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2013

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Changes To Land Tenure And Pastoral Lease Ownership In Western Australia's Central Rangelands: Implications For Co-Operative, Landscape-Scale Management, Eddie J. Van Etten Jan 2013

Changes To Land Tenure And Pastoral Lease Ownership In Western Australia's Central Rangelands: Implications For Co-Operative, Landscape-Scale Management, Eddie J. Van Etten

Research outputs 2013

The majority of arid and semiarid land in the Western Australian pastoral zone has a long history of livestock grazing within an extensive network of predominantly family-held pastoral leases. A variety of different groups have purchased pastoral leases in the last five decades and, for many, making a profit from pastoralism is no longer a priority. For the central rangelands of Western Australia, these groups have included: government agencies, who have purchased some 9% of pastoral leases by area; private conservation organisations (<1% purchased); aboriginal communities and groups (∼7%); and mining companies (∼13%). The purchases of pastoral leases by government agencies was designed to improve the conservation status of arid-zone ecosystems, and is the first step in a process of changing land tenure to a conservation reserve. This paper summarises the extent and other characteristics of these changes in land tenure and ownership of pastoral leases, and explores the implications for land management and conservation, stemming from these changes. It demonstrates that large areas of contiguous land with no or reduced domestic stocking can now be found in many parts of these rangelands, particularly in the Coolgardie, Yalgoo and Pilbara bio-regions, with some leaseholders actively managing land for the conservation of biodiversity and restoring sites degraded through past over-grazing. In some bio-regions, such land covers considerable proportions of sub-catchments, suggesting that broad-scale conservation management and restoration objectives may be realised. It is argued that to fully realise these objectives requires effective communication and co-ordination between land managers, including sharing of ideas, view-points and resources. In particular, mining companies, now major holders of pastoral leases in Western Australia, can play an important role in contributing to and even facilitating such objectives.

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Monitoring Training Loads, Stress, Immune-Endocrine Responses And Performance In Tennis Players, R.V. Gomes, A. Moreira, L. Lodo, Kazunori Nosaka, A.J. Coutts, M.S. Aoki Jan 2013

Monitoring Training Loads, Stress, Immune-Endocrine Responses And Performance In Tennis Players, R.V. Gomes, A. Moreira, L. Lodo, Kazunori Nosaka, A.J. Coutts, M.S. Aoki

Research outputs 2013

The study aim was to investigate the effect of a periodised pre-season training plan on internal training load and subsequent stress tolerance, immune-endocrine responses and physical performance in tennis players. Well-trained young tennis players (n = 10) were monitored across the pre-season period, which was divided into 4 weeks of progressive overloading training and a 1-week tapering period. Weekly measures of internal training load, training monotony and stress tolerance (sources and symptoms of stress) were taken, along with salivary testosterone, cortisol and immunoglobulin A. One repetition maximum strength, running endurance, jump height and agility were assessed before and after training. …

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Millennial Scale Impact On The Marine Biogeochemical Cycle Of Mercury From Early Mining On The Iberian Peninsula, Oscar Serrano Gras, A. Martinez-Cortizas, M. A. Mateo, H. Biester, R. Bindler Jan 2013

Millennial Scale Impact On The Marine Biogeochemical Cycle Of Mercury From Early Mining On The Iberian Peninsula, Oscar Serrano Gras, A. Martinez-Cortizas, M. A. Mateo, H. Biester, R. Bindler

Research outputs 2013

The high-resolution mercury record of a Posidonia oceanica mat in the northwest Mediterranean provides an unprecedented testimony of changes in environmental mercury (Hg) loading to the coastal marine environment over the past 4315 yr BP. The period reconstructed made it possible to establish tentative preanthropogenic background Hg levels for the area (6.8!1.5 ng g–1 in bulk sediments). A small, but significant, anthropogenic Hg increase was identifiable by ~2500 yr BP, in agreement with the beginning of intense mining in Spain. Changes in the record suggest four major periods of anthropogenic Hg pollution inputs to the Mediterranean: first, during the Roman …

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Using Digital Representations Of Practical Production Work For Summative Assessment, C. Paul Newhouse Jan 2013

Using Digital Representations Of Practical Production Work For Summative Assessment, C. Paul Newhouse

Research outputs 2013

This paper presents the findings of the first phase of a three-year study investigating the efficacy of the digitisation of creative practical work as digital portfolios for the purposes of high-stakes summative assessment. At the same time the paired comparisons method of scoring was tried as an alternative to analytical rubric-based marking because we believed that it was likely that a more holistic approach to scoring would be more appropriate. Researchers created digital representations of the practical submissions of 75 Visual Arts and 82 Design students graduating from secondary school in Western Australia. These digital portfolios were scored using the …

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Meta-Analysis Reveals Complex Marine Biological Responses To The Interactive Effects Of Ocean Acidification And Warming, Ben P. Harvey, Dylan Gwynn-Jones, Philippa J. Moore Jan 2013

Meta-Analysis Reveals Complex Marine Biological Responses To The Interactive Effects Of Ocean Acidification And Warming, Ben P. Harvey, Dylan Gwynn-Jones, Philippa J. Moore

Research outputs 2013

Ocean acidification and warming are considered two of the greatest threats to marine biodiversity, yet the combined effect of these stressors on marine organisms remains largely unclear. Using a meta-analytical approach, we assessed the biological responses of marine organisms to the effects of ocean acidification and warming in isolation and combination. As expected biological responses varied across taxonomic groups, life-history stages, and trophic levels, but importantly, combining stressors generally exhibited a stronger biological (either positive or negative) effect. Using a subset of orthogonal studies, we show that four of five of the biological responses measured (calcification, photosynthesis, reproduction, and survival, …

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Threats And Knowledge Gaps For Ecosystem Services Provided By Kelp Forests: A Northeast Atlantic Perspective, Dan A. Smale, Michael T. Burrows, Philippa J. Moore, Nessa O'Connor, Stephen J. Hawkins Jan 2013

Threats And Knowledge Gaps For Ecosystem Services Provided By Kelp Forests: A Northeast Atlantic Perspective, Dan A. Smale, Michael T. Burrows, Philippa J. Moore, Nessa O'Connor, Stephen J. Hawkins

Research outputs 2013

Kelp forests along temperate and polar coastlines represent some of most diverse and productive habitats on the Earth. Here, we synthesize information from >60 years of research on the structure and functioning of kelp forest habitats in European waters, with particular emphasis on the coasts of UK and Ireland, which represents an important biogeographic transition zone that is subjected to multiple threats and stressors. We collated existing data on kelp distribution and abundance and reanalyzed these data to describe the structure of kelp forests along a spatial gradient spanning more than 10° of latitude. We then examined ecological goods and …

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A Necrotic Stimulus Is Required To Maximize Matrix-Mediated Myogenesis In Mice, Drew Kuraitis, Maria Grazia Berardinelli, Erik J. Suuronen, Antonio Musaro Jan 2013

A Necrotic Stimulus Is Required To Maximize Matrix-Mediated Myogenesis In Mice, Drew Kuraitis, Maria Grazia Berardinelli, Erik J. Suuronen, Antonio Musaro

Research outputs 2013

Biomaterials that are similar to skeletal muscle extracellular matrix have been shown to augment regeneration in ischemic muscle. In this study, treatment with a collagen-based matrix stimulated molecular myogenesis in an mdx murine model of necrosis. Matrix-treated animals ran ≥ 40% further, demonstrating functional regeneration, and expressed increased levels of myogenic transcripts. By contrast, matrix treatment was unable to induce transcriptional or functional changes in an MLC/SOD1G93A atrophic mouse model. In vitro, satellite cells were cultured under standard conditions, on matrix, in the presence of myocyte debris (to simulate a necrotic-like environment) or with both matrix and necrotic stimuli. Exposure …

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The Genetic Contribution Of Cidea Polymorphisms, Haplotypes And Loci Interaction To Obesity In A Han Chinese Population, Jingjing Wu, Ling Zhang, Jie Zhang, Ying Dai, Lili Bian, Manshu Song, Alyce C. Russell, Wei Wang Jan 2013

The Genetic Contribution Of Cidea Polymorphisms, Haplotypes And Loci Interaction To Obesity In A Han Chinese Population, Jingjing Wu, Ling Zhang, Jie Zhang, Ying Dai, Lili Bian, Manshu Song, Alyce C. Russell, Wei Wang

Research outputs 2013

To investigate the association of tag-SNPs and haplotype structures of the CIDEA gene with obesity in a Han Chinese population. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1154588/V115F, rs4796955/SNP1, rs8092502/SNP2, rs12962340/SNP3 and rs7230480/SNP4) in the CIDEA gene were genotyped in a case-control study. Genotyping was performed using the sequenom matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry iPLEX platform. There were significant differences between the obese and control groups in genotype distributions of V115F (P>0.001), SNP1 (P = 0.006) and SNP2 (P = 0.005). Carriers of V115F-TT, SNP1-GG and SNP2-CC genotypes had a 2.84-fold (95 % CI 1.73-4.66), 2.19-fold (95 % CI 1.09-4.38) …

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The 6th Computational Structural Bioinformatics Workshop Introduction, Jing He, Amarda Shehu, Nurit Haspel, Brian Chen Jan 2013

The 6th Computational Structural Bioinformatics Workshop Introduction, Jing He, Amarda Shehu, Nurit Haspel, Brian Chen

Computer Science Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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Estimating Loop Length From Cryoem Images At Medium Resolutions, Andrew Mcknight, Dong Si, Kamal Al Nasr, Andrey Chemikov, Nikos Chrisochoides, Jing He Jan 2013

Estimating Loop Length From Cryoem Images At Medium Resolutions, Andrew Mcknight, Dong Si, Kamal Al Nasr, Andrey Chemikov, Nikos Chrisochoides, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: De novo protein modeling approaches utilize 3-dimensional (3D) images derived from electron cryomicroscopy (CryoEM) experiments. The skeleton connecting two secondary structures such as α-helices represent the loop in the 3D image. The accuracy of the skeleton and of the detected secondary structures are critical in De novo modeling. It is important to measure the length along the skeleton accurately since the length can be used as a constraint in modeling the protein.

Results: We have developed a novel computational geometric approach to derive a simplified curve in order to estimate the loop length along the skeleton. The method was …

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Image-Level And Group-Level Models For Drosophila Gene Expression Pattern Annotation, Quian Sun, Sherin Muckatira, Lei Yuan, Shuiwang Ji, Stuart Newfeld, Sudhir Kumar, Jieping Ye Jan 2013

Image-Level And Group-Level Models For Drosophila Gene Expression Pattern Annotation, Quian Sun, Sherin Muckatira, Lei Yuan, Shuiwang Ji, Stuart Newfeld, Sudhir Kumar, Jieping Ye

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: Drosophila melanogaster has been established as a model organism for investigating the developmental gene interactions. The spatio-temporal gene expression patterns of Drosophila melanogaster can be visualized by in situ hybridization and documented as digital images. Automated and efficient tools for analyzing these expression images will provide biological insights into the gene functions, interactions, and networks. To facilitate pattern recognition and comparison, many web-based resources have been created to conduct comparative analysis based on the body part keywords and the associated images. With the fast accumulation of images from high-throughput techniques, manual inspection of images will impose a serious impediment …

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Computational Genetic Neuroanatomy Of The Developing Mouse Brain: Dimensionality Reduction, Visualization, And Clustering, Shuiwang Ji Jan 2013

Computational Genetic Neuroanatomy Of The Developing Mouse Brain: Dimensionality Reduction, Visualization, And Clustering, Shuiwang Ji

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: The structured organization of cells in the brain plays a key role in its functional efficiency. This delicate organization is the consequence of unique molecular identity of each cell gradually established by precise spatiotemporal gene expression control during development. Currently, studies on the molecular-structural association are beginning to reveal how the spatiotemporal gene expression patterns are related to cellular differentiation and structural development.

Results: In this article, we aim at a global, data-driven study of the relationship between gene expressions and neuroanatomy in the developing mouse brain. To enable visual explorations of the high-dimensional data, we map the in …

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Dinosolve: A Protein Disulfide Bonding Prediction Server Using Context-Based Features To Enhance Prediction Accuracy, Ashraf Yaseen, Yaohang Li Jan 2013

Dinosolve: A Protein Disulfide Bonding Prediction Server Using Context-Based Features To Enhance Prediction Accuracy, Ashraf Yaseen, Yaohang Li

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: Disulfide bonds play an important role in protein folding and structure stability. Accurately predicting disulfide bonds from protein sequences is important for modeling the structural and functional characteristics of many proteins.

Methods: In this work, we introduce an approach of enhancing disulfide bonding prediction accuracy by taking advantage of context-based features. We firstly derive the first-order and second-order mean-force potentials according to the amino acid environment around the cysteine residues from large number of cysteine samples. The mean-force potentials are integrated as context-based scores to estimate the favorability of a cysteine residue in disulfide bonding state as well as …

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A Mesh Generation And Machine Learning Framework For Drosophila Gene Expression Pattern Image Analysis, Wenlu Zhang, Daming Feng, Rongjian Li, Andrey Chernikov, Nikos Chrisochoides, Christopher Osgood, Charlotte Konikoff, Stuart Newfeld, Sudhir Kumar, Shuiwang Ji Jan 2013

A Mesh Generation And Machine Learning Framework For Drosophila Gene Expression Pattern Image Analysis, Wenlu Zhang, Daming Feng, Rongjian Li, Andrey Chernikov, Nikos Chrisochoides, Christopher Osgood, Charlotte Konikoff, Stuart Newfeld, Sudhir Kumar, Shuiwang Ji

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Background: Multicellular organisms consist of cells of many different types that are established during development. Each type of cell is characterized by the unique combination of expressed gene products as a result of spatiotemporal gene regulation. Currently, a fundamental challenge in regulatory biology is to elucidate the gene expression controls that generate the complex body plans during development. Recent advances in high-throughput biotechnologies have generated spatiotemporal expression patterns for thousands of genes in the model organism fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Existing qualitative methods enhanced by a quantitative analysis based on computational tools we present in this paper would provide …

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Conformational Sampling In Template Free Protein Loop Structure Modeling: An Overview, Yaohang Li Jan 2013

Conformational Sampling In Template Free Protein Loop Structure Modeling: An Overview, Yaohang Li

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Accurately modeling protein loops is an important step to predict three-dimensional structures as well as to understand functions of many proteins. Because of their high flexibility, modeling the three-dimensional structures of loops is difficult and is usually treated as a "mini protein folding problem" under geometric constraints. In the past decade, there has been remarkable progress in template-free loop structure modeling due to advances of computational methods as well as stably increasing number of known structures available in PDB. This mini review provides an overview on the recent computational approaches for loop structure modeling. In particular, we focus on the …

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Intensity-Based Skeletonization Of Cryoem Gray-Scale Images Using A True Segmentation-Free Algorithm, Kamal Al Nasr, Chunmei Liu, Mugizi Rwebangira, Legand Burge, Jing He Jan 2013

Intensity-Based Skeletonization Of Cryoem Gray-Scale Images Using A True Segmentation-Free Algorithm, Kamal Al Nasr, Chunmei Liu, Mugizi Rwebangira, Legand Burge, Jing He

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Cryo-electron microscopy is an experimental technique that is able to produce 3D gray-scale images of protein molecules. In contrast to other experimental techniques, cryo-electron microscopy is capable of visualizing large molecular complexes such as viruses and ribosomes. At medium resolution, the positions of the atoms are not visible and the process cannot proceed. The medium-resolution images produced by cryo-electron microscopy are used to derive the atomic structure of the proteins in de novo modeling. The skeletons of the 3D gray-scale images are used to interpret important information that is helpful in de novo modeling. Unfortunately, not all features of the …

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Pine As Fast Food: Foraging Ecology Of An Endangered Cockatoo In A Forestry Landscape, William Stock, Hugh Finn, Jackson Parker, Ken Dods Jan 2013

Pine As Fast Food: Foraging Ecology Of An Endangered Cockatoo In A Forestry Landscape, William Stock, Hugh Finn, Jackson Parker, Ken Dods

Research outputs 2013

Pine plantations near Perth, Western Australia have provided an important food source for endangered Carnaby’s Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus latirostris) since the 1940s. Plans to harvest these plantations without re-planting will remove this food source by 2031 or earlier. To assess the impact of pine removal, we studied the ecological association between Carnaby’s Cockatoos and pine using behavioural, nutritional, and phenological data. Pine plantations provided high densities of seed (158 025 seeds ha21) over a large area (c. 15 000 ha). Carnaby’s Cockatoos fed throughout these plantations and removed almost the entire annual crop of pine cones. Peak cockatoo abundance coincided with …

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The Characterisation Of Pax3 Expressant Cells In Adult Peripheral Nerve [Journal Article], Judith Blake, Melanie Ziman Jan 2013

The Characterisation Of Pax3 Expressant Cells In Adult Peripheral Nerve [Journal Article], Judith Blake, Melanie Ziman

Research outputs 2013

Pax3 has numerous integral functions in embryonic tissue morphogenesis and knowledge of its complex function in cells of adult tissue continues to unfold. Across a variety of adult tissue lineages, the role of Pax3 is principally linked to maintenance of the tissue’s resident stem/progenitor cell population. In adult peripheral nerves, Pax3 is reported to be expressed in nonmyelinating Schwann cells, however, little is known about the purpose of this expression. Based on the evidence of the role of Pax3 in other adult tissue stem and progenitor cells, it was hypothesised that the cells in adult peripheral nerve that express Pax3 …

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Reversibility Of Membrane N-Glycome Of Hela Cells Upon Treatment With Epigenetic Inhibitors, Tomislav Horvat, Martina Dezeljin, Irma Redzic, Darko Barisic, Maja H. Bosnar, Gordan Lauc Jan 2013

Reversibility Of Membrane N-Glycome Of Hela Cells Upon Treatment With Epigenetic Inhibitors, Tomislav Horvat, Martina Dezeljin, Irma Redzic, Darko Barisic, Maja H. Bosnar, Gordan Lauc

Research outputs 2013

Glycans are essential regulators of protein function and are now in the focus of research in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. There are numerous modes of regulating their biosynthesis, including epigenetic mechanisms implicated in the expression of glyco-genes. Since N-glycans located at the cell membrane define intercellular communication as well as a cellular response to a given environment, we developed a method to preferentially analyze this fraction of glycans. The method is based on incorporation of living cells into polyacrylamide gels, partial denaturation of membrane proteins with 3 M urea and subsequent release of N-glycans with PNGase F followed by …

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Trkb Receptor Signalling: Implications In Neurodegenerative, Psychiatric And Proliferative Disorders, Vivek K. Gupta, Yuyi You, Veer Gupta, Alexander Klistorner, Stuart L. Graham Jan 2013

Trkb Receptor Signalling: Implications In Neurodegenerative, Psychiatric And Proliferative Disorders, Vivek K. Gupta, Yuyi You, Veer Gupta, Alexander Klistorner, Stuart L. Graham

Research outputs 2013

The Trk family of receptors play a wide variety of roles in physiological and disease processes in both neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. Amongst these the TrkB receptor in particular has attracted major attention due to its critical role in signalling for brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and neurotrophin-4 (NT4). TrkB signalling is indispensable for the survival, development and synaptic plasticity of several subtypes of neurons in the nervous system. Substantial evidence has emerged over the last decade about the involvement of aberrant TrkB signalling and its compromise in various neuropsychiatric and degenerative conditions. Unusual changes in TrkB signalling …

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Loci Associated With N-Glycosylation Of Human Immunoglobulin G Show Pleiotropy With Autoimmune Diseases And Haematological Cancers, Gordan Lauc, Jennifer E. Huffman, Maja Pucic, Lina Zgaga, Barbara Adamczyk, Ana Muzinic, Mislav Novokmet, Ozren Polasek, Olga Gornik, Jasminka Kristic, Toma Keser, Veronique Vitart, Blanca Scheijen, Hae-Won Uh, Mariam Molokhia, Alan L. Patrick, Paul Mckeigue, Ivana Kolcic, Ivan K. Lukic, Olivia Swann, Frank N. Van Leeuwen, L. R. Ruhaak, Jeanine J. Houwing-Duistermaat, P. E. Slagboom, Marian Beekman, Anton J.M. De Craen, Andre M. Deelder, Qiang Zeng, Wei Wang, Nicholas D. Hastie, Ulf Gyllensten, James F. Wilson, Manfred Wuhrer, Alan F. Wright, Pauline M. Rudd, Caroline Hayward, Yurii Aulchenko, Harry Campbell, Igor Rudan Jan 2013

Loci Associated With N-Glycosylation Of Human Immunoglobulin G Show Pleiotropy With Autoimmune Diseases And Haematological Cancers, Gordan Lauc, Jennifer E. Huffman, Maja Pucic, Lina Zgaga, Barbara Adamczyk, Ana Muzinic, Mislav Novokmet, Ozren Polasek, Olga Gornik, Jasminka Kristic, Toma Keser, Veronique Vitart, Blanca Scheijen, Hae-Won Uh, Mariam Molokhia, Alan L. Patrick, Paul Mckeigue, Ivana Kolcic, Ivan K. Lukic, Olivia Swann, Frank N. Van Leeuwen, L. R. Ruhaak, Jeanine J. Houwing-Duistermaat, P. E. Slagboom, Marian Beekman, Anton J.M. De Craen, Andre M. Deelder, Qiang Zeng, Wei Wang, Nicholas D. Hastie, Ulf Gyllensten, James F. Wilson, Manfred Wuhrer, Alan F. Wright, Pauline M. Rudd, Caroline Hayward, Yurii Aulchenko, Harry Campbell, Igor Rudan

Research outputs 2013

Glycosylation of immunoglobulin G (IgG) influences IgG effector function by modulating binding to Fc receptors. To identify genetic loci associated with IgG glycosylation, we quantitated N-linked IgG glycans using two approaches. After isolating IgG from human plasma, we performed 77 quantitative measurements of N-glycosylation using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in 2,247 individuals from four European discovery populations. In parallel, we measured IgG N-glycans using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS) in a replication cohort of 1,848 Europeans. Meta-analysis of genome-wide association study (GWAS) results identified 9 genome-wide significant loci (P,2.2761029) in the discovery analysis and two of the same loci (B4GALT1 and …

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Pathology Associated With Aav Mediated Expression Of Beta Amyloid Or C100 In Adult Mouse Hippocampus And Cerebellum, Eleanor S. Drummond, Jill Muhling, Ralph Martins, Linda K. Wijaya, Erich M. Ehlert, Alan R. Harvey Jan 2013

Pathology Associated With Aav Mediated Expression Of Beta Amyloid Or C100 In Adult Mouse Hippocampus And Cerebellum, Eleanor S. Drummond, Jill Muhling, Ralph Martins, Linda K. Wijaya, Erich M. Ehlert, Alan R. Harvey

Research outputs 2013

Accumulation of beta amyloid (Ab) in the brain is a primary feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) but the exact molecular mechanisms by which Ab exerts its toxic actions are not yet entirely clear. We documented pathological changes 3 and 6 months after localised injection of recombinant, bi-cistronic adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV2) expressing human Ab40- GFP, Ab42-GFP, C100-GFP or C100V717F-GFP into the hippocampus and cerebellum of 8 week old male mice. Injection of all rAAV2 vectors resulted in wide-spread transduction within the hippocampus and cerebellum, as shown by expression of transgene mRNA and GFP protein. Despite the lack of accumulation of …

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The Guinea Pig As A Model For Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease (Ad): The Impact Of Cholesterol Intake On Expression Of Ad-Related Genes, Mathew Sharman, Seyyed H.M. Nik, Mengqi Chen, Daniel Ong, Linda K. Wijaya, Simon Laws, Kevin Taddei, Morgan Newman, Michael Lardelli, Ralph Martins, Guiseppe Verdile Jan 2013

The Guinea Pig As A Model For Sporadic Alzheimer's Disease (Ad): The Impact Of Cholesterol Intake On Expression Of Ad-Related Genes, Mathew Sharman, Seyyed H.M. Nik, Mengqi Chen, Daniel Ong, Linda K. Wijaya, Simon Laws, Kevin Taddei, Morgan Newman, Michael Lardelli, Ralph Martins, Guiseppe Verdile

Research outputs 2013

We investigated the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, as a model for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), both in terms of the conservation of genes involved in AD and the regulatory responses of these to a known AD risk factor - high cholesterol intake. Unlike rats and mice, guinea pigs possess an Ab peptide sequence identical to human Ab. Consistent with the commonality between cardiovascular and AD risk factors in humans, we saw that a high cholesterol diet leads to up-regulation of BACE1 (b-secretase) transcription and down-regulation of ADAM10 (a-secretase) transcription which should increase release of Ab from APP. Significantly, guinea pigs possess …

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Environmental And Conservation Volunteering As Workplace Integrated Learning For University Students, Rowena H. Scott, Eddie Van Etten Jan 2013

Environmental And Conservation Volunteering As Workplace Integrated Learning For University Students, Rowena H. Scott, Eddie Van Etten

Research outputs 2013

This research paper introduces the concept and practice of tertiary sciences students doing environmental volunteering, also known as conservation volunteering, as a core part of their course. First year Natural Sciences students at Edith Cowan University do five days environmental volunteer work with community groups as a practicum, currently known as Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL). Initial research data displays the number of volunteer hours done by students in various types of activities, locations and organisations. Preliminary quantitative evaluations and qualitative comments demonstrate students’ positive attitudes and outcomes from their volunteering experiences. Definitions and classifications of volunteering and WIL from current …

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Variability In The Carbon Storage Of Seagrass Habitats And Its Implications For Global Estimates Of Blue Carbon Ecosystem Service, Paul Lavery, Miguel-Angel Mateo, Oscar Serrano, Mohammad Rozaimi Jan 2013

Variability In The Carbon Storage Of Seagrass Habitats And Its Implications For Global Estimates Of Blue Carbon Ecosystem Service, Paul Lavery, Miguel-Angel Mateo, Oscar Serrano, Mohammad Rozaimi

Research outputs 2013

The recent focus on carbon trading has intensified interest in ‘Blue Carbon’–carbon sequestered by coastal vegetated ecosystems, particularly seagrasses. Most information on seagrass carbon storage is derived from studies of a single species, Posidonia oceanica, from the Mediterranean Sea. We surveyed 17 Australian seagrass habitats to assess the variability in their sedimentary organic carbon (Corg) stocks. The habitats encompassed 10 species, in mono-specific or mixed meadows, depositional to exposed habitats and temperate to tropical habitats. There was an 18-fold difference in the Corg stock (1.09– 20.14 mg Corg cm23 for a temperate Posidonia sinuosa and a temperate, estuarine P. australis …

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Latrepirdine: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Potential Therapeutic Roles In Alzheimer’S And Other Neurodegenerative Diseases, P R. Bharadwaj, K A. Bates, T Porter, E Teimouri, G Perry, J W. Steele, S Gandy, D Groth, R N. Martins, Giuseppe Verdile Jan 2013

Latrepirdine: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Potential Therapeutic Roles In Alzheimer’S And Other Neurodegenerative Diseases, P R. Bharadwaj, K A. Bates, T Porter, E Teimouri, G Perry, J W. Steele, S Gandy, D Groth, R N. Martins, Giuseppe Verdile

Research outputs 2013

Latrepirdine (DimebonTM) was originally marketed as a non-selective antihistamine in Russia. It was repurposed as an effective treatment for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Huntington’s disease (HD) following preliminary reports showing its neuroprotective functions and ability to enhance cognition in AD and HD models. However, latrepirdine failed to show efficacy in phase III trials in AD and HD patients following encouraging phase II trials. The failure of latrepirdine in the clinical trials has highlighted the importance of understanding the precise mechanism underlying its cognitive benefits in neurodegenerative diseases before clinical evaluation. Latrepirdine has shown to affect …

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The Acceleration Of Aging And Alzheimer’S Disease Through The Biological Mechanisms Behind Obesity And Type Ii Diabetes, Ian J. Martins, Wei Ling F. Lim, Andrea C. Wilson, Simon M. Laws, Ralph Martins Jan 2013

The Acceleration Of Aging And Alzheimer’S Disease Through The Biological Mechanisms Behind Obesity And Type Ii Diabetes, Ian J. Martins, Wei Ling F. Lim, Andrea C. Wilson, Simon M. Laws, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2013

The incidence of diabetes is predicted to increase to 21% by 2050. Currently, one third of US adults are obese and over 11% of these individuals have diabetes. Due to the growing need for therapeutic intervention to control and/or stabilize this increase in the incidence of diabetes in Western communities, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the association between obesity and Type 2 diabetes has become increasingly important to diabetes research. The increased cell senescence associated with diabetes has been associated with the limited ability of cells to divide, with indication of telomere shortening and genomic instability of the cells. Obese …

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Molecular Insights Into Appetite Control And Neuroendocrine Disease As Risk Factors For Chronic Diseases In Western Countries, I J. Martins, Rhona Creegan, W. L. F. Lim, Ralph Martins Jan 2013

Molecular Insights Into Appetite Control And Neuroendocrine Disease As Risk Factors For Chronic Diseases In Western Countries, I J. Martins, Rhona Creegan, W. L. F. Lim, Ralph Martins

Research outputs 2013

Environmental factors such as stress, anxiety and depression are important to consider with the global increase in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, stroke, obesity, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. Brain metabolic diseases associated with conditions such as obesity and diabetes require early intervention with diet, lifestyle and drug therapy to prevent diseases to various organs such as the liver with non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and other organs such as the heart, lungs thyroid, pancreas, brain, kidneys and reproductive systems. Behavioural stress and the molecular mechanisms that are involved in neuroendocrine diseases such as insulin resistance in obesity …

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Increased Risk For Obesity And Diabetes With Neurodegeneration In Developing Countries [Journal Article], Ian J. Martins Jan 2013

Increased Risk For Obesity And Diabetes With Neurodegeneration In Developing Countries [Journal Article], Ian J. Martins

Research outputs 2013

The incidence of global obesity and Type 2 diabetes has increased and is predicted to rise to 30% of the global population. Diet and lifestyle factors are incapable to resolve the increased incidence for obesity and diabetes in various populations of the world. Developing countries have come to the forefront because of the higher diabetic epidemic. The urbanization may possibly provide an explanation for the global diabetic epidemic. In Western countries the metabolic syndrome and non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have reached 30 % of the population and now at present NAFLD afflicts 20% of developing populations. Western diets …

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Investigation Of Mercury Use, Release, Deposition, And Exposures In The Tampa Bay Area, Ryan Algernon Michael Jan 2013

Investigation Of Mercury Use, Release, Deposition, And Exposures In The Tampa Bay Area, Ryan Algernon Michael

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I investigate the links between mercury use, release, deposition, and population exposure in Tampa Bay, with the focus of identifying levers for reducing population mercury exposures. To achieve this, I investigated the trends in mercury use and release by products and processes in the Tampa Bay area using a Material Flow Analysis. Analysis of USEPA National Emissions Inventory data over time (1999 - 2008) identified relevant air source emission categories, and explored and compared state and regional trends in mercury emissions. To understand source contributions to wet deposited mercury in the Tampa Bay area, I analyzed trends in mercury deposition …

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