An enhanced procedure for the rapid digestion of high silicate archeological specimens followed by ICP-MS determination of traces of rare earth elements (REE's)

A straightforward procedure for the acid digestion of geological samples with SiO2 concentrations ranging between about 40 to 80%, is described. A powdered sample (200 mesh) of 500 mg was used and fused with 1000 mg spectroflux at about 1000 degreesC in a platinum crucible. The molten was subsequently digested in an aqueous solution of HNO3 at 100 degreesC. Several systematic digestion procedures were followed using various concentrations of HNO3. It was found that a relationship could be established between the dissolution-time and acid concentration. For an acid concentration of 15% an optimum dissolution-time of under 4 min was recorded. To verify that the dissolutions were complete, they were subjected to rigorous quality control tests. The turbidity and viscosity were examined at different intervals and the results were compared with that of deionised water. No significant change in either parameter was observed. The shelf-life of each solution lasted for several months, after which time polymeric silicic acid formed in some solutions, resulting in the presence of a gelatinous solid. The method is cost effective and is clearly well suited for routine applications on a small scale, especially in laboratories in developing countries. ICP-MS was applied to the determination of 13 Rare Earth Elements and Hf in a set of 107 archaeological samples subjected to the above digestion procedure. The distribution of these elements was examined and the possibility of using the REE's for provenance studies is discussed.

“To educate you to be smart”: disaffected students and the purpose of school in the (not so clever) “lucky country”

This paper contributes to conversations about school, post-compulsory and further education policy by reporting findings from a three-year study with disaffected students who have been referred to special “behaviour” schools. Contrary to popular opinion, our research finds that these “ignorant yobs” (Tomlinson, 2012) do value education and know what it is for. They also have aspirations for a secure, productive and fulfilled life, although it may not involve university level study. Importantly, we found that students who responded negatively with regard to the importance of schooling tended to envision future lives and occupations for which they believed school knowledge was unnecessary. The implications of this research for school, post-compulsory and further education policy are discussed.

A little learning is a dangerous thing: Factors influencing the increased identification of special educational needs from the perspective of education policymakers and school practitioners

This article considers the increased identification of special educational needs in Australia’s largest education system from the perspectives of senior public servants, regional directors, principals, school counsellors, classroom teachers, support class teachers, learning support teachers and teaching assistants (n = 30). While their perceptions of an increase generally align with the story told by official statistics, participants’ narratives reveal that school-based identification of special educational needs is neither art nor science. This research finds that rather than an objective indication of the number and nature of children with SEN, official statistics may be more appropriately viewed as a product of funding eligibility and the assumptions of the adults who teach, refer and assess children who experience difficulties in school and with learning.

The psychology of containment : mis/representing emotional and behavioural difficulties in Australian schools

The number of students in special schools has increased at a rapid rate in some Australian states, due in part to increased enrolment under the categories of emotional disturbance (ED) and behaviour disorder (BD). Nonetheless, diagnostic distinctions between ED and BD are unclear. Moreover, despite international findings that students with particular backgrounds are over-represented in special schools, little is known about the backgrounds of students entering such settings in Australia. This study examined the government school enrolment data from New South Wales, the most populous of the Australian states. Linear and quadratic trends were used to describe the numbers and ages of students enrolled in special schools in the ED and BD categories. Changes between 1997 and 2007 were observed. Results showed an over-representation of boys that increased across the decade and a different pattern across age for boys and girls. Consistent with international findings, these results indicate that trends in special school placements are unrelated to disability prevalence in the population. Rather, it is suggested that schools act to preserve time and resources for others by removing their more challenging students: most typically, boys.

The impact of transformative learning in a critical service-learning program on teacher development: Building a foundation for inclusive teaching

With international and national policies requiring teachers to adopt inclusive practices worldwide, this paper examines the impact of transformational learning in a critical service-learning program on final-year pre-service teachers’ approaches to inclusive teaching. Data from emailed questionnaires and focus group interviews are analysed through a social, critical framework. The results indicate that the critical service-learning program provided the students with an opportunity to consider diversity and inclusion in selecting teaching strategies, and to enact values suitable to inclusive practices and appreciation of diversity in schools. In this paper we argue that transformative learning experiences about inclusivity and diversity are needed if pre-service teachers are to be challenged to adopt inclusive values and practice in schools. A critical service-learning program for pre-service teachers provides a solid foundation on which to develop or build on the ability to think and teach inclusively.

Building community capacity for end of life : an investigation of community capacity and its implications for health-promoting palliative care in the Australian Capital Territory

This study identified and examined community-based activities around death, dying and end-of-life care which might reflect a health-promoting palliative care (HPPC) philosophy. This approach is argued to restore community ownership of, and agency in, dying and death through the building of community capacity. However, the enactment of the HPPC approach has not been extensively examined in Australia. Current understandings of community capacity-building relating to end of life are orientated toward service provision. A qualitative interpretive approach was used to engage with local community groups in the Australian Capital Territory with an interest in death, dying and end-of-life care. Data were collected from ten in-depth, semi-structured interviews and thematically analysed. The themes of Practical Support, Respect and Responsiveness and Connection and Empowerment were identified, reflecting community activities initiated in response to the experience of life-limiting illness. Building community capacity offers to restore community agency in end-of-life concerns, while potentially enhancing health service provision through collaborative partnerships. This study indicates an existing community capacity, demonstrated by activities that promote socialisation, peer support and normalisation of death and dying. However, as these activities occur primarily in response to illness, proactive and preparatory interventions in HPPC are a priority.

The conservation status of New Zealand bats, 2009

The New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) is a national system used to assess the risk of extinction faced by New Zealand plants, animals and fungi. The system is specifically designed to be relevant to New Zealand's unusual ecological and geographic conditions. We undertook a re-evaluation of the status of seven bat taxa based on our knowledge of New Zealand bats using revised NZTCS criteria. Five taxa were listed as Threatened or At Risk: one as Nationally Critical (long-tailed bat Chalinolobus tuberculatus ‘South Island’), one as Nationally Endangered (southern lesser short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata tuberculata), two as Nationally Vulnerable (long-tailed bat ‘North Island’ and northern lesser short-tailed bat M. t. aupourica) and one as Declining (central lesser short-tailed bat M. t. rhyacobia). One taxon was assessed as Data Deficient (greater short-tailed bat M. robusta) and one (little red flying fox Pteropus scapulatus) as Vagrant. We suspect declines result primarily from predation and competition from introduced mammals, habitat degradation, and disturbance.

On standby? A comparison of online and offline witnesses to bullying and their bystander behaviour

Given their ubiquitous presence as witnesses to school-yard bullying, the role of the ‘bystander’ has been studied extensively. The prevalence and behaviour of bystanders to cyberbullying, however, is less understood. In an anonymous, school-based questionnaire, 716 secondary school students from South-East Queensland reported whether they had witnessed traditional and/or cyberbullying, and how they responded to each type. Overlap in bystander roles between online and offline environments was examined, as was their relationship to age and gender. Students who witnessed traditional bullying were more likely to have witnessed cyberbullying. Bystanders’ behaviour was sometimes similar in both contexts of traditional and cyberbullying, mainly if they were outsiders but half of the 256 students who reported witnessing both traditional and cyberbullying, acted in different roles across the two environments. The implications of the findings are discussed in the context of previous research on cyberbullying and traditional-bystanders. Future research should further explore the role of bystanders online, including examining whether known predictors of traditional-bystander behaviour similarly predict cyber-bystander behaviour.

Classification of inventory data suit for managing Australian railway bridges

With a focus to optimising the life cycle performance of Australian Railway bridges, new bridge classification and environmental classification systems are proposed. The new bridge classification system is mainly to facilitate the implementation of novel Bridge Management System (BMS) which optimise the life cycle cost both at project level and network level while environment classification is mainly to improve accuracy of Remaining Service Potential (RSP) module of the proposed BMS. In fact, limited capacity of the existing BMS to trigger the maintenance intervention point is an indirect result of inadequacies of the existing bridge and environmental classification systems. The proposed bridge classification system permits to identify the intervention points based on percentage deterioration of individual elements and maintenance cost, while allowing performance based rating technique to implement for maintenance optimisation and prioritisation. Simultaneously, the proposed environment classification system will enhance the accuracy of prediction of deterioration of steel components.

The influence of injury cause, contact-sport participation, and personal knowledge on expectation of outcome from mild traumatic brain injury

Objective: This study investigated the influence of injury cause, contact-sport participation, and prior knowledge of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on injury beliefs and chronic symptom expectations of mTBI. Method: A total of 185 non-contact-sport players (non-CSPs) and 59 contact-sport players (CSPs) with no history of mTBI were randomly allocated to one of two conditions in which they read either a vignette depicting a sport-related mTBI (mTBIsport) or a motor-vehicle-accident-related mTBI (mTBIMVA). The vignettes were otherwise standardized to convey the same injury parameters (e.g., duration of loss of consciousness). After reading a vignette, participants reported their injury beliefs (i.e., perceptions of injury undesirability, chronicity, and consequences) and their expectations of chronic postconcussion syndrome (PCS) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Results: Non-CSPs held significantly more negative beliefs and expected greater PTSD symptomatology and greater PCS affective symptomatology from an mTBIMVA vignette thann mTBIsport vignette, but this difference was not found for CSPs. Unlike CSPs, non-CSPs who personally knew someone who had sustained an mTBI expected significantly less PCS symptomatology than those who did not. Despite these different results for non-CSPs and CSPs, overall, contact-sport participation did not significantly affect injury beliefs and symptom expectations from an mTBIsport. Conclusions: Expectations of persistent problems after an mTBI are influenced by factors such as injury cause even when injury parameters are held constant. Personal knowledge of mTBI, but not contact sport participation, may account for some variability in mTBI beliefs and expectations. These factors require consideration when assessing mTBI outcome.

Interaction of erythrocyte eicosapentaenoic acid and physical activity predicts reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment

Objectives To evaluate relationships between self-reported physical activity, proportions of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn3) in erythrocyte content (percentage of total fatty acids) and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted. Community-dwelling male and female (n = 84) participants over the age of 65 years with and without MCI were tested for erythrocyte proportions of the LCn3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Physical activity was measured using a validated questionnaire. Results The interaction between erythrocyte EPA, but not DHA, and increased physical activity was associated with increased odds of a non-MCI classification. Conclusion An interaction between physical activity and erythrocyte EPA content (percentage of fatty acids) significantly predicted MCI status in older adults. Randomised control trials are needed to examine the potential for supplementation with EPA in combination with increased physical activity to mitigate the risk of MCI in ageing adults.

A lucky break : contingency in the storied worlds of prickly pear

In July 1926, the science behind biological control transitioned from an experimental method to a trusted policy tool in invasive species management. In local storytelling, historical writing and scientific analysis, the ‘lucky’ discovery of the South American Cactoblastis cactorum moth was a watershed moment for scientists concerned with prickly pear, Opuntia and Nopalea spp. Within 10 years, Queensland declared itself pest free. Overnight success is the climax in this tale's narrative arc. Articulating this introduction as a ‘lucky break’ worked to stabilize the narrative of human control in the agricultural environments of post-colonial Queensland, and, in doing so, consolidated biological control as critical management technique. I argue that ‘luck’ elides the assemblage of elements and actors necessary to enable this change, allowing settlers to distance themselves from the responsibility for disruptions associated with nineteenth-century plant transfers. To challenge the rhetorical function of luck, three episodes of contingency are discussed: (1) transnational mobility of things and knowledge, (2) the unpredictable adaptation of insect diet, and; (3) human vectors in industrialized insect–plant complexes. There are important distinguishing differences between luck and contingency, which I frame as a critical analytical tool for understanding the political role of non-humans, in the storied worlds of science in prickly pear land.

Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of the arsenate mineral barahonaite: Implications for the molecular structure

The mineral barahonaite is in all probability a member of the smolianinovite group. The mineral is an arsenate mineral formed as a secondary mineral in the oxidized zone of sulphide deposits. We have studied the barahonaite mineral using a combination of Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The mineral is characterized by a series of Raman bands at 863 cm−1 with low wavenumber shoulders at 802 and 828 cm−1. These bands are assigned to the arsenate and hydrogen arsenate stretching vibrations. The infrared spectrum shows a broad spectral profile. Two Raman bands at 506 and 529 cm−1 are assigned to the triply degenerate arsenate bending vibration (F 2, ν4), and the Raman bands at 325, 360, and 399 cm−1 are attributed to the arsenate ν2 bending vibration. Raman and infrared bands in the 2500–3800 cm−1 spectral range are assigned to water and hydroxyl stretching vibrations. The application of Raman spectroscopy to study the structure of barahonaite is better than infrared spectroscopy, probably because of the much higher spatial resolution.

Quality assurance of assessment and moderation discourses involving sessional staff

Quality assurance is a major agenda in tertiary education. The casualisation of academic work, especially in teaching, is also a quality assurance issue. Casual or sessional staff members teach and assess more than 50% of all university courses in Australia, and yet the research in relation to the role sessional staff play in quality assurance of student assessment outcomes is scarce. Moderation processes are a pivotal part of robust quality assurance measures. Drawing upon previous work surrounding four discourses of moderation, this pilot project reports the results of research into the role and impact of sessional staff in moderation processes at tertiary level. Qualitative data were gathered through focus interviews. Results, in the form of various moderation discourses, indicate that sessional staff impact the formal quality assurance processes in numerous ways.

What’s the point of moderation? A discussion of the purposes achieved through contemporary moderation practices

An increasingly regulated higher education sector is renewing its attention to those activities referred to as ‘moderation’ in its efforts to ensure that judgements of student achievement are based on appropriate standards. Moderation practices conducted throughout the assessment process can result in purposes identified as equity, justification, accountability and community building. This paper draws on the limited studies of moderation and wider relevant research on judgement, standards and professional learning to test commonly used moderation practices against these identified purposes. The paper concludes with recommendations for maximising the potential of moderation practices to establish and maintain achievement standards.