Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/103334
news&views Young blood halts memory loss Animal Welfare law reform Amid growing concerns for animal welfare, Tasmania's Animal Welfare Act is being reviewed. Tasmania's Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is working with the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment to get broad community support for more than 20 proposed changes to the act. Among those being considered are: prohibiting the killing of animals by certain methods; banning pronged dog collars; and more effectively monitoring the welfare of breeding dogs. New studies suggest that memory loss from brain ageing could be delayed by a transfusion of young blood. Research led by Dr Saul Villeda of Stanford University showed that when the blood of young mice was transfused into older mice it improved the memory and learning of the elderly rodents. The treatment led to a 20 per cent increase in brain cell connections in the older mice that received the transfusions. So, could the donated blood of 20-somethings prevent memory loss in older humans? Scientists are trying to work out if this is the case and if it could be turned into a therapy for older people. The Guardian reported Dr Villeda as saying that at some point in the future, people in their 40s or 50s might be able to use therapies based on the rejuvenating chemical factors in younger people's blood "as a preventative against the degenerative effects of ageing". Now he intends to test the remedy on mice with an induced form of Alzheimer's disease. Native title rights remain when mining ends A five-year dispute over whether or not a mining lease had extinguished native title rights in the Pilbara has been settled by a Federal Court ruling. The Ngarla people, who were granted native title to land covering thousands of square kilometres in the east Pilbara in 2007, will retain the native title rights when mining by BHP Billiton at Mount Goldsworthy is over. Simon Hawkins, chief executive officer of the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, described it as a significant win but expressed frustration at the litigation caused by the Western Australian government. The Basic Basin Plan Communities in the Murray-Darling Basin will share in $100 million of federal government funding for economic diversification projects to help them adjust to more sustainable water use in the future. "This program will help Basin communities to meet the challenge of living in a water-constrained environment by funding innovative, communitydriven projects that will stimulate employment and regional growth," said The Hon. Simon Crean, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government. Mr Crean said the MurrayDarling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program supports the government's Murray-Darling Basin Plan and will ensure Basin communities can strengthen their economic base and support the long-term viability of their rivers and region. The $100 million for the Murray-Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Program will be met by existing funding in the Sustainable Rural Water Use and Infrastructure Program. www.mdba.gov.au 53