Australia And New Zealand Research Articles

A glimpse in the dark? A first phylogenetic approach in a widespread freshwater snail from tropical Asia and northern Australia (Cerithioidea, Thiaridae)

Thiaridae are a speciose group of freshwater snails in tropical areas including a high number of described nominal taxa for which modern revisions are mostly lacking. Using an integrative approach, the systematic status of a group of thiarids from the Oriental region, including the nominal speciesMelaniaasperaandM.rudis, is reassessed on the basis of shell morphology and biometry, radula dentition patterns, and reproductive biology along with molecular genetic methods. Our results suggest that populations from the Oriental region cannot be distinguished on the basis of shell morphology, radula characters and their reproductive mode and are monophyletic based on mitochondrial sequences. Hence,M.rudiswithM.asperaare regarded as belonging to the same species along with several other nominal taxa that were previously included inM.rudis. Moreover, populations from Thailand and Australia, from where the species was not previously recorded, could be shown to form a monophyletic group together with samples from Indonesia. However, a generic affiliation withThiara, in which the investigated taxa were often included in the past, was not supported in our phylogenetic analyses, highlighting the need for a comprehensive revision of the genus-group systematics of Thiaridae as a whole.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with acute liver failure admitted to Australian and New Zealand intensive care units.

Knowledge about patients with acute liver failure (ALF) in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) is lacking. To evaluate whether the pattern of ALF would be similar to previous studies and whether, despite potentially low transplantation rates, mortality would be comparable. We obtained data from the ANZ Intensive Care Society Adult Patient Database and the ANZ Liver Transplant Registry for 10 years commencing 2005 and analysed for patient outcomes. During the study period, 1 022 698 adults were admitted to intensive care units across ANZ, of which 723 had ALF. The estimated annual incidence of ALF over this period was 3.4/million people and increased over time (P = 0.001). ALF patients had high illness severity (Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation III 79.8 vs 50.1 in non-ALF patients; P < 0.0001) and were more likely to be younger, female, pregnant and immunosuppressed. ALF was an independent predictor of mortality (odds ratio 1.5 (1.26-1.79); P < 0.0001). At less than 23%, the use of liver transplantation was low, but the mortality of 39% was similar to previous studies. ALF is a rare but increasing diagnosis in ANZ intensive care units. Low transplantation rates in ANZ for ALF do not appear to be associated with higher mortality rates than reported in the literature.

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand.

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand.

Detection and characterization of a novel marine birnavirus isolated from Asian seabass in Singapore

BackgroundLates calcarifer, known as seabass in Asia and barramundi in Australia, is a widely farmed species internationally and in Southeast Asia and any disease outbreak will have a great economic impact on the aquaculture industry. Through disease investigation of Asian seabass from a coastal fish farm in 2015 in Singapore, a novel birnavirus named Lates calcarifer Birnavirus (LCBV) was detected and we sought to isolate and characterize the virus through molecular and biochemical methods.MethodsIn order to propagate the novel birnavirus LCBV, the virus was inoculated into the Bluegill Fry (BF-2) cell line and similar clinical signs of disease were reproduced in an experimental fish challenge study using the virus isolate. Virus morphology was visualized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Biochemical analysis using chloroform and 5-Bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BUDR) sensitivity assays were employed to characterize the virus. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) was also used to obtain the virus genome for genetic and phylogenetic analyses.ResultsThe LCBV-infected BF-2 cell line showed cytopathic effects such as rounding and granulation of cells, localized cell death and detachment of cells observed at 3 to 5 days’ post-infection. The propagated virus, when injected intra-peritoneally into naïve Asian seabass under experimental conditions, induced lesions similar to fish naturally infected with LCBV. Morphology of LCBV, visualized under TEM, revealed icosahedral particles around 50 nm in diameter. Chloroform and BUDR sensitivity assays confirmed the virus to be a non-enveloped RNA virus. Further genome analysis using NGS identified the virus to be a birnavirus with two genome segments. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that LCBV is more closely related to the Blosnavirus genus than to the Aquabirnavirus genus within the Birnaviridae family.ConclusionsThese findings revealed the presence of a novel birnavirus that could be linked to the disease observed in the Asian seabass from the coastal fish farms in Singapore. This calls for more studies on disease transmission and enhanced surveillance programs to be carried out to understand pathogenicity and epidemiology of this novel virus. The gene sequences data obtained from the study can also pave way to the development of PCR-based diagnostic test methods that will enable quick and specific identification of the virus in future disease investigations.

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

The role and impact of professional accountancy associations on accounting education research: An international study

This paper explores the relative influence of the accounting academy and accountancy professional associations in the debate concerning the profile and quality of accounting education research. This research analyses 13 semi-structured interviews undertaken with members of key accounting professional associations in Australia, New Zealand (ANZ) and the United Kingdom and Ireland (UKI). The paper makes a theoretical contribution by the novel application of the institutional logics theory to the literature concerning professional accounting associations (PAAs) demonstrating the dominant commercial logic of the education function and the more traditional fiduciary logic of the technical function. The research finds that the primary stakeholders in the professional accounting curriculum development model are the PAAs and employers, whilst the accounting academy is relatively absent. The relative independence of the education and research and technical functions within PAAs is also identified: academic research and technical activity has little influence on professional education and vice versa. However, PAAs’ funding of academic research is common across all four countries for brand recognition and in some instances to influence policy rather than informing the professional curriculum.

Australia and New Zealand's cosmetics and toiletries markets

Australia and New Zealand's cosmetics and toiletries markets

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

Single-Epoch, Single-Frequency Multi-GNSS L5 RTK under High-Elevation Masking.

The Japanese Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS) satellite system has placed in orbit four satellites by October 2017. The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) system has launched the new satellite IRNNSS-11 in April 2018, completing seven operational satellites. Together with the GPS block IIF satellites and the Galileo satellites, four different global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) are providing precise L5 signals on the frequency of 1176.45 MHz. In this contribution, we challenge the strength of the multi-GNSS model by analysing its single-frequency (L5), single-epoch (instantaneous) precise positioning capabilities under high-elevation masking (up to 40 degrees). With more satellites available, multi-GNSS real time kinematic (RTK) positioning is possible using L5-only signals with a high customary elevation mask. This helps to enable positioning in areas with constrained measurement geometry, and could significantly reduce the multipath effects in difficult measurement environments like urban canyons and mountainous areas. In this study, benefiting from the location of the Asia–Australia area, instantaneous multi-GNSS L5 RTK analysis is performed with respect to the ambiguity resolution and positioning performance. Formal results are shown and discussed for baselines located in different grids covering Australia, part of the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean and Asia, and empirical analysis is given for two baselines in Perth, Australia. Compared to the stand-alone cases, for baselines in Perth, it is shown that combining L5 signals from GPS/Galileo/QZSS/IRNSS significantly improves both the ambiguity success rates (ASR) and the positioning performance under high elevation mask. While the average single-system ASR is under 50% even with a low elevation mask of 10 degrees, combining all the four systems increases the ASR to above 95% under an elevation cut-off angles of 40 degrees. With an elevation mask of 40 degrees, using satellites from one system does not allow for meaningful positioning solutions of more than 8 h within the test day, while mm-to-cm level ambiguity-fixed standard deviations could be obtained based on the positioning results of almost the entire day when combining all the four systems. In addition to that, simulation was also performed for receivers with larger signal standard deviations, i.e., for low-cost receivers or receivers located in environments with larger multipath.

Melioidosis: misdiagnosed in Nepal

BackgroundMelioidosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that is caused by gram negative bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. This bacteria occurs as an environmental saprophyte typically in endemic regions of south-east Asia and northern Australia. Therefore, patients with melioidosis are at high risk of being misdiagnosed and/or under-diagnosed in South Asia.Case presentationHere, we report two cases of melioidosis from Nepal. Both of them were diabetic male who presented themselves with fever, multiple abscesses and developed sepsis. They were treated with multiple antimicrobial agents including antitubercular drugs before being correctly diagnosed as melioidosis. Consistent with this, both patients were farmer by occupation and also reported travelling to Malaysia in the past. The diagnosis was made consequent to the isolation of B. pseudomallei from pus samples. Accordingly, they were managed with intravenous meropenem followed by oral doxycycline and cotrimoxazole.ConclusionThe case reports raise serious concern over the existing unawareness of melioidosis in Nepal. Both of the cases were left undiagnosed for a long time. Therefore, clinicians need to keep a high index of suspicion while encountering similar cases. Especially diabetic-farmers who present with fever and sepsis and do not respond to antibiotics easily may turn out to be yet another case of melioidosis. Ascertaining the travel history and occupational history is of utmost significance. In addition, the microbiologist should be trained to correctly identify B. pseudomallei as it is often confused for other Burkholderia species. The organism responds only to specific antibiotics; therefore, correct and timely diagnosis becomes crucial for better outcomes.

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

Calendar of conferences in Australia and New Zealand

A comparison of characteristics and outcomes of patients admitted to the ICU with asthma in Australia and New Zealand and United states

Objective: To compare the characteristics, use of invasive ventilation and outcomes of patients admitted with critical asthma syndrome (CAS) to ICUs in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), and a large cohort of ICUs in the United States (US). Methods: We examined two large databases of ICU for patients admitted with CAS in 2014 and 2015. We obtained, analyzed, and compared information on demographic and physiological characteristics, use of invasive mechanical ventilation, and clinical outcome and derived predictive models. Results: Overall, 2202 and 762 patients were admitted with a primary diagnosis of CAS in the ANZ and US databases respectively (0.73% vs. 0.46% of all ICU admissions, P < 0.001). A similar percentage of patients received invasive mechanical ventilation in the first 24 h (24.7% vs. 24.4%, P = 0.87) but ANZ patients had lower respiratory rates and higher PaCO2 levels. Overall mortality was low (1.23 for ANZ and 1.71 for USA; P = 0.36) and even among invasively ventilated patients (2.4% for ANZ vs. 1.1% for USA; P = 0.38). However, ANZ patients also had longer length of stay in ICU (43 vs. 37 h, P = 0.001) and hospital (105 vs. 78 h, P = 0.003). Conclusions: Patients admitted to ANZ and USA ICU with CAS are broadly similar and have a low and similar rate of invasive ventilation and mortality. However, ANZ patients made up a greater proportion of ICU patients and had longer ICU and hospital stays. These findings provide a modern invasive ventilation and mortality rates benchmark for future studies of CAS.

Levels of training in critical care echocardiography in adults. Recommendations from the College of Intensive Care Medicine Ultrasound Special Interest Group.

Critical care echocardiography (CCE) is commonly performed in many intensive care units across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). The scope of practice ranges from Basic CCE through to Advanced CCE and includes the use of transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography. Many training and qualification pathways exist with no standardisation of education goals. This document defines different levels of CCE expertise and recommends minimum training standards for each level of adult CCE in ANZ. Guidelines committee of College of Intensive Care Medicine's Ultrasound Special Interest Group held multiple face to face meetings, organised teleconferences, conducted a survey of the Fellows of the college and reviewed the international CCE training pathways prior to writing these guidelines.

Salvia reflexa (Lamiaceae): a new record for Pakistan

Salvia reflexa Hornem., a member of the New World subgenus Calosphace, ranges from North America to southern South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Afghanistan in Asia, and still continues to expand its range. Here we report further range expansion for S. reflexa into the tribal areas of Pakistan and hypothesize that it has been introduced from Afghanistan. This represents a new record for the flora of Pakistan.

Epidemiology of Rheumatic Heart Disease in Pregnancy in ANZ

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) in pregnancy is associated with significant maternal morbidity and mortality. We describe the epidemiology of RHD in pregnancy in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Methods: A population-based cohort study of pregnant women with RHD recruited 2013-14 through the hospital-based Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System. Findings: There were 311 cases of RHD in pregnancy - 266 (86%) identified as First Nations. Prevalence was highest in Aboriginal women in the NT (2.22%). MR was present in 269 cases (86%), MS in 116 (37%). Fifty (16%) cases had a prior cardiac intervention - 13 valve replacement, 22 repair, 15 PBMV. Fourteen percent of cases had a cardiac visit before 14 weeks, 9% between 14–19 weeks, 42% ≥ 20 weeks. A third of cases did not visit a cardiac specialist. Forty-five (15%) cases had no echocardiogram during pregnancy/postpartum; 39 (13%) were diagnosed with RHD during pregnancy/postpartum. There was one maternal death (case fatality rate = 0·3%). 32% were admitted to intensive/higher care units during pregnancy and 19% postpartum. 314 babies were born with seven stillbirths (22·3/1,000), three to women taking anticoagulants, and two neonatal deaths (6·5/1,000). Twenty-one percent of neonates were preterm, 19% had low birthweights. Conclusion: In ANZ, RHD in pregnancy persists among First Nations populations. It remains a disease of inequity. Despite significant cardiac and perinatal morbidity, high quality tertiary health care minimised mortality. There is a need to build upon care provided in pregnancy so as to provide long-term chronic disease management for women with RHD.

Increasing Incidence of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis as an Indication for Liver Transplantation in Australia and New Zealand.

The worldwide increase in obesity and diabetes has led to predictions that nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) will become the leading indication for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Data supporting this prediction from outside the United States are limited. Thus, we aimed to determine trends in the frequency of NASH among adults listed and undergoing OLT in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) from 1994 to 2017. Data from the ANZ Liver Transplant Registry were analyzed with patients listed for fulminant liver failure, retransplantation, or multivisceral transplants excluded. Nonparametric trend, Spearman rank correlation, and regression analysis were used to assess trends in etiologies of liver disease over time. Of 5016 patient wait-list registrants, a total of 3470 received an OLT. The percentage of patients with NASH activated for OLT increased significantly from 2.0% in 2003 to 10.9% in 2017 (trend analyses; P < 0.001). In 2017, NASH was the third leading cause of chronic liver disease (CLD) among wait-list registrants behind chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV; 29.5%) and alcohol (16.1%). Similarly, significant increases over time in the percentage of patients undergoing OLT were observed for HCV and NASH (all trend analyses; P < 0.001) but with significant reductions in primary sclerosing cholangitis and cryptogenic cirrhosis (both P < 0.05). By 2017, NASH was the third leading cause of liver disease among patients undergoing OLT (12.4%) and behind chronic HCV (30.2%) and alcohol (18.2%). NASH also became the third most frequent etiology of CLD in patients transplanted (13.8%) with concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma by 2017. In conclusion, NASH is increasing as a primary etiology of liver disease requiring listing and liver transplantation in ANZ.

PALEOGEOGRAPHIC NORTHEASTERN LIMITS OF APHRODINA DUTRUGEI (COCQUAND, 1862) (HETERODONTA, BIVALVIA) FROM THE CENOMANIAN OF THE ARABIAN PLATFORM

The finding of Aphrodina dutrugei (Cocquand, 1862) in a rich collection of non-rudist bivalve fauna from the famous Cenomanian-Turonian carbonates of the Afro-Arabian Plate has permitted the reevaluation of venerid bivalves during an important period of their evolution. The genus Aphrodina Conrad, 1869, Family Veneridae Rafinesque, 1815, embraces several Tethyan Cretaceous species that range from Cenomanian to Santonian. During the late Albian-Maastrichtian ‘Aphrodiniid’ venerids, were distributed along the western margin of the Atlantic (North and South America), the Afro-Arabian Plate (Jordan, SE Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt), the eastern Tethys, and the Southern Ocean (India, Japan, western Australia and New Zealand). They are also known in the Turonian-Santonian Trans-Saharan Seaway (Gabon). Until now these fossils have been unknown in any Upper Cretaceous localities of southeastern Turkey. In this paper, we report the first record of one of the most common and widespread shallow infaunal species, Aphrodina dutrugei, in the Cenomanian Derdere Formation in the Mardin-Mazidagi area, SE Turkey, which is in the extreme northeastern part of its known range.

Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation (PPVI) in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)

Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve Implantation (PPVI) in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ)

A genome-wide approach for uncovering evolutionary relationships of Australian Bactrocera species complexes (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Australia and Southeast Asia are hotspots of global diversity in the fruit-fly genus Bactrocera. Although a great diversity of species has been long recognised, evolutionary relationships are poorly understood, largely because previous sequencing techniques have provided insufficient historical signal for phylogenetic reconstruction. Poorly understood biogeographic history in Bactrocera has prevented a deeper understanding of migratory patterns in this economically important pest group. Using representatives from Australia and Malaysia, we tested the utility of a genome-reduction approach that generates thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms for phylogenetic reconstructions. This approach has high utility for species identification because of the ease of sample addition over time, and the species-level specificity able to be achieved with the markers. These data have provided a strongly supported phylogenetic tree congruent with topologies generated using more intensive sequencing approaches. In addition, our results do not support taxonomic assignments to species complex for a number of species, such as B. endiandrae in the dorsalis complex, yet find a close relationship between B. pallida and the dorsalis species. Our data have further validated non-monophyletic evolution of male response to primary attractants. We also showed at least two diversification events between Australia and Southeast Asia, indicating trans-regional dispersal in important pest species.

Guru vs. Google - New Challenges and Learning Trends

Educators and employers in most countries are getting uneasy on many fronts because of hurdles created by old textbook-based curricula and traditional mode of face-to-face (F2F) teaching which dominated education for the last two centuries. In this new century of the World Wide Web (WWW), increased global connectivity, availability of 4G/5G networks and exponential growth in the use of portable and smart devices is forcing countries around the world to upgrade their educational system for online learning. In USA, Europe, Australia and several other countries in Asia, educational institutions are rapidly integrating online learning into their academic programs and curricula. The speed of innovations leading to a synergistic blending of a variety of internet-based search engines, social media and rich digital content made available by MOOCs, edX, Khan Academy and other portals is quite overwhelming. It is becoming increasingly clear that this new combination is also changing the role of the Guru in educational processes. In India and elsewhere in Asia-Pacific region online learning is increasingly becoming a key factor for the growth of digital economy and sustainable development. New academic programs and curricula based on an increased emphasis on eLearning or digital learning will help new generation to successfully compete in digital economies and enhance strategic sustainable development not only in India but also elsewhere in the world. This paper also sheds some light on the importance of SMAC (Social, Mobile. Analytics and Cloud) in education, especially in higher education and how to use it for skill development (SD), a sector of human resource development neglected since the independence of India in 1947.