Small Island Taphonomy in Western Australia

Forensic death investigations rely on postmortem interval estimations to establish a timeline surrounding a decedent’s death. Several methods are used, often together, to make such estimations. One of the main methods is the evaluation of the stage of decomposition; although decomposition follows the same general steps, the length of the process can vary by location and environmental factors. Animal scavenging can also impact decomposition by consuming flesh and impacting insect activity on the remains. This study investigates the scavenging guilds and rate of decomposition of pig (Sus scrofa) legs on Rottnest Island, Australia. Three sites with unique environments were selected for the study: Bickley Point (marine), Forbes Hill (terrestrial), and Lake Baghdad (hypersaline). The legs were placed on the ground at each location and secured with ropes, although experimental setup varied by site as needed. Photographs and video imagery were used to monitor the legs. The imagery was processed, and information regarding the experimental day, date, scavenging species, time of event, and event duration was recorded for each scavenging event. The stage of decomposition was assessed daily. Temperature, light intensity, humidity, and depth data were collected by data loggers. The scavenging guilds observed at each site varied greatly, as expected. The primary marine scavengers were the Australian herring (Arripis georgianus), Banded Sweep (Scorpis georgiana), Brownspotted Wrasse (Notolabrus parilus), and Weeping Toadfish (Torquigener pleurogramma). The King’s skink (Egernia kingii) was the primary terrestrial scavenger. No scavenging on the hypersaline legs was observed. The rate of decomposition also varied by site. All marine legs were in the water for only one day, so decomposition stages could not be assessed. The terrestrial legs remained fresh for two days post-deployment before the active decay began, and the legs became desiccated. The hypersaline leg remained fresh for two days before the bloat stage began and persisted for the remainder of the experiment

Sea-level and ocean-currents

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Enhancing the Impact of Online Simulations through Blended Learning: a Critical Incident Approach

Version of record is available at the Emerald publishing platform: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ET-01-2013-0007 publicationstatus: publishedPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe an approach for utilising a critical incident method within the context of an online business simulation game in order to provide an effective framework for reflective learning. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a review of pertinent literature to place the critical incident technique within the novel context of simulation gaming. Through presenting a case study of practice, it goes on to describe a blended learning approach that combines online simulation with post-simulation reflection based on the critical incident method. An action research approach is adopted as a framework for reflection on practice. Findings – From a conceptual perspective, there are a number of potential benefits to employing a critical incident approach combined with simulation gaming. The ability of educators to compress time frames and manage the introduction of critical incidents allows students to learn in a way that would not be possible in the real world. Furthermore, carefully designed post-simulation debriefing, structured around a critical incident framework, has the potential to enhance the learning impact of online simulation. Research limitations/implications – The research is limited in that a single case study context is described. Further evaluation research is required to fully assess the benefits of the approach adopted. Originality/value – The study explores the use of the critical incident approach within the novel context of online simulation gaming. It provides educators with a blended learning method that can be employed to enhance the impact of e-learning through structured reflection

Assessment of a method to detect signals for updating systematic reviews.

BackgroundSystematic reviews are a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine but are useful only if up-to-date. Methods for detecting signals of when a systematic review needs updating have face validity, but no proposed method has had an assessment of predictive validity performed.MethodsThe AHRQ Comparative Effectiveness Review program had produced 13 comparative effectiveness reviews (CERs), a subcategory of systematic reviews, by 2009, 11 of which were assessed in 2009 using a surveillance system to determine the degree to which individual conclusions were out of date and to assign a priority for updating each report. Four CERs were judged to be a high priority for updating, four CERs were judged to be medium priority for updating, and three CERs were judged to be low priority for updating. AHRQ then commissioned full update reviews for 9 of these 11 CERs. Where possible, we matched the original conclusions with their corresponding conclusions in the update reports, and compared the congruence between these pairs with our original predictions about which conclusions in each CER remained valid. We then classified the concordance of each pair as good, fair, or poor. We also made a summary determination of the priority for updating each CER based on the actual changes in conclusions in the updated report, and compared these determinations with the earlier assessments of priority.ResultsThe 9 CERs included 149 individual conclusions, 84% with matches in the update reports. Across reports, 83% of matched conclusions had good concordance, and 99% had good or fair concordance. The one instance of poor concordance was partially attributable to the publication of new evidence after the surveillance signal searches had been done. Both CERs originally judged as being low priority for updating had no substantive changes to their conclusions in the actual updated report. The agreement on overall priority for updating between prediction and actual changes to conclusions was Kappa = 0.74.ConclusionsThese results provide some support for the validity of a surveillance system for detecting signals indicating when a systematic review needs updating

Women and children together and apart

In what ways, and to what effects, are proliferating temporalities of appropriation in financialized capitalism transforming or transformed by those of social reproductive labor? More specifically, how are woman-child relations affected when social reproduction becomes a site of immediate, not just indirect, capital accumulation through relations of debt? To answer these questions, we take up species-being as the labor relation that anchors socially necessary labor and links women and children by attending to three temporal modalities of accumulation via social reproductive labor: scholarization, (re)familization, and debt servicing. We argue that differentiated tempos in the appropriation of surplus value, operating to “fix” contradictions between capital’s short- and long-term interests, are critical sources of tension between women and children in the meeting of needs. Producing and mapping divergent rhythms of appropriation on to different groups may both link diverse women and children, and put their interests at odds

Acclimatization and Blood Oxygen Saturation at Altitude

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Engaging the hard to engage: What contribution can occupational therapy make to an interdisciplinary approach?

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Reevaluating the Intellectual Property Holding Company

In their zeal to save on taxes, many companies isolate their intellectual property in wholly owned subsidiaries called intellectual property holding companies (IPHCs). The IPHC landscape, however, is changing. Recently state actions have reduced the tax benefits of IPHCs, impacting the business and legal ramifications of managing intellectual property through a holding company

On the micro-precision robotic drilling of aerospace components

This dissertation describes research concerned with the use of advanced measurement techniques for the control of robotic manufacturing processes. The work focused on improving the state of technology in the precision robotic machining of components within the aerospace manufacturing industry within Australia. Specific contributions are the development of schemes for the use of advanced measurement equipment in precision machining operations and to apply flexible manufacturing techniques in automated manufacturing. The outcome of the research enables placement of a robotic end effector to drill a hole with a positional accuracy of 300 micron, employing an Indoor Global Positioning System for control of the drilling process. This can be accomplished within a working area of 35 square metres where the robot system and/or part positions may be varied dynamically during the process. Large aerospace structures are capable of flexing during manufacturing operations due to their physical size and low modulus of rigidity. This research work provided a framework for determining the appropriate type of automation and metrology systems needed for dynamic control suited to the precision drilling of holes in large aerospace components

The effects of classic and variant infectious bursal disease viruses on lymphocyte populations in specific-pathogen-free White Leghorn chickens

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a pathogen that primarily infects B lymphocytes in domestic avian species. This viral infection has been associated with immunosuppression, clinical disease/mortality, and enteric malabsorption effects. The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of a classic (USDA-STC) and a new variant IBDV (RB-4, known to induce primarily the enteric disease) on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs. Seventeen-dayold specific-pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens were either not infected (control) or inoculated with either USDA-STC or RB-4 IBD viral isolate. On days 3 and 5 post-inoculation (PI), lymphoid tissues were collected to prepare cell suspensions for immunofluorescent staining and cell population analysis by flow cytometry. Portions of the tissues were snap frozen for immunohistochemistry to localize various immune cells and IBD virus in the tissues. Tissue homogenates were prepared to test for IBDV by quantitative MTT assay. Both the USDA-STC and RB-4 viruses greatly altered lymphocyte populations in the spleen and bursa. At 5 d PI, bursal B cells were approximately 25% and 60% of lymphocytes in chicks infected with USDA-STC and RB-4, respectively, whereas in control birds, B cells constituted 99% of bursal lymphocytes. This reduction in the proportions of bursal B cells was associated with an infiltration of T cells. In the spleen, IBDV infection also reduced the percentage of B cells and increased the percentage of T cells. The differential effects of classic and variant IBDV infection on immune cell populations in lymphoid organs may explain the differences in clinical effects induced by these viruse