Private Bag Research Articles

Predicting the Severity of Acute Pancreatitis: Choose the Right Horse Before Hitching the Cart

Prediction of disease severity in patients with acute pancreatitis is an important clinical goal. An accurate predictive tool allows early identification of those patients who would require treatment in a high dependency or intensive care unit and transfer to a referral centre [1]. In addition, it allows the selection of patients who definitely need early enteral tube feeding and possibly other (yet to be determined) early treatments. The research on predictors of severity in acute pancreatitis has traditionally been based on the premise of quest for an ideal predictive tool. The characteristics of such a tool are well established: it would be available on admission to hospital, be easily repeated for monitoring purposes, be quick and reproducible [1]. The pioneering work, which investigated the relationship between 43 early measurements and ‘‘overall morbidity and mortality’’ in 100 patients with acute pancreatitis, was published by Ranson nearly four decades ago [2]. Since then, the scientific framework of the concept of prediction in acute pancreatitis has been unquestionable. Moreover, the number of followers has been constantly growing with the research on predictors of severity being arguably the most prolific area in the literature on acute pancreatitis for many years. A recent systematic review of the literature found 184 original studies that reported on 196 different predictors of severity in acute pancreatitis [3]. Strikingly, 144 of 184 (78%) studies reported a statistically significant result for at least one predictor. It is also worth noting that the search was limited to studies indexed only in MEDLINE and published only in English. Further, it also only focused on novel (non-routine) molecular markers, which effectively means that many routine markers (urea, creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, hematocrit, blood gases, etc.) as well as several modern computer-based predictive tools in acute pancreatitis (artificial neural network, kernel-based modelling, linear discriminant analysis [4–6]) were not counted. Collectively, these indicate that the literature is replete with dozens, if not hundreds, of presumably effective ways to predict the severity of acute pancreatitis, but it appears that very few have entered clinical practice. There are several legitimate reasons for this lack of penetration: the predictive tools are often complex, cumbersome, expensive, and not available commercially [7]. But the most important reason is that they are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to prediction of an individual patient’s severity. In this issue of the journal, Dr. Hong et al. [8] report on a novel computer-based predictive tool in acute pancreatitis—classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. CART is a non-parametric technique that can select from among a large set of variables, those that individually, or in combination, best predict the endpoint of interest by splitting the initial cohort sequentially into smaller subsets. The method has the potential to become a valuable tool in the field of acute pancreatitis because it can not only assess which individual variables are most accurate in predicting the severity but also define their optimal combination and order (so-called ‘‘decision tree’’). The study by Dr. Hong and colleagues advocates three variables for severity prediction, namely blood urea nitrogen, pleural effusion, and serum calcium, and suggests a particular order in which to use them. It is reported that the CART model has a high M. S. Petrov (&) Department of Surgery, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand e-mail: max.petrov@gmail.com

A farewell to diagnostic ERCP in acute pancreatitis

Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence to Dr Maxim S. Petrov, Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand Tel: +64 9 923 2776; fax: +64 9 377 9656; e-mail: [email protected] Received May 2, 2011 Accepted May 14, 2011

Safety in medical simulation–overlooked or underappreciated?

In the past, many doctors learned their craft in understaffed settings with heavy patient loads. Long hours of work with considerable responsibility provided the opportunity to gain experience and build skills rapidly. Patients accepted junior doctors in no small part because of a lack of alternatives. Altered perceptions about what is reasonable in relation to hours of work, the role of trainee doctors, and the expectations of patients have changed the situation considerably. The airline industry (amongst others) has created high public expectations for safe and reliable services, and these expectations are extending increasingly to healthcare. One notable difference between the airlines and hospitals lies in the way individuals are trained. In medicine, trainee doctors are still relied on to contribute towards much of the day-to-day workload. In many countries, trainee doctors still undertake a large portion of the service work, often with only distant supervision, particularly at night. Whether this experience is learning or training is a moot point. By contrast, passengers expect fully trained pilots. Increasingly, patients expect their doctors to be adequately trained, and they also expect their doctors to maintain their expertise and skill throughout their careers. One way to meet these expectations is through simulation. Today, simulation is integral to pilot training, credentialing, and maintaining competence. Anesthesiologists have adopted simulation to facilitate various aspects of their training, and they have made great advances in developing realistic simulators and acquiring expertise in this form of education. In principle, it is believed that simulation provides a safe and controlled environment in which experience can be provided exactly as and when required, and reflective learning can be facilitated through skilled debriefing. Simulation in anesthesia is not as well developed as simulation in the aviation industry, and levels of realism in the former fall far short of those taken for granted in the latter. However, progress is being made, and staff members at many simulation centres take pride in ensuring that the experience of participation in their simulated scenarios is as close to clinical practice as possible. One way to achieve this is to incorporate standard anesthetic equipment into their simulations (e.g., anesthetic machines, monitors, defibrillators, infusion pumps, drugs, labels, and electronic or manual charts) that participants use in their daily practice. In the current issue of the Journal, Riem, Boet, and Chandra report a case in which this approach created a risk for staff and students in their simulation centre. It seems that an unregulated flow of carbon dioxide, which was ‘‘exhaled’’ from a Laerdal SimMan 3G (Laerdal, Stavanger, Norway) patient simulator, caused a precipitous increase in the temperature of soda lime being used during a simulated case. The authors raise the possibility that simulation may become ‘‘too realistic’’ and call for greater awareness of the potential risks associated with taking equipment into environments for which it was not intended (many simulations are carried out in modified offices rather than properly constituted operating rooms or ward areas). They emphasize the importance of including safety in standards for accrediting simulation centres. A. F. Merry, MBChB (&) Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand e-mail: a.merry@auckland.ac.nz

ACUTE PRIMARY ANGLE CLOSURE ATTACK DOES NOT CAUSE AN INCREASED CUP-TO-DISC RATIO

Wills Eye Institute Philadelphia, PA Original study reprint requests: Helen V. Danesh-Meyer, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1023, New Zealand. Chew et al. Primary Angle Closure Attack and Increased Cup-to-Disc Ratio 259.

Response to Talukdar and Vege

1Department of Surgery, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Maxim S. Petrov, MD, MPH, Department of Surgery, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected] This letter underwent AJG editorial review.

Abrupt millennial-scale changes in intensity of Southern Hemisphere westerly winds during marine isotope stages 2–4

Research Article| May 01, 2011 Abrupt millennial-scale changes in intensity of Southern Hemisphere westerly winds during marine isotope stages 2–4 Thomas E. Whittaker; Thomas E. Whittaker * 1Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand *Current address: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; E-mail: twhittak@unm.edu. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Chris H. Hendy; Chris H. Hendy 1Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John C. Hellstrom John C. Hellstrom 2School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Thomas E. Whittaker * 1Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand Chris H. Hendy 1Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand John C. Hellstrom 2School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia *Current address: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; E-mail: twhittak@unm.edu. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 14 Oct 2010 Revision Received: 12 Dec 2010 Accepted: 14 Dec 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2011 Geological Society of America Geology (2011) 39 (5): 455–458. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31827.1 Article history Received: 14 Oct 2010 Revision Received: 12 Dec 2010 Accepted: 14 Dec 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Thomas E. Whittaker, Chris H. Hendy, John C. Hellstrom; Abrupt millennial-scale changes in intensity of Southern Hemisphere westerly winds during marine isotope stages 2–4. Geology 2011;; 39 (5): 455–458. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31827.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The strength of mid-southern latitude westerly atmospheric circulation plays an important role in global climate. Due to a lack of long, continuous, high-resolution paleoclimate archives from mid-southern latitudes, it remains unclear what factors control changes in its intensity and how past changes affected the climates of landmasses in their path. Here we show growth rate and stable isotope (δ18O, δ13C) profiles from a South Island, New Zealand, stalagmite (HW3) that permit centennial-scale investigation of Southern Hemisphere westerly paleointensity between 73 and 11 ka. Correlation between HW3 growth rate and isotope profiles suggests sensitivity to changes in annual precipitation, a factor controlled by westerly intensity. Low growth rates and relatively enriched isotope ratios define long-term trends in HW3, supporting existing evidence that weaker westerlies predominated during the last glacial period. Abrupt millennial-scale events occur frequently, such that the HW3 record resembles Greenland ice core stable isotope profiles. Furthermore, nearly synchronous timing of nine prominent wet and cool intervals with Heinrich events supports studies showing that increased westerly intensity is closely linked to North Atlantic cooling. As well as Heinrich events, the HW3 profiles also show an Antarctic Cold Reversal–like event during deglaciation, advocating for a bipolar seesaw of global climate at that time. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

Effects of climate change on maize production, and potential adaptation measures: a case study in Jilin Province, China

CR Climate Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials CR 46:223-242 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/cr00986 Effects of climate change on maize production, and potential adaptation measures: a case study in Jilin Province, China Meng Wang1,*, Yinpeng Li1,2, Wei Ye1, Janet F. Bornman1, Xiaodong Yan2 1International Global Change Centre (IGCC), University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand 2START TEA, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, PR China *Email: wangmeng04@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Jilin is among the most important grain-producing provinces in China. Its maize production plays an important role in local and national food security. In this study, we developed a new approach to assess the vulnerability and adaptation options for Jilin maize yields with respect to ­climate change by modifying a site-based biophysical model to a spatial grid-based application. An ensemble approach that used a combination of 20 general circulation model results and 6 scenarios from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios was adopted in order to reflect the high uncertainties in future climate projections. The results show that the yield is highly likely to decline in the western and central regions of Jilin but to increase in the east, where maize is not currently grown as the main crop. Phenologically, the growing season will be reduced in the central and western parts, leading to a shortened grain-filling period. The average maize yield in the west and central regions is thus projected to decrease 15% or more by 2050 as predicted by 90% of 120 projected scenarios. In addition, CO2 fertilization was investigated and demonstrated a noticeable compensation effect on the yield deduction. However, further field work and/or laboratory-based experiments are required to validate the modeled CO2 fertilization effects. Two potential adaptation strategies, i.e. improving irrigation facilities and introducing cultivars, were identified from the vulnerability assessment and were further tested for the reduction areas. The results revealed that the increase in effective irrigation by upgrading the irrigation system would help to maintain the current production level, but in the long run, the maize cultivars need to be introduced in line with the future warming climate. KEY WORDS: Climate change impacts · Maize production · Scenario uncertainty · Adaptation ­measures Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Wang M, Li Y, Ye W, Bornman JF, Yan X (2011) Effects of climate change on maize production, and potential adaptation measures: a case study in Jilin Province, China. Clim Res 46:223-242. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr00986 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in CR Vol. 46, No. 3. Online publication date: April 28, 2011 Print ISSN: 0936-577X; Online ISSN: 1616-1572 Copyright © 2011 Inter-Research.

An Introductory Idea for Teaching Two-Component Phase Diagrams

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTAn Introductory Idea for Teaching Two-Component Phase DiagramsGavin D. Peckham*† and Ian J. McNaught‡View Author Information† Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, Kwa Dlangezwa, 3886, South Africa‡ Chemistry Department, Petroleum Institute, P.O. Box 2533, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates*E-mail: [email protected]Cite this: J. Chem. Educ. 2011, 88, 5, 592–593Publication Date (Web):March 11, 2011Publication History Published online11 March 2011Published inissue 1 May 2011https://doi.org/10.1021/ed101112kCopyright © 2011 The American Chemical Society and Division of Chemical Education, Inc.RIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views1186Altmetric-Citations3LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit Read OnlinePDF (705 KB) Get e-AlertsSUBJECTS:Liquids,Phase diagrams,Students,Teaching and learning methods Get e-Alerts

Extracting Molecular Information from African Natural Products to Facilitate Unique African-Led Drug-Discovery Efforts

Future Medicinal ChemistryVol. 3, No. 3 EditorialExtracting molecular information from African natural products to facilitate unique African-led drug-discovery effortsKelly Chibale, Eric M Guantai & Collen MasimirembwaKelly Chibale† Author for correspondenceDepartment of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease & Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa. Search for more papers by this authorEmail the corresponding author at kelly.chibale@uct.ac.za, Eric M GuantaiDepartment of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South AfricaSearch for more papers by this author & Collen MasimirembwaAiBST, African Institute of Biomedical Science & Technology, PO Box 2294, Harare, ZimbabweSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:29 Mar 2011https://doi.org/10.4155/fmc.10.299AboutSectionsView ArticleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInReddit View articleKeywords: ADME-guided medicinal chemistryAfricabiotransformationdrug discoveryinformaticsnatural productsPapers of special note have been highlighted as: ▪ of interest ▪▪ of considerable interestBibliography1 World Health Organization. WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002–2005. Geneva, Switzerland (2002).Google Scholar2 Newman DJ, Cragg GM. Natural products as sources of new drugs over the last 25 Years. J. Nat. Prod.70,461–477 (2007).▪ An exhaustive review of natural products that have served as a source of new-drug entities and novel chemical structures in the 25 years prior to 2007.Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar3 Nyigo VA, Malebo HM. Drug discovery and developments in developing countries: bottlenecks and way forward. Tanzania Health Res. Bull.7,154–158 (2005).Medline, CAS, Google Scholar4 Trouiller P, Olliaro P, Torreele E, Orbinski J, Liang R, Ford N. Drug development for neglected diseases: a deficient market and a public-health policy failure. Lancet359,2188–2194 (2002).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar5 Coon MJ. Cytochrome P450: nature’s most versatile biological catalyst. Annu. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol.45,1–25 (2005).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar6 Fura A, Shu Y-Z, Zhu M, Hanson RL, Roongta V, Humphreys WG. Discovering drugs through biological transformation: role of pharmacologically active metabolites in drug discovery. J. Med. Chem.47(18),4339–4350 (2004).▪▪ An excellent account of biotransformation as a source of chemical diversity, and the importance of metabolites in drug discovery.Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar7 Claus BL, Underwood DJ. Discovery informatics: its evolving role in drug discovery. Drug Discov. Today7(18),957–966 (2002).Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar8 Terstappen GC, Reggiani A. In silico research in drug discovery. Trends Pharmacol. Sci.22(1),23–26 (2001).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar9 Bajorath J. Rational drug discovery revisited: interfacing experimental programs with bio- and chemo-informatics. Drug Discov. Today6(19),989–995 (2001).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar10 Moitessier N, Englebienne P, Lee D, Lawandi J, Corbeil CR. Towards the development of universal, fast and highly accurate docking/scoring methods: a long way to go. Br. J. Pharmacol.153,S7–S26 (2008).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar11 Eddershaw PJ, Beresford AP, Bayliss MK. ADME/PK as part of a rational approach to drug discovery. Drug Discov. Today5(9),409–414 (2000).Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar12 Yu H, Adedoyin A. ADME–Tox in drug discovery: integration of experimental and computational technologies. Drug Discov. Today8(18),852–861 (2003).▪▪ An overview of predictive (in silico and in vitro) ADME-toxicity, and its role in drug discovery.Crossref, Medline, CAS, Google Scholar101 Queensland Compound Library www.griffith.edu.au/science/queensland-compound-libraryGoogle Scholar102 The University of Arizona’s Natural Products Database http://npd.chem.arizona.eduGoogle ScholarFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited BySouth African Abietane Diterpenoids and Their Analogs as Potential Antimalarials: Novel Insights from Hybrid Computational Approaches7 November 2019 | Molecules, Vol. 24, No. 22A new approach for anthelmintic discovery for humansTrends in Parasitology, Vol. 28, No. 5Natural Product-Based Drug Discovery in Africa: The Need for Integration into Modern Drug Discovery Paradigms3 April 2012Searching for Drugs That Target Multiple Receptors for Anthelmintics from African Natural Products3 April 2012Application of In Silico, In Vitro and In Vivo ADMET/PK Platforms in Drug Discovery3 April 2012Synthesis, biological evaluation and mechanistic studies of totarol amino alcohol derivatives as potential antimalarial agentsBioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 20, No. 2 Vol. 3, No. 3 Follow us on social media for the latest updates Metrics Downloaded 204 times History Published online 29 March 2011 Published in print March 2011 Information© Future Science LtdKeywordsADME-guided medicinal chemistryAfricabiotransformationdrug discoveryinformaticsnatural productsFinancial & competing interests disclosureThe authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.PDF download

Borlaug Global Rust Initiative provides momentum for wheat rust research

The discovery in 1999 in Uganda (Pretorius et al. 2000) of stem rust on wheat varieties with the 1BL.1RS translocation carrying the gene known as Sr31 came as re-awakening, even when it should not have been unexpected. The worldwide deployment of wheat varieties with the translocation probably had an effect of reducing inoculum, resulting in low incidence of the disease over an extended period. Stem rust resistance was only one of a number of advantageous features of the translocation. With acquisition of virulence for Sr31, race Ug99 as it became known, was subsequently found in epidemic proportions in Kenya and Ethiopia. Stem rust had not been a significant problem in Kenya for many years prior to 2000 although the region was a historic hotspot for the disease. In Ethiopia, with about 40% of the area growing durum the situation was different; stem rust continued to be a recurrent problem on durum whereas bread wheat was generally resistant. Subsequent events of rapid mutational changes in Ug99 to attack varieties with Sr24 and Sr36, and its further migration to Yemen and Iran, caused major concern and a prediction of the likelihood of further movement to the important grain production areas of the Indian subcontinent and beyond. Previously races of the stripe rust pathogen virulent for Yr9, also in the same 1BL.1RS translocation, were observed sequentially from equatorial Africa to India suggesting the entire wheat area in Asia may comprise a single epidemiologic zone (Singh et al. 2004, 2008). Preliminary laboratory and field tests with Ug99 confirmed that it not only had virulence for Sr31, but it also possessed virulence to other genes deployed in contemporary wheat varieties along with obvious fitness attributes. Most importantly it could cause disease on the widely used variety (mega-variety) Attila and sibs that were being widely grown from Kenya to India and Afghanistan under several different names. International concern regarding the threat to world wheat production caused by Ug99 led to the durable rust resistance in wheat project at Cornell University funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and establishment of a Global Rust Initiative (later Borlaug Global Rust Initiative, BGRI). The BGRI led by Cornell University, CIMMYT, ICARDA and FAO is supported by many national governments and research centres. Clearly, stem rust is only one of the three rusts that threaten wheat, and currently there is a group of rapidly spreading races of the stripe rust pathogen that is a major threat to production at least as great as Ug99. One of the objectives of BGRI is to conduct an annual meeting. The first meeting was held at Ciudad R. A. McIntosh (&) The University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute Cobbitty, Private Bag 4011, Narellan, NSW 2567, Australia e-mail: robert.mcintosh@sydney.edu.au

Viewpoint: Collaboration between doctors and nurses

CORREspONdENCE tO: jenny Carryer Professor, School of Health and Social Services, Massey University, Private Bag, Palmerston North, New Zealand J.B.Carryer@massey.ac.nz As long ago as 1986 Steele said ‘Without a doubt patients are better served by a union of nurses and doctors working collaboratively. The mutual goals of doctors and nurses providing quality patient care are achievable if the major providers of patient care work together to formulate that care. Neither nursing or medicine can “do it all” today as the patient demands for health care are too broad in scope, the curative techniques are too complex, and no one specialist (medicine or nursing) can be expected to generate all the potential possibilities for delivering health care today’.1

OUTCOMES OF ORBITAL BLOWOUT FRACTURE SURGERY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

University of Ottawa Eye Institute Ottawa, Ontario Canada Original study reprint requests: Dr Stephen GJ Ng, Eye Department, Waikato Public Hospital, Waikato District Health Board, Pembroke Street, Private Bag 3200, Hamilton, New Zealand. E-mail address: [email protected].

Multimodal Rehabilitation in the Laparoscopic Era: Still Worth it?

Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Mattias Soop, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Surgery, University of Auckland and North Shore Hospital, Private Bag 92 019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. E-mail: [email protected]

Climate change impacts on biodiversity: a short introduction with special emphasis on the ALARM approach for the assessment of multiple risks

1 UFZ, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Community Ecology, Th eodor-LieserStr. 4, 06120 Halle, Germany 2 Vermont Energy Investment Corporation 155, S. Champlain St, Burlington VT 05401, USA 3 Finnish Environment Institute, Climate Change Programme, Box 140, 00251 Helsinki, Finland 4 L.U.P.O. GmbH, Friedhofstr. 28, 67705 Trippstadt, Germany 5 Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology and Centre for Agricultural Biodiversity, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, 7602 Matieland, South Africa 6 Sustainable Europe Research Institute SERI Germany, Vorsterstr. 97–99, 51103 Cologne, Germany 7 Department of Plant Ecology, University of Bayreuth, University Street 30, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany

Reply to comment on `European provenance of the Numidian Flysch in northern Tunisia'

Dorrik Stow, Christine Fildes, Sami Riahi, Mohamed Soussi, Urval Patel, J. Andy Milton and Stuart Marsh Institute of Petroleum Engineering, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh EH14 4AS, UK; School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92012, Auckland, New Zealand; Geology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tunis, Tunis, Tunisia; Core Laboratories, Redhill, Surrey RH1 2LW, UK; National Oceanography Centre, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK; Anadarko (Algeria) Company LLC, 1 Harefield Road, Uxbridge UB8 1YH, UK

The Platinum Group Element Deposits of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa

There are enough platinum group element deposits in the Bushveld Complex in South Africa to supply world demands for many decades or even a century using current mining techniques. Demonstrated reserves and resources published by mining companies make detailed calculations up to a maximum of about twenty years ahead, but there is abundant and adequate geological evidence that these deposits continue far beyond where mining companies have proven according to rigorous international reporting codes. For each 1 km of depth into the Earth in the Bushveld Complex there is in the order of 350 million oz of platinum. For comparison, annual production of platinum from the Bushveld Complex currently is only around 5 million oz. The distinction between ‘reserves’,‘resources’ and ‘deposits’ is also explained in this article.

Ecosystem change in a South African marine reserve (1960–2009): role of seagrass loss and anthropogenic disturbance

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 415:35-48 (2010) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08733 Ecosystem change in a South African marine reserve (1960–2009): role of seagrass loss and anthropogenic disturbance Deena Pillay*, George M. Branch, Charles L. Griffiths, Chantel Williams, Alexa Prinsloo Marine Research Institute, Zoology Department, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa *Email: deena.pillay@uct.ac.za ABSTRACT: Seagrass ecosystems are disappearing throughout the world, raising several concerns for ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. In the present study we document changes in intertidal sandflat ecosystems over the last 5 decades in Langebaan Lagoon, a marine reserve on the west coast of South Africa, following large-scale losses of seagrass Zostera capensis. Aerial photography and GIS revealed a 38% loss of seagrass at sites in Langebaan Lagoon between 1960 and 2007. Long-term monitoring of one particular site, Klein Oesterwal, indicated a major shift in invertebrate communities between 1983, when Z. capensis was abundant, and 2009, when Z. capensis had virtually disappeared. Abundance and species richness of invertebrates declined significantly over this period. Seagrass-associated species such as the limpets Siphonaria compressa and Fissurella mutabilis, and the starfish Parvulastra exigua, declined almost to extinction locally. Generalists such as the gastropod Assiminea globulus also declined in abundance. However, sandflat species, particularly burrowers, increased in abundance and vertical range. Wading birds also appeared to be affected by changes in seagrass cover. The terek sandpiper, which depends on Z. capensis for feeding, showed 3 local population crashes, each corresponding to periods of seagrass collapse. Abundance of wading birds that were not dependant on this seagrass was more stable. The loss of seagrasses in the system, together with anthropogenic disturbance such as bait harvesting and trampling, may have had severe impacts on invertebrates, the most significant being the virtual extinction locally of the critically endangered limpet S. compressa. Cascading effects on wading birds, possibly through changes in availability of invertebrate prey, were also evident. KEY WORDS: Invertebrates · Habitat loss · GIS · Wading birds · South Africa Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Pillay D, Branch GM, Griffiths CL, Williams C, Prinsloo A (2010) Ecosystem change in a South African marine reserve (1960–2009): role of seagrass loss and anthropogenic disturbance. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 415:35-48. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08733 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 415. Online publication date: September 29, 2010 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2010 Inter-Research.

Validation of Brief Screening Tools for Mental Disorders Among New Zealand Prisoners

Validation of Brief Screening Tools for Mental Disorders Among New Zealand Prisoners

Global Influences and Local Environments: Forestry and Forest Conservation in New Zealand, 1850s-1925

James Beattie, Senior Lecturer, History Programme, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, Waikato, New Zealand, jbeattie@waikato.ac.nz. He publishes on Asian and Australasian imperial environmental history, Chinese art collecting, garden history and the history of science. Current projects include: Chinoiserie in Australasia (with Duncan Campbell); Australasian garden history (with Katie Holmes); Dunedin Chinese Garden (with Campbell) and Empire and Environmental Anxiety, 1800-1920 to be published by Palgrave in 2010. Paul Star, formerly Department of History, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, starmulq@ihug.co.nz. He has published widely on New Zealand environmental history, contributing a chapter to the New Oxford History of New Zealand (2009) and co-authoring three chapters in the forthcoming Seeds of Empire, to be published by I.B. Tauris in 2010. Current projects include: private and public afforestation in New Zealand; the role of nurserymen and others in global plant and animal transfers.

East Friesian sheep carry a Myostatin allele known to cause muscle hypertrophy in other breeds

Animal GeneticsVolume 41, Issue 4 p. 445-446 BRIEF NOTE East Friesian sheep carry a Myostatin allele known to cause muscle hypertrophy in other breeds C. W. Bignell, C. W. Bignell Animal Production & Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/TIAR, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorA. E. O. Malau-Aduli, A. E. O. Malau-Aduli Animal Production & Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/TIAR, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorP. D. Nichols, P. D. Nichols CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorR. McCulloch, R. McCulloch CSIRO Livestock Industries, Level 5 Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorJ. W. Kijas, J. W. Kijas CSIRO Livestock Industries, Level 5 Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author C. W. Bignell, C. W. Bignell Animal Production & Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/TIAR, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorA. E. O. Malau-Aduli, A. E. O. Malau-Aduli Animal Production & Genetics, School of Agricultural Science/TIAR, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 54 Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorP. D. Nichols, P. D. Nichols CSIRO Food Futures Flagship, Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.Search for more papers by this authorR. McCulloch, R. McCulloch CSIRO Livestock Industries, Level 5 Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorJ. W. Kijas, J. W. Kijas CSIRO Livestock Industries, Level 5 Queensland Bioscience Precinct, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, QLD 4067, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 12 July 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2052.2010.02021.xCitations: 1 J. W. Kijas ([email protected]) Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume41, Issue4August 2010Pages 445-446 RelatedInformation