Koinonia

Spotlight FeaturesHas Facebook Jumped the Shark?, Rick Zomer The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Virtual Community, David Johnstone Screenagers: How Technology is Changing the Way we Interact with Students, Tim Elmore \u27In Loco Parentis\u27 Revisited, Gene C. Fant Jr. ACSD News: From Location to Interest: ACSD Considers Move from Regional to Collaboratives Model, Edee Schulze, Connie Sjoberg, Mike Broberg, David A. Kennedy, Nicole Hoefle Thinking TheologicallyKeeping Faith: Serving Students or the Kingdom, Michael and Stephanie Santarosa Book ReviewsEncouraging Authenticity and Spirituality in Higher Education, reviewed by Jason M. Morris My Freshman Year, Heidi Johnston FeaturesThe President\u27s Corner; Editor\u27s Deskhttps://pillars.taylor.edu/acsd_koinonia/1002/thumbnail.jp

Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

SummaryHemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. The atypical form of HUS is a disease characterized by complement overactivation. Inherited defects in complement genes and acquired autoantibodies against complement regulatory proteins have been described. Incomplete penetrance of mutations in all predisposing genes is reported, suggesting that a precipitating event or trigger is required to unmask the complement regulatory deficiency. The underlying genetic defect predicts the prognosis both in native kidneys and after renal transplantation. The successful trials of the complement inhibitor eculizumab in the treatment of atypical HUS will revolutionize disease management

Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) responses and preferences to novel objects in their environment

The Australian brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula Kerr 1792) is a major conservation and agricultural pest in New Zealand, and is currently a focus of much research to improve control efficacy. Traps and toxins stored within bait stations are used to control possums in ground-based operations, yet few studies have investigated the influence of trap componentry and design on possum behavioural responses towards them. This thesis describes pen and field research examining possum preferences in five main areas of research which include: testing possum attractiveness towards different colours, control device entrance geometry preferences, trap size entrance openings preferences, trap material attractiveness and trap orientation preferences. This information will be used to assist in designing and developing new, re-setting, permanent-set kill traps for the sustained control of possums in native forests or farmlands currently being developed at Lincoln University. Captive possum preferences were recorded within laboratory pens via four-way cafeteria tests and analysed using multinomial log-linear models and Akaike Information Criterion. Black was the preferred colour (followed by Blue, Yellow and White) by both possum genders and weight classes (i.e. <2.5 kg). Possums expressed a preference for the more ‘open’ Square trap geometry shape (followed by the shapes Key, Diamond and Triangle), although this may be confounded with size. Possums chose the largest trap entrance size (120 mm diameter) over the smaller sized entranceways (100, 80 & 70 mm respectively). The test subjects expressed no preference towards the trialled materials (Wood, Plastic, Corflute & Metal), however, possums interacted with novel devices with the orientation “Timms” (i.e. straight front entrance) at significantly higher levels than any other design (“Warrior” i.e. angled front, “Henry”; i.e. vertical up entrance and “box”; i.e vertical down entrance). The captive possum trials did succeed in quantifying possum preferences towards novel device designs, however, the field trials did not provide sufficient interactions to be included in the preference experiments, but did allow non-target (rodent and weka) bait take from novel possum control devices to be examined and discussed. In conclusion, improving ground based possum control devices relies on increasing possum encounters and subsequent interactions with control devices. This research identified that black devices, with open, easily assessable entranceways and claw holds for front limb grip, could increase possum/device interactions over control devices currently being employed for possum control

Predator-free New Zealand 2050: Fantasy or Reality?

Possums, stoats, and rats introduced into previously mammal-free New Zealand (NZ) seriously impact our native flora and fauna. As a result, considerable research effort has focused on their control, with excellent success in the eradication of mammals from offshore islands. Unfortunately, we have run out of defendable, non-human occupied islands and the current focus is the NZ mainland, with a new government goal called Predator Free NZ 2050. In 2010, the Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation started a research programme investigating new control and monitoring tools that could be used on the NZ mainland. More recently (2015) a privately funded research entity called Zero Invasive Predators Ltd (ZIP; both based at Lincoln University) was established with the goal of developing technologies to remove predators from large mainland areas and then defending them from reinvasion. ZIP has since demonstrated that a modified delivery technique for aerial 1080 can achieve near eradication of rodents and possums at two study sites. ZIP was then able to defend both sites in the short term using a virtual barrier of traps and/or geographical features such as rivers. The CWMC (with the Taranaki Mounga Project) investigated the use of self-resetting traps as a ground-based rodent control tool. The traps were unable to maintain average rodent tracking rates below 5% (avg. 11.5%) without regular trap servicing. To maintain low rodent numbers required a trap service every 3-4 months and this is not cost effective compared with alternatives. To improve detection rates the CWMC (with Cacophony Project) have shown that that thermal cameras are 3.6 times more sensitive than trail cameras for detecting possums. These cameras will quickly find survivors and/or reinvading animals using species recognition software combined with wireless communication. As Predator Free NZ 2050 scales up, more pest control will take place near urbanised areas. As such, the next focus should be the development of control tools with higher social acceptance. Surveys indicate the preferred control options are trapping and species-specific toxins. What this feedback highlights is that future research needs to reduce the cost of trapping so that it is affordable for community groups. In addition to this, funding is required for the registration of species-specific toxins, which have higher public acceptance

Predator-free New Zealand 2050: Fantasy or Reality?

Possums, stoats, and rats introduced into previously mammal-free New Zealand (NZ) seriously impact our native flora and fauna. As a result, considerable research effort has focused on their control, with excellent success in the eradication of mammals from offshore islands. Unfortunately, we have run out of defendable, non-human occupied islands and the current focus is the NZ mainland, with a new government goal called Predator Free NZ 2050. In 2010, the Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation started a research programme investigating new control and monitoring tools that could be used on the NZ mainland. More recently (2015) a privately funded research entity called Zero Invasive Predators Ltd (ZIP; both based at Lincoln University) was established with the goal of developing technologies to remove predators from large mainland areas and then defending them from reinvasion. ZIP has since demonstrated that a modified delivery technique for aerial 1080 can achieve near eradication of rodents and possums at two study sites. ZIP was then able to defend both sites in the short term using a virtual barrier of traps and/or geographical features such as rivers. The CWMC (with the Taranaki Mounga Project) investigated the use of self-resetting traps as a ground-based rodent control tool. The traps were unable to maintain average rodent tracking rates below 5% (avg. 11.5%) without regular trap servicing. To maintain low rodent numbers required a trap service every 3-4 months and this is not cost effective compared with alternatives. To improve detection rates the CWMC (with Cacophony Project) have shown that that thermal cameras are 3.6 times more sensitive than trail cameras for detecting possums. These cameras will quickly find survivors and/or reinvading animals using species recognition software combined with wireless communication. As Predator Free NZ 2050 scales up, more pest control will take place near urbanised areas. As such, the next focus should be the development of control tools with higher social acceptance. Surveys indicate the preferred control options are trapping and species-specific toxins. What this feedback highlights is that future research needs to reduce the cost of trapping so that it is affordable for community groups. In addition to this, funding is required for the registration of species-specific toxins, which have higher public acceptance

Internal tide coherence and decay over a wide shelf sea

A quasi-synoptic hydrography and velocity section is used to determine the structure and the decay rate of the internal tide (IT) across the broad continental shelf of the Celtic Sea. In these observations the IT is coherent over more than 170 km, about five wavelengths, with an estimated shoreward energy decay scale of 42 km. The inferred IT wavelength-averaged dissipation rate near the shelf edge is estimated as 2.08 × 10−7 Wkg−1, in close agreement with tidally- and vertically-averaged measurements from the region. These results provide the first in situ evidence of IT coherence over many wavelengths in a shelf se

Development of Re-Setting Toxin Delivery Devices and Long-Life Lures for Rats

Introduced rats continue to have a major impact on biodiversity around the world, and improved control techniques are required to avoid further extinctions. We are trialing re-setting toxin-delivery systems (Spitfires) targeting a range of predators, including rats. The rat Spitfire works by firing 800 mg of a toxic paste onto the belly of the rat as it passes through a tunnel; the device then resets. When the rats groom the paste from their fur, they ingest the toxin. Each Spitfire is capable of approximately 100 doses and is fitted with a counter and a delay mechanism. We trialed 0.55% 1080 paste in the Spitfire and 15 of 15 wild Norway rats and 14 of 15 black rats died. Further trials are planned with a range of toxins to allow flexibility of use. Resetting devices that are expected to work for long periods without being serviced also require long-life lures. Preliminary trials showed urine and scats from female Norway rats were attractive to both male and female Norway rats. The volatile components from these and further trials will be identified to aid in developing a long-life lure. The long-term, effective control of introduced rats will require a range of toxins with different modes of action, a number of different delivery systems, and long-life lures