Investigation of Genetic Structure between Deep and Shallow Populations of the Southern Rock Lobster, Jasus edwardsii in Tasmania, Australia

The southern rock lobster, Jasus edwardsii, shows clear phenotypic differences between shallow water (red coloured) and deeper water (pale coloured) individuals. Translocations of individuals from deeper water to shallower waters are currently being trialled as a management strategy to facilitate a phenotypic change from lower value pale colouration, common in deeper waters, to the higher value red colouration found in shallow waters. Although panmixia across the J. edwardsii range has been long assumed, it is critical to assess the genetic variability of the species to ensure that the level of population connectivity is appropriately understood and translocations do not have unintended consequences. Eight microsatellite loci were used to investigate genetic differentiation between six sites (three shallow, three deep) across southern Tasmania, Australia, and one from New Zealand. Based on analyses the assumption of panmixia was rejected, revealing small levels of genetic differentiation across southern Tasmania, significant levels of differentiation between Tasmania and New Zealand, and high levels of asymmetric gene flow in an easterly direction from Tasmania into New Zealand. These results suggest that translocation among Tasmanian populations are not likely to be problematic, however, a re-consideration of panmictic stock structure for this species is necessary

The discrimination of geoforensic trace material from close proximity locations by organic profiling using HPLC and plant wax marker analysis by GC

There is a need to develop a wider empirical research base to expand the scope for utilising the organic fraction of soil in forensic geoscience, and to demonstrate the capability of the analytical techniques used in forensic geoscience to discriminate samples at close proximity locations. The determination of wax markers from soil samples by GC analysis has been used extensively in court and is known to be effective in discriminating samples from different land use types. A new HPLC method for the analysis of the organic fraction of forensic sediment samples has also been shown recently to add value in conjunction with existing inorganic techniques for the discrimination of samples derived from close proximity locations. This study compares the ability of these two organic techniques to discriminate samples derived from close proximity locations and finds the GC technique to provide good discrimination at this scale, providing quantification of known compounds, whilst the HPLC technique offered a shorter and simpler sample preparation method and provided very good discrimination between groups of samples of different provenance in most cases. The use of both data sets together gave further improved accuracy rates in some cases, suggesting that a combined organic approach can provide added benefits in certain case scenarios and crime reconstruction contexts

Freshwater diatom persistence on clothing II: Further analysis of species assemblage dynamics over investigative timescales

Diatoms are a useful form of environmental trace evidence, yielding a circumstantial link between persons and scenes of forensic interest. A developing empirical research base has sought to understand those factors affecting the transfer and persistence of freshwater diatoms on clothing and footwear surfaces. Although an initial study has demonstrated that diatoms can persist on clothing following weeks of wear, no previous research has explored the temporal dynamics of a persistent species assemblage over timescales pertinent to forensic investigations. This study therefore aimed to determine if: (1) valve morphology (size and shape) influences diatom persistence, (2) the relative abundance of taxa within an assemblage affects retention, and (3) a persistent diatom assemblage retrieved from clothing after one month can reliably be compared to the site of initial transfer. To build on previous research findings which highlighted the impact of substrate and environmental seasonality on diatom transfer and persistence, here, nine clothing materials were tested in spring before a seasonal comparison in the winter. Fabric swatches were immersed in a freshwater river, worn attached to clothing, and subsamples retrieved at regular intervals (hours, days, weeks) up to one month post-immersion. Diatoms were extracted using a H2O2 technique and analysed via microscopy. The results indicated that smaller diatoms (< 10 µm) are retained in significantly greater abundance, with no statistically significant difference between centric and pennate diatom loss over time. Although a persistent species assemblage was relatively stable over the one month of wear, significant differences were identified between clothing substrate in the spring and between the seasonal samples. The most abundant environmental taxa were consistently identified in the forensic samples, with greater variability attributed to the retention of relatively less common species. The findings suggest that, despite a loss in the abundance and species-richness of diatoms retrieved from clothing over time, a persistent assemblage may provide a useful circumstantial link to the site of initial transfer. The complex relationships between clothing type, environmental seasonality, and time since wear on retention, emphasise the need for diatom trace evidence to be carefully interpreted within an exclusionary framework, and the significance of any casework findings to be determined with reference to empirical evidence bases

Freshwater diatom persistence on clothing I: A quantitative assessment of trace evidence dynamics over time

Freshwater diatoms offer valuable circumstantial forensic indicators, with a growing empirical research base aiming to identify and understand some of the spatial and temporal factors affecting their validity as trace evidence. Previous studies demonstrated that recipient surface characteristics, environmental variability, and individual species traits influence the initial transfer of freshwater diatoms to clothing. However, no previous research has sought to consider the impact of these and other variables on the persistence of transferred diatoms over investigative timescales. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and explore diatom retention dynamics on clothing following wear over time (hours to weeks). A series of experiments were designed to examine the impact of clothing material, seasonality, and time since wear (persistence interval) on the total number and species-richness of diatoms recovered and their relative retention (%) over time. Nine clothing swatches were immersed in a freshwater environment and then worn for one month in the spring. Subsamples were retrieved at regular intervals (e.g. 30 mins, 1 h, 8 h, 24 h) up to one month, diatoms were extracted using a H2O2 method, and examined microscopically. Three clothing materials were subject to the same experiment in the winter to generate a seasonal comparison. The results broadly identified three stages of diatom persistence on clothing - rapid initial loss, variable intermediate decay, and sustained long-term presence. Clothing material significantly impacted the number of diatoms recovered and retention dynamics over time, with complex interactions identified with seasonality. Although fewer diatoms were recovered in the winter, overall retention trends were consistent at the different times of year. The findings demonstrate that diatoms can be recovered from clothing, even weeks or months after an initial transfer, yielding a useful environmental trace indicator for forensic reconstructions over investigative timescales. The impact of clothing material and seasonality on persistence identified cotton, acrylic, and viscose clothing as the most reliable temporal repository of diatom trace evidence, with a more abundant forensic assemblage available for forensic comparisons in the spring

Explicit approximate controllability of the Schr\"odinger equation with a polarizability term

We consider a controlled Schr\"odinger equation with a dipolar and a polarizability term, used when the dipolar approximation is not valid. The control is the amplitude of the external electric field, it acts non linearly on the state. We extend in this infinite dimensional framework previous techniques used by Coron, Grigoriu, Lefter and Turinici for stabilization in finite dimension. We consider a highly oscillating control and prove the semi-global weak $H^2$ stabilization of the averaged system using a Lyapunov function introduced by Nersesyan. Then it is proved that the solutions of the Schr\"odinger equation and of the averaged equation stay close on every finite time horizon provided that the control is oscillating enough. Combining these two results, we get approximate controllability to the ground state for the polarizability system

Recovery after single-breath halothane induction of anaesthesia in daycase patients

A single-breath technique of inhalational induction of anaesthesia allows intravenous induction agents to be avoided. We have investigated recovery from anaesthesia in 40 daycase patients, using tests of psychomotor function. Patients anaesthetised with inhalational induction awaken earlier than those who receive thiopentone, but not significantly earlier. There were no significant differences in postoperative psychomotor function between patients who received thiopentone and those who had inhalational inductions. Single-breath halothane, nitrous-oxide, oxygen induction is an alternative to intravenous induction in cooperative adults, but does not confer significant benefits in terms of recovery.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75757/1/j.1365-2044.1988.tb06685.x.pd

Role of deep learning methods in screening for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator in heart failure.

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A framework for optimization of diffusion-weighted MRI protocols for large field-of-view abdominal-pelvic imaging in multicenter studies.

PURPOSE: To develop methods for optimization of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) in the abdomen and pelvis on 1.5 T MR scanners from three manufacturers and assess repeatability of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) estimates in a temperature-controlled phantom and abdominal and pelvic organs in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Geometric distortion, ghosting, fat suppression, and repeatability and homogeneity of ADC estimates were assessed using phantoms and volunteers. Healthy volunteers (ten per scanner) were each scanned twice on the same scanner. One volunteer traveled to all three institutions in order to provide images for qualitative comparison. The common volunteer was excluded from quantitative analysis of the data from scanners 2 and 3 in order to ensure statistical independence, giving n = 10 on scanner 1 and n = 9 on scanners 2 and 3 for quantitative analysis. Repeatability and interscanner variation of ADC estimates in kidneys, liver, spleen, and uterus were assessed using within-patient coefficient of variation (wCV) and Kruskal-Wallis tests, respectively. RESULTS: The coefficient of variation of ADC estimates in the temperature-controlled phantom was 1%-4% for all scanners. Images of healthy volunteers from all scanners showed homogeneous fat suppression and no marked ghosting or geometric distortion. The wCV of ADC estimates was 2%-4% for kidneys, 3%-7% for liver, 6%-9% for spleen, and 7%-10% for uterus. ADC estimates in kidneys, spleen, and uterus showed no significant difference between scanners but a significant difference was observed in liver (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: DW-MRI protocols can be optimized using simple phantom measurements to produce good quality images in the abdomen and pelvis at 1.5 T with repeatable quantitative measurements in a multicenter study