Benthic habitat mapping in coastal waters of south–east Australia

The Victorian Marine Mapping Project will improve knowledge on the location, spatial distribution, condition and extent of marine habitats and associated biodiversity in Victorian State waters. This information will guide informed decision making, enable priority setting, and assist in targeted natural resource management planning. This project entails benthic habitat mapping over 500 square kilometers of Victorian State waters using multibeam sonar, towed video and image classification techniques. Information collected includes seafloor topography, seafloor softness and hardness (reflectivity), and information on geology and benthic flora and fauna assemblages collectively comprising habitat. Computerized semi-automated classification techniques are also being developed to provide a cost effective approach to rapid mapping and assessment of coastal habitats.

Habitat mapping is important for understanding and communicating the distribution of natural values within the marine environment. The coastal fringe of Victoria encompasses a rich and diverse ecosystem representative of coastal waters of South-east Australia. To date, extensive knowledge of these systems is limited due to the lack of available data. Knowledge of the distribution and extent of habitat is required to target management activities most effectively, and provide the basis to monitor and report on their status in the future.

Coastal marine habitat mapping using multi-beam acoustics, video data and a decision tree classifier on the temperate south-east Australian continental shelf

In this habitat mapping study, multi-beam acoustic data are integrated with extensive, precisely geo-referenced video validation data in a GIS environment to classify benthic substrates and biota at a 33km2 site in the near shore waters of Victoria, Australia. Using an automated decision-tree classification method, 5 representative biotic groups were identified in the Cape Nelson survey area using a combination of multi-beam bathymetry, backscatter and derivative products. Rigorous error assessment of derived, classified maps produced high overall accuracies (>85%) for all mapping products. In addition, a discrete multivariate analysis technique (kappa analysis) was used to assess classification accuracy. High-resolution (2.5m cell-size) representation of sea floor morphology and textural characteristics provided by multi-beam bathymetry and backscatter datasets, allowed the interpretation of benthic substrates of the Cape Nelson site and the communities of sessile organisms that populate them. Non-parametric multivariate statistical analysis (ANOSIM) revealed a significant difference in biotic composition between depth strata, and between substrate types. Incorporated with other descriptive measures, these results indicate that depth and substrate are important factors in the distributional ecology of the biotic communities at the Cape Nelson study site. BIOENV analysis indicates that derivatives of both multi-beam datasets (bathymetry and backscatter) are correlated with distribution and density of biotic communities. Results from this study provide new tools for research and management of the coastal zone.

Mapping drug calculation skills in an undergraduate nursing curriculum

The ability to calculate drug dosages correctly is an essential skill for registered nurses to possess. Performing drug calculations accurately is not a skill that new graduates have the luxury of developing over time. Drug errors are in many instances directly related to either the administration of an incorrect dose or incorrect infusion rate (Gladstone, 1995) caused by calculation errors. A strategy for implementing drug calculation skills into our new under graduate nursing curriculum was initiated to assist students in developing proficiency in drug calculations. The aim of this program is to promote the development of calculation skills in undergraduate nursing students, rather than simply assessing their skills.

Children's active free play in local neighborhoods : a behavioral mapping study

Many Australian children are more sedentary than they should be, and almost one in five are currently overweight or obese. Some children may face difficulties finding opportunities to be active, having poor access to safe public open spaces or having low independent mobility limiting their access to places to play. This study aimed to examine children's access to places in their neighborhood for active free play and how these vary by age, sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Behavioral maps of the local neighborhood were completed by children (8-12 years) from five primary schools across different areas of Melbourne. Children living in low SES outer-urban neighborhoods had to travel greater distances to access local parks compared with those in inner-urban mid and high SES areas. One-third (32%) of children reported an independent mobility range of <100 m from home. In conclusion, for some children opportunities to engage in active free play in the local neighborhood may be limited due to lack of parks in close proximity to home and restricted independent mobility. It is important to collaborate with local governments, urban planners and community groups to improve access to neighborhood parks and to promote a sense of neighborhood safety.

Predictive mapping of powerful owl (Ninox strenua) breeding sites using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in urban Melbourne, Australia

Urban expansion is a principal process threatening biodiversity globally. It is predicted that over half of the world's population will reside in urban centres by 2010. If we are to conserve biodiversity, a shift in perspective from traditional ecological studies based in natural environments, to studies based in less natural environments is paramount. To effectively conserve species which occur in urban environments, comprehensive analysis is necessary to determine the processes that are driving this urban usage. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology provides a valuable tool for efficient spatial analysis and predictive mapping of species distributions.

This study used GIS to analyze current breeding sites for the powerful owl, a vulnerable top order predator in urban Melbourne, Australia. GIS analysis suggests that a number of ecological attributes were influencing powerful owl usage of urban environments. Using these ecological attributes, predictive mapping was undertaken, which identified a number of potential breeding sites for powerful owls within urbanized Melbourne.

Urban environments are traditionally perceived as “the wastelands” of natural environments, however, this study demonstrates that they have the potential to support apex predators, an important finding for the management of rare and threatened species.

Mapping and molecular modeling of S-adenosyl-L-methionine binding sites in N-methyltransferase domains of the multifunctional polypeptide cyclosporin synthetase

We employed a highly specific photoaffinity labeling procedure, using 14C-labeled S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to define the chemical structure of the AdoMet binding centers on cyclosporin synthetase (CySyn). Tryptic digestion of CySyn photolabeled with either [methyl-14C]AdoMet or [carboxyl-14C]AdoMet yielded the sequence H2N-Asn-Asp-Gly-Leu-Glu-Ser-Tyr-Val-Gly-Ile-Glu-Pro-Ser-Arg-COOH (residues 10644-10657), situated within the N-methyltransferase domain of module 8 of CySyn. Radiosequencing detected Glu10654 and Pro10655 as the major sites of derivatization. [carboxyl-14C]AdoMet in addition labeled Tyr10650. Chymotryptic digestion generated the radiolabeled peptide H2N-Ile-Gly-Leu-Glu-Pro-Ser-Gln-Ser-Ala-Val-Gln-Phe-COOH, corresponding to amino acids 2125-2136 of the N-methyltransferase domain of module 2. The radiolabeled amino acids were identified as Glu2128 and Pro2129, which are equivalent in position and function to the modified residues identified with tryptic digestions in module 8. Homology modeling of the N-methyltransferase domains indicates that these regions conserve the consensus topology of the AdoMet binding fold and consensus cofactor interactions seen in structurally characterized AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases. The modified sequence regions correspond to the motif II consensus sequence element, which is involved in directly complexing the adenine and ribose components of AdoMet. We conclude that the AdoMet binding to nonribosomal peptide synthetase N-methyltransferase domains obeys the consensus cofactor interactions seen among most structurally characterized low molecular weight AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases.

Mapping the information resources available to patients with colorectal cancer

The objectives of this study were to identify gaps in information provision along the colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment pathway as provided by health services within the North Eastern Metropolitan Integrated Cancer Service in Victoria Australia; to evaluate the information and recommend consistent, high quality health information resources; and to recommend strategies to improve delivery of patient information. A random sample of health professionals (n= 47) from various disciplines at eight health service sites participated in semi-structured interviews regarding the types of information they provided to CRC patients. Information items were mapped against a published CRC patient management framework and evaluated. A total of 193 information items were collected with 24 items specific to CRC. Gaps in information provision were evident in the community, at diagnosis, in clinics, when treatment was determined and when completed. The quality of information delivery to CRC patients across the public health sites was variable. Resources were often unavailable, out of date and inaccessible in other languages. Results indicate a need to improve health information availability and resource delivery to all CRC patients across different health services particularly at diagnosis and after treatment. Further research is required to determine patient preferences for information about CRC.