Temporal and spatial variation in the morphology of the brown macroalga Hormosira banksii (Fucales, Phaeophyta)

Hormosira banksii is a morphologically variable macroalgal species from southeastern and southern Australia, which has been previously categorised into ecoforms according to habitat. This study is by far the largest quantitative evaluation of morphological variation in H. banksii, covering 74 sites from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Morphological features from 505 samples were analysed using principal components analysis, with the patterns identified being statistically assessed with a Monte Carlo permutation test. There was considerable morphological variation between samples taken at several marine (but not estuarine) sites in both 1994 and 1999. However, this variation was not consistent across either morphological features or populations, and presumably represents random fluctuations. Analysis of the entire dataset demonstrated a significant difference between samples growing in marine and estuarine habitats. Further assessment of variation within these two groups revealed some significantly different populations based on geographical locations but not habitat variation. While this study presents strong evidence for two distinct taxa within H. banksii (marine versus estuarine populations), the taxonomic status of this species should not be altered until genetic studies have been conducted. © 2005 by Walter de Gruyter

Chemical generation and modification of peptides containing multiple dehydroalanines

Chemical formation of dehydroalanine has been widely used for the post-translational modification of protein and peptides, however methods to incorporate multiple dehydroalanine residues into a single peptide have not been defined. We report the use of methyl 2,5-dibromovalerate which can be used to cleanly carry out this transformation

‘Blue boats’ and ‘reef robbers’: A new maritime security threat for the Asia Pacific?

© 2019 The Authors. Asia Pacific Viewpoint published by Victoria University of Wellington and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd Vietnamese ‘blue boats’ – small wooden-hulled fishing boats – are now entering the territorial waters of Pacific Island countries and illegally catching high-value species found on remote coastal reefs. Crossing several international boundaries and traversing a distance of over 5000 km, these intrusions have alarmed Oceanic countries, including Australia. Lacking administrative capacity as well as jurisdictional authority to effectively control the vast stretches of island coastlines individually, governments and intergovernmental bodies in the region have called for strengthened coordination of surveillance efforts while also pressuring Vietnam diplomatically. This paper reviews these latest developments and is the first to provide a focused assessment of the issue. Through the lens of Copenhagen School of securitisation theory, we analyse responses of national and regional actors and their portrayal in online media to understand how blue boats are constructed as a security threat within a narrative of maritime, food and human security. Arguably, Australia together with the Forum Fisheries Agency, who advise on the governance of offshore tuna resources, have so far acted most decisively – in a way that might see them extend their strategic role in the region. We propose a comprehensive empirical research agenda to better understand and manage this nascent, flammable and largely unpredictable inter-regional phenomenon

Biological Control of Sheep Parasites using Duddingtonia flagrans: Trials on Commercial Farms in Sweden

Trials were conducted on 3 commercial sheep farms in Sweden to assess the effect of administering spores of the nematode trapping fungus, Duddingtonia flagrans, together with supplementary feed to lactating ewes for the first 6 weeks from turn-out on pastures in spring. Also control groups of ewes, receiving only feed supplement, were established on all 3 farms. Groups were monitored by intensive parasitological investigation. The ewes and their lambs were moved in late June to saved pastures for summer grazing, the lambs receiving an anthelmintic treatment at this time. After approximately 6 weeks on summer pasture the lambs were weaned, treated a second time with anthelmintic, and returned to their original lambing pastures for finishing. Decisions as to when lambs were to be marketed were entirely at the discretion of the farmer co-operators. No difference in lamb performance was found between the two treatments on all three farms. This was attributed to the high levels of nutrition initially of the ewes limiting their post-partum rise in nematode faecal egg counts in spring, which in turn resulted in low levels of nematode infection on pastures throughout the autumn period. Additionally, pastures were of good quality for the lambs during the finishing period, so they grew at optimal rates as far as the farmers were concerned

The immunopathogenesis of tuberculous pericarditis

Tuberculous pericarditis is a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and is the commonest cause of pericardial effusion in high incidence settings. Mortality ranges between 8 and 34%, and it is the leading cause of pericardial constriction in Africa and Asia. Current understanding of the disease is based on models derived from studies performed in the 1940–50s. This review summarises recent advances in the histology, microbiology and immunology of tuberculous pericarditis, with special focus on the effect of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the determinants of constriction

Magnetotransport in p-type Ge quantum well narrow wire arrays

We report magnetotransport measurements of a SiGe heterostructure containing a 20 nm p-Ge quantum well with a mobility of 800 000 cm2 V−1 s−1. By dry etching arrays of wires with widths between 1.0 μm and 3.0 μm, we were able to measure the lateral depletion thickness, built-in potential, and the phase coherence length of the quantum well. Fourier analysis does not show any Rashba related spin-splitting despite clearly defined Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations being observed up to a filling factor of ν = 22. Exchange-enhanced spin-splitting is observed for filling factors below ν = 9. An analysis of boundary scattering effects indicates lateral depletion of the hole gas by 0.5 ± 0.1 μm from the etched germanium surface. The built-in potential is found to be 0.25 ± 0.04 V, presenting an energy barrier for lateral transport greater than the hole confinement energy. A large phase coherence length of 3.5 ± 0.5 μm is obtained in these wires at 1.7 K.This work was supported by the EPSRC funded “Spintronic device physics in Si/Ge heterostructures” EP/J003263/1 and EP/J003638/1 projects and a Platform Grant No. EP/J001074/1.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from AIP via http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4919053

Protocol for a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial of lithium carbonate in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (LiCALS) [Eudract number: 2008-006891-31].

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by loss of motor neurons leading to severe weakness and death from respiratory failure within 3-5 years. Riluzole prolongs survival in ALS. A published report has suggested a dramatic effect of lithium carbonate on survival. 44 patients were studied, with 16 randomly selected to take LiCO3 and riluzole and 28 allocated to take riluzole alone. In the group treated with lithium, no patients had died (i.e., 100% survival) at the end of the study (15 months from entry), compared to 71% surviving in the riluzole-only group. Although the trial can be criticised on several grounds, there is a substantial rationale from other laboratory studies that lithium is worth investigating therapeutically in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. METHODS/DESIGN: LiCALS is a multi-centre double-blind randomised parallel group controlled trial of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of lithium carbonate (LiCO3) at doses to achieve stable 'therapeutic' plasma levels (0.4-0.8 mmol/L), plus standard treatment, versus matched placebo plus standard treatment, in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study will be based in the UK, in partnership with the MND Association and DeNDRoN (the Dementias and Neurodegnerative Diseases Clinical Research Network). 220 patients will be recruited. All patients will be on the standard treatment for ALS of riluzole 100 mg daily. The primary outcome measure will be death from any cause at 18 months defined from the date of randomisation. Secondary outcome measures will be changes in three functional rating scales, the ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised, The EuroQOL (EQ-5D), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Eligible patients will have El Escorial Possible, Laboratory-supported Probable, Probable or Definite amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with disease duration between 6 months and 36 months (inclusive), vital capacity ≥ 60% of predicted within 1 month prior to randomisation and age at least18 years. DISCUSSION: Patient recruitment began in June 2009 and the last patient is expected to complete the trial protocol in November 2011. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current controlled trials ISRCTN83178718

Global Citizenship and Cross-Cultural Competency: Student and expert understandings of internationalisation terminology

Internationalization of the curriculum is of increasing interest in many universities; yet, the terminology used to describe it is highly varied and it is not clear that students understand its core concepts. This study explores students’ understandings of the terms global citizenship and cross-cultural competency, and compares them with use in the literature and by experts. A large-scale questionnaire of students from a range of disciplines is supplemented with qualitative data from pedagogic and internationalization experts. Findings indicate that student understandings of both terms were mixed, and frequently differed from the way the terms are used by experts and in the literature. The concept of cross-cultural competency was more likely to invoke a sense of agency among students than was global citizenship, contrary to how they are depicted in the literature. This suggests that there may be some pedagogic benefits to be gained from using the former term

Cytogenetic analysis of three species of Pseudacteon (Diptera, Phoridae) parasitoids of the fire ants using standard and molecular techniques

Pseudacteon flies, parasitoids of worker ants, are being intensively studied as potentially effective agents in the biological control of the invasive pest fire ant genus Solenopsis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). This is the first attempt to describe the karyotype of P. curvatus Borgmeier, P. nocens Borgmeier and P. tricuspis Borgmeier. The three species possess 2n = 6; chromosomes I and II were metacentric in the three species, but chromosome pair III was subtelocentric in P. curvatus and P. tricuspis, and telocentric in P. nocens. All three species possess a C positive band in chromosome II, lack C positive heterochromatin on chromosome I, and are mostly differentiated with respect to chromosome III. P. curvatus and P. tricuspis possess a C positive band, but at different locations, whereas this band is absent in P. nocens. Heterochromatic bands are neither AT nor GC rich as revealed by fluorescent banding. In situ hybridization with an 18S rDNA probe revealed a signal on chromosome II in a similar location to the C positive band in the three species. The apparent lack of morphologically distinct sex chromosomes is consistent with proposals of environmental sex determination in the genus. Small differences detected in chromosome length and morphology suggests that chromosomes have been highly conserved during the evolutionary radiation of Pseudacteon. Possible mechanisms of karyotype evolution in the three species are suggested