A comparison of rehabilitated coal mine soil and unmined soil supporting grazed pastures in south-east Queensland

Land that is disturbed by mining activities is required to undergo suitable rehabilitation. This study compared soils supporting grazed pasture on land that was rehabilitated after coal mining activity with that on unmined land. Pasture biomass, and soil physical and chemical properties important for pasture production and sustainability were intensively monitored on three sites that had completed rehabilitation at different times over the last 10 years, and one unmined control site. A further 18 unmined grazing sites were monitored for benchmarking purposes. Analysis of soil properties of plant available phosphorus and nitrogen, salinity and sodicity in the first year of the study suggested little difference in terms of benefits or constraints to pasture production between the rehabilitated and control sites. Plant-available phosphorus was sufficiently high in the two oldest rehabilitated sites that a fertiliser response would not be expected. Soil depth and the pasture rooting depth at the rehabilitated sites were at the shallow end of the wide range observed across the benchmark and control sites. Higher pasture biomass at the rehabilitated sites compared with the control at the initiation of the trial was attributed more to differences in grazing history than differences in soil attributes

Toward Automation of the Supine Pressor Test for Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia leads to increased risk of morbidity and mortality for both mother and fetus. Most previous studies have largely neglected mechanical compression of the left renal vein by the gravid uterus as a potential mechanism. In this study, we first used a murine model to investigate the pathophysiology of left renal vein constriction. The results indicate that prolonged renal vein stenosis after 14 days can cause renal necrosis and an increase in blood pressure (BP) of roughly 30 mmHg. The second part of this study aimed to automate a diagnostic tool, known as the supine pressor test (SPT), to enable pregnant women to assess their preeclampsia development risk. A positive SPT has been previously defined as an increase of at least 20 mmHg in diastolic BP when switching between left lateral recumbent and supine positions. The results from this study established a baseline BP increase between the two body positions in nonpregnant women and demonstrated the feasibility of an autonomous SPT in pregnant women. Our results demonstrate that there is a baseline increase in BP of roughly 10-14 mmHg and that pregnant women can autonomously perform the SPT. Overall, this work in both rodents and humans suggests that (1) stenosis of the left renal vein in mice leads to elevation in BP and acute renal failure, (2) nonpregnant women experience a baseline increase in BP when they shift from left lateral recumbent to supine position, and (3) the SPT can be automated and used autonomously

Finding a way: long-term care homes to support dementia

An ageing demographic has increased the number of people with dementia. Although dementia is commonly associated with memory loss, other early symptoms include difficulty with wayfinding. Dementia alters visuo-spatial perception and the processes used to interpret the physical environment. The role of the design of the physical environment for people with dementia has gained increased recognition. Despite this, design for dementia is often overlooked, focusing on issues relating to physical impairment. This paper presents the results of a PhD study and aims to examine the role of the design of the physical environment in supporting wayfinding for people with dementia living in long-term care settings in Northern Ireland. Mixed methods combined the observation of wayfinding walks and conversational style interviews to elicit perspectives and experiences of residents with dementia. The findings aim to promote well-being for those with dementia living in long-term care settings

How experimental biology and ecology can support evidence-based decision-making in conservation: avoiding pitfalls and enabling application

Policy development and management decisions should be based upon the best available evidence. In recent years, approaches to evidence synthesis, originating in the medical realm (such as systematic reviews), have been applied to conservation to promote evidence-based conservation and environmental management. Systematic reviews involve a critical appraisal of evidence, but studies that lack the necessary rigour (e.g. experimental, technical and analytical aspects) to justify their conclusions are typically excluded from systematic reviews or down-weighted in terms of their influence. One of the strengths of conservation physiology is the reliance on experimental approaches that help to more clearly establish cause-and-effect relationships. Indeed, experimental biology and ecology have much to offer in terms of building the evidence base that is needed to inform policy and management options related to pressing issues such as enacting endangered species recovery plans or evaluating the effectiveness of conservation interventions. Here, we identify a number of pitfalls that can prevent experimental findings from being relevant to conservation or would lead to their exclusion or down-weighting during critical appraisal in a systematic review. We conclude that conservation physiology is well positioned to support evidence-based conservation, provided that experimental designs are robust and that conservation physiologists understand the nuances associated with informing decision-making processes so that they can be more relevant

The potential for a rehabilitated coal mine soil to support livestock grazing in south-east Queensland

Land that is disturbed by mining activities is required to be suitably rehabilitated. A trial was initiated to compare the performance of livestock grazing pasture sown on land that was rehabilitated after coal mining activity with that of livestock grazing pasture on unmined land. Pasture biomass, and soil structural, nutritional and hydrological properties important for pasture production and sustainability were intensively monitored on three sites rehabilitated at different stages over the last 10 years, and one unmined Control site. A further 18 unmined grazing sites were monitored for benchmarking purposes. Preliminary results for soil ammonium, nitrate and potentially mineralisable nitrogen suggest little difference in terms of benefits or constraints to pasture production between the rehabilitated and Control sites. Plant-available phosphorus was sufficiently high in the two oldest rehabilitated sites that a fertiliser response would not be expected. Subsoil and rooting depth of the rehabilitated sites was within the range observed across the benchmark sites and shallower than in the Control site. Higher pasture biomass in the rehabilitated sites compared with the Control at the initiation of the trial was attributed more-so to differences in grazing history than differences in soil attributes. Analysis of year one monitoring data is ongoing

Powering Ocean Giants: The Energetics of Shark and Ray Megafauna

Shark and ray megafauna have crucial roles as top predators in many marine ecosystems, but are currently among the most threatened vertebrates and, based on historical extinctions, may be highly susceptible to future environmental perturbations. However, our understanding of their energetics lags behind that of other taxa. Such knowledge is required to answer important ecological questions and predict their responses to ocean warming, which may be limited by expanding ocean deoxygenation and declining prey availability. To develop bioenergetics models for shark and ray megafauna, incremental improvements in respirometry systems are useful but unlikely to accommodate the largest species. Advances in biologging tools and modelling could help answer the most pressing ecological questions about these iconic species

Directly interrogating single quantum dot labelled UvrA2 molecules on DNA tightropes using an optically trapped nanoprobe

AbstractIn this study we describe a new methodology to physically probe individual complexes formed between proteins and DNA. By combining nanoscale, high speed physical force measurement with sensitive fluorescence imaging we investigate the complex formed between the prokaryotic DNA repair protein UvrA2 and DNA. This approach uses a triangular, optically-trapped “nanoprobe” with a nanometer scale tip protruding from one vertex. By scanning this tip along a single DNA strand suspended between surface-bound micron-scale beads, quantum-dot tagged UvrA2 molecules bound to these ‘”DNA tightropes” can be mechanically interrogated. Encounters with UvrA2 led to deflections of the whole nanoprobe structure, which were converted to resistive force. A force histogram from all 144 detected interactions generated a bimodal distribution centered on 2.6 and 8.1 pN, possibly reflecting the asymmetry of UvrA2’s binding to DNA. These observations successfully demonstrate the use of a highly controllable purpose-designed and built synthetic nanoprobe combined with fluorescence imaging to study protein-DNA interactions at the single molecule level.</jats:p

The Lantern Vol. 31, No. 1, December 1963

• Today\u27s Memory • The Realization • Life Fire • Come Sleep • The Ends Meet • Dawn of Darkness • Closed and Done: With Apologies to No One • A Search • Concern • Obvious Oblivion • Love\u27s Ashes • Silence • To My Dentist • Snow • Wisdom • Look Up • Nepenthe • With Apologies to Charles Schulz • Autumn and You • What is Optimism? • Agnostic? • Potpourri of Beinghttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1085/thumbnail.jp

Glen Torridon Mineralogy and the Sedimentary History of the Clay Mineral Bearing Unit

Clay minerals are common in ancient terrains on Mars and their presence at the surface alludes to aqueous processes in the Noachian to Early Hesperian (>3.5 Ga). Gale crater was selected as Curiositys landing site largely because of the identification of clay mineral rich strata from orbit. On Earth, the types of clay minerals (i.e., smectites) identified in Gale crater are typically juvenile weathering products that ultimately record the interaction between primary igneous minerals with the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Trioctahedral and dioctahedral smectite were identified by Curiosity in units stratigraphically below the Clay Mineral-Bearing Unit (CBU) identified from orbit. Compositional and sedimentological data suggest the smectite formed via authigenesis in a lake environment and may have been altered during early diagenesis. The CBU is stratigraphically equivalent to a hematite-rich unit to the north and stratigraphically underlies sulfate-rich units to the south, suggesting a dynamic environment and evolving history of water in the ancient Gale crater lake. Targeting these clay mineral rich areas on Mars with rover missions provides an opportunity to explore the aqueous and sedimentary history of the planet