From Midden to Sieve: The Impact of Differential Recovery and Quantification Techniques on Interpretations of Shellfish Remains in Australian Coastal Archaeology

Experimental mechanical sieving methods are applied to samples of shellfish remains from three sites in southeast Queensland, Seven Mile Creek Mound, Sandstone Point and One-Tree, to test the efficacy of various recovery and quantification procedures commonly applied to shellfish assemblages in Australia. There has been considerable debate regarding the most appropriate sieve sizes and quantification methods that should be applied in the recovery of vertebrate faunal remains. Few studies, however, have addressed the impact of recovery and quantification methods on the interpretation of invertebrates, specifically shellfish remains. In this study, five shellfish taxa representing four bivalves (Anadara trapezia, Trichomya hirsutus, Saccostrea glomerata, Donax deltoides) and one gastropod (Pyrazus ebeninus) common in eastern Australian midden assemblages are sieved through 10mm, 6.3mm and 3.15mm mesh. Results are quantified using MNI, NISP and weight. Analyses indicate that different structural properties and pre- and postdepositional factors affect recovery rates. Fragile taxa (T. hirsutus) or those with foliated structure (S. glomerata) tend to be overrepresented by NISP measures in smaller sieve fractions, while more robust taxa (A. trapezia and P. ebeninus) tend to be overrepresented by weight measures. Results demonstrate that for all quantification methods tested a 3mm sieve should be used on all sites to allow for regional comparability and to effectively collect all available information about the shellfish remains.

Factors controlling the origin of gas in Australian Bowen Basin coals

Open system pyrolysis (heating rate 10 degrees C/min) of coal maturity (vitrinite reflectance, VR) sequence (0.5%, 0.8% and 1.4% VR) demonstrates that there are two stages of thermogenic methane generation from Bowen Basin coals. The first and major stage shows a steady increase in methane generation maximising at 570 degrees C, corresponding to a VR of 2-2.5%. This is followed by a less intense methane generation which has not as yet maximised by 800 degrees C (equivalent to VR of 5%). Heavier (C2+) hydrocarbons are generated up to 570 degrees C after which only the C-1 (CH4, CO and CO2) gases are produced. The main phase of heavy hydrocarbon generation occurs between 420 and 510 degrees C. Over this temperature range,methane generation accounts for only a minor component, whereas the wet gases (C-2-C-5) are either in equal abundance or are more abundant by a factor of two than the liquid hydrocarbons. The yields of non-hydrocarbon gases CO2 and CO are greater then methane during the early stages of gas generation from an immature coal, subordinate to methane during the main phase of methane generation after which they are again dominant. Compositional data for desorbed and produced coal seam gases from the Bowen show that CO2 and wet gases are a minor component. This discrepancy between the proportion of wet gas components produced during open system pyrolysis and that observed in naturally matured coals may be the result of preferential migration of wet gas components, by dilution of methane generated during secondary cracking of bitumen, or kinetic effects associated with different activations for production of individual hydrocarbon gases. Extrapolation of results of artificial pyrolysis of the main organic components in coal to geological significant heating rates suggests that isotopically light methane to delta(13)C of -50 parts per thousand can be generated. Carbon isotope depletions in C-13 are further enhanced, however, as a result of trapping of gases over selected rank levels (instantaneous generation) which is a probable explanation for the range of delta(13)C values we have recorded in methane desorbed from Bowen Basin coals (-51 +/- 9 parts per thousand). Pervasive carbonate-rich veins in Bowen Basin coals are the product of magmatism-related hydrothermal activity. Furthermore, the pyrolysis results suggest an additional organic carbon source front CO2 released at any stage during the maturation history could mix in varying proportions with CO2 from the other sources. This interpretation is supported by C and O isotopic ratios, of carbonates that indicate mixing between magmatic and meteoric fluids. Also, the steep slope of the C and O isotope correlation trend suggests that the carbonates were deposited over a very narrow temperature interval basin-wide, or at relatively high temperatures (i.e., greater than 150 degrees C) where mineral-fluid oxygen isotope fractionations are small. These temperatures are high enough for catagenic production of methane and higher hydrocarbons from the coal and coal-derived bitumen. The results suggests that a combination of thermogenic generation of methane and thermodynamic processes associated with CH4/CO2 equilibria are the two most important factors that control the primary isotope and molecular composition of coal seam gases in the Bowen Basin. Biological process are regionally subordinate but may be locally significant. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weathering of hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments: testing the effects of using dispersants to treat oil spills

This field study was a combined chemical and biological investigation of the relative effects of using dispersants to treat oil spills impacting mangrove habitats. The aim of the chemistry was to determine whether dispersant affected the short- or long-term composition of a medium range crude oil (Gippsland) stranded in a tropical mangrove environment in Queensland, Australia. Sediment cores from three replicate plots of each treatment (oil only and oil plus dispersant) were analyzed for total hydrocarbons and for individual molecular markers (alkanes, aromatics, triterpanes, and steranes). Sediments were collected at 2 days, then 1, 7, 13 and 22 months post-spill. Over this time, oil in the six treated plots decreased exponentially from 36.6 +/- 16.5 to 1.2 +/- 0.8 mg/g dry wt. There was no statistical difference in initial oil concentrations, penetration of oil to depth, or in the rates of oil dissipation between oiled or dispersed oil plots. At 13 months, alkanes were >50% degraded, aromatics were similar to 30% degraded based upon ratios of labile to resistant markers. However, there was no change in the triterpane or sterane biomarker signatures of the retained oil. This is of general forensic interest for pollution events. The predominant removal processes were evaporation (less than or equal to 27%) and dissolution (greater than or equal to 56%), with a lag-phase of 1 month before the start of significant microbial degradation (less than or equal to 7%). The most resistant fraction of the oil that remained after 7 months (the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons) correlated with the initial total organic carbon content of the soil. Removal rate in the Queensland mangroves was significantly faster than that observed in the Caribbean and was related to tidal flushing. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes in quantum efficiency of Photosystem II of symbiotic dinoflagellates of corals after heat stress, and of bleached corals sampled after the 1998 Great Barrier Reef mass bleaching event Ross J. Jones , Selina Ward, Affendi Yang Amri and Ove Hoegh-Guldberg

Pulse-amplitude-modulation chlorophyll fluorometry was used to examine changes in dark-adapted F-v/F-m of endosymbiotic dinoflagellate microalgae within the tissues of the temperate coral Plesiastrea versipora exposed to elevated seawater temperature. The F-v/F-m was markedly reduced following exposure of corals to 28 degrees C for 48 h. When corals were returned to ambient (24 degrees C) conditions, F-v/F-m increased in an initial rapid and then secondary slower phase. Tissue discolouration (coral bleaching), caused by a significant decrease in the density of algae, was observed during the first 2-3 days of the recovery period. After 14 days, F-v/F-m was still significantly lower than in control corals. The recovery of F-v/F-m is discussed in terms of repair processes within the symbiotic algae, division of healthy algae and also the selective removal of photo-damaged dinoflagellates. Under field conditions, bleached corals sampled at Heron Island Reef during a bleaching event had significantly lower F-v/F-m than non-bleached colonies; four months after the bleaching event, there were no differences in F-v/F-m or algal density in corals marked as having bleached or having shown no signs of colour loss. The results of this laboratory and field study are consistent with the hypothesis that an impairment of photosynthesis occurs during heat-stress, and is the underlying cause of coral bleaching.

USE OF DISPERSIVE RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY IN THE DETERMINATION OF UNSATURATED FAT IN COMMERCIAL EDIBLE OIL- AND FAT-CONTAINING INDUSTRIALIZED FOODS

The present study aims at the use of Raman spectroscopy in the quantification of unsaturated fats in fat-containing foods, compared to the information available in the Nutritional Table, to obtain a non-destructive optical quantification of unsaturation. Raman spectra of edible oil, margarine, mayonnaise, hydrogenated fat, and butter were obtained with a near-infrared Raman spectrometer (830nm). By analyzing selected bands in the regions of 1750, 1660, 1440, 1300, and 1260cm-1, the amount of total and unsaturated fat of samples of oil, margarine, and mayonnaise were correlated with the information displayed in the Nutritional Table. The amount of unsaturated trans fat in selected samples was correlated to the Raman shift of 1660cm-1. Dispersive Raman spectroscopy was shown to be effective in quantifying the unsaturated fats in oil, margarine, and mayonnaise, and trans fat in hydrogenated oils and butter.

Influence of Biliary Drainage on the Repair of Hepatic Lesions in Biliary Fibrosis

Background. Bilioduodenal (BD) and biliojejunal (BJ) derivation induce enterobiliary reflux and bile stasis. Decompression of the excluded loop of the Roux-en-Y (BJD) was proposed to minimize these effects. The aim of this study was to compare the influence of these three modalities of biliary bypass on hepatic lesion repair in rats with secondary biliary fibrosis. Materials and Methods. Rats with 15 d of biliary obstruction underwent BD, BJ, and BJD drainage and were compared with a group submitted to simulated operation (SO) and biliary obstruction (CBO). The serum values of total and fractional bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and aminotransferases (AST and ALT), as well as hepatobiliointestinal excretion determined with (99m)Tc-Disida, were used for comparison. In addition, we used morphometric analyses to estimate the mass of the hepatocytes, bile ducts, and liver fibrosis. We also counted hepatic stellate cells (SC). Results. For each of the three modalities of biliary drainage, there were significant reductions in bilirubin, AST, ALP, and the number of SCs. The recovery of the estimated mass of all histologic components occurred only after BJ and BJD; in the BD group, the estimated hepatocyte mass was reduced compared with the SO group. The residual hepatic radioactivity of (99m)Tc-Disida was greater in the BJD group than in the SO group. Conclusions. The interposition of the jejunal loop between the biliary tree and the intestine may slow hepatobiliary clearance of radioactivity, even though it provides the resolution of cholestasis and is effective in recovering from hepatic lesions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Post-traumatic amnesia: Consistency-of-recovery and duration-to-recovery following traumatic brain impairment

The aim of this research was to examine the nature and order of recovery of orientation and memory functioning during Post-Traumatic Amnesia (PTA) in relation to injury severity and PTA duration. The Westmead PTA Scale was used across consecutive testing days to assess the recovery of orientation and memory during PTA in 113 patients. Two new indices were examined: a Consistency-of-Recovery and a Duration-to-Recovery index. a predictable order of recovery was observed during PTA: orientation-to-person recovered sooner and more consistently than the following cluster; orientation-to-time, orientation-to-place, and the ability to remember a face and name. However, the type of memory functioning required for the recall face and name task recovered more consistently than that required for memorizing three pictures. An important overall finding was that the order-of-recovery'' of orientation and memory functioning was dependent upon both the elapsed days since injury, and the consistency of recovery. The newly developed indices were shown to be a valuable means of accounting for differences between groups in the elapsed days to recovery of orientation and memory. These indices also clearly increase the clinical utility of the Westmead PTA Scale and supply an objective means of charting (and potentially predicting) patients' recovery on the different components of orientation and memory throughout their period of hospitalization.

Genetic structure of a population of Ganoderma boninense on oil palm

Ganoderma boninense (the causal agent of basal stem rot of oil palm in Papua New Guinea) has a tetrapolar mating system with multiple alleles. Investigations into the population structure of G. boninense, using interfertility between isolates as a marker, revealed that the population on oil palm was comprised predominantly of genetically distinct individuals, although a number of isolates were found to share single mating alleles. No direct hereditary relationship was found between isolates on neighbouring or spatially separated diseased palms, indicating that outcrossing had probably occurred over several generations in the founder population prior to colonization of oil palm. In this study, a total of 81 A and 83 B mating type alleles (factors) were detected with 18 allelic repeats at the A locus and 17 at the B locus. Alleles appeared to be randomly dispersed throughout the population in each study block, although there was a significantly (P

Early patterns of recovery from disturbance in intertidal algal assemblages: consistency across regions within a marine province

The importance of disturbance and the subsequent rate and pattern of recovery has been long recognised as an important driver of community structure. Community recovery is affected by processes operating at local and regional scales yet the examination of community level responses to a standardised disturbance at regional scales (i.e. among regions under different environmental conditions) has seldom been attempted. Here, we mechanically disturbed rocky intertidal lower shore algal dominated assemblages at three locations within each of three different regions within the Lusitanian biogeographical province (Azores, northern Portugal and the Canary Islands). All organisms were cleared from experimental plots and succession followed over a period of 12 months at which time we formally compared the assemblage structure to that of unmanipulated controls. Early patterns of recovery of disturbed communities varied among regions and was positively influenced by temperature, but not by regional species richness. Different components of the assemblage responded differently to disturbance. Regional differences in the relative abundance and identity of species had a key influence on the overall assemblage recovery. This study highlights how regional-scales differences in environmental conditions and species pool are important determinants of recovery of disturbed communities.

Waste recovery into activated carbon for water purification from heavy metals

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Química Pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa,Faculdade de Ciências e Tecn

Biological activities and oil properties of Origanum glandulosum Desf: a review

Origanum glandulosum Desf. (Species endemic of North Africa: Tunisia and Algeria) is important medicinally as it has antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, antibacterial, antithrombin, antimutagenic, angiogenic, antiparasetic and antihyperglycaemic activities. Phytochemical investigations of the species of this genus have resulted in the extraction of a number of important bioactive compounds. This emphasizes on the need of extensive study for reporting the additional information on the medicinal importance, the biological activities and properties of oil of other unattended species of Origanum glandulosum. © 2015 Springer-Verlag France.

Stochastic modelling of the reservoir lithological and petrophysical attributes. A case study of the Middle East carbonate reservoir

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Geológica (Georrecursos)

Stratigraphic interpretation of Well-Log data of the Athabasca Oil Sands of Alberta Canada through Pattern recognition and Artificial Intelligence

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

Atheroembolic Renal Disease As a Cause of Allograft Primary Non-Function

Atheroembolic renal disease, also referred to as cholesterol crystal embolization, is a rare cause of renal failure, secondary to occlusion of renal arteries, renal arterioles and glomerular capillaries with cholesterol crystals, originating from atheromatous plaques of the aorta and other major arteries. This disease can occur very rarely in kidney allografts in an early or a late clinical form. Renal biopsy seems to be a reliable diagnostic test and cholesterol clefts are the pathognomonic finding. However, the renal biopsy has some limitations as the typical lesion is focal and can be easily missed in a biopsy fragment. The clinical course of these patients varies from complete recovery of the renal function to permanent graft loss. Statins, acetylsalicyclic acid, and corticosteroids have been used to improve the prognosis. We report a case of primary allograft dysfunction caused by an early and massive atheroembolic renal disease. Distinctive histology is presented in several consecutive biopsies. We evaluated all the cases of our Unit and briefly reviewed the literature. Atheroembolic renal disease is a rare cause of allograft primary non -function but may become more prevalent as acceptance of aged donors and recipients for transplantation has become more frequent.

The macroeconomic effects of (different) oil shocks: A VAR approach

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics