Pittwater Online News

Seeking community thoughts on planned threatened species work in NSW

Media release: 15 January 2016, updated: 19 January 2016

Are you interested in saving the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, a small agile marsupial with a distinctive bushy tail? Or the strikingly marked Malleefowl, a ground-dwelling bird known for its loud call? Or the rare and unusual looking Wollemi pine known as the ‘Dinosaur tree’?

Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Chief Executive, Terry Bailey today invited the community, ecologists and threatened species experts, to get online and review the latest draft conservation project plans to save 47 (4 iconic, 24 site-managed and 19 landscape-managed species) of the State’s almost 1,000 threatened species.

“Already there are a number of important Saving our Species conservation projects underway across NSW with government and community working together to conduct breeding programs, monitor species and restore habitat areas,” Mr Bailey said.

“This new group of draft conservation strategies, developed in conjunction with species experts are now online and we are looking for community feedback on how we plan to do this important work.

“For many of our species, pest and weed management is key to their ongoing survival. As a result, many of the proposed draft strategies outline ways we plan to best manage either predators or competitors.

 “For example, draft strategies to save the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby currently on exhibition include captive breeding at Waterfall Springs and reintroduction at their old habitat places such as the heritage-listed reserves of Jenolan Caves following control of foxes.

“For the endangered Black Grass-dart Butterfly, a small dark brown-black butterfly with orange markings found on the NSW mid north coast, we can best support its survival in the wild by improving the habitat of another endangered species, Floyd's Grass, which is the sole food source for its young. The butterfly only lays its eggs on the underside leaf of Floyd's Grass.

“Under Saving our Species we are already mapping the occurrence of Floyd’s Grass and these new draft plans include weed control programs that will protect the habitat of this endangered native grass.

“For the shy and elusive Malleefowl bird, counting them is very difficult. New strategies incorporate digital photography and smartphones to improve Malleefowl monitoring which records the birds and their mounds which are made of rotting leaves, sand or soil to incubate their eggs.”

Mr Bailey said securing the survival of these rare and threatened species is a combined effort and the data from these new projects will inform important recovery actions to help secure these species in the wild for the next 100 years.

Following the public exhibition, which closes on Monday 8 February 2016, these strategies will be finalised and added to the other Saving our Species projects that are currently guiding conversation action across NSW.

The draft strategies can be reviewed and comments provided at:HERE 

Have your say on biosecurity management in NSW

NSW Department of Primary Industries Media Release

Landowners, community and industry are encouraged to have their say on how biosecurity risks are managed in NSW, as consultation gets underway surrounding the regulations to support the new Biosecurity Act 2015.

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Deputy Director General, Bruce Christie, said the Biosecurity Act 2015 provides an opportunity to review how biosecurity risks are managed in NSW.

“Biosecurity protects our $12 billion primary industries sector, our food supply, our native flora and fauna and our infrastructure and assets from adverse impacts of animal and plant pests, diseases and weeds,” said Mr Christie.

“The Act aims to minimise these threats while simultaneously reducing red tape surrounding its management.

“However, before the Biosecurity Act 2015 commences supporting regulations need to be developed.

“This initial consultation phase will provide an opportunity for us to review how biosecurity risks are managed and work together to develop a simple but solid management system.

“We are calling for feedback on how best to manage these risks so that we can ensure the regulations we develop are flexible and responsive to them, while also meeting business, environmental and community expectations.

“Dedicated materials and discussion papers are now available online and we welcome comment and feedback from landowners, community and industry.”

Topics include aquatic biosecurity, animal biosecurity, plant biosecurity, stock foods, fertilisers and chemical residue, weeds, animal pests, certification and auditing.

“Biosecurity can often be taken for granted, however it’s vital for the health, wellbeing and prosperity of everyone in NSW,” said Mr Christie.

“Biosecurity is a shared responsibility and together we can protect NSW’s strong economy, safe healthy food supply and unique natural environment.”

The closing date for initial feedback on the papers is Friday 12 February 2016, while there will be further ongoing consultation over the next 12 months as the regulations are developed.

For more information visit www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurityact

Have your say on modifications to the Gingko Mineral Sands Mine extension

18.01.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment

A proposal to make modifications to the Gingko Mineral Sands Mine located approximately 40 kilometres west of Pooncarie is on exhibition for community feedback.

The Department of Planning and Environment is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposal which seeks to:

extend the existing development area by approximately 32 hectares

increase the biodiversity offset areas by 1,411 hectares to account for unauthorised clearing.

Biodiversity offsets protect and manage biodiversity in one area in exchange for impacts on biodiversity in another area. 

In May 2013, the Department of Planning and Environment issued a formal notice to Cristal Mining after more land was cleared than the approval allowed. The company agreed to substantially increase the existing offset areas for the mine to compensate for the unauthorised clearing.

A spokesperson for the Department said the local community always has an opportunity to share their views. 

“Community consultation is an integral part of the planning process and the applicant will have to respond to the feedback we receive. 

Submissions are taken into consideration when we assess projects and develop our recommendations,” the spokesperson said. 

“It’s easy to participate by going online and we encourage everyone to take a look and have their say.”

To make a submission or view the Environmental Assessment (EA), visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au.

Submissions can be made until Friday, 12 February 2016.

Written submissions can also be made to:

Department of Planning and Environment

Attn: Executive Director – Resource Assessments and Business Systems

GPO Box 39, Sydney NSW 2001 

The application and EA is also available to view in person at:

• Department of Planning and Environment, 23-33 Bridge Street, Sydney

• Wentworth Shire Council, 26/24-28 Adelaide Street, Wentworth

• Nature Conservation Council, Level 2, 5 Wilson Street, Newtown

_________________________

Direct link: www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.

Malabar Headland returned to the people of New South Wales 

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE The Hon. Greg Hunt MP Federal Minister for the Environment The Hon. Mark Speakman SC MP NSW Minister for the Environment

19 January 2016

Federal Minister for the Environment Greg Hunt and NSW Environment Minister Mark Speakman announced today the completion of the transfer of ownership of the South-Eastern Malabar Headland (also known as Lot 304) from the Commonwealth to the people of New South Wales. 

“We have quadrupled the size of land on the Malabar Headland that will be owned by the people of New South Wales,” Minister Hunt said. 

“The South-Eastern Headland is the most beautiful and scenic part of the Malabar Headland with panoramic coastal views rivalling any other section of Sydney’s stunning coastline.” 

“We have fully funded a $5 million upgrade to the Central Malabar Headland, confirmed in the recent release of the 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook.” 

“This includes funding to return the South East Equestrian Club to the Headland. The necessary remediation and constructions works are expected to be commence shortly.” “Funding will also be used to improve safety and other amenities on the ANZAC Rifle Range, as well as completing a scoping study to investigate alternative sites for a mutually agreeable relocation of the New South Wales Rifle Association.” 

“We are committed to ensuring the whole of the Malabar Headland is kept in public hands in perpetuity,” Minister Hunt said. 

Minister Speakman said the transfer was a win for the local environment with the South-Eastern Headland home to some of the last remnants of the threatened Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub and a surviving coastal battery from the defence of Sydney during World War II.

“On behalf of the people of New South Wales, I am delighted to welcome back this portion of the Headland after nearly a hundred years of Commonwealth ownership,” Minister Speakman said. “We will now work hard to gazette the area as a National Park and to enable safe and significant public access,” Minister Speakman said.

Boral fined $15,000 for Marulan water pollution incident

Media release: 18 January 2016

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued a $15,000 penalty notice to Boral Resources (NSW) for a water pollution incident at its Peppertree Quarry in Marulan on 26 August 2015.

Boral notified the EPA of the incident when it became aware a portion of a stockpile of fine aggregate had slumped during heavy rain on 26 August 2015.  Some of the fine aggregate material entered Tangarang Creek causing a temporary increase in turbidity and sediment load in the Creek.

EPA South East Region Manager Nigel Sargent said Boral has a responsibility under its Environment Protection Licence conditions to deal with quarried materials at the site in a proper and efficient manner.

“Boral failed to do this, which has led to a water pollution incident,” Mr Sargent said.

“The EPA does not believe there was any long term environmental harm, but the increased turbidity and sediment load from the incident has the potential to smother aquatic organisms and their habitat.”

“Boral took immediate clean-up actions after the incident and is currently completing longer term environmental rehabilitation such as bank stabilisation in Tangarang Creek.”

Tangarang Creek flows into the Shoalhaven River within Morton National Park.

Penalty notices are one of a number of tools the EPA can use to achieve environmental compliance, including formal warnings, licence conditions, notices and directions, mandatory audits, enforceable undertakings, legally binding pollution reduction programs and prosecutions.

The EPA must also take a range of factors into account before delivering a proportionate regulatory response, including the degree of environmental harm, whether or not there are any real or potential health impacts, if the action of the offender was deliberate, compliance history, public interest and best environmental outcomes.

Members of the public are encouraged to report environmental incidents to the 24 hour Environment Line on 131 555.

Forestry Corporation penalised for failing to protect threatened species

Media release: 18 January 2016

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has issued two penalty notices to Forestry Corporation of NSW (FCNSW) for harming a threatened species during harvesting operations in northern NSW last year.

In March 2015 the EPA received a report from a local environment group alleging that FCNSW had damaged a number of threatened onion cedar trees, during the construction of a snig (haulage) track in Cherry Tree State Forest, near Casino.

The EPA carried out an investigation which found that FCNSW had failed to identify the plants during surveys and assessments in both a rainforest area and an adjacent harvest area.

As they were not identified, the individual plants were not protected during the construction of the snig track and a total of eight onion cedar trees were harmed.

EPA Chief Environmental Regulator, Mark Gifford said under the conditions of its Threatened Species Licence, FCNSW is required to survey and assess the impacts of harvesting activities on threatened species when proposing to construct a snig track through rainforest.

“If any threatened species are identified, approval must be sought from the EPA before construction. This was not done.” Mr Gifford said.

“FCNSW is also required to thoroughly search the harvesting area for threatened plants prior to undertaking forestry activities.”   

“FCNSW has a responsibility to comply with the conditions of its licence and threated species legislation, to protect threatened species and their habitat from activities associated with timber harvesting.”

FCNSW was fined $1,000 for each of the two offences. This is the maximum penalty available to the EPA under current legislation.

The EPA has a number of tools available in order to achieve environmental compliance.

For more information see the EPA’s Compliance Policy:www.epa.nsw.gov.au/legislation/130251epacompl.htm

Must see Sydney Harbour tours - new series of summer experiences unveiled

Media release: 18 January 2016

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has created an eclectic range of events that showcase the beauty, history and diversity of Sydney’s world-class national park.

David Thompson, Sydney Harbour Discovery Coordinator, describes the variety of events offered as part of the new summer series.

“Sydney Harbour is awash with history, heritage significance, stunning natural islands and shores brimming with Aboriginal culture,” Mr Thompson said.

“NPWS has captured this magnificence in a series of summer tours that showcases the spectacle of Sydney Harbour’s past and present.

“For those that want to explore Sydney Harbour’s famous sites we’ve created an affordable mix of experiences for all ages.

“From kids programs that bring to light convict stories, Australia Day celebrations on Goat Island and expeditions that reveal Sydney Harbour’s forgotten military history, the summer program has it all.

“Starting in January the Japanese mini submarine tour which uncovers the historical details behind the fateful night when three midget submarines entered Sydney Harbour back in 1942.

“This tour takes in the cannons of Fort Denison, Garden Island’s Conning Tower, a historic guided ferry journey and brings-to-life the rich history of the World War II Japanese midget submarine attacks.”

It is likely these events will book out quickly so NPWS is encouraging people to get in early. To book visit www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au  or call 13000 PARKS (1300 072 757).

The Sydney Harbour Summer Series tours and experiences include:

JAPANESE MINI SUBMARINE TOUR

An NPWS guide will bring-to-life the fateful night Sydney Harbour was attacked by three midget submarines. The tour involves a trip on a historic ferry to retrace the movement of the submarines. You'll learn about the civilians and naval personnel involved in this extraordinary story. Depending on the tour, the cruise includes morning tea on Fort Denison or lunch on Garden Island.

Morning Tea Cruise to Fort Denison

When: Monday 25 January, Sunday 6 March and Tuesday 31 May 2016, 10.30am–1.30pm. Price: Adult $79 per person. Concession $74 per person.

Meeting point: Cadmans Cottage forecourt, 110 George Street, The Rocks. Meet at 9.45am. Bookings required: Phone 13000 PARKS (1300 072 757) or book online.

Lunch cruise to Garden Island

When: Sunday 24 April and Wednesday 1 June 2016, 10.30am–1.30pm

Price: Adult $99 per person. Concession $94 per person. Meeting point: Cadmans Cottage forecourt, 110 George Street, The Rocks. Meet at 9.45am.

Bookings required: Phone 13000 PARKS (1300 072 757) or book online.

GOAT ISLAND SOUNDS

Celebrate Australia Day on Goat Island with live music, streaming of the triple j Hottest 100, gourmet food and spectacular harbour views. When: 26 January 2016. 11am-9.30pm. Price: $62.50 +booking fee

CONVICT KIDS

This kids program transports children back to a convict life through role play and stories. Children will explore what it was like to be a convict working in a quarry gang or sentenced to life as a convict.

GOAT ISLAND

When:  Wednesday 13 April 10.15am to 1pm. Price: Adult $26.40, child $26.40

ISLAND HOP ABOARD THE GARGARLE

Join your guide on the historic 1950s Gargarle ferry for a fascinating tour of Goat Island, Fort Denison and Clark Island.

When: Sunday 21 February 2016. 10am to 2pm. Meet at 9.45am. Price: Adult $85. Concession/child $80.

Photo: Kids on Fort Denison (2) – by David Finnegan/OEH

Photo: Goat Island Sydney Harbour National Park (2)- David Finnegan/OEH

Hunter 'Blackwater' Event - Update

Media release: 19 January 2016

The EPA has received the results of scientific studies conducted by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) which provide strong evidence of the likely source of the recent fish deaths and odours in the Hunter.

Floodplains in the Hunter Valley have been inundated with floodwaters after the recent significant heavy rain which has resulted in a blackwater event causing fish deaths and odours.

Gary Davey, EPA’s Director North said the odours around Newcastle are caused by natural processes due to low levels of oxygen in the Hunter River.

“As the floodwaters moved over low lying areas surrounding the rivers, they picked up large quantities of organic matter, including decaying vegetation, leaves, dirt and sand. 

“Although an important process for healthy river function, the decomposition of this organic matter depletes oxygen levels in the water and releases tannins which give the water a distinctive black colour.”

The most recent data gathered by the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) since the floods show that dissolved oxygen (DO), which is vital to supporting aquatic life, is at some of the lowest levels reported in recent years, and that the Williams and Paterson Rivers were also contributors to the blackwater.

Healthy DO levels in rivers and estuaries vary between 70 – 100%, depending on water quality and temperature.

The data from river sampling conducted by OEH in the Hunter catchment showed DO levels were extremely low (1-2% DO) in these rivers for several kilometres upstream from their confluence with the Hunter River. DO levels started to increase in upper stretches of the Hunter River upstream of the Williams and Paterson rivers and reached 45% DO at Morpeth.

Hunter River water showed 1-2% DO from Tomago to Raymond Terrace. These low levels are from surface waters to the bottom. This equates to over 40km of blackwater in the system, which will slowly work its way to the mouth of the river. 

Gary Davey said there is no evidence to suggest any linkage between recent mine dam incidents in the upper Hunter catchment and the blackwater event in the lower reaches of the Paterson, Williams and Hunter Rivers.

“Firstly, there are no coal mines in either the Paterson or Williams River catchments.

“Testing also shows that Dissolved Oxygen levels in waters coming down the Hunter River were considerably higher than the DO levels in the area where the fish kills occurred, for example 40% at Morpeth and 1% at Raymond Terrace.

“Assessment of salinity data from upstream to downstream has also identified that saline water discharged from mines as part of the Hunter River Salinity Trading Scheme has not caused the fish deaths.

“Unfortunately, it will be still some time before the impacts of the blackwater event dissipate and the river starts to return to normal. We have requested councils to conduct clean-ups of the dead fish, but in the meantime, the community is reminded to continue to exercise caution around the river and any stagnant waters.”

EPA and OEH will continue testing waters and monitoring the blackwater over the coming days.

EPA proposing minor changes to Hunter River Salinity Trading Scheme

Media release: 18 January 2016

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is proposing a series of minor amendments to the Hunter River Salinity Trading Scheme Regulation after a review found the Scheme to be operating well, meeting the needs of farmers and industry, whilst also continuing to protect the environmental value of the Hunter River.

As part of the 10-year statutory review of the Regulation the EPA has been consulting with key industrial, agricultural, community and environmental stakeholders to seek feedback on how the Regulation which governs the Scheme could be improved.

EPA Hunter Region Manager Adam Gilligan said overall the majority of stakeholders supported the scheme and how it is currently operated, with all participants recognising the important role the scheme plays in helping to manage salinity levels in the Hunter River catchment. 

“As a result the proposed amendments to the Regulation are relatively minor changes. The most significant is a proposal to increase the flood flow thresholds in all scheme sectors,” Mr Gilligan said.

“Increasing the flood flow thresholds will future-proof the scheme, by minimising the risk of salinity targets being exceeded during times of flood. It will also help to ensure that salinity credits are valued appropriately over the next 10 years.”

Other potential non-regulatory improvements to the scheme identified through the review, for further consideration by the EPA, include:

• a review of the efficiency of the online credit trading platform

• a program of operational/technological improvements to improve the operational efficiency of the scheme, and

• other investigations and studies to help support the scheme into the future.

“The Hunter River is a vital environmental asset for the local community and while the salinity trading scheme has been an extremely successful in helping industry to manage the impact of salt water discharges, it is important that the Regulation remains strong and relevant so that the River remains healthy and viable for all users.

“I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in the Hunter River to review the Draft Amendment Regulation and to make a submission via the EPA website” Mr Gilligan said.

For more information visit:www.epa.nsw.gov.au/licensing/hrsts/index.htm.

Submissions close 5pm Friday 19 February 2016.

Pittwater's Wildlife Protection Areas

Pittwater is a very biodiverse area and currently has 25 declared Wildlife Protection Areas (WPAs) established in accordance with the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998. This is in recognition that these areas are of significant ecological value and provide vital habitat for native fauna.

A list of WPAs in Pittwater may be found atwww.pittwater.nsw.gov.au/wpas

Cats are prohibited in ALL Wildlife Protection Areas whilst dogs are prohibited in Bangalley Head, Deep Creek Foreshore Reserve, Turimetta Headland, Ingleside Chase Reserve, Irrawong Reserve, Warriewood Wetlands, and Careel Bay Intertidal Area. In all other WPAs dogs are permitted provided they are on a lead and remain on the designated path.

Early in the new year Pittwater Council will commence a trial program to manage cats in a select number of Wildlife Protection Areas. These have been selected because of high diversity and reported issues with cats. Residents adjacent to these reserves will be notified prior to program commencement and signage installed at all reserve entrances. During the program period, cats found roaming these areas will be taken to the Pittwater Animal Hospital. All cat owners are encouraged to ensure their pets are microchipped, registered with Council and correct contact details are maintained.

Owners of cats found within WPAs are liable for fines.

It is not only our wildlife that benefit from keeping domestic and feral animals out of WPAs it is our pets themselves. This keeps them safe from ticks, snakes and spiders, prevents injuries caused by fighting with other domestic animals or native fauna, reduces the likelihood of contracting diseases and minimises the risk of being hit by a motor vehicle.

Native wildlife is particularly vulnerable to cat and dog predation as they have no effective defence mechanisms against introduced predators or infections or diseases (e.g. toxoplasmosis) associated with injury. Council looks forward to working with the community to ensure these Wildlife Protection Areas remain a safe haven for our precious native fauna.

For more information please contact Sonja Elwood on 9970 1308.

17.01.2016- Ministerial Media Release, The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Planning

Planning Minister Rob Stokes today announced new high school lesson plans aimed at encouraging students to get involved in shaping the future of their communities.

Mr Stokes said the geography lesson plans on urban and regional planning will be made available next year for students in years seven and eight. The lessons will help students, teachers and parents better understand the NSW planning system. “We want to spark the interest of potential future planners, urban designers, environmental scientists, engineers, demographers and architects, and engage them in planning for their communities and their state,” Mr Stokes said. 

“The lessons will encourage young people to be aware of and understand the natural and built environments in which they live, and give them the knowledge and skills to play an active and positive role in their communities both now and in the future.

“I encourage schools to get involved and make use of the fantastic resources that will be available next year.” 

The plans were designed through a partnership between the Department of Planning and Environment and the Geography Teachers Association of NSW.

Geography Teachers Association of NSW Susan Caldis said the lessons will explore issues such as neighbourhood design, open space, healthy built environments and understanding and balancing environmental, economic and social issues.

“It is very exciting that these lesson plans will come to life,” Ms Caldis said. 

“The lessons have been designed to embrace an inquiry-based learning approach where students ask questions about real or hypothetical planning challenges and investigate these questions through fieldwork.”

Important regulator of immune system decoded

January 18, 2016

Our environment teems with microorganisms and viruses that are potentially harmful. The reason why we survive their daily attacks is the ability of the immune system to neutralize these invaders in numerous ways. Plasma cells are key players in this process. They fight infections and establish long-lasting protection against pathogens.

Plasma cells are white blood cells that develop from B-cells. They are the effector cells of the humoral immune response. Their main function is to produce antibodies that patrol the body in large numbers to neutralize harmful invaders. A functional plasma cell produces up to 10,000 antibodies per second to release them into the blood stream. This outstanding achievement can be visualized with a powerful microscope, as active plasma cells are packed with antibody-producing vesicles, constituting the so-called endoplasmic reticulum that is essential for antibody assembly and secretion.

B-cells need to be activated by antigens (foreign substances) in order to develop into plasma cells. They first form plasmablasts that migrate to the bone marrow where they survive for many years or even decades. The long-lasting protection provided by active vaccines is based on this immunological memory of plasma cells.

A Central Role for Blimp1

Scientist have known about the functions of plasma cells for quite a while. However, details of how the differentiation and function of these cells are regulated were still unknown. Now an important key to understanding the function of plasma cells has been discovered by a team headed by Meinrad Busslinger, Senior Scientist and Deputy Director at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna, Austria. In a five-year project, the team succeeded in deciphering the role of the protein Blimp1 as a central regulator of plasma cell development and function. In its current issue, the science journal Nature Immunology publishes the results of the team in Vienna as well as the work of Australian colleagues that complements the Viennese results.

In detailed studies, scientists at the IMP identified all genes that are involved in the development of plasma cells in mice. First author Martina Minnich, whose PhD-thesis provided the groundwork for the publication, explains the results: "We found that more than 50 percent of these genes are regulated by Blimp1. Therefore, this factor must be of vital importance for plasma cells. Furthermore, we were able to show for the first time that Blimp1 not only switches genes off but can also switch other genes on. This is an important discovery for the understanding of plasma cell development."

"Most of the essential functions of plasma cells are controlled by the factor Blimp1," Meinrad Busslinger summarizes the results. "It regulates their mobility and migration to the bone marrow. Blimp1 is also responsible for the enormous increase in size of the endoplasmic reticulum and the strong up-regulation of antibody production in plasma cells. Humoral immunity would not be possible without Blimp1."

No Antibodies without Blimp1

Even though Blimp1 is necessary for the development of plasma cells, mature plasma cells can survive without this factor. However, when Blimp1 is switched off, they become non-functional as they no longer produce antibodies. This unexpected finding is the result of work carried out at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne, Australia. The study, which is published back-to-back with the Austrian paper, was led by Stephen Nutt, Head of the Division of Molecular Immunology at WEHI. The picture that emerges from the Australian study perfectly complements the results obtained at the IMP.

Insight into the manifold functions of Blimp1 is not only important for our understanding of the immune system but may also be relevant for human medicine. Mutations in the Blimp1 gene can block the further differentiation of B-cells, which contributes to the formation of malign B cell tumors known as lymphomas. Moreover, quiescent plasma cells can sometimes switch to uncontrolled cell growth and thus turn into plasma cell tumors or multiple myelomas.

Another aspect of the immune system that is highly relevant for medicine is the broad spectrum of autoimmune diseases. Conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are an example for the serious damage to organs and tissue caused by misguided immune responses which generate plasma cells producing auto-reactive antibodies that turn against the body's own tissue.

Meinrad Busslinger: "The published results have yielded profound insight into the function of plasma cells. They also raise new interesting questions which we will address in forthcoming projects."

Journal References:

1. Martina Minnich, Hiromi Tagoh, Peter Bönelt, Elin Axelsson, Maria Fischer, Beatriz Cebolla, Alexander Tarakhovsky, Stephen L Nutt, Markus Jaritz, Meinrad Busslinger. Multifunctional role of the transcription factor Blimp-1 in coordinating plasma cell differentiation. Nature Immunology, 2016; DOI: 10.1038/ni.3349

2. Julie Tellier, Wei Shi, Martina Minnich, Yang Liao, Simon Crawford, Gordon K Smyth, Axel Kallies, Meinrad Busslinger, Stephen L Nutt.Blimp-1 controls plasma cell function through the regulation of immunoglobulin secretion and the unfolded protein response.Nature Immunology, 2016; DOI: 10.1038/ni.3348

Regular exercise critical for heart health, longevity

January 18, 2016

The majority of citizens in developed countries should not be concerned by potential harm from exercise but rather by the lack of exercise in their lives, according to a clinical perspective published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiologyfrom the ACC Sports and Exercise Cardiology Leadership Council. According to the council, small amounts of physical activity, including standing, are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but more exercise leads to even greater reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

"The evidence with regard to exercise continues to unfold and educate the cardiovascular clinical community," said JACC Editor-in-Chief Valentin Fuster, M.D., Ph.D. "The greatest benefit is to simply exercise, regardless of the intensity, while the danger is two-fold: to not exercise at all or to exercise intensely, without due preparation."

Studies have shown that regular physical activity reduces a person's risk of death from cardiovascular disease; however, only half of U.S. adults meet the federally recommended guidelines of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity exercise.

In this report, the American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council examined recent research on the volume and intensity of aerobic exercise required for favorable cardiovascular health. With the rise in participation in endurance races over the past three decades, they also address the question of whether or not there is an amount of exercise that increases cardiovascular disease risk.

The council found that moderate and vigorous intensity exercise in amounts lower than the 2008 Physical Activity Guideline recommendations still significantly lower mortality risk in different populations around the globe. Increasing the amount of moderate intensity exercise a person engages in results in increased reductions in cardiovascular disease mortality; however, the reductions in cardiovascular mortality benefits from vigorous intensity exercise do level out at a certain point.

There is no evidence for an upper limit to exercise-induced health benefits and all amounts of both moderate and vigorous intensity exercise result in a reduction of both all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality compared to physical inactivity.

While controversial, a few limited studies have raised the concern that high volumes of aerobic exercise may be as bad for cardiovascular outcomes as no exercise at all. According to the council, the possibility that too much exercise training could be harmful is worthy of investigation, but research results show that even for the very active, life-long endurance athletes, the benefits of exercise training outweigh the risks.

"The public media has embraced the idea that exercise may harm the heart and disseminated this message, thereby diverting attention away from the benefits of exercise as a potent intervention for the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease," said Michael Scott Emery, M.D., co-chair of the ACC Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council.

For cardiovascular disease patients, exercise can save lives, but one study showed that only 62 percent of heart attack patients were referred to cardiac rehabilitation at hospital discharge. Of those, just 23 percent attended more than one rehab session and only 5.4 percent completed more than 36 sessions.

"The available evidence should prompt clinicians to recommend strongly low and moderate exercise training for the majority of our patients," Emery said. "Equally important are initiatives to promote population health at large through physical activity across the life span, as it modulates behavior from childhood into adult life."

Thijs M.H. Eijsvogels, Silvana Molossi, Duck-chul Lee, Michael S. Emery, Paul D. Thompson. Exercise at the Extremes. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2016; 67 (3): 316 DOI:10.1016/j.jacc.2015.11.034

Government Architects strategic arm joins Department of Planning and Environment

18.01.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment

The strategic arm of the Government Architect’s Office has transferred to the Department of Planning and Environment in order to work closely on preserving and enhancing the State’s global status.

Secretary Carolyn McNally said the Department already works closely with the Government Architect on several projects and combining both makes sense.

“This is an exciting time for the Department, and this transfer only adds to the expertise of the Department of Planning and Environment” Ms McNally said.

“This transfer will help make us a Department who leads in strategic planning, and provides best practice for planning and design for NSW, guided by a Department of experts. 

The Government Architect is the oldest continuing role in Australia and this year marks its 200-year anniversary. 

“An unprecedented program of renewal and planning for the future of NSW towns and cities is underway, and the Government Architect’s Office will bring an enormous amount of expertise to the planning table,” Ms McNally said. 

The NSW Government Architect, Peter Poulet, already works closely with the Department on several projects and is eager to create a vibrant NSW while maintaining his role as an independent thought leader. 

“It makes sense that my office’s expertise is used to help plan well-designed communities by working with the Department,” Mr Poulet said. 

“Liveability will be NSW’s continuing competitive advantage and attraction in the decades ahead. 

“We’ll work together to contribute to the state and our city’s ability to foster innovation, develop thriving communities and attract investment and skills from across the world,” Mr Poulet said.

Most parents say they set limits on teen drivers, but teens don't always think so

January 19, 2016

Parents may intend to set strong limits on their teen drivers but their kids may not always be getting the message, a new nationally-representative poll suggests.

In families where parents reported limitations on their teen drivers -- such as restricting cell phone use, number of teen passengers and driving times and locations -- teens themselves sometimes said they did not have those limitations, according to the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health.

"We know teen drivers are vulnerable to distractions while driving, and that they are also at the highest risk for crashes," says lead author Michelle L. Macy, M.D., M.S., an emergency medicine physician at the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.

"Parents play a key role in promoting the safety of their teens by setting expectations for driving. We found that the great majority of parents do have rules for their teen drivers; however, teens consistently perceive fewer limits on their driving than what their parents report. This signals an opportunity for parents and teens to have more conversations about safe driving habits."

Parents of teens 13-18 years old and teens themselves were asked about limits placed on driving circumstances that can increase a teen driver's risk of a crash. About nine in 10 parents report they place at least one limit on their teen drivers while eight out of 10 teens report having at least one driving limit placed on them by their parents.

In families where parents report limits on cell phone use while driving, 13 percent of teens say they have no limits. In families where parents report limits on teen passengers or nighttime or highway driving, 20 percent of teens say they have no such limits.

Meanwhile, parents who judge their teens' driving ability as "above average" (32 percent of all parents) are less likely to place limits on passengers and driving times/locations. Sixty-seven percent of parents set limits on passengers for their "above-average" teen drivers, compared with 81 percent of parents who perceive their teen drivers as "below average."

Parental limits on cell phone use include:

• Requiring teens to park to use their cell phones (86%)

• Forbidding texting while driving (73%)

• Having cell phone turned off or put away (62%)

Parental limits on passengers include:

• Allowing only 1-2 friends in the car (59%)

• Allowing only certain friends (54%)

• No teen passengers allowed (40%)

Parental limits on driving times/locations include:

• No driving after 10 p.m. (61%)

• Driving only to/from school, work, or activities (57%)

• No highway driving (36%)

Macy recommends parents model good driving behavior themselves starting when their children are young and that they have conversations about safe driving early.

"It's never too early to start modeling safe habits for your kids like not answering texts while driving," Macy says. "It's also a good idea to have conversations about rules of the road long before your child is ever in the driver's seat."

For more information, parents and teens may visituofmhealth.org/news/archive/201601/umhealth.me/drivingblogs

Evidence of a real ninth planet

January 20, 2016

Caltech researchers have found evidence of a giant planet tracing a bizarre, highly elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The object, which the researchers have nicknamed Planet Nine, has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbits about 20 times farther from the sun on average than does Neptune (which orbits the sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). In fact, it would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the sun.

The researchers, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown, discovered the planet's existence through mathematical modeling and computer simulations but have not yet observed the object directly.

"This would be a real ninth planet," says Brown, the Richard and Barbara Rosenberg Professor of Planetary Astronomy. "There have only been two true planets discovered since ancient times, and this would be a third. It's a pretty substantial chunk of our solar system that's still out there to be found, which is pretty exciting."

Brown notes that the putative ninth planet -- at 5,000 times the mass of Pluto -- is sufficiently large that there should be no debate about whether it is a true planet. Unlike the class of smaller objects now known as dwarf planets, Planet Nine gravitationally dominates its neighborhood of the solar system. In fact, it dominates a region larger than any of the other known planets -- a fact that Brown says makes it "the most planet-y of the planets in the whole solar system."

Batygin and Brown describe their work in the current issue of the Astronomical Journal and show how Planet Nine helps explain a number of mysterious features of the field of icy objects and debris beyond Neptune known as the Kuiper Belt.

"Although we were initially quite skeptical that this planet could exist, as we continued to investigate its orbit and what it would mean for the outer solar system, we become increasingly convinced that it is out there," says Batygin, an assistant professor of planetary science. "For the first time in over 150 years, there is solid evidence that the solar system's planetary census is incomplete."

The road to the theoretical discovery was not straightforward. In 2014, a former postdoc of Brown's, Chad Trujillo, and his colleague Scott Shepherd published a paper noting that 13 of the most distant objects in the Kuiper Belt are similar with respect to an obscure orbital feature. To explain that similarity, they suggested the possible presence of a small planet. Brown thought the planet solution was unlikely, but his interest was piqued.

He took the problem down the hall to Batygin, and the two started what became a year-and-a-half-long collaboration to investigate the distant objects. As an observer and a theorist, respectively, the researchers approached the work from very different perspectives -- Brown as someone who looks at the sky and tries to anchor everything in the context of what can be seen, and Batygin as someone who puts himself within the context of dynamics, considering how things might work from a physics standpoint. Those differences allowed the researchers to challenge each other's ideas and to consider new possibilities. "I would bring in some of these observational aspects; he would come back with arguments from theory, and we would push each other. I don't think the discovery would have happened without that back and forth," says Brown. " It was perhaps the most fun year of working on a problem in the solar system that I've ever had."

Fairly quickly Batygin and Brown realized that the six most distant objects from Trujillo and Shepherd's original collection all follow elliptical orbits that point in the same direction in physical space. That is particularly surprising because the outermost points of their orbits move around the solar system, and they travel at different rates.

"It's almost like having six hands on a clock all moving at different rates, and when you happen to look up, they're all in exactly the same place," says Brown. The odds of having that happen are something like 1 in 100, he says. But on top of that, the orbits of the six objects are also all tilted in the same way -- pointing about 30 degrees downward in the same direction relative to the plane of the eight known planets. The probability of that happening is about 0.007 percent. "Basically it shouldn't happen randomly," Brown says. "So we thought something else must be shaping these orbits."

The first possibility they investigated was that perhaps there are enough distant Kuiper Belt objects -- some of which have not yet been discovered -- to exert the gravity needed to keep that subpopulation clustered together. The researchers quickly ruled this out when it turned out that such a scenario would require the Kuiper Belt to have about 100 times the mass it has today.

That left them with the idea of a planet. Their first instinct was to run simulations involving a planet in a distant orbit that encircled the orbits of the six Kuiper Belt objects, acting like a giant lasso to wrangle them into their alignment. Batygin says that almost works but does not provide the observed eccentricities precisely. "Close, but no cigar," he says.

Then, effectively by accident, Batygin and Brown noticed that if they ran their simulations with a massive planet in an anti-aligned orbit -- an orbit in which the planet's closest approach to the sun, or perihelion, is 180 degrees across from the perihelion of all the other objects and known planets -- the distant Kuiper Belt objects in the simulation assumed the alignment that is actually observed.

"Your natural response is 'This orbital geometry can't be right. This can't be stable over the long term because, after all, this would cause the planet and these objects to meet and eventually collide,'" says Batygin. But through a mechanism known as mean-motion resonance, the anti-aligned orbit of the ninth planet actually prevents the Kuiper Belt objects from colliding with it and keeps them aligned. As orbiting objects approach each other they exchange energy. So, for example, for every four orbits Planet Nine makes, a distant Kuiper Belt object might complete nine orbits. They never collide. Instead, like a parent maintaining the arc of a child on a swing with periodic pushes, Planet Nine nudges the orbits of distant Kuiper Belt objects such that their configuration with relation to the planet is preserved.

"Still, I was very skeptical," says Batygin. "I had never seen anything like this in celestial mechanics."

But little by little, as the researchers investigated additional features and consequences of the model, they became persuaded. "A good theory should not only explain things that you set out to explain. It should hopefully explain things that you didn't set out to explain and make predictions that are testable," says Batygin.

And indeed Planet Nine's existence helps explain more than just the alignment of the distant Kuiper Belt objects. It also provides an explanation for the mysterious orbits that two of them trace. The first of those objects, dubbed Sedna, was discovered by Brown in 2003. Unlike standard-variety Kuiper Belt objects, which get gravitationally "kicked out" by Neptune and then return back to it, Sedna never gets very close to Neptune. A second object like Sedna, known as 2012 VP113, was announced by Trujillo and Shepherd in 2014. Batygin and Brown found that the presence of Planet Nine in its proposed orbit naturally produces Sedna-like objects by taking a standard Kuiper Belt object and slowly pulling it away into an orbit less connected to Neptune.

But the real kicker for the researchers was the fact that their simulations also predicted that there would be objects in the Kuiper Belt on orbits inclined perpendicularly to the plane of the planets. Batygin kept finding evidence for these in his simulations and took them to Brown. "Suddenly I realized there are objects like that," recalls Brown. In the last three years, observers have identified four objects tracing orbits roughly along one perpendicular line from Neptune and one object along another. "We plotted up the positions of those objects and their orbits, and they matched the simulations exactly," says Brown. "When we found that, my jaw sort of hit the floor."

"When the simulation aligned the distant Kuiper Belt objects and created objects like Sedna, we thought this is kind of awesome -- you kill two birds with one stone," says Batygin. "But with the existence of the planet also explaining these perpendicular orbits, not only do you kill two birds, you also take down a bird that you didn't realize was sitting in a nearby tree."

Where did Planet Nine come from and how did it end up in the outer solar system? Scientists have long believed that the early solar system began with four planetary cores that went on to grab all of the gas around them, forming the four gas planets -- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Over time, collisions and ejections shaped them and moved them out to their present locations. "But there is no reason that there could not have been five cores, rather than four," says Brown. Planet Nine could represent that fifth core, and if it got too close to Jupiter or Saturn, it could have been ejected into its distant, eccentric orbit.

Batygin and Brown continue to refine their simulations and learn more about the planet's orbit and its influence on the distant solar system. Meanwhile, Brown and other colleagues have begun searching the skies for Planet Nine. Only the planet's rough orbit is known, not the precise location of the planet on that elliptical path. If the planet happens to be close to its perihelion, Brown says, astronomers should be able to spot it in images captured by previous surveys. If it is in the most distant part of its orbit, the world's largest telescopes -- such as the twin 10-meter telescopes at the W. M. Keck Observatory and the Subaru Telescope, all on Mauna Kea in Hawaii -- will be needed to see it. If, however, Planet Nine is now located anywhere in between, many telescopes have a shot at finding it.

"I would love to find it," says Brown. "But I'd also be perfectly happy if someone else found it. That is why we're publishing this paper. We hope that other people are going to get inspired and start searching."

In terms of understanding more about the solar system's context in the rest of the universe, Batygin says that in a couple of ways, this ninth planet that seems like such an oddball to us would actually make our solar system more similar to the other planetary systems that astronomers are finding around other stars. First, most of the planets around other sunlike stars have no single orbital range -- that is, some orbit extremely close to their host stars while others follow exceptionally distant orbits. Second, the most common planets around other stars range between 1 and 10 Earth-masses.

"One of the most startling discoveries about other planetary systems has been that the most common type of planet out there has a mass between that of Earth and that of Neptune," says Batygin. "Until now, we've thought that the solar system was lacking in this most common type of planet. Maybe we're more normal after all."

Brown, well known for the significant role he played in the demotion of Pluto from a planet to a dwarf planet adds, "All those people who are mad that Pluto is no longer a planet can be thrilled to know that there is a real planet out there still to be found," he says. "Now we can go and find this planet and make the solar system have nine planets once again."

The paper is titled "Evidence for a Distant Giant Planet in the Solar System."

Article by Kimm Fesenmaier/ Caltech

Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown. Evidence for a Distant Giant Planet in the Solar System. Astronomical Journal, 2016; DOI: 10.3847/0004-6256/151/2/22

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