Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Bayesian Methods For Comparing Species Physiological And Ecological Response Curves, Michael B. Ashcroft, Angelica Casanova-Katny, Kerrie Mengersen, Todd N. Rosenstiel, Johanna Turnbull, Jane Wasley, Melinda J. Waterman, Gustavo E. Zuniga, Sharon A. Robinson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Many ecological questions require information on species' optimal conditions or critical limits along environmental gradients. These attributes can be compared to answer questions on niche partitioning, species coexistence and niche conservatism. However, these comparisons are unconvincing when existing methods do not quantify the uncertainty in the attributes or rely on assumptions about the shape of species' responses to the environmental gradient. The aim of this study was to develop a model to quantify the uncertainty in the attributes of species response curves and allow them to be tested for substantive differences without making assumptions about the shape of the responses. …

A Mass Budget For Mercury And Methylmercury In The Arctic Ocean, Anne L. Soerensen, Daniel J. Jacob, Amina T. Schartup, Jenny A. Fisher, Igor Lehnherr, Vincent L. St. Louis, Lars-Eric Heimburger, Jeroen E. Sonke, David P. Krabbenhoft, Elsie M. Sunderland

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Elevated biological concentrations of methylmercury (MeHg), a bioaccumulative neurotoxin, are observed throughout the Arctic Ocean, but major sources and degradation pathways in seawater are not well understood. We develop a mass budget for mercury species in the Arctic Ocean based on available data since 2004 and discuss implications and uncertainties. Our calculations show that high total mercury (Hg) in Arctic seawater relative to other basins reflect large freshwater inputs and sea ice cover that inhibits losses through evasion. We find that most net MeHg production (20 Mg a−1) occurs in the subsurface ocean (20-200 m). There it is converted to …

Clinical Leadership As An Integral Curriculum Thread In Pre-Registration Nursing Programmes, Angela M. Brown, Jan Dewing, Patrick A. Crookes

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background In recent years there has been a growth in leadership development frameworks in health for the existing workforce. There has also been a related abundance of leadership programmes developed specifically for qualified nurses. There is a groundswell of opinion that clinical leadership preparation needs to extend to preparatory programmes leading to registration as a nurse. To this end a doctoral research study has been completed that focused specifically on the identification and verification of the antecedents of clinical leadership (leadership and management) so they can shape the curriculum content and the best way to deliver the curriculum content as …

Moss Δ13c: Implications For Subantarctic Palaeohydrological Reconstructions, Jessica Bramley-Alves, Wolfgang Wanek, Sharon A. Robinson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Southern Ocean Islands, despite their equitable oceanic climates, have recently experienced a number of pronounced climate variations. Shifts in water availability in this region are of concern; however, methods of measuring water availability are currently inadequate. Recent advances using stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) in Antarctic mosses to record long-term variations in water availability suggest that this technique might be applicable in other locations where conditions are cold enough to produce meaningful moss growth for reconstructions. Verification of this technique at each new location is essential, however, due to disparity between species and climates. Here, variations in δ13CBULK with growth water …

Dietary Carotenoids Change The Colour Of Southern Corroboree Frogs, Kate Umbers, Aimee J. Silla, Joseph A. Bailey, Allison K. Shaw, Phillip G. Byrne

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Animal coloration can be the result of many interconnected elements, including the production of colour-producing molecules de novo, as well as the acquisition of pigments from the diet. When acquired through the diet, carotenoids (a common class of pigments) can influence yellow, orange, and red coloration and enhanced levels of carotenoids can result in brighter coloration and/or changes in hue or saturation. We tested the hypothesis that dietary carotenoid supplementation changes the striking black and yellow coloration of the southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree, Amphibia: Anura). Our dietary treatment showed no measurable difference in colour or brightness for black patches …

Wildfire Survival Plans In Theory And Practice, Christine Eriksen, Trent D. Penman, Bronwyn L. Horsey, Ross A. Bradstock

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Bushfire survival plans are a valuable tool for residents living in fire-prone landscapes. Plans include assigning trigger points for action, roles for all household members, and alternate approaches should the original plan fail. Fire agencies advocate that residents write, practise and discuss these plans before the fire season. In this study we use a multiple-methods approach to examine the theoretical and actual application of bushfire survival plans in south-east Australia. First, we review agency advice regarding survival plans to determine the consistency, clarity and specificity of the advice. Second, an online survey of residents examines the relationships between types of …

Proto-Pacific-Margin Source For The Ordovician Turbidite Submarine Fan, Lachlan Orogen, Southeast Australia: Geochemical Constraints, R Offler, Chris L. Fergusson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The Early Palaeozoic proto-Pacific Pacific margin of Gondwana was characterised by a huge turbidite submarine fan with abundant clastic detritus derived from unknown sources within Gondwana. These deposits are widespread in the Lachlan Orogen of southeast Australia and include the Ordovician Adaminaby Group. Here we show that the mudstones and sandstones of the Adaminaby Group have chemical compositions that indicate the detritus in them was derived from a felsic, continental source similar in composition to Post Archean Australian Shales (PAAS). Chondrite normalised REE patterns showing LREE enrichment, flat PAAS normalised patterns and elemental ratios La/Sc, Cr/Th, Cr/V, Th/Sc and Th/U, …

Global-Scale Patterns In Anthropogenic Pb Contamination Reconstructed From Natural Archives, Samuel K. Marx, Shaqer Rashid, Nicola Stromsoe

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

During the past two centuries metal loads in the Earth's atmosphere and ecosystems have increased significantly over pre-industrial levels. This has been associated with deleterious effects to ecosystem processes and human health. The magnitude of this toxic metal burden, as well as the spatial and temporal patterns of metal enrichment, is recorded in sedimentary archives across the globe. This paper presents a compilation of selected Pb contamination records from lakes (n = 10), peat mires (n = 10) and ice fields (n = 7) from Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and the Northern and Southern Hemisphere polar regions. …

The Age Of Three Middle Palaeolithic Sites: Single-Grain Optically Stimulated Luminescence Chronologies For Pech De L'Azé I, Ii And Iv In France, Zenobia Jacobs, Nathan Jankowski, Harold L. Dibble, Paul Goldberg, Shannon P. Mcpherron, Dennis M. Sandgathe, Marie Soressi

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) measurements were made on individual, sand-sized grains of quartz from Middle Palaeolithic deposits at three sites (Pech de l'Azé I, II and IV) located close to one another in the Dordogne region of southwest France. We were able to calculate OSL ages for 69 samples collected from these three sites. These ages reveal periods of occupation between about 180 and 50 thousand years ago. Our single-grain OSL chronologies largely support previous age estimates obtained by thermoluminescence dating of burnt flints at Pech IV, electron spin resonance dating of tooth enamel at Pech I, II and IV …

Reversible And Formaldehyde-Mediated Covalent Binding Of A Bis-Amino Mitoxantrone Analogue To Dna, Shyam K. Konda, Celine Kelso, Paul P. Pumuye, Jelena Medan, Brad E. Sleebs, Suzanne M. Cutts, Don R. Phillips, J Grant Collins

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The ability of a bis-amino mitoxantrone anticancer drug (named WEHI-150) to form covalent adducts with DNA, after activation by formaldehyde, has been studied by electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and HPLC. Mass spectrometry results showed that WEHI-150 could form covalent adducts with d(ACGCGCGT)2 that contained one, two or three covalent links to the octanucleotide, whereas the control drugs (daunorubicin and the anthracenediones mitoxantrone and pixantrone) only formed adducts with one covalent link to the octanucleotide. HPLC was used to examine the extent of covalent bond formation of WEHI-150 with d(CGCGCG)2 and d(CG5MeCGCG)2. Incubation of WEHI-150 with d(CG5MeCGCG)2 in the presence of …

'While We Can, We Will': Exploring Food Choice And Dietary Behaviour Amongst Independent Older Australians, Alison Host, Anne T. Mcmahon, Karen L. Walton, Karen E. Charlton

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Aim Burgeoning proportions of populations aged over 65 years impose an increased financial burden upon governments for the provision of associated health and aged-care services. Strategies are therefore required to mitigate service demand through the preservation of good health and independence into old age. Nutrition has been acknowledged as a key factor for realisation of this goal. The objective of the present study was to investigate factors responsible for shaping food shopping, cooking and eating behaviours amongst healthy, independently living Australians aged 60 years and over. Methods Eighteen (5 male, 13 female) independently living residents sourced from three low-care Illawarra …

A 'Slow Pace Of Life' In Australian Old-Endemic Passerine Birds Is Not Accompanied By Low Basal Metabolic Rates, Claus Bech, Mark A. Chappell, Lee B. Astheimer, Gustavo A. Londoño, William A. Buttemer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Life history theory suggests that species experiencing high extrinsic mortality rates allocate more resources toward reproduction relative to self-maintenance and reach maturity earlier ('fast pace of life') than those having greater life expectancy and reproducing at a lower rate ('slow pace of life'). Among birds, many studies have shown that tropical species have a slower pace of life than temperate-breeding species. The pace of life has been hypothesized to affect metabolism and, as predicted, tropical birds have lower basal metabolic rates (BMR) than temperate-breeding birds. However, many temperate-breeding Australian passerines belong to lineages that evolved in Australia and share 'slow' …

Estimates Of Late Holocene Soil Production And Erosion In The Snowy Mountains, Australia, Nicola Stromsoe, Samuel K. Marx, Nikolaus Callow, Hamish A. Mcgowan, Henk Heijnis

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Soil production in actively uplifting or high precipitation alpine landscapes is potentially rapid. However, these same landscapes are also susceptible to erosion and can be sensitive to changes in climate and anthropogenic activity which can upset the balance between soil production and erosion. The Snowy Mountains, southeastern Australia, are a tectonically stable, low relief, moderate precipitation mountain environment. The alpine area is extensively blanketed by soil that has been subjected to more intensive episodes of erosion during past periods of anthropogenic disturbance and under cold climate conditions of the late Quaternary. In this study, rates of soil development and hillslope …

Predictors For Reporting Of Dietary Assessment Methods In Food-Based Randomized Controlled Trials Over A Ten-Year Period, Yasmine Probst, Gail Zammit

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The importance of monitoring dietary intake within a randomized controlled trial becomes vital to justification of the study outcomes when the study is food-based. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine how dietary assessment methods used to monitor dietary intake are reported and whether assisted technologies are used in conducting such assessments. OVID and ScienceDirect databases 2000-2010 were searched for food-based, parallel, randomized controlled trials conducted with humans using the search terms "clinical trial," "diet$ intervention" AND "diet$ assessment," "diet$ method$," "intake," "diet history," "food record," "food frequency questionnaire," "FFQ," "food diary," "24-hour recall." A total of 1364 abstracts …

Self-Determination In The Context Of Mental Health Recovery, Ellie K. Taylor, Lorna Moxham, Dana J. Perlman, Christopher F. Patterson, Renee M. Brighton, Susan Liersch

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness each year (ABS, 2007). Mental illnesses are not homogenous. There are no clearly established clinical pathways and, as such, care and treatment is necessarily highly individualised.

Drop-On-Demand Microdroplet Generation: A Very Stable Platform For Single-Droplet Experimentation, Bartholomew S. Vaughn, Phillip J. Tracey, Adam J. Trevitt

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

This paper reports the performance of drop-on-demand piezo-activated microdroplet generation investigated using microdroplet cavity enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy. Aqueous microdroplets, doped with a fluorescent dye, exhibit fluorescence spectra that are dominated by cavity resonances (termed whispering gallery modes) that, when analysed using Mie theory, allow for the determination of the radius of each microdroplet. The effect of controlled changes in the square-wave droplet generator voltage waveform on droplet size is investigated as well as the size reproducibility of successive microdroplets. Furthermore, using custom square-wave waveforms, microdroplet radii spanning ∼10 to 30 μm are produced from the same droplet dispenser. These non-standard …

Protein Aggregates Stimulate Macropinocytosis Facilitating Their Propagation, Justin J. Yerbury

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Temporal and spatial patterns of pathological changes such as loss of neurons and presence of pathological protein aggregates are characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Frontotemporal Dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. These patterns are consistent with the propagation of protein misfolding and aggregation reminiscent of the prion diseases. There is a surge of evidence that suggests that large protein aggregates of a range of proteins are able to enter cells via macropinocytosis. Our recent work suggests that this process is activated by the binding of aggregates to the neuron cell surface. The current review considers the …

Determination Of Antioxidant And Anticancer Activities Together With Total Phenol And Flavonoid Contents Of Cleidion Javanicum Bl. And Bridelia Retusa (L.) A. Juss, Duangsuree Sanseera, Boonsom Liawruangrath, Stephen G. Pyne, Saisunee Liawruangrath

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The antioxidant and anticancer activities of the hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts of the leaves, stems and fruits from Cleidion javanicum Bl. and Bridelia retusa (L.) A. Juss. were investigated. The antioxidant activities were evaluated by DPPH and ABTS methods. The methanol extracts of the stems and fruits from B. retusa and the methanol extract of the leaves from C. javanicum showed the highest antioxidant activity. The methanol extract of the leaves from B. retusa possessed significant anticancer activity against KB-Oral cavity cancer (IC50=21.24 μg/mL), MCF-7 breast cancer cell (IC50=17.81 μg/mL), and NCI-H 187-small cell lung cancer (IC50 = 24.24 …

Large-Scale, Dynamic Transformations In Fuel Moisture Drive Wildfire Activity Across Southeastern Australia, Rachael H. Nolan, Mathias M. Boer, Victor Resco De Dios, Gabriele Caccamo, Ross A. Bradstock

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The occurrence of large, high-intensity wildfires requires plant biomass, or fuel, that is sufficiently dry to burn. This poses the question, what is "sufficiently dry"? Until recently, the ability to address this question has been constrained by the spatiotemporal scale of available methods to monitor the moisture contents of both dead and live fuels. Here we take advantage of recent developments in macroscale monitoring of fuel moisture through a combination of remote sensing and climatic modeling. We show there are clear thresholds of fuel moisture content associated with the occurrence of wildfires in forests and woodlands. Furthermore, we show that …

Current Estimates Of Biogenic Emissions From Eucalypts Uncertain For Southeast Australia, Kathryn M. Emmerson, Ian E. Galbally, Alex B. Guenther, Clare Paton-Walsh, Elise-Andree Guerette, Martin Cope, Melita Keywood, Sarah J. Lawson, Suzie B. Molloy, Erin Dunne, Marcus Thatcher, Thomas Karl, Simin D. Maleknia

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The biogenic emissions of isoprene and monoterpenes are one of the main drivers of atmospheric photochemistry, including oxidant and secondary organic aerosol production. In this paper, the emission rates of isoprene and monoterpenes from Australian vegetation are investigated for the first time using the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1 (MEGANv2.1); the CSIRO chemical transport model; and atmospheric observations of isoprene, monoterpenes and isoprene oxidation products (methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone). Observations from four field campaigns during three different seasons are used, covering urban, coastal suburban and inland forest areas. The observed concentrations of isoprene …

Implementation Of A Rapid Learning Platform: Predicting 2-Year Survival In Laryngeal Carcinoma Patients In A Clinical Setting, Tim Lustberg, Michael Bailey, David Thwaites, Andrew Alexis Miller, Martin Carolan, Lois C. Holloway, Emmanuel Rios Velazquez, Frank Hoebers, Andre Dekker

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background and Purpose To improve quality and personalization of oncology health care, decision aid tools are needed to advise physicians and patients. The aim of this work is to demonstrate the clinical relevance of a survival prediction model as a first step to multi institutional rapid learning and compare this to a clinical trial dataset. Materials and Methods Data extraction and mining tools were used to collect uncurated input parameters from Illawarra Cancer Care Centre's (clinical cohort) oncology information system. Prognosis categories previously established from the Maastricht Radiation Oncology (training cohort) dataset, were applied to the clinical cohort and the …

Thermally Controlling The Singlet-Triplet Energy Gap Of A Diradical In The Solid State, Yuanting Su, Xingyong Wang, Lei Wang, Zaichao Zhang, Xinping Wang, You Song, Philip P. Power

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Diradicals, molecules with two unpaired electrons, are reactive intermediates that play an important role in many fields. Their defining feature is the energy difference between their singlet and triplet states, which provides direct information on the extent of their electron exchange interactions. Such knowledge is essential for understanding their diradical character, which is controllable internally by modification of the electronic and steric properties of the substituents. We now report that the energy gap of a diradical in the solid state can also be controlled by an external stimulus. The dication diradical of 4,4′′-di(bisphenylamino)-p-terphenyl exhibits two singlet states with different exchange …

Applying Knowledge Translation Concepts And Strategies In Dementia Care Education For Health Professionals: Recommendations From A Narrative Literature Review, Lyn Phillipson, Belinda J. Goodenough, Samantha L. Reis, Richard Fleming

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Introduction: Dementia education programs are being developed for health professionals, but with limited guidance about "what works" in design and content to promote best practice in dementia care. Knowledge translation (KT) is a conceptual framework for putting evidence to work in health care. This narrative literature review examined the question: What does the field KT offer, conceptually and practically, for education of health professionals in dementia care? It seeks to identify the types of strategies currently used within education to facilitate effective KT for the wide range of health professionals who may be involved in the care of people with …

Bias Corrections Of Gosat Swir Xco2 And Xch4 With Tccon Data And Their Evaluation Using Aircraft Measurement Data, Makoto Inoue, Isamu Morino, Osamu Uchino, Takahiro Nakatsuru, Yukio Yoshida, Tatsuya Yokota, Debra Wunch, Paul O. Wennberg, Coleen M. Roehl, David W. T Griffith, Voltaire A. Velazco, Nicholas M. Deutscher

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

We describe a method for removing systematic biases of column-averaged dry air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) and CH4 (XCH4) derived from short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectra of the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). We conduct correlation analyses between the GOSAT biases and simultaneously retrieved auxiliary parameters. We use these correlations to bias correct the GOSAT data, removing these spurious correlations. Data from the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) were used as reference values for this regression analysis. To evaluate the effectiveness of this correction method, the uncorrected/corrected GOSAT data were compared to independent XCO2 and XCH4 data derived from …

Responses Of Tree Species To A Severe Fire Indicate Major Structural Change To Eucalyptus-Callitris Forests, Andrew J. Denham, Ben E. Vincent, Peter J. Clarke, Tony D. Auld

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

In many fire-prone habitats fires may be relatively frequent but of low severity or small areal extent. However, these same habitats may occasionally be subject to large, severe fires when extreme conditions and ignitions coincide. After >50 years without significant fire, a mega-fire burnt >50,000 ha of Eucalyptus-Callitris forest in southeastern Australia. We assessed the impact of this fire on vegetation structure at a landscape scale by quantifying post-fire responses of 11 tree species over 97 sites with varying fire severity. At low severity over 60 % of Callitris trees survived by escaping crown scorch, but they were almost all …

Essential Oil Of Solanum Spirale Fruits And Its Biological Activities, Sukanya Keawsa-Ard, Boonsom Liawruangrath, Saisunee Liawruangrath, Aphiwat Teerawutgulrag, Stephen G. Pyne

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The essential oil of Solanum spirale Roxb. unripe fruits was analyzed for the first time using GC-MS. Twenty-nine constituents were identified, constituting 82.11% of the total chromatographical oil components. The major components were n-hexadecanoic acid (56.01%), linolelic acid (9.71%), octadecanoic acid (4.41%), methyl plamitate (1.69%), tetradecanoic acid (1.55%), (E)-phytol (1.18%), n-hexanal (0.91%), methyl salicylate (0.83%), 4-hydroxy-4- methylpentan-2-one (0.81%), pentadecanoic acid (0.71%) and β-selinene (0.56%). The oil exhibited anticancer activities against MCF-7 (breast cancer) and NCI-H187 (small cell lung cancer) with the IC50 values of 23.17 and 49.07 μg/mL, respectively. It exhibited antituberculosis activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra with the MIC …

New Modelling On Bushfires Shows How They Really Burn Through An Area, Philip J. Zylstra

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Bushfires in Australia can have a devastating impact on an environment and destroy homes and lives, so any effort to prevent them is a welcome move.

But the way that we have traditionally understood bushfires and forest flammability in Australia is not up to the challenges of our changing climate. Thankfully, a new approach is making sense of the confusion by looking at the plants themselves.

Where You Live And Who You Live With Matters: Housing And Mental Health, Lorna Moxham

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

This article considers the relationship between where a person lives and who they live with and their mental health and well-being. In particular, this article considers the regional locale as an important factor in understanding the perspective of a person with lived experience of mental illness. This article questions the influential, yet somewhat narrow, argument that living in the community and in the family home is somehow better for people with mental illness. The arguments presented in this article illustrate that for some people with mental illness, the issues of stigma, autonomy, and lack of alternatives (choice) are just as …

Connecting Care In The Community: What Works And What Doesn't, Elizabeth Lucas, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Sandra K. Mccarthy

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

As the burden of chronic and complex disease grows, there is an emphasis on programs that enhance the quality of care within primary care. The Connecting Care in the Community (CCC) program is an example of the implementation of care integration. This qualitative study sought to explore the experiences general practice staff face in managing clients with chronic and complex care issues, and their perceptions of the contribution of the CCC program to this care. Seventeen general practice staff from 11 practices throughout the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region participated in semistructured interviews. Five main themes emerged: (1) awareness of the CCC program; …

The Evolution Of Food Composition Databases In Australia: Applying Data From 1944 To 2007 To Current Day Dietary Records, Yasmine Probst, Cendrine Mamet

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Pre 1980, Australian food composition data were printed tables and based largely on overseas values. Improvements in analytical methods, available technology and changes to the food supply led to a transition to electronic and later online databases. Currently dietary analysis of food intake data can be completed using food composition databases with very few users drawing on printed food composition tables. This study aimed to examine the nutrient output from different food composition data tables from 1944 to 2007 and describe the challenges faced when applying it to a present day dietary intake dataset from 2013. A two-step process was …