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The transition from mining to agriculture is hampered by a range of abiotic challenges to crop growth, including nutritional issues and heavy metal stress. Building on our previous work showing that potassium (K) limits legume growth in post-phosphate mining substrates on tropical Christmas Island, Australia, we undertook two field trials. The first compared the efficacy of controlled release K fertilisers (CRFs: KC1 2-month release, [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] 3-month and [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] 9-month) with immediately available potassium sulfate ([K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4]) fertiliser, on the legume Lablubpurpureas. The second trial tested responses of L. purpureus to different rates of [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] 9-month CRF, and a combination treatment (CRF and [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4]). Both trials were undertaken to determine how CRFs compare with immediately available [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] in terms of increasing biomass, reducing cadmium (Cd) concentrations, maximising plant K concentrations and maintaining K soil retention. The first trial revealed that [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] 3-month and 9-month CRFs were similar to the 160 kg/ha [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] treatment in significantly increasing L. purpureus biomass. Plant Cd and other heavy metal concentrations were significantly lower as plant biomass increased with increasing K, including with CRFs. The second trial showed no difference between various rates of [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] 9-month CRF and immediately available 160 kg/ha [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] to increase biomass, reduce Cd or increase K concentrations. We have shown that although post-phosphate mining substrates can limit legume growth, high biomass can be attained with some CRFs, or [K.sub.2]S[O.sub.4] at 160 kg/ha. Optimising nutrient input in post-mining agriculture is critical for developing safe, sustainable crops. Keywords: nutrition, heavy metal, food production, remote community, food security., Introduction Conversion of old mine sites to agriculture, although important and attractive for many social, economic and environmental reasons, presents significant biotic and abiotic challenges to crop establishment and growth [...]

Phthalate compounds were found to disrupt the endocrine system and alter transcriptomes during human embryonic development. In our previous work, we have isolated and reported two such phthalates di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) from Brevibacterium mcbrellneri bacteria and evaluated their bioactive properties. Naturally derived phthalates might be less toxic compared with synthesized molecules. We have investigated biologically isolated phthalates to understand the possible genotoxic effects in mice and further investigated in silico binding and polymerization of β-tubulin. Three sub-lethal concentrations of DEHP (150 μM, 175 μM, and 200 μM) and DBP (10 μM, 15 μM, and 30 μM) were studied. The results showed that the phthalates were found to be highly genotoxic in nature. However, the pattern of genotoxic effects was not found to be dose-dependent in the induction of chromosome aberrations (CA), micronuclei (MN), and changes in the mitotic index (MI) in cells. In silico studies of phthalates on polymerization of β-tubulin suggested that both DBP and DEHP were able to interact with the hydrogen bonds and make strong van der Waals interactions with β-tubulin thereby possibly causing destabilization of microtubule network. Our study suggests that these phthalates might be playing an important role in normal cell division thereby showing highly genotoxic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pre-Elementary Education Longitudinal Study (PEELS) examines the preschool and early elementary school experiences of a nationally representative sample of 3,104 children ages 3-5 with disabilities from 2004 through 2009. This paper describes the special education and related services received by a subsample of 186 preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in 2003-2004 and parental satisfaction with those services. Past research and patterns of litigation suggest that parents of children with ASD are not wholly satisfied with the special education and related services their children receive. In the current study, the authors found many similarities between children with ASD and children with other disabilities in the type of services received under "IDEA" and in parent satisfaction with these services. Still, some significant differences emerged in the number of services received, the amount of time children with ASD spent in special education settings, and parent satisfaction with the amount of time children spent with typically developing peers. Implications about the importance of parent satisfaction and social validity measures are discussed.