UQ Theses Collection (RHD) - Open Access - UQ eSpace

The construction of whiteness in Australia: Discourses of immigration and national identity from the White Australia Policy to multiculturalism

Ganley, Nathan Tobias — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The Cultural Landscape Engineers: Humans and Environment in the Maroochy District, 1850 – 1950

Alcorn, Berenis Cecile — 2008-11-10T00:00:00Z

The Development of ESL Collocational Knowledge

Gitsaki, Christina — 2010-05-20T00:00:00Z

This study examines the development of collocational knowledge in learners of ESL. A number of previous studies have underscored the importance of collocations for L2 acquisition, and the problems that learners face with learning and using collocations. However, there have been few attempts to systematically study how the development of collocational knowledge relates to the overall development of language proficiency with a particular intention in identifying possible stages in the development of L2 collocational knowledge. This study adopts a structure-based framework for the study of collocations based on previous studies (Zhang 1993; Biscup 1992) and the BBI Combinatory Dictionary of English, and attempts to describe how collocational knowledge develops across different language proficiency levels with respect to 37 collocation types. Data were collected from 275 Greek learners of ESL at three proficiency levels (post-beginners, intermediate, and post-intermediate) using three tasks: essay writing, translation test, and blank-filling. The essay writing provided evidence of accurate free production of collocations, while the translation and blank-filling tests measured accuracy in the subjects’ knowledge of collocations in cued production tasks. The data were examined with respect to the between- and within-group differences in accuracy on all three dependent measures. Statistical measures were employed to determine the significance of the observed between-group and within-group differences, and implicational scaling analyses was used to reveal accuracy orders in the acquisition of collocations. Results show that there are patterns of development of collocational knowledge across and within the different proficiency groups for both the free and the cued production data. Collocational knowledge was shown to increase steadily as the level of proficiency increased, and there were group-specific accuracy orders showing that grammatical collocations are easier to acquire than lexical collocations. The development of collocational knowledge was found to be influenced by the syntactic complexity of the collocation types, and also by exposure and maturation. Finally, three stages for the development of collocational knowledge are proposed. In the first stage learners acquire collocations as unanalysed lexical items, and hence the learners are more accurate with lexical collocations than complex grammatical ones. At the second stage the learners' grammatical knowledge develops enabling learners to use complex grammatical collocations with greater accuracy than in stage one. At the third stage of collocational development, learners are able to use both grammatical and lexical collocations with greater accuracy than in the other two stages, and they are on their way to a more advanced level of collocational knowledge. Pedagogical implications and directions for future research are provided in light of the research findings.

The devolution of responsibilities to local government: A case study of the Queensland Environmental Protection Act

Davies, Adam Richard — 2010-02-15T00:00:00Z

The Ecology of Hendra virus and Australian bat lyssavirus

Field, Hume E. — 2007-05-22T00:00:00Z

Chapter one introduces the concept of disease emergence and factors associated with emergence. The role of wildlife as reservoirs of emerging diseases and specifically the history of bats as reservoirs of zoonotic diseases is previewed. Finally, the aims and structure of the thesis are outlined. In Chapter two, the literature relating to the emergence of Hendra virus, Nipah virus, and Australian bat lyssavirus, the biology of flying foxes, methodologies for investigating wildlife reservoirs of disease, and the modelling of disease in wildlife populations is reviewed. Chapter three describes the search for the origin of Hendra virus and investigations of the ecology of the virus. In a preliminary survey of wildlife, feral and pest species, 6/21 Pteropus alecto and 5/6 P. conspicillatus had neutralizing antibodies to Hendra virus. A subsequent survey found 548/1172 convenience-sampled flying foxes were seropositive. Analysis using logistic regression identified species, age, sample method, sample location and sample year, and the interaction terms age*species and age* sample method as significantly associated with HeV serostatus. Analysis of a subset of the data also identified a significant or near-significant association between time of year of sampling and HeV serostatus. In a retrospective survey, 16/68 flying fox sera collected between 1982 and 1984 were seropositive. Targeted surveillance of non-flying fox wildlife species found no evidence of Hendra virus. The findings indicate that flying foxes are a likely reservoir host of Hendra virus, and that the relationship between host and virus is mature. The transmission and maintenance of Hendra virus in a captive flying fox population is investigated in Chapter four. In study 1, neutralizing antibodies to HeV were found in 9/55 P. poliocephalus and 4/13 P. alecto. Titres ranged from 1:5 to 1:160, with a median of 1:10. In study 2, blood and throat and urogenital swabs from 17 flying foxes from study 1 were collected weekly for 14 weeks. Virus was isolated from the blood of a single aged non-pregnant female on one occasion. In study 3, a convenience sample of 19 seropositive and 35 seronegative flying foxes was serologically monitored monthly for all or part of a two-year period. Three individuals (all pups born during the study) seroconverted, and three individuals that were seropositive on entry became seronegative. Two of the latter were pups born during the study period. Dam serostatus and pup serostatus at second bleed were strongly associated when data from both years were combined (p<0.001; RR=9, 95%CI 1.42 to 57.12). The serial titres of 19 flying foxes monitored for 12 months or longer showed a rising and falling pattern (10), a static pattern (1) or a falling pattern (8). The findings suggest latency and vertical transmission are features of HeV infection in flying foxes. Chapter five describes Australian bat lyssavirus surveillance in flying foxes, insectivorous bats and archived museum bat specimens. In a survey of 1477 flying foxes, 69/1477 were antigen-positive (all opportunistic specimens) and 12/280 were antibody-positive. Species (p<0.001), age (p=0.02), sample method (p<0.001) and sample location (p<0.001) were significantly associated with fluorescent antibody status. There was also a significant association between rapid focus fluorescent inhibition test status and species (p=0.01), sample method (p=0.002) and sample location (p=0.002). There was a near-significant association (p=0.067) between time of year of sampling and fluorescent antibody status. When the analysis was repeated on P. scapulatus alone, the association stronger (p=0.054). A total of 1234 insectivorous bats were surveyed, with 5/1162 antigen–positive (all opportunistic specimens) and 10/390 antibody-positive. A total of 137 archived bats from 10 species were tested for evidence of Australian bat lyssavirus infection by immunohistochemistry (66) or rapid focus fluorescent inhibition test (71). None was positive by either test but 2 (both S. flaviventris) showed round basophilic structures consistent with Negri bodies on histological examination. The findings indicate that Australian bat lyssavirus infection is endemic in Australian bats, that submitted sick and injured bats (opportunistic specimens) pose an increased public health risk, and that Australian bat lyssavirus infection may have been present in Australian bats 15 years prior to its first description. In Chapter six, deterministic state-transition models are developed to examine the dynamics of HeV infection in a hypothetical flying fox population. Model 1 outputs demonstrated that the rate of transmission and the rate of recovery are the key parameters determining the rate of spread of infection, and that population size is positively associated with outbreak size and duration. The Model 2 outputs indicated that that long-term maintenance of infection is inconsistent with lifelong immunity following infection and recovery. Chapter seven discusses alternative hypotheses on the emergence and maintenance of Hendra virus and Australian bat lyssavirus in Australia. The preferred hypothesis is that both Hendra virus and Australian bat lyssavirus are primarily maintained in P. scapulatus populations, and that change in the population dynamics of this species due to ecological changes has precipitated emergence. Future research recommendations include further observational, experimental and/or modeling studies to establish or clarify the route of HeV excretion and the mode of transmission in flying foxes, the roles of vertical transmission and latency in the transmission and maintenance of Hendra virus in flying foxes, and the dynamics of Hendra virus infection in flying foxes.

The economic impact of tourism on the state and regions of Queensland and the implications for regional tourism policy in Queensland

James, Joyce Titia — 2009-12-07T00:00:00Z

The economics of coastal foreshore and beach management: Use, safe bathing facilities, erosion and conservation

Blackwell, Boyd D. — 2009-12-21T00:00:00Z

The economics of developing a long-distance walking track in North Queensand

Cook, Averil — 2009-12-02T00:00:00Z

The economics of imprisonment and offender supervision in Queensland: Costs and efficiency in the provision of corrective services

Edwards, Glyn Francis — 2009-11-16T00:00:00Z

The economics of road supply policy in Australia : with special reference to the Commonwealth government and Queensland

Docwra, G. E. — 2010-08-05T00:00:00Z

The effectiveness of Thursday Island as an urban centre in meeting the needs of its community

Kehoe-Forutan, Sandi — 2009-12-07T00:00:00Z

The effect of stakeholder power on a destination branding process: The Gold Coast VeryGC brand

Marzano, Giuseppe — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The emigration of agricultural labourers from England to Queensland 1882-1891 with particular reference to Norfolk emigrants

Walton, John — 2009-12-07T00:00:00Z

The feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a novel telepaediatric service in Queensland

Smith, Anthony Carl — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The Fractured Imaginary: Popular Thinking on Citizen Soldiers and Warfare in Fifth Century Athens

Pritchard, David — 2008-08-05T00:00:00Z

This dissertation establishes how different citizen soldiers were employed and evaluated in the imaginary of fifth century Athens and gives explanations why popular thinking on military personnel was organised in this way. In so doing it emerges that a particular citizen soldier figured in Athenian conceptions about many aspects of martial activity. Also, it has proven necessary to analyse several other conceptions concerning the waging of war in which military personnel strictly play no part because of their indirect but important influence on how this or that class of Athenian fighters was judged. As a result this study ends up throwing light on the ways in which fifth century Athenians conceived not only of citizen combatants but also of warfare in general. The dissertation begins by outlining the primary sources for the Athenian imaginary and its major characteristics. The numerous tragedies and comedies surviving from the fifth century are shown to be sure evidence for the imaginary and the funeral oration of the period to have had a vital role in the transmission of key elements of Athenian self-identity and their understanding of warfare. Although playwrights and public speakers were invariably members of the Athenian elite, the particular contexts in which they performed compelled them to take up and articulate the values and conceptions of their overwhelmingly non-elite audiences. The imaginary then had a decidedly popular character. It was also a sprawling cultural melange within which incongruous and even patently contradictory ideas could subsist side by side. The second part of this dissertation exposes that the citizen hoplite enjoyed a central and paradigmatic role in the popular thinking of fifth century Athens. It was only ever to the heavily armed soldier that poets and orators turned when they wanted to consider general aspects of warfare, the military obligations of citizenship, and gallant and fainthearted behaviour on the battlefield. The Athenian hoplite also served as the pivotal reference point for the marking out of age and gender distinctions within the city and of the differences in military morality between Greeks and barbarians. Critically, as the prevailing definitions of bravery and cowardice were modelled exclusively on the phalanx warfare of the hoplites, Athenian lightly armed troops, cavalrymen and perhaps even sailors with their very different modes of combat were judged one way or another to be cowardly. Yet the final part of this dissertation demonstrates that this normative status of the heavy infantryman in no way prevented citizen sailors from gaining recognition and positive evaluation of their metier and themselves in the Athenian imaginary of the fifth century. The citizen masses of this period saw their city as the major seapower in the Mediterranean and well understood that its formidable might and security rested on its navy. Fifth century Athenians also had a high regard of seamanship in general and great pride in the naval dominance of their city in particular. Indeed, superlative nautical skills were thought to be 'national' traits of the citizens of imperial Athens which they had enjoyed even in the esteemed age of the heroes. Contemporary citizen sailors themselves were also held to be the saviours of the city and were accorded extraordinary esteem and an exalted status if they perished at sea fighting for Athens. Finally, despite the fact that it directly contradicted their hoplite centred conception of bravery, fifth century Athenians firmly believed that fellow citizens serving as sailors could display gallantry in battle.

The green movement in Southeast Queensland: The environment, institutional failure, and social conflict

Eddy, Elizabeth — 2010-03-11T00:00:00Z

The Hibernian Australasian Catholic Benefit Society - Brisbane branches 1879-1906: A heritage study

Sweeney, Mary Denise — 2009-12-11T00:00:00Z

The history of municipal government in Brisbane, 1859-1925 : a study of the development of metropolitan government in a context of urban expansion

Laverty, John R. — 2010-02-15T00:00:00Z

The history of the Church of England in Queensland

Rayner, Keith — 2009-11-06T00:00:00Z

The hydrology and hydrogeology of Heron Island, the Great Barrier Reef: modelling natural recharge and tidal groundwater flow in a Coral Cay

Chen, Delton B. — 2012-07-17T00:00:00Z

The Impact of Blasting on Sublevel Caving Material Flow Behaviour and Recovery

Ian Brunton — 2009-03-30T00:00:00Z

Sublevel caving (SLC) is a mass mining method based upon the utilisation of gravity flow of blasted ore and caved waste rock. The method functions on the principle that ore is fragmented by blasting, while the overlying host rock fractures and caves under the action of mine induced stresses and gravity. The caved waste from the overlying rock mass fills the void created by ore extraction. A major disadvantage of the SLC mining method is the relatively high dilution of the ore by caved waste. A major factor influencing this dilution is the flow behaviour of the ore and waste material. For this reason, flow behaviour has been studied and quantified through theoretical, small and full scale experimental programs for almost 50 years. These programs have attempted to identify parameters which have a significant influence on flow behaviour, and therefore ore recovery and dilution results. Parameters directly influencing flow performance have been found to include the geometry of the extraction layout and drives, sublevel height, blast ring design, material characteristics of the blasted and waste material, and draw control methodology. Due to the complex interaction of these parameters with one another, a total understanding of the impact of SLC mining on flow behaviour is not fully understood. Drill and blast issues have been identified in the literature to have a substantial impact upon SLC material flow. These issues relate to both drill and blast design parameters and design implementation. Increases in SLC geometry size have meant the development of longer and larger diameter blast holes, and improvements in explosive and blasting methods. This has in turn lead to large mine cost savings due to decreased development costs. Such significant changes in the drill and blast design would be expected to have an impact on blasted and caved material properties, and therefore material flow behaviour. Dominantly, the literature has made general conclusions concerning the interaction of drill and blast parameters and flow behaviour, with respect to the knowledge that blasting has a direct impact on ore and caved flow material properties. A limited number of studies have related drill and blast parameters to indirect measures of material flow behaviour, in particular ore recovery and dilution. To date, no detailed analysis of the impact of drill and blast parameters on material flow behaviour in full scale SLC operations has been documented in the literature. The implementation of full scale SLC marker trials has been noted in the literature to be crucial for the ongoing success of the mining method. Such trials provide detailed information concerning the development and shape of the extraction zone, identify possible sources of waste ingress into the ring, and ascertain the degree of flow behaviour variability. The marker trials undertaken at the Ridgeway SLC gold mine provide a unique opportunity to assess these factors. These trials are considered to be the most comprehensive to date, with 69 individual ring trials completed from July 2002 to April 2005. The Ridgeway marker dataset was used in this thesis to assess and quantify factors influencing material flow behaviour and extraction zone recovery. It can generally be concluded from the Ridgeway marker trials that the shape of the extraction zones were irregular in nature (not described by an ellipsoid shape), with primary recovery consisting of an area of ‘continuous flow’ near the blast ring plane and ‘fingers’ of recovery further from the blast ring plane. The backbreak extraction zone is relatively common, with highest recoveries occurring in close to the previously fired blast burden. Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary recoveries occur as relatively small discrete zones within the blasted material. An analysis was undertaken to identify factors that influence extraction zone recovery for the Ridgeway marker trial dataset. Factors analysed included parameters related to drawpoint location, drill and blast design, geology, drawpoint geometry, and draw control. To identify factors influencing extraction zone recovery, a neural network technique was adopted. The analysis indicated that a number of blasting parameters are directly or inversely correlated to extraction zone recovery for the marker trials. Blasting parameters appear to dominate correlations with recovery when compared to geological and drawpoint related parameters. Although the neural network methodology provides a rigorous means to identify possible correlations between parameters, further data analysis was required to understand the nature and characteristics of these relationships. Correlations identified by the neural network analysis were analysed in two dimensions, and did not consider multivariable relationships. Traditional statistical methods were employed to investigate and characterise these correlations. For categorical blasting parameters, non-parametric tests were used to determine if significant statistical differences existed between categorical groups. For continuous blasting parameters, the assumption of a linear correlation was made to quantify the strength and significance of such a relationship existing. Based upon the statistical analysis a number of possible theories were proposed with regard to the impact of blast parameters on extraction zone recovery. Although the correlations analysed do not necessarily prove causality, the correlations can be ‘interpreted’ in causal terms to propose a number of blast related theories with respect to recovery. To develop these theories, both correlations between blasting parameters and extraction zone recovery as well as blast related inter-parameter correlations were considered. The most likely theory based upon this analysis is that a fundamental change in drill and blast design at Ridgeway with the removal of blast holes resulted in lower extraction zone recoveries (in particular primary recovery close to the blast ring plane). The reduction in the number of blast holes in turn impacted on total secondary to quaternary extraction zone recovery either directly (due to factors such as poor fragmentation and limited swell) or indirectly through reduced primary recovery (leading to subsequent lower total secondary to quaternary recoveries). Recovery in the marker ring planes is directly related to proximity of the blast ring plane. The results and conclusions presented in this thesis provide an improved understanding of full scale SLC flow behaviour and recovery. In particular, parameters significantly influencing extraction zone recovery were identified. The analysis highlights and quantifies the importance of drill and blast design and implementation on improved extraction zone recovery.

The impact of growth, volatility and competitive advantage on the value of equity investments and their embedded options

Hall, Jason. — 2006-05-09T00:00:00Z

The Indigenous living conditions problem: 'Need', policy construction, and potential for change

Thompson, Lester — 2009-10-07T00:00:00Z

The inter-governmental relations of Expo '88

Carroll, Peter — 2009-11-17T00:00:00Z

The life and work of John Flynn

McPheat, William Scott — 2009-12-11T00:00:00Z

The Measurement of Task Complexity and Cognitive Ability: Relational Complexity in Adult Reasoning

Birney, Damian Patrick — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The theory of relational complexity (RC) developed by Halford and his associates (Halford et al., 1998a) proposes that, in addition to the number of unique entities that can be processed in parallel, it is the structure (complexity) of the relations between these entities that most appropriately captures the essence of processing capacity limitations. Halford et al. propose that the relational complexity metric forms an ordinal scale along which both task complexity and an individuals processing capacity can be ranked. However, the underlying quantitative structure of the RC metric is largely unknown. It is argued that an assessment of the measurement properties of the RC metric is necessary to first demonstrate that the scale is able to rank order task complexity and cognitive capacity in adults. If in addition to ordinal ranking, it can be demonstrated that a continuous monotonic scale underlies the ranking of capacity (the natural extension of the complexity classification), then the potential to improve our understanding of adult cognition is further realised. Using a combination of cognitive psychology and individual differences methodologies, this thesis explores the psychometric properties of RC in three high level reasoning tasks. The Knight-Knave Task and the Sentence Comprehension Task come from the psychological literature. The third task, the Latin Square Task, was developed especially for this project to test the RC theory. An extensive RC analysis of the Knight-Knave Task is conducted using the Method for Analysis of Relational Complexity (MARC). Processing in the Knight-Knave Task has been previously explored using deduction-rules and mental models. We have taken this work as the basis for applying MARC and attempted to model the substantial demands these problems make on limited working memory resources in terms of their relational structure. The RC of the Sentence Comprehension Task has been reported in the literature and we further review and extend the empirically evidence for this task. The primary criterion imposed for developing the Latin Square Task was to minimize confounds that might weaken the identification and interpretation of a RC effect. Factors such as storage load and prior experience were minimized by specifying that the task should be novel, have a small number of general rules that could be mastered quickly by people of differing ages and abilities, and have no rules that are complexity level specific. The strength of MARC lies in using RC to explicitly link the cognitive demand of a task with the capacity of the individual. The cognitive psychology approach predicts performance decrements with increased task complexity and primarily deals with aggregated data across task condition (comparison of means). It is argued however that to minimise the subtle circularity created by validating a tasks complexity using the same information that is used to validate the individuals processing capacity, an integration of the individual differences approach is necessary. The first major empirical study of the project evaluates the utility of the traditional dual-task approach to analyse the influence of the RC manipulation on the dual-task deficit. The Easy-to-Hard paradigm, a modification of the dual-task methodology, is used to explore the influence of individual differences in processing capacity as a function of RC. The second major empirical study explores the psychometric approach to cognitive complexity. The basic premise is that if RC is a manipulation of cognitive complexity in the traditional psychometric sense, then it should display similar psychometric properties. That is, increasing RC should result in an increasing monotonic relationship between task performance and Fluid Intelligence (Gf) the complexity-Gf effect. Results from the comparison of means approach indicates that as expected, mean accuracy and response times differed reliably as a function of RC. An interaction between RC and Gf on task performance was also observed. The pattern of correlations was generally not consistent across RC tasks and is qualitatively different in important ways to the complexity-Gf effect. It is concluded that the Latin Square Task has sufficient measurement properties to allows us to discuss (i) how RC differs from complexity in tasks in which expected patterns of correlations are observed, (ii) what additional information needs to be considered to assist with the a priori identification of task characteristics that impose high cognitive demand, and (iii) the implications for understanding reasoning in dynamic and unconstrained environments outside the laboratory. We conclude that relational complexity theory provides a strong foundation from which to explore the influence of individual differences in performance further.

The past is a foreign country: A history of the Church of England in the diocese of Brisbane, 1950-1970

Holland, Jonathan Charles — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The philosophy of mathematics and the independent 'other'

Rush, Penelope — 2007-08-24T00:00:00Z

The Plasma Membrane Calcium-ATPase in Mammary Gland Epithelial Cell Lines and Consequences of its Inhibition in a Model of Breast Cancer

Lee, Won Jae — 2008-11-21T14:22:53Z

Ionized calcium (Ca2+), acting as an intracellular messenger, controls numerous biological processes that are essential for life. However, it is also able to convey signals that result in cell death. The fidelity of Ca2+ as a universal second messenger therefore depends on mechanisms that specifically and dynamically regulate its levels within a cell, as well as maintain resting intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) very low. One such mechanism for Ca2+ signaling and homeostasis is the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA), which is a primary active Ca2+ transporter that translocates Ca2+ from a low intracellular Ca2+ environment to a high extracellular environment. There are four mammalian PMCA isoforms (PMCA1−4), which are differentially expressed depending on tissue or cell type. PMCA isoforms possess different sensitivities to biochemical regulation of Ca2+ efflux activity and are also able to subtly alter the dynamics of Ca2+ signals. These properties suggest that the PMCA is not merely a trivial mechanism for Ca2+ extrusion but is influential in contributing to the Ca2+ signaling requirements and unique physiology of different cells. The indispensable nature of Ca2+ signaling in organs such as the brain, heart and skeletal muscle has been the studied extensively but little is known about the roles and regulation of Ca2+ in the mammary gland. This is despite the fact that the mammary gland is a site of extensive Ca2+ flux during lactation. However, cumulating evidence indicates that upregulation of PMCA2 expression in the mammary gland is a major mechanism for milk Ca2+ enrichment. Therefore, the PMCA is likely to be an important mediator of bulk Ca2+ homeostasis in the mammary gland. Studies in other model systems also suggest that PMCAs may regulate other cellular processes such as cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis that are required for normal mammary gland physiology. These basic cellular processes are also disturbed in breast cancer and hence deregulation of PMCA expression in the mammary gland may have pathophysiological consequences. Previous studies show that PMCA1 expression is greater in tumorigenic MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells compared to non-tumorigenic MCF-10A human breast epithelial cells. Furthermore, the expression of PMCA1b and PMCA4b is lower in human skin and lung fibroblasts neoplastically transformed by simian virus 40, compared to non-transformed counterparts. It is therefore hypothesized that regulation of PMCA isoform expression is disrupted in breast cancer and that inhibition of PMCA expression in an in vitro model of breast cancer has important effects in modulating intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. This thesis describes the use of real time RT-PCR to compare PMCA isoform mRNA expression in tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic mammary gland epithelial cells. It demonstrates that particular breast cancer cell lines overexpress PMCA2, an isoform with restricted tissue distribution and which is present in abundant amounts in the lactating rat mammary gland. Thus, some breast cancers may be characterized by the overexpression of Ca2+ transporters that are normally upregulated during the physiological course of lactation. The pathophysiological significance of PMCA2 overexpression in breast cancer is uncertain and future investigations should look at whether levels of PMCA isoform expression correlate with malignancy, prognosis or survival. To address the second hypothesis of this thesis, a stable MCF-7 Tet-off human breast cancer cell line able to conditionally express PMCA antisense was generated. This strategy was necessary due to the current lack of specific pharmacological inhibitors of the PMCA. This thesis shows that PMCA antisense expression significantly inhibits PMCA protein expression, while subtly affecting PMCA-mediated Ca2+ efflux without causing cell death. However, it also reveals that inhibition of PMCA expression has major effects in mediating cell proliferation and cell cycle progression. Moderate changes in PMCA expression and PMCA-mediated Ca2+ transport result in dramatic consequences in MCF-7 cell proliferation. These studies not only support the supposition that modulation of Ca2+ signaling is a viable therapeutic approach for breast cancer but also suggest that PMCAs are possible drug targets. Alternatively, inhibitors of the PMCA may act as adjuvants to augment the efficacy of other anti-neoplastic agents like tamoxifen that have been shown to modulate Ca2+ signaling. Since the discovery of a new family of primary active Ca2+ transporters, which are related to PMCAs, the opportunities in this field of research are very promising.

The political and economic basis of Kuku-Yalanji social history

Anderson, Jon Christopher — 2009-12-11T00:00:00Z

The politics and administration of the Queensland sugar industry

Shogren, Diana Eve — 2009-11-09T00:00:00Z

The professional socialisation of librarians in Queensland

White, James Joachim — 2009-10-06T00:00:00Z

The Queensland Aboriginal Health Program: A twenty year vision

Dowd, Lynette Toni — 2010-05-26T00:00:00Z

The Queensland public sector: Assessing the Goss government reforms

Cork, Julie — 2010-02-15T00:00:00Z

The rectal gland and euryhalinity in elasmobranch fish

Good, Jonathan — 2008-06-18T00:00:00Z

1) Both the partially euryhaline Scyliorhinus canicula and the fully euryhaline Carcharhinus leucas significantly modify plasma concentrations of urea and chloride (Cl-) (and sodium (Na+)) in response to changes in environmental salinity, in order to maintain overall plasma osmolality slightly hyper- or isosmotic to the environment. C. leucas has a greater capacity for urea retention in dilute environments. In S. canicula all of these changes occur within 12 hours of transfer, with the notable exception of increasing plasma urea in response to acute transfer to elevated salinity. 2) A new technique, 51Cr-labelled erythrocytes, was developed to assess blood volume in elasmobranch fish. S. canicula displays significant haemodilution and concentration during chronic acclimation to decreased and increased environmental salinity respectively. Significant changes in blood volume were seen within 6 hours of acute salinity transfer. 3) In vivo secretion rates were measured in the rectal gland of S. canicula during both chronic and acute salinity transfer. Significant changes in Cl- clearance occur during acute transfer, as plasma Na+ and Cl- levels are modified, but do not persist in chronically acclimated animals. This is achieved through modifications in the volume and Cl- concentration of the secretory fluid. 4) C. leucas is able to significantly alter the abundance and/or recruitment of Na+, K+-ATPase in both the rectal gland and the kidney during chronic acclimation to salinity transfer. This is presumably in response to increased requirements for NaCl secretion in SW and osmolyte retention in FW respectively. S. canicula do not significantly alter abundance and/or recruitment of Na+, K+-ATPase in the principle osmoregulatory organs following chronic acclimation to salinity transfer. 5) Chronically SW acclimated C. leucas modify the proportion of ouabain-sensitive oxygen consumption in the tissues of the rectal gland in response to the secretory endocrine stimulus C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP). No such modification occurred in the rectal glands of FW acclimated C. leucas. This represents a change in the sensitivity and response to endocrine control factors during chronic acclimation to salinity transfer in this species. No such modification was seen the in the proportion of ouabain-sensitive oxygen consumption in the rectal glands of chronically acclimated S. canicula in response to CNP. These results were discussed in relation to the capacity for modification of osmoregulatory organs in partially and fully euryhaline elasmobranchs.

The resort development spectrum (RDS): Case study application of the RDS for Cairns, far north Queensland and Bali, Indonesia

Sivijs, Andrew K. — 2009-10-05T00:00:00Z

The Reverend Ernest Gribble and race relations in Northern Australia

Halse, Christine — 2009-11-25T00:00:00Z

The rise and fall of a frontier mining town: Cooktown 1873-85

Ormston, Robert — 2009-12-07T00:00:00Z

The Role of Dicer in Cerebellar Development and Hedgehog-Mediated Medulloblastoma

Lena Constantin — 2012-06-28T00:00:00Z

Background. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding RNA molecules that guide the RNA-induced silencing protein (RISC) complex to downregulate transcripts with complementary miRNA-matching sequence in their 3’ untranslated region. Approximately 700 miRNAs are predicted in the mouse genome. MicroRNA precursors are cleaved into mature double-stranded RNA duplexes by the RNase III enzyme, Dicer, with the exception of miR-451. To date, multiple studies have implicated miRNAs as important regulators of cerebellar function. For example, miRNAs modulate the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, their loss in Purkinje cells leads to neuronal degeneration, and multiple studies have demonstrated that the global repression of miRNAs promotes cellular transformation and tumorigenesis in vivo. Malignancies influenced by miRNA function include the cerebellar tumor, medulloblastoma. Medulloblastoma is the most common pediatric solid brain tumor of the central nervous system. A subset of medulloblastoma arises from cerebellar granule cell precursors that continue to proliferate in response to Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) ligand. The Shh signaling cascade is mediated by the binding of Shh to the transmembrane protein, Patched (Ptch). This binding relieves the inhibitory influence of Ptch on the transmembrane protein, Smoothened (Smo), such that Smo can activate downstream transcription. Therefore, the removal of Ptch from the plasma membrane, or the binding of Ptch to Shh, activates the signaling cascade. At least three miRNAs have been identified that repress medulloblastoma cell proliferation by suppressing central components of the Shh pathway, such as Smo. Results. To address the role of miRNAs in cerebellar granule cell precursor development, exon 24 of Dicer1 was conditionally inactivated via the granule cell precursor-specific Math1-Cre-recombinase transgene using the Cre/loxP recombination system. The site-specific recombination of Dicer1 generated a nonsense transcript with a premature termination codon within exon 25. The loss of exon 24 of Dicer1 resulted in a cortical layering defect in the anterior zone of the cerebellum, due to an increase in granule cell precursor differentiation during postnatal development. The increase in the proportion of differentiating granule cell precursors led to a reduction in mature granule neurons in the anterior zone of the cerebellum only, and mice presented with a high-frequency tremor. The premature differentiation defect was rescued by the constitutive activation of Shh signaling, by inactivation of the Ptch1 ligand receptor, which presumably restored GLI-Kruppel family member (Gli) 2-mediated function. To determine the effect of miRNA loss in Shh-induced medulloblastoma, the Ptch1-conditional mouse model was used to constitutively activate Shh signaling in Dicer1-inactivated granule cell precursors by, again, using the Math1-Cre/loxP recombination system. Mice with granule cell precursor-specific Ptch1-inactivation developed tumors resembling human medulloblastoma with complete penetrance and were therefore used as a background model for tumor studies. Tumor-free survival analysis demonstrated that Dicer1-inactivation alone could not initiate tumorigenesis. However, Dicer1 in combination with Ptch1-inactivation was identified to function as a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor. The expression profile of Dicer1-inactivated tumors uncovered the dysregulation of Wnt and p38 Mapk signaling, and actin-mediated cytoskeletal remodeling. Furthermore, histological analyses showed that exon 24 Dicer1-inactivated tumors displayed increased invasion properties in vivo. Fifteen miRNAs were significantly downregulated in exon 24 Dicer1-inactivated tumors and are hypothesized to mediate some of the aforementioned phenotypes. Intriguingly, the vast majority of miRNAs were maintained at wild-type levels in samples with a high level of genomic Dicer1 inactivation, suggesting that loss of exon 24 of Dicer1 was functionally compensated for. A splice variant of Dicer1 (exon ∆25) was identified at very low levels in granule cell precursors and medulloblastoma. Interestingly, the exon 25 splice variant was significantly upregulated upon recombination of the loxP-flanked exon 24 of Dicer1, to generate a prominent in-frame mRNA product (exon ∆24 ∆25) that was missing the majority of the RNase IIIb domain in recombined cells. Conclusions. The loss of exon 24 and 25 of Dicer1 affected the processing of very few miRNAs. This was surprising considering that Dicer is indispensible for miRNA processing, with the exception of miR-451. The Cre recombinase-mediated deletion of exon 24 of Dicer1 upregulated the splicing of exon 25 to generate an in-frame Dicer1 exon ∆24 ∆25 splice variant. Here, it is hypothesized the Dicer exon ∆24 ∆25 splice variant is capable of processing miRNAs, possibly by forming an inter-molecular dimer to compensate for the loss of the critical RNase IIIb domain. The loss of exon 24 and/or exon 25 of Dicer1 generated reproducible and specific defects in the cerebellum, and likewise in medulloblastoma, indicating that Dicer and/or a subset of Dicer-dependent miRNAs execute important functions in cerebellar development by mediating Shh signaling through Gli2 expression, and in tumors, by decreasing latency and increasing tumor cell invasion.

The role of furigana in Japanese script for second language learners of Japanese

Kirwan, Leigh John. — 2007-08-24T00:00:00Z

The Role of medieval and matristic romance literature in spiritual feminism

Rose, Patricia Elizabeth. — 2010-12-07T12:40:53Z

The role of the transport system in the growth of coastal resorts: An examination of resort development in south Queensland

Prideaux, Bruce Richard — 2010-02-01T00:00:00Z

The sea people: Maritime hunter-gatherers on the tropical coast: A late Holocene maritime specialisation in the Whitsunday Islands, central Queensland

Barker, Bryce. — 2009-11-16T00:00:00Z

The secular Commonwealth: Constitutional government, law and religion

Mortensen, Reid — 2009-09-17T00:00:00Z

The settlement and integration of the Chinese in Brisbane

Beattie, George — 2009-12-11T00:00:00Z

The social dynamics of lifecourse timing in historical perspective : transitions in an Australian rural community, Boonah, 1850-1978

Cole, John R. — 2009-10-19T00:00:00Z

The soldier’s life: martial virtues and hegemonic masculinity in the early Byzantine Empire

Stewart, Michael Edward — 2013-01-21T22:04:41Z

The spatial and temporal distribution of the metal mineralisation in Eastern Australia and the relationship of the observed patterns to giant ore deposits

Robinson, Larry — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

The introduced mineral deposit model (MDM) is the product of a trans-disciplinary study, based on Complexity and General Systems Theory. Both investigate the abstract organization of phenomena, independent of their substance, type, or spatial or temporal scale of existence. The focus of the research has been on giant, hydrothermal mineral deposits. They constitute <0.001% of the total number of deposits yet contain 70-85% of the world's metal resources. Giants are the definitive exploration targets. They are more profitable to exploit and less susceptible to fluctuations of the market. Consensus has it that the same processes that generate small deposits also form giants but those processes are simply longer, vaster, and larger. Heat is the dominant factor in the genesis of giant mineral deposits. A paleothermal map shows where the vast heat required to generate a giant has been concentrated in a large space, and even allows us to deduce the duration of the process. To generate a paleothermal map acceptable to the scientific community requires reproducibility. Experimentation with various approaches to pattern recognition of geochemical data showed that the AUTOCLUST algorithm not only gave reproducibility but also gave the most consistent, most meaningful results. It automatically extracts boundaries based on Voronoi and Delaunay tessellations. The user does not specify parameters; however, the modeller does have tools to explore the data. This approach is near ideal in that it removes much of the humangenerated bias. This algorithm reveals the radial, spatial distribution, of gold deposits in the Lachlan Fold Belt of southeastern Australia at two distinct scales repeating patterns every ~80 km and ~230 km. Both scales of patterning are reflected in the geology. The ~80 km patterns are nested within the ~230 km patterns revealing a self-similar, geometrical relationship. It is proposed that these patterns originate from Rayleigh-Bénard convection in the mantle. At the Rayleigh Number appropriate for the mantle, the stable planform is the spoke pattern, where hot mantle material is moving upward near the centre of the pattern and outward along the radial arms. Discontinuities in the mantle, Rayleigh-Bénard convection in the mantle, and the spatial distribution of giant mineral deposits, are correlative. The discontinuities in the Earth are acting as platforms from which Rayleigh-Bénard convection can originate. Shallow discontinuities give rise to plumelets, which manifest at the crust as repeating patterns ranging, from ~100 to ~1,000 km in diameter. Deeper discontinuities give rise to plumes, which become apparent at the crust as repeating patterns ranging from >1,000 to ~4,000 km in diameter. The deepest discontinuities give rise to the superplumes, which become detectable at the crust as repeating patterns ranging from >4,000 to >10,000 km in diameter. Rayleigh-Bénard convection concentrates the reservoir of heat in the mantle into specific locations in the crust; thereby providing the vast heat requirements for the processes that generate giant, hydrothermal mineral deposits. The radial spatial distribution patterns observed for gold deposits are also present for base metal deposits. At the supergiant Broken Hill deposit in far western New South Wales, Australia, the higher temperature Broken Hill-type deposits occur in a radial pattern while the lower temperature deposits occur in concentric patterns. The supergiant Broken Hill deposit occurs at the very centre of the pattern. If the supergiant Broken Hill Deposit was buried beneath alluvium, water or younger rocks, it would now be possible to predict its location with accuracy measured in tens of square kilometres. This predictive accuracy is desired by every exploration manager of every exploration company. The giant deposits at Broken Hill, Olympic Dam, and Mount Isa all occur on the edge of an annulus. There are at least two ways of creating an annulus on the Earth's surface. One is through Rayleigh-Bénard convection and the other is through meteor impact. It is likely that only 'large' meteors (those >10 km in diameter) would have any permanent impact on the mantle. Lesser meteors would leave only a superficial scar that would be eroded away. The permanent scars in the mantle act as accidental templates consisting of concentric and possibly radial fractures that impose those structures on any rocks that were subsequently laid down or emplaced over the mantle. In southeastern Australia, the proposed Deniliquin Impact structure has been an 'accidental template' providing a 'line-of-least-resistance' for the ascent of the ~2,000 km diameter, offshore, Cape Howe Plume. The western and northwestern radial arms of this plume have created the very geometry of the Lachlan Fold Belt, as well as giving rise to the spatial distribution of the granitic rocks in that belt and ultimately to the gold deposits. The interplay between the templating of the mantle by meteor impacts and the ascent of plumelets, plumes or superplumes from various discontinuities in the mantle is quite possibly the reason that mineral deposits occur where they do.

The struggle against Brisbane's freeways, 1966-1974: An Australian case study of urban development, residential life and urban politics

Mullins, Patrick — 2010-01-27T00:00:00Z

The 'third way' in action: Inclusion at a cost

Begg, Clive — 2008-11-21T00:00:00Z