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The evolution of giant flightless birds and novel phylogenetic relationships for extinct fowl (Aves, Galloanseres)
Get PDFPublished by the Royal Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited.The extinct dromornithids, gastornithids and phorusrhacids are among the most spectacular birds to have ever lived, with some giants exceeding 500 kg. The affinities and evolution of these and other related extinct birds remain contentious, with previous phylogenetic analyses being affected by widespread convergence and limited taxon sampling. We address these problems using both parsimony and tip-dated Bayesian approaches on an expansive taxon set that includes all key extinct flightless and flighted (e.g. Vegavis and lithornithids) forms, an extensive array of extant fowl (Galloanseres), representative Neoaves and palaeognaths. The Paleogene volant Lithornithidae are recovered as stem palaeognaths in the Bayesian analyses. The Galloanseres comprise four clades inferred to have diverged in the Late Cretaceous on Gondwana. In addition to Anseriformes and Galliformes, we recognize a robust new clade (Gastornithiformes) for the giant flightless Dromornithidae (Australia) and Gastornithidae (Eurasia, North America). This clade exhibits parallels to ratite palaeognaths in that flight presumably was lost and giant size attained multiple times. A fourth clade is represented by the Cretaceous Vegavis (Antarctica), which was strongly excluded from Anseriformes; thus, a crucial molecular calibration point needs to be reconsidered. The presbyornithids Wilaru (Australia) and Presbyornis (Northern Hemisphere) are robustly found to be the sister group to Anatoidea (Anseranatidae + Anatidae), a relatively more basal position than hitherto recognized. South America's largest bird, Brontornis, is not a galloansere, but a member of Neoaves related to Cariamiformes; therefore, giant Galloanseres remain unknown from this continent. Trait analyses showed that while gigantism and flightlessness evolved repeatedly in groups, diet is constrained by phylogeny: all giant Galloanseres and palaeognaths are herbivores or mainly herbivorous, and giant neoavians are zoophagous or omnivorous
On the representation of subsea aquitards in models of offshore fresh groundwater
Get PDFThis manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
This author accepted manuscript is made available following 24 month embargo from date of publication (Nov 2017) in accordance with the publisher’s archiving policyFresh groundwater is widespread globally in offshore aquifers, and is particularly dependent on the properties of offshore aquitards, which inhibit seawater-freshwater mixing thereby allowing offshore freshwater to persist. However, little is known of the salinity distribution in subsea aquitards, especially in relation to the offshore freshwater distribution. This is critical for the application of recent analytical solutions to subsea freshwater extent given requisite assumptions about aquitard salinity. In this paper, we use numerical simulation to explore the extent of offshore freshwater in simplified situations of subsea aquifers and overlying aquitards, including in relation to the upward leakage of freshwater. The results show that available analytical solutions significantly overestimate the offshore extent of upwelling freshwater due to the presumption of seawater in the aquitard, whereas the seawater wedge toe is less sensitive to the assumed aquitard salinity. We also explore the use of implicit, conductance-based representations of the aquitard (i.e., using the popular SEAWAT code), and find that SEAWAT's implicit approach (i.e., GHB package) can represent the offshore distance of upwelling freshwater using a novel parameterization strategy. The results show that an estimate of the upward freshwater flow that is required to freshen the aquitard is associated with the dimensionless Rayleigh number, whereby the critical Rayleigh number that distinguishes fresh and saline regions (based on the position of the 0.5 isochlor) within the aquitard is approximately 2
Creative solutions - creativity, innovation and sustainable jobs in South Australia
Get PDF© [2017] Flinders University / Australian Industrial Transformation InstituteA robust debate is underway internationally on what the likely impact of existing automation capabilities will be upon employment. This has fuelled fears that a large proportion of occupations and tasks are vulnerable to automation. In this report we examine the extent to which occupations and related capabilities are resistant to automation. We focus particularly on a set of occupations described as the creative occupations, those jobs that require the exercise of high level creative capabilities, abstract thinking, emotional intelligence and complex problem solving skills in uncertain environments
Self-management programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples with chronic conditions: a rapid review
Get PDFThis manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Objectives
Review the evidence for the effectiveness of chronic condition self-management programs applied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Methods
A rapid review methodology was followed to develop an evidence summary from peer-reviewed and grey literature.
Results
Only seven peer-reviewed studies were identified. The evidence indicated that group programs, particularly the Stanford Program, and structured individual chronic condition self-management programs were of good quality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, although these need to be integrated into practice in order to see the greatest benefits. The Flinders Program showed promise as a standardised program with content designed specifically with and for these populations. Numerous grey literature sources were identified, many using strong participatory approaches developed locally within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. However, few of these programs have been subject to rigorous evaluation.
Discussion
Despite the significant focus on chronic condition self-management programs to help address the burden of disease for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, few studies exist that have been properly evaluated. The Closing the Gap Principles developed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare offer important guidance for how to proceed to maximise engagement, cultural appropriateness and ownership of program initiatives.The rapid review was funded by COORDINARE, an Australian Primary Health Network
The Benefits of a Life-first employment program for Indigenous Australian families: Implications for 'Closing the Gap'
Get PDFThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License.There are significant and enduring inequities in education and employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In taking a ‘life-first’ approach to service provision the Building Family Opportunities Program (BFO) was able to successfully increase Indigenous Australians’ engagement with education and employment in South Australia. The evaluation of the BFO included quantitative administrative and survey data for 110 Indigenous families collected over a three year period, and qualitative data from interviews with 13 Indigenous jobseekers and focus groups with 24 case managers. Quantitative data revealed that similar proportions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous jobseekers achieved positive education/training and employment outcomes as a result of the program. Qualitative data were able to identify the strengths of this program as perceived by Indigenous families and case managers, including the practical and socio-emotional support offered to whole families, using a strengths-based, life-first approach. In the context of broader education and employment disadvantages experienced by Indigenous Australians, these results are significant and illustrate key lessons which can inform future policy and service delivery initiatives aiming to close the gap
Baseline and stress-induced blood properties of male and female Darwin’s small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa) of the Galapagos Islands
Get PDF© 2017 Elsevier. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/Birds are renowned for exhibiting marked sex-specific differences in activity levels and reproductive investment during the breeding season, potentially impacting circulating blood parameters associated with stress and energetics. Males of many passerines often do not incubate, but they experience direct exposure to intruder threat and exhibit aggressive behaviour during the nesting phase in order to defend territories against competing males and predators. Nesting females often have long bouts of inactivity during incubation, but they must remain vigilant of the risks posed by predators and conspecific intruders approaching the nest. Here, we use 33 free-living male (n = 16) and female (n = 17) Darwin's small ground finches (Geospiza fuliginosa) on Floreana Island (Galapagos Archipelago) to better understand how sex-specific roles during the reproductive period impact baseline and stress-induced levels of plasma corticosterone (CORT), blood glucose and haematocrit. Specifically, we hypothesise that males are characterised by higher baseline values given their direct and relatively frequent exposure to intruder threat, but that a standardised stress event (capture and holding) overrides any sex-specific differences. In contrast with expectations, baseline levels of all blood parameters were similar between sexes (13.4 ± 1.9 ng ml−1 for CORT, 13.7 ± 0.4 mmol l−1 for glucose, 58.3 ± 0.8% for haematocrit). Interestingly, females with higher body condition had lower baseline haematocrit. All blood parameters changed with time since capture (range 1.2–41.3 min) in both sexes, whereby CORT increased linearly, haematocrit decreased linearly, and glucose increased to a peak at ∼20 min post-capture and declined to baseline levels thereafter. Our results do not support the hypothesis that sex-specific roles during the reproductive period translate to differences in blood parameters associated with stress and energetics, but we found some evidence that blood oxygen transport capacity may decline as finches increase in body condition
A Smartphone App to Reduce Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Young Adults in Australian Remote Indigenous Communities: Design, Formative Evaluation and User-Testing
Get PDF©Emma Tonkin, Lauren Jeffs, Thomas Philip Wycherley, Carol Maher, Ross Smith, Jonathon Hart, Beau Cubillo, Julie
Brimblecombe. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 12.12.2017. This is an open-access
article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR
mhealth and uhealth, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on
http://mhealth.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.Background: The disproportionate burden of noncommunicable disease among Indigenous Australians living in remote Indigenous communities (RICs) is a complex and persistent problem. Smartphones are increasingly being used by young Indigenous adults and therefore represent a promising method to engage them in programs seeking to improve nutritional intake.
Objective: This study aimed to consult RIC members to inform the content of a smartphone app that can be used to monitor and reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake in RICs.
Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. The formative phase involved a simulated grocery selection activity with think aloud (“think aloud shop”), a semistructured interview, a questionnaire outlining current smartphone and app use, and a paper prototyping activity. A preliminary end-user testing phase involved a think aloud prototype test and a semistructured interview regarding user satisfaction. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 20 18- to 35-year-old smartphone users for each phase from two RICs in the Northern Territory, Australia. Thematic analysis of transcribed audio recordings was used to identify determinants of food choice from the think aloud shop; themes related to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) from the eating behaviors interview; and usability, comprehension, and satisfaction with the app from the preliminary end-user testing.
Results: Smartphone use in RICs is currently different to that found in urban environments; in particular, extremely low use of Facebook, restricted variety of phone types, and limited Internet access. Findings regarding promoting app engagement indicate that utilizing an opt-in approach to social features such as leader boards and team challenges is essential. The inclusion of games was also shown to be important for satisfaction, as were the use of audio features, contextually embedded dissemination, and streamlined app design for comprehension in this target group.
Conclusions: This research provides critical insights and concrete recommendations for the development of lifestyle improvement apps targeted toward disadvantaged young adults in nonurban settings, specifically RICs. It serves as a framework for future app development projects using a consultative user-centered design approach, supporting calls for the increased use of this strategy in app development
The Displaced Female Voice: Poetry of Natalya Gorbanevskaya
Get PDFNatalya Gorbanevskaya’s poetry uses unanchored imagery, direct address, and other specific means of creating a mood of rootlessness that is ambiguous and echoes her own experience as a Russian exile. Her work focuses on themes of displacement and trauma that are common to those who are forcibly made to leave their homes. This article is one of the first close readings of selected poems by Gorbanevskaya that is to merit attention to her displacement, marginalized feminine identity and resistance to the hegemony of political repression. The loss of her home in a literal and a geographical sense, and her status as an expatriate in Paris, can be understood as a complete displacement for Gorbanevskaya, forging her identity as a political refugee poet. Her work further reveals the power of poetry in reclaiming identity, asserting memory, and resisting the patriarchal system
Review of Travelling Home, ‘Walkabout Magazine’ and Mid-Twentieth Century Australia by Mitchell Rolls and Anna Johnston.
No full textReview of Travelling Home, ‘Walkabout Magazine’ and Mid-Twentieth Century Australia by Mitchell Rolls and Anna Johnston
Complete book reviews (Creative and Life Writing)
Get PDFComplete book reviews (Creative and Life Writing) for Transnational Literature, May 2017, in one file for ease of downloading or printin