Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Antimalarial Alkaloids From A Bhutanese Traditional Medicinal Plant Corydalis Dubia, Phurpa Wangchuk, Paul A. Keller, Stephen G. Pyne, Anthony C. Willis, Sumalee Kamchonwongpaisan

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Corydalis dubia is used in Bhutanese traditional medicine as a febrifuge and for treating infections in the blood, liver and bile which correlate to the signs and symptoms of malarial and microbial infections.

Aim of the study: To validate the ethnopharmacological uses of the plant and to discover potential new therapeutic drug leads. Materials and methods C. dubia was collected from Bhutan and the alkaloids were obtained using acid–base fractionation and separation by repeated column and preparative plate chromatography. The alkaloids were identified from analysis of their physiochemical and spectroscopic data and were tested for antiplasmodial, antimicrobial and …

Oxidation Of Acid-Volatile Sulfide In Surface Sediments Increases The Release And Toxicity Of Copper To The Benthic Amphipod Melita Plumulosa, Stuart L. Simpson, Daniel Ward, David Strom, Dianne F. Jolley

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Acid-volatile sulfides (AVS) are an important metal-binding phase in sediments. For sediments that contain an excess of AVS over simultaneously extracted metal (SEM) concentrations, acute or chronic effects should not result from the metals Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn. While AVS phases may exist in surface sediments, the exposure to dissolved oxygen may oxidize the AVS and release metals to more bioavailable forms. We investigated the role of oxidation of AVS, and specifically copper sulfide phases, in surface sediments, in the toxicity to juveniles of the epibenthic amphipod, Melita plumulosa. Sediments containing known amounts of copper sulfide were prepared …

Direct Exfoliation Of Graphite With A Porphyrin - Creating Functionalizable Nanographene Hybrids, Jenny Malig, Adam W. I Stephenson, Pawel Wagner, Gordon G. Wallace, David L. Officer, Dirk M. Guldi

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Exfoliation of graphite was achieved using a free-base porphyrin 1 resulting in an efficient fabrication of single-layer nanographene (NG)-1 hybrid platelets that can be further functionalized with other nanomaterials. The novel nanographene-porphyrin hybrids reveal efficient charge transfer in the excited state.

Binaphthyl-Anchored Antibacterial Tripeptide Derivatives With Hydrophobic C-Terminal Amino Acid Variations, John Bremner, Paul A. Keller, Stephen Pyne, Mark Robertson, Kandasamy Sakthivel, Kittiya Somphol, Dean Baylis, Jonathon A Coates, John Deadman, Dharshini Jeevarajah, David I. Rhodes

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The facile synthesis of seven new dicationic tripeptide benzyl ester derivatives, with hydrophobic group variations in the C-terminal amino acid component, is described. Moderate to good activity was seen against Gram-positive bacteria in vitro. One cyclohexyl-substituted compound 2c was tested more widely and showed good potency (MIC values ranging from 2–4 μg/mL) against antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococci (VRE, VSE), and against Staphylococcus epidermidis.

High-Yield Cell-Free Protein Synthesis For Site-Specific Incorporation Of Unnatural Amino Acids At Two Sites, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Karin V. Loscha, Kekini V. Kuppan, Choy Theng Loh, Nicholas E. Dixon, Gottfried Otting

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Using aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/suppressor tRNA pairs derived from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, an Escherichia coli cell-free protein production system affords proteins with site-specifically incorporated unnatural amino acids (UAAs) in high yields through the use of optimized amber suppressor tRNA_CUA opt and optimization of reagent concentrations. The efficiency of the cell-free system allows the incorporation of trifluoromethyl-phenylalanine using a polyspecific synthetase evolved previously for p-cyanophenylalanine, and the incorporation of UAAs at two different sites of the same protein without any re-engineering of the E. coli cells used to make the cell-free extract.

Dgt-Induced Copper Flux Predicts Bioaccumulation And Toxicity To Bivalves In Sediments With Varying Properties, Stuart L. Simpson, Heloise Yverneau, Anne Cremazy, Chad V. Jarolimek, Helen Price, Dianne F. Jolley

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Many regulatory frameworks for sediment quality assessment include consideration of contaminant bioavailability. However, the “snap-shots” of metal bioavailability provided by analyses of porewaters or acid-volatile sulfidesimultaneously extractable metal (AVS-SEM) relationships do not always contribute sufficient information. The use of inappropriate or inadequate information for assessing metal bioavailability in sediments may result in incorrect assessment decisions. The technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) enables the in situ measurement of metal concentrations in waters and fluxes from sediment porewaters. We utilized the DGT technique to interpret the bioavailability of copper to the benthic bivalve Tellina deltoidalis in sediments of varying …

Land Management Practices Associated With House Loss In Wildfires, Philip Gibbons, Linda Van Bommel, A Malcolm Gill, Geoffrey J. Cary, Don A. Driscoll, Ross A. Bradstock, Emma Knight, Max A. Moritz, Scott L. Stephens, David B. Lindenmayer

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Losses to life and property from unplanned fires (wildfires) are forecast to increase because of population growth in periurban areas and climate change. In response, there have been moves to increase fuel reduction—clearing, prescribed burning, biomass removal and grazing—to afford greater protection to peri-urban communities in fire-prone regions. But how effective are these measures? Severe wildfires in southern Australia in 2009 presented a rare opportunity to address this question empirically. We predicted that modifying several fuels could theoretically reduce house loss by 76%–97%, which would translate to considerably fewer wildfire-related deaths. However, maximum levels of fuel reduction are unlikely to …

Molecular Characterization Of A 21.4 Kilobase Antibiotic Resistance Plasmid From An Hemolytic Escherichia Coli O108:H-Human Clinical Isolate, Fay E. Dawes, Dieter M. Bulach, Alexander Kuzevski, Karl A. Bettelheim, Carola Venturini, Steven P. Djordjevic, Mark J. Walker

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

This study characterizes the 21.4 kilobase plasmid pECTm80 isolated from Escherichia coli strain 80, an α hemolytic human clinical diarrhoeal isolate (serotype O108:H-). DNA sequence analysis of pECTm80 revealed it belonged to incompatibility group X1, and contained plasmid partition and toxin-antitoxin systems, an R6K-like triple origin (ori) replication system, genes required for replication regulation, insertion sequences IS1R, ISEc37 and a truncated transposase gene (Tn3-like ΔtnpA) of the Tn3 family, and carried a class 2 integron. The class 2 integron of pECTm80 contains an intact cassette array dfrA1-sat2, encoding resistance to trimethoprim and streptothricin, …

Isolation Of Tuberospironine A, A Novel Croomine Derivative From Stemona Tuberosa Lour., Pratiwi Pudjiastuti, Stephen G. Pyne, S Sugiyanto, Wilford Lie

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

A novel croomine derivative, tuberospironine A (3-epi-tuberospironine) was isolated from the root extracts of Stemona tuberosa Lour. found growing on Seram Island, Moluccas Province, Indonesia. The structure of this novel alkaloid, with unprecedented configuration at C-3 for a croomine derivative, was determined from interpretation of its NMR spectroscopic data.

Larval Tolerance To Salinity In Three Species Of Australian Anuran: An Indication Of Saline Specialisation In Litoria Aurea, Brian D. Kearney, Phillip G. Byrne, Richard D. Reina

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Recent anthropogenic influences on freshwater habitats are forcing anuran populations to rapidly adapt to high magnitude changes in environmental conditions or face local extinction. We examined the effects of ecologically relevant elevated salinity levels on larval growth, metamorphosis and survival of three species of Australian anuran; the spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis), the painted burrowing frog (Neobatrachus sudelli) and the green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea), in order to better understand the responses of these animals to environmental change. Elevated salinity (16% seawater) negatively impacted on the survival of L. tasmaniensis (35% survival) …

Lime Muds And Their Genesis Off-Northwestern India During The Late Quaternary, V P. Rao, A Anil Kumar, S W A Naqvi, Allan R. Chivas, B Sekar, Pratima M. Kessarkar

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Two sediment types were found in five gravity cores collected from water depths between 56 m and 121 m along the northwestern continental margin of India: lime muds were abundant in the lower section while siliciclastic sediments dominated the upper section. Lime mud-dominated sediments in shelf cores contained 60%–75% carbonate, 0.3%–0.6% Sr and terrigenous minerals, whereas those at the shelf break were found to have >90% carbonate, 0.6%–0.8% Sr and traces of terrigenous minerals. Aragonite needles showing blunt edges, jointed needles and needles wrapped in smooth aragonite cement were found to be common. Stable (O and C) isotopes of lime …

Inhomogeneities In Yba 2cu 3o 7 Thin Films With Reduced Thickness, O V. Shcherbakova, A V. Pan, S K. Gorman, S A. Fedoseev, I A. Golovchanskiy, S. X. Dou

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Morphology and physical properties of mono- (YBa₂Cu₃O₇) and multilayered (YBa₂Cu₃O₇/SmBa₂Cu₃O₇/ YBa₂Cu₃O₇) superconducting thin films with thickness ranging from 90 nm to 28 nm have been investigated. For both types of samples, the superconducting properties degraded with reduction of film thickness. Structural and electromagnetic properties were visualized through scanning electron microscopy and magneto-optical imaging, respectively, and revealed high level of inhomogeneity for thinner (<58 >nm) samples. However, samples with thickness above 58 nm showed enhanced homogeneity, which …

Commentary: Career Progress Relative To Opportunity: How Many Papers Is A Baby 'Worth'?, Natascha Klocker, Danielle Drozdzewski

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

How many papers is a baby ‘worth’? We were prompted to ask this provocative question by recent experiences, working on appointment committees and writing research grants in Australia, where provisions to quantify research track-records ‘relative to opportunity’ call for applicants to explain how fl uctuations in their publication outputs have been impacted by ‘career interruptions’ such as childbearing. In this age of the increasingly neoliberal university—where every activity, output, and impact is audited (Castree, 2000; 2006)—our commentary seeks to question how decision makers account (or not) for the career impacts of having children.

Luminescence Dating Of Chinese Loess Beyond 130 Ka Using The Non-Fading Signal From K-Feldspar, Bo Li, Shenghua Li

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

A multi-elevated-temperature post-IR IRSL (MET-pIRIR) protocol, which utilizes the IRSL signals measured by progressively increasing the stimulation temperature from 50 to 300 ℃ in a step of 50 ℃, was applied to date the potassium-rich feldspar (K-feldspar) extracts from loess samples at the Luochuan section of the Chinese Loess Plateau. It was observed that the MET-pIRIR ages obtained at elevatedtemperatures (250 and 300 ℃) are consistent with independent chronological control for the samples from the first loess layer (L1) to the third paleosol layer (S3), which correspond to the marine isotope stages (MIS) 2e9. Our results indicate that the MET-pIRIR …

Activation Of The Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Receptor P2x7 Induces Interleukin-1b Release From Canine Monocytes, Iman Jalilian, Michelle Peranec, Belinda L. Curtis, Aine Seavers, Mari Spildrejorde, Vanessa Sluyter, Ronald Sluyter

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

P2X7, a damage-associated molecular pattern receptor and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP)-gated cation channel, plays an important role in the activation of the NALP3 inflammasome and subsequent release of interleukin (IL)-1β from human monocytes; however its role in monocytes from other species including the dog remains poorly defined. This study investigated the role of P2X7 in canine monocytes, including its role in IL-1β release. A fixed-time flow cytometric assay demonstrated that activation of P2X7 by extracellular ATP induces the uptake of the organic cation, YO-PRO-1²⁺, into peripheral blood monocytes from various dog breeds, a process impaired by the specific P2X7 …

Biface Distributions And The Movius Line: A Southeast Asian Perspective, Adam Brumm, Mark W. Moore

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The ‘Movius Line’ is the putative technological demarcation line mapping the easternmost geographical distribution of Acheulean bifacial tools. It is traditionally argued by proponents of the Movius Line that ‘true’ Acheulean bifaces, especially handaxes, are only found in abundance in Africa and western Eurasia, whereas in eastern Asia, in front of the ‘line’, these implements are rare or absent altogether. Here we argue, however, that the Movius Line relies on classifying undated surface bifaces as Acheulean on typological grounds alone, a long-standing and widely accepted practice in Africa and western Eurasia, but one that is not seen as legitimate in …

Comparing The Information Content Of Coral Reef Geomorphological And Biological Habitat Maps, Amirantes Archipelago (Seychelles), Western Indian Ocean, S Hamylton, S Andrefouet, T Spencer

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Increasing the use of geomorphological map products in marine spatial planning has the potential to greatly enhance return on mapping investment as they are commonly two orders of magnitude cheaper to produce than biologically-focussed maps of benthic communities and shallow substrates. The efficacy of geomorphological maps derived from remotely sensed imagery as surrogates for habitat diversity is explored by comparing two map sets of the platform reefs and atolls of the Amirantes Archipelago (Seychelles), Western Indian Ocean. One mapping campaign utilised Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imagery (19 wavebands, 1 m spatial resolution) to classify 11 islands and associated reefs into 25 …

Engaging Creative Communities In An Industrial City Setting, Chris Gibson, Ben Gallan, Andrew Warren

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Much has been said about how ‘creativity’ might infuse policymaking and planning – especially in the wake of popular bestsellers by Richard Florida and Charles Landry on ‘creative places’ and the ‘creative class’ (the latter a supposed demographic group associated with creative industries such as film, design and music, who are said to be the key to the economic fortunes of cities). Creativity, it is said, can be facilitated in particular urban environments, given the right preconditions such as ‘hip’ inner-city precincts, café culture and walkable dense clusters of design firms and retail and residential spaces. The common argument is …

Molecular Characterization Of Escherichia Coli Strains That Cause Symptomatic And Asymptomatic Urinary Tract Infections, Sam Abraham, Toni A. Chapman, Ren Zhang, James Chin, Amanda N. Mabbett, Makrina Totsika, Mark A. Schembri

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The differences between Escherichia coli strains associated with symptomatic and asymptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs) remain to be properly determined. Here we examined the prevalence of plasmid types and bacteriocins, as well as genetic relatedness, in a defined collection of E. coli strains that cause UTIs. Comparative analysis identified a subgroup of strains with a high number of virulence genes (VGs) and microcins M/H47. We also identified associations between microcin genes, VGs, and specific plasmid types.

Long-Range Correlations In Fourier Transform Infrared, Satellite, And Modeled Co In The Southern Hemisphere, Olaf Morgenstern, Guang Zeng, Stephen W. Wood, John Robinson, Dan Smale, Clare Paton-Walsh, Nicholas B. Jones, David W. T Griffith

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We use Fourier transfonn infrared ground-based measurements and satellite and model data to assess long-range correlations in tropospheric carbon monoxide. We fmd that CO columns measured in New Zealand correlate well with those measured in Antarctica, if a transport-related lag is taken into account. The model suggests that this long-range correlation is part of a mode of anomalous CO comprising almost the whole southern extratropics, which is linked to biomass burning in the southern continents. No such mode is modeled for the Northern Hemisphere. The area of long-range correlations maximizes for the southern subtropical Pacific, which is identified as an …

Molecular Dynamics Analysis Of Apolipoprotein-D - Lipid Hydroperoxide Interactions: Mechanism For Selective Oxidation Of Met-93, Aaron J. Oakley, Surabhi Bhatia, Heath Ecroyd, Brett Garner

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Background: Recent studies suggest reduction of radical-propagating fatty acid hydroperoxides to inert hydroxides by interaction with apolipoprotein-D (apoD) Met93 may represent an antioxidant function for apoD. The nature and structural consequences of this selective interaction are unknown.

Methodology/Principal Findings: Herein we used molecular dynamics (MD) analysis to address these issues. Longtimescale simulations of apoD suggest lipid molecules are bound flexibly, with the molecules free to explore multiple conformations in a binding site at the entrance to the classical lipocalin ligand-binding pocket. Models of 5s- 12s- and 15s hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids were created and the lipids found to wrap around Met93 thus …

Molecular Mechanisms Of K+ Selectivity In Na/K Pump, Haibo Yu, Ian Ratheal, Pablo Artigas, Benoit Roux

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The sodium–potassium (Na/K) pump plays an essential role in maintaining cell volume and secondary active transport of other solutes by establishing the Na⁺ and K⁺ concentration gradients across the plasma membrane of animal cells. The recently determined crystal structures of the Na/K pump to atomic resolution provide a new impetus to investigate molecular determinants governing the binding of Na⁺ and K⁺ ions and conformational transitions during the functional cycle. The pump cycle is generally described by the alternating access mechanism, in which the pump toggles between different conformational states, where ions can bind from either the …

Molecular Characterization Of Commensal Escherichia Coli Adapted To Different Compartments Of The Porcine Gastrointestinal Tract, Sam Abraham, David M. Gordon, James Chin, Huub J. M Brouwers, Peter Njuguna, Mitchell D. Groves, Ren Zhang, Toni A. Chapman

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

The role of Escherichia coli as a pathogen has been the focus of considerable study, while much less is known about it as a commensal and how it adapts to and colonizes different environmental niches within the mammalian gut. In this study, we characterize Escherichia coli organisms (n=146) isolated from different regions of the intestinal tracts of eight pigs (dueodenum, ileum, colon, and feces). The isolates were typed using the method of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and screened for the presence of bacteriocin genes and plasmid replicon types. Molecular analysis of variance using the RAPD data showed that E. …

A Comparison Of Bushfire Fuel Hazard Assessors And Assessment Methods In Dry Sclerophyll Forest Near Sydney, Australia, Penny J. Watson, Sandra H. Penman, Ross A. Bradstock

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Over the last decade, fire managers in Australia have embraced the concept of ‘fuel hazard’, and guides for its assessment have been produced. The reliability of these new metrics, however, remains to be determined. This study compared fuel hazard ratings generated by five assessment teams using two Australian hazard assessment methods, in two dry sclerophyll forest sites on Sydney’s urban fringe. Attributes that underpin hazard scores, such as cover and height of various fuel layers, were also assessed. We found significant differences between teams on most variables, including hazard scores. These differences were more apparent when fuel hazard assessments focussed …

Characterization Of Gellan Gum By Capillary Electrophoresis, Danielle L. Taylor, Cameron J. Ferris, Alison R. Maniego, Patrice Castignolles, Marc In Het Panhuis, Marianne Gaborieau

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Gellan gums were characterised for the first time using free-solution capillary electrophoresis (CE) or CE under critical conditions (CE-CC). CE-CC is a fast method that separates the polysaccharide. Gellan gums are shown to be heterogeneous in terms of their electrophoretic mobility at 55°C revealing: oligomer peak(s), broad peaks of polymers with a random coil conformation with different degrees of acylation (composition), aggregates, and polymers with double-helix conformation. CE-CC is complementary with the rheological analysis also performed in this work. Sonication of gellan gums is shown to decrease the viscosity of gellan gum mainly by breaking up aggregates. The effect of …

Manipulating Thermal Stress On Rocky Shores To Predict Patterns Of Recruitment Of Marine Invertebrates Under A Changing Climate, Justin A. Lathlean, Todd E. Minchinton

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

For rocky intertidal organisms, temperature is often considered the most influential factor governing early survival and growth. Nevertheless, our review of the literature revealed that few studies have manipulated temperatures in the field to test for effects on these critical early life history processes. Here, we present the results from a novel manipulation of substratum temperature using settlement plates of different colour (black, grey and white) and infrared measurements of temperature to test hypotheses that temperature influences the early survival and growth of recent settlers of the intertidal barnacle Tesseropora rosea. Mean surface temperatures of black and grey plates …

Living Together But Apart: Material Geographies Of Everyday Sustainability In Extended Family Households, Natascha Klocker, Chris Gibson, Erin Borger

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

In the Industrialized West, ageing populations and cultural diversity-combined with rising property prices and extensive years spent in education-have been recognized as diverse factors driving increases in extended family living. At the same time, there is growing awareness that household size is inversely related to per capita resource consumption patterns, and that urgent problems of environmental sustainability are negotiated, on a day-to-day basis (and often unconsciously), at the household level. This paper explores the sustainability implications of everyday decisions to fashion, consume, and share resources around the home, through the lens of extended family households. Through interviews with extended family …

Self-Assembled Gels From Biological And Synthetic Polyelectrolytes, Paul Calvert, Skander Limem, Don Mccallum, Gordon G. Wallace, Marc In Het Panhuis

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Inkjet printing of alternate layers of anionic and cationic polyelectrolytes allows organized gels to form with structures similar to those made by layer--by-layer dipping methods but very much faster. Structures of gels formed using slow and fast inkjet printing systems are compared using elemental analysis, swelling and diffusion kinetics as characterization methods. After printing and washing, most sodium or chloride counter-ions are last from the gel, leave only the polymer complex. The swelling properties of the printed and washed gel depend on the deposition rate and on the ratio of the two polymers as originally printed. The synthetic polyelectrolytes reported …

Using Rigorous Selection Criteria To Investigate Marine Range Shifts, Rachel Przeslawski, Inke Falkner, Michael B. Ashcroft, Pat Hutchings

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We reassess whether range shifts in marine organisms are occurring in a direction predicted by causation due to climate using two different methods: a global meta-analysis and a regional analysis of museum records focussing on marine molluscs. Globally we used rigorous selection criteria to investigate studies describing range shifts in marine organisms, including exclusion of single-species studies and those that inferred range shifts through shifting abundance. For each species meeting these criteria (311 species from 13 studies), the distance in kilometres moved per year was calculated, and life history characteristics such as mobility, habitat, dispersal potential and trophic level were …

Fragment-Based Screening By Protein Crystallography: Successes And Pitfalls, Zorik Chilingaryan, Zhou Yin, Aaron J. Oakley

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) concerns the screening of low-molecular weight compounds against macromolecular targets of clinical relevance. These compounds act as starting points for the development of drugs. FBDD has evolved and grown in popularity over the past 15 years. In this paper, the rationale and technology behind the use of X-ray crystallography in fragment based screening (FBS) will be described, including fragment library design and use of synchrotron radiation and robotics for high-throughput X-ray data collection. Some recent uses of crystallography in FBS will be described in detail, including interrogation of the drug targets β-secretase, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase, phosphodiesterase …