The Great Western Woodlands : an introduction to the last, vast temperate woodland on earth

At 16 million hectares, the Great Western Woodlands is the world's largest remaining temperate woodland. Here, the woodland birds so decimated in other parts of Australia still survive and thrive. The size of the area ensures that species have the capacity to follow their preferred food resources across the entire landscape. The article outlines conservation efforts in the woodlands to date.

New 'green' corrosion inhibitors based on rare earth compounds

A series of rare earth organic compounds pioneered by our group have been shown to provide a viable alternative to theuse of chromates as corrosion inhibitors for some steel and aluminium applications. For example we have shown thatthe lanthanum 4-hydroxy cinnamate offers excellent corrosion mitigation for mild steel in aqueous environments whilerare earth diphenyl phosphates offer the best protection in the case of aluminium alloys. In both cases the protectionappears to be related to the formation of a nanometre thick interphase occurring on the surface that reduces theelectrochemical processes leading to metal loss or pitting. Very recent work has indicated that we may even be able toaddress the challenging issue of stress corrosion cracking of high strength steels. Furthermore, filiform corrosion can besuppressed when selected rare earth inhibitor compounds are added as pigments to a polymer coating. There is little doubtfrom the work thus far that a synergy exists between the rare earth and organic inhibitor components in these novelcompounds. This paper reviews some of the published research conducted by the senior author and colleagues over the past10 years in this developing field of green corrosion inhibitors

Morning of the earth

The article reviews the film "Morning of the Earth," starring Terry Fitzgerald and Rusty Miller, directed by Albert Falzon..

The inhibition of hydrogen embrittlement in SAE 4340 steel in an aqueous environment with the rare earth compound lanthanum 4 hydroxy cinnamate

A preliminary study showed that the inhibitor lanthanum 4-hydroxy cinnamate ((La4OHcin)₃) at a concentration of 400 ppm prevented the hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of SAE 4340 steel tensile specimens when tested under slow strain rate conditions in a 0.01M NaCl. In the presence of the inhibitor, a complex film formed on the surface of specimens during the slow strain rate test (SSRT), and no corrosion pits were detected. Electrochemical polarization studies indicated that the La(4OHcin)₃ acted as an anodic inhibitor in the NaCl solution. This article also discusses the mechanism of HE inhibition by La(4OHcin)₃.

Chronic disease and impairment among Alaska native elders : the Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) study

Background: Chronic diseases and impairments are prevalent among older Americans. However, prevalence data for Alaska Native (AN) elders are limited, with estimates usually extrapolated from national studies in which AN elders may not be well-represented. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of selected chronic diseases, impairments, and measured medical risk factors among a large community sample of AN elders.

Methods: Design, setting, and participants. A community-based cross-sectional study of baseline information from 656 AN elders aged 55 years or over who participated in the Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study, March 2004 to August 2006. Measurements. Self-reported lifetime prevalence of 17 doctor-diagnosed chronic diseases, and point prevalence of vision, hearing, oral, and general health impairment were estimated from data collected using audio computer-assisted self-administered questionnaires. In addition, height, weight, blood pressure, fasting blood lipids, and fasting blood glucose levels were measured.

Results: The four most prevalent chronic diseases among AN elders were high blood pressure (55%), arthritis (49%), high cholesterol (42%), and adult bone fracture/break (35%). The median number of chronic diseases reported was three (inter-quartile range, 2 to 5). The prevalence of self-reported vision impairment was 15%, hearing impairment 18%, and having had all natural teeth removed 25%. Almost 50% were obese. High blood pressure (systolic ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic ≥ 90 mm Hg) was measured in 23%, high low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (≥ 130 mg/dL) in 39%, and high fasting plasma glucose (> 125 mg/dL) in 9%. Obesity was more prevalent among women than men. There were also significant regional differences in rates of obesity and high LDL cholesterol.

Conclusion: These data may be useful in public health programs and health services planning.

Rare earth cinnamates and their corrosion inhibition mechanisms for AS1020 steel

Speciation of the inhibitors lanthanum 2-hydroxy cinnamate and lanthanum 3-hydroxy cinnamate in solution has been evaluated and compared to the speciation of lanthanum 4-hydroxy cinnamate. The results have been correlated with corrosion inhibition efficiency for AS1020 steel in an aqueous chloride solution using a combination of analytical tools such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS), potentiodynamic polarisation.

Recent developments in corrosion inhibitors based on rare earth metal compounds

Rare earth organic compounds can provide an environmentally safe and non-toxic alternative to chromates as corrosion inhibitors for some steel and aluminium applications. For steel lanthanum 4-hydroxy cinnamate offers corrosion protection and reduces the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. Recent work has also indicated that it inhibits the corrosion of steel in environments containing high levels of carbon dioxide. For aluminium alloys, cerium diphenyl phosphate provides excellent corrosion inhibition in chloride environments, and reduces susceptibly to stress corrosion cracking. Furthermore, for both steel and aluminium alloys filiform corrosion can be suppressed when rare earth inhibitor compounds are added as pigments to polymer coatings. The levels of inhibition observed are thought to be due to synergistic effects between the rare earth and organic parts of these novel compounds, and are related to the various species that may be present in the complex chemical conditions that develop in solution close to a metal surface. This paper reviews some of the published research conducted by the group at Deakin University over recent years.

Earth resources activities on Crown land: guidelines and procedures for land managers

The purposes of this document are to:
• outline some processes in relation to the administration and/or handling of earth resources activities (particularly exploration and mining for minerals) on Crown land;
• provide Crown land managers with guidelines and procedures to assist in administration of exploration and mining cases;
• provide a broad framework within which regional or localised guidelines and procedures can be developed or utilised;
• provide guidance to proponents wishing to undertake exploration or mining for minerals on Crown land.

The sky from earth : landscape as awareness

For thousands of years mankind has looked at the sky above to engage with the surrounding environment. The observation of solar, lunar and other celestial events guided settlements as well as human movements and activities, just as the cycle of the seasons influenced agricultural crops or dwelling. Archaeoastronomy includes many examples of fabrications in the landscape, constructed solely to observe the sky. The awareness of the sky can be particularly important in the contemporary landscape where the design of a sustainable environment has taken on a sense of urgency. This paper features a survey of several international and Australian archaeoastronomical examples and presents a vocabulary of contemporary interventions in the landscape designed to bring awareness of the sky from observation of celestial events. Some of the contemporary interventions are realized while others are deign proposals, in all examples the viewer is engaged in time-based perceptions of different landscapes aided by minimal constructions, which facilitate the observation of the daily sun path, lunar phases and star trails. A symbiosis between the land, the sky and the observer is established, bringing awareness of how the sky above engages the life on earth. This paper offers a fresh insight, drawing upon Indigenous wisdom as well as contemporary debates and literature, to appreciate the social and cultural significance of these places. By reading and appreciating these examples, and the cultures they are party to, new insights and avenues can be offered as to better design and manage our human environments.