University of the Sunshine Coast
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Evidence of naturalisation of the invasive jaguar cichlid Parachromis managuensis (Gunther, 1867), in Queensland, Australia
No full textThe introduction and spread of non-native species poses a significant threat to the health of freshwater ecosystems, and has recently been identified as the single biggest danger to threatened species survival in Australia. Notwithstanding, the importation, trade and keeping of exotic and potentially invasive freshwater fishes in Australia is significant, resulting in greater propagule pressure and higher risk for deliberate or incidental release into native waterways. The jaguar cichlid (Parachromis managuensis) is an invasive cichlid that has established non-native populations in many countries throughout the world. In December 2014, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in Queensland was notified of an incursion of jaguar cichlids in a stormwater retention dam in the Pioneer River Catchment, Mackay, Queensland. Rotenone was applied to the dam in January 2015, and around 200 jaguar cichlid specimens at various life history stages were destroyed. Follow up surveys into mid-2015 did not detect the presence of any jaguar cichlid in the dam or in nearby creeks. In September 2017, the Department was notified of a wild capture of a mature jaguar cichlid in Fursden Creek, 1.5 km from the original incursion site. Follow up surveys in 2018/19 have also detected jaguar cichlid juveniles in surrounding tributaries, indicating successful establishment and naturalisation of the species in Australia for the first time
Power Equalizing
No full textPower is a complex and contested concept that is notoriously difficult to define. It relates to the ability to influence people or a situation. This ability to influence can involve a continuum of varying degrees of pressure to obtain compliance or agreement, from persuasion through force – either threatened, physical, or legal (Lukes 1974). Power can be exercised directly in interpersonal interactions and indirectly through extra local relations of ruling of the power elites. In the context of sustainable development, power dynamics are at the center of struggles over the rights and interests of businesses, governments, groups, communities, and ecosystems. There is no straightforward fit between these stakeholder’s often incompatible rights and interests
Spheroidization behaviour of a fe-enriched eutectic high-entropy alloy
No full textA cost-effective Fe-enriched eutectic high-entropy alloy (EHEA), Fe35Ni25Cr25Mo15, was designed and prepared to avoid the use of expensive Co that is commonly used in HEAs. However, the as-cast Fe-enriched EHEA was associated with brittleness. The present work aims to evaluate the possibility and feasibility of spheroidization of the lamellar structure of the EHEA in order to improve the ductility. Due to the high cooling rate of arc-melting, the as-melted Fe35Ni25Cr25Mo15 EHEA was found to be a pseudo eutectic alloy comprised of alternant σ phase (Cr0.22Mo0.18Fe0.6-type intermetallic) and face centred cubic (FCC) phase. The lamellar structure in the Fe-enriched EHEA remained stable up to 800 °C. The instability of the lamellar structure occurred at temperatures over 800 °C, which was resulted from migration of high-density faults (i.e. lamellar termination and ledges in the lamellae). However, the Fe35Ni25Cr25Mo15 EHEA still exhibited brittleness even after spheroidization at 1100 °C for 168 h due to the formation of the hard and brittle σ matrix in the pseudo Fe35Ni25Cr25Mo15 EHEA as a result of decomposition of the lamellar structure. Therefore, in contrast to the softening of traditional eutectic alloys, spheroidization treatment was considered as invalid to improve the ductility of pseudo-eutectic HEA with high fraction of intermetallic phase. The present work provides a valuable reference for those who aim to improve the ductility of brittle EHEA through spheroidization
Toward a unified set of accident causation tenets: identification, application and implications
No full textWhilst accident analysis is an accepted approach to safety management, it is reactive in nature and requires the occurrence of adverse events. A proactive approach to safety can be achieved by monitoring “normal performance”; however, there are few theories or methods in safety science that provide specific support on the identification of the conditions that could create accidents and safety compromising events. The research presented in this thesis is a response to this capability gap and aimed to use what is known about accident causation to identify a series of ‘tenets’ or principal beliefs regarding safety and accidents that could be examined in order to proactively assess the safety status of complex work systems.Submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, 2020
A Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study Assessing the Safety, Tolerability and Efficacy of a Herbal Medicine Containing Pycnogenol Combined with Papain and Aloe vera in the Prevention and Management of Pre-Diabetes
No full textBackground: Herbal medicines present attractive options to patients with chronic diseases. Undertaking clinical studies with patients presenting with symptomless pre-T2D can lead to significant limitations. Methods: A 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted that investigated the safety and efficacy of an herbal formulation administered orally for the treatment of pre-type 2 diabetes (pre-T2D). Results: A numerically greater proportion of subjects in the interventional arm had impaired fasting glucose (IFG) at week 12 compared to the control arm (71.0% vs. 69.0%, p = 0.75). Fewer participants had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) at 12 weeks in the intervention arm compared to the control arm (unadjusted 58.3% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.65; adjusting for baseline IGT, p = 0.266). In a subgroup analysis, subjects with a baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level in the range of 6.1–6.9 mmol/L demonstrated a non-significant lower proportion of IFG at week 12 in the intervention arm compared to the control arm (60.0% vs. 41.7% p = 0.343). Total blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels remained unchanged from baseline to week 12 in both treatment groups. Conclusions: This study suggests that a polyherbal medicine was not effective for reducing the metabolic markers associated with pre-T2D over a 12-week period. Therefore, larger studies with well-defined endpoints and of longer duration are warranted
Plastic Deformation, Microstructure, and Residual Stress in Metal Joining for Light Weighting
No full textNo abstract available
Economic feasibility of small-scale mabé pearl production in Tonga using the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin
No full textMabé pearl culture is an increasingly important rural livelihood in south Pacific countries as it offers a low-cost, low-tech alternative to round pearl culture. Mabé pearl production can be achieved by local people with appropriate training, and the products offer further livelihood opportunities through value-adding and local production of jewellery and handicraft items. The Kingdom of Tonga is unique among south Pacific pearl producing countries in focusing primarily on mabé pearl, not round pearl, culture using the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin. The Tongan mabé pearl sector has developed rapidly over recent years and is sustained by routine hatchery production of spat and recently improved pearl culture methods. This study determined establishment and operational costs of a subsistence-level mabé pearl farm in Tonga and developed an economic model to assess potential profitability of such operations. The representative mabé pearl farm modelled in this study targeted annual mabé pearl production from 100 oysters. Estimated capital cost (US dollars; USD) was USD 2,027 and major production costs were labour (29%), marketing (24%), and capital purchase and replacement (16%). Annual production of 231 saleable mabé pearls generated a net present value (NPV) of USD 107,101. The modified internal rate of return (MIRR) and benefit-cost ratio of the modelled mabé pearl farm were 20.46% and 4.86, respectively, with a payback period of 4 years. Given the average annual income in Tonga is USD 4,020, the modelled mabé pearl farm offers significant economic opportunity (USD 9,338 annual profit after all costs, including owner/operator wages) and supports additional socio-economic benefits for rural communities involved in downstream activities relating to handicraft and jewellery production, and tourism. The findings of this study assist stakeholder understanding of costs, risks and production levels required for profitable mabé pearl production
Conciliation Versus Mediation of Complaints Against Police: Lessons from the Queensland Experience
No full textSince the 1990s, alternative dispute resolution practices for dealing with citizen-initiated complaints against police, such as conciliation, have progressively been trialled and implemented in police services across Australia. The QueenslandPolice Service was one of the most proactive services in trialling independently facilitated complaints mediation programs –in collaboration with its oversight agency. However, despite repeated positive outcomes, the Service refrained from actively usingmediation, preferring instead to use management dominated informal resolution (conciliation). This process, characterised by police investigating police, continues to limit complainant participation by denying them the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the subject officer. Yet the literature cites mediation, especially practices based on restorative principles as beneficial because it brings disputing parties together in dialogue that is educative for both parties, reparatory, and better satisfies complainants’ aspirations for an inclusive and neutral complaints system, while data from mediated complaints can also be used to inform police conduct improvement strategies. Complaints mediation is available upon request within the Queensland Police Service,however, it is not widely promoted, and is internally facilitated. In view of this, an historical account of the application of mediation and conciliation to the Queensland Police Service complaints system is examined in this paper to answer the question why conciliation has become the default approach and mediation continues to be largely ignored. This is done through a qualitative analysis of publicly available documents and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. The findings reveal that the 1992 Mediation Pilot was very successful. However, the Queensland Police Service adopted conciliation because it was cheaper and, they claim, better aligned with managing behavioural improvements. Three decades on, there has been little evidence of this, while the literature clearly shows that mediation should be a key component of any police complaints and discipline system
