Rare earth element and yttrium variability in South East Queensland waterways

We present data for the rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) in the National Research Council of Canada natural river water reference material SLRS-4 and 19 natural river waters from small catchments in South-East Queensland, Australia, by a direct ICP-MS method. The 0.22 mu m filtered river water samples show a large degree of variability in both the REY concentration, e.g., La varies from 13 to 1157 ppt, and shape of the alluvial-sediment-normalised REY patterns with different samples displaying light, middle or heavy rare earth enrichment. In addition, a spatial study was undertaken along the freshwater section of Beerburrum Creek, which demonstrates that similar to 75% of the total REYs in this waterway are removed prior to estuarine mixing without evidence of fractionation.

Comparison of active venom components between Eastern brown snakes collected from South Australia and Queensland

The abundance and activity of the prothrombin activator (pseutarin C) within the venom of the Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis textilis) is the primary determinant of its coagulation potency. Textilinin-1, also in this venom, is a plasmin inhibitor which is thought to exert its toxic effects through the slowing of fibrinolysis. The aim of this report is to determine if there are differences in the potency of the venom from Eastern brown snakes collected from South Australia (SA) compared to those from Queensland (QLD). A concentration of 0.4 mu g/ml venom protein from six QLD specimens clotted citrated plasma in an average time of 21.4 +/- 3.3 s compared to 68.7 +/- 2.4 s for the same amount of SA venom (averaged for six individuals). The more potent procoagulant activity of the QLD venom was measured between 0.4 and 94 mu g/ml venom protein in plasma. The anti-plasmin activity of textilinin was also greater in the venom of the snakes collected from QLD, causing full inhibition of plasmin at approximately 1.88 mu g/ml of venom protein compared to approximately 7.5 mu g/ml for the SA venoms. It is concluded that geographic differentiation of the Eastern brown snakes results in significant differences venom potency.

Near-hanging as presenting to hospitals in Queensland: Recommendations for practice

Near-hanging is an increasing presentation to hospitals in Australasia. We reviewed the clinical management and outcome of these patients as they presented to public hospitals in Queensland. A retrospective clinical record audit was made at five public hospitals between 1991 and 2000. Of 161 patients enrolled, 82% were male, 8% were Indigenous and 10% had made a previous hanging attempt. Chronic medical illnesses were documented in 11% and previous psychiatric disorders in 42%. Of the 38 patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score (GCS) of 3 on arrival at hospital, 32% returned to independent living and 63% died. Fifty two patients received CPR, of whom 46% had an independent functional outcome. Independent predictors of mortality were a GCS on hospital arrival of 3 (AOR 150, CI 95% 12.4-1818, P

The availability of nitrogen from sugarcane trash on contrasting soils in the wet tropics of North Queensland

Sugarcane crop residues ('trash') have the potential to supply nitrogen (N) to crops when they are retained on the soil surface after harvest. Farmers should account for the contribution of this N to crop requirements in order to avoid over-fertilisation. In very wet tropical locations, the climate may increase the rate of trash decomposition as well as the amount of N lost from the soil-plant system due to leaching or denitrification. A field experiment was conducted on Hydrosol and Ferrosol soils in the wet tropics of northern Australia using N-15-labelled trash either applied to the soil surface or incorporated. Labelled urea fertiliser was also applied with unlabelled surface trash. The objective of the experiment was to investigate the contribution of trash to crop N nutrition in wet tropical climates, the timing of N mineralisation from trash, and the retention of trash N in contrasting soils. Less than 6% of the N in trash was recovered in the first crop and the recovery was not affected by trash incorporation. Around 6% of the N in fertiliser was also recovered in the first crop, which was less than previously measured in temperate areas (20-40%). Leaf samples taken at the end of the second crop contined 2-3% of N from trash and fertilizer applied at the beginning of the experiment. Although most N was recovered in the 0-1.5 m soil layer there was some evidence of movement of N below this depth. The results showed that trash supplies N slowly and in small amounts to the succeeding crop in wet tropics sugarcane growing areas regardless of trash placement (on the soil surface or incorporated) or soil type, and so N mineralisation from a single trash blanket is not important for sugarcane production in the wet tropics.

The Queensland Cancer Risk Study: Behavioural risk factor results

Objective: To describe the population prevalence of key cancer risk behaviours in Queensland. Methods: The Queensland Cancer Risk Study was a population-based survey of 9,419 Queensland residents aged 20-75 years. Information was collected through an anonymous, computer-assisted telephone interview between February and November 2004. Outcome measures included tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, sun-tanning and sunburn, obesity physical inactivity and poor diet, weighted by age, gender and geographic region. Results: Prevalence of current smoking was 25.2% for males and 20.8% for females and was highest in the 20-39 year age group and in rural/remote areas. Two-thirds of participants regularly drank alcohol; of these, 63% consumed excessive amounts of alcohol. Excessive sun exposure is still a problem; 70% of Queenslanders reported an episode of sunburn and 12% reported attempting to get a suntan in the past year. More than half of the respondents (53.9%) were above the healthy weight range, and 17.1% of males and 18.4% of females were obese. Just over 40% of Queensland adults reported having insufficient levels of physical activity. Fewer than half of the participants met recommended levels of fruit or vegetable consumption. Conclusions and implications: The majority of Queensland adults exhibit known, modifiable cancer risk behaviours. These results suggest that continuing efforts to reduce the prevalence of these risk factors are warranted. Specifically, significant gains could be made by targeting behaviour change programs at younger Queenslanders (aged 20-39 years), men, and those living in remote/ very remote areas of Queensland.

Cattle, crops and clearing: Regional drivers of landscape change in the Brigalow Belt, Queensland, Australia, 1840-2004

Landscape change occurs through the interaction of a multitude of natural and human driving forces at a range of organisational levels, with humans playing an increasingly dominant role in many regions of the world. Building on the current knowledge of the underlying drivers of landscape change, a conceptual framework of regional landscape change was developed which integrated population, economic and cultural values, policy and science/technology. Using the Southern Brigalow Belt biogeographic region of Queensland as a case study, the role of natural and human drivers in landscape change was investigated in four phases of settlement since 1840. The Brigalow Belt has experienced comparable rates of vegetation clearance over the past 50 years to areas of tropical deforestation. Economic factors were important during all phases of development, but the five regional drivers often acted in synergy. Environmental constraints played a significant role in slowing rates of change. Temporal trends of deforestation followed a sigmoidal curve, with initial slow change accelerating though the middle phases then slowing in recent times. Future landscape management needs to take account of the influence of all the components of the conceptual framework, at a range of organisational levels, if more ecologically sustainable outcomes are to be achieved. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.