaches applied arts practitioners implement make the field difficult to define. This article introduces the term Arts-Health intersections as a model of practice and framework to promote consistency in design, implementation and evaluative processes in applied arts programmes promoting health outcomes. The article challenges the current trend to solely evaluate health outcomes in the field, and promotes a concurrent and multidisciplinary methodological approach that can be adopted to promote evaluation, consistency and best practice in the field of Arts-Health intersections. The article provides a theoretical overview of Arts-Health intersections, and then takes this theoretical platform and details a best model of practice for developing Arts-Health intersections and presents this model as a guide.

Determining operations affected by delay in predictive train timetables

Constructing train schedules is vital in railways. This complex and time consuming task is however made more difficult by additional requirements to make train schedules robust to delays and other disruptions. For a timetable to be regarded as robust, it should be insensitive to delays of a specified level and its performance with respect to a given metric, should be within given tolerances. In other words the effect of delays should be identifiable and should be shown to be minimal. To this end, a sensitivity analysis is proposed that identifies affected operations. More specifically a sensitivity analysis for determining what operation delays cause each operation to be affected is proposed. The information provided by this analysis gives another measure of timetable robustness and also provides control information that can be used when delays occur in practice. Several algorithms are proposed to identify this information and they utilise a disjunctive graph model of train operations. Upon completion the sets of affected operations can also be used to define the impact of all delays without further disjunctive graph evaluations.

A vibrational spectroscopic study of the arsenate mineral bayldonite (Cu,Zn)3Pb(AsO3OH)2(OH)2 : a comparison with other basic arsenates

We have studied the vibrational spectra of the mineral bayldonite, a hydroxy arsenate of copper and lead of formula Cu3Pb(AsO3OH)2(OH)2 from the type locality, the Penberthy Croft Mine, St Hilary, Mount's Bay District, Cornwall, England.and relate the spectra to the mineral structure. Raman bands at 896 and 838 cm-1are assigned to the (AsO4)3- ν1 symmetric stretching mode and the second to the (AsO4)3- ν3 antisymmetric stretching mode. It is noted that the position of the symmetric stretching mode is at a higher position than the antisymmetric stretching mode. It is proposed that the Raman bands at 889 and 845 cm-1 are symmetric and antisymmetric stretching modes of the (HOAsO3)2- units. Raman bands of bayldonite at 490 and 500 cm-1 are assigned to the (AsO4)3- ν4 bending modes. Raman bands for bayldonite are noted at 396, 408 and 429 cm-1 and are assigned to the (AsO4)3- ν2 bending modes. A comparison is made with spectra of the other basic copper arsenate minerals, namely cornubite, olivenite, cornwallite.

Retooling Asian-Pacific teachers to promote creativity, innovation and problem solving in science classrooms

This paper reports on a Professional Learning Programme undertaken by primary school teachers in China that aimed to facilitate the development of ‘adaptive expertise’ in using technology to facilitate innovative science teaching and learning such as that envisaged by the Chinese Ministry of Education’s (2010–2020) education reforms. The study found that the participants made substantial progress towards the development of adaptive expertise manifested not only by advances in the participants’ repertoires of pedagogical content knowledge but also in changes to their levels of confidence and identities as teachers. By the end of the programme, the participants had coalesced into a professional learning community that readily engaged in the sharing, peer review, reuse and adaption, and collaborative design of innovative science learning and assessment activities. The findings from the study indicate that those engaged in the development of Professional Learning Programmes in Asia-Pacific nations need to take cognizance of certain cultural factors and traditions idiosyncratic to the educational systems. This is reflected in the amended set of principles to inform the design and implementation of professional learning programmes presented in the concluding sections of the paper.

Rent-a-crowd? Crowdfunding academic research

This paper examines the use of crowdfunding platforms to fund academic research. Looking specifically at the use of a Pozible campaign to raise funds for a small pilot research study into home education in Australia, the paper reports on the success and problems of using the platform. It also examines the crowdsourcing of literature searching as part of the package. The paper looks at the realities of using this type of platform to gain start–up funding for a project and argues that families and friends are likely to be the biggest supporters. The finding that family and friends are likely to be the highest supporters supports similar work in the arts communities that are traditionally served by crowdfunding platforms. The paper argues that, with exceptions, these platforms can be a source of income in times where academics are finding it increasingly difficult to source government funding for projects.

Potential interstellar molecules : Formation of neutral C6CO from C6CO- in the gas phase

Computations at the RCCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVDZ//B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory indicate that neutral C6CO is a stable species. The ground state of this neutral is the singlet cumulene oxide :C=C=C=C=C=C=C=O. The adiabatic electron affinity and dipole moment of singlet C6CO are 2.47 eV and 4.13 D, respectively, at this level of theory. The anion (C6CO)(-.) should be a possible precursor to this neutral. It has been formed by an unequivocal synthesis in the ion source of a mass spectrometer by the S(N)2(Si) reaction between (CH3)(3)Si-C=C-C=C-C=C-CO-CMe3 and F- to form C-=C-C=C-C=C-CO-CMe3 which loses Me3C in the source to form C6CO-.. Charge stripping of this anion by vertical Franck-Condon oxidation forms C6CO, characterised by the neutralisation-reionisation spectrum (-NR+) of C6CO-., which is stable during the timeframe of this experiment (10(-6) s), Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Public health interventions for increasing physical activity in children, adolescents and adults : an overview of systematic reviews

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: This overview intends to: a) summarise the existing evidence on interventions that aim to increase PA; b) explore whether any effects of the intervention are different within and between populations, and whether these differences form an equity gradient such as an effect that differs according the advantage/disadvantage (e.g. low income and ethnic minorities); c) highlight gaps in the present evidence base that may warrant a Cochrane systematic review to be completed; and c) identify 'up to date' Cochrane reviews. .

Mitochondrial genome acquisition restores respiratory function and tumorigenic potential of cancer cells without mitochondrial DNA

We report that tumor cells devoid of their mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) show delayed tumor growth and that tumor formation is associated with acquisition of mtDNA from host cells. This leads to partial recovery of mitochondrial function in cells derived from primary tumors grown from cells without mtDNA and a shorter lag in tumor growth. Cell lines from circulating tumor cells showed further recovery of mitochondrial respiration and an intermediate lag to tumor growth, while cells from lung metastases exhibited full restoration of respiratory function and no lag in tumor growth. Stepwise assembly of mitochondrial respiratory supercomplexes was correlated with acquisition of respiratory function. Our findings indicate horizontal transfer of mtDNA from host cells in the tumor microenvironment to tumor cells with compromised respiratory function to re-establish respiration and tumor-initiating efficacy. These results suggest a novel pathophysiological process for overcoming mtDNA damage and support the notion of high plasticity of malignant cells.

Little Boat Harbour Master Plan

Site analysis and landscape design developed for the Little Boat Harbour marine ecosystem and recreation area. Analysis conducted and design created by Dr Ian Weir QUT in collaboration with Mr Nathan McQuoid Landscape Ecologist and Mr Craig Lebens Bremer Bay Dive operater and marine ecologist (amateur). Includes A3 masterplan produced by Kylie Feher graduate architect in association with Dr Weir. Document presented to the 18 Dec 2013 Council meeting of the Shire of Jerramungup and subsequently adopted by that local government with implementation subject to funding.