Published studies have shown that methane yield (g CH4/kg dry matter) from sheep is positively correlated with the size (volume and surface area) of the reticulo-rumen (RR) and the weight of its contents. However, the relationship between CH4 yield and RR shape has not been investigated. In this work, shape analysis has been performed on a data set of computerised tomography (CT) scans of the RR from sheep having high and low CH4 yields (n=20 and n=17, respectively). The three-dimensional geometries of the RRs were reconstructed from segmented scan data and split into three anatomical regions. An iterative fitting technique combining radial basis functions and principal component (PC) fitting was used to create a set of consistent landmarks which were then used as variables in a PC analysis to identify shape variation within the data. Significant size differences were detected for regions corresponding to the dorsal and ventral compartments between sheep with high and low CH4 yields. When the analysis was repeated after scaling the geometries to remove the effect of size, there was no significant shape variation correlating with CH4 yield. The results have demonstrated the feasibility of CT-based computational shape determination for studying the morphological characteristics of the RR and indicate that size, but not shape correlates with CH4 yield in sheep.

Well crystallized chlorite has been detected in a Typic Hapludult developed on quartz porphyry at Ulsan, Korea, after treatment of the <0.2 µm fraction with a high-gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) characteristics of the chlorite suggest that it is an Fe-rich variety and this was confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The chlorite could not be detected with certainty in the <0.2 µm fraction but is clearly present throughout the soil profile in the <0.2 µm fraction. It is suggested that this chlorite is residual inherited chlorite, the rest of which has dissolved in the acidic environment (pH 4—5).

The purpose of this report is to describe the appropriate use of indices relating to crystallinity, such as the ‘crystallinity index’, the ‘Hinckley index’, the ‘Kü bler index’, and the ‘Árkai index’. A ‘crystalline’ solid is defined as a solid consisting of atoms, ions, or molecules packed together in a periodic arrangement. A ‘crystallinity index’ is purported to be a measure of crystallinity, although there is uncertainty about what this means (see below). This report discusses briefly the nature of order, disorder and crystallinity in phyllosilicates and discusses why the use of a ‘crystallinity index’ should be avoided. If possible, it is suggested that indices be referred to using the name of the author who originally described the parameter, as in ‘Hinckley index’ or ‘Kübler index’, or in honour of a researcher who investigated the importance of the parameter extensively, as in ‘Árkai index’.

Brindley et al. (1951) reported the earliest efforts to obtain international collaboration on nomenclature and classification of clay minerals, initiated at the International Soil Congress in Amsterdam in 1950. Since then, national clay groups were formed, and they proposed various changes in nomenclature at group meetings of the International Clay Conferences. Most of the national clay groups have representation on the Nomenclature Committee of the Association Internationale pour l'Etude des Argiles (AIPEA, International Association for the Study of Clays), which was established in 1966. The precursor committee to the AIPEA Nomenclature Committee was the Nomenclature Subcommittee of the Comité International pour l'Etude des Argiles (OPEA, International Committee for the Study of Clays).

The chemical, mineralogical, and textural changes involved in the weathering of basalt have been traced through various stages from fresh rock (which has a cation exchange capacity of 10 meq/100 g due to the presence of a swelling chlorite mineral) to reddened basaltic rubble consisting of interstratified montmorillonite-illite, hematite, and anatase. The cation exchange capacities of the rocks increase progressively with the formation of secondary clay from labradorite as Al, Fe, and Ti accumulate and Si, Mg, Ca, and Na are depleted—much of the K is retained in the secondary clay mineral. The weathering is considered to be contemporaneous with the formation of the Antrim bauxites but not so intense.

Two new species of Oreocharis, O. tribracteata and O. rufescens, are described and a key to the species in Vietnam is provided. The new species have distinct features not previously, or rarely, observed in the genus, both showing the partial fusion of the calyx lobes into a tube, and the presence of three bracts in Oreocharis tribracteata.

One view of major Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events is that these (proton-dominated) fluxes are accelerated in heliospheric shock sources created by Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs), and then travel mainly along interplanetary magnetic field lines connecting the shock(s) to the observer(s). This places a particular emphasis on the role of the heliospheric conditions during the event, requiring a realistic description of the latter to interpret and/or model SEP events. The well-known ENLIL heliospheric simulation with cone model generated ICME shocks is used together with the SEPMOD particle event modeling scheme to demonstrate the value of applying these concepts at multiple inner heliosphere sites.

The Millimetre Astronomy Legacy Team 90 GHz (MALT90) survey aims to characterise the physical and chemical evolution of high-mass star-forming clumps. Exploiting the unique broad frequency range and on-the-fly mapping capabilities of the Australia Telescope National Facility Mopra 22 m single-dish telescope1 , MALT90 has obtained 3′ × 3′ maps towards ~2 000 dense molecular clumps identified in the ATLASGAL 870 μm Galactic plane survey. The clumps were selected to host the early stages of high-mass star formation and to span the complete range in their evolutionary states (from prestellar, to protostellar, and on to $\mathrm{H\,{\scriptstyle {II}}}$ regions and photodissociation regions). Because MALT90 mapped 16 lines simultaneously with excellent spatial (38 arcsec) and spectral (0.11 km s−1) resolution, the data reveal a wealth of information about the clumps’ morphologies, chemistry, and kinematics. In this paper we outline the survey strategy, observing mode, data reduction procedure, and highlight some early science results. All MALT90 raw and processed data products are available to the community. With its unprecedented large sample of clumps, MALT90 is the largest survey of its type ever conducted and an excellent resource for identifying interesting candidates for high-resolution studies with ALMA.

We have used the new broadband capabilities of the Mopra telescope to map the distribution of 26 different molecular transitions in an approximately 1 degree square region of the southern Galactic plane (the G333/RCW106 giant molecular cloud complex). The aim is to addresss observationally some of the key questions about the dynamical processes surrounding massive star formation (e.g. massive stellar winds and large-scale galactic flows) and their relative importance in regulating the star formation process. These dynamical processes help drive the turbulent motions, which are ubiquitous in giant molecular clouds (GMCs). The multi-molecular line nature of this survey is what distinguishes it from similar surveys and is crucial for gaining a clear picture of the energetics and dynamics of the gas. Investigating and understanding the chemistry of this region is a necessary part of the project if the molecular line observations are to be interpreted physically.

We report the results of a blind search for 22 GHz water masers in two regions, covering approximately half a square degree, within the G 333.2–0.6 giant molecular cloud. The complete search of the two regions was carried out with the 26 m Mount Pleasant radio telescope and resulted in the detection of nine water masers, five of which are new detections. Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) observations of these detections have allowed us to obtain positions with arcsecond accuracy, allowing meaningful comparison with infrared and molecular data for the region. We find that for the regions surveyed there are more water masers than either 6.7 GHz methanol, or main-line OH masers. The water masers are concentrated towards the central axis of the star formation region, in contrast to the 6.7 GHz methanol masers which tend to be located near the periphery. The colours of the GLIMPSE point sources associated with the water masers are slightly less red than those associated with methanol masers. Statistical investigation of the properties of the 13CO and 1.2 mm dust clumps with and without associated water masers shows that the water masers are associated with the more massive, denser and brighter 13CO and 1.2 mm dust clumps. We present statistical models that can predict those 13CO and 1.2 mm dust clumps likely to have associated water masers.

Until recently, high spatial resolution full Stokes maser polarimetry was the sole domain of northern interferometers and a wealth of sources in the far south remained unexplored due to a lack of suitable instrumentation having both high spatial and high velocity resolution. The Australia Telescope Long Baseline Array (LBA) has now switched to disk-based software correlation, permitting full Stokes observing in spectral line mode with velocity channels which are sufficiently narrow to sample usefully the polarization structure. To illustrate the utility of this valuable addition to radio astronomy, we present preliminary results of the first such polarimetric observation, the subject of which are the OH masers in the star-forming region G340.054–0.244.

In this study with the filarial model Litomosoides sigmodontis, we demonstrate that the worms ingest host red blood cells at a precise moment of their life-cycle, immediately after the fourth moult. The red blood cells (RBC) were identified microscopically in live worms immobilized in PBS at 4 °C, and their density assessed. Two hosts were used: Mongolian gerbils, where microfilaraemia is high, and susceptible BALB/c mice with lower microfilaraemia. Gerbils were studied at 12 time-points, between day 9 post-inoculation (the worms were young 4th stage larvae) and day 330 p.i. (worms were old adults). Only the very young adult filarial worms had red blood cells in their gut. Haematophagy was observed between days 25 and 56 p.i. and peaked between day 28 and day 30 p.i. in female worms. In males, haematophagy was less frequent and intense. Similar kinetics of haematophagy were found in BALB/c mice, but frequency and intensity tended to be lower. Haematophagy seems useful to optimize adult maturation. These observations suggest that haematophagy is an important step in the life-cycle of L. sigmodontis. This hitherto undescribed phenomenon might be characteristic of other filarial species including human parasites.