SN 2011A: A low-luminosity interacting transient with a double plateau and strong sodium absorpton

We present optical photometry and spectroscopy of the optical transient SN 2011A. Our data span 140 days after discovery including BVRI u′g′r′i′z′ photometry and 11 epochs of optical spectroscopy. Originally classified as a type IIn supernova (SN IIn) due to the presence of narrow Hα emission, this object shows exceptional characteristics. First, the light curve shows a double plateau, a property only observed before in the impostor SN 1997bs. Second, SN 2011A has a very low luminosity (M_V=-15.72), placing it between normal luminous SNe IIn and SN impostors. Third, SN 2011A shows low velocity and high equivalent width absorption close to the sodium doublet, which increases with time and is most likely of circumstellar origin. This evolution is also accompanied by a change in line profile; when the absorption becomes stronger, a P Cygni profile appears. We discuss SN 2011A in the context of interacting SNe IIn and SN impostors, which appears to confirm the uniqueness of this transient. While we favor an impostor origin for SN 2011A, we highlight the difficulty in differentiating between terminal and non-terminal interacting transients.

Applying the expanding photosphere and standardized candle methods to Type II-Plateau supernovae at cosmologically significant redshifts . The distance to SN 2013eq

Based on optical imaging and spectroscopy of the Type II-Plateau SN 2013eq, we present a comparative study of commonly used distance determination methods based on Type II supernovae. The occurrence of SN 2013eq in the Hubble flow (z = 0.041 ± 0.001) prompted us to investigate the implications of the difference between "angular" and "luminosity" distances within the framework of the expanding photosphere method (EPM) that relies upon a relation between flux and angular size to yield a distance. Following a re-derivation of the basic equations of the EPM for SNe at non-negligible redshifts, we conclude that the EPM results in an angular distance. The observed flux should be converted into the SN rest frame and the angular size, θ, has to be corrected by a factor of (1 + z)2. Alternatively, the EPM angular distance can be converted to a luminosity distance by implementing a modification of the angular size. For SN 2013eq, we find EPM luminosity distances of DL = 151 ± 18 Mpc and DL = 164 ± 20 Mpc by making use of different sets of dilution factors taken from the literature. Application of the standardized candle method for Type II-P SNe results in an independent luminosity distance estimate (DL = 168 ± 16 Mpc) that is consistent with the EPM estimate. Spectra of SN 2013eq are available in the Weizmann Interactive Supernova data REPository (WISeREP): http://wiserep.weizmann.ac.il

Évolution naturelle des savanes mises en défens à Ibi-village, sur le plateau des Bateke, en République Démocratique du Congo

En République Démocratique du Congo (RDC), les savanes couvrent 76,8 millions d’hectares et constituent le second type d’écosystème après les forêts denses qui représentent 10% des forêts au niveau mondial. Ces formations herbeuses et arbustives offrent des potentialités importantes de séquestration du dioxyde de carbone pouvant contribuer par le fait même à la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique. C’est dans cette optique que se situe cette thèse intitulée « Évolution naturelle de savanes mises en défens à Ibi-village sur le plateau des Bateke en République Démocratique du Congo» dans le cadre du projet puits carbone d’IBI-Bateke. L’objectif général de notre recherche est d’étudier l’évolution naturelle en absence de feu de savanes situées dans des zones climatiques avec précipitations abondantes. Le plateau des Bateke nous a servi d’analyse de cas. Les inventaires floristiques et dendrométriques de la strate arbustive et arborescente de nos dispositifs hiérarchiques, ont permis de suivre ce processus naturel en tenant compte du gradient écologique dans les trois types de formations végétales (îlot forestier, la galerie forestière et la plantation d’Acacia auriculiformis). Nous avons mis en défens des savanes arbustives du plateau des Bateke pour étudier leur évolution naturelle vers une forêt, leur établissement, qualité, régénération forestière et en déterminer le taux de séquestration du carbone à l’aide des équations allométriques de Chave et al. (2005). Nous avons obtenu des valeurs moyennes de 107,477 t/ha de biomasse totale soit 51,05 Mg C/ha dans la galerie forestière, 103,772 t/ha de biomasse totale soit 49,29 Mg C/ha dans l’Îlot forestier, et 22,336 t/ha de biomasse totale soit 10,60 Mg C/ha dans la plantation. La mise en défens a stimulé l’installation des espèces forestières, et par le fait même accéléré la production de biomasse et donc la fixation de carbone. La comparaison de la richesse et la diversité spécifiques de l’Îlot et la galerie montre 22 familles botaniques inventoriées avec 55 espèces dans l’îlot forestier contre 27 familles dont 58 espèces dans la galerie. L’analyse canonique réalisée entre les variables de croissance et les variables environnementales révèle qu’il existe effectivement des relations fortes d’interdépendance entre les deux groupes de variables considérées. Cette méthodologie appropriée à la présente étude n’avait jamais été évoquée ni proposée par des études antérieures effectuées par d’autres chercheurs au plateau des Bateke. Mots Clés : Galerie forestière, Îlot forestier, mise en défens, plantation d’Acacia auriculiformis, reforestation, régénération naturelle, République Démocratique du Congo, savanes.

Analisi di una stazione permanente GNSS posta sul Plateau Antartico

Attraverso lo studio di serie temporali di coordinate è possibile studiare l'entità degli spostamenti, nel tempo, di punti materializzati sulla Terra. In particolare, si incentra l'attenzione sull'analisi della stazione permanente GNSS DCRU collocata presso la base italo-francese Concordia, così da valutare il campo di velocità di deflusso superficiale del ghiaccio in una porzione di plateau dell’Antartide orientale sede della perforazione profonda in ghiaccio del progetto European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) . Tale stazione è stata inserita in una rete di inquadramento dell'IGS e ha acquisito dati satellitari dal 2005 a oggi, raccolti giornalmente in file RINEX. Tramite l'utilizzo del software Bernese versione 5.2 è stato possibile ottenere dai file RINEX i file SINEX contenenti le soluzioni giornaliere, che costituiscono la serie temporale, e le relative varianze e covarianze. Avvalendosi del programma Tsview implementato per GGMatlab si sono poi valutate le componenti principali che caratterizzano una serie temporale, quali il trend, le componenti stagionali ed i rumori che giocano, talvolta, un ruolo importante nella valutazione dell'incertezza legata alle misure. Infine si è cercato di dare un'interpretazione fisica ai risultati che sono tutt'ora oggetto di studio. In questa tesi, quindi, si delinea un quadro generale delle procedure e delle problematiche da affrontare, sia per ottenere dall'acquisizione satellitare le soluzioni giornaliere costituenti la serie temporale, sia per analizzare la serie stessa.

Les plateaux de carrière : élaboration d'une grille afin d'identifier le plateau de carrière et établissement des liens avec la congruence des intérêts

Cette étude vise à établir des liens entre la situation de plafonnement de carrière et l'incongruence vocationnelle. De façon plus spécifique, il s'agit de vérifier, au moyen d'une étude, la relation entre la situation de plafonnement de carrière, largement étudiée jusqu'à présent par plusieurs auteurs et la congruence des intérêts. Ces auteurs s'interrogent sur la question des ressources humaines (tels par exemple Tremblay, Cardinal, Lamoureux, Hoyt, Charest) de laquelle, nous tenterons d'établir la congruence des intérêts professionnels en lien avec la typologie de Holland. Holland prévoit (6) six types: Réaliste (R), Investigateur (I), Artistique (A), Social (S), Entreprenant (E), et Conventionnel (C). Ces types peuvent être octroyés sur deux plans distinctifs. Il est en effet possible de définir le patron typologique sur les plans environnemental et individuel. C'est à partir de ces deux patrons typologiques, constitués de trois lettres, qu'on établira la correspondance entre les données provenant de l'individu et de l'environnement. C'est donc à partir de celles-ci que l'on peut calculer le niveau de congruence, en appliquant l'indice de lachan qui constitue une mesure de congruence. Deux instruments de mesure inclus dans une batterie d'inventaires seront donc proposés à soixante travailleurs de la Ville de Montréal. Il s'agit premièrement d'une grille d'évaluation élaborée à partir de critères spécifiques issus d'enquêtes différentes liées au plafonnement de carrière. L'instrument de mesure comporte sept échelles : le temps et l'âge, des informations relatives au travail, le positionnement par rapport aux collègues de travail, l'impact du changement sur l'individu, les rémunérations et • conditions salariales, la formation, les intérêts et loisirs reliées à la profession. Le plafonnement de carrière tel que nous le percevons, constitue un concept complexe nécessitant une vision systémique ; c'est-à-dire que le problème doit être considéré dans son ensemble, à savoir l'individu et son environnement. La deuxième étape consiste en la passation de l'inventaire des préférences professionnelles, abrégé (I.P.P.A.). Pour chacune des personnes évaluées, un patron typologique de l'environnement professionnel sera établi à partir du Codes Holland pour C. C. D. P. Les résultats obtenus par l'intermédiaire de l'I.P.P A. et transférés en types par l'intermédiaire du Guide : Codes Holland pour C.C.D.P., seront soumis à l'indice de lachan qui évalue la congruence entre deux séries de données. Le score du niveau de congruence sera par la suite confronté au score obtenu par l'intermédiaire de la grille/questionnaire par une simple corrélation. De cette façon, nous pourrons établir les liens et ainsi vérifier l'hypothèse de recherche. Cette recherche se propose donc d'identifier des plateaux de carrière à l'aide de la grille/questionnaire, pour ensuite vérifier s'il existe véritablement des liens entre la situation de plafonnement de carrière et la congruence d'intérêts. Cette démarche tend à confirmer l'hypothèse suivante : l'incongruence entre les intérêts individuels et ceux du milieu est responsable du plafonnement de carrière. En ce sens, elle entraîne entre autres une démotivation de l'individu à s'impliquer dans son travail, à mettre ses connaissances à jour. La présence du plafonnement de carrière peut décourager l'organisation et l'entourage immédiat de travail à justifier un accroissement des responsabilités ou toutes autres mobilités. Cette situation peut entraîner un malaise important tant chez l'employé que dans l'environnement de travail. La méthodologie proposée permet d'envisager la problématique sous différents angles, • étant donné que le plafonnement de carrière est à la fois la cause et l'effet d'un ensemble de facteurs difficilement mesurables.

Origin of an enigmatic regional Mio-Pliocene unconformity on the Demerara plateau

The Demerara plateau, located offshore French Guiana and Suriname, is part of a passive transform continental margin particularly prone to develop slope instabilities, probably in relation to the presence of a free distal border along its steep continental slope. Slope failure occurred at different periods (Cretaceous to Neogene) and shows an overall retrogressive evolution through time. Upslope these failure headscarp, an enigmatic regional MioPliocene unconformity has been discovered through the interpretation of new academic and industrial datasets. The aim of this work is to describe and understand the origin of this surface. Our analysis shows that this unconformity is made of a series of valleys that cross-cut sedimentary strata. Each one of these valleys has a short lateral extent and is closed along two perpendicular directions, which suggests that it could correspond to a highly meandering system, or to some sub-circular depressions. The infill of these features is equivalent to the regional stratigraphic strata found outside the structures, but in a subdued position. This seems to imply that the structures have originated by a local loss of sediments at their base or by sliding processes. Furthermore, these depressions intersect each other through time, while migrating progressively downslope. We discuss a series of hypotheses that try to explain the onset and evolution of these depressions forming the Mio-Pliocene unconformity (Canyons? Slope failures? Contourite moats? Hydrate pockmarks?). Having established that these structures are depressions formed by collapse, and have many similarities with structures recently described in the literature as pockmarks associated with gas hydrate dissolution, we favor this hypothesis. We propose that these hydrate pockmarks form with a mass failure that was triggered by fluid-overpressure development at the base of the hydrate stability zone.

The Araucaria dendrochronological network: growth patterns and climatic signals of paraná-pine on the Southern Brazilian plateau.

2016

Assessment of the storage and disposal of medicines in some homes in Jos north local government area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the way medicines are stored and disposed in some households in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 130 households in Jos was carried out using a questionnaire to ascertain practices associated with medicine storage and their disposal. Results: The results showed that 105 (80.8%) households had 635 medicines in their homes, 65.8% of which were unused medicines (3.2 unused medicines per household). Some households stored their medicines in bags/containers (76.2%) while others kept them in cup-boards/cabinets (21.96%), refrigerators (10.5%) or other places (3.3%). Methods for disposal of unused drugs varied among households with some disposing them in trash cans (70.5%) while other disposed them in toilets (19.0%) or burnt them (10.5%). Only 10.5% (n=11) of respondents knew how medicines were properly disposed. Conclusion: While most households store their medicines appropriately, majority of them adopt poor disposal methods for medicines they no longer need in their homes. Public health education on problem disposal of medicines is of the essence.

From the Humpata Plateau to Namibe Desert, SW Angola

After the Congress, a six-day field trip, will be held through three southwestern provinces of Angola (Huíla, Namibe and Cunene), every day starting and ending in the city of Lubango, for overnight stay in Lubango, with the purpose to observe some of the main sites of geological interest in this zone of Angola. The itinerary of this field trip presents the geologic history of Southwestern Angola and its evolution in the scope of the Congo Craton, through a trip that begins in the first excursion days by the oldest geologic formations and phenomena until the recent geologic formations and phenomena on the last excursion days. On the first and second excursion days, September 5th and September 6th, the field trip will go along the Kunene Anorthosite Complex of Angola (KAC), to observe some petrographic features of the KAC that are important to understand the emplacement of this huge igneous massif of the early Kibarean age. These days of the field trip allow the observation of Earthen Construction, because this region of Cunene is privileged to appreciate a kind of Eco-construction, made of raw earth and in wattle and daub, built with ancient techniques, which constitute a real GeoHeritage. On September 7th, in the morning, the destination will be Tundavala, to visit Tundavala Gap, a huge escarpment of more than 1,000 m high cutted in Neo-Archean and Paleo-Proterozoic igneous rocks, the Ruins of Tundavala (quartzite blocks with sedimentary structures) and Tundavala Waterfalls on a quartzitic scarp. After lunch, the field trip continues towards Humpata plateau to observe the panoramic view over Lubango city from the Statue of Cristo Rei, then the outcrops of dolomitic limestones with stromatolites and dolerites and finally the Leba passage, a huge escarpment and one of the most spectacular parts of the Serra da Chela, traversed by a mountain road built in the early 70s of the last century, that can be observed from the belvedere of the Serra da Chela. On September 8th, the destination is the carbonatite complexes of Tchivira and Bonga, belonging to the Mesozoic alkaline massifs of ultrabasic rocks, a rift valley system that occurs during the Early Cretaceous. In this forth excursion day, due to the huge dimensions of these two carbonatite structures it will be visited, only, the Complex of Bonga, namely the outcrops of the northern part of the structure and secondary deposits on the boundary on the southern part of the of the Complex. The last two excursion days, September 9th and September 10th, are to observe the Cretaceous Basin of Namibe. On September 9th, the northern part of Namibe Basin will be visited to observe the volcanic basic rocks of Namibe as well as the interesting paleontological site of Bentiaba. On September 10th, the destination is the southern and more recent part of Namibe Basin, where on the Namib Desert, the exotic plant Welwitschia mirabilis can be observed, as well as Arco, an oasis in the desert. This last excursion day, ends up at the dunes of Tombwa near the mouth of Curoca river and the beautiful bay of Tombwa, where can be observed heavy minerals in their beach sands.

Sustainability of Forage Systems in Small Holder Dairy Cattle in The Plateau in East Java

Abstract. This study aimed to describe the sustainability of forage system in the small holder dairy cattle  in the plateau in East Java, in particular related to the nutrient content. The method used was survey (interviews, questionnaires, field observations and sampling) at the cooperation unit, farmers, livestock and farming location in one of the areas of dairy cattle cooperation in the plateau (Cooperation of SAE Pujon-Malang). The data obtained were analyzed through descriptive and regression statistics. The results showed that forage system dominantly given during dry and rainy seasons are elephant grass and corn stalks. Linear regression equation for the nutrient content of elephant grass is TDN= 40.516 + 1.404 CP, while corn trees is TDN= 56.212 + 0.740 CP. The conclusion showed that the dependent variable is largely influenced by external factors (environment). Improved continuity of availability of forage can be done by increasing the feeding system in the region (plateau) as well as the support from outside the region. Key words: plateau, dairy cattle, forage  Abstrak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendiskripsikan keberlanjutan sistem pakan hijauan pada  peternakan sapi perah rakyat di wilayah dataran tinggi di Jawa Timur, khususnya tentang kandungan nutrisi. Metode yang digunakan adalah survei (wawancara, pengisian angket/kuesioner, observasi,  dan pengambilan sampel) di koperasi, petani ternak dan lokasi peternakan di salah satu wilayah koperasi persusuan di dataran tinggi (Koperasi SAE Pujon-Malang). Data yang didapat dianalisis dengan regresi dan statistik diskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pakan hijaun yang dominan di  musim kemarau dan hujan adalah rumput gajah dan tebon jagung. Persamaan regresi linier untuk kandungan nutrisi rumput gajah adalah TDN= 40,516  + 1,404 PK,  sedangkan tebon jagung adalah TDN= 56,212 + 0,740 PK. Kesimpulannya adalah variabel dependen sebagian besar dipengaruhi oleh faktor luar (lingkungan). Peningkatan kontinuitas ketersediaan pakan hijauan dapat dilakukan dengan peningkatan sistem pakan  di wilayah (dataran tinggi)  dan dukungan sistem pakan dari luar wilayah. Kata kunci: dataran tinggi, sapi perah, pakan hijauan

Osteogenic induction of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells in novel synthetic polymer-hydrogel matrices

The aim of this project was to investigate the in vitro osteogenic potential of human mesenchymal progenitor cells in novel matrix architectures built by means of a three-dimensional bioresorbable synthetic framework in combination with a hydrogel. Human mesenchymal progenitor cells (hMPCs) were isolated from a human bone marrow aspirate by gradient centrifugation. Before in vitro engineering of scaffold-hMPC constructs, the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potential was demonstrated by staining of neutral lipids and induction of bone-specific proteins, respectively. After expansion in monolayer cultures, the cells were enzymatically detached and then seeded in combination with a hydrogel into polycaprolactone (PCL) and polycaprolactone-hydroxyapatite (PCL-HA) frameworks. This scaffold design concept is characterized by novel matrix architecture, good mechanical properties, and slow degradation kinetics of the framework and a biomimetic milieu for cell delivery and proliferation. To induce osteogenic differentiation, the specimens were cultured in an osteogenic cell culture medium and were maintained in vitro for 6 weeks. Cellular distribution and viability within three-dimensional hMPC bone grafts were documented by scanning electron microscopy, cell metabolism assays, and confocal laser microscopy. Secretion of the osteogenic marker molecules type I procollagen and osteocalcin was analyzed by semiquantitative immunocytochemistry assays. Alkaline phosphatase activity was visualized by p-nitrophenyl phosphate substrate reaction. During osteogenic stimulation, hMPCs proliferated toward and onto the PCL and PCL-HA scaffold surfaces and metabolic activity increased, reaching a plateau by day 15. The temporal pattern of bone-related marker molecules produced by in vitro tissue-engineered scaffold-cell constructs revealed that hMPCs differentiated better within the biomimetic matrix architecture along the osteogenic lineage.

VO2max in overweight and obese adults

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether adiposity affects the attainment of VO2max. Methods: Sixty-seven male and 68 female overweight (body mass index (BMI) = 25-29.9 kg·m-2) and obese (BMI >= 30 kg·m-2) participants undertook a graded treadmill test to volitional exhaustion (phase 1) followed by a verification test (phase 2) to determine the proportion who could achieve a plateau in VO2 and other "maximal" markers (RER, lactate, HR, RPE). Results: At the end of phase 1, 46% of the participants reached a plateau in VO2, 83% increased HR to within 11 beats of age-predicted maximum, 89% reached an RER of >=1.15, 70% reached a blood lactate concentration of >=8 mmol·L-1, and 74% reached an RPE of >=18. No significant differences between genders and between BMI groups were found with the exception of blood lactate concentration (males = 84% vs females = 56%, P < 0.05). Neither gender nor fatness predicted the number of other markers attained, and attainment of other markers did not differentiate whether a VO2 plateau was achieved. The verification test (phase 2) revealed that an additional 52 individuals (39%) who did not exhibit a plateau in V·O2 in phase 1 had no further increase in VO2 in phase 2 despite an increase in workload. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the absence of a plateau in VO2 alone is not indicative of a failure to reach a true maximal VO2 and that individuals with excessive body fat are no less likely than "normal-weight" individuals to exhibit a plateau in VO2 provided that the protocol is appropriate and encouragement to exercise to maximal exertion is provided.

Community engagement and groundwater investigation in a rural/peri urban basaltic aquifier system, Tamborine Mountain, South East Queensland

The Tamborine Mt area is a popular residential and tourist area in the Gold Coast hinterland, SE Qld. The 15km2 area occurs on elevated remnant Tertiary Basalts of the Beechmont Group, which comprise a number of mappable flow units originally derived from the Tweed volcanic centre to the south. The older Albert Basalt (Tertiary), which underlies the Beechmont Basalt at the southern end of the investigation area, is thought to be derived from the Focal Peak volcanic centre to the south west. The Basalts contain a locally significant ‘un-declared’ groundwater resource, which is utilised by the Tamborine Mt community for: • domestic purposes to supplement rainwater tank supplies, • commercial scale horticulture and • commercial export off-Mountain for bottled water. There is no reticulated water supply, and all waste water is treated on-site through domestic scale WTPs. Rainforest and other riparian ecosystems that attract residents and tourist dollars to the area, are also reliant on the groundwater that discharges to springs and surface streams on and around the plateau. Issues regarding a lack of compiled groundwater information, groundwater contamination, and groundwater sustainability are being investigated by QUT, utilising funding provided by the Federal Government’s ‘Caring for our Country’ programme through SEQ Catchments Ltd. The objectives of the two year project, which started in April 2009, are to: • Characterise the nature and condition of groundwater / surface water systems in the Tamborine Mountain area in terms of the issues being raised; • Engage and build capacity within the community to source local knowledge, encourage participation, raise awareness and improve understanding of the impacts of land and water use; • Develop a stand-alone 3D Visualisation model for dissemination into the community and use as a communication tool.

Influence of historical landscapes, drainage evolution and ecological traits on patterns of genetic diversity in Southeast Asian freshwater snakehead fishes

Snakehead fishes in the family Channidae are obligate freshwater fishes represented by two extant genera, the African Parachannna and the Asian Channa. These species prefer still or slow flowing water bodies, where they are top predators that exercise high levels of parental care, have the ability to breathe air, can tolerate poor water quality, and interestingly, can aestivate or traverse terrestrial habitat in response to seasonal changes in freshwater habitat availability. These attributes suggest that snakehead fishes may possess high dispersal potential, irrespective of the terrestrial barriers that would otherwise constrain the distribution of most freshwater fishes. A number of biogeographical hypotheses have been developed to account for the modern distributions of snakehead fishes across two continents, including ancient vicariance during Gondwanan break-up, or recent colonisation tracking the formation of suitable climatic conditions. Taxonomic uncertainty also surrounds some members of the Channa genus, as geographical distributions for some taxa across southern and Southeast (SE) Asia are very large, and in one case is highly disjunct. The current study adopted a molecular genetics approach to gain an understanding of the evolution of this group of fishes, and in particular how the phylogeography of two Asian species may have been influenced by contemporary versus historical levels of dispersal and vicariance. First, a molecular phylogeny was constructed based on multiple DNA loci and calibrated with fossil evidence to provide a dated chronology of divergence events among extant species, and also within species with widespread geographical distributions. The data provide strong evidence that trans-continental distribution of the Channidae arose as a result of dispersal out of Asia and into Africa in the mid–Eocene. Among Asian Channa, deep divergence among lineages indicates that the Oligocene-Miocene boundary was a time of significant species radiation, potentially associated with historical changes in climate and drainage geomorphology. Mid-Miocene divergence among lineages suggests that a taxonomic revision is warranted for two taxa. Deep intra-specific divergence (~8Mya) was also detected between C. striata lineages that occur sympatrically in the Mekong River Basin. The study then examined the phylogeography and population structure of two major taxa, Channa striata (the chevron snakehead) and the C. micropeltes (the giant snakehead), across SE Asia. Species specific microsatellite loci were developed and used in addition to a mitochondrial DNA marker (Cyt b) to screen neutral genetic variation within and among wild populations. C. striata individuals were sampled across SE Asia (n=988), with the major focus being the Mekong Basin, which is the largest drainage basin in the region. The distributions of two divergent lineages were identified and admixture analysis showed that where they co-occur they are interbreeding, indicating that after long periods of evolution in isolation, divergence has not resulted in reproductive isolation. One lineage is predominantly confined to upland areas of northern Lao PDR to the north of the Khorat Plateau, while the other, which is more closely related to individuals from southern India, has a widespread distribution across mainland SE Asian and Sumatra. The phylogeographical pattern recovered is associated with past river networks, and high diversity and divergence among all populations sampled reveal that contemporary dispersal is very low for this taxon, even where populations occur in contiguous freshwater habitats. C. micropeltes (n=280) were also sampled from across the Mekong River Basin, focusing on the lower basin where it constitutes an important wild fishery resource. In comparison with C. striata, allelic diversity and genetic divergence among populations were extremely low, suggesting very recent colonisation of the greater Mekong region. Populations were significantly structured into at least three discrete populations in the lower Mekong. Results of this study have implications for establishing effective conservation plans for managing both species, that represent economically important wild fishery resources for the region. For C. micropeltes, it is likely that a single fisheries stock in the Tonle Sap Great Lake is being exploited by multiple fisheries operations, and future management initiatives for this species in this region will need to account for this. For C. striata, conservation of natural levels of genetic variation will require management initiatives designed to promote population persistence at very localised spatial scales, as the high level of population structuring uncovered for this species indicates that significant unique diversity is present at this fine spatial scale.

Who are the real “first offenders”?

Drink driving causes more fatal crashes than any other single factor on Australian roads, with a third of crashes having alcohol as a contributing factor. In recent years there has been a plateau in the numbers of drink drivers apprehended by RBT, and around 12% of the general population in self report surveys admit to drinking and driving. There is limited information about the first offender group, particularly the subgroup of these offenders who admit to prior drink driving, the offence therefore being the “first time caught”. This research focuses on the differences between those who report drink driving prior to apprehension for the offence and those who don’t. Methods: 201 first time drink driving offenders were interviewed at the time of their court appearance. Information was collected on socio-demographic variables, driving behaviour, method of apprehension, offence information, alcohol use and self reported previous drink driving. Results: 78% of respondents reported that they had driven over the legal alcohol limit in the 6 months prior to the offence. Analyses revealed that those offenders who had driven over the limit previously without being caught were more likely to be younger and have an issue with risky drinking. When all variables were taken into account in a multivariate model using logistic regression, only risky drinking emerged as significantly related to past drink driving. High risk drinkers were 4.8 times more likely to report having driven over the limit without being apprehended in the previous 6 months. Conclusion: The majority of first offenders are those who are “first time apprehended” rather than “first time drink drivers”. Having an understanding of the differences between these groups may alter the focus of educational or rehabilitation countermeasures. This research is part of a larger project aiming to target first time apprehended offenders for tailored intervention.