Paying the extinction debt: Woodland birds in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia

Approximately 90% of the original woodlands of the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia has been cleared, modified or fragmented, most severely in the last 60 years, and affecting the avifauna dependent on native vegetation. This study identifies which woodland-dependent species are still declining in two different habitats, Pink GumBlue Gum woodland and Stringybark woodland. We analyse the Mount Lofty Ranges Woodland Bird Long-Term Monitoring Dataset for 1999-2007, to look for changes in abundance of 59 species. We use logistic regression of prevalence on lists in a Bayesian framework, and List Length Analysis to control for variation in detectability. Compared with Reporting Rate Analysis, a more traditional approach, List Length Analysis provides tighter confidence intervals by accounting for changing detectability. Several common species were declining significantly. Increasers were generally large-bodied generalists. Many birds have already disappeared from this modified and naturally isolated woodland island, and our results suggest that more specialist insectivores are likely to follow. The Mount Lofty Ranges can be regarded as a 'canary landscape' for temperate woodlands elsewhere in Australia without immediate action their bird communities are likely to follow the trajectory of the Mount Lofty Ranges avifauna. Alternatively, with extensive habitat restoration and management, we could avoid paying the extinction debt. © Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union 2011.

Towards Self-improving School Systems: Lessons from a City Challenge

This important new book draws lessons from a large-scale initiative to bring about the improvement of an urban education system. Written from an insider perspective by an internationally recognized researcher, it presents a new way of thinking about system change. This builds on the idea that there are untapped resources within schools and the communities they serve that can be mobilized in order to transform schools from places that do well for some children so that they can do well for many more. Towards Self-improving School Systems presents a strategic framework that can help to foster new, more fruitful working relationships: between national and local government; within and between schools; and between schools and their local communities. What is distinctive in the approach is that this is mainly led from within schools, with senior staff having a central role as system leaders. The book will be relevant to a wide range of readers throughout the world who are concerned with the strengthening of their national educational systems, including teachers, school leaders, policy makers and researchers. The argument it presents is particularly important for the growing number of countries where increased emphasis on school autonomy, competition and choice is leading to fragmentation within education provision.

Reconstruction of a multi-vent kimberlite eruption from deposit and host rock characteristics: Jericho kimberlite, Nunavut, Canada

The Jericho kimberlite (173.1. ±. 1.3. Ma) is a small (~. 130. ×. 70. m), multi-vent system that preserves products from deep (>. 1. km?) portions of kimberlite vents. Pit mapping, drill core examination, petrographic study, image analysis of olivine crystals (grain size distributions and shape studies), and compositional and mineralogical studies, are used to reconstruct processes from near-surface magma ascent to kimberlite emplacement and alteration. The Jericho kimberlite formed by multiple eruptions through an Archean granodiorite batholith that was overlain by mid-Devonian limestones ~. 1. km in thickness. Kimberlite magma ascended through granodiorite basement by dyke propagation but ascended through limestone, at least in part, by locally brecciating the host rocks. After the first explosive breakthrough to surface, vent deepening and widening occurred by the erosive forces of the waxing phase of the eruption, by gravitationally induced failures as portions of the vent margins slid into the vent and, in the deeper portions of the vent (>. 1. km), by scaling, as thin slabs burst from the walls into the vent. At currently exposed levels, coherent kimberlite (CK) dykes (<. 40. cm thick) are found to the north and south of the vent complex and represent the earliest preserved in-situ products of Jericho magmatism. Timing of CK emplacement on the eastern side of the vent complex is unclear; some thick CK (15-20. m) may have been emplaced after the central vent was formed. Explosive eruptive products are preserved in four partially overlapping vents that are roughly aligned along strike with the coherent kimberlite dyke. The volcaniclastic kimberlite (VK) facies are massive and poorly sorted, with matrix- to clast-supported textures. The VK facies fragmented by dry, volatile-driven processes and were emplaced by eruption column collapse back into the volcanic vents. The first explosive products, poorly preserved because of partial destruction by later eruptions, are found in the central-east vent and were formed by eruption column collapse after the vent was largely cleared of country rock debris. The next active vent was either the north or south vent. Collapse of the eruption column, linked to a vent widening episode, resulted in coeval avalanching of pipe margin walls into the north vent, forming interstratified lenses of country rock-rich boulder breccias in finer-grained volcaniclastic kimberlite. South vent kimberlite has similar characteristics to kimberlite of the north vent and likely formed by similar processes. The final eruptive phase formed olivine-rich and moderately sorted deposits of the central vent. Better sorting is attributed to recycling of kimberlite debris by multiple eruptions through the unconsolidated volcaniclastic pile and associated collapse events. Post-emplacement alteration varies in intensity, but in all cases, has overprinted the primary groundmass and matrix, in CK and VK, respectively. Erosion has since removed all limestone cover.

A practical guide to terminology for kimberlite facies: A systematic progression from descriptive to genetic, including a pocket guide

Kimberlite terminology remains problematic because both descriptive and genetic terms are mixed together in most existing terminology schemes. In addition, many terms used in existing kimberlite terminology schemes are not used in mainstream volcanology, even though kimberlite bodies are commonly the remains of kimberlite volcanic vents and edifices. We build on our own recently published approach to kimberlite facies terminology, involving a systematic progression from descriptive to genetic. The scheme can be used for both coherent kimberlite (i.e. kimberlite that was emplaced without undergoing any fragmentation processes and therefore preserving coherent igneous textures) and fragmental kimberlites. The approach involves documentation of components, textures and assessing the degree and effects of alteration on both components and original emplacement textures. This allows a purely descriptive composite component, textural and compositional petrological rock or deposit name to be constructed first, free of any biases about emplacement setting and processes. Then important facies features such as depositional structures, contact relationships and setting are assessed, leading to a composite descriptive and genetic name for the facies or rock unit that summarises key descriptive characteristics, emplacement processes and setting. Flow charts summarising the key steps in developing a progressive descriptive to genetic terminology are provided for both coherent and fragmental facies/deposits/rock units. These can be copied and used in the field, or in conjunction with field (e.g. drill core observations) and petrographic data. Because the approach depends heavily on field scale observations, characteristics and process interpretations, only the first descriptive part is appropriate where only petrographic observations are being made. Where field scale observations are available the progression from developing descriptive to interpretative terminology can be used, especially where some petrographic data also becomes available.

A kinematic and electromyographic study of grip force

Background The hand is an element of great importance to humans, as it enables us to have different grips. Its analysis, based on an accelerometer and electromyography, is critical in order to determine its operation. The processing and analysis of variables obtained by these devices offer a different approach in functional assessment. Therefore, knowledge of the muscles and elements of the hand in the grip force will offer a better approach for different interventions. Method The functionality of the hand of seven healthy subjects was parameterized and synchronized in real time based on grip force. The AcceleGlove was used to register accelerometric (fingers and palm) values and the Mega ME6000 was used for the surface electromyography and maximum voluntary contraction for the hand and forearm muscles. A computer script based on “R” and MATLAB software was developed to enable the correct interpretation of the main variables (variation of acceleration and maximum peak value of electromyography). Results The muscles of greater activity in grip was found in the hypothenar region (0.313 ± 0.148%) and the flexor ulnaris carpi (0.360 ± 0.118%), based on maximum voluntary contraction. Reference values in the module vector of the palm have proved an essential element for the identification of the movement phases. The ring and index fingers were the elements with the greatest variation of acceleration in the movement phases. Conclusion: Parameterization of the force grip and fragmentation of the registered data has been made possible due to the development of a technical procedure.

The presence of executive deficits in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a chronic condition in which the upper airways collapse repeatedly during sleep, completely or partially obstructing breathing. This obstruction leads to chronic intermittent hypoxia and severe sleep fragmentation, disrupting the restorative functions of sleep. Beebe and Gozal (2002)a developed a theory which hypothesises that disruption of the restorative functions of sleep lead to a chronic low level brain damage most evident in executive functions (EF). Neuropsychological testing of EF, volumetric MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, event related potentials and CSF biomarkers all provide support for this theory. Little research has been done to explore the nature of the subjective complaint and it’s impact on the activities of daily living.

Adoption of alternative habitats by a threatened, "obligate" forest-dwelling bat in a fragmented landscape

While they are among the most ecologically important animals within forest ecosystems, little is known about how bats respond to habitat loss and fragmentation. The threatened lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata), considered to be an obligate deep-forest species, is one of only 2 extant land mammals endemic to New Zealand; it plays a number of important roles within native forests, including pollination and seed dispersal, and rarely occurs in modified forests. We used radiotelemetry to study the movements, roosting behavior, and habitat use of M. tuberculata within a fragmented landscape comprised of 3 main habitat types: open space (harvested forest and pastoral land), native forests, and exotic pine plantations. We found that the bats had smaller home-range areas and travelled shorter nightly distances than populations investigated previously from contiguous native forest. Furthermore, M. tuberculata occupied all 3 habitat types, with native forest being preferred overall. However, individual variation in habitat selection was high, with some bats preferring exotic plantation and open space over native forest. Roosting patterns were similar to those previously observed in contiguous forest; individual bats often switched between communal and solitary roosts. Our findings indicate that M. tuberculata exhibit some degree of behavioral plasticity that allows them to adapt to different landscape mosaics and exploit alternative habitats. To our knowledge, this is the first such documentation of plasticity in habitat use for a bat species believed to be an obligate forest-dweller.

Connecting soundscape to landscape: Which acoustic index best describes landscape configuration?

Soundscape assessment has been proposed as a remote ecological monitoring tool for measuring biodiversity, but few studies have examined how soundscape patterns vary with landscape configuration and condition. The goal of our study was to examine a suite of published acoustic indices to determine whether they provide comparable results relative to varying levels of landscape fragmentation and ecological condition in nineteen forest sites in eastern Australia. Our comparison of six acoustic indices according to time of day revealed that two indices, the acoustic complexity and the bioacoustic index, presented a similar pattern that was linked to avian song intensity, but was not related to landscape and biodiversity attributes. The diversity indices, acoustic entropy and acoustic diversity, and the normalized difference soundscape index revealed high nighttime sound, as well as a dawn and dusk chorus. These indices appear to be sensitive to nocturnal biodiversity which is abundant at night in warm, subtropical environments. We argue that there is need to better understand temporal partitioning of the soundscape by specific taxonomic groups, and this should involve integrated research on amphibians, insects and birds during a 24 h cycle. The three indices that best connected the soundscape with landscape characteristics, ecological condition and bird species richness were acoustic entropy, acoustic evenness and the normalized difference soundscape index. This study has demonstrated that remote soundscape assessment can be implemented as an ecological monitoring tool in fragmented Australian forest landscapes. However, further investigation should be dedicated to refining and/or combining existing acoustic indices and also to determine if these indices are appropriate in other landscapes and for other survey purposes.

Protective legal regulation for home-based workers in Australian textile, clothing and footwear supply chains

Supply chain outsourcing has posed problems for conventional labour regulation, which focuses on employers contracting directly with workers, particularly employees. These difficulties have been exacerbated by the traditional trifurcated approach to regulation of pay and conditions, work health and safety and workers’ compensation. This paper analyses the parallel interaction of two legal developments within the Australian textile, clothing and footwear industry. The first is mandatory contractual tracking mechanisms within state and federal labour laws and the second is the duties imposed by the harmonised Work Health and Safety Acts. Their combined effect has created an innovative, fully enforceable and integrated regulatory framework for the textile, clothing and footwear industry and, it is argued, other supply chains in different industry contexts. This paper highlights how regulatory solutions can address adverse issues for workers at the bottom of contractual networks, such as fissured workplaces and capital fragmentation, by enabling regulators to harness the commercial power of business controllers at the apex to ensure compliance throughout the entire chain.

Isolation and inheritance of microsatellite loci for the oily bittering (Acheilognathus koreensis): applications for analysis of genetic diversity of wild populations

The oily bittering Acheilognathus koreensis is a freshwater species that is endemic to Korea and is experiencing severe declines in natural populations as a result of habitat fragmentation and water pollution. For the conservation and restoration of this species, it is necessary to assess its genetic diversity at the population level. We developed 13 polymorphic microsatellite loci that were used to analyze the genetic diversity of two populations collected from the Kum River and the Tamjin River in Korea. All loci exhibited Mendelian inheritance patterns when examined in controlled crosses. Both populations revealed high levels of variability, with the number of alleles ranging from 3 to 20 and observed and expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.500 to 0.969 and from 0.529 to 0.938, respectively. None of the loci showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, and one pair of loci showed significant linkage disequilibrium after Bonferroni correction. Pairwise F ST and genetic distance estimation showed significant differences between two populations. These results suggest that the microsatellites developed herein can be used to study the genetic diversity, population structure and conservation measure of A. koreensis.

Characterization of novel microsatellite markers derived from Korean rose bitterling (Rhodeus uyekii) genomic library

Korean rose bitterling (Rhodeus uyekii) is a freshwater fish endemic to Korea. Natural populations of this species have experienced severe declines as a result of habitat fragmentation and water pollution. To conserve and restore R. uyekii, the genetic diversity of this species needs to be assessed at the population level. Eighteen novel polymorphic microsatellite loci for R. uyekii were developed using an enriched partial genomic library. Polymorphisms at these loci were studied in 150 individuals collected from three populations. The number of alleles at each locus ranged from 3 to 47 (mean = 17.1). Within the populations, the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.032 to 1.000, expected heterozygosity from 0.082 to 0.967, and polymorphism information content from 0.078 to 0.950. Six loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni’s correction, and no significant linkage disequilibrium was detected between most locus pairs, except in three cases. These highly informative microsatellite markers should be useful for genetic population structure analyses of R. uyekii.

The potential for production of freeze-dried oral vaccines using alginate hydrogel microspheres as protein carriers

Oral administration of dry vaccine formulations is acknowledged to offer major clinical and logistical benefits by eliminating the cold chain required for liquid preparations. A model antigen, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was encapsulated in alginate microspheres using aerosolisation. Hydrated microspheres 25 to 65 μm in size with protein loading of 3.3 % w/w were obtained. Environmental scanning electron microscopy indicated a stabilizing effect of encapsulated protein on alginate hydrogels revealed by an increase in dehydration resistance. Freeze drying of alginate microspheres without use of a cryoprotectant resulted in fragmentation and subsequent rapid loss of the majority of the protein load in simulated intestinal fluid in 2 h, whereas intact microspheres were observed following freeze-drying of BSA-loaded microspheres in the presence of maltodextrin. BSA release from freeze-dried preparations was limited to less than 7 % in simulated gastric fluid over 2 h, while 90 % of the protein load was gradually released in simulated intestinal fluid over 10 h. SDS-PAGE analysis indicated that released BSA largely preserved its molecular weight. These findings demonstrate the potential for manufacturing freeze-dried oral vaccines using alginate microspheres.

Perspectives on Australian, Indian and Malaysian approaches to STEM education

STEM education faces an interesting conundrum. Western countries have implemented constructivist inspired student centred practices which are argued to be more engaging and relevant to student learning than the traditional, didactic approaches. However, student interest in pursuing careers in STEM have fallen or stagnated. In contrast, students in many developing countries in which teaching is still somewhat didactic and teacher centred are more disposed to STEM related careers than their western counterparts. Clearly, factors are at work which impact the way students value science and mathematics. This review draws on three components that act as determinants of science education in three different countries – Australia, India and Malaysia. We explore how national priorities and educational philosophy impacts educational practices as well as teacher beliefs and the need for suitable professional development. Socio-economic conditions for science education that are fundamental for developing countries in adopting constructivist educational models are analysed. It is identified that in order to reduce structural dissimilarities among countries that cause fragmentation of scientific knowledge, for Malaysia constructivist science education through English medium without losing the spirit of Malaysian culture and Malay language is essential while India need to adopt constructivist quality indicators in education. While adopting international English education, and reducing dominance of impact evaluation, India and Malaysia need to prevent losing their cultural and social capital vigour. Furthermore the paper argues that Australia might need to question the efficacy of current models that fail to engage students’ long term interest in STEM related careers. Australian and Malaysian science teachers must be capable of changing the personal biographies of learners for developing scientific conceptual information. In addition both Malaysia and Australia need to provide opportunities for access to different curricular programmes of knowledge based constructivist learning for different levels of learner competencies.

Novel derivatives of spirohydantoin induce growth inhibition followed by apoptosis in leukemia cells

Hydantoin derivatives possess a variety of biochemical and pharmacological properties and consequently are used to treat many human diseases. However, there are only few studies focusing on their potential as cancer therapeutic agents. In the present study, we have examined anticancer properties of two novel spirohydantoin compounds, 8-(3,4-difluorobenzyl)-1'-(pent-4-enyl)-8-azaspiro[bicyclo[3.2.1] octane-3,4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-dione (DFH) and 8-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)-1'-(pent-4-enyl)-8-azaspiro[bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-3,4'-imidazolidine]-2',5'-dione (DCH). Both the compounds exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect on human leukemic cell lines, K562, Reh, CEM and 8ES. Incorporation of tritiated thymidine ([H-3) thymidine) in conjunction with cell cycle analysis suggested that DFH and DCH inhibited the growth of leukemic cells. Downregulation of PCNA and p-histone H3 further confirm that the growth inhibition could be at the level of DNA replication. Flow cytometric analysis indicated the accumulation of cells at subG1 phase suggesting induction of apoptosis, which was further confirmed and quantified both by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and confocal microscopy following annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining. Mechanistically, our data support the induction of apoptosis by activation of the mitochondrial pathway. Results supporting such a model include, elevated levels of p53, and BAD, decreased level of BCL2, activation and cleavage of caspase 9, activation of procaspase 3, poly (ADP-ribosyl) polymerase (PARP) cleavage, downregulation of Ku70, Ku80 and DNA fragmentation. Based on these results we discuss the mechanism of apoptosis induced by DFH and its implications in leukemia therapy. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of 2-(5-((5-(4-chlorophenyl)furan 2-yl)methylene)-4-oxo-2-thioxo-thiazolidi n-3-yl)acetic acid derivatives and evaluation of their cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells

In order to explore the anticancer effect associated with the thiazolidinone framework, several 2-(5-((5-(4-chlorophenyl)furan-2-yl)methylene)-4-oxo-2-thioxothiazolidin-3-yl)acetic acid derivatives 5(a-1) were synthesized. Variation in the functional group at C-terminal of the thiazolidinone led to set of compounds bearing amide moiety. Their chemical structures were confirmed by H-1 NMR, IR and Mass Spectra analysis. These thiazolidinone compounds containing furan moiety exhibits moderate to strong antiproliferative activity in a cell cycle stage-dependent and dose dependent manner in two different human leukemia cell lines. The importance of the electron donating groups on thiazolidinone moiety was confirmed by MTT and Trypan blue assays and it was concluded that the 4th position of the substituted aryl ring plays a dominant role for its anticancer property. Among the synthesized compounds, 5e and 5f have shown potent anticancer activity on both the cell lines tested. To rationalize the role of electron donating group in the induction of cytotoxicity we have chosen two molecules (5e and 5k) having different electron donating group at different positions. LDH assay, Flow cytometric analysis and DNA fragmentation suggest that 5e is more cytotoxic and able to induce the apoptosis. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.