Integration of ice-core, marine and terrestrial records for the Australian Last Glacial Maximum and Termination: a contribution from the OZ INTIMATE group

The degree to which Southern Hemisphere climatic changes during the end of the last glacial period and early Holocene (30-8 ka) were influenced or initiated by events occurring in the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere is a complex issue. There is conflicting evidence for the degree of hemispheric 'teleconnection' and an unresolved debate as to the principle forcing mechanism(s). The available hypotheses are difficult to test robustly, however, because the few detailed palaeoclimatic records in the Southern Hemisphere are widely dispersed and lack duplication. Here we present climatic and environmental reconstructions from across Australia, a key region of the Southern Hemisphere because of the range of environments it covers and the potentially important role regional atmospheric and oceanic controls play in global climate change. We identify a general scheme of events for the end of the last glacial period and early Holocene but a detailed reconstruction proved problematic. Significant progress in climate quantification and geochronological control is now urgently required to robustly investigate change through this period. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Conversation repair and adult cochlear implantation: A qualitative case study

Conversation breakdown and repair has been suggested to be a common site of the disability arising from acquired hearing impairment in adults. This qualitative case study reports on certain consequences of the use of general versus specific conversation repair initiators for the resolution of repair sequences. The 47 repair sequences analysed in this paper arose in a single 20-minute free and unstructured conversation between an adult bilateral cochlear implantee and his wife, audio-recorded in a clinic setting. The repairs analysed in this paper were undertaken in response to either general (n = 18) or specific (n = 29) repair requests. No difference was found in the number of turns taken to resolve repairs in response to general or specific repair requests. Qualitative analysis demonstrated that uttering the repair initiator in the immediate vicinity of the miscommunicated portion of talk provided the primary cue to the conversation partner about the location and the content of what had been misunderstood. These preliminary findings imply a change to rehabilitation counselling offered to familiar communication partners. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Peptide surfactants (Pepfactants) for switchable foams and emulsions

We have developed a series of sustainable peptide surfactants (Pepfactants) capable of stabilizing foams and emulsions in a stimuli-responsive manner, based on the reversible formation of a mechanically strong interfacial film. Under conditions where the interfacially adsorbed peptide forms a mechanically strong film state, foam or emulsion stabilization occurs as a direct result of the film strength. Under conditions where the interfacially adsorbed peptide forms a mobile detergent state, foam or emulsion stabilization is either reduced, or does not occur. Preformed foams or emulsions stabilized by Pepfactants undergo rapid phase coalescence when the film state is converted to the detergent state. Switching between film and detergent states is readily and reversibly achieved by a change in the bulk solution composition, such as a change in pH, or the addition or sequestering of metal ions. Copyright © 2007 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.