James Cook Research Articles

Origins of Caribbean Surfing

Surfing was being practiced by Carib watermen of the Lesser Antilles as early as the eighteenth century, when it was documented by an eyewitness account a French shipwreck survivor on the island of Tobago made just a few years before Captain James Cook and his crew brought back accounts of Polynesians surfing in the Pacific. This article looks at the development of surfing skills amongst the inhabitants of the Caribbean and what influences, if any, the people of Atlantic Africa or South America had on the development of the sport here, or whether it was an independent adaptation to local conditions found along the shores of the islands of the Lesser Antilles.

Paper and Textile Encounters in the Pacific

Abstract This essay focuses on an eighteenth-century book, A Catalogue of the Different Specimens of Cloth Collected in the Three Voyages of Captain Cook to the Southern Hemisphere, which opens up alternative histories of paper in the early modern world. The work consists of a letterpress pamphlet describing the production of bark cloth (tapa), bound with samples of tapa, which were acquired from one of Captain Cook’s naval officers. In placing paper and bark cloth into relationship with one another, the work offers another vantage point from which to theorise not only the material history of paper but also the ways in which paper was dependent on an ability to ‘invisibly occupy’. Paper’s material invisibility is both part of its strength while also demonstrating the intellectual blind spots that can occur in attending solely to material histories of paper worlds.

Discovering Ideal Violence: A comparison of journals from Captain James Cook’s third Pacific voyage

The extant record of Captain James Cook’s third Pacific voyage (1776–80) provides multiple detailed accounts, affording the opportunity to compare how the voyage’s officers portrayed themselves and each other. Using logs and journals written during the voyage, this article focuses on two incidents in which first Cook and then his 3rd Lieutenant John Williamson use violence against Pacific islanders. Analysing the various accounts reveals the officers’ collectively held ideals about how and under what circumstances violence was to be used, as well as how they responded when the ideal was violated.

A Collaborative Digitisation and Curatorial Project, Highlighting a Unique Collection and the Latimer Core Data Standard

Sir Joseph Banks is remembered for being a long-standing president of the Royal Society, the unofficial first director of Kew gardens and the pioneering naturalist on Captain James Cook’s great voyage onboard the Endeavour, to observe the transit of Venus and search for an undiscovered southern continent (British Museum (Natural History) 1906). Much of Bank’s life is well documented but his surviving entomology collection has never been accurately catalogued. The Banks Collection at the Natural History Museum (NHM) London is an historic assemblage of insect specimens (Fig. 1, British Museum (Natural History) 1906). It includes specimens collected by Banks and others acquired through a world-wide network of collectors. During his lifetime, Banks shared specimens with his associates and gave many specimens to Dr. William Hunter and Johan Christian Fabricius. After his death, the remaining collection was donated to the Linnean Society and later passed to the British Museum in 1863. The Banks Collection has both historical and cultural value and continues to be a relevant research tool. This is largely because Fabricius, a student of Carl Linnaeus, described many new species from the collection. Consequently, the collection contains many taxonomically important type specimens. The number of specimens in the collection is unknown but estimated to be approximately 4000. The NHM is digitising the collection with the generous support of the Charles Hayward Foundation. The collection is housed in 55 entomological glass-topped drawers, albeit not the original drawers. When conserving historical material, there is an argument to leave everything in its original state, but after much consideration, the curatorial team decided—for the long-term preservation of the collection—the specimens should be rehoused into plastazote®-lined drawers keeping the original layout of the specimens and replacing the current cork-lined drawers as part of the digitisation process. High-resolution images are taken of every specimen with its associated labels. The information on the labels is recorded for each specimen and a barcode added. As of August 2024, 3,300 specimens have been digitised and 30 of the 55 drawers recurated. More than 5000 high-resolution images have been taken (Fig. 2) and 438 labels have been transcribed for almost 1200 specimens. This project is using a new Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) data standard, Latimer Core, designed to support the representation and discovery of natural science collections (Woodburn et al. 2022). Latimer Core is intended to be complimentary to specimen-level standards such as Darwin Core (Darwin Core Task Group 2009), providing a way to structure and share higher-level information about groups of collection objects, from whole-museum collections through thematic and historic collections, to the contents of a single drawer. This is useful for collections with lots of associated data, fragile specimens or when displacement and disassociation of information is a concern. Unlike modern specimens, with data labels containing information on collecting event and associated persons, specimens in the Banks collection have few original labels. It was common practice that labels were temporary data storage and disposed of once the data was published. A replacement label was provided after publication (Fig. 2). The publication provides species description, geographic origin and often the name of the collection containing the specimen. Additional labels were subsequently added by curators and researchers. Many specimens have no data labels (Fig. 3). Unravelling important information about individual specimens, species and groups of specimens in this collection, including taxonomic, type status and origin will be supported by Latimer Core, as it allows a more holistic approach compared to only using specimen-level data. We can better incorporate data derived from various sources such as published data, illustrations and personal correspondence to learn about the individual and groups of specimens, the reverse of the usual workflow. Digitising this collection will improve access through digital records (specimen/drawer images, transcribed labels, publication references) reducing the need for physical examination and risk of damage. Whole-drawer digitisation in addition to specimen-level imaging provides information on the organisation and display of a collection. A collection of this nature demands minimal handling and the best storage and collections management procedures to ensure its survival for future generations. However, its significance commands a continued interest by a wide and varied audience. By digitising this collection, we will improve its physical housing, increase its accessibility without compromising the specimens for the future, and support the publication of a comprehensive catalogue of the collection.

Thinking the Other: From Terra Australis Incognita to Terra Nullius

At the end of the 18th century, when Sir Joseph Banks, president of the Royal Society, recommended Botany Bay in Australia as an “advantageous” site to establish a new British penal colony, he did so with the knowledge that the east coast of the country was inhabited by Indigenous Australians, having traveled to the South Continent with Lieutenant James Cook. As a naturalist and imperial botanist on board the Endeavour, Banks’s primary duty had been to identify and classify Australian flora and fauna. Yet, the multiple observations that he made based on his interactions with Aboriginal people also contributed to establish his influence in scientific and political circles at the turn of the 19th century. Banks’s ethnographic accounts recorded in his Endeavour Journal shed light on his mind-set and convictions during his time in Australia as well as his impressions that later played their part in making him the greatest proponent of settlement in New South Wales and motivating the decision to colonize the country. In a time when exploration records significantly shaped the perceptions of the public about human nature and the beliefs and theories of the scientific community on questions of race and otherness, the writings of Joseph Banks offer a window into science and history in the making. As the scientific exploration of distant lands progressively gave way to political and economic interests, the transition from geographical othering to racial othering in the representation of Indigenous Australians turned Terra Australis Incognita into terra nullius.

The perceived relevance, utility and retention of basic sciences in general practice

BackgroundBasic sciences are crucial for clinical medicine, yet studies focusing on their perceived utility among general practitioners (GPs) are sparse. Considering the broad scope of GPs’ practice, an in-depth understanding of basic sciences is fundamental for making informed clinical decisions. This study evaluated GP registrars’ retention and perceptions of the utility of basic sciences in clinical practice.MethodsUsing sequential explanatory mixed methods study design, knowledge retention was assessed by a multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination followed by interviews on the perception of the relevance and utility of basic sciences among GP registrars at James Cook University's (JCU) General Practice Training (GPT) program. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted on the MCQ exam data, while thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative interview data.ResultsSixty-one GP registrars participated in the MCQ exam, while 11 of them were involved in the interviews. The highest mean score was obtained in biochemistry (75.1 ± 2.23) while the lowest mean score was in anatomy (56.07 ± 3.16). Key performance predictors included the formative clinical examination scores (β = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.45 to 1.2, p < 0.001) and gender (β = -9.7, 95% CI: -17 to -2.3, p = 0.011). The qualitative data analysis revealed five themes, including the backbone of clinical medicine, varying utility over time and by specialty, clinical synthesis integrates encapsulated knowledge, professional pressures hinder revisitation of knowledge and knowledge renewal enhances updates.ConclusionBasic sciences were considered relevant in clinical practice. Development of continuing professional development (CPDs) sessions and clinically relevant online resources were measures proposed to enhance the retention of knowledge. Future research could focus on innovative educational strategies for GPs.

Clinical and oncological outcomes of pelvic exenteration for rectal and gynaecological malignancies

Background: Pelvic exenteration (PE) is radical surgery which offers prospect of cure for patients with locally advanced pelvic malignancy. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study evaluating patient outcomes over six-year period at James Cook University Hospital, a tertiary center in United Kingdom. Primary outcome measures included short-term (90 days) mortality and morbidity. Secondary outcome measures were survival and recurrence. Data was analysed by descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier curve used for survival estimation. Results: Out of 68 patients who underwent PE, 88% (n=61) was for primary locally advanced cancer and 10% (n=7) for recurrent cancer. The 31% (n=21) exenterations were for rectal cancer, 68% (n=46) for gynaecological cancer and 1% (n=1) for bladder cancer. Complete (R0) resection was achieved in 86% rectal exenteration versus 68% in gynaecological exenteration (p=0.1459). The overall 90-day mortality rate was 2.9% (n=2). The 19.1% developed major complications (Clavien-Dindo grades 3a-4). The estimated mean overall survival was 55 months (95% CI, 41-71) for rectal versus 44 months (95% CI, 35-53) for gynaecological (p=0.076). At a median follow-up of 19 months, the local and distal recurrence rate for rectal patients after PE was 4.7% and 14.3% respectively. The 41.3% of gynaecological patients developed recurrence and/ or progression of disease. Conclusions: PE for rectal and gynaecological cancers has low short-term mortality but is associated with high risks of overall complications, most of which were Clavien-Dindo grades &lt;3. The higher recurrence rate observed in the gynaecological cohort is in keeping with the varying intent of the surgery.

Coral restoration: a mapping review through a scientometric analysis

Reef restoration has gained attention as it has strategic actions and powerful means in sustaining and maintaining coastal ecosystem services. This scientometric study systematically analyzes the current trends and research hotspot in coral restoration across the last five decades (1971–2022). The metadata (12,667 articles with 652,860 cited references) were obtained from the Clarivate Web of Science platform through the Core Collection database, associated with the CiteSpace and R‐software for further analysis. The results indicated that the trend of coral restoration is increasing in paper/year, with the United States, Australia, and China as major contributors to the related research. Furthermore, James Cook University, Australia had the largest number of articles, and the Consortium of Research Libraries of the United Kingdom was the most influential institution on coral restoration. The highly cited keywords are “Great Barrier Reef,” “climate change,” and “coral reef,” while the most influential keywords are “coral,” “model,” and “Atlantic.” A total of 23 clusters in the field with “coral reef,” “phase shift,” “bacterial communities,” “coral restoration,” “symbiotic dinoflagellate,” “stony coral tissue loss disease,” “bleaching event,” “ocean acidification,” “oyster reef,” and “quantitative reconstruction” are among the top cluster size labeled. Early‐stage researcher may use both keywords and cluster analysis to find topics attractive to their future research projects. In addition, this study contributes toward evaluating recent scientific productivity about coral restoration as well as informing researchers and policymakers regarding funding, future strategic planning, and potential collaboration opportunities.

Psychological Distress at a Regional Australian Law School: Reporting on Law Students’ Experiences of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress

Legal education in Australia is constantly evolving to meet the needs of law students and to prepare many of them for roles in the legal profession. Examples include changes to law degree structures, optional elective units, and subjects aimed at preparing law students to be ‘workplace ready’. Law students face challenging academic requirements and law school culture that can result in greater levels of psychological distress compared to the general population. Promoting law student wellbeing and responding to high student levels of psychological distress is a key area of focus for Australian Law Schools. This article explores existing law student wellbeing studies in Australia and reports findings from an empirical exploratory study investigating the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS) using the DASS21 survey instrument in law students at a regional Australian university, James Cook University. The results from this study support earlier studies at Australian universities that show law students experience higher levels of psychological distress symptoms compared to the general population, and it is an area of concern that requires ongoing attention. Results include an exploration of the impact of factors including type of degree being studied, campus location, year of study, gender, and time spent at law school.

Breaking Up With Captain Cook on Our 250th Anniversary

Breaking Up With Captain Cook on Our 250th Anniversary

How to Make a Captain Cook Cupcake With Pink Frosting

How to Make a Captain Cook Cupcake With Pink Frosting

‘Very curious and romantick Views’: Captain Cook’s Antarctic explorations and aesthetic education

In all three of James Cook’s expeditions to the Pacific, visual artists were hired by the Royal Society and the Admiralty to communicate scientific information that relied on visual evidence, while conveying the embodied experience of travel. The present article focuses on the representational challenges raised by the encounter with the Antarctic during the polar explorations of the second voyage (1772–75), with an emphasis on Cook’s textual accounts and William Hodges’s sketches and illustrations, which are shown to provide an interesting angle on the contemporary debates about the respective abilities of words and images, both as paths to knowledge and as sources of aesthetic experience. After a brief discussion of the complementary epistemological function of words and images in Cook’s Pacific voyages, this article argues that the specific representational issues raised by the encounter with the Antarctic not only encouraged Cook to reflect about the value of images for the publication of his discoveries, but also partook of his own aesthetic education, with significant and long-lasting implications for the subsequent construction of polar regions in the British imagination.

Validation of a national leadership framework to promote and protect quality residential aged care: protocol for a Delphi study

IntroductionAustralia’s ageing population is driving an increased demand for residential aged care services, yet concerns about the quality and safety of such care remain. The recent Royal Commission into Aged...

VALIDATING HISTORICAL INTERPRETATIONS: AN APPROACH FROM CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

ABSTRACTHistorians and anthropologists share a common problem of setting criteria for the validation of their interpretations. While many features are shared and explicit—for example, that a full range of data needs to be considered and that information should be reliably sourced—the actual criteria for assessing supportable interpretations are frequently left unexamined. Following consideration of schemes that have been put forth for validating interpretation in literature, this article considers the criteria applied to the history of an Indonesian town and those employed when scholars have revisited the site of a predecessor's research. Because no interpretation is without some theoretical backdrop, this article considers a particular theory of culture that may facilitate the refinement of standards. The criteria that are then suggested—conjuncture, scope, intersection, comparability, and self‐accounting—may help to pinpoint not uniquely correct interpretations but better or worse ones. To test these criteria, this article briefly analyzes two case studies of both historical and anthropological concern: one relates to the history and organization of tribal‐based polities and the other concerns the dispute over the circumstances surrounding the death of Captain James Cook. The article concludes that reinvigorating a conversation about such criteria can reinforce the shared interests of historians and anthropologists that have proven so fruitful to recent scholarship.

What Charles Darwin owed to Joseph Banks

History has remembered Joseph Banks as the explorer-botanist of the first voyage of James Cook. Yet, shortly after his return, he got elected president of the Royal Society and, for over 40years, he then played in Great Britain an eminent role in reorganizing natural sciences and advocating an "economic botany". He actively intervened in acclimatization and varietal selection of plants and animals in Great Britain as in the future English colonies. Thus he built an intellectual environment which will promote the emergence of Charles Darwin's thoughts.

Medical and Societal Implications of Tattoos: From Ancient Traditions to Modern Risks and Removal Challenges

Tattoos, an ancient form of body art with roots dating back 5000 years, have evolved from cultural markers to mainstream symbols of self-expression. While historically significant figures like Amunet and Captain James Cook contributed to tattoo lore, modern celebrities like David Beckham and Kat Von D have propelled tattoos into popular culture. However, alongside their rise in popularity, tattoos also bring health risks. Research indicates that up to 67% of individuals with tattoos experience complications, with infections, allergic reactions, and scarring being common concerns. Moreover, tattoos can exacerbate existing medical conditions, particularly in individuals with diabetes, heart conditions, or immunosuppressive disorders. Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding face additional risks due to physiological changes affecting wound healing and immune response. The chemical composition of tattoo ink, especially in complex styles like tridimensional matryoshka tattoos, poses further health concerns, including heavy metal toxicity and infection risks. Adequate safety measures, including choosing reputable artists, proper aftercare, and thorough pre-tattoo screening, can mitigate these risks. Prompt medical intervention is crucial in severe complications, emphasizing the importance of awareness and precaution in tattooing. Additionally, tattoo removal methods come with their own set of risks and considerations, with laser therapy being the primary choice but not assuring complete removal.

How far has diabetes-related foot disease research progressed in Australia? A bibliometric review (1970-2023).

Diabetes-related foot disease (DFD) is a leading cause of the Australian and global disease burdens and requires proportionate volumes of research to address. Bibliometric analyses are rigorous methods for exploring total research publications in a field to help identify volume trends, gaps and emerging areas of need. This bibliometric review aimed to explore the volume, authors, institutions, journals, collaborating countries, research types and funding sources of Australian publications investigating DFD over 50years. A systematic search of the Scopus® database was conducted by two independent authors to identify all Australian DFD literature published between 1970 and 2023. Bibliometric meta-data were extracted from Scopus®, analyzed in Biblioshiny, an R Statistical Software interface, and publication volumes, authors, institutions, journals and collaborative countries were described. Publications were also categorised for research type and funding source. Overall, 332 eligible publications were included. Publication volume increased steadily over time, with largest volumes (78%) and a 7-fold increase over the last decade. Mean co-authors per publication was 5.6, mean journal impact factor was 2.9 and median citation was 9 (IQR2-24). Most frequent authors were Peter Lazzarini (14%), Vivienne Chuter (8%) and Jonathon Golledge (7%). Most frequent institutions affiliated were Queensland University Technology (33%), University Sydney (30%) and James Cook University (25%). Most frequent journals published in were Journal Foot and Ankle Research (17%), Diabetic Medicine (7%), Journal Diabetes and its Complications (4%) and International Wound Journal (4%). Most frequent collaborating countries were the United Kingdom (9%), the Netherlands (6%) and the United States (5%). Leading research types were etiology (38%), treatment evaluation (25%) and health services research (13%). Leading funding sources were no funding (60%), internal institution (16%) and industry/philanthropic/international (10%). Australian DFD research increased steadily until more dramatic increases were seen over the past decade. Most research received no funding and mainly investigated etiology, existing treatments or health services. Australian DFD researchers appear to be very productive, particularly in recent times, despite minimal funding indicating their resilience. However, if the field is to continue to rapidly grow and address the very large national DFD burden, much more research funding is needed in Australia, especially targeting prevention and clinical trials of new treatments in DFD.

Sacred to Cook’s Immortal Name … : The original context and meaning of an ‘engraved portrait’ of Captain Cook

There are hundreds of impressions of engravings relating to the person, life and voyages of Captain Cook in collections around the world. Many, however, are disassociated from the original contexts of their publication and are thus of limited historical use. Beginning with a single, radically trimmed impression in the Ashmolean Museum, a detailed account is provided of one particular engraving. It is shown that it was originally published as a frontispiece to a volume of the Universal Magazine, whose previously overlooked role in the dissemination of knowledge about Cook’s voyages is then demonstrated. Accounts are provided of the specific context in which the engraving was published and the specific meaning it was intended to convey.

Taxonomic Investigations on Cladorhizidae (Carnivorous Sponges) of the East Scotia Ridge (Antarctica) with the Description of Three New Species

This study investigates taxonomic characteristics of carnivorous sponges from the Southern Ocean. The specimens were collected in 2010 from deep-sea hydrothermal vents of the East Scotia Ridge during the RRS James Cook Cruise JC42. All the investigated sponges are new to science. They belong to the genera Abyssocladia and Cladorhiza within the family Cladorhizidae. This study provides descriptions and remarks for the three new species Abyssocladia truespacemeni, Abyssocladia hendrixii and Cladorhiza elsaae. Comparative faunistic and ecological aspects of these sponge genera within the Southern Ocean sponge fauna are discussed. The genera Abyssocladia and Cladorhiza are recorded here for the first time from the ecosystem around hydrothermal vents in the Antarctic deep sea. The descriptions of new species contribute to and expand the current knowledge of the Cladorhizidae and consequently support future taxonomic identifications and descriptions of Antarctic deep-sea carnivorous sponges. The appearance of these newly discovered species underlines the hypothesis that Cladorhizidae is the second most species-rich family of Demospongiae in the Southern Ocean, and many new species of this deep-sea sponge family are still to be discovered.

Abstract 703: GABA(A) receptor activation drives GABARAP-Nix mediated autophagy to radiosensitize primary and metastatic lung adenocarcinoma tumors

Abstract In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, targeted therapies help a subset of patients, and radiotherapy responses are not durable and toxicity limits therapy. Most advanced-stage NSCLC patients have brain metastases that render an abysmal prognosis. Standard-of-care radiation therapy for NSCLC brain metastasis includes stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) if the number of lesions is less than ten, otherwise whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is administered. Challenges in applying radiotherapy include overcoming radiation resistance and reducing significant associated co-morbidities. Cancer neuroscience is an evolving area, and the purpose of this study is to determine if activation of GABA(A) receptors intrinsic to NSCLC cells can improve radiation efficacy in primary NSCLC and its brain metastasis. We find that a GABA(A) receptor activator, AM-101, impairs the viability and clonogenicity of NSCLC primary and brain metastatic cells. Employing a human-relevant ex vivo ‘chip’, AM-101 is as efficacious as docetaxel, a chemotherapeutic used with radiotherapy for advanced-stage NSCLC. In vivo, AM-101 potentiates radiation, including conferring a significant survival benefit to mice bearing NSCLC intracranial tumors generated using a patient-derived metastatic line. GABA(A) receptor activation stimulates a selective-autophagic response via multimerization of GABA(A) Receptor-Associated Protein (GABARAP), stabilization of mitochondrial receptor Nix, utilization of ubiquitin-binding protein p62, and upregulation of Beclin-1. A high-affinity peptide disrupting Nix binding to GABARAP inhibits the cytotoxicity of AM-101. This supports a model of GABA(A) receptor activation driving a GABARAP-Nix multimerization axis that triggers autophagy. In NSCLC brain metastases patients, GABA(A) receptor activation may improve radiation efficacy and tumor control while allowing radiation dose de-intensification to reduce toxicity. Citation Format: Debanjan Bhattacharya, Riccardo Barrile, Donatien Kamdem Toukam, Vaibhavkumar S. Gawali, Laura Kallay, Taukir Ahmed, Hawley Brown, Sepideh Rezvanian, Aniruddha Karve, Pankaj B. Desai, Mario Medvedovic, Kyle Wang, Dan Ionascu, Nusrat Harun, Chenran Wang, Andrew M. Baschnagel, Joshua A. Kritzer, James Cook, Daniel A. Pomeranz Krummel, Soma Sengupta. GABA(A) receptor activation drives GABARAP-Nix mediated autophagy to radiosensitize primary and metastatic lung adenocarcinoma tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 703.