Stakeholder values and attitudes towards water markets across northern Australia<br />

SummaryThis report is the second of three reports and part of a two year project entitled Establishing water markets in northern Australia: a study to assess feasibility and consequences of market-based mechanisms of water delivery undertaken through the Australian National University&rsquo;s Crawford School of Economics and Government. The Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) hub funded this project under Theme 6.1 &ldquo;Sustainable Enterprises&rdquo;. This research is also being done in collaboration with the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). This second report provides analysis of stakeholder attitudes and values and their implications for the design of water markets across tropical Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia, (with focus on the Gulf, Timor and North East drainage divisions). The study utilised a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach, employing a survey with closed ended (5 point Likert scales and multiple choice) and open ended measures.In Task 2 we surveyed 120 people from government, Indigenous, industry and recreational user groups and present a range of values and attitudes related to markets and we discuss the general implications for market design in the north. Analysing data from open ended measures involved coding and grouping data into categories, then identifying patterns and themes. While statistical analysis involved ordered probit models, using robust standard errors and also controlling for lack of independence within each group using cluster. Preliminary findings were sent out to respondents for their feedback and where appropriate changes made. From this the final report was produced.Our findings highlight that sustainability; environmental protection; social justice and equity; and economic development were important values to respondents in relation to water markets. Respondents emphasised the importance of robust water planning frameworks that support ecological values and irrigator and Indigenous livelihoods, and respondents overwhelmingly disagreed with the trade of environmental and cultural flows. There was also significant support for the preservation of certain catchments and aquifers for their unique values (particularly among Indigenous respondents). Social justice and equity were important to respondents, with a sentiment to include Indigenous people in water reform and in water markets. Indigenous respondents felt that current arrangements were not equitable. As well, respondents from government, Indigenous and recreational groups felt that consultation and water policy fail to adequately address the needs and interests&nbsp; of Indigenous Australians. Indigenous respondents showed support for water markets, the development of water based enterprise (such as agriculture and horticulture) and believe strongly that the benefits of water trading will be significant. These views were tempered by some concerns that&nbsp; Indigenous people may be alienated from markets and that the ecological impacts from markets could be significant.Respondents felt that water management was sustainable in their region, but at the same time they did not believe water management to be efficient. This may be related to perceptions that certain systems are not over-allocated to consumptive users. A little over half of respondents agreed that water markets help sustainable water management and that water should be a tradable commodity, and respondents that were male and had a higher education were more likely to agree to these statements. Support for separating land and water title (unbundling) was mixed, with Indigenous respondents less likely to agree to a separation. There is a level of understanding of water management in their jurisdictions were more likely to agree to water transfers. There was unanimous support for government involvement in water markets, with overwhelming support for government as regulator.Literature highlights that importance of integrating values and attitudes in resource management frameworks. We identify four general implications for the design of water markets from our findings. The first is that Indigenous involvement in water markets and reform is important as one way to address Indigenous disadvantage and to support Indigenous livelihoods. This involvement could range from water management and planning, to the recognition of customary and commercial rights. Second, respondents thought that the general community should have greater involvement in water management and planning. This would require education programs to improve awareness of reform and increased support for stakeholder input into reform, particularly where language barriers and cultural differences exist. Third, given the importance of sustainability and environmental protection, it is recommended that markets develop within a planning framework, with robust but simple trading rules to protect ecological and customary values. Fourth it was emphasised by some respondents that there should be minimal red tape and costs associated with markets given the marginal operating conditions for producers across the north.Further research could build on this exploratory work to improve understanding of how to involve Indigenous interests in water markets, and examine the attitudes and values of a broader range of stakeholders across the north (such as examining women&rsquo;s attitudes and values to water markets across the north)

Unconventional anomalous Hall effect in 3d/5d multilayers mediated by the nonlocal spin-conductivity

We evidenced unconventionnal Anomalous Hall Effects (AHE) in 3d/5d (Co0.2nm/Ni0.6nm)N multilayers grown on a thin Pt layer or thin Au:W alloy. The inversion observed on AHE originates from the opposite sign of the spin-orbit coupling of Pt compared to Ni. Via advanced simulations methods for the description of the spin-current profiles based on the spin-dependent Boltzmann formalism, we extracted the spin Hall angle (SHA) of Pt and (Co/Ni) as well as the relevant transport parameters. The extracted SHA for Pt, +20%, is opposite to the one of (Co/Ni), giving rise to an effective AHE inversion for thin (Co/Ni) multilayers (N < 17). The spin Hall angle in Pt is found to be larger than the one previously measured in combined spin-pumping inverse spin-Hall effect experiments in a geometry of current perpendicular to plane. Whereas magnetic proximity effects cannot explain the effect, spin-current leakage and anisotropic electron scattering at Pt/(Co,Ni) interfaces fit the experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Preclinical activity of gefitinib in non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and biomarkers of response

This study evaluated the preclinical activity and molecular predictors of response to gefitinib (Iressa®, Astra Zeneca Inc, UK) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The activity of gefitinib was evaluated in four human NPC cell lines-HK1, HONE-1, CNE2, C666-1. A representative gefitinib-sensitive (HK1, IC50 = 250 nM) and gefitinib-resistant cell line (HONE-1, IC 50 > 15 μM) were selected and compared for expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and related ligands, and activation of downstream proteins. Gefitinib induced G1 cycle arrest, apoptosis and inhibited cell invasion more significantly in HK1 than HONE-1 cells. HK1 expressed higher levels of p-EGFR, lower p-AKT and phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) than other cell lines. EGFR gene was found to be amplified in HK1. Gefitinib at IC50 concentrations significantly suppressed EGF-induced activation of p-EGFR, phospho-mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-MAPK) and p-STAT3, but p-AKT showed persistent activation in HK1 and HONE-1 cells. There was no difference in EGFR-ligand expression between the 4 NPC cell lines. In NPC samples derived from non-responders to gefitinib, 50% and 60% showed cytoplasmic and nuclear pi-EGFR expression, respectively, and 33% showed p-AKT expression. EGFR or KRAS mutations were not detected. This study suggests that most NPC cell lines are intrinsically resistant to gefitinib (except HK1 cells), and further studies are needed to confirm whether EGFR gene amplification and persistent AKT activation may influence response to gefitinib in NPC. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 01 Dec 201

POLLUTION OF GROUNDWATER BY LEACHATE FROM DONG THANH LANDFILL DISPOSAL SITE

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

The impact of cataract surgey on vision-related quality of life for bilateral cataract patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: To determine the impact of cataract surgery on vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) and examine the association between objective visual measures and change in VRQOL after surgery among bilateral cataract patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. METHODS: A cohort of older patients with bilateral cataract was assessed one week before and one to three months after first eye or both eye cataract surgery. Visual measures including visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and stereopsis were obtained. Vision-related quality of life was assessed using the NEI VFQ-25. Descriptive analyses and a generalized linear estimating equation (GEE) analysis were undertaken to measure change in VRQOL after surgery. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirteen patients were assessed before cataract surgery and 247 completed the follow-up assessment one to three months after first or both eye cataract surgery. Overall, VRQOL significantly improved after cataract surgery (p < 0.001) particularly after both eye surgeries. Binocular contrast sensitivity (p < 0.001) and stereopsis (p < 0.001) were also associated with change in VRQOL after cataract surgery. Visual acuity was not associated with VRQOL. CONCLUSIONS: Cataract surgery significantly improved VRQOL among bilateral cataract patients in Vietnam. Contrast sensitivity as well as stereopsis, rather than visual acuity significantly affected VRQOL after cataract surgery

Multi-field Inflation with a Random Potential

Motivated by the possibility of inflation in the cosmic landscape, which may be approximated by a complicated potential, we study the density perturbations in multi-field inflation with a random potential. The random potential causes the inflaton to undergo a Brownian motion with a drift in the D-dimensional field space. To quantify such an effect, we employ a stochastic approach to evaluate the two-point and three-point functions of primordial perturbations. We find that in the weakly random scenario the resulting power spectrum resembles that of the single field slow-roll case, with up to 2% more red tilt. The strongly random scenario, leads to rich phenomenologies, such as primordial fluctuations in the power spectrum on all angular scales. Such features may already be hiding in the error bars of observed CMB TT (as well as TE and EE) power spectrum and can be detected or falsified with more data coming in the future. The tensor power spectrum itself is free of fluctuations and the tensor to scalar ratio is enhanced. In addition a large negative running of the power spectral index is possible. Non-Gaussianity is generically suppressed by the growth of adiabatic perturbations on super-horizon scales, but can possibly be enhanced by resonant effects or arise from the entropic perturbations during the onset of (p)reheating. The formalism developed in this paper can be applied to a wide class of multi-field inflation models including, e.g. the N-flation scenario.Comment: More clarifications and references adde

Multi-field Inflation with a Random Potential

Motivated by the possibility of inflation in the cosmic landscape, which may be approximated by a complicated potential, we study the density perturbations in multi-field inflation with a random potential. The random potential causes the inflaton to undergo a Brownian motion with a drift in the D-dimensional field space. To quantify such an effect, we employ a stochastic approach to evaluate the two-point and three-point functions of primordial perturbations. We find that in the weakly random scenario the resulting power spectrum resembles that of the single field slow-roll case, with up to 2% more red tilt. The strongly random scenario, leads to rich phenomenologies, such as primordial fluctuations in the power spectrum on all angular scales. Such features may already be hiding in the error bars of observed CMB TT (as well as TE and EE) power spectrum and can be detected or falsified with more data coming in the future. The tensor power spectrum itself is free of fluctuations and the tensor to scalar ratio is enhanced. In addition a large negative running of the power spectral index is possible. Non-Gaussianity is generically suppressed by the growth of adiabatic perturbations on super-horizon scales, but can possibly be enhanced by resonant effects or arise from the entropic perturbations during the onset of (p)reheating. The formalism developed in this paper can be applied to a wide class of multi-field inflation models including, e.g. the N-flation scenario.Comment: More clarifications and references adde

Assessment of correlation between knee notch width index and the three-dimensional notch volume

This study was done to determine whether there is a correlation between the notch volume and the notch width index (NWI) as measured on the three most frequently used radiographic views: the Holmblad 45°, Holmblad 70°, and Rosenberg view. The notch volume of 20 cadaveric knees was measured using Computed Tomography (CT). The Holmblad 45°, Holmblad 70°, and Rosenberg notch view radiographs were digitally re-created from the CT scans for each specimen, and the NWI was measured by two observers. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the NWI and notch volume was calculated, as well as between the three views. An independent t test was performed to determine the difference in NWI and notch volume between male and female specimens. The reliability for each view was also determined. There was no correlation between the NWI as measured on the Holmblad 45°, Holmblad 70°, or Rosenberg view and the notch volume. All three radiographic views proved reliable, but showed only a moderate correlation with each other. Men had larger notch volumes than women, but there was no difference in NWI. A knee with a small intercondylar notch is often considered an increased risk for ACL rupture. The NWI is a frequently used two-dimensional method to determine notch size. However, in the present study, this index was not positively correlated with the overall volume of the notch. Based on the results of the current study, the authors would advice to use caution when using notch view radiographs in a clinical setting to predict risk of ACL rupture

Predatory Bacteria: A Potential Ally against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria have emerged as a serious threat to human and animal health. Bdellovibrio spp. and Micavibrio spp. are Gram-negative bacteria that prey on other Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, the ability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus and Micavibrio aeruginosavorus to prey on MDR Gram-negative clinical strains was examined. Although the potential use of predatory bacteria to attack MDR pathogens has been suggested, the data supporting these claims is lacking. By conducting predation experiments we have established that predatory bacteria have the capacity to attack clinical strains of a variety of ß-lactamase-producing, MDR Gram-negative bacteria. Our observations indicate that predatory bacteria maintained their ability to prey on MDR bacteria regardless of their antimicrobial resistance, hence, might be used as therapeutic agents where other antimicrobial drugs fail. © 2013 Kadouri et al