Sea turtles as a non-consumptive tourism resource especially in Australia

There is substantial economic potential for exploiting wildlife resources for non-consumptive wildlife-oriented recreation (NCWOR) tourism and this type of tourism if well managed, can result in the long-term conservation of wildlife resources. This is especially important in cases where wildlife resources are declining due to habitat destruction, poaching and other human threats, as is so for sea turtles. In this paper, relevant ecotourism literature outlining the economic values of NCWOR activities is reviewed to show that a significant potential exists for developing sea turtle-based tourism. Duffus and Dearden's (1990. Biological Conservation, 53, 213-231) conceptual framework for the development of wildlife tourism and its extension and application by Higham (1998. Tourism Management, 19 (6), 521-531) is analysed to see if it might be applied to sea turtle-based ecotourism in Australia at Mon Repos Conservation Park. Threats to sea turtle populations are growing especially as a result of human activities and these underline the importance of finding an economic rationale to conserve the remaining species. Economic benefits from turtle-based tourism can provide such a rationale. However, such tourism must be managed appropriately if it is to be sustained. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has adopted management strategies at Mon Repos Conservation Park with this in mind and these strategies are outlined. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

On-line analysis of froth surface in coal and mineral flotation using JKFrothCam

The personal computer revolution has resulted in the widespread availability of low-cost image analysis hardware. At the same time, new graphic file formats have made it possible to handle and display images at resolutions beyond the capability of the human eye. Consequently, there has been a significant research effort in recent years aimed at making use of these hardware and software technologies for flotation plant monitoring. Computer-based vision technology is now moving out of the research laboratory and into the plant to become a useful means of monitoring and controlling flotation performance at the cell level. This paper discusses the metallurgical parameters that influence surface froth appearance and examines the progress that has been made in image analysis of flotation froths. The texture spectrum and pixel tracing techniques developed at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre are described in detail. The commercial implementation, JKFrothCam, is one of a number of froth image analysis systems now reaching maturity. In plants where it is installed, JKFrothCam has shown a number of performance benefits. Flotation runs more consistently, meeting product specifications while maintaining high recoveries. The system has also shown secondary benefits in that reagent costs have been significantly reduced as a result of improved flotation control. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Adaptive multiscale principal components analysis for online monitoring of wastewater treatment

Fault detection and isolation (FDI) are important steps in the monitoring and supervision of industrial processes. Biological wastewater treatment (WWT) plants are difficult to model, and hence to monitor, because of the complexity of the biological reactions and because plant influent and disturbances are highly variable and/or unmeasured. Multivariate statistical models have been developed for a wide variety of situations over the past few decades, proving successful in many applications. In this paper we develop a new monitoring algorithm based on Principal Components Analysis (PCA). It can be seen equivalently as making Multiscale PCA (MSPCA) adaptive, or as a multiscale decomposition of adaptive PCA. Adaptive Multiscale PCA (AdMSPCA) exploits the changing multivariate relationships between variables at different time-scales. Adaptation of scale PCA models over time permits them to follow the evolution of the process, inputs or disturbances. Performance of AdMSPCA and adaptive PCA on a real WWT data set is compared and contrasted. The most significant difference observed was the ability of AdMSPCA to adapt to a much wider range of changes. This was mainly due to the flexibility afforded by allowing each scale model to adapt whenever it did not signal an abnormal event at that scale. Relative detection speeds were examined only summarily, but seemed to depend on the characteristics of the faults/disturbances. The results of the algorithms were similar for sudden changes, but AdMSPCA appeared more sensitive to slower changes.

Cyclosporin monitoring in Australasia: 2002 update of consensus guidelines

Therapeutic drug monitoring of cyclosporin (CsA) has been established as part of the routine clinical treatment of patients following organ transplantation for more than 20 years, and based on contemporary knowledge, many consensus guidelines have been published to assist clinics and laboratories attain optimal strategies for patient care. This article addresses the newer directions in CsA monitoring, with particular reference to the Australasian situation that has evolved since the 1993 Australasian guideline (1). These changes have included the introduction of alternative assay methodologies, changed CsA formulation from Sandimmun to Neoral throughout Australasia, and alternatives to trough concentration (C0) monitoring, especially 2-hour concentration (C2) monitoring and associated validated dilution protocols to accurately quantitate the higher whole blood CsA concentrations. The revision was prepared following a recent survey of all Australasian CsA-monitoring laboratories (2) where discordant practices were evident.

Transitory increased blood pressure after upper airway surgery for snoring and sleep apnea correlates with the apnea-hypopnea respiratory disturbance index

A transitory increase in blood pressure (BP) is observed following upper airway surgery for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome but the mechanisms implicated are not yet well understood. The objective of the present study was to evaluate changes in BP and heart rate (HR) and putative factors after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and septoplasty in normotensive snorers. Patients (N = 10) were instrumented for 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, nocturnal respiratory monitoring and urinary catecholamine level evaluation one day before surgery and on the day of surgery. The influence of postsurgery pain was prevented by analgesic therapy as confirmed using a visual analog scale of pain. Compared with preoperative values, there was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in nighttime but not daytime systolic BP (119 ± 5 vs 107 ± 3 mmHg), diastolic BP (72 ± 4 vs 67 ± 2 mmHg), HR (67 ± 4 vs 57 ± 2 bpm), respiratory disturbance index (RDI) characterized by apnea-hypopnea (30 ± 10 vs 13 ± 4 events/h of sleep) and norepinephrine levels (22.0 ± 4.7 vs 11.0 ± 1.3 µg l-1 12 h-1) after surgery. A positive correlation was found between individual variations of BP and individual variations of RDI (r = 0.81, P < 0.01) but not between BP or RDI and catecholamines. The visual analog scale of pain showed similar stress levels on the day before and after surgery (6.0 ± 0.8 vs 5.0 ± 0.9 cm, respectively). These data strongly suggest that the cardiovascular changes observed in patients who underwent uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and septoplasty were due to the increased postoperative RDI.

Application of Gage R&R methodology for improving the training and evaluation of automatic optical inspection machine operators

The current level of demand by customers in the electronics industry requires the production of parts with an extremely high level of reliability and quality to ensure complete confidence on the end customer. Automatic Optical Inspection (AOI) machines have an important role in the monitoring and detection of errors during the manufacturing process for printed circuit boards. These machines present images of products with probable assembly mistakes to an operator and him decide whether the product has a real defect or if in turn this was an automated false detection. Operator training is an important aspect for obtaining a lower rate of evaluation failure by the operator and consequently a lower rate of actual defects that slip through to the following processes. The Gage R&R methodology for attributes is part of a Six Sigma strategy to examine the repeatability and reproducibility of an evaluation system, thus giving important feedback on the suitability of each operator in classifying defects. This methodology was already applied in several industry sectors and services at different processes, with excellent results in the evaluation of subjective parameters. An application for training operators of AOI machines was developed, in order to be able to check their fitness and improve future evaluation performance. This application will provide a better understanding of the specific training needs for each operator, and also to accompany the evolution of the training program for new components which in turn present additional new difficulties for the operator evaluation. The use of this application will contribute to reduce the number of defects misclassified by the operators that are passed on to the following steps in the productive process. This defect reduction will also contribute to the continuous improvement of the operator evaluation performance, which is seen as a quality management goal.

HTLV-I/II and blood donors: determinants associated with seropositivity in a low risk population

OBJECTIVE: Blood donors in Brazil have been routinely screened for HTLV-I/II since 1993. A study was performed to estimate the prevalence of HTLV-I/II infection in a low risk population and to better understand determinants associated with seropositivity. METHODS: HTLV-I/II seropositive (n=135), indeterminate (n=167) and seronegative blood donors (n=116) were enrolled in an open prevalence prospective cohort study. A cross-sectional epidemiological study of positive, indeterminate and seronegative HTLV-I/II subjects was conducted to assess behavioral and environmental risk factors for seropositivity. HTLV-I/II serological status was confirmed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA) and Western blot (WB). RESULTS: The three groups were not homogeneous. HTLV-I/II seropositivity was associated to past blood transfusion and years of schooling, a marker of socioeconomic status, and use of non-intravenous illegal drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The study results reinforce the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement of blood donor selection process.

Historical Heritage: A Study to Conservation

Considering ancient monuments and historical buildings, it seems that these mortars have proved to be durable and reliable materials. The restoration and maintenance of old renders is one of the key aspects of correct rehabilitation practice. The ideal course of action is to replace the damaged material by a material with compatible characteristics.The study in development presents the chemical, physical and morphologic analysis performed for ancient air lime mortars belonging to historical monuments: Santa Marta Fortress in the coast line Lisbon-Cascais dated from XVII century and Defense Wall of Lisbon dated from XI century, which layout could be associated to roman period. It is important to underline that the studied samples of ancient portuguese air lime mortars, have been submitted during centuries to very severe maritime environment that includes daily cycles of wet/dry, wind, friction and the constant presence of salts, generally aggressive. However, they show very good performance and conservation state, unlike most of the new air lime mortars, which are generally considered weak, not very durable, materials. This work is included in a study intending to determine key factors to the durability of these ancient materials in presence of water. Visible reaction rims around some aggregates suggests the occurrence of pozzolanic reactions between aggregates and the lime binder that creates neoformation products, such as calcium-silico-aluminates, which seems be, besides the pores filling, the responsible for the resistance and cohesion of these ancient mortars submitted to aggressive humid environments.

Cork industry wastewater characterization assessment of the biodegradability, reuse and of the relationship between BOD, COD and tannins with TOC

Cork processing involves a boiling step to make the cork softer, which consumes a high volume of water and generates a wastewater with a high organic content, rich in tannins. An assessment of the final wastewater characteristics and of the boiling water composition along the boiling process was performed. The parameters studied were pH, color, total organic carbon (TOC), chemical and biochemical oxygen demands (COD, BOD5, BOD20), total suspended solids (TSS), total phenols and tannins (TP, TT). It was observed that the water solutes extraction power is significantly reduced for higher quantities of cork processed. Valid relationships between parameters were established not only envisaging wastewater characterization but also to provide an important tool for wastewater monitoring and for process control/optimization. Boiling water biodegradability presented decreasing values with the increase of cork processed and for the final wastewater its value is always lower than 0.5, indicating that these wastewaters are very difficult to treat by biological processes. The biodegradability was associated with the increase of tannin content that can rise up to 0.7 g/L. These compounds can be used by other industries when concentrated and the clarified wastewater can be reused, which is a potential asset in this wastewater treatment.

Conservation of limpet populations: a heavily exploited resource in Azores, NE-Atlantic

10th International Temperate Reefs Symposium, The University of Western Australia, 12-17 de janeiro.

Mapping multi-species habitat use for marine conservation planning

Tese de Doutoramento, Ciências do Mar (Biologia Marinha)

Cobble beaches in oceanic islands : how they react to hydrodynamics and location in the island?

1st Mares Conference on Marine Ecosystems Health and Conservation. Olhão, Portugal 17-21 November 2014.

Biocomplementation of SVE to achieve clean-up goals in soils contaminated with toluene and xylene

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) and bioremediation (BR) are two of the most common soil remediation technologies. Their application is widespread; however, both present limitations, namely related to the efficiencies of SVE on organic soils and to the remediation times of some BR processes. This work aimed to study the combination of these two technologies in order to verify the achievement of the legal clean-up goals in soil remediation projects involving seven different simulated soils separately contaminated with toluene and xylene. The remediations consisted of the application of SVE followed by biostimulation. The results show that the combination of these two technologies is effective and manages to achieve the clean-up goals imposed by the Spanish Legislation. Under the experimental conditions used in this work, SVE is sufficient for the remediation of soils, contaminated separately with toluene and xylene, with organic matter contents (OMC) below 4 %. In soils with higher OMC, the use of BR, as a complementary technology, and when the concentration of contaminant in the gas phase of the soil reaches values near 1 mg/L, allows the achievement of the clean-up goals. The OMC was a key parameter because it hindered SVE due to adsorption phenomena but enhanced the BR process because it acted as a microorganism and nutrient source.

Use of accelerometry to measure physical activity in adults and the elderly

OBJECTIVE: To review the use of accelerometry as an objective measure of physical activity in adults and elderly people. METHODS: A systematic review of studies on the use of accelerometty as an objective measure to assess physical activity in adults were examined in PubMed Central, Web of Knowledge, EBSCO and Medline databases from March 29 to April 15, 2010. The following keywords were used: "accelerometry," "accelerometer," "physical activity," "PA," "patterns," "levels," "adults," "older adults," and "elderly," either alone or in combination using "AND" or "OR." The reference lists of the articles retrieved were examined to capture any other potentially relevant article. Of 899 studies initially identified, only 18 were fully reviewed, and their outcome measures abstracted and analyzed. RESULTS: Eleven studies were conducted in North America (United States), five in Europe, one in Africa (Cameroon) and one in Australia. Very few enrolled older people, and only one study reported the season or time of year when data was collected. The articles selected had different methods, analyses, and results, which prevented comparison between studies. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to standardize study methods for data reporting to allow comparisons of results across studies and monitor changes in populations. These data can help design more adequate strategies for monitoring and promotion of physical activity.

Position paper on time and event-triggered communication services in the context of e-manufacturing

Modern factories are complex systems where advances in networking and information technologies are opening new ways towards higher efficiency. Such move is being driven by market rules with ever-increasing competition levels, in search for faster time-to-market, improved process yield, non-stop operations, flexible manufacturing and tighter supply-chain coupling. All these aims present a common requirement, i.e. a realtime flow of information, from the plant-floor up to the management, maintenance, suppliers and clients, to support accurate monitoring and control of the factory. This stresses the importance achieved by the communication infrastructure in modern manufacturing industry. This paper presents the authors view concerning the current trends in modern factory communication systems. It addresses the problems of seamlessly integrating different information flows with diverse requirements, mainly in terms of timeliness. In this aspect, the debate between event-triggered and time-triggered communication is revisited as well as the joint support for both types of traffic. Finally, a view of where factory communication systems are moving to is also presented, showing the impact of open and widely available technologies.