The relationship between native vegetation and in-stream salinity: An Australian case study

The Glenelg-Hopkins area is a large regional watershed (2.6 million ha) in southwest Victoria that has been extensively cleared for agriculture. In-stream electrical conductivity (EC) in relation to remnant native vegetation is examined from the headwaters to the upper extent of the estuary of the Glenelg River. Five water quality gauging stations were selected. Their contributing subcatchments represent a continuum of disturbance. Proportions of native vegetation ranged from ∼100% at the headwaters of the river to ∼30% at the furthest downstream gauge station. The relationship between remnant vegetation and in-stream EC was examined using aggregated and non-aggregated land use statistics over a period of 22 years from three land use maps. Increased proportions of native vegetation were significantly negatively correlated with in-stream EC and were consistent across all scenarios investigated.

Biomass and energy transfer to baleen whales in the South Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean

Baleen whales are an important group of predators on Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean. During the CCAMLR 2000 Survey to estimate the biomass and distribution of Antarctic krill, International Whaling Commission observers carried out a visual line transect survey to estimate the number of baleen whales occurring in the survey area. This paper reviews techniques used to estimate krill consumption by baleen whales and in combination with estimates of whale abundance estimates of krill consumption are generated for the South Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. This survey estimates that the present populations of whales feeding in this region are likely to consume approximately 1.6 million tonnes, but possibly up to as much as 2.7 million tonnes of krill within the summer season. Although this only represents 4–6% of the estimated krill biomass in the region (and probably less than this percentage of the total annual krill production), the depleted numbers of baleen whales resulting from past or current whaling activities should be taken into account when setting quotas for the commercial exploitation of krill if there is to be a recovery to pre-exploitation biomass levels of baleen whales.

Analysis of cardioprotective effects using purified Saliva miltiorrhiza extract on isolated rat hearts

The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of purified Salvia miltiorrhiza extract (PSME) on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts. Hearts were excised and perfused at constant flow (7 – 9 ml · min⁻¹) via the aorta. Non-recirculating perfusion with Krebs-Henseleit (KH) solution was maintained at 37°C and continuously gassed with 95% O₂ and 5% CO₂. KH solution with or without PSME (100 mg per liter solution) was used after 30-min zero-flow ischemia for the PSME and control group, respectively. Left ventricular (LV) developed pressure; its derivatives, diastolic pressure, and so on were continuously recorded via a pressure transducer attached to a polyvinylchloride balloon that was placed in the left ventricle through an incision in the left atrium. PSME treated hearts showed significant postischemic contractile function recovery (developed pressure recovered to 44.2 ± 4.9% versus 17.1 ± 5.7%, P<0.05; maximum contraction recovered to 57.2 ± 5.9% versus 15.1 ± 6.3%, P<0.001; maximum relaxation restored to 69.3 ± 7.3% versus 15.4 ± 6.3%, P<0.001 in the PSME and control group, respectively). Significant elevation in end-diastolic pressure, which indicated LV stiffening in PSME hearts might have resulted from the excess high dose of PSME used. Further study will be conducted on the potential therapeutic value with lower dose of PSME on prevention of ischemic heart disease.

The effect of school suspensions and arrests on subsequent adolescent antisocial behavior in Australia and the United States

Purpose: To examine the effect of school suspensions and arrests (i.e., being taken into police custody) on subsequent adolescent antisocial behavior such as violence and crime, after controlling for established risk and protective factors in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States (U.S.). Methods: This article reports on analyses of two points of data collected 1 year apart within a cross-national longitudinal study of the development of antisocial behavior, substance use, and related behaviors in approximately 4000 students aged 12 to 16 years in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, U.S. Students completed a modified version of the Communities That Care self-report survey of behavior, as well as risk and protective factors across five domains (individual, family, peer, school, and community). Multivariate logistic regression analyses investigate the effect of school suspensions and arrests on subsequent antisocial behavior, holding constant individual, family, peer, school, and community level influences such as being female, student belief in the moral order, emotional control, and attachment to mother. Results: At the first assessment, school suspensions and arrests were more commonly reported in Washington, and school suspensions significantly increased the likelihood of antisocial behavior 12 months later, after holding constant established risk and protective factors (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–2.1, _p < .05). Predictors of antisocial behavior spanned risk and protective factors across five individual and ecological areas of risk. Risk factors in this study were pre-existing antisocial behavior (OR 3.6, CI 2.7–4.7, _p < .001), association with antisocial peers (OR 1.8, CI 1.4–2.4, _p < .001), academic failure (OR 1.3, CI 1.1–1.5, _p < .01), and perceived availability of drugs in the community (OR 1.3, CI 1.1–1.5, _p < .001). Protective factors included being female (OR 0.7, CI 0.5–0.9, _p < .01), student belief in the moral order (OR 0.8, CI 0.6–1.0, p < .05), student emotional control (OR 0.7, CI 0.6–0.8, _p < .001), and attachment to mother (OR 0.8, CI 0.7–1.0, _p < .05). Conclusions:  School suspensions may increase the likelihood of future antisocial behavior. Further research is required to both replicate this finding and establish the mechanisms by which school suspensions exert their effects.

The overt behaviour scale (OBS): a tool for measuring challenging behaviours following ABI in community settings

OBJECTIVES: The Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) was designed as a comprehensive measure of common challenging behaviours observed after acquired brain injury (ABI) in community settings. The OBS comprises 34 items in nine categories that measure aggression, inappropriate sexual behaviour, perseveration, wandering, inappropriate social behaviour and lack of initiation. The aim of the current study was to determine the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the OBS. METHOD: Two adult community-based samples of people with ABI were recruited. Sample 1 (n= 30) were concurrently evaluated on the OBS by two raters and again 1 week later to test stability. Other validating scales were also administered. Sample 2 (n= 28) were clients of the ABI Behaviour Consultancy who were treated for challenging behaviours and were administered the OBS before treatment commenced and then again 4 months later. RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability and stability coefficients for the OBS total score was strong (0.97 and 0.77, respectively). Initial evidence of convergent and divergent validity was shown by the differential pattern of correlations with other measures. Moderate-to-strong coefficients (range 0.37-0.66) were observed between the OBS and other measures that had behavioural content (i.e. Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory, Current Behaviour Scale, Neurobehavioural Rating Scale-Revised). Divergent validity was shown by the lack of correlation between the OBS and the sub-scales of these tools that do not measure challenging behaviour. Finally, responsiveness was demonstrated with a significant decrease in OBS scores in the expected direction over the 4-month period. This improvement was confirmed by corroborating evidence from key informants. CONCLUSION: The OBS shows promise as a reliable, valid and responsive measure that can be used for the systematic assessment of challenging behaviours in community settings.

Biography : an interdisciplinary quarterly

The article presents information about the December 2005 issue of the journal "Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly." The Annual Bibliography for 2004-05, while containing few surprises, is nevertheless rather overwhelming. The numbers are very suggestive. Almost 1,000 individual entries appear: 127 Books, 451 Articles in 63 Collections or Special issues, 298 articles in Periodicals, and 104 Doctoral Dissertations. Publication advertisements appear in this issue for Miriam Fuchs's "The Text is Myself: Women's Life Writing and Catastrophe," and William Todd Schultz's "Handbook of Psychobiography."

Challenging behaviour profiles of people with acquired brain injury living in community settings

Primary objective: To determine the type and severity of challenging behaviours among a cohort of brain-injured persons referred to a community-based behaviour management service; and to determine whether different behaviour profiles were associated with aetiology of brain injury.
Methods and procedures: A sample of clients (n= 190) referred to the ABI Behaviour Consultancy for assessment and treatment of challenging behaviours was evaluated using the Overt Behaviour Scale (OBS) and other measures of disability and support needs.
Main outcomes and results: The most common challenging behaviour categories were, in order of frequency: verbal aggression, inappropriate social behaviours and lack of initiation. Clients typically exhibited four categories of challenging behaviour and multiple kinds of the behaviours represented by each category. There was some evidence of differences in occurrence of specific behaviours associated with aetiology of brain injury, particularly for hypoxia and alcohol-related brain injury.
Conclusions: A systematic assessment of challenging behaviours in community settings has revealed the profiles of broad behavioural disturbance that can occur following ABI. Assessing the breadth of disturbance is important in understanding a client's presentation and thus planning appropriate behaviour management interventions.

Introducing active support in the United States : staff training developments and research directions

Aim: Active Support, an evidence-based intervention developed in the UK and tested in Australia, enables direct support professionals to engage people with high support needs in meaningful and rewarding every day activities. This paper outlines the practical details of adapting the Active Support curriculum for service providers in the US and outlines an evaluation methodology that will inform both service delivery and future developments of Active Support.

Method: Active Support curricula developed in the UK and Australia were adapted for implementation the US.Train-the-trainer activities were conducted in early 2008 in three group homes serving 12 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. A formative evaluation process was used to identify changes in the materials and training design needed to support a randomized controlled trial of the intervention in 20 small group homes.

Results: Modifications in the delivery of training are needed to account for differences in scheduling patterns and high turnover rates in US group homes, and to adjust British/Australian terminology to the U.S. context.

Conclusions: The translation of active support into the U.S. context requires modifications to support successful implementation. Research is planned to document the success of the modified curriculum in improving outcomes for persons with disabilities.

Lateral positioning for critically ill adult patients

We aim to assess the effect of the lateral position compared to other body positions on patient outcomes (mortality, morbidity and clinical adverse events during and following positioning) in critically ill adult patients. We will examine the single use of the lateral position (that is on the right or left side) and repeat use of the lateral position(s) in a positioning schedule (that is lateral positioning). We plan to undertake subgroup analysis for primary disease and condition, severity of illness, the presence of assisted ventilation and angle of lateral rotation.

Longitudinal examination of physical and relational aggression as precursors to later problem behaviors in adolescents

Research has addressed the consequences of being a victim of physical and relational aggression but less so the consequences of being an aggressor during adolescence. Consequently, relatively little is known about the extent to which aggression in early adolescence increases the risk of later aggression and other psychosocial problems. This study involves a representative sample of seventh- and ninth-grade students from Washington State ( N = 1,942). Students were surveyed on recruitment and then again 1 and 2 years later to learn about ongoing behavior problems, substance use, depression, and self-harm behaviors. Surveys also included measures of several hypothesized promotive factors: attachment to family, school commitment, and academic achievement. Findings suggest that being physically and/or relationally aggressive in grades 7 to 9 increases the risk of aggression and possibly other problem behaviors after accounting for age, gender, race, and a prior measure of each outcome. Independent promotive effects were observed in most analyses, although family attachment appeared a less robust predictor overall. Implications for prevention include acting on the behavior itself and enhancing promotive influences to lessen the risk of agression and other related problems.

Modifiable determinants of youth violence in Australia and the United States : a longitudinal study

Youth violence is a global problem. Few studies have examined whrther the prevalence or predictors of youth violence are similar in comparable Western countries like Australia and the United States (US). In the current article, analyses are conducted using two waves of data collected as part of a longitudinal study of adolescent development in approximately 4,000 students aged 12 to 16 years in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, US. Students completed a self-report survey of problem behaviours including violent behaviour, as well as risk and protective factors across five domains (individual, family, peer, school, community). Compared to Washington State, rates of attacking or beating another over the past 12 months were lower in Victoria for females in the first survey and higher for Victorian males in the follow-up survey. Preliminary analyses did not show state-specific predictors of violent behaviour. In the final multivariate analyses of the combined Washington State and Victorian samples, protective factors were being female and student emotion control. Risk factors were prior violent behaviour, family conflict, association with violent peers, community disorganisation, community norms favourable to drug use, school suspensions and arrests. Given the similarity of influential factors in North America and Australia, application of US early intervention and prevention programs may be warranted, with some tailoring to the Australian context.