Reef 2050 Plan insights report: to inform the 2019 Outlook Report: Report to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

This Report was commissioned by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (under the Commonwealth of Australia), which requested that it “contribute to informing the forthcoming 2020 review of the Reef 2050 Plan by providing insights into the Reef 2050 Plan’s contributions to effective management of the Region. This should be a synthesis of any Reef 2050 specific management identified as part of the management effectiveness review” (Commonwealth of Australia 2017). This report has focused on the targets and objectives of the Reef 2050 Plan. Actions, which have been the focus of the mid-term review of the Reef 2050 Plan, are not evaluated in this report

The Cost and Citation-based Effectiveness of Observational Astronomical Facilities since 1958

This is the first comprehensive, quantitative analysis of the cost-effectiveness of both ground- and space-based astronomical observatories. The effectiveness is based on an analysis of the 15% most highly-cited papers published in the Astrophysical Journal and the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in the first half of every fourth year from 1958 to 1994, inclusive. The costs include both capital and annual operations costs. The analysis shows that there has been a progressive swing away from small, ground-based, optical/IR telescopes over the period 1958-1994, in terms of highly-cited papers, so that by 1994 two-thirds of all ground-based, optical/IR results were being produced using telescopes > 2.5m diameter. The Hale 5m was the most effective optical/IR telescope over the whole period, but the AAT matched it in the second half of the period. The VLA was the most effective radio telescope, and the Einstein Observatory and lUE was the most effective spacecraft over the whole period, although the CGRO, ROSAT and HST produced high-quality results at the end of the period. Large ground-based, optical/IR telescopes were more cost-effective, on average, than smaller telescopes; the two most cost-effective large telescopes over the second half of my period being the AAT and 3m Lick. Ground-based, optical/IR telescopes taken as a whole were more cost-effective than either ground-based radio telescopes or spacecraft observatories. The cost-effectiveness of spacecraft has increased over the last twenty years, however, although the high cost of the HST caused a reduction in overall spacecraft cost-effectiveness in 1994. Finally, the facilities recommended in the decennial NRC reports are compared with those provided, and some of the reasons for the poor correlation discussed. The thesis ends with general conclusions and a discussion of possible lessons to be learnt

Collaborative Physical and Music Therapy Interventions for Impairments of Chronic Stroke: A Case Study

[Background and Purpose] In the United States, the annual prevalence of stroke is estimated to be 800,000. 1 Following a stroke, physical therapy (PT) interventions aim to help individuals recover from impairments such as muscle weakness and overall functional limitation. Current research supports both physical and music therapy (MT) interventions on an individual basis. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the effectiveness of combined PT and MT interventions for strength, balance, gait, and functional activity for person following stroke. [Case Description] The patient is a 50- year-old caucasian female post right cerebral vascular accident (CVA) with left hemiparesis that occurred secondary to quadruple bypass surgery, two years prior to the initiation of this research. [Intervention] These therapy sessions were a collaboration of PT and MT techniques. PT interventions included gait training, balance training, functional strengthening, patient and family education, and home exercise instruction. MT interventions included rhythmic auditory stimulation in collaboration with PT interventions and therapeutic instrumental music performance. [Outcomes] The patient increased Berg Balance Scale Score by 12 points (MCD= 5 points). Five Time Sit To Stand test decreased by 7.4 seconds (MCD= 2.5 seconds). [Discussion] Collaborative PT and MT interventions lead to improved strength, balance, gait symmetry, and quality of life in treating a patient with impairments caused by stroke. Further research is needed to generalize these collaborative techniques beyond the findings of this case study

Assessment of Management Effectiveness for the Strategic Assessment of the Great Barrier Reef Region

[Extract] As part of the strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area and adjacent coastal zone, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is required to assess the effectiveness of its management arrangements to protect the values that underpin matters of national environmental significance within the Great Barrier Reef Region.Title page: Prepared for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) -- 19 March 2013 -- UniQuest Project No: C0094

A 1 mm Scintillating Fibre Tracker Readout by a Multi-anode Photomultiplier

This note describes a prototype particle tracking detector constructed with 1 mm plastic scintillating fibres with a 64 channel Hamamatsu H8500 flat-panel multi-anode photomultiplier readout. Cosmic ray tracks from an array of 11 gas-filled drift tubes were matched to signals in the scintillating fibres in order to measure the resolution and efficiency of tracks reconstructed in the fibre-based tracker. A GEANT4 detector simulation was also developed to compare cosmic ray data with MC results and is discussed in the note. Using the parameters measured in this experimental setup, modified fibre tracker designs are suggested to improve resolution and efficiency in future prototypes to meet modern detector specifications.Comment: Laboratori Nazionali Di Frascati SIDS-Pubblicazioni LNF - 10 / 21(P) October 26, 201

Application of a library of near isogenic lines to understand context dependent expression of QTL for grain yield and adaptive traits in bread wheat

(a) Summary of the mixed model analysis performed for the grain number components studied comprising 553 NILs carrying the Avalon or Cadenza alleles in the introgressed region in 2013. (b) Average values for the two groups (carrying the Avalon or Cadenza alleles in the QTL region) based on the chromosome and background in 2013. Significant difference between Avalon and Cadenza alleles are highlighted in bold (spikes/m2 (S), spikelet/spike (s/S) and grains/spikelet (G/S). (PDF 111 kb