University of Western Australia

About: University of Western Australia is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 29613 authors who have published 87405 publications receiving 3064466 citations. The organization is also known as: UWA & University of WA.

The effective mutation rate at Y chromosome short tandem repeats, with application to human population-divergence time.

Abstract: We estimate an effective mutation rate at an average Y chromosome short-tandem repeat locus as 6.9×10 −4 per 25 years, with a standard deviation across loci of 5.7×10 −4 , using data on microsatellite variation within Y chromosome haplogroups defined by unique-event polymorphisms in populations with documented short-term histories, as well as comparative data on worldwide populations at both the Y chromosome and various autosomal loci. This value is used to estimate the times of the African Bantu expansion, the divergence of Polynesian populations (the Maoris, Cook Islanders, and Samoans), and the origin of Gypsy populations from Bulgaria.

Cross-priming in health and disease.

Abstract: Cross-priming is an important mechanism to activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) for immune defence against viruses and tumours. Although it was discovered more than 25 years ago, we have only recently gained insight into the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, and we are just beginning to understand its physiological importance in health and disease. Here we summarize current concepts on the cross-talk between the immune cells involved in CTL cross-priming and on its role in antimicrobial and antitumour defence, as well as in immune-mediated diseases.

Energy Consumption in China: Past Trends and Future Directions

Abstract: In 2003 China’s energy consumption amounted to 1678 million tonnes coal equivalent (MTCE), making China the world’s second largest consumer behind only the United States. China is now also one of the largest oil importers in the world. With an economy which is expected to maintain a rate of growth of 7 to 8 per cent for decades, China’s role in the world energy market becomes increasingly influential. This makes it important to predict China’s future demand for energy. The objective of this paper is to apply the Bayesian vector autoregressive methodology to forecast China’s energy consumption and to discuss potential implications. The results of this paper suggest that total energy consumption should increase to 2173 MtCE in 2010, an annual growth rate of 3.8 per cent which is slightly slower than the average rate in the past decade. The slower growth reflects an expected slower economic growth and the decline in energy consumption due to structural changes in the Chinese economy.

The butterfly plant arms-race escalated by gene and genome duplications.

Abstract: Coevolutionary interactions are thought to have spurred the evolution of key innovations and driven the diversification of much of life on Earth. However, the genetic and evolutionary basis of the innovations that facilitate such interactions remains poorly understood. We examined the coevolutionary interactions between plants (Brassicales) and butterflies (Pieridae), and uncovered evidence for an escalating evolutionary arms-race. Although gradual changes in trait complexity appear to have been facilitated by allelic turnover, key innovations are associated with gene and genome duplications. Furthermore, we show that the origins of both chemical defenses and of molecular counter adaptations were associated with shifts in diversification rates during the arms-race. These findings provide an important connection between the origins of biodiversity, coevolution, and the role of gene and genome duplications as a substrate for novel traits.