History, status and future of Australia's native Sydney rock oyster industry

The Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) (SRO) is an oyster species that only occurs in estuaries along Australia's east coast. The SRO industry evolved from commercial gathering of oyster in the 1790s to a high production volume aquaculture industry in the 1970s. However, since the late 1970s the SRO industry has experienced a significant and continuous decline in production quantities and the industry's future commercial viably appears to be uncertain. The aim of this study was to review the history and the status of the SRO industry and to discuss the potential future prospects of this industry. This study summarised findings of the existing literature about the industry and defined development stages of the industry. Particular focus was put on the more recent development within the industry (1980s-present) which has not been covered adequately in the existing literature. The finding from this study revealed that major issues of the industry are linked to the management of prevailing diseases, the handling of water quality impairments from increasing coastal development, increasing competition from Australia's Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) industry and the current socio-economic profile of the industry. The study also found that policy makers are currently confronted by the dilemma of saving a "dying art". Findings from this industry review may be vital for current and future fisheries managers and stakeholders as a basis for reviewing industry management and development strategies. This review may also be of interest for other aquaculture industries and fisheries who are dealing with similar challenges as the SRO industry.

Socio-economic determinants for industry development : the case of Australia’s Sydney rock oyster industry

Socio-economic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment, employment status, and income contain vital information about how an industry may respond to changing circumstances, and hence are of importance to decision makers. While some socio-economic studies exist, relatively little attention has been given to fishery and aquaculture industries in regards to their socio-economic profiles and their role in the development prospects of these industries. In this study, by way of example, we focus on Australia’s Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) (SRO) industry. The aim of this study was identify the socio-economic profile of the SRO industry and to illustrate the value of such information for an industry management assessment. The SRO industry has experienced a major decrease in production volume since the late 1970 and continues to be affected by prevailing diseases and increasing market competition from Australia’s Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) industry. It is likely that socio-economic aspects have influenced this development within the SRO industry. The socio-economic profile was developed using data from a SRO industry farm survey which was undertaken in 2012. Findings suggested that this industry is characterised by a mature aged oyster farmer population and a part-time oyster farming approach. These characteristics may affect the farmers’ ability to drive innovation and growth. The results also suggested that there may be potential industry entry barriers present in the SRO industry which may prevent younger people taking up oyster farming. Given the results, the study concluded that the current socio-economic profile of the industry has likely contributed to the present economic status quo of the industry.

Microscopy for the detection, identification and quantification of malaria parasites on stained thick and thin blood films in research settings

Summary This manual was developed to guide a move towards common standards for undertaking and reporting research microscopy for malaria parasite detection, identification and quantification. It contains procedures based on agreed quality assurance standards for research malaria microscopy defined at a consultation of: TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases; the Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN), United Kingdom; the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Switzerland; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA; the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and later expanded to include Amref Health Africa (Kenya); the Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (EOCRU), Indonesia; Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC); Institut de recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Senegal; the Global Good and Intellectual Ventures Laboratory (GG-IVL), USA; the Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Thailand; Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, and the Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Thailand. These collaborating institutions commit to adhering to these standards in published research studies. It is hoped that they will form a solid basis for the wider adoption of standardized reference microscopy protocols for malaria research.

Fuzzy data envelopment analysis for performance evaluation of an irrigation system

Sixteen irrigation subsystems of the Mahi Bajaj Sagar Project, Rajasthan, India, are evaluated and selection of the most suitable/best is made using data envelopment analysis (DEA) in both deterministic and fuzzy environments. Seven performance-related indicators, namely, land development works (LDW), timely supply of inputs (TSI), conjunctive use of water resources (CUW), participation of farmers (PF), environmental conservation (EC), economic impact (EI) and crop productivity (CPR) are considered. Of the seven, LDW, TSI, CUW, PF and EC are considered inputs, whereas CPR and EI are considered outputs for DEA modelling purposes. Spearman rank correlation coefficient values are also computed for various scenarios. It is concluded that DEA in both deterministic and fuzzy environments is useful for the present problem. However, the outcome of fuzzy DEA may be explored for further analysis due to its simple, effective data and discrimination handling procedure. It is inferred that the present study can be explored for similar situations with suitable modifications.

Biossorção de tório com emprego de Sargassum filipendula

Com o aumento do rigor para descarte de efluentes contaminado com metais pesados, as pesquisas têm se intensificado na busca de métodos de remoção, que tragam bons resultados de captação dos metais, aliado a um baixo custo. O uso de biomassas como bactérias, fungos e algas marinhas como material adsorvente, tem se apresentado como uma alternativa, principalmente para soluções com baixo teor de metais. Neste trabalho, a alga marinha Sargassum filipendula foi avaliada na sua capacidade de remoção do metal tório de uma solução sintética e do efluente dos laboratórios de análises ambientais do IRD. A cinética desta biossorção foi estudada em regime de batelada e o equilíbrio foi alcançado com 180 min de reação. Dois modelos cinéticos foram utilizados nesta avaliação, um de primeira ordem e um modelo de pseudo segunda ordem, tendo o modelo de segunda ordem apresentado um melhor ajuste dos dados. Na avaliação da capacidade máxima de captação do tório pela biomassa marinha em regime de batelada, foi construída a isoterma que apresentou um perfil crescente na captação alcançando um máximo de 2,59 mol/g. Os modelos de Langmuir e Freundlich foram utilizados para ajustar os dados da isoterma, tendo apresentado maior correlação com os dados o modelo de Langmuir, resultando num valor de captação máxima calculado pelo modelo de 2,92 mol/g. A capacidade de remoção do metal tório da alga Sargassum filipendula também foi avaliada em regime contínuo. Um estudo de altura crítica de leito foi realizado preenchendo-se uma coluna com diferentes massas de alga correspondendo a diferentes alturas de leito. A concentração de tório residual foi quantificada na solução de saída e a menor concentração na saída foi alcançada com 40 cm de leito ou 96 g de biomassa. Após este estudo um sistema contínuo com duas colunas, com 96 g de biomassa cada, e uma bomba peristáltica foi utilizado para o tratamento do efluente real do IRD, contendo não apenas o metal tório, mas outros metais como urânio, cálcio, cromo, ferro, chumbo, etc. Cento e cinco litros de efluente foram tratados numa concentração de 6 mg/L, a concentração do efluente de saída foi de 3,75 mg/L. A caracterização do efluente quanto aos metais presentes foi realizada em ICP-MS, os resultados demonstraram que não houve competição pelos sítios ligantes da biomassa entre o tório e os demais metais. Além disso, alguns metais como cálcio, ferro e magnésio, tiveram um aumento na concentração de saída indicando a presença do mecanismo de troca iônica na biossorção do tório por Sargassum filipendula

Growth hormone gene transfer in common carp

The first successful case of transgenic fish was achieved in 1984. It is in a model system that the integration and expression of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) in host red common carp (Cyprinus carpio, red var.) have been thoroughly studied. Recently, the integration sites have been recovered and characterized. Compared with non-transgenic peers, hGH-transgenic fish are prior in dietary utilization and growth performance. In view of bio-safety and bio-ethics, an "all-fish" construct CAgcGH, grass carp growth hormone fused with common carp P-actin promoter, has been generated and transferred into Yellow River carp (C carpio, local strain in Yellow River) fertilized eggs. Under middle-scale trial, CAgcGH-transgenics show higher growth rate and food conversion efficiency than the controls, which is consistent to laboratory findings. To avoid the potential impact of transgenic fish on the environment, a sterile strain of transgenic triploid fish has been successfully produced. The "all-fish" transgenic common carp is also approved safe enough as daily food, according to a test based on the pathological principles of new medicines issued by the Ministry of Health of China. The "all-fish" transgenic common carp with growth enhancement is now ready for market, but looking for governmental authorization. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS and Ifremer/IRD/Inra/Cemagref. All rights reserved.

Suspended particulate matter fluxes through the Straits of Dover, English Channel: observations and modelling

Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) concentrations at various levels within the water column, together with salinity and temperature, were measured using water samples collected from six stations across the Straits of Dover. The sampling programme covered a 16-month period, undertaken during 23 cruises. On the basis of the spatial variability in the concentrations, the water bodies are divided by several boundaries, controlled by tidal and wind conditions. Within the water column, SPM concentrations were higher near the sea bed than in the surface waters. Throughout the cross-section, maximum concentrations occurred adjacent to the coastlines. Temporal variability in the SPM concentration exists on daily and seasonal scales within the coastal waters (4.2 to 74.5 mg L-1): resuspension processes, in response to semi-diurnal tidal cycles (with a period of around 12.4 h) and spring-neap cycles (with a period of 15 days) make significant contributions. Distinctive seasonal/annual concentration changes have also been observed. In the offshore waters, such variability is much less significant (0.9 to 6.0 mg L-1). In the summer the English Coastal Zone is associated with relatively high SPM concentrations: the Central Zone has a low and stable SPM concentration between these zones, there is a Transitional Zone, where there is a rapid response of SPM concentration to wind forcing. Finally, the French Coastal Zone is characterized by variable (sometimes high) SPM concentrations. Because of the zonation, SPM fluxes within the Dover Strait are controlled by different transport mechanisms. Within the Central Zone, the flux can be represented by the product of mean water discharges and SPM concentrations. However, within the coastal zones fluctuations in SPM concentrations on various time-scales must be considered. In order to calculate the maximum and minimum SPM fluxes, 10 cells were divided in the strait. A simple modelling calculation has been proposed for this complex area. The effect of spring-neap tidal cycles and seasonal changes can contribute significantly to the overall flux, which is of the order of 20 x 10(6) t.yr(-1) (through the Dover Strait, towards the North Sea). Such an estimate is higher than most obtained previously. (C) 2000 Ifremer/CNRS/IRD/Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.

中国中部全新世气候变化的泥炭同位素记录--以湖北神农架大九湖为例

泥炭作为一种地质档案，其发育形成过程中包含了丰富的古气候和古环境的变化信息。由于泥炭沉积中植物残体的碳、氧等稳定同位素组成与气候变化之间存在着密切关系，其稳定同位素时间序列已作为气候变化的代用指标逐渐用于古气候的恢复和重建，尤其是在以高时间分辨率重建全新世以来的气候环境变化方面已取得一些重要进展。 本论文通过对湖北省神农架地区大九湖泥炭中植物残体的氧、碳同位素的研究，同时以温度和湿度这两种重要的气候参数代用指标，恢复和重建全新世以来中国中部地区的气候状况。通过本论文的工作并与其它相关成果综合对比研究，对从末次冰消期晚期和全新世以来中国中部地区气候状况有如下的认识： 1. 末次冰消期晚期至全新世阶段，大九湖泥炭纤维素δ18O敏感地记录了发生在约14.67～12.89 cal. kaBP的BA暖期以及在此期间所发生的两次冷事件：Oder Dryas冷事件和Intra-Allerød冷事件；并指示随后的Allerød暖期明显较Bølling暖期偏冷；在新仙女木时期（YD），神农架地区温度较低，事件中后期温度开始回升；在11.0～9.0 cal. kaBP的早全新世时期，大九湖泥炭δ18O在波动中升高，指示了整体上的温暖气候，期间存在一系列的气候变冷事件。这些冷事件基本都是叠加在一种长期的、相对较暖的变化趋势上，有别于末次冰消期的突然变冷事件；在9.0～5.0 cal. kaBP的中全新世阶段，神农架地区总体上处于相对温暖的适宜阶段，但波动较为频繁，期间记录到了著名的“8.2ka”冷事件；约5.0 cal. kaBP开始，大九湖泥炭δ18O值持续升高，指示以一次快速的升温过程开始了晚全新世阶段并保持在一个相对较高的温度水平；在整体温暖的气候背景下也明显记录有“4.2ka”、“小冰期”等全球性冷事件；大九湖泥炭纤维素δ18O所记录的温度变化趋势与中国大陆地区其他一些气候代用指标所记录的温度变化趋势有很好的相似性，说明中国大陆地区温度变化的趋势基本一致。 2. 大九湖泥炭δ18O温度变化序列所记录到的历次突然气候变冷事件，与格陵兰冰芯和北大西洋冷事件的发生具有很好的一致性，这说明对应于北半球高纬度区域的气候变化，在中低纬度的中国地区同样存在响应和变化，并且这种响应贯穿于整个全新世阶段。 3. 大九湖泥炭纤维素δ13C敏感地记录了末次冰消期以来东亚季风的演变历史。东亚季风在整个末次冰消期至晚全新世阶段始终处于一种强弱交替的波动态势。在末次冰消期至全新世早期，其整体上表现为一种由弱转强的态势；在全新世早期和中期阶段，东亚季风活动强度整体较高，表现为整个时间序列中的高活动时段，而其中也出现了数次明显的减弱迹象；全新世晚期阶段，东亚季风的活动强度较中期和早期为弱，整体上表现出低幅的波动但没有恢复到前两个时期的活动强度。在中世纪温暖期阶段的中后期，东亚季风的活动强度开始在波动中逐渐升高。 4. 该泥炭纤维素代用指标所记录的一些东亚季风突变（增强）事件与同一时期所发生的印度季风的突变（减弱）事件具有很好的对应关系；进一步证实这两个季风系统之间所存在的反相变化关系；同时，这些突变事件与北大西洋IRD冷事件在发生时间段也具有较好的对应关系，即每当北大西洋地区气候变冷时，东亚季风都表现出增强的迹象。 5. 综合分析中国泥炭同位素古气候记录和其它研究结果，对气候驱动机制有如下认识：当太阳活动发生百年至千年时间尺度的减弱时，由大气臭氧层变化所触发的影响向大气层下部延伸，导致北半球气候变冷；同时，减弱的太阳活动可能在赤道太平洋触发类厄尔尼诺状态出现，并引发印度洋夏季风减弱和东亚夏季风增强；早全新世北半球冰盖周围大冰湖冰岸坍塌，湖中巨量体积淡水突然流入北大西洋，导致海洋温盐环流传送带运转放慢甚致停顿，通过跨赤道的温盐环流向北输送的热量大大减少，引起北半球气候变冷；由于海洋温盐环流的变化改变了全球热量的分配，暖水在地球南部积累，导致西太平洋暖池区域海表面水与深层水温度之间反差的增加，从而有利于类厄尔尼诺状态出现，同样将可能引起印度洋夏季风减弱和东亚夏季风增强。

单种属泥炭纤维素碳稳定同位素组成与全新世青藏高原东部西南季风变化

泥炭的形成和积累主要受控于气候，其次是地质、地貌和水文等因素。作为一种重要和理想的气候信息载体，泥炭己经与冰芯、海洋及湖泊沉积、黄土堆积、洞穴碳酸盐沉积、树轮和珊瑚礁等其它类型的自然地质档案一样，逐渐为国内外致力于古气候变化研究的学者所接受，并将其重点应用于全新世以来气候变化信息的提取。本研究在已有的泥炭混合植物残体纤维素碳稳定同位素记录青藏高原东部地区气候信息的基础上，首次提取泥炭中单一种属植物残体一木里苔草（Calexmulieensis）纤维素，测定其碳稳定同位素，并以其时间序列作为一种新的西南季风代用指标，揭示该区域全新世以来气候变化。研究表明：1．木里苔草的碳稳定同位素时间序列是西南季风强度变化的敏感代用指标。约11800～11加0 cal aBP期间，木里苔草纤维素的613C记录处于最大值，表明该时段西南季风活动鼻弱，气候干冷，对应于普遍发生并存在的新仙女木事件；它清晰地指示了该区全新世的下限年龄为约11200 cal aBP（14c年龄约9900aB玲从约11200 oal aBP起该区迅速进入湿暖的全新世阶段，季风活动迅速增强；在约10800～5500 cal aBP期间，季风总体保持在强盛状态，但其间有4次突然减弱，气候变干冷；约从5500 cala即起季风活动在波动中逐渐减弱，其中有4次减弱最为明显。2．木里苔草纤维素碳同位素所记录的犯000年以来的所有9次西南季风活动的突然减弱与同时期北大西洋发生的冰力｝漂移碎屑沉积物事件（IRD事件）一一对应。这种密切的相关关系表明，西南季风强度的波动可能是对全球气候变化特别是对海洋热盐环流引起的地球南北方气撇动变化的响应。3．木里苔草纤维素碳稳定同位素所指示的西南季风有952，乓57，475，312，211和77年等一系列周期。其中557年和77年两个周期分别与北大西洋深层海水环流的550年的周期和76年的气候周期非常吻合。这表明西南季风与北大西洋气候间有很好的相关关系。由于557年和77年的季风周期又都分别类似于53。年和80年的太阳活动周期，这表明太阳活动可能对西南季风和北大西洋气候间的联系有着影响。4．红原泥炭木里苔草纤维素和泥炭混合纤维素别3c时间序列在千年至万年时间尺度上的变化趋势很相近。两种代用记录都一致反映了冰后期的气候变化，即均指示西南季风强度变化可分为三个明显的大阶段。这说明它们对过去12000年的西南季风变化具有相同的响应。对于目前经过较详细研究的那些全球大范围发生的突然气候变化事件，木里苔草纤维素δ~(13)C代用记录与泥炭混合纤维素δ~(13)C代用记录一样，都有相同的响应，但是，相对于泥炭中单一的木里苔草敏感地记录到历次北大西洋I劝事件而言，泥炭混合纤维素δ~(13)C记录对其中的几次突然气候变化事件似乎没有表现出明显的响应。这个结果表明对数百年尺度的突然气候变化，木里苔草纤维素比混合纤维素的酬3c指标似乎要更敏感一点。因此，在能获得足够数量的单种植物·残体的情况下，单种植物残体纤维素的δ~(13)C指标有很好的使用价值。

Doenças das cucurbitáceas no Estado do Amazonas.

Nos sistemas de produção da agricultura familiar, no Estado do Amazonas, as cucurbitáceas ocupam expressivas áreas, pois são espécies muito populares, de fácil colocação no mercado. As condições climáticas prevalecentes no Estado, caracterizadas por médias elevadas da precipitação anual, da temperatura e da umidade relativa do ar, não são fisiologicamente restritivas às exigências desse grupo de espécies tropicais. Entretanto, formam ambiente ideal para ocorrência e disseminação de patógenos. Nessas condições, os cultivos apresentam, frequentemente, sérios problemas fitossanitários, que afetam a qualidade dos produtos, e as perdas podem superam 70% da produção.

Atelier ORIXAS: Projeto Tripartite África/Brasil/França: luta contra a desertificação: promoção da segurança alimentar e redução da pobreza.

No âmbito do Programa de Cooperação Científica Tripartite entre a Agence Inter-établissements de Recherche pourle Développement (AIRD), Agence Panafricaine de la Grande Muraille Verte (APGMV) e o Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), o projeto ORIXAS "Observatórios Regionais Integrados de Regiões Árida, Semiáridas e Sub-úmidas secas" concebido em uma visão transversal, foca principalmente em metodologias e ferramentas para apoiar dispositivos de monitoramento ambiental para ser aplicado nos países inseridos na iniciativa africana Grande Muralha Verde - GMV (Burkina-Faso, Djibouti, Érythrée, Éthiopie, Mali, Mauritanie, Niger, Nigeria, Sénégal, Soudan, Tchad) e tem como objetivo desenvolver abordagens metodológicas e produtos compartilhados para melhorar a avaliação e monitoramento da desertificação e os impactos diretos ou indiretos de iniciativas para lutar contra o desmatamento e desertificação no âmbito da GMV. Esta publicação contempla aspectos metodológicos utilizados pelo projeto "ORIXAS" durante a primeira oficina de trabalho coletivo África-Brasil-França - Atelier (MAISON DE LA TÉLÉDÉTECTION), realizada de 10 a 19 de junho de 2014, em Montpellier França, objetivando informar a forma de execução dos estudos que vêm sendo realizados no escopo do projeto, visando principalmente a luta contra a desertificação, promoção da segurança alimentar e redução da pobreza nos países inseridos na iniciativa africana Grande Muralha Verde - GMV.

'Cloak Without Dagger': How the Information Research Department Fought Britain's Cold War in the Middle East, 1948-1956

Vaughn, James, ''Cloak Without Dagger': How the Information Research Department Fought Britain's Cold War in the Middle East, 1948-1956', Cold War History (2004) 4(3) pp.56-84 RAE2008

Conditional cash transfer programs and the representations of poverty in Bolivia and Peru

Bolivia and Peru adopted the same instruments of social policy —conditional cash transfer programs— to solve the same public problems under different political regimes. By means of the qualitative methodology of discourse analysis, this paper studies the representations of poverty and State made by key actors of those social programs. Underlying more differences than similarities, one demonstrates that the same social policy is linked to opposite social representations of poverty and the State role in every country. The main explanation for this is, far from being imposed by international organizations, those programs are adopted and adapted by each political regime.

North Atlantic surface ocean 14C variability between 30 – 40 kyr. BP

The Faroe-Shetland channel is situated in the main path of the inflow of warm North Atlantic surface water to the Nordic seas and further provides an escape route for the cold Norwegian Sea Deep Water. AMS 14C dates of planktonic foraminifera covering Marine Isotope Stage 3 from two cores in the Faroe-Shetland channel will be used to trace past variability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The reservoir age R shows considerable variability ranging between 50 to 2750 14C years. In particular high R values are observed during Heinrich event 4 (H4) with values around 1550 14C years and during the Laschamp magnetic excursion with R values as high as 2700 14C years. The period between Greenland interstadial 8 (GI8) and GI5 show highly variable R values with interstadial R values around 500 – 650 14C years, i.e. slightly higher than ‘normal’, whereas stadials show either significantly higher or lower R values. From GI5 towards the Last Glacial Maximum R values are generally around 1000 14C years or higher. Using magnetic susceptibility, IRD and δ13C and δ18O values measured on the planktic foraminifera species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, we compare the observed R variability with reconstructed changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Furthermore a climate model of intermediate complexity (GENIE) including 14C is used as conceptual tool for identifying oceanographic configuration explaining the observed R variability.

“La Felicidad incluye a todos”. La construcción de un barrio mezclado en Bogotá.

El trabajo se enmarca en las discusiones relacionadas con segregación espacial, segregación social y construcción de barrios mezclados. Específicamente, selecciona el caso de La Felicidad: ciudad parque en Bogotá como un ejemplo que sirve para analizar las políticas públicas enfocadas en disminuir la segregación residencial en la ciudad a partir de la construcción de un vecindario que está compuesto por vivienda de interés social y vivienda regular. A partir de métodos cuantitativos y cualitativos se analiza cómo esta funcionando esta propuesta urbana.