Edith Cowan University

About: Edith Cowan University is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 4040 authors who have published 13529 publications receiving 339582 citations. The organization is also known as: Edith Cowan & ECU.

Addressing ecosystem effects of fishing using marine protected areas

Abstract: This article is a synthesis of the current literature on the potential of marine protected areas (MPAs) a useful management tool for limiting the ecosystem effects of fishing, including biological and socio-economic aspects There is sufficient evidence that fishing may negatively affect ecosystems Modelling and case studies show that the establishment of MPAs, especially for overexploited populations, can mitigate ecosystem effects of fishing Although quantitative ecosystem modelling techniques incorporating MPAs are in their infancy, their role in exploring scenarios is considered crucial Success in implementing MPAs will depend on how well the biological concerns and the socio-economic needs of the fishing community can be reconciled

Bread-making synthesis of hierarchically Co@C nanoarchitecture in heteroatom doped porous carbons for oxidative degradation of emerging contaminants

Abstract: Employing low-cost and abundant wheat flour, sodium bicarbonate, cysteine and cobalt nitrate as precursors, we for the first time present a facile one-pot pyrolysis strategy for homogeneous assembly of core-shell Co@C nanoparticles with nitrogen and sulfur into hierarchically porous carbons (Co-N-S-PCs). The samples are highly efficient for oxidative decomposition of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and phenol. It was found that Co@C nanoparticles are crucial for the generation of singlet oxygen in advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which works together with hydroxyl and sulfate radicals in efficient decomposition of HBA. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations disclose that electron transfer from metal Co to C shells greatly improves the Fermi level and chemical activity of the C atoms. The combination of Co-C interaction with N, S codoping further bring in catalytic active sites in the graphitic shells where the charge states of C atoms are increased. This template-free strategy is scalable to prepare highly efficient catalysts, including functional carbon materials modified with non-precious metal species or pure and well-dispersed porous core-shell nanoparticles for environmental or energy applications.

Sequestration of macroalgal carbon: the elephant in the Blue Carbon room

Abstract: Macroalgae form the most extensive and productive benthic marine vegetated habitats globally but their inclusion in Blue Carbon (BC) strategies remains controversial. We review the arguments offered to reject or include macroalgae in the BC framework, and identify the challenges that have precluded macroalgae from being incorporated so far. Evidence that macroalgae support significant carbon burial is compelling. The carbon they supply to sediment stocks in angiosperm BC habitats is already included in current assessments, so that macroalgae are de facto recognized as important donors of BC. The key challenges are (i) documenting macroalgal carbon sequestered beyond BC habitat, (ii) tracing it back to source habitats, and (iii) showing that management actions at the habitat lead to increased sequestration at the sink site. These challenges apply equally to carbon exported from BC coastal habitats. Because of the large carbon sink they support, incorporation of macroalgae into BC accounting and actions is an imperative. This requires a paradigm shift in accounting procedures as well as developing methods to enable the capacity to trace carbon from donor to sink habitats in the ocean.

Safety and efficacy of resistance exercise in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases

Abstract: Background Due to concerns of fragility fracture, exercise is a perceived contraindication for prostate cancer patients with bone metastases. These patients experience significant functional impairment and muscle atrophy, which may lead to an increased likelihood of skeletal complicaTIOns (i.e., pathological fracture, bone pain) and/or falls. Safe resistance exercise prescription may counteract this effect. The aim of this feasibility trial was to determine the safety and efficacy of resistance exercise by prostate cancer survivors with bone metastatic disease. Methods Twenty men with established bone metastases secondary to prostate cancer were randomly assigned to a 12-week resistance exercise program in which exercise prescription was based on the location of bone lesions (n=10) or usual care (n=10). Outcomes included safety and tolerance of the exercise program, physical function, physical activity level, body composition, fatigue, quality of life and psychological distress. Outcomes were compared between groups using analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline values. Results Participants had significant disease load with 65% of participants presenting with two or more regions affected by bone metastases and an average Gleason score of 8.2±0.9. Five participants (exercise=2; usual care=3) did not complete the intervention, three of which were due to advancing disease (exercise=2; usual care=1). No adverse events or skeletal complications occurred during the supervised exercise sessions. The exercise program was well tolerated as evidenced by high attendance (83%) and compliance rates (93%), and the ability of the participants to exercise at an intensity within the target range for cancer survivors (rating of perceived exertion =13.8±1.5). The change in physical function (muscle strength ∼11%; submaximal aerobic exercise capacity ∼5% and ambulation ∼12%), physical activity level (∼24%) and lean mass (∼3%) differed significantly between groups following the intervention, with favorable changes in the exercise group compared with the usual care group. No significant between-group differences were observed for fatigue, quality of life or psychological distress. Conclusions This initial evidence involving a small sample size suggests that appropriately designed and supervised resistance exercise may be safe and well tolerated by prostate cancer patients with bone metastatic disease and can lead to improvements in physical function, physical activity levels and lean mass. Future trials involving larger sample sizes are required to expand these preliminary findings.

A case study of co-ordinative decision-making in disaster management

Abstract: A persistent problem in the management of response to disasters is the lack of co-ordination between the various agencies involved. This paper reports a case study of inter-agency co-ordination during the response to a railway accident in the UK. The case study examined two potential sources of difficulty for co-ordination: first, poorly shared mental models; and, second, a possible conflict between the requirements of distributed decision-making and the nature of individual decision-making. Interviews were conducted with six individuals from three response agencies. Analysis of reported events suggested that inter-agency co-ordination suffered through a widespread difficulty in constructing a reflexive shared mental model; that is, a shared mental representation of the distributed decision-making process itself, and its participants. This difficulty may be an inherent problem in the flexible development of temporary multi-agency organizations. The analysis focused on a distributed decision over how to transport casualties from an isolated location to hospital. This decision invoked a technique identified here as the progression of multiple options, which contrasts with both recognition-primed and analytical models of individual decision-making. The progression of multiple options appeared to be an effective technique for dealing with uncertainty, but was a further source of difficulty for inter-agency co-ordination.