Aspects of the ecology of swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) on a Bass Strait island

The swamp antechinus (Antechinus minimus maritimus) is a small insectivorous marsupial inhabiting closed heath and tussock grassland in south-eastern Australia. The species is considered 'Near Threatened' on the
Australian mainland. Populations persist on coastal islands off Wilsons Promontory, but their current status is unknown. This study investigated the density, diet and reproduction of the swamp antechinus on Kanowna Island.
Data were collected by live trapping in different vegetation types during four trips between August 2003 and January 2004. Higher animal densities (47-129 ha^-1) were found for Kanowna Island than for previously studied mainland populations (1-18 ha^-1). Examination ofscats showed that this species eats a wide variety ofprey types, with moth larvae a major dietary component, particularly during the breeding season. Births were estimated to have occurred between 28 June and 8 August, which is a longer period than reported for other populations of this species. Factors including reduced predation, restricted dispersal and increased food availability may be responsible for supporting this dense population.

Some aspects of numerical simulation for lamb wave propogation in composite laminates

Some aspects of numerical simulation of Lamb wave propagation in composite laminates using the finite element models with explicit dynamic analysis are addressed in this study. To correctly and efficiently describe the guided-wave excited/received by piezoelectric actuators/sensors, effective models of surface-bounded flat PZT disks based on effective force, moment and displacement are developed. Different finite element models for Lamb wave excitation, collection and propagation in isotropic plate and quasi-isotropic laminated composite are evaluated using continuum elements (3-D solid element) and structural elements (3-D shell element), to elaborate the validity and versatility of the proposed actuator/sensor models.

Aspects of comparative active citizenship

This paper reports results from surveys of community organisation members, workers and volunteers designed to measure aspects of active citizenship in four locations: Ballarat (Australia); Norwich and Downham Market (England), and Mitischi (Russia). These data are drawn from an ongoing comparative study that will include six countries in the final analysis. The aggregated data considered here lend support to propositions that tolerance is positively associated with both civic participation and trust but do not show evidence for association between civic participation and trust. However, the existence of considerable locality level variation underlines the importance of taking context into account when assessing the role and nature of civic participation. Across the four locations, two broad patterns of (relative) active citizenship are described by means of a typology of active citizens. Predictors of tolerance and civic participation are identified through standard multiple regressions. It is concluded that future research needs to uncover the explanatory factors that lie behind these representations and which could further specify not just the similarities but also the differences between the locations.

Nutritional aspects of food extrusion: a review

Extrusion cooking, as a multi-step, multi-functional and thermal/mechanical process, has permitted a large number of food applications. Effects of extrusion cooking on nutritional quality are ambiguous. Beneficial effects include destruction of antinutritional factors, gelatinisation of starch, increased soluble dietary fibre and reduction of lipid oxidation. On the other hand, Maillard reactions between protein and sugars reduce the nutritional value of the protein, depending on the raw material types, their composition and process conditions. Heat-labile vitamins may be lost to varying extents. Changes in proteins and amino acid profile, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins, mineral content and some non-nutrient healthful components of food may be either beneficial or deleterious. The present paper reviews the mechanisms underlying these changes, as well as the influence of process variables and feed characteristics. Mild extrusion conditions (high moisture content, low residence time, low temperature) improve the nutritional quality, while high extrusion temperatures (200 °C), low moisture contents (<15%) and/or improper formulation (e.g. presence of high-reactive sugars) can impair nutritional quality adversely. To obtain a nutritionally balanced extruded product, careful control of process parameters is essential.

Designing the temporal aspects of the user interface: Views from the coal face

We aim to support user interface designers in capturing, representing and reasoning about temporal information. We have developed a method to support user interface designers in considering how the temporal aspects of software impact the user. Importantly the method is based on a detailed analysis of data from a set of situated interviews that capture the views of practicing user interface designers. This paper discusses the background research and the motivation for the method.