Learning environment stimulation in the real world

This paper analyses some of the unique circumstances which confronted a member of the lecturing staff in the Real Estate Valuation course at the Gatton campus of the University of Queensland during the late 1990's. Due to the rapidly changing educational needs of valuation students, and requirements of the respective accreditation bodies, the location of the course in Gatton (a rural town) was recognised as being remote from a major city and although relocating the course was inevitable, this could not happen overnight. From Semester 1, 2000 after several years of planning, the degree course relocates to the Department of Geographical Sciences and Planning, St Lucia. This paper discusses some of the challenges confronted and the strategies employed to simulate a city environment in the bush whilst waiting for the move.

How Hollywood projects foreign policy

The interactions between popular culture and public policy in general, and foreign policy in particular, have always been an important area of scholarly enquiry and popular interest. However with the end of the bipolar world system and the emergence of a single world superpower in the form of the United States of America, which is waging a War Against Terror, this nexus has become critical. This is especially true because of the almost Manichean tendency of the United States to see other countries in terms of "good" or "evil". Indeed President Bush himself has coined the term "The Axis of Evil" for states, which in a kinder age were simply referred to by his predecessors as being "Rogue States".

This book draws together elements from several academic disciplines - politics, international relations, psychology, film and cultural studies and examines US foreign policy toward the so-called "rogue states" and the products of the Hollywood film industry in relation to these states, which promises to make a significant contribution to our understanding of the 'soft power' that is popular culture.

Lichen flora of the Mount Donna Buang Scenic Reserve, Victoria

This report investigated the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve in Victoria, There were several aims: to describe the lichens of the region, to produce a pictorial key enabling field identification and to determine any distribution patterns. A floristic survey covering approximately 50 square km was undertaken to determine lichen diversity of the region generally. Lichens were sampled along roads, tracks, walking trails and in sections of bush, taking into account forest type and, particularly, areas that were lichen rich. Seventy-five lichen species in 43 genera and 27 families were identified and described from the region. An unknown, species H, also was described. Of the 76 lichen species, 22 were crastose and the remainder macrolichens. The best represented families were: Cladoniaceae (8 species), Hypogymniaceae (6), Lobariaceae (7), Lecideaceae (6), Pannariaceae (6) and Parmeliaccae (6). This study described 12 species (17%) which previously were not known for Victoria and which are a first record for the state. These include: Cladonia sarmentosa (J.D. Hook & Taylor) Dodge, Graphis librata Knight, Parmelinopsis neodamaziana (Elix & Johnston) Elix & Hale, Pertusaria novaezelandiae Szatala, Placopsis pardlina f. microphylla Lamb, Porina leptalea AX. Sm., Pseudocyphellaria ardesiaca Galloway, Trapeliopsis congregant (Zahlbr.) Brako, Menegazzia myriotrema (Mull. Arg.) P. James, Bunodophoron scrobiculatum (Church. Bab,) Wedin, Parmelia testacea Stirton and Menegazzia purpurascens S. Louwhoff sp. nov.. The last eight species are new to the mainland and, apart from Menegazzia purpurascens, previously were known only from Tasmania. Five main elements of distribution were identified for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve: cosmopolitan, austral/australasian, paleotropical, pantropical and western pacific. The majority of species (68%) had austral/australasian distributions, eleven (16%) were endemic to Australia and nine (13%) occurred only in Tasmania , Victoria and New Zealand. A pictorial, dichotomous key was constructed for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve. Previously, keys to the lichen flora of Tasmanian rainforests were suggested as appropriate to similar areas in Victoria, however, the Victorian forests include a significant sclerophyll element The key presented is specific for the study site but is appropriate to similar regions in Victoria and has been tested in a number of these areas. The key was designed to be ‘user-friendly’ so that the experienced and inexperienced alike are able to use it. A more detailed investigation of the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve was carried out in order to determine distribution. A total of 50 quadrats, each 20m x 20m in size, were sampled. Within each, the dominant vegetation type was determined and individuals were identified and location noted. The cover abundance of each lichen species on each individual tree was estimated using a modified Braun-Blanquet scale. A total of 710 trees, representing 13 different species, were examined. Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst, Eucalyptus regnans R Mull., Acacia dealbata Link, A. melanoxylon R. Br., Hedycarya angustifolia A. Cunn. and Atherosperma moschatum Labill. were the six most common tree species encountered at the study site. Nothofagus cunninghamii supported the greatest lichen diversity (39 species), although most species occurred on less than 10% of the trees. The majority of lichens occurring on N. cunninghamii A. melanoxylon, A. dealbata and H. angustifolia were foliose or crustose, those on Ł. regnans fruticose and foliose and those on A moschatum crustose. Bunodophoron australe was the only lichen species at the study site to occur on one host, Nothofagus cunninghamiL Many occurred on a number of different hosts, but were most common on one particular tree species. The distribution of lichens at the study site was analysed with a rnultivariate statistical package (PATN) which dealt with ‘pattern analysis’. The program ‘SSH’ in PATN which uses the Bray-Curtis ordination technique, was used to create scatterplots displaying the degree of dissimilarity between quadrats in terms of presence/absence of lichen species. The program ‘TWAY’ in PATN was used to construct a two way table to display which lichen species occurred in each vegetation type. The pattern analysis revealed that the lichens of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve were not restricted to any particular forest type, but particular lichens, or groups of lichens, tended to predominate in certain vegetation communities. This concurs with work done by others in Tasmanian forests. Quadrats which were situated in cool temperate rainforest were grouped more closely with each other than with quadrats in other vegetation types. These also supported the greatest number of lichen species. This was not surprising since N. cunninghamii the dominant tree species in cool temperate rainforest, supported the greatest lichen diversity.

More than a mere story : social and political markers in Australian short fiction of the 1980's

This thesis is a literary history which argues that much of the short fiction published in Australia during the 1980s was deeply influenced by the rapid social and political changes during that decade. My argument concentrates on links between the short stones of the period and the socio/political environment into which they were written. The decade was marked by massive changes in technology, the workplace, and in all other areas of social life. In general terms, the ideology of the 'market' predominated over notions of small 'l' liberalism and the last vestiges of state intervention in the economy. The Australian short story benefited from the social 'experiments' of the 1970s in that its concerns became broader - encompassing the onslaught of feminism, the foregrounding of 'multicultural' concerns, and a move away from the bush into the city as a primary site for narratives. The decade was a rich period for the genre. Why was there a tolerance for a new diversity, in literary terms, when the social and political environment was turning to the right? This is a central question of the thesis. I argue that instead of the 'base' determining the 'superstructure' (i.e. culture) the superstructural changes were essential to the deconstruction of the social and political landscape. This thesis contends that a relationship always exists between the 'literary' and 'the social'. I argue, among other things, that many of the short fictions were influenced by 'postmodern' theory to the extent that they became a form of traumatic note-taking, which masked a late romanticism beneath a fear of the sovereign subject. The fear of 'closure' which insinuated itself into many of the texts, besides being a form of academic corrective, was also a flight from emotional candor. I argue that storytelling was, in many cases, the loser.

Methionine regulates copper/hydrogen peroxide oxidation products of Aβ

Metal-catalysed oxidation (MCO) may play a causative role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid peptide (A), the major biomarker of AD, in the presence of copper ions reduces Cu2+ to Cu+ and catalyses the formation of H2O2 that subsequently induces radicals through Fenton chemistry. A is also subject to attack by free radicals, where the presence of Cu2+ in conjunction with H2O2 catalyses oxygenation, primarily at the methionine sulfur atom. This work investigates MCO of A, to gain further insight into the role of oxidative stress in AD. By combining a fluorescence assay with gel electrophoresis to monitor MCO reactions of A (1-28) in the presence and absence of methionine it was determined that methionine can both protect some residues against MCO and promote the oxidation of Tyr(10) specifically. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analysis of methionine MCO products indicated the formation of methionine sulfoxide, methionine sulfone and related hydroxylated products. Similar products could be formed from the oxidation of Met(35) of A and may relate to changes in properties of the peptide following MCO.

Neurotoxic, redox-competent Alzheimer's --amyloid is released from lipid membrane by methionine oxidation

The amyloid β peptide is toxic to neurons, and it is believed that this toxicity plays a central role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The mechanism of this toxicity is contentious. Here we report that an Aβ peptide with the sulfur atom of Met-35 oxidized to a sulfoxide (Met(O)Aβ) is toxic to neuronal cells, and this toxicity is attenuated by the metal chelator clioquinol and completely rescued by catalase implicating the same toxicity mechanism as reduced Aβ. However, unlike the unoxidized peptide, Met(O)Aβ is unable to penetrate lipid membranes to form ion channel-like structures, and β-sheet formation is inhibited, phenomena that are central to some theories for Aβ toxicity. Our results show that, like the unoxidized peptide, Met(O)Aβ will coordinate Cu₂₊ and reduce the oxidation state of the metal and still produce H2O2. We hypothesize that Met(O)Aβ production contributes to the elevation of soluble Aβ seen in the brain in Alzheimer's disease.

Kurbelwellenmechanismus

A connecting rod bearing (1) has a guide (2) with enclosing surfaces (3,4,6,7) that retain a crankshaft funnel (4) such that the crankshaft funnel is movable back and forth along the guide as the funnel rotates. The crankshaft funnel is enclosed by a holder (18) that is further enclosed by a bush (19). The bush rotates with the funnel.

Habitat fragmentation disrupts the demography of a widespread native mammal

Fragmentation theory predicts that population persistence should be positively correlated with the size of habitat fragments. The patterns of occurrence of many species are consistent with this prediction, but the demographic processes that determine how species respond to fragmentation are poorly understood. In addition, habitat quality may interact with fragment size as an influence on demographic performance. We investigated these predictions for the native bush rat Rattus fuscipes by testing the following hypotheses: 1) population performance (i.e. viability as determined by various demographic parameters) is positively correlated with fragment size; and 2) population performance is positively correlated with habitat quality. Populations of R. fuscipes were censused in two large (>49 ha) and eight small (<2.5 ha) forest fragments in an agricultural region of southeastern Australia. Fragments with high and low quality habitat were included in each size category. Fragment size influenced multiple aspects of population demography; populations in large fragments had higher densities, older age structures, received more potential immigrants, and were more likely to recruit adults than those in small fragments. Reproductive patterns were more predictable in large fragments. Habitat quality per se had less marked effects; adult females were heavier and subadults more prevalent in fragments with high quality habitat. However, high quality habitat enhanced population performance in small fragments more so than in large ones. Despite being widespread in the study area, R. fuscipes populations are profoundly impacted by habitat fragmentation, with population performance declining with fragment size. Studies based on patterns of species occurrence should be interpreted with caution as they may mask critical processes occurring at the population level. For a thorough understanding of the effects of habitat fragmentation, population-level studies are required.

Role of glutathione in schizophrenia? The effect of brain glutathione depletion on prepulse inhibition (PPI) in rats and mice

Reductions in brain glutathione (GSH) levels have been reported in schizophrenia. We investigated the effects of brain GSH depletion on prepulse inhibition (PPI), a model of sensorimotor gating which is disrupted in individuals with schizophrenia. It was hypothesized that GSH depletion would lead to disruption of PPI similar to that seen in schizophrenia and enhance the effect of increased dopamine release by amphetamine. Sprague-Dawley rats and C57Bl/6 mice were treated with saline or 2-cyclohexene-1-one (CHX, 75 mg/kg and 120 mg/kg respectively) to deplete brain GSH. 225 minutes later the animals were injected with amphetamine (2.5 mg/kg in rats and 25 mg/kg in mice). Total brain GSH levels were measured using an enzymatic recycling assay. Surprisingly, in rats CHX treatment prevented the disruption of PPI by amphetamine. Thus, while there was the expected disruption of PPI caused by amphetamine on its own (average %PPI reduced from 58 ± 5 to 44 ± 4), in combination with CHX, amphetamine had no significant effect (67 ± 4 vs. 63 ± 3, respectively). In contrast to rats, in mice CHX had no effect on PPI. Thus, amphetamine similarly disrupted PPI after saline (41 ± 5 vs. 28 ± 5) and CHX pretreatment (45 ± 6 vs. 26 ± 5). There were significant 40-63% depletions of GSH in frontal cortex and striatum of CHX-treated rats and mice. These data show that GSH depletion in the brain by CHX treatment did not induce the expected decrease in PPI. Because the levels of GSH depletion in this study were similar to those found in schizophrenia, these results cast doubt on a direct interaction between brain GSH levels and PPI disruption in this illness. In rats, CHX treatment prevented the disruption of PPI caused by amphetamine. We have observed that resting levels of GSH are lower in rats than in mice. It is plausible that some oxidative damage may occur after amphetamine treatment alone, which induces marked release of the electroactive species, dopamine. In mice with their higher levels of GSH (either with or without CHX treatment) and in control rats, this does not cause functional effects. However, in CHX-treated rats GSH levels are reduced to a point where amphetamine-induced dopamine release may cause increased metabolism and lipid peroxidation inducing a decrease in postsynaptic dopamine receptor function and consequently leading to an apparent inhibition of the disruption of PPI. In conclusion, while individuals with schizophrenia show disruption of PPI and reduced brain GSH levels, in rats and mice brain GSH depletion alone does not impact on PPI. In combination with a hyperdopaminergic state, functional effects on PPI regulation were found. These effects warrant further investigation.

Randomized placebo controlled trials of n-acetyl cysteine as adjunct therapy for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Glutathione is the principal antioxidant of the brain. There is evidence of oxidative stress, lowered brain glutathione and genetic linkage involve glutathione metabolic genes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a safe, orally bioavailable, precursor of glutathione. NAC has been shown to reverse animal models of oxidative stress, and raises brain glutathione levels.