By design : negotiating flexible learning in the built environment discipline

The term ‘flexible education’ is now firmly entrenched within Australian higher education discourse, yet the term is a contested one imbued with a multiplicity of meanings. This paper describes a process designed to elucidate how the idea of flexible education can be translated into teaching models that are informed by the specific demands of disciplinary contexts. The process uses a flexible learning ‘matching’ tool to articulate the understandings and preferences of students and academics of the Built Environment to bridge the gap between student expectations of flexibility and their teacher’s willingness and ability to provide that flexibility within the limits of the pedagogical context and teaching resources. The findings suggest an informed starting point for educators in the Built Environment and other creative disciplines from which to traverse the complexities inherent in negotiating flexibility in an increasingly digital world

ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE MUTHURAJAWELA WETLAND SANCTUARY

Muthurajawela wetland. located as the west coast of Sri Lanka is the largestcoastal peal bag of the island. At present. the biodiversity of Muthurajawela isthreatened by unplanned development activities and growing human population.Therefore, an ecological survey was carried out in order to assess the presentstatus of biodiversity in Muthurajawela, and also to identify critical habitats forthe conservation and sustence of biodiversity. Field monitoring of fauna and florawas carried out at fortnightly intervals, using scientifically accepted rapidbiodiversity assessment techniques (fauna - line transects; flora - plots, Braun-Blanquet cover), The data was analysed using ecological indices(diversity/species richness), and critical habitats were identified using avifauna asa correlate of biodiversity. Ground truthing of vegetation maps was carried out todocument changes of major vegetation communities.The study enabled to identify 192 species of flora, distributed over seven majorvegetation communities at Muthurajawela; marsh, lentic flora, reed swamp, shortgrassland, scrubland, stream bank flora and mangrove swamp. The vertebratefauna documented included 40 species of fish, 14 species of amphibians, 31species of reptiles, 102 species of birds and 22 species of mammals. Among thetotal vertebrate species documented, 17 are endemic, 26 are considered asnationally threatened, while 36 are new records to Muthurajawela. The selectedinvertebrate species documented consisted of 48 species of butterflies and 22species odonates, the latter which turned out to be a useful indicator of habitatquality. The threats documented included direct exploitation (poaching, cutting oftrees), habitat degradation/modification (land reclamation, dumping of garbage,clearing of natural vegetation, pollution and eutrophication) and the spread ofseveral alien invasive species (including unmanaged domestic animals). Thenorthern part of the marsh serve as an ecotone, with a mixture of the above plantcommunities/habitat types which were relatively undisturbed. Analysis carriedout using ecological indices highlighted the northern region as a high biodiversityzone, which is critical for the conservation and future sustenance of biodiversity atMuthurajawela. Ground truthing of vegetation maps, supported with results of thevegetation survey showed that the composition of dominant flora has changedover a period of 10 years, in most places in the Muthurajawela Wetland, as aresult of human disturbances. Data on the avifauna also highlighted aconsiderable decrease in migrant birds at Muthurajawela, possibly due to habitatdeterioration.The findings have important conservation and managementimplications, in particular greater emphasis need to be placed on the more ciritcalareas of the marsh. An important policy implication would be the need

Characteristics of the phenotype of mixed cardiomyopathy in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators

OnlinePublBackground or Purpose The prognosis of mixed cardiomyopathy (CMP) in patients with implanted cardioverter-defbrillators (ICDs) has not been investigated. We aim to study the demographic, clinical, device therapies and survival characteristics of mixed CMP in a cohort of patients implanted with a defbrillator. Methods The term mixed CMP was used to categorise patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction attributed to documented non-ischemic triggers with concomitant moderate coronary artery disease. This is a single center observational cohort of 526 patients with a mean follow-up of 8.7±3.5 years. Results There were 42.5% patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), 26.9% with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) and 30.6% with mixed CMP. Mixed CMP, compared to NICM, was associated with higher mean age (69.1 ± 9.6 years), atrial fibrillation (55.3%) and greater incidence of comorbidities. The proportion of patients with mixed CMP receiving device shocks was 23.6%, compared to 18.4% in NICM and 27% in ICM. The VT cycle length recorded in mixed CMP (281.6 ± 43.1 ms) was comparable with ICM (282.5 ± 44 ms; p = 0.9) and lesser than NICM (297.7±48.7 ms; p=0.1). All-cause mortality in mixed CMP (21.1%) was similar to ICM (20.1%; p=0.8) and higher than NICM (15.6%; p = 0.2). The Kaplan–Meier curves revealed hazards of 1.57 (95% CI: 0.91, 2.68) for mixed CMP compared to NICM. Conclusion In a cohort of patients with ICD, the group with mixed CMP represents a phenotype predominantly comprised of the elderly with a higher incidence of comorbidities. Mixed CMP resembles ICM in terms of number of device shocks and VT cycle length. Trends of long-term prognosis of patients with mixed CMP are worse than NICM and similar to ICM.Deep Chandh Raja, Indira Samarawickrema, Sarat Krishna Menon, Rikvin Singh, Abhinav Mehta, Lukah Q. Tuan, Ulhas Pandurangi, Sanjiv Jain, David J. Callans, Francis E. Marchlinski, Walter P. Abhayaratna, Prashanthan Sanders, Rajeev K. Patha

AN ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE REKAWA, USSANGODA AND KALAMETIYA INLAND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS IN SOUTHERN SRI LANKA

The survey was carried out to document the status of inland biodiversity in the Rekawa,Ussangoda and Kalametiya area along the Southern coastal zone of Sri Lanka. Thesurvey extended from October 2002 - March 2003 (6 months). A reconnaissance surveyof the inland areas was conducted, prior to the regular field sampling, in order to selectrepresentative sampling sites within the Ruk area. Eight sites were selected for regularfield sampling at fortnightly intervals, and the plants and animals of the area weresurveyed in a scientific manner, using appropriate sampling techniques.The survey area harbours a variety of natural and man-made vegetationlhabitat types,including both terrestrial and wetland systems. A total of 287 plant species belonging to222 genera under 94 families were documented from the above inland vegetationlhabitattypes of the Ruk area. Several sub types of Mangroves, based mainly on floristics, couldbe found in the RUK area. These include the Lumnitzera dominated stands (Rekawa),Ceriops dominated stands (Rekawa), Avicennia dominated stands (Rekawa), Mixedstands (Rekawa, Kahanda), Excoecaria dominated stands (between Lunawa andKalametiya) and Sonneratia dominated stands (Kalametiya, Malpeththawa). It isinteresting to note that some mangrove stands are represented by only a single species.A total of 328 species of vertebrates were recorded from the RUK area, of which 14species (4%) are endemic, while 27 species (8%) are nationally threatened. Thevertebrates include 52 species of fish, 17 species of amphibians, 49 species of reptiles,184 species of birds, and 26 species of mammals. The invertebrates include 72 species ofcolorful butterflies, 25 spec.es of terrestrial molluscs an": 9 species of aquatic molluscs.Three beach stretches that are important turtle nesting sites, eleven birding hotspots andthree bird roosting sites were identified within the RUK area.The study area has been identified for major development initiatives, under the SouthernDevelopment Programme of the Government of Sri Lanka. Therefore, the relevantconservation agencies should take steps to ensure that, biodiversity conservation concernsare adequately addressed in specific developmental activities planned for the area.

Post-tsunami natural regeneration of coastal vegetation in the Hambantota district in south-eastern Sri Lanka

A qualitative rapid survey was conducted in 45 plots distributed in the gentle seashore vegetation andsand dunes (n = 13), coastal scrublands (n = 19), and mangroves (n = 13) along the coastline ofHambantota District, affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami. The objective of the survey was toinvestigate the natural regeneration of coastal vegetation 20 months after the tsunami disturbance21 plant species belonging to 19 families were recorded as the prominent plants regenerating inaffected mangroves, while 16 species in 15 families and 32 species in 23 families were observed asprom inent plants to regenerate in affected areas of the gentle sea-shore vegetation and coastalscrublands respectively.In tsunami affected mangrove stands Acanthus iltctfolius (in 50% of study plots), Achrosticumaureum (40%) and Lumnitzera racemosa (17%) were the dominant species establishing in openmuddy substrates, while Clerodendrum inerme (57%), Lumnitzera racemosa and Excoecariaaga//ocha (29% each) were regenerating in sand deposited in the mangrove patches.Ipomoea pes-caprae (85%), Scaevola taccada and Calotropis gigantea (23% each) were observedas the dominant species re-establishing in the gentle seashore vegetation, while Spinifex littoreusshows a slow rate of regeneration. Most of the destroyed Pandanus odoratissimus bushes facingthe beach are not regenerating. Instead a new row of Pandanus was observed regenerating immediatelybacking the original stands. Prominent species regenerating in coastal scrublands are Crotonbonplandianus and Gymnema sylvestre (37% each), Clerodendrum inerme (16%), Calotropisgigantea (10%) and Crateva adansonii (10%) and saplings of Azadirachta indica and Limoniaacidissitna .Invasive alien plants, mainly Opuntia dillennii have established well and spreading vigorously inaffected coastal scrublands (58%), some study plots of gentle seashore vegetation (31 %) as wellas on sand depositions in the affected mangroves (15%). This species was observed replacing thespaces occupied by destroyed Pandanus odoratissimus bushes and Spinifex littoreus beds.Invasive alien plants such as Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara were also spreading intsunami disturbed coastal scrublands.

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Asia-Pacific region: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The final article in a series of three publications examining the global distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of malaria is presented here. The first publication examined the DVS from the Americas, with the second covering those species present in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Here we discuss the 19 DVS of the Asian-Pacific region. This region experiences a high diversity of vector species, many occurring sympatrically, which, combined with the occurrence of a high number of species complexes and suspected species complexes, and behavioural plasticity of many of these major vectors, adds a level of entomological complexity not comparable elsewhere globally. To try and untangle the intricacy of the vectors of this region and to increase the effectiveness of vector control interventions, an understanding of the contemporary distribution of each species, combined with a synthesis of the current knowledge of their behaviour and ecology is needed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Expert opinion (EO) range maps, created with the most up-to-date expert knowledge of each DVS distribution, were combined with a contemporary database of occurrence data and a suite of open access, environmental and climatic variables. Using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) modelling method, distribution maps of each DVS were produced. The occurrence data were abstracted from the formal, published literature, plus other relevant sources, resulting in the collation of DVS occurrence at 10116 locations across 31 countries, of which 8853 were successfully geo-referenced and 7430 were resolved to spatial areas that could be included in the BRT model. A detailed summary of the information on the bionomics of each species and species complex is also presented.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This article concludes a project aimed to establish the contemporary global distribution of the DVS of malaria. The three articles produced are intended as a detailed reference for scientists continuing research into the aspects of taxonomy, biology and ecology relevant to species-specific vector control. This research is particularly relevant to help unravel the complicated taxonomic status, ecology and epidemiology of the vectors of the Asia-Pacific region. All the occurrence data, predictive maps and EO-shape files generated during the production of these publications will be made available in the public domain. We hope that this will encourage data sharing to improve future iterations of the distribution maps.</p