This contribution departs from an existing model, the Design Framework for Systems-of-Systems Resilience, to explore systems resilience issues across the health, environmental, and economic domains. The reported research activities include 1) a rapid review to collect a set of systems indicators and 2) a design workshop employing causal loop diagramming to map expected causal influences between indicators. Through this exercise, we examine key themes in this research domain and outline directions for further enquiry, while involving members of the design research community in an open dialogue.

Twelve supernova remnants in the Large Magellanic Cloud have now been observed with the Australia Telescope. These were all imaged in total intensity and where possible the linear polarisation was also mapped. In many respects this survey is similar to previous single-dish observations of Galactic supernova remnants, and comparisons are made with these results. Preliminary images are shown for several sources. The survey is continuing with additional array configurations and at other wavelengths.

We present the observed “continuum” levels of polarization as a function of time for four well-observed Type II-Plateau supernovae (SNe II-P; Fig. 1), the class of SNe decisively determined to arise from red supergiant stars (Smartt 2009). All four objects show temporally increasing degrees of polarization through the end of the photospheric phase, with some exhibiting early-time polarization that challenge existing models (e.g., Dessart and Hillier 2011) to reproduce. A fundamental ejecta asymmetry is present in this photometrically diverse sample of type II SNe, and it probably takes different forms (e.g., 56Ni blobs/fingers, large scale deformation). We acknowledge support from NSF grants AST-1009571 and AST-1210311.

Adverse events during the perinatal period have traditionally been thought to contribute to the risk of febrile seizures although an association has not been found in large epidemiological studies. Disease-discordant twins provide a means to assess the role of non-shared environmental factors while matching for confounding factors and avoiding difficulties of epidemiological studies in singletons. This study aimed to examine the association of obstetric events and febrile seizures in a community-based twin study. Twenty-one twin pairs discordant for febrile seizures were ascertained from a community-based twin register. Obstetric events were scored using the McNeil-Sjöström Scale for Obstetric Complications and expressed as a summary score (OC score). The frequency of individual obstetric events in affected and unaffected twins, the within-pair differences in OC scores and other markers of perinatal risk including birthweight, birth order and Apgar scores were examined. No significant difference was found in the frequency of individual obstetric events, nor in OC scores between affected and unaffected twins. No differences in birth weight, birth order, 1- or 5-minute Apgar scores were observed. Our results confirm previous findings that obstetric events are not associated with the risk of febrile seizures.

The identification of genetic factors that confer susceptibility to the epilepsies has to date been the focus of genetic efforts in this field. Few studies have assessed the genetic contribution to disease course in epilepsy, yet an understanding of the genetic influences on epilepsy outcome is key to developing new therapeutic strategies. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic contributions to epilepsy outcome in twin pairs concordant for epilepsy. We studied 37 epilepsy concordant twin pairs (27 monozygotic, 10 dizygotic) in whom there were no recognized environmental contributions (e.g., acquired brain injury) to epilepsy, and in whom the most likely cause for epilepsy was a shared genetic susceptibility. Clinical outcome was determined using the binary measure of Seizure Status (seizure remission or recurrence) and on a six-category ordinal Outcome Scale. Epilepsy outcome was independent of age of seizure onset, age at assessment and major epilepsy syndrome diagnosis. The proportion of twin pairs concordant for Seizure Status was 0.81 (22/27) for monozygous and 1.0 (10/10) for dizygous pairs, p = 0.3. Within-pair correlation in outcome (Outcome Scale) was 0.60 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.78) in monozygous and 0.78 (0.48, 0.92) in dizygous pairs. These data provide no evidence for genetic influences on epilepsy outcome independent of those that contribute to disease susceptibility. The observed high correlations for outcome suggest that, for epilepsy, susceptibility genes also have a major influence on outcome.

Both high and low maternal dietary intakes adversely affect fetal nutrient supply in adolescent sheep pregnancies. Aims were: (a) to assess the impact of prenatal nutrition on pregnancy outcome, offspring growth and offspring glucose metabolism and (b) to determine whether the offspring metabolic phenotype could then be altered by modifying postnatal nutrition. Dams carrying a single fetus were offered either an optimal control (C) intake to maintain adiposity throughout pregnancy, undernourished to maintain weight at conception but deplete maternal reserves (UN), or overnourished to promote rapid maternal growth and adiposity (ON). Placental weight and gestation length were reduced in ON dams and lamb birth weights were C>UN>ON (P < 0·001). All offspring were fed ad libitum from weaning to 6 months of age. ON offspring exhibited rapid catch-up growth and had increased fasting glucose and relative glucose intolerance compared with C offspring (P < 0·05). Irrespective of prenatal diet and sex, birth weight correlated negatively with these indices of glucose metabolism. From 7 to 12 months offspring either had continued ad libitum diet (ADLIB; to induce an obesogenic state) or a decreased ration appropriate for normal growth (NORM). At 12 months, the negative relationship between birth weight and indices of glucose metabolism persisted in ADLIB females (for example, fasting glucose, r − 0·632; P < 0·03) but was absent in NORM females and in both male groups. Therefore, low-birth-weight offspring from differentially achieved prenatal malnutrition exhibit an early adverse metabolic phenotype, and this can apparently be ameliorated by postnatal nutrition in females but not in males.

Aspect of Newfoundland.—It has been suggested that the so-called glacial effects which are universally seen in temperate, and even in tropical regions, may in many cases have been due to an ocean on which great icebergs floated. These, as they moved from point to point (like huge pepper-castors), strewed broadcast boulders and detrital matter, such as are now to be seen over an area like that of Russia and parts of North America. The effect of the force of impact of these tremendous masses has also been dwelt on, and the way in which they could grind, smooth down, or rub up the surface of a submerged area, has also often been referred to.

Coast Ice of Newfoundland.—Icebergs have an advantage over coast-ice in their imposing appearance, which has perhaps been in part instrumental in raising them to the high position which they now occupy as workers of Geological changes. Many Manuals of Geology, and many diagrams drawn to illustrate the same science, have oft-times portrayed a well-known flat-topped berg, carrying a rock, in the Antarctic regions; but neither books nor lecture-diagrams, taken collectively, give any adequate idea of coast-ice as a similar agent. From what I have seen of coast-ice and of its effects. I feel persuaded that it is an agent of at least as great, if not of greater universality than either glaciers or icebergs, and taken as a whole perhaps also as an agent of equal power. Of the various forms of sea-ice known as “berg-ice,” “floe-ice,” “pack-ice,” and the like, the portion I would more particularly draw attention to is that variety which forms a narrow belt along the shore, known in Greenland as the “Ice-Foot.”

It falls to the lot of only a very few able men to take up some neglected branch of science, and by their genius, their energetic work, the discoveries they make, assisted by their personal charm and bonhomie, to be able to attract general attention to their researches, and so attain a great public success, filling with interest and enthusiasm the intelligent, and attracting even the veriest tyro within the circle of their investigation. Such has been the outcome of the life-work of our friend and associate of many years, Professor John Milne, whose untiring energy in the study of Seismology has obtained for it now a foremost place in the physical sciences as having most important bearings on the economy of the globe and the very existence of our race.

Whilst in Irkutsk I had many opportunities of conversing about the earthquakes which sometimes disturb these Central Asian localities. Not long before my arrival in the town, a sharp shocks had been experienced. The general effect it produced was given to me by Miss Cathleen Campbell, now Mrs. Szlenker, who had been keeping a record of meteorological and other phenomena. The shock took place at 2.55 a.m. on the 4th September. It was at first felt in a direction from east to west, but after 1¾ minutes it changed to N.E. and S.W. The shock, which was severe, caused ornaments on the table to rattle, and a few bottles which were close together knocked each other with so much force that they fell over. There were thirteen of them, and they tumbled in various directions—nine fell on the table, and four were broken on the floor. Watches and clocks were stopped, and screws 1¼ in. long, fastened in the wall to keep a clock straight, were drawn out. Preceding this shock, from observations which I saw, the barometer appears to have been lower than usual.

On Wednesday, the 22nd of September, I left Ekaterinburg for Tumen, where I hoped to catch a steamer going to Tomsk. For a short distance after starting, the road was bounded by tall firs. Beyond these came a few hill-like mounds covered with large grey weather-worn boulders, the appearances of which were not unlike those of some ancient terminal moraines. These boulders were the only ones which I saw during the whole of my journey across Siberia. From their similarity to the rock of the country which here and there cropped up through its covering of peat and grass, I think they must have been of local origin; but whether this origin was in any way connected with the action of ice, through not having made any close examination I am unable to form any conclusion.

From the short notices which are to be found about volcanos in treatises on geology, we might often be led into the belief that they were structures so regular in contour that their form was indicative of their nature. In certain cases this appears to be so remarkably true, that I wish to add a few observations to those which have already been written upon the subject. In other cases, however, the form of a volcano does not appear to have any characteristics which distinguish it from other mountains, as will be seen by glancing through the series of views given by Humboldt of the volcanos of South America. The mountains in Iceland are also very rough. When travelling in that country, where I saw and ascended many volcanos, I do not remember that there was anything about their shape more than their steepness and general ruggedness which particularly attracted my attention. The wilderness of form presented to us by such mountains as these is so evidently the combined effect of many and varied causes, that it would be vain to seek a simple explanation for the formation of the whole.

After much slipping and sliding—for the small stream of water which flows down the pass had often glazed it from side to side—we reached the village of Yamborshan, just outside the Kalgan walls. Here I was well received by the Russian Postmaster, M. Shismaroff. This village, like Kalgan itself, is romantically situated in a defile, which is bounded by mountainous cliffs of a volcanic rock, called by Pumpelly a porphyritic trachyte. Before entering Kalgan, you pass underneath a gateway in the famous Great Wall of China. Right and left from this point, it rapidly ascends to the summit of the cliffs, which bound the defile, and its towers are seen standing on pinnacles of rocks, and looking over precipices from positions which seem inaccessible.