University of the Sunshine Coast
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A global production network for ecosystem services: The emergent governance of landscape restoration in the Brazilian Amazon
No full textOver the last few decades, numerous initiatives have advanced forest landscape restoration in the Amazon, and in 2015 the Brazilian government set an ambitious, still-valid, target to restore 4.8 million hectares of degraded Amazonian land by 2030. This has contributed to an emergent global restoration network that connects multiple stakeholders and processes for funding, implementing and monitoring restoration actions in such a way that prepares various ecosystem services for market integration. The network arose in tandem with the evolution of an institutional framework that includes regulatory requirements within Brazil, global commitments linked to climate change mitigation, corporate sustainability strategies, and the growth of crowd-sourcing activism. This paper presents restoration activities as embedded within a Global Production Network (GPN) for an ecosystem service, which we use as a heuristic device to inform our understanding of emergent environmental governance structures. The resulting multi-scalar, networked mode of environmental governance is presented as a web-like structure co-created by institutional evolution, actor-specific strategies, and interactions between firms and non-firm actors. The article pays particular attention to a case study of how the restoration network manifests territorially in the Upper Xingu region of the Brazilian Amazon. Despite the strong North-South orientation of dominant funding relationships, network governance is also seen to be relational. This is evident from the dissemination of ideas, supply models and seeding techniques from Upper Xingu to other regions of Brazil. These insights could be applied to improve landscape restoration outcomes, and indeed the provisioning of ecosystem services more broadly
Participation in residential organic waste diversion programs: Motivators and optimizing educational messaging
No full textParticipation in residential organic-waste-diversion-programs (OWDP) represents an individual-level behaviour with significant environmental benefits, including lowering greenhouse gas emissions. This study of 2621 Niagara, Canada, residents sought to understand the attitudinal and sociodemographic drivers of participation and non-participation in OWDP. Additionally, we examined the impact of messaging about the benefits of OWDP on likelihood of future participation while varying the frame and perceived source of information. Participants reported environmental factors as the main motivators for OWDP involvement, while non-participants cited smell, inconvenience and cost as the most salient barriers. Several sociodemographic and knowledge factors predicted participation, as did strong recognition of the anthropogenic origins of climate change. Forty two percent of non-participants were more likely to participate after receiving the educational message, but this did not vary with information source nor a social-norm frame. These findings inform theory around pro-environmental behaviour and provide actionable information for education campaigns aimed at promoting OWDP
Introduction: The Significance of Rubrics
No full textDespite significant reforms in the past decade in relation to criteria- and standards-based assessment in tertiary education contexts, assessment remains the most significantly criticised aspect of the student tertiary experience and a major driver of student engagement. The key tool in this experience is the rubric, also known as the criteria sheet or the ‘Guide to Making Judgments’. This book discusses the significance of assessment rubrics in tertiary education. Assessment rubrics impact the student experience in multiple ways: as a guide to students and assessors prior to grading; at the point of grading by the assessor; when moderating during the post-grading process; in providing an additional guide to students in the assessment planning stage; and as a feedback mechanism to students once results are released. This book explains how the rubric reflects key principles of assessment. It explores different models of rubrics used in tertiary contexts, and provides data from students and academics on the efficacy of these various models as the key tool when marking, moderating and providing feedback. It also details exemplars of rubrics used in academic disciplines, and discusses how higher education teachers use exemplars and how they integrate exemplars with criteria and rubrics. It captures the student voice by explaining how students use rubrics for self-assessment and self-regulation purposes. A key inclusion is the importance of sessional staff input into the creation of assessment rubrics prior to the grading, moderating and feedback processes. [Book Synopsis
Post-treatment levels of plasma 25- and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D and mortality in men with aggressive prostate cancer
No full textVitamin D may reduce mortality from prostate cancer (PC). We examined the associations of post-treatment plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations with PC mortality. Participants were PC cases from the New South Wales Prostate Cancer Care. All contactable and consenting participants, at 4.9 to 8.6 years after diagnosis, were interviewed and had plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) measured in blood specimens. Cox regression allowing for left-truncation was used to calculate adjusted mortality hazards ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for all-cause and PC-specific mortality in relation to vitamin D levels and other potentially-predictive variables. Of the participants (n = 111; 75·9% response rate), there were 198 deaths from any cause and 41 from PC in the study period. Plasma 25(OH)D was not associated with all-cause or PC-specific mortality (p-values > 0·10). Plasma 1,25(OH)2D was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR for highest relative to lowest quartile = 0·45; 95% CI: 0·29–0·69), and PC-specific mortality (HR = 0·40; 95% CI: 0·14–1·19). These associations were apparent only in men with aggressive PC: all-cause mortality HR = 0·28 (95% CI·0·15–0·52; p-interaction = 0·07) and PC-specific mortality HR = 0·26 (95% CI: 0·07–1.00). Time spent outdoors was also associated with lower all-cause (HR for 4th relative to 1st exposure quartile = 0·42; 95% CI: 0·24–0·75) and PC-specific (HR = 0·48; 95% CI: 0·14–1·64) mortality, although the 95% CI for the latter was wide. The inverse association between post-treatment plasma 1,25(OH)2D levels and all-cause and PC-specific mortality in men with aggressive PC, suggest a possible beneficial effect of vitamin D supplementation in these men
High-temperature age-hardening of a novel cost-effective Fe45Ni25Cr25Mo5 high entropy alloy
No full textConsidering the high potential of age-hardening in metastable non-equiatomic high-entropy alloys (HEAs), the high-temperature aging behaviour of a newly developed cost-effective Fe45Ni25Cr25Mo5 HEA with a face-cantered cubic (FCC) matrix was investigated. The alloy showed high age-hardening response at temperatures up to 900 °C and the peak ageing was obtained at 900 °C for 48 h due to the precipitation of more monoclinic Cr5.5Mo1.5Fe6.5Ni1.5-type σ phase. Although the as-cast Fe-enriched HEA composed of FCC and σ phases possessed balanced high tensile strength and ductility compared with previously reported as-cast FCC-dominated HEAs, the peak ageing only led to substantial improvement in compression properties with compression yield strength of 543.7 MPa, ultimate strength of 1098.1 MPa and strain to fracture of 40%. The peak aged alloy exhibited tensile brittleness at room temperature, which was attributed to the restriction of dislocation movement by the precipitation of large needle-shaped intermetallics. Furthermore, the newly developed alloy showed high oxidation and corrosion resistance, which was superior to the 316L stainless steel and was comparable to the Inconel 625 super alloy. Thus, this HEA can be potentially used as a superalloy
Website Communications for Campus Sustainability: An Analysis of Canadian Universities
No full textPurpose: This study aims to better understand the communication of sustainability by Canadian universities, specifically the use of websites, interactive features and sustainability plans. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 95 Canadian universities were included in this study. The mixed-methods approach sought to capture the communication of sustainability via websites, the interactive features used, as well as to evaluate the quality of sustainability plans. Findings: The study revealed that 67% of universities address sustainability on their websites. On average, universities offer three to four interactive features on their sustainability-related Web pages, and the average score of the quality of campus sustainability plans was 29 (out of 41). Research limitations/implications: This study does not investigate the extent to which interactive features enhance the involvement and participation in sustainability efforts or the extent to which the sustainability plans were put into practice by universities. Practical implications: The findings assist with understanding how higher education institutions (HEIs) can enhance their sustainability communication via their websites to encourage interaction and engagement in campus sustainability. The findings can also help universities to enhance the effectiveness of sustainability plans. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to assess sustainability content and the interactive features on sustainability-related pages of Canadian universities’ websites. The quality of sustainability plans is also evaluated. The study informs the present understanding of communicating sustainability by Canadian universities and provides a basis for future investigations in HEIs in Canada and beyond
Investigating the theragnostic potential of 131I-caerin peptide in thyroid cancer
No full textObjective: Caerin is a new peptide with tumour toxicity and its uptake by tumour cells is independent of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS). Thyroid cancer is the most common cancers of endocrine malignancy. Radioiodine (131I)-refractory thyroid cancer is the most lethal subtype of the thyroid cancers and remains a clinical challenge. In the current study, we investigated the 131I radiolabeling efficiency of Caerin and the effects of Caerin, 131I-Caerin and free 131I on differentiated and undifferentiated human thyroid cancer cell lines (B-CPAP and CAL-62) in vitro. Materials and methods: Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to assess the cytotoxic effect of Caerin, 131I-Caerin and free 131I on B-CPAP and CAL-62 cells. Laser scanning confocal microscope was exploited to evaluate the uptake and internalization of Caerin by thyroid cancer cells. The Chloramine-T method was used to label the peptide with 131I. And the stability and water partition coefficient (Log P) of 131I-Caerin were studied. Results: Our results demonstrated that Caerin and 131I-Caerin could be accumulated by B-CPAP and CAL-62 cells, resulting in killing of the thyroid cancer cells in vitro. The efficacy of 131I-Caerin is much higher than 131I, especially to undifferentiated CAL-62 cells. The results prove the feasibility of radioiodination of the 131I-Caerin via the Chloramine-T method. Moreover, the result indicate the hydrophobic 131I-Caerin was stable in 72 hours. Conclusion: Iodine-131-Caerin can inhibit the cell viability of thyroid cancer and hold certain promise as a theragnostic tool for human thyroid cancers
Psychological and experiential factors affecting climate change perception: learnings from a transnational empirical study and implications for framing climate-related flood events
No full textUnderstanding the underlying values, beliefs and emotions that influence the public’s perceptions and opinions on climate change (CC)is increasingly important, as CC is a complex and politicized phenomenon. Additionally, optimizing messaging for communicating CC and encouraging greater mitigation behavior can yield significant benefits to global stakeholders. Here we evaluated the effectiveness of informative, persuasive and empathic message frames about a major climate-related local flooding event through online surveys administered to 370 adults in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada and 360 adults in Queensland, Australia. Measures of trust in climate communicators and climate science, concern over CC effects, and belief that most recent floods are due to CC were assessed before and after message exposure, along with related values, beliefs and emotions. Willingness to support pro-environmental groups was assessed as a proxy measure of behavioural intent. Cumulative odds ordinal regression and multinomial regression were used to predict group membership (no support, passive support, active support). Political affiliation, trust and belief in CC, belief in anthropogenic CC, pro-environmental values, and, in some regressions, previous flood exposure, were significant predictors of activism support. Respondents who received the empathic message frame and had low to medium pro-environmental values were more likely to believe the link between flooding and CC compared to those who received the informative message frame. These results, including the finding that some elicited emotions predicted behavioral intent, provide insight into how to construct climate information for groups with varying beliefs, values and experiences, to reduce climate skepticism and encourage pro-environmental behavior
Food access and availability in Auki, Solomon Islands
No full textOur study assessed food access and availability in Auki, Solomon Islands by investigating the number, type and characteristics of food venues and characteristics of items for sale (including type, brand, price, source and quality) at one timepoint to determine feasibility for the local population to meet current guidelines. We found residents had good access to, and availability of foods from the three Pacific guidelines for a healthy lifestyle food groups, but diversity was lacking. Many fresh foods are likely seasonal suggesting there may be periods when Auki residents have greater/less access to a variety of foods, potentially impacting food security
Evaluating the quality of meta-analytical reviews using the AMSTAR-2: A systematic review of meta-analytical reviews regarding child sexual abuse interventions
No full textBackground: Effects of treatment for child sexual abuse (CSA) victims have important implications. Assessing Risk of Bias (RoB) is a vital step to inform interpretations of treatment effects for these victims. The AMSTAR-2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) offers a comprehensive critical appraisal, allowing users to distinguish high quality reviews. Objective: The aim of this article is two-fold: 1) to provide an up-to-date systematic review of treatment program meta-analytical reviews on interventions for CSA victims; and 2) to evaluate the quality of meta-analytical reviews using the AMSTAR-2. This is the first systematic review to examine the quality of meta-analyses on the effectiveness of CSA interventions using the AMSTAR-2. Method: Eight electronic databases were searched for articles published up to April 2019. Meta-analytical reviews that assessed the effectiveness of any treatment modality for sexually abused children and adolescents up to 18 years old were considered. Outcome measures included physical and mental symptoms, and disorders, measured through validated instruments. Of 2794 articles, nine meta-analyses met the eligibility criteria. There was a variety of interventions, including: trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy CBT, psychodrama, play therapy, and eclectic interventions. The most common outcomes measured were post-traumatic stress disorder/trauma, externalizing, internalizing, and sexualized behaviors. Results: Although effect sizes were moderately significant, with treatment having a positive effect, all meta-analyses showed a high RoB. Conclusions: To use the best available evidence in clinical decision-making for CSA victims, reviewers should conduct meta-analyses that employ RoB tools