title: Mid-Holocene Aboriginal occupation of offshore islands in northern Australia? A reassessment of Wurdukanhan, Mornington Island, southern Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia

authors: Rosendahl, Daniel

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Claims for mid-Holocene Aboriginal occupation at the shell matrix site of Wurdukanhan, Mornington Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, are reassessed through an analysis of the excavated assemblage coupled with new surveys and an extensive dating program. Memmott et al. (2006, pp. 38, 39) reported basal ages of c.5000–5500 years from Wurdukanhan as ‘the oldest date yet obtained for any archaeological site on the coast of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria’ and used these dates to argue for ‘a relatively lengthy occupation since at least the mid-Holocene’. If substantiated, with the exception of western Torres Strait, these claims make Mornington Island the only offshore island used across northern Australia in the mid-Holocene where it is conventionally thought that Aboriginal people only (re)colonised islands after sea-level maximum was achieved after the mid-Holocene. Our analysis of Wurdukanhan demonstrates high shellfish taxa diversity, high rates of natural shell predation and high densities of foraminifera throughout the deposit demonstrating a natural origin for the assemblage. Results are considered in the context of other dated shell matrix sites in the area and a geomorphological model for landscape development of the Sandalwood River catchment.

text: Mid-Holocene Aboriginal occupation of offshore islands in northern Australia? A reassessment of Wurdukanhan, Mornington Island, southern Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia Claims for mid-Holocene Aboriginal occupation at the shell matrix site of Wurdukanhan, Mornington Island, Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, are reassessed through an analysis of the excavated assemblage coupled with new surveys and an extensive dating program. Memmott et al. (2006, pp. 38, 39) reported basal ages of c.5000–5500 years from Wurdukanhan as ‘the oldest date yet obtained for any archaeological site on the coast of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria’ and used these dates to argue for ‘a relatively lengthy occupation since at least the mid-Holocene’. If substantiated, with the exception of western Torres Strait, these claims make Mornington Island the only offshore island used across northern Australia in the mid-Holocene where it is conventionally thought that Aboriginal people only (re)colonised islands after sea-level maximum was achieved after the mid-Holocene. Our analysis of Wurdukanhan demonstrates high shellfish taxa diversity, high rates of natural shell predation and high densities of foraminifera throughout the deposit demonstrating a natural origin for the assemblage. Results are considered in the context of other dated shell matrix sites in the area and a geomorphological model for landscape development of the Sandalwood River catchment.

year: 2015

title: An investigation of the distribution of gastrin-like activity, and its nature, in the gastrointestinal tract of the sheep

authors: Jury, Denis R.

abstract: Using a modification of the extraction procedure of Gregory and Tracy (1964), and a perfused rat stomach bioassay, gastrin-like activity has been located in the ovine rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasal body, antrum, duodenum and caecum. The antrum showed the highest concentration of gastrin-like activity, but substantial concentrations were found in the rumen, reticulum, omasum and caecum and proximal duodenum declining progressively with distance from the pylorus. A lesser concentration occurred in the abomasal body. Consideration of the relative total content of gastrin-like activity showed that the amount of extra-antral activity was substantial. 
The active principle was unlikely to have been cholecystokinin as the extracts had isoelectric points of a more acidic nature than that of cholecystokinin. Similarly, bioassay using an isolated guinea-pig ileum showed histamine to be absent from the extracts.
Extraction of rumenal, reticular, omasal, abomasal body and antral mucosa and muscle separately showed that the gastrin-like activity resided almost completely in the mucosa.
An investigation of the gastrin-like activity of air dried and freeze dried extracts showed that the freeze dried extracts were approximately 50% more active than the air dried extracts. Bioassay of a freeze dried antral extract over a twenty four week period showed that the activity was maintained for the initial six weeks, and that 80% of the activity was then lost over the following eighteen weeks.
Studies using columns of Sephadex have shown that extracts from all regions of the ovine gastro-intestinal tract investigated were similar and consisted of several components of differing molecular weight. By a comparison of their respective molecular weights, to those reported for components separated from extracts of non-ruminant origin, it seems likely that components corresponding to MG, HLG, BG, BBG and component I were present in varying amounts. 
The response to infusions of gastrin extract in fed and fasted sheep were different. In fasted sheep infusions of extract, after a relatively long latent period, caused a small, but prolonged increase in acid secretion. In contrast pentagastrin caused an immediate and pronounced response. In fed sheep the responses were variable. 
Experiments on a single dolphin (Delphinus delpis) have shown there to be gastrin-like activity present in the forestomach, mainstomach, pyloric stomach, duodenal ampulla and intestine of this mammal. 
The distribution of gastrin-like activity reported in the present work has been compared to previous reports concerning the distribution of gastrin activity in animals with a more simple stomach, and the possible function of gastrin in the ruminant has been discussed.

text: An investigation of the distribution of gastrin-like activity, and its nature, in the gastrointestinal tract of the sheep Using a modification of the extraction procedure of Gregory and Tracy (1964), and a perfused rat stomach bioassay, gastrin-like activity has been located in the ovine rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasal body, antrum, duodenum and caecum. The antrum showed the highest concentration of gastrin-like activity, but substantial concentrations were found in the rumen, reticulum, omasum and caecum and proximal duodenum declining progressively with distance from the pylorus. A lesser concentration occurred in the abomasal body. Consideration of the relative total content of gastrin-like activity showed that the amount of extra-antral activity was substantial. 
The active principle was unlikely to have been cholecystokinin as the extracts had isoelectric points of a more acidic nature than that of cholecystokinin. Similarly, bioassay using an isolated guinea-pig ileum showed histamine to be absent from the extracts.
Extraction of rumenal, reticular, omasal, abomasal body and antral mucosa and muscle separately showed that the gastrin-like activity resided almost completely in the mucosa.
An investigation of the gastrin-like activity of air dried and freeze dried extracts showed that the freeze dried extracts were approximately 50% more active than the air dried extracts. Bioassay of a freeze dried antral extract over a twenty four week period showed that the activity was maintained for the initial six weeks, and that 80% of the activity was then lost over the following eighteen weeks.
Studies using columns of Sephadex have shown that extracts from all regions of the ovine gastro-intestinal tract investigated were similar and consisted of several components of differing molecular weight. By a comparison of their respective molecular weights, to those reported for components separated from extracts of non-ruminant origin, it seems likely that components corresponding to MG, HLG, BG, BBG and component I were present in varying amounts. 
The response to infusions of gastrin extract in fed and fasted sheep were different. In fasted sheep infusions of extract, after a relatively long latent period, caused a small, but prolonged increase in acid secretion. In contrast pentagastrin caused an immediate and pronounced response. In fed sheep the responses were variable. 
Experiments on a single dolphin (Delphinus delpis) have shown there to be gastrin-like activity present in the forestomach, mainstomach, pyloric stomach, duodenal ampulla and intestine of this mammal. 
The distribution of gastrin-like activity reported in the present work has been compared to previous reports concerning the distribution of gastrin activity in animals with a more simple stomach, and the possible function of gastrin in the ruminant has been discussed.

year: 1978

title: What are the perceptions of Māori bilingual-educated families towards growing up and learning the Māori language?

authors: Hill, Richard Kenneth

abstract: The Māori language occupies an important place as New Zealand’s indigenous language. This is despite over a century  of attempts  to wipe it out. The revitalisation movement from the 1980s has made a significant contribution to raise its profile and ensure younger generations of primarily Māori students can grow up learning the Māori language through school. However, significant issues still exist, as low numbers of families take advantage of bilingual education options, and remain there to develop high levels of proficiency.


Attitudes of both Māori and non-Māori (Pākehā) populations towards the Māori language have been steadily improving in recent decades. There are increasing calls to make it a compulsory subject in all New Zealand schools. Whilst these are positive signs, the long term health of the Māori language is still precarious. Using the findings of recent studies into Māori bilingual school transitions, including Hill, Rameka and Skerrett (2017) and Hill (2014, 2016, 2017), this presentation seeks to unpack the perceptions of Māori students and their families from a range of programmes towards their languages (Māori and English) and their lives. The findings will illustrate that families within the Māori bilingual education context are enthusiastic about  Māori language learning and being educated bilingually. They are also resolute that bilingual education will help to prepare their children  for their world. However,  families often differ in the extent to which they commit to high immersion programmes, thus affecting the potential success of the Māori language revitalisation aim.

text: What are the perceptions of Māori bilingual-educated families towards growing up and learning the Māori language? The Māori language occupies an important place as New Zealand’s indigenous language. This is despite over a century  of attempts  to wipe it out. The revitalisation movement from the 1980s has made a significant contribution to raise its profile and ensure younger generations of primarily Māori students can grow up learning the Māori language through school. However, significant issues still exist, as low numbers of families take advantage of bilingual education options, and remain there to develop high levels of proficiency.


Attitudes of both Māori and non-Māori (Pākehā) populations towards the Māori language have been steadily improving in recent decades. There are increasing calls to make it a compulsory subject in all New Zealand schools. Whilst these are positive signs, the long term health of the Māori language is still precarious. Using the findings of recent studies into Māori bilingual school transitions, including Hill, Rameka and Skerrett (2017) and Hill (2014, 2016, 2017), this presentation seeks to unpack the perceptions of Māori students and their families from a range of programmes towards their languages (Māori and English) and their lives. The findings will illustrate that families within the Māori bilingual education context are enthusiastic about  Māori language learning and being educated bilingually. They are also resolute that bilingual education will help to prepare their children  for their world. However,  families often differ in the extent to which they commit to high immersion programmes, thus affecting the potential success of the Māori language revitalisation aim.

year: 2018