Methyl Jasmonate Regulates Podophyllotoxin Accumulation in Podophyllum hexandrum by Altering the ROS-Responsive Podophyllotoxin Pathway Gene Expression Additionally through the Down Regulation of Few Interfering miRNAs

Podophylloxin (ptox), primarily obtained from Podophyllum hexandrum, is the precursor for semi-synthetic anticancer drugs viz. etoposide, etopophos, and teniposide. Previous studies established that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treated cell culture of P. hexandrum accumulate ptox significantly. However, the molecular mechanism of MeJA induced ptox accumulation is yet to be explored. Here, we demonstrate that MeJA induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which stimulates ptox accumulation significantly and up regulates three ROS-responsive ptox biosynthetic genes, namely, PhCAD3, PhCAD4 (cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase), and NAC3 by increasing their mRNA stability. Classic uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, as well as H2O2 treatment induced the ROS generation and consequently, enhanced the ptox production. However, when the ROS was inhibited with NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenylene iodonium and Superoxide dismutase inhibitor diethyldithio-carbamic acid, the ROS inhibiting agent, the ptox production was decreased significantly. We also noted that, MeJA up regulated other ptox biosynthetic pathway genes which are not affected by the MeJA induced ROS. Further, these ROS non-responsive genes were controlled by MeJA through the down regulation of five secondary metabolites biosynthesis specific miRNAs viz. miR172i, miR035, miR1438, miR2275, and miR8291. Finally, this study suggested two possible mechanisms through which MeJA modulates the ptox biosynthesis: primarily by increasing the mRNA stability of ROS-responsive genes and secondly, by the up regulation of ROS non-responsive genes through the down regulation of some ROS non-responsive miRNA

Vulnerability of the livestock industry in eastern Australia

Sustaining industries dependent on climate-sensitive natural resources will require strategy given likely future scenarios under climate change. Tools and frameworks to evaluate the vulnerability of agriculture will be key if a plan to minimise vulnerability and maximise resilience is to be created. We use a framework based on a modification of the well-established IPCC vulnerability model (Marshall and Smajgl 2013) to assess the vulnerability of the livestock industry in Eastern Australia to climate change. Using existing data-sets, we show how the framework can be used to holistically quantify and qualify the current and future exposure of the industry to climate-related events, the biophysical and social sensitivity and impacts likely to be experienced, and the current level of adaptive capacity within the context of the livestock industry in eastern Australia. Results suggest that whilst the industry is likely to be sensitive to changes brought about by climate change, it is not necessarily vulnerable if livestock producers can moderate impacts by enhancing their adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacity is examined at the producer and industry level to understand the scope and potential for climate adaptation planning within the industry itself. We discuss six important challenges that the industry must face if it is to manage its vulnerability. Minimising vulnerability within the industry will require careful consideration of the likely ecological, biophysical and socio-economic impacts and an investment in adaptive capacity across scales

The relationship between mining and socio-economic well being in Australia's regions

This paper examines the relationship between quality of life indicators and the gross value of minerals production from Australian regions. We used quality of life indicators, aggregated for 71 local government areas containing mining activities, of household income, housing affordability, access to communication services, educational attainment, life expectancy, and unemployment. We find no evidence of systematic negative associations between quality of life and the gross value of minerals production. Instead, mining activity has a positive impact on incomes, housing affordability, communication access, education and employment across regional and remote Australia. Whilst we do not establish causality between mining activity and quality of life, our analysis prompts a rethink of the resource curse as it applies within a single country. We did not find evidence of a resource curse, at the local government level, in Australia's mining regions. Nevertheless, we note observations by many other researchers of negative social impacts on specific demographic sectors, localities, families of fly-in fly-out mining operations, and individuals. This contrast may be a scale issue, with the regional benefits of mineral wealth masking highly localised inequalities and disadvantage. We suggest that there is a need to better understand these impacts and, more importantly, the types of policy mechanisms government and industry can adopt to mitigate or avoid them.Resource curse Regional development Sustainability Social equity

Sustainable land use scenario framework: Framework and outcomes from peri-urban South-East Queensland, Australia

Scenario planning is a common tool used for dealing with uncertainty in rapidly changing situations. The aim of this paper is to create a practical framework for developing sustainable land use scenarios that has direct policy relevance. The framework was created and tested in a peri-urban area, Rocky Point in South-East Queensland, Australia. The framework, which is driven by participatory processes and consists of an iterative combination of three steps: context assessment, decision structuring and decision analysis. The participatory process involved a range of actors engaged through steering committees, public meetings, focus groups, questionnaires and interviews. The outputs from these activities were four landscape scale scenarios which were sustainably assessed by an impact matrix and equity matrix (relating to a dendrogram of coalition). Critically, these outputs also identified the possible formation of three new social alliances amongst key local actors considered necessary for the manifestation of any of the future scenarios. Application of this framework demonstrated its usefulness to inform policy by outcomes already being included in current policy documents. Additionally, the framework will inform future scenario developers by including: (i) a flexible participatory process able to respond to local contextual needs; (ii) capability to identify ‘triggers for change’ by actors to delineate alternate scenarios; and (iii) development of ‘enabling policies’ as part of the participatory process, to move towards target scenarios

Regional planning in Queensland's rangelands: Challenges and prospects for biodiversity conservation

In Australia, the Commonwealth and State governments are increasingly devolving natural resource management (NRM) responsibilities to regional bodies. This move has led to the development of regional NRM plans. Native vegetation and biodiversity conservation, along with soil, pasture and water resources, are key components of the regional NRM plans in Queensland's extensive rangelands. This paper outlines and applies a set of criteria for evaluating the native vegetation and biodiversity content of accredited regional NRM plans for Queensland's rangelands. The evaluation showed considerable variation in the comprehensiveness of the information and knowledge base and management action targets among plans, including the poor articulation of impacts of excessive grazing pressure on biodiversity. The NRM plans lacked effective integration of natural resource, native vegetation and biodiversity conservation targets and actions. Several regions had too many biodiversity targets, many of which were poorly integrated. This is symptomatic of a limited understanding of rangelands as ecological systems and the lack of an integrated planning framework. We conclude regional NRM planning is not a 'silver bullet' for biodiversity conservation in the rangelands, but rather, it is the beginning of a long road to address complex, multi-scale problems at a regional level

Sea level rise, coastal development and planned retreat: analytical framework, governance principles and an Australian case study

Coastal development is spreading along the World's coasts. Sea levels are rising, so major future asset losses are expected. Planned retreat from the sea behind natural ecological defences is one adaptation option. To maintain it, land could be set aside for colonisation by coastal ecosystems, or buildings constructed on condition they are removed when sea level reaches a specified distance from the building.\ud \ud Similarities among coastal issues in high-income countries encouraged us to produce a generalisable analytical framework for exploring planned retreat. We applied it to South East Queensland, Australia, where the option of planned retreat is disappearing because (1) State Government promotes population increase; (2) the need to provide places for naturally protective coastal ecosystems to occupy does not seem urgent, so houses are built there; (3) liability laws favour development; (4) planning ignores cumulative impacts, the path dependent nature of development and irreversible social–ecological threshold changes; (5) political pressure to build defences grows as the value of built assets increases.\ud \ud To implement planned retreat, changes to coastal governance would be needed, for which we propose five guiding principles: (a) allocate authority and resources between levels of governance according to their effectiveness at each level; (b) strengthen development rules and incentives to relocate as an unwanted threshold is approached; (c) allow for uncertainties by enabling rules and incentives to be changed when circumstances change; (d) reassign public and private benefits, costs, risks, uncertainties and responsibilities from governments to beneficiaries of development; (e) institutionalise catastrophes as opportunities for change, not signals to rebuild.\ud \ud Following from this research, one of our next the priorities is the psychology of social change, uncertainty, rights, obligations, incentives and trust. The other is to extend and deepen understanding of the responses of developers, bankers, insurers, house buyers, sellers and owners to changes in development rules and incentives.\u

Insights From Health Care Professionals Regarding Palliative Care Options on South Dakota Reservations

Purpose: Palliative care options are limited for Native Americans (NA) in South Dakota (SD). This exploratory study offers the perspectives of Native and non-Native health care professionals regarding palliative care specific to NAs.Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted (N = 7) with participants representing NA (4) and non-Native (3) ethnicities. Non-Native participants were practicing health care professionals in palliative medicine, whereas the NA health care professionals had experience with palliative care. Findings: Concept analysis revealed two main themes and five subthemes: (a) barriers to palliative care, for example, insufficient funding, lack of infrastructure, and misconceptions; and (b) implementation strategies, for example, openness and listening and creating the right team. Discussion: Genuine interest and concern exists for the provision of palliative care to NA communities using collaborative and innovative approaches. Implications: To address the health disparities of the NA population specific to palliative care, public health policy reform and education for health professionals are necessary

Costs and coasts: an empirical assessment of physical and institutional climate adaptation pathways

The distribution of the potential benefits and costs of adapting to protect against storm surge inundation vary greatly both within and between coastal communities. This diversity is a result of physical factors, such as the risk of storm surge, sea level rise projections, and the topography of the landscape, as well as socioeconomic factors, such as the level of development and the capacity within the community to adapt. Because the costs and benefits of adapting to protect against inundation accrue differently across the community, different players stand to win or lose from different adaptations. Moreover, the scales at which adaptation decisions are made and funded can influence the types of adaptations being implemented. Beginning to build an understanding of these issues is vital to the design of equitable institutions to manage inundation risk by adaptation