Is Toxoplasma gondii a threat to the conservation of free-ranging Australian marsupial populations?

It has often been asserted that Australian marsupial species are particularly susceptible to Toxoplasma gondii infection and to clinical toxoplasmosis following infection. This implicates T. gondii as a potential threat to marsupial population viability, and contrasts to what is known of T. gondii in populations of several other host species. We reviewed the literature, and found a lack of scientifically robust evidence addressing the occurrence of T. gondii infection in free-ranging populations of Australian marsupial species, and the impacts of the infection on population health. Key limitations included a lack of studies in free-ranging marsupial populations, study findings susceptible to substantial chance influences, and selection, misclassification and confounding biases. The lack of scientifically robust data available on this topic indicates that assertions that free-ranging populations of Australian marsupials are particularly susceptible to T. gondii infection and to toxoplasmosis are premature. The threat of T. gondii to the viability of free-ranging marsupial populations should therefore be regarded, at this stage, as a hypothesis

Eimeria spp. infecting quenda (Isoodon obesulus) in the greater Perth region, Western Australia

Parasites of wildlife inhabiting urbanised and peri-urban environments are of interest regarding wildlife population health, and also veterinary public health in the case of parasites that can also infect humans and domestic animals. This study aimed to: identify, and estimate the prevalence of, species of Eimeria parasitic in quenda (Isoodon obesulus) in the greater Perth region, Western Australia; 2) morphologically describe and genetically characterise a novel observed species of Eimeria as E. angustus; and 3) genetically characterise E. kanyana. Eimeria spp. prevalence was 76.1% (95% CI 64.9–84.5%), and four putative species of Eimeria were identified. Eimeria kanyana was identified infecting quenda for the first time, with a prevalence of 54.9% (43.4–66.0%). Eimeria quenda was less prevalent, at 7.0% (3.1–15.5%). The novel species E. angustus was present in 45.1% of sampled quenda (34.0–56.6%). A second novel morphotype of Eimeria was present in 2.8% of sampled quenda (0.9–9.7%). Mixed Eimeria spp. infections were present in 21/71 quenda (29.6%, 95% CI 20.2–41.1%). Molecular phylogenetic analyses of E. kanyana and E. angustus were conducted at the 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase loci. At both loci, two isolates identified as E. kanyana grouped in a phylogenetic clade with E. trichosuri. Five isolates identified as the novel E. angustus were most closely related to E. tropidura at the 18S locus. At the COI locus, no sequence data were available for E. tropidura; isolates of E. angustus grouped with E. sciurorum

A novel collaboratively designed robot to assist carers

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014. This paper presents a co-design process and an assisted navigation strategy that enables a novel assistive robot, Smart Hoist, to aid carers transferring non-ambulatory residents. Smart Hoist was codesigned with residents and carers at IRT Woonona residential care facility to ensure that the device can coexist in the facility, while providing assistance to carers with the primary aim of reducing lower back injuries, and improving the safety of carers and patients during transfers.The Smart Hoist is equipped with simple interfaces to capture user intention in order to provide assisted manoeuvring. Using the RGB-D sensor attached to the device, we propose a method of generating a repulsive force that can be combined with the motion controller’s output to allow for intuitive manoeuvring of the Smart Hoist, while negotiating with the environment.Extensive user trials were conducted on the premises of IRTWoonona residential care facility and feedback from end users confirm its intended purpose of intuitive behaviour, improved performance and ease of use

Water quality and seagrass biomass, productivity and epiphyte load in Princess Royal Harbour, Oyster Harbour and King George Sound

Water and plant samples were collected from Princess Royal Harbour, Oyster Harbour and King George Sound between December 1987 and February 1989. Mean nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations in the waters of Oyster Harbour were higher than either Princess Royal Harbour or King George Sound. In contrast, water clarity was lower. The water quality of Princess Royal Harbour in 1988/89 had improved significantly since the survey conducted in 1978n9, and was similar to the water quality in King George Sound. A high proportion of phosphorus entering Oyster Harbour is in a dissolved inorganic form. During floods a buoyant, nutrient-rich layer of freshwater flows over the top of the denser marine water of Oyster Harbour and out into King George Sound. Seagrass leaf biomass reached a seasonal maximum in spring/summer at all sites. Seagrass biomass and shoot density was lower in the two harbours than in King George Sound. Stands of P. sinuosa in Princess Royal Harbour were particularly sparse. Nutrient concentrations in seagrasses, epiphytes and periphyton indicated that Oyster Harbour was more nutrient enriched than Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound. Light was found to be the dominant factor affecting seagrass leaf growth in all three waterbodies. Maximum leaf production rates per shoot were highest in spring, but maximum rates per unit area of meadow occurred in summer. Production rates were less consistent in the harbours than in King George Sound indicating a reduced capacity to lay down below-ground storage reserves, creating an increased vulnerability to unfavourable conditions such as prolonged periods of low light levels. Macroalgal smothering appears to be the major cause of seagrass decline in Princess Royal Harbour. In contrast, epiphytes are implicated as the main cause of seagrass decline in Oyster Harbour, apart from the south-east comer of the harbour where dense accumulations of macroalgae occur. This difference may be due to the better water clarity in Princess Royal Harbour favouring the proliferation of macroalgae, while the higher nutrient loading and relatively poor light conditions in Oyster Harbour may favour the growth of epiphytes

Distribution and biomass of seagrasses and algae, and nutrient pools in water, sediments and plants in Princess RoyalHarbour and Oyster Harbour

Sediment nutrient concentrations were generally highest in the deepest regions of both harbours due to sediment focusing. The sediments in the two harbours were the largest nutrient pool. Macroalgae were the largest plant nutrient pool, accounting for over 80% of plant biomass in Princess Royal Harbour and over 50% in Oyster Harbour. Macroalgae contained about 90% of the nitrogen and 70% of the phosphorus pool associated with aquatic plants in Princess Royal Harbour, and about 60% of nitrogen and 34% of the aquatic plant phosphorus pool in Oyster Harbour. The high mean areal macroalgal biomass (406 g m•2) in Princess Royal Harbour was indicative of a highly eutrophic system. This was also supported by the characteristics of biomass, cover and carbonate content of algal epiphytes on seagrasses. The results of this study indicated that Princess Royal Harbour was more eutrophic than Oyster Harbour. Dense macroalgal beds were found in the south-eastern comer of both harbours. Prevailing wind directions are such that these areas are the most sheltered and therefore are suitable for macroalgal growth and accumulation. Circulation patterns are also compatible with the accumulation of drift algae in this area of the harbours (Mills, 1987). The rate of loss of seagrass area in the two harbours since 1984 was lower than that estimated between 1981 and 1984 by Bastyan (1986). Considerable losses of biomass are, however, continuing to occur, particularly in Princess Royal Harbour where 60% of above-ground seagrass biomass present in 1984 was lost by 1988. At present, major losses are occurring in the shallow dense seagrass beds, presumably due to macroalgal smothering. Present epiphyte loads were not considered to be high enough to cause significant losses of seagrass. An increase in light supply is probably responsible for the seagrass regeneration recorded in some deeper areas of Oyster Harbour. This trend is expected to reverse if water quality deteriorates again. Macroalgal biomass in both harbours must be reduced to halt the loss of seagrass beds in shallow waters. The role of algal epiphytes in the decline of seagrass in both harbours may be more significant than implied from the results of this study due to the large interannual variation in nutrient loading to the harbours

Measuring and enhancing the ionic conductivity of chloroaluminate electrolytes for Al-ion batteries

At the core of the aluminum (Al) ion battery is the liquid electrolyte, which governs the underlying chemistry. Optimizing the rheological properties of the electrolyte is critical to advance the state of the art. In the present work, the chloroaluminate electrolyte is made by reacting AlCl3 with a recently reported acetamidinium chloride (Acet-Cl) salt in an effort to make a more performant liquid electrolyte. Using AlCl3:Acet-Cl as a model electrolyte, we build on our previous work, which established a new method for extracting the ionic conductivity from fitting voltammetric data, and in this contribution, we validate the method across a range of measurement parameters in addition to highlighting the model electrolytes’ conductivity relative to current chloroaluminate liquids. Specifically, our method allows the extraction of both the ionic conductivity and voltammetric data from a single, simple, and routine measurement. To bring these results in the context of current methods, we compare our results to two independent standard conductivity measurement techniques. Several different measurement parameters (potential scan rate, potential excursion, temperature, and composition) are examined. We find that our novel method can resolve similar trends in conductivity to conventional methods, but typically, the values are a factor of two higher. The values from our method, on the other hand, agree closely with literature values reported elsewhere. Importantly, having now established the approach for our new method, we discuss the conductivity of AlCl3:Acet-Cl-based formulations. These electrolytes provide a significant improvement (5–10× higher) over electrolytes made from similar Lewis base salts (e.g., urea or acetamide). The Lewis base salt precursors have a low economic cost compared to state-of-the-art imidazolium-based salts and are non-toxic, which is advantageous for scale-up. Overall, this is a noteworthy step at designing cost-effective and performant liquid electrolytes for Al-ion battery applications

Political networking strategy and firm performance: a moderated mediation model

Purpose By incorporating the resource-based view with the dynamic capability view, this study aims to examine the link between corporate political networking strategy and firm performance in transition economies by focusing on the mediating role of corporate entrepreneurship and the moderating role of dysfunctional competition. Design/methodology/approach A large-scale questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,300 senior managers from 650 enterprises in China, and valid survey data were obtained from 401 enterprises. Findings Empirical results demonstrate that political networking strategy is positively related to firm performance and that this relationship is fully mediated by corporate entrepreneurship. Moderated path analysis indicates that dysfunctional competition strengthens the direct effect of political networking strategy on corporate entrepreneurship and its indirect effect on firm performance via corporate entrepreneurship. Originality/value This research is among the first to examine the mediating mechanism underlying the relationship between political networking strategy and firm performance in the context of transition economies. In addition, existing research has seldom discussed the effects on corporate entrepreneurship of external resource acquisition from government sources. This research fills this important gap and identifies the condition under which political networking benefits corporate entrepreneurship