Considering the economic value of natural design elements at city scale

With increasing signs of climate change and the influence of national and international carbon-related laws and agreements, governments all over the world are grappling with how to rapidly transition to low-carbon living. This includes adapting to the impacts of climate change that are very likely to be experienced due to current emission levels (including extreme weather and sea level changes), and mitigating against further growth in greenhouse gas emissions that are likely to result in further impacts. Internationally, the concept of ‘Biophilic Urbanism’, a term coined by Professors Tim Beatley and Peter Newman to refer to the use of natural elements as design features in urban landscapes, is emerging as a key component in addressing such climate change challenges in rapidly growing urban contexts. However, the economics of incorporating such options is not well understood and requires further attention to underpin a mainstreaming of biophilic urbanism. Indeed, there appears to be an ad hoc, reactionary approach to creating economic arguments for or against the design, installation or maintenance of natural elements such as green walls, green roofs, streetscapes, and parklands. With this issue in mind, this paper will overview research as part of an industry collaborative research project that considers the potential for using a number of environmental economic valuation techniques that have evolved over the last several decades in agricultural and resource economics, to systematically value the economic value of biophilic elements in the urban context. Considering existing literature on environmental economic valuation techniques, the paper highlights opportunities for creating a standardised language for valuing biophilic elements. The conclusions have implications for expanding the field of environmental economic value to support the economic evaluations and planning of the greater use of natural elements in cities. Insights are also noted for the more mature fields of agricultural and resource economics.

Heat transfer measurements on the first experimental layer of the FIRE II reentry vehicle in expansion tubes

The present study focused on simulating a trajectory point towards the end of the first experimental heatshield of the FIRE II vehicle, at a total flight time of 1639.53s. Scale replicas were sized according to binary scaling and instrumented with thermocouples for testing in the X1 expansion tube, located at The University of Queensland. Correlation of flight to experimental data was achieved through the separation, and independent treatment of the heat modes. Preliminary investigation indicates that the absolute value of radiant surface flux is conserved between two binary scaled models, whereas convective heat transfer increases with the length scale. This difference in the scaling techniques result in the overall contribution of radiative heat transfer diminishing to less than 1% in expansion tubes from a flight value of approximately 9-17%. From empirical correlation's it has been shown that the St √Re number decreases, under special circumstances, in expansion tubes by the percentage radiation present on the flight vehicle. Results obtained in this study give a strong indication that the relative radiative heat transfer contribution in the expansion tube tests is less than that in flight, supporting the analysis that the absolute value remains constant with binary scaling.

The salt dependence of DNA recognition by NF-kappaB p50 : a detailed kinetic analysis of the effects on affinityand specificity

The binding kinetics of NF-kappaB p50 to the Ig-kappaB site and to a DNA duplex with no specific binding site were determined under varying conditions of potassium chloride concentration using a surface plasmonresonance biosensor. Association and dissociation rate constants were measured enabling calculation of the dissociation constants. Under previously established high affinity buffer conditions, the k a for both sequences was in the order of 10(7) M-1s-1whilst the k d values varied 600-fold in a sequence-dependent manner between 10(-1) and 10(-4 )s-1, suggesting that the selectivity of p50 for different sequences is mediated primarily through sequence-dependent dissociation rates. The calculated K D value for the Ig-kappaB sequence was 16 pM, whilst the K D for the non-specific sequence was 9.9 nM. As the ionic strength increased to levels which are closer to that of the cellular environment, the binding of p50 to the non-specific sequence was abolished whilst the specific affinity dropped to nanomolar levels. From these results, a mechanism is proposed in which p50 binds specific sequences with high affinity whilst binding non-specific sequences weakly enough to allow efficient searching of the DNA.

Estimating present day extreme water level exceedance probabilities around the coastline of Australia : tides, extra-tropical storm surges and mean sea level

The occurrence of extreme water levels along low-lying, highly populated and/or developed coastlines can lead to considerable loss of life and billions of dollars of damage to coastal infrastructure. Therefore it is vitally important that the exceedance probabilities of extreme water levels are accurately evaluated to inform risk-based flood management, engineering and future land-use planning. This ensures the risk of catastrophic structural failures due to under-design or expensive wastes due to over-design are minimised. This paper estimates for the first time present day extreme water level exceedence probabilities around the whole coastline of Australia. A high-resolution depth averaged hydrodynamic model has been configured for the Australian continental shelf region and has been forced with tidal levels from a global tidal model and meteorological fields from a global reanalysis to generate a 61-year hindcast of water levels. Output from this model has been successfully validated against measurements from 30 tide gauge sites. At each numeric coastal grid point, extreme value distributions have been fitted to the derived time series of annual maxima and the several largest water levels each year to estimate exceedence probabilities. This provides a reliable estimate of water level probabilities around southern Australia; a region mainly impacted by extra-tropical cyclones. However, as the meteorological forcing used only weakly includes the effects of tropical cyclones, extreme water level probabilities are underestimated around the western, northern and north-eastern Australian coastline. In a companion paper we build on the work presented here and more accurately include tropical cyclone-induced surges in the estimation of extreme water level. The multi-decadal hindcast generated here has been used primarily to estimate extreme water level exceedance probabilities but could be used more widely in the future for a variety of other research and practical applications.

Disclosures of social value creation : a case study of three global social enterprises

This study seeks to fill in gap in the existing literature by looking at how and whether disclosure of social value creation becomes a part of legitimation strategies of social enterprises. By using legitimacy reasoning, this study informs that three global social organizations, Grameen Bank, Charity Water, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provide evidence of the use of disclosures of social value creation in order to conform with the expectations of the broader community—the community that wants to see poverty and injustice free world.

The value of respect in human research ethics: A conceptual analysis and a practical guide

In order to continue to maintain public trust and confidence in human research, participants must be treated with respect. Researchers and Human Research Ethics Committee members need to be aware that modern considerations of this value include: the need for a valid consenting process, the protection of participants who have their capacity for consent compromised; the promotion of dignity for participants; and the effects that human research may have on cultures and communities. This paper explains the prominence of respect as a value when considering the ethics of human research and provides practical advice for both researchers and Human Research Ethics Committee members in developing respectful research practices.

The genome of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

The woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca (2n = 2x = 14), is a versatile experimental plant system. This diminutive herbaceous perennial has a small genome (240 Mb), is amenable to genetic transformation and shares substantial sequence identity with the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria Ã- ananassa) and other economically important rosaceous plants. Here we report the draft F. vesca genome, which was sequenced to ×-39 coverage using second-generation technology, assembled de novo and then anchored to the genetic linkage map into seven pseudochromosomes. This diploid strawberry sequence lacks the large genome duplications seen in other rosids. Gene prediction modeling identified 34,809 genes, with most being supported by transcriptome mapping. Genes critical to valuable horticultural traits including flavor, nutritional value and flowering time were identified. Macrosyntenic relationships between Fragaria and Prunus predict a hypothetical ancestral Rosaceae genome that had nine chromosomes. New phylogenetic analysis of 154 protein-coding genes suggests that assignment of Populus to Malvidae, rather than Fabidae, is warranted.

Heat of formation of the hydroperoxyl radical HOO via negative ion studies

We present a determination of Delta(f)H(298)(HOO) based upon a negative. ion thermodynamic cycle. The photoelectron spectra of HOO- and DOO- were used to measure the molecular electron affinities (EAs). In a separate experiment, a tandem flowing afterglow-selected ion flow tube (FA-SIFT) was used to measure the forward and reverse rate constants for HOO- + HCdropCH reversible arrow HOOH + HCdropC(-) at 298 K, which gave a value for Delta(acid)H(298)(HOO-H). The experiments yield the following values: EA(HOO) = 1.078 +/- 0.006 eV; T-0((X) over tilde HOO - (A) over tilde HOO) = 0.872 +/- 0.007 eV; EA(DOO) = 1.077 +/- 0.005 eV; T-0((X) over tilde DOO - (A) over tilde DOO) = 0.874 +/- 0.007 eV; Delta(acid)G(298)(HOO-H) = 369.5 +/- 0.4 kcal mol(-1); and Delta(acid)H(298)(HOO-H) = 376.5 +/- 0.4 kcal mol(-1). The acidity/EA thermochemical cycle yields values for the bond enthalpies of DH298(HOO-H) = 87.8 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1) and Do(HOO-H) = 86.6 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1). We recommend the following values for the heats of formation of the hydroperoxyl radical: Delta(f)H(298)(HOO) = 3.2 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1) and Delta(f)H(0)(HOO) = 3.9 +/- 0.5 kcal mol(-1); we recommend that these values supersede those listed in the current NIST-JANAF thermochemical tables.

Trait and behavioural motor control is associated with resistance to overconsumption

While overall obesity rates are rising, a minority of individuals appear to resist overconsumption and remain lean in spite of an ‘obesogenic’ environment. Studying the factors hypothesised to underpin behaviours associated with resistance to overconsumption may inform weight management strategies in an adverse environment. Trait (BIS-11) and behavioural (response inhibition, GoStop) self control were assessed in the laboratory. Snack food consumption was measured covertly via a sham taste test. Lack of motor control was positively correlated (r = .32, p <. 05) and successful response inhibition was negatively correlated (r = −.35, p <. 05) with snack food intake. Low motor control was also associated with further food intake when satiated (r = .39, p < .01). These relationships were independent of self-reported palatability and perceived reward value of the food. Motor control may be an important factor implicated in ‘mindless’ eating in an environment abundant in palatable, energy-dense snack foods.

Using value-based partnerships to support community engaged learning : benefits, challenges, stakeholder perspectives

Increasingly, the not-for-profit sector, as an emerging contributor to the creative economy, is creating a context for engaging creative practitioners in developing solutions to complex problems, triggering a demand for skills and knowledge needed to address this complexity. Across the university and community contexts alternative models of engagement are emerging to support this dynamic. This paper presents a case study of a creative project in which a value-based approach is used to foster a collaborative partnership between community partners and a multidisciplinary team of final year Creative Industries students who in the course of the project developed a range of communication resources, including a social media campaign, an interactive game and a series of short films to support volunteer engagement and leadership initiatives. The paper considers the implications this values approach has for the design of service learning curriculum for multidisciplinary creative teams and the potential it has to support meaningful collaboration between creatives and the not-for-profit sector. It further explores how it impact on student and partner engagement, learning outcomes and the benefits for the partner organisation. The paper concludes that a value-based approach to university-community engagement has the potential to support and enable a greater degree of reciprocity, deeper engagement between stakeholders and greater relevance of the final outcome.

Sex differences in the perceived value of outreach and museums/science centres in students' decisions to enrol in university science, technology and engineering courses

This paper reports a number of findings from the Interests and Recruitment in Science (IRIS) study carried out in Australia in 2011. The findings concern the perceptions of first year university students in science, technology and engineering courses about the influence of museums/science centres and outreach activities on their choice of course. The study found that STE students in general tended to rate museums/science centres as more important in their decisions than outreach activities. However, a closer examination showed that females in engineering courses were significantly more inclined to rate outreach activities as important than were males in engineering courses or females in other courses. The implications of this finding for strategies to encourage more young women into engineering are discussed.

Partitioning of dioxins (PCDDs/Fs) in ambient air at urban residential locations

In this work, 17-polychlorinated dibenzo-pdioxin/furan (PCDD/Fs) isomers were measured in ambient air at four urban sites in Seoul, Korea (from February to June 2009). The concentrations of their summed values RPCDD/Fs) across all four sites ranged from 1,947 (271 WHO05 TEQ) (Jong Ro) to 2,600 (349 WHO05 TEQ) fg/m3 (Yang Jae) with a mean of 2,125 ± 317) fg/m3 (292 WHO05 TEQ fg/m3). The sum values for the two isomer groups of RPCDD and RPCDF were 527 (30 WHO05 TEQ) and 1,598 (263 WHO05 TEQ) fg/m3, respectively. The concentration profile of individual species was dominated by the 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF isomer, which contributed approximately 36 % of the RPCDD/Fs value. The observed temporal trends in PCDD/F concentrations were characterized by relative enhancement in the winter and spring. The relative contribution of different sources, when assessed by principal component analysis, is explained by the dominance of vehicular emissions along with coal (or gas) burning as the key source of ambient PCDD/Fs in the residential areas studied.

Federal Court Rules 027 r 11 - Subpoena to give evidence

In Australian Prudential Regulation Authority v Rural and General Insurance Let [2004] FCA 933, Gyles J considered what he described as "a novel question", namely, whether taking steps to prepare to give oral evidence when subpoenaed to attend for that purpose, including the obtaining of legal advice and assistance, could be recovered by the witness under O 27 r 11 of the Federal Court Rules